~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ FreEzine -FreEzine -FreEzine -FreEzine -FreEzine -FreEzine - ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Issue Vol 1 # 1 FreEzine@telstra.easymail.com.au July 2000 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ FreEzine is a free email magazine/newsletter containing articles of interest from a Christian perspective and is published no less than monthly. FreEzine is NOT Spam and is only sent to people who request it. If you ever want to stop (or start) receiving FreEzine you'll find instructions at the end of this newsletter. A special "hello" to all of our new subscribers. We welcome and appreciate feedback on how we can improve this e-zine for you. IF YOU FIND THIS NEWSLETTER USEFUL... ... PLEASE FORWARD IT TO FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES! ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ IN THIS ISSUE: From the Editor News Break: WatchDOGS Repeatable Quotable: Top 10 Reasons Not To Quit Coming To Church Serial story: The Genesis Article: Your Local Church Focus on Health: Religion & Health Book Look: Just As I Am Website Review: Free Bible Software website Cook's Corner: Pineapple Upside Down Cake Take a Hint: Chewing gum in the hair Agony Aunt Ezine: 'Trying' Teenagers Good News Goodchat: From the forum Letters to the Editor The Funny Bone (Humour) Watch This Space Subscription & other information ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ FreEzine -FreEzine -FreEzine -FreEzine -FreEzine -FreEzine - ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ From the editor: It seems these days that you take your life in your hands just to purchase some flowers. I was in a shop recently, purchasing a bunch of roses for my wife, when an elderly lady (whom I presume to have been short-sighted) came alongside me at the flower display. Unaware of my presence she dramatically withdrew a large bunch of flowers from one of the buckets on the display and promptly emptied most of the water from the bucket down the leg of my trousers and into my shoe. I bent forward and glared into her back, perhaps grateful that she couldn't see the manner in which my face registered how I felt. Still unaware that I existed, she realised that the bunch of flowers she had selected was dripping water and she proceeded to shake it in the air behind her back. My grimacing face collected an assortment of petals, decaying leaf matter and a further supply of cold water. Having imagined that she was purchasing the flowers to benefit someone, the last thing I could possibly do, would be to ruin her day, so I quietly sloshed away. (It just goes to show that even purchasing flowers can be a dangerous affair!) It is hoped that his new ezine will benefit someone, even more than a bunch of flowers. We welcome your feedback - even an occasional slosh of cold water. Welcome to our first edition. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ News Break: WatchDOGS In the wake of the tragic Jonesboro school shooting in USA, a new programme aimed at increasing school security and providing positive role models has been developed in Arkansas. WatchDOGS (Dads of Great Students) is a new grassroots initiative in which fathers and grandfathers of students volunteer to spend one day a year in their child's school to provide unobtrusive security and a positive role model for children. WatchDOGS volunteers participate in a variety of school activities including reading and tutoring students, participating in playground activities, eating lunch with students, and overseeing students as they get on and off of school 'buses. Two of the programme's strongest features are that it was developed, and continues to operate, without any government funding or interference and that it promotes increased parental involvement in education. - Ed Facts, Family Research Council, 3-14-00, www.frc.org (Gleaned from the newsletter SchoolWatch - provided as a service of the Maranatha Christian Journal and only sent to people who request it. - schoolwatch@mcjonline.com) ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Repeatable Quotable: Top 10 Reasons Not To Quit Coming To Church - Author Unknown 10. Statistics prove that people who go to church, believe in Jesus, read their Bible and pray on a regular basis live longer (this is known as eternal life). 9. Not coming to church may cause some people to wonder what we are up to. 8. Not coming to church is like not voting. If you don't participate on a regular basis you don't have a right to complain. 7. Not coming to church gives Satan an opportunity to drive a wedge between you and the rest of the church. 6. If you're not at church and you have a physical or spiritual need the people of the church are not going to know about it. You deprive them of an opportunity to minister. 5. If you stay away from church you may influence someone else to stay away. This could have eternal consequences. 