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Search Past Issues Subscribe to F&V June 2001 In This Issue: An Open Letter Messages To The Messenger Shocking Goodness Letters From The Readers Reports From the Mission Field Editorials & Prayer Requests An Open Letter James McMurrin Dear Tracy: Your mom told us you have gotten saved. Thatıs the most important thing you could ever do in this world. I am so glad to hear that.... When I was a child I went to Franklin School. Every year the schools in Shawnee, OK, competed against each other in races, pole vault, high jump and other track and field events. It was called "Little Olympics." We didnıt have coaches to tell us how to train, or to get in shape by jogging and doing exercises to strengthen our legs. You just ran as fast as you could and if you won you got a ribbon. I really wanted a ribbon in the worst way. I was the fastest person in the First Grade so I was appointed "Mascot" of the school. In the "Little Olympics" there was a mascot race‹one mascot from each school in Shawnee. It was a 50 yard race. When it was about to start we all lined up at the starting line. I was pretty nervous as I had never been in a real race with people I didnıt know. We were told to not jump the gun or we would have to stop and start over again. The starter guy with the gun said, "On your marks, get set, bang!" The gun fired and we were off. I was so far ahead of everyone else that I thought I had jumped the gun. So I stopped and looked back, and everybody ran past me. I realized then that I should have kept running and not stopped and looked back. By that time they had all crossed the finish line. I just stood there on the track and didnıt even finish the race. My brother, Bill, was on the sidelines. He came and put his arm around me and said, "Thatıs okay, but why did you stop and look back? You were winning but you stopped." By that time I couldnıt say anything because I had a big lump in my throat and the tears were running down my face. I was really sorry because I really wanted to win a ribbon. The moral of that true story is‹donıt look back. Keep running the Christian race. Win that reward of everlasting life. If you stumble, and we all do, get up and keep running and donıt look back. The apostle Paul wrote in I Corinthians 9:24, "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain." (Also read Hebrews 12." In II Timothy 4:7 he wrote, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." Donıt be like that little first grade boy who quit before the race was finished.... Remember, we are praying for you to have a long life of living for the Lord and enjoying His love and grace. Love, ‹Uncle James and Aunt Lorraine Messages To The Messenger Mary Murphey Part II Once a man expressed to a minister that he had not entered the ministry because he considered the life of a preacher to be an easy and comfortable one. The minister made this reply, "The life of a conscientious minister is not easy. I have always considered a minister as the father of a larger family than he is able to maintain. No, sir, I do not envy a ministerıs life as an easy life, nor do I envy the minister who makes it an easy life." There are many responsibilities connected with the ministry of which the laity are unaware. And just as there are many responsibilities, there is the temptation to shirk some of the duties. One of these temptations is in lacking the self-discipline to devote oneself to seeking God and preparing a quality message that will be effective when preached. While one must rely on the Holy Spirit for the timing and manner of delivery, as well as inspiration to do so, there are practical ways to apply ourselves to ministering well. Some of these are mentioned below. Some years ago, a very inexperienced speaker spoke to a farmersı association. For more than two hours, the audience heard every possible fact and idea remotely related to the topic as the speaker rambled on and on. At the end of the talk, the president of the association approached the speaker. "You had lots to say and you came through real loud," he said, "but around here, we like a man who bales his hay before he delivers it." That farmerıs comment could probably be applied to some messages youıve heard. They too were "unbaled," or what might be termed "shotgun sermons." The messages went every which way with no definite purpose. In fact, if asked, one might be hard put to describe the content of those sermons, because of their disorganization. There is considerable value in knowing how to organize your thoughts. One version of Proverbs 16:23 says, "Intelligent people think before they speak. What they say is then more persuasive." We cannot discount the worth of organization. The very universe