DAILY, WEEKEND, AND HOLIDAY INTERNET EVANGELIZE TO THE WORLD MINISTRY

Faith The winds howled, the waves crashed against the shore and the sea tossed the boat from one hand to another. On a nearby mountain, Jesus escaped into the tranquility of solitude, recharging his soul in prayer. The disciples were alone. They fought to keep the boat sound. They were afraid. They were wet. They were tired. About three o’clock in the morning, the disciples fell deeper into their fear. They saw what looked like a ghost moving across the water and coming toward them. Their exhaustion turned to terror. They lost it and started screaming. Jesus said, “It’s OK, it’s me. Don’t be afraid.” “Is it really you?” Peter asked. “If it is really you then give me the word and I’ll walk to you.” Jesus answered him, “Yes, it’s me, come on.” So Peter stepped out of the boat onto the water. Peter must have really been afraid. I mean, how could he have thought it would be safer with his feet in the middle of a storm tossed sea than in a boat? Peter began to walk toward Jesus, and ...

January 31 TURN YOUR EYES UPON JESUS Words and Music by Helen H. Lemmel, 1864–1961 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2) I’ve seen the face of Jesus … It was a wondrous sight! Oh, glorious face of beauty, Oh gentle touch of care; If here it is so blessed, what will it be up there? —W. Spencer Walton In our fast-paced daily life, how easy it is to get caught up in the “things of earth” so that eternal values become blurred and almost forgotten. As we conclude the first month’s journey through this new year, we need today’s hymn to remind us that we must continue to make Christ the central core of our lives—to pursue the Kingdom of God and His righteousness—if we are to be victorious believers. In 1918, Helen Howarth Lemmel, the author and composer of this hymn, was given a tract by a missionary friend. As she r...

Eternal Life How much would you pay for eternal life? The editors of WORTH MAGAZINE recently asked some of our country’s wealthiest citizens that very question. The rich young ruler asked Jesus a form of this very question when he asked: “Good teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17) Outwardly, this man had it all. He was young, wealthy and powerful, yet he wanted more. Inwardly, something was missing. He worried about his eternal destiny. Showing due respect, he knelt before Jesus and called Him “Good Teacher.” Before the man could continue, Jesus interrupted him and asked him why he called Him “good.” Jesus wasn’t being contentious, rather, He was leading the young man into spiritual introspection. Did he know Jesus was God? Is this why he called Him good, or was he just being polite? No doubt he was searching for an answer. His curiosity certainly motivated him. The question Jesus asked him went straight to the reason for the motivation. Did he think Jes...

January 30 TAKE THE NAME OF JESUS WITH YOU Lydia Baxter, 1809–1874 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. (Colossians 3:17) “What’s in a name?” This was the probing question asked by Romeo in Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet. Christians have long realized that the whispered name “Jesus” can bring comfort and cheer to someone suffering or bereaved, and it can bring joyful hope to the fearful or depressed heart. The writer of this hymn text knew well the meaning of that special name “Jesus”. Although Lydia Baxter was a bed-ridden invalid much of her life, she remained continually cheerful and patient. “I have a very special armor,” she would tell her friends. “I have the name of Jesus. When the tempter tries to make me blue or despondent, I mention the name of Jesus, and he can’t get through to me anymore.” “Take the Name of Jesus With You” was written by Mrs. Baxter on her sick bed just f...

In the World This Week with the Word The Sunday School Lesson

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012 | EPIPHANY FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY YEAR B Old Testament Deuteronomy 18:15–20 Psalm Psalm 111 New Testament 1 Corinthians 8:1–13 Gospel Mark 1:21–28 Revised Common Lectionary (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009).

Estel’s Prayer “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance IS Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.” Romans 12:19 I learned a real lesson in grace as I sat on Estel’s couch one hot summer afternoon. “Pastor, I pray to God that He doesn’t take vengeance on my enemies,” Estel said. “I wouldn’t want my worst enemies to have to deal with God’s vengeance.” As I took another sip of Ice Tea, I let the power of his words sink in. I’ve never questioned God’s power. If He is powerful enough to create the universe, breathe into man the breath of life, and raise Jesus from the dead, He certainly is powerful enough to take vengeance out on my enemies. And Estel was definitely right, He is powerful enough to get the job done. So why then, was I struggling with wanting to do something to hurt those who were hurting me? Forgiving others, doesn’t mean those who hurt us go unpunished. It means that we step aside and allow the Lord to deal w...

