Our congregation has dwindled back to just 3 people again... People don’t want to change. They know they have to but they won’t. They like to move along in the flesh... so they leave. Our hearts are sad, because they miss out on God’s full blessing. Lawrence still puts a little write up in the weekend local paper. He figures that if people won’t come to him, he will go to them, and this is the way to do it. It is called "Challenge your faith"... he challenges about the deception within the churches that people are not aware of... (Sue, Ayr, Qld)
We have a church that is very old... most are aged about 80. I’m the youngest – 35 – and I’m the pastor. We want to reach out to young people and folk, but people seem so hard. I’d love some ideas... outreach ideas that work. We’ve used the "Jesus" video. We put an ad in the paper and got 30 requests. But only a few sent back their comment cards. (Garry, Fremantle, WA)
We are a small Church and at present have no Pastor but am sure that God will send the right man and his family in His time not ours. We have prayer groups, ladies Bible studies day and at night, ladies craft and of course Sunday School on a Sunday. We are at presentin the process of starting Girl's and Boy's Brigade after many years of drought in children's ministry. We see the need for our young people in this town even though it does have a large contingent of sport, Boy Scouts and Girl Guides but that still leaves many children out there missing out. We would like your prayers for us as we train Leaders, advertise and do letter dropping to try and reach the families. (D.A., Innisfail, Qld)
This Sunday morning Margaret and I went for an early stroll along the beach. We have the most wonderful clean sparkling beach and the water is crystal clear. Perhaps 70 ms off the wave lapping area is the most beautiful aqua colour. Truly a beautiful scene. Ones mind is almost instantly drawn from this beautiful picture to the plight of so many people in the world. Wars, floods, road accidents and every type of misadventure one can imagine .I would like to think that Jesus will have returned even before you receive this letter. Justice has disappeared, police are ineffectual, in fact can one be criticised for suggesting that anarchy reigns? Australians have not suffered a lot and I believe we will suffer much more than we are now. At present there are few people really suffering. There are 30% of Australians below the poverty line and these people are suffering, but in other countries there are 90% of people suffering.
Some are lucky to be able to go a few streets or even a suburb or two to find good teachings. Sometimes we travel 65 Ks to hear a sermon at Badgingarra. These are always first class fire and brimstone and no imposition. (Neil, Jurien Bay, WA)
In the good old days, people were only interested in , "What must I do to be saved?" They were coming forward accepting the Lord. I’m afraid nowadays we have shifted the theme to money, to big churches, beautiful cars and how to live in abundance. We don’t want to carry the cross. We are self-centred, not realising that there is no crown without the cross. (Abraham, South Africa)
Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.
The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation. And every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his room-mate all the things he could see outside the window.
The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and colour of the world outside. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every colour of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene. One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn't hear the band - he could see it in his mind's eye, as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.
Days and weeks passed. One morning, the day nurse arrived only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away. As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.
Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the world outside. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it for himself. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased room-mate, who had described such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."
There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations. Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled. If you want to feel rich, just count all of the things you have that money can't buy. "Today is a gift, that's why it is called the present." (Peter S. Knobel)
I don’t mean to major on minors, but some are still sending comment in on the question of women in ministry...
Despite my disapproval of women ministers in the general sense, I have found
myself saying, ‘I suppose if men won’t respond as ministers and pastors,
then Father will speak through women, to men’s shame.’ I declare,
we can recognise father’s words and ways, through whoever and whatever
He sends them. Did He not once speak through a donkey!? PS I don’t mean
to compare women with donkeys!
(John, Argyll, Scotland)
Personally, I see scripture is clear that women are not to usurp authority in unscriptural roles. Like John, though, I see that Christian men need to be rebuked and woken up. Where are the men who will stand in the gap, and get on with the job God has called them to? Thank God for women who will help fill the need, whilst working within scriptural limits! (Ed)
The only passport to Heaven is the Blood of the Lamb of God. Nothing can protect us from the coming wrath but blood. It is mentioned more than 400 times in His Word. By the Blood is the believer’s...
Redemption. (Acts 20:28, Eph. 1:7, 1 Pet. 1:18-19, Rev. 5:9, Heb. 9:12).
Forgiveness (Heb. 9:22).
Justification (Rom. 5:9).
Peace (Col. 1:20, Rom. 5:1).
Cleansing (1 John 1:7, Rev. 1:5)
Access to God (Eph. 2:13, Heb. 10:19).
Fellowship (1 Cor. 10:16-17).
(Geoff, Collaroy, NSW)
FD was quite an encouragement to me. Our culture here is to praise
the Lord and worship Him as it is called a day. Thanks for putting my request
in... Now I’m receiving Christian material and letters from a few people.
If it be God’s will, I request a Matthew Henry commentary, rechargeable
batteries, and battery charger, as I’m using my walkman to listen to Gospel
tapes.
(Mr Mobby Sikops, Maximum Security Prison, Condemned Section, Box 80915
Kabwe, Zambia)
Pastor Kulandaivelu of Go Ye Missions (29 Water Tank Rd, Nagercoil, 629 001, India) reports progress with a building to house neglected children and orphans. In 27 years of ministry he has seen hundreds trust Christ. There are many needs.
Bro Rangasuri Yatirajam (C/- PO Box 1506, Somajiguda 500 082, Hyderabad, A.P. India) asks for prayer. He wants a bicycle to help him carry the Gospel from village to village.
I’m at Wabag town squatter settlement... I have no where to go and live. I used to sleep outside under broken trucks. I have no father. My mother’s husband killed her for not being faithful to him. When I was 4. I have no brothers and sisters. I am not known to uncles or aunties... I have no home. Starving, miseries, hardships, worries, burdens, a lot of bad feelings... I can’t obtain any job to work and help myself because the qualification I have is Year 10. I’m worried each day about my life and thinking a lot about suicide. ...I’m feeling nobody, useless, hopeless... Just like wild flower growing in the bush with no one’s care. Sometimes I used to rush to the rubbish bins to look for rotten food from the bakeries, supermarkets and restaurants... Sometimes we rubbish collectors fought each other for fresh food. Although I’m living in these miserable ways I’m enjoying reading your magazines... You don’t know how much these magazines done within my miserable heart. Its real truly cheered my broken heart up... Pray for me. (Amos King, PO Box 42, Wabag, Enga Province, PNG
Two weeks back we lost everything in a typhoon. It made great devastation with 240 Kms fast winds. Churches have been swept away... Hundreds and thousands of innocents lost their lives and thousands and thousands of houses were destroyed, Communications already cut off. (Bro. Y. Suri Samuel, City on the Hill Ministries, Narsapur- 534 275, w.g.dt (a.p) India)
I'm a Christian from 1991. We have a worship at the flats of the Church members. Our House Church have a troubles from the local authorities. I have three official fine papers - by the case of worship, cause the neighbor call police and many times our Sunday meetings been dispersed under the guns of the special police forces. Many times we have a hardship from the local authorities by the case of worship. The authorities call us "sectarians" and prohibit to have a worship on our flats... I'm and my daughter Mary (she's 7) have got many terrible situation, then police level the Kalashnikov guns to me and my daughter and shout at us! It's terrible! My pastor be delivered without any explanation to the local police department and to put into cage for the 24 ours! They got our passports and collection all information about us... "From what sect you are from? Break up!" And now, the terrorism came to the Russia. I'm really be afraid about my life, about my future. I'm fear, cause the situation at Russia become more and more awful. It's like the war take start here! I'm here, just as inside the blazing house and cry to the Lord - "Help me please, lead out me please". (Andrew, St. Petersburg, Russia)
Recently on TV I saw a documentary called "The Face of Debt", showing a horrible disease that eats away the faces of children in Niger, one of the poorest countries in the world. The great tragedy was that the use of a $5 mouthwash could prevent the disease which is ravaging the faces of one third of the children, and killing them. The utter wretchedness of the people in this country was unimaginable to we who live in Australia, even with our own real problems we face, they pale in comparison. I am thankful for such an awakening of reality that such documentary shows can bring into my home. Surrounded by comfort we take for granted, food, shelter, and we focus on our own frustrations and problems. How grateful we should be amidst our problems when such a window of suffering can be looked through. We are well insulated in our comfort zones from the daily reality of suffering in much of the world. We seem to get caught up in "straining at gnats" (Matt 23:24)... and neglect the weightier matters of doing justly, loving mercy and humbling ourselves by faith. (Kim, Boreen Point, Qld)
We have been travelling outback Qld in our caravan. We hand out lots of tracts and share with whosoever that Jesus is the answer. We have home fellowships with like-minded Christians. (Herb & Beth, Mourilyan, Qld)
I finally arrived home after spending five weeks travelling and touring seven Central, West, and South African nations ...We headed to the Cameroon border. One and a half days later, after another two taxis, which were both wrecked on the trip; pushing through mud and bogs for half the way; trying to sleep on the side of the road with furious mosquitoes, for half the night with my Muslim travelling companions; talking my way out of paying bribes through several border posts, obtaining visas and changing currency; and after being threatened to be left out in the middle of Cameroon, I finally arrived covered in mud; sunburnt and sore, at the Chad border. When the police inspected my passport and found no visa (unobtainable in Australia) he ordered abruptly, "Go back! Go back!" I looked down at my mud-caked shoes, that had to be twice recovered out of the bog, and my mud stained clothes, and said rather firmly, "Impossible! That road is impassable". In fact we were the only car that came through. We walked the last bit having ditched the second car where it wobbled on a bent tie-rod and stuttered on three cylinders, in the drain on the side of the road where it had slid. At one stage when I was knee deep in mud I actually called out aloud, "Oh Mother, if you could only see me now." The custom officials could not give me a visa at the border, which I was hoping for, and flatly refused my requests as I pleaded the impossibility of returning to Nigeria to obtain a visa, pointing more than once to the caked mud. Twice I just stood, closed my eyes, and prayed.
