Cover Page
Why Even Try?	Are You Qualified?

The Duty Of Nations	The Other Half of Your Church

Running The Race	SCUD Warning - Ministry & The Family

An Unlikely Christian	Life Beyond Life

Sitting By The Back Door	God Demonstrates His Love

Forgiveness	OMNI-LOVE

"A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any.  So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?'  "'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it.  If it bears fruit next year, fine!  If not, then cut it down.'"   Luke 13:6-9

Tears of the Prophets is published by

Agape-Way BBS.

...for Christ's love compels us...


Why Even Try?!
WHY EVEN TRY!?

Have you noticed that things in our country are getting worse?  The problem isn't the economy or the environment. Crime and drug abuse are only symptoms. The problem is that our country is struggling to rid itself of Christianity and in doing so, it is destroying it's own foundations.

Under the pretense of protecting the rights of unbelievers, prayer was banned from schools. Some schools won't even allow students and teachers to read the Bible or pray privately while at school. Religious displays like nativities are banned from public places and some areas even prohibit them on private property where people might see them. Attempting to save the lives of the unborn and sparing their mothers the guilt and pain of murdering their own children, is now a federal crime. (Isaiah 5:20) Our government is even considering outlawing any kind of witness at work (even hanging a scripture on the wall). Will it stop there?  Not a chance! (2 Tim 3:12-13) Despite our efforts to control it, sin is blossoming and bearing fruit... and the fruit of sin is DEATH... both to the individual and to our nation. (James 1:14-15)

Is it hopeless?  Of Course Not!  But we must attack the root of the problem rather than trying to pick its leaves off. Though we must uphold godly laws, our goal shouldn't be to control people's actions but rather to change their hearts. When someone accepts Christ,  they are radically changed. They not only stop harming others, but actively seek to help them. (Ephesians 4:28)  Why then, is our country so obsessed with ridding itself of Christianity?  It's tempting to say that people just want sin and eliminating religion frees them to do as they please. However, only a generation ago, the Church was held in high esteem even by unbelievers. The truth is that we "are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness... It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men." (Matthew 5:13)  And that is exactly what is happening to us.

How can we lead people to Christ if we ourselves don't follow Him?  That's why judgment must begin in the house of the Lord. (1 Peter 4:17)  God has entrusted the message of salvation to us and we bear both the honor and the responsibility of being faithful witnesses for Him. (2 Cor 5:18-20)  If we are not faithful today to turn people back to God and save our nation from judgment, then we will have to go through their judgment with them to show them the way home.

"But", you say, "I'm already doing all I can... what if no one listens... even within the church?"  Well... consider God's words to Ezekiel:

Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their fathers have been in revolt against me to this very day. The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says.' And whether they listen or fail to listen -- for they are a rebellious house -- they will know that a prophet has been among them. And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words... Do not be afraid of what they say or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house. You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious house... (Ezekiel 2:3-8)

Paul says that each of us are living letters written by God for all to read. (2 Cor 2:2-3)  Of course, some of us are more eloquent than others and some can even speak to millions of people every day. If we look at how much more influence others seem to have, we may feel insignificant. Yet the most important voice is YOURS since you speak as a friend to those who will not listen to anyone else. Mass evangelism is great but it can never replace the daily witness of a person who simply loves the Lord and his neighbor as himself!


The Duty Of Nations

It is the duty of nations as well as of men to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God... and to recognize the sublime truth announced in the Holy Scriptures and proved by all history, that those nations only are blest whose God is the Lord.       Abraham Lincoln


Are You Qualified?
ARE YOU THE RIGHT PERSON

FOR GOD'S WORK?

A little known firm which specializes in analyzing candidates for management positions in various organizations recently uncovered some old files which throw some interesting light on what some might consider essential skills and abilities for Christian service.  I quote from the report:

To:	Jesus Son Of Joseph

Subject:	12 Candidates For Management Positions

Dear Sir,

Thank you for submitting the resumes of the twelve men you have picked for positions in your new organization.  All of them have now taken our battery of tests; and we have not only run the results through our computer, but also arranged personal interviews for each of them with our psychologist and vocational aptitude consultant.  It is the staff opinion that most of your nominees are lacking in background, education and vocational aptitude for the type of enterprise you are undertaking.  They do not have the team concept. We would recommend that you continue your search for persons of experience in managerial ability and proven capability.

Simon Peter is emotionally unstable and given to fits of temper.

Andrew has absolutely no qualities of leadership.

The two brothers, James and John, place personal interest above company loyalty.

Thomas demonstrates a questioning attitude that would tend to undermine morale.

We feel that it is our duty to tell you that Matthew has been blacklisted by the greater Jerusalem Better Business Bureau.

James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeaus definitely have radical leanings, and both register a high score on the manic depressive scale.

One of the candidates, however, shows great potential. He is a man of ability and resourcefulness, meets people well, has a keen business mind and has contacts in high places.  He is highly motivated, ambitious and responsible.  We recommend Judas Iscariot as your controller and right-hand man.

Sincerely yours,

Management Consultants Inc.

(Things haven't changed a lot in the last 2000 years, have they?)

If any one serves Me, let him follow me;

and where I am, there shall my servant also be;

if any one serves Me, the Father will honor him.

John 12:26

From Journal of Irreproducible Results

Computers for Christ - Chicago


Other Half - Pastors
How big is your church?  Are you frustrated by looking out at a sea of faces that you don't really know.  Do you wish that you could really know the people in your congregation as friends.  After all, that's why you became a pastor in the first place -- to be able to help people in their walk with the Lord.  But nothing will ever change because there's just too many people to get to know them personally.


Other Half - Laymen
How big is your church?  Are you frustrated by being lost in a crowd.  Do you wish that you could sit and talk with your pastor as a friend?  After all, that's why you joined the church in the first place -- to have someone that really knew you and who could help you get your walk with the Lord worked out.  But nothing will ever change because there's just too many people for the pastor to really know you.


THE OTHER HALF OF YOUR CHURCH

Pastors, Click Here To Begin

Everyone Else, Click Here To Begin

How big can a church be?  Organizationally, there doesn't seem to be a limit but, beyond some point, a pastor can't even know everyone in the church much less care for them. In fact, once a church grows beyond about 20 people it changes drastically and often becomes only half a church because it can no longer fulfill much of it's calling.

We usually hide this problem by saying that it is unrealistic for people to expect personal pastoral care and attention. The only time most pastors deal with people one-on-one is in an impersonal counseling session. So few people have ever been in a "whole" church that they accept half churches as being normal even though they feel that something is missing. A half church isn't bad, but why should we settle for half of a church when we can have the whole thing?!

What do I mean by "half" a church?  Which of the following missions of a church are being fulfilled in your fellowship.

Teaching people to fellowship with God
Teaching people to fellowship with each other
Helping people develop their spiritual gifts
Discipling new believers
Providing pastoral care for people
Raising up new leadership
Evangelizing your community

"Unless the LORD builds the house..."

Building a church is more than just gathering a large group of people, organizing the finances and building facilities. You don't even need God's help to do that!  Psalm 127:1 warns us that, "Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain."  That idea is offensive to most people because we want to show what WE can do. However, anything we build, except by the Holy Spirit working through us, is nothing but a monument to ourselves made of wood, hay and stubble on foundations of sand.

To build a "whole" church we must first admit that, as a pastor, we cannot do the job by ourselves. Many pastors are highly capable people but the more capable you are, the harder it usually is to let God have His way. Moses was so capable that God had to place him as "pastor" of millions of people to force him to stop relying on his own abilities. He struggled to serve them from morning till night, but the more he ministered to them the bigger the need grew. His love for God and people was so deep that he would have died trying, but God would not let him fail. As the weight of his task began to crush him,  God sent Jethro to show him how to do things HIS way.

