On July 8, 2006, Dave Harris will give the sermon, titled, “Children of Promise.”
The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 12:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 2:30 pm Central Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.
Preaching the Gospel and Feeding the Flock
“Mr. Kalon Mitchell and Miss Manuela Link are happy to announce
their engagement to be married early next year. Manuela is the daughter
of Norbert and Johanna Link and Kalon is the son of Brad and Kathleen
Mitchell. Let us all rejoice in wishing them every happiness for the
future.”
Are You Hungry or Full?
by Robb Harris
I recently needed some work done on my
sprinkler system, so I hired someone to come out and service it.
During the process of tuning up my system, the man reset my watering
cycle in order to use less water, but get the grass to grow
greener. According to him, too much water in too short of a time
allowed less water to reach the roots. Shorter waterings on the
other hand, didn’t satiate the ground, and required less water overall.
Our
part of the country has also been in watering restrictions for the past
few years, which dictate how many times per week you can
water. This year our city hasn’t put any restrictions into
place, and I asked him about this, wondering if his modifications to my
system would comply with any upcoming restrictions. He told me
that in the past, when restrictions were in place, people used much
more water then when there were no watering schedules. The reason
being, if you are given only a few hours per week to water, you would
most likely be watering during that entire time. And if people
think the water tables are full, they worry less about getting all the
water they can, when they are allowed.
Although a bad example to
live by in regards to our water supply, this is a good test to see how
full our “Spiritual” water supplies are. In this age, God’s Truth
is in very short supply. Do we take advantage of it, when it’s
made available to us? Or do we have the outlook that because it’s
on hand for us today, that the same will be true tomorrow?
Christ
was full of God’s Truth, thus He didn’t have to learn any more like
us. WRONG! He continued to persevere, continued to overcome
throughout His ENTIRE life. Let’s remember His example when we
start feeling too full, satisfied and self absorbed, because God’s
Truth SHOULD ALWAYS quench our thirst.
Would you please explain the procedure for conflict resolution between brethren, as set forth in Matthew 18:15-20?
If there is one command by Christ which has been more often violated
in the Church than most others, it is perhaps the procedure for
conflict resolution between brethren, as set forth in Matthew 18. We
might think that in a given situation this procedure might not apply,
or that there are other ways to deal with a perceived or real problem.
However, experience has shown time and again that circumventing the
godly-inspired procedure for the purpose of resolving problems between
members has ALWAYS caused unnecessary harm.
Let us therefore
carefully and prayerfully review the procedure, and let us make every
effort to apply it, as instructed in God’s Word:
When a member
thinks that there is a real or perceived problem between him and
another person in the Church, which is either caused by the other
person or by the member himself, what should the member do?
Step #1:
Matthew
18:15 instructs the member: “Moreover if your brother sins against you,
go and tell him his fault between you and him ALONE.”
As we can
see, at this stage, there is no minister, close friend or even a mate
involved. If a member thinks that someone in the Church has sinned
against him, he is to go and talk to the person–with humility and
compassion and with the right attitude (Galatians 6:1)–and he is to do
so ALONE, in PRIVATE.
Matthew 18:15 continues: “If he hears you, you have gained your brother.”
This must be the motivation–not one of revenge for getting back at the person!
The
same principle applies if the member knows that his brother has
something against him. If a member knows that his brother has a real or
imagined problem with him, he–the member–is to go to his brother. He
is to go to him ALONE, in PRIVATE, without anyone else present, with
the goal of restoring the relationship between the two of them (compare
Matthew 5:21-26).
If the meeting has the desired result, but
subsequently, another similar or identical problem arises, what is the
member to do? Is this now the time to tell the ministry—because,
after all, the member might think, “I tried it once, and he just does
not listen?” The answer is: The member is NOT to tell the ministry at
that point in time. Luke 17:3-4 tells us: “Take heed to yourselves. If
your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive
him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times
in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”
But
one might think: “That’s too difficult and unpleasant.” Or, “It’s not
practical. I went to him once–that is sufficient.” But God instructs
us to do EXACTLY as He tells us, as HE knows that this is the ONLY way
which MAY produce positive results. If we act differently than
instructed, we WILL have trouble.
(The forgoing does not apply,
however, when a brother is charged with illegal wrongdoing, including
sexual abuse. In that case, the ministry is to be told immediately, in
confidence! But even then, one has first to make sure that the facts
are true and correct, and not just mere speculation or suspicion
without evidence.)
If a meeting, in private, between the two
members has taken place, and the sinning brother refuses to repent or
to make amends, then what is the next Biblically-ordained step?
Step #2:
Matthew
18:16 continues: “But if he will not hear you, take with you one or two
more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be
established.”