The second time God gave me an idea and I suggested they hold my passport and the following day obtain a visa at the immigration office in the city. "No problem" they said, and I was in Chad. Since I was a day late, and had no idea where my brother lived, again I had to pray. Coming out of the bus station, I walked across to the markets and was led to ask a vendor if he happened to know the new church. Amazingly, he responded in the affirmative and sent a lad to walk me down to the location. I walked into the compound to be greeted by the wife of the preacher, and wondered why I overflowed with emotion before being able to talk, wash up and later break bread with the brethren. God did answer your prayers. The church is still small but I was impressed by the strong group of men taking an active role in the church life.
One brother said to the congregation that he was challenged by this 'old' man's courage making the hazardous trip up just to break bread with them and share God's word. I straightened him out on the 'old' bit. It was a privilege to take a love gift to this family who are struggling to support themselves and who had a real need to pay school fees due for their children's education. The amount I had been given was the exact amount to cover their fees for the year.
In Liberia... as a result of the six-night open air crusade, 73 souls who accepted Christ as their personal Saviour were baptised... One congregation had walked four hours through the forest to attend. After I preached 20 adults responded. The service was halted as about 160, singing hymns, walked down to the creek to witness the baptism of the new converts. We all then went back and first served these twenty and then all partook of communion with them. What a beautiful thing to see the light of the gospel shinning in this predominantly Muslim community. One Muslim convert is now the preacher of one of these churches. He walked nine hours to attend the remaining three days of the seminar/crusade in Monrovia. He told me how he was preparing to baptise his Muslim uncle, brother-in-law and sister, the next Sunday. May the Lord be magnified... (Doug, Bribie Is, Qld)
Paul & Elizabeth Tate report that they have returned from a challenging trip to Zimbabwe, where they worked to help a children’s home become self sufficient. They built chicken pens, reared meat chicks and layers, put in vegie gardens, fruit trees, and taught various skills to the young people.
I'd been doing a church planting in the mountain of Bohol, for
15 years ,and God direct me to pioneer the city of Tagbilaran. I know God has
a heart for the City, as of now our brethren is not many, but we are doing what
God want us to do. I had a preaching in the Public Market, streets, and highways
three times a week with the young people I train. We made a crusade three times
a week in the barrios, and we reach the BADJAO TRIBE the least of the muslim
religion, they stay in the ocean 24 hours a week. I train worker who will stay
with them, sleep, eat their food, love their way of living. The heartbeat of
God is for the unreached people groups. He will not come unless all the tribe
will not reach, we have many unreach people in our country. We will work while
it is day, night will come when no man can work.
(Fernando D. Impang, Jr. PO Box 82 Tagbilaran City 6300 Bohol, Philippines)
I am actively and desperately involved in prison and street ministry along with helping feeding and sheltering orphans and the underprivileged. (Titus, Kitwe, Zambia)
Nelly and I have been blessed in that we could travel throughout Australia this year to visit all our children. We spent nearly half the year on the road. At Camooweal one of the van brakes locked, ruining the tyre... A fellow stopped: "Are you all right mate?" "No", I said. Before this fellow could get his hands on the wheel, four other vans stopped with the same question... One is a teacher in the automotive industry and one had good knowledge of brakes. In less than half an hour we were again on our way at reduced speed to Mount Isa, where the next day the van was repaired. I see this as a case of Jehovah-Jireh and not co-incidence.
Just before we entered Charters Towers there was a bend in the road and an oncoming road-train with three trailers (50 metres long) was being overtaken by an elderly lady who ignored the barrier lines. The only thing I could do was pray hitting the brakes (now working perfectly) and just in time she got safely between us. The poor truckie was white as a sheet. We could not do anything else. The Lord must have sent an angel to interfere here. In the light of these two experiences I cannot understand that so many people dare to say that God is dead or there is no God. (John, Moonta, SA)
We had an interesting service – an Australian missionary lady to Uganda came. She also had a young Ugandan couple with her. The young man, David Livingstone, preached a simple message. We were truly blessed by them, and realised how blessed we all are in this country, when we hear of the poverty and hardships in other countries. (Marion, Southport, Qld)
The communistic regime was outraging in our country for 45 years. Many churches were destroyed; many pastors and ordinary believers were in jail or interned. Some of them finished their life there. Our country was pillaged. A lot of richness, including the golden reserve of the nation were exported to foreign banks. The results of the communistic government was atheism, violence, immorality and economic decay, but the most horrible was the atheistic devastation of the people’s souls.
We have a vision to do our best for evangelisation of this district. We worked enthusiastically. We began our services in a hall, which was a communistic club before, but for the present is a property of the municipality. After about two months, we were forbidden to gather there. According to an unwritten law we cannot rent a municipal property for religious purposes. Our next church service was in the open air, in the park but we could not continue that, because according to the laws of the country, meetings in the open air is possible in only exceptional cases with a preliminarily written permission by the authorities. It has been already for a year that we have no place for our church meetings. We gather in houses of brothers and sisters, which produces additional problems.
Different sects like Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses and other are very active and working very hard. They are solvent and build awful temples. Also in the Moslem districts in our country are been built with great speed many mosques, financed by the Moslem countries. Our big need is building an Evangelical Church and to sow God’s seed. We should like to harvest rich crops for the eternal granaries. (Veselin, Bulgaria)
Alan Scott, open air evangelist from Shepparton has written over 600 pages of his witnessing adventures; the many responses of passers-by; both positive and negative. Alan wears his neck tie on an elastic band ever since a man came up behind him as he preached in the street and tried to throttle him with his tie. In 20 years of street preaching he has been stoned by a crazed man, threatened with a knife, spat upon, punched, hit, kicked, had missiles thrown at him from passing cars and even had a car try to run him down. He braves rain, wind, heat and scorn to deliver his message about Jesus Christ. He says: "I have had some excellent ministry in the rain. They ask me why and what I am doing and I tell the: ‘This is nothing. Jesus Christ hung on the cross for me, dripping blood – and for you.’ "
Recently a man I gave a tract to turned up to a new Independent Baptist church in east Sydney, bringing some friends along with him. One of his friends raised her hand at the gospel invitation. It has been a blessing to occasionally help this pastor in this godless part of Sydney. Another blessing happened when a couple of months ago I was handing out tracts with my pastor when I encountered an abusive lady who called me a 'Bible basher' (praise God). While doorknocking a couple of weeks ago, I knocked on a door and behold, it was the same woman. This time she allowed me to share the gospel with her, and she then said she wanted to receive Christ as her Saviour. She made a profession, followed by coming to church two weeks in a row and is willing to be baptised. (Mark, Blacktown, NSW)
I had stopped making "Reflections" (a newsletter) , but the Lord touched me again... I’m working on them again. I give a large quantity to City Mission, Salvation Army, Bible Society, and Radio Rhema throughout Australia. They like to read some of the items over the air here, and in NZ. So I feel my time is not wasted. (Norma, Moorooka, Qld)
An outstanding high wire performer was explaining how he executed a breathtaking triple somersault: "To catch the swing, you must time your dive perfectly! It takes much practice!" "It must also take lots of courage!" the listener commented. "The secret is to throw your heart over the bar", he answered. "When you do, your body will follow!"
The same could be said for many other difficult tasks in life. Once we've decided our goal, prepared and practiced for it, the essential thing is to throw yourself into the endeavour with body, mind and soul. When we really want something worthwhile, with our whole being, we can achieve it provided we throw our heart over the bar. Then, as day follows night, our body will follow. (Daily Gems)
This is all too late, I know, but there is one phrase in the Preamble that needed to get a loud NO! It read as follows: "Honouring Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders, the nation's first people, for their deep kinship with their lands and for their ancient and continuing cultures which enrich the life of our country. We certainly do honour our original inhabitants as human beings made in the image of God, and wish them God's blessing upon their future, but how can any informed Christian applaud their bondage to the land/earth and the territorial and ancestral spirits (powers of darkness - elemental spirits - Gal. 4:8-9, Col. 2:20), which have so cruelly kept them in chains of poverty, sickness and death for centuries? May the Victory of the Cross of Christ over all our spiritual enemies (Col. 2:13-15) become theirs also. That is true riches for our country, and true reconciliation. (Peter, Crows Nest, NSW)
Sue Kidd tells of a visit to the top of the Empire State Building in New York: Up and up they went, 1250 feet to the observatory on the 102nd floor. At the top, they gazed through the windows, where a piece of white cloud drifted by. It was said that sometimes, visitors could see it raining below them while they were still in the sunshine. Sue peered down. The city seemed microscopic.