The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, "What is this you are doing for the people?  Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?"

Moses answered him, "Because the people come to me to seek God's will. Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God's decrees and laws."

Moses' father-in-law replied, "What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people's representative before God and bring their disputes to Him. Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform.

But select capable men from all the people - men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain - and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. If you do this, and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied."

Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.

Exodus 18:13-24

God didn't tell Moses to work harder. He told him to "share the responsibility with faithful men so the people's needs are met and you don't burn out."  If we want to build a "whole" church, we must follow God's counsel as Moses did. Therefore, let's look at the model that God has given us for building a church to see how we can accomplish everything that God has called us to do.

Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Acts 2:46-47

From this we can see that God's pattern for the church has two parts, the "Church in the Temple" and the "Church in the Home."  We are all familiar with the "Church in the Temple."  These are the large public gatherings which are great for worship and teaching. The combined resources of large groups enable us to create complex ministries such as Christian schools or crisis pregnancy centers. However, except in very small churches, there are many things which are difficult or even impossible to do. That's why the "Church in the Home" is also needed.

What is a "Home Fellowship"?
To start home fellowships, a church is usually divided into groups of about 15 adults. Each group meets in someone's home for worship, teaching, prayer and fellowship about once per week. The couple in the group who are most known for their love of God and others, are appointed as leaders of the group and are often called "home pastors."  Although a single person could be a home pastor, couples have several advantages. Both husband and wife, however, must share the vision because this is a difficult ministry that cannot be taken lightly.

Good groups grow quickly because people's needs are being met. However, once a group grows too large its effectiveness decreases. Thus, it is important that the home pastor identifies those in the group who are called to assume leadership roles. The candidate learns about ministry by working alongside the home pastor. If the person is truly called by God to this ministry, the group will recognize the anointing and, when the time is right, the group will divide easily between the two home pastors... and the process begins again.

Groups can be specialized such as by ministry focus or age or they may be mixed. They may meet in the same home each week or move from place to place. Each arrangement has advantages. The important thing is that the home pastors have true pastor's hearts... humble people with a burning love for God and an unquenchable desire to minister to others.

Let's look again at the list of purposes for a church to see how the "Church in the Home" can be the "Missing Half" of our churches.

TEACHING PEOPLE TO FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD

We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ... If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. (1 John 1:3,6)

God created us differently from all the rest of creation. We are created "in His image" (Genesis 1:26-27) so that we can understand His will and serve Him in ways that no other creature can... as a friend! Moses was a faithful servant of the LORD but it is clear that their relationship went far beyond that. "The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend." (Exodus 33:11) Jesus told his disciples, "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."  (John 15:15)

Fellowship isn't visiting God for an hour on Sunday morning. It is a 24 hour/day, 7 day/week friendship. We can teach people about fellowship with God but ultimately they learn it by observing someone who has it. In a home fellowship group, people get to know each other much better than they do at church and they see how you handle all of life from triumphs to trials.

TEACHING PEOPLE TO FELLOWSHIP WITH EACH OTHER

One of Satan's favorite ways to defeat believers is to isolate them. If he can get you off by yourself, no one can help you and you can't help anyone. True fellowship is almost impossible at church since everyone sits in nice neat rows and all attention is focused in the front of the building. However, it is almost impossible to avoid fellowship in the more intimate home setting  where people are encouraged to interact with each other.

The Greek word for "fellowship" is "koinonia."  This is a strong word that describes active involvement in each other's lives rather than the passive association that we expect today. People need this kind of relationship with other believers and if they don't find it in your church they will go somewhere else looking for it.

HELPING PEOPLE DEVELOP THEIR SPIRITUAL GIFTS

When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church. (1 Corinthians 14:26)

Try that in a congregation of several hundred people!  It just can't be done. Even if your church was small enough to try it, only the more confident people would participate. The others would be too afraid of sounding foolish. Since a home fellowship is made up of a small group of friends, it is a far less threatening environment for people to develop their spiritual gifts. It was in a home fellowship that I discovered my gift of teaching. If it were not for my home pastor seeking to help each of us discover our spiritual gifts and calling, I might never have discovered it and I would not be able to serve the LORD as I do today. When you're among friends, they rejoice with you as you take your first shaky steps and encourage you when you feel like quitting. It's even OK to make mistakes and try things that don't work.

DISCIPLING NEW BELIEVERS

New Christians and those coming out of lives of complacency and compromise have a lot to learn. Part of this is factual information that can be learned from books, tapes and sermons. A solid foundation of sound doctrine is essential to keep you from being drawn into error. However, new believers also need to learn how to live. Much of how they relate to other people, their attitudes toward work, and every other aspect of living is wrong because it's based on ungodly role models. That's one reason they watch other believers so intently. Sometimes when we discover that we are being studied, we get very uncomfortable and say, "Don't  look at me... look at Jesus!"  That sounds very spiritual but we are actually trying to hide the sin and compromise in our own lives and shirk our responsibilities. What we are really saying is, "Grow up on your own... I've got my own life to live and I don't care enough about you or Christ to be a role model for you!"

In stark contrast, Paul said, "...for I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they my be saved,  Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." (1 Corinthians 10:33-11:1)  Would we dare to say that?  Yet, whether we say it or not, and whether we set a good example or not, people are following us. To disciple people we must get rid of our stupid religious masks and let people see us just as we are. Admit your weaknesses and show them how God is turning them into strengths. Also, be willing to share your past so you don't give the impression that you have always been as mature as you are today. That kind of honesty is the best encouragement for someone who is struggling to overcome sin.

PROVIDING PASTORAL CARE FOR PEOPLE

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in the synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."  (Matthew 9:35-36)

We often pray for God to send people to our churches but we usually forget the responsibility that comes with leading people. God will not entrust people to our care if we don't care for them as He directs.

Providing pastoral care is not an easy task. Sometimes people come seeking help but usually they withdraw from others or go from person to person gathering tid-bits of sympathy. A good home group is like a family and when someone is hurting everyone knows it and the group's attention shifts to support that person. Instead of giving sympathy, they get involved to solve the problem. Since the hurting person already knows the home pastor, it is easier to be open about their problems. Sometimes people's problems are the result of their attitudes or behavior. A home pastor knows the people in his group well enough to recognize this and get straight to the issue. Similarly, a good home group won't be like "Job's Friends" when a person is under attack. Thus, almost all counseling should come through the home groups.

There are, of course, situations when it is appropriate for a person to go to the senior pastor of a church for counseling but even then they should be encouraged to get involved in a home fellowship and develop relationships with the home pastor and the group.

DEVELOPING NEW LEADERSHIP

And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2:2)

The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field.   (Matthew 9:37-38)

The world desperately needs Christ but, as the apostle Paul said, "How, then, can they call on the One they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?  And how can they preach unless they are sent?" (Romans 10:14-15)  Home fellowships are the best possible training ground for new leadership since they provide "hands-on" training and close mentorship for ordinary people who would otherwise never learn that they can serve the Lord in mighty ways. You will learn things in this environment which you could never learn in a seminary or bible college and when you "graduate" you are already functioning fully in your calling.

EVANGELIZING YOUR COMMUNITY

And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
(Acts 2:47)

Home groups are perfect for evangelism. We all know people who isn't saved and it's much easier to invite them to your home than it is to get them to come to "church."  New Christians have many relationships with unsaved people and instead of trying to break them we should look to them as opportunities to minister to even more people. An unsaved friend is also more likely to be warmly welcomed in a home fellowship than in a congregational setting.

