THE SOLOIST
Alone he sang his song - from dawn to dusk, all day.
Where were the other birds? It seemed they'd flown away,
And left him there to make his own sweet melody -
Hidden in the bloom of the lilac tree.
I worked with rake and spade until the sun had gone -
and still that lovely thrush went singing blithely on...
Quite flattered did I feel that he for me should sing -
When all the sky he had in which to have his fling.
Light failed. A star came out, and the performance stopped -
As if across a stage a curtain had been dropped -
The show was over now. A silence fell - and then -
There came two lost soft notes that sounded like - Amen.
[By Patience Strong]

VERGES
Lovely are the verges of the lanes in summertime -
With Queen Ann's lace with buttercups and daisies golden-eyed...
Making glowing patterns like a rich embroidery-laid between the hedges and the roads for all to see...
But seldom do we stop to look as hurriedly we pass -
Heedless of the simple beauty in the wayside grass.
So it is with living as we rush from day to day -
Missing in our haste what God has planted by the way.
[By Patience Strong]

TRY PRAYING
When life is looking black to you - Try praying.
When you are wondering what to do - Try saying -
A prayer aloud or silently.
In moments of extremity -
Prayer changes things as you will see.
Try praying.
When grief and losses you must bear - Try making -
A quiet moment for a prayer and taking -
Your troubled heart to Him who knows -
Your wounds, your worries and your woes.
And let His peace around you close. Try praying.
[By Patience Strong]

ONCE AGAIN
Once again the harvest: Rye, barley, oats and wheat.
The everlasting miracle. The cycle is complete...
The seed in spring or autumn sown has ripened into grain.
Gold and brown the corn is glowing. Harvest time again.
There's a quiet holiness about a field that stands -
Ready for the reaping by machine or human hands...
Reverence the earth as part of God's eternal plan.
Feed it, love it - save it from rapacity of man.
[By Patience Strong]

REFLECTIONS IN A WAYSIDE CHURCH
I cannot hear to leave this place,
This sanctuary of peace and grace -
Where altar flower and candle flame
Seem to breathe the Holy Name.
He whose beauty drew me in -
From the world of strife and sin -
Drives me out into the street -
My task to do and to complete.
I'd love to linger here alone -
To touch the cool and hallowed stone -
That gives me strength to wait and trust.
I long to stay, but go I must.
[By Patience Strong]

YOUR BLESSINGS
Though you may be passing through a dark and anxious time,
Smile and keep your courage, for surrender is a crime.
Gratitude works magic, like the waving of a wand.
Lift your eyes above the shadows to the world beyond.
With a glad and grateful heart, you'll take a different view.
Think of all the benefits that fate has showered on you.
Do not dwell upon misfortunes and the tears you've shed;
Count your blessings, drop your cares, and count your joys instead.
So when in the morning you awake to greet the day,
To this little sum before you go upon your way.
Add up all your blessings, past and present, great and small;
You will find that Life is not so empty, after all.
[By Patience Strong]

A BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS
The beauty of Christmas is in its simplicity:
God in a stable, a mere human mite...
Lord of the universe, clothed in humility -
King of the cosmos, the Life and the Light.
Make then your Christmas a time of austerity.
Feed on the bread of the truth of the Word:
On this great mystery pondering quietly.
Through all the turmoil let angels be heard...
Sanctify Christmas. The world shut away.
Make it a simple and beautiful day.
[By Patience Strong]

LEFT ALONE
You cannot see the way to go when first you're left alone.
Left to face the world and fight your battles on your own...
You cannot understand why such a thing should come to you.
The path ahead is hidden and the future veiled from view.
You can't imagine life without that dear one somewhere there:
The good companion of your heart, the one who used to share -
The bad times and the happy times, the laughter and the tears -
In whom you trusted and confided all your hopes and fears.
But do not think that no one else has borne as much as you.
Some have many years together - other just a few.
There must be a parting. One must go and one must stay.
One is taken - one is left. It happens every day.
[By Patience Strong]

BITTER OR BETTER
A bitter day or a better day. Which is it to be?
A shining day or a whining day. Gloom or gaiety...
A day for chewing grievances, poisoning the blood.
A day to look for something good or wallow in the mud.
A day for peace and quiet or for argument.
A day to stir up trouble or to be content...
A day for turning discord into harmony.
A bitter day, a better day. Which is it to be?
[By Patience Strong]

OVER THE GATE
If between the apple orchards up the hill you go -
You will find a gate that's chained and locked - and rightly so...
Climb it. None will question if you've come just for the joy
Of seeing bluebells, not to pick, to plunder or destroy.
Once you're over, dumb you're struck and spellbound there you stand.
The gate that looked forbidding was a gate to fairyland...
Half afraid, you hesitate. It's all so still and strange -
That lake of blueness flowing out as far as eye can range.
The path I've often wandered but the end I've never found -
For I felt a presence there and it was holy ground.
Not for me this ecstasy. I'd come back later on -
When the blue had faded and the mystery had gone.
[By Patience Strong]

HARMONY
Let us work for harmony in every walk of life;
Harmony instead of discord, jealousy and strife;
If we live in harmony, no jarring note destroys
Peace of mind - relationships, and all our precious joys.
Harmony of voices. Let no ugly sound be heard -
Bickering or bitterness, the shrill and angry word;
May the voices in the house be soothing and refined;
Quiet and happy, saying only what is good and kind.
Harmony throughout the world. Oh, may we live to see -
Christ's own kingdom. Not a dream but a reality.
Every nation in the world united, and yet free -
Working out their destinies in perfect harmony.
[By Patience Strong]

PILING UP
Feather-light the snowflakes fall and melt upon your face.
Fairylike they flutter down like wisps of dainty lace...
They seem to have no weight, no substance or solidity -
Yet sometimes on the widely spreading branches of a tree -
They form a load too heavy for a straining bough to take -
And underneath the crushing burden it will bend and break.
Like the snowflakes heaped upon the branches of the tree -
Troubles pile up on your mind until eventually -
Something breaks inside you underneath the leaden weight.
So don't let worries weigh you down or cares accumulate.
Deal with every problem as you meet it on the way.
Carry only what you have the strength for, day by day.
[By Patience Strong]

SOMEWHERE TO SIT IN THE SUNSHINE
Somewhere to sit in the sunshine, That's what the old folks love.
Somewhere to rest and be thankful - when there's a blue sky above -
Feeling the warmth on their faces - just like a loving caress -
Bathed in the bliss of the moment - purring with happiness.
A seat in a park or a garden - a seat in a street or a square -
A seat by a church or a bus-stop - a seat in the sun anywhere -
Is heaven - or something quite near it. A personal blessing it seems -
To ask in the glow and the glory - alone with their thoughts and their dreams -
Or having a word with a stranger - a casual, impersonal chat -
Discussing the whims of the weather - talking of this and of that...
That's all they want when it's finished - and life's last desires fade away -
Somewhere to sit in the sunshine - enjoying the end of the day.
[By Patience Strong]

NEW YEAR'S MORNING IN MY GARDEN
On New Year's Day in the morning my garden seemed to say -
I know I'm not at my brightest for the sky is bleak and gray.
The wind is cold and no birdsong ripples through the leafless tree -
But just below the earth there lies a buried treasury -
Of sleeping bulbs and dormant seeds. Just wait a month or two -
And many wonderful surprises I shall have for you.
There'll be green tips thrusting through and on your lawn you'll see -
Crocus carpets yellow, purple, gold and ivory.
[By Patience Strong]

FLOWERS HAVE FACES
Just like humans, flowers have faces with expressions grave and gay.
Some appear to smile at you and others turn the other way...
Some look pious and remote as if engaged in secret prayer.
Some look wild and frivolous and others have a homely air.
Daisy faces, plain and simple, pansy faces, quiet and wise.
Pale narcissi staring at you with their rounded golden eyes.
Poppy faces, boldly painted. Lily faces, calm and white
Primrose faces, fey unearthly. Dahlia faces, broad and bright...
Each one has its special meaning and a message to convey.
Each one has its place and purpose and its little part to play.
Though we mass them into beds and crowd them in a tiny space -
Let us sometimes stoop and see the beauty of each separate face.
[By Patience Strong]

THE BREAKING BOUGH
I thought the bough had broken when upon the ground it lay -
Underneath a weight of snow upon a bitter day -
When icy fingers gripped the branches of the cedar tree,
Sparkling in the wintry sun: a lovely sight to see...
But as I brushed the snow away it sprang back into place -
Stretching out a long green arm - as if it would embrace -
The glory of the morning in the joy of gratitude -
For resuscitation, and for grace and strength renewed.
Like the bough, an overburdened mind can suddenly -
Sink beneath the daily pressures of anxiety -
But faith and hope together working can relieve the strain -
And the dropping spirit be restored to life again.
[By Patience Strong]

THE SNOWDROP
The ghost of a flower on a stalk thin and green.
Whiter than white it can scarcely be seen -
Under the trees where the grasses are glossed -
With crystals of ice and of sugary frost.
How did it get there and what made it grow -
Thrusting a point through the crust of the snow?
How did it struggle from out of its grave -
That ghost of a snowdrop, so eager and brave?
How did it now when to start on is way -
Up through the dark to the light of the day?
The winds are still bleak and the birds are still dumb -
So how did it guess that the moment had come?
[By Patience Strong]

EARTH
Fortunate you are if you possess a patch of ground -
In these days of shortages and of a dwindling pound...
Even in a few square yards you'd be surprised to see -
What you can produce to feed yourself and family.
Never waste an inch of soil. It's precious. Make it thrive.
It is not a concrete slab. It's earth and it's alive...
Keep on sowing, keep on growing something you can eat.
Do your part with what you've got to help to make ends meet.
[By Patience Strong]

THE HOLY GARDEN
Lententide is ending now, the long gray wintry days -
Have brought us to the gates of spring along the primrose ways -
To Holy Week; and step by step approaching quietly
We come unto the little garden of Gethsemane.
What is it to you, my friend? Pause here to contemplate -
The meaning and the mystery - and to anticipate -
The miracle of your redemption. What is it to you?
Ask yourself this question. Is it false or is it true?
If it be a fable - God your way. Your pleasures take.
Shed no tears of penitence. No sacrifices make -
But if you have the courage to accept this thing as true -
You must face the awful truth that Jesus died for YOU.
[By Patience Strong]

PERFECT
Perfect are the lovely daffodils -
Arrayed in bowls along my windowsills -
With graceful stalks and trumpets glowing gold -
Yet such perfection somehow leaves me cold.
I cannot help but look beyond the pane -
To watch the wild ones swaying in the rain...
Like ballerinas whirling in the breeze -
To blackbird-music from the apple trees.
My indoor beauties proud and stately stand.
The catalogue was right... They're really grand -
And yet my heart they never will entrance -
Because I like a daffodil to dance!
[By Patience Strong]

A TAPESTRY OF ROSES
Come lovely roses and set my garden glowing.
Open your buds. Too soon you will be going.
Make my small garden bright and beautiful.
This is your month: your own gay carnival.
Twine around the fence your pink and crimson sprays.
Line every path with glorious blooms ablaze...
Hang on my wall a tapestry of roses -
That I'll remember when the summer closes.
[By Patience Strong]

