GOD CAN USE YOU!!

There are many reasons why God shouldn't have called you.

But don't worry. You're in good company . . .

Moses stuttered.

David's armor didn't fit.

John Mark was rejected by Paul.

Timothy had ulcers.

Hosea's wife was a prostitute.

Amos' only training was in the school of fig-tree pruning.

Jacob was a liar.

David had an affair.

Solomon was too rich.

Jesus was too poor.

Abraham was too old.

David was too young.

Peter was afraid of death.

Lazarus was dead.

John was self-righteous.

Naomi was a widow.

Paul was a murderer.

So was Moses.

Jonah ran from God.

Miriam was a gossip.

Gideon and Thomas both doubted.

Jeremiah was depressed and suicidal.

Elijah was burnt out.

John the Baptist was a loudmouth.

Martha was a worry-wart.

Mary was lazy.

Samson had long hair.

Noah got drunk.

Did I mention that Moses had a short fuse?

So did Peter, Paul -- well, lots of folks did.

But God doesn't require a job interview.

He doesn't hire and fire like most bosses, because He's more our Dad than our Boss.

He doesn't look at financial gain or loss.

He's not prejudiced or partial, not judging, grudging, sassy, or brassy, not deaf to our cry, not blind to our need.

As much as we try, God's gifts are free.

We could do wonderful things for wonderful people and still not be . . .Wonderful.

Satan says, "You're not worthy." Jesus says, "So what? . . . I AM."

Satan looks back and sees our mistakes. God looks back and sees the cross.

He doesn't calculate what you did in '08. It's not even on the record.

Sure. There are lots of reasons why God shouldn't have called us.

But if we are magically in love with Him, if we hunger for Him more than our next breath,

He'll use us in spite of who we are, where we've been, or what we look like.

Pray that as Christians, we will step out of our limitations into the illimitable nature of who God is. Then our passion for God and our passion to communicate with Him will make mincemeat of our limitations.

-- Author Unknown

THE MINISTER

One of the toughest tasks a church faces is choosing a good minister.

A member of an official board undergoing this painful process finally lost patience. He'd just witnessed the Pastoral Relations Committee reject applicant after applicant for some minor fault - real or imagined. It was time for a bit of soul-searching on the part of the committee. So he stood up and read this letter purporting to be from another applicant.

Gentlemen: Understanding your pulpit is vacant, I should like to apply for the position. I have many qualifications. I've been a preacher with much success and also had some success as a writer. Some say I'm a good organizer. I've been a leader most places I've been.

I'm over 50 years of age and have never preached in one place for more than three years. In some places, I have left town after my work caused riots and disturbances. I must admit I have been in jail three or four times, but not because of any real wrongdoing.

My health is not too good, though I still accomplish a great deal. The churches I have preached in have been small, though located in several large cities. I've not gotten along well with religious leaders in the towns where I have preached. In fact, some have threatened me, and even attacked me physically. I am not too good at keeping records. I have been known to forget whom I have baptized. However, if you can use me, I promise to do my best for you.

The board member turned to the committee and said, “Well, what do you think? Shall we call him?”

The good church folks were appalled! Consider a sickly, trouble-making, absent-minded ex-jailbird? Was the board member crazy? Who signed the application? Who had such colossal nerve?

The board member eyed them all keenly before he replied, “It's signed, 'The Apostle Paul.'”

Author unknown

Be encouraged and never allow your past to hinder your service unto the Lord. God is the one who qualifies those He has called and so never allow people's pessimistic comments to keep you from moving forward and accomplishing all that God has placed on your heart. (2 Samuel 22:31-33)

Do God's work to the best of your ability and leave the results up to the Lord. God promises to bring great results when we simply obey His voice and follow His leading. (Luke 6:35) (Isaiah 55:8-9)

When Forgiving is Difficult

Sunday Service December 14 2008 - "When Forgiving is Difficult"
by Pastor Gan Kim Choon

Scripture: Genesis 50:15-21

Why do I forgive?
Firstly, it was commanded by God. Secondly, just as the Lord forgave us, we forgive others. God’s commandments are for our benefit. It is for our wellbeing that God wants us to obey him to forgive others.

This is because un-forgiveness
a) rob the joy out of our life. We may be happy chit-chatting with friends when this person who has offended us appears. Our heart drop and we can’t even smile.
b) is a bondage
Because when we cannot forgive someone, there will be certain places we cannot go or we don’t want to go. That “out of bound” area grows until we imprison ourselves.

c) gets passed down from generation to generation.
Story of Philip Yancey in his book What so amazing about Grace?

BUT Forgiveness is unfair.

For the victim, there is this nagging injustice that he or she has to bear when he chooses to forgive. Because the pain, the hurt and the wound caused by the offender is still there even when he or she forgives.

As Christians, we know what forgiveness is from the Bible, we may learn from books or seminars. But for some of us, it is hard to put this into practice. I used to ask my wife, why was it so hard to forgive. Of course, it is easy to say it when I was the one needing the forgiveness
It is easy when the offence is a small matter – shouted at you over the phone. But it may not be so easy when the offence is grave – schemed behind your back for your downfall.
Read Genesis 50:15-21

Forgiving is difficult
When the offence is graveV15 "What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?"
Sold off as a slave at age 17. Joseph suffered injustice, false accusation, imprisonment, loneliness because his brothers ganged up against him. Why should Joseph forgive them when these are his half-brothers?
When the repentance is not genuineV16-17a "Your father left these instructions before he died: 17 'This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.'
Although Joseph’s brothers did ask Joseph to forgive their sins, they were so afraid of Joseph that they just quoted what their father, Jacob said to justify that they be forgiven. Not too sure if Jacob really said that. It is our human nature to justify ourselves.When the painful wound is reopenedV17b When their message came to him, Joseph wept.

It could be a cry of sorrow. It reminded him of his painful past. it could be a cry of relief. Finally, his brothers offer their apology that he has been waiting for albeit their tone of insincerity.
Forgiveness is not forgetting. People who want to forget all that was done to them will find they cannot do it. In our Asian culture, we prefer to forget than forgive.

When God says that He will “not remember your sins” (Isaiah 43:25), He is saying that He will not use the past against us. Forgetting is a long-term by-product of forgiveness, but it is never the beginning of it. Don’t put off forgiving those who have hurt you, hoping the pain will go away. Once you choose to forgive someone, then Christ will heal your wounds. We don’t heal in order to forgive; we forgive in order to heal.

Forgiveness begins when we…..
Release the offender to GodV19 But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God?
Forgiveness is a choice, a decision of the will.
Since God requires us to forgive, it is something we can do. Some people hold on to their anger as a means of protecting themselves against further abuse, but all they are doing is hurting themselves. Others want revenge.

The Bible teaches, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Romans 12:19). Let God deal with the person. Let him or her off your hook because as long as you refuse to forgive someone, you are still hooked to that person. You are still chained to your past, bound up in your bitterness. By forgiving, you let the other person off your hook, but he or she is not off God’s hook. We must trust that God will deal with the person justly and fairly, something we simply cannot do.

You may say that, “But you don’t know how much this person hurt me!” It is true that No other human really knows another person’s pain, but Jesus does, and He instructed us to forgive others for our sake. Until you let go of your bitterness and hatred, the person is still hurting you.

Nobody can fix your past, but you can be free from it.

What you gain by forgiving is freedom from your past and those who have abused you. To forgive is to set a captive free and then realize you were the captive.
Forgiveness is choosing not to hold someone’s sin against him or her anymore.
It is common for bitter people to bring up past offences with those who have hurt them. They want them to feel as bad as they do! But we must let go of the past and choose to reject any thought of revenge. This doesn’t mean you continue to put up with the abuse. God does not tolerate sin and neither should you. Take a stand against sin while continuing to exercise grace and forgiveness toward those who hurt you.

Forgiveness is unconditional

Let me side track here to comment on the Bible study material we have for CELLS. There is one part in the material from RBC saying that forgiveness is conditional upon the repentance of the offender. Otherwise, there is a time not to forgive.
In my opinion, what was presented is incorrect. I have also read the suggested material recommended by RBC for further study on the topic “When forgiveness is impossible”.
What they originally intended to say is when we cannot and should not condone sins. i.e. we do not say ‘Never mind. Since I have forgiven the offender, let him continue to do harm to me.’ We need to wisely put a stop to the sins the offender has committed.

Realise that God is sovereign
v20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

Forgiveness is agreeing to live with the consequences of another person’s sin.
Whatever harm that has done was done. The victim is often left to live with the consequences of someone else’s sin. The only choice is whether to do so in the bondage of bitterness or in the freedom of forgiveness.

But where is the justice?
The Cross makes forgiveness legally and morally right. Jesus dies, once for all our sins. God “made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Do not wait for the other person to ask for your forgiveness. Remember, Jesus did not wait for those who were crucifying Him to apologize before He forgave them. Even while they mocked and jeered at Him, He prayed, “Father, forgive them: for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34)

Return good for evil
v21 So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children." And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.