If a home group (or any other Christian group) isn't reaching out to bless their neighbors, it has missed the Lord's heart and will eventually turn inward and ruin itself through self-centeredness.

Each of these seven functions of home fellowships is essential to the mission of the Church. All must be present to have a spiritually healthy gathering of the body of Christ.

But How Do Home Fellowships Fit In?

At first, building home fellowships will be a drain on the resources of the church because it will require almost all the attention of the church's best leaders. This often concerns members of the church who do not understand the importance of the home fellowships or who resist change. Thus, it is critical that the pastor helps everyone understands that the "Church in the Home" is not just another meeting. If both the pastor and the majority of the people do not see it as an essential part of the structure of the church, it cannot succeed. However, if the home fellowships are given a good start, they will soon prove their worth by doing what couldn't be done before... healing the spiritually and emotionally wounded, bringing people to maturity, developing spiritual gifts, and producing new leadership.

As they mature, home fellowships will replace many of the church's present programs and meetings. Although this will be hard for some people to accept, we often have to give up "good" things to make room for "better" things. For example, if you schedule home fellowships for Thursday or Friday evenings and continue the Wednesday night services, many people will choose the Wednesday night service where they can "hide." Sadly, these are the people who need the close interaction of a home meeting the most. Never, try to force people to go to home groups but never stop encouraging them to because the rewards are tremendous.

Making It Work

Nothing good comes easily and over the years, I've seen several churches try to start home fellowships. Only one really succeeded but it was great... while it lasted... After about 5 years though even it failed and when it did, the church declined rapidly. With odds like that, you may wonder why you should even try building home fellowships. Very simple... the potential rewards are enormous and your church CAN succeed... if it really wants to. The following are four common reasons that home fellowships fail. There are many other reasons but these are typical of Satan's snares.

1. Home fellowships are started for the wrong reasons.

Many books and seminars recommend home groups to stimulate church growth and increase people's commitment to the church. It works, but these motives are wrong since their goal is to get people to serve the organization rather than improving the organization to serve the people. I even know a pastor who tried to use the close relationships formed in home fellowships to get tighter control of the people in his congregation. The only Godly reason for starting home fellowships is a longing to minister to people in your congregation in ways that you can't in the regular church services.

2. The wrong people are put in charge of the groups.

People are often put in church leadership for wrong reasons such as, who they know, their natural abilities, or their money. However, only those with a true pastor's heart should be appointed to this task because a bad home group can do a lot of harm. Also, since most home pastors have secular jobs, they face severe time pressures. If they are involved in other ministries, they should pass those things to someone else and focus their efforts. Trying to do too much can undermine your ministry by compromising your family life, health, or performance at work. Being a home pastor is a tough job but if God calls you to it, He will also anoint you for it!

3. The groups have too limited a vision.

People will never accomplish more than they have a vision to do. Many home groups' visions are limited to just fellowshipping with each other. That, by itself, gets old in a hurry and people move on something else. Like a church, a home fellowship cannot grow and develop without a balanced vision.

4. The pastor feels threatened by the home fellowships.

This is the most common reason that home groups fail. For years the pastor of the church has been THE minister... now he is just one of several. Let's be honest... that can hurt!  Helping others to discover and develop their spiritual gifts and take their places in the body of Christ is exciting... until they begin to replace you!  Many pastors can't handle this and begin to withdraw support from the home fellowships and compete with them. Such competition is both destructive and unnecessary.

The senior pastor may feel that the home fellowships make him less important but that isn't true at all. The new home pastors need his mentorship to learn to lead and minister to others. Pastors often meet with the home pastors every other week in a "Leadership Meeting" to discuss the goals of the church and how the home groups can be more effective. Such discussions are important but the meetings should also provide the home pastors with the same pastoral care that they are giving to others. It is easy to become discouraged in ministry and this time of sharing between peers as friends can also be a great encouragement to the senior pastor who often feels isolated in a church.

The world around us is disintegrating and it is filled with hurting, and confused people... both inside and outside the church... groping in the darkness for something to hold on to. The church must reach out and grasp their hands and be a light in this darkness since there is no reality or stability apart from Christ... and we are His ambassadors. Go to God and ask Him to give you a fresh vision of how you can fulfill your calling and be an expression of His Love to the world which waits just outside your door.


Running The Race

RUNNING THE RACE...
You're NOT Alone!

My grandfather was a man of simple faith... if the Bible said it, he simply did it.  Sometimes when I get discouraged in my ministry, I wish that I could sit and talk with him but I can't because he died the same year that I accepted Christ as my Lord.  It would be a real encouragement to me if I could even let him know that I am following in his footsteps but I can't... or can I?

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.     Hebrews 12:1

Who is this "great cloud of witnesses?" In Hebrews 11 we read about all the great people of faith from Abel to Abraham to Moses to Jeremiah... the men and women, too numerous to even list, who have run the race before us.  Now it's our turn... but we are not running a lonely and forgotten path!  By the tens of thousands they surround us... they gather along the race course marked out for us... to cheer us on!

Why do they care?  Though most of them never knew us in life, we are on the same team.  The baton has been passed from hand to hand many times but the race isn't over until the last runner crosses the finish line!  Though we cannot see or hear them, they are there. They know how tough the race is and when our hearts are about to burst in our chest they shout, "Keep going, you can make it!"   When we fall they cry out, "I fell too... get up!"

Even as I am writing this article, my grandfather is looking over my shoulder to see what I will say.  When I get off-track, he wishes that he could help but he knows that the Holy Spirit is my coach and that He alone can train me.  Thus, even though I can't sit and talk with my grandfather, I am greatly encouraged knowing that he is with me.  When I reach the end of my course, he and thousands of others will be there to meet me.  We will embrace in joy and then I'll take my place with him along the course to cheer for my children and for thousands of other brothers and sisters in Christ as they run.


Forgiveness

Forgiveness isn't saying that the other person was right...

they weren't.

It isn't saying that it doesn't matter...

it does.

When you forgive someone you place the matter

in God's hands

and ask Him to take care of it

as He sees best.

Forgiving someone is simply acknowledging that you,

like they,

sin and need forgiveness

and to be forgiven you must forgive.


Scud Warning

Any takers?

I guarantee you, I can change that last line, without changing the pay or perks, and make it a job that hundreds, maybe even thousands of people would clamor after.

"I'll believe it when I see it!"

The new last line?

"If interested in this pastoral position, call First Church of Burpton
(209) 555-1814."

Suddenly it's a "ministry".

Suddenly the oppressive conditions are simply a gift offered for the Kingdom of God.

Suddenly it's OK.

Or is it?

Back in Genesis is the account of when God asked Abraham to offer his son, Isaac, as a sacrifice. When Abraham and Isaac headed up onto the mountain he told his staff to wait because they would both be back. Most theologians believe that Abraham felt that God would make sure that this would be true.

It was.

God provided a ram for the actual sacrifice. Now, how do you suppose God would have felt if, after spotting the ram and being told by God to use the ram instead of Isaac, Abraham would have gone ahead and killed Isaac?

I agree. I don't think it would have made God's day.

Sad thing is, there are a lot of Isaacs being killed by a lot of Abrahams out there.

"Could you please state that in a somewhat less obscure manner?"

Certainly. There are many people who, in the name of "the ministry" (paid or lay), sacrifice their families. I've known quite a few PK's (preacher's kids) and MK's (missionary's kids) over the years and some have been cared for, loved and valued. Others have not been so fortunate... they didn't come back off the mountain.

Those are usually the PK's that you hear the horror stories about. You know, the kid who introduced the entire youth choir to pot or is known by every juvenile probation officer in the county or is the behavioral nightmare of every Sunday school teacher and secretary in the church.

