Current Word of the Month

November 2010: The path of humbleness and obedience

The Gospel of Matthew describes how the Lord Jesus called His first disciples to follow Him. The brothers James and John were at work. They were in a boat, mending nets with their father. Then Jesus came up to them and called up

on them

to follow Him (cf. Matthew 4: 21). They left everything without hesitation and followed the Lord. Scripture reports of many incidents in which Jesus called upon people to follow Him – and today too He calls upon us to follow Him. While Jesus was on earth His disciples were very close to Him and stayed with Him all the time. But He is no longer here in person, so how can we follow Him? This image of the boat, which the disciples left behind, is to be understood on a spiritual level. The boat is a metaphor for spiritual fellowship. Those who seek to fo

llow the Lord Jesus must leave one or the other thing behind. One of these things is unbelief and doubt: many people do not believe in Jesus Christ. And they certainly do not believe that the Lord Jesus reveals Himself in His s

ervants today. When they are called to follow Jesus, they must first abandon the boat of unbelief.

Another boat in our days is the boat of personal opinions. Many people have their own firmly held opinions and say: “I will not accept anything but what I think.” This is particularly true with regard to future-oriented things and spiritual matters. Such people prefer to persist in their own theories and ideas, and are not prepared to follow. We cannot insist on our own ideas, however. Rather let us be prepared to follow the Lord Jesus.

There is something else that could bind us and prevent us from following, namely hopelessness and despair. Let us get out of this boat and follow the Lord Jesus! Children of God have no reason to despair, but every reason to hope.

There is another boat which carries those who only strive for natural things and who have no interest in spiritual matters. If we want to follow the Lord, we must get out of this boat to strive for – and reach – our eternal goal. So let us leave this boat and follow the Lord Jesus.

There is another aspect to following. One must take the same direction as the person one is following. The path of the Lord has two notable characteristics: it is the path of humbleness and obedience. To follow the Lord we must take this path of remaining humble and continually heeding the word of God. It is easy to say that we are humble toward God. But showing humbleness toward others is more difficult by far. Even in this respect the Lord Jesus was our example: He even washed the feet of His disciples. Let us look to His example and likewise be humble.

There is another thing that is important when following someone. One must be careful not to let any distance grow, because following at a distance is not possible. Let us stay close to the Lord! We can accomplish this by attending the divine services, by being close to Him in prayer, and by having fellowship with one another and with God’s servants, particularly the Apostles. Let us always remain very close to Him. When He returns to take His own unto Himself, those who have followed Him will not be left behind but will instead be with Him eternally. That is the goal for which we strive!

(From a divine service by the Chief Apostle)

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Current Word of the Month

Septmber 2010: God’s covenant and His law

Already in the Old Testament the Lord promised to make a covenant through Jeremiah. He also described this covenant in greater detail, saying: “I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts.” Then He gave the promise: “… and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” This is a reference to the covenant of the Holy Spirit: on the day of our Holy Sealing, we were accepted by God and incorporated into His covenant. Thereby we became His people and were given His promise: “I will be their God.” Here it says that His law is written in our minds. The people of Israel in the Old Testament had a law too, namely the Ten Commandments, as well as further prescriptions given by the Lord. These had been chiselled into stone. Things are different with the new covenant which the Lord has made with us: He has written His law into our minds and hearts.

Let me describe this divine law. The first important element of it is the law of love. God loves us and He wants us to love Him in return. This is a law He has written into our hearts. If we truly love the Lord, we will not have the heart to disappoint Him. We will want to have fellowship with Him, to be close to Him. And we will bring our offerings, not out of obligation or duty but because our heart urges us to do so. That is the law of love. And this law of love also dictates that we love one another. We will then endeavour to support one another and try to make things easier for each other. We will also pray for one another and have empathy for those who are sad.

There are still other aspects to the divine law, notably the law of faith. The Lord once expressed that if we truly have faith, we can move mountains. Faith is a real power. Nothing can hinder us if we are truly motivated by a strong faith. In the Bible we read of many people who turned to the Lord Jesus because they had health concerns and other problems. And in many cases they were helped. Often the Lord Jesus told them: “Your faith has made you well!”

Still another aspect is the law of divine grace. In the Scriptures it says that God gives grace to the humble. If we turn to Him in humbleness and in the knowledge that we cannot accomplish anything without Him, then we can receive grace.

There is also the law of forgiveness. The Lord Jesus once told His Apostles: “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them.” If we stay with the Apostles, we too can have our sins forgiven.