"Look!" cried her son. She hurried to his window, expecting to see a spectacular sight, but instead, he pointed to an ordinary bee, perched on the window ledge. "How did it get way up here?" he asked, incredulously. Sue gazed at the tiny creature, in awe. She saw the tissue-thin wings that had somehow flown more than a quarter of a mile straight up into the winds. Back in the lift, they were still talking about the bee on the window ledge, wondering how it could fly so high.
"Maybe it just kept saying, 'I think I can! I think I can'", teased the lift driver.
They all laughed then. But to-day, when Sue faces some especially difficult problem, or seemingly impossible task, she recalls that humble bee at the top of the Empire State Building. And she is reminded that with faith in God, and belief in ourselves, we can overcome anything. We can fly as high as we think we can! "Help us, Lord, to fix our eyes on You, and to keep climbing". (Daily Gems)
ADULTERY is allowed to go on unchecked and without Biblical discipline
in churches. (1 Cor 5:11-13)
- adultery in the form of UNLAWFUL DIVORCE & REMARRIAGE is acceptable in
some churches. (Malt 19:9, Mark 10:11-12)
SODOMY is condoned by some church leaders & denominations. (Deut 23:17)
FEMINISM has spawned the unbiblical idea of equality of purpose
& function of men and women.
("I suffer not a woman to teach... but to be in silence." 1 Tim 2:12-14).
FALSE PROPHETS and their false predictions and proclamations
abound, speaking words which disagree with scripture.
(Jer. 23:19;32, Isaiah 8:19-20)
ECUMENISM, where so-called protestants ("evangelicals" seems to be a more acceptable word now) fall over one another in their rush to embrace the Church of Rome. Earlier Anglicans, Presbylerians, Congregationalists, Baptists, Methodists, Pentecostals & orders, declared unequivocally that "church" to be "MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, TIlE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH" (Rev. 17:5-6). Check the facts -Rome hasn't changed; the other churches have!
FALSE DOCTRINES of all kinds, including non-christian CULTS,
which our forefathers of most denominations rejected are accepted, or ignored
as unimportant, in a show of pseudo-unity. (2 Tim 4:1-5)
(Trevor, Nanango, Qld)
If someone came to your door at midnight and asked you where was the nearest Christian, what would you answer?
Lady Rosie tells how she came one night to a Chinese village without a decent
inn, and how her muleteer went out to find a Christian house for her. Christian
homes are always cleaner than others and Christians always willing to help.
Then a village elder cane. "I understand that you are asking for a Christian
in this village. We nave none. I am very sorry." "Where does the nearest Christian
live? The nearest Christian," said he, "lives five days' journey from here."
"My father said, when I told him this story, 'Yes, and they knew where he was.'
Five days' journey and his light had shone." How far this little candle throws
its beams!
(Taken from an old book published in 1954 called "COO-EE and other Gospel
Stories")
There are two days in every week that we should not worry about. Two days that should be kept free from fear and apprehension.
One is YESTERDAY with its mistakes and cares, its faults and blunders, its aches and pains. Yesterday has passed forever beyond our control. All the money in the world cannot bring back yesterday. We cannot undo a single act we performed nor can we erase a single word we’ve said.
YESTERDAY is gone.
The other day we shouldn't worry about is TOMORROW with its impossible adversaries, its burden, its hopeful promise and poor performance. Tomorrow is beyond our control.
Tomorrow's sun will rise either in splendour or behind a mass of clouds: but it will rise. And until it does, we have no stake in tomorrow, for it is yet unborn.
That leaves only one day; TODAY. Any person can fight the battles of just one day. It is only when we add the burdens of yesterday and tomorrow that we break down.
It is not the experience of today that drives people mad; it is the remorse of bitterness for something which happened yesterday, and the dread of what tomorrow might t bring.
LET US, THEREFORE, LIVE ONE DAY AT A TIME!
(From Barbara, Somerton Park, SA)
It misses out the fact that people need to be made aware that they are sinners, totally unworthy of God's great love and mercy... It lacks essential Biblical truths such as the awfulness and the reality of hell. (Matthew 25:30,41,46, Revelation 20:10-15, 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9) I once heard a preacher say that if he had a dollar for every time someone tried to talk him out of mentioning the dreaded word 'hell' in his sermons, he would be a very rich man. I admire this man. He unashamedly spoke about the reality of hell. What a brave man. Such men of God are few and far between...
In these days the popular gospel message consists mainly of words like, love and grace. Besides, one wouldn't want to scare away potential church members by preaching hell, fire and brimstone... The preaching of the cross is no longer central to the gospel message...
Words like justification, sanctification, redemption etc, are almost unheard nowadays. The emphasis of the Salvation message has shifted from 'what God has done for you' to 'what can I get out of this for myself'. I see very little remorse for sin. (See Psalm 51)...
There is no 'forsaking all to follow Christ'. Matthew 16:24-25... There is no longer any encouragement to be separate from the world. I see very little difference between people in the church and people in the world. We should stand out like lights. (Matthew 5:13-14) We are the salt of the earth, but tragically the salt has lost its savour. The modern church has merged with the world. The way people dress, the emphasis on material possessions and the lack of true commitment to Christ are just a few signs of how far away the church is removed from genuine Biblical Christianity. 2 Corinthians 6:14-17...
Lordship is almost unheard of these days. "If Jesus isn't Lord of all - He isn't Lord at all". One of the greatest insults to the gospel is the fact that the ministers are neglecting to preach holiness. What about the importance of obedience in the life of a believer? These are essential aspects of Christianity, almost unheard of these days... The modern gospel is just far too comfortable, far too easily obtained, and far too appealing. Why? Because Satan's most effective tool is to present only half the truth. He delights in seeing people play 'Christian' games. As long as he can keep the churches full of unconverted people who think they are saved, he has achieved his purpose.
Only God's wonderful grace and mercy poured out upon a repentant heart will ensure a true 'born again' experience. Unless a person is a 'brand new creation in Christ Jesus' where 'old things have passed away and all things have been made new' there is a strong possibility that they are not even saved... It’s the sincere, pure, Biblical gospel which results in true repentance in the hearts of remorseful sinners. (Delwyn, Griffith, NZ)
A lady from Germany came over to the United States to visit some family she had not seen in years. While here in the America she decided to take a sky diving lessons along with one of her family members. On the first day she was nervous as you might expect, but she went ahead with the lessons, any way. Her sky diving teacher was named Sam. On the way up in the plane he explained some other things to her besides what they had learned in the class the previous three days.
"Don't worry he said, I will be with you all the way down."
Well, the big moment finally came and up together they went. While holding hands he said, "Now on the count of three pull your rip cord and I will pull mine a moment later."
As fortune would have it a very large gust of wind came and blew across both parachutes and entangled them beyond repair. Why did I say, as fortune would have it? Here is the rest of the story!
Later on after she landed she recounted the things she had been told by Sam: As we were falling he told me this is what we are going to do. He told me to get on his back like we were going to piggyback. Then he told me how he was going to land and which way to roll, and to be sure and stay loose and do not tighten up.
Then he told me something I will never forget. I will more than likely be killed, but it is important that you listen to me the last few seconds we have. He began to explain to me about the love of the Lord and how there was no greater love than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. He told me how if this was the only way GOD could reach me he was more then glad to be the one to die so I could live. He led me in the sinner's prayer and I know now that there is nothing that will ever make me afraid again. I actually had peace when it came time for that final impact. The last thing Sam told me was, no matter what happens in your life remember how the Lord brought you through this, and know that He will always be with you, and I will be waiting for you at the Father's side.
It has been three and a half years since Sam died and I began to really live. I never stop thanking my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for giving his life for me that I could live. (Gretchen; From Heather Clement)
A sobbing little girl stood near a small church from which she had been turned away because it 'was too crowded'. "I can't go to Sunday school," she sobbed to the pastor as he walked by. Seeing her shabby, unkempt appearance, the pastor guessed the reason and, taking her by the hand, took her inside and found a place for her in the Sunday School class. The child was so touched that she went to bed that night thinking of the children who have no place to worship Jesus.
Some two years later, this child lay dead in one of the poor tenement buildings and the parents called for the kind-hearted pastor, who had befriended their daughter, to handle the final arrangements. As her poor little body was being moved, a worn and crumpled purse was found which seemed to have been rummaged from some trash dump. Inside was found 57 cents and a note scribbled in childish handwriting, which read, "This is to help build the little church bigger, so more children can go to Sunday school."
For two years she had saved for this offering of love. When the pastor tearfully read that note, he knew instantly what he would do. Carrying this note and the cracked red purse to the pulpit, he told the story of her unselfish love and devotion. He challenged his deacons to get busy and raise enough money for the larger building. But the story does not end there! A newspaper learned of the story and published it. It was read by a realtor who offered them a parcel of land worth many thousands. When told that the church could not pay so much, he offered it for a 57 cent payment. Church members made large subscriptions. Checks came from far and wide. Within five years the little girl's gift had increased to $250,000.00 - a huge sum for that time (near the turn of the century). Her unselfish love had paid large dividends.
When you are in the city of Philadelphia, look up Temple Baptist Church, with a seating capacity of 3,300, and Temple University, where hundreds of students are trained. Have a look, too, at the Good Samaritan Hospital and at a Sunday School building which houses hundreds of Sunday scholars, so that no child in the area will ever need to be left outside at Sunday school time.