Granted, there can be many reasons that they act this way, but I believe it is because, most commonly, they were sacrificed to "the ministry." When it was between them and the choir or the distraught person on the phone or the building committee or the guest speaking engagement in a nearby town, they lost the toss of the coin nearly every time.

And let's not forget pastor's wives, who have as big, if not bigger, job description than their hubbies... and they don't even get paid. Biggest trouble is, part of the job description is "bite the bullet and NEVER acknowledge your loneliness or frustrations, because you are the pastor's wife and pastor's wives don't do that. Also, if you don't fulfill your job description, we'll blame your husband."

You see, we as Christians tend to engage in an oppressive activity to a greater extent than probably any other group in existence:

EXPECTATION.

We know that we are to live our lives in as Christlike a manner as possible. We know how often, and sometimes spectacularly, we fail, but heaven forbid if our pastor doesn't meet every expectation we have.

Combine that with unrealistic expectations that the pastor may hold for him/herself and in order to meet all these expectations, something has to give. And that "something" is frequently time and emotional energy for family.

"But Luke 14:26 says that if people don't hate their father, mother and family they can't be Christ's disciple."

Every pastor and theologian I know understands this to be a hyperbole, an exaggeration to drive home a point. We are to love God so much that the intense love we have for our family pales in comparison with our love for God.

"But still, the Lord's work should be of paramount importance, shouldn't it?"

I agree wholeheartedly, but let's examine what "the Lord's work" is. Sometimes the strongest lessons in the Bible are the one's that are obvious, but not overtly stated, such as "something innocent had to die because of sin" or "God goes to a lot of trouble to stay involved in the lives of his people".

In my opinion "the Lord's work" includes one of those obvious, but not overtly stated lessons: "family is MAJORLY important to God."

I agree that's no great surprise, but neither were the other two lessons. I told you they were obvious.

Let's start in the Old Testament. In Numbers 11:11-13 Moses places God in the mother's role; Psalm 68:5 says that God is father to the fatherless; Isaiah 64:8 calls God our father and there are countless other references that infer or directly talk about a familial relationship between God and his people.

In the New Testament God is not just our father, but our Abba (papa), Jesus is our brother and Christ is the bridegroom and Christians the bride.

For thousands of years God has defined his relationship to us as family, one could conclude that he was kind of fond of the concept of family.

In I Timothy 5:8 Paul says that if anyone does not provide for his immediate family "he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." We would be assuming God was one dimensional if we honestly believed that this verse referred exclusively to housing and clothes. Remember, we are being conformed to the image of Christ. Does he only care about our physical needs?

Not by a long shot.

"But if the ministers do less in order to be with their families, who'll do their jobs?"

Us.

Look at Acts 2:44-47, it really is pretty clear. A church is not made up of a minister and a congregation. It's made up of a congregation of ministers. If a church doesn't live up to that description it is probably because the EXPECTATION was that the pastor would do it all.

Congregation: Romans 12 states that we have been equipped to minister, we just need to kick the gift into gear. And as we minister to our pastors, I believe it is the congregation's obligation to make sure they have time to be spouse and parent.

Pastors and committed lay-workers: I honestly believe God wants you to put your family after Him, but before "the ministry." One of the prerequisites for being a deacon or elder was that the family was well managed. Have you ever seen a well managed company where the manager was gone the vast majority of the time?

The same is true of a family. Spouses grow lonely and, unless they are truly saintly, resentful if left to raise a family alone. Children will look wherever they can for identity and acceptance if it is not offered (frequently) in their home. And the church would tend to be a last choice. After all, would you want to be trained by the mechanic that ruined your car?  "The ministry" is the competition, not the ally.

I have a friend who is a caring, loving, fun PK. She readily admits that her pastor father was always busy with "the ministry" and her mother was frazzled trying to raise a family alone and be a good "preacher's wife." She states that, for the most part, she raised herself.

She did a good job.

But it was her parents' job, not hers. These are not cruel, uncaring people who were looking for an excuse to ignore their daughter. They were godly people who didn't know/realize/understand that the first priority of "the ministry" is to those that, through marriage and birth, God covenanted into their care.

And this applies equally to anyone whose job comes before their family.

I am married and have two young, adorable daughters. If I were an ideal husband and father (and I'm not) I would relate just the way God relates to me. And you know what? He doesn't ignore me nearly as much as I'd like... in fact he doesn't ignore me at all.


AN UNLIKELY CHRISTIAN

Dwight never earned a college degree - not even a high school diploma.  In fact, he probably never got more than a sixth-grade education.  He grew up in a family of nine children; his dad died when he was four; the family struggled financially; and he had little or no religious training.  He left home at age seventeen and got a job at a shoe store in Boston.  One day Dwight decided to go to church.  When the Sunday school teacher asked the students to find the gospel of John, Dwight started looking in Genesis.

His teacher eventually led him to faith in Christ, and Dwight asked to become a member of the church.  But the membership committee postponed his application for a year.  Someone on that committee later mentioned that he had seldom seen a young person who knew so little about the Bible and who seemed so unlikely to be used by God.

That unlikely person was Dwight (D.L.) Moody, who became the most influential evangelist of his era.  In Great Britain and America he spoke to millions of people about Christ.  In the U.S. he founded several schools (including Moody Bible Institute).

How could someone with such a poor start in life do so well?  According to Stanley Gundry, "In 1867 Moody heard Henry Varley say, The world has yet to see what God can do with and through and in and by the man who is fully and wholly consecrated to Him.' Moody determined to be that man."

The Lord can do great things through those who rely on Him.  Natural talents and formal education are great, but they mean nothing unless we are dedicated to serving God.  What can God do with, through, in, and by you?

The above story is reprinted from:

"WHAT'S GOD HAVE TO DO WITH IT?"

365 Daily Devotions for Students from Campus Journal

Discovery House Publishers

Box 3566 Grand Rapids, MI 49501

1-800-653-8333


LIFE BEYOND LIFE
By Malcolm Smith - 1978

Dear Phil,

Thank you for your most unexpected letter.  Quite frankly, it left me in a state of mild shock.  I tried to change my schedule so that I could fly to London to be with you at this time, but it could not be arranged.  I am sending this letter as second best to my personally being with you.

When the doctor told me I had cancer, I went into the same mental paralysis as you describe in your letter.  In fact, I was in the hospital before I realized what was going on.  Believe me, Phil, I can fully relate to all your feelings.  You honor me by sharing your deepest emotions at such a time as this.

Do not entertain feelings of guilt over the fact that you fear dying.  I have trodden the same pathway.  Although I have shared with you some of the details of my cancer surgery, I did not share with you all I had to face up to at that time.

I realized that all my friends and visitors did not want to talk about death.  They came to talk about the weather, or to tell me they were praying for my healing.  The latter group made it very plain that they refused to consider the possibility of my death. Although I appreciated their prayers (for I desperately wanted to be healed), I knew I was facing a far bigger issue than healing.  As a Christian I was facing the stark reality of death.  I needed to talk to someone about it, but no one wanted to talk.  I sense in your letter that you are in the same situation, and that is the very reason I am going to share my thoughts very frankly with you.

I remember the night the surgeon sat on my bed and said, "You have melanoma.  You should know that it is the most lethal form of cancer..."  As he continued talking, within me I was crying out to be healed.  Yet as I did so, I realized the REAL issue that was buried under that cry:  I wanted to be healed so that I would not have to die.

It is possible to distort the doctrine of divine healing.  We sometimes find ourselves believing that if we have the necessary faith this mortal life will continue to be extended until Jesus comes again.  Sitting in my hospital bed, I had to face the fact that I was guilty of using divine healing as the ultimate cop-out.  The truth was, I DID NOT WANT TO DIE.