depends upon it. Clarity and order have their rightful place, especially in sharing Godıs Word. Listeners should be able to exit at the conclusion of a service with a clear concept of what a minister has said. If they leave confused, little has been accomplished. That is why it is helpful, when preparing a message, to keep in mind the following guideline: You should be able to state, in one simple sentence, what the Holy Spirit has revealed to you, and what it is you wish your hearers to do or remember. If you cannot state this purpose in one simple sentence, you probably donıt have a clear message to communicate. In that case, the Holy Spirit may be leading someone else to minister His Word. Once your purpose is clearly felt and understood, there is a need to flesh out the body of the sermon. Any material that does not support the theme you wish to communicate should be eliminated, or you run the risk of an "unbaled" message. It has been said that the best opportunity for gaining the attention of an audience occurs within the first two minutes. Unfortunately, there is sometimes a tendency for ministers to begin a sermon with what some have ruefully defined a "sermonette,"‹a pre-sermon, followed by "the" sermon, accompanied by a "post sermon." So much sermonizing dilutes the effectiveness of a message. A definite opening, where the subject is quickly introduced, is much more effective at gaining listener interest. Attention is less likely to wander if you simply follow the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in introducing your thought rather than meander towards it. After the introduction, move into the body of the message. This is where scriptural points are presented and supplemented by support material, such as illustrations, which Christ commonly used in communicating. Make sure, however, that illustrations reinforce the theme of the message. Any which are told simply for entertainment value, and are totally irrelevant to the topic, result in decreased respect for the speaker, and a message less focused. The final element of an effective message is the conclusion. A simple summary reinforces a sermon and leaves listeners with the essence of what has been said. This need not be lengthy. One etiquette columnist advised guests taking leave of their hostess at a social function not to prolong the good-bye process. "When it comes time to leave, express your gratefulness and promptly depart," she said. That could apply to sermons also. Many a good one has been overextended, to the detriment of both minister and audience. Consider the advice Winston Churchill offered. He said a friend of his fatherıs once told him: "Say what you have to say and when you come to a sentence with a grammatical ending, sit down." That which is said after the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is through is simply "preaching in the flesh" and is very wearying to the listeners. While we cannot overemphasize the need of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in ministry, effective preaching requires some labor-intensive effort on the part of the minister. Thatıs why the temptation exists to shirk applying oneself to the task of organization. However, a sermon with a central theme, an effective opening, a scriptural body, and a concise summary is more likely to be a sermon people will understand, remember and be blessed by. Most importantly, it must minister grace to the hearts of the hearers. But thatıs a subject for another column. Shocking Goodness Sis. Raleah Murphey "Shocking, just shocking!" is a phrase my husband uses quite often. Do you ever find yourself feeling surprised when you hear of something good someone has done? The sad truth is, in our society today, the negative, evil stories have become the "norm" and genuine goodness is so rare that we find it rather shocking. It is an understatement to say that our world is in need of more "down-home" goodness. In fact, it wouldnıt be bad at all to bump into pleasant people with helping hands more often, instead of those with a selfish, ready-to-cut-you-off disposition. I sincerely believe if more examples of goodness were lived before us, our world would be a better place. Itıs likely there would be less domestic violence and fewer crimes in general. After all, it is the goodness of God, in common, ordinary people, which often leads men to repentance and life-changes. Goodness promotes health and happiness, and it should begin at home, with the ones we eat and sleep with every day. Goodness can be as simple as treating your spouse to a smile and a pleasant "Good morning," regardless of the fact that you are sleep-deprived and tempted to grouchiness. It means being kind to your child even though you have put those