Finally there is also the law of hope. We know that the Lord Jesus will come again in order to take us to Himself. This law has been written into our hearts, and we expect the fulfilment of this promise daily. All of these laws have been written into our hearts. Let us never forget them. After all, they constitute the covenant which God has made with us. He is our God and we are His people!

(From a divine service by the Chief Apostle)

Separate Churches?

"Is it wrong for a Christian husband and wife to attend separate churches?"

A husband and a wife attending separate churches is a situation that is more common than one might think. It’s also common for the children of such a couple to be divided between the two churches, thereby creating a rift in the family that is never healthy. In order to determine whether or not it is “wrong” for a husband and wife to attend separate churches, we must first look at marriage as a relationship instituted by God.

Genesis 2:24 tells us God created man and woman to become “one flesh” when they marry, not two separate beings who go their own separate ways. There is a unity in marriage which is unique and holy. Moreover, marriage is the picture of Christ and His church (believers) as described in Ephesians 5:31-32. The marriage covenant between a man and a woman is symbolic of the covenant between Christ and those for whom He died. His is an everlasting covenant and one that is holy and sacred, just as marriage is to be holy, sacred and unbroken. This unity of two people into one reaches its most sacred in the spiritual realm, where the two are to be of one mind regarding the basic doctrines of Christianity – God, Christ, sin, salvation, heaven/hell, etc. This unity of understanding through the ministry of the Holy Spirit unites a husband and wife in a bond unlike any other on earth.

While it’s possible for a husband and wife to have differing tastes as far as music, preaching or worship styles, children’s programs, etc., none of these things are significant enough to break up the family into two parts so they can attend different churches based on tastes. It is clear that if both churches are Bible-based and Christ-honoring, there is no reason why one spouse can’t bend a little and put his/her personal preferences aside. An even better alternative is for the couple to join together to seek a church where the Word of God is preached as the only guide for faith and practice, where the entire family can learn the true gospel of Jesus Christ, and where the family can fellowship with like-minded believers. In this, the husband, as the spiritual head of the family, should take the lead and make the final decision, lovingly taking his wife’s input into consideration.

Sadly, the two-church family most often crops up in marriages where one spouse was raised Roman Catholic and the other was raised in a Protestant denomination. In situations such as these, it would have been wise for the couple not to marry. Please read the following article: Should Christians of different denominations date or marry? If a marriage has already taken place, the couple should strive for spiritual unity. Two people entrenched in their different doctrinal positions often find it very difficult to compromise and reconcile, but with God, all things are possible. A couple in such a situation may be forced to attend different churches, especially if one or both spouses consider the other spouse's beliefs to be unbiblical. In such a situation, both spouses should commit to praying that truth be revealed and spiritual unity be achieved.

These doctrinal conflicts must be resolved in a family before true unity can be achieved. A couple attending different churches must be willing to hold everything they are taught up to the light of Scripture and be ready to discard anything that is contradicted by the Bible. They must “test all things and hold fast to that which is true” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

Recommended Resource: Fit to Be Tied: Making Marriage Last a Lifetime by Bill Hybels.

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NAC Men's Conference 2010

Walk-a-Thon 2010 Update

Current Word of the Month

May 2010: The finger of God

The Lord wanted to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt through Moses. The Hebrews suffered greatly there. Exploited by the Pharaoh, they were forced to work in the fields, manufacture clay bricks, and build cities and grain reserves for the Egyptians. Despite all their hard work, the Hebrews lacked even the barest of necessities.

But then the Lord intervened. Moses was to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt and away from the Pharaoh’s sphere of influence. But he did not want to let them go. Then God sent ten plagues upon the land. But each time a plague had passed, Pharaoh’s heart was hardened and he would not let the people go. Many of the plagues could also be replicated by the magicians of the Pharaoh, and perhaps this gave him the impression that they were not particularly difficult feats. But then the plagues became more and more severe, and the magicians could no longer replicate them. They told the Pharaoh that they could do no more, because they recognised the finger of God in these events. In other words: God had intervened, and human beings could do nothing more. We all know the outcome of the story: the day came when Pharaoh had to let the people of Israel go after all (cf. Exodus 1-12).

Let us take a look at ourselves and see what this might mean for our time. Is the finger of God still at work today? I say: “Yes indeed, the Lord still intervenes today!” Any of us can experience this when we approach the Lord with a believing heart. The finger of God still reveals itself today. But there is nothing magical about it, as the magicians of the ancient Egyptians supposed. Rather it is God’s powerful will to save that is at work here!

