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Vol. 2 Issue #5
The Edifier Online
Text Version October, 1997
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Contents:
A Short Story - by Joshua Smith
How I Found My Heart - by eljay
Independence - by Keri Silver Carroll
A Sacred Assembly Testimony - by David Staley
What a Glorious Day - by Janae Ivie
Joyfully - by Janae Ivie
We - by Janae Ivie
Some Secrets are for Sharing - by Thomas Mackey
Fire, Fangs, and Faith - by Craig Marsh
Edification - by Warren Doud
Websites to check out!
Do You Lie to Yourself? - By Rich Sezov
Final Words
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A Short Story
by
Joshua D. Smith
jdsmith@georgefox.edu
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/4529
The tide once again sweeps in...the lonely child is barely now
able to keep consciousness. He has no recollection of who he is,
where he was from, where he is now. All he knows is the water, the
sand, the sky above him...and even that fades as consciousness flies.
Time without possible measurement passes before the child
reawakens. He looks at himself and finds that many years have past,
yet he is still alone on the beach. A creature, no larger than his
finger, scuttles by.
On a whim, he lunges at it, yet it is too small for him to grasp.
Another, just beyond his reach, runs toward the sea. He leaps at it,
grasps it, yet finds to his dismay only sand.
Ages go by, with this youth grasping at these creatures, yet
every time in vain.
The youth cries out a voiceless cry of anguish and despair. Why
do they not come to him? Why can he not catch one, even just one?
Exhausted, he slips back into his slumber.
Years go by, and the youth continues to wake, grasp, and sleep.
Never once does he succeed in gaining his prize; never once does he
feel victory. Many times, he has come close, but he has never won.
Suddenly, the man hears a noise, coming from behind him. He
slowly, cautiously turns his head, and sees a creature of magnificent
beauty. It is a man, yet it is not. It is angelic, yet human. It is
male, yet female. It is love, yet bitterness. He looks at this
creature, wonder filling his very soul.
The creature speaks: "I have waited long for you to see me."
"How long?" asked the man, wondering at his sudden ability to
speak.
"Long. Many ages. I have been here since the day you washed
ashore."
"Then why did I not see you before?"
"You did not look for me."
"Why did you not help me, when I needed it?"
"You did not ask me?"
"Yet how could I? I never saw you."
"You did not look for me," the creature patiently repeated, "I
have waited a very long time for you to simply turn your head."
"Yet I see you now..."
"Because you looked for me."
"Yet I would never have looked..."
"...had I not called you."
"Then will you help me?"
"Yes, child, I will," and the creature pulled from some unseen
pocket a scrap of bread, no bigger than a crumb.
"That is your help? Why not one of these?" the man said, pointing
at the little creatures scuttling around him.
"Yet this is greater than all of those combined."
"But it is so small..."
"For now, it is all you need. Take it."
I stood, and walked to this strange creature, and took from it the
bread. I immediately noticed the reddish hue to its crust.
"What is this?" I asked, pointing to the crust.
"A special ingredient. My own. Eat it."
I ate it, and was full. And I followed this strange creature, who
lead me from the shore...
(c) Copyright 1997 Joshua Smith.
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HOW I FOUND MY HEART
by
eljay
eljay@mcn.org
I was searching.
Somehow I found him.
I said the words.
I did not know where else turn.
I made the choice.
I did not fully understand.
Now, I'm learning and mostly just believing.
Revealed: eternity, light, redemption.
Felt: peace, exaltation, true love.
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Independence
by
Keri Silver Carroll
kerisc@peop.tdsnet.com
I have lived my life
striving for this,
working hard
to be on my own.
To be independent
was my goal
at all costs,
but what to gain?
Avoiding dependence
on anyone
everyone,
avoiding weakness.
At times I have had it,
able to do it all
without help,
or so I thought.
But all this time
I have tried
to take credit
for things You have done.
I believed that
it was me
who was capable,
but I am not.
Thinking it was all me
I was alone
in my glory
with no one to share it.
But I was never alone
You were there
always guiding,
allowing me to learn.
I was not on my own
You were there
opening doors,
for I had no key.