same shoes on his little feet AT LEAST five times in the last hour. It may even mean giving up a little of your precious time to listen to the person who simply needs to talk. Each day, we have countless opportunities to display goodness to those right around us. Goodness extends outside our homes as well. I am reminded of an incident Dr. James Dobson tells about. He was standing in line at a grocery store checkout one day when he noticed an elderly lady in front of him who was obviously short of cash. "I just donıt understand where my money is," the woman said, desperately searching the depths of her purse. Dr. Dobson whispered to the checker, "Total her bill, accept whatever she has, then put the rest on my bill." He ended up paying an extra eight dollars that day and the old woman never knew he had helped her. The checker, however, had big tears in her eyes. She had worked at her job for many years and in all that time, had never seen anything like it. The simple goodness of one man touched her heart. A general sense of goodness is beneficial in so many ways. Like the saying, "What goes around comes around," goodness can form a chain reaction, charged with enormous potential. The absence of it, however, can also form a chain reaction, often to our detriment. A few months ago, I was driving down the road when the motorist ahead of me lunged sideways, striking the car next to him. Since I was trapped immediately behind the offending vehicle, I found myself a witness to an incident that became an eye-opener, causing me to realize the importance of good-will. No sooner had the clashing of metal and the screeching of tires stopped than the middle-aged man whose car had been hit tore out of his vehicle like a mad bulldog. He began swearing, screaming and waving his arms at the driver of the other car‹a man his equal, also middle-aged. I felt embarrassed by the behavior of the man whose car had been hit and questioned if he possessed even a tiny ounce of goodness toward other human beings. Because of his attitude, I feared for the well-being of the offender in the situation. I had to wonder if the outcome might have been violent had there been no witnesses to restrain the manıs behavior, even though neither vehicle had much damage. As I sat there, my mind began to fast-forward to some future day when perhaps the man of so little goodness finds himself in a similar position, when he is the offending party. What kind of regard will he hope to receive? The kind he has shown? In times of troubling and annoying incidents, it would serve each of us well to remember that some day we may wish to be the recipient of someone elseıs mercy. I was privileged to have a sparkling example of goodness lived before me. My sister, Melissa, "exuded" the trait. Her short life was ordinary in many aspects, but I was profoundly amazed at the number of people whose lives had been blessed because of her consideration towards them. Through her example, I have been made aware of the great potential we each have to share goodness on an everyday basis, in all areas of our lives...at home, at work, or wherever we may be. So I challenge us‹let us be better people and do good whenever we have the opportunity. Let us realize that though our efforts seem small sometimes, compared to the largeness of the negative things we see and hear, our positive actions, motivated by the grace of God, really can touch people and motivate them to do good as well. It may just be, if enough of us work at it, we can take the "shock" out of that which is good. Letters Readers KS‹Dear Bro. Murphey: Thank you for sharing about your recent trip and Godıs protection. It is always encouraging to hear of Godıs blessings and power. My husband, Leo Hiebert, was brought up in the Church of God and was saved at the age of ten years. Like many people, he wandered away from the Lord. But the good Shepherd was always nearby and eventually he came back, or was brought back, to the fold. He suffered a lot with cancer but he had a lot of patience. He passed away the 20th of April. As the song says, "Some through the water some through the flood, some through the fire, but all through the blood." Jesus is the only way of salvation. Thanks to all who prayed for him, both body and soul. He went in peace and is now safely home with the Lord. We appreciate each one of you who prayed for Leo‹those known and unknown to us. We will always be so grateful for the love and prayers of the saints far and near. With love in Christ, ‹Sis. Naomi (Dickerson) Hiebert and family CA‹Dear Bro. Wayne and all at the Print Shop: Greetings in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer and our Keeper. We thank God that you and the group that went with you to the Philippines had