LIFE FLASHES BY
Midsummer Day has come and gone.
Slowly the sun now loses height.
Summer's rich splendour lingers on.
Roses still cluster, but day and night -
The glory is waning. The peak is passed.
Time makes its reckoning all too fast.
Life flashes by as we older grow.
Each passing year rushes swifter by.
Where did the runaway seasons go?
Vainly we wonder and question why -
But we can't bid the beautiful moments stay -
Or call back one hour of a lovely day.
Gather your memories secretly -
So you can dream when you are old -
Living on summer's legacy.
Even though life turns gray and cold -
You will never feel lonely, lost or sad -
Recalling the happy times you had.
[by Patience Strong]

MY GARDEN IS MY KINGDOM
My garden is my kingdom. It's here I'd like to spend -
Every hour the good Lord gives from dawn till twilight's end -
But crowded are the busy days and rarely can I spare -
The time to work with fork or spade - an odd hour here and there -
For can here be a greater pleasure under heaven above -
Than working or at leisure in the garden that you love?
[by Patience Strong]

OLD FAVOURITES
Sunflowers and michaelmas daisies come as the summer grows old:
Commonplace flowers of September, lavender, lilac and gold...
Year after year in the borders of old fashioned gardens they sprawl -
When apples hang ripe in the orchard and creepers flush red on the wall.
Needing no fuss or attention: just making a wonderful sight -
With patches of yellow and purple gay in the autumn's soft light...
They spread out in every direction and kindly conceal from your view -
The weeds you had no time to gather, thus doing a good turn for you.
Catalogues showy and tempting more up-to-date blooms may display -
But let not old friends be discarded and don't throw old favourites away...
Somewhere is every new garden - a corner I'd like to espy -
For sunflowers and michaelmas daisies to bid the old summer goodbye.
[By Patience Strong]

AUTUMN CROCUSES
They seem to take us unawares: It's always a surprise -
To see the autumn crocus spearing up:
A challenge to the grey depression of the weepy skies,
The chalice of that lovely purple cup.
The colour of the twilight when the evening shadows steal -
Palest lilac veined with snowy streaks.
Strangers in the garden, unfamiliar and unreal...
Crocuses in autumn. Nature's freaks!
As if God had an afterthought and summoned from the dead -
Yhe ghosts of March to cheer us as we pass -
The phantom forms of spring uprising from their earthly bed -
Before the frost lies white upon the grass.
[By Patience Strong]

THE GARDENS IN SEPTEMBER
The gardens in September - how bright they are and gay -
Outdoing in their splendour the pageantries of May...
The asters bold and brilliant, the dahlias rich and tall -
The sunflowers in the border, the creepers on the wall...
The gardens of September, how beautiful they are -
When dawn with golden fingers puts out the morning star.
When fairy cobwebs glitter upon the dewy lawn -
And mists caught in the sunlight to silver shreds are torn.
The gardens of September to summer bid goodbye.
We know that we are watching the year's last glory die -
But there must be a winter, a season cold and bare -
A time of rest and darkness for new life to prepare.
[By Patience Strong]

MANNA IN WINTER
Every day in wintertime the birds come flying around -
Waiting for the scraps that fall like manna to the ground -
When the cloth is shaken out like magic they appear -
And very soon between them all the precious crumbs they clear.
Many die of thirst and hunger in the bitter time -
When ice forms on the puddles and the soil is sealed with time.
Don't forget your feathered friends. They'll thank you later on -
By singing at your window when the wintry days have gone.
[By Patience Strong]

UNDERNEATH THE FROZEN LEAVES
The brooks are black with glassy ice. The woods are still and white -
But under neath the frozen leaves, the wildflowers out of sight -
Wait down in the darkness for the moment to unfold.
Celandines and aconites will spread their pools of gold -
And the bracken with its sprays of frosted crystal fronds -
Will beautify the bridlepaths, the ditches and the ponds.
The years around us fade and fall and settle silently -
Covering the past beneath the leaves of memory -
But below the changing surface of our passing days -
Lie the seeds that we have sown along the hidden ways.
Where our footsteps have been led, Lord, grant that there may be -
Seeds of hope, of faith, of friendship and of charity.
Never say that joy has fled forever from your gate -
Because the winter of your grief still lingers. Trust and wait.
Life lies dormant for a season. Keep remembering -
That underneath the frozen leaves lie all the flowers of spring.
[By Patience Strong]

THE HERALD OF HERALDS
The robin on the frosted holly sings -
To greet the month that brings the King of Kings.
This homely bird that haunts my kitchen door -
Has wrought his Christmas miracle once more.
His tiny throat has filled my garden patch -
With notes no human chorister could match -
In surpliced choir. Here now his sweetest chord:
The herald of the heralds of the Lord.
[By Patience Strong]

BABYLON

In 1898 Dr. Robert Koldewey, aged 43, began excavations of ancient Babylon. Between 1898 and 1917 he worked painstakingly at the site to uncover the wonder city of the ancient world. Babylon is located in Mesopotamia between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in present-day Iraq, about 95 kms from Baghdad. On April 5, 1899 Koldewey wrote to Berlin describing his discoveries. He wrote "I have been digging for fourteen days and the whole business is a complete success." He found the huge walls of Babylon and along them innumerable fragments of reliefs.

Before the discovery of the ruins of Babylon description of it was limited to the writings of Herodotus and also Ctesias, the physician of Artaxerxes II. Herodotus claimed that two chariots drawn by four horses each could pass in opposite directions along the tops of Babylon's walls. Koldewey discovered a wall 6.8 metres thick made of common brick. Then he found another wall 7.7 metres thick, 11.8 metres outside it. A third wall 3.7 metres thick was also found. The space between the two main walls had apparently been filled with earth forming a path 11.8 metres wide, sufficient for chariot traffic. Along the walls there were watchtowers spaced about 50 metres apart.

The city was famous for its hanging gardens and the sciences that were practised by its great men. The science of astronomy was highly developed and even Captain James Cook would not have known more than the Babylonians. The hanging gardens were known as the "Gardens of Queen Semiramis."

Predictions about Babylon.
1. Desolation. Jer. 51:37.
2. Uninhabited. Isa. 13:19-20.
3. Cyrus the Persian. Isa. 45:1-2.
4. River Euphrates. Jer. 51:36.

Fulfilment.
1. Today Babylon lies in ruins and has been so since it was destroyed in fourth century B.C.
2. The city location has also been uninhabited for the intervening centuries and neighbouring villages have used the site as a supply for building bricks.
3. In the final days of Babylonian supremacy a ruler by the name of Belshazzar was acting as king of Babylon while the actual king, Nabonidus was living in Tema Arabia. Belshazzar held a feast on the night of Oct. 12, 539 B.C. While he was revelling with his nobility the army of Cyrus the Persian was preparing to over-run the city. He had been named by the prophet Isaiah many years before the event.
4. Cyrus devised an ingenious method of breaking through the defences of Babylon. The river Euphrates ran through the city. Access into the city along the banks of the river was impossible because of the water. Cyrus commissioned his soldiers to dig a channel that would divert must of the water from the river. His soldiers then marched along the river bed and entered under the water gates. The city was conquered with almost no resistance.

Nebuchadnezzar.

Among the ancients Nebuchadnezzar must rank as one of the greatest kings. It was under his rule that Babylon reached the height of its power. He was responsible for a massive building program that established Babylon as the greatest city in the world. Prior to the discoveries of Kildewey there was no record of who built Babylon up to its glory except the Bible. Sceptics rejected the Biblical record and claimed that it was a fabrication. Today the fact of Nebuchadnezzar's building program is attested to by countless inscriptions on bricks and other relics. The Biblical record stands vindicated.

History in a dream.

Ancient Babylon was the birthplace of astrology. What we have today as astrological signs and traditions is largely an inheritance from the Babylonians. As with many of the ancient civilizations they were pre-occupied with the future and life after death. Great effort was made to be able to plot the course of human life and determine the nature of future events.

Nebuchadnezzar had a strange dream during his second year of reign. It disturbed him so much that he called in his astrologers to interpret it. He challenged them not only to interpret it but to recall it for him. This they were unable to do. In rage Nebuchadnezzar ordered them all to be killed. The death decree embraced not only the men who actually saw him but the whole class of intellectuals associated with the service of the king. Among these were four Hebrews who were graduates from the university of Babylon, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. When Daniel heard of the death decree he asked for an opportunity to respond to the king's request. The outcome of Daniel's meeting with the king is one of the most amazing predictions recorded in the Bible.

The dream.

In the dream the king saw a great image. Its head was of gold, its chest of silver, thighs of bronze, legs of iron and feet a mixture of iron and clay. A stone struck the image and it was crushed to powder and blown away. The stone grew until it filled the whole earth.

1. Golden head - Babylon 605-539 B.C.
(Dan. 2:37-38.) Daniel gives credit to God for revealing the meaning of the dream. Daniel succeeded where the astrologers failed. (Dan. 2:27-28.)
2. Chest and arms of silver - Medo-Persia 539-331 B.C.
The Medes and Persians conquered Babylon as predicted by Isaiah. (Dan. 2:39.)
3. Thighs of bronze - Greece 331-168 B.C.
Alexander the Great conquered the Medo-Persian empire after the battle of Arbela which turned the war decidedly in his favour. (Dan. 2:39.)
4. Legs of iron - Rome 168 B.C.-476 A.D.
Iron was a fitting symbol for this bruising and crushing power. The military precision of Rome soon conquered the world and subdued it. (Dan. 2:40.)
5. Feet of iron and clay-divided nations. After the fall of Rome the nations have remained divided and we have not seen a dominant world empire since. (Dan. 2:41-43.) Attempts have been made to unite the world into single empires but they have all failed.
6. The crushing rock. This symbol presents a picture of the fate of all nations. It tells us that God is going to intervene in history to establish his own kingdom which will be an everlasting one. (Dan. 2:44-45.)

Ur of the Chaldees.

This ancient city of Sumeria was the capital of the powerful 3rd dynasty of Ur, whose kings ruled over all Lower Mesopotamia. Excavations carried out by Sir Leonard Woolley between 1922 and 1934 cleared the famous Ziggurat and the tomb of Queen Shu-bad. Names found among the ruins of Ur include Abram. The Biblical record of Abraham's presence in Ur cannot be denied now. The ancient city also reveals a remarkable degree of sophistication with three storey homes and a culture that was definitely beyond that of wandering tribes people. The discovery of Ur again confirms the accuracy and reliability of the Biblical record.
[by Rein Muhlberg]

THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS

Of all the archaeological discoveries made the Dead Sea Scrolls are perhaps the most significant. Until they were brought to light in 1947 the oldest manuscripts of the Hebrew Bible were dated around the 9th and 10th century A.D. The Dead Sea Scrolls thus gave us Biblical text, 1000 years older than anything extant at the time.

The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls happened by accident as a goatherd of the Bedoiun tribe of Ta'amireh, Muhammad adh-Dhib by name, went looking for some stray goats. He searched the area of Wadi Qumran where he came across a cave which he thought the goats may have entered. He climbed up and looked into the darkness but could see nothing; so he picked up a stone and threw it in to chase out the goats should they be there. To his surprise he heard the noise of breaking pottery. One version of the story of the discovery says that he withdrew and returned later with a friend. Now with some moral support he entered the cave to find on the floor jars, some of them broken. The Bedoiun tribesmen were disappointed with their find because on opening the intact jars instead of treasure they found a number of leather scrolls.

Essenes.

The story of how these scrolls eventually got into the hands of scholars who recognized their worth is a long and interesting one. Space does not allow me to relate the full account. The discoveries continued to be made from 1947 through to 1953. Several hundred manuscripts and portions of manuscripts were unearthed and a wealth of insight was now available into the life and times of the religious community of the Essenes. These people inhabited Khirbet Qumran, a monastic community on the edge of the Dead Sea. Jars found in the ruins of the community are identical to those found in the caves. It is thought that the Essenes moved their library from Khirbet Qumran to the caves for save keeping. Some threat to the community and their way of life forced them to hide their highly valued scrolls. What is of comfort to us is the fact that some of these ancient scrolls have survived the elements and the centuries to be preserved in reasonable condition.