January 29 SO SEND I YOU E. Margaret Clarkson, 1915– Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8) Isolated from Christian fellowship and feeling very lonely, Margaret Clarkson was a 23-year-old school teacher in a gold-mining camp town in northern Ontario, Canada. Her friends and family were many miles away. As she meditated on John 20:21 one evening, God spoke to her through the phrase “So send I you.” She realized that this lonely area was the place to which God had sent her. This was her mission field. As she quickly set down her thoughts in verse, one of the finest and most popular missionary hymns of the 20th century was born. Miss Clarkson has authored many articles and poems for Christian and educational periodicals. For more than 30 years she was involved in the Toronto, Canada, public school system in various educational capacities. Because of a physical disability, Miss Clarkson has ...

Enemies I liked Church fellowships when I was a boy. After the meal, the kids always ran outside to play in the backyard of the church. It adjoined cotton fields to the south and east. We waited until it was pitch dark, then we started playing “hide and go seek.” The cotton fields were “out of bounds,” but there were plenty of bushes and alcoves to hide in. You remember the game, don’t you. The person who is “it” hid their eyes then counted to 100 while everyone else finds hiding places. If “it” finds and touches you, you lost and became “it.” However, “it” could not “get you” if you ran to “the safe place.” I remember the sheer terror when “it” walked past my hiding place. I never liked someone pursuing me. It was a creeping feeling. I’d hold my breath and try not to make a single peep. “It” wanted nothing more than to get me … I knew it and did everything I could to keep from getting “got.” There are people in real life who think they are “it” and are out “to get you!” They don’t...

January 28 O ZION, HASTE Mary Ann Thomson, 1834–1923 May Your ways be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. (Psalm 67:2) The Christian church is God’s appointed means of spreading the gospel around the world. A church that is not a missionary church will quench the Spirit of God and miss His blessing. God’s agenda for history is “that all nations might believe and obey Him” (Romans 16:26). All too often, however, the church has allowed itself to become self-centered, merely maintaining the status quo and failing to respond actively to this biblical directive. That’s why we need missionary hymns like this one. Its author, Mary Ann Thomson, was born in London, England, but spent most of her life in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she was active in the Church of the Annunciation. She wrote a number of hymns and poems, this being the only one to survive, however. She wrote “O Zion, Haste” out of a stressful experience in 1868. One night, as she was watching her child who ...

Heavenly Father, I thank You for caring for me in my infirmities and blessing me to bless others. Thank You for taking care of my wife, children, family and enemies. Without You Father I would be lost for divine love and protection. This prayer goes out to my individual reader's that they may pray this prayer and be filled with the Holy Spirit in faith through prayer. In Jesus' name is my prayer. - Rev. Lynwood F. Mundy

Friday, January 27, 2012 http://www.facebook.com/pages/African-American-Registry/49064903350 * Mon, 1766-01-27 Pierre Toussaint, businessman and philanthropist http://www.aaregistry.org/historic_events/view/pierre-toussaint-businessman-and-philanthropist *Pierre Toussaint was born on this date in 1766. He was Haitian immigrant to America, businessman and philanthropist. Toussaint was born...

Endurance “Now some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and turned the crowds into a murderous mob. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, apparently dead. [20] But as the believers stood around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.” (Acts 14:19–20 NLT) Paul was stoned to death and got up and went back to work the next day. Think about that, he didn’t even take a sick day. Another time, he was thrown in prison but he didn’t forget about his mission. Acts 16:25 says “Around midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening.” (NLT) Paul could have been depressed and discouraged; instead, he used his circumstance to further his mission. Greatness is never born without birth pains. It is born in spite of discouragement and heartaches. Who knows, the discouragement you face today could be the context for your next victory. This side of our leather bound bibles, it is ea...

January 27 WE’VE A STORY TO TELL Words and Music by H. Ernest Nichol, 1862–1928 All nations will come and worship before You, for Your righteous acts have been revealed. (Revelation 15:4) “A story to tell. A song to be sung. A message to give. A Savior to show.” Here is a concise summary of the task of worldwide evangelization—a gospel that must be demonstrated as well as proclaimed. Evangelism began well. The early Christians, though often fiercely persecuted by the Romans, were successful. By A.D. 380, Christianity was recognized as the official religion throughout the empire. Yet for the next 1,000 years and more, the flame of evangelism burned low. The 16th century Protestant Reformation movement saw a brief revival of evangelical fervor, but not until the 18th century did Protestants make their first serious attempt to organize missionary work. The expansion of missions in the 18th and 19th centuries was clearly connected with the waves of revival that were sweeping across Eur...