a successful stay and a safe trip both ways. It is a wonderful thing that the saints care so much for one another that a long trip such as you made is done gladly. And I am sure that the Church there enjoyed your visit. I appreciated the pictures in the Faith and Victory and the information regarding the state of affairs there. We had a well-attended three day meeting at Los Angeles which had not happened for some time.... Please remember me and mine in your prayers, also us at Los Angeles and throughout California. Yours in Christ, ‹Bro. Bob Mickelson OH‹Dear Bro. Murphey: Enclosed please find my renewal for the Faith and Victory. My oldest son lives with me and has all his life. My husband, Melvin H. Sharp, died December 24, 1999. He had fond memories of time spent while he was a worker there. I thank God for all His many blessings, and pray for His guidance in all things. Remember us in your prayers. In Christian love, ‹Mary Evelyn Sharp Philippines‹Dear Bro. Wayne: I am happy to know that everything is well with you and your family. Here, the country is experiencing a crisis. [May 2.] But we are thankful to the Lord because my family and I are safe and well protected. This week has been a very busy week for the new leaders of the government. A lot of protesters from different parts of the country came to Manila to have a rally. The government is having a hard time resolving it. My mother was supposed to visit my grandma last week but could not travel to Nueva Ecija because most of the roads going there are temporarily closed. My family is hoping and praying that all of these problems will soon be resolved by the government without anybody being hurt again. My brother, Jon, is now doing okay. We believe that the divine healing has already healed him. He was the one who delivered a message last Sunday. His topic was about the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and it was truly inspiring how he shared his own experience. He said that it is really wonderful that he feels the Holy Spirit is dwelling in him. I am so happy for my brother. Well, I really enjoy writing an e-mail to you Bro. Wayne, I hardly noticed that it is already quite long. Thank you so much again especially for all the prayers. Please give my regards to Sis. Mary and also, please tell her that I miss her. I miss all of you. Iım excited to see all the pictures. In Christian love, ‹Sis. Arlene Tibayan OK‹Dear ones: I am having to limit my writing as I need my glasses changed and canıt meet an appointment right now. I have been terribly ill, but I am better in some ways, praise the Lord. I have some infection in my body but they canıt tell where it is right now. I hope you all are doing well and can enjoy the rest of the spring and summer. Those of you who can reach heaven with your prayers, please pray for me. Iım not out of the woods yet, though I am better. I hope I can hear from some of you. Take care of yourselves. Lots of love, ‹Sis. Opal Kelly Mission Reports From the Philippines... April, 22, 2001‹Dear Bro. Wayne and Sis. Mary: Greetings to you in the precious name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! The moments weıve had together, singing praises to Him, hearing Godıs messages, imparting personal experiences with the Lord, testifying of the goodness and greatness of God and fellowshipping with one another were blessings from above. Truly we experienced great blessings from Him. Imagine people who have different nationalities and cultures coming together as one family with only one objective‹to glorify and exalt our true and living God. Isnıt it a blessing? God made a way for us to be able to understand one another. God made a way for us to be able to understand everyoneıs tongue. This is again another blessing. We were filled with many blessings even though your stay with us was only a short one. Thank you, brother and sister, for your love to the work in the Philippines, your love to the unsaved souls, for your deep concern that the words of God be spread throughout the world and for the material blessings being shared with the workers in His vineyard. Our God, who is also the God of our forefathers, is just and righteous. He is not blind and cannot see His people working for His glory; He is not dumb and cannot hear the agony of His people, nor mute and cannot say what He wants to say to His chosen people. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Weıd like to share a verse with you from the book of Hebrews. "For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister." Hebrews 6:10. Kindly extend our best regards to all the saints down there! Praise the Lord! In Christıs love, ‹Bro. Pat, Sis. Rose and Jashen Tangunan From India... May 16, 2001‹Dear Bro. Wayne Murphey and dear saints abroad: Greetings to you dear ones again in the marvelous name of Jesus Christ. Jesus said, "And ye shall be hated of all men for my nameıs sake; but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." Mark 13:13. May God bless each dear one who prays and supports the Lordıs work in India. Our convention at Chayppankuzhy was a victorious one during the last week of April. Last week I visited our congregations in the north of Kerala and preached in an all-day service at Chalakudy. Usually, monsoon rain starts in June and outdoor meetings cannot be conducted during monsoon season. Schools and colleges reopen in June and children need help for their school expenses this month. Thank God for your profitable visit in the Philippines. May God open the door wide for Gospel in all parts of this world. Our prayers are for you. Yours in Him, ‹Bro. John Varghese From Ghana... Dear Bro. Smith: Thank you very much for the good work you are doing in Ghana, both physically and spiritually. The work is moving forward, but in Ghana we have many problems, especially in the Ashanti region. It hasnıt rained for some time, so all the farmers are suffering. Their crops are destroyed. It has affected all of the people in the region because we donıt have enough food to eat. Secondly, the government of Ghana has increased the fuel price, so it has affected everything in the country. The church is suffering because it doesnıt have any property which can support the work such as a vehicle or a corn mill.... Yours in Him, ‹Pastor Maxwell Nkansah [Editorıs note: Anyone who feels a burden to help the saints in Ghana may send offerings to this office at: Faith Publishing House, P. O. Box 518, Guthrie, OK 73044, and they will be relayed to the proper places. Another note of interest is that word has been received from Malawi stating that a number of meetings are being held in Malawi and Mozambique, and the saints are all doing fine.] Editorials Wayne Murphey We should never forget what God has done for us. His love for man from the time of creation has been strong and eternal. Even after Adam and Eve surrendered their allegiance to Satan, God still loved them and made provisions for their salvation. Although the generation of Noah strained that bridge of love between heaven and earth, seemingly to its maximum, still it bore up under the raging torrent of sin, and God spared the human race. Israelıs constant backsliding served only to temper Godıs determination to send His only begotten Son to die once and for all for the sins of all people. Neither should we forget what Christ has done for us. The visage of a man upon a cross with blood flowing from His side is ever before us. His cry of "It is finished" has echoed through the halls of history and still reaches the ears of those who have a contrite heart. We have been the recipients of much more than we are worthy. But if we are to continue to receive from God, we must also give. Just as a river without an outlet becomes a stagnant pool whose waters are repugnant and possibly poisonous, so the gifts of God which are not passed on to others will turn our salvation into a profession only, and even a life of hypocrisy. This is why the apostle Paul wrote to the Philippian church, "Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others." Philippians 2:4. Although the term "selfish Christian" is a paradox, it is what Satan would like every one of us to become. And it is often in the small things of life where we prove what we truly are. "I have been a member of our congregation for thirty years," said an elderly man to his pastor, "and when I was laid by with sickness only one or two came to see me. I was shamefully neglected." "My friend" said the pastor, "in all those thirty years how many sick have you visited?" "Oh," he replied, "it never struck me in that light. I thought only of the relation of others to me, and not of my relation to them." That story reminds me of an incident years ago when I was visiting a bereaved family before the funeral of their loved one. One member of the family was explaining to another why a certain relative wasnıt coming to the funeral. The person receiving the explanation calmly replied, "It would sure be lonely for the family if everyone felt that way and no one came." It is easy to forget to "look...on the things of others," as Paul said. If you are aware of what God has done for you, donıt fail, in some way, to pass that consideration along. On the 10th of May, we received reprints of the Evening Light Songs hymnal from the book binder in Illinois. All of the back orders have been mailed out and should have reached their destinations. If your back order hasnıt arrived, please notify this office. Word has reached us of