Now I see that You
are the help
I need
to live the strong life.
You are the strength
I need, but
I must be weak
to receive your power.
I now know I must
trust in You,
I must learn
to live in dependence.
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A Sacred Assembly Testimony
by
David Staley
staley@en.com
http://www.en.com/users/staley/
A little preface to this 'testimony'. I wrote this to some brothers who
were unable to attend the Sacred Assembly, but who knew everybody I bring
up. You, obviously, do not have that luxury. Most of it is pretty self
explainitory, but just a couple notes.
Robb, Dan, Ken, and Glen are Christian brothers of mine who go to my
Church.
Jackie is Robb's wife.
Roger is Dan's brother.
Beth is my wife.
I hope you will enjoy this little letter, and that it will give you a taste
of my personal experience at this truly 'sacred' event.
****
I just wanted to give you all an update to what happened over the
weekend in Washington DC. The participants were Me, Robb, Dan, Ken, and
Glen.
Friday:
After work, and finishing packing Beth took me over to Robb's house
(for he was driving his van down) around 6PM. Jackie was taking the
kids down to her Mother's for the weekend, and they left shortly
before us. Robb and I then left to go over to Glenn's to pick him up.
On our way over to Glenn's we had to stop along the expressway because
we saw Jackie stopped. It ended up that she had a flat tire. We
changed the tire and put the spare on, but it was flat too. We then
went to Glenn's and got a tire at a tireshop and went back and changed
it. Needless to say, we were running behind. After we cleaned up, we
went over to Dan's to get Ken and Dan. Then, it was about 8:30PM, but
we were finally on the road. It was very smooth sailing down to DC,
well, actually near Vienna, VA were Dan's brother Roger lived and
where we were staying.
We ran into no traffic at all, and arrived at Roger's around 2:30AM.
Dan's Sister-in-Law had mattresses out for us, and we were very
thankful. We all had good sleep, and arose around 7:30AM showered,
and sat down to a great breakfast provided for us by our host!
Saturday:
We were dropped off at the train station in Vienna, and the line was
crazy. There was around a 2 hour wait for the train at that time.
But...well, I should explain that Roger is a Col. in the Air Force and
works in downtown DC, and he is savvy to the ways of the city. With
his expert guidance, he got us down onto the loading platform in
around 10 minutes!!! I thought, "I'm keeping my eyes on this guy",
and he got us onto the train right away! It was amazing! We were on
our way...
When we arrived in downtown and got off the train, it was a simple walk
to Roger's office. We got Visitors passes so we could use the FAA
buildings restrooms if needed (no Port-o-Potties for us!). It was
really close to Mall. In fact right across from the Smithsonian
Castle, and we just had to cross the street and there we were! It was
my first time in DC, so it *really* made an impression! It was around
11:00AM, so we walked around the Mall a bit until we finally decided
to try to get a seat somewhere. Again, Roger guided us down toward
the stage. As we got closer, Dan took charge, and in the Rapier way,
got us probably within 150-200 feet from the stage, *IN THE SHADE*.
Now, comes the hard part. Describing the Assembly. If you've
witnessed some of it via media, you only glimpsed it. I can't put into
words what it was like. Really, you could only be aware of the few
thousand near you because your mind just couldn't comprehend the mass
beyond your vision. You just knew that you were participating in
history.
I'm not much on PK, that is, I really don't know too much of the
organization and all, except for what I experienced in Pittsburgh last
year, but this gathering was beyond and organization. It was more than
a Men's gathering. It was truly a sacred assembly.
The speakers were good, but what really hit me were the different
groups that got up, like the Messianic Jews, and the Indians, at the
beginning, and the prayers. The prayers were what hit me! Speakers
can really only get so good because you are speaking to men, but the
prayers really hit home because you knew that they were directed
toward God! But what even more amazing was being on your face,
on the ground of the Capital Mall, praying to God. At those times,
there could have just been us 5 guys there, and it would have been as
memorable. In fact, at those times, the 'largeness' of the event was
overshadowed by the communion with God.