Forgive from your heart. Allow God to bring to the surface the painful memories and acknowledge how you feel toward those who’ve hurt you. If your forgiveness doesn’t touch the emotional core of your life, it will be incomplete. Too often we’re afraid of the pain, so we bury our emotions deep down inside us. Let God bring them to the surface, so He can begin to heal those damaged emotions.

Don’t wait until you feel like forgiving. You will never get there. Make the hard choice to forgive even if you don’t feel like it. Once you choose to forgive, Satan will lose his hold on you, and God will heal your damaged emotions.

Testimony of Sokreaksa Himm
Thirteen of Reaksa Himm’s immediate family, including his parents, were brutally executed by Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge. Severely wounded, Reaksa was hidden by the bodies of his family.
He struggled free, and ultimately made his way to Canada. He found faith in Christ, but for years wrestled with bitterness, hatred and a desire for vengeance – in Cambodia, revenge is a matter of honour.
After the Heavy Rain describes how Reaksa discovered what is truly means to forgive. He tracked down his family’s killers one by one, embraced them, gave them a friendship scarf and presented each with a Bible. But that was only the beginning…
None of us has suffered as much as Sokreaksa.

Normally we complain whenever we suffer. Let me tell you a story of complain
A Chinese diplomat was seeking political asylum in the United States. The interviewer asked him, “What is wrong with your country? Is it the political system?”“Can’t complain,” replied the diplomat.“Is it the social environment?”“Can’t complain.” “Is it the educational structure?”“Can’t complain.”Exasperated, the interviewer asked, “Then why do you want to come to the States?”“Can complain.”

When forgiving is difficultRelease the offender to GodRealise that God is sovereignReturn Good for evil

Ephesians 4:26-27, 31-32
"In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

NOTE: some materials of this article is taken from Neil T. Anderson, Beta Leader’s Guide – The Next Step in Your Journey with Christ, (Tennessee: Gospel Light, 2004), 94-5.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

REMEMBER: Jesus is Better than Santa

Santa lives at the North Pole.
JESUS is everywhere.

Santa rides in a sleigh
JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water.

Santa comes but once a year
JESUS is an ever present help.

Santa fills your stockings with goodies
JESUS supplies all your needs.

Santa comes down your chimney uninvited
JESUS stands at your door and knocks.. and then enters your heart.

You have to stand in line to see Santa
JESUS is as close as the mention of His name.

Santa lets you sit on his lap
JESUS lets you rest in His arms.

Santa doesn't know your name, all he can say is "Hi little boy or girl, What's your name?"
JESUS knew our name before we did. Not only does He know our name, He knows our address too. He knows our history and future and He even knows how many hairs are on our heads.

Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly
JESUS has a heart full of love.

All Santa can offer is HO HO HO
JESUS offers health, help and hope.

Santa says "You better not cry"
JESUS says "Cast all your cares on me for I care for you.

Santa's little helpers make toys
JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken homes and builds mansions.

Santa may make you chuckle
but JESUS gives you joy that is your strength.

While Santa puts gifts under your tree
JESUS became our gift and died on the tree.

It's obvious there is really no comparison.
We need to remember WHO Christmas is all about.
We need to put Christ back in Christmas.
Jesus is still the reason for the season.

May the Lord Bless and Watch over you and your loved ones this Christmas .
And may He prosper and bless the work of your hands in the New Year.

Lessons Of The Coke Bottle

Good story and lesson on grace :)

December 9, 2008
Lessons Of The Coke Bottle
READ: Romans 5:15-21
Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more. —Romans 5:20

Pastor Louie was preaching on the pervasiveness of sin. “It’s everywhere!” he stated emphatically. He told about waiting for a traffic light when he saw the man in the car in front of him finish his Coke, open the door, set the glass bottle on the street, and drive away.
“That was wrong!” Louie said. “It was a selfish sin! He could have caused someone to have a flat tire or even an accident.” We don’t typically think of littering as sin, but it is clear evidence of our inherent selfishness. Later, as Louie was greeting people by the door, a Bible professor at a local Christian university said quietly as he walked by, “Sin puts the bottle on the street, but grace picks it up.”
Now, many years later, Louie has not forgotten the lesson of that scriptural principle. It comes right out of Romans 5, one of the most uplifting texts in the Bible describing the grace of God. Adam’s transgression brought sin into the world (v.12), and its consequences spread to all people. But God responded with grace, offering forgiveness through His Son to all who choose to believe. The human race sinned, and God answered with abounding grace (v.20).

God does much more than just “pick up the bottle,” He cleanses the heart of the transgressor! — David C. Egner

Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,Freely bestowed on all who believe!You that are longing to see His face,Will you this moment His grace receive? —Johnston

Confession of sin is the soil in which forgiveness flourishes.

Eat This Bread (ODB)

December 7, 2008
Eat This Bread
READ: Matthew 26:20-30

Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel. —Micah 5:2

Christmas isn’t the time of year when our thoughts naturally turn to the Last Supper—or what the Jews called Passover. But that particular Passover is critical to Christmas. After breaking bread and giving it to His disciples, Jesus said, “Take, eat; this is My body” (Matt. 26:26). Breaking bread was a traditional part of Passover, but adding “this is my body” was a striking departure from the familiar liturgy. The disciples must have been bewildered.

Later the meaning became clear. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, which means “house of Bread.”

He was laid in a manger—a feeding trough. He once said, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh” (John 6:51).

The prophet Micah indicated that One born in Bethlehem would rule over Israel (5:2). But not until Jesus came did anyone realize the uniqueness of this Kingdom. Christ’s rule would not be imposed upon anyone; it would be imparted to those who accepted this new citizenship.

As we sing of Bethlehem’s manger, let’s remember that the heaven-sent infant King came so that we might “eat this bread” and partake of His divine nature. — Julie Ackerman Link

Thou art the bread of life, O Lord, to me,Thy holy Word the truth that saveth me;Give me to eat and live with Thee above,Teach me to love Thy truth, for Thou art love. —Lathbury

Only Christ the Living Bread can satisfy our spiritual hunger.

THE BLESSINGS OF INTIMACY WITH CHRIST

"THE FACTS OF THE MATTER"
"A weekly letter of encouragement to business and professional men and women"
December 03, 2008


Good Morning!


THE BLESSINGS OF INTIMACY WITH CHRIST



The Apostle Peter encourages us to know Christ intimately: “May God bless you with his special favor and wonderful peace as you come to know Jesus, our God and Lord, better and better. As we know Jesus better, his divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. He has called us to receive his own glory and goodness! And by that same mighty power, he has given us all of his rich and wonderful promises. He has promised that you will escape the decadence all around you caused by evil desires and that you will share in his divine nature. (2 Pet. 1:2-4 NLT)



Peter also informs us that God offers us five wonderful blessings that spring from our intimacy with Christ:



1) God’s favor: Favor is simply another word for the grace of God. That is, God accepts us, finds pleasure in us, and acts graciously on our behalf: “May God bless you with his special favor…” (2 Pet. 1:2) “For out of His fullness (abundance) we have all received [all had a share and we were all supplied with] one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing and even favor upon favor and gift [heaped] upon gift.” (Jn. 1:16 – Amp) (See Rom. 3:24, 24-31; 5:15-17, 20, 21; 1 Cor. 15:9,10; Eph. 1:6,7; 2:8,9; 2 Tim. 1:9; 2:1)

QUESTION: Are you making it a practice to appropriate and rest in God’s favor? Or are you still struggling to earn it?



2) God’s peace: Amidst the harsh, tumultuous realities of modern day life, it is God’s intention that we live in his peace: “May God bless you with his…wonderful peace.” (2 Pet. 1:2) “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world…Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” (Jn. 16:33; Col. 3:15) (See Psa. 298:11; Isa. 26:3,4; 54:13; Rom. 5:1; 8:6; 15:13; Eph. 2:14; Phil. 4:7)

QUESTION: Are you choosing to allow His peace to rule in your heart? Or are you living in bondage to your anxieties?



3) God’s power: Power here means dynamite and has to do with God’s force, might, miracles and strength. It’s all ours, if we choose to act on it: “His divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. “ (2 Pet. 1:4) “’My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.’” (2 Cor. 12:9) (See Lk. 6:19; 9:1; 1 Cor. 4:20; 12:28) QUESTION: Are you learning to draw upon His power? Or are you still grinding it out on your own?



4) God’s promises: The Scriptures abound with assurances that if we will respond in obedience to God’s word, his blessings will follow: “…By that same mighty power, he has given us all of his rich and wonderful promises. “ (2 Pet. 1:4) “[God] has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires…We…want you to…imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.” (2 Pet. 1:4; Heb. 6:12; 2 Pet. 1:20, 21)

QUESTION: Are you seeking out God’s promises for your life, your family, your business, and the ministry God has entrusted to you? Or are you relying upon your wit and wisdom to pull it all off?



