glad tidings: issue 14.2
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Glad Tidings: Issue 14.2TRANSCRIPT
Volume 14, Issue 2 March/Apri l 2010
Glad Tidings The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever. ~Isaiah 40:8
2
Glad Tidings Glad Tidings Glad Tidings Glad Tidings is published six times per year by
Living Hope International Ministries
458 Old Niskayuna Road,
Latham, New York 12110 USA
Office 518.785.8888
Fax 518.785.1990
E-mail [email protected]
Website www.kingdomready.org
Glad Tidings is mailed free
to anyone who requests it.
Scriptures are taken from the
New American Standard Bible
unless otherwise noted.
mark these important dates on
your calendar!!
Glad TidingsGlad TidingsGlad TidingsGlad Tidings
January/February 2010
Something to Consider ....................... p. 3
by Vince Finnegan
Parenting—šālôm ............................... p. 4
by Mary Ann Yaconis
God’s Name Forbidden ...................... p. 6
by Vince Finnegan
Hearing The Original Gospel ............. p. 9
by Angela Moore
Forgiveness and Restitution .......... .. p.11
by Vince Finnegan
Congo Connection .............................. p. 12
by Richard and Cheryl Elton
Jesus is Lord ....................................... p.14
by Sean Finnegan
Demonology ......................................... p.17
By Vince Finnegan
June 27th - July 3rd
Family Camp 2010 at Silver Bay
________________________________
July 4th - 10th
UUUUntried PPPPassage Week (UP)
________________________________
July 25th - 30th
Teen Camp 2010 at Silver Bay
March 28th - April 4th
Passion Of Christ Observance
________________________________
May 8th
Building Blocks for Relationships Conference
_______________________________
May 23rd
Pentecost Celebration
3
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” These verses from 1Peter 1:3-5 summarize why our ministry is Living Hope. We are utterly convinced that Yahweh our God will send His Son, our Lord Jesus the Christ, to establish God’s Kingdom here on earth. This unreserved confidence in our hope influences all that we do; therefore, it is a living hope. The directive that Jesus gave right before he ascended, which is recorded in Matthew 28:19 and 20, provides understanding why we include International Ministries with Living Hope. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Jesus wants His followers to reach out to all the nations. The specific instruction is – “make disciples.” Making disciples begins with witnessing to the unsaved but includes much more. A disciple is an ardent and committed follower. A disciple is someone, according to John 8:31-36, who continues in our Lord’s word and thereby experiences freedom. Disciples accept and assist in the spreading of the Gospel. The way we do this is each one wins one who will then win one. “Baptizing in the name…” is often misunderstood to mean immersing someone in water and saying these words while doing it; however, such a onetime ritual is not going to make a disciple. It may serve as a beginning point. The baptism implied here is to immerse with the teaching of these three things: 1) the name of the Father, 2) the Son, who is Jesus Christ our Lord, and 3) the holy spirit. Herein is where our ministry shines because we have developed biblical understanding regarding each of these subjects. You may want to listen to our Sunday Service entitled Our Ministry from 2/21/10 for more detailed information. �
God Bless You,
4
P icture young Jack in
t h e b a c k y a r d
playing ball with his
friends. The inevitable
happens − a window in his
home is broken by Jack’s
homerun. There are many to
choose from, but two
scenarios of what can
occur are:
A.Having heard the
glass break, Jack’s Dad
races out of the door
to see what has
happened and WHO
BROKE THE WINDOW.
Jack hems and haws,
the other kids scatter
like roaches when the
lights go on; and Dad
starts giving Jack a
piece of his mind. Jack
is called “stupid,”
“idiot,” and other
choice words. Jack is
physically shaken by
his Dad and yelled at
that he has to work to
repay the window and
for all the extra work
it will cause his father
to make the repair.
But that isn’t the last
of it. Jack is reminded at
dinner, breakfast, in the
middle of the day, and at
various times during the week
how stupid and awful he was
to have done such a thing and
caused such a problem for
his Dad.
B.Having heard the glass
break, Jack’s Dad races out of
the door to see what has
happened and IF ANYONE IS
CUT OR HURT. Assessing that
there is no blood involved,
Dad asks what happened and
listens as Jack tells him about
the homerun and the window
being in the way. Dad then
expresses concern over the
broken window and provides
his son ways of making
restitution for the damage,
such as helping Dad clean up
the mess, measure the
window, and cough up some
money to help pay for the
damages. Jack expresses
genuine remorse; Dad
accepts his remorse; and the
window issue is not brought
up again to humiliate or
shame Jack. Dad hugs
Jack; the breach is
mended; and life
continues.
Children learn how to
be at peace from their
parents. Peace is
complex. Peace is not
something that is
taught the same way
as using a fork and
knife at the table.
Šālôm is the Hebrew
word for “peace.” The
O l d T e s t a m e n t
Scriptures teach that
peace is a relational
concept between
individuals, families,
nations, and with
God. At the beginning
of Solomon’s reign,
the effect of having
peace with God
resulted in Israel having
peace with the surrounding
nations.
I Kings 4:25 During Solomon’s
lifetime, Judah and Israel
from Dan to Beersheba lived
(Continued on page 5)
Parenting — šālôm
by Mary Ann Yaconis
5
in safety, each man
under his own vine
and fig tree.
Peace in many places
in the Old Testament
emphasizes the
absence of strife. In
scenario “A” above,
Jack’s Dad did not
have peace with God,
so life surrounding
him could not be at
peace either.