Biblical text.

When translation was done of the Isaiah scroll an amazing fact emerged. In the intervening 1000 years of copying of Bible manuscripts the text of the sacred book had been preserved with amazing accuracy. The differences between the Qumran text and the Masoretic, which formed the basis of the translations for the last 3 centuries, were so minor as to affect only grammar, punctuation and spelling. The Qumran text helps confirm that the Bible was faithfully copied no matter where the work was done, whether in the ascetic surroundings of Khirbet Qumran or the scribes desk in Jerusalem or even the Jewish community in Alexandria. When we view the works of other men of antiquity we face a dilemma regarding the originality of the text we have of their work. There are very few extant copies of the poet Homer's work. It is doubtful whether these copies are true to the original. Even Shakespeare's works are subject to textual criticism because uncertainty exists regarding the purity of transmission of his original work. But when we come to the Bible a miraculous preservation of the original is in evidence and the Dead Sea Scrolls have contributed to this certainty.

The Bible has said things that help us understand how its message has been preserved. It claims to be the Word of God and the very essence of truth. (John 17:17; II Tim. 3:16.) The Bible claims that its source was God and we must not lightly regard this claim. If it is indeed God's word then we have an obligation to read it and respond to its message. II Pet. 1:21. What we have then in the Bible is a revelation from God written down by men chosen by God to be His spokesmen.

Archaeology has again given us reason to be confident that the Bible is what it claims to be, the Word of God. Some men would dispute the details of some of the discoveries but none are able to claim that evidence exists that denies the Bible's integrity and accuracy.

Masada

In our picture journey into the Dead Sea area we viewed the ruins of the fortress of Masada. This rock fortress was first developed by the Jewish high priest Jonathan Maccabeus in the first century B.C. Later, around 40 B.C., Herod fled from Jerusalem to Masada with his family to escape from Mattathias Antigonus, who had been made king by the Parthians. Herod built two palaces on top of Masada to ensure that future retreats would at least be comfortable. Excavations reveal that one palace covered 43,000 square feet. He also constructed a water system of 12 cisterns, each with a capacity of 140,000 cubic feet. He also enclosed the entire summit of Masada, except for the northern tip, with a casemate wall (a double wall with the inner space divided into rooms.) Between 66 and 73 A.D. Masada was inhabited by the Zealots.

This extremely patriotic band of 960 people held off a Roman siege led by Flavius Silva. When the Romans eventually built an earthen ramp to gain access to the top the Zealots committed mass suicide rather than be taken captive. The Romans threw 25 of the bodies into a cave on the southern cliff. In 1969 these remains were buried at Masada with full military honours. Among things found in the ruins were parts of scrolls, some of which were Biblical. One fragment of a sectarian scroll of the Songs of the Sabbath Service is identical with a scroll found in Qumran. After the fall of Masada a Roman garrison was stationed there for about 40 years, from 73 to 111 A.D. Remains of the garrison troops were found in camp F and also Masada itself.

Finally in reflecting over what we have discussed the question ultimately comes; what does it mean to me personally? The discoveries of archaeology place the Bible in a very special category. It is a book of supernatural origin with amazing content. It speaks a message that is universal in time and place and has something important to say to us personally. It is an exciting experience of discovery to read its message, so why don't you begin now.
[By Rein Muhlberg]

THE KEEPER OF THE SPRING

Many times I have remembered and reflected back upon a story which I had first read from the pen of Bert Mercer. At every remembrance of it I have been reminded of the importance of re-examining my priorities - making sure that I am really putting first things first in my life.

The story begins in a mountain village which had an obscure employee who was called the Keeper of the Spring. He lived alone, high above the city, and kept the city's water supply, a fresh spring, pure. He removed the old logs, weeds, and dead animals to keep the stream beautiful and clear.

But one year the city's fathers had a shortage of finances. Looking over the city's budget they tried to decide where it could be cut. Various special interest groups put pressure on them. The only place they could think to cut was to eliminate the job of the Keeper of the Spring. "We hardly ever see him and his work does not seem very important or essential. Let's fire him," they said. So they saved a few dollars that year on the city budget.

But the following year a terrible sickness broke out and killed many of the children of the village. When they had fired the Keeper of the Spring to save a few dollars, they had caused the contamination of their life-giving water supply. They rehired the Keeper of the Spring, but it did not restore the lives of all those who had died as a result of their poor judgment.

The areas of application of the lesson seem endless. In our materialistic, self-centered society, in a culture which seldom recognizes the existence, presence, or will of a personal and infinite God, constant effort must be made to daily re-examine the direction toward which our lives are heading. We must be so careful never to dismiss God from our lives by ranking him so low on our list of priorities that we fail to give him the time, skills, service, and love he deserves. Christians must keep God number one and not let their lives become "contaminated" by "firing" the one who guards and even supplies the sources of life.

How tragic it is to see Christian adults and parents who strive primarily for occupational success, wealth, social prestige and acceptance, and selfish indulgence. Very little time to pray, to examine God's word, to participate in the work of God's church, to share their faith, or to give to their children are the results.

May our lives never accuse us of firing God!
[by Mike Walters from the Central Auckland Church of Christ bulletin]

Many references are made in the New Testament to the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. It appears under a number of different names, and is described in a number of different ways. It is called, the 'church of God', the 'church of the first born', the 'churches of God in Christ', the 'church of the living God', the 'churches of Christ', or simply the 'church'. It is described in terms of a family, a temple, a body and a bride.

I wish to consider for a short time, the importance of this institution. Is it of any importance in this world of ours, or could we get along quite adequately without it? To answer this question we must consider at least two things. What blessings does the church provide, and what was the cost of the church?

First let us consider the blessings that are promised to those who will allow themselves to be added to it. (Eph. 1:3). We can learn from this verse that (1) all heavenly gifts are available to us, and (2) the location where these blessings can be found is in Christ, which is the same as saying they are available in His body which is the church. Through the church and only through the church are these blessings provided, outside of the church they are not available.

In order that we might fully appreciate the value of gaining these blessings, we must specify the nature of some of these gifts.

(1) Forgiveness of sins. All men have sinned, sin causes a separation between us and God, which results in the spiritual death of that person (Rom. 3:23; I Tim. 5:6; Isa. 59:1-2). Unless this condition is changed before that person stands before the judgement seat of God at the final day, he will be eternally separated from God and will go to a Hell of fire. Thanks to the grace of God, "in Christ" we have the forgiveness of our sins (Eph. 1:7).

(2) Reconciliation. For a time after his creation, Adam received the blessing of a free and open communion with God. He sinned and so cut himself off from the blessings that formerly were his. He was shut out of the garden and forced to fend for himself. We too, if we are outside of Christ, are separated from God and the blessings which only He can provide. We are separated by our own sins, however in Christ, we are reconciled to him and become His children (II Cor. 5:17).

(3) Salvation. Outside of Christ, we will reap the natural consequences of the sins which we commit, which is separation from God and His mercy. The wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23), but "in Christ" even though we still have sinned, and at times sin again, we will not be held accountable before God for these deeds of unrighteousness. In Christ, we have been saved from the destructive consequences of our own sins (Eph. 5:23).

(4) Eternal life. Regardless of whether we are in or out of Christ, we will have life beyond the grave. There is however a great difference between existing beyond the grave and having eternal life. To exist without eternal life is to be eternally separated from God and to be destined for a Hell of fire. To possess eternal life on the other hand is to be eternally united with God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, to know the joys of God's presence and the splendour that will be heaven. The only place that this life will be made available to man is "in Christ" (II Tim. 2:10).

To minimize the importance of the church is to minimize the importance of these and all the other gifts that God freely makes available to us in Christ. If the forgiveness of our sins, redemption, salvation and eternal life could be found outside of Christ and His Church, then the Church would not be of so great a value to us. The fact of the matter however is that these blessings are only available "in Christ" and nowhere else. If a person is outside of Christ and His church, then there is no possibility of his being the recipient of any of these blessings.

The importance of the church can only be seen in the price that Jesus paid for it. He paid the highest price that He possibly could, He could have paid no more. He gave His very life for it, He purchased it with His blood (Acts 20:38).

In Matt. 16:18, Jesus said, "...I will build my church..." What was the church which Jesus built, and how can that church be identified today? If the spiritual blessings are available only in the church that belongs to Jesus Christ and in on other place, and that Jesus paid the ultimate price for that church, then that church and that church alone becomes vitally important not only to man, but also to God.
[from an editorial of the journal put out by the Merricks from Rotorua]

COUNTING THE COST
You have counted the cost of serving Christ
And find it too much, you say;
But what of the cost of rejecting Him
And turning His love away?
It will cost you far more than money can buy,
It will cost you a lifetime of pain;
And then when your life on earth is done;
You will have to start paying again.
For the cost of rejecting Christ, my friend,
Is not paid at the close of life;
You must pay with your soul at the bar of God,
When your conscience will cut like a knife.
It will cost countless ages away from the Lord,
And leave hopeless pangs of regret;
Oh, think once again and turn to Christ
For judgment forever is set.
[from Sycamore Chapel newsletter, Aug., 1990]

FEARING THE LORD

Back when Nikita Kruschev was premier of the USSR a story floated around about him: One day he decided to find out what the general peasantry thought of him so he went incognito into the countryside. Seeing an old farmer he asked, "What do you think of Mr. Kruschev?" Immediately the old man said "Ssssh!" and motioned him over behind a tree where he whispered, "I like him."

Christians are frequently like the farmer. They are more worried about their peers than they are the one it behooves them to fear.

I know it's not in vogue to talk about fearing the Lord, but let's do it anyway. The words of Jesus ring too loudly...(Luke 12:5).

Most of the old-time preachers thought their job was to keep the sheep scared so they would obey God. It's kind of difficult to love God from that angle. Anyhow, it doesn't work as you can't keep the brethren scared forever. They'll quit and give up.

Realizing this, we "enlightened" preachers today don't "fear the Lord," we rather "love the Lord!" We wax eloquent in a lot of mushy talk that is beginning to produce a different kind of Christian. These have been freed from being terrified of the Lord, but in the process they've lost the awe of the Lord.

Do you ever wonder why we seem to always correct a problem by going too far the other way? Preachers must preach the Good News of grace or they are false teachers. However, to neglect to teach a proper "fear of the Lord" is to equally err. Removing a dread of God makes a loving Christian. Eliminating reverential awe produces brats that have no respect for their Creator.

Surely we are smart enough to figure out how we can love and fear the Lord at the same time!
[by Glenn Gleim of the Church of Christ at 38th St. via Sycamore Chapel newsletter, Aug. 12, 1990]

WHERE IS IT?

A boy on one of the Little League squads hadn't made the starting lineup. He may not have been the best fielder or hitter on the squad, but there was nothing wrong with his team spirit willingness.

During the game, the coach thought it was about time to give Billy a little experience. So he walked over to the boy's place on the bench and said "Billy, would you like to go in and play center field?" Billy broke into a big smile, and then said with great sincerity and enthusiasm, "I sure would! Where is it?"

Isn't that great? A little short on experience and knowledge of the game, but plenty of desire!