I had never admitted that I did not want to die.  I think I may have suppressed the thought because I was afraid of it.  Among us evangelicals the idea of not wanting to die is positively illegal.  If we believe all that we say and sing as Christians, we are supposed to want to die so that we can go and be with Jesus.

Most Christians have never faced up to what they feel about death.  We tend to rest in vague convenient phrases like, "I will go to heaven when I die."  In stating it, no one has to face up to what they mean, for they are not actually facing death.  We all seem to cherish the thought that we are immortal.  Neighbors can die, the person next to me on the bus or plane can die, but never me.  No one talks about death, not even with close friends.  I do not remember us discussing it through all the years we have known each other.

After talking to the surgeon I realized how meaningless were all those phrases about heaven.  Do you remember the songs we used to sing at the mission?  "I Have a Mansion over the Hilltop" or "Some Golden Daybreak", and "Won't it Be Wonderful There"... and, of course, "O, I Want To See Him, Look Upon His Face..."  Their words and melodies went through my mind so vividly.  I remember visualizing Sister Johnson with her eyes closed and hands raised, singing with longing in her old cracked voice that a chariot would swing low and carry her home.  Remember the fervor with which we all said, "Amen."

That night, Phil, I felt that whoever had written those songs had suicidal tendencies!  If the chariot was swinging low for me, it could swing right on past.  I did not want to die!

The attitude of the Church only left me more confused: they had sung those songs with the same fervor.  Yet when I had a chance to go and claim my mansion, they all prayed that I would stay on earth.  I was afraid of my fear of dying.  As a Christian I was supposed to welcome this opportunity.  Early Christians had stood in bloody Roman arenas and sung praises to God as death had taken them.  I lay in a warm Manhattan bed cringing at the very idea.

Again the thought returned forcibly.  Only in handling this fear could I enjoy physical healing.  If these fears continued to control me, I knew that even if I was healed I would spend the rest of my life seeking to avoid death -- and that's not living.  Death would always be there in the shadows, threatening to destroy my joy and happiness.  No wonder Hebrews 2:15 says what it does:

"...and might deliver those who through fear of death

were subject to slavery all their lives."

Do not misinterpret me, Phil; I was not afraid of facing God.  I knew in those moments without any doubt that all my sin had been truly laid upon Christ, that He had personally taken it and endured all its judgment.  His resurrection meant that there was complete forgiveness for me and no judgment or purgatory up ahead.  The joy of finally entering into the full realization of the presence of Him who now lived within me at the center of my true self was the ultimate of what the baptism with the Spirit only pledged.

Yet I did not want to die.  As I tried to analyze my feelings, I realized that the nebulous nature of the Christian's idea of heaven had a great deal to do with my fears.  All I had heard, spoken or sung about heaven had collapsed in a mess of sentimental nonsense poems.  I had a nothing heaven, a place with golden streets, mansions of gold and silver, angels and eternal choirs.  Unrealistic and shallow, it left me horrified.  The grand hope of mankind and the Church had withered to a handful of monetary terms described in terms of mineral deposits.  Golden streets angered me.  I preferred (and still do) to walk on forest paths paved with fallen leaves, the smell of damp leaves and pine needles in the air.

All the pictures of heaven I could summon from my subconscious were nightmares.  Do you remember those paintings in the art museum?  Maybe they were great works of art, but what grotesque distortions of Christianity.  Those angels!  Overweight effeminate neutrals who gazed moronically out of pictures, looking as if they did not have the brains to order their own lunch.  If that was to be my eternal company, give me earth!

At least the idea of an eternal choir did more for me.  I have sung in the Spirit with 50,000 Spirit-filled folk; and if that is a pledge of that day, I can understand the unspeakable thrill of John's words.

And I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands and thousands, saying with a loud voice,

"Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing."

And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying,

"To Him who sits on the throne, and unto the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever."

And the four living creatures kept saying, "Amen."  And the elders fell down and worshipped.

(Revelation 5:11-14)

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying,

"Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."

 (Revelation 7:9-10)

But in those hours of crisis I asked, "Is that all?  Do I have to leave this life for an endless convention?"  My hope of heaven was passive and empty.  I did not want to leave earth and go into conscious emptiness.

I believe you share my outlook on life in union with Christ which is why I believe my experience can help you.  WE  LOVE LIFE!  Every hour of being alive is an opportunity to celebrate our redeemed humanity.   I can honestly say that every moment of my life, even my sorrows, is full of meaning and significance.  To me, this life is not only and act of worship to God, but a celebration of the fact that I am ME, a living human being made in God's image.

For the likes of us, the gospel begins in Genesis.  Its first statement is that man is made in God's image.  We are young created gods made in the image of the uncreated, infinite, personal One.  So much gospel preaching makes this life sound as if the very idea was a mistake and we should seek to exit as fast as we can.  NO!  Being a businessman, housewife, garbage collector, artist or farmer is such a magnificent thing.  Just the fact that we can fill such positions crowns us with dignity.  No other creature can be any of them.  Only men -- we are the lords and ladies of creation made in the image of the Creator.  We who have been born again celebrate life in Christ as we work.  And we are aware that there is such an ocean waiting to be celebrated!

Lying in bed that night I wept with frustration. I remember just clenching and unclenching my fists.  Death was such a waste, the greatest thief of all that is beautiful. I felt foolishly angry at the epitaphs etched on gravestones, spelling out the accomplishments of men. I felt like demanding that all such eulogies be wiped out and replaced with "Unfinished" or "Incomplete."  Did anyone finish anything?   NO!  Death wasted their talents and brought their creative ability to an end.  It seems that just as we are ready to live death sweeps us away.  Believe me, Phil, I know how you feel.

I remember burying my head in my pillow and saying, "If only I had a thousand years to live, to be, to express all that God has put inside of me."  Later I blushed at the foolishness of the idea.  Life is so fantastic it could not be crammed into ten thousand years.

No, I was not afraid to meet God.  That I could welcome.  I was afraid to leave this life for such an anticlimax.  I was being retired and handed a gold street.

Maybe fear is the wrong word.  It is, perhaps, more correct to say apprehension.  Do you remember our first day in the new school, how we clung to each other?  I think you were just as afraid as I.  I experienced the same feeling when I changed countries and set off for the USA.  And now, I was about to change worlds.  But I was too young; there was too much to discover in the world I was in.  I felt like screaming at God, accusing Him that it was all unfair.  I was too young to die.  Sickeningly, I knew I would ALWAYS be too young to die.

The night before surgery it came to a final head.  I have shared with you at another time how a nurse from another floor came and mockingly asked me how a minister felt when he was dying.  After she left I was a seething pot of angry, terrified confusion.

In that state of angry agitation I went to the bathroom down the hallway to get away from the others in the ward.  As far as I can recollect I was going to pray for healing and peace of mind.  As I knelt on the cold floor, I began to worship God, realizing who He was.  I beheld him and understood in my heart as never before that He is unchangeable love, infinite goodness and wisdom.  He was also omnipotence that could heal me if He chose.  I was gripped by the realization that I was at that moment held within the heart of that God through Jesus Christ.  His love had not faltered when the doctor told me that I had cancer.  His goodness still functioned.  Infinite wisdom had foreseen this and woven it into His perfect plan.  My attention was directed away from my helpless whimpering self to rest in the unchanging God.  He could do as He willed, for His will is perfect.  At that commitment all I could do was rest.

An unearthly peace stole over me.  Everything was all right for I was held in the arms of omnipotent love.  I returned to my bed and slept like a baby, not because I was assured of healing, but because I could rest in my assurance of the goodness of God.