To try to explain this, let’s
think about painting a wall.
The wall is already painted a
very bright shade of red. You
want to paint it white. Okay,
most of you with any painting
experience are already saying
to yourself, “This will mean
several coats of paint, even if
it is Kilz.” Why several coats
of paint? Because the red
bleeds through. This is how
the peace of God “colors” our
everyday interactions. It is
the base coat in our heart
that bleeds through into
every situation. Knowing and
experiencing that God is
good, that God will never
leave us nor forsake us, that
God is abounding in loving
kindness and compassion give
us peace.
Being able to teach our
children from a heart of
peace lets them experience
that God is a loving, restoring
God Who rejoices in the
absence of strife. Little Jack in
scenario "A" not only had the
pain of the broken window
incident, he had to live it
every day over and over and
over. There was no peace—
no resolve or resolution, no
restoration of love with Dad.
Later on in life, Jack’s
relationship with God is one
of strife with horrific pain of
knowing there is no
restitution, no peace with
God.
Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey
your parents in the Lord, for
this is right.
The Aramaic and the New
Living Translation have
slightly different translations
of this verse.
Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey
your parents because you
belong to the Lord, for this is
the right thing to do. NLT
Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey
your parents in our lord, for
this [is] right. Aramaic-English
L i n e a r N e w
Testament
God is commanding
His precious, dear
children to obey
you, his or her
parent. This thought
can take our breath
away. God has
confidence that you
will live a peaceful,
godly life. If peace is
an elusive concept
to you, take time to
learn more about
our God of peace. One might
say that God was a God of
war and destruction
throughout the Old
Testament. At careful
reading, one has to see the
overwhelming desire of peace
God had with mankind from
the Garden of Eden forward.
Rebellion against God (sin) is
the major cause of lack of
peace. In order to live with a
foundation of peace,
meditate upon the Word, live
it, and repent from sin.
So, if you were a Little Jack
(or Jane) who wasn’t taught
that God is a God of peace
and that we can enter into
peace with God, well, God
will parent you and teach this
to you. If you are blessed to
have peace in your heart,
make sure that this peace is
transferred to your children
by your example and
speaking of it along the way
in this very complex world.
�
(Continued from page 4)
“Being able to teach
our children from a
heart of peace lets them
experience that God is a
loving, restoring God
who rejoices in the
absence of strife.”
6
A t one point in history, the Jews decided that they should not speak the name of God for fear of profaning His name and violating the second command - “You shall not take the name of the LORD [Yahweh] your God in vain.” They also decided that they should not write His name; therefore, they replaced it with the Hebrew Adonai which means Lord.
The specific timing of this terrible decision is uncertain. Many scholars believe the Jews did this after the Babylonian exi le . The Encyclopedia Britannica states: “After the Exile (6th century BC) and especially from the 3rd century BC on, Jews ceased to use the name Yahweh.” However, the historical books of Ezra and Nehemiah, written after the return from the exile, tell a
different story.
Ezra 3:10 and 11
Now when the builders had laid the foundation of the temple of the L O R D [Yahweh], the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites,
the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the LORD [Yahweh] according to the directions of King David of
Israel.
They sang, praising and giving thanks to the LORD [Yahweh], saying, "For He is good, for His loving kindness is upon Israel forever." And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the LORD [Yahweh] because the foundation of the house of the
LORD [Yahweh] was laid.
Ezra’s prayers recorded in chapter 9 indicate that they prayed to Yahweh and did so by using His name. “O LORD [Yahweh] God of Israel, You are righteous….” Nehemiah’s prayer was similar. He said in chapter 1 – “I beseech You, O LORD [Yahweh] God of heaven, the great and awesome God….” Nehemiah and Ezra led the people back to their
God and boldly proclaimed His name. The Scriptures provide undisputable evidence that the Jews had no hesitancy regarding speaking the name
of Yahweh.
Nehemiah 9:5-7
Arise, bless the LORD [Yahweh] your God forever and ever! O may Your glorious name be blessed And exalted above all blessing and praise! You alone are the LORD [Yahweh]. You have made the heavens, the heaven of heavens with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all of them and the heavenly host bows down before You. You are the
LORD [Yahweh] God….
They held the same reverential concern for the name of Yahweh to be praised, glorified, magnified, and
exalted as did their ancestors . To imply they stopped using His name contradicts the Scriptures and misses the point of w h a t t h e s e b e l i e v e r s recommitted to after the return to
Israel.
(Continued on page 7)
God’s name forbidden
By Vince Finnegan
“Arise, bless Yahweh your God forever and
ever! O may Your glorious name be blessed
And exalted above all blessing and praise!”
Nehemiah 9:5
7
Malachi, probably written around 433-430 BC, is the last book of the Old Testament. In this small book of only four chapters, the name “Yahweh” appears over 40 times. The name “Yahweh” was never lost to the prophets who wrote the Hebrew Scriptures. If anything, they constantly encouraged Israel to revere and magnify the name. The prophets never commanded or slightly implied that Yahweh’s name not be spoken or written! Moses and the prophets warned Israel not to profane the name of God, but the context was always regarding how they behaved , e spec i a l l y regarding idolatry. They profaned Yahweh’s name because He was associated with Israel, and they were so sinful. The Jewish tradition of not using the name “Yahweh” did not begin during the time
of the Old Testament.
