Staff List & Mailing Address
Staff List & Mailing Address
Staff List & Mailing Address
MORNING STAR STAFF:

EDITOR IN CHIEF
Toby Trudel - Nashua, NH

SENIOR EDITOR - Biblical Department
Geoffrey Kragen - Roseville, CA

SENIOR EDITOR - Christian Life Department
Teresa Giordanengo - Canonsburg, PA

SENIOR LITERARY EDITOR
Al Murillo III - El Paso, TX

WRITING STAFF
Jerry Johnson - Modesto, CA
J.C. Trudel - Naples Park, FL
Mike Wilkinson - Citrus Heights, CA
Dr. Charles Wootten - Matoaca, VA

SENIOR PUBLISHER - DOS Version
Steve Paulovich - Derry, NH

DIRECTOR OF NETWORK DISTRIBUTION
(AMERICA ONLINE and COMPUSERVE Networks)
Jerry White - Germantown, MD

DIRECTOR OF NETWORK DISTRIBUTION (GENIE Network)
Mike Wilkinson - Citrus Heights, CA

DIRECTOR OF NETWORK DISTRIBUTION (DELPHI Network)
Derrick Shipman - Greenville, SC

DIRECTOR OF BBS DISTRIBUTION - USA
Walter H. Bauer Jr. - Sugar Land, TX

BBS DISTRIBUTION - USA
Bruce Derouen - Beaumont TX
Danny O. Dennis - Opelika, AL
Jack Lavallet III - Alpharetta, GA

INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION
Sharon Sanders - Jerusalem, Israel
Lars Storstrand - Minde, Norway
Peter Cunliffe - Noisiel, France
Roger J. Obe - Iloilo City, Philippines
Scott Walters - Punchbowl, NSW, Australia.

OFFICE SYSTEMS TECHNICIAN
Patrick Auriemma - Nashua, N.H.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

MORNING STAR is produced and published monthly, by a staff of
born again believers in Jesus, located across the United States
of America. Correspondence to MORNING STAR may be sent via the
U.S. Postal Service or one of several computer networks.

POSTAL ADDRESS: P.O. Box 7755 Nashua, NH 03060-7755

ELECTRONIC MAIL LINKS:

America Online E-Mail (DOS Files): MStarDOS
America Online E-Mail (MAC Files): MStarMAC
GENIE Network E-Mail: M.Wilkinson1
COMPUSERVE Network E-Mail: 74270;1265
DELPHI Network E-Mail: Derr1ck
(Note on Delphi name: It is a number "1" between the "r" and "c")

Letters
Letter From the Editor
Letter From the Editor
Welcome to the February issue of MORNING STAR. In each of the
first four issues I had the pleasure of announcing that this
magazine had reached another part of the world. Well, the
miracle continues. A letter came to us from a friend in
Australia, who downloaded the computer version of MORNING STAR
from an local network. This was truly exciting news from "down
under". Praise the Lord!

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

This month's issue contains articles on a wide range of
Christian ministries. Our Feature area and most of our
Christian Life Department are dedicated to this theme.

HELP WANTED! 

A lot of folks have inquired as to how they can help with this
magazine ministry. Our greatest need is articles, specifically
those for our regular monthly columns so that we can continue
offering a quality publication every month. If you have
something to contribute that doesn't seem to fit into any of
these areas, send it in anyhow! The following is a list of the
regular columns which we accept material for, along with a brief
explanation as to the purpose of each. Please copy this list
and send it to some friends.

NEW IN CHRIST: Articles on the basics of Biblical Christianity,
geared to help new believers grow in their faith. Also, stories
of the experiences of new believers.

BIBLE STUDY: Verse by verse studies of books or chapters from
books in scripture.

SPECIAL STUDIES: Studies of particular doctrines, concepts and
themes in scripture. Each study may draw from several scripture
books in one article.

MESSIANIC STUDIES: Studies related to the Jewishness of
scripture and the relationship of the Tanakh to Yeshua (Jesus)
and to the New Covenant books (New Testament).

ANEE M'AMIN: (I believe) Testimonies from Jewish believers in
Jesus.

WITNESSING COLUMN: Articles and stories related to teaching
others about God's love and forgiveness through a relationship
with Jesus.

THE WORD FOR TODAY: Articles/studies related to the application
of the Word of God to the world we live in today.

PRAYER GUIDELINES: Articles/studies on the many aspects of
prayer, an often neglected part of our lives as believers.

BIBLE QUIZ: Questions & answers, trivia, etc.

PEOPLE PROFILES: Stories about and interviews with our fellow
brothers and sisters in the Lord who have something unique to
share with us all. 

YOUNG ADULTS: Articles/stories from believers in their teens
and twenties. (Note: articles from authors under 18 must be
accompanied with a written note of permission to publish from
their parent or legal guardian.)

TESTIMONY: Testimonies from gentile believers in Jesus.

MINISTRY PROFILE: "Close up" looks at particular ministries. 
Small local ministries as well as large international ones are
featured.

L'CHAIM: (To life) Articles/stories concerned with our
physical well being.

MUSIC COLUMN: Song lyrics, articles and stories concerning the
realm of Christian music.

CHEF'S CORNER: Our recipe column.

POTPOURRI: An assortment of poems, wisdom, quips and quotes.

BOOK REVIEWS: Reviews of books/periodicals that can benefit the
Christian community. We can also use this column to review
computer software and other products.

NEWS DESK: News stories from both the Christian and secular
world that are of interest to believers. Send in those
clippings!

FUTURE ISSUES:

If you are interested in submitting an original article, story
or poem for Morning Star, here is a list of upcoming themes to
help inspire thought. Don't feel limited to these topics
however!

March - RELATIONSHIPS
(Marriages, family members, friends, occupational)
Deadline : January 18

April - CHANGED LIVES #2
(Prison inmates)
Deadline : February 15

May - ISRAEL
(44th anniversary issue)
Deadline : March 21

June - BIBLICAL COUNSELLING
Deadline : April 18

July - WOMEN'S ISSUES
Deadline : May 16

Remember, we cannot use copyrighted material without prior
written consent from the writer or publisher.

SEND IN YOUR LETTERS!

We love hearing from our brothers and sisters across the USA and
around the world! Please send in a post card or contact us via
one of the E-mail links. Your comments, questions and
suggestions are wanted and welcome.

MORNING STAR accepts literary contributions from believers
wherever they may live. It is our policy to publish testimonies
as they are originally submitted with minimal alteration of the
text. Opinions stated in these testimonies do not necessarily
reflect those of the MORNING STAR staff. The content of MORNING
STAR does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of any
computer network.

In service to Jesus the Messiah,

Toby Trudel
Editor in Chief MORNING STAR
Your Letters
Your Letters
Just a quick note to say that your mag (do you call an electronic
publication a magazine?) has made its way down under! It got
here via FIDONET from a BBS called the FileBank which sends
several meg of files to us poor Aussies every month.

Anyhow, I'd very much like to get some back issues + subscribe
and help you distribute around Australia (Well, I'll throw them
on the major Christian BBS's around Sydney and hopefully they'll
spread from there.)

Scott Walters
Punchbowl, NSW, Australia.

A few months ago I asked for prayer for a friend named Jim. 
Here is an update: A while back I asked for prayer for Jim an
IV leader here at NIU. Jim's family was victim to a terrible
tragedy a couple of months ago when his mother was shot and
killed by his uncle. Well, his uncle is now in prison and
recently committed his life to Christ! Jim is very grateful to
God for turning this tragedy into something good and has
developed a very close relationship with his uncle and has
forgiven him. Thanks all for your prayers and please continue to
pray for Jim and his uncle. In Christ,

Daryl Kinton
DeKalb, Illinois 

Grace and Peace! Well, Morning Star has been simply
outstanding! My favorite articles was the one in issue #1 about
hospital visitation, and the testimony of Janette Kragen in
issue #4. These win my best-articles-of-1991 awards!

Mark Cole
Lawrence, Kansas

Thanks for a wonderful online magazine. Is there a normal
issue date that I can expect to look for a new issue of Morning
Star? When I get the new issue I will begin to distribute it
throughout the Chicago area on local Christian BBS's.

Kenneth R. Schar
Chicago, Illinois

I am IMPRESSED with the Morning Star on line magazine. I know
the time and work it takes to put everything together for a
magazine like this. Keep up the good work!

Rick Bruchner
Washington, Pennsylvania 

Hello, I've really enjoyed Morning Star. Keep up the good
work. The reason that I'm writing is that I work at a
Christian TV station in Kansas City. (TV-50) I gave a copy of
Morning Star to the production manager and he liked it to. He
wanted to know if anyone representing the magazine is in KC or
will be in KC anytime soon. If so he would like to have you on
one of our shows to tell about Morning Star. Let me know if
anyone will be in town ... Let me know if I can help with
anything from a video aspect.

Jeff Farmer
Kansas City, Missouri
Commentary
Commentary
Ministry - Who's Responsibility Anyway?

"...go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and
teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." 
(Matthew 28:19-20)

Throughout the Church's history, many battles have been waged
over the differences between clergy and laity, the professional
and the amateur. A third player has been added in contemporary
times: the para-church ministry.

One major question arising from the presence of these three
groups is, who does Ministry? The laity often believes the
responsibility to minister is the clergy's. This view is
grounded on financial support of the clergy by the laity. A
view also held by many in the laity is that ministry should be
left to the professional.

Church leadership understands that their responsibility is to
care for their flock. Therefore, the para-church ministry
should be the one to reach outward into the world. Other
leaders believe that since their commitment is to disciple the
laity, the laity is to carry out ministry.

Often the thrust of these views, even when correct, is that the
work of ministry belongs to someone else.

This issue of Morning Star focuses on ministry. Several
articles review para-church and church-based ministries. There
are many of these around today, and the Lord greatly blesses
them. But, if our focus is only on the professional ministry,
the clergy and the missionary, the real issue is missed.

Who is to minister? According to God's Word, every believer is
to go and make disciples. Christians are to model the love of
Christ to their neighbor. "'...Love the Lord your God with all
your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This
is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like
it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself'" (Matthew 22:37-40).

Jesus modeled this love when He put the needs of others ahead of
His own. He died on the cross, not because He wanted to, but
because it was necessary for our salvation. He demonstrated
that Biblical ministry is giving first priority to advance the
kingdom into the world. This requires that we put the needs of
others ahead of our own. This is in direct contrast to the view
of the world, a view which states that self always comes first.

The responsibility to advance the kingdom belongs to each and
every believer. We are Christ's ministers to the world. The
question isn't, are we clergy, laity, church or para-church? 
The only question is, if we are believers, are we ministering?

God gives every believer the responsibility to serve Him. "For
we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good
works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians
2:10). This opportunity exists within the framework of daily
life. True ministry requires getting past the idea that it is
something unique, or outside of our normal lives. We must
reject the tendency to compartmentalize our Christianity from
our secular lives. This distinction is unknown in Scripture. 
Our faith must permeate all aspects of our life. There are no
areas exempt from our relationship with the Lord.

If we are walking faithfully with God, then we will find that
ministry is a normal part of our lives. We will see that we can
care for others during the regular flow of our day.

Consider this: One of the most important ministries is that of
the mother. As a mother, you have the opportunity to model
God's love to your children. You can teach them the truths of
Scripture. You are given their early years in which to model
for them the Lord's ways. 

Fathers should demonstrate the reality of integrating their
relationship with the Lord in their lives. They should model
integrity. They should show what Christ's love was all about,
by placing the needs of their wives and children ahead of their
own.

It is in the context of family that children are taught the ways
of the Lord. "These commandments that I give you today are to
be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about
them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when
you lie down and when you get up" (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). Children
are trained to withstand the attacks of a sinful world,
depending on God, as their parents do. They can also be taught
that they are fallible and in need of forgiveness. Children can
learn this as they see their parents admit their own failures
and ask the children's forgiveness. 

The Christian family ministers by being an illustration of God's
love, mercy and forgiveness. The Christian marriage is to be a
picture of Christ's relationship to His church. As society's
families disintegrate, what greater ministry than demonstrating
what the family should be? 

Christians in the workplace minister by their willingness to be
servants to employers, their employees and co-workers. Many of
the people you work with are hurting. What are you doing to
reach out to them with the love and comfort of God?

Many of us have skills and gifts from God that we can share with
others. Are you literate? (I suspect so or you wouldn't be
reading Morning Star.) Then you can help children or adults
learn to read. If people are to be saved, they must hear about
Christ. If they are to grow, they must be able to read His
world.

Do you know your neighbors? Have you considered that they need
someone to care about them? You can minister by loving people. 
This shouldn't be done with the ulterior motive of getting
another star on a spiritual report card. Jesus cared for the
needs of people because they were valuable as people. He healed
and fed all who came to Him. He did this even if they didn't
choose to follow Him.

John tells us, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one
and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but
have eternal life" (John 3:16). Jesus died for all, even those
that reject Him. We are to show God's love to all, for only He
knows who will be saved.

God calls all believers to minister. You need to be willing to
go to the Lord and ask Him to open your eyes. Ask to have the
sensitivity to see the need of those around you. Ask to be open
to the leading of the Holy Spirit, seeing the lost as God sees
them. Touch the hurting. Love the unlovable. Choose to be
God's light in a world of darkness.

"...'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty
and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger
and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did
we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' The King will
reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the
least of these brothers of mine, you did for me'" (Matthew
25:37-40).

We are to be the answer to the prayer of the disciples. "Then
he (Jesus) 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 9:37-38). 
Let us rejoice as we go into the harvest field.

Features
Teen Challenge Training Center, Inc.
Teen Challenge Training Center, Inc.
"The Quiet Miracle"

The Teen Challenge Training Center is America's largest and most
successful drug and alcohol program. Many years have passed
since the story of the "Cross and the Switchblade" thrilled and
excited the nation. The feature film told the story of David
Wilkerson, who left his small town Pennsylvania pastorate to
pioneer a work on the streets of New York City among street
gangs and drug addicts. The book and film challenged the hearts
and captured the imagination of millions. Out of David
Wilkerson's vision for the street people, grew the need for a
training center. Though Wilkerson eventually moved on from Teen
Challenge ... THE SAGA CONTINUES!

Frank Reynolds, the original director, began the Training Center
with 8 men in a farmhouse on a small dairy farm in Rehrersburg,
Pennsylvania, 35 miles east of Harrisburg. Construction of the
first housing unit began in July of 1962. From the humble
beginnings in that small farmhouse, the Center has grown to a
thriving complex of buildings on 500 acres that now houses and
cares for 250 students. Facilities grew to include an
educational wing, dormitory areas, and shops which house 22
different vocational fields in which the men are trained. 
Housed on the premises, along with a library, classrooms, and
offices, are a print shop, auto body and mechanic shops,
building and construction shops, industrial shops, and
greenhouses. In addition to these, there is a dairy farm with
125 head of Holstein cows and 120 young stock. There is also an
IBM Main Frame Computer, communication technology, and a fully
operational recording studio. The Center works with men who
have had life-controlling problems with drugs, alcohol or crime.
It initiates them in a rehabilitative process to the point
where the students can learn to function as productive members
of society. Applying Christian principles and moral standards
as well as responsibility towards family, society and a good
start toward legitimate vocation, the program is widely
recognized as a total cure for the whole man. 

The men come to the Training Center, commonly called "God's
Mountain," from inner city programs all across the United
States, Puerto Rico, Canada, and the Bahamas. The ages of the
men range from 16 and older. The Program combines Bible
instruction to build Christian character, academic subjects to
upgrade their schooling, and vocational skills to help to
prepare them to compete in today's job market. There are also
classes where the men can prepare to earn their G.E.D. The
Remedial Reading Department teaches men who have no reading
skills or are in some way learning disabled. Classes are taught
in both English and Spanish to accommodate the specific needs of
each student.

Teen Challenge receives no government funding. "God's Mountain"
is a faith venture supported by churches of all denominations,
civic groups, and interested individuals. Your support is
needed and truly appreciated. A secular facility of equal size
would cost in excess of $40,000.00 per day to operate. Because
of the faithfulness of God and our stewardship of the finances
He has given us, we are able to operate for just in excess of
$15,000.00 per day. Your investment in these lives is an
integral part of our continued success. Students pay nothing for
the training in order that the program can be made available to
those who need it the most.

Through Christ, we are succeeding in our goal to turn these
former "rejects" of society into useful Christians who make
solid contributions to home, church, and community. With an
over 70% cure rate, the Training Center in Pennsylvania stands
alone, able to stand the scrutiny of unbelieving psychologists,
government investigators and take its place as the standard of
drug and alcohol rehabilitation in the world today.

For information call or write:

Teen Challenge Training Center Inc. P.O. Box 98 Rehrersburg, PA 
19550 (717) 933-4181
Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers
Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers, USA
In October 1971, a group of Christian officers from the Los
Angeles, California, Police Department had a burden to share
Christ with their fellow officers. They began to pray about how
they could effectively present the Good News of Jesus Christ
with others in their departments.

As a result of their prayers, a year later the Fellowship of
Christian Peace Officers (FCPO) was born. The group was
incorporated in 1974 and in May 1988, with chapters from coast
to coast and hundreds of members and friends, a major move was
made to relocate FCPO's National office from Los Angeles to
Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Simply put, the Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers has been
established to show "our people" the way to a life that has real
purpose and meaning - found only in a relationship with Jesus
Christ. 

FCPO USA is made up of believers throughout the criminal justice
system, represented individually and by chapters, across
America. They are "banded together" for one principle purpose:
to share the GOOD NEWS about Jesus Christ with their colleagues
and then to help them integrate this GOOD NEWS with their own
daily living.

Membership in the Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers is
unlike any other organization. When you join FCPO, you actually
become part of a "ministry team" of men and women who come from
all divisions of the criminal justice system - a ministry that
reaches beyond your own local community and into the lives of
others like you across America. You will find that FCPO can
become a very effective tool to help you share your Christian
faith with your co-workers. 

Those in FCPO are well aware of the strong common bond that is
shared by those in the criminal justice system, a "camaraderie"
which cannot be imitated by anyone outside our own unique
profession.

But because of this special relationship, we are often provided
with "opportunities" to share our faith with our otherwise "hard
to reach" colleagues. FCPO'ers are actively involved in this
"sharing" through a combined ministry concept of evangelism,
discipleship and fellowship which is all based upon prayer. 

We in FCPO are firmly committed to the goals of effective
evangelism and discipleship to every member of this "great
community." We also believe in training our members for this
opportunity and equipping them for this mission. Presently, we
have more than 1500 members nationwide as well as the Canadian
FCPO and a host of friends overseas.

Prayer is the central focus of all chapter activities. Outreach
meetings are also a priority. Some chapters have monthly
meetings while others have quarterly meetings. These are
usually centered around a meal to which the unsaved can be
invited.

If there is no chapter in your immediate area, we would like to
show you how to get one started, should you feel led to do so. 
There are no fees or dues collected to become a member of FCPO. 
This is a faith ministry, in which we depend entirely upon the
contributions of faithful supporters who share this great vision
with us. 

For more information contact:
FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN PEACE OFFICERS USA
P.O. Box 11547
Chattanooga, Tennessee 37401-2547
(615) 622-1234
Bill Rudge Ministries
Bill Rudge Ministries
An International Outreach Challenging Believers To Reach Their
MAXIMUM POTENTIAL IN CHRIST

In his teenage years, Bill Rudge participated in many rebellious
activities--even illegal ones. Through his dedication to weight
lifting, he became the instructor at a health spa, and
eventually gained notoriety in the karate dojo as "Godzilla."

Bill tried almost everything imaginable, but his restless spirit
would not be tamed. His search for meaning and purpose was not
fulfilled through any of his youthful involvements, not even
when he hitchhiked across the country to find himself. But on
May 23rd, 1971, at the age of 18, "Godzilla" was tamed. His
life was dramatically changed through a personal encounter with
Jesus Christ!

Three months after accepting Christ, Bill and his young wife,
Karen, enrolled in Bible college where he served as youth leader
for an area church. He also taught classes in physical fitness
and self-defense at the college and the YMCA.

After graduating from Mt. Vernon Bible College (now L.I.F.E.
Bible college East) in 1975 with a B.A. in Bible, Bill served as
youth minister of a church in North Carolina and trained with
Youth for Christ.

In August, 1977, Bill and Karen started Bill Rudge Ministries of
Living Truth, Inc., with absolutely no money, no staff and no
facilities--just a lot of God-given desire and determination. 
While most thought the goals of these two young people could
never be achieved, Bill and Karen believed that God would be
faithful to fulfill what He led them to do -- and He has!

Bill has literally built his life and ministry on Phil. 4:13 --
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." As a
result, he has faced the challenges of overwhelming obstacles
and has seen the Lord do "the impossible" through his life and
ministry.

Bill now realizes that even before accepting Christ, God had His
hand on his life and was protecting and preparing him for his
future ministry. For the first ten years, Bill directed a
multi-faceted ministry. He developed one of the most effective
outreaches to youth his area has ever seen; he researched and
confronted the cults, occult, and other spiritual counterfeits; 
and he ran innovative total health and fitness, and self-defense
clinics for various groups and schools.

Then the Lord thrust him forth into an international outreach
ministry which is impacting tens of thousands of lives locally,
nationally, and internationally (Acts 1:8) through his speaking
engagements, radio broadcasts, TV programs, cassettes, books,
and pamphlets.

God has taken Bill's youthful experiences and his past abilities
and talents and miraculously redirected and increased them to be
used for His glory. God changed him in many ways:

From total commitment to weight lifting and karate - to total
commitment to Christ;

From victim of peer pressure - to standing alone and conqueror
through Christ;

From totally out of control - to living under Christ's Lordship;

From hitchhiking across the country running from God - to
traveling throughout the world proclaiming Him;

From having no potential - to leading a ministry whose theme is
"reaching your maximum potential through Christ!"