I cannot teach you or anyone such an experience.  I simply share it, believing that the Holy Spirit can quicken it to you in the situation in which you find yourself.

During the days after surgery when I was told that the growth had been malignant, I continued to rest in the character of God.  From that rest I actively began to search the Bible for what God said about the life into which we pass after death.

It was not long before I realized that my fears were due largely to my total ignorance of what the dimension we call heaven was really like.  Because of my ignorance, many of my attitudes were out of perspective.

In those days the verse that helped me the most was John 11:25.  "Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection, and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies.'"  No wonder Jesus finished the announcement with the words, "Do you believe this?"  For a Christian, death is not what it seems to be.  Jesus declared that it is not the end but the CONTINUATION of life.  We do not die, but go on living.  This life is an apprenticeship that is not wasted in death.  What we call death is life truly begun, the ushering in of that toward which all of our earthly hours have been pointing.

Do you remember when you were over here the last time and I took you to a fancy restaurant in Manhattan?  When we arrived we were ushered into the lounge to await our name being called.  We sat and visited, chewing on peanuts and breadsticks while waiting for a table.  Finally the hostess came and told us that our table was ready.  With great anticipation we left the snacks and followed her into the dining room.

I have come to see that this life is visiting in the lounge.  I am celebrating my humanity now, but all my activity and expression are only peanuts and breadsticks that do not satisfy a massive appetite for fulfillment.  A hunger in me cries for more than can ever be satisfied in the lounge.  In my anger at death I said man never finishes anything.  Now I see I was looking at an unfinished breadstick and saying, "But he didn't finish..."  Of course not!  He went on to the dining room to fulfill his hunger in a far grander way that included breadsticks and a whole lot more.

You remember Paul at Lystra?  He was stoned to death and in 2 Corinthians 12 relates that he was caught up into the heavens.  He was then commanded to return to earth.  This is like getting as far as the salad bar and being sent back to the lounge with its peanuts.  No wonder after that he wrote Philippians 1:21.

"For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."

It is this that has made the dimension of heaven a desirable place for me.  We do not lose anything, only gain infinitely more of the same.

I whimpered at leaving life on earth -- the beauty of nature, the thrill of being a young lord of creation.  I delight to write, paint and create.  I love to share and minister, to rest in the fellowship of friend with friend.  I glory in the wonder of work externalizing myself in the world.  In my frustration I said that if I had to leave it all, I did not want heaven.  Now I see that I surrender nothing.  It all enters my new status with me, transcended, multiplied to nth degree.  We go on glorifying Him in a way that makes this present life look like a promise of future reality.

"Thou wilt make known to me the path of life;

In Thy presence is fullness of joy;

In Thy right hand there are pleasures forever."

Psalm 16:11

FULLNESS of joy must be the bringing together of all kinds of joy, both temporal and eternal, including the little joys of earth so important to us now.  Not only including them, but catching them up to be expanded and matured in the eternal unhindered vision of God.

The other day I was talking to some friends over coffee and cookies.  One casually asked what would happen if I dropped dead at that moment.  To their amazement my response was that I would continue right on with my coffee and cookies enjoying fellowship.  I explained that all the joy of that could be defined in having coffee and cookies with friends would not cease.  It would be caught up and continued in a thousand other transcendent joys.  The happiness I felt in friendship over coffee was only a shadow of the ultimate joy.

For the same reason whenever a child asks me if there are toys in heaven, I always say, "Of course!"  All the joy that a child associates with toys will be there -- and infinitely more.

In the hospital before surgery my idea of heaven was entrance into a passive loneliness where vague spirits engaged in rapturous chorale floated past me.  Now I understand it is to be a place of infinite activity and creativity, peopled by very real redeemed human spirits.

Nor is it a place beyond the Milky Way!  Do you remember Moses and Elijah visiting with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration (Luke 9:27ff)?  It seems they just opened a door from another dimension and there they were on top of the mountain with Jesus.  It was the same with Jesus after His resurrection. He seemed to walk in and out of that other dimension at will. The Scripture teaches that the dead cannot return to this dimension of time and space, but Jesus demonstrated that heaven is only a dimension away from us.  When we die, we walk out of our bodies and enter at once into that other world.

The people of heaven used to bother me.  I thought of that dimension as full of old men with forbidding faces and enormous beards, sitting beside old ladies dressed as nuns.  (Those grotesque pictures in the art museum again!)  I have come to see that it is peopled with eternally young spirits of glorious light.

Beyond this life we are glorified spirits, for no one has received his resurrection body yet.  But these spirits have a very definite form.  It is my spirit that gives my body form and substance. Take my spirit from my body, and it collapses to dust. Moses and Elijah had form to the gazing apostles. No one thought of them as anything but recognizable forms. The Bible teaches that in that next dimension we not only have form, but glorious form--changed from glory into glory.

Christ is in us now!  At the heart of our true selves we are at glorious unity with Him.  To pass into the heavenly world, released from the presence of sin, we become glorious spirits expressing that true self.  The reality of that glory was made real to me while reading the Revelation.  In the first chapter of the book John saw Jesus in the glory of His ascension.  His response was to fall at His feet and worship Him.  A little while later (Revelation 22:8-9) he saw a spirit person and, beholding his radiant glory, mistook him for a moment for the Lord he had met in the first chapter.  When he fell down worshipped him, he was severely rebuked.

And I fell at his feet to worship him.  And he said to me,

"Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your

brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God."

Revelation 19:10

The all-glorious spirit was a fellow believer who had passed from this life to be with Christ.  Think of it, Phil.  If we saw each other now as we will be in two hundred years' time, we might for a moment mistake each other for the risen Jesus!

None of our lives are on hold.  A young man angry at the world matures into a bitter old man.  Eternity for him is unending maturity into that bitterness.  Part of hell's horrors must be this hideous adulthood.  On the other hand, those in whom Christ lives mature in His eternal likeness.  I am sure that is what Colossians 1:27 means when it calls Christ in us "the hope of glory."  Of the Second Coming John said, "We shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is." (John 3:2)

These real forms of glory are obviously recognizable.  Peter instantly knew he was beholding Moses and Elijah though he had not been introduced to them before.  In that dimension our knowledge purified from the effects of sin will know other saints perfectly without introduction -- and be able to enjoy fellowship!  Jesus, in language of earth understood by the disciples, talked with the two visitors from the other world.  Meditating on that glorious fellowship, I have wondered if our present ability to communicate will look like fumbling baby talk when we look back on it.

When speaking of the kingdom, Jesus often referred to it as sitting at a banquet with the Church of all ages.  This must not be understood as an endless fellowship dinner.  It is a picture of the joy of fellowship in a dimension of perfect love.

In this present life it is hard to think of the whole Church together without bickering, fighting or someone trying to form the spiritual ones into an exclusive denomination!  In fact, such a oneness seems almost boring!  Our differences make us interesting!  God never made man boringly the same, but excitingly different.  Only self-centered man could think of this as a cosmic denomination where everyone has to think the same in order to get eternal acceptance papers.  God is the author of individualism, making each one of us unique.  I am certain that the glorified bodies will have different finger prints!  Here on earth men seek to control the souls of men and stifle the individual.  There we are free from any dictatorial control or the fear of such control.  We are free to express God uniquely, yet in unity, each one reflecting a facet of His glory and at the same time bound together by the common bond of His love.

One thing that made me shy away from dying was the pain it involved.  If you recollect, that is what I said to the nurse with her cynical questions.  Whatever pain is in the days of sickness, I have come to believe that death itself holds no pain except to those who are watching.