In one of the rooms of this building may be seen the picture of the sweet face of the little girl whose 57 cents, so sacrificially saved, made such remarkable history. Alongside of it is a portrait of her kind pastor, Dr. Russel H. Conwell, author of the book, "Acres of Diamonds." A true story. (Submitted by Dan Griffiths)
Arise and go toward the south unto the way... which is desert. And he arose and went.' and behold... (Acts 8:26,27). Philip is in the midst of a great revival in Samaria when suddenly there comes a strange turn in the Divine direction. I am sure friends must have said: "What! From a revival to a desert? Are you sure God wants you to leave these thrilling meetings for a desolate trail?" But he went and behold... the evangelist meets the eunuch.
Has God called you from a Samaria to a Sahara? Has health failed, has adversity shut down, have loved ones gone, must you undertake a hard work among strangers? Does the sudden shift in His orders seem so abrupt that you hesitate and argue that it doesn't make sense? All, but His ways are not ours. If He sends you to the desert He can furnish streams of water there. Philip had a date with the eunuch and didn't know it. If God orders you out on the lone road He has a date for you to keep with someone, maybe with some bewildered soul, maybe with Himself.
Jesus must needs go through Samaria to meet one needy woman; perhaps you must needs leave Samaria because somewhere out on a dismal way, not at all where you like to travel, someone needs you. Philip "arose and went ... and behold." He Who has said, "go ye there/ore ..." has said "lo, I am with you." As you obey, you may not see the why of it, but you shall see the Who. He Who says "Go" goes along. (Moody)
She is to...
Be a help-meet to her husband. (Genesis 2:18)
Be obedient, submissive and in subjection to her husband. (Ephesians 5:22-24,
Colossians 3:18, 1 Peter 3:1-6, Titus 2:5)
Do good and not evil to her husband. (Proverbs 31:12)
Reverence her husband. (Ephesians 5:33)
Love her children and husband. (Titus 2:4)
Guide the house. (1 Timothy 5:14)
Be a keeper at home. (Titus 2:5)
Look well to the ways of her household. (Proverbs 31:27)
Bear children. (1 Timothy 5:14)
Dress in modest apparel. (1 Timothy 2:9)
(Delwyn, Tokoroa, NZ)
Long before the word eternity was mechanically sparkled on and electronically emblazoned across The Harbour Bridge of Sydney amongst the spectacular and artistic fireworks it was first written, manually and enthusiastically, by hand, in a simple and amazing fashion over 500.000 times by a man whom the Sydney press called Mr. Eternity but whose real name was Arthur Stace.
Australia's beloved evangelist, the late John G Ridley M.C . preached a timely message entitled "The echoes of Eternity" based on an Old Testament text found in Isaiah 57:15 "For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."
The evangelist stressed the word Eternity and how its echoes are heard in Creation, in the Christian, and in the Cross .The preacher suddenly raised his Loud voice and cried "Eternity, Eternity, I wish that I could sound or shout that word to everyone in the streets of Sydney. You’ve got to meet it where will spend eternity... "Eternity went ringing through my brain" said Stace, " and suddenly I begun crying & felt a powerful call from the Lord to write eternity. I had a piece of chalk in my pocket and outside the church I bent down right there and wrote it.... The funny thing is that before I wrote it I could hardly write my own name. I had no schooling and I couldn’t have spelt eternity for a hundred quid. But it came out smoothly, in a beautiful copperplate script. I couldn't understand it, and I still can't."
What the Eternal Almighty God did to, in and through Arthur Stace, he is willing to do for you, but first you must settle the question of "Where will you spend eternity?". Your decision here and now on earth will determine your destiny there and then in eternity. If you refuse and reject him you are choosing to spend eternity in hell, if you receive him you will spend eternity in heaven and rejoice evermore. Let me encourage you to open the door of your heart right now and receive Him as your Lord and Saviour. It only requires 3 simple yet heart believed expressions. They are: I am sorry, please forgive me and thankyou for saving me. (Peter Rahme; Condensed)
It's not the critic who counts, not the one who points out how the strongman stumbled or where the doer of good deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena:
Whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood;
who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again...
Who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in
a worthy cause...
Who, at best, knows the triumph of high achievement...
And who, at worst, if he fails at least fails while daring greatly. His place
shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat."
(Theodore Roosevelt)
As Christians we should pray for our Bible translators that when they translate the Holy Scripture to modern English the message is not distorted or changed. We should also pray for people who are reading different Bible versions. Some translations we might dislike or find heretical. We should pray that they will understand God's love and come into a living relationship with God the Father, through the sacrificial death of the Son, and become a temple of the Holy Spirit. It is by grace we are saved through faith, it is a gift of God. ...I find using different versions and reading them together help. (Ivan, Port Adelaide, SA)
Ed: I am in contact with many believers who come from various church backgrounds. Some of their respective beliefs and viewpoints I personally would not agree with. My quoting them is not necessarily an endorsement. However, I stand with them as they lift up Christ and seek to honour His Word.
A couple of weeks ago I noticed a putrid smell... I proceeded to go through the contents of the vegetable basket, on the surface everything looked okay and the vegetables were nice and fresh. As I dug deeper though I found the offending item. It was a lone solitary spud that was causing all the stench... As anyone knows, a rotten spud will eventually destroy all those with it! I removed the offending spud and its contaminated neighbours, washed the basket and all was well again. The vile smell was gone and the rest of the potatoes were okay to eat.
That rotten spud taught me a lesson about my own life, if I have some unconfessed sin inside me it will continue to grow and eventually corrupt my whole being. If I had left the solitary rotten spud alone it would have destroyed the whole basket of spuds. With me, sin only breeds more sin, so I have to be ever vigilant to confess any known sin that I have and indeed for any sins that I don't even know of. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness ." 1 John 1:9 Have you got something rotten and stinking lurking inside you? Why not confess and hand your sins over to God today! (Mervyn, Ipswich, Qld)
The first sermon preached each Sunday is not by the pastor, but by you. You preach a message of good cheer when you say "Good Morning" to those you meet at the door. You preach a message of welcome when you slide over in the pew instead of forcing others to squeeze in front of you. You preach a message of hope and joy when you sing the hymns. You preach a message about the power of prayer when you let someone know you are praying for them. You preach a message of love when you smile and say hello to a visitor. You preach a message about the importance of the Scriptures when you listen carefully to the Bible being read. You preach a message of faith when you share a prayer request. You preach a message of encouragement when you voice praise to the Lord. Many messages are preached before the pastor stands to share the sermon. If your message is positive, faithful and consistent, then the message from the pulpit will be more effective. Go to church this Sunday and every Sunday, prepared to preach your best sermon. (Emory Ediger)
It is sad and unfortunate that what we have feared all along, and passionately warned about without any listening ear, has finally come upon this nation: The Sharia is already being implemented on the streets of the State Capital.
Many Sharia Courts have sprung up, manned by Islamic "Scholars". They have already heard and decided their first case, and the exercise took less than an hour. Twenty people, among them Christians, were rounded up by a mob of youths, for allegedly stealing what nobody knows. They were taken to one of these "Courts" where the accused persons had no legal representation. They were "prosecuted" by the young ruffians, who obviously had official support. As was expected, they were all found guilty within minutes. Instant punishment came to one of the twenty: a Fulani herdsman, perhaps accused of stealing his own cow. The youths were permitted to take him away, and he was later found, his two arms had been chopped off, and he had bled to death.
These Courts have absolutely no basis in law, but are already being allowed to sentence people to death and mutilation. Very soon we are going to be seeing people in towns, with hands chopped off.
In spite of mounting criticism against the adoption of Sharia law in the northern Nigeria, Saudi Arabia has offered to help the state's government in its implementation.
As part of preparations for Sharia laws the state government is to build 30 new courts, and has de-segregated the school system with separate schools for the children of the opposite sexes. The state is making efforts to provide separate transport and health facilities for women and men. Under the Sharia legal systems, convicted robbers would have their right hands chopped off, while adulterers and fornicators would be stoned to death. The law has a provision that if you change you faith from Islam you are to be executed.
Christians in Nigeria do not want to be subjected to these crude, stone age laws which provide for people to have their heads chopped off with swords in the public square for adultery, and for women to be discriminated against and separated from men in public places including the markets, schools, public transports etc. (Joseph, Plateau State, Nigeria)
This man called Jesus
Carried His cross of wood
To the place we call the Skull...
Blood poured from His face
And back, as He staggered And fell...
the sky grew dull...
We took His hands and feet,
Tied them down, nailed them on.
Then hung Him between two thieves...
My fellow soldiers gambled His clothes,
Others laughed, and threw their stones.
"Forgive me," said one of the thieves...
Hanging, He still had love.
Yes compassion was on His face,
As He asked His Father to forgive...
He said: "It is finished!" And bowed His head,
Dying, that we might live...
Blackness fell... people ran,
But I stayed where I was.
Deciding then to tread where He had trod...
For as I looked toward the cross,
I bowed my knee and said
"Surely this must be the Son of God!"