Another viewpoint is that the prohibition of His name began between the time of Malachi and Matthew; however, again history proves different. The Apocrypha, found in some Bibles today, was written in approximately 200BC. These writings are not considered to be divinely inspired for many good reasons, one of which is they are never quoted or referred to by our Lord or his Apostles. The New Testament has over 600 quotes from the Old Testament and not one f r om t h e Apoc r yp h a .
However, these books are highly regarded for their h i s t o r i c a l v a l u e a n d understanding regarding the religious beliefs and activities of the Israelites. They reveal that some two hundred years after Malachi, the Jews still revered and used “Yahweh,”
the name of God.
Jesus never hesitated to speak God’s name and taught the disciples to reverence His name. The intolerable and even hateful attitude of the Jewish people who lived in Israel toward the Gentiles (those not of Israeli descent) and their pagan ways is well documented in the New Testament. When Jesus read the Scriptures in the Temple and synagogues, he did so from Hebrew manuscripts that are certain and not the Septuagint. The common belief about the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament) is it was written before the New Testament. Although the Old Testament quotations in the English New Testament were copied from the Septuagint, it is very doubtful that Jesus or his
Apostles quoted from anything other than the Hebrew. The Greek language was the language of the Gentiles and not the Jews. We have no biblical reason to think Jesus read the Septuagint or, for the matter, even knew the Greek
language.
The Hebrew manuscripts even to this day have the Hebrew word הוהי which is transliterated YHWH and pronounced Yahweh. Most English Bibles do not translate the Hebrew word “Yahweh” correctly. The translators decided to follow the Jewish tradition and not use God’s proper name. They replaced it with the word “LORD.” For some reason, those who translated t h e New Tes t amen t
Scriptures into English decided to copy from the Septuagint rather than the Hebrew manuscripts and thereby eliminated God’s name,
“Yahweh.”
When Jesus read the Hebrew Scriptures, he did not read the Greek word kurios or the English word “LORD;” rather, he read what was written which is YHWH, Yahweh. We have no biblical or historical reason to believe that in the times of Jesus, the Septuagint would ever have been read in the Temple or synagogues that were in Israel. The Jews would have taken issue with the holy writings being in any language other than their own. They resented and resisted anything
(Continued from page 6)
(Continued on page 8)
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perceived as Gentile influences in
the Palestine area.
Quoting from the Old Testament was an integral part of Jesus’ teachings. He did it often. Jesus had a Hebrew understanding of the Scriptures. He thought in Hebrew, read in Hebrew, and he spoke in Hebrew. When he saw the name YHWH, that is what he thought, and that is what he said. If someone accurately quoted the words of Jesus, he or she would have to do so by referring to the same Hebrew texts that Jesus referenced. All of the writers of the New Testament understood Hebrew and therefore could read the Hebrew Old Testament. If these men quoted Jesus, they would not have done so accurately by using the Septuagint because it eliminates the words “Yahweh,” “Adon,” “Adonai,” and “Yah.” If they used the Septuagint when Jesus spoke from the Hebrew, they would have changed our Lord’s words. Those who translated into English and not the Apostles who wrote the original texts used the
Septuagint.
Jesus explained God as none other had done before, according to John 1:18 KJV – “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” Immediately before his suffering and death, Jesus prayed to His Father and said, “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world.” Hebrews 2:12 states: "I [Jesus] will proclaim your name to my
brethren, in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise." How could Jesus make known God’s name if he was afraid to say it? Is it not ludicrous to conclude that Jesus feared b r e a k i n g t h e s e c o n d commandment, so he never spoke God’s name?
On two separate occasions, Jesus taught his disciples how to pray. He said, when you pray say, “Hallowed be Your name.” Surely, Jesus never considered that there would be a time when his disciples would not know the name of God as it is today. He never said, “Don’t speak His name” or “Never write His name.” To keep God’s name “hallowed” means to keep it holy, consecrated, and revered.
Immediately preceding the ascension, Jesus gave to his disciples his final instruction, a part of which is commonly called the great commission. He said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son
and the Holy Spirit.” Three distinct and very important subjects were to be at the center of making disciples. The first was to baptize (immerse) in the name of the Father. How can we do anything in the “name of” if we do not know the name? It is shocking and dreadful that so many scholars and teachers use this record to prove the Trinity. By doing this, they lead people away from our Lord’s instruction and propound a false doctrine. Jesus is not talking about the Trinity; rather, he is telling his Church what they should do. We must decide how we draw our conclusions about what we believe. We can be influenced by tradition or by what is written!
The name of Yahweh was spoken all the way through the Old Testament times, during the time of the Apocrypha, and in Jesus’ lifetime. So, when did the change come? It may very well be that the change occurred when so many other doctrines where corrupted − ages after the first century. �
(Continued from page 7)
“How can we do
anything in the “name
of” if we do not know
the name?. . .We must
decide how we draw
our conclusions about
what we believe. We
can be influenced by
tradition or by what is
written!”
God’s name forbidden Continued . . .
9
D o you remem-
ber playing the game of
“Telephone” when you were a child? You would whisper a short sentence to the child seated next to you, who would in turn whisper it to the next child. It was always funny to hear, by the end of the line, how the original sentence had changed by the time it had gone through a dozen little ears
and mouths.
So, too, has it been with the Gospel. Today, if one asked someone what the Gospel is, you might hear it defined, “The Gospel is the good news of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ that provides full and free deliverance from the power and penalty of sin according to the grace of God alone through faith in Jesus Christ alone.” This was quoted on a website I found when I googled the question, “What is
the Gospel?”