Following are two examples. Many have been invited to attend divine services in the New Apostolic Church and have thus come into contact with the work of God. Therein I see the finger of God. Later on, one or the other has also been sealed and has thus received the gift of the Holy Spirit. This too is the finger of God. The finger of God is also revealed in our everyday lives in many different ways. All we have to do is open our hearts.

The magicians of old recognised the finger of God by the fact that it restricted their own power. Today we recognise the finger of God when we are together in the divine service. Suddenly we hear something that moves us deeply and we feel that the Lord is trying to touch us. He is speaking to us directly. That is the finger of God in His word. If we recognise the finger of God in this and act in accordance with it, our faith will be acknowledged. We can also discern the finger of God in prayer. When we pray in a truly intensive fashion we can feel just how close the Lord really is, and we can be sure that He hears us. Then the finger of God becomes evident in His presence. If we pray superficially we will not be able to perceive the finger of God. To feel it we need to pray intensively and wrestle for the help of God – then it will indeed touch us and we will find that our prayers are answered. The Lord guides us, and everything He does is for our good and our blessing.

The finger of God is to be found everywhere, even in our time! Imagine the moment when the Lord will complete His work. The finger of God will be manifested again and we will hear His voice that says: “Now come, you blessed of the Lord, and inherit the kingdom that has been prepared for you!”

(From a divine service by the Chief Apostle)

NAC Men's Conference 2010

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Staying Focused

Question: "How can I stay focused on Christ?"

In our fast-paced world, it is easy to get caught up in the daily grind and lose sight of our true purpose in life - the worship of God. Each believer, in striving to remain focused upon God, has his or her own way of keeping that focus. Each individual's needs are different. One person might memorize a Scripture verse each week; another might have a private Bible study each morning; yet another might have a goal of sharing the Gospel message with at least one person every week. Each of these things keeps Christ at the forefront of one's mind. Also, each of these activities has something in common. Each is something that believers can do in order to keep their focus where it needs to be. This is surrender—surrender to Jesus Christ, to God. Surrendering one's whole life: needs, worries, pains, joys, praises. Surrendering the physical, the emotional, the mental, and the spiritual. Consider the following verses: Romans 12:1 (NLT): "And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?" Luke 9:23: "Then he said to the crowd, 'If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life.'" Romans 6:13: "Do not let any part of your body become a tool of wickedness, to be used for sinning. Instead, give yourselves completely to God since you have been given new life. And use your whole body as a tool to do what is right for the glory of God." A surrendered life is all about trust. It is trusting that God has your best interests at heart. It is trusting that His Word can be believed and taken at face value. It is trusting that all of your needs will be met. Surrender takes the focus off of self and places it upon Christ, and is demonstrated by obedience. Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, writes, "Surrender is not the best way to live; it is the only way to live. Nothing else works. All other approaches lead to frustration, disappointment and self-destruction." I personally can think of no better way to stay focused as a believer than to completely surrender my life to my Lord and Savior.

Recommended Resource: The Keys to Spiritual Growth by John MacArthur.

Attention ALL Youths

Youth Walk-a-Thon 2010

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Religion vs. Spirituality

What is the difference between Religion and Spirituality?

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Before the difference between religion and spirituality is explored, we must first define the two terms. Religion can be defined as “belief in God or gods to be worshipped, usually expressed in conduct and ritual” or “any specific system of belief, worship, etc., often involving a code of ethics.” Spirituality can be defined as “the quality or fact of being spiritual, non-physical” or “predominantly spiritual character as shown in thought, life, etc.; spiritual tendency or tone.” To put it briefly, religion is a set of beliefs and rituals that claim to get a person in a right relationship with God, and spirituality is a focus on spiritual things and the spiritual world instead of physical / earthly things.

The most common misconception about religion is that Christianity is just another religion like Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, etc. Sadly, many who claim to be adherents of Christianity do practice Christianity as if it were a religion. To many, Christianity is nothing more than a set of rules and rituals that a person has to observe in order to go to heaven after death. That is not true Christianity. True Christianity is a relationship with Jesus Christ. True Christianity is not a religion, but rather it is having a right relationship with God by receiving Jesus Christ as the Savior-Messiah, by grace through faith. Yes, Christianity does have “rituals” to observe (e.g. baptism and communion). Yes, Christianity does have “rules” to follow (e.g. do not murder, love one another, etc.). However, these rituals and rules are not the essence of Christianity. The rituals and rules of Christianity are the result of the salvation of the Christian. When we receive salvation through Jesus Christ, we are baptized as a proclamation of that faith. We observe communion in remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice. We follow a list of do’s and don’ts out of love for God and gratitude for what He has done and as a result of the influence of the indwelling Holy Spirit in our lives.

