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| TO OUR CYBER-VISITORS: We are always having someone ask for a Bible in their native tongue: so, we sent an E-mail to the Bible Gateway translators. We have just received a return E-mail from the folks at the Bible Gateway site. It looks like they have been real busy with their translations. Click on the following link to see if they have translated the Bible in your language. http://www.biblegateway.com/languages/ If so, might I suggest that you print it out a page or two at a time and
save the pages in a notebook. Also, might I suggest that you begin with the
Gospel of John, the Acts of the Apostles, and Paul's Epistle to the Romans. my name akintola akinsanya from nigeria and i need ur help i love reading i believe if u can help tru this tola. Don Wrote: Hello Akintola, Thanks for taking the time to WRAP with us. Since you were able to send us your E mail, can I assume that you are able to get a hold of a computer? If so, then might I suggest that you get familiar with our BIBLE STUDY page. The Bible Study tools there use the best of our space-age technology, and they are fast, convenient, and easy to use. In addition, those who have built the study sites we are linked to offer them free of charge. (Click here to visit our BIBLE STUDY page.) (For a brief overview of what is on the BIBLE STUDY page, go to our "APRIL-#2-2004-WRAP AROUNDS." ) I notice that you are in the process of learning English; so might I suggest that you take advantage of the on-line Dictionary to find the meaning of any word that you do not understand. This will not only help you to understand what you're reading, but it will help you to learn the English language as well. To put a word into the dictionary, you can type the word into the search box or simply double click (or drag your curser across) the word to highlight it; copy the word; and then open up the dictionary; paste the word in the dictionary; and then hit the "go" button (or the "enter" key on the keyboard). If you would like to hear how the word sounds, you can click on the little red "speaker" above the definition(s) and listen to the pronunciation. Also, might I suggest that you begin your studies by reading the Gospel of John for it is filled with the "milk of the Word." Maranatha, Don |
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Pastor Gideon Wrote: Dear pastor, Don Wrote: Dear Pastor Gideon, It is good to hear from you. God is good and His promises are sure. Just continue to stand on them and you will never be disappointed. As I was reading your WRAP, a verse of Scripture came to mind.
This is only one of many passages from the Bible were the believer is promised the power of God. Note, however, that the Bible does not say that "as many as received the doctrine of the Baptists, the Pentecostals, Catholics, some charismatic person, etc."--but as many as received Christ Jesus are given power to grow to full-fledged Sons of God that can walk in the power of God. However, even an amateur "fruit inspector" must soon come to the conclusion that the mainline churches are not walking in the power that Christ has made available for His Church. It wasn't long after my conversion that I read passages from the Bible like the one above, and it made me to wonder why today's churches were not walking in the same power as the first Church. I would even hear popular radio ministers teach that the time of "power" for the Church was only for the first believers to help them establish the New Testament Church. I couldn't buy into this reasoning because I could find no Scripture to support such a stance; although I could find many that said just the opposite. Also, I had trouble following this preacher's reasoning for it seemed to me that every generation needs the same power if the Church is to continue evangelizing the world and meeting the need of the believers. In fact, Jesus Himself said that: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father" (John 14:12). It is bad enough that today's powerless church has accepted and tried to justify its powerless state. But add to this a multitude of money-hungry "Holy Ghost" evangelists who promise healings and miracles that don't come to pass. (Of course, when what they promise doesn't come to pass, their pat answer is: "you must not have had enough faith!" The people usually go away with a double burden, i.e., their affliction plus a load of guilt because they were not a giant of faith.) This was the church world that I found myself in when I came to Christ; and I had to ask myself: "If things are not as they should be, then 'What is the problem? and what is the answer?'" I began looking for understanding and answers in the Bible as to why the church is walking mostly in its own power. I would compare teachers and teachings to the Scriptures; but this did little to help me find THE PROBLEM because most of the erroneous teachings that came to light had different twistings of the Scriptures. In addition, I grew weary of studying all the teachings that God is not honoring because there is so much of it in the church world. It was just recently at a Bible Study that all my study and observations came together. When considering the question, "Why is there so little of God's power at work in the churches?"--it came to me that it was because of the "veneer." Those of you who are familiar with carpentry are familiar with the term "veneer": i.e., a thin piece of wood that looks good and is used to cover a piece that doesn't look so good. The dictionary defines veneer as "a superficial or deceptively attractive appearance, display, or effect." When applied to the churches, you will find Catholic veneer, Pentecostal veneer, Baptist Veneer, Methodist Veneer, Independent Veneer, etc. In other words, instead of studying the Bible for themselves and learning to walk in the Spirit and producing the Fruit of the Spirit, the members of churches or cults are given the interpretation of the Bible that their leaders wants them to have. Consequently, those in a powerless church are following the rules and regulations set down by men and are under the beggarly elements of someone's law. This, in effect, becomes their understanding of God and their "righteousness" or "veneer." The Bible speaks of this dilemma declaring that in the last days, men shall be "having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away" (II Timothy 3:5). These church members then present this veneer/covering to the world. In addition, when they approach God, they approach Him with this "veneer," and herein lies the two-fold problem with the powerless churches in the world. The churches' dilemma with the world is that this "face" that they present to the world when they are in their "religious mode" is often a different face than the one they wear on a daily basis. Consequently, the churches have earned the labeled "two-faced," and their effect on those around them is that of turning them away from the Christ that they claim to represent. The churches' problem when they approach God with their "veneer" is that they approach Him with their own righteousness. (I say "problem" in the singular, for although their are many churches with different faces, they all have a "veneer.") The Bible has much to say about the righteousness of man. Here are a couple of examples.