In the game of telephone, sometimes the resulting mes-sage comes out similar to the original one, yet somehow changed, adapted, or missing
some inte-gral part. I am propos-ing today, that the C h u r c h , some of its leaders and its people, have, over time, taken what was the Gospel
that Jesus and his Apostles preached and somehow lost some of its meaning and focus. Over time, in the telling and the sharing of it, the Gospel we commonly hear in 2010 may be omitting a very significant piece that is good and thrilling
news!
S t r o n g ’ s d e f i n e s “Gospel” (euaggelion) as “the glad tidings of the kingdom of God soon to be set up, and sub-sequently also of Jesus the Messiah, the founder of this kingdom. After the death of Christ, the term comprises also the preaching of (concerning) Jesus Christ as having suffered death on the cross to procure eternal salvation for the men in the kingdom of God, but as restored to life and exalted to the right hand of God in heaven, thence to return in maj-esty to consum-mate the king-
dom of God.”
It is both true and very impor-tant that the Gospel message includes that Jesus died and
arose for our sins. This is all agreed upon! However, the other part of the Gospel that has gotten left off of the mes-sage is that important word (logos) that Jesus preached: the Kingdom of God. Who has ever heard that the Gospel was about the Kingdom of God and how we could enter it to have eternal life in the age to come? Next time you hear a minister, TV evangelist, or a friend of yours share the “Gospel” mes-sage, listen carefully! Do they mention the coming Kingdom
of God?
I am merely suggesting that how we define the message of the Gospel has been diluted, shortened, and adapted to something not drastically dif-ferent, but changed enough over time that it just may be a different word than what Jesus and the early Church were preaching and proclaiming.
In Mark 1:14-15, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Gospel of God, and said, “The time is fulfilled and the King-dom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel.” Luke 8:11 says that Jesus
(Continued on page 10)
Hearing the Original Gospel of Jesus and His Kingdom
By Angela Moore
“and saying, `The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:15
10
“began speaking to them about the Kingdom of God.” Perhaps I am mistaken, but I don’t think Jesus was preaching his death and res-urrection at this point in his ministry; but rather preach-ing the good news of a com-ing Kingdom in which there would be no end to the in-crease of his government or of peace, where Jesus as Anointed One (Messiah, Christ) would rule on the throne of David and over his Kingdom to establish it and to uphold it with justice and right-eousness (Isaiah 9). Jesus preached this good news to the afflicted, to the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners, to comfort all who mourn and let them know that the time of jus-tice and righteousness was near! This was good news, indeed! He taught how we could repent and be saved, to enter into the King-dom and have eternal life in the age to come. Jesus taught us that we will inherit the earth, see God, receive mercy, and be called sons of God. He taught what the Kingdom of God would be like and what to watch for to prepare us to know when the
time of his coming and the con-summation of the age would be
here.
I challenge you today to remove the tradition, take away the mud-dle and distortion from the origi-nal message, and go back to the words of Jesus (the author and perfector of our faith) and exam-ine carefully what the original Gospel was really about. As Je-sus said in Luke 8:8, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” And in verse 10, Jesus said to his disciples, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, in order that seeing, they may not see, and hearing, they may not under-
stand.” In Matthew 13:14-16, Jesus quoted Isaiah 6:9, “And in their case the proph-ecy of Isaiah is being ful-filled which says, “You will keep on hearing, but will not understand; and you will keep on seeing, but will not perceive; for the heart of this people has become dull, and with their ears they scarcely hear, and they have closed their eyes lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and under-stand with their heart and return, and I should heal
them. But blessed are your eyes because they see; and your ears, because they hear.”
Instead of relying on what you’ve always heard, let us go back to Scripture and the words that Jesus spoke and listen to him. I pray that we will see with our eyes, hear clearly with our ears the words of Jesus today, and understand with our hearts the Gospel of the Kingdom of God!
“And this Gospel of the King-dom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations and then the end
shall come.” Matthew 24:14. �
(Continued from page 9)
“. . .but rather preaching
the good news of a coming
Kingdom in which there
would be no end to the
increase of his government
or of peace, where Jesus as
Anointed One (Messiah,
Christ) would rule on the
throne of David. . .”
"The webcast is our lifeline" - TN
www.KingdomReady.org
Hearing the Original Gospel of Jesus and His Kingdom Continued. . .
11
J esus gave extraordinary in-structions for dealing with people who wrong us.