Bill, an ordained minister, is a dedicated and determined man
with an exciting background, a dynamic ministry, and tremendous
goals and vision for the future. He daily seeks to live under
the Lordship of Jesus Christ and to glorify the Lord with every
aspect of his life!

Bill Rudge is founder and president of a growing international
outreach ministry that challenges believers to reach their
maximum potential in Christ. Truly, Bill's life and ministry
present a tremendous witness of God's mercy, faithfulness,
protection and power!

The following is a brief overview of just some of the many ways
Bill Rudge Ministries is impacting the lives of thousands for
Christ locally, nationally and abroad (Acts 1:8)!

Radio broadcasts on stations in our local area, throughout the
United states and around the world.

Referral ministry - providing vital assistance and resource
information to hundreds of people every year.

Research Division materials (pamphlets, books, cassettes and
videos) and personnel available to hundreds of people for
reference and research.

Ellis Stewart (Research Division director) and Jim Weikal
(Research Division assistant) and other staff speaking for area
churches and groups.

Bill's speaking engagements in churches, schools, conventions,
crusades and rallies throughout the United States and abroad.

Bill & Karen's (and the many others who go with them) Missionary
Outreach Tours to countries around the world.

Use of the facilities, property and Conference Center by
numerous youth and adult groups.

Distributing thousands of Bill's cassettes, books, and pamphlets
and Bibles to spiritually hungry people around the world.

Hundreds and hundreds of letters are received every month from
those in the local area, throughout the United States, and
around the world who are being helped, encouraged, and motivated
to totally live for the Lord!

All that is done and accomplished is made possible by the
faithfulness of our Lord and the prayer and generous love
offerings and mission dollars of the many individuals, groups
and churches who stand with us!

For more information contact:
Bill Rudge Ministries
220 North Buhl Farm Drive
Hermitage, Pennsylvania 16148-1718
(412) 983-1223
International Ministry
International Ministry
One of the most exciting things going on in American College
Campuses is the vast numbers of internationals coming to them.
One of the biggest needs these students have is to make American
friends. Imagine being college age and going to a different
culture and basically having to wing it. If someone who knew
the ropes became your friend, he would be your friend for life. 
It would totally change your entire outlook of that country!

That's why my wife and I see befriending internationals to be so
key, not only in meeting a very practical need in people's
lives, but also in reaching people with the gospel of Jesus
Christ.

In the book of Acts, there are basically two cross-cultural
missionary strategies going on. First, there is Paul, going to
other countries to reach those other cultures for Christ. 
Second, there are internationals coming to Jerusalem, and
Christians reaching them in their home city. This is what
happened on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2) and with the Ethiopian
Eunuch (Acts 8:26-40). If you have a burden to reach people
with the gospel, I would strongly recommend you check out your
local campus! It is also much less expensive than going to
another land to evangelize, and you don't have to learn a new
language (although this can be helpful).

The University of Kansas, like most campuses, has an
International Students Association that is hungry for volunteers
to become host families and help with activities with
international students. Every year we host a new student. The
first year we hosted a family from Taiwan. Lee is a business
man, his wife is a lawyer. They have a daughter in grade school
who has really enjoyed joining our family field trips. They were
very eager to know how Americans operate, and practically
invited themselves to our Church!

That year, we were also involved with a couple from Beijing
University. She was studying religion, so no doubt she was
studying us. He was studying American families. They were
devastated by the massacre at Tiananmen Square. It was an
opportunity to mourn with those who mourn. She wrote her thesis
on Chinese students who become Christians in the United States. 
She also taught our daughter Gretchen a little bit of Chinese,
by translating children's books into Chinese.

We also became close friends with Mucund, a medical student from
India. He invited us to a Hindu wedding, which was quite fun. 
We have learned a lot from him about the upper class in Bombay,
India. He is very interested in the Bible, but presently is in
medical school, which is a total immersion type of experience.

Last year we hosted another student from Beijing, China, who
learned English listening to his shortwave radio! The first
semester he was by himself, so we saw him a lot. During the
second semester, his wife joined him here. One of the
highlights of last year was Thanksgiving. We invited a group of
Internationals over, including a family of Pentecostal
Christians from the Soviet Union! They came here to flee
religious persecution, just like the pilgrims. It was
interesting talking to Christians who had suffered for their
faith. They kind of took up the ball, and shared the gospel
with everyone else who was there.

Last Easter we invited another group of international families. 
The children had an Easter Egg hunt, and I psyched myself up to
say a few things about how I had discovered the true meaning of
Easter. We also showed a Christian movie. This year, we are
hosting Stella from Cyprus. Cyprus is an island that is located
between Greece and Turkey. She is an Orthodox Christian.

One part of my strategy is to see how I can plug into other
people's ministry (so as not to re-invent the wheel). For
instance, my wife has been involved in teaching English in Small
World; an organization set up to meet the needs of wives of
international students (often times these women's visas do not
have work permission, and they do not even know English- you can
imagine how lonely they could feel). We also volunteered to do
nursery for a Chinese Bible Study. We will also have a picnic
for an organization called Operation Friendship.

Some people think that it is wrong to 'proselytize' people from
other cultures. I believe they have a point if your attitude is
selfish and the only reason you are involved in international
ministry is to "lay your trip on them". But if you genuinely
care about people, and share your lives with them, as well as
meet needs in their lives, then I believe you will genuinely
reach them with the true meaning of the gospel.

For more information write to:

Mark Cole
1544 Delaware
Lawrence, Kansas 66044

America Online Network contact: MarkC88
Sepher Ministries
Sepher Ministries
"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching,
rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness..."
2 Timothy 3:16

Sepher Ministries is a church-based counseling/discipleship
ministry. Services include counseling, teaching, and outreach. 
Sepher is under the umbrella of Foothill Bible Church in
Lincoln, California. Lincoln is just north of Sacramento,
California's capital.

Sepher, founded in 1990 by Pastor Geoff Kragen, is a unique
Christian counseling ministry in three ways. First, while it is
serving a geographical area, it is not a para-church ministry. 
One position the ministry takes is that counseling should go on
in the context of the local church. The exception to this
position is the recognition of the special needs of clients who
suffer from physiologically-based disorders. The ministry works
with clients who are under the care of psychiatrists, when they
require drug therapy. Clients dealing with drug or substance
abuse problems are also required to be in related support groups
in order to receive counseling through Sepher Ministries.

Second, the ministry is carried out from a pastoral as opposed
to a clinical perspective. While taking input from secular
research and diagnostic technics, the foundation of care is the
sufficiency of Scripture. Recovery comes through the client's
recognition of the need for growth in their relationship with
God, not changes in circumstances. Clients, Christians and
non-Christians alike, come because the approach is Biblical
versus secular. 

Referrals come from local pastors who are concerned with the
lack of biblical emphasis among those who represent themselves
as Christian Clinical Psychologists. These pastors, who may not
have the time, inclination or gifts to counsel, feel it is more
appropriate to refer to a pastor rather than a psychologist.

Third, biblical counseling, as practiced at Sepher, is an
intensive form of discipleship working with individuals,
families and groups. The purpose is to help people become what
the Lord intends them to be as individuals, as parents, as
spouses.

Because of this position, Sepher Ministries is a church, not a
para-church-based program. Individuals need more that just the
time of a counselor. They need to be part of a local body where
they can be cared for. Christian clients are required to attend
a local church of their choice. This philosophical position
required the ministry be affiliated with a church within the
community. This not only demonstrates to the client that Sepher
practices what it preaches, but that the ministry is accountable
to local church leadership.

Sepher is committed to the truth that God, through His
Scripture, is adequate to meet the needs of people. He has
given Sepher the opportunity to minister in these areas. Sepher
by being identified as a Counseling/Discipleship ministry has
become involved in three areas, counseling, teaching and 
outreach. The services provided are delineated as follows:

COUNSELING

Individual - The core of any counseling ministry is the care of
individuals on a one-on-one basis. An orientation session is
provided and then, on the judgment of the counselor and client,
sessions with individuals will continue as needed. 

Marriage - The foundation of the local church is the family. 
The surrounding community acts as if committed to bringing down
both the family and the institution of marriage. Society's
values are often a direct attack on the marriage and therefore
even the Christian marriage is sometimes in trouble. The
counselor works with couples together and individually in a
format similar to that used with the individual client.

Family - The stress of life, blended families, and the dramas
of family break-up affect all members of the family. The
Christian family is not exempt from these difficulties. 
Counseling is provided for the family as a unit and also for the
individual members, including the children.

Pastoral - There are times when those involved in ministry also
need the availability of counseling. Frequently, they are not
able to get these services due to concerns over privacy and
confidentiality. To meet these needs, Sepher provides
counseling services to those involved in ministry and also to
their families.

Planned future services - Marriage Groups - While marriage
counseling is provided for those needing more intensive work,
sometimes the marriage simply needs a tune-up. The marriage
group is a setting in which couples can work together. They
will deal with the functional problems of married life.

TEACHING

Counselor Training - Since the church is to be the base for care
of the believer, Sepher will work with local laity, equipping
them for counseling within the body. The ministry retains the
right to chose who will be accepted for training in this
individual setting.

Planned future services - Agape Groups - The local church is to
be the family environment in which believers care for one
another. Agape groups will have fourteen weekly training
sessions. The sessions are will aid the participants in
becoming more effective care givers within the community of
believers. As believers learn to care for one another, some of
difficulties of dealing with circumstances may be avoided. This
care may help individuals escape the necessity of more intensive
counseling.

OUTREACH

Support to Sepher ministries and it's commitment to discipleship
has allowed Pastor Kragen to serve in the world of online
ministries. He has become involved on the American Online
System in the following areas:

Modem Ministry - Using modern technology, the ministry of
discipling, counseling and teaching has expanded nation-wide. 
It is made available to individuals who may never have exposure
to either the church or to Christians. This is carried out
through articles, group opportunities and here in MORNING STAR
magazine.

Chat Rooms - This is the computer version of the telephone
party- line: here believers are encouraged to grow in the word.
They are given the opportunity to have their Biblical questions
answered. Prayer requests are taken. Time is provided for
believers to pray for one another. The non-believer is exposed
to the gospel, and a nation- wide prayer chain is provided.

MORNING STAR - this is an online Christian Magazine
emphasizing Biblical teaching, witnessing and discipleship. The
editors are striving for a balanced content including both
doctrine and application. A focus on the entire Bible is also
stressed by featuring several writers who are Messianic
Believers. The magazine is distributed world-wide on online
systems, in a disk version and by subscription to those without
computer resources. As an extension of Sepher Ministries,
Pastor Kragen provides Senior Editor functions to the Biblical
Department of the magazine. 

If you would like to reach Pastor Kragen, you can contact him at,

Sepher Ministries
C/O Foothill Bible Church
P. O. Box 236
Lincoln, CA 95648

He can also be reached on American OnLine
Email address: Pastor1
Loving Your Neighbor
Loving Your Neighbor
Every Christian should be involved in the ministry of being a
responsible member of their community. Jesus told us that we
are to love one another. This is the proof of our relationship
with Him. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, He also told us
we have a responsibility to care for our neighbor. We need to
be concerned not only with the spiritual but also the physical
condition of our neighbors.

Too often we are so involved in our church, our ministry and our
work, that we forget we are part of a larger society. There are
many ways Christians can reach out to their communities, from
providing child care for a neighbor, to helping an adult learn
to read, or being a Big Brother or Sister. One way of giving to
our community is by donating blood.

Blood donation can benefit both the community and the local
church. Many local blood banks do not have an adequate supply
of donors. This is especially true during holiday periods when
the demand for blood rises as more accidents occur.

There are several ways to get involved with your local blood
bank. You can be a regular blood donor. This usually takes no
more than a half hour. You can usually donate every eight weeks.

You can encourage your church to set up a blood club. As
members of the church donate, they can designate their
contribution to go into the church's account. When anyone in
the church uses blood, they can get credits from the church
account. These credits are applied against the blood charges on
their hospital bill.

Large churches can often arrange for the local blood bank to
come to the church to take contributions. The church could
advertise a donation day for the community. This might get
people from the neighborhood to participate. It would also be a
way of letting the community know that the church is concerned
about being a good neighbor.

There are other opportunities at you local blood bank beyond
whole blood donations. Individuals can get involved with the
Pheresis Donation. The Pheresis process removes platelets and
other material from whole blood. This material can be used for
leukemia patients. These patients are no longer capable of
producing them for their own needs. This type of donation can
be done every eight weeks. If matched with a specific patient,
donations can be made as frequently as three times a week. The
choice to donate to a specific patient is up to the donor, and
is not required to participate in the Pheresis program.

Finally, individuals can become bone marrow donors. The
potential donor is tested to identify specific physical
attributes. If the donor is matched to a patient, then he is
given the opportunity to donate bone marrow to save a life. If
he is matched, then a hospital stay and surgery are required. 
Individuals who have participated in this program have found it
extremely rewarding.

All three areas of donation give the donor the chance to provide
something needed to save the life of a fellow human being. This
is a very real way to demonstrate our appreciation for what the
Lord has done for us.

If you or your church are interested in involvement in any of
these programs, contact the Red Cross, your local blood center
or community hospital to receive specific information and
requirements for your area.

Biblical Department
Witnessing Column
Sharing JESUS With People by Danny O. Dennis
We as Christians must first and foremost remember while sharing
JESUS with others that the word Christian means CHRIST like. 
Many times we rely on our own emotions and feelings about
certain matters and show little of what Christ is. This is not
meant to be a sermon or to sound "preachy" but I am at times
very disturbed by the image we as on-line Christians portray. 
We too often (without even realizing it) sound like the same
Pharisees we like to put down. Yes, the Bible does tell us to
rebuke our brothers and sisters but it also tells us to examine
the plank in our own eye before we try to remove the speck in
our brother's eye. Above all, we must do and say everything in
love just as our precious Jesus does. If we will follow these
few guidelines (and they are only guidelines) we will be more
grounded in God's word and think before we speak or judge
prematurely. For me, having these guidelines in clear view
while on-line has been a tremendous help to me and helps me to
remember it is not important what I think but it is important
what God's Word tells me.

1. We plant (WORD) and water (TESTIMONY) but "God giveth the
increase... (1 Corinthians 3:1-11)

"So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters,
but God who gives the increase." (1 Cor. 3:7)

2. We're all in the same boat.
(Romans 3:23) "for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory
of God." (Romans 3:23)

3. We're not perfect, just forgiven. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of
yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone
should boast." (Eph. 2:8,9)

4. Jesus created the heavens and the earth, laid down his
powers as God and came to the earth to bleed, suffer, and die
so you and I would not have to taste death and hell (Luke 19:10,
Philippians 2:6.7, John 10:18)
New In Christ
New In Christ
"New in Christ" is a regular MORNING STAR column written
primarily for people who wish to learn more about the basic
teachings of Biblical Christianity.

The editorial staff of MORNING STAR encourages all readers to
freely use this information to help new Christians grow in their
walk with the Lord.

===================================================================
                        THE HIDDEN HELPER
===================================================================

Over the past ten to fifteen years there have been a lot of
movies concerning spirits, ghosts, psychic phenomena and demon
possession. This trend began back in the seventies with the
movie, "The Exorcist." Since then, there have been hundreds of
films and books dealing with supernatural forces. I can
confidently say many people accept the possibility that some
type of forces such as these exists. In fact, you might be
accused of being "narrow minded" if you said it was totally out
of the question. What's amusing, and also sad, is that when you
try to explain how a person can be literally possessed by the
Holy Spirit, many would say the idea is utterly ridiculous and
it's all phony. This shouldn't come as a surprise. The world
has always been ready to believe in anything seductive and evil.
Mankind has also been ready to reject that which it really
needs.

The Bible states clearly that all true Christians are in fact
possessed by the Holy Spirit. (John 14:17, Romans 8:9, 1st
Corinthians 6:19, 2nd Timothy 1:14, 1st John 2:27, 3:24) The
Holy Spirit is a person, not just an influence or something
similarly vague. Many attributes of His personality are
mentioned in the New Testament. He has a mind (Romans 8:27), a
will (1st Corinthians 12:11), and feelings (Ephesians 4:30). He
also engages in personal activity, as He reveals (2nd Peter
1:21), teaches (John 14:16), witnesses (Galatians 4:6),
intercedes (Romans 8:26), commands (Acts 16:6,7), and testifies
(John 15:26). Since He has feelings, He can be grieved
(Ephesians 4:30) and lied to (Acts 5:3). As He is God, He can
be blasphemed (Matthew 14:31,32). 

One of the most incredible things the Bible tells us, is that
when we become born again believers we actually are changed into
an entirely new creature. (Romans 6:6, 2nd Corinthians 5:17,
Ephesians 4:22-24, Colossians 3:10) Scripture does not say,
however, that our lives undergo a complete transformation which
occurs in a split second. Although we receive the Holy Spirit
as soon as we turn from sin and accept Christ, (Acts 15:8,
Galatians 3:2-5), the change in personality, thoughts, behaviors
and desires is more gradual. We are born again, not into
spiritual maturity, but rather as spiritually newborn babes. 
(1st Peter 2:2) This means that we have some growing up to do. 
God's word calls the growth process from the point of your new
birth a renewing. (Titus 3:4)

The transition from being a baby Christian to a more spiritually
adult one takes time. It occurs only as fast as we allow the
Holy Spirit to work within us. It's not the same rate of growth
in everybody either. To put it another way; you aren't the one
making the changes. You can stop or slow them down though. You
control the brake pedal, which is your will. It's your choice
whether or not to take your foot off of it. Just because you
possess the Holy Spirit, doesn't mean you lose your free will. 
Also it possible to commit sin in your life, though you're a lot
less likely to. In fact, the rest of your life is going to be a
constant struggle between your new self under the guidance of
the Holy Spirit and your old self, (old nature), which wants to
do as it pleases. They are completely opposed to each other. 
(Galatians 5:17)

Of course if you've made a sincere commitment to the Lord, you
should steer your free will in the direction of His word. It is
up to you to enforce some self discipline and control what you
do with your body (1st Corinthians 9:27). The good news is
that all Christians can rely on the Holy Spirit when they pray,
to give them strength in their battles against their human
(sinful) nature. That's one reason He's been given to those who
believe; to be a powerful source of strength and guidance, who
can be called on at any time (John 16:13, Ephesians 3:16). By
reading God's word and praying, the Holy Spirit within you will
let you know how to deal with the everyday complex affairs in
life. (Galatians 5:16)

Christians should pattern their lives after the teachings of
Jesus. Continually pray to the Lord for guidance in the
difficult areas of life. God's word refers to this behavior as
walking after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1, Galatians 5:25) It is
called this because it's the presence of the Holy Spirit within
us, that gives the power to resist evil It is also the Holy
Spirit that will resurrect our bodies one day just like He did
Christ's. (Romans 8:9-16) The Holy Spirit is a busy person. 
You might not hear Him, but when you pray, He prays with you. 
He asks for those things you don't know how to ask for, or for
those things you don't even realize you need! (Romans 8:26,27) 
He becomes your best friend on this planet. (As Christ is in
heaven at the moment) The more you allow Him to do with your
life, the more He will, and the more you will grow as a
Christian.

The Holy Spirit is the one who bonds all true Christians
together in one spirit on this planet. (Ephesians 2:18, 2:22,
4:3) That's the biggest reason for the smile you see on the
faces of so many Christians. It's the comfort, joy and hope they
have in their hearts, given them by the Holy Spirit. (John
14:16-18, Romans 15:13, Acts 9:31) Born again believers have
the wonderful reassurance that their lives are approved of by
God, and that He is with them. They know this by the presence
of the Holy Spirit within them. (1st John 3:24 & 4:13)

Of course it's not always peaches and cream for Christians. 
Once you become born again you've signed a declaration of
spiritual warfare against you know who. There is a real Satan
that exists. He hates all human beings, because we are God's
creation. He especially despises Christians. Keep in mind he
doesn't have to waste his time hassling non-Christians. He's
already got every one of them chalked up in his column. (Do you
remember who Jesus says goes to heaven in the third chapter of
John? If not, you might want to take a look!) The world laughs
at the idea of there being a real devil. Many religious people
who aren't born again don't even realize that they are "in his
back pocket." This demonstrates how adept he is at deception. 
(More on Satan in a later issue.)

Christians must always be prepared to defend themselves from
spiritual attacks by this hater of God. He is more powerful
than any human being, but he can only do what God allows him to
do and no more. He'll always look for your weak points. He
will often tempt you in those areas that you have the hardest
time giving up to the Lord. These include the physical,
emotional or mental aspects of our makeup. The Bible tells us
how we are to defend ourselves from his attacks. Here's the
key: If our complete selves, (body, soul and spirit), are under
the control of the Holy Spirit, we have only to turn to Him for
help in fighting these battles.

What kind of weapons do we have in our struggle with the devil? 
The Bible gives us a list of all the spiritual armor we have to
take into battle with us. (Ephesians 6:10-17) Remember,
there's no choice. Once you declare yourself a Christian,
you're at war. But it's a war we are guaranteed victory in, as
we have the firm promise of Jesus Himself to protect us.
Bible Study
Jonah - A Story of God's Love
The Bible Study column examines specific sections of Scripture. 
This is the third of a four-part series on the book of Jonah. 
Future columns will include individual Psalms and books from
both the Old and New Testaments.
=================================================================
                             JONAH                         
                    "A Story of God's Love"

                           Chapter 3                       
                   "The Second Call of Jonah"
_________________________________________________________________

Poor Jonah! He had been called by God to bring a message of
impending judgment on Nineveh. He did want the Ninevites to
repent and be saved. After all, these fierce Assyrians were
sworn enemies of Jonah's people, the Israelites. So what did he
do? He ran away. But God didn't allow him to escape. Jonah
was caught up in a supernatural storm. He was thrown overboard
into the raging waters. A special fish was created by the Lord.
It swam up and swallowing Jonah, sheltered him within its belly
for three days and nights. Now he was on his way to Nineveh. 
(See Morning Star Issues 3 & 4 for the analysis of Jonah
Chapters 1 and 2).