Endurance James 5:11 NLT “We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. Job is an example of a man who endured patiently. From his experience we see how the Lord’s plan finally ended in good, for he is full of tenderness and mercy.” Lance Armstrong is a walking, excuse me, cycling inspiration. In his book, Go the Distance, Ed Rowell wrote: “If anyone had a reason to give up, it would have been Lance Armstrong. Lance was a world-class cyclist, one of the rare Americans competing in the elite road races of Europe. In 1996, the twenty-four-year-old climbed to the number-one ranking in his sport but was then diagnosed with testicular cancer. The cancer had metastasized and spread to his lungs and brain. Few expected him to survive the disease” (p. 187) He not only survived, he came back like gang busters. In July of 2002, Armstrong won his fourth Tour de France, just six years after being diagnosed with an advanced stage of testicular cancer. “We have unrealized capacities ...

January 26 CHRIST FOR THE WORLD WE SING Samuel Wolcott, 1813–1886 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:19, 20) The task of worldwide evangelization is a staggering challenge. It is estimated that the world’s population is presently about 5 billion people, with two-thirds of mankind still unreached with the gospel. Also one-third of the human race is nearly destitute, lacking the basic necessities for survival. Yet we are told that by the year 2,000 the population will add another billion, and that in the next 100 years the population will double to more than 10 billion people. All this time, other world religions are also pressing their claims with increasing vigor. Islam is growing at a rate of 16 percent annually, Hinduism at 12 percent. Christianity’s gro...

Never Forget to Stop and Smell the Roses, Hug Your Child or Just SMILE! Let's Pray............ Almighty Father creator of Heaven and earth and everything in between, we humbly come before you with thanks giving in our hearts, asking for your never ending mercy. We lift your name on high, above any name that has ever existed, our Father and Creator, we ask you to bless, protect and to pour your supernatural favour upon us, our children, spouses and friends. God Jehovah we ask you today for divine intervention in our lives, we ask for your touch in all areas of our lives. be it a new job, promotion, freedom from debt, or rebuilding of our relationships with our spouses and friends. Father any situation you touch, we believe it can never remain the same. Father in heaven, let your will be done in our lives as your decision in our lives is the best and will always be the best, please send double portion anointing and blessings in the quickest time to the person who will for...

Happy Endings In simpler times, Beaver Cleaver packing a hobo’s handkerchief with provisions and sneaking out the front door to run away was an innocent plot line. We knew the ending from the very beginning. Beaver would eventually come home to enjoy a glass of cold milk and warm cookies. Today, the endings are not usually so happy. A “runaway” is likely to be raped, conned and exploited. Why do children run? According to the National Runaway Switchboard (1–800–621–4000), the number one reason children run has to do with family dynamics. Some families are not Norman Rockwell paintings; they are filled with drugs, alcohol, physical, sexual or emotional abuse. Harriet Tubman knew the pain of physical abuse. When she was 13, her skull was cracked open while defending a fellow slave from their master’s tyranny. She ran, but she came back. She returned to help transport other slaves to freedom. Because of her passion for freedom, Tubman helped over 300 slaves find freedom, including her...

January 25 IN CHRIST THERE IS NO EAST OR WEST John Oxenham, 1852–1941 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28) One of the clear teachings of the Bible is that the gospel does not presuppose the superiority of any race or culture. In the past, missionary endeavor has too frequently imposed “our” culture on others while spreading the gospel, often putting native believers in bondage to another culture rather than to Christ and the Scriptures alone. Written in 1908 by the noted English writer, John Oxenham, this missionary hymn text was part of a script for a pageant at a giant missionary event sponsored by the London Missionary Society’s exhibition, The Orient in London. It is estimated that over a quarter of a million people viewed this presentation. It was continued from 1908–1914 both in England and in the United States. An interesting account of the impact of this hymn relates an incident during the clo...

Empty Tomb I’ve never been to Israel, and frankly, I’ve never really wanted to go. The Dean of the Seminary where I taught in Albuquerque offered to help finance a trip for me if I went with the students on an archeological dig. I said, “Thanks, but no thanks.” I know, I know, it isn’t normal for a preacher not to want to go to Israel, but I don’t. The last thing I want to do is play Indiana Jones in a part of the world that is always at war. (Remember the scene with the snake pit?) Besides that, there’s nothing I really want to see there. But I do have a dear friend who always wanted to go and got her wish a few years before her husband passed away. One morning, over breakfast, she showed me her pictures of the trip. I stared at one particular photo longer than the others—Jesus’ tomb. Of course, there is no way of knowing if it was the genuine tomb or a tourist trap, but I suspended any disbelief I had and looked with fascination. I listened to Nell as she described the heavy gloo...

January 24 FROM GREENLAND’S ICY MOUNTAINS Reginald Heber, 1783–1826 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field.” (Matthew 9:37, 38) We hear many missionary sermons in our churches, but not often do we sing such a beautifully worded and challenging missionary hymn as this one, which was quickly and spontaneously written by Reginald Heber. These well-chosen words and ideas inspire us to spread the blessings of salvation to all people and nations until our Lord “in bliss returns to reign.” Heber was a minister in the Anglican church in England. With his keen interest in world missions, he did much through his writings and influence to promote the missionary activity that greatly increased during his lifetime. In the summer of 1819, Heber was asked by his father-in-law if he knew a worthy hymn that could be used at a missionary service the next Sunday. Reginald went...