While most people desire propor-tionate retribution − an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth – we are commanded to turn the other cheek. Whereas the normal stan-dard is to love your neighbor and hate your enemy, our instruction is love for our enemies and prayers for our persecutors. Our love is not to be reciprocal; rather, it is to be indifferent to the person’s behav-ior and based solely upon God’s love for us. Forgiving others is not optional for the disciple of Christ and again is to be based on God’s dealings with us and not restitution by the transgressor. We must be careful and not expand these in-structions beyond what Jesus in-tended. For example, if someone is molesting you, forgiveness is re-quired, but remaining in the abu-sive relationship may not be nec-essary or wise. Forgiveness and fellowship are not the same. When a person stops the transgression and makes restitution, unity and restored fellowship most often follow. However, to trust someone who is untrustworthy is not loving; it is foolish. Jesus provides equally remarkable directions for working with those we have wronged. “ If you are pre-senting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.” Whenever we have wronged a brother, we are to do what is necessary to make
amends before approaching God. Additionally, we are to resolve issues quickly before they grow worse and worse. When a relation-ship is breached by an offense, normally restitution is required before complete reconciliation can be experienced. The teaching about providing restitution has its roots in the Old Testament as so many of our Lord’s teachings do. Exodus 22 outlines many restitu-tion scenarios. For example, in verse one, "If a man steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it, he shall pay five oxen for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.” When someone steals something of yours, very ugly feelings emerge within you that cause pain and require work to cope with, or they can become damaging to you. Therefore, just giving back the stolen item is not enough; more is required. Restitution such as is outlined in Exodus deters the thief from stealing again and opens the door for meaningful reconciliation with the offended one. If someone repays four or five times what he stole, empathy and understanding replace the pain and encourage restored trust and fellowship. The proportion of the restitution varies in Exodus 22, but it is always more than the violation. Leviticus 6:2-6 provides more insight on the subject. “When a person sins and acts un-faithfully against the LORD, and deceives his companion in regard to a deposit or a security entrusted to him, or through robbery, or if he has extorted from his companion, or has found what was lost and lied about it and sworn falsely, so
that he sins in regard to any one of the things a man may do; then it shall be, when he sins and be-comes guilty, that he shall restore what he took by robbery or what he got by extortion, or the deposit which was entrusted to him or the lost thing which he found, or any-thing about which he swore falsely; he shall make restitution for it in full and add to it one-fifth more. He shall give it to the one to whom it belongs on the day he presents his guilt offering. Then he shall bring to the priest his guilt offering to the LORD, a ram with-out defect from the flock, accord-ing to your valuation, for a guilt offering.” Notice the “then!” If we stole or committed some other wrong, res-titution is necessary for the injured party, and after that we can make things right with God. Whenever we trespass against someone, the godly action is to make amends along with our apologies. The right way is clear and simple ac-cording to Romans 13, “owe no one anything.” If we have wronged someone, we are in-debted to him or her until we pro-vide restitution. The godly concept extends beyond just stealing to include any wrong we commit against a brother. Jesus presents two different stan-dards: 1) if someone has wronged you, lovingly forgive and hold no concern for restitution; and 2) when we have wronged someone, be very concerned and quickly
make restitution. �
Forgiveness and RestitutionForgiveness and RestitutionForgiveness and RestitutionForgiveness and Restitution by Vince Finnegan
12
T he gospel message of the Kingdom of God is being preached with
boldness and embraced with gladness in all three ministries that Living Hope International Ministries is partnering with in the Congo countries. Here’s a quick update:
The Way Restored The special Children’s Fellow-ship held on Christmas Day in Kinshasa was a high point for a large number of kids. Rev. Ken-nedy Kutukwa Nsilulu wanted to do this to bless the children par-ticularly on this day, so they would experience the love of God, and feel valued and cared for. The festivities included skits, games, refreshments, and teachings by some of the older children, as well as small gifts for all.
In January, Kennedy, his wife Kabibi, and their one-year-old son Gradel visited the city of Kwilu-Ngongo, about 100 miles from Kinshasa. The saints there warmly received them and the teachings on the Kingdom, and
they made plans to run classes in the upcoming months.
For Kennedy, it was a joy to be able to take his family with him on such a trip, which had not been available in the past. He is also starting similar work in the port city of Matadi, further to the west of Kinshasa.
Zoe Church Under the leadership of Rev. Samuel Lulekamu (Kael), Zoe Church is now meeting four times a week and also running classes and outreach.
All of the parents have ex-pressed gratitude for the anony-mous sponsorship of their chil-dren in school – perhaps none greater than a couple in Kael’s fellowship who has been strug-gling financially to raise eleven-year-old triplets. This family’s need was made known only after all the sponsors had been matched with other children, and the school year was well under way. Kael really wanted to help this
family, and asked a few of us to join him in prayer about it and give it to our God to see what He would do. Amazingly, within about a week’s time, three dif-ferent believers from across the U.S. independently contacted Living Hope International Minis-tries asking if they could spon-sor a child. All were completely unaware of this family’s situa-tion and this need. We were happy to report to Kael that our God had supplied!
Living Hope International Ministries of the Congo The report from Rev. Armel Ngo’s ministry in Brazzaville is that they just started their sev-enth house church! The gospel is spreading through this church, as well as the others, as they study and teach materi-als shared by Rev. Vince Finne-gan when he visited in 2009.
Thanks to everyone for your prayers, love, and generous support for our brothers and sisters in this part of the world. You are making a difference! �
Congo Connection By Richard and Cheryl Elton
Kennedy, Kabibi, and the leaders in
Kwilu - Ngongo
�
� Skits
Congo Style Children’s
Fellowship Dec 25th
The Triplets all dressed and
ready for school
�
Refreshments always a hit with the kids
�
13
Dear God:Dear God:Dear God:Dear God: Please untie the knots Please untie the knots Please untie the knots Please untie the knots That are in my mind,That are in my mind,That are in my mind,That are in my mind, My heart, and my life.My heart, and my life.My heart, and my life.My heart, and my life. Remove the have nots, Remove the have nots, Remove the have nots, Remove the have nots,
The can nots and the do notsThe can nots and the do notsThe can nots and the do notsThe can nots and the do nots That I have in my mind.That I have in my mind.That I have in my mind.That I have in my mind.
Erase the will nots,Erase the will nots,Erase the will nots,Erase the will nots,
May nots,May nots,May nots,May nots, Might nots that may findMight nots that may findMight nots that may findMight nots that may find
A home in my heart.A home in my heart.A home in my heart.A home in my heart.