5) God’s divine nature: It is God’s intention that we take on his holiness: “He has promised that you will escape the decadence all around you caused by evil desires and that you will share in his divine nature…” (2 Pet. 1:4b; Heb. 6:12) (See 2 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 4:13-15, 1 Jn. 3:2) QUESTION: Do those around you see evidence that you are growing into Christlikeness? Or is “self” still king?


My prayer is that you are having a great week!
R. Dwight Hill

Christmas party

Must be feeling the stress of work, lack of sleep and planning for the cpu christmas eve party at my place. Pimples have broken out including a large one right on the left edge of my right eyebrow. Wondering how many christmas songs the cpu members would like to sing. Tentatively, I've got:-

1) We wish you a merry christmas (G)

2) Joy to the world (D)
3) Hark the hearld angels sing (D)

4) Mary's Boy Child (G)
5) We were the reason (G)
[Some sharing after this if a member's prebelieving husband comes)

6) Christmas isn't christmas (C)

****[Spare songs]
- Angels we have heard on high (D)

- It came upon the midnight clear (C)
- Feliz Navidad (G)

ODB: Lend A Hand

This from Our Daily Bread seems pretty relevant these days of financial crisis followed by terrorist attacks and civil unrests.

November 30, 2008
Lend A Hand
READ: Romans 12:9-21
Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. —Romans 12:15

In Romans 12:9-21, Paul gives ways to express practical Christianity in our relationships. One seems especially needed at this time of year: “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep” (v.15). We can “give a hand” to grieving friends and family by understanding their sorrow and not expecting them to “get over it” in time to celebrate the holidays. We can freely mention the name of the person whose death has brought such desolation and then share a fond memory. We can be quiet, listen, and pray for God’s help.

Only God can heal the deep wounds of the heart, but we can lend a hand. — David C. McCasland
If I can help some wounded heart,If I can by my love impartSome blessing that will help more now—Lord, just show me how. —Brandt

No one is strong enough to bear his burdens alone.

Meeting people’s four deepest needs

Meeting people’s four deepest needs
by Rick Warren

Jesus told us that he came so that we would have “life to the fullest” (John 10:10). If that was Jesus’ goal while he was on earth, don’t you think that should be a goal of the church?

Most people aren’t living life to the fullest. Sure, most people have full lives. They’re always going from one place to another, from one accomplishment to another, and often from one relationship to another. Many people’s schedules are full, but that’s a far cry from living life to the fullest.

First and foremost, living life to the fullest starts with Jesus. We cannot have a full life without him. Salvation is the starting point to a life fulfilled, but it’s not the end. There are a lot – I mean a lot – of unfulfilled Christians. And that devastates our witness to the world.

After salvation, a fulfilled life is one where four basic needs are met. God has uniquely called the Body of Christ to meet those needs. In this issue of Toolbox, I’ll share those four needs and how the church is best equipped to meet them.

Support: Everyone wants to know they’re not alone. God said in Genesis 2:18 “It is not good for man to be alone,” but there are a lot of factors in today’s world that are causing us to be more alone.

Urbanization: The vast majority of us live in cities, and we don’t know our neighbors.
Specialization: We’re increasingly separating people into different boxes – further isolating ourselves.

The breakdown of the family: In just a few generations, we’ve gone from the extended family to the nuclear family to the single-parent family.

Materialism: To many people, things have become more important than people.
People are coming into your church searching for something to belong to. They want to know they aren’t alone. They want to know someone cares about them.

That’s where the church steps in. God designed the church to be a family (Ephesians 2:19). Small groups are crucial to this. That’s where we meet the need for support in people’s lives.

Stability: People are looking for a strong foundation to build their life on. Pastor, this may surprise you, but people want absolutes to center their life on. Every study you read about truth these days says people don’t believe in absolutes anymore. The sad part is that even regular church goers aren’t acknowledging absolute truth. But if you have no absolutes in your life, you’re asking for anxiety and stress.Deep down, the people in your community know that. Those who walk into your church this weekend want absolutes to build their life around. Whether they want to admit it or not, they’re looking for principles to help guide them. Until people establish an authority in their life, they’ll never have life to their fullest. You have an opportunity to do that. We must teach people that God’s Word is that kind of authority. It’s an anchor that we can depend upon when life gets rough.

Self-expression: God made us all a unique mix of gifts, passions, abilities, personality, and experiences. And he gave us an irrepressible desire to express our uniqueness. When we can’t express that uniqueness, it produces frustration, dissatisfaction, and boredom. The vast majority of men and women who’ll walk through your church doors this weekend – and the vast majority of people you’re trying to reach – are bored out of their mind. They have no opportunity to express their uniqueness. Often, the media, their jobs, their family, and their friends are trying to stuff them into a box that makes them just like everyone else. When they come to your church, they’re hoping you’ll help them express that uniqueness. Your church should be that kind of place. Help them discover their uniqueness by finding out about their S.H.A.P.E. (spiritual gifts, heart, abilities, personality, and experiences). Teach them how to minister through the unique way God created them.

Significance: We all want to know our life matters. We want to be part of something bigger than ourselves. We’ve been wired for this. Man’s search for meaning wrote the history of the 20th century. Communism and nationalism thrived because people long to be a part of something bigger than themselves. Today, radical Islam operates in that same way. We should corner the market on meeting this emotional need. You and I are a part of the biggest mission imaginable – sharing the Good News about God’s Kingdom. I can’t think of any bigger mission to center our lives around. As we help people see their unique part in this mission, we’re meeting this huge need in their lives.Philippians 2:13 in the New English Bible says, “For it is God who works in you, inspiring both the will and the deeds for his own chosen purpose.” God has a purpose for our lives even before we were born. One of the greatest things we can do for people is help them to discover that. What is their unique mission? How does God want to use their uniqueness to tell his story? Your church has the opportunity to help people discover that.
Romans 5:2 sums up my heartbeat for Saddleback and what I hope is your heartbeat for your church: “We can confidently and joyfully look forward to actually becoming all God has in mind for us to be.” I want to be able to say that I’ve helped my congregation become all God wanted them to be. That means I have to be meeting these four basic needs in the ministry of our church.

Of course, here’s the underlying message to this article: If you’re built around the biblical purposes of the church (worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism), you’re meeting those needs. A church committed to fellowship meets the need of support. A church committed to discipleship meets the need of stability. A church committed to mobilizing members for ministry meets the need of self-expression. And a church committed to evangelism and missions meets the need of significance.

So here’s the question, is your church meeting those needs?

Agapē Care-The Way of Christian Love"

Sunday Service November 9 2008-
"Agapē Care-The Way of Christian Love"
by Eld (Dr) Alex Tang

ScriptureLuke 10: 25-37

Sermon Statement
Agapē caring or Christian caring is allowing God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit to care through us.

Introduction
How do the way we care differs from the way others care? How is it distinct from the way, for example, a Buddhist cares for others?
Compassion
Resources
Commitment
Sacrificial
Motivation

Is there a distinctive Christian way of caring?

The Giving Tree, first published in 1964, is a children's book written and illustrated by Shel Silverstein. The Giving TreeBy Shel Silverstein
Once there was a tree..... and she loved a little boy. And every day the boy would come and he would gather her leaves and make them into crowns and play king of the forest. He would climb up her trunk and swing from her branches and eat apples. And they would play hide-and-go-seek. And when he was tired, he would sleep in her shade. And the boy loved the tree.......very much. And the tree was happy. But time went by. And the boy grew older. And the tree was often alone. Then one day the boy came to the tree and the tree said "Come, Boy, come and climb up my trunk and swing from my branches and eat apples and play in my shade and be happy" "I am too big to climb and play", said the boy. "I want to buy things and have fun. I want some money. Can you give me some money?" "I'm sorry," said the tree, "but I have no money, I have only leaves and apples. Take my apples, Boy, and sell them in the city. Then you will have money and you will be happy." And so the boy climbed up the tree and gathered her apples and carried them away. And the tree was happy. But the boy stayed away for a long time... and the tree was sad. And then one day the boy came back and the tree shook with joy and she said, "Come, Boy, climb up my trunk and swing from my branches and be happy.""I am too busy to climb trees," said the boy. "I want a house to keep me warm. I want a wife and I want children, and so I need a house. Can you give me a house?" "I have no house," said the tree. "The forest is my house, but you may cut off my branches and build a house. Then you will be happy." And the boy cut off her branches and carried them away to build his house. And the tree was happy. But the boy stayed away for a long time. And when he came back, the tree was so happy she could hardly speak. "Come, Boy," she whispered, "come and play." “I am too old and sad to play," said the boy. "I want a boat that can take me far away from here. Can you give me a boat?" "Cut down my trunk and make a boat," said the tree. "Then you can sail away...... and be happy." And so the boy cut down her trunk and made a boat and sailed away. And the tree was happy.... but not really. And after a long time the boy came back again."I am sorry, Boy," said the tree, "but I have nothing left to give you----" "My apples are gone." "My teeth are too weak for apples," said the boy."My branches are gone," said the tree. "You cannot swing on them”"I am too old to swing on branches," said the boy. "My trunk is gone," said the tree. "You cannot climb" "I am too tired to climb," said the boy."I am sorry," sighed the tree. "I wish that I could give you something------ but I have nothing left. I am just an old stump." "I don't need very much now," said the boy. "just a quiet place to sit and rest. I am very tired." "Well," said the tree, straightening herself up as much as she could, "Well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting. Come, Boy, sit down. Sit down and rest." And the boy did. And the tree was happy.
© Shel Silverstein

This is a story of giving. Some may see it as an ungrateful boy and a codependency relationship with the tree. However there are a few points to note:
Are we in many ways like the boy? Give me, give me, give me
The tree is happiest when giving
The tree longs for relationship, not just giving

As we care for others; children, spouses, aging parents or as a services, how do we continue to give without burning out?