Sometimes God, who knows what is best for His children, may act
in ways that appear to be unmerciful. Jonah certainly must have
felt God was being unmerciful when God forced him to go to
Nineveh.

Jonah had been called to a very difficult mission for an Old
Testament Prophet. God's specific intent was for Jonah to bring
the Ninevites a warning of God's impending judgment. Jonah's
reluctance is understandable. He knew that God was merciful to
those who turn to Him. Jonah feared that the people would
repent. Then God would spare them. Jonah did not want to be
the instrument of salvation for Israel's enemy.

When Jonah fled from God, he hoped God would choose somebody
else to carry the message to Nineveh. Through a series of
supernatural interventions, God told Jonah he was going to
Nineveh willing or not. Chapter 2 concludes with Jonah lying
on the shore, having been thrown up by the "sea-monster."

Between the time Jonah refused God's call, and his realization
that he wouldn't be able to get away with it, he demonstrated
his faith and trust in God. Jonah's behavior demonstrates that
it is possible to be aware of attributes of God, be obedient to
His call, and yet not have an obedient spirit. Jonah succeeds
in caring the warning to Nineveh. But his desire for the
destruction of the city doesn't change.

This chapter is more than a passage dealing with Jonah's further
adventures. It shows God's infinite mercy toward His creations.
The analysis of Chapter 3 will examine the mercy of God toward
all men. The lesson drawn from the chapter will be one of God's
mercy towards believers.

Mercy toward all men

Jonah 3:1-2 Jonah found himself unable to flee God's will. He
realized he still had faith and trust in the Lord, even though
unhappy with the assignment. So, once more, God called him to
travel to Nineveh and give the message of God's judgment. God
cared about both Jonah and the Ninevites, both Hebrew and
Gentile. 

God gave Jonah another opportunity to serve. He was given a
second chance to be used by the Lord. Sometimes, when a
believer refuses to obey, the opportunity to serve is lost. If
God calls you to speak to that stranger, and you don't, you may
never get another chance. Praise the Lord though, for He is a
patient and loving Father. He constantly works with His
children giving them numerous chances to serve Him, bringing Him
glory. "The Lord, The Lord God, compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger (patient), and abounding in lovingkindness and
truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives the
iniquity, transgression and sin" (Exodus 34:6-7).

3:3-4 So, Jonah brought his eternal message: God judges sin. 
It is amazing how difficult this is for people today to
understand. GOD JUDGES SIN. Some believe that God is so loving
that He cannot bring Himself to judge sinners. Others claim
there is no such thing as sin. In contrast, there are those who
believe they will get another chance to come back and do it
right. But God says, "...man is destined to die once, and after
that to face judgment..." (Hebrews 9:27). 

Judgment for the Ninevites was first to be temporal. Since the
wickedness of the people was so great, God promised to destroy
the city in forty days. Implicit in the promise was the
withholding of judgment if repentance occurred. The
pre-delluvian world had 120 years (the time it took to build the
Ark) to repent to be saved from world-wide flooding. The wicked
of Noah's day did not repent, and so their world was destroyed. 
"My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal,
his days will be a hundred and twenty years" (Genesis 6:3). 

It took Jonah only three days to walk through Nineveh. The city
measured about sixty miles in circumference. He conveyed God's
message of judgment to its citizens. 

In article #1 the following quote was drawn from "The Paranoid
Prophet" by William Backus. This is the fictional response of
Jonah's psychologist on first seeing him. "My first impression
(of Jonah) was of more white blotches. They covered his face,
arms and hands. What had caused them? I had never seen the
like. Behind the blotches was sunburn, from the bald patch on
top of his head down to the massive calves showing beneath his
long tunic." * Jonah's condition was a product of being in the
fish for several days and nights. 

Imagine the effect this strange individual would have had on the
Ninevites. This possible disfigurement may have been why Christ
called Jonah a sign to the city. "For as Jonas was a sign unto
the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this
generation" (Luke 11:30). If this is a valid assumption it
simply means that people would be even more aware of his
presence.

3:5 Much to Jonah's chagrin he experienced the greatest success
of any evangelist in the entire history of the world. Billy
Graham would be thrilled to see such spectacular results. Here
is an entire city which came to know the Lord. Through Jonah's
proclamation and the working of the Holy Spirit, everyone in the
city repented of their wickedness. This was exactly what Jonah
had feared.

First, the people manifested faith in God. They believed that
God meant it when He said He would destroy the city for its
wickedness. Solomon expressed it well when he said: "The fear
of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the
Holy One is understanding." Proverbs 9:10 With the citizens
realized of the truth of the divine message, they responded by
calling for a fast and putting on sackcloth. Note that all the
city repented, for this was the response from the "greatest to
the least of them."

3:6 Even the King, when hearing Jonah's message and of the
subsequent response, put on sackcloth and ashes. He too
repented of the city's sinfulness. It is very possible the
king, more than any other individual, was responsible for the
city's evil condition.

3:7 Nineveh's ruler proclaimed the fast, making it official. 
He carried this action even to the extreme of dressing the
animals in sackcloth. He exhorted his subjects to turn to God
and repent of their sins and violent behavior. The King hoped
that if God saw true repentance in Nineveh, He would save them. 
As Jonah was aware, this was a legitimate hope.

Nineveh's widespread repentance was another supernatural act. 
Only through God's intervention, combined with the power of the
Holy Spirit, was an entire people able to turn to Him. It is
only through the direct intercession of God that any are saved. 
And only the Holy Spirit working in the heart of the sinner, can
more that heart to repent. "For He chose us in him before the
creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In
love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus
Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will"
(Ephesians 1:4-5).

As expected, with the repentance of Nineveh, God relented. He
did not judge the nation. God did not bring down destruction. 
This greatly upset Jonah, as the next article will show.

This is the appropriate point to make a parenthetical comment on
the repentance of God. Does God change His mind? God says, "I
the Lord do not change" (Malachi 3:6). This is true. What is
referred to as God's repentance is an anthropromorphism, a word
that means describing God's actions in language people can
understand. When Scripture speaks of God changing His mind, it
refers to the fact that God can change His actions in response
to man's repentance, or lack thereof.

Mercy toward Believers

The lesson in this passage is as follows: Even if you have
missed previous opportunities to serve God, He will open other
doors so you can be used by Him. But you must be willing to
carry out His work.. As with Jonah, you are not called to save
the world, but to carry the Good News to people. The sinner's
decision to repent, turning from wickedness and violence, is
between him or her and the Lord. When the child of God puts
aside the stubbornness that causes her from joyful service, then
the loving Father will provide numerous additional opportunities.

Jonah's basic problem was attitudinal. He believed that when it
came to the Ninevites, his views out weighted God's Every
believer is sometimes angry at God. He knows he needs to pray. 
But his attitude when praying is poor. "I'm praying because I
know I'm supposed to. I don't really want to. I'm not really
sorry, but I know I'm supposed to be so it's Your problem to
make me." 

Obedience coupled with reluctance is not necessarily wrong. 
Obedience in action often brings about a spirit of willingness. 
However, in these situations it is better to confess a negative 
attitude to the Lord. For even if you serve out of obedience,
you will not experience the joy that comes with the desire to
serve. Wouldn't it be better to say with the prophet "yet I
will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour. 
The Sovereign Lord is my strength..." (Habakkuk 3:18-19)?

Believers can experience abundant blessings because of the
Lord's willingness to use them as His instruments. You can
build for eternity. All you have to do is to be open to God's
leading. What a joy to be able to lead a meaningful life. So
many today are looking for a chance to do something that will
last and be of significance. However, only Christians are given
this opportunity.

Can you think of anything more joyous than being a creature of a
loving Creator Who is not only willing but desires to use you as
His instrument? He doesn't need to use people at all. He
simply wants to. Paul recognized this when he said "To me, the
very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the
Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to
light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages
has been hidden in God, who created all things; in order that
the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the
church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.
This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He cared
out in Christ Jesus our Lord..." (Ephesians 3:8-11).

Your Christlike walk and words can convey a divine message to
the unbeliever. Through your obedience to the Lord's calling,
sinners' lives can be changed for all eternity. Someday you
will be able to stand before the Lord and meet the souls who
were saved through your willingness to serve. While salvation
can only come about by God at work in the sinner's heart, you
can take an active part in this process by being His chosen
instrument.

Can anything be more exciting than building for eternity? 
Believers secure in the Lord's will are enhancing the ministry
of constructing an eternal building. This is God's church. You
have so much to be grateful for. Pray that you will stand
before the Father and be so blessed to hear "...Well done, good
and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will
put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your
master" (Matthew 25:21).

* THE PARANOID PROPHET, William Backus, Bethany House
Publishers, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1986, p. 15.
Special Studies
God is Revealed in His Third Covenant
The Bible is an account of God's relationship to man, a covenant
relationship. We find this from the day of creation to the
eternal relationship we can have with the Messiah. In the
previous article of this series we saw that man had broken the
Adamic covenant. As a result, God was to bring world-wide
flooding as His judgment. This is the third in an ongoing
series on God's covenants.

=================================================================
                GOD IS REVEALED IN HIS THIRD COVENANT
=================================================================

Even before judgment was executed, JEHOVAH-ELOHIM began to move
in covenant grace to preserve His next covenant man. Out of the
Godly line He chose Noah, a man who was keeping the Adamic
Covenant.

But Noah found favor with the Lord. This is the line of Noah.
Noah was a righteous man; he was blameless in his age; Noah walked
with God. Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Then the Lord said to Noah, 'Go into the ark, with all your
household, for you alone have I found righteous before Me in
this generation.' (Genesis 6:8,9; 7:1, JPSA [Jewish Publication
Society of America]).

God ordered Noah to build an ark. This ark of safety preserved
Noah's family and selected segments of the animal kingdom. "For
My part, I am about to bring the Flood--waters upon the
earth--to destroy all flesh under the sky in which there is
breath of life; everything on earth shall perish. But I will
establish My covenant with you, and you shall enter the ark,
with your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives. And all of
that lives, of all flesh, you shall take two of each into the
ark to keep alive with you; they shall be male and female. From
birds of every kind, cattle of every kind, every kind of
creeping thing on earth, two of each shall come to you to stay
alive. For your part, take of everything that is eaten and
store it away, to serve as food for you and for them" (Genesis
6:17-22 JPSA). Noah did so; just as God commanded him, so he
did. 

This ark is a picture of the body of Christ, a type of our
salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is also a representation
of the symbol of the fullness of the Godhead because of the
three stories, or levels, and their function within the ark.

The text repeats that the earth was corrupt. "The Lord saw how
great was man's wickedness on earth, and how every plan devised
by his mind was nothing but evil all the time... The earth
became corrupt before God; the earth was filled with
lawlessness. When God saw how corrupt the earth was, for all
flesh had corrupted its ways on earth..." (Genesis 6:5,11,12
JPSA). It was as if God was looking at the earth in pity and
with much longsuffering.

Even so, "the long-suffering of God waited" for 120 years while
the ark was being prepared. During this time Noah must have
acted as a "preacher of righteousness." He warned of the
judgment to come receiving much scoffing and similar
persecution. This was possibly similar to the discriminatory
persecution of the Christian community in the 1980s and 1990s in
the United States. It probably didn't rival that of the early
Christians. 

God used the 120 years to show how He provided Noah with the
necessary strength to serve Him. This strength was given to
show that "where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that
as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through
righteousness" (Romans 5: 20,21 NKJV). Noah learned, as Paul
says, God's "grace is sufficient for you, for (His) strength is
made perfect in weakness" (II Corinthians 12:9). As a father
gives strength to his son, so God gave strength to Noah.

The promises of the Noahic Covenant restated God's purpose for
mankind as outlined in the Edenic Covenant. The Noahic Covenant
added responsibilities and restrictions which revealed God as
JEHOVAH- ELOHIM. He is God in covenant relationship with His
people. He is ruler and overruler in the affairs of men. 

"Crosses and obstacles in an evil course are great blessings,
and are so to be counted. They are God's hedges to keep us from
transgressing, to restrain us from wandering out of the green
pastures so that 'by disciplining them leaves His signature to
turn man away from action...to spare him from the pit'
(Job 33:16,17,18, JPSA) to make the way of sin difficult, that
we may not go on in it, and to keep us from it whether we will
or not. We have reason to bless God for both restraining grace
and for restraining providences." Matthew Henry on Hosea 2.

The promises of the Noahic Covenant included God's blessing upon
Noah and his sons, productivity and a whole multitude of
descendants. It included the responsibility to govern all living
creatures. Also allowed, for the first time, was the eating of
meat. God's blessings continued with the earth safeguarded from
further curse. Fulfilling the Solaric Covenant (Genesis
1:14-18), the four seasons were established. God also promised
that there would never again be planet-wide destructive
flooding. (See Genesis 8,9; Leviticus 11; Isaiah 54:9,10;
Hebrews 11:7.)

Not only were there promises of blessing, but there were
promises of cursing as well. The curse given in relation to
this covenant is a part of the gradual, ongoing, unfurling of
the curses in Scripture. Thus far we have seen the curse upon
the serpent, upon the woman, the man, the ground, Cain, and now,
Canaan. (See Genesis 3:14-19, 4:11, 5:29, 8:21, 9:25; Romans
8:19-23.)

Noah, after being mocked by Ham for being drunk, pronounced the
prophecy of blessing and cursing. (Ham was the father of
Canaan). The prophecy consisted of three parts. God promised,
as the God of power, Japheth geographical expansion. This is
the characteristic of his descendants, the European nations. As
history has shown, the European nations led the way in opening
international trade and settlement. In the 1990s the prophecy
continues, leading to a one- world government. This can be seen
in the rising of a United States of Europe. The promise adds
that Japheth shall dwell in the tents of Shem. As St. Augustine
said, "...in the churches which the apostles, the sons of the
prophets, reared..." thus referring to the blessing that was to
flow through all nations through the Hebrew race. 

Canaan was to be the servant of Japheth. This was fulfilled in
the subjection of the children of Israel to Greece and Rome. The
Israelites were economically conquered by Tyre and Carthage, the
ancient centers of wealth and merchandise. And later by Egypt,
the empire of might and the oldest of civilizations. "What are
we all but descendants of Japheth, who dwell in the tents of
Shem; and what is the language of the New Testament, but that of
Javan spoken in the dwellings of Shem?" (Alfred Edersheim, Old
Testament Bible History, I:56-57). (Javan is modern Greece.) 
The national and temporal blessings and cursings are set in
motion. As a point of interest, it was to be through the seed
of Shem that the Messianic blessing would come on all the
families of the earth. The modern international relationships
stemming from these three, while complex, are quite simple when
seen in context. But that's beyond the scope of this lesson!

The terms of the Noahic Covenant were faith and obedience
(Genesis 6:22,7:5;Hebrews 11:7;I Peter 3:20; II Peter 2:5). The
cautions; not to eat flesh with blood (Genesis 9:4), and the
forbidding of murder (Genesis 9:6), were backed with capital
punishment. "But for your own life-blood I will require a
reckoning: I will require it of every beast; of man, too, will I
require a reckoning for human life, of every man for that of his
fellow man! Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his
blood be shed; For in His image did God make man" (Genesis
9:5-6). 

God reiterates the oath found in the Genesis passage in Isaiah
54:9, which says, "For this to Me is like the waters of Noah, as
I swore that the waters of Noah nevermore would flood the
earth..." The blood sacrifice of this covenant was fulfilled
with the offering up of the clean animals, a soothing aroma to
the Lord. This occurred after the Deluge had abated (Genesis
6:19,20; 7:2,3,8,9; 8:20).

The rainbow became the seal of the covenant. "God further said,
'This is the sign that I set for the covenant between Me and
you, and every living creature with you, for all ages to come. 
I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall serve as a sign of
the covenant between Me and the earth. When I bring clouds over
the earth, and the bow appears in the clouds, I will remember My
covenant between Me and you and every living creature among all
flesh, so that the waters shall never again become a flood to
destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it
and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living
creatures, all flesh that is on earth. That,' God said to Noah,
'shall be the sign of the covenant that I have established
between Me and all flesh that is on earth'" (Genesis 9:12-17,
JPSA). 

This seal of the covenant was placed in the sky between heaven
and earth, and between God and man. This was so that both could
look upon it and remember His covenant mercy. In the poetic
language of an unidentified German writer quoted by Edersheim,
"The rainbow, caused by the influence of the sun upon the dark
clouds, would show to man, that what was from heaven would
penetrate that which rose from the earth; and as it spanned the
gulf between heaven and earth, it would seem to proclaim peace
between God and man; while even the circumstance that it bounded
the horizon would symbolize how the covenant of mercy extended
to earth's utmost bounds."

God herein is revealed in that all administrations of His
authority in relation to earth and to Man pass through the
remembrance of His covenant mercy (Ezekiel 1:28; Revelation
4:3,10:1). God has reasserted His authority to Man and that only
by His mercy are we alive today.

During the next covenant era, covering the period from Abraham
to Moses, God was known as "EL SHADDAI," the Almighty. Next
month's article will entail a discussion reflecting on that Name
and how it relates to the Abrahamic Covenant.
Bible Quiz
Bible Quiz
GETTING THINGS ORGANIZED

Any ministry hoping to be successful needs to be organized. The
Bible has many examples of people who had good organizational
skills. Match the people in the first section to what they
organized in the second section. The answers may be found by
looking up the scripture verses listed after their names. (No
peeking!)

1.  APOSTLES (Acts 6:17)
2.  DAVID (2 Samuel 24:1-2)
3.  GIDEON (Judges 7:4-7)
4.  JACOB (Genesis 33:1-4)
5.  JESUS (Luke 10:1)
6.  JETHRO (Exodus 18:9-24)
7.  JOSHUA (Joshua 6:1-7)
8.  MOSES (Exodus 13:17-20)
9.  NEHEMIAH (Nehemiah 2:17-18)
10. PAUL (Acts 15:40)

a) He suggested Moses organize judges to help him.
b) He organized his family when he went to meet his brother.
c) He organized a census of the children of Israel.
d) He organized seventy followers in pairs.
e) He organized deacons to assist them.
f) He organized for the defeat of Jericho.
g) He organized soldiers for battle by using water.
h) He organized a mission trip.
i) He organized the Israelites for a trip into the wilderness.
j) He organized the rebuilding of the Jerusalem wall.
Messianic Studies
Was Paul the Founder of Christianity? by Avi Snyder
The Messianic Studies column explores the world of the Messianic
Believer. Like the church at large, Messianic Judaism contains
much diversity. It is made up of numerous views as to what it
means to be a Messianic Jew, who we are, what we call ourselves
and what we believe. This column will be used to explore this
variety, giving the reader a broader perspective of Messianic
Judaism than found elsewhere, exposing those of us who are
Messianic Believers to the wide spectrum of practice found
within the movement. Hopefully we will succeed in helping our
Jewish brothers and sisters to understand why we follow Yeshua
as our savior.

We also hope that what is provided here will give our gentile
readers both a better understanding of their Jewish brothers and
sisters in Christ, as well as the Jewish roots of their own
faith.
==================================================================
                WAS PAUL THE FOUNDER OF CHRISTIANITY?         
                            by Avi Snyder
==================================================================

In the past several decades, a particular program of reclamation
has been undertaken by the Jewish people. It does not involve
the rejuvenation of the land, nor the replanting of trees.
Instead, it is the reclamation of one whom many regard as
Israel's greatest native son: the reclamation of Jesus (Yeshua)
of Nazareth as, if nothing else, a Jew who deserves a rightful
place in the history of our people.

However, while we are willing to reclaim Jesus to some degree,
there is another first-century Jew whom we adamantly reject:
Saul of Tarsus, the Apostle Paul. Why the acceptance of the one
and rejection of the other? "Because," some reason, "Jesus was
born a Jew, and he died a Jew. He had no intention of starting
a new religion. His teachings were Jewish, and his life was an
example of fidelity to the faith of our fathers. But Paul, on
the other hand, not only veered away from Judaism, but his
teachings laid the foundation for twenty centuries of 
misunderstanding and abuse from the Gentiles." Or so the
argument goes.

But is the argument accurate and justified? or is it possible
that Paul himself has been the victim of misunderstanding and
abuse? Is it even possible, after nearly two thousand years, to
know with any certainty precisely how Paul regarded us, and
what significance he placed upon his own identity as a Jew?

Yes, it *is* possible to know. We have at our disposal not only
the biographical account provided by his traveling companion,
the physician Luke, but we also have Paul's words. These words
were preserved in the letters he wrote to various congregations
of believers in Jesus throughout Europe and Asia, as well as
his personal correspondence to close friends. From these
primary source materials, an accurate portrait of the man's
attitudes and character emerges.

"I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this
city (Jerusalem). Under Gamaliel I was thoroughly trained in
the law of our fathers..."  Acts 22:3

Commenting upon his early passion for observing the practices in
which he had been trained, he described himself as:

...a Hebrew of Hebrews: in regard to the law, a Pharisee;...as
for legalistic righteousness, faultless.  Philippians 3:5,6

But while en route to the city of Damascus, Saul records that he
encountered one who had claimed to be the promised Messiah of
Israel; one whom the young man Saul had known to have been
crucified by a Roman guard; one whose followers in Jerusalem
insisted had been raised from the dead in fulfillment of
prophecies contained in the Holy Scriptures.