The most common misconception about spirituality is that there are many forms of spirituality, and all are equally valid. Meditating in unusual physical positions, communing with nature, seeking conversation with the spirit world, etc. may seem to be “spiritual,” but they are in fact false spirituality. True spirituality is possessing the Holy Spirit of God as a result of receiving salvation through Jesus Christ. True spirituality is the fruit that the Holy Spirit produces in a person’s life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Spirituality is all about becoming more like God, who is spirit (John 4:24), and having our character conformed to His image (Romans 12:1-2).

What religion and spirituality have in common is that they both can be false methods of having a relationship with God. Religion tends to substitute the heartless observance of rituals for a genuine relationship with God. Spirituality tends to substitute connection with the spirit world for a genuine relationship with God. Both can be, and often are, false paths to God. At the same time, religion can be valuable in the sense that it points to the fact that there is a God, and we are somehow accountable to Him. The only true value of religion is its ability to point out that we have all fallen short and are in need of a Savior. Spirituality can be valuable in that it points out that the physical world is not all there is. Human beings are not only material, but also are comprised of a soul-spirit. There is a spiritual world around us of which we should be aware. The true value of spirituality is that it points to the fact that there is something and someone beyond this physical world, to which we need to connect.

Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of both religion and spirituality. Jesus is the One to whom we are accountable – which true religion points to. Jesus is the One to whom we need to connect – which true spirituality points to.

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Programme of Activities 2010

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Congratulations & Welcome to Kieres Bynoe on Behalf of the NAC Guyana Youth Group

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A Blessed Easter to One & All

Food for Thought

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Attention Youths of G/town & B/ville

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Today's Crossword

ACROSS

1 the best of ___ and the finest of wines (Isa 25:6)
5 the idolaters and everyone who loves and ___ falsehood (Rev 22:15)
10 I had rebuilt the wall and not a ___ was left in it (Neh 6:1)
11 who is praised by all the churches for his ___ to the gospel. (2 Cor 8:18)
14 After an ___ of several years I came to Jerusalem (Acts 24:17)
16 know that you have no authority to impose ___ , tribute or duty on any Ezra 7:24
18 Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the ___ of the world! (John 1:29)
19 the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh-barnea to ___ out the land (Josh 14:7) KJV
20 Adam and Eve probably did not have one
22 "Teacher, what good thing ___ I do to get eternal life?" (Matt 19:16)
23 to another faith by the ___ Spirit, to another gifts of healing (1 Cor 12:9)
24 they consult a wooden ___ and are answered by a stick (Hos 4:12)
26 The ___ of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you (1 Thess 5:28)
28 But the meek will ___ the land and enjoy great peace (Ps 37:11)
31 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and ___ not on your own (Prov 3:5)
33 Do not touch my anointed ___ (Ps 105:15)
34 such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for ___ (Gen 41:19) KJV
36 Those who see you ___ at you, they ponder your fate (Isa 14:16)
38 No widow may be put on the ___ of widows unless she is over sixty (1 Tim 5:9)
39 The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the ___ (Gen 48:16) KJV
41 the ephod, close to the ___ just above the waistband (Ex 39:20)
43 His face ___ like the sun, and his clothes became as white (Matt 17:2)
45 cups shaped like almond flowers with ___ and blossoms (Ex 37:19)
46 seven of every kind of clean animal, a male and ___ mate (Gen 7:2)
48 If the ___ wishes to redeem the animal, he must add a fifth to its value (Lev 27:13)
50 Men of all ___ came to listen to Solomon's wisdom (1 Kings 4:34)
51 from merchants and traders and from all the ___ kings (1 Kings 10:15)
53 others asked, "How ___ a sinner do such miraculous signs?" (John 9:16)
54 When the disciples saw this, they were ___ . "Why this waste?" (Matt 26:8)
55 The Danites answered, Don't ___ with us (Judg 18:25)