The tree seems to have an infinite resource to draw on and is willing to give. Its sadness comes from when it has nothing to offer except compassion and a place to rest. That seems to be really what the boy needs- not just material things but also a rest for his emotional and spiritual being.
Does this story remind you of the love of Jesus and the way Jesus cares for us?

Let us look at Jesus’ way of caring. Jesus way of caring is agapē caring. Agapē is the most commonly used Greek word for love in the New Testament. The other words are sturge, eros and philia.

Text: Luke 10:25-37 LK 10:25
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"LK 10:26 "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"LK 10:27 He answered: " `Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind' ; and, `Love your neighbor as yourself.' "LK 10:28 "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."LK 10:29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

LK 10:30 In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. `Look after him,' he said, `and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'

LK 10:36 "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"LK 10:37 The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

The parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk 10: 25-37)
In the parable, Jesus identifies 3 potential helpers for the robbed man
A priest
A Levite, an assistant to the priests who was a descendent of Levi but not Aaron
The Samaritan, despised by the Jews because he is of mixed race being descended from Gentiles and the Israelites left behind when the Northern Kingdom of Israel fell to the Assyrians
Jesus’ point was to illustrate the application of the two greatest commandments is found in how we treat our neighbours.
"Go and do likewise."

Jesus was more interested in the heart and action of the Samaritan than the probable right theology and orthodoxy of the priest and Levite.

J.I.Packer once comments on God’s giving practical answers to theological questions: “You’re concern on who’s going to heavens? Good! So am I, go tell everyone about me!” This ends the useless debates about who is going to heaven and who will be saved.

Jesus’ response to the lawyer is the same: “You want to know who your neighbour is? I’ll tell you-it is the person who is near you whose needs you have the ability to meet.” Period. Full-stop. Not an answer to “Who is my neighbour so I can figure out whose needs I may ignore.”
How are we to care for our neighbours as Jesus calls us to?So how are we to go and do likewise- to care for our neighbours like him?

There are two main things we need to do if we are to care as Jesus calls us to care
To empty ourselves
Emptying ourselves start with our attitude (Phil 2:5-8)
PHP 2:5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross!
We approach care from a superior attitude. Recently we were in Honolulu, Hawaii and we visited the Bishop Museum. The Bishop is the family name of a missionary who went to Hawaii to convert the native Hawaii. It may be difficult for us to judge their motives and approach. After all we have the hindsight which is ‘perfect’ vision. Becoming Christian means adopting not just the Christian religion but also European culture. The native Hawaiians who used to go about semi naked (but comfortable) have to wear Victorian clothes-women in dresses and men in suits. The book Hawaii by James Mitchener and the 1996 movie of the same name, based on the book gives us some idea on what happened during that period. It tells the story of a 1820s Yale University divinity student (Max von Sydow) who, along with his new bride (Julie Andrews), becomes a Calvinist missionary in the Hawaiian Islands.

It is when we accept our own inability to care in our own strength that we become useful to him
(Jn 15: 4-5) 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing(2 Cor 4:7)7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

The danger most of us face, especially those whom God has gifted us with various talents and spiritual gifts, is to run on our own strength.

Obedience.
Latin word audire, meaning “to listen.” This means setting time aside to listen to God. Time aside for Bible study, contemplation, prayer, etc.
Connected to our attitude and self-dependence is the need for obedience. We must do what God asks us to do, not what we want to do. There is a strong tendency to decide what we want to do and then ask God for his blessings. Then we begin to look for signs, coincidences or supporting verses from the Bible.

I wonder when we go to heaven and are recounting our lives to God, telling him of our great sacrifice to ourselves in doing something for him, God will say, “I did not ask you to do that!” Listen and obey, do what God wants you to do.
Discarding our romantic ideas of what it means to serve God. This free us to go where and when we are called, on his terms
“We often think that service means to give something to others, to tell them how to speak, act, or behave; but now it appears that above all else, real , humble service is helping our neighbours discover that they possess great but often hidden talents than can enable them to do more than what we can do for them. By revealing the unique gifts of the other, we learn to empty ourselves. Self-emptying does not ask of us to engage in some form of self-castigation or self-scrutiny, but to pay attention to others in such a way that they begin to recognise their own value.” (McNeill, Morrison, and Nouwen 1982),80)

A compelling example of this the interaction of Jesus with the woman at the well in John chapter four. Their relationship began as he graciously acknowledged his own need and asked her, a social outcast, for a drink. In their candid interchange she saw her own life with blinding clarity but Jesus did not leave her desolate. She was the first person to whom he revealed that he was the Messiah, transforming her life into one of hope. We, too, can minister his grace, especially to those who are suffering, by emptying ourselves, going to meet them, staying with them in their pain, and never failing to offer hope.

To allow him to fill us up
To saturate ourselves with Word of God
MT 4:4 Jesus answered, "It is written: `Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.' " (Matt 4:4)16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. (Col 3:16)

Knowing the Bible well is important. Knowing and understanding the bible by studying it yourself is very important. You are all highly educated. Yet, many of you depended on someone’s processed teaching. How many of you actually look up the verses and verified the teachings you receive from preachers, pastors and other Christians? And check their words with other writings by other Christians? Why not? Because you are too busy? You have time to read the newspaper? If you have time to read the newspaper, then you will have time to read the bible. It is pure laziness on the part of Christians not to read the bible.

Be filled with the Holy Spirit
5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. (Rom 5:5)
17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men. (Rom 14:17,18)

John Wesley said we have yet to see what a man can do if he is fully filled with the Holy Spirit. Reading the The Journal Once Lost-Extracts from the dairy of John Sung is very revealing. John Sung was a powerful evangelist who swept through Malaya, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan and Indonesia between Jun 1935 and December 1939. That he was a showman was no doubt. On one occasion during a sermon, he brought a coffin, placed it under the pulpit, and shouted, "Get rich, get rich, get the coffin!" (This was a play on words in the original Chinese, used to convey the idea that pursuing money will not bring you eternal life.) After exclaiming this statement, he then went and lay down in the coffin himself. However, there are records of thousands being saved, miracles being performed and many eyes opened. Sung was quoted as defining faith as "watching God work while on your knees".

Be in fellowship with the triune God (perichoresis)
1JN 4:19 We love because he first loved us (1 Jn 4:18)EPH 6:23 Peace to the brothers, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love. (Eph 6:23, 24)

We can only love if we remain in the fellowship of the triune God. I like the Greek word perichoresis which is not found in the bible. It originates from the Greek orthodox tradition. Often we have problem describing the trinity; three persons, one essence. Father, Son and Holy Spirit. No, we do not believe in three gods. Perichoresis is a dance. The three persons are described as in a dance. In a dance, there is changing role as the dancers move in a fluid movement. Such is the triune God. We are invited into the dance. We can enter the fellowship because of the Holy Spirit within us.

Lessons for us
Is there a difference between Christian care and non Christian caring? Yes. While I do not want to denigrate the caring given by non-Christians to the poor, sick and destitute, I believe Christians can offer more. Christians give because of the overflow of the love of Jesus Christ in their lives.
It is not out of a sense of duty
It is not karma
It is not for evangelism
It is who we are

Agapē caring or Christian caring is allowing God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit to care through us. IN that sense, we can offer what others cannot. We can offer true faith, hope and love.

Faith
In that there will be an end to all pain and suffering.He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." (Rev 21:4)
Hope
In that there is a God who cares and we will all be there in a better place.3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. (Rev 21:3)
Love
Is the way we care for one another. Not to (a) avoid death, or (b) to hasten death, but (c) as fellow sufferers along the way, caring for one another. 1CO 13:4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1 Cor 13:4-7)

If we care for others through Christ, we will not burn out because the resources of Christ are infinite. If we care out of our own resources, one day we will run dry.

Impossible Itokawa

November 24, 2008

Impossible Itokawa

READ: Matthew 19:16-26

With God all things are possible. —Matthew 19:26

In 2005, Japan’s unmanned Haya-busa spacecraft visited an “impossible” asteroid. Images and data indicate that the asteroid, named Itokawa, is twice as porous as loose sand. This has astonished scientists, who believe that asteroids make repeated impacts with other space rocks and hence should be very dense. As they make additional discoveries, scientists may learn why Itokawa is different. But for now, we have an asteroid that challenges scientific understanding.
Two thousand years ago, a young ruler asked Jesus an “impossible” question: “What good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” (Matt. 19:16). After an intriguing exchange, the man “went away sorrowful” (v.22) when he realized he would have to give up his wealth—the very thing he valued more than a relationship with Jesus.