Heavenly Father, thank You for the wonderful things and blessings that You have done for me and others that have kept unwavering faith in You. Thank You for those that are secular that have made up their mines through faith in Jesus, and have accepted You through Your Son Jesus for the pardoning of their sins. Halleluah! Now I have more borthers and sisters to share the wonders of heaven and serving YAHW. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. - Rev. Lynwood F. Mundy

Emptied Philip. 2:5–11 NASB “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, [6] who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, [7] but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. [8] And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. [9] Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, [10] that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, [11] and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” The Apostle Paul penned these words to teach his readers a lesson about humility, but in the process, teaches us a great deal about Jesus Christ. In the incarnation, Jesus “emptied Himself,.” Paul said. That’s an unusual phrase—what does it mean? What ...

January 23 GO YE INTO ALL THE WORLD Words and Music by James McGranahan, 1840–1907 Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. (Mark 16:15) Give us a watchword for the hour, a thrilling word, a word of power; A battlecry, a flaming breath that calls to conquer even death. A word to rouse the Church from rest, to heed the Master’s last request; The call is given: Christians arise, our watchword is EVANGELIZE! —Author unknown As members of the church of Jesus Christ, how we need to be reminded continually of our Lord’s final request! We settle down so easily in our individual comforts and in the security of our church routines. Worldwide evangelization will become a realistic possibility only when the Spirit of God renews His people personally with a vision and passion for the spiritual needs of a lost world … when in His power we are willing to go … to evangelize! James McGranahan, author and composer of this hymn, is a well-known name in the field of ear...

In the World The Sunday School Lesson This Week in the Word

SUNDAY, JANUARY 22, 2012 | EPIPHANY THIRD SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY YEAR B Old Testament Jonah 3:1–5, 10 Psalm Psalm 62:5–12 New Testament 1 Corinthians 7:29–31 Gospel Mark 1:14–20 Revised Common Lectionary (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009).

Emergency It started out a lazy Saturday morning. All of the boxes were unpacked, but we still had much work to do after the move into our first home. After my first cup of coffee, I decided to hang the new doors between the kitchen and the den. We took out the sliding glass doors and were replacing them with some wooden ones. I didn’t want to take the chance of one of my small boys walking through the glass and getting hurt like my Dad had several years earlier. We had an industrial fire extinguisher on the wall next to the doors. This was a central location in the house, and we thought it was a good idea to have the extinguisher near the kitchen. We removed the doors, replaced the tracks and took the new doors out of the box. Now came the big moment: I was positioning the first door in its place, the whole family gathered around to see how it would look. I had some trouble fitting it into place. I applied pressure, and the door jumped out of the track and hit the fire extinguish...

January 22 JESUS SAVES! Priscilla J. Owens, 1829–1907 Sing to the Lord, praise His name; proclaim His salvation day after day. Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous deeds among all peoples. (Psalm 96:2, 3) The heart of the Christian gospel is a person, not a church or a system of doctrinal interpretation. To evangelize is to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ—that He came to this world, died for our sins, and was raised from the grave according to the Scriptures. And, as the reigning Lord, He now meets every human need with His forgiveness of sins and the indwelling gift of His Holy Spirit to all who repent and believe. Today, however, many false teachers claim that God speaks equally through all religions and ideologies. Those who believe this do not consider a personal faith in the person and work of Christ to be essential. We must reject as derogatory to our Lord and His gospel every teaching that makes this boast. The Bible is dogmatic: “For there is one God an...

Lord, I summit this suplication for those that are secular: Come to the Jesus in the pardoning of your sins; accept Him in faith wanting to change your life after finding out that you cannot change or save your life; He (Jesus) will forgive you of your sins when you ask Him through genuine repentance of your sins--they will be forgiven forever, no more to be remembered; accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, God will immediately indwell His Holy Spirit in you; you will then become an ambassagor for Him; Jesus will then become your propipiator between you and God. I pray that you accept Him for the next moment of reading this prayer is not promise to you. In Jesus' name I pray for your salvation. Amen. - Rev. Lynwood F. Mundy

Easter Back in the 1880‘s Nietzsche declared that “God is dead,” and before the turn of the Twentieth Century, Shaw and Wells chimed in saying the 20th Century would mark the end of the world’s “religious phase.” Yet, today a church now meets in Russia’s Museum of Religion and Atheism—the former center of atheism. Nearly half of the United States’ population attend Worship on a regular basis while revival is sweeping through Latin America and Christianity grows behind China’s iron curtain. Nietzsche, Shaw and Wells have long since decayed in their graves, and God continues to live! That’s the message of Easter. He is risen. He is risen, indeed! Muhammad died, and was buried. His faithful followers take pilgrimages to visit his remains, the same is true of Buddha and other religious leaders. But it is not true of Jesus. You cannot visit His remains, you can only visit His empty grave, because He isn’t there. He Arose! That’s why we celebrate Easter! Jim L. Wilson, Fresh Start Dev...