(Andrew R. Cooper – used by permission)
There is an organisation in America known as the Pennsylvania Worry Group. It was established by a professor of psychology to study the whole question of worry and to research ways by which worriers can be helped. It discovered some interesting facts.
For instance, 15 percent of the population spend half their waking hours worrying; and more than thirteen million Americans of eighteen years of age and over suffer from anxiety disorders. And women worry more than men do. By the way, the definition of a worrier is someone who worries more than ninety minutes a day. All of us worry at some time and some people worry all the time. We worry about many personal things - health, the family, work, and money - and we worry about major things like unemployment and the environment. There was the poster that said, 'Don't worry, it may never happen', and across it someone had scrawled, 'It already has. What do I do now'?
Quite often we worry about things that may never happen, or look at tasks that on first sight may seem impossible. Thomas Edison, a genius among inventors, once said that the only difference between the difficult and the impossible is that the impossible takes a little longer. The greatest handicap that many of us have is a sort of defeatism. Sometimes, when we hear of what difficulties have befallen others, we assume that it is going to happen to us. But it rarely does. No person knows what they can do until they do it. I know of people who worry themselves sick - literally. In that frame of mind things can go wrong and frequently do. Of course there are real problems, difficulties and heartaches, and it is then that we need a friend. Not someone who will cause our troubles to evaporate - life isn't like that. We need someone who will listen and understand. The best friend that any of us can have is Jesus. He knows all about life - He has been there and done that. And we can talk to Him any time. The Apostle Peter gave us some good advice. He said, "uot;Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." I know it sounds just too easy, but it does work. Try it. Matthew 6:25-34 and Philippians 4:4-9 (Ron, Tas)
(The Benefits of Turbulent Winds)
TURBULENT WINDS CAUSE THE EAGLE TO FLY HIGHER. Life's troubles should cause the Christian to seek closer fellowship with the Lord. Troubles should cause us to fly higher.
TURBULENT WINDS GIVE THE EAGLE A LARGER VIEW. When our lives are touched by troubles and we flee to God we begin to see the reason and result of lower living.
TURBULENT WINDS LIFT THE EAGLE ABOVE HARRASSMENT FROM OTHER BIRD OF PREY. As we walk with the Lord it is difficult, if not impossible, for us to be harassed by the troubles or troubler of life.
TURBULENT WINDS ALLOW THE EAGLE TO USE LESS EFFORT. We struggle the most when we live in lower spiritual altitudes. If we draw nigh to God, we will find how really simple life is meant to be.
TURBULENT WINDS ALLOW THE EAGLE TO STAY UP LONGER. When we experience fellowship with God; His peace, comfort and love. There will be a desire to remain close to Him. When troubles come we learn immediately to stretch forth our wings and fly high into the presence of the Lord.
TURBULENT WINDS HELP THE EAGLE TO FLY FASTER. The more we soar above the cares and troubles of life, the more effective we will be in accomplishing the work God has called every Christian to - Glorifying Him and evangelizng the world in which we live. (Kevin Burden)
| Your first nine months of life were the most eventful you have ever experienced. Here are the major milestones of that life before birth - the first chapter in your own biography. Conception. The father's sperm penetrates the mother's egg cell. Genetic instructions from parents, who supply 46 chromosomes, interact with each other, and supply innumerable genes . to begin a new and unique individual - no bigger that a grain of salt. 1st day: The first cell divides into two, the two into four, and so on. | |
| 5-9 DAYS | The new individual burrows into the wall of the womb. The sex of the new life can be determined. |
| 14 DAYS | The mother's menstrual period is suppressed by a hormone produced by her child. |
| 18 DAYS | The heart is forming, and the eyes are developing. |
| 20 DAYS | The foundations of brain, spinal cord and nervous system are laid. |
| 24 DAYS | The heart begins to beat. |
| 28 DAYS | Muscles are developing along the future spine. Arms and legs are budding. |
| 30 DAYS | The child has grown 10,000 times to 6-7 mm long. The brain has human proportions. The blood flows in veins ( but stays separate from the mother's blood. ) |
| 35 DAYS | The pituitary ( or master ) gland in the brain is forming. Mouth, ears and nose are taking shape. |
| 40 DAYS | The heart's energy output is 20% of the adult's. |
| 42 DAYS | The skeleton is formed. The brain coordinates movements of muscles and organs. Reflex responses have begun. The penis is forming in boys. The mother misses her second period. |
| 43 DAYS. | The brain waves can be recorded.( that is electrically.) |
| 45 DAYS | Spontaneous movements have begun. Buds of milk teeth have appeared. |
| 7 WEEKS | The baby's lips are sensitive to touch. The ears may resemble the family pattern. |
| 8 WEEKS | The child is a well-proportioned, small-scale baby, 3 cm sitting up, and a gram in weight.. Every organ is present. The heart beats sturdily. The stomach produces digestive juices. The liver makes blood cells. Kidneys begin to function. Taste buds are forming. |
| 9 WEEKS | The child will bend fingers around an object placed in the palm. Thumb - sucking occurs. Fingernails are forming. The baby's finger-prints are formed and will never change except for size. |
| 10 WEEKS | The body is sensitive to touch. The child squints, swallows and frowns. |
| 11 WEEKS | The baby urinates, makes complex facial expressions - even smiles. |
| 12 WEEKS | The baby's vigourous activity shows distinct individuality. The child can kick, turn feet, curl and fan toes, make a fist, move thumbs, bend wrists, turn head, open mouth, and press lips tightly together. Breathing is practised. |
| 13 WEEKS | Baby's face is prettier, facial expressions resembling the parents '. Movements are graceful Vocal cords are formed ( but without air the baby cannot cry ). The sex organs are apparent. |
| 4 MONTHS | The child can grasp with hands, swim and turn somersaults. |
| 4-5 MONTHS | The mother excitably senses movements. |
| 5 MONTHS | Sleeping habits appear. The child responds to sounds in frequencies too high or low for adults to hear. Argumentative, high-pitched shouting distresses the babe, while beautiful music and singing, even crooning, comfort the developing babe. |
| 6 MONTHS | Fine hair grows on the babe's eyebrows and head. The eyelash fringe appears. The babe's weight is about 640g and height 23 cm. Babies born at this, and a little less, age survive well. |
| 7 MONTHS | Eye teeth are present. Eyelids open and close. Hands grip strongly. The babe recognises the mother's voice. |
| 8 MONTHS | The weight increases by 1 Kg and baby's quarters get cramped. |
| 9 MONTHS | The head of the child pressing on the cervix ( neck of the womb ) triggers labour and birth occurs, usually 255-275 days after conception. Of 45 generations of cell divisions before adulthood, 41 have already taken place. Jeremiah wrote, 'Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you came forth out of the womb, I sanctified you, and I ordained you a prophet of the nations.' (1:4,5 ) |
3000 years ago, David gave a staggering account of the development of the babe in the womb. In verse 14, ' You have formed my inward parts. You have covered me in my mother's womb. The early milestones show these complex processes. The babe is covered with 2 membranes full of protective fluid, and as much a safeguard as the air bags in the modern car. When a mother falls, the fluid in the covering membranes shields mother and her babe from the jarring. Perfectly engineered.
Consider the development of the eye, how the sensitive retina forms and ultimately connects with the ophthalmic nerve centre at the back of the brain, crossing over from one side to another in the process. Think of its artery which forms and links with the main arterial supply, conveying oxygen and nourishment for every structure of the eye. . The timing is precise, for God's computerised programme is complex and effective. David reveals a secret as he writes, ' In your book they were all formed, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them'. (v16) The word 'book' in the original language means 'writing , inscription or code'. Is this a reference to the DNA molecule which conveys all the genetic information through the chromosomes and genes. Man discovered this in the 1960's, but our great Creator had established HIS genetic code from the creation of Adam and Eve. When our son studied Agriculture, the research work was released, and his excitement was unbounded. " So complex, Dad, so intricate, it could never have 'just happened'; it came from the intelligent, all-wise Father. Medicine has an artificial description of life as an embryo until eight weeks' development, while it is called a foetus from that point onwards. However, it is the same God-given life.
No one can estimate the potential of each life. God has richly endowed each of His creatures with specific gifts, such as artisan, athlete, inventor, philosopher, mother, known only to Him. Every graduating doctor takes the Hippocratic Oath, which was ratified in the Declaration of Geneva 1948, 1968, 1983 and which reads: I will maintain the utmost respect for human life from its beginning even under threat, and I will not use my medical knowledge contrary to the laws of humanity. The International code of Medical Ethics ruled: A doctor must always bear in mind the importance of preserving life from the time of conception until death. The complex hormonal pattern of the mother- to - be is designed to carry her through the nine months of pregnancy and the delivery of a live baby. If this controlled programme is interrupted by accident or design, deep feelings of guilt and depression follow. I pleaded with my patients who became pregnant out of wedlock not to seek a termination of pregnancy, as abortion is often termed. I warned of the despondency that followed such procedure. Many came back after ignoring my urgent counsel, seeking medical and spiritual help for depression. Thank God He is able to forgive, and cleanse from the guilt and shame that followed. Our Lord Jesus also cleanses the memories that have plagued many women .