This upright man had kept the letter of the law, yet had fallen short. “Who then can be saved?” asked the astonished disciples (v.25). Jesus answered, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (v.26).

The One who created this universe out of nothing has a history of accomplishing the impossible. When we forsake what this life has to offer and follow Him, He does the impossible once again—He gives us eternal life! — C. P. Hia

It took a miracle to put the stars in place,It took a miracle to hang the world in space;But when He saved my soul, cleansed and made me whole,It took a miracle of love and grace! —
Peterson© Renewal 1976, John W. Peterson Music Company.

Our limited ability accents God’s limitless power.

Christmas isn’t Christmas till it happens in your heart

It's so difficult to find the chords to this Christmas song, I better paste it here before it's gone.

Christmas Isn't Christmas Till It Happens In Your Heart
Jimmy & Carol Owens

C(1) Fmaj9/G(1) C(1) Fmaj9/G(1) C¬(1) C(1)

C Em/B Gm6/Bb A7
Christmas isn’t Christmas till it happens in your heart
Dm A+ Dm7 G7
Somewhere deep inside you is where Christmas really starts
Cmaj7 C E E+ Fmaj7 F#dim
So give your heart to Je- sus you discover when you do
1C2/G F6/G G7 C(1) C(1)
That it’s Christmas, really Christmas for you


C Dm/C Cmaj7 Dm/C
Jesus brings warmth like a winter’s fire
C G7 C
A light like a candle’s glow
Dm/C Cmaj7 Am
He is waiting now to come inside
G/D D7 Gsus G
As he did so long a-go
Dm7 G C Am
Jesus brings gifts of truth and life
Dm G7 C
And makes them bloom and grow
Gm/C(4) F G/F C/E F
So welcome Him with a song of joy
D7/A D7 G7sus G7
And when He comes you’ll know


Repeat verse

2C2/G F6/G
Christmas, really Christmas
C2/G F6/G
Christmas, really Christmas
C2/G F6/G G7 C
Christmas, really Christmas for you

HUMILITY

Humility is a rare quality today in our ego charged marketplace where it is all too easy to be caught on the competitive treadmill of outmaneuvering and impressing the other guy. As business and professionals, it behooves us to keep in mind God’s call to a life of humility, and to heed his severe warning against pride:

“This is what the high and lofty One says-- ‘I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.’” "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble…” (Isa. 57:15; Jms. 4:6)

Here are a few suggestions to help us deal with our pride and grow toward a life of humility:

Humble yourself and acknowledge your sinfulness before God: "’Woe to me!’ I cried. ‘I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.’" (Isa. 6:5) (See Ex.10:3; Pro. 29:23; Matt. 18:3,4; Lk. 14:11; 18:14; Jms. 4:7,10; 1 Pet. 5:6)

Give God the credit for any success that has come your way: “…Remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth…” (Deut 8:18b) (See Deut. 8:10-20; Pro. 10:22; Isa. 5:21; Gal. 6:14)

Choose to have a sane, rather than inflated estimate of yourself. (Rms. 12:3,6; 1 Cor. 4:7)

Pray for unity: "My prayer is…that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you….May they be brought to complete unity…” (Jn. 17:20-23 – Selected)
Do nothing out of selfish pride. “My heart is not proud, O Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me…Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up….” (Psa. 131:1; I Cor. 8:1b;) (See Deut. 8:10-20; Psa. 75:6,7; Jer. 45:5; Act. 5:1-11; Matt. 18:1-4; Mk. 9:35)

Focus the spotlight on others, considering them better than yourself: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Phil. 2:3,4)

Engage in humble tasks of service. (Jn. 13:1-17)

Associate with humble people, eschewing the social climber syndrome: “Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty (snobbish, high-minded, exclusive), but readily adjust yourself to [people, things] and give yourselves to humble tasks. Never overestimate yourself or be wise in your own conceits.” (Rms. 12:16 Amp) (See Matt. 18:4; 1 Cor. 1:10)

Choose flexibility over rigidity. Flexibility is humbly deferring to others. Rigidity is proudly demanding my rights; my way. (Gen. 13:5-18; I Cor. 9:19-23)

Choose servanthood over authoritarianism: “Jesus called them together and said, ‘You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’" (Mk. 10:42-25) (See I Pet. 5:3)

PRAYER: “Lord, I confess my inclination of pride over humility. In this moment I humble myself in beseeching you to root from my heart that insidious arrogance that cools my heart toward you and hinders the free flow of the Holy Spirit in loving and ministering to others through me. Amen.”

My prayer is that you are having a great week! R. Dwight Hill

Facts of the Matter © 2000 - 2008 R. Dwight Hill - www.factsofthematter.org - Unlimited permission to copy without altering text or profiteering is hereby granted subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.

THE CRACKED POT

There once was a water bearer, in India, who had two large clay pots, each hung on the ends of a pole, which he carried across his shoulders, when returning from the local stream to get water for his household. One of the pots had a crack in it, while the other was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. This went on daily for a full two years, with the water bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his house.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, it was perfect for what it had been made for, a performed its job faithfully day after day. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was only able to accomplish half of what it had been made for. After two years of what the cracked pot perceived to be utter failure, it spoke to the water bearer by the stream. The pot said, "I am ashamed of myself and I want to apologize to you. I have been able to deliver only half the load I was intended for because of this crack in my side, that causes water to leak out all the way back to your house. Because of my flaw, you have to do all this work and you don't get full value for your efforts.

The water bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers growing only on your side of the path we take to my house? That is because I have always known about your flaw, and I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back to. the house, you have watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate our table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be all this beauty to grace my house.

The moral of the story is that each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that makes our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are, and look for the good in them.

Buy Without Money

Buy Without Money
Read: Isaiah 55:1-5

Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live. --Isaiah 55:3

A story was told of a wealthy man who felt his son needed to learn gratefulness. So he sent him to stay with a poor farmer's family. After one month, the son returned. The father asked, "Now don't you appreciate what we have?" The boy thought for a moment and said, "The family I stayed with is better off. With what they've planted, they enjoy meals together. And they always seem to have time for one another."

This story reminds us that money can't buy everything. Even though our bodies can live on what money can buy, money can't keep our souls from withering away. In Isaiah 55, we read:

"Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat" (v.1).

Is it possible to buy what truly satisfies without money? Yes, the prophet Isaiah is pointing to the grace of God. This gift is so invaluable that no price tag is adequate. And the one who offers it--Jesus Christ--has paid the full price with His death. When we acknowledge our thirst for God, ask forgiveness for our sins, and accept the finished work of Christ on the cross, we will find spiritual food that satisfies and our soul will live forever!
He's calling, "Come to Me" (Isa. 55:3). --Albert Lee

I came to Jesus, and I drank
Of that life-giving stream;
My thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
And now I live in Him. --Bonar

Only Jesus, the Living Water, satisfies the thirsty soul.

Copyright 2008, RBC Ministries

Poor Christians are deluded by 'grab it' gospel

The Times - Britain
Poor Christians are deluded by 'grab it' gospel
By Ruth Gledhill, Religion Correspondent

THOUSANDS of Christians in Britain are being deluded by a new style of preaching that promises untold wealth to the believer whose faith is strong enough, according to a report.
Followers of the so-called prosperity gospel — known by its critics as the “blab it and grab it gospel” — are encouraged to believe that it is acceptable to pray for material wealth.
An authoritative report by the Evangelical Alliance, an umbrella organisation for Britain’s evangelical Churches, raises concerns about teachings that if the believer gives a sum of money to the preacher, God will multiply it by a hundred times or more in favour of the giver.
Preachers use mailshots, television and churches to persuade Christians that, by giving them money, believers will not only get out of debt, they will also become rich.

Churches have traditionally repudiated wealth in favour of a modest lifestyle. The prosperity gospel plays on an equivalent belief that traditional religion will ensure fertility, abundance and longevity.

It is proving attractive to wealthy Christians in the West, particularly in America, because it assuages their consciences. Some preachers teach that material blessings, along with physical health, are confirmation from God of a righteous and holy lifestyle.

Some of the poorest churchgoers are said to be deluded into believing that, if they give what spare cash they have to a particular preacher, they will receive the money back “one hundredfold”. But it is then the minister who becomes rich, often flaunting his wealthy lifestyle as proof of how well the prosperity gospel works.

The report says that prosperous, charismatic preachers can replace Christ as the object of adulation and admiration.

The prosperity gospel developed in America after the Second World War, its proponents teaching that health and wealth are not only good and godly but the inalienable right of every believer. Preachers did not merely ignore the examples of St Francis and Mother Teresa, they condemned them, teaching that poverty was the work of Satan.

