Bible Trivia/Games Night

Come join us for an evening of Spiritual Education & Fun!

Cartoon of the Day

NAC Los Angeles - Majesty (Here I Am)

This is an absolutely heavenly rendition done by the New Apostolic Choir in Los Angeles. Have a listen---It will truly bless your ears and hearts.

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10 Things young people can do for God (Part II)

Just as was promised, below is the remainder of the list of things young people can do in their service to God:

(6) PREPARE YOURSELF FOR A DECENT PROFESSION

The New Testament strongly commands honest and honorable work (I Thessalonians 4:11,12). The Christian life is not that of a parasites but one of industry and service.

(7) BUILD A CHRISTIAN HOME

Next to obeying the gospel of Christ, the greatest favor you will ever do yourself is to build a Christian home. When you marry, MARRY A CHRISTIAN.

(8) PREPARE FOR CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP

The church needs every competent leader and teacher that it can get. Develop your talents for Christian leadership by the sincere and zealous practice of spiritual responsibilities. Be USEFUL in the Lord's service.

(9) ENCOURAGE AND HELP OTHERS

Everyone bears a burden. When we help bear other's burdens and encourage them in Christ's walk, we fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2).

(10) BE FAITHFUL THROUGHOUT YOUR LIFE

(Read Revelations 2:10) Many perils will beset your pathway. Temptations and disappointments came to the Lord and they will also come to you. And all who live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer some persecution (2 Timothy 3:12), but God calls us to a life that man cannot destroy and to treasures that are eternal. He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). Keep your faith and it will keep you. There is great potential in your life. May God bless you as you develop it in His service.

10 Things young people can do for God

Some of the world's greatest accomplishments have been done by young men and women. Alexander the Great became king before he was thirty years old. Some of the great works of Shelley, Byron, Keats, Chopin, and Mozart were composed when they were teenagers. Hitler and Mussolini built their power on the dedication and energy of young people. Today, Communists make their strongest sales pitch to youth, because they know of the influence and dedication of the young. Now, much of the mission work of the church is being done by young adults. And the church needs consecrated young people. Times are perilous and our cause is the greatest that the world has ever known. The very hope of the human race lies in wise youth committed to high principles. Young people need the church - they need Christ. Those who are indifferent to the way of the Lord are inviting sorrow on their lives and souls. Jesus says to young and old alike, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me" (Mark 8:34).

Here are ten things that you can do to serve God and gain life's greatest blessing:

(1) OBEY THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST

Christ commands us to believe in Him (John 8:24), to repent of our sins (Acts 2:38), to confess His name (Matthew 10:32-33), and to be baptized into Him for the remission of our sins (Romans 6:3-6). Study Tape # 46, "How Can a Man Be justified With God?", for further information about this most important step. Every young person who can understand these commands should obey them. There is nothing you will ever do that will mean so much to you in coming years.

(2) KEEP THYSELF PURE (I Timothy 5:22)

If you like a real challenge, the challenge of conquering our own will is life's greatest, for sin is easy. Besides the personal satisfaction that moral purity brings, it brings also the blessings of God (Matthew 5:8).

(3) BUILD A CHRISTIAN PERSONALITY

True greatness in spiritual things; Emphasize prayer, study, and righteousness, and they will bless you. "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul"' (Matthew 16:26). Those who follow Christ learn how to do good unto all men, even their enemies. Their lives radiate the beauty of his way (Matthew 5:14-16). Christianity brings peace with God, peace with others, and peace within.

(4) LEAD OTHERS TO CHRIST

Christ has commanded His disciples to take the gospel to everyone. You can be a soul-winner. And nothing enlarges one's faith and spiritual capacity like teaching the lost.

(5) GET A CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

You CAN get a Christian education if you really want to. Your doing so will help you in a thousand ways. A Christian college education will help you to be the best and most productive citizen possible in God's kingdom.

- At this point you may be wondering "where are the other five?" Well, after you meditate on these first five and you can come back tomorrow for the second dosage.

So, check us out again tomorrow for part II of 10 Things young people can do for God.

ATTENTION All Youths

What's Happening Internationally

“We are one”: Youth Day in South East Asia

04.04.2011

The young people introduce themselves

"We are one" (photos: NAC SEA)

Jakarta. Approximately 2,000 young people from Indonesia and nine other countries of the South East Asian region gathered together in Jakarta on Friday and Saturday of last week in order to celebrate the first New Apostolic Day of the youth in their District Church. Chief Apostle Wilhelm Leber had also travelled there in order to unite with his young brothers and sisters in joy and strength of faith. The motto of the Youth Day: “We are one”.