After McCarthy (I believe that's his name) spoke and we all prayed
again, the group felt that was a great closure to the event, Indeed
we had not moved from our place for 5 1/2 hours. We proceeded to walk
up the steps of the Capital and looked out over the Mall. The stage
and sun blocked most of the view, but you could make out the mass of
humanity on that flat ground, but you could not see the end to it! It
was amazing (I hope my pictures come out so I can 'show' you). If
they do come out, I hope to try to scan some and put them up on my
page.
Well, after the Capital, we walked up Independence to the FAA building
and met Roger. By that time it 'officially' ended, and the crowd was
huge! But Roger guided us with complete confidence, and he we only
had about a 1/2 wait before we were hopping onto the train. Believe
me, this was astounding because others waited for many hours!!!
Knowing somebody on the inside has its privileges! :-)
Once we got back to Roger's, we were treated to a fabulous meal, and
then after winding down a bit, we began the trek home at around
9:30PM.
We hit some heavy traffic, along the PA Turnpike, and it was pretty
hairy at times (Glen is a good, but crazy driver at times), and we
ended up pulling into Akron around 5:00AM.
Before I went into the house I spent 15 or 20 minutes sitting on our
swing in the backyard thanking God for the experience and the
opportunity, and also how to follow up the DC rally with practical
application.
Beth had listened to almost all of the gathering throughout the day,
and I was so happy because she could relate to at least what I had
heard. I relayed the above story (in more detail of course) to her
when we woke up on Sunday, and she was so happy that I was able to go.
I was too.
I sort of feel like I'm writing, "My Summer Vacation", but I hope my
commentary-essay style conveyed the experience a tad-bit for you.
Thanks for reading it, and take care and God bless you!
In Christ,
David
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What a Glorious Day
by
Janae L Ivie
janaeivie@juno.com
What a glorious
day it will be when
I can see him face
to face
What a glorious
privilege it is to
please him each
and everyday
What a glorious
sound it will be
when I can hear
the angels singing
in the heavens
What a glorious
experience it is to
play my flute and
piano to the Holy One
What a glorious day
it will be to stand by
the one I have worshipped
all my life!
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Joyfully
by
Janae L Ivie
janaeivie@juno.com
Joyfully we come
to our homes
with many ideas
Joyfully we spread
our joy throughout
the house
Joyfully we fill
each others hearts
with joy
Joyfully we come
and bring this bright
joy to school
Joyfully we spread
the joy everyday of
our happy lives!
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We
by
Janae L Ivie
janaeivie@juno.com
We walk
we jump
we run
we pray
we dance
we sing
we love on another
we stop
We pray
we show off
we think
we create
we wonder down
the road to a
wonderful life!
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Some Secrets are for Sharing
by
Thomas E. Mackey
Secrets are essential for protecting the technological advantage, the
competitive edge, and the sales potential of a marketable product.
But when we're speaking of spirituality-- that which lifts our human
existence beyond the mundane experience of animals and connects us
meaningfully with the Eternal Creator - have you ever wondered why so
many people keep the subject of prayer and spiritual experience shrouded
in secrecy?
"Oh, that's a very private matter for me," they quietly demur.
Sometimes I suspect the real reason certain people want to treat their
spiritual life as a "hush-hush" matter is similar to the reason other
people refuse to discuss the state of their marital bliss - not that it is
too private and personal, but that it is virtually non-existent!
They're not trying to save the inexpressible and the ineffable from tawdry
exposure; they're reacting defensively to one of the deepest fears of the
social context - the fear of embarrassment!
Of course there are some legitimate scriptural reasons for not baring one's
soul:
1) Jesus said, "Don't cast your pearls before swine." (the wrong company);
2) Jesus also said, "I have many more things to tell you, but you cannot
bear them now." (the wrong time);
3) not wanting to engage in prideful "can you top this" contests (the wrong
motive);
4) The Apostle Paul said that utterances were heard while caught up "to the
third heaven" "which are not lawful to speak" (the wrong subject).
How can you tell the difference between the folks protecting their
spiritual poverty from exposure, and those just being careful in sharing
their true riches?
Probably by the glow on their face when you ask them!
