Everyday we are faced with a million decisions. Some big, some small. Some are trivial. Some are life changing. In this issue we will look at how we should make even our smallest decisions with faith, courage and love, foremost in our minds.
Remember, Everyday decisions represent a lifetime of morality.
Colossians 3:17 "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
Colossians 3:23 "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the lord as a reward. It is the Lord you are serving.
Ephesians 2:8-10 "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
Romans 2:6-9 "God `will give to each person according to what he has done.' To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil."
Titus 2:7-8 "In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us."
We'll publish your letter to the editor, just write to: S.T.N., 2300 Twisted Oak, Newcastle, OK 73065. Or email at: seekingtruthnow@yahoo.com
The Walk of Faith by an "Evil Cult"
by: Todd Nettleton -Reprinted from The Voice of the Martyrs Newsletter
The numbers are breathtaking: 23,686 arrests; 4,014 believers sent away for "re-education through labor"; 1,545 forced to flee in order to avoid arrest; 208 people left permanently handicapped by police abuse; and 129 killed by police.
These numbers are the persecution statistics from just a small branch of China's giant house church movement. This small branch contains 500,000 members in 40 church groups. They are less than one percent of China's Christians. The statistics cover a 19-year period through 2001, during which Public Security Bureau (PSB) officers martyred at least two Christians (from these groups) each year.
Almost five percent of church members from among these groups were arrested at some time. How many Christians would go to jail if police hauled off one out of every 20 members of your congregation this Sunday?
Last year alone, there were more than 2,600 arrests within this "small" sample of Chinese Christians. More than 350 members are currently on the run to avoid arrest. Three persons were killed last year, most likely beaten to death during police interrogations. Two more were beaten so severely they were left permanently handicapped; and more than 1,000 members were forced to pay fines for their "illegal" activity—worshipping Jesus Christ. The government calls them "criminals" and members of an "evil cult." We call them brothers and sisters in Christ.
It has long been thought that China was, in sheer numbers, the world's worst abuser of Christians. But with these statistics, just recently hand-delivered to our office by Chinese Christians, there can be little doubt. According to our records, China contains more prisoners for Christ than all other nations of the world combined.
Many of China's Christians have a simple yet profound faith. They are not trained theologians or apologists, yet they hold fast to Christ's saving power. One Christian, Li Guizhi, was questioned by police for hours, forced to kneel on a small log and beaten on her face and head. "Confess now completely, then I'll let you go!!" The PSB officer screamed at her as her leg muscles cried out in pain.
Her confession came: "I believe in Jesus, and all I learned is to make people better." She wasn't allowed to finish her statement of faith, because the officer refused to listen; he sent her to a labor camp.
-If you would like to read more stories about Christian persecution in today's world, you can subscribe to the "Voice of the Martyrs Newsletter" for free. Refer to the Seeking Truth Now Classified Adds for the address.
World Religions (keeping things in perspective)
Hinduism- is 4000 years old, with 800 million practitioners worldwide, but with a majority in India.
Hindus believe that humanity is cast into a long cycle of repetitive incarnation, known as samsara. Hindus also accept as a transcendent goal one's ultimate escape from that cycle. Everyday life-our day-to-day experience of existence-is seen as a burden, very often a very painful one, thanks to the working-out of karma from our current lives and past incarnations. This process is seen as an intrinsic part of the human condition.
Spiritual progress, according to Hinduism, is all about avoiding rebirth. This notion can be a misleading one, however, especially for outsiders. For Hindus, each new incarnation offers the opportunity for growth. Believers pursue four life aspirations, each
one recognized as spiritually valid: pleasure, development of wealth, righteousness, and liberation from the cycle of birth, death, and
rebirth.
Life is seen as a sacred opportunity for a particular believer to embrace a particular, appropriate discipline at a particular time and hasten his or her journey toward union with Brahman.
Poetry
No Regrets
by: Stephen Britton from the BIC
For all the times we shared, only two words come to mind.