Saul insisted that he encountered the resurrected Jesus of
Nazareth. The meeting irrevocably altered his life:

About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from
heaven flashed around me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice
say to me, "Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?" "Who are you,
Lord?" I asked. " I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting"
he replied. Acts 22:6-8

Then in Damascus, a fellow Jew named Ananias informed Saul of
the work God had in store for him: "You will be his witness to
all men of what you have seen and heard" (Acts 22:15). And so,
Saul, also known by his Greek name, Paul, spent the greater
part of the remaining three decades of his life in foreign
nations where he taught the Greek-speaking Gentiles about the
"Christ" - the "Messiah".

Did his life among the Gentiles eradicate or even lessen his
sense of being a Jew? His words would indicate that they did
not. "I am an Israelite myself," he wrote to the congregation
in Rome, "a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin"
(Romans 11:1). That he continued to identify himself as a Jew
can be seen in the fact that, upon entering each new city, the
place he visited first was the local synagogue, provided a
minyan warranted a synagogue, of course.

In speaking to his countrymen first, Paul followed the precedent
set by Jesus himself who had proclaimed his message initially
and predominantly to the household of Israel, and who had told
his early disciples, "You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and
in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts
1:8). Or, as Paul later put it, "first for the Jew, then for
the Gentile" (Romans 1:16). But this principle of "first for the
Jew" was more than an act of obedience, it was the outworking of
Paul's continued love and concern for the Jewish people. "My
heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites," he wrote,
"is that they may be saved" (Romans 10:1).

But many, though not all, of his countrymen rejected his 
pronouncement, and this caused him no little distress. So deep
was his sadness, that he was constrained to write, "I have
great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish
that I myself were cursed and cut off from Messiah for the sake
of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel"
(Romans 9:2-4).

His sentiments nearly echo the cry of another communicator of
God's revelation to our people and to the world: the prophet
Moses, "Oh, what a great sin these people have committed, "
Moses admitted before the Lord after we had worshiped the
golden calf. "They have made themselves gods of gold. But now,
please forgive their sin - but if not, then blot me out of the
book you have written" (Exodus 32:31-32). Two men, separated by
several centuries, but united in a love for their people that
prompted each to offer his life in exchange for the well-being
of the nation.

But unlike his predecessor Moses, Paul was commissioned to carry
his message primarily to the world at large - to the Gentiles.
In light of Paul's extensive Jewish education, one might
wonder, "Why would God choose a mind like Paul's - a mind so
thoroughly imbued with Jewish law, custom, and thinking - to be
the chief herald of the Messiah among the Gentiles? Why not
pick a Gentile convert to the Messianic movement, one who could
communicate to his own?" At first glance, the selection of Paul
might seem to be a baffling choice, to say the least.

But on closer examination, it needn't seem baffling at all.
Needed was someone who could speak to the Gentiles in a manner
that they could understand, while assuring the faithful
translation of a Jewish message into a Gentile setting. And
Paul was the perfect candidate for the position. He spent his
boyhood in Tarsus, a city in Asia Minor noted as a center of
Gentile culture. Though Paul's father, a Pharisee, would have
kept him from indulging in any of the common pagan practices,
Paul had the opportunity to observe the Gentile culture and
modes of thought. Who, then, could be better equipped to
guarantee the proper transmission of a Jewish message to a
Gentile world than an expert on Jewish law and theology who
also possessed an understanding of the world beyond the
boundaries of ancient Israel? Who, indeed, but Paul.

And a threat existed that only Paul was qualified to check. As
the number of Gentile converts surpassed the number of Jewish
believers in the Messiah, there was the danger that the Gentile
Christians might lose sight of the Jewish origins of their faith
and look upon the majority of disbelieving Jews with disdain.
They might even conclude in ignorance that God was finished with
His ancient chosen people. But Paul, the ardent Jew, by whose
labor these Gentiles had heard of the Messiah, carried the
authority to meet the danger head-on. Only Paul could admonish
them so bluntly: "Do not be arrogant," he warned, "but be
afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches (the
Jewish people), he will not spare you either...And if they do
not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is
able to graft them in again" (Romans 11:20-21,23).

And yet, Paul is often accused of refashioning the Jewish
teachings of Jesus into a pagan religion completely cut off
from its middle eastern origins. Were it not for Paul, some
speculate, Christianity would have either continued to flourish
as a sect within Judaism, or it would have met a natural death
within the embrace of the culture that had first given it life.

There are two problems with this line of reasoning. On the one
hand, it presumes a discrepancy between the teachings of Jesus
and the teachings of Paul. The former is regarded as
authentically Jewish; the latter is regarded as thoroughly
pagan. But an honest investigation of the documents indicates
that no discrepancies are to be found. Instead, we discover a
development of thought, beginning with the teachings of Jesus
and faithfully disseminated by the rabbi from Tarsus to the
Gentile world at large.

Concerning the purpose of the Law, Jesus taught, "These are the
Scriptures that testify about me..." (John 5:39). Paul
reaffirmed this position in his letter to the Galatians where
he wrote, "So the law was put in charge to lead us to Messiah
that we might be justified by faith" (Galatians 3:24).

As for the Law's duration, Paul continued, "Now that faith has
come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law"
(Galatians 3:25). Here again, he merely echoed the teachings
of Jesus: "The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John.
Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being
preached..." (Luke 16:16).

If we accept the Jewishness of Jesus' teachings - and most
Jewish scholars do - then we must accept the Jewishness of the
teachings of his disciple. The Jewish scholar Joseph Klausner
writes, "There is nothing in the teaching of Paul - not even
the most mystical elements in it - that did not come to him
from authentic Judaism." (1)

Many scholars acknowledge that the teachings of Jesus are
distinctly Jewish. But what about Paul? We believe that a
comparison of Tanach, the sayings of Jesus, and the letters of
Paul reveal a distinct harmony. Consider what Paul, Jesus, and
the Hebrew Scriptures have to say about..

I. The Law: a. Tanach - "Oh, how I love your law! I meditate
on it all day long." (Psalm 119:97) b. Jesus - "Do not think
that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not
come to abolish them but to fulfill them." (Matthew 5:17)
c. Paul - "So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is
holy, righteous and good." (Romans 7:12)

II. The Law's Purpose: a. Tanach - "Your word is a lamp to my
feet and a light for my path." (Psalm 119:105) b. Jesus -
"These are the Scriptures that testify about me..." (John
5:39) c. Paul - "So the law was put in charge to lead us to
Messiah that we might be justified by faith." (Galatians
3:24)

III. The Law's Duration: a. Tanach - "The time is coming,"
declares the Lord, "when I will make a new covenant with
the house of Israel and with the house of Judah... I will
put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts."
(Jeremiah 31:31,33) b. Jesus - "The Law and the Prophets were
proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of
the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is
forcing his way into it." (Luke 16:16) c. Paul - "Now that
faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of
the law." (Galatians 3:25)

In the second place, history reveals that the breach between
Judaism and the Messianic movement had already taken place
prior to Paul's new commitment of faith. Tensions with the
local religious authorities had even culminated in the death of
a Jewish believer named Stephen. Paul is implicated in the
aftermath of the matter, but not as a disciple whose teachings
fomented strife. Rather, he is depicted as the Messianic sect's
most ardent adversary. Paul himself concedes as much in a letter
to the congregation in Galatia, "...how intensely I persecuted
the church of God and tried to destroy it" (Galatians 1:13). To
blame the schism on the teachings of Paul is to overlook the
fact that the schism had already occurred.

The actual reason for the schism did not center around any pagan
innovations introduced by Paul, nor did it center around a lack
of harmony between the teachings of the Nazarene and his
apostle. The conflict centered around who Jesus claimed to be.

He claimed to be the Messiah.

Are the teachings of Jesus and of Paul in harmony with each
other? We believe they are. Are these teachings inconsistent
with the teachings of the Hebrew Scriptures? We believe they
are not.

Is Jesus the Messiah? We believe he is. We invite you to
consider the matter for yourself by examining the New Testament
which records his teachings, his assertions, and the prophecies
in the Tanach upon which he based his claims.

------------------------------------------------------------------

(1) From Jesus to Paul, Joseph Klausner, Ph.D., The MacMillan
Co., New York, 1943, p. 466.

Written by Avi Snyder, copyright 1981 by Jews for Jesus, 60
Haight St., San Francisco, CA, 94102. Reprinted by permission.
Anee M'Amin
I Asked God to Show Me the Truth by Robyn Wilk
ANEE M'AMIN is Hebrew for "I believe". Every month this column
will feature the testimony of a Jewish believer in Yeshua
(Jesus). 

==================================================================
                I ASKED GOD TO SHOW ME THE TRUTH
                         By Robyn Wilk
==================================================================

I was raised in New York in a Conservative Jewish home, and I
began to attend Hebrew school when I was seven. My family
celebrated all the Jewish holidays, and I went to synagogue
regularly. When I was twelve we moved to Kansas City, Kansas.
The membership dues at the Temple were so expensive that my
family decided not to attend services any more. We still
celebrated Jewish holidays, but gradually their meaning began to
dim. And I lost sight of who God was.

I went through school not thinking or caring about God. I was
Jewish, and that was all that mattered. My home life was
unhappy, and I looked to alcohol and marijuana to satisfy my
need to feel loved and wanted. I felt that I had no purpose in
life. I even tried to commit suicide a few times, mainly to get
someone to tell me that they cared whether I lived or died.

In 1980 I went to college to pursue a bachelor's degree in
music. To fill my emptiness I got involved with drinking and
partying again. My flute teacher, a professor at the university,
happened to be a Christian, and I noticed something different
about her. She actually cared about me - something I did not
expect.

Then one day a girl in my dorm started to tell me about Jesus. I
didn't let her say much before I jumped in with a few comments
of my own. I said she didn't know what she was talking about. I
was Jewish and that was all that mattered. Her next comment
really made me angry.

She said I would go to hell if I didn't believe in Jesus. What
nerve! I stormed off to my room. How could she tell me that I
was condemned? But then I started thinking about what she had
said. I told God that I believed in Him and that I certainly did
not want to go to hell. Then I wondered if what she had said was
true. I had to find out, and there was only one way. I asked God
to show me the truth, and I promised I would believe in whatever
He showed me. All the while, however, I was hoping with all my
heart that the truth would be Judaism or anything else, except
Christianity!

God answered my less-than-honest prayer. One day in English
class we were all assigned topics for our term papers. My
teacher handed me a slip of paper with the words "How we got the
devil." I stared at it in disbelief. How could that be my
subject? I knew God was up to something. Writing that paper
forced me to read the Bible. When I looked for a Jewish Bible, I
could not find one. I had to buy a complete Bible one with both
covenants. I started to read it and found it fascinating. As I
read more, I started to realize that I had a wrong idea of
Jesus. In late April, Josh McDowell came to campus and spoke on
Evidence That Demands a Verdict, and God started getting through
to me. He really was going to answer my prayer!

A few nights later, I talked to the girl who had witnessed to me
and asked questions for about four hours. When I finally decided
I wanted to accept Jesus, it took me another few hours to say
His name. Finally I asked Him into my heart.

I went back to my room, and a wonderful feeling kept going
through me until I fell asleep. When I awoke, I felt different.
I had a love inside me that had never been there before. I now
knew God in a personal way.

Three weeks later I had the unpleasant task of telling my Jewish
parents. When my dad picked me up from college, I told him I had
become a completed Jew, and that I believed Jesus was the
Messiah prophesied in the Hebrew Scriptures. When we got home I
told my mother, and she literally fell back on the bed in shock.
That summer my relationship with my parents was very tense.

Then during Christmas vacation we all went to Florida to visit
my grandparents. Coming back from a Christmas Eve service, I
forgot to take off a Christian symbol I was wearing that I
should have known would infuriate my Jewish parent. Seeing it,
my family got very angry with me. I went out for a while. When I
came back, my father was waiting for me. He physically dragged
me down the street saying unmentionable things about what I
believed. No one would talk to me, and I felt like I had ruined
my family's life.

A few days later as I swam in the ocean I got stung by a
poisonous man-of-war. Someone called an ambulance and they
pumped adrenaline into me. God used that incident to bring my
parents around to talking to me again. As I lay there close to
death, they realized that they would rather have me alive, even
as a Christian.

The next few years brought ups and downs in my relationship with
my family Eventually my mother forbade me to read a Bible or
pray in her house. Then in April of 1988 I announced to my
parents that I felt God was calling me to be on staff with Jews
for Jesus. My father asked me to go with him to a rabbi and
discuss what I believed. I agreed because I loved him and I
thought this would bring him to a point where he would see the
truth. After two sessions, where the rabbi was convincing my
parents that I was deceived and dishonoring them, I knew I never
should have gone. After that second meeting my parents told me I
was not Jewish anymore. They said I should stop reading the
Bible and see that there was more to life than God. My mother
wrote me out of her will and said I could not come to her house
again as long as I was a Christian. She and my grandmother also
sent me several letters saying I was disgrace to the family.

Yet through it all I am confident that what I believe is true.
Matthew 7:7 says "Ask, and it will be given to you: seek and you
will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." God answered my
prayer when I was seeking for the truth, and He promises the
same to all who come to Him.

Robyn is currently serving with the Liberated Wailing Wall.

(From the JEWS FOR JESUS NEWSLETTER - Volume 2:5752)
The Word for Today
The Word for Today by J.C. Trudel
Scripture has much to tell us regarding how we should live on a
day-to-day basis. The Bible always has a "Word for Today." 
But, the most important words are those that bring salvation to
the sinner. Two words which must be understood to be able to
accept God's gift are Grace and Repentance. In this, the first
of two articles dealing with grace and repentance, God's grace
will be examined. Next month, the need for Repentance will be
explored.

=================================================================
             AMAZING GRACE....HOW SWEET THE SOUND!
=================================================================

Each time I sing the hymn "Amazing Grace," I reflect much on the
times when I did not know about God's amazing grace. Most of my
life I believed what I was taught. I was saved by baptism, good
works, trials, by participating in certain devotions and
rituals. I was told that outside of my church (religion) there
was no salvation.

As a youth, I memorized all the answers of the catechism,
without being sure as to what many answers meant. So many
questions needed so much explanation. The explanations never
came, for the teachers were the products of the same inadequate
teaching I was receiving.

I came to the United States after the death of my father. I
went into the US Air Force for four years. I remember, while in
Okinawa, an old M/Sgt tried tell me about salvation through
God's grace and faith. I brushed him aside abruptly, feeling
that my religion was doing it all for me. I even remember
confessing to the priest that I had gone to a wedding in a
protestant church. He severely reproved me, as this was
consider sinful in those days.

Many years went by. My religious experience was very
monotonous. I never felt the assurance that my sins were
forgiven and that I would go to heaven if I were to die. I
feared death, dangers, thunderstorms, and many other things,
because I never felt free from sin and the guilt of the past. I
feared going to Hell, feeling totally unworthy of heaven.

As many questions remained unanswered, I quietly searched and at
the age of 37, the Lord gave me an interest in reading the Holy
Bible. I read it for many years, and attended Bible studies
where I worked. These were held during the Wednesday lunch
hour. Slowly, but surely, God's Word began to open my eyes.

Reading of Scriptures was forbidden in the church in which I
grew up. I was amazed to read in Acts 17:11, "And they searched
the scriptures daily to see if what Paul said was so."

Then in Ephesians 2:8,9 I read, "For by grace you are saved
through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of
God. Not of works, lest any man should boast."

These verses awakened me to the reality that I could never do
any works sufficient to bring salvation to me. I could never
suffer enough, or be good enough to earn salvation.

I had been visiting my wife's cousin at the hospital and the
poor man was in horrible pain for months. One day, a nun came
by and told his wife, "He sure earned his heaven with all that
suffering." The wife asked me what I thought of that statement
and I truthfully answered, "He could suffer many times what he
has suffered and still not have earned his heaven."

Deep-rooted in the human heart is the idea that we can make
ourselves worthy of heaven. Some believe that we can earn our
salvation, as if God can owe us anything for whatever we do. 
Great numbers refuse to accept God's gift of salvation because
they do not understand what His saving grace is all about.

When asking about the meaning of grace we get a variety of
answers like: "I say grace before meals." Or, "A state of grace
is being without sin." Others would answer, grace is the way
one conducts himself, or the way one walks gracefully. Some
describe grace as the strength God gives during times of trials.

Able Bible teachers speak of "prevenient grace", the Divine
influence which leads one to seek salvation. They describe
effectual grace, that which produces conversion, if not
resisted. Actual grace is that which enables one to live
rightly, resist temptations, and to do one's duty. Habitual
grace is described as the effect of the indwelling Spirit. This
results in a life characterized by the fruit of the Spirit:
Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
meekness, temperance. (Galatians 5:22,23).

But when we speak of saving grace, what is meant is the kindly
disposition in the mind of God, unmerited favor. I was born in
sin, lived out that sin in my life, and therefore deserved
eternal punishment. Yet, in His grace, God gave me the very
best when I deserved the very worst. He gave me salvation
through the shed blood of His only Son Jesus Christ.

It was very hard for me to accept my salvation as a gift due to
my earlier religious training. I had been taught to trust in
works as the basis for my salvation.

Grace is totally independent of man's works and activities,
called the works of "the law" by the apostle Paul. In Romans
3:28 and Galatians 2:16, he makes it clear, "the law" and grace
cannot both be instrumental in our salvation. It's one and not
the other. It's grace.

The law says: We have a work to do. Grace says, It's done.

The law says: A price must be paid. Grace says, All is paid.

The law condemns. Its purpose was to supply a standard of
righteousness. Grace justifies. Receiving Jesus-Christ as our
personal Lord and Savior changes our position from that of a
condemned sinner to that of justified saint. We are acquitted
and declared righteous in the eyes of God. Under the law, we
are servants working for wages. Under grace, we are adopted
sons enjoying an inheritance. (John 1:12,13 and Romans 8:15,16)

Grace is the only way to salvation. Man has not a single thing
with which he can purchase his justification. God cannot lower
His standards to accept what we can offer. We can never measure
up to what God demanded of us. Justification is an act of God's
free grace by which He pardoned all our sins and accepted us as
righteous in His sight. This can only occur when the
righteousness of Christ is imputed to us and received by faith
alone.

If this amazing grace is to be received by faith alone
(Ephesians 2:8,9), then we must have a clear understanding of
what faith is.

Most people, unfortunately, believe that faith means religion, a
body of beliefs. Religion is not always based on God's word,
but teachings which people accept as truths to direct their life
by.

The faith which is often described as the hand which receives
God's gift of salvation is called "saving faith." This is to
exclude it from the other erroneous definitions of the word
faith which have nothing to do with salvation.

Many good definitions of the true meaning of "saving faith" have
been given. Here are a few:

Faith in Christ is a saving grace, by which we receive and rest
upon Him alone for salvation. It depends on accepting Him as He
is presented in the gospel.

Faith is "the act of the penitent only," aided by the Spirit,
and resting upon Christ alone. It is that act, or habit of mind
in the penitent, by which, under the influence of the Divine
grace, he puts his trust in Christ as the only and sufficient
Savior.

Faith is a sure trust and confidence that Christ died for my
sins, that He loved me, and gave Himself for me. It is to rely
on the merits of Christ, that for His sake God is certainly
willing to show mercy to us. It is the flight of the penitent
sinner to the mercy of God in Christ.

It is indeed difficult, in a world that sings "I did it my way,"
to accept that we can't be saved by our own efforts or works. 
Faith is opposed to works, when by works we mean good deeds upon
which a person depends for salvation" (Galatians 3:11).

However, living faith will produce works in the same way a
living tree will produce fruit (James 2:26). People which have
only intellectual faith can remain 18 inches from salvation. 
"Intellectual faith" can only acknowledge that the gospel facts
are true. "Heart faith" means the willing dedication of one's
life to the obligations that those facts entail (Romans 10:10).

Some have presumed that James, in his epistle, was in
disagreement with the apostle Paul's writings on grace. What
James was denouncing was a dead formal faith which is merely an
intellectual assent. Paul was rejecting dead works without
faith. Paul is combating legalism or dependence upon works for
salvation. James was combating antinomianism, the teaching that
it does not matter so much how one lives, so long as he
believes. Paul and James are not two soldiers of Christ opposed
to each other; they are standing back to back, facing enemies
coming from opposite directions.

How often I thank God for His amazing grace, for saving a wretch
like me, for washing away all my sins with the precious blood of
His Son. Daily, I abide in the refreshing shadow of His wings. 
I know my name is written in the Book of Life, and engraved in
the palm of His hands (Isaiah 49:16). His amazing grace brought
the peace that only He can give. He took away all my fears and
the guilt from my past of sin. The Christ that died for me
became the Christ in me as he gave me a new life. Daily, he is
changing me, drawing me closer and ever closer to Him. He
causes me to long for His return, to see Him as He is, and to be
like Him (1 John 3:2). The signs of the times tell me Christ is
returning soon. He is coming to gather His own (1 Thessalonians
4:15- 18 and John 14) as He promised. He will do this, for He
is faithful.

Now you know more about how to be saved and be assured of
eternal salvation. Are you willing to make the boldest step of
your life in the direction of heaven? Jesus said: You must be
born again. He did not say: Try it, you might like it, it's a
good idea. He said, "You must be born again" (John 3:3). You
must receive Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior and trust in
Him alone for your salvation. You must be willing to repent and
to start a new life in Him. He will not fail you and the
benefits are eternal.