Some folks are just shy and quiet. You have to get to know them well
before they are comfortable opening up to you. That's fine. Invest
yourself in nurturing close relationships and creating an atmosphere of
mutual trust.
Begin to share, not only some of your "treasures", but also some of your
heart hungers. It's so much easier to open up to a fellow-learner than to
a "know-it-all".
There is only one Know-It-All with whom I wish to "bare it all"...the One
who already knows, not only my past and present, but also my future... the
One who invites me, even encourages me to search His Word recorded over
past generations, and become intimately acquainted on a personal basis.
Having "made contact", we are encouraged to share our experience of God
with others in a way that will help them along on their own quest.
Authentic spiritual experience, like happiness, is not halved, but doubled
when shared! These are the secrets meant to be shared!
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Fire, Fangs, and Faith
by
Craig Marsh
craigmarsh@juno.com
It seems that hard times have fallen on a lot of people I know lately. News
of death, serious illness, loss of income, and divorce has become a part of
daily life. In fact, all of us face trials and troubles either in our own
lives or the lives of our family and friends.
The negative circumstances are never pleasant to deal with, but believe it
or not, they are a necessary part of our lives. Through tribulation we
find out a lot about what we're made of, where our priorities lie, and who
or what we place our faith in.
There are many different ways of dealing with problems. Some try to cope
with them or escape them through drugs, alcohol, material things,
relationships, and anything else that will ease the pain or take their
minds off them for awhile. Unfortunately, these methods of escape never
really solve the problems. In fact, they leave more problems and
heartaches to deal with.
Many of us have learned to turn to the Lord to get us through our trials.
This is the only way to effectively deal with them. Sadly, most of the
time we just want God to take away all our struggles. I recently heard
someone make a statement that really hit me hard. They said, "Faith
doesn't get us around our problems, it gets us through our problems".
We've taught ourselves to look for the easy way out while God wants to
refine and strengthen us by taking us through.
What if God would have miraculously, instantly pulled the three Hebrews
from the fiery furnace? They would definitely have a great testimony of
the Lord's deliverance, but God had a greater purpose in mind. He wanted
to show the three young Hebrew men that He is faithful and present even in
the darkest times. By putting their faith in god and by trusting Him to
carry out His purpose regardless of the outcome, the three Hebrews went
through the fire and came out victorious. Now, thousands of years later,
we still have their example to plant seeds of faith in us.
Daniel was also persecuted for his faith. He knew the consequences of his
actions could lead to a horrible death, yet he continued to pray as usual.
Daniel had faith to believe that God would take care of him even to the
end. As we all know, God sent an angel to shut the mouths of the lions and
Daniel was delivered out of the lion's den without a wound because "he
trusted in his God". Daniel 6:23.
There are countless other examples of godly people who let their faith
carry them through the darkest of times. Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as
"the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen".
In other words, faith is like a down payment on a layaway. Though we only
hold a receipt in our hand and not the actual product, we know it belongs
to us and is being held for us. In the same way, faith tells us that
victory belongs to us and will come to pass even though our circumstances
might show something quite opposite. We do have to make payments,
nevertheless, and this is where prayer comes in.
Let me encourage you today to make a down payment of faith for victory in
whatever problem or trial you are facing. Then, through fervent prayer
bring that victory into your possession. It may not be easy, but be
assured that God will be with you every step of the way, just as He was
the fourth man in the fiery furnace. God wants you to grow and mature and
be a blessing to others, so let Him use your trials and hard times to serve
as fiery furnaces and lion's dens.
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete,
not lacking anything" James 1:2-4.
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Edification
by
Warren Doud
wdoud@bga.com
Grace Notes Homepage
http://www.realtime.net/~wdoud/
Definition / Etymology
One of the words in the Bible used to describe Christian growth is
edification. Edification is the process of spiritual growth in a Christian
who is living according to the plan of God and who is fulfilling the
command to "grow in grace and in the knowledge" of Jesus Christ.
The Greek word which is translated "edification" is oikodome, a noun found
in a number of New Testament passages:
Rom. 14:19; 2 Cor. 10:8; 13:10; Eph. 4:12,16,19; 2 Cor. 14:5,12
In all these passages, edification has two meanings.
