Author: a4cadmin1

Uncategorized

FCF Fishers

FISHERS MAGAZINES

click image to open

Our Lord told the man whose son was daily tormented by a demon, “All things are possible for one who believes” (Mk 9:23). What this means is that if you believe God and take Him at His Word, you can indeed glorify Him in every circumstance, and find your supreme satisfaction in Him.

The Christian life is all about growing in our trust in God and what He has said. The article Faith in Action explains this truth through the life of Moses’ parents. Discouragements: Causes and Remedy deals specifically with how one ought to trust God when our spirits are laid low by some trial or affliction.
God asserts, “Those who hopefully wait for Me will not be put to shame” (Isa 49:23). It is always heart-warming for Fishers to re-tell the stories of God’s amazing grace in the lives of those who believe in Him. Christ Lives in Me is by a pastor who was raised by godly Christian parents, whereas Rejected by Man, Accepted by God is by a retired full-time servant of the Lord who had been abandoned by her birth parents – two very different stories, but both about one very trustworthy God.

God is faithful, and He deserves our trust. If you do not know and trust the Lord Jesus with your life, Whoever Believes in Jesus has Eternal Life is where you should begin reading this issue of Fishers. It presents the Gospel of Jesus Christ, by which sinners may be saved from the awful judgment of God. If you already believe in Jesus, Commission, Compassion, Compulsion will remind you of your responsibility to tell others about Him.

May you be blessed by the reading of this magazine. - The Editor

ABOUT THE FISHERS MAGAZINES

The FISHERS is Christian magazine distributed by The ‘Fisherman of Christ’ Fellowship Ltd, Singapore. It is free of charge and anyone can request printed copies of their current and past issues through their website.

With their permission, A4C Philippines is posting their current issue. You can access digital copies of their past issues here.

Uncategorized

The Gospel & CoVid-19

Introduction. How should we as followers of Christ respond in this time of calamity? Now more than ever it is important to meditate often on God’s Word and to constantly pray. Time in God’s Word and seasons with him in prayer will carry us through this difficult period. Here are some important truths to reflect upon, along with some practices that grown out of them. 

The Evil is Real. This pandemic is evil. It is the result of a fallen created order. When Jesus faced the brokenness of the create order, it grieved him. We, too, should sorrow over this pandemic. This leads to our first biblical response in the face of the viral calamity.

Practice Biblical Lament. Lament is a passionate expression of grief, along with a complaint to the Lord for help. Lament is a wise initial response to harm, injustice, and a pandemic like Covid-19. The Bible is filled with expressions of lament, especially in the Psalms. Biblical lament does not exclude a mixture of joy. As we lament over the evil that is befalling our communities, may the Lord to help us exhibit all the fruits of the Spirit (including love, joy, peace).

God is In Control. God is sovereign, and this includes his ultimate control over evil. The God of Scripture alone is omnipotent; COVID-19 is not. Jesus taught that God cares even for the sparrow; yes, the very hairs of our head are numbered. Sin, sickness and death, like Satan, cannot step over the boundaries that God sets. This is a great comfort. With the Lord’s help let us model trust to one another. This is a second scriptural response.

Practice Trust in the Lord. What makes a biblical perspective on lament healthy is its attending trust in the Lord and an assurance of ultimate and enduring joy. In Psalm 94. David cries, “How long, LORD, will the wicked, how long will the wicked be jubilant?” But then David confesses, “When I said, ‘My foot is slipping,’ your unfailing love was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.”

We are taught that in the face of death we are not to grieve like other people who have no hope (1 Thess 5). This does not mean that we do not grieve. Jesus himself wept over Jerusalem for their unbelief and he wept at the tomb of Lazarus. But Christ wins the final victory, and so we too can rejoice. May the Lord help us to lament well, and then to rejoice with God’s people as we together trust in Him and wait for final victory. 

God Is with Us in Our Suffering. The Lord enters into our suffering. While both good and sovereign, our God is also a God of perfect compassion. He cares for us, not from afar, but as one intimately involved in our lives. God exhibited his love in the life and death of his Son. Jesus shared our humanity and suffered so that he could more fully and empathetically help us when we suffer (Heb 2:14-18). We can come to him in our time of need, he understands and is able to rescue us. This leads us to a third response.

Practice Prayer for One Another. One of the most important things we can do is to join one another in prayer, for ourselves and for the lost all around us. Because of “social distancing” being physically together in groups may not be possible. But we can pray faithfully for one another, even when somewhat isolated. We can also communicate often with one another and pray together through social media. Pray much and ask the Lord for wisdom as to how we can compassionately be present with those among us who are in the greatest need.

Evil and Suffering Will Be Defeated. Evil, including this terrible pandemic, will ultimately be defeated. This is the proper context for Rom 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” God’s timetable is not ours – but the ultimate victory is sure. It is a victory won by Christ in his death and resurrection and in his certain return. This will bring relief from sin, sickness, death. It will also bring us into the glorious inheritance of the children of God. Oh, what a wonderful day that will be! This is our hope and leads to a final response.

Practice Hope. While we lament, and trust, and pray with one another, let us proclaim the hope of the gospel. People need hope and only the gospel fully provides this. The gospel provides a hope for the worst of times. Even in the face of death, this hope survives offering eternal life in a new heaven and earth. This is for all who find salvation in Christ. Hallelujah! Let us continue to share the gospel with our families, friends, and neighbors – especially in the face of this calamity, whose end is sure. Thanks be to God!