And in the church, sure, most of us don't have all the answers. We don't know everything about the Bible, but that doesn't mean we should not teach. We don't have all the skills of personal evangelism, but that doesn't mean we can't lead others to Christ. We may not always know exactly the right thing to say to someone who is hurting, or in trouble, but we can show we care and share what wisdom we may have.

The boy had a good question. "Where is it? Where is that position you want me to play? Let me get my glove and you show me what to cover and I'll cover it the best I can!" And that should be our question to the Lord each day. "What can I do for you today? Where is my field of service today? Where's the need? Where's the place that needs some willingness and service on my part?" Oh sure, we need to work on our skills. We need to develop our abilities and there's no excuse for not doing so. But isn't there a great need that we all just be willing to respond to opportunities before us, whatsoever form they may take. What great things the Lord can do through those who are willing to try!
[by Joe Goodspeed of Pine Bluff, Ark. from Sycamore Chapel newsletter, Aug. 5, 1990]

CHRISTIAN & SELF-DISCIPLINE

Preliminary reading: Prov. 23:2; Rom. 12:1-2; Rom. 14:1-22; Rom. 15:1-5; I Cor. 6:19-20; I Cor. 8:4-13; I Cor. 9:24-27; I Cor. 10:23-24; II Cor. 6:3; Gal. 6:7-8; Phili. 2:4; Phili. 4:6-9

Situation: May I eat and drink anything I like, and as much as I like?
Your reaction:
(a) What I do in my own business?
(b) What harm can it do anyone else?
(c) You have your indulgence, and I choose mine?
(d) What has the physical to do with the spiritual?
(e) Is gluttony as bad as smoking 'grass'?
(f) I can control how much I drink?
(g) Will my example lead someone into a situation they can't control?
(h) If they get into trouble by following my example, that's their fault?
(i) If it feels good, it's good to do it?
(j) I don't want to be thought a 'wowser'?
(k) The Bible doesn't say not to do it?
(l) Who's to know what I do in the privacy of my own home?
(m) What would Jesus do?
[from The Truth in Love, no. 33, Aug. 26, 1990, p. 7]

BE NOT FAR FROM ME, O MY GOD
(Psa. 38:9-11)
When we are down in spirits and troubled, sometimes it seems true that no one wants to know us. Sometimes it is true that our erstwhile friends desert us in our hour of trial. The prodigal son, in Jesus' parable, soon discovered the fickleness of his friends. (Luke 15:13-15).

The apostle Paul experienced the painful loneliness of desertion when he needed encouragement most. (II Tim. 4:16-17).

The prophet Isaiah told of One from whom men hide their faces...(Isa. 53:3). And when Jesus was hunted and arrested, betrayed by one of his disciples (Matt. 26:49), his other disciples "deserted him and fled" (Matt. 26:56), and another disciple denied him (Matt. 26:72).

Sometimes my wounds are "because of my sinful folly" (Psa. 38:5), and sometimes because of "those who hate me without reason" (Psa. 38:19). In all situations, whether our wounds are of our own doing or of another's, we can call on God, as did David...(Psa. 38:21-22).

As we remember our Lord and Saviour in the breaking of bread, let us think of his loneliness in the garden and on the cross. He bore all this for our sakes, that we might be reconciled to God.
[from The Truth in Love, no. 33, Aug. 26, 1990, p. 6]

REJOICING COMES IN THE MORNING
(Psa. 30:4-5)
God was angry with the wicked people of Noah's time and, after waiting patiently in vain for them to repent during the building of the ark (I Pet. 3:20), he destroyed them. God made a promise...(Gen. 8:21). Although this promise was recorded thousands of years ago, God's promise remains true. At the same time, the comment about man's inclination to evil also, sadly, remains true. The humanist philosophers of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries predicted a golden age of civilisation for mankind. They have been proved wrong, so wrong, by the evil and violence of the present world.

Mankind has not learned from God's anger through the flood, nor from his patience since. (II Pet. 3:5-9).

As we partake of the Lord's Supper, we weep for the world that is rejecting the Saviour, but we "Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation" (II Pet. 3:15) for those who truly repent. And for the saved there will be a morning of eternal rejoicing to come. While, in this communion, we "proclaim the Lord's death" to persuade people to be saved while there is yet time, we also encourage each other to continue faithfully "until he comes" (I Cor. 11:26).
[from The Truth in Love, no. 32, Aug. 19, 1990, p. 6]

BLESSED IS HE WHO HAS REGARD FOR THE WEAK
(Psa. 41:1-2)
Jesus promised...(Matt. 5:7). And again, Jesus said...(Luke 6:36).

The apostle Paul reminded the elders of the church at Ephesus...(Acts 20:35). Paul wrote to the Christians at Rome...(Rom. 15:1-2).
The apostle John wrote...(I John 3:17-18).
The quality that should be a notable feature in each Christian's personal life is this quality of having "regard for the weak" (Psa. 41:1). As we can see from this psalm, and from the New Testament passages quoted above, this quality has always been sought by God in those who trust him and God blesses those who practise it.
(I Tim. 6:17-18.)
[from The Truth in Love, no. 31, Aug 12, 1990]

Whatever does not kill me - makes me stronger.
[from Hamilton Herald, 26 Mar. 1990, p. 2]

THE GLORY OF TRUTH

Jesus tells us...(John 8:32), and He prayed to the Father...(John 8:21; John 17:17). We must know the word of God if we would truly be free. One of the besetting sins of modern society is a lack of knowledge in the Bible's contents. It really is no marvel that so much ungodliness runs rampant in our streets because a lack of Scriptural emphasis will always bring chaos into our lives. Men have forgotten Christ and the bulwark of righteousness He provides. In Prov. 14:34 the inspired penman boldly affirmed....

Americans desperately need to get back to the Bible in our homes. Last year this nation alone contributed 1,5000,000 divorces to an already degraded world scene. In both Malachi and Matthew we learn that "God hates putting away" and "let not man put asunder" what God has joined together!

We need to get back to the Bible teaching regarding proper respect for authority. Holy scriptures informs us to pay taxes, obey the rulers and to pray for those in authority (Matt. 22:21; Rom. 13:1; I Tim. 2). This is the only way to stop the rioting, protesting and anarchy in our cities today. The Bible alone has the answer to our dilemma. Let us have the courage to return to its sacred teachings.

You and I certainly need to return to God's word for moral purity and holiness. In an age of nudity, filth and sensuality, all of us must return to the modesty, integrity and spirituality of New Testament Christianity (Phili. 4:8). Church councils may sanction homosexual preachers, but the Bible clearly rebukes such sinfulness (Rom. 1:27; I Cor. 6:9). It is long overdue but still we plead for all men everywhere to return to the wholesome purity Jesus stressed in Matt. 5:8.

There is a genuine need for each one of us to go back to the Bible for God's plan of redemption. In Acts 22:16; Gal. 3:27, we clearly see the necessity of being baptized into Christ for the remission of sins. Bible baptism is immersion in water (Matt. 28:19). Jesus promised in Matt. 16:18, "I will build my church." We must go back to the Bible for that glorious body over which He rules as head (Col. 1:18).
[by Johnny Ramsey from Gospel Minutes]

ARE WE BIG ENOUGH TO BE BIG?

Why isn't the church growing? Will the church survive in the year 2000? These questions are haunting us - they must be answered. Yes, there is some error - but that is not the main issue. Yes, there are some scandalous sins - but that is not the main issue. What is destroying us?

Littleness! Pettiness, smallness, infantileness, childishness, two-bitness, "little jerks," juvenile meanness. This is what is eating our lunch! We are reactionaries. We "knee jerk," "shoot from the hip," we are spoiled brats. Read I Cor. 3 - better still, all of Corinthians. Paul's problem was communicating with church infants. They couldn't act like men.

(Matt. 7:1-5.) Jesus used humor. A critic with a boxing plank in his eye was trying to get a splinter out of a brother's eye! Imagine a blind man trying to do eye surgery! Can you own up to it? We can be pretty small - anytime, anywhere. An elder in another state changed churches because the church where he was used "Sunday Night Live" to promote their Summer Sundays! I will never preach at a church in another state because I got of the plane wearing boots. An elder's wife will see to this! Beloved, this is plain littleness - acting like two year olds!

Isn't it easy to see pettiness in others...we know about their anger, rudeness, thoughtlessness, stupidity, yea meanness. But we cannot see our own. "I want what I want when I want it." "I like this but I don't that." "This is not the way we have always done it."

Little members don't know their Bibles! Little members don't know God! Little members don't know Jesus! Little members don't love the brethren! Little members don't pray/fast! Little members cannot be patient, cannot forgive.
[by Charles Hodge from The Exhorter]

CHOICES

From a very early age we should begin to make choices. A good parent will provide the opportunity for the children to make the choices as to learn something about decision making and responsibility. It is a tragic thing when children are not taught the responsibility or given the opportunity of choosing.

In the beginning the choices we make may be of no major consequence, but as we grow older and the expectation of acting like a mature person is present, the choices we can make have a great bearing on the rest of our lives. Many have been destroyed because of a foolish choice. Many is the time that someone had wished to go back and reverse a choice that was made (Luke 17:20ff). While this can be the case sometimes, in most cases once a decision is made it cannot be reversed. It's been said concerning choice making, "You've made your bed, now you must sleep in it." In other words, we must live with the choices we make.

There are countless examples from our modern lives where choices, good or bad, have affected the rest of our life; marriage, choosing an occupation or moving to a new location. The Bible is also full of examples where choices were made that had lasting implications. Consider the rejection of the preaching of Noah, the obedience of Abraham or the betrayal of our Savior by Judas. While Judas tries to reverse his decision (Matt. 27:3ff) it was too late and his choice to betray Jesus would affect him and others for an eternity.

There are some who say that man really has no choice, but that God has already planned everything out for him and that we are merely pawns being moved from one situation to another. This is clearly not a teaching of the Bible. Joshua told the children of Israel to "choose this day whom ye shall serve" (Josh. 24:15) and Jesus asked His chosen twelve if they too would depart, when many of the disciples turned away because of His hard teaching (John 6:67). Throughout God's word it is clear He gives the choice to either obey Him or reject Him.

Therefore, careful consideration must be given when making such decisions. In all areas of life choices are important, but no choice is more important than that of choosing God or mammon (Matt. 6:26; Luke 16:13). Jesus places great importance on his decision in Luke 14:25-35. Giving our lives over to Him is not something to be taken lightly, but demands our counting the cost of such a submission. Any decision to follow God is a good one, but if one is not willing to make Jesus Lord of all he should not make Him Lord at all. Jesus demands everything, not just your Sunday mornings. The choice is either to give all or nothing, because if you are not giving all then you are giving nothing. The choice is ours to make. No one can make it for us. We can encourage one another to do what is right, to speak what is right and to live our lives correctly, but it comes down to the choices we make individually. Each one of us has to live with the consequences of our own decisions, we can blame no one else.

What will your choice be?
[by Tom Harrison from The Church of Christ at Sycamore Chapel Newsletter, Nov. 25, 1990]

WORD POWER

There are many ways by which mankind expresses himself to others. By actions, facial expressions, and the most widely used method by far - the spoken word. We have many words by which our thoughts can be communicated to others, along with our actions.

With the spoken word our praises, affections, love and understandings can be expressed to those to whom we speak. But also with the spoken word we are most capable of expressing that, destruct and to some degree pride and sarcasm. The world which we share with millions of others, from all nations and tongues, can understand the spoken word. With whatever language we speak, it can be observed that a careless word does the most damage. This is because we are sensitive creatures.

If we are to spread the gospel of Jesus to every corner of the earth we will no doubt achieve this by word of mouth (II Tim. 4:2).