Jesus introduced a new definition of death.  He called it sleep.  Revelation 14:13 calls death "resting from labor."  The Greek means "to rest after a long heavy day of labor."  I believe this is a very real rest, freedom from pain and agony.  Stephen was being stoned to death.  Do you remember what the Scriptures say?

But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."  And falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them!"  And having said this, he fell asleep.

Acts 7:55-56,60

Rocks rained upon him lacerating and crushing his body.  The pain was real, but it was swallowed up by the consciousness of the risen Christ welcoming him into the heavenly dimension.  For Stephen the pain gave way to the sensation of falling into a beautiful sleep.  The continuing hurt was felt only by the others who watched his agonizing death.

It is CALLED death.  It is really the falling asleep of the body and the entrance of the spirit into life where the joys and fulfillments for which we are made are to be found.

Paul spoke of death as the day of his "departure." (2 Timothy 4:6)  The Greek word is taken from the language of sailors and the dockside.  It was the word used to describe the pulling up of anchor and casting off of ropes to pull out from the harbor to the ocean.  If tradition is correct, Paul wrote these words a few hours before he was executed.

I have often thought about that as I have driven along the West Side highway around Manhattan. Do you remember it?  It winds alongside all the great ocean-going ships.  Our cars look like ants at the base of those great ships.  The water line is marked far above us.  Every steel plate and rivet of those boats was fashioned for the sixty-foot waves of the ocean -- and here they sit against the West Side Highway with water lapping at their keels!  Then the day of departure comes.  Casting off ropes and pulling up anchor, they are pulled by tugs to the ocean for which they are made.  Paul is saying that he was created for the eternal dimension.  This life is being moored to the limitations of earth, but for him death was the "departure!" The Roman soldiers who executed Paul were, in God's providence, the tugboats that released him to the eternal oceans.

We have forgotten that the resurrection is at the heart of the Christian's faith.  He has taken to himself our sin and our death.   In His death, death died.  He arose from the dead and stood before the disciples, a real objective person who having entered death, destroyed it and now lived incapable of death.  His triumphant words in Revelation 1:18:  "and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades."  In the upper room He breathed into each disciple a life incapable of death.  He lives, Phil, and He lives in us!  WE CANNOT DIE!   When they say of us that we have died, really we have "lifed."

In the early Church at a certain point in their Easter celebration the congregation burst into hilarious laughter.  They called it the Easter laugh.  No more death!  The eternal laugh has begun on earth.

This entering into life without limitation is described in Revelation 7:15-17.

For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne shall spread His tabernacle over them.  They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the throne shall be their shepherd, and shall guide them to springs of the water of life; and God shall wipe every tear from their eyes.

Although we enjoy this now in the Spirit, these verses undoubtedly speak in symbolic language of entering into the life beyond life without mixture of death, light without darkness, joy without possibility of sorrow, peace without disturbance.  No wonder Paul said in Romans 8:18, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us."

Having faced death, looked my fears in the face and rested in God's love, I can report that I love this life more than ever before.  Now that in EVERY way I am ready to die, I am more than ever ready to live.  For this I thank God for my visit to the gates of death.  Those of us who love something grander and bigger than this life appreciate this world all the more.

Do you recollect the mood I was in when, after settling over here, I first returned to England?  All my life I had lived in old England.  I walked over cobblestones that great men of history had trodden.  I was born adjacent to a Roman fort nearly 2,000 years old.  One of the last houses we lived in was slept in by John Wesley.  Then I came to live over here -- in a country that is greater and grander than Europe.  I love this country enough to choose to make my home here, but suddenly I appreciated all that we had in England.  I came back begging you to realize what you had all around you!

Since I came to know and love Jesus and the grandeur of the life that is in Him, I have come to appreciate this physical world as I never did before.  I take in all its beauty and feel like shouting, "Do you realize my Father made this?"  Because of this I will not sing those songs expressing the death wish.  I love this life and embrace every moment as a gift from my Father.  All of life and work is a celebration of my redeemed humanity.  But when the time comes to walk through the door into the main dining room, I shall leave my peanuts and go to what I now know to be far better.  I still feel apprehension at going into a world for which I have no travel brochures, but it is not enough to disturb the peace I found at the gates of death.

For all that I share in this letter I am actively praying for your healing.  The revealed will of God in all Scripture is that you will be healed.  The time of our entrance to the heavenly dimension belongs to God alone.

Not only do we have every promise of Scripture giving us reason to believe for a miracle, but consider my own experience.  I went up for my annual checkup to the Sloan-Kettering Memorial Hospital the other day.  The doctor shook my hand and said, "Consider yourself cured!"  I was cured seven years ago; the hospital has finally got around to approving it!  I am believing that in seven years' time you will look back on these days as a glorious memory of the manifestation of God's power.

The reason I have spoken so frankly is that it was words such as these that I longed for someone to share with me when I was in the situation you are now in.  I believe the Holy Spirit will make them real to you.

Your Brother in Jesus,

Malcolm Smith Ministries

Box 29747

San Antonio, TX 78229

(800) 326-3838


Omni-Love

He doesn't need us but He wants us.

We couldn't reach Him

so He came to us.

Knowing every rotten thing that we had ever done

and every time that we would be unfaithful to Him...

He still loved us

and paid the price for our redemption.


SITTING BY THE BACK DOOR

Every church has a front door. We work hard to make it attractive and we keep a sharp eye on it. Anyone who comes through it is noticed immediately and given lots of attention. That's good, but we spend so much time watching the front door that we often forget about the back door. If we looked, we would see that there are people hanging around it too. Who are they? They are the people that you greeted so warmly a few weeks, months or years ago. Why are they there?  They are thinking about leaving.

Why do people use the "back door?"  There are, of course, many reasons but usually it is because they feel that there is no place for them in the group. Although a person can feel this way in a small church it is especially a problem in very large churches. I frequently hear people say, "The teaching and worship is good and they have a great youth program but I get lost in the crowd. I've been here a year but no one knows me. If I was sick or deeply depressed no one would even know. I want to serve the Lord but I just don't fit any of their programs." Whether anyone cares about them or not, that's how they feel and unless someone shows them that they really do care, they will eventually leave.

So why isn't anyone watching the back door?  Well... most people in ministry (preachers, teachers, musicians, singers and greeters) are in the "front" of the church. Their focus is to build the church by bringing people in and ministering to them as a group. This is good because a church must reach outside of itself and some kinds of ministry is more efficient in groups. The problem is, that those in the "front" of the church may not be able to see what is happening in the "back" and those who don't fit into programs are not ministered to.

In fact, many ministers don't even know that their church even has a back door. When they discover that people are leaving through it they try to lock it. They teach on the evils of the back door and speak badly of those who have used it. Some preachers even say that if you leave their church, God will never have anything to do with you again. Other churches start programs to keep people busy in hopes that they will stay if they are "plugged in."  But locking the door isn't the answer and just keeping people busy won't help for long. Someone needs to be sitting by the back door to minister to these people before they give up and leave.

Speaking as one who has often looked out the back door and has even gone through it more than once, not just anyone can handle that job. First of all, common sense says that you can't sit by the back door if you're in the front of the building. The "Watcher of the Back Door" must be devoted to his calling and not easily distracted by what goes on in the "front" of the church. Few people see things this way and to most people, ministering where no one will even notice sounds absurd. Nevertheless, like any other ministry, if God has appointed you to it, He will anoint you for it. Another requirement of a "Watcher" is an extra measure of empathy... that is, the ability to see things through other people's eyes and to feel what they are feeling. Christ Himself is our model in this:

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are -- yet without sin.  (Hebrews 4:15)

A watcher must also be keenly sensitive to the Holy Spirit. That should be a painfully obvious requirement for any ministry but, judging from the enormous pain throughout the church, it obviously isn't obvious to most. We must learn to rely on the Holy Spirit to show us what to do, when to do it and how to do it.