Victor Chang had immigrated as a boy to Australia from mainland China. He studied medicine and became established as a world-acclaimed heart surgeon. Victor had performed more than 200 heart transplants in his Sydney hospital. He trained Australian heart surgeons, and teamed with Asian Professors in Sydney or in their hospitals in South East Asia. He encouraged some of the great Chinese heart surgeons. He was as deeply loved in the land of his birth, as in his adopted Australia. ' Please pray for my patient, and for me', he often asked. He loved his Lord and depended on Him. 'Gracious, humble gentleman, 'was how many described him. In his search for an artificial heart, he gathered the finest medical engineers to perfect such an organ, which worked well in a sheep for a trial of 12 months. In his love of the poor, he sought an artificial heart within the financial reach of most, and a fraction of the cost of those available. The Australian nation grieved when its greatest heart transplant surgeon died on 4th July, 1991. .He was brutally struck down while driving to his hospital to operate. An attempt to hold his family ransom failed, prompting the callous assassination. Australia was shocked. The world of medicine gasped. Our grieving, Australian nation watched the memorial service, carried by each television channel, with the gentle strains of 'Amazing Grace' accompanying the eulogies, especially from his beloved daughter, who had watched her father operate. Former patients formed a guard of honour, sobbing a common theme, 'He gave me a new heart, and a new life. ' Victor Chang was deeply loved. His death was so unnecessary. He was cut down in his prime. Only once in a generation does such a distinguished, innovative, compassionate surgeon arise. I plead that no life in the womb be destroyed. Who can tell what great things God has in store for the developing child.? Who can fathom God's purpose in bringing that life to know the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour, and to enter into eternal life? And to enjoy such blessed oneness with their dear Saviour through eternity.
(LIFE IS TOO PRECIOUS TO THROW AWAY. Adapted from " Milestones of early life")
There is a preacher of the old school and he speaks as boldly as ever. He is not popular, though the world is his parish, and he travels over every part of the globe and speaks in every language under the sun. He visits the poor, calls upon the rich, and preaches to people of every religion and many of no religion, but the subject of his sermon is always the same. He is an eloquent preacher--often stirs feelings which no other preacher could reach, and brings tears into eyes that seldom weep. He addresses himself to the conscience and the heart. None are able to refute his arguments; nor is there any heart that has remained wholly unmoved by the force of his weighty appeals. Most people hate him, for many cringe in his presence, but in one way or another he makes everybody hear him.
He is neither refined nor polite. Indeed, he often interrupts the public arrangements and breaks rudely in upon the private enjoyments of life. He frequents the shop, the office and the factory. He appears in the midst of legislators, and intrudes upon fashionable and religious gatherings at most inopportune times. His name is Death.
You cannot take up a newspaper without finding that he has a corner in it. Every tombstone serves him for a pulpit. You often see his congregations passing to and from the graveyard. The sudden departure of that neighbour, the solemn parting with that dear parent, the loss of that valued friend, the awful gap that was left in your heart when that fondly loved wife, that precious child, was taken, have all been loud and solemn appeals from this old preacher. One day he may take you for his text and in your bereaved family circle, by your graveside, be preaching to others.
You may get rid of the Bible, preachers of the gospel, and reject the Saviour. You may even destroy this little paper, but what will you do with death when he comes calling at your door? Let your heart thank God this moment that you are still in the land of the living--that you have not, before now, died in your sins! Now is the time to seek the Lord. Today is the day of salvation (Isaiah 55:6; 2 Cor. 6:2).
Richard Baxter was born in Rowton, England in 1615. His parents were poor and his education limited, but he is revered as one of the Church's greatest clergymen. He was a dedicated pastor of a congregation numbering 800. He was an author of 160 books; a collection that famed English statesman William Wilberforce called "a treasury of wisdom." He was also a public servant, ministering as the chaplain for the parliamentary army. His ministry and writings have had an effect for over three hundred years.
On December 11, 1655, a group of clergymen gathered to hear Baxter preach. He became ill, but a portion of his message remains today. He wrote "What comfort will it be to you at death, that you lengthened your life by shortening your work? He that worketh much, liveth much. Our life is to be esteemed according to the ends and works of it, and not according to the mere duration. Will it not comfort us more at death, to review a short time faithfully spent, than a long life spent unfaithfully?"
The president of a large company had to go over seas suddenly. He wrote a detailed
letter back to his staff. A couple of months later he returned. They had a big
party to welcome him back. He was thrilled. Then he asked if they got his letter.
One of the VP's said, "Yes boss, sit down." One man got up and quoted page 3
paragraph 7. Another person quoted page 7 paragraph 2. Then another quoted page
5 paragraph 4. Finally the VP said, "Boss we notice how you tied one paragraph
to another and we noticed the fabulous language you used. We looked up each
word in the dictionary. The boss was overwhelmed, they had memorized and analyzed
the whole letter. He asked them to call on every home in district 5 and had
a goal of 100 new policies. He asked, "How are you doing on the project." The
VP said. "Boss, we are still studying the letter." Jesus set a goal for us to
"preach the gospel to every person." The tragedy is that most Christians and
most churches are still studying the letter! Don't be one of the crowd. Get
in the game. Get the gospel to that person you have a few moments of contact
today.
(S Wemp)
"The India of my vision shall be nothing other than a Hindu Nation. Anyone desiring to have the rights of a citizen in this nation should be willing to become a Hindu. Non Hindus desiring to be citizen of this great nation should be willing to exist as people of a subordinate status, having none of the rights that are taken for granted for the majority population. The right of voting, of owning private property, and to receive legal protection shall not be available to them in the measure in which it would be available to Hindus". The above is the summary paraphrase of what a Hindu revivalist and visionary stated about one hundred years ago. His religious revivalist party has been trying to take over the political power of this great nation ever since, but without much success that is, if the political developments of the last five years are ignored.
For almost a century this visionary's dream remained exactly that - a fantasy - but persistence of his followers has paid rich dividends, and today India has begun to resemble his vision rather than the vision of the people who formulated the constitution of the Independent India. This transformation of the otherwise secular and tolerant India came through the careful implementation of a long-range strategy, which the followers of this movement executed patiently and step by step. The result is an India where Christians have become the target of media maligning, mental harassment, plunder, torture, arson, rape, and even murder.
A reign of terror was unleashed against Christians... In the state of Gujarat the police were instructed to collect information about Christians, churches, missionary activities, funds spent on evangelism, etc. They were even asked to identify the problem-makers among the Christian community, presumably to be made the scapegoats in attacks directed against the more innocent Christians...
Graffiti equating Christians with the basest elements in society appeared all over the country with some of them even asking Christians to leave India. In Gujarat the dead-body of an old Christian was exhumed and thrown in front of a church. In the state of Kerala many Bible schools were stoned, conventions disrupted, Christian workers were either beaten with rods, stabbed, and axed. Many Christian churches were forcibly shut down in Bombay and many other places. In the Eastern part of India the principal of a Christian school was stripped completely, beaten with iron rods, and was then made to parade in the streets completely naked all the time.
While incidents of the above nature were being reported from all over the country, the climax came with the brutal murder in January 99 of the Australian missionary, Graham Staines, and two tender children. Enemies of the gospel poured in gasoline in the Jeep, in which they were sleeping and set fire. It is reported that the three were hit with axes when they tried to come out, and that the murderers did not have pity even after they heard the tender children screaming with pain. Soon after this murder, some people set fire to a Christian village in that geographical area, and almost 1000 houses were gutted... And finally it all culminated with the murder of a Muslim (in August 99) who had dared to be a witness in Staines murder case. The dozen or so murderers chopped off both his hands first, and then set fire to his shop into which he was pushed -- and where he died of burns...
Open-air preaching has been the most important vehicle of gospel preaching in India, followed by literature evangelism in the second place. However, open-air preaching has become impossible in a large percentage of states, including in a state like Kerala where Christian presence for 2000 years had made the society quite Christian in outlook. Several incidents of stoning, beating, stabbing, axing, and plunder have taken place in this state in the last 48 months.
Nominal Christian churches are covertly and overtly declaring themselves as part of the Universalist Hindu stream. The evangelical and New Testament pattern churches are praying that the Lord might grant either a more tolerant government, or greater strength to them to bear persecution. Thus they continue energetically with their church activities. House-to-house visitation and sharing the gospel has become the major vehicle in this atmosphere, as opposed to open-air preaching. Literature continues to remain at the second dominant position. Many have begun to look for alternate approaches, such as evangelistic correspondence courses, so the spread of the gospel in not hindered.
A large number evangelists still live in rented houses. Their residence often serves as the place of Sunday-gathering also. However, it is now becoming increasingly difficult to find house-owners willing to let their houses to Christians, particularly if it would be used for Sunday-gathering also. Religious extremists often threaten the house-owners with dire consequence if they let their houses for such purposes. Christian workers are often forced to move from house to house, even within the time-span of a single year, adding to physical and material woes. School-going children are also badly affected. Thus concerned believers should make special efforts to help those who labour in such hostile environments. (Dr. Johnson C. Philip; contact for further info: C. E. Wigg, 4 East Yolla Road, Yolla, Tasmania. 7325. )
Proposed laws in India for a "religious freedom bill" would mean that someone who induces someone to convert to Christ could face a two year prison sentence. (Religion Today)
Some people are very bossy and like to tell everyone what to do, but they don't
want to soil their own hands.