If you are serious about being sure of going to heaven when you
die, you can go to a Bible believing and preaching church. 
There ask the pastor, a church elder or deacon, or a good, solid
Christian to assist you in receiving Jesus as your personal Lord
and Savior. Time is short, do not wait too long. Do not say: 
I'll wait until I am older as you may not get older, and Jesus
said He would come as a thief in the night.

If it is impossible for you to go to such a church, you must do
certain things with all the sincerity of your heart. It is
there where God will look to see if you really mean what you are
saying to Him.

1. You must confess to God that you are a sinner. 2. You must
express sincere repentance and ask God to forgive your sins.
3. Tell God that you want the gift of eternal life that Jesus
died to make possible for you. 4. Tell Him that you receive Jesus
as your personal Lord and Savior, and as the Master of your life.
5. Tell Him that you accept His gift of eternal life through Jesus.
6. Thank Him with all your heart for that gift and for the
sufferings and death of His Son which made it possible. 7. Ask Him
to send the Holy Spirit to help you in your new life and to lead
you to new brothers and sisters in Christ.

As you are now "born again," rejoice in the assurance of
salvation in God's grace received by faith. Amazing grace, how
sweet the sound! Don't spend another moment without it. Get an
eternity with God with it.

J. Trudel

Note: Much of this article comes from the Bible and the book
"Knowing the Doctrines of the Bible" by the late Myer Pearlman,
published by Gospel Publishing House, Springfield, Missouri. 
It's a priceless book which I have been studying for a few
years. Therefore I must humbly give him credit for his God-given
wisdom and knowledge, and his labors in writing the book.
SCUD Warnings
SCUD Warnings by Jerry Johnson
S piritual
 C ounterfeits
  U ndermining
   D octrine

W A R N I N G S 

-----------------------------------------------------------------

                             JANUARY 12, 1992

                           Church Bulletin for

                      FIRST CHURCH OF THE GREAT I AM            
                             AND I AM GREAT

                       Opening musical meditation              
                          Organist, Irving Ego

                             "I DID IT MY WAY"

                        Congregational Affirmations

             Hymn # 267  "GLORIOUS THINGS OF ME ARE SPOKEN"

                        Chorus # 82 "I LOVE ME LORD"

                           Offering/Offertory                   
                           Soloist, Ima Best

                  "MY NAME IS THE SWEETEST NAME I KNOW"

                       Congregational Affirmations

                Chorus # 14 "GOD IS SO GOOD (AND SO AM I)"

                           World's Best Choir

                      "JOYFUL, JOYFUL, I ADORE ME"

                                 Sermon                     
                      (Part 16 of a 28 part series)

                              Pastor Feelgood

       EVEN MORE PEOPLE THAT YOU CANNOT LOVE UNTIL YOU LOVE YOURSELF

                              Closing Chorus

        "FATHER (JESUS/SPIRIT/INSERT YOUR NAME HERE) I ADORE YOU"

-----------------------------------------------------------------

HALLELUJAH! PRAISE THE LORD! PASS THE MIRROR!

I freely, readily and happily admit that the bulletin had all
the subtlety of a Mack truck going downhill in fifth gear with
no brakes.

But to be frank, the new emphasis on "self esteem" in and out of
the church is none too subtle: Everywhere you turn, there are
self-esteem classes, books, and videos...and if I hear one more
person say "you can't love anyone until you love yourself," I
WILL SCREAM!!!!!!

OK......I'm feeling better now.

I promise I will try to discuss this in a calm and rational
manner. Did I hear a snicker?

So why am I so obviously opinionated about self-esteem? Am I of
the old school that focuses on the utterly degenerate,
worthless, wormlike state of man? No. Do I have such a damaged
image of myself that I have to project it on others? No, and if
you listen carefully you can hear my friends breaking into
hysterical laughter. Am I blindly rejecting a concept simply
because I have not examined it? No.

So, what's my complaint? Well, in random order, let me share
some observations and thoughts, and then you can draw your own
conclusions.

1) If you watch the talk shows or watch almost any commercial on
T.V., you'll notice that people are encouraged to base their
self-esteem on their talents, abilities, looks, etc. There are
a couple of basic problems with that approach.

First, if you base your self-esteem on something that can be
damaged or taken away in a car crash, you're building your
self-esteem on sand, not a rock (see Matthew 7:24-27).

Second, suppose you were the King of Engineering at your high
school of 2000 students...in fact, you're were so good that you
got accepted at M.I.T. Now, you are at M.I.T. and suddenly,
instead of being King of the Hill, you are in the middle,
spelled a-v-e-r-a-g-e, of a group of geniuses. Then, what
happens to your self-esteem when you are just one of the crowd? 
Your ability hasn't changed, just your peer group. No matter
what your talents or abilities or how gifted you are in them,
eventually someone will come along who is better.

2) Have you ever noticed that when people are asked to describe
themselves, they usually begin by identifying what they do;
accountant housewife, lion trainer, rather than describe their
character or personality? Is it just because that's the easiest
way to describe ourselves, or is it because we have been taught
that what we do is who we are? Psalms 139:13-16 indicates that
God formed us and knew us in the womb. Even then, before we
could DO anything, He was relating to us in love.

God loves us for who we are, not what we do! 

That idea is exciting! Scripture states that God made us for
His pleasure (Revelations 4:11) and that he delights in His
people (Psalms 149:4).

Now, before we get too cocky, we also need to acknowledge that
God didn't HAVE to love us. Let's be honest, we're not THAT
irresistible. But he loves us, knowing us, because of who He
is! What makes one painting a valuable masterpiece while
another adorns motel rooms? Ultimately it is that someone
decided that it was worth a lot of money to them to possess it. 
At one time in Europe's past, tulips were such a rage that a
single bulb of a rare variety sold for $20,000. Try to sell a
bulb for that much today and you'll get a wrap around dinner
jacket and a bus trip to an asylum.

The world is fickle and what is of value one day may be
considered worthless the next and it is that same world that
sets the (ever changing) standard for "self esteem."

The Lord God Almighty chose to love us so much that he paid the
price of His son's blood to redeem us. Our value, esteem, is
based on Christ's price, not our virtues and because of that,
our value will never depreciate. God's market is incredibly
stable!

3) Believe it or not, this is the fourth time I've tried to
write this part. I was having great difficulty in explaining
this point without rambling to a far greater extent than normal.
Then my family and I attended a local Filipino Social Club
Christmas party. As part of the event there were both adults
and children doing both modern and traditional dances and there
was singing and playing of instruments. That is when I noticed
it.

There were some people who were a delight to watch...some were
good, some were not so good, but they put out a great effort and
were fun to watch. Then there were others, some quite able, who
were obviously very concerned about how they looked as they did
their thing. The trouble was, somehow it was very obvious that
they were aware of themselves, and, somehow, that was a
distraction. It was as if we were no longer able to enjoy the
talent displayed, but had to take the feelings of the
participant into account.

That's one of the extremely problematic side effects of the
self- esteem teaching. Self-esteem tends to lead to
self-consciousness which leads to various levels of
self-obsession. Growing up, I was taught a very simple, but
profoundly wise, song in Sunday School. The first line went
like this:

"Jesus, and Others and You, what a wonderful way to spell joy."

The order was the focus of that song, and it is the Biblical
focus.

The people that are described as being self-confident in an
ability usually are NOT focused on how they think they look
while doing the activity...they are too concerned on doing what
needs to be done for the activity to be done well. It's a lot
like trying to walk a straight line in the snow; if you lock
your focus on something in the distance and not get distracted,
the line will be straight but if you are constantly looking
behind to see how you are doing, the line will look like it was
walked by someone with a blood alcohol level of 2.3.

4) Mark 12:30 and 31. "Love the Lord your God with all your
heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. The
second is this; love your neighbor as yourself." This verse,
and its parallels, have been grabbed and now the self-esteem
theology supporters have used it to create a new commandment:
"you can't love others UNTIL you love yourself."

The trouble is, to the best of my knowledge, this is the only
generation that has ever interpreted the verse this way. Why
now? Simple, because that concept did not come from the Bible
of the ages, but from the book "The Art of Loving" by Erich
Fromm which was used in the fifties by pastors as a marriage
manual because there were none written with a Christian focus
and belief structure. What was espoused in pastors' chambers 40
years ago has slowly become part of the mythos of the 20th
century and we have Christians that are believing it today.

So what's the big deal?

First of all, the most basic rule of Biblical interpretation is:
if a verse states something very clearly, don't look for
inferred or hidden meanings. If you take the verse at face
value, you are to love God, period. Then, love your neighbor AS
(you love) yourself. The self-love is assumed as a reality,
not instructed as a commandment. Simple behavioral science
clearly indicates that we all do what we do because, for
whatever reason, desire or need, we WANT to. Due to our sin
nature, we often choose inappropriate ways to try to fulfill our
needs...but we still, at some level inside ourselves, do what we
want.

"But what about suicide...how can that be self love?"

Say you are watching a group of kids playing a pick-up game of
street football. One team is losing and suddenly one child
grabs the football saying, "I don't like the way you are
playing. I'm taking my ball and going home!" Most of us would
consider that child a poor sport and spoiled.

That is basically what someone does when they commit suicide. 
They don't like the way the world is treating them so they take
their ball (their life) and go home. Incidentally, most people
commit suicide in such a way that the person they want to make
feel the worst will find them. Sorry...that may be sad and
sick, but it is the way it is and it IS self love, in the most
sinful sense.

5) So what's wrong with loving yourself?

Let's take a slight trip to the Biblical side of all this:

II Timothy 3:1 "But mark this: There will be terrible times in
the last days. PEOPLE WILL BE LOVERS OF THEMSELVES..." This
list goes on to include being abusive, brutal and slanderous. 
This verse defines the self-love as a sign of terrible times,
not good times. In the Greek, the word "lovers" is philautos,
which is being fond of yourself - the very definition of self
esteem!

So, are we to hate ourselves?

Get real!

We were bought with the blood of Christ! What we need to do is
do just as the verse says and love God first and completely, and
pour out our lives into others.

"Those who would be greatest should be the servant of all." The
person who said they knew what it was like, and look how He
turned out!

Next time: "Make the buck stop here" - a look at the Prosperity
Gospel.
Prayer Guidelines
Prayer and Humility by Michael Wilkinson
Humility - Too often humility is perceived as an attitude of
false subservience. The image of Uriah Heep, from the novel
DAVID COPPERFIELD, springs to mind. Heep was the individual who
constantly bragged of his humility. Humility is the virtue that
when rewarded is lost.

The attribute of humility, from a Scriptural perspective,
requires having an accurate self-image. Humility lacks a good
self-image (see this issue's SCUD column). An accurate
self-image means knowing who one is before God. If a believer
is to pray to the Lord in a meaningful way, then there must be
humility, the presence of an accurate self image.

In this first of a new series on prayer, the relationship
between humility and prayer is considered.

=================================================================
                            PRAYER AND HUMILITY                 
                            by Michael Wilkinson
=================================================================

"And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as
raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be
merciful to me a sinner'" (Luke 18:13). Today, Jesus is seen
more as a friend and ally than a master. As a result, the
strong pleading and affirmation of lowliness, made by the tax
collector, appears strange to some believers. It might be
called outlandish or phony by the scornful. Yet Jesus said that
this man went away justified.

When we pray, we must come to the Lord with humility. This is
true whether our prayer is one of repentance, praise, petition
or thanksgiving. This is not to say that we should come in
trepidation. The scriptures say we may "...come boldly to the
throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to
help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16). The key to our boldness
is the knowledge that God is for us, as we come to receive
grace, acknowledging our need. The humble man or woman freely
acknowledges NEED. We must never forget that we need God. We
can offer Him only repentance, necessary for forgiveness and
fellowship. We can give worship, owed to Him by all creatures.

We praise God and hold Him in awe, for His love bridges the
great chasm between God and man. Humility is simply the
recognition of how vast the separation between God and us was. 
It is accepting we did nothing to bring Him down to us. It is
He who has reached down to us in love and still does. "'For all
those things my hand has made, And all those things exist,' says
the Lord. 'But on this one thing I will look: On him who is
poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at my word'"
(Isaiah 66:2).

Humility is an attitude, a lifestyle, we must practice. Never
pray that God would humble you. That would be contrary to the
admonition of scripture which is "Humble yourselves in the sight
of the Lord..." (James 4:10). Also, you would not want God to
humble you. He humbled the Israelites during the time of the
Judges by giving them into the hands of their enemies (Judges
2:13-23). He humbled Nebuchadnezzar, making him insane for a
time (Daniel 4:33-34). He humbled Zechariah by taking away his
speech (Luke 1:18-20). He humbled Saul of Tarsus by taking away
his sight (Acts 9:3-9). Later Paul was given the mysterious
thorn in the flesh "...lest I be exalted above measure" (2 Cor.
12:7). 

Now God is understanding and would probably not visit such
terrible things upon someone in simple answer to a foolish and
ignorant prayer. Yet, prayer, communication with the almighty,
is a serious matter. God does not want to have to humble
people. He wants to bless us. As servants and children of God,
we want to please Him.

Praying for others is an important part of humility in prayer,
especially if we put the needs of others first. The scriptures
teach us "...in humility, consider others before yourselves. 
Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also
to the interests of others" (Phil. 2:3-4). This is not to say
that prayers for oneself are invalid or less important to God. 
Yet prayers for others are a ministry that is pleasing to God. 
Much praying of this type needs to be done. "And pray in the
spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. 
With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all
the saints" (Ephesians 6:18).

If we are to pray, we must know to Whom we pray. If we pray, we
must recognize our need. Prayer then requires humility, and
accurate self- image. Let us pray for ourselves and others
considering who God is, His love of us and our need of Him.

Keep the faith and keep on praying.

Christian Life Department
People Profile
People Profile
Morning Star Senior Editor, Teresa Giordanengo, conducted this
interview with Peter and Hanneke Jacobs from Irvine, California.
Peter and Hanneke are the founders and directors of Nitelite
Ministries. Two of the hymns they have written are featured in
this month's Music Column, and Nitelite Ministries is featured
in the Ministry Profile section. Peter attended Azusa Pacific
University until he went into full time Christian Ministry and
Hanneke has her BA degree in English from the University of
California.

Teresa: Peter and Hanneke, I am inspired by your music and want
to share it with the whole world. God never makes a mistake, so
when He brought the two of you together, He definitely had a
purpose in mind. Peter, when did you turn your life over to The
Lord?

Peter: In 1969, I gave my life to the Lord, and Hanneke
followed in 1971. Almost immediately, the Lord put us into one
of the first contemporary Christian groups coming out of the
early seventies Jesus Movement, "Children of the Day." We were
only nineteen years old, and had been Christians for less than a
year. But, as we found out, God loves to use young people,
(Jeremiah was only twelve), and that is the basic premises of
our ministry today. 

Teresa: One can readily see that God wasted no time in getting
you both involved in His work. Hanneke, as a busy mother, what
do you remember about those first days in the Lord's work? 

Hanneke: In 197l, Peter was ordained into the ministry, and we
were married in 1972. Our oldest daughter, Christi, was born in
1973, to be followed by her brother Tim in 1975. In 1981, the
Lord brought us a beautiful three-year-old Korean girl named
Aimee, who made our family complete. 

We both taught music at Calvary Chapel's school (K - 8) for
seven years, where we realized the calling on our lives: to use
our musical gifts to teach scriptural truths and lead children
into a deeper relationship with the Lord. We are so thankful
for that time of getting to know children. 

Teresa: Being around children every day, I am sure you could
see the need for good Christian based music especially in
today's society. When did you begin to write your own musicals
Peter?

Peter: In 1984, we began to write and record musicals. During
this time our first children's character, COLBY THE COMPUTER,
was "born". We wanted to teach children, in a creative way,
about the reality of walking with the Lord; topics like: what is
our purpose here?, the importance of love, and prayer, God uses
kids, be doers and not hearers only, and the relevance of the
Bible in children's lives today. Through COLBY and other
characters such as CHARLIE CHERUB, STARVIN' MARVIN AND
NANNYBIRD, we have tried to make learning about God both fun and
natural, showing children that the Bible is relevant in their
own lives today! It never occurred to us that God would take
these characters all over the world! 

Teresa: Now that these characters are all over the world, when
did your Nitelite Ministries begin Hanneke?

Hanneke: Approximately two years ago, the Lord led us to begin
our own ministry. Armed with the prayers of many who joined
with us, we opened a small office in our home, incorporated as a
religious, non-profit organization, and began Nitelite
Ministries. What a blessing this has been! Sometimes it is
difficult to believe what the Lord has done in such a short
time! 

Teresa: Peter I know you play the part of COLBY THE COMPUTER in
full costume. Tell us a little about that.

Peter: COLBY has had many new opportunities and has appeared at
many churches and conventions across the country, from
Anchorage, Alaska, to South Carolina. After the children of each
area study the program, I, as COLBY, go in and perform with
these children, and it is a real blessing. 

In response to a strong call to expand our ministry to teens, we
started a performing ministry group called HEARTSONG. This group
ministers through song, choreography and personal testimonies
year-'round. In addition, it is our desire to help launch young
Christian artists who have a calling to the ministry. As some
of the very talented and committed HEARTSONG teens grow into
their own ministries, we want to be able to use our own
resources to help and support these young people in their early
beginnings. 

Teresa: I have attended two of the HEARTSONG performances, and
I can't thank God enough for those beautiful, talented, young
people, who are willing to go all out for the Lord. Hanneke
tell us more about this part of your ministry.

Hanneke: One of the most life-changing journeys the Lord has
ever guided us into was developing a ministry for and by
teenagers. Never in a million years could we have imagined what
would be in store for us! Many of the young people who sang on
the Colby and Kids' Praise children's tapes and videos had grown
into their teens in 1989, with a desire to minister to their own
age group. The Lord had also strongly put this desire into our
hearts. Beginning with twenty-five talented and committed
teens, no budget, and a church who opened their doors to allow
us to rehearse in their facilities, we gave this project
entirely over to the Lord. But where God guides, He ALWAYS
provides!

Teresa: Where do these young people perform Hanneke?

Hanneke: Within three months, Heartsong was born, and began
singing and sharing their testimonies at churches, camps for
abused children, shopping malls, juvenile halls, and just about
anywhere that people would listen.

Heartsong is a combination of contemporary, mostly original
Christian music, honest testimonies and exciting, high-energy
choreography. The group ministers in our local Southern
California area weekly and goes on approximately one-month tours
each July. 

Teresa: What is the main focus of Heartsong Peter?

Peter: The main focus is to challenge young people as well as
adults to turn their lives over completely to Jesus, and to
trust Him for the outcome, no matter what the obstacles may be! 
These young people share some of the obstacles they've overcome
in their own lives, such as: taking a stand for the Lord in the
public high schools, working through family divorce difficulties
with God's help, deliverance from drugs and alcohol, depression
and suicide attempts, and recovering from sexual abuse. 
Sometimes, as adults, we think that because young people aren't
faced with the overwhelming responsibilities of adult life, they
have it easy. But nothing could be further from the truth! 
Teen suicide is one of the largest killers of our youth today;
drug and alcohol abuse is rampant in even Christian schools, and
there is incredible sexual pressure being placed on our children
today by Hollywood, Madison Avenue and their own peers! Yet we
are finding that teens can minister to other teens in a way
adults cannot.

Teresa: Peter, I noticed after each performance that many
people of all ages went forward to talk to the group. Why?

Peter: The group is eager to talk to others about salvation and
not only has Heartsong changed the lives of the teens who are in
the group, but many people of all ages have committed their
lives to the Lord as a result. Thanks to many prayers and
support, Heartsong was able to tour the Pacific Northwest as
well as several East Coast appearances, including a guest spot
on the 700 Club. Teresa: Television plays a very important
part in our children's lives today. What type of programs are
they watching Hanneke?

Hanneke: As many of you are aware, secular Saturday morning
children's programs offer very little in the ways of morality or
Biblical values; instead, many of these programs are
poorly-cloaked advertisements for New Age, humanistic and
occultic practices. Perhaps Christian children who grow up in
families where parental guidelines do not allow them to view
these programs can distinguish the difference between Biblical
values and worldly values, but children who do not attend church
cannot. It is so necessary for children to be introduced to
high-quality Christian programs which teach Biblical principles!
We believe there is a great mission field ready and waiting for
those children who sit weekly in front of the television on
Saturday mornings! Teresa: Why are there almost no Christian
children's programs Peter? Peter: Secular television is funded
by the commercials advertised throughout the program. And the
big advertising companies will not put advertising dollars into
a "religiously-biased" children's show. Consequently, it is up
to Christian broadcasters to do this. However, Christian
stations are funded through donations, and children do not
donate. Herein lies the problem; In order to create a
high-quality program which will effectively compete with the
secular alternatives, we need funding. It must be understood
that secular children's programs are produced on budgets of
$200,000.00 or more per episode! But by using Christians in the
television industry who have a heart for children, and joining
together with Christian production and broadcasting companies,
we are able to cut the cost down to approximately $300,000.00
for all thirteen episodes! And yet, in these difficult times,
even that amount seems almost impossible. However, we know that
God is faithful, and that it is He who has shown us and many
others this need!

Teresa: Is there a final thought you would like to leave with
our readers, Hanneke?

Hanneke: The time has come to stand united, not only to protest
the secular television influences, but also to provide an
alternative for our children. We need to use the media for
God's Kingdom!

Teresa: Peter, is there a last point that you would like to
leave with our readers?