Release me from the could nots,Release me from the could nots,Release me from the could nots,Release me from the could nots, Would nots andWould nots andWould nots andWould nots and
Should nots that obstruct my lifeShould nots that obstruct my lifeShould nots that obstruct my lifeShould nots that obstruct my life
And most of all,And most of all,And most of all,And most of all, Dear God,Dear God,Dear God,Dear God,
I ask that you remove from my mind,I ask that you remove from my mind,I ask that you remove from my mind,I ask that you remove from my mind, My heart, and my life all of the ‘am nots’My heart, and my life all of the ‘am nots’My heart, and my life all of the ‘am nots’My heart, and my life all of the ‘am nots’
That I have allowed to hold me back,That I have allowed to hold me back,That I have allowed to hold me back,That I have allowed to hold me back, Especially the thought Especially the thought Especially the thought Especially the thought That I am not enough.That I am not enough.That I am not enough.That I am not enough.
AmenAmenAmenAmen
Author known to GodAuthor known to GodAuthor known to GodAuthor known to God
The Knot’s PrayerThe Knot’s PrayerThe Knot’s PrayerThe Knot’s Prayer
No
The real
reason
dinosaurs
are
extinct!
14
G rowing up, I r e m e m b e r memorizing and
singing certain Christian songs. One of them was based on Romans 10:9-10: “Romans ten, nine and ten I believed it once and then I’ve got a life that’ll never end; I’ve got Christ in me. (Whoopee!)” Like most children, I did not deeply ponder the theological implications of this catchy tune. Though there are some major theological problems with this song, for now I would like to focus on the Scripture at its heart: Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; Th i s ve r se l i s t s two requirements: (1) confession of Jesus as Lord and (2) belief in resurrection. I remember as a child thinking that because I said the words “Jesus is Lord” that I had completed this first requirement. However, I had no concept of what “Lord” even meant. In present day America, “Lord” is not a common word apart from “christianeze” speakers. So, I just concluded that it was part of Jesus’ name. As time went on, and I began to think more
seriously about my faith, I came across the following texts which revolutionized my understanding: Luke 6:46 "Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? Matthew 7:21-23 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.' These verses shocked me into realizing that saying the words, “Jesus is Lord,” with my mouth did not work like a mag i c a l f o rmu la ( i . e . abracadabra). In fact, Jesus had already predicted that people—just like me—would come to him on judgment day confessing him as Lord, and he would categorically and irreversibly reject them, even if they had prophesied, cast out demons, or performed miracles in the name of Jesus! At this point, I came to see that one’s Lord, by definition, is to be
obeyed. Consider these synonyms for “Lord”: master, commander, chief, ruler, boss, and director. If Jesus is my Lord, then I am his servant—I am obligated to do what he says—otherwise I am just confessing the words without meaning. Even though I had made a significant stride in the right direction, I still was unaware of a second significant meaning wrapped up in confessing Jesus as Lord. This second epiphany occurred when I learned that Caesar—the emperor of the Roman Empire—was commonly called lord. This is significant because early Christianity emerged mostly within the Roman Empire which had control of the whole Mediterranean world. In the first few centuries, before Christianity was legalized in A .D . 313 , there were intermittent clashes between Christians and the empire. One of the issues that frequently surfaced can be demonstrated by these words of a Christian martyr just before he was burned in a state execution:
Martyrdon of Polycarp 8:2-3 “And the Irenarch Herod, accompanied by his father Nicetes (both riding in a chariot), met him, and taking him up into the chariot, they
(Continued on page 15)
Jesus is Lord By Sean Finnegan
15
seated themselves beside him, and endeavored to persuade him, saying, "What harm is there in saying, Lord Caesar, and in sacrificing, with the other ceremonies observed on such occasions, and so make sure of safety?" But he at first gave them no answer; and when they continued to urge him, he said, "I shall not do as you advise me." So they, having no hope of persuading him, began to speak bitter words unto him, and cast him with violence out of the chariot, insomuch that, in getting down from the carriage, he dislocated his leg by the fall. But without being disturbed, and as if suffering nothing, he went eagerly forward with all haste, and was conducted to the stadium, where the tumult was so great, that there was no possibility of being heard. The man here who refused to confess Caesar as lord and offer sacrifice (likely a pinch of incense) was Polycarp, overseer of a church in Smyrna, who was executed for being a Christian in A.D. 156. He is just one example of the thousands of Christians who perished under the Roman Empire because they could not bring themselves to confess Caesar as lord because they knew it conflicted with their core confession that Jesus was the true Lord. Still, this idea is even bigger than just Caesar—or whoever the current imperial commander and chief might be.
Jesus has not only been exalted above human rulers, but he is also superior to the spiritual principalities and powers. Ephesians 1:20-22 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, In fact, as of the resurrection, all authority in heaven and earth has been given to Jesus ( M a t t h e w 2 8 : 1 8 ) . Furthermore, we know Jesus has already been given the name above every name—which means he will be universally recognized as Lord in the end.
Philippians 2:9-11 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Jesus is Lord! To those of us in the Body of Christ, we already recognize him as the head. To the angels and demons, they already know that he is at the right hand of God (in the position of highest authority). The only ones who are not “with it” are the humans who have chosen to live out of tune with the facts of the matter. But, one day, even their knees will bow when Jesus comes to rule the nations with an iron rod (Psalm 2:6-8). This second cosmic meaning of “Lord” fits perfectly with the
(Continued from page 14)
(Continued on page 16)
16
first notion of Jesus as personal Lord. I choose to make him my Lord because God has made him the Lord of the world. It just makes sense to submit to and obey someone whom God has invested with such authority.