As Christians we should be trying to be more like Christ. Jesus chose His words carefully. If He hadn't then His example for us would not have been a very good one. As I have said before, people are sensitive. How many times have you been hurt because of someone speaking careless words? And remember too, that you have hurt people by your careless use of words. Too often we don't seem to think about our choice of words but only of the pain caused by the words of others.

Can we achieve peace and good will with all men? Why yes, of course we can. But our hopes and plans must be well thought out and our words selected with love in our hearts. We certainly won't be fruitful by using careless words.

How many friendships have been broken due to selfishness and fiery words that flow freely from our little tongue? (James 3:12.)

It is well known that what we say often gives people an indication of our character and or feelings towards them. It is understandable that we sometimes will make mistakes, for none of us is perfect. But when we do make mistakes then is that time to use the words we know stand for apology.

Let us speak together and learn with each other so that we may well heed the warning which Jesus gave to us in Matt. 12:36-37.
[by Geoff Francis from Greerton bulletin]

WANT TO GAIN IN HOLINESS?
Then follow the exercise routine that makes a difference:
Practice SEEING (the many ways God blesses you; the needs others have)
Practice THINKING (about God's greatness and goodness; about how your life can become shaped according to His will)
Practice DOING (the things that demonstrate a personal awareness of the gift of God's grace)
Practice FEELING (a strong love for the identity with the Master; an inner desire to assist those who are spiritually weak)
Practice SERVING (our God; the Church; your fellow humans)
Practice GIVING (your total self - time, talent, material goods, energy)
Practice COMMUNING (to see more and more in the bread and in the cup of the body and blood of One who was sacrificed for the forgiveness of your sins)
Practice STUDYING (to know better God's plans for you; to internalize His will and let him occupy and control your heart)
Practice LISTENING (to God speak through His will and through His servants; to those who need a patient, kind, concerned, and loving ear)
Practice PRAYING (for others; for God's help in meeting personal challenges you face from day to day)
Practice BEING KIND (to impress others with the love that God provides for all humankind)
Practice VISITING THE SICK (to learn their needs; to help meet their needs; to inspire them with a spiritual joy)
Practice BRINGING FOOD (to have a personal share in the feeding of those who are materially less fortunate)
Practice CHEERING (those who need spiritual cheering)
Practice ENCOURAGING (those who need spiritual encouragement)
Practice LOVING (all humans with the same kind of love God gives abundantly to all).
[from Otumoetai newsletter]

He who has lost confidence can lose nothing more.

Christ is the standard and the light to the world, the living expression of the mind of God. Unchanged, eternal, drawing those who would seek conciliation with the Father.

Flicker, flutter little flame,
Bringing peace and quiet again,
Turn your holy glow on me,
And fill me with serenity.

We're saying good-bye to the new friends we've made,
To the fun, and the laughter and cheer,
Till all that remains is the ghostly refrain of
"I'll see you again next year."

It is not what a man knows but what he does with his knowledge that shapes his life.
[from Eustis Church of Christ bulletin]

A person's limitations are not the things he wants to do but can't - they are the things he ought to do but doesn't.
[from Eustis Church of Christ bulletin]

WHAT DOES BEING RICH MEAN?

What are the treasures we have? It seems to be natural that we form special attachments to material things, even from an early age. As we grow older, we change our dependence. What is our reaction if they are endangered? Immediate, urgent action and concern. As individuals, families, we build up a spiders web of possessions, goods, money, clothes, assets, houses, friends, foodstuffs, gardens. This preoccupation with material things may be an unconscious or conscious effort to wall ourselves off from death or God.

James 5:1-6 deals very clearly with the misuse aspect of non-believers and the fact that riches of a material nature are really worthless. Riches and poverty are of external earthly nature and are not directly related to the state of our soul, which is the determining factor in our salvation. They may lift us nearer to God, or drag us nearer to satan. How were they attained? How are they being enjoyed? To what use are they being put? If the wealth is improperly obtained, not being properly used, then James denunciation is applicable. "Begin to weep and to howl, continue to howl" in the original language, because of the hardships and sufferings that the wrong users would inevitably receive. Job 8:11-15 tells of similar fragile confidence and trust in external things, that can be destroyed in just a moment.

See also Psa. 49:7-12 The riches need not be great, the problem is, in the owners attitute to them. How were riches obtained? (James 5:4-6) Were people defrauded?

Note the departure from Lev. 19:13; Jer. 22:13. These people were fattening themselves at the expense of others, just as an animal for slaughter is given all the best food.

As Christians we need to beware of putting ourselves into a position where James warnings can be applied to us. Isa. 59 read as if you had turned your back on Christianity. We know as Christians what riches we should seek the fruits of righteousness. We need to continue like Jeremiah to pronounce God's word (Jer. 20). Our desire to follow God, to study and follow his word should be like a fire.

Don't lose patience, James 5:7-8. Farmer waits for the right time to harvest...waiting patience Matt. 7:16-20. (Matt. 13:24-30.) In patience, remaining faithful.
[by Errol Bateman from Capital Letter, Wellington]

ONLY A STEP (I Sam. 20:3)

The words of the Chaldeans, "O King live forever" (Dan. 2:4), express our feelings about ourselves, our loved ones and our friends. We count on endless tomorrows, which often don't arrive. Many can testify to this as they have been called upon to say "Goodbye" to loved ones. The words of David, in I Sam. 20:3 accurately describes our earthly existence.

Thank God the world is only the vestibule to true life. Lord help us to trade our fads for a faith and our fortune for a future. Help us to realise that every last one of us are terminal...not so we can throw up our hands in morbid defeat, but so we can prepare for "victory" (I Cor. 15:57). The real world where Christians live and battle to overcome temptation, is a world of debts, disease and death. Let us face it with our hands in Christ's, and armed with the promise...(Rom. 8:37).

While it is yet day, share the light of Christ with those who are living in darkness...(I Thes. 5:2-6.) Prepare yourself and others too.
[by Rod Kyle from Capital Letter, Wellington]

LORD, LET SOMEBODY ELSE...

Lord, let somebody else teach the Bible school class. I taught years ago when I had small children; let the young mothers teach now.

Lord, my children are still in diapers. I cannot even keep my house clean, much less teach a Bible class. Let the older women teach; their kids are grown.

Lord, we have just moved. I need some time to get settled before I begin to teach a class. Besides, there are people who have been here a lot longer than I have, let them teach Bible class.

Lord, I work outside the home. I am tired at the end of the day. I do not have time to teach a class. Let the women who stay at home teach Bible class.

Lord, if I knew more about the Bible, I would teach that class, but I still need to learn a lot myself. I am sure there is an older member who could teach the class.

Lord, I have never worked with children. I would not know what to do with eight children for 45 minutes. Let somebody who has more experience teach the class on Sunday mornings.

Lord, have mercy on me. I never became a Christian because I never learned about you. When I was little, nobody seemed to care whether or not we had a Bible class. The classes we did have were very dull. I never knew this Christianity business was that important.

There were a lot of good people at church. I wonder why the Bible classes were never very good?
[by Robecca B. Shields via Forest Park Bulletin reprinted in Sycamore Chapel newsletter, Oct. 20, 1991, p. 2]

ARE WE READY?

1. Lord, I am ready to go with you (Luke 22:33). A good intention, but count the cost (Luke 14:28).
2. I am ready to preach the gospel (Rom. 1:15). Recognise the value of the gospel (Rom. 1:16).
3. Be ready always to give an answer (I Pet. 3:15). A pre-requisite is careful Bible study (II Tim. 2:15).
4. Be ready to do every good work (Titus 3:1). A willingness to share with others (II Tim. 6:18).
5. Be ready to die for Christ (Acts 21:13). Because Christ died for us (I Pet. 2:21).
6. Be ready for Christ's return (Matt. 24:42-44). Be alert and watchful (I Thes. 5:6).
[from The Truth in Love, no. 40, Oct. 13, 1991, p. 9]

THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM
(Rom. 4:16)
1. Rom. 4:20-25. Abraham did not waver in belief, grew strong in faith, gave glory to God, and was fully assured that what God promised, he was able to perform. Therefore, it was reckoned to him as righteousness (v. 22). For us also to whom righteousness will be reckoned, as those who believe in God Rom. 4:24(v. 24).
2. James 2:21-24. Abraham was justified by works, by works his faith was perfected, he believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness, and he was justified by works not by faith alone.
3. Gal. 3:26-29. We are sons of God through faith in Jesus, we have been baptized into Christ, and are all one in Christ Jesus. Therefore we are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise (Gal. 3:29).
[from the Truth in Love, no. 41, Oct. 20, 1991, p. 9]

BE POSITIVE!

Jesus brings a positive message of hope for our motivation now and for our anticipation of the future.
To the uncertain (John 14:6)
To the careless (Matt. 7:14)
To the doubters (John 20:27)
To the anxious (Matt. 6:31-34)
To the remorseful (John 5:14)
To the casual (Luke 14:33)
To the indulgent (Acts 20:35)

Be positive! Jesus is the only way. Find him and have faith in him, fix your eyes on him, follow him, forget the past, fully commit yourself to him and freely give of yourself in his service. (Heb. 12:2-3.)
[from The Truth in Love, no. 42, Oct. 27, 1991, p. 1]

HEIRS OF GOD'S PROMISES TO ABRAHAM
(John 8:31-58; Gen. 12:1-3)
God's two promises:
1. Land and nation for Abraham, and
2. Through him, all nations shall be blessed

1.	The Promise to Abraham for the Jews in Old Testament times Gen. 15:5, Gen. 15:8
	(a)	Physical father of many descendants (Israel). (Deut. 10:22 The fulfilment)
	(b)	The Promised land. (Josh. 21:43-45 The fulfilment)
2.	The Promise to Abraham for Christians in New Testament times Gen. 17:5 Abraham, spiritual father of all Christians Gen. 22:17-18 "In your seed all nations shall be blessed"
	(a)	The Seed of the promise is Christ (Gal. 3:16)
	(b)	The heirs of the promise are Christians. Acts 3:25-26 - To the Jew first, Acts 13:26; Acts 13:46-47 - A light for the Gentiles

Gal. 3:7-9 (fulfillment of Gen. 12:3) "Those who are of faith are sons of Abraham"
Acts 2:36-39 "For as many as the Lord our God shall call".
[from the Truth in Love, no. 42, Oct. 27, 1991, p. 9]

CHRISTIAN RESPONSIBILITY

I am accountable to Christ for my conduct now (II Cor. 5:10). Be loving and loyal in service.
1. I must worship God with the right attitude and the right teaching. (John 4:23)
2. I must love God and love my brethren also. (I John 4:21)
3. I must walk in the truth. (II John 4)
4. I must walk in the way Jesus walked (I John 2:6)
5. I must not neglect meeting with my brethren (Heb. 10:24-25)
6. I must do good works and help those in need (Titus 3:14)
(Heb. 12:3)
[from the Truth in Love, no. 42, Oct. 17, 1991, p. 10]

THE TRUMPET OF GOD
(I Thes. 4:16)
Other trumpet passages: Matt. 24:30-31; I Cor. 15:52
A trumpet awakes those who are asleep and unprepared.
A trumpet alerts those who are watchful and ready.
A trumpet call signifies a dramatic change in state.
Christ's return promised Luke 21:27; Acts 1:11
Christ's return unexpected and unannounced Matt. 24:36; I Thes. 5:2
Christ's return regularly testified (Lord's supper) I Cor. 11:26
Christ's return - its purpose
Resurrection (John 11:23-26)
Ends time (I Cor. 15:24)
Brings judgement (Matt. 16:27; Matt. 25:31-32; Acts 17:30-31)
Brings Eternity (Matt. 25:46)
Eternal life for the saved (John 5:28-29)
Eternal loss for the unsaved (John 5:29)
The Day of the Lord (II Pet. 3:10-12)
[from the Truth in Love, no. 37, Sept. 22, 1991, p. 9]