No Regrets.
For those harsh, insensitive words I said, No Regrets.
I know you will forgive me in time.
For those hateful feelings I had towards you, No Regrets.
I'll just start missing you tomorrow.
For the time you were hurting, and I didn't want to help, No Regrets.
I knew God was watching over you anyway.
For the times I missed saying hello, No Regrets.
That just means I never had to say good-bye; it always hurt.
For all those times it was just you and me talking heart to heart, No Regrets.
It made our friendship even stronger.
For all those jokes we shared, No Regrets.
I'm glad we could both laugh at them.
For the times I couldn't show I really cared, No Regrets.
I just hope you knew that I really did.
For all the times I didn't talk to you about God and His saving love,
I couldn't possibly regret more.
Knowing that I might have caused your soul to be lost.
That is the one regret I will never forget.
Quotes
"See God in every person, place, and thing, and all will be well in your world."--Louise Hay
"The Christian life is not a constant high. I have my moments of deep discouragement. I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes, and say, 'O God, forgive me,' or 'Help me.' "--Billy Graham
"We are not Human Beings having a spiritual experience, we are Spiritual Beings having a human experience."-unknown
Humorous Words of Wisdom. . .
--- From: Jack Handy: ---
I can picture in my mind a world without war, a world without hate. And I can picture us attacking that world, because they'd never expect it.
If you ever drop your keys into a river of molten lava, let'em go, because, man, they're gone.
Is there anything more beautiful than a beautiful, beautiful flamingo, flying across in front of a beautiful sunset? And he's carrying a beautiful rose in his beak, and also he's carrying a very beautiful painting with his feet. And also, you're drunk.
Maybe in order to understand mankind we have to look at that word itself. MANKIND. Basically, it's made up of two separate words "mank" and "ind." What do these words mean? It's a mystery and that's why so is mankind.
If trees could scream, would we be so cavalier about cutting them down? We might, if they screamed all the time, for no good reason.
If I ever get real rich, I hope I'm not real mean to poor people, like now.
As the light changed from red to green to yellow and back to red again, I sat there thinking about life. Was it nothing more than a bunch of honking and yelling? Sometimes it seemed that way.
Realizing the Value of Time
To realize the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade.
To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby.
To realize the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper.
To realize the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.
To realize the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person who missed the train.
To realize the value of ONE SECOND, ask a person who just avoided an accident.
To realize the value of ONE MILLISECOND, ask the person who won a silver medal in the Olympics.
Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why it's called the present.
Dan's Editorial
This week's topic can be summed up with Colossians 3:23: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,"
Many times in life, I find myself focusing on the daily events that I'm going through rather than the more important Eternal things in life. I find myself spending more and more time focusing on the "here and now" rather than the "forever." I know this is wrong.
As Christians (or as a Jews, Muslims or any other world religion that I am aware of) one of our most difficult struggles is to look past our material surroundings, and see that life is a very fragile thing that will only be here for a relatively small amount of time. We must use our lives while we are here on earth to accomplish good, and obey our God to the best of our ability (and to the best of our knowledge of His commands).
We all must constantly strive to see the big picture. Realize that whether your a high status millionaire, or a poor minimum wage worker, that the decisions you make, whether big or small, can have unfathomable results. God works in mysterious ways. We know that the bible tells us that all things work together for the good of those who Love Him.
You know many people think that the only way to truly give all your life to God is to become a preacher, missionary or some other lifetime Godly pursuit. I disagree. Even though these things are wonderful and very important, I say that regardless of your occupation (with a few obvious exceptions) you can and should still give all of your life to God. As stated in the aforementioned scripture, you should do everything as if you were doing it for God Himself.
Remember, everyday decisions represent a lifetime of morality.
- Dan.
Have an opinion or question? If so, write a letter to me: seekingtruthnow@yahoo.com or Dan Branum, 2300 Twisted Oak, Newcastle, OK 73065
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