January 21 STILL, STILL WITH THEE Harriet B. Stowe, 1812–1896 Morning by morning, O Lord, You hear my voice; morning by morning I lay my requests before You and wait in expectation. (Psalm 5:3) “How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God!… When I awake, I am still with Thee”. This was the phrase that inspired Harriet Beecher Stowe as she meditated one morning on Psalm 139:17, 18. In the midst of a busy and productive life—as a writer, an avid crusader against world-wide slavery, and a mother of six—it was Harriet Stowe’s practice to rise at 4:30 each morning to “see the coming of the dawn, hear the singing of the birds, and to enjoy the over-shadowing presence of her God.” As a devoted mother and the wife of a seminary professor, Harriet still found time to write numerous hymns, a volume of religious verse, and approximately 40 books dealing with the various social problems of her time. Her best known novel was Uncle Tom’s Cabin, which had a strong influence against slavery just b...

Heavenly Father, I pray for the healing of nations, because this world can't go on hating and killing, waring, religious hatered, political prejudices toward party's and its President when all are suppose to be for their constituency's , rather the rich is too the left governing policies. Lord I plead, knowing that in Your Word those thing are to come to past in prophecy. For the unbeliever I pray for your souls to be saved before it is too late. In Jesus name I pray for the world. Amen. - Rev. Lynwood F. Mundy

Easter And the son cried out, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46 KJV) Beneath the cross, His mother watched through her tears as her Son yelled in agony. Next to her was the disciple whom Jesus loved—his cousin John. He saw it all. The Roman guards who beat Him and nailed Him to the cross were watching. The crowds who called for his blood watched with morbid curiosity, but not His heavenly Father. He turned His back on Jesus as he shook from sin’s death blow. Joseph of Arimathaea took his limp, blood stained body from the cross and placed him in his tomb. They sealed the tomb with a stone and posted Roman guards to protect his remains with their own lives if necessary. The crowd dissipated. The night fell; the Sabbath came and Jesus was dead. It was a bleak moment. Hopeless? Despondent? Confused? But we know the end of the story, don’t we? Jesus burst through death, holding the keys to death and hell in His nail...

January 20 DEAR LORD AND FATHER OF MANKIND John Greenleaf Whittier, 1807–1892 In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength. (Isaiah 30:15) So often in our modern lives we attack our problems with frantic and hurried activity, creating unnecessary stress for ourselves. We easily forget that our heavenly Father can assist us in meeting our daily challenges with serenity and calm assurance. We need the quiet confidence in God and a peaceful resting in His eternal love that is reflected in this beautiful text by John Greenleaf Whittier, “America’s beloved Quaker poet.” Whittier’s poetic lines remind us of this so clearly, admonishing us to listen carefully for God’s “still small voice of calm” in the midst of all of life’s turbulence. Whittier was a good example of quiet godly life in his speech, dress, and writings. It has been said that he “left upon our literature the stamp of genius and upon our religion the touch of sanity.” “A good hymn is the...

Dreams The Koran mentions Jesus and gives enough information to pique a Muslim’s attention about Christ. Chapter 3:42–55 of the Koran is almost identical to Luke chapter 2. It mentions the Virgin Birth, that Jesus was righteous, and that He performed miracles—including raising the dead to life. At the end of the passage it says that God says to Jesus, “you will come to me and I will lift your followers above all people of the world.” A missionary to Bangladesh recently told me, “It doesn’t lift Jesus up to Savior status, but it does lift him above prophet status.” It provides enough information to give the dreams context. The missionary told me about a dream that led a Muslim Man to find Christ. In his dream, he saw a big crowd of people that was trying to get to a man in the middle of the crowd who had a veil over his face. He began to make his way through the crowd to touch the man, and he was able to get close enough to see him, but before he could touch him, he woke up. He couldn...