“Lacking the traditional British embarrassment about money, Americans are more likely to see wealth as something to be invested and exploited,” the report says. “The movement has been an unabashed advocate of material prosperity and this has naturally invited the charge that it promotes a lifestyle and ethos fundamentally at odds with the values of the kingdom of God. Analyses of the movement abound with anecdotes about luxury cars and Rolex watches.
The emphasis on debt reduction in prosperity teaching is clearly a response to a serious and widespread social problem.”

The prosperity gospel has proved paticularly fertile for leaders among black-led churches, among the fastest-growing churches in the world. One recent survey showed that more than half of all churchgoers in London are black or Asian.

The prosperity gospel became a cause of concern among the evangelical movement in the 1990s because of the activities of Morris Cerullo World Evangelism, which had offices in this country and was affiliated to the Evangelical Alliance.

Members of the Evangelical Alliance council were alarmed by his fundraising methods, particularly when he allegedly linked the level of donors’ contributions to his own ministry with the extent of God’s blessing on the donors’ lives. The concern was about “the suggestion of so automatic an equation between material offering and divine favour”.

Under pressure from the council, Mr Cerullo resigned from the Alliance in 1996. The report was commissioned by the Alliance partly as a response to this, but also out of concern that the huge expansion of the prosperity message in America was about to be paralleled in Britain.
Already, rapidly expanding black Pentecostal Churches in Britain are being strongly influenced by preachers from Nigeria, where believers have proved particularly susceptible to prosperity teaching. In addition, preachers often use Christian channels on cable and satellite television to raise money for themselves by preaching that what the believer donates to him and his wife, God will magnify a hundredfold. The prosperity gospel shares the conviction held by many pentecostals and fundamentalists that the world is in the final days before the Second Coming and the “rapture”, when the faithful are lifted directly to heaven.

The report notes similarities with pagan superstition that “what you say is what you get”. Preachers teach that believers must convince themselves that God has already made them a millionaire, preferably by giving money to the preacher himself. If the person fails then to become rich, it is because their faith was not strong enough.

The study Faith, Health and Prosperity was carried out by the Evangelical Alliance Commission on Unity and Truth among Evangelicals. Andrew Perriman, the editor, left Jamaica at the age of eight with his mother and two of his sisters to live in Kentish Town, North London, and went on to become a pastor within the New Testament Church of God, one of Britain’s fast-growing black Pentecostal Churches. He said that the prosperity gospel was reaching people as much through satellite and cable television and other direct means as through the churches.
Bible loopholes

The founding Bible text for the prosperity gospel is Mark xi, 23, where Jesus says: “Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you.”

St Paul’s statement in 2 Corinthians xiii, 9 is taken literally: “Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.”

Texts such as Proverbs vi, 2, “You are snared by the utterance of your lips”, are used to teach that ill-health and poverty are the believer’s own fault and that a Christian who prays for wealth and gives all their spare cash to the minister and who then remains poor has been ensared by Satan.

Where gospel texts appear to contradict the message of the prosperity gospel, such as in Mark x, where Jesus told a rich young man to sell all his possessions and give to the poor, a grammatical loophole in the text is used to argue that Jesus did not in fact tell him to give all the proceeds of the sale to the poor, but was simply telling him to turn his solid assets into liquid assets and give some away.


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Title: Hiding from the Light

Title: Hiding from the Light
Date: Nov 10, 2008
Topic(s): Sin/Temptation
Scripture: Colossians 3:8-9, Ephesians 5:8-14, Psalm 119:105, Colossians 1:13-14

Cockroaches are creatures of the night. Turn on a light and they hurriedly scatter to find refuge in some other dark place. The same is true for those caught in the darkness of sin. They fear the light because it will reveal their deeds for what they truly are--at best empty; at worst evil.
When we come to Christ, however, we are no longer part of that darkness (Colossians 1:13-14). As creatures of the light, we should live differently than those who are still in darkness. Let's take a closer look at those differences according to God's Word.

What Does God Say?
Ephesians 5:8-14 (ESV)
"For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
'Awake, O sleeper,and arise from the dead,and Christ will shine on you.'"
What were we before we received Christ according to verse 8?
If we walk in the light, what kind of fruit will we produce?
What are we to do with the works of darkness?

My Thoughts
Walking in the light brings responsibility. We can see; the rest of the world can't. Those who walk in darkness can't see to make choices, but we who walk in the light can tell the difference between what's pleasing to the Lord and what is of the world. That means we have the responsibility to refuse to participate in "the unfruitful works of darkness."
God's Word clearly tells us what kind of choices we should make as children of the light. Colossians 3:8-9 says, "But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices." (ESV)

My Part
Ask God to shine His light into all areas of your life--your social life, your financial life, your sexual life. Be willing to put away those things which His light reveals are displeasing to Him. Ask God to shine His light into all areas of your life--your social life, your financial life, your sexual life. Be willing to put away those things which His light reveals are displeasing to Him.

Perspective

October 29, 2008
Perspective
READ: Isaiah 40:12-13,25-31
He . . . sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers. —Isaiah 40:22

Question: When is a bird bigger than a mountain? Answer: When the bird is closer than the mountain.

In reality, the bird is not bigger than the mountain, but it sure looks that way when the feathery fellow is perched on my window ledge and the mountain is far away in the distance.

Sometimes we perceive God this way in relationship to our problems. The troubles facing us seem huge because they are so close—like a big black bird with beady eyes and a sharp beak waiting for a smaller animal’s weariness to turn into helplessness so it can devour it. At such times, God seems as far away as a distant mountain, and we perceive Him as being small and unreachable.

The prophet Isaiah changes our perspective by asking these rhetorical questions: “Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, measured heaven with a span and calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?” (40:12). The Lord “gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength” (v.29).

Just as a bird is never bigger than a mountain, no problem is ever bigger than God. It’s all a matter of changing our perspective. — Julie Ackerman Link

The problems that we face each day
Can seem too much to bear
Until we turn our eyes to Christ
And trust His tender care. —Sper


We worship a God who is greater than our greatest problem.

Motivation for Service/ Ministry

Title: Motivation for Service - 1
Date: Oct 28, 2008
Topic(s): Obedience/Discipleship
Scripture: Matthew 6:19-20, Matthew 6:1, Luke 12:21

Tami Weissert: Need some motivation for serving God? Then take a listen to this Bible Minute with Woodrow Kroll.

Woodrow Kroll: Loving Jesus, serving Him--that's good. That's good motivation, by the way, but God doesn't stop there. His gracious rewards are a strong and legitimate motivation for you and me to serve the Lord. In fact, Jesus commands us to lay up for ourselves "treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not corrupt" (Matthew 6:19 -20). He urges us to be rich toward God, Luke 12:21.

The Lord Jesus Himself lists rewards as a motivation for service. Listen to this, Matthew 6:1, "Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you'll have no reward from your father who is in heaven."
Tami Weissert: The Bible has a lot to say about your motivation and service.

Title: Motivation for Service - 2
Date: Oct 29, 2008
Topic(s): Obedience/Discipleship
Scripture: 1 Peter 1:17, 2 John 8, 1 Corinthians 9:24

Tami Weissert: Think about this -- what motivates you to serve God? Here's today's Bible Minute with Woodrow Kroll.

Woodrow Kroll: Now, rewards ought to be an important motivation for us. First Corinthians 9:24, "Do you not know that in a race, all runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So, run, so that you may attain it." That's rewards. That's motivation.
First Peter 1:17, "And if you call on Him as Father, who judges impartially according to one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile." God will judge us impartially but He will judge us according to our deeds. Rewards are designed by God to motivate us to service.

Tami Weissert: Heavenly rewards -- they were God's idea! See how that shapes your service, when you pick up today's study at bibleminute.org.

Title: Motivation for Service
Date: Oct 28, 2008
Topic(s): Service/Servanthood, Obedience/Discipleship
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, 2 John 1:7-9, Matthew 10:42, Matthew 16:27, Philippians 3:13-14, Matthew 25:21, Matthew 6:1

A loaded station wagon pulled into the only remaining campsite. Four youngsters leaped from the vehicle and began feverishly unloading gear and setting up a tent. The boys then rushed off to gather firewood, while the girls and their mother set up the camp stove and cooking utensils. A nearby camper marveled to the youngsters' father: "That, sir, is some display of teamwork."
The father replied, "Well, I have a system. No one goes to the bathroom until the camp is set up."
There are many ways to motivate people; the one God uses is rewards.
What Does God Say?

The Lord Jesus Himself lists rewards as a motivation for service (Matthew 6:1, 10:42, 16:27). But how can you serve in such a way that you will be eligible for rewards? Here are three ways:
Diligence: "Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward" (2 John 1:8, NLT).

Read 2 John 1:7-9 and answer the following questions:
Who are the "deceivers" and what are they teaching?
What do those who remain faithful to the teachings about Christ possess?
How are we to treat those who hold false teachings?

Dedication: "No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us" (Philippians 3:13-14, NLT).

Why is it important to focus your energies on the future?

What is Paul working for?