4. If you stay away from church you give Satan an opportunity to drive a wedge between you and God. All Satan needs is a tiny crack to get his wedge in. 3. Staying away from church will cause you to loose your fire and zeal for the Lord and His work. 2. Staying away from church makes the statement that our priorities are higher than God's. 1. Staying away from church is being disobedient to God; He commands us to come together to worship Him as a group. Hebrews 10:19-25 Source: adapted from Gracemail, gracemail-subscribe@egroups.com via http://www.witandwisdom.org ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Serial story: "Not Finished Yet" - Episodes in the Continuing Saga of Peter Blank. This serial saga, although novel, is not a novel. It is merely a series of true-life episodes highlighting the extraordinary working of an extraordinary God in a very ordinary life. Each episode contained a lesson for Peter Blank, a lesson we can all learn, from a lesson-book life that is not finished yet. Episode 1: The Genesis Peter had waited three fourths of a year for this day. He hadn't necessarily planned it but he wanted it to happen and, although he was still bantam, he had the final say as to when the event would happen. And, true to form, he announced the intention to herald his arrival at the most inopportune time. His mother was many kilometres from the hospital where his siblings were born, and so the Mother, Father, and elder yet still infant brothers boarded their rattly old tin lizzie (a box-shaped Model-A Ford motorcar) which then gasped it's way over the hills to the nearest maternity hospital. A country stream and a gumboot aided in providing a refreshing drink to the car's overheated radiator at the crest of the first hill, a process which was repeated twice more before the anxious parents reached the seaside village where the hospital was located. An inquiry at the local tavern revealed the horrifying news that the hospital could be found at the top of yet another hill, but this time the car showed no resistance to the added labour (no pun intended.) Upon arrival, the expectant Mum was almost immediately assisted into the delivery room and within minutes Peter was demanding the first meal of his life-long insatiable appetite. His Dad was quick to remind his Mum of the work that still awaited her at home and consequently a return journey back over the hills was commenced within an hour or so. Rattling home in the dark, rain now pelting the windscreen, the utmost care was taken as Mum, Dad, new-born Peter and his two infant siblings journeyed homeward. Another route would have been chosen, if they had only known that the rain had washed away a section of the poorly sealed road ahead. But as they didn't know, and as the hole appeared rather suddenly, it was perhaps inevitable that the car land in it. Now we are not talking about a little pothole the size of the new-born Peter. This hole was so large that the car was completely inverted and landed in the bottom of the chasm, upside-down -- with the wheels level with the road above and the vehicle disappearing in the mud and water below. This was long before the advent of seat-belts and child safety restraints, and the family flew around the car, landing in a heap on the canvas padded roof. Only through his Mum holding Peter so closely was he spared a flight through the window. Miraculously, none were hurt in the tumble and a strange twist of Fate enabled their escape from the inverted vehicle: this car had the battery located under the floor and Peter's Dad had, a few hours earlier, replaced the battery. But because Peter had cued his Mother that he could not wait much longer to be born, his Dad had not had an opportunity to screw the floorboards back in place. This meant that when the car came to rest downside-up in the hole, the floorboards fell away leaving an escape route. Providence provided the circumstance; Opportunity revealed the occasion, Necessity motivated the action and, sadly, Coincidence received the credit. The lesson for Peter was not finished yet. Watch in the next newsletter for the next episode in the continuing true-life saga of Peter Blank. "Not Finished Yet" is Copyright ((c) 2000, FreEzine) ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Article: Your Local Church. By Ron Allen The Scripture indicates, that when persons believe in Christ, they are admitted to a large fellowship of creatures who worship God and his Christ. This fellowship consists of Christians the world over as well as Angelic beings (Hebrews 12:22-23). This fellowship has been called by theologians, the Church Universal. It is a very real communion and one which Christians in every age, especially those in enforced isolation, have drawn comfort from. Most of what is said of the Church in the New Testament applies not to the Church Universal. Rather, it refers to the local fellowship of believers. eg. the Church in Corinth, or the Church in Ephesis, or in Philippi. Since God has called us to be the Church, it is the local fellowship that ought to attract our support. It happens that for many, being part of the Church Universal is preferable to belonging to the little group down the street. But the gift of God, which grants us life, has rescued us in fellowship. Therefore, reticence to practice this fellowship demeans the act of God by which we are saved. To not bother to commit to the local Church, is to call into question one's participation in the Church Universal. Devotion to the gospel and to the fellowship marked the Church in its infancy. 