* Collectively it refers to the building up of the body of Christ. In
Eph. 4:16, you can see that the edification of individuals results in the
building up of the church.
* For individual believers, edification refers to the spiritual growth and
momentum in the Christian way of life, resulting in the glorification of
God.
* When the collective connotation is used, oikodome should be translated
"construction, building up," or "building process." When the individual
connotation is used, oikodome should be translated "edification."
To grow in Christ, a Christian must be consistent on a daily basis in
staying in fellowship with the Lord through confession of sin, and learning
and applying Bible teaching.
Edification is the means of advancement and productivity in the Christian
way of life.
Doctrine that is learned must feed both the human spirit and the human soul
for capacity for both human and eternal life. Edification of the soul is
the result.
Love is the means of reaching maturity and being edified (growing in
applied knowledge), 1 Cor. 8
The growth of Christian love is a sign that a person has been learning
and applying doctrine. "By their fruit you shall know them..." The fruit of
the Spirit is a result of edification.
* Personal love for God the Father is and motivation for the reception of
doctrine.
* Impersonal love for all mankind is functional love. It gives one the
ability to listen objectively to a pastor-teacher regardless of his
personality.
* Occupation with the person of Christ is the ultimate result of love.
Synonyms for Edification
* Light. Eph. 5, "...walk as children of light.
* "Christ formed in you" Gal 4:19, connotes edification.
* "The new man," Eph 4; Col 3, refers to edification
* "The perfect man," James 1:4.
* "Imitators of God," Eph 5:
The Importance of the Pastor's Teaching in Edification.
The responsiblity of the pastor in edification is found in a number of
passages.
2 Cor. 10:8, For even if I should boast somewhat further about our
authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying
you, I shall not be put to shame,
* The Corinthians wavered so much that Paul really had to get tough with
them and throw his rank around.
* The Corinthians were reacting to Paul's authority and so were doing many
things detrimental to their spiritual life.
* "Our authority" refers to those with the communication gifts of
pastor-teacher as well as apostleship, e.g., Apollos and Timothy. The
pastor establishes his authority through the communication of doctrine.
* Paul makes it clear that edification depends upon accepting the authority
of a pastor-teacher who communicates doctrinal information.
2 Cor 13:10, "For this reason, I am writing these things while absent, in
order that when I am present, I may not use severity in compatibility with
the authority which God has given to me for the purpose of your
edification, and not for the purpose of destroying you."
* No one can learn any subject without accepting the authority of the one
who teaches.
* Therefore, the importance of understanding that edification comes through
the teaching of a pastor in communicating the mystery doctrine of the
Church Age.
1 Thess. 5:12, "But we request of you, brethren, that you respect those
pastor-teachers who work hard among you [studying and teaching], who have
command over you in the Lord and give you instruction."
* The road to edification is paved with hundreds and thousands of lessons
regarding the plan of God.
Heb 13:17, "Keep obeying those who themselves are ruling over you, and
submit to their authority [by learning Bible doctrine], for these same
keep watching for the benefit of your souls as those who have to render an
account. Keep obeying them, in order that they may do this accounting with
joy, and not with groaning, for this is unprofitable for you."
* The threefold purpose of the pastor is found in Eph 4:12, "for the
purpose of equipping the saints, for the production of Christian service,
for the edification of the body of Christ."
* The "saints" refer to the family of God with emphasis on the baptism of
the Spirit.
* "Equipping the saints" refers to God's grace policy and provision for the
execution of the His plan.
* "Equipping" is the function of the pastor who, through teaching doctrine,
is able to see people grow and become mature, productive Christians.
* All believers are in full-time Christian service from the moment of their
salvation. Christian service is the normal result of spiritual growth but
never the means.
Eph. 4:16, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by that
which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each
individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of
itself in love.
* Body function depends upon the proper use of joints. Athletic
coordination depends upon the proper use of the joints.
* The result of the communication of doctrine is edification in your soul.
The Motivation of the Believer in Edification.
There are two categories of motivation: Positive volition and humility
Positive volition is expressed in Rom 14:19. "Consequently, we run after
[pursue] those things related to prosperity and edification."