The member who has a problem with a brother in the
church, and who has tried, unsuccessfully, to solve the problem with
the brother, is to return to the brother with one or two
witnesses–again in the effort to solve the problem and to reconcile
with the brother. The one or two witnesses must be carefully selected,
and they should not in any way already be involved in the situation.
Rather, they must be impartial and objective witnesses. After all, it
is now up to the impartial witnesses to see whether the brother accused
of sin is actually guilty of the same, and unwilling to repent and to
make amends.
What, if the brother refuses to hear the witnesses?
Step #3:
Matthew 18:17 continues: “And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church.”
We
have always understood and taught, and the Church of the Eternal God
and its corporate international affiliates uphold and teach this
understanding, that the reference to “the church” in Matthew 18:17 is
the “ministry,” not the entire Church congregation (Please see Q&A
in Update #147). The Church congregation was, in a sense, already
involved, in a representative capacity, in the persons of the witnesses.
Step #4:
Matthew 18:17 continues: “… But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.”
That
is, the ministry will have to make the decision in such a case to
temporarily suspend or even disfellowship the person until he shows
real and sincere repentance. At that point, depending on the gravity of
the situation and in a rare case, the local Church congregation or even
the entire Church might have to be told.
How can we be sure that
the ministry will make the correct decision in such cases – by having
seen to it, that the proper procedure has been followed, as discussed
and set forth in Scripture, and by praying to God for wisdom to render
the right decision.
Matthew 18:18-20 tells us:
“Assuredly,
I say to you, whatever you [the ministry, now called upon to render a
decision] bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose
on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you that if two of
you [in the ministry] agree on earth concerning anything that they ask
[including wisdom to make right decisions], it will be done for them by
My Father in heaven. For where two or three [ministers] are
gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”
God,
through His Holy Spirit, will give His ministers the discernment, if
they are close to God and diligent in following the Biblical procedure
for conflict resolution, to see what needs to be done in a given case
(compare John 20:21-23). And if God should reveal to His ministry that
the accusations against a member were false, then the ministry will
have to deal with the accuser (compare Deuteronomy 19:15-21). Many
times, accusations and problems develop because of misunderstandings.
That is why two members need first to talk about those problems ALONE,
IN PRIVATE and ONLY between themselves.
The Bible is very clear
as to how we are to attempt to solve problems amongst us. And if all of
us–the ministry and the members–have done all that they were required
to do, and if a problem just cannot be solved, then God WILL see to it
that a godly and correct decision will be rendered.
Lead Writer: Norbert Link
In the Beginning, Part 2
On July 1, 2006, Norbert Link will give the sermon, titled, “In the Beginning, Part 2.”
The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 12:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 2:30 pm Central Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.
Preaching the Gospel and Feeding the Flock
A new StandingWatch program has been posted on the Web. It is titled: “Why so much cruelty?” Set forth below is a summary of the program:
Whole
Foods Market announced today that they will no longer sell live
lobsters for human consumption. Animal rights activists welcomed the
decision. They had pointed out the cruelty with which lobsters are
treated–by dropping them alive into a pot of boiling water. While some
scientists who are presumably supported by the food industry claim that
lobsters cannot feel any pain, the opposite has been clearly proven.
Why do we have so much cruelty in this world–from torturing animals in
laboratories to find some medication for human sicknesses, to brutally
killing unborn children in their mothers’ wombs, by literally tearing
them apart during abortion procedures? And why are we so casual
regarding the death of innocent civilians in war? Has God created us
with such a brutal, cruel human nature? And if not, how did we become
this way, and how can a change of our hearts come about?
Why don't we see more spiritual gifts in the Church of God today?
It depends what is meant by “spiritual gifts.”
Some equate
“spiritual gifts” with magnificent spectacular miracles and wonders,
such as public healings or the calling down of fire from heaven. It is
true, of course, that Jesus Christ, when He was here on earth,
performed many spectacular miracles (Acts 2:22), and that some of the
early apostles of the New Testament Church were able to do likewise
(Acts 2:43: 5:12). We read that Christ did many more miracles than have
been recorded in the Bible (John 21:25). We are also informed that
people were even healed when Peter’s shadow fell on them (Acts
5:14-16). We are told that at the very end time, just prior to the “Day
of the Lord” and Christ’s return, His Church will be given the power to
perform spectacular miracles (Joel 2:28-31), and the Two Witnesses will
have the power to call down fire from heaven, when and if necessary
(Revelation 11:3-6).