Peter: I would like to ask all Christians to pray with us about
sponsoring a Biblically-based children's television show and to
pray with us about the timing of this show. The production and
the broadcast opportunities are already opening up through God's
intervention. We need to educate, evangelize and help today's
children find relevance in God's Word ... We need to invest
today in the future of tomorrow's church! 
Education
Moms In Touch International
"Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the
midst of them." -Matthew 18:20

Moms In Touch International is a unique ministry consisting of
small, informal prayer groups (sometimes consisting of only
two), who meet for one hour each week to pray for their
children, schools, teachers and administrators, from preschool
through college. This group is made up of mothers,
grandmothers or anyone who is willing to pray for a specific
child and school.

The purpose of Moms In Touch is to intercede for our children
through prayer, and to pray that our schools may be guided by
biblical values and high moral standards. Their desire is for
God to raise up Moms to intercede for every school across the
United States and around the world. 

These women refuse to tolerate gossip, and are Bible-reading,
born-again Christians who are not afraid to confess their Lord
and their faith in Him. They are often drawn from several
churches in the area. It is not a lobbying group, regardless of
how worthy the cause. Participation in outside political or
social issues must be done solely on an individual basis. Moms
In Touch are women who believe that "prayer makes a difference"!
 

The following is a portion of a letter received by the editors
of Morning Star from John Sipple of Eagle Point, Oregon. We are
publishing it because it is a testimony to the value of the
efforts of Moms in Touch:

"A special group of women, Moms In Touch International, has made
a big difference at our school. It isn't easy for Moms In
Touch. They spend a lot of time in prayer for the kids and us
teachers. They come to our school and confess their
Christianity in front of some very skeptical people. They
prepare food for us, a latter-day form of footwashing. They fear
for their children but step out in faith. Every day, all
Christians are faced with the decision to be Paul the Apostle or
Paul the Tent Merchant. We don't need to have Paul's legendary
strength in faith if we rely on the Body of Christ to help us.
Moms In Touch may be a source of shelter and strength for you.
God knows, it is for me!" - John Sipple

Fern Nichols, founder of Moms In Touch, tells about how it all
began:

In the fall of 1984, while living in Abbotsford, British
Columbia, I found myself with two boys entering junior high
school, and my heart heavy and burdened with concern for the new
world they would be entering. They would be facing their
greatest test in resisting immoral values, vulgar language and
peer pressure. My heart cried out to the Lord, asking Him to
protect them, and enable them to see clearly the difference
between right and wrong, and to make good decisions.

The burden to intercede for my boys was so overwhelming that I
knew I could not bear it alone. I asked God to give me another
mom who felt the same burden, and who would be willing to pray
with me concerning our children and their schools. God heard
the cry of my heart and led me to phone another mom, Linda
Driedeger, who voiced her agreement as I shared my burden. We
also thought of a few other moms we believed would want to pray.
 We called them, and began meeting the following week for prayer.

This was the beginning of what is now known as Moms In Touch
International--moms in touch with God, their children, their
school and one another through prayer. As moms began sharing
what God has been doing in their lives, and in the lives of
their children because of prayer, other groups began to spring
up all over British Columbia. There were groups formed from the
elementary through the high school levels. What a thrill to see
God's plan unfold!

The summer of 1985 brought a change to our family as we moved
from Abbotsford to Poway, California. I soon discovered that
God had given me still greater opportunities for carrying on the
work that began in Canada. I prayed that God would raise up
moms who are willing to "stand in the gap" for their children. 

God has been faithful to send moms who would pray. There are
now Moms In Touch International groups across America as well as
in other countries. 

Let me challenge you to be involved in your child's life through
prayer. See what God can do for your children and their school
when you are faithful to pray on a regular basis.

(The above article is from Moms In Touch International,
Copyright 1987 by Fern Nichols. Used with permission from Moms
In Touch International)

Contact: MOMS IN TOUCH INTERNATIONAL
P.O. Box 1120
Poway, CA 92074-1120
(619) 486-4065
Ministry Profile
Ministry Profile - Nitelite Ministries
Peter and Hanneke Jacobs began their ministry in 1970, at the
age of 19, by writing, producing and singing with the pioneer
Christian music group, "Children of the Day". Together with
several other group members, Peter and Hanneke recorded five
albums and toured extensively both nationally and
internationally. 

In 1978, the Jacobs felt God calling them out of this group and
they began to teach music in a large Christian school. Together,
they taught grades kindergarten through eighth, and worked with
approximately 1200 children. They began a large instrumental
band program which won national acclaim, as well as a 100-voice
children's choir which performed regionally and recorded for
various Christian music labels.

It was during 1984 that Peter and Hanneke began to write and
record children's records and tapes. Initially creating the
popular character of "Colby, the computer", the Jacobs went on
to weave many relevant issues facing children into their
musicals. To date, the Colby series consists of six tapes and
two full-length television videos which are distributed all over
the world. The Jacobs also created the "Nannybird" series which
ministers to pre-school aged children. Many of the Colby and
Nannybird products have been endorsed and featured in Dr. James
Dobson's "Focus on the Family" magazine. 

As the kids from the Kids' Praise and the Colby series, (as well
as their own children) became teens, Peter and Hanneke began to
see a need for teen performing outreach groups. It was as a
response to this need, the Jacobs began the non-profit
organization Nitelite Ministries, and the group Heartsong was
born. This group of talented teens ministers both locally and
nationally, presenting their message in music, testimony and
dance. Training this group of teens became much more than
working on music and choreography; the Jacobs began and are
continuing this work by discipling through Bible studies and
ministry training.

The Jacobs are currently continuing their work of writing and
recording Christian children's audio tapes, and the funding of
the "Colby's Place" television series, as well as continuing
their ministry with the group Heartsong. They also travel
throughout the United States, speaking at various conferences
and music conventions.

Beginning in 1990, Heartsong released their first album and CD
entitled "Heartsong", as well as a one-hour video which has been
broadcast many times on the Trinity Broadcasting Network. In
1991 the group's second album, "Stand Up For God!", was
released. This is a fresh combination of a variety of musical
styles: from pop-rock to rap, from hip-hop to sensitive ballads
and even a stirring patriotic number; this is a great sequel to
the original Heartsong album. Their third album is due to be
released in April of 1992.

The primary purpose of Nitelite Ministries is to build the faith
of children, youth and their families through the gospel of
Jesus Christ, using music, drama, recordings and the media. 
Their goal is to help children and teens understand the
relevance of God's Word for today and to teach them the
principles of Christ-centered living.

This ministry, a Christian organization and nondenominational in
content and application, believes the Bible to be the inspired
Word of God and faith in Jesus Christ to be the only road to
salvation. Nitelite Ministries works closely with many
main-line denominations in the area of children's and youth
ministry, and consequently does not subscribe to any one
particular creed. 

In order to accomplish its goals, Nitelite Ministries seeks
contributions, grants and offerings from individuals, churches
and corporations. This will be accomplished through direct
mailings, love offerings, foundational grants, and other special
fund-raising events.

For more information, contact:
NITELITE MINISTRIES
Peter and Hanneke Jacobs
16 Crockett Street
Irvine, California 92720
(714) 559-0894
Testimony
Whole Counsel Ministires, Inc. by Dr. Charles Wootten
On 27 September 1980 I found Jesus Christ, not only as my Lord
and Saviour, but also as my Healer. You see, God had been
trying to get my attention ever since I left Him when I joined
the Navy. He was able to reach me by literally shaking my life.
I was stuck, in a manner of speaking, at a far corner of the
world. Even if I wanted to do so, I could not leave Izmir, 
Turkey, once known as Smyrna. 

When the first quake came, I was with my wife. Neither of us had
ever experienced one. We thought it was a big rig carrying goods
through town at high speed. When the lights blinked out and we
started rocking, then we knew. The second came a week or so
later. I had been under great stress because of my second
daughter being born three months early at just over two pounds.
My first daughter died of complications from spinal meningitis
years earlier. God had found my switch and He hit it with all of
His power. 

The quake that hit a week later destroyed many villages round
about Izmir and put me into the psychiatrist's office. He put me
on drugs and counseling. All the while I was wondering why
nothing was doing any good. Why I was not able to sleep at
night and would literally jump at the sound of a creaking floor
were unanswered questions. We all thought that I was having
reactions to the two tours in Vietnam. The truth of the matter
is that God was trying to get my attention. The wondering why
nothing was affecting me was His Hand shielding me from
everything but what He wanted. After several months, I was
transferred to the hospital in Naples, Italy.

My wife and daughter were also "stuck" with me. God had arranged
affairs in such a way as not to allow her a way out of a
difficult period, but instead strengthened her prayer life and
her trust in Him. He had allowed them to be in Weisbaden,
Germany, when He got me.

About a year later, on 27 September 1980, I wound up at a Full
Gospel Businessmen's Fellowship International meeting in Naples,
Italy. Bill Pyatt was the speaker and after he gave the
invitation (at least five times) I stepped back into the
Kingdom. I will tell anyone that then I saw the face of Jesus. 
From that very instant I knew I was no longer reliant on
medication and visits to the psychiatrist. I knew that God had
me where He wanted me. Bill later wrote about this in his book,
His Banqueting Table. Incidentally, the doctors were miffed that
I immediately stopped the medication and cancelled all
appointments. I have not been back to a doctor for counseling
since then. He had healed all of my afflictions. I accepted the
baptism in the Holy Spirit ten days later.

By 1981 I was enrolled in the Ft. Wayne Bible College. I was
with them a year and transferred to the Rock Church Bible
Institute, Virginia Beach, Virginia. Simultaneously I was
completing a B.S. in Liberal Arts with the University of the
State of New York with the help of the U.S. Navy. I later was
able to become a certified teacher in the Commonwealth of
Virginia and the Association of Christian Schools International.
The International Seminary (Plymouth, Florida) allowed me to 
complete my ministerial studies with a Master of Ministry
degree, Summa Cum Laude, and a Doctor of Theology degree
(education and administration) also Summa Cum Laude.

Whole Counsel Ministries, Inc., was being formed. At the
Christian Broadcasting Network I learned how to apply Biblical
principles to counseling. Yet, counseling was not to be the main
focus of the ministry, despite the title. I had conducted
formal services, ecumenical and denominational, in Europe,
Africa, the high seas, and in the United States. I had lived and
worked on every major land mass in the world, and have visited
many countries. The chaplain in Naples gave me a certificate
saying that I assisted in establishing a church there.

My wife and I went on to learn how to evangelize, theoretically
and out on the streets in some wicked parts of several cities.
We directed Sunday School and taught in the training classes. I
became a church training director at a Baptist church, and
established home meeting groups to help the church grow. At the
time I was principal of a Christian school and really thought I 
had it made. God was not about to let me rest on my laurels.

On 30 June 1986 Whole Counsel Ministries, Inc., was established
under the law, and in 1991 was granted 501(c)3 status with the
IRS as a private foundation. The ministry has had radio programs
on international and local stations within the United States.
The lack of supporting funds after two years caused us to cancel
although the stations write occasionally saying they miss us.

I signed on as an Adjunct Chaplain at the Sentara Medical Center
Hospitals in Norfolk, Virginia. There the ministry experience
increased a hundredfold during the stay of over two years.
Prison Fellowship Ministries rounded out this phase of learning
after we moved near Petersburg, Virginia, where I accepted a
teaching position in an inner city middle school.

As president of Whole Counsel Ministries, Inc., I felt a release
to start writing. By this time I had published almost 300
articles in journals and newspapers around the world on
shortwave listening and other topics, including education. The
PASE Literary Society allowed publication of my first book, now
somewhere in obscurity. But, it was an encouragement to continue
writing.

Writing is now the focus of Whole Counsel Ministries, Inc. With
the acquiring of a computer in August 1990, the door was wide
open. Within a year I applied for and became a WORDPERFECT 5.1
instructor and have done very well. Currently two churches are
using our services for newsletters and other materials. In the
works is a major newsletter project to involve all the churches
in the local area.

With humility, my wife and I make a good teaching team--a good
ministry together. We have taught groups at church and in home
meetings. We have instructed others in church building, personal
relationships, child rearing, pastoral emergency counseling,
and many other areas of God's counsel too much to be mentioned
here.

Therefore, Whole Counsel Ministries, Inc., our authority is
found in Isaiah 14: 24-27. "The LORD of hosts hath sworn,
saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and
as I have purposed, so shall it stand: That I will break the
Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under
foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden
depart from off their shoulders. This is the purpose that is
purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is
stretched out upon all the nations. For the LORD of hosts hath
purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched
out, and who shall turn it back?" In the Hebrew, the word 
"purpose" also can be translated as advice or counsel, as in
giving advice or giving counsel. When God got our attention,
walked us through the refiner's fire, we knew the raison d'etre
of Whole Counsel Ministries, Inc.

We are to declare His whole counsel, all of His advice, to raise
those who have fallen or have begun to bow under the weight of
whatever circumstance they have found themselves. Our guide is
the Manufacturer's Handbook. Whatever it says about a
situation or problem, then that is the whole counsel of the
matter.

No one can turn back the hand of God, but we sure can live in
the palm of it with confidence.

Dr. Charles A. Wootten
Whole Counsel Ministries, Inc.
6113 River Road Matoaca, VA  23803-8047

America Online contact: "Listener1"
CompuServe contact: 76476,1556
Young Adults
Teen Challenge Training Center
TEEN CHALLENGE TRAINING CENTER, INC.
"Providing the total cure for the whole man"

Following is a true account of a young man who received help and
is experiencing a full life today with the help of the Lord!

JOSE

My name is Jose. I was born in Bronx, New York, but for the
past four years I lived in Puerto Rico. God has delivered me
from twelve years of drug addiction. Praise the Lord! I was
going in and out of jails and finally I had given up hope. 
After serving a few years in jail I was to be sentenced, but my
wife's friend and pastor told me that I wasn't going to stay in
jail because they were praying for me. That was when I first
heard about Teen Challenge. 

At first I did not want to go to Teen Challenge, but something
just kept bothering me. Finally, I told the pastor that I would
try. The very first purpose why I came here was to have Jesus
as my Lord and Savior and "only" God. Because of the Grace of
God, I am now in my sixth month at Teen Challenge and will be
graduating in two months. I want to thank all those wonderful
people who prayed for me and for that special pastor who cared
enough to keep after me, until I accepted the Lord. It is only
God who can perform such a miracle. I am grateful for Teen
Challenge and above all, God's Grace!

(Used with permission from Teen Challenge)

We are happy to hear of how Teen Challenge has helped this next
young man become a new creature in Christ!

BARNEY

Hi, my name is Barney. I was born and raised in a Christian
home and I have known of God all my life. I attended church on
a regular basis and participated in a lot of activities. By the
time I turned sixteen I thought I knew everything. I was an
honor student and was considered one of the youth in the
community headed in the right direction. It was then that the
devil tricked me into thinking I could have the best of both
worlds. I began drinking a few beers and smoking marijuana, but
it wasn't long until that wasn't enough.

By the time I was eighteen I had moved into my own place and was
drinking hard liquor and taking acid. Soon after I began using
cocaine. By the age of twenty-six every dime I could spare I
was buying drugs. Soon after this I lost my place, lost my car,
and practically everything I owned. I was living anywhere that
I could over the next four years and doing whatever was
necessary to support my habit. I did it all.

Then one day my mother sat me down and told me that she still
and will always love me and so does someone else. She told me
that Jesus loved me just as I was. She helped me realize that
as long as I am doing things my way, I will always be missing
something. It was at that moment that I decided to rededicate
my life to the Lord and follow Christ. I have made many
decisions in my life but none has been as important as that. I
thank God for Teen Challenge and I just thank God for accepting
me back into His arms. I will never stray away again!

(Used with permission from Teen Challenge)

Read about Teen Challenge Training Center Inc. in the features
section of this issue of Morning Star.
CFI Reports
CFI Reports
"THE SPIRIT AND THE BRIDE SAY 'COME'"

SHAVUOT (Pentecost) IN JERUSALEM, ISRAEL JUNE 1-4 1992

(A conference for believers in preparation for the coming of the
Lord)

VENUE: JERUSALEM HILTON HOTEL BALLROOM

The feast of Shavuot, more commonly known to believers as
Pentecost, is one of three main Jewish pilgrimage festivals.
Many Jewish men, women and children travelled to Jerusalem for
this feast to worship the God of Israel and they still do today.

We are keenly aware of the dramatic moving of God's Hand in
today's world events, especially as we see the Jewish people
"coming home". We also know that the Lord is preparing a people
from among the nations to be the Bride of Messiah. The Holy
Spirit is beckoning those who are thirsty to come and take the
water of life freely, for the Glory of the Lord will cover the
earth as the waters cover the sea.

Crucial to the believer's end-time blessing is a life of
holiness as we return to our foundation acknowledging the debt
owed to the Jewish people, while recognizing the Jewishness of
the Gospel and the Messiah of Israel. Shavuot is a message of
identification with the Nation and People of Israel, a time of
gathering together in Jerusalem to seek the Lord. It is a time
of praise, worship, prayer and intercession while receiving
in-depth teaching from international Bible Teachers, Pastors and
local Christian leaders living in Israel.

Is God Calling You To Come To Jerusalem?

CONFERENCE SPEAKERS:

Johannes Facius - Lance Lambert - Derek Prince - Local Pastors &
Leaders from Jerusalem (both Jew and Gentile) - Special Speakers
from Overseas.

PRAISE AND WORSHIP TEAM:

A special treat for our oversees participants will be the Praise
and Worship Team from the King of Kings Assembly in Jerusalem.
Mrs. Ann I Hilsden, wife of Pastor Wayne Hilsden is Choir
Director and Coordinator. The Choir ministers year round to many
Christian visitors from among the nations as well as members of
the local congregation in Jerusalem. Members of the choir come
from a variety of nationalities and are involved in a wide scope
of ministries in Jerusalem.

DAILY TEACHING SESSIONS:

We invite and encourage your attendance at the daily teaching
sessions designed to enlarge your understanding of God's
end-time plans and purposes for Israel. Many of our speakers
are residents in Israel and leaders of congregations.

TENTATIVE SESSION TOPICS TO BE PRESENTED:

PREPARING FOR MESSIAH'S COMING: LIFT UP YOUR HEADS (Rev. 1:7)
THE FEAR OF THE LORD: THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM (Prov. 1:7)
JUDGMENT: BEGINNING AT THE LORD'S HOUSE (I Peter 4:17) THE DAY
OF THE LORD: WILL YOU BE ABLE TO STAND? (Rev. 3:3) FAITH: WILL
IT BE FOUND WHEN HE COMES? (Luke 18:8) THE DESTINY OF ISRAEL AND
THE CHURCH (Romans 11:18) THE INGATHERING OF ISRAEL: HER FINAL
REDEMPTION (Zech. 13:9) A GLORIOUS BRIDE: HOLY AND WITHOUT
WRINKLE (Eph. 5:27) THE EARTHLY JERUSALEM: FADING INTO THE
ETERNAL (Psalm 46:4) YESHUA: RABBI, REDEEMER AND LORD (Isa. 47:4)

SPECIAL AFTERNOON SESSION TOPICS:

THE BRIDEGROOM COMETH: ARE YOU READY? (Matt. 25:10) SHOW ME THY
GLORY: A PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH GOD (Exodus 33:18) LORD, TEACH
US TO PRAY (Luke 11:1) 

JERUSALEM PRAYER WATCH: The Thursday afternoon session will be a
time of teaching on prayer and intercession followed by a trip
to selected strategic locations around Jerusalem for specific
prayer. It is vitally important for Christians to understand how
to effectively pray for the many needs in the Land of Israel
today. This session will focus on crucial issues of vital
concern for all believers.

WALL OF PRAYER FOR ISRAEL: During the Conference you will have
an opportunity to sign up to be linked with a city, town,
village, kibbutz or moshav in Israel for which to pray.

SPECIAL SHAVUOT DINNER: For all fully registered conference
participants, there will be a special Israeli Shavuot dinner on
Thursday evening.

COMMUNION SERVICE: During Shavuot we shall partake of breaking
of bread together on the closing evening. Local believers will
join us.

SPONSORSHIP: The Conference is being presented by Christian
Friends of Israel. The Coordinators are Ray and Sharon Sanders,
of the CFI Jerusalem Office. CFI's Israel Executive Council,
which consists of Pastors from local congregations and Leaders
in Israel, serve to give the overall Conference leadership and
direction.

 PROVISIONAL PROGRAM:

MONDAY JUNE 1

3:00-5:00 PM - Pre registration at the Jerusalem Hilton Hotel
7:30 PM - Opening Evening of Conference

TUESDAY JUNE 2

9:00-10:30 AM - Session 1 11:00-12:30 PM - Session 2
2:00-4:00 PM - Special Session 7:30 PM Evening Service

WEDNESDAY JUNE 3

9:00-10:30 AM - Session 3 11:00-12:30 PM - Session 4 2:00-4:00
PM - Special Healing Session 7:30 PM - Evening Service

THURSDAY JUNE 4

9:00-10:30 AM - Session 5 11:00-12:30 PM - Session 6 2:00-3:00
PM - Prayer and Intercession 3:30-5:00 PM - Prayer Watch 6:00 PM
- Shavuot Dinner and Communion Service

WE IN JERUSALEM, INVITE YOU TO BE WITH US!

-----------------------------------------------------------------

REGISTRATION FORM

"THE SPIRIT AND THE BRIDE SAY, 'COME'" A CELEBRATION OF SHAVUOT
(PENTECOST) Jerusalem Hilton Hotel Ballroom JERUSALEM, ISRAEL
June 1-4 1992

PLEASE PRINT: Names(s): (Circle where appropriate)

Rev./Mr./Mrs./Miss ___________________________________
Rev./Mr./Mrs./Miss ___________________________________

Address: _____________________________________________
Country: ______________________ Post Code: ___________

The Overseas Registration Fee for those NOT staying at the
Jerusalem Hilton Hotel is $120 US per person or Foreign Currency
Equivalent and includes the following:

Full conference participation of four evenings and three days.
Three morning coffee breaks during the conference. Closing
evening Israeli Shavuot dinner with Communion Service. Special
afternoon sessions including Jerusalem Prayer Watch. Complete
conference program with maps and information on Israel.
Translation facilities for languages other than English.