* Running, not walking, expresses positive volition toward the mystery
doctrine of the Church Age, which gives us all the details regarding God's
plan, purpose, and will for our lives after salvation.
* This includes the learning, understanding, and application of the mystery
doctrine of the Church Age as the means of executing the plan of God.
* Prosperity and edification go together; both are the result of continual
positive volition.
* In order for consistent perception of doctrine to occur, it is important
to have a mental attitude of humility.
Rom. 12:2-5, And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by
the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that
which is good and acceptable and perfect.
"For through the grace given to me I say to every man among you not to think
more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have
sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.
"For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not
have the same function,
"so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one
of another."
* The standard of thinking from doctrine includes every aspect of divine
viewpoint, orientation to life through enforced and genuine humility, and
everything that makes us objective and teachable toward the Word of God.
* "Many members in one body" emphasizes that although we have different
spiritual gifts and different personalities, we all belong to one family,
the body of Christ.
* Without genuine humility, there is neither objectivity nor teachability.
Without objectivity and teachability in life, you will be miserable,
whether you are a believer or unbeliever, successful or not. Without
objectivity and teachability, there is no edification.
Edification: The Key to the Proper Function of the Local Church.
1 Cor 14:12, "So also you, since you are eager to have the function of
spiritual gifts, seek to abound in spiritual gifts that edify the church."
COMMENTS:
* The Corinthians were all eager to get the gift of tongues because it was
spectacular, and then they could assume they were spiritual. In reality,
the worst believers in the Bible are described as having
the gift of tongues.
* "Seek to abound" means you should give precedence to those spiritual
gifts which result in edification. The primary spiritual gift in this
category is the gift of pastor-teacher.
* The pre-canon temporary gifts did not edify the church.
* 1 Cor 14:26, "When you assemble, let all things be done for edification."
There are a number of ways in which we worship God, but they must all relate
to our spiritual growth. Everything in assembly worship should be done with
a view toward the objective, which is edification. The objective is to
communicate the Word of God, the purpose of which is to produce edification.
The key to the correct function of the local church is edification.
Edification, or the advance to spiritual maturity, is the objective of the
Christian way of life.
In the context of 1 Cor. 14, the gift of tongues did not fulfill that
purpose. 1 Cor 14:40 concludes that the gift of tongues did not do "all
things properly and in an orderly manner."
The gift of tongues illustrated how not to do things decently and in order.
For tongues did not contribute to the principle of edification, nor did it
contribute to doing things "properly and in an orderly manner."
The Results of Edification
You begin with a foundation of eternal salvation and a body of teaching,
the revealed scriptures, "built upon the apostles and prophets, Jesus
Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone."
The moment you personally believed in Jesus Christ, a foundation was
constructed, comprised of the many things from God. The foundation is
Jesus Christ.
TOPIC: SALVATION DOCTRINES
The foundation is constructed on the saving work of Jesus Christ on the
cross, [ See Topics: Redemption, Propitiation, Reconcilia-tion, Imputation,
and Justification ]
2 Tim 2:19, Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this
seal; the Lord knows those who are His.
1 Cor 3:11 No one can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid,
which is Jesus Christ.
With edification you become spiritually self-sustaining and you function
under the privacy of your priesthood to resolve your own problems,
including the greatest problems in life.
Problems are resolved in two ways: through the use of the biblical problem
solving devices, and through understanding of specific principles in the
Word of God. [ See Topics: Confession of Sin; Faith Rest; Occupation With
Christ ]
Edification Motivates Believers
Edification is the motivation in the function of love in the congregation,
through which tolerance provides room for spiritual growth.
Rom 15:2, "Let each of us accommodate his neighbor for the good to
edification."
1 Cor 10:23, "All things are lawful, but all things do not edify."
Acts 9:31, "All the church were having prosperity, having been edified,
and advancing in occupation with Christ."
=====================================================================
Websites to Check out!
Sword & Song Ministries - http://www.eaze.net/~lyghte/
Cyber Church named "JoyRiver" - http://www.joyriver.org
DragonRaid - http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/5268/dr.html
The Holy Spirit and you - http://www.li.net/~rlongman/spirhome.html
=====================================================================
Do You Lie to Yourself?