THE G O S P E L

G=God-given. Through the Son (Heb. 1:1-2), Holy Spirit guided New Testament writers (John 14:26), not man-made (Gal. 1:11-12)

O=Ordinances (commandments). Believe in Jesus (I John 3:23), Repent (turn to God) (Acts 17:30), Be baptised (Acts 2:38), Grow in faith (II Pet. 1:5-10)

S=Salvation. The power of God (Rom. 1:16), Conditional on obedience (I Pet. 4:17-18)

P=Promises. Forgiveness of sin (Acts 2:38), Eternal life (I John 2:25), Christ with us (Matt. 28:20), All things work for good (Rom. 8:28)

E=Edifying (building up). Imitate God and walk in love (Eph. 5:1-2), Be an example (I Tim. 4:12)

L=Lasting. Word abides forever (I Pet. 1:25), Word judges in last day (John 12:48)
[from The Truth in Love, no. 38, Sept. 29, 1991, p. 9]

THE CHALLENGES OF CHRIST
(I Pet. 2:21)
1. To live as Christ lived (Gal. 2:20)
2. To grow as Christ grew (II Pet. 3:17-18)
3. To think as Christ thought (Phili. 2:1-5)
4. To obey as Christ obeyed (Heb. 5:8-9)
5. To give as Christ gave (I John 3:16-18)
6. To love as Christ loved (John 13:34-35)
7. To forgive as Christ forgave (Eph. 4:32-Eph. 5:2)
8. To endure as Christ endured (Heb. 12:1-3)
9. To overcome as Christ overcame (Rev. 3:20-21)
[from The Truth in Love, no. 39, Oct. 6, 1991, p. 9]

Be just Christians, in Christ's church by Christ's way!

The book "The Road less travelled" is apparently a worldwide best seller and described as "a new psychology of love, traditional values, and spiritual growth." Its opening words are "Life is difficult" and then goes on to say that once we accept this fact, it is no longer difficult because we have the tools with which to overcome life's difficulties. These tools all come in the tool kit labelled "Discipline." There are three main ones: 1. Delaying of gratification, 2. Acceptance of responsibility, 3. Dedication to truth.

There has always been in man a desire for instant pleasure - fulfillment now. The Bible tells us, however that there is a season for all things (Eccl. 3; Psa. 1:1-3). We can see the results of uncontrolled gratification in many ways - debt, divorce, addiction to name but a few, all to frequent is today's world. And not only today. Even that great man of God, David, succumbed to the impulse of the moment and committed great sin and caused much misery (II Sam. 11:2-4)

Acceptance of responsibility. We cannot resolve life's problems except by solving them! We cannot say, "It's not my problem," hoping it will go away. As Christians we have many responsibilities defined. Obedience, temperance, love for one another. In Gen. 4:9-12 Cain asks "Am I my brother's keeper?" I John 3:21-23 tells us clearly that our responsibility is to believe, and love one another, just as He commanded us. (John 15:10). Our obedience keeps us in the love and care of Jesus. Life will still be difficult but it will no longer matter.

Dedicated to truth, means constant self examination, openness to challenge. Are our responses to the challenge of others and ourselves, truthful? We must never deliberately tell a falsehood. Withholding the truth is potentially a lie. Again, difficult! But the truth makes us free of fear. What does the Bible have to say about truth? Here are some verses: I Kings 2:4; Psa. 15:1-2; Prov. 3:1-4; Matt. 22:16; John 1:14. John 14:6. If Jesus is truth, how can we be anything but truthful? What irony there was in Pontius Pilate's question, "What is truth?" when the embodiment of truth was standing before him!

"The Road Less Travelled" is a best seller and deserves to be. But the Bible says it all and more, upon divine authority.
[by Dick Gutteridge from The Outreach, 8 Sept. 1991, p. 2-3]

WHO IS GOD?

We will never get excited about Him unless we know who He is. We begin to know him when we realise that what is important to Him is important to us. That we love Him because He first loved us. We must come to let His love which falls upon us move us to realise that He needs our love. In Luke 9:20 He asks the disciples, "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered and said, "The Christ of God." He want to know, "Who am I to you?" He loves us and want to know that we love Him back with all our hearts. Paul says he was determined to know nothing except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. I Cor. 2:2 our Love energy is generated by him. We must see Him on the cross, lifted up because of His love for us. It is His design to bring us close. "Who do you say I am?" Peter's answer brought joy to Jesus. We must strive to see Him as truly and joyfully as that.
[by Earl Jack Wilkerson from The Outreach, 6 Oct. 1991, p. 2]

AM I A HOLY PERSON?

What is holy? Spiritually pure, dedicated to God, of high moral excellence. Free from sin. There are some dictionary meanings. Jesus came to call us out of darkness into light. We are called to change our lives and live according to His word, to become disciples. We have been made saints - we become holy. He is the holy one, we are His people, we must pursue holiness even though we still sin. I Pet. 1:15-16.

When God looks upon us He sees Jesus living within us. We have been made righteous by Him. We must be holy in our thinking. In Phili. 4:8, Paul lists the things upon which our minds should dwell - whatever is true, honourable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute. It is God's will that we shall be holy. We should strive to live in the way He wants us to live.

The song "Take time to be holy" contains much wonderful advice on living a holy life. We need to take time to be holy. To pray often, to abide in him. Make friends of our brothers and sisters, gaining strength from them and helping those who are weak. He must be our guide, whether in joy or sorrow. Sometimes we find it hard to maintain our faith when the going is hard but we must follow our Lord and trust in His word. Be calm in our souls, our thoughts and motives under his control, led by His spirit to fountains of love, soon to be fitted for service above.
[by David Woodrow from The Outreach, 29 Sept. 1991, p. 2]

THE ABILITY IS YOURS

Man sometimes misses the big things of life because they are too small to be seen! The prophet asked a great question: "Despiseth thou the day of small things?" (Zech. 2:10). Self-importance, the gargantuan, the glamor of that which is big so infatuates the mind of man that he forgets it's the "little drops of water and little grains of sand that make the mighty ocean and the pleasant land."

A sentiment that paralyzes the good a man may do is often expressed in some wild dreams: "If only I could speak to 50,000 folks every Sunday," "If I were a person of national prominence with a bevy of reporters dogging my every step and quoting every grunt that came from me," "If I held a position of great power and thereby could control things that touch media or manufacturing," and on and on these vaulted ambitions express themselves. One keeps waiting for "the big," but he doesn't know there is a "cup of cold water" which is in his possession that he could give today! The Christian worships the Lord who can take five loaves and two fishes and feed five thousand folks. The multiplying genius of the Master has not subsided - he still has that miraculous potential. He is able to take your deeds, your words, your thoughts, your abilities and make them mountains of usefulness. One must not despise the "small thing". Jesus took children and put them in the midst of men and said, "Of such is the kingdom of heaven." He also invited men of power and importance to recognize in the littleness of a child was greatness to be found.

The Lord has ever taught a great lesson. One must not be discouraged because he has neither fame nor fortune to give - he has today's moment, he has the morning's moment, he has the morning's "cup of cold water", he has the lad's lunch, he has the "mites" that belong to the widow - all of these the Lord has multiplied into the power of an endless eternity. He can use you, will use you. As I see it, "despise not the day of small things," for as Jesus has promised, "I am with you always even unto the end of the age." You fit into his economy - and what you have to offer is vital to the work of the kingdom. Keep giving it - big or little. It, as you are, is vitally important.
[by Jim Bill McInteer from 20th Century Christian, Mar., 1980]

THE WORD OF CHRIST
(Rom. 10:17)
Don't let anyone take away, water down or replace "the word of Christ" (II Tim. 4:1-4). Don't let anyone suggest you are too simple to understand the word of God (Psa. 119:130). Don't hear preachers preach anything other than the word of truth for you to believe and obey in order to be saved (I Pet. 1:22-25).
(Col. 3:16)
Don't preach unless you are reliable enough to be entrusted to preach the word of Christ faithfully (II Tim. 2:2). Be warned, don't teach the word of Christ unless you fully accept that God will judge you more strictly (James 3:1). Don't preach the wisdom of man, but only the wisdom of God taught by the Holy Spirit through Christ's chosen apostles in his New Testament record (I Cor. 2).
(Luke 8:15)
Don't plead with the preacher to vary from the word of Christ because God promised that the faithful preaching of the word, properly heard, will ensure the preacher's and your own salvation (I Tim. 4:16). Rather, pray that God may help you...(Prov. 23:12). Give heed to God's plea (Psa. 78:1). And, remember...(James 1:22).
(John 12:48-49)
With so much emphasis in both Old and New Testaments on the necessity to hear God's word above all else, it is surprising how readily many turn from his word of salvation. Don't be like them.
[from The Truth in Love, no. 36, Sept. 15, 1991, p. 1]

VOX POPULI - VOX DEI!

The voice of the people is the voice of God.

A popular slogan to support the proposition that, because the majority approve something, it must be the best or it must be right, i.e., it must be of God. Let us put it to the Bible test:

The voice of the people... - The many in the time of:

1.	Noah (Matt. 24:38) - were materialistic.
2.	Moses (Exo. 32:1-6) - were idolatrous.
3.	Elijah (I Kings 18:21) - were indecisive.
4.	Daniel (Dan. 3:4-7) - were suggestible.
5.	Christ
	(a)	Gadarenes (Luke 8:37) - were opposed to Jesus.
	(b)	Disciples (John 6:66) - turned away from Jesus.
	(c)	Rules (John 12:42-43) - preferred praise of men.
	(d)	People (John 19:15) - "Crucify him, crucify him!"
6.	Peter & John (Acts 5:28) - political rejection of gospel
7.	Paul (Acts 17:32) - philosophical rejection of gospel

What is missing from this list? - "The voice of God!"
What distinguished the few from the many?
1. Noah (Gen. 6:9, Gen. 7:5) - walked with God
2. Moses (Josh. 14:6) - the man of God
3. Elijah (I Kings 18:36) - I have done all at thy word
4. Shadrach (Dan. 3:18) - we will not serve your gods
5. Legion (Mark 5:9-15; Luke 8:35) - sitting at Jesus' feet
6. Apostles (John 6:68) - Lord to whom shall we go?
7. Peter & John (Acts 5:29) - we must obey God
8. Paul (Acts 20:27) - I declare all the counsel of God.
[from The Truth in Love, no. 35, Sept. 8, 1991, p. 9]

FACING OUR FUTURE
(Deut. 32:29)
Each person's circumstances may be such that one views the future with deep forebodings of worse to come, and another has happy anticipations of better things ahead. Our view of the same environmental conditions is coloured by a personal psychological profile which distinguishes one person's reaction from another's.

The news media appear to assault us daily with revelations of terrible things everywhere, and we might be forgiven for believing that the world has never been so bad and that there is no hope for better. The men of the world spurn God and fruitlessly propose their own remedies for their problems (Rom. 1:25).

In the eighth century before Christ, the Greek farmer-philosopher Hesiod deplored the severe social disturbance of his time, pined for the past glories of the Greece of the Trojan era, and wrote: "Would that I did not live in this generation, would that I had died before, or were born hereafter!"