DOWN

1 See, I will send my ___, who will prepare the way before me (Mal 3:1)
2 A few days later King ___ and Bernice arrived at Caesarea (Acts 25:13)
3 last letter in Hebrew
4 Then they ___ in his face and struck him with their fists (Matt 26:67)
6 exalt him that is low, and ___ him that is high (Ezek 21:26) (KJV)
7 chore, job
8 A mocker resents correction; he will not ___ the wise (Prov 15:12)
9 yet at the ___ of water it will bud and put forth shoots (Job 14:9)
12 a wedding took place at ___ in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there (John 2:1)
13 I the LORD search the heart and ___ the mind (Jer 17:10)
15 God gave unto them Saul the son of ___ (Acts 13:21) KJV
17 ___ though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death (Ps 23:4)
21 unto the high places, and see where thou hast not been ___ with (Jer 3:2) KJV
22 neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat ___ grapes, or dried (Num 6:3) KJV
23 remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many ___ (John 12:24)
25 I also want women to ___ modestly, with decency (1 Tim 2:9)
27 who ___ to be Jews though they are not (Rev 3:9)
29 took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, ___"!" (John 12:13)
30 Bathsheba bowed, and did ___ unto the king (1 Kings 1:16) KJV
32 Picnic pests (Prov 30:25)
34 seven thin ears and ___ with the east wind sprung up after them (Gen 41:6) KJV
35 The LORD is ___ to anger, abounding in love (Num 14:18)
37 they that use this world, as not ___ it (1 Cor 7:31) KJV
40 Then will the lame leap like a ___ (Isa 35:6)
41 The LORD descended to the top of Mount ___ and called Moses (Exod 19:20)
42 the 8^th letter of the Greek alphabet
44 The word of the LORD that came to ___ son of Beeri (Hos 1:1)
47 He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of ___ ago (Mark 6:15)
49 anyone who says to his brother, ___ ,' is answerable to the Sanhedrin (Matt 5:22)
52 have them shut the doors and ___ them (Neh 7:3)

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"I Am the Way, the Truth and the Life..."

"Is Jesus the only way to Heaven?"

"I'm basically a good person, so I'll go to heaven." "OK, so I do some bad things, but I do more good things, so I'll go to heaven." "God won't send me to hell just because I don't live by the Bible. Times have changed!" "Only really bad people like child molesters and murderers go to hell."

These are all common rationalizations, but the truth is that they are all lies. Satan, the ruler of the world, plants these thoughts in our heads. He, and anyone who follows his ways, is an enemy of God (1Peter 5:8). Satan is a deceiver and often disguises himself as someone good (2 Corinthians 11:14), but he has control over all the minds that do not belong to God. "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God" (2 Corinthians 4:4).

It is a lie to believe that God doesn't care about small sins or that hell is reserved for "bad people." All sin separates us from God, even a “little white lie.” Everyone has sinned, and no one is good enough to get to heaven on their own (Romans 3:23). Getting into heaven is not based on whether our good outweighs our bad; we will all lose out if that is the case. "And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace" (Romans 11:6). We can do nothing good to earn our way to heaven (Titus 3:5).

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it" (Matthew 7:13). Even if everyone else is living a life of sin in a culture where trusting in God is not popular, God will not excuse it. "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient" (Ephesians 2:1-2).

When God created the world, it was perfect and good. Then he made Adam and Eve and gave them their own free will, so they would have a choice whether to follow and obey God. But they were tempted by Satan to disobey God, and they sinned. This separated them (and everyone that came after them, including us) from being able to have a close relationship with God. He is perfect and holy and must judge sin. As sinners, we couldn't reconcile ourselves to God on our own. So God made a way that we could be united with Him in heaven. "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). "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). Jesus was born to die for our sins so that we would not have to. Three days after His death, He rose from the grave (Romans 4:25), proving Himself victorious over death. He bridged the gap between God and man so that we may have a personal relationship with Him if we only believe.

"Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent" (John 17:3). Most people believe in God, even Satan does. But to receive salvation, we must turn to God, form a personal relationship, turn away from our sins, and follow Him. We must trust in Jesus with everything we have and everything we do. "This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference" (Romans 3:22). The Bible teaches that there is no other way to salvation than through Christ. Jesus says in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Jesus is the only way of salvation because He is the only One who can pay our sin penalty (Romans 6:23). No other religion teaches the depth or seriousness of sin and its consequences. No other religion offers the infinite payment of sin that only Jesus Christ could provide. No other “religious founder” was God become man (John 1:1,14) – the only way an infinite debt could be paid. Jesus had to be God so that He could pay our debt. Jesus had to be man so He could die. Salvation is available only through faith in Jesus Christ! “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).