Through whom does God call us to heaven?

Determination: "That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever" (2 Corinthians 4:16-18, NLT).

What part of you is being renewed every day?
How does it encourage you to know that your troubles today are temporary and short-lived compared to eternity?
What do today's problems produce?
How successful are you at "fixing your gaze on things that cannot be seen."

My Thoughts
Every Christian should hope to someday hear Jesus personally say to him or her, "Well done, my good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21, NLT). The greatest reward of all is to know that you have pleased your Lord and Master. But that can't be won lightly. Determine today that you will strive with all your might to be one of those who will be received with such a commendation.
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal" (Matthew 6:19-20, ESV).

My Part
What is your strongest motivation for service to the Lord? Identify what motivates you, and then ask the Lord for sensitivity, opportunity and strength for service for Him--our Lord and our God

Title: Run the Race
Date: Oct 29, 2008
Topic(s): Christian Living/Situational
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:8, Matthew 16:27, Hebrews 12:1, Ephesians 2:8-9, Colossians 3:8, Luke 6:23, Revelation 22:12, 1 Corinthians 9:24

As the world reels under the impact of what some have called an "economic tsunami," one thing is pretty clear: Many corporate leaders made decisions based on greed rather than wisdom. They were lining their own pockets at the expense of everyone else.
So, it's only natural to wonder if considering rewards as a motive for service is not the same issue. Could it be a sign of greed or is it something the Bible approves of? Let's see what God's Word says.

What Does God Say?
"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it." (1 Corinthians 9:24, ESV).
What is the prize that Paul is talking about in this verse?
Paul compares the Christian life to a race. How are we to run it?
In light of the comparison Paul makes, what are some of the implications if you want to win the prize?

My Thoughts
If you answered the first question as "salvation," think again. Salvation is a gift (Ephesians 2:8-9), not something that we win by our own efforts. Instead, Paul is talking about rewards. And, instead of seeing it as a sign of greed, he actually urges us to do everything that we can to win them.

My Part
Consider today how you might be able to run the race better and win the prize. Take a sheet of paper and divide it down the middle. On one side, list some of the attitudes/activities that need to be cast off to run the race well (see Hebrews 12:1, Colossians 3:8). On the other side, list some of the attitudes/activities that you should put on (Colossians 3:12).

What God invites us to call him says volumes about his relationship to us.

The following article is located at:http://www.christianitytoday.com/biblestudies/areas/biblestudies/articles/080326.html

How Excellent Are Thy Names
What God invites us to call him says volumes about his relationship to us.
By Ken Hemphill

Most of us have several names or titles to which we respond. In my work, I am called "Dr. Hemphill." In most social settings, I am called "Ken." My wife calls me "Honey." My mother refers to me as "Son." Now that all three of my girls are out of the house, I love to pick up the phone and hear the words, "Hi, Dad, what are you doing?" And when any of my daughters says "Daddy," it still melts my heart.

Names are important. They are a means of self-revelation. They tell people something fundamental about us. What's more, the names people use to address us reveal something about the nature of their connection to us. When we meet someone, one of the first pieces of information we desire is that person's name. The disclosure of the name is the prelude for building a relationship.

Throughout the Old Testament, God reveals himself to his chosen people through various names or titles—both those that he gave to himself and those that his servants were inspired to ascribe to him or to the place where he appeared to them. These names served to identify and describe God, but they also exhorted God's people to holy living, gave them hope, reminded them of their heritage, and challenged them to continue their pilgrimage of faith.
The names of God are one way in which God speaks to us today. Studying them unlocks for us a fuller understanding of God's multifaceted character and offers us insight into his divine expectations. They are an invitation for us to know intimately and fully the God of creation and redemption.

All biblical names of God are built around two core names—"El," a general term for a god, and "Yahweh," a more personal and covenantal moniker. In the Scriptures, the name or title used for God depends on who's using it and the context in which it's used.

El, the common word for "deity" in the ancient Middle East, is used occasionally in the Old Testament to refer to heathen gods but most frequently designates the God of Israel. The name most likely means "first" and indicates that God is the strong and mighty One. The singular name El is rarely used alone in the Old Testament; it is most frequently found in compound constructions such as El Shaddai (God Almighty) or El Elyon (God Most High).

In Genesis 1:1, the Hebrew name for God is Elohim, the plural form of El. Though technically a plural term, Elohim is usually translated in the singular. Some scholars believe that the use of Elohim points to the triune nature of God. In Genesis 1:26, for example, Elohim is used with the plural pronouns us and our: "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness"' (NKJV).

Other scholars argue that the plural form simply intensifies the subject, indicating God's supremacy. Thus when Israelites confessed the name Elohim, they were acknowledging that God contained within himself all the divine attributes. In a predominantly polytheistic age, it was no small thing to assert that God alone is the one true God and that he can be known personally. This is not the place to debate the Trinitarian implications of Elohim, but God's triune nature and his supremacy are throughout Scripture. The God of creation is the one true God who, to provide for our salvation, has revealed himself as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

The name Yahweh is not without its own theological controversies, though most biblical scholars agree that it is the closest thing we have to a proper, personal name for God. The name occurs 6,823 times in the Bible. In Hebrew, Yahweh is written with only four consonants—YHWH—and no vowels. (Theologians call this four-letter name "The Tetragrammaton"—the ineffable name of God.) Since about 300 B.C. the Hebrews avoided speaking the name for fear of profaning its holiness. When they came to yhwh in the text, they would substitute Adonai, the common Hebrew word for "Lord." Today, most English Bibles translate YHWH as "Lord."
Sometime before the 10th century, Jewish scholars inserted the vowel signs from the name Adonai between the letters in YHWH—or JHVH, as it was sometimes rendered. Consequently, the name Jehovah came into popular use. It remained in vogue from the 16th century, during the Renaissance period, until about 100 years ago. The name has since fallen out of favor with most scholars, who believe Yahweh is a more accurate transliteration.

Yahweh comes from the Hebrew verb "to be." At its very essence, "to be" is to have life. Some scholars believe this hints at a truth that became clearer later in history: The name Yahweh implies that God is absolutely self-existent. He is the One who in himself possesses life and permanent existence. When God spoke to Moses through the burning bush in Exodus 3, he revealed himself as "Yahweh." Most English translations render it I AM WHO I AM—an attempt to convey the idea that God was, is, and always will be.

Sometimes children surprise their parents with the question, "Who created God?" It's an inquiry that can give pause to even the most erudite mom or dad. Christian parents, however, will usually turn to Genesis 1: "In the beginning was God." Unsatisfied, the children repeat, "But who created God?"

The point of the name Yahweh is this: God is the uncaused cause. He is the first cause and before him there was no other and after him there will be no other. Life is found in him.
Overwhelmed by the MysteryMany parents remember the agonizing struggle to choose a name for our firstborn. We considered honoring a relative or friend, we purchased books explaining the meaning of names, and we pondered our hopes and aspirations for our child.

My oldest daughter was born while my wife, Paula, and I were living in Cambridge, England, where I was a graduate student at the university. Ecstatic about the impending arrival of our new baby, we obsessed for months over possible names. We narrowed our list of choices for girls' names to two. But we couldn't make our final decision until we held her in our arms and looked into her face. Somehow we then knew that her name was Kristina. No matter how much we prepared for it, in the end, the process was rather mysterious.
Similarly, a certain degree of mystery will always attend our renderings of God's holy name, as it should. Putting the inexpressible into perfect words is finally impossible. Yet because words have some relation to meaning, God invites us to call upon his name and experience its truthfulness.

In the Old Testament, prophets and patriarchs were often inspired to declare a name of God in response to a theophany, a wondrous experience of the presence of God. They were so overwhelmed by God's visitation that they had to frame it with a title. They couldn't help themselves. It was a spontaneous act of worship.
For example:
When Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac, God provided a ram for the offering in Isaac's stead, prompting Abraham to declare that he now understood God as Yahweh-Yireh, The Lord Will Provide (Gen. 22:14).
After God empowered Israel's army to defeat the Amalekites, Moses built an altar and named it Yahweh-Nissi, The Lord Is My Banner (Exod. 17:15).
Upon receiving God's call to be an instrument to deliver Israel, Gideon built an altar and named it Yahweh-Shalom, The Lord Is Peace (Judg. 6:24).
Reflecting upon God's faithfulness through both exhilarating victories and depressing defeats, David called him Yahweh-Rohi, The Lord Is My Shepherd (Ps. 23:1).
At the conclusion of the detailed description of the New Jerusalem, speaking for God, Ezekiel prophesied that the place would be called Yahweh-Shammah, The Lord Is There (Ezek. 48:35).
God's people came to realize that his resources were inestimable: Every revelation, every miracle, pointed to a different side of Yahweh.

The various names for God that we find throughout the Old Testament are not the invention of men who were struggling to define a hidden and unknowable God. Rather, they are a sort of gift from God—a personal and intimate self-expression of God and a vehicle for our worshipful response to him.