In summary, calling Jesus “Lord” is not some flippant act to be done without meaning. Rather, this confession is a requirement for salvation and may even result in death depending on whether or not persecution flares up in our time. Jesus is Lord because he is Yahweh’s agent who represents God’s interests to the world. One cannot reject Jesus without also rejecting Yahweh. This does not mean that he is Yahweh, but that he is totally transparent to God such that when we look at Jesus we see God. He is imbued with Yahweh’s authority and speaks t h e F a t h e r ’ s w o r d s . Furthermore, Jesus is the true
Lord of the world. Not only does he represent God to the world, but he has been exalted above all principalities and powers such that he is the true and rightful ruler of the world. This is a cosmic fact that God, the angels, the demons, and the spiritually in tune humans understand. Those who do not yet realize that Jesus is Lord will have their moment of confession when they bow the knee to him on the last day. Lastly, Jesus
is my personal Lord. This means that I agree to obey him in all matters of my life, even when what he says disagrees with my idea of common sense or what I have always done.
In conclusion, calling Jesus “Lord” is very significant. It reminds me of a scene from the cartoon movie The Lion King when the hyenas were talking about Mufasa (the king lion). Each time one of them said “Mufasa,” the other would tremble in awe saying,
“Ooooh! Say it again!” And he would, which resulted in the same response each time. That captures, in some limited sense, how I think of the statement “Jesus is Lord.” When I hear someone say that, do I think to myself, “Duh, everyone knows that,” or do I shudder recognizing the power of that statement and call out, “Say it again; say it again!”? �
(Continued from page 15) “. . .calling “. . .calling “. . .calling “. . .calling Jesus “Lord” Jesus “Lord” Jesus “Lord” Jesus “Lord” is not some is not some is not some is not some flippant act flippant act flippant act flippant act to be done without to be done without to be done without to be done without meaning. Rather, this meaning. Rather, this meaning. Rather, this meaning. Rather, this confession is a require-confession is a require-confession is a require-confession is a require-ment for salvation”ment for salvation”ment for salvation”ment for salvation”
Jesus is Lord Continued . . .
The
Lord is
Risen
17
I n Jesus Christ, we can have authority over the evil forces of darkness
and greatly limit their influ-ence in our lives. However, we cannot eliminate their ex-istence or persistent assault upon us. In the age to come, they will be completely and perpetually exterminated. A big part of utilizing our God given authority is awareness of the spiritual realm as is out-lined in the Scriptures. The devil is cleverly camou-flaged in secrecy. He func-tions undercover the most effectively. Ignorance or forgetfulness greatly enhances the battleground for his wickedness in humanity. He does not want people to understand what the Bible clearly makes known about him, unclean spirits, and the invisible spiritual warfare. When we are rightly informed and conscien-tiously alert, the probabil-ity of using our spiritual authority and power increases significantly. The first mention of the devil is in Genesis 3 when he se-duces Eve to sin. In Genesis 6 with the record of the flood, we become aware that there are other evil beings also at work. The Scriptures provide limited explanation about how or when demons came to be,
with perhaps the record in the book of Revelation providing the most insight. In this re-cord, angels are called stars. Revelation 12:3 and 4 Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems. And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven
and threw them to the earth. We may rightly conclude that copious information about their beginnings is not neces-sary, or God would have pro-vided more details. We may also appropriately acknowl-edge that the information pro-vided in the Scriptures should be understood. To focus on what is not written rather than
what is written is counter-productive. The purpose of evil spirits is to cause evil in humans; the purpose of unclean demons is to effect uncleanness in peo-ple. The initial disclosure about the devil recorded in Genesis reveals his mission to cause man to sin by disobey-ing God’s Word. (Dis-obedience to God’s Word is
sin; moreover, obedi-ence is faith.) In like manner, demons strive to cause people to sin. Evil, uncleanness, and sin summarize the methods employed by demons to separate man from God and cause immense suffering. De-mons primarily affect the way we feel and think accordingly shaping the way we act. In addition to ill affect-ing the mind, they can also cause physical problems.
Matthew 9:32-34 As they were going out, a mute, demon-possessed man was brought to Him. After the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds were amazed, and were saying, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel."
(Continued on page 18)
Demonology III By Vince Finnegan
“. . . (Disobedience
to God’s Word is
sin; moreover,
obedience is faith.)
In like manner,
demons strive to
cause people to sin”
18
Matthew 12:22 Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw. Luke 13:11-13 And there was a woman who for eighteen years had had a sickness caused by a spirit; and she was bent double, and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, He called her over and said to her, "Woman, you are freed
from your sickness."