Special Conference Package: For those conference participants
staying at the Jerusalem Hilton Hotel the price is $300 (U.S.)
per person or Foreign Currency Equivalent. This includes all of
the above plus four evenings at the Hilton at Half Board.

Audio cassette tapes of the evening programs and daily sessions
will be available for sale during the conference.

I enclose the full Registration Fee of $_________ U.S. (or
F.C.E) per person made payable to Christian Friends of Israel.

Total enclosed: _________

Signed: __________________________________________

 Please send this form with your registration fee to the
appropriate CFI Branch Office or to:

Christian Friends of Israel P.O. Box 1813 Jerusalem, 91015 ISRAEL

_________________________________________________________________

 WATCHMAN'S PRAYER LETTER January 1992

"I will take my sword to watch & station myself on the tower" 
(Habakkuk 2:1)

Intercession is like someone running in between God and a
person, city or place. The praying people of the Bible were
intercessors. Abraham pleaded for Sodom and Gomorrah. Samuel
prayed all night for Saul. David entreated for his people. Paul
was an example of his own exhortation "that supplications,
prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men".
The Lord Jesus prayed for His disciples. God's delivering mercy
depends upon intercessors, who will put their shoulder under the
burdens of others. Israel and the Jewish people need us, now
more than ever, to help carry the many burdens of the hour.

Russian and Soviet Presidents have decided that the Soviet Union
will formally cease to exist by January 1, 1992, and will be
replaced by a new Commonwealth of Independent States. The red
flag will be lowered. However, there is much concern that the
armed forces, increasingly tired of the political chaos gripping
the country, could take control in a bid to restore order.

EARNESTLY PRAY that Russian Jewry discern the right to leave
Russia. The gates of brass will one day likely hard. Ask God to
lead them with His glorious arm, in the way they should return
and that they might know the road to take to get home." That led
them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm, dividing
the water before them ..." (Isaiah 63:12). "Set up road signs;
put up guideposts. Take note of the highway, the road that you
take. Return, O Virgin Israel, return to your towns ..."
(Jeremiah 31:21,22).

PRAY that the Soviet Jews will not trust in a new interstate
structure nor any arm of flesh to protect and save them from
harm but in Almighty God alone. "Our fathers trusted in thee:
they trusted, and thou didst deliver them." (Psalm 24:4).

CLAIM THE PROMISES that when the Lord says "Come forth and flee"
that Russian Jewry will have ears to hear and recognize the
Lord's voice. "Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the
north saith the Lord ..." (Zechariah 2:6).

REVERENTLY AFFIRM GOD'S PROMISES of the hope He has promised to
the children of Israel that they come again to their own borders
and that He would the increase to them afterwards. "And there is
hope thine end, saith the Lord, that thy children shall again to
their own border." (Jeremiah 31:17). "The shall increase you
more and more, you and your children." (Psalm 115 :14) .

PREVAIL WITH GOD that His Mighty Hand will bring His people
back. "And bring you out from the people ... with a mighty hand,
and with a stretched out ..." (Ezekiel 20: 34) .

PLEAD for safety and protection for the "ships of Tarshish"
which the Christians the nations are sponsoring to bring
Israel's sons from afar. (Isaiah 60:9)

Recently Sephardi Chief Rabbi Mordechai Eliahu called on all
diaspora Jews to make aliya as he kindled the Hanukka lights in
Jerusalem. "... I will save my people from the east country and
from the west country." ( Zechariah 8:7 )

INTERCEDE for the call of God to reach the ears of all Jews
outside of Israel that are destined to come home to Israel. "I
will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; will surely gather
the remnant of Israel ... they shall make great noise by reason
of the multitude of men." (Micah 2:1) "Yea, though they have
hired among the nations, now will I gather them ..." (Hosea
8:10).

DECLARE that the powers of darkness will not impede the great
aliyah yet to come which heralds the coming of Messiah. Pray the
arrows of the Lord's deliverance strike at any attempt to stop
the return of the Jewish people.

Signs of a growing feeling that the time has come to leave
Yugoslavia, now a war-torn land, brought sixty Yugoslav Jews to
Israel last month. Eighteen percent of the Yugoslav population
is currently unemployed and the economy on the verge of
collapse. An economic crisis will affect the Jews in the
country.

BESEECH GOD to set His eyes upon the Jewish people for good and
praise Him for those who have already come home. "For I will set
mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to
this land ..." (Jeremiah 24: 6).

Chief of Staff Lt.-General Ehud Barak recently reported: "Syria
has a larger chemical capacity than Iraq and it is showing
increased interest in nuclear capability. Iraq still has
hundreds of Scud missiles, and if Saddam Hussein remains in
power, the countdown for production of a nuclear bomb will begin
again."

FERVENTLY INTERCEDE for the Lord to make bare His Holy Arm and
that he be exalted above the nations who oppress and hate
Israel. Trust in the Lord that He is able to break the strength
of the wicked. "Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under
the shadow of thy wings, from the wicked that oppress me, from
my deadly enemies, who compass me about." (Psalm 18: 34). "Thou
shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the
Lord shall swallow them up in his wrath, for they intended evil
against thee ..." (Psalm 21:9,11).

PRAY that the Lord will cause Israeli soldiers hands to be
girded with strength to face the coming challenges ahead of
them. "He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is
broken by mine arms." (Psalm 18:34). "For thou has girded me
with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those
that rose up against me." (Psalm 18:39).

LAY HOLD of God's Promises to Israel that even if combined
thousands in Arab countries set themselves against Israel, that
they need not fear. "I will not be afraid of ten thousands of
people, that have set themselves against me round about" (Psalm
3:6). "And He shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and
shall cut them off in their own wickedness; yea, the Lord our
God shall cut them off." (Psalm 94:23).

Recently rain was recorded as the highest on record in Israel
for 50 years. The coastal plain was hardest hit by the recent
storms. In some areas more than 200 mm. of rain was reported in
seven days and in some the figure approached - or even exceeded
300 mm.

GIVE THANKS for the abundance of rain the Lord has already sent.
"Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp
unto our God: who covered the heaven with clouds, who prepareth
rain for the earth ..." "Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of
the latter rain: so the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give
the showers of rain ..." Psalm 147:8; Zechariah 10:1).

BESEECH GOD to rain righteousness upon the Land. The plowing of
unrighteous has caused moral decay. Pray for a cleansing and
restoration throughout the Land." Sow to yourselves in
righteousness, reap in mercy ; break up your fallow ground: for
it is time to seek the Lord, till He come and rain righteousness
upon you. Ye have plowed iniquity ..." (Hosea 10:12,13).

You that are the Lord's remembrancers, take no rest and give Him
no rest until He establish Jerusalem as a Praise in the earth.

Sharon Sanders
CHRISTIAN FRIENDS OF ISRAEL
Street Address: 1 Rechov Natan Hanavi
P.O. BOX 1813, JERUSALEM, 91015 ISRAEL
TEL: 972-2-894172, 894187; FAX: 972-2-894955
Praise and Prayers
Praise and Prayers
PRAISE REPORTS:

K.A. from California thanks the Lord for supplying abundantly
for her family.

Daryl gives thanks for the salvation of his uncle who is in
prison. (Please see the Letters section in this issue)

PRAYER REQUESTS:

Al from Texas asks for prayer for some of his family members. 
Two armed men entered the house of his aunt and began shooting. 
One cousin was killed and another injured. His Aunt Myra is in
critical condition having been shot in the head. Pray for their
salvation also.

Continue praying for Thelma from Tennessee for her heart
condition.

Pray for Wayne and family from New Jersey whose wife went on to
be with the Lord.

Pray for Dave who was shot in the head close range with a blank
from an M-16. He is also looking into a new job in the spring,
and wants God's guidance on it and on all the other things going
on in his life.

Pray for Mike whose wife needs victory over drugs and alcohol.

Pray for Bob who is currently unemployed, having left a position
as a Church Administrator in October, and who is now attempting
to reenter the non-ministry sector and serve Jesus in the work
force. He needs the Lord's direction and guidance as to the Job
and location that He would have for him.

Pray for Rose whose family is having financial problems. Pray
also that the family is brought closer together as they are
having difficulties.

Pray for our sister "B" and her step daughter. She and her
husband have not seen the girl in 6 years due to legal problems
with the mother who is also an alcoholic. Pray for this woman
too that Jesus delivers her from that bondage and gives her a
change of heart. 

Pray that Harry from Indiana gets this job in New York.

Pray for Ron in Florida who has financial needs and a job.

Pray for Rob from Pennsylvania who wants to spend more time with
his family. He also needs prayer concerning a sensitive
situation at work involving an employee who is having problems.

Rob's grandfather from Massachusetts needs prayer due to a
gallbladder condition and also has been diagnosed as having
multiple myeloma, a leukemia-like condition. Pray for his
salvation also.

Pray for Peg from Pennsylvania who needs to be set free of fear.

Pray for Dan in Alabama who is going through a series of tests
at the hospital.

Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem!

Robert from Louisiana needs prayer in making a decision
concerning his job.

Fran from Illinois asks for prayer for a broken arm and also for
her marriage.

Tom from New Jersey needs prayer for his confusion in doctrine
he has been taught.

Pray for Joe from Pennsylvania for salvation.

Pray that the Lord will give Wayne from Pennsylvania the desires
of his heart.

A friend of CC in Texas needs a clarification of The Word and
possibly her pastor needs to learn the truth.

Steve from New Hampshire for direction in his life for a job.

Pray for Jack from Georgia who is in physical therapy in
California.

Pray for Mae in Florida who is very ill.

Pray for Lesa from Maryland who was in an auto accident three
months ago and is still not faring well.

Pray for healing for S.B. in Ohio. After years of testing, it
has been determined that she has Multiple Sclerosis. She is
believing God for complete restoration.

Pray for healing for C.B. in Pennsylvania, who has been
diagnosed with lung cancer.

Pray for T.K. from Yuma Arizona who is putting a new Christian
radio station on the air. They need financial support badly to
get on the air by Feb 1st. Pray that the necessary funds will
come in.
Music
Music
The hymns for this month are only two of many hymns written by
Peter and Hanneke Jacobs. Read more about the Jacobs' ministry
work in this month's People Profile section. 

REACH OUT By Peter and Hanneke Jacobs 

Sometimes I get so involved in myself,
That I'm out of touch with everyone else.
I come down so low, thinking how bad I feel,
And my own confusion is all that seems real.
But if I'll just let God, He will open my eyes,
To see pain in others that's much worse than mine.

I want to reach out in Jesus name,
To touch someone's heart and heal someone's pain.
I want to reach out, and as I do
Then God will heal my heart too!

Sometimes it seems like nobody cares,
And when I call out, it's like God isn't there.
But deep down inside, I know I'm looking within,
When I should look up and focus on Him
So when all the doubts come, I'll turn a deaf ear,
'Cause God has a reason why I am here.

I want to reach out in Jesus name,
To touch someone's heart and heal someone's pain.
I want to reach out, and as I do
Then God will heal my heart too!

Oh, Lord give me eyes to see
The work that you have for me!

(1990 Joyful Heart Music ASCAP. All Rights Reserved. Used by
Permission. International Copyright Secured)

As a result of the following testimony of Micki Folmar, Peter
and Hanneke Jacobs wrote the lyrics to the song, "Reach Out"
from Heartsong's Stand Up For God album. We hope it will
minister to you as well!

A CURE FOR LONELINESS

By Micki Folmar

(Editor's note: Micki is a sophomore at the University of
California at Irvine and one of the original members of the
Heartsong musical group. God has really used Micki to minister
to young people and we are happy to share her testimony with you
today. Micki's testimony is from the newsletter of Nitelite
Ministries based in Irvine, California. Peter and Hanneke Jacobs
are the Directors.)

"I want to tell you about a lesson that I learned in my life,
especially over the last year or so, about reaching out to
others. It's not that I was a selfish person or that I just
didn't feel like doing anything nice for anybody, but I was
really, really lonely. I was a Christian, and I always knew
that God was there for me, but sometimes, I felt like it wasn't
enough. It seemed that none of the people around me really
cared, so why should God care? I didn't have good family
relationships, and I wouldn't let myself get close to my
friends. And it's just ... a terrible feeling!

Probably a lot of you have felt the same way, like when you sit
in your room and think to yourself, "Why am I here?" or "I wish
somebody would call me; somebody please call me!" But the phone
never rang. And so I'd go downstairs to my family, but they
just didn't understand. That was a sick, sick feeling! It's
just like saying, "I am so alone. Why am I here?" But I'm here
to tell you: I found the solution to that emptiness...

Recently at my church, our pastor was saying that "every single
life counts. Every single life has a purpose." And, he showed
us a little clip about someone who felt like his life had no
purpose. And I thought, "That's exactly how it is when you feel
so alone." You think you don't have a reason to exist. Well,
chances are, if you're sitting in your room feeling sorry for
yourself, you're not gonna find out. I felt like the Lord was
telling me: "If you want to count, why don't you make yourself
count?"

So I decided I was going to focus on reaching out. If I feel
lonely, other people must be feeling that way too, so I'm going
to try to make them feel better! You know, they say that the
more love you give, the more love you get, and it is so true. 
God fills you up with His love, then you give that back to the
people around you, and they give it back to you; then it starts
all over again!

I've been trying to help other people out of the position I was
in, and God has blessed me so much with that. He has given me a
sensitivity to the needs of others around me. I'm no longer
sitting in my room ... my phone rings now, (when I'm not calling
others) and I'm amazed! Last week, someone came up to me and
said, "You know I'm really glad that you're always there to talk
to me." And I thought back on how things used to be, and I
thought, "God is using ME! I DO have a purpose!"

"GIVE, AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN UNTO YOU..." LUKE 6:3

HOW EXCELLENT YOUR NAME from Psalm 8

Chorus: Oh Lord, our Lord, how excellent Your name is,
How excellent Your name in all the earth,
Your glory fills the heavens,
Beyond the farthest star,
How excellent Your name in all the earth.

When I think about the heavens,
The moon and all the stars,
I wonder what you ever saw in me,
But you took me, and you loved me,
And you've given me a crown,
And now I'll praise Your name eternally.

The words and music to "How Excellent Your Name" were written
by Peter Jacobs. Peter, as "Colby the Computer" on recordings,
sings this song with the children. One can readily sense that
this music is God-inspired and comes straight from the heart. 
When sung by Peter and the children, we can't help but feel as
Luke 10:27; Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and
with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself. Information on
Nitelite Ministries is the Ministry Profile of this issue of
Morning Star. For further information contact:
Nitelite Ministries
16 Crockett Street
Irvine, California 92720
(714) 559-0894
Chef's Corner
Chef's Corner
The following recipes were submitted by men who like to cook. 
They are very fine cooks too!

 BASIC TOMATO SAUCE

2 large cans Italian plum tomatoes (2 pound cans)
2 small cans of tomato paste
1 cup water
2 large peeled thinly sliced onions
5 cloves finely minced garlic or 1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon sweet basil
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup olive oil

Run tomatoes through food processor or chop in blender for a
few seconds and reserve. In a large saucepan, saute onions and
garlic in olive oil until soft. Add salt, pepper, oregano,
basil, and stir. Add tomato paste and water. Bring to a simmer
for 10 minutes. Add milled or blended peeled tomatoes and sugar. 
Bring to a slow boil, then simmer over low heat for 2 to 3
hours, stirring occasionally. This sauce may be used for any
pasta or rice dish that calls for tomato sauce. 

VARIATIONS: You may add browned sausage, meatballs, chunks of
beef, chicken pieces or pork chunks in any combinations for the
last hour of cooking in sauce. These meats are served along
with the pasta for a complete hearty meal.

From Dr. Charles A. Wootten
Whole Counsel Ministries Inc.
Matoaca, Virginia

------------------------------------------------------------------

SALSA PIZZAIOLA

This recipe for this distinctive sauce is Neapolitan in origin,
and may be used to make pizza, steak pizzaiola, or spaghetti.

2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 pound ripe tomatoes (or 1 pound can peeled tomatoes)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon oregano
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon chopped parsley

Crush the garlic and peel the tomatoes. Put the oil and crushed
garlic into a sauce pan and cook over a low heat for several
minutes. Chop peeled tomatoes into fairly large pieces and add
to pan with salt and pepper. Cook briskly for 5 minutes, until
the ingredients have softened. Stir in oregano and parsley and
use as desired.

From Dr. Charles A. Wootten
Whole Counsel Ministries, Inc.
Matoaca, Virginia

------------------------------------------------------------------

POLENTA (made in a microwave oven)
Delicious topped with Dr. Wootten's tomato sauce!

Mix the following in a round or glass bread dish:

Mix well: 1 cup corn meal, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 cup cold water

Add 2 cups boiling water and stir well. Cover and microwave
for 5 minutes. Remove and stir until all lumps are gone. 
Cover and microwave for 5 more minutes and remove and stir well
again. Cover and microwave 5 minutes. Remove and it is ready
to eat. 

For variation: Top with tomato sauce and grated Parmesan or
Romano cheese, or melt your favorite cheese on top, or just add
butter and it is ready to eat, or slice it down and brown in 
butter, or add bits of warm ham or sausage. Yield: 2 servings

From Joshua Marmo
Washington, Pennsylvania

------------------------------------------------------------------

BAKED BARBECUE CHICKEN
A fast and easy way to get that grilled-all-day barbecue flavor.

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed french onion soup
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Dash hot pepper sauce
3 pounds chicken parts

In small bowl, combine all ingredients except chicken; stir to
dissolve sugar. In lightly oiled 2-quart baking dish (12 x 18
inches) arrange chicken skin side down. Bake chicken at 400
degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes. Spoon half the sauce over
chicken; bake additional 15 minutes.. Turn chicken; spoon
remaining sauce over chicken. continue baking 15 minutes more. 
Serve with remaining sauce. Yield: 6 servings. From Bob
Hughes Houston, Pennsylvania

------------------------------------------------------------------

BUNDT PAN BISCUITS
Simple but so good!

3 tubes of biscuits (10 in each)
8 tablespoons (1 stick) melted butter

in bundt pan Sprinkle poppy or sesame seed in butter; 
put in the biscuits one at a time, standing each of them up
and slushing them up next to the other to get the butter in
between until all biscuits are in the pan in one layer. ( If
they are too close, move them apart a little.) Bake as directed
on package, adding a few minutes due to quantity. Invert onto
a plate and pull apart to eat. For variety, use brown sugar and
nuts instead of the seeds. Yield: 30 biscuits

From Ross Worstell
Canonsburg, Pennsylvania

------------------------------------------------------------------

EASY APPLE BUTTER

Mix together into a crock pot :

7 cups of apple sauce
2 cups of apple cider (not juice, but cider)
1-1/2 cups honey
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground allspice

Cook on low heat for 14 - 15 hours. Yield: about 3 pints,
perfect for canning!

from Steve Paulovich
Derry, New Hampshire

------------------------------------------------------------------

EASY FUDGE (microwave)
Sweet tooth anyone!

3 - 6 oz. packages semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 can Eagle brand condensed milk
dash of salt

Heat in heavy pan until chocolate chips are melted. (stirring
constantly) OR microwave (covered) about 4 minutes.

Add: 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups nuts

Spread into buttered 8x8 pan and chill (about 2 hours)
Cut as desired and store in airtight container at room temperature.

From Pete Mastrangelo
Canonsburg, Pennsylvania
Potpourri
Potpourri
CHRISTIAN STEWARDSHIP

"God's People Using God-given Resources to Accomplish
God-given Goals"

In the parable of the talents found in Matthew 25, three men are
entrusted with varying degrees of money. Two of them work hard
in their master's absence and double their master's money. Upon
his return, they are commended for their stewardship and given
increased responsibilities. A third man does nothing with the
money entrusted to him. At his master's return, he is called
wicked and lazy. The money given him is taken away and he is
punished. This passage highlights two basic principles of
Christian stewardship:

God is the true owner of a Christian's time, talent and
resources.

* As owner, He exercises the rights of ownership: a steward only
fulfills the responsibilities of management.

* The goal of our stewardship is to hear God say, "Well done,
good and faithful servant."

* The amount of our stewardship is not important; what was
important in the passage was not "how much," but "how well."

Christians ought to be committed to managing these resources in
such a way as to please God and further His work.

* Someone has defined Christian Stewardship as, "God's people
using God-given resources to accomplish God-given goals."

WE ARE IN A GROWTH PROCESS

As servants (literally "household managers") of God, we are
continually learning how to be better stewards of the resources
He has given us. In this growth process, God uses our
stewardship of money in three ways:

* God uses money as a tool to teach us to be content in whatever
circumstances we find ourselves (see Phil. 4:11-12).

* God uses money as a test to help us see how faithful we are
(see Luke 16:10-12).

* God uses money as a testimony. The way we handle money can be
an eloquent statement to a non-Christian world of His grace in
our lives (see Matt. 5:13-16).

All of us need to recognize that we are simply "resource
managers," working together with God for the advancement of His
kingdom. As we develop such a mindset, the specific financial
decisions we make on a daily basis will become more and more a
reflection of God's will. In that way, we will all "grow up into
Him who is the Head."

By Andy Neillie
Southwest Stewardship Planners
(From JEWISH VOICE Prophetic Magazine)

_________________________________________________________________

GOD'S BEAUTY IN A DAY

The dawning of a morning,
The dewdrop on a rose,
There the sunbeams come to rest
Such beauty they compose. 