They are called "Dick Tators."
Some people never seem motivated to participate, but are content to watch while
others do.
They are called "Speck Tators."
Some people never do anything to help, but are gifted at finding fault with
the way others do things.
They are called "Comment Tators."
Some people are always looking to cause problems. They ask others to agree
with them when they state that it is too hot or too cold, too sour or too sweet,
too much or too little.
They are called "Aggie Tators."
There are those who always say they will, but somehow, they never get around
to doing anything. They are called "Hezzie Tators." Some people put on a front
and act like someone they are not.
They are called "Emma Tators."
Then, There are those who live what they talk. They're always prepared to stop
what they're doing to lend a hand to others. They bring real sunshine into the
lives of others.
You might call them "Sweet Tators."
Lord, May We All Be Like The Latter! (Author Unknown)
Have you heard about the Tate family?
Ro Tate tries to change it all.
Agi Tate stirs up trouble, and Irri Tate helps him.
If something new is suggested,
Hesi Tate and Vege Tate throw cold water on the idea.
Imi Tate tries to mimic everyone.
Devas Tate is thoroughly disruptive,
and Poten Tate wants to be important.
Facili Tate, Medi Tate and CogiTate together get things right?
(Daily Gems)
Going down some old cement steps, I noticed an ant carrying a leaf on its back.
The leaf was many times bigger than the ant. Then the ant came to a big crack
in the cement that it couldn't cross. The ant stopped a moment. I wondered if
the ant would turn back or proceed into the crack without the leaf. Instead,
the ant put the leaf across the crack and then crossed the crack by walking
across the leaf. On the other side, the ant picked up the leaf and continued
on its journey. It made me think that the burdens of today will be the bridges
by which we will be able to cross the hard places in life in the future.
(Bernabe Spivey 2 Corinthians 1:3-7)
Have you ever pulled something out of the fridge or freezer, only to find it’s past its ‘use by...’ date? It’s frustrating isn’t it; especially if you really fancied eating it? We’re assured that, within a certain period, it is still safe to use most products if they’ve been stored properly, according to the manufacturer’s directions. Most ‘use by’ dates are within the safe to use time period as a protection for the manufacturers; a kind of insurance against litigation if someone is ‘poisoned.’ Food scientists have also developed over the years a number of ‘long-life’ products, that can be stored without being refrigerated. These products only need to be refrigerated once they’ve been opened, but then have a fairly short life span of about a week. The food boffins are continually seeking to extend the range of ‘long-life’ products available and their ‘shelf-life.’
It doesn’t just end with our food! Medical science is also constantly seeking to extend the human ‘use by’ date. In some ways this is good. Think of all those illnesses and diseases that drastically shortened people’s life span in the past. Organ transplants have been able to give some an extension to their lifespan, but only at the expense of the donor. Some scientists say that we should eventually be able to live indefinitely. One recent newspaper report had medical scientists saying that we should soon be able to extend human life to 300 years!
But all ‘shelf-life’ and ‘use by’ dates are only ever extensions. The dream of immortality on earth is just that - ‘In your dreams’ stuff. All of the effort and expenditure that goes into the dream of extending our ‘use by’ date is just an avoidance of the reality of death. God has said, The length of our days is seventy years - or eighty (Psalm 90:10). Admittedly a few make the ton! but the average lifespan...
The psalmist also says, "Teach us to number our days" (v12). God tells us that our time on earth has a ‘use by’ date. We have a ‘shelf-life’! and those few short years we spend here are preparation time for eternity - either with or apart from God. The Bible tells us that the essence of the heart of wisdom is faith in Jesus Christ. The only truly ‘long-life’ product is the life that has put its faith in Jesus Christ for eternity. Where do you stand? (Alan Asplin)
It was a typical Thursday night. I thought I might pay my weekly visit my friend Joy, who runs a Christian bookshop at Rochedale. My family were with me and we were having some fellowship... a chat and a laugh. Just before I was about to leave, about 9.00 pm, a lady ran into the shop yelling for someone to call an ambulance. She said there was a guy laying in the middle of the road outside. So I ran out to see what had happened. Sure enough, a man was laying on the road. I began to pray for the man. As I waited for the ambulance a couple of cars pulled over to see if they could help. Everyone freaked when I started praying. He was unconscious.
Suddenly I heard swearing behind me and turned to see another man running toward us. He fiercely laid the boot into the injured man's back and there was a dull thud as if he was dead. It was sickening. We all yelled at the attacker to back off. The injured man was already down and out for the count. But the attacker just backed up and got ready for another kick.... I placed myself between the attacker and the injured man and braced myself to take the blow. As the man came in to kick again, a big man stepped between us and said with authority, "Enough". The attacker backed off and left. The "good samaritan" turned to me and said, "Everything will be alright now". I thanked him, and he said, "It's OK. I’ll be leaving now". The police and ambulance arrived, so I thanked him for his help and he left.
Afterwards I couldn’t stop thanking God for that man. My wife Sharon looked at me like I was stupid, "What man are you talking about?" She reckoned there was no one else there. I asked Joy – she siad, "As a matter of fact, I thought I saw you talking to someone, but I didn’t see anyone." I had been helped by an Angel! I know there was a man there. But I was the only one who saw and talked with him. The Bible says "Fear not!" I am with you always! Jesus is the unseen guest at every Meal, Conversation, Sermon, Prayer, Meeting, every part of your life. He is as close as your prayers! (Roscoe Crouch, Judah Ministry)
I have heard some people say you can gauge the value of a man by the clothes he wears! I am afraid that I fail completely there because instead of wearing an expensive tailor made suit, I wear faded prison blues.
Ask yet others "How do you gauge the value of a man" and they will tell you that a person can be judged by the job he does and how much money he earns. I guess that I fail there because I work in a Sewage Treatment Plant and earn less than cost of a packet of cigarettes a day.
Many people gauge a person's wealth by the car that he or she drives, the house that he/she owns and the fine furniture that it contains. I guess that I fail completely there as well because I have no car, my home is a prison cell and. all my possessions are contained. in a dilapidated cardboard box.
Finally there is another way that lots of people judge a person’s worth and that is by their appearance. I guess that I am a complete failure in that department. as well because I am neither handsome or statuesque and am simply as God made me.
Rather than ponder over good looks that old age can steal, clothes that can go out of fashion as quickly as they came, cars that rust away and fortunes that can be won or lost. depending on the next interest rate rise! I think about what I can give, rather about what I can receive! People may say "How can you give anything when you have nothing?" When I woke up this morning, I thanked the Lord that I did wake and that he had given me life! When I looked out the window I saw not prison bars, but trees, blue sky, birds, green grass and flowers. Truly this was a day that the Lord had made and he provided it for me, as well as for you. Yes I have nothing but the Lord has given me everything in faith, hope, and a promise of an everlasting life! What was the price of this great gift? "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31). (Mervyn, Ipswich, Qld)
Whenever I am working outdoors, I have a constant companion that follows me around everywhere! If I go for a walk, my companion is with me, if I choose to lay down under a tree and do nothing, my companion disappears. The moment that I get up and go again my companion is instantly there by my side .The moment that I walk inside for lunch my companion disappears and the moment the sun goes down my companion also disappears and does not reappear till the next morning. Why would I choose to have a companion like that you may say ? Why would I choose to have a companion who is as fickle as the wind and is as fleeting as a shadow ? The answer of course is that my companion is my shadow and whether I like it or not, while I walk in the light, my shadow goes with me. When I walk into darkness my shadow' disappears and as long as I walk in darkness my shadow will remain hidden from me.
There is also another companion that I have that goes with me everywhere I go, if I walk in the light my other companion goes with me, if I choose to lay down under a shady tree my other companion is still with me! If I choose to turn my back on my other partner and choose of my own free will to walk in darkness, then like my shadow my other friend will be hidden from me. My other constant companion of course is the Son, the Son of God and he is with me always.
Thinking of my shadow who is always with me while I walk in the light is a good reminder for me that my Lord will always be with me if I walk in his guiding light. There have been times when I have chosen for one reason or another, not to walk in the Lord guiding light and it is at those times that I really needed him the most. Stumbling around in the darkness with despair and hopelessness as my only friends is definitely no place to be, it is only when ! walked back out in to the Lords guiding light that despair turns into courage and hopelessness turns into hope. When I go for a walk today my shadow will be a constant reminder that my Lord is with me always. "We walk by faith, not by sight" 2 Corinthians 5:7. (Mervyn, Ipswich, Qld)
These are the 13 basic points from the book, "New Age Blueprint" by Alice Bailey (A Lucis Trust publication for the Global Education Movement)
1. The children of the future will serve a One World (planetary) Government and live in a One World culture.
2. Patriotism to one's country must be abolished and all national barriers destroyed in order to build a New One World.
3. Children will accept that Eastern mystical religion is to be married to Christianity of the West to forge a new unified social and religious order of "Universal Truths."
4. Teen-agers and youth will be encouraged to rebel and revolt against their parents and against authority to help usher in the N.W.O.
5. Youth and all of humanity must accept that the time will inevitably come when grown- ups who refuse to become part of the New Age will have to be killed. They should be considered as lowly germs, an infection or blot on humanity that must be stamped out and eradicated.