January 19 BE STILL, MY SOUL Katharina von Schlegel, 1697–? English Translation-Jane L. Borthwick, 1813–1897 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. (Psalm 46:10) Spiritual revivals throughout history have always been accompanied by an outburst of new song. This was especially true of the 16th century reformation movement when, following centuries of dormancy during the Middle Ages, congregational singing was rediscovered. However, by the 17th century the church was once more cold and non-evangelistic. Again God lit the fires of revival in the latter half of that century with a movement known as the Pietistic Revival in Germany, which was similar to the Puritan and Wesleyan movements in England. The Pietistic movement also gave birth to many rich German hymns, one of which incorporates the contributions of three persons. Katharina von Schlegel was the outstanding woman of this revival movement. Little is known of her ot...

Heavenly Father, we thank You for your grace and mercy. Bless all peoples of the world no matter what their desire is Lord if it is a righteous pertition. In Jesus' name. Amen. - Rev. Lynwood F. Mundy

Diversity All of the active members of Timothy Urbany’s Sunday School Class at Eastborough Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado, were white, middle class, and married with children. They were “birds of a feather that flocked together.” Urbany longed for his class to be more diverse, more accepting of others, so he invited a Christian friend from work to attend his class to help him evaluate their potential for growth. She was a single, young black woman. She arrived early, helped herself to a donut and some coffee. She participated in the discussion and did her best to make herself at home. No one spoke to her. The next week, Urbany explained to the class who the young lady was and reported to his class, her impressions of the class. They were stunned that none of the members of their loving class reached out to her to make her feel welcome and wanted. It was almost as if they didn’t even notice her. Really, the class’s reaction was predictable. Most people naturally tend to gravi...

January 18 SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY John W. Peterson, 1921– Alfred B. Smith, 1916– Answer me, O Lord, out of the goodness of Your love; in Your great mercy turn to me. (Psalm 69:16) Charles Haddon Spurgeon, known as the “Prince of Preachers” of the 19th century, labored for more than 20 years on his unrivaled commentary of the Psalms, a seven-volume work entitled The Treasury of David. “Only those who have meditated profoundly upon the Psalms,” wrote Spurgeon, “can have any adequate conception of the wealth they contain.” Meditate on this comment that Mr. Spurgeon made about the 23rd Psalm, the basis of this hymn: The sweetest word of the whole is that monosyllable, “my.” He does not say, “The Lord is the shepherd of the world at large, and leadeth forth the multitude as his flock.” If He is a shepherd to no one else, He is a shepherd to me. He cares for me, watches over me, and preserves me. The words are in the present tense. Whatever be the believer’s position, he is even now...

28 The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: But the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things. 29 The LORD is far from the wicked: But he heareth the prayer of the righteous. 30 The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart: And a good report maketh the bones fat. 31 The ear that heareth the reproof of life Abideth among the wise. 32 He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: But he that heareth reproof getteth understanding. [Amen.] - King Solomon

Discipleship Unfortunately, to many people discipleship is more of a program than a lifestyle. They fill their notebooks, making sure every blank is filled, with ferocious devotion, they memorize selected passages and meet with their accountability partners to see that they’ve crossed every “t” and dotted every “i” in their program. While none of these activities are bad, they aren’t necessarily discipleship. While discipleship involves actions, it has more to do with attitudes than actions. Unless the attitude is right, all of these activities can become an end in themselves. Following Christ, in my opinion, can never be boiled down to filling in a blank or attending a meeting it is far too organic for that. It may involve those things, but it is not those things. Condoleezza Rice, President Bush’s top adviser on National Security, is a regular church goer whose faith affects the way she lives her life. In an interview with Biography Magazine, she said her religious faith is “… ver...

January 17 THE KING OF LOVE MY SHEPHERD IS Henry W. Baker, 1821–1877 For He is our God and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under His care. (Psalm 95:7) The beloved words of Psalm 23 have undoubtedly provided greater comfort and encouragement to God’s people through the years than any other portion of Scripture. In times of deep need, how eloquently these tender words from the psalmist David minister to our wounded spirits. This psalm has also formed the textual basis for more sacred music than any other scriptural setting. But to many devout Christians the best-loved hymn based on Psalm 23 is this paraphrase by an English musician, Sir Henry Baker. In this text Baker skillfully combines thoughts of King David with lessons from the New Testament. For example, the words from the third stanza are based on the parable of the lost sheep in Luke 15:5. The fourth stanza includes the phrase “Thy cross before to guide me.” Here the shepherd is identified as Christ by the inclusi...