And He laid His hands on her; and immediately she was made erect again and began glorifying God. A number of physical reasons can cause someone to be blind, mute, or bent double − all of which have nothing to do with demons. Good doc-tors consider all the possibili-
ties by examination and test-ing to determine the cause of our physical problems. How many doctors consider that a demon may be the cause of the affliction? Demon influ-ence should indeed be a con-sideration for those of us who are believers in the accuracy of the Scriptures. After Jesus cast out the de-mon which caused the man’s muteness, the Pharisees made the following accusation: “He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons.” The incident draws attention to one dominant characteristic of demons and demonic influ-ence, which is: they accuse others. Often, what they were guilty of is what they accuse others of doing; hence, they are doing a crafty reversal. Critically accusing people is clearly and repeatedly con-demned in the Scriptures as an evil to avoid. Jesus was
constantly at-tacked with false accusa-tions by those who were ma-nipulated and or occupied by demons. Again in the Genesis chapter 3 and even more evi-dent in the book of Job, Satan accuses God of wrong-doing. Revela-
tion tells us that Satan is the accuser of the brethren, which he does before God day and night. The demons emulate him, so those who are occupied by demons con-sistently accuse others and cause all sorts of evil, conten-tions, strife, and divisions. Consideration of demonic involvement whenever we are assaulted with critical accusa-tions is wise. However, not all criticism is demonic. Right discernment between accusations and genuine godly confrontation is neces-sary. Questions prayerfully to consider include – “Is there legitimacy to what is said about me?” “Is this a demonic accusation?” “Is this person doing what he or she is accus-ing me of doing?” If the an-swer to the first question is yes, then accept the reproof with gratitude, and endeavor to change. If the answer to either of the next questions is affirmative, respond in a godly manner similar to how our Lord Jesus did in the Gospels. Do not take personal offense by the accusation; rather, understand you are under a spiritual attack. The design of accusations is to motivate a response. Evil accusations particularly pro-voke a sinful reaction. Act, not react, wisely with love, compassion, and faith; thereby, you will avoid the trap and possibly help the person. �
(Continued from page 17)
Demonology III Continued. . .
And there was a woman who for
eighteen years had had a sickness
caused by a spirit; and she was bent
double, and could not straighten up at
all.
When Jesus saw her, He called her
over and said to her, "Woman, you are
freed from your sickness."
Luke 13:11-12
19
HOLINESS TO YAHWEH
FAMILY CAMP at Silver Bay, June 27 – July 3, 2010 “Exalt Yahweh our God and worship at His holy hill, for holy is Yahweh our God” Psalm 99:9
Camp will run from Sunday dinner through Saturday lunch. Various price options are available based on your housing choice: rooms in the Inn with a pri-vate bath, rooms in the Inn with a shared central bath down the hall, or rooms in Hepbron (a bit more rustic) with a shared bath. Children, ages 4 -17, must stay in the same building with their parent or guardian. Teenaged children can stay in a shared bath on the Inn’s 3rd floor, as long as their parent or guardian is housed in the Inn. Prices listed below are per person and assume double occupancy.
Camp is called “Family Camp” because it is designed for the family of God. It is not just for families, however. EVERYONE is invited – children, teens, young adults, single adults, married couples, families, and senior citizens. The activities are constructed in a way that is sensitive to the needs of all. MORNING WATCH starts off the day as campers join together in prayer. The highlight of each day is THE WORD SPEAKS, when a simple yet pro-found teaching of God’s Word is presented. DEVOTION WITH MOTION and EXPRESSIVE HEARTS provide unique ways to express our adoration to God. LAKESIDE SING is an evening quiet time when campers sing praises together to God. During NIGHT LIFE after the evening teaching, we will enjoy special activities such as a campfire, praise night, sweet fellowship, and more. Also, at NIGHT WATCH, campers can close out the day together in prayer. CHILDREN’S FELLOWSHIP is a program full of activities designed for those five to twelve and is held during adult fellowship time. Silver Bay offers a morning program for children four and younger from 8:30 – 11:30 a.m., Monday through Friday. There is an additional charge of $35 per child for this activity, and pre-registration is required. If you have children this age, you will receive a medical form and application. These FORMS MUST BE
FILLED OUT AND RETURNED to Living Hope two weeks prior to camp. Registration for this program is limited, and enrollment is on a first come first served basis.
Many campers have expressed a desire to help serve at camp or share their talents. If you would be blessed to help out at camp this year, please indicate your desire in the space provided. Housing and acceptance are at the discretion of the registrar. Housing will be assigned by availability and on a first come basis. Confirmation and directions will be sent after the registration deadline of May 31st, 2010. Please return application and payment to: Living Hope International Ministries, 458 Old Niskayuna Road, Latham, NY 12110. A $100 deposit per person will hold your reservation, with full payment due by the May 31st registration deadline.
Street ______________________________________ City _______________________ State/Prov ________ Zip __________
Phone ______________________________ Language _________________ Preferred Roommate _______________________
Email _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Special needs (i.e. dietary, medical, problems walking) ______________________________________________________________
I would be blessed to serve at camp in the following area: ___________________________________________________________
First & Last Names Gender
(M/F)
Birth date
(m/d/y) First & Last Names
Gender
(M/F)
Birth date
(m/d/y)
HousingHousingHousingHousing # Adults # Teens (13-17) # children (6-12) # Babies
Total
Inn w/Inn w/Inn w/Inn w/
Private Bath
______ X $693
______ X $504
______ X $336
______ X $0
3rd Floor of Inn
w/ Shared Bath
______ X $630
______ X $441
______ X $305
______ X $0
Hepbron w/
Shared Bath
______ X $515
______ X $378
______ X $257
______ X $0
Morning Program cost Morning Program cost Morning Program cost Morning Program cost
for children under 5for children under 5for children under 5for children under 5
______ X $35
Grand Total:
Nonprofit Org.
US Postage
Paid
Latham, New York
Permit No. 128
458 Old Niskayuna Road
Latham, New York 12110 USA