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Category: Christianity

Who Are You Going to Call First?

Mashkioya 3 Comments

forebodingcastle

Everything seemed to be going according to plan. We had finished worshiping with the church in Dublin, caught the city tram, taken the train down to Cork and made it to the airport in good time. By this time my sister and I fancied ourselves old pros at flying, and as we found our gate and heard people around us talking in Spanish, I was daydreaming about how nice it would be to arrive in Spain. Ah, the sunny homeland of my second language—I couldn’t wait to get there! And yet as we stood in line to board the plane, I was suddenly brought back to reality.

“I can’t let you on” the stewardess said, after looking at our boarding passes. We were incredulous. Whatever had we done wrong? “You didn’t get your passports checked, so I can’t let you on the flight.” We frantically asked if there was time to run back and do that before the flight left, but there was no way—by that time the Ryanair plane would be well on its way, aiming to land ahead of schedule amid classical music and applause by the jostled passengers.聽 Read More

It’s All About Love

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When I was younger, I was embarrassed by love. Don’t get me wrong, I loved my parents and they loved me more than I knew, but whenever it came to romance, love songs, and even the word “love,” I would have nothing to do with it. I can’t say entirely why–my parents made sure I knew that at my age I had no business getting into romantic relationships, and the time when I could was so far ahead I couldn’t even imagine it. But looking back, it seems rather silly, because now I realize that love is the main purpose of my life. I may not be married or have a girlfriend, but the more I think about it, love is behind most of what I do, or at least it should be.

Why do I go to Truth For The World every day and work? Because I love the people in the world who are lost and need the gospel. Why do put in hours of study to prepare sermons and Bible classes? Because I love my Christian family and want to give them something they can learn from. Why do I take time to pick out songs and lead them in the worship assembly? Because I love the Lord and His people, and want to help us all worship Him in one mind as one body.
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Laundry Room Evangelism

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I had noticed him reading his newspaper when I brought my clothes to put in the washer, but being the introvert that I am, I hadn’t spoken to the middle-aged Mexican gentleman. To my surprise, when I came back to move my clothes to the dryer, he spoke to me.

“Are your clothes still in there?” he asked me in Spanish. I replied that they were, ready for drying, and then he said “So you speak Spanish?” I told him yes, and from there a (mostly one sided) conversation started, in which he asked me if I go to church, asked me about my job, lamented his lack of ability in English, talked about his daughter in Mexico who has been studying nursing, and told me about three manifestations of the Holy Spirit that he said he had had. I listened politely with interest, and after telling all that in detail, he said “My faith used to be really strong after all that–now it’s not so much any more. My wife has been sick for twelve years, and as much as I pray to God, he hasn’t answered me.” I told him how for us humans, our perspective is so small, but God is in control, and in His omniscience He knows what he’s doing. We mustn’t lose faith in Him when things don’t go the way we think they should. Read More

Hymn of the Week – Shout for Joy

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My own recording of “Shout for Joy” (MP3)

I don’t know who composed the music for this rendition of Psalm 100, but it’s beautiful. I only have the music in my head, so I thought I would make a recording of it this afternoon for anyone who would like to learn it. The second echoing voice would be sung by the ladies. Praise the Lord!

Know that the Lord is God;
it is He who has made us,
and we are His.
We are His people,
the sheep of His pasture,
and we are His.

Shout for joy!
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth!
Serve the Lord!
Serve the Lord with gladness!
Shout for joy!
Come before Him with joyful song!

Enter His gates with thanks,
and His courts with praise,
for we are His.
Give thanks unto Him,
and bless His holy name,
for we are His.

For the Lord is good,
His love endures forever,
and we are His.
And His faithfulness
lasts to all generations,
and we are His.

Culture in Congregations

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churchbuildingSeveral decades have passed since the days of segregation and integration in the United States, and as one who grew up after those troubled times had blown over, it seems very strange to look back and see how unfair and prejudiced so many Americans were back in those times. But there is a remnant of all of that which still remains: segregated churches.

You can see it all across the South: in many towns, you have your “black church” and your “white church,” and at least in my experience (which is actually quite limited), the two don’t have many dealings with each other. Is this religious segregation right? Is it good? Does it go against Jesus’ desire for unity among His people in John 17:20-23?

In my opinion, which is admittedly mere opinion, there is nothing wrong with the existence of churches as such. And the reason, I believe, is due to culture. The two cultures of black and white people have coexisted in the South for many years, and although we share a language, still there is quite a difference between us, and this difference is reflected in worship and preaching styles. Read More