So what does a "Watcher" do and how does he do it?  First of all, he is NOT a guard to keep people from getting out the back door. He is simply there to minister to (love and care for) anyone that he can. Most hurting people try to tell others that they are hurting, but their cries are drowned out by the non-stop activity of the church. The Watcher's primary responsibility is to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and to follow His leading without hesitation. Once God opens a Watcher's eyes, ears, and heart to someone, He shows them how to be a channel of His love to them. Often, all that people need is to know that someone really cares about them.

Since a Watcher is just an ordinary person, he will often hear things that are hidden from the church's leadership. When he learns of misunderstandings he can often help resolve them before they fester into something serious.

Sometimes, people are used, abused and rejected by the church. When "the system" will not acknowledge its guilt (and it rarely does), it is very hard for the abused person to deal with it. Since the Watcher is appointed by God rather than men and is outside "the system," he is free to acknowledge it's failings. It's amazing how much this can help someone to forgive and get on with life. There are, however, two dangers in doing this. First, it probably won't make you very popular with the church's leadership. If they won't acknowledge their guilt, they probably won't appreciate YOU doing so!  Secondly, you must guard against becoming like King David's son Absalom. Absalom deliberately undermined his father's authority by siding with the loser of every dispute that his father settled. He told them that if he was king, such "injustice" would not be tolerated! (2 Samuel 15)  Ultimately, he died leading the people in rebellion against his own father. God may bring correction to the leadership of a church and in rare cases you may be instrumental but it must be done HIS WAY. Remember, the goal of correction is restoration... not destruction.

If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.... (Matthew 18:16)

Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you may also be tempted. (Galatians 6:1)

If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed. Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother. (2 Thes 3:14-15)

As horrible as an "Absalom Spirit" is,

click here for The Other Side Of The Coin

A Watcher must be humble and open about his own feelings and failures. He must put other people's needs above his own. That doesn't come naturally. It only comes by the grace of the Lord.

God has placed Watchers in every congregation but they rarely fulfill their calling. This isn't because they are hard-hearted, indeed, they are usually the most tender people in the church. Rather, it is due to distraction and fear. It is easy for Satan to distract us from what God has called us to do. The distractions may even be good things but if they keep us from doing what the Lord has called us to do, we must reject them. If Satan cannot distract you with other things, he will try to make you afraid to get involved. He'll warn you that the people lingering by the back door will resent you "butting into their business" and the church's leadership will reject you for being friends with "trouble-makers" and "church-hoppers."

Certainly hurting people will often snap at you and Jesus Himself was condemned by the religious leaders for being "a friend of tax collectors and prostitutes."  But if God has appointed you to this post, His love for people will drive you to reach out to them despite the risks.

By the way, we must be very careful about labeling people as "unstable church-hoppers."  They may very well be unstable and they may indeed drift from place to place, sometimes spreading half truths about other churches wherever they go. But Christ Himself said that He didn't come for those who had their act all together but rather for the really messed up folks. (Mark 2:16-17)  If God loves these people, shouldn't we... or would we rather attract the rich and influential people to our church. If you have any question about this read James 2:1-10.

So is this "Back Door Watcher" stuff important?  Like I said, I've spent lots of time looking out the back door and occasionally I've gone through it. Sometimes the situation was so bad that I had to leave,  but more often, if only one person had reached out to me and really loved me, I would still be there. Some people would condemn me as being immature for leaving because "my needs weren't being met."  Such condemnation sounds spiritual, but God specifically says that we are to love one another (that's two way!)  Even before the fall, when Adam lived in the immediate presence of  God, God declared that he needed another person to share his life with. If Satan can't get us to hurt others, he'll try to get us to starve ourselves to death emotionally by insisting that we can only give and never receive. Again, this sounds spiritual but even the great apostle Paul wrote to the church in Rome saying,

"I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong -- that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith."

(Romans 1:11,12)

When someone wounds me, I'll recover because I know my Lord and His love for me and I won't listen to Satan's lies (at least not for very long!) Tragically, however, many people equate the visible church with God and when they give up on church, they give up on Him saying, "If that's what God is like... forget it!"   The "Watcher" may be the last person to have a chance to be a true channel of God's love and restoration to them.


THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN

"What about when people are leaving the church

because of heresy and sin?"

Much has been said about "church hoppers" and people who "can't listen to anyone in authority."  However, if a church is getting into heresy or the leadership is wallowing in sin, that's different!  If a building is on fire people should be getting out as fast as they can!  In fact, if you truly find yourself in such a situation, it is your responsibility to help weaker brothers get out too.  In such a case, it is not rebellion to stand against heresy and you are not "undermining the pastor's authority" for he has already violated it himself.

I was in such a church once and it's a confusing mess. The smoke and heat of heresy usually builds up slowly and many people are overcome by it before they realize what is happening. I escaped, but to this day I regret leaving without trying to get others out too.  I can only imagine in my worst nightmares how I would feel if that group had gone totally sour like David Koresh's cult did!


GOD DEMONSTRATES HIS LOVE IN THIS...

When people ask me if the "Once Saved - Always Saved" doctrine is true, the question is usually stated something like:

"I want to be a Christian but it seems like I can't go a day without doing something wrong and I have to start over again.  A friend told me that once you're saved you don't have to worry about it.  Is that true?!"

"Look... I know what I'm doing is sin but I'm a Christian so I don't have to worry about it.  Once you are saved you can't lose it... Right?."

Even though both these people are talking about the same thing they are asking two very different questions. The first person is asking, "How can I have peace with God?" while the other is asking, "How much can I sin and still not go to hell?"

Although there appear to be many different groups of people in the world, there are really only two groups... HIS and NOT-HIS. The first person, though struggling under a heavy load of condemnation, truly wants to please God. I remember explaining the love and grace of God to such a person. When they realized that God would accept them with open arms and forgive all their sins, they burst into tears of joy and relief. They stumbled many times after that because their life was a mess but I assured them that God wasn't sitting up in heaven looking for an excuse to take back their salvation. They belonged to Him and He would see them through no matter what. There is nothing that we can do to surprise Him for He knew every time that we would fail Him when He saved us. What a relief to serve an omniscient God!

I really pity the second type of person though because they are so conceited they don't even know they are going to hell. They think they have God trapped by His own promises so they smugly do their own thing without the least concern for what He wants. Are they condemned for a life of wickedness?  Not necessarily!  When Jesus said, "I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!", He was speaking to religious folk. "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?'" (Matthew 7:22)  Even though they had done many things in His name, they were NOT HIS. Can you imagine the horror of hearing those words?!

But if you struggle with sin and live in despair under heavy loads of condemnation... DO NOT BE AFRAID!  YOUR LORD LOVES YOU!  If you love God and long to serve Him, that is the mark of the Holy Spirit on your life and there is nothing that can separate you from Him.(Romans 8:39) No matter how defeated you may feel, no matter how many times you fail Him, you are HIS and He will never let you fall away. (Romans 14:4)  Sometimes you may even feel angry with Him when you don't understand why things are the way they are. But remember, if He loved you enough to reach out to you and save you when you were His enemy, how much more will He work with you now that you are His. (Romans 5:10)  Rejoice and rest in the assurance of His faithfulness and love.


This Is The One I Esteem...

This is the one I esteem:

he who is humble

and contrite in spirit,

and trembles at My word.

Isaiah 66:2


Getting In Touch With Us
TEARS OF THE PROPHETS

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Your Servant In Christ,


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