Enough said about the problem of a powerless Church. Let's look now at the answer to this problem. As with the problem, there is only one answer; and for the New Testament Church, it is found in the person of the Holy Spirit.
I'm going to have to cut this short lest I end up writing a book. So, lets consider what we've already seen in the Scriptures about the Holy Spirit and the New Testament Church.
There's one more thing I want to say about this faith that heals the sick and meets the needs of the Lord's elect. "So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). Too often, this verse has been interpreted to say that if one reads the Bible, that their faith will increase. True, we are to study to show ourselves approved unto God; but when read in its context, this verse is saying that faith comes when Christ (the Word of God) gives understanding by His Holy Spirit of what is being preached from the Word. (Even when we "read" the Bible, the understanding must come through the Holy Spirit. [See I Corinthians, the second chapter.]) If you'll read on, you'll see that Israel had often heard the Word of God, but had no clue of what God was about to do with His Only Begotten Son or with the New Testament Church. Likewise, today, we have people "ever studying but never coming to a knowledge of the Truth" because they study the Word in an attempt to make it agree with their "veneer," thus accounting for the "every wind of doctrine" that is blowing across the globe. If we want to really understand how unimportant our denominational/personal "veneer" is in our walk of faith, lets look back at two Old Testament heroes of the faith: King David and Joseph. Both men were raised UP by God to rule in His stead; however, their "veneer" was very different! King David was a warrior and a rough man that no one wanted to challenge. Even though he loved God dearly, he failed God in his flesh and took a man's wife for himself, having the husband put on the front lines where he would be killed in battle. (Although David repented of the sin and had his fellowship with God restored, he and his family paid dearly for the sins.) Joseph, on the other hand, refuse to indulge in the flesh early on when tempted by the wife of one who had the rule over him; and from what we are given, he appeared to live a very saintly life. Nevertheless, although their "veneer" was very different, in their inner man that had much in common! They both loved God and had faith in His Word. In fact, God said of David that he was a man after His own heart. Apparently, in this declaration God was referring to David's love for his children; for even when one of his sons was trying to kill him, David wept for him and would have died in his stead. If this is the case, then Joseph must have had the same sort of heart; for when after he was made ruler of Egypt, he gathered around himself his brothers who had sold him into slavery as a lad, embracing them giving them and giving them a "privileged" life in the land that he ruled. My point is: if King David (and Joseph?)--who lived under the law--had a heart after God's own heart; then surely we who are born again and made to be new creatures in Christ Jesus also have such a heart. ("We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren..." [I John 3:14].) And not only do we have such a heart in our "inner man," but we also have the presence of the Holy Spirit with us at all times. This being the case, should we not approach God in the Spirit, in confidence, and not with the "veneer" of some denomination or organization? Let me add another observation to my comments. God is not a ritualist: i.e., He does not work in a pattern or out of habit. When doing His work of grace, God meets everyone's needs on an individual basis. When we consider healing, we see an example of this in Acts the third chapter.