By
Richard L. Sezov, Jr.
sezovr@voicenet.com
http://www.voicenet.com/~sezovr
Are you aware that you probably lie to yourself? Did you know that it was
possible? It is. You can go through life believing lies that you yourself
tell. It is both amazing and sad at the same time.
Close your eyes for a moment and think: Do I sincerely believe what I
believe because it is reality, or because I want it to be true? If you
really examine yourself carefully, you will most likely find that there
are things you believe that you can't back up logically, and you believe
them because you simply want to. Take, for instance, the abortion issue.
If you want to be able to have an abortion because of an unwanted
pregnancy, you will try your hardest to find facts to support a belief that
a baby in the womb is not alive yet. The same is true with a belief in God:
If you don't want to be accountable to such a God, then you will want to
believe either that He doesn't exist, or that, in your opinion, there
isn't enough evidence to support His existence yet, so you will live your
life as though He didn't exist.
This attitude, in Biblical terms, is called "suppressing the truth." The
Bible states that those who don't want to believe in and submit to God
make excuses for their actions, saying things like "God doesn't exist,"
or "God wouldn't punish me for doing this; there's nothing wrong with it."
These are just lies, lies that make people feel better about their
wrongdoings. Excuses don't make one's immoral actions any less wrong.
Romans 1:18-20 states: "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven
against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth
by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them,
because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world
God's invisible qualities_his eternal power and divine nature_have been
clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are
without excuse." In other words, excuses don't mean anything. God's wrath
will come down just as hard on those who suppress the truth, who lie to
themselves, as it will on those who are deliberately rebellious.
There is a way, however, to avoid this wrath. It is through Jesus Christ.
By nature human beings are rebellious against God. We want to live our own
lives without anyone telling us what to do. This rebellion is called sin.
In order to avoid God's wrath, a person must be totally sinless, which is
something that is impossible for human beings to do. Left to ourselves,
none of us could be saved. But Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to earth
and lived that perfect, sinless life. He was the only one who deserved to
avoid God's wrath and enter heaven on His own merit. But He sacrificed
Himself on the cross, dying a death that He did not deserve. Why? So that
those who trust in His perfect sacrifice, His payment of the penalty for
sin, would be saved. "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that
in him we might become the righteousness of God," (2 Corinthians 5:21).
In other words, salvation is a free gift from God; it is not earned or
deserved: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith_and this
is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God_not by works, so that no one
can boast," (Ephesians 2:8-9). Do you want to receive this wonderful gift?
Do you want to stop lying to yourself? If reality doesn't hit you now, it
will hit you much harder at the end of your life. But by then it will be
too late. "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in
your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved
(Romans 10:9). Trust in Jesus Christ to save you from your sins, to pay the
penalty for your sins. How might you do this? By a simple prayer. Tell Him
that you are depending on Him to save you, because you realize you can't
earn salvation. If you need help, here is a sample prayer that you can
pray:
Dear God, Thank You for giving me the opportunity to hear how I can be
saved. I ask Your forgiveness for my many sins. I trust in You, Lord Jesus,
as my Savior and my Lord. Please help me to live the life You want me to
live. Thank you for showing me how I have lied to myself, and for showing
me the truth. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
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Final Words
Thanks you for your patience, for those of you who've been waiting, for
this issue of The Edifier Online. Thank you too, to everybody who
submitted material for use, or who gave permission for me to use their
material!
For those of you who would like to submit material for upcoming issues,
please send your poems, stories, articles, URL's, or whatever you believe
would help to edify your brothers and sisters in Christ to:
the_edifier@hotmail.com
If you have any questions or comments about anything, OR if you notice any
errors in this newsletter, please feel free to email me at the address
above!
Also, feel free to visit the online site for The Edifier at:
http://www.en.com/users/staley/edifier.html
This site has back issues available to read online and/or download. Feel
free to stop by or tell a friend about it! :-)
Take care and God bless you!
In Christ
David Staley
(
geocities.com/dragonraid/edifier) (
geocities.com/dragonraid)