Lord, we thank You for allowing us to see another day; we don't know what this day behold us, or if You will send the "Death Angel" to pluck us from this world, however, no matter what You will do, we thank You for this moment of blessings, and blessings for what You have done in the past. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. - Rev. Lynwood F. Mundy

Disappointment “But Peninnah made fun of Hannah because the Lord had closed her womb. [7] Year after year it was the same Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle. Hannah would finally be reduced to tears and would not even eat.” (1 Samuel 1:6–7 NLT) Hannah’s life wasn’t easy. She shared the affections of her husband with another woman, who teased her unmercifully because Hannah couldn’t have children. In a day when the worth of a woman was measured by the number of sons she bore to her husband, Hannah felt worthless. To make it worse, her husband’s other wife was prolific. Peninnah teased and taunted Hannah until Hannah couldn’t eat or function. Hannah was an emotional “basket case.” I don’t think she was upset because what she had wasn’t good enough. She was grieved because she didn’t feel like she was fulfilling her destiny and living up to her potential. Perhaps you weren’t homecoming queen or didn’t graduate at the top of your class. Maybe you didn’t have a p...

January 16 GOD MOVES IN A MYSTERIOUS WAY William Cowper, 1731–1800 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments … (Romans 11:33) Good when He gives, supremely good, nor less when He denies. Even crosses from His sovereign hand are blessings in disguise. —Unknown The hymn “God Moves in a Mysterious Way” has been acclaimed as one of the finest songs ever written on the theme of God’s providence. This label is made all the more amazing by the fact that the hymn text was written by an English poet who lived a lifetime of mental distress. William Cowper’s emotional upsets included an 18-month stay in an insane asylum and later several attempted suicides. During his time in the asylum, Cowper began reading the Bible. At the age of 33 he had a genuine conversion experience. Yet he was periodically haunted by deep depressions, voices, and visions, and the overwhelming thought that God had forsaken him and would doom him to hell. But bet...

Enter to Worship, Depart to Serve - Anon.

In the World This Week in the World The Sunday School Lesson

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012 | EPIPHANY SECOND SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY YEAR B Old Testament 1 Samuel 3:1–10 (11–20) Psalm Psalm 139:1–6, 13–18 New Testament 1 Corinthians 6:12–20 Gospel John 1:43–51 Revised Common Lectionary (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009).

Determination “And not only that, but God himself is right alongside to keep you steady and on track until things are all wrapped up by Jesus.” 1 Cor. 1:8 (MsgB) “The Apprentice” is required viewing for some business school students across the country as their professors are using the show as a starting point for discussion on successful business practices. Certainly Donald Trump knows something about success. He also knows something about failure. In the early ’90‘s Trump was $900 million in the hole. Today his accumulated wealth is in the 2.5 to $5 billion range. The Donald has “Seven Rules of Success.” The third one might be the most important, it is, “You cannot stop if there is a concrete wall in front of you, you have to go through it. You can never, ever give up or even think in terms of giving up. “A rule Trump obviously lives by. He didn’t give up, even when his situation looked hopeless. He continued to pursue his dream of accumulating wealth. If Trump can be persistent i...

January 15 GOD LEADS US ALONG Words and Music by George A. Young, 19th century You guide me with Your counsel, and afterward You will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And being with You, I desire nothing on earth. (Psalm 73:24, 25) The more clearly we see the sovereignty of God and depend on His providential care, the less perplexed we will be by life’s calamities. He does not lead me year by year, nor even day by day; But step by step my path unfolds; my Lord directs the way. —Unknown The author and composer of “God Leads Us Along” was an obscure preacher and carpenter who spent a lifetime humbly serving God in small rural areas. Often the salary was meager and life was difficult for his family. Through it all, however, George Young and his wife never wavered in their loyalty to God and His service. The story is told that after much struggle and effort, the George Young family was finally able to move into their own small home, which they had built themselves...

Lord have mercy on us. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. - Rev. Lynwood F. Mundy

Determination Playing baseball in October is a normal part of the game for 25 year-old Derek Jeter, the All-Star shortstop of the New York Yankees. The 2001 World Series was the fifth he’s played in during his brief career. Jeter is undoubtedly one of the premier players in the game. When Jeter was still in diapers, 42 year-old Mike Morgan pitched in his first Major League game. Morgan’s played for 12 Major League teams in his 24 year career, but has never made it to the World Series, never that is until 2001. During the top of the 8th inning of game 1 of the Series, Arizona Diamondback pitcher Morgan took to the mound and retired the Yanks in order. The third batter was Jeter, who ended his 14 game World Series hitting streak when he flied out to deep centerfield. “My father taught me a lot of things, and one of them was perseverance,” Morgan said. “I’m glad he did. Because I don’t think my career would have felt complete if I didn’t make it to the World Series.” Morgan will prob...

January 14 TRUSTING JESUS Edgar Page Stites, 1836–1921 Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. (Psalm 37:3–5 KJV) “Simply trusting every day” along a “stormy way,” “in danger” when “the path is drear” “if the way is clear”—what a valuable lesson for each of us to learn. We are so prone to look ahead in life to see how our problems will be solved or where our path will lead. We waste much time and energy in worrying instead of simply trusting, delighting, and committing our ways to the Lord. That’s how to find His strength and wisdom to face our problems and responsibilities for tomorrow and all the days ahead. Edgar Stites, an obscure but active lay worker, had learned that spiritual lesson. He discovered that “while He leads I cannot fall.” God’s way in our lives i...