Note that it was the lame man's habit to beg by the Gate Beautiful; and knowing Peter and John, we can conclude that they passed this man and the gate often on their way to the temple. Why had they waited this long to pray for the man's healing? As I read the Scriptures, the man was prayed for and healed at this particular time because that is when the Spirit of Christ moved Peter and John to pray. In other words, Peter and John did not heal the man. God healed the man when the man was ready to receive the healing. Consequently, we should not think that just because God used us to heal someone in a certain way that we are obligated to pray for everyone to be healed in that same way. God knows when there is enough faith in a heart to receive a healing for He gives that faith. As his servants, we need only to obey the Holy Spirit and we can rest assured that all needs will then be met according to God's will. This also applies to salvation. In the second chapter of acts we are told that God adds to the Church daily such as should be saved. We are to pray and we are to be instant in season and out of season with the Word of God, but God alone can heal a body or save a soul. Let me sum up by admonishing you to never leave your first love, but to continue to live in the joy that comes by obeying the Spirit of Christ. Always be real. Don't be impressed by the "veneer" of the powerless churches in the rest the world. Expect healings and miracles, for they are promised in the Bible for all of the Lord's disciples who go forth in the name of Jesus. Also, the Bible explicitly declares that God honors His Word; so wisdom dictates that it is best to set forth the examples in the Bible when building faith in your congregation. For sure, it's good if someone is healed and they praise God on the spot for the healing! Also, the giving of testimony is always good; but the power of God is still, and always will be, in the Word of God. Keep up the good work and our prayers are with you, Maranatha, Don |
| Pastor Perfecto Wrote:
Question-Comment: Hello Thank you very much of your message and I am very happy of your response, I am Pastor Perfecto Mumar I graduated in Bible school last 1972 in Manila I pioneered in Bohol and founded many churches and pastors please pray for me here and help me in prayers, Thank you, B'Ann Wrote: We are fast approaching a time when Christians everywhere need to contact and encourage one another. We need to share what Christ is doing in our midst. The harvest field right now is the tender hearts of children everywhere. This will not come about by television shows, for children would much rather watch a cartoon than a preacher standing and talking. It will not come about by attractive singing groups that are selling their music/records/CDs because children have limited funds. It will not come about by their school teachers reading the Scriptures every morning before the school day starts for even our United States no longer allows this. Where can children possibly hear about Jesus??? It will only come when Christians go out into the streets, visit the neighborhoods, and provide basic Bible study. It will not come by any great elaborate production, costly stage shows, or worldly entertainment of any sort. It will come very simply. It will come when dedicated individuals go out and share the Good News of John 3:16. This is the "grain of mustard seed" that was promised to grow. Most of the time it will be in simple surroundings such as a supper table, around a campfire, on a fishing trip, taking a hike in the mountains, at a party, etc. Everywhere you step your foot is an opportunity for witnessing. We are to always be led by the Spirit of God when we witness. However, there is a Scripture that allows us great freedom in this area. We need to be reminded about how inexpensive witnessing for Jesus really is and stop being influenced by the mega ministries that are using the media of television to do fundraising activities. The power is not in money. It is in the finished work of the Cross, John 3:16, and the Great Commission left by Jesus as He ascended to Heaven which says, "Go Ye...(Mark 16:15).
How do we "sow the seed of the word" out of season. I moved into a new house and needed a beautiful lawn to complete the project. When snow was on the ground, I went out and scattered seed on top of it. I could see how thoroughly I covered the lawn by looking at the seeds on top of the snow. When the snow melted, the seeds settled down into the earth and when spring time came, they sprouted and every inch of the lawn with covered with green. This is how we "sow the seed of the word" out of season. "In season" witnessing is more personal and should be done under the unction of the Holy Spirit. This is where you know how to give a "Word of Knowledge" to someone in a manner that would not destroy their already wounded spirit. We can only "reprove" with the Word of God and should always say, "The Word of God says....". Rebuke will usually not produce instant results but will cause another Christian to deal with a weakness. Not always will they rid themselves of the weakness, but we will be held blameless because we tried. Exhort means to constantly encourage all Christians everywhere to witness and set a good example before all. SUMMATION: All of these except "sowing out of season" should never be done by a novice or new Christian. We can sow John 3:16 over and over and over. But before we move on to heavier tasks for the Lord, we need to grow by reading the Word, testing the spirits, and gaining experience. When Jesus called Simon Peter, He said, "I will make ye fisher of men." He did not say, "Ye are a fisher of men." It is in the "make ye" process that we become seasoned warriors for Christ. |
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