Later, the Greek philosopher Plato (428-347 B.C.) stated that "there are many noble things in human life, but to most of them attach evils which are fated to corrupt and spoil them."

The Roman emperor Marcus Aurlius (121-180 A.D.) wrote that "the universe is either a confusion...or it is a unity and order and providence. If then it is the former, why do I desire to tarry in...such a disorder and why do I care about things other than how I shall at last become earth? Why am I disturbed, for the dispersion of my elements will happen whatever I do?"

There is a pessimistic resignation to one's fate as inevitable while, at the same time, there is a vain search for some stable stanchion to grasp to offer security in the midst of uncertainty. In man's preoccupation with self, God is left out (Luke 17:26-30).

Hesiod suggested that the solution lay in "Hard work; your desire, then, should be to put your works in order so that your barns may be stocked with all livelihood in its season. It is from work that men grow rich and own flocks and herds..."

Plato lived during a long period of exhausting civil war between the Greek city-states of his day. The absorbing passion of his life was the concept of the ideal state - "Utopia". He wrote that "until philosophers are kings, or the kings and princes of this world have the spirit and power of philosophy, and wisdom and political leadership meet in the same man...cities will never cease from ill, nor the human race." However, he believed that people should be educated to cultivate wisdom, courage, self-mastery and justice. Then, he hoped, society might be better.

Marcus Aurlius lived at a time when the Roman Empire was constantly in turmoil and he was frequently on military campaigns to quell revolts by subject nations. He wrote: "Everything which happens either happens in such a way that you are formed by nature to bear it, or that you are not formed by nature to bear it. If, then...you are formed by nature to bear it, do not complain, but bear it...But if it happens that you are not able to bear it, do not complain, for it will perish after it has consumed you."

Sir William Osler, a famous physician at the turn of this century, wrote: "Shut out the yesterdays, which have lighted fools the way to dusty death... The petty annoyances, the trivial mistakes, the disappointments, the sins, the sorrows, even the joys - bury them deep in the oblivions of each night... The load of tomorrow, added to that of yesterday, carried today makes the strongest falter. Shut off the future as tightly as the past. No dreams, no visions, no delicious fantasies, no castles in the air... Waste of energy, mental distress, nervous worries dog the steps of a man who is anxious about the future... So cultivate the habit of a life of day-tight compartments."

In a world of sin (Rom. 3:23), the best that worldly-wise men can offer is futile (Rom. 1:21) in the effort to fix mankind's problem. Only God can save us from the effects of sin, for this is the root cause of our troubles, and he has made the effective remedy available to all in Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:8-10).

The true wisdom is to be found...(I Cor. 1:30).
(II Pet. 1:4)
[from The Truth in Love, no. 35, Sept. 8, 1991, p. 10-11]

THE FEWEST OF ALL PEOPLE
(Deut. 7:7)
Often others look askance at the church of Christ because its numbers appear so small when compared to many religious denominations. How can such an insignificant group be the true church of our Lord?

Smallness, by itself, is no guarantee of the truth, nor is largeness proof that God approves. Yet it is a fact that Jesus said...(Matt. 7:14). So we should expect that, by human standards, Christ's church is small.

When considering the small size of Christ's church, several questions may be posed by others. Is the church small because of:
1. Apathy and complacency?
The Lord commands his church to...(II Tim. 4:2). When this is done, what is the general reaction?
Jesus' example: (John 6:66)
Paul's example: (Acts 17:32-34)

Jesus and Paul were not apathetic and complacent, yet the great majority of their hearers did not believe. A church of active and diligent members is likely to be a small church. Many won't attend where the word is faithfully preached (II Tim. 4:3-4).

2. Ineffectual preaching?
Jesus commanded his apostles and, thereby, all who become his disciples, to...(Matt. 28:19-20). When this is done what happens?
Jesus' example: (Matt. 13:58)
Paul's example: (Acts 14:2).

Jesus and Paul were ineffectual preachers, measured by human standards, for they aroused much opposition to the message taught. A church is small because the word faithfully taught is ineffectual in persuading many to hear and believe it.

3. Unimpressive?
Jesus forewarned his apostles: (John 15:20)
Jesus' example: (John 1:46. Cf. Isa. 53:2-3)
Paul's example: (II Cor. 10:10).

Jesus and Paul appeared unimpressive to many and therefore did not attract them. Christ's church is small because most people consider it unimpressive for the same reasons.

4. Mistaken?
Jesus said he taught...(John 12:50) and that his Father's word "is truth" (John 17:17). Jesus sent his apostles to teach this word of truth and prayed for...(John 17:20). Jesus promised that we can "know the truth" (John 8:32). The church is to be...(I Tim. 3:15). Like the Bereans, those who are "noble-minded" will...(Acts 17:11). But the church is small because most prefer another word (Matt. 15:8-9).

5. God's displeasure?
Is the church small because God is displeased with it? The inspired apostle Peter warned that...(II Pet. 2:1-2). During the days of Noah...(I Pet. 3:20). Jesus foretold that...(Luke 17:26). And so the true church is small because most choose the broad way rather than the narrow (Matt. 7:13-14).
(Matt. 7:21).
[from The Truth in Love, no. 34, Sept. 1, 1991, p. 10-11]

WHAT WE MUST BE

Some of Christ's commands for Christian living
(Eph. 4:11-13)
As Jesus had promised his apostles...(John 14:26; John 15:26-27; John 16:13-14) after his ascension the Holy Spirit came to tell them what to teach in his name (John 14:26; John 15:26-27; John 16:13-14). Thus the letters of the New Testament are the writings of the inspired apostles and prophets (II Pet. 1:20-21; II Pet. 3:15-16) of Jesus' new covenant commands to his followers (Matt. 28:18-20).

Among Jesus' commands for his followers to obey and practise in their daily lives are a number of imperatives - "BE....":
1. Be faithful. James 2:5. Christians must be rich in faith toward God, as exemplified in Abraham's life of faith (James 2:23; Gal. 3:26-29).
2. Be obedient. Titus 3:1. Christians must be good citizens of God's kingdom (Eph. 2:19-22) and also of the country in which they live (Rom. 13:1-7).
3. Be holy. I Pet. 1:15. Christians are bound for God's dwelling place, and must prepare themselves by "holy conduct and godliness" now (II Pet. 3:11-13).
4. Be spiritual. Eph. 5:18-19. As the parallel passage in Col. 3:16 shows us, we obey this command by "letting the word of Christ richly dwell within us".
5. Be loving. Rom. 12:10. As "partakers of the divine nature", we are obliged to cultivate love towards each other for God's approval (II Pet. 1:4-11).
6. Be kind. Eph. 4:32. As our Lord's bond-servants, we must "be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged" (II Tim. 2:24. Cf. I Pet. 3:8).
7. Be generous. I Tim. 6:18. Without fanfare (Matt. 6:1-4), Christians must personally "do good to all" (Gal. 6:9-10. Cf. Eph. 2:10; Titus 3:8).
8. Be gentle. Titus 3:2. Jesus commands his followers to "Learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart" (Matt. 11:29). Be like Jesus.
9. Be humble. I Pet. 3:8. We are called to "walk in a manner worthy of the calling" of God, and this includes "humility and gentleness" (Eph. 4:1-2).
10. Be patient. I Thes. 5:14. We are commanded to "be patient until the coming of the Lord" (James 5:7-8). That means at all times and in all circumstances.
11. Be sympathetic. I Pet. 3:8. We are told that Jesus does "sympathise with our weaknesses" (Heb. 4:15) and so we must show the same concern for others.
12. Be content. Phili. 4:11. We must "be content" with what we have (I Tim. 6:8), "free from the love of money" (Heb. 13:5).
13. Be temperate. Titus 2:2. We must to be temperate or self-controlled in speech, and not "malicious gossips without self-control" (II Tim. 3:3).
14. Be reverent. Titus 2:3. We must live lives that befit holiness, "perfecting holiness in the fear of (or reverence for) God" (II Cor. 7:1).
15. Be trustworthy. I Cor. 4:1-2. We must be persons who can be trusted and considered reliable in any situation, "not pilfering, but trustworthy" (Titus 2:10).
16. Be careful. Eph. 5:15-16. We must be careful in every way, including what we build in Christ (I Cor. 3:10) and by doing good works (Titus 3:8).
17. Be alert. I Cor. 16:13-14. Christians are required to "be alert and sober" (I Thes. 5:8) in the face of the unknown time of Christ's return.
18. Be wise. Rom. 16:19. We must "show by good behaviour our deeds in the gentleness of wisdom" (James 3:13) and "discern good and evil" (Heb. 5:14).
19. Be united. II Cor. 13:11. The members of a congregation must "be united in the same mind and in the same judgement" (I Cor. 1:10).
20. Be harmonious. I Pet. 3:8. The Greek word so translated means "be of one mind", and so brethren must be united in faith and practice.
21. Be strong. Eph. 6:10. In order to "stand firm in the faith", Christians must "be strong" (I Cor. 16:13) in order to overcome temptation.
22. Be mature. James 1:1. We are obliged to make the effort to grow...(II Pet. 3:18).
23. Be teachers. Heb. 5:12. Every Christian must learn enough about Christ and his message to share it with others (I Pet. 3:15).
24. Be ready. II Tim. 4:2. Christian preachers must tell God's word plainly and unaltered at all times, especially because error abounds (II John 9-11).
25. Be thankful. Col. 3:15. We have so much to be grateful for because of God's many gifts to us, above all Jesus Christ, that we must "be thankful".
[from The Truth in Love, no. 46, Nov. 24, 1991, p. 2-3, 12-13]

THE WORD IS NEAR YOU
(Rom. 10:6-9)
Some Christians appear to have difficulty in living the kind of life God has designed for his children. They tend to spend a lot of time looking for the answers and solutions everywhere but where it is readily and directly available to them.

There is no need to do anything or go anywhere or see anyone, other than doing yourself what God's word tells you to do.

1. Be of faith (Gal. 3:9)
(Rom. 4:3; Rom. 4:21-22; James 2:23).

Everyone is called by God to "be of faith" in order to receive the same blessings which God gave Abraham, i.e., to be counted as righteous and to be a friend of God. No one must expect to just sit and wait for this to happen. When we hear the gospel of God it is up to us to do something about it, i.e., "be of faith" and obey God. Jesus said...(John 6:29). Thus, the first thing God wants us to do is to "believe in Jesus", and that means, further, to do what Jesus commands us (John 14:15).

It is insulting to God, to profess to "be of faith" and yet have doubts about my salvation (Cf. James 1:6-7), because God has said: "they which be of faith are blessed..." (i.e. saved). When God says something, it is absolutely true (Cf. Titus 1:2).

2. Be of good cheer. In just the same way that God commands us to "be of faith", so he commands Christians to "be of good cheer". Jesus told his disciples...(John 16:33). When his ship was in danger, the apostle Paul told his companions...(Acts 27:25).

Now Jesus never promised that his followers would have an easy time in this life ("You will have tribulation"), but he expects us to "be of good cheer" nevertheless, "because I have overcome the world". Paul told his companions to "be of good cheer" because he believed God keeps his word. If we are not "of good cheer", it is because we don't really believe that Jesus has "overcome the world" and we don't really believe that what God has spoken in his word "shall be even as it was told us".

Since we "be of faith" we have been made right with God and, therefore, "we have peace" (Rom. 5:1). There is, then, the best reason to "be of good cheer" despite living in a world of turmoil and trouble. For...(Rom. 8:39).