Details I didn’t know I’d made an irreversible mistake until about 30 minutes before we were supposed to board the plane. I looked down and noticed that I was wearing one black shoe and one brown one and immediately remembered that I didn’t pack a spare pair of shoes in my suitcase. Very early in the morning last Tuesday, I took a quick shower and got dressed in the dark so I wouldn’t wake up Susan. The night before I’d set out the suit, shirt tie and shoes I would wear on the plane and to my first meeting that was scheduled for less than an hour from when I touched down in San Diego. Picking my wardrobe was a simple process of elimination. Because the meeting was in Southern California, I’d ruled out any of my 100% wool suits for the trip and had settled on taking a three button brown linen and wool blend jacket with a pair of worsted wool tan slacks. Initially, I was going to wear a brown silk jacket, but I’d heard the night before that two button jackets were out of style, and sin...

January 13 HE LEADETH ME Joseph H. Gilmore, 1834–1918 He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. (Psalm 23:2) The blessedness and awe of being led by Almighty God Himself so impressed the author of this text that he wrote these beloved words spontaneously—and these exact words have been sung by believers around the world for more than a century. Although Joseph Gilmore became a distinguished university and seminary professor, an author of several textbooks in Hebrew and English literature, and a respected Baptist minister, he is best remembered today for this one hymn, hurriedly written when he was just 28. Gilmore scribbled down these lines while visiting with friends after preaching about the truths of the 23rd Psalm at the Wednesday evening service of the First Baptist Church in Philadelphia. He left this account: At the close of the service we adjourned to Deacon Watson’s pleasant home, where we were being entertained. During...

Psalm 30 1I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. 2O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. 3O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. 4Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. 5For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. 6And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. 7LORD, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled. 8I cried to thee, O LORD; and unto the LORD I made supplication. 9What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth? 10Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper. 11Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off...

Eternal Destiny Larry worked long, hard hours as the manager of a feedlot, but tried to find time to grow in his personal relationship with the Lord. After taking a four—week witnessing class at his church, he began to take a personal interest in one of his employees. One afternoon he came straight from work to meet with Ed Rowell, his pastor. “Pastor,” he said, “you need to go over to see “Bubba” today. “Why’s that?” Ed asked. “He’s in some big trouble; the police stopped by the feedlot today and said they would arrest him tomorrow. Pastor, you’ve got to go see him, he really needs the Lord.” “I’ll be glad to go with you to back you up,” Ed said, “but you will need to do the talking.” Reluctantly, Larry agreed. Ed hopped in Larry’s pickup and off they went. It was a long drive to Bubba’s trailer—about 20 miles from the church—the last five miles were a terrible dirt road. When they arrived, Ed was shocked at the living conditions. One corner of the trailer was sagging. There were o...

January 12 JESUS, SAVIOR, PILOT ME Edward Hopper, 1818–1888 Thou wilt show me the path of life. In Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. (Psalm 16:11 KJV) “Lord, save us; we perish,” the disciples cried, and instantly Christ arose to rebuke the winds of the storm and calm the sea. Today’s hymn expresses in 19th century sailor’s language the universal human need for divine help. Edward Hopper, a gentle, humble man, was a Presbyterian minister with an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree. His most fruitful ministry, however, was with the sailors at the small Church of the Sea and Land in the New York harbor area, where he ministered until his death. Hopper wrote today’s text especially for the spiritual needs of these sailors from around the world; it became their favorite hymn. “Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me” uses only three of the original six verses written by Dr. Hopper. One of the omitted stanzas is an interesting reminder of our constant ne...

May the Lord God bless all is my prayer. Amen. - Rev. Lynwood F. Mundy

Depravity “You can keep your depravity of man,” my ethics professor said, “I don’t buy it.” He abruptly ended the discussion that afternoon, but he didn’t change my mind. You see, I wasn’t just a theology student studying at a respected seminary, I was also the father of a two-year-old at the time. Enough said? They come into the world kicking and screaming, and self absorbed. And we never once have to teach them to throw a fit. Why is that? They constantly yell “mine,” when nothing really belongs to them. We never have to tell them NOT to share—they pick that up on their own. When they’re not saying “mine,” they are yelling “NO!” Now throwing baby food across the room I understand—I wouldn’t eat that stuff either! But they also fight hot baths and squirm away from warm hugs, nothing can explain that. We spend months teaching them to go in the potty and years teaching them to read, and a lifetime teaching them to eat their veggies, but don’t have to spend a single second teaching ...