This article is a condensed version of an earlier work of Dr. Dan Ebert. Access the first edition here: http://all4christ.org/mf-the-ministry-covid19/

 

Uncategorized

MF-As You Are Going

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the
Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded
you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:18-20

 

I am involved with a church in downtown Minneapolis named Grace in the City. It is small with more or less 40 attenders but it has a huge heart for runaway teens and others on-the-run, drug addicts and pushers, people in and out of jail, centers, shelters and sober houses, prostituted people, homeless families, street people and struggling families. Grace is located in a tough neighborhood without a church. It is close to where I started full-time ministry in 1977 so being there brings back a lot of memories for me.

Its pastors are Ean and Wade, two young men who have a background of drug use but they are now new creatures in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). They are graduates of Teen Challenge and Bible college and dedicated to shepherding their unusual flock and teaching them the Word of God. Grace provides physical food for hungry bodies and spiritual food, the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ, for famished souls. Food, drinks and coffee is regularly donated to Grace by grocery stores, food banks, bakeries, churches and coffee roasters. Before in-person ministry was shutdown, due to COVID-19, the church building was buzzing every day with people of all ages eating meals, Bible studies and sharing groups for men and women, people dropping by for a cup of coffee and friendly conversation and fellowship for those who know Jesus as Savior. Each Sunday afternoon was a lively worship service with all kinds of people attending. Since the end of March, including regular Gospel outreach on the streets, all this has stopped till further notice. Worship services are now on FaceBook and shown on a monitor so people can watch from the sidewalk outside the building. Every noon people are picking up meals from the curb, and as they do, they are asking when in-person ministries will resume.

Grace is meeting people where they are in life and pointing them to Jesus, the Friend of sinners and our sympathetic Savior.

I have befriended Ean, Wade and their few regular volunteers. Ean, who is single, is the only one who gets paid, which is very little, because the church’s income is small. Wade, who is married with children, has a job and serves at the church some evenings and during weekends. They rotate preaching on Sunday. They are excellent expositors, with their own individual style, as they teach God’s Word. I walk alongside Ean and Wade as their friend, prayer partner, encourager, coach, shock-absorber and perhaps source of stability and normality. I am a Barnabas to them.

Now Ean and Wade are discipling Evan. Evan is 18 years-old and just finished his first year of Bible college. They have noticed that Evan has a calling and the gifts to become a pastor-teacher like them. Last Sunday Evan preached his first sermon *ever* during a worship service at Grace. He spoke from Revelation 2:1-7 and did an outstanding job handling the text. His message was clear, passionate and with many practical applications. As their big brother in Christ, I am proud of Ean, Wade and Evan! There is nothing fancy about Grace in the City Church and Ean, Wade and Evan are ordinary young men and I am an ordinary old-man. But there is something very special happening at Grace. It is that God has called this unusual church into being and is keeping it alive and well during a difficult time through guys who are living unusual lives. By the mercy and grace of God, disciples are being made as we go with the Gospel. Matthew 28:18-20 is happening in a rough and tough neighborhood of Minneapolis. We are His-story makers.  You can be a His-story maker too, by God’s grace, in unusual places among unusual people.

Uncategorized

MF-Caring for the Wandering

“My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth 

and someone should bring that person back, remember this: 

Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way 

will save them from death and cover over 

a multitude of sins.” – James 5:19-20

Clearly James is writing about a believer in Christ who has wandered from the truth, or Jesus Christ. This person has fallen into sin and is no longer living consistent with his or her beliefs. Christians disagree over whether or not it is possible for people to lose their salvation, but all of us agree that those who have wandered away from Christ, the truth and the church are in serious trouble and need to repent of their sins and return to Jesus. James urges loving Christians to help wanderers return to Jesus and live again according to the truth. By praying for, and lovingly talking with the wanderer, while meeting him or her where he or she is at in life, we may bring this person back to their merciful and gracious Savior. 

 

1. I am asking myself why people wander away from Jesus, the truth and the church. I think we all know someone, or many people, in this condition. Here are some possible reasons for wandering:

 

     a. dreadful fear of what others think or say or of persecution

     b. weary of suffering for their faith

     c. deep ongoing pain of disappointment

     d. severe separation from family and friends because of faith in Christ

     e. death of loved ones or friends

     f. ongoing illness

     g. the reality of following Christ overwhelms our unmet exceptions of trusting Him

     h. trapped in sin/s

 

The reality is difficulty, suffering, trials, tests and disappointment is part of a Christian’s life. Let us not sugarcoat this.

 

2. As followers of Christ and members of a local church we need to be ready to pursue the wanderer. 

 

God asked Cain this ancient but up-to-date question, after he killed his brother Abel, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9).

 

The answer then and now is; “Yes”, in the local body of Christ we are acceptable for and to each other.

 

3. We need to be mindful that we/I could stray away from the truth. We/I need to heed daily these three admonitions: 

 

     a. be humble

     b. stay close to Jesus

     c. stay in God’s Word

 

4. When we talk with someone who has wandered from Jesus and the truth we need to be sure to tell them that God will receive them back if they repent and return to Jesus and the truth. This is the parable of the lost son in Luke 11-31. 

 

Conclusion

 

The book of James is my favorite book of the Bible because he emphasizes faith put into action. Right living is the evidence of and fruit of faith. The local church needs to serve with compassion, speak lovingly and truthfully, live in joyful obedience to God’s Word, and love one another. The local expression of Christ’s body ought to be like heaven on earth as we draw people to Christ through love for God and each other. If we truly believe God’s Word we will desire, by His grace, to live by it each day. God’s Word is not just something we read, think about or confess but something we do. Our belief, faith and trust must be put into action by our hands and feet. Let us be faithful shepherds of our flocks by our teaching of God’s Word, caring for our members and pursuing those who are wandering.