Power in the Names
When we discover the unique emphasis of each new title of God, it is as if we are turning a diamond in our hands and gazing at it as the light of revelation strikes a new and previously unexplored facet of the stone. God's names were a continual unveiling of his character in response to the unique challenges faced by his people.

As I have preached, prayed, and meditated on these names, my understanding of God's Word has been enhanced and my spiritual walk deepened. There are three particular reasons every believer should study the names of God.

It enhances our worship and prayer.
A number of contemporary musicians have, through their lyrics, introduced certain names into our vocabulary of praise (e.g., "El Shaddai" by Michael Card). These songs have greatly enriched praise and worship in many churches. Note how the Psalmist teaches us to sing praise (7:17), set up banners (20:5), boast in (20:7), ascribe glory to (29:2), trust in (33:21), exalt (34:3), wait on (52:9), fear (61:5), lift up our hands (63:4), and rejoice (89:16) in the name of the Lord.

It promotes spiritual growth.
As I grew to understand the significance of God's names, I better understood God's character as well as his desire for my life. To encourage me in my spiritual growth, the Holy Spirit calls certain names to mind when I pray (and throughout the day). When I face temptation and possible spiritual defeat, I am reminded that he is Yahweh-Nissi, my banner of victory. Yahweh-Mekadesh (The Lord Who Sanctifies You) reminds me that he is constantly transforming me into his likeness (Lev. 20:8). And, of course, all of the names in some way point to the ultimate revelation of God to his people. In the New Testament we find names, such as Immanuel (God With Us) and Abba (Aramaic for Father), that take our relationship with God to a whole new realm. Through Jesus Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit, God now dwells among and within his followers.

It reminds us of our witness to the world.
God wants his people, who are called by his name, to glorify his name through their daily behavior. The prophet Ezekiel (36:20-23) tells the Israelites that God had poured out his wrath on them because they had profaned his name among the nations. The Babylonian captivity was punishment for disobedience, but the peoples of other nations had wrongly concluded that the God of Israel was unable to care for his own. The Lord declared that he would deliver them from captivity in order to vindicate the holiness of his great name. The end result speaks of global evangelization: "Then the nations will know that I am the Lord."
We bear God's name; therefore our speech, attitudes, and actions lead others to make certain conclusions about the credibility of the God we serve. In Psalm 23:3, David says: "He leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake." That phrase does not mean that God is acting to save his reputation. What it means is that God is acting in conformity with his own nature. That is, God leads in paths of righteousness because he is by nature a righteous God. His names are a reflection of his character.

The day I left for college, I was prepared for the son-going-out-into-the-world speech from my dad—you know, the one with the extensive list of do's and don'ts. Instead, he gave me a single piece of advice: "Son, I have only one thing to give you. It's my name. Don't take it anywhere I wouldn't take it. Don't associate it with anything I wouldn't." With that sage counsel he sent me out into the world.

Just as I carry and represent the name Hemphill, I also bear my heavenly Father's name. The question is: What am I going to do with it?

Ken Hemphill is president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. His latest book is The Names of God (Broadman & Holman, 2001).

Copyright © 2001 Christianity Today.

Where Job's friends went wrong about suffering.

The following article is located at:http://www.christianitytoday.com/biblestudies/areas/biblestudies/articles/081022.html

Reductionist Justice
Where Job's friends went wrong about suffering.by
Walter C. Kaiser, Jr.

Few cases in life or in the Bible pose the problem of what seems to be innocent—and therefore unmerited—suffering more strikingly than the biblical depiction of Job. When Job's life is held up against what and the Book of Proverbs teaches about the consequences of righteous and unrighteous living, something seems out of whack. Where did Job's three friends (Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite), and Job himself, go so wrong as to call forth God's reprimand at the end of the book?

The prologue to the Book of Job is critical in beginning to answer this question. Satan is given permission to see if Job's piety would hold firm (as God had announced to Satan it would) if Job were assaulted and stripped of his possessions, family, and his health. Job, of course, was unaware of all of this. In effect, it was not Job but God himself who was on trial. Satan's charge was that Job, and all righteous people like him, served God because he blessed them so generously. Job's first response was: "The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be blessed. After Satan tested Job in the area of his health, Job still responded magnificently: "Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?"

Study the themes and characters of Job with the 9-session course Job: God Is in Charge.
Nevertheless, Job's three friends pressed the case against Job, contending that suffering was the result of sin in Job's life. Their arguments went as follows:
Eliphaz: "Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished? Where were the upright ever destroyed?"
Bildad: "Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right?"
Zophar: "Yet if you devote your heart to [the LORD] and stretch out your hands to him, if you will put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent, then you will lift up your face without shame … But the eyes of the wicked will fail … Their hope will become a dying gasp."

Their reasoning is that Job must have sinned and thus deserved all the suffering and discomfort, because God is a fair judge and rewarder of all that is right. Their case is a reductionistic one: Doing what is right brings prosperity, while sin and wickedness routinely bring suffering and misfortune. Perhaps these "friends" were thinking of texts such as:
"Wicked men are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous stands firm;" or "No harm befalls the righteous, but the wicked have their fill of trouble;" or
"Blessed is the person who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers … He is like a tree planted by streams of water … Whatever he does prospers."

Notice that the citations from Proverbs are cast into proverbial forms. A proverb is not the same as a promise. While a proverb gathers the majority of instances into a memorable saying that has a bit of saltiness to it, it cannot be universalized, for it does not take up the exceptions at that point. For example, "Look before you leap" is good advice for those contemplating a quick marriage, but "She who hesitates is lost" can be just as sound—and more personal—in the same situation. In the same manner, the psalmists trace the main paths of what happens to those who trust the Lord, but there is no inference or commitment in the text that says those same persons will never face suffering, evil, or testing as Job did. Instead, "Those the Lord loves he chastens."
Job refused to buy the three "comforters'" analysis of his situation, because they traced only one thread of God's method of operating: his judgment for sin. But what happens when someone suffers because God chooses that person to illustrate his grace and glory? Job forthrightly affirmed: "I have not denied the words of the Holy One;" "I have kept to [God's] way without turning aside;" and "my lips will not speak wickedness and my tongue will not utter deceit." Consequently, Job continued to make his appeal to God, whom he called his "umpire," "arbitrator," or "mediator," or his "witness" who was in heaven and would plead his case and the One he would see in his flesh after his body was resurrected.

So what did God say to Job and his friends' banter about the justification for God's ways? Surprisingly enough, God makes no charge against Job in all of this. In fact, God had already declared Job "blameless and upright" (Job 1:1); that is why he had been chosen for this test. That did not mean, however, that Job was absolutely without fault. Job did acknowledge his sin, but claimed he was without duplicity, hypocrisy, or pretense and that he loved and served God with his whole heart. More significantly, the epilogue of indicts Job's three friends (but not Elihu, who argued that Job's suffering was instructive) for wrongly applying to Job the doctrine of retributive suffering. "You have not spoken of me what is right as my servant Job has," concluded the Lord.

Where then did Job's three friends go wrong? They reduced all evil to "retributive suffering," which is caused by sin and disobedience to God. But there are seven other types of suffering mentioned in the Bible: educational or disciplinary suffering as in or ; vicarious suffering, as in the case of our Lord's death on the Cross; empathetic suffering, where one person's grief affects many others, as illustrates; evidential or testimonial suffering, as in the first two chapters of Job; doxological suffering for the glory of God, as in the man born blind in ; revelational suffering, as in the case of the prophet Hosea's wife abandoning him; and apocalyptic or eschatological suffering that will come at the end of this age.

While we cannot deny that the issue of suffering in the lives of God's people, such as Job, still contains a good deal of mystery, it is just as much a horrible misconception to declare that suffering is God's normal route for every believer as it is to declare that God's goodness means life will always result in prosperity and riches for those who serve the Lord.

Our decision must be to follow God and trust his justice, wisdom, and goodness whether we are in the throes of suffering or enjoying good health and blessing. Such a decision would surely cut the ground out from under Satan in the spiritual warfare of our day and age. Thus, the law of God does not contradict the Psalms, the historical writings, prophets, or the wisdom books. Believers will continue to suffer, but it will always be under the permission or direction of a merciful and wise heavenly Father who works for our good in the way of the truth and fairness of the gospel.

Walter C. Kaiser, Jr. is president emeritus and Colman M. Mockler Distinguished Professor of Old Testament at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

Copyright © 2007 Christianity Today.

More Bible Study Helps
Trusting God When It Hurts Christian Living Bible Study Whether it is lost possessions, family problems, poor health, a career failure, or some other personal struggle, we can all identify with Jobs plight. Why do Christians experience hardship? Why does God permit, even encourage, Job-like tests of faith?Read more.
When the Facts Don't Add UpA just, loving, and powerful God should follow certain rules, shouldn't he?by Philip YanceyIf you had asked me a few years ago what the Book of Job was about, I would have been quick to respond, "Job? Everybody knows what Job is about. It's the Bible's most complete treatment of the problem of pain and suffering."Read more.

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