We use the phrase
"upward, inward, and outward" to describe our Christian lives, writes Pastor
General Joseph Tkach in this month's Personal.
We use the phrase
"upward, inward, and outward" to describe our Christian lives, writes Pastor
General Joseph Tkach in this month's Personal.
Upward refers to our relationship with God. Inward refers to our relationship with fellow believers. Outward refers to our relationship with nonbelievers.
Mr. Tkach then relates how these can be expressed in words and in actions. Christian fellowship includes the practical issues of spiritual life. Sometimes I am up and can encourage others, he writes, while other times I am down and need to be encouraged by others.
God has called us to stand together to continually give hope, courage and support to one another. Pages 6 and 7.
In part 5 of
"Finding Peace in Christ," J. Michael Feazell looks at the Sabbath day and its
fulfillment in Jesus Christ.
The Sinai law is no longer the instructor of God's people (Gal. 3:24-25). Our instructor is Christ, who instructs us through the Holy Spirit (John 14:26). We are not under the Sinai law (1 Cor. 9:20-21). We are under the law of Christ (1 John 3:21-24).
Numerous descriptions of godly behavior, consistent with the law of Christ, which is the law of God for Christians (1 Cor. 9:20-21), are given in the New Testament (for example Gal. 5:13-6:10; Eph. 4:20-6:20; Col. 3:1-4:6).
These descriptions of the new life in Christ go much deeper than the Ten Commandments. They reach deeply into the intents of the heart, where the Spirit of God is at work to fashion us into the image of Christ.
The seventh day Sabbath was a temporary pointer to something permanent that has now become available through faith in Christ. Pages 8 to 13.
Randal Dick shares a report he received from Santiago
Lange, our national leader in Germany, about a trip he made to Bulgaria in April and May.
Mr. Lange spent a couple of weeks in Bulgaria with Nikolay Nikolov, leader of a group of Christians there.
After one service, Mr. Lange was asked to pray for a seven-year-old child with a cancerous affliction that affected one leg. The doctors did not give little Dimitri a chance to live. Mr. Lange later learned that the boy was miraculously healed and that because of the miracle even his grandparents have accepted Christ in their lives. Pages 14 and 15.
God is doing
so much through our fellowship in Africa, writes regional director James Henderson.
We have only one mission statement for Africa--simply to preach Christ crucified. Within that we have two priorities--to strengthen our existing congregations so they can be released to preach Jesus in their nations; and to explore new mission fields for the gospel. Pages 16 and 17.
Income in
June, which started with encouraging amounts, began to trail off during the last two
weeks, writes controller Ronald Kelly.
The daily average donation income for the month was $96,549. That brought the year-to-date average to $95,134.
We pray every day for the collective body of believers who make the Worldwide Church of God such an exciting group to serve. Page 22.
Copyright © Worldwide Church of God, 1999