several of Godıs children who have recently gone on to their reward. One was Rosalie Samons. Sis. Rosalie was a member of the Guthrie congregation and worked at the Print Shop in 1974-1975. We extend our condolences to her husband, John, and their family. Two ministers of the Gospel were also called home this month. On May 3, Bro. Austin McMillian, of Neosho, MO, left his body of suffering and went to be with the Lord. For many years Bro. Austin labored to help others. He was truly a "servant" of God. His wife, Sis. Ida Bell, is feeble and needs prayer for God to strengthen her. It was on May 21, that Bro. James Bruner went to be with the Lord. For many years he pastored the Sandusky, OH, congregation. His labors proved an active interest in the Kingdom of God. We extend our heartfelt sympathy to his wife, Sis. Alberta, and pray God will console her. We were also very saddened to hear of Bro. Jack Witteıs passing on May 6. His wife, Joyce, is the daughter of my fatherıs sister, Orene. Jack had a strong faith in God, and we were blessed to hear how God ministered to him during his affliction. I am sure his wife and children would appreciate your prayers for comfort in the days ahead. During the night of May 17, we experienced a lightening storm in Guthrie. The next morning we discovered the Print Shopıs key service unit of the telephone system had been ruined by electrical surges which seemed to have come into the building through the telephone lines. One computer was also affected by the surge. We are thankful that repairs have been made and we are back in operation, but this was an unanticipated expense. The continuation of the Print Shop operation is not always an easy task. We are encouraged to labor on but it is indeed a work of faith. Constantly before us are ever increasing operating costs. Utilities are higher than at any time, postage was recently increased, and we hear of another postal increase in the near future. We know that all this is not too much for God to handle, but we ask all who love the truth to pray with us for His purpose to be fulfilled in this work. We are expecting the Gospel to be circulating the globe when our Lord signals the end of time. If it is Godıs will, we would like to be a part of helping to publish it. In Christıs love, ‹Bro. Wayne Murphey OH‹"I am sending an urgent prayer request for my daughter, Janice Craig. Please pray for her healing." ‹Sis. Juanita Blankenship OR‹"We have a very urgent unspoken request." ‹Bro. Bill Busch OH‹Sis. Alma Boggs has requested prayer for herself, her son and her daughter. IN‹"Please pray for my son, Jimmy, and myself. I know God can heal us. And remember my unsaved children." ‹Sis. Dessie Wilson MS‹"Please remember me, my wife and brother-in-law. We all need help from the Lord in soul and body. ‹Bro. Harold Griffin OH‹Bro. Preston Vulgamore suffered a severe stroke and is in need of much prayer. OK‹"I am writing requesting prayer for my son, Dennis. He is in real need of prayer for his soul and body. Pray the Lord would put a desire in his heart to live for Him. "I also have some needs in my body for which I would appreciate prayer." ‹Sis. Ruby Bell KY‹"Please pray for my dad, Douglas Hall, of the Loranger, LA, congregation. He is getting quite feeble and forgetful." ‹Sis. Alice Hall FL‹"Will you please remember my mother, Sis. Helen Underdown, in earnest prayer? She is suffering to the point that she is hardly able to walk and is literally crying in pain. We are really in a battle here and need prayer." ‹Sis. Cheryl Smith Standing Prayer Requests Sis. Lydia Bennett Sis. Alscene Breckenridge Bro. Jon Busbee Sis. Mamie Butcher Bro. Nathan Carver Sis. Estelene Cramer Bro. Daniel Davis, Jr. Bro. Dale Doolittle Sis. Elaine Dunn Sis. Eleanor Fingerle Bro. Randall Flynn Sis. Pearlene Gerald Sis. Esther Gordon Bro. Huey Gordon, Jr. Bro. Ben Harrison Bro. Lee Hilton Sis. Mary Hughes Sis. Daisy Johnson Sis. Janice Johnston Sis. Earnestine Jordan Sis. Betty Lassché The Lounds sisters Bro. Jimmie McDonald Sis. Mattie McIntyre Sis. Bertha Miles Bro. Allan Miller Sis. Virginia Myers Sis. Dollie OıNeall Bro. O. C. Porter Sis. Melba Powell Bro. John Robinson Sis. Myrtle Savoie Bro. M. Agenemoh Sidi Sis. Violet Sinkhorn Sis. Kay Stover The Mitch Taylor family Sis. Anna Mae Thompson Bro. Preston Vulgamore Bro. Curtis Williams, Sr. Bro. Max Williamson Sis. Esther Wilson Back to Front Page E-Mail Directory Put your name in the directory to receive Faith Publishing Updates. Order God's Gracious Dealings Life Read about the history of Faith Publishing and Fred Pruitt. This is a fascintating study of our heritage. Order now for $24.99. Call1-800-767-1479 or Email jwmfaith@theshop.net. Copyright İ 2001 Faith Publishing Inc All rights reserved.