“We are one” – “Among other things, this motto was intended to express that it is possible to have a joyful fellowship despite the many cultural differences,” acknowledged District Apostle Urs Hebeisen, who was responsible for the event. “Chief Apostle Leber, District Apostles Andersen (Australia), Koberstein (Germany), and Schneider (France) were given an enthusiastic reception by the young people,” he went on to report. Various delegations from countries comprising the New Apostolic Church South East Asia (NAC SEA), as well as young people from the various church districts of Indonesia, came marching in clothed in traditional attire and waving flags, as they introduced themselves by way of a brief presentation.

The proper way to see and hear

For the closing divine service, the Chief Apostle chose a Bible text from Matthew 13: 16: “But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear.” The Church leader preached about the proper way to hear and see, which is of particular importance for young people in today’s living environment.

Already on the Friday, Chief Apostle Wilhelm Leber extended an invitation for divine service in the congregation of Depok near Jakarta. There he ordained Triyanto Triyanto (57) and Dwi Sulistyo Utomo (48) as Bishops for the congregations of Central and East Java, Bali, Borneo, and Celebes. In addition he dispensed a golden wedding anniversary blessing on two couples.

http://www.nak.org/en/news/news-display/article/17204/

Youth Calendar 2011 - G/town & B/ville

Current Word of the Month

April 2011: The Lord is risen indeed!

Easter is the feast of the Resurrection. Although everything seemed to have come to a bitter end after Christ’s death on the cross and His subsequent entombment, Easter morning brought a great turn in the tide. The message: “The Lord is risen indeed!” (cf. Luke 24: 34) began to spread like wildfire among the disciples. First it was the women who brought the news of the empty grave to the disciples. Immediately there was a question as to whether one believed in the resurrection or not. According to the account by Luke, the first reaction of the Apostles to the message of the women that the Lord had resurrected was a complete lack of acceptance: “And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them” (Luke 24: 11). There was only one among them, namely Peter, who could not let the matter lie. He ran to the grave in order to see what had happened for himself. From then on there was a constant debate – today we would call it a controversy – surrounding the question: “Did the Lord truly resurrect or not?” It was only gradually that belief in the Resurrection began to take root among the disciples. They first had to come to terms with everything that had happened. Although the Risen One appeared to them repeatedly and even ate and drank with them in order to convince them of the fact that He had physically resurrected, they still had their doubts even at His ascension – forty days after Easter! It says in Scripture: “Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshipped Him; but some doubted” (Matthew 28: 16-17).

This means that the disciples and Apostles also had a struggle when it came to believing in the Resurrection – some more than others. They did not simply set out zealously on Easter Sunday with flags waving to proclaim to the whole world: “The Lord is risen indeed!” They too first had to fathom these events and come to their own personal decision about where they stood.

We can feel with them somewhat. What had just happened was so unfathomable, so inexplicable, and so incomprehensible that they had their doubts at first. And that is exactly how it was with many others when they first heard the news: “The Lord is risen indeed!”

Paul preached about the Resurrection when he was in Athens. Scripture relates the following about the reaction of the inhabitants: “And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, ‘We will hear you again on this matter’” (Acts 17:32). Again, the Resurrection provoked various reactions. Later in his life, when Paul had to give account of his actions before Agrippa and Festus, he said: “Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?” (Acts 26: 8). In other words, Greeks, Romans, and Jews alike all had their problems with the notion that the Lord had resurrected and actually conquered death.

And how do things look today? It is a tragedy: the Resurrection, the core element of Christian faith and message, is no longer relevant for most people.

It must never come to the point that the Resurrection is no longer a relevant topic for us! I have complete understanding for one or the other who has a little trouble with this, even if they doubt here and there. That is not all that tragic. What would be tragic is if the resurrection of Christ, the events of Easter, and the wonderful hope for our own ascension and transformation associated with it were no longer a topic of interest for us. It would be a great tragedy if we no longer knew what to make of it. This must always be a topic of greatest relevance for us! It is simply part of human nature for doubts to arise here and there. But those who remain with the Lord will also gain certainty and clarity. The Lord will not abandon those who battle for faith, but will grant them victory.

This is the foundation of our faith and our future: “The Lord is risen indeed!” When He returns we too will partake in His resurrection!

(From a divine service by the Chief Apostle)

Newsletter - February 2011

Click here for the February issue of our newsletter.

Newsletter - January 2011

According to plan, our monthly newsletter has been restarted and revamped with the hope of sparking renewed interest. Click here for our January issue.

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)

Cartoon of the Day

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)