6. The tradition family unit is not desirable for the Aquarian, or New Age. Children belong to the government, to the world and the community - the human group - not to their parents. A new kind of family unit must inevitably come into existence.
7. Young people must be taught to believe in reincarnation and Karma (the law of Rebirth) rather than the resurrection and judgment teachings of the Bible. This belief must guide behaviour especially, sexual conduct.
8. Absurd and immature notions of "sin" and "guilt" must not be imparted to children by parents, teachers, pastors and other adults. A more permissive and worldly attitude must be adopted.
9. Children are to be taught that all religions Christianity, Witchcraft, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, Paganism etc., are equally worthwhile and that it doesn't matter in which god one believes.
10. The new generation of youth must recognize that Jesus did not come to save or convert anyone; because no one is lost.
11. Christian doctrines, such as heaven, hell and judgment, must be discarded and the theology of the Old Testament must be repudiated.
12. A New Age World Religion must be established without Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. The Christian church is dead and must be replaced.
13. The coming New Age World Religion will emphasise the unity of all religions while rejecting Jesus Christ's profound Biblical statement: "I am the way, the truth and the life." (New Australia Times)
No doubt you have had many a battle, and made many a false step. You have sometimes felt ready to faint, and been half disposed to go back to Egypt. But your Master has never entirely left you, and He will never suffer you to be tempted above that you are able to bear. Then persevere steadily in your separation from the world, and never be ashamed of standing alone. Settle it firmly in your mind that the most decided Christian are always the happiest... no one ever said at the end of his course that he had been too holy, and lived too near God. (J.C. Ryle)
| Gen. 4:8-9 | 'Raising Cain' |
| Gen. 37:24 | This is the pits' |
| Ex. 10:21 | 'You could feel the darkness' |
| Deut. 13:12 | 'That's just hearsay' |
| Jud. 5:26 | 'Hit the nail on the head' |
| Jud. 16:30 | 'He brought the house down' |
| Jud. 20:16 | 'Missed by a hair' |
| I Sam. 17:51 | 'He lost his head' |
| I Sam. 17:51 | 'He took his life into his own hands' |
| I Sam. 22:15 | 'Well...more or less' |
| I Sam. 25:10 | 'Now - a - days' |
| II Chron. 36:3 | 'What a put down' |
| Esther 2:11 | 'What ever became of...'?' |
| Esther 7:9-10 | 'Give a man enough rope, and he'll hang himself' |
| Job 4:15 | 'My hair stood on end' |
| Job 15:9 | 'What do you know that I don't know?' |
| Job 19:20 | 'Nothing but skin and bones' |
| Job 19:20 | 'By the skin of his teeth' |
| Job 38:18 | 'He thinks he knows it all' |
| Ps. 35:21 | 'Ahah!' |
| Prov. 4:25 | ‘right on’ |
| Prov. 7:2 | 'The apple of my eye' |
| Prov. 11:15 | 'That smarts' |
| Prov. 14:23 | 'Talk is cheap' |
| Prov. 18:6 | 'He's asking for it' |
| Eccl. 7:10 | 'Remember the good ole days' |
| Eccl. 10:14 | 'You can't tell him a thing' |
| Eccl. 10:19 | 'Money talks' |
| Eccl. 10:20 | 'A little bird told me' |
| Eccl. 11:3 | 'Let the chips fall where they may' |
| Isa. 10:1 | 'I don't wanna hear a peep outta you' |
| lsa. 52:8 | 'We just don't see eye to eye' |
| Jer. 19:3 | 'Are your ears burning?' |
| Ezek. 16:44 | 'Like mother, like daughter' |
| Ezek. 37:3 | 'Only God knows' |
| Dan. 2:33 | 'He has feet of clay' |
| Dan. 4:32-33 | 'He got put out to pasture' |
| Hos. 7:8 | 'Half-baked' |
| Hab. 2:11 | 'If the walls could talk' |
| Zeph. 1:18 | 'Good riddance' |
| Mr. 21:12-13 | 'He really cleaned house' |
| Mt. 23:4 | 'He won't life a finger' |
| Mr. 25:6-9 | 'Burning the midnight oil' |
| Mk. 2:12 | 'I've never seen anything like it' |
| John 20:25 | 'Seeing is believing' |
| Acts 26:24 | 'He's beside himself' |
| Rom. 16:4 | 'I stuck my neck out for you' |
| I Tim. 6:7 | 'You can't take it with you when you die' |
| Heb. 1:13 | 'He's my right hand man' |
| (Remnant Magazine) | |
Some claim that by praying in a language other than their ordinary everyday language (their prayer language they call it) the results will be more effective and their prayers more powerful... In my study of the scriptures I have found no clear evidence that the saints have been endowed with a special language to communicate to Heaven. The Bible has much to say concerning prayer, but there is no mention of a special prayer language. Some claim that the intellect can be a stumbling block to answered prayer, so we must put our minds in neutral and let the Spirit take over (praying in the Spirit they call it). The scriptures emphasise the need to be renewed in the mind or to have a healthy mind (Romans 12:2, 2 Tim 1:7). If our minds are in good shape we need to use them in our prayer life (1 Cor 14:14-15, 1 Peter 4:7). For our prayers to be powerful and effective the main ingredients I would see from Scripture are faith and confessed sin (James 5:13-16 & 1:5-8). In comparison to the Word of God, experiences can be weak and fragile and shouldn’t be relied on. (Darryl, Loxton, SA)
A few months back I visited my parents. When I arrived, a heavy-weight boxing match was about to begin. While my children played with their grandmother I sat to watch and talk with my father. What I saw stunned and shocked me very much. It wasn’t the violence contained in the boxing. It was the violence of the advertisements for that night’s viewing. I remember a time not so long ago when I wouldn’t have turned a hair. The difference is that for the last year we haven’t had a television. It is a decision that has enriched our family life and in fact I now don’t really have the time to sit and watch. When you stand back and watch, television is truly the work of satan that we, as children of the living God, should not partake in. I beseech you, brethren, to stop watching for a season, then go back and have a peek. You will be stunned, as I was. (Craig, Puhoi, NZ)
The American Academy of Paediatricians has warned parents that children under the age of two should not be watching TV – at all! Infants have a profound need for direct interaction with parents and "other caregivers", the group says, if healthy brain growth is to occur. (Jubilee)
The film, South Park, containing 399 swear words, broke Australian box office records for the first weekend takings for an animated film. It took $2,433,415, beating Casper ($2,332,000), and The Lion King ($2,317,000). (SECW, 11/99)
Channel 9’s "Current Affair" presented a segment about a 10 year old girl, living in Melbourne, who watched the movie, "Scream" at a "sleepover party", and became traumatised. They interviewed the parents – the father was clearly upset – to the point of tears. The mother of another child said her daughter more or less experienced a nervous breakdown. Later in the program they said that Channel 9 would be screening "Scream" soon. I was disgusted at their cynical manipulation of the public with their "seeming"care and concern, then turning it all around. It was basically a publicity stunt for the screening of this rotten movie... The evil powers that be (movie makers, etc) know excatly what they are doing – traumatising and demonising as many as possible, including children. (Tricia, Oyster Bay, NSW)
A twelve year old boy was affected by the film Scream 2 after watching it at a friend's home earlier this year... Matthew had nightmares and behavioural problems for months after watching the video... He was affected for months and months. He would wake up crying at least three times a night. Every time he closed his eyes he would see the movie in his head. He couldn't get the pictures in his mind to go away. His behaviour was bizarre and it was so out of character for him... Violent movies do have an affect on the mind, especially the young and impressionable. I have no doubt in my mind that the producers of today's horror films have satanic inspiration. Once again, censorship laws have failed to keep this rubbish out. As parents, it reminds us of how careful we need to be about allowing our children to have contact with other families that we don't really know. (Rose, Petrie, Qld)
I recall as a teenager living in the 50's, how I would look forward to attending the local picture theatre to view yet another multi-award winning epic, like Ben Hur, The Ten Commandments and others with a Biblical theme... Times have changed somewhat and with new technologies at their disposal, the movie-makers can conjure up virtually anything imaginable, whether it be on earth or in space: It's a free-for-all! However it matters not whether they create a Superman that can fly through the air, or a pig that can speak and act, it is the over-all impact on the viewer that is paramount. Not that much harm would come from attempting to teach ones pet pig to talk, however I do recall reading many reports in years past, where young boys had lost their lives acting out Superman by jumping from a great height.
But the most subtle move in recent times would have to be the Star Wars movies
with their characters drawn from a twisted gospel where The Force is a Supreme
Being (equating to God). However, this god is both good and evil and the film
endeavours to demonstrate that a proportion of evil is OK! Along the lines of
many New Age religions and those of the East. Then to top it off, the character
known as Anakin Skywalker, is the product of a virgin and is even called the
chosen one. He stars in the earlier episodes as representing good, however soon
becomes the leading evil force. interesting to note that his name, Darth Vader,
means "Dark father" in the Dutch language. Seems Satan is still spreading a
lie and calls evil good (Isaiah 5 v20). And sad to say, the subtlety of the
film's message is being overlooked even by born again believers who are sending
their children to see these Star Wars films and buying Star Wars paraphernalia
which must be an abomination to our LORD. (Ron, Coffs Harbour, NSW)
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