We should also realize, however, that God
has wisely decided not to grant such spectacular powers to the Church
or His disciples all the time, because of very important reasons. We
read that John the Baptist, even though he was the greatest of all men
born of a woman (Matthew 11:11), did not perform ANY sign or miracle
(John 10:41). During His public ministry, Christ was at times very
careful NOT to perform miracles in public, or to have made His miracles
known (Matthew 8:1-4; 9:27-30; Mark 1:40-45; Mark 5:43; Mark 7:36; Mark
8:26). He even commanded the demons, as well as His disciples, not to
tell anyone that He was the Messiah–the Son of God (Matthew 16:20;
Mark 1:34; 3:11-12). He knew that once He was revealed as the Messiah,
it would be difficult for Him to preach the gospel openly (Mark 1:45;
Luke 5:15-16), and He said that the preaching of the gospel was one of
the reasons for His First Coming (Luke 4:43).
He also stated that
many of those who began to follow Him did not do so because they wanted
to learn the truth from Him, or because of His signs which He
performed, but because of the physical benefits which accompanied the
signs (John 6:26). It is true that the signs and miracles which He did
should have been enough evidence for the people, and for us today, that
He was and is the Son of God (John 10:25, 37-38; 20:30-31).
However, they were not sufficient in many cases (John 12:37; 15:24),
and when they were, they did not provide a lasting basis for the people
to stay loyal and committed. Even though His own disciples had seen His
signs and wonders, many of them left when they became offended by His
teachings (John 6:60-66). We also read, of course, that the public
miracles of Christ and the early apostles brought about persecution
(John 5:15-16; 11:45-53), preventing Him to “walk… openly among the
Jews” (verse 54).
We should also consider the possibility that a
lack of faith might prevent God from granting power to the Church to
perform public miracles. Even Jesus could not do many miracles among
those who did not believe in Him or God’s Power (Matthew 13:53-58; Mark
6:4-6).
Most importantly, however, is the realization that God
has a time table. He knows WHEN the time is right to give His end-time
Church the power to perform public miracles, which will, in turn,
invite persecution from Satan and those under his influence (Matthew
24:9; John 15:20). Right now, God is more interested in the Church’s
fulfillment of its ongoing commission to preach the gospel in all the
world as a witness (Matthew 24:14). At the same time, He warns us that
some will arise to perform miracles and signs, but they will DECEIVE
many (Matthew 24:11, 24). Even a charismatic religious figure, soon to
manifest himself on the world scene, will be able to perform public
miracles, but he will do so with the power of Satan, not of God
(Revelation 13:11-14; 2 Thessalonians 2:8-9).
Christ came to
proclaim the gospel or the good news of the Kingdom of God to the
people–mainly those in Judea. But He told His disciples that they
would preach the gospel in all the world (Acts 1:8), and that He would
give them the power of the Holy Spirit to be able to do that. He said
that His Church would do greater WORKS (not necessarily public signs
and wonders) than He did, as He would go to the Father (John 14:12). He
poured out of the Holy Spirit from on high which He received from the
Father (Luke 24:49). And we can safely say that Christ has already
fulfilled His promise in these days–the gospel of the Kingdom of God
is being proclaimed in all the world. This has been made possible
through the marvelous technical inventions of the printing press,
radio, television and the Internet. It was not Christ’s purpose at His
time to have the gospel proclaimed in many other countries, but He knew
that in subsequent times, He would do so through His Church. Of course,
we realize that the technological advances have also made it possible
that big, powerful churches proclaim false gospel messages in all the
world–hence Christ’s warning to His disciples not to be deceived by
such false churches and doctrines.
The fact, however, that we do
not see God’s Church perform spectacular public miracles today, which
would attract worldwide attention, does not mean that God does not use
His Church today to perform miracles; or that He has not bestowed
spiritual gifts on His ministry and the Church as a whole. Every time
God’s ministers anoint sick persons with oil and pray for their
healing, or send an anointed cloth to the sick person, and that such
sick person is healed, God has performed a miracle. Every time God
protects His children from physical or spiritual harm, God has
performed a miracle. Every time God’s disciples are obedient to His
laws, even in situations which seemingly make it impossible to do so,
God has performed a miracle. Every time a person understands the truth
and responds to the gospel message, repents of his sins, believes in
Christ and His sacrifice, becomes obedient to God’s Word, and is
baptized and receives the Holy Spirit, God has bestowed spiritual gifts
on that person and has performed a miracle. Every time God’s Church is
receiving a better understanding of God’s Word, thereby growing in the
knowledge of Jesus Christ, God has performed a miracle and bestowed on
His Church a priceless spiritual gift. And every time one of God’s
children overcomes the temptation of forsaking the truth, resisting
false teachers and wrong doctrines, God has performed a miracle.