"Go and do the same"

When a man asked Jesus what he should do to inherit eternal life, Jesus took the opportunity to tell the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). To Jesus' question, "Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbour to the man who fell into the robbers' hands?", the man replied, "The one who showed mercy toward him." Jesus answered: "Go and do the same."

And so it is with each of God's directions to us that we are considering in this lesson, God does not tell us to do things to make life difficult for us, but because he knows these are in our best interests. Trust him, do what he says, and we will know the purpose of Jesus' coming...(John 10:10).

Be of faith by fixing our eyes on Jesus (Heb. 12:2)
Be of good cheer by remembering that Jesus has overcome the world (John 16:33).
[from The Truth in Love, no. 47, Dec. 1, 1991, p. 10-11]

Peter's problems with his ego/status/self esteem:
1. with a Texas Instrument calculator he figured out how often to forgive
2. with his time sheet punching the time-clock he said "we left all to follow you"
3. he aspired to become vice-president of a celestial organization

A VIEW OF THE DIVISION IN I COR.

"I of Paul" related to the old timers, the charter members of the organization,
"I of Apollos" related to the educated and dynamic
"I of Cephas" related to those who were associated with Jesus and an original apostle.

LEVELS OF COMMUNICATION

5. cliche, foyer, elevator talk which is mostly about the weather
4. facts, the news but no opinion
3. Ideas and judgments "I think..." This is the area where we become a little bit vulnerable. If rejection comes with this, the speaker will go back to the cliches and facts.  Nevertheless, we can always find others who think the same as we do.
2. Feelings
1. "total" openness holding nothing back.
We can have all these levels of communication with our marriage partner and with God.
[by John Powell from his book "Why Am I Afraid To Tell You Who I Am?"]

WHAT IS MEANT BY THE ABC OF THE "THREE PRIESTLY FUNCTIONS"?

It is puzzling in the extreme to observe the serious debates in the denominational churches about ecclesiastical priesthoods and ordinations and "the ABC of the three priestly functions" [administration of Absolution, the Blessing and the Communion (or Eucharist)]. If it were acknowledged that such things are not found in our Lord's New Testament it might lead people to see that such debates are really tragically wasteful and misdirected. In the churches of Christ described in the New Testament only the teachings of Christ given through his apostles are the pattern for his followers to practise (Matt. 28:18-20). The same commands are intended to continue unaltered for all time. Note the difference between the teachings of the New Testament and the teachings of the denominations on these matters.

"Administering the Eucharist"

"The Eucharist" is the denominational counterpart to the New Testament "Lord's Supper" (I Cor. 11:20ff). But the New Testament does not confine the "administering" of the Supper to an ecclesiastical priesthood which it does not mention! There is no special significance in the "administering" of the Supper but only in the attitudes of all who partake of it (I Cor. 11:27ff).

"Giving of absolution"

Some man-made churches claim that their "priests" have the Lord's authority to forgive penitents or to assure them of divine forgiveness. Again, our New Testament does not teach this. Anyone can learn the Lord's terms for forgiveness of sins simply from reading or being told the New Testament teaching on the subject. There is nothing mysterious about it necessitating the mediation of a class of "priests" offering "absolution". When a person learns the Lord's terms for forgiveness and complies with these, that person is forgiven because God says so in his word, not because some "priest" tells him! (see Acts 2:38; Col. 2:12-13).

"The Blessing"

"The blessing" or "consecration" of people and objects, sometimes by making "the sign of the cross", is a ritual which is not described in the New Testament. Anyone who is faithful and obedient to God is assured of God's blessings. (John 20:29; James 1:22-25; Acts 20:35). There's no need for a "priest" to tell us!
[from the Truth in Love, no. 1, Jan. 13, 1991, p. 10]

WHAT IS MEANT BY "A PENITENT, UNIMMERSED BELIEVER IN CHRIST"?

This is not an expression found in the scriptures, and the only way such a concept might be justified is in the context of the kind of believers described in Acts 2.

The apostle Peter told his conscience-stricken hearers to "repent and be baptised"...(Acts 2:38). (Acts 2:41, 47).

Thus it is clear that the Lord regards those he saves and adds to his church as the kind of believers in Christ who are convinced enough to repent and to demonstrate the genuineness of repentance by obedience in baptism, as Jesus Christ commanded [i.e., "in the name of Jesus"]. In the scripturally-saving sense, to believe in Christ is to obey him. (See John 3:36; Heb. 3:18-19).

To speak of "an impenitent believer in Christ" is thus a contradiction in terms. Likewise, to speak of "a penitent, unimmersed believer in Christ" is a contradiction except when applied to the same circumstance as the believers in Acts 2, i.e., they were penitent enough to want to be baptised when they heard and believed the Lord's will. Until such persons are immersed they have not received "the gift of the Holy Spirit" along with "the forgiveness of sins" as the Lord has promised (Acts 2:38; John 3:3-5), and they are not saved (Acts 2:47; I Pet. 3:21; Mark 16:16).

When anyone who professes to "believe in Christ" is told Jesus' terms for salvation, the genuineness of their belief and penitence will be as obviously, as immediately, as obediently and as wonderfully displayed as was that of the 3000 people in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:41).
[from Truth in Love, no. 1, Jan. 13, 1991, p. 11]

AWAY FROM HER LAND
(II Kings 25:2)
The second book of Kings ends on this tragic and poignant note. The once great and favoured nation of Israel, led out of bondage in Egypt under the leadership of Moses, led into the promised land by Joshua, raised to power and wealth under David and Solomon, split into the northern and southern kingdoms, and was finally taken into captivity "away from her land", all because the people repeatedly and persistently disobeyed and forgot the Lord. They forsook the worship of the Lord and followed their heathen neighbours into idolatry. They despised, persecuted and killed the prophets of the Lord who were sent to warn them. In 586 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took his third march against Jerusalem and, this time, broke down its walls, set fire to the temple and the royal palace, ransacked the city of its last treasures, and took all but the poorest peasants in captivity to Babylon.

Hundreds of years later, Jesus was to weep over their descendants in Jerusalem. They had rejected him and he knew that, in only a few short years, a Roman army would demolish and desecrate the temple and kill the people (Matt. 23:37-38).

Let each of us learn that we turn away from our Lord to our own grievous and eternal loss. He longs to gather all in his arms and keep them there, but how many foolishly choose to go their own way!

As we break bread on the first day of the week, let us remember that its purpose is to remind us of what our Lord has done for us and to proclaim his death until he comes (I Cor. 11:24-26). To the degree that we attend to this observance of the Lord's Supper, to that extent we will ensure our steadfast allegiance to him. Let us encourage one another to remain faithful to God and so be assured of entry into heaven beyond.
[from Truth in Love, no. 1, Jan. 13, 1991, p. 6]

DO NOT FORGET TO DO GOOD
(Heb. 13:15-16)
Christians are built...(I Pet. 2:5). As a chosen people...(I Pet. 2:9). Christians are to offer themselves...(Rom. 12:1). Christians are to aid needy brethren and such gifts are a fragrant offering...(Phili. 4:18). Christians are to practise a pure and faultless religion as each looks after orphans and widows...(James 1:27).

Thus we see that the Christian life is a continual sacrifice where we give ourselves to our Lord in declaring his praises by telling the good news of salvation, in offering ourselves in spiritual worship, in sharing with needy brethren, and looking after those disadvantaged and distressed in the world at large (Gal. 6:10).

In the observance of the Lord's Supper, we remember the great and unique sacrifice of Jesus for us. It is so much that we should sacrifice our time and effort for him?
(Heb. 13:20-21).
[from Truth in Love, no. 2, Jan. 20, 1991]

STAGES OF GRIEF
Denial
Anger
Guilt feelings
Cry - face it in advance
Resolution.

Christian goals. To serve Jesus and become more like Him.

Dig for insights. Deal with insights Biblically. Choose to be anxiety free. Meditate on scripture daily. Narrow your goals: perfectionists have too many goals. Reorganize schedule taking into account proper priorities.

Denial is a defence mechanism.

There's a man that I know, and he lives near you,
In a town called Everywhere;
You might not think he's a man from his hat
Or the clothes he may chance to wear;
But under the jacket with many a patch
Is a heart more precious than gold--
The heart of a man 'neath the coat of a boy,
A man who is twelve years old.
We may never know what the future will make
Of the boys that we carelessly meet,
For many a statesman is now at school,
And presidents play in the street.
The hand that is busy with playthings now
The reins of power will hold;
So I take off my hat and gladly salute
This man who is twelve years old.
[by Maurice Smiley]

We roll in the mud of self pity in the very shadow of the cross. We piously ask for his will and then have the audacity to pout if everything doesn't go our way. If we would just remember the heavenly body that awaits us, we'd stop complaining that he hasn't healed this earthly one. Our problem is not so much that God doesn't give us what we hope for as it is that we don't know the right things for which to hope.

When we truly trust God and allow him to rule in our life, it frees us from possessiveness and the sense of entitlement. It also enables us to receive the good things in our lives with gratitude and to hold them lightly rather than clutchingly. It even ultimately opens the way to relinquishing beloved objects and persons without falling into bitterness and resentment. Life in all its manifestations is an un-merited gift.

The best investments are often those that look dead wrong at the time.

Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes.
[by Oscar Wilde]

Winners know they can never afford to neglect any opportunities.

Obedience is the seed of joy.

Contentment today is the product of obedience yesterday.

Life doesn't begin at 40 or 20, but at Calvary.

Sometimes the Lord calms the storm for his child. Sometimes He lets the storm rage and calms his child.

Would you believe anyone who has lied to you as much as your fears have?

Reverence for life is a profound belief in the dignity and worth of every human being. It moves men of goodwill to clasp hands for the common good. Humbly they will ask their Creator for the understanding, the compassion, to share with others the blessings with which God Himself has endowed the earth.

John 15:2
The church in Russia became corrupt well before Lennon and others came to power. But it was Christ's church! It was with godless atheism that the devil wanted to destroy the church, but God raised up the same godlessness of Communism to purge the church. Some 70 years later, the cleansing is done. The Gospel is once again free to be preached.

The False Shepherds that prevented the spread of the Gospel, have been exposed for what they were. The counterfeit Christians who corrupted the truth of Christ have long abandoned the church - forced out by persecution - leaving the Church of God free to rely on the power of God to share the Christ of God. The price of the purge - over 70 years of death, oppression, persecution, hunger and famine. What a tragedy! But it is one that the Christians of this nation must heed, or we too will be purged.

As Russia emerges from 70 years of atheistic darkness, and the doors open to the Gospel of Light, this nation is removing God from the classroom, banning Christ from Christmas, looking to pagans for leadership, exalting evil, tolerating perversion and promoting a Godless society. During all this, much of the Church remains silent and many even enjoy the freedom to sin without public censure, but the warning signs are there. A nation's economy prospers only because God blesses. When God's guiding Hand is removed, the prosperity falters, then disappears. We have food on the table because our forefathers have thanked God for it. The Russians have none - or very little - because for so long they have ceased to be thankful.

If the leaders, and in particular the Christian leaders and laity in this nation do not return to the God Who gives all good things, if they continue to ignore and pervert the teachings of Christ the Creator, Who became the Redeemer, then this God, Who is Christ, will purge His Church and the same disaster we have seen in Russia will be the fruit on our table for the next generation. Pray that this nation and His Church will repent of all the evil around us, that there will be a real and lasting return to Christ and that we will desire His blessings as Creator and Saviour, lest we suffer His purging as Lord and Judge.

Christ is a sovereign Creator - His will shall be done.
[from Creation News, vol. 5, no. 4]

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