The birds they go from branch to branch
They sing the sweetest song.
The sun is now but overhead
The day is passing on.

We look into the water
There's a picture of the sky.
Oh, what marvelous beauty!
As the clouds go passing by.

But now the sun is in the west
The day is but goin' by.
Then we look into the heavens
The stars are in the sky.

The moon in all it's brightness
Sends forth a silvery light.
As we walk along the valley
The day has turned to night.

Oh, what marvelous beauty!
We can see it in a day
If we take our Savior with us
He will lead us all the way.

By John (Jockie) Smith

COURAGE TO STAND ALONE 

In the day and age we are living we need true believers in
Christ who:

* have God-given courage and strength
* will dare to be different and make their lives count
* will not compromise and conform, even in the face of extreme
  pressure and persecution
* will dare to stand alone, if need be
* will not deny their faith in the Lord or compromise His Word, but
  will totally live for the Lord!

Used with permission. From Bill Rudge Ministries 

 WHAT IS A COP?

Cops are human (believe it or not) just like the rest of us. 
They come in both sexes but mostly male. They also come in
various sizes. This sometimes depends on whether you are
looking for one or trying to hide something. However, they are
mostly big. 

Cops are found everywhere-on land, on the sea, in the air, on
horses, in cars, sometimes in your hair. In spite of the fact
that "you can't find one when you want one," they are usually
there when it counts most. The best way to get one is to pick
up the phone.

Cops deliver lectures, babies, and bad news. They are required
to have the wisdom of Solomon, the disposition of a lamb and
muscles of steel and are often accused of having a heart to
match. He's the one who rings the doorbell, swallows hard and
announces the passing of a loved one; then spends the rest of
the day wondering why he ever took such a "crummy" job.

On TV, a cop is an oaf who couldn't find a bull fiddle in a
telephone booth. In real life he's expected to find a little
blond boy "about so high" in a crowd of a half million people. 
In fiction, he gets help from private eyes, reporters and
"who-dun-it-fans". In real life, mostly all he gets from the
public is "I didn't see nuttin'."

When he serves a summons, he's a monster. If he lets you go,
he's a doll. To little kids, he's either a friend or a
bogeyman, depending on how the parents feel about it. He works
"around the clock," split shifts, Sundays and holidays, and it
always kills him when a joker says, "Hey, tomorrow is Election
Day. I'm off, let's go fishing" (that's the day he works 20
hours.)

A cop is like the little girl, who when she was good, was very,
very good, but, when she was bad, was horrid. When a cop is
good, "he's getting paid for it." When he makes a mistake,
"he's a grafter, and that goes for the rest of them too." When
he shoots a stick-up man he's a hero, except when the stick-up
man is "only a kid, anybody coulda seen that."

Lots of them have homes, some of them covered with ivy, but most
of them covered with mortgages. If he drives a big car, he's a
chiseler; a little car, "who's he kidding?" His credit is good;
this is very helpful, because his salary isn't. Cops raise lots
of kids, most of them belong to other people.

A cop sees more misery, bloodshed, trouble, and sunrises than
the average person. Like the postman, cops must also be out in
all kinds of weather. His uniform changes with the climate, but
his outlook on life remains about the same: mostly a blank, but
hoping for a better world.

Cops like days off, vacations, and coffee. They don't like auto
horns, family fights, and anonymous letter writers. They have
unions, but they can't strike. They must be impartial,
courteous, and always remember the slogan "At your service." 
This is sometimes hard, especially when a character reminds him,
"I'm a taxpayer, I pay your salary." 

Cops get medals for saving lives, stopping runaway horses, and
shooting it out with bandits (once in a while his widow gets the
medal). But sometimes, the most rewarding moment comes when,
after some small kindness to an older person , he feels the warm
hand clasp, looks into grateful eyes and hears, "Thank you and
God bless you, son."

Conrad S. Jensen
With permission from The Christian Peace Officer
A Publication of the Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers, USA
Vol. 2 No. 4 - Fall 1990

_________________________________________________________________

QUIPS AND QUOTES

Once you've looked back, You are ready to move forward.

To take fear out of living, Put your faith in the Living God.

The witness of those on the road to Heaven, Is a warning to
those on the road to Hell.

The trials of life are intended to make us better, not bitter.

We may give without loving, but we cannot love without giving.

When troubles call on you, call on God.

To every desert of calamity, God has an oasis of comfort. 

God's forgiveness changes a sinner into a saint.
L'Chaim - To Life!
How Can Exercise Improve My Health? by Dr. Carmine D. D'Amico
L'CHAIM ("TO LIFE") is our new column dedicated to wholesome
living. Our very first article, from Dr. Carmine D. D'Amico, is
about exercising for our good health.

HOW CAN EXERCISE IMPROVE MY HEALTH?

Carmine D. D'Amico D.O. Deborah Heart and Lung Center
Brownsmills, New Jersey 

Regular exercise offers many potential health benefits. 
However, before listing these benefits, what is meant by
"regular exercise" will be discussed first. Regular exercise
means almost any repetitious physical activity which temporarily
raises the heart rate and respiratory rate, and is performed
continuously for twenty to thirty minutes at least three times a
week. Traditionally, the intensity of exercise required to
provide cardiovascular conditioning has been determined by heart
rate. Studies have shown that in order to obtain significant
cardiovascular benefit from exercise, the heart rate should be
maintained between sixty percent and seventy-five percent of the
maximum predicted heart rate for twenty to thirty minutes
(maximum predicted heart rate equals two hundred twenty minus
age in years). However, since certain medications and medical
conditions may alter or impair the heart rate response to
exercise, a general rule of thumb is to exercise to a level of
moderate fatigue, not full exhaustion. 

As mentioned previously, there are many potential health
benefits from regular exercise. Exercise improves the
efficiency of the heart by increasing the amount of blood that
it pumps per beat. It also improves the body's ability to use
oxygen. In addition, regular exercise has been shown to raise
the blood level of HDL (high density lipoprotein), which is the
type of cholesterol carrying substance that increases the body's
ability to remove cholesterol from the bloodstream by delivering
it to the liver for proper "disposal". Furthermore, regular
exercise promotes weight loss, reduces stress, and improves
one's sense of well-being.

Clearly, there are ample reasons why almost everyone should
incorporate regular exercise into their schedules. However, it
is wise for anyone who plans to begin exercising routinely to
see their family physician prior to beginning a program of
routine exercise in order to insure the highest level of benefit
and safety.

Carmine D. D'Amico D.O. has a B.A. in Biology from the
Washington & Jefferson College. He is a doctor of Osteopathic
Medicine, completing his internal medicine residency in Erie,
Pennsylvania.

Resource Area
Book Reviews
Book Reviews
UNLEASHING THE CHURCH
by Frank R. Tillapaugh
Regal Books,
Ventura California, 1982

The theme of this issue of Morning Star is ministries. The
front line of Christian ministry must be the local church. This
means that the primary responsibility of ministry must be
carried out by every believer. The role of the church is to
prepare the believer to minister.

Frequently, the major problem found within today's church is a
self-centered focus. The local church is typically concerned
with only meeting its internal needs. Somewhere along the line
the call to make disciples has been lost. This call of
Scripture isn't limited to bring people to salvation. Making
disciples requires helping believers grow in their relationship
to the Lord. Unquestionably to make disciples means people must
receive and accept the Gospel message, but this is just the
first step.

Frank Tillapaugh's concern is the need for believers to advance
the kingdom into the community. "Unleashing the Church" speaks
to both the concern for outreach and some of the ways this need
has been met at Bear Valley Baptist Church in Denver.

The focus of this book is on the leaders of the local church,
who should be creating a climate in which the church is simply a
"base of operations." From this base, the individual believer
serves the Lord in the community, as directed by the Holy
Spirit. Every believer must serve the Lord consistent with the
opportunity and gifts He has provided.

Tillapaugh isn't saying Christians are to serve the community
with a hidden agenda of making converts. Instead, believers are
to work with the purpose of living out the reality of the Love
of God. This is done by caring for those around them. As might
be expected, where agape is truly lived, souls will be saved.

This book is highly recommended. Christians must develop the
aggressive mentality of ambassadors for Christ in a fallen
world. This book will give some clear direction in fulfilling
the "Great Commission." "Unleashing the Church" should be read
by both clergy and laity.

CLASSIC BOOK REVIEWS

Once in a while, it is a good idea to look at the past. There
are classic works of the Christian church that have been
overlooked in recent years. The book review column will
occasionally touch on these works as opportunities present
themselves.

The most read Christian book of all times, after the Bible of
course, is PILGRIM'S PROGRESS. It is appropriate therefore to
comment on this outstanding work for the first Classic Book
Review.

PILGRIM'S PROGRESS by John Bunyan. 

The message of Scripture is the Gospel of Salvation and the call
to the saved to walk worthy of Christ. This is also the message
of Pilgrim's Progress. The author recounts the process of
salvation and sanctification in Christian, the hero of the work.
Actually, the book is a two-part account, the first part being
Christian's story, and the second being that of his wife,
Christiana.

For those who haven't had the pleasure of reading this book, it
is an allegory on salvation and the Christian walk. Pilgrim's
Progress follows the adventures of Christian and his friend
Faithful on their journey to the Celestial City. Along the way,
Christian meets those who would turn him back from the narrow
gate. These include individuals with such strange names as
Obstinate and Pliable. Others who would undermine his walk with
the Lord include Simple, Sloth and Presumption. 

The second half of the book is an account of Christiana and her
children as they follow in the footsteps of Christian. Her
story is also one of spiritual growth in an attempt to go to the
Celestial City.

Charles M. Sheldon, in his introduction to the out of print
Christian Herald edition of Pilgrim's Progress, says, "This
reality of the allegory has been an abiding one, and it is safe
to say that this is one of the characteristics of the story
which make it immortal. The characters, the incidents, the
outcome are real in the story because they are real in actual
life. Based, as it is, on Bible teaching and human experience
together, Pilgrim's Progress is immortal, as indeed all things
are immortal which are true."

There are numerous editions of the book available. There are
classic editions with illustrative plates and sometimes even
notes to help in understanding the material. There are audio
and video editions, as well as adaptations for children. The
book has been reworked with contemporary language for the modern
reader. The purist, however should read it in its original
form. This will be worth the work involved, for the book is
best enjoyed as the author wrote it.

Parents may want to try something different with this book. 
This would be an excellent opportunity to sit down as a family
and to read to the children. Pilgrim's Progress is a novel that
is both fun and instructive. Reading the book as a family could
be the start of a new tradition - family communication.

Take the opportunity to read Pilgrim's Progress, one of the true
classics of Christian literature.
Newsdesk
Newsdesk
FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA

The nation's murder rate inched upwards in 1991 to its highest
level in a decade as the number of killings reached 24,200 for
the first time, government figures indicate. The total reflects
a hike not only in the number of slayings but also in the chance
of becoming a homicide victim. That's because the number of
killings increased faster than the population according to
Census Bureau figures. (AP-Washington) 

REVIVING THE OLD EMPIRE 

European Community leaders took an historic step towards
unifying their once-warring nations by agreeing to sweeping new
treaties on political, economic and monetary union. 

The monetary union treaty will create a single currency by 1999
while the political union treaty will give the 12-nation
community a more coherent voice in foreign policy. 

The new treaty, which must be approved by parliaments of the 12
member countries, also institutes a common policy on defense and
security matters, gives added powers to the European Parliament,
and extends the Community's jurisdiction in areas including
police, justice and immigration. 

The accord on monetary union will also set up a European central
bank to manage the new currency, called the ECU. (From UPI)

PERSIAN PURCHASES

The Los Angeles Times reports that Iran is conducting a
multi-billion dollar arms buildup via secret deals with Russia,
North Korea and other nations and shortly will become the
dominant power in the Persian Gulf. Iran's purchases include
Soviet SU-24 fighter bombers, MiG-29 fighter planes, tanks,
missiles and other sophisticated weapons. A Bush administration
source stated that "nuclear research" was also being purchased
by Iran.

The buildup has given Iran parity with Iraq, long the region's
leading power, the newspaper quoted intelligence sources as
saying. Cash-strapped Russia is selling Iran arms from the Red
Army's inventory, the Times said. The newspaper said rumors in
Washington intelligence circles are that multi-million dollar
T-72 tanks have been sold for as little as $50,000. (AP-Los
Angeles)

THE CUP OF TREMBLING 

The United States appears to have backed out of a plan to build
a new embassy in Jerusalem. According to KOL HA'IR (9/6/91) the
Americans asked to change the definition of a building they
planned to construct in a southern suburb of Jerusalem from an
"embassy" to a "diplomatic facility". The term "ambassador's
home" has been changed to "the home of a senior diplomat." 
(NEAR EAST REPORT)

ALL NATIONS SHALL GATHER AGAINST HER

Arab nations are returning to Washington to resume Mideast peace
talks now that the United Nations Security Council has condemned
Israel's planned deportation of 12 Palestinians. The 15-member
Security Council voted unanimously against the expulsion orders
and asked Israel to halt all deportations and allow expelled
people to return. The United States pointedly refused to use
its veto power to shield Israel. (AP-Jordan)

THE NEWEST PLO PEACE STRATEGY

PLO chairman Yasser Arafat, while attending the annual Islamic
nations summit in Senegal Africa this December demanded that the
term "jihad" (holy war) be inserted in a resolution condemning
Israel. "Shall I tell the Moslem martyrs who lost their lives
in the struggle to liberate Jerusalem that you have eliminated
jihad from the islamic dictionary?" Arafat asked the delegates. 
The PLO leader was apparently trying to show the powerful
Palestinian Moslem fundamentalist movement that holding peace
talks with Israel does not mean that the holy war against the
Jewish "infidels" will be abandoned.

Arafat also renewed his call for the violent Palestinian
uprising, now in its fifth year, to continue, despite the
ongoing peace talks. Palestinians are now firing guns against
Israelis more frequently, leaving five Israelis dead and over a
dozen wounded since late October. The army reports that well
over 100 armed attacks have taken place since the Gulf War
ended, a sharp increase from last year. (ISRAEL NEWS DIGEST -
1/92)
Ministry & Product Information
Ministry & Product Information
The MINISTRY AND PRODUCT INFORMATION area is for the benefit of
all believers.  MORNING STAR does not charge for these
advertisements.

================================================================

MINISTRIES:

AMMI MINISTRY
P.O. Box 27576
Philadelphia PA. 19118
(215) 843-7964

CAMPUS CRUSADE FOR CHRIST INTERNATIONAL
30012 Ivy Glenn Dr., Suite 200
Laguna Niguel CA 92677
Tel. (714) 495-7383, Fax (714) 495-0760

CHOSEN PEOPLE MINISTRIES Inc.
1300 Cross Beam Drive
Charlotte, NC 28217-2834
(704) 357-9000

CANADA: Box 4400, Sta. D
Hamilton, Ont. L8V4L8
(416) 545-9066

CHRISTIAN FRIENDS OF ISRAEL
P.O. Box 1813
Jerusalem 91015 Israel
tel & fax 972-2-384406

NOTE:  The Editor in Chief of MORNING STAR is a U.S. distributor
of material for CFI.  Write to MORNING STAR P.O. Box 7755,
Nashua N.H. 03060-7755, for more information.

CHRISTIAN TAPES FOR THE DISABLED
(Write for catalog of cassettes and information)
BOX 455
Buffalo, NY 14209
(716) 885-0307

EXODUS INTERNATIONAL
PO Box 2121
San Rafael, CA 94912
(415) 454-1017.

FRIENDS OF ISRAEL GOSPEL MINISTRY
(Publishers of "Israel My Glory" magazine - $8 per year. 
Sponsor of the Institute of Biblical Studies.)
PO BOX 908
Bellmawr, NJ 08099
1-800-257-7843

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY
PO BOX 62970
Colorado Springs CO 80962-2970
(719) 488-9200

THE JESUS FILM PROJECT
Arrowhead Springs
2700 Little Mountain Dr.
San Bernardino CA 92424-9989 

JESUS PEOPLE USA
4707 N. Malden
Chicago, IL   60640
Editorial office: (312) 989-2080
(An excellent resource for tips and techniques on witnessing and
ministering to specific groups of people.)

JEWISH VOICE BROADCASTS INC.
P.O. Box 6
Phoenix, Arizona 85001
Publishers of "Jewish Voice Prophetic Magazine".  (Annual cost
$20, published monthly)  Also, producers of JEWISH VOICE
television program seen on cable networks CBN, LBN, and PTL as
well as many regular stations.

JEWS FOR JESUS
60 Haight St.
San Francisco CA. 94102-5895
Publishers of "The Jews for Jesus Newsletter" (no charge)
Canadian Office:  P.O Box 487, Station Z, Toronto, ON M5N2Z6

JOHN ANKERBERG MINISTRY
P.O. BOX 8977
CHATTANOOGA TN 37441

DICK AND KATHY JOHNSON  (Wycliffe Bible Translators)
Summer Institute of Linguistics
P.O. Box 2270 C.P.O.
1099 Manila, Philippines

LEDERER MESSIANIC MINISTRIES
6204 Park Heights Ave.
Baltimore, MD  21215
(Messianic Jewish publications including the "Jewish New
Testament" by David Stern)

MESSIANIC JEWISH ALLIANCE OF AMERICA (MJAA)
P.O. Box 417
Wynnewood, PA 19096
(215) 896-5812

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF EVANGELICALS (NAE)
P.O. Box 28
Wheaton, IL 60189-0028

Personal Membership $ 30 per year
Subscription to Washington Insight
included with membership or $ 15 per year.

POINT MAN INTERNATIONAL
(Christian Outreach for Veterans by Veterans)
820 Wayne Street
Washington PA 15301
(412) 228-5081

RESOURCES FOR CHRISTIAN COUNSELLING
Word DMS
PO Box 10853
Des Moines IA 50336-0853

ZOLA LEVITT MINISTRIES INC.
P.O. Box 12268
Dallas Texas 75225
Publishers of "Levitt Letter" (no charge)
Also producers of "Zola Levitt Presents" television show

================================================================

READING:

BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY REVIEW
(bi-monthly, $24 per year)
Subscription Services: 
P.O. Box 7026
Red Oak IA. 51591
Toll free number: 1-800-678-5555

DECISION MAGAZINE
($7 annual, 11 issues per year)
Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
P.O. Box 779
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55440-0779

FOCUS ON THE FAMILY MAGAZINE
Focus on the Family
Pomona CA. 91799
(free upon request)

NAE WASHINGTON INSIGHT
P. O. Box 28
Wheaton, IL 60189-0028
Annual Subscription $ 15

IN OTHER WORDS
Newspaper of Wycliffe Bible Translators
PO BOX 2727
Huntington Beach CA 92647

The OMEGA LETTER (Peter LaLonde)
($30 annual, 11 issues per year)
US: P.O. Box 1440 Niagara Falls, NY 14302
Canada: 4429 Queen St. Niagara Falls, Ont. L2E2L2

PARTNERS PRAYER GUIDE (Partner Ministries)
1470 N. 4th St. PO BOX 15025
San Jose CA. 95115-0025
(free guide to praying for different nations)

THE TEACHING HOME
P.O. Box 20219
Portland, OR 97220-0219
Phone : (503) 253-9633
FAX   : (503) 253-7345

TODAY IN THE WORD (Moody Bible Institute)
820 North La Salle Drive, Chicago Il. 60610
(free 3-month trial subscription)

WORLD CHALLENGE (David Wilkerson letter)
(free newsletter, 17 issues per year)
P.O. Box 260 Lindale, Texas 75771
(903)-963-8626

================================================================

RESOURCES:

CHRISTIAN BOOK DISTRIBUTORS
P.O. Box 6000
Peabody MA. 01961-6000
Customer Service: (508) 977-4550
Membership and monthly catalog subscription; $3 per year

CHRISTIAN LAW ASSOCIATION
(Publishers of "The Briefcase")
Subscription: P.O. Box 30 Conneaut, Ohio 44030-0030
Publisher Office: (216) 593-3933
Gibbs & Craze Law Firm (216) 599-8900

CHRISTIAN MACINTOSH USERS GROUP
3140 De la Cruz Blvd.
Suite 200
Santa Clara, CA 95054-2406
(408) 980-0338
America Online contact: RickT5

GREAT CHRISTIAN BOOKS
229 S. Bridge St.
PO BOX 8000
Elkton MD 21922-8000
($5 membership fee)

HERMENTEUTIKA
Computer-Aided Bible Research Software
PO BOX 98563
Seattle WA 98198
free catalog
toll free number: 1-800-55BIBLE

INSTITUTE FOR RELIGIOUS RESEARCH
1340 Monroe Ave, NW
Grand Rapids Michigan 49505
Phone: (616) 451-4562
Fax: (616) 451-8907

KIRKBRIDE BIBLE COMPANY
-Thompson Chain Reference Bible (5th Edition) NIV and KJV
-NEW Thompson Chain Reference Bible Companion
1-800-428-4385

ZONDERVAN PUBLISHING HOUSE
-NRSV Concordance
-NIV Atlas of the Bible
1-800-727-3480
Subscription Information
Subscription Information
For those who do not have access to a network or BBS, MORNING
STAR is also available in the following formats shipped by way
of our trusty U.S. postal service:

DOS Version - 3.5 inch Disk DOS Version - 5.25 inch Disk
Hypercard 1.2.5 Version - 3.5 inch Disk 
Hard Copy (Printed) Version

For more information write to: 
MORNING STAR 
P.O. Box 7755
Nashua, NH 03060-7755

Foreign subscription information also available upon request.

If you downloaded MORNING STAR from a network or BBS, we ask no
money, but please help us out by sending us a postcard. Let us
know where you live and what network or BBS you found this on!