The
greatest miracle of all is that both the Father and Jesus Christ are
willing to live in true Christians, through the power of the Holy
Spirit. And what a great miracle it will be when, at the return of
Jesus Christ, true Christians will receive the gift of eternal life
(Romans 6:23) and the gift of the inheritance of the Kingdom of God
(Luke 12:32)–when they will be changed from mortal to immortal; from
flesh and blood to spirit; from a human being to a God being! Rather
than looking for outward signs and wonders, let us concentrate on what
God HAS BEEN giving to His true Church. Christ said that the greatest
GIFT which God the Father is willing to bestow on us, is His Holy
Spirit (Luke 11:13; John 4:10; Acts 2:38; Acts 10:45). God’s Spirit in
us enables us to develop the very MIND of God (2 Timothy 1:7),
including His very characteristics, such as His love, His peace, His
joy and His faith (Galatians 5:22-23).
Let us consider what
spiritual GIFTS, in particular, God is referring to in His Word, which
He gives to us today, and which we must deeply appreciate and value. We
read in 1 Corinthians 12 about all kinds of spiritual gifts, such as
gifts of healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits,
and different kinds of tongues or languages (verses 1, 9-10). Paul says
that not everyone in the Church has the same identical gifts (verse 4),
but all gifts are given “to each one for the profit of all”–the entire
Church (verse 7). God gives individual spiritual gifts to some so that
the entire Church can be built up. That is why He GIVES “some to be
apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and
teachers, for the equipping of the saints… for the edifying of the
body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the
knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man” (Ephesians 4:11-13).
But, the greatest or best spiritual GIFTS of God to us are His love,
His faith and His hope (1 Corinthians 12:31; 13:13).
Finally,
let us never belittle God’s awesome POWER which He gives to all of us
if we are His children, through the indwelling Holy Spirit. God’s power
WILL change the world–in His due time. In the meantime, let us make
sure that the spiritual GIFT of God’s power changes US.
Lead Writer: Norbert Link
Satan Wants You!
On June 24, 2006, Edwin Pope will give the sermon, titled “Satan Wants You!”
The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 12:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 2:30 pm Central Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.
Preaching the Gospel and Feeding the Flock
Rene and Delia Messier informed us that their eighth grandchild was
born on June 10th, at 6 lbs., 8 oz. Their granddaughter, daughter of
Rene and Delia’s son Alan and daughter-in-law Kristy, was named Candice
Aleah Messier.
Our new booklet on prayer will soon be entering the second review cycle.
Norbert Link video-taped today a Feast sermon, to be shown during the
Feast of Tabernacles 2006 in Los Osos, California. Norbert and Johanna
Link will be keeping the Feast this year in England. Edwin Pope will
soon be video-taping a Feast sermon, to be shown during the Feast of
Tabernacles 2006 in England. Edwin and Joan Pope will be keeping the
Feast this year in Los Osos, California.
The German translation of our booklet, “Is God a Trinity?” has been
completed. The German booklet will be posted soon on our Webpages.
Our Daily Bread
by Louise Amorelli
Bread….the “food” of
life. It is one of the oldest staples of the basic diet.
Our physical well-being depends upon fueling our bodies, daily, with
bread and other foods given by our Creator to keep us healthy. Due to a
recent illness which left me unable to perform normal daily activities,
I was forced to rethink my eating habits. In doing so, I have
learned many valuable lessons–not only in my physical life, but also
in my spiritual life.
The correlation between our physical and
spiritual intake of “food” is remarkable. I realized first and foremost
that quality food is of great importance in keeping our bodies in
tip-top shape. In this fast-paced, fast-food society, this can be
quite difficult. Just as we need quality physical food, more
importantly, we also need quality spiritual food, inspired by God’s
Word. Just as we should seek out the better foods to eat, we must
also seek out God’s Truth among the “fast-food” religions of this world
that promise us an unhealthy spiritual diet which can result in
spiritual illness or death. As all nutritionists agree, the fast food
ingredients of fillers, preservatives and artificial ingredients are
detrimental to our health. They are realizing more and more the link
between good food and healthy bodies. These foods entice us with our
senses, but ultimately bring us physical illness which can lead to
death. Today’s religions, in this Satan-inspired world, do much the
same. They are pleasing to our spiritual senses by making us think that
God’s laws are done away with and that the commandments are no longer
in effect. It’s the fast-food mentality of quick
self-gratification, without considering the consequences.
I have
also learned that I should take the time and make the effort to cook
healthy meals. This may take some time, but it is time well spent.
During the food preparation, this allows me to enjoy the whole cooking
experience. Not only does it give me time to spend with my family, it
also allows me to de-stress away the worries of the day. In the
spiritual sense, we must take our time during our busy day to develop
our relationship with God through prayer, Bible study and meditation.
By giving our time to God, this will bring us spiritual peace of mind
and a healthy spiritual appetite.
In the sample prayer given in
God’s Word, we are told to ask Him to give us our daily bread. We need
to keep in mind the relationship between our physical and spiritual
bread which are both given by God. Let us make sure that we take
the time in our busy lives to nourish ourselves with quality “bread”
with no preservatives, fillers or artificial ingredients!!