'They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship...' Acts 2:42 The Christian life is a shared one. It requires the perspective enunciated by Paul in 1 Corinthians 12. 'We were all baptised by the one Spirit, into one body - whether Jew or Gentile, slave or free - and we were all given one Spirit to drink' (12:13). 'But God has combined the members of the body, so there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other'(12:24-25). The Church means that faith should not be exercised in isolation. I need to be in fellowship with you. I need to be where I can assume some responsibility for you and for me. I need to be where I can have the benefit of Christ's presence in your life and you can be served by the Christ in me. The Church means a commitment to time, prayer and energy. There is nothing haphazard about the Church. Commit yourself to attending your local church. Selected from Good News Australia (www.goodnewsunlimited.org.au to subscribe) Used with permission. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Focus on Health A wide-ranging review of health research confirms that if you attend religious services regularly, you live longer. The report, published in the American Psychological Association's journal Health Psychology, looked at 42 health studies involving almost 126,000 people. Its conclusion-you are 29 percent more likely to live longer if you are involved in religion than if you are not. The review was carried out by the National Institute for Healthcare Research, based in Bethesda, Maryland. The reasons for this link are not yet clearly established, but it is clear and definite, according to the report. Researchers also mention that churches that emphasize a healthy lifestyle with no smoking or drinking are already known to have healthier members. - Jonathan Gallagher / ANN (www.adventist.org) ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Book Look: Just As I Am, By Billy Graham Your editor writes, 'In 1959, as a boy soprano, I was invited to sing a solo item at the close of an evangelistic crusade to be held in my home city. In my youthful nervousness, I refused. I cannot even recall my full reasons, and in times of nostalgia I sometimes regret my childish stubbornness and remember my embarrassment when I was introduced to the speaker afterwards as "The boy who doesn't want to sing for Billy Graham!" As a result, I guess, I have waited four decades for Billy Graham's Autobiography, and it took Billy Graham at least one of those to write it. But you will treasure it for much longer. Billy Graham's Autobiography, "Just As I Am" is a welcomed, intensely readable, profusely illustrated, and budget priced paperback' ("Just as I Am" is available from Good News Unlimited, 896pp. $A7.95 +PP&H Aust. Code 1JA0001 'Phone Australia (07) 55245040, or email goodnews@coolgold.com.au) ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Website Review: http://www.softseek.com/Home_Family_and_Leisure/Religion Bible Software - Bibles, activities, sermon & church administration aids, etc. A great site with shareware, demo and FREE software. Currently 93 items including many free complete Bible translations in varying formats (HTML, Microsoft Access database, etc). Many items are also suitable for users of older computers (eg. 80286 using DOS or Win 3.1). Here is a small sample: Complete text online Bibles (OS: Windows 3.1 License: Freeware): 1769 Authorised (King James) Version v8.01 Size: 2.60 MB / 1833 Webster Version Size: 1.56 MB / 1889 Darby Version Size: 1.46 MB / 1898 Young's Literal Translation Size: 1.46 MB The Online 1901 American Standard Version Size: 1.66 MB The Online 1912 Weymouth New Testament Size: 500 Kb / 1917 Jewish Publication Society: Jewish Bible (Tanakh) Size: 1.56 MB / 1965 Bible In Basic English Size: 1.46 MB / The Scroll v2.2a educational multimedia study Bible. Size: 4.97 MB. Also available are the Online Bible Readers: The Online Bible Free Setup Program (16-bit) v7.10.01 - provides a well-designed interface for viewing, searching and navigating to different areas of the Bible. - OS: Windows 3.1 Size: 1.17 MB / The Online Bible Free Setup Program (32-bit) v8.0301 - OS: Windows 95/98/NT/2000 Size: 1.17 MB A highly recommended site. http://www.softseek.com/Home_Family_and_Leisure/Religion ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Cook's Corner: Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe (Serves 4) 1 medium sized can of crushed pineapple + 3 tbsp butter or margarine + 1/2 cup brown sugar + 1/3 cup shortening + 1/2 cup sugar + 1 egg + 1 tsp. Vanilla + 1 cup all-purpose flour + 1 1/4 tsp baking powder + 1/4 tsp salt Drain pineapple, reserving juice. Melt butter. Mix with brown sugar and 1 tbsp pineapple juice in medium size pan. Spread pineapple on bottom of pan. In medium bowl cream together shortening and sugar until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and 2/3 cup pineapple juice and mix at high speed until most of the lumps are gone. Pour into pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes. Turn out onto large plate. Serve. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Take a Hint To remove chewing gum from a child's hair: massage COLD CREAM (available from the chemist) into the 'gummy' area and pull down on the hair strands with a dry towel. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Agony Aunt Ezine - A service provided by The Listening Post (c)2000 Dear Listening Post, I have two boisterous and sometimes 'trying' teenagers. What do you think is the most important thing I can do for them? Parent, NSW Dear Parent, Love them! This may seem a little obvious, but not as obvious as you may imagine. Certainly it is not as obvious an answer as some teenagers would like to think, either. Research has shown that one of the main reasons given by teenagers for running away from home, attempting suicide, pre-marital unwanted pregnancy, and getting involved in drug abuse (eg. alcohol), is thinking that they are unloved. Experience has proven that in homes where a consistent deliberate effort is made to show love, young people are unlikely to take what many teenagers view as the 'easy way out'. A hug (yes, even teenagers need hugs), a smile, an encouraging word: these cost nothing yet are worth much. Around 1014 BC a wise man wrote, 'Many waters cannot quench love; neither can the floods drown it' (Canticles of Solomon 8:7) Demonstrated love will ride our teenagers above the floods and trials of life more than all other memories. Address your questions to: listeningpost@telstra.easymail.com.au ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Good News Goodchat (www.goodnewsunlimited.org.au) Goodchat is an online chat line forum which invites your participation. Posted By: Sam (scastill@ubiobio.cl) Date: Wednesday, 31 May 2000 Dear Brothers and/or Sisters of GoodChat I have some questions: ... If we assume that lake of fire is literal and there is no mixed symbolic and literal thing in this narration, we must to assume that the place of death people is literal which contradicts the fact that death people cannot feel (Eccl. 9:5:10, 12:7, Psalms 146:3,4,etc.). Am I wrong? Why? I understand that after resurrection is the second death. After that there is no a place of death people from death people resurrects. Am I wrong? Why? Thank you very much in advance for your answer. YHWH be with you, Sam. If you wish to reply to Sam or read others' replies, visit Good Chat on www.goodnewsunlimited.org.au Themes online at the time of this issue of FreEzine: Lake of Fire. Exists? (views: 28) Your Questionnaire (views: 16) Your Comments (views: 17) Souls (views: 13) General Deliverance (views: 10) Punishment versus Life (views: 10) ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Letters to the Editor (hartley@telstra.easymail.com.au) Hi If there is anyone there who strongly does not believe in evolution and knows a bit about creation and evolution and would like to have a civilised argument/discussion with other evolutionists and creationists please email me and I will give you the link to the site. Many thanks Josiah U.K. (via Goodchat). If you contact the FreEzine Editor, we will forward your email on to Josiah. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The Funny Bone. A minister was opening his mail one morning. Drawing a single sheet of paper from an envelope, he found written on it only one word: "FOOL." The next Sunday he announced, "I have known many people who have written letters and forgot to sign their names. But this week I received a letter from someone who signed his name and had forgotten to write a letter." (From Reverend Fun at ChristianHumor.About.com Netlink/msub.collect.htm.) ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Watch This Space: Future issues will include other sections not listed here. Why not write to us suggesting what you would like to see included. (hartley@telstra.easymail.com.au) ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Subscription information: FreEzine is a Free ezine magazine/newsletter, published no less than monthly. To subscribe, please send a blank message to FreEzine@telstra.easymail.com.au and type SUBSCRIBE in the subject line. To unsubscribe, please send a message to FreEzine@telstra.easymail.com.au and type UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line (we invite your comments also). Privacy: Protecting your privacy is very important to us. We will not share, rent, sell, or exchange your e-mail address with a third party for any purpose. Unsubscribing permanently removes your name and address. A note on the format: Your editor has considered many possible formats, including colourful illustrated E-book, webpage, Portable Document Format (.pdf), etc. Reluctantly, plain text was chosen to make this ezine available to the greatest number of users - DOS, Windows(r), Macintosh, etc. Address all correspondence to the editor: hartley@telstra.easymail.com.au Please do not use "Rely to sender" email option as this magazine may occasionally be sent out by a commercial or other distributor, unrelated to FreEzine. Contributions and comments most welcome. E&OE