FreEzine -FreEzine -FreEzine -FreEzine -FreEzine -FreEzine - Issue 38 Vol 4 # 8 August 2003 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: Editorial: And a Little Child Shall Lead Them Vale: Bill Bright Natural Remedies: Mustard Foot-bath Prayer Thought: Far Away From the Bible's Example Slips that go Pass in the Type: Outlawing Russia What's On? Seminars & Workshops Repeatable Quotable: Grounds For Divorce Article: The Product of Power Havagiggle: Who Was Eaten By a Whale? Split Second Wisdom: Unhappiness The Extensive Exposition: Boost Your Partner's Self-Esteem The Funny Bone: Eyeing Marriage Sermon Snippet: Psalm 23 from the 'Message' Theologically Speaking: Only One God Freebies: Free PowerPoint Resources From My Case Files: A Message 'From the Other Side' Take a Hint: A New Golden Rule Cooks Corner: Chocolate Mint Foot Balm Letters to the Editor: Where is/was Tarshish? Watch This Space Subscription & Other Information And in Closing: There Are Only Two Things to Worry About FreEzine -FreEzine -FreEzine -FreEzine -FreEzine -FreEzine Editorial: And a Little Child Shall Lead Them (Isaiah 11:6). In his book Living Life on Purpose, Greg Anderson shares the story of one man's journey to joy. His wife had left him and he was completely depressed. He had lost faith in himself, in other people, in God--he found no joy in living. One rainy morning this man went to a small neighbourhood restaurant for breakfast. Although several people were at the diner, no one was speaking to anyone else. Our miserable friend hunched over the counter, stirring his coffee with a spoon. In one of the small booths along the window was a young mother with a little girl. They had just been served their food when the little girl broke the sad silence by almost shouting, "Momma, why don't we say our prayers here?" The waitress who had just served their breakfast turned around and said, "Sure, honey, we pray here. Will you say the prayer for us?" And she turned and looked at the rest of the people in the restaurant and said, "Bow your heads." Surprisingly, one by one, the heads went down. The little girl then bowed her head, folded her hands, and said, "God is great, God is good, and we thank him for our food. Amen." That prayer changed the entire atmosphere. People began to talk with one another. The waitress said, "We should do that every morning." "All of a sudden," said our friend, "my whole frame of mind started to improve. From that little girl's example, I started to thank God for all that I did have and stop majoring in all that I didn't have. I started to choose happiness Will you choose happiness today? -- Lionel Hartley, Editor Vale: Bill Bright The founder of the world's largest Christian ministry died in July. Bill Bright, who founded Campus Crusade for Christ in 1951 with his wife Vonette, called himself a "slave to Jesus." Bright will be remembered for Campus Crusade with its 26,000 full-time employees around the world, a tract on the Four Spiritual Laws with 2.5 billion copies distributed world-wide, and the "JESUS" film, which has been seen around the world by more than 2 billion people. Bright was 81 years old. -- Natural Remedies: Mustard Foot-bath Exploring some of nature's hygiene helpers and ways to fix basic ills, chills, aches and pains. Common sense is paramount - some of these hints are health related, and if you have a medical condition such high blood pressure, are taking prescription medication or are in any way unsure whether you should follow the self-help suggestion/s provided, consult a doctor or natural therapist. This month: Poor Circulation Pep up poor circulation by taking a mustard foot-bath. Simply add one tablespoon of dried mustard to a bowl of hot water and soak your feet. -- Pamela Allardice, Natural therapist Prayer Thought: Far away from the Bible's example are most people when they pray! Prayer with earnestness and urgency is genuine "prayer" in God's account. Alas, great numbers of people are not conscious at all of the duty of prayer. And as for those who are, it is to be feared that many of them are very great strangers to sincere, sensible, and affectionate-emotional-pouring out of their hearts or souls to God. Too many content themselves with a little lip-service and bodily exercise, mumbling over a few imaginary prayers. When the emotions are involved in such urgency that the soul will waste itself rather than go without the good desired, there is communion and solace with Christ. And hence it is that the saints have spent their strength, and lost their lives, rather than go without the blessings God intended for them. -- John Bunyan in Pilgrim's Prayer Book, edited by Louis Gifford Parkhurst, Jr. Slips that go Pass in the Type: Outlawing Russia "My fellow Americans, I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes." --Ronald Reagan (at that time President of USA), about to go on the air for a radio broadcast, unaware that the microphone was already on. --Editor's Archives What's On? Seminars & Workshops: Check out the following web sites: ; ; . Repeatable Quotable: Grounds For Divorce Even the most heinous grounds for divorce are also grounds for forgiveness. -- Jerry Jenkins, Marriage Partnership, Vol. 12, no. 1. Article: The Product of Power It is a fact known best amongst students of the human mind, that our ego insistently longs for power. This longing is expressed in the desire of the self which seeks position, prestige, popularity; which loves to sway people with charm, personality or strength of wit, or by external possessions. The possession of power imposes a heavy moral strain. It opens the door to self-indulgence. Many people cannot withstand such a temptation. Once power is experienced it can become overwhelmingly desirable, so that like a drug habit, one is driven to seek an increasing dose. Once a person has a measure of power over his fellows it becomes difficult to understand how his fellows live. Later he may find it hard to even care how they live. Here is a passage from one of the Old Testament Prophets. It is filled with solemn import. `Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds. At mornings light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it.' Micah 2:1. So does the prophet describe a series of horrible deeds on the part of Israel's privileged. They carry these deeds out with ruthless despatch - because they have the power to do it. It is frightening to think what human beings will do to other humans if it is in their power to do it. World history is replete with examples of atrocious acts committed by people against other people. Hitler and the Nazis come readily to mind. It seems quite apparent that the will to power is ever present and ready to come raging forth the first moment it stands unchecked, unguarded. Each of us has power. We have power to help people, to hurt them, to lift them up or to tread them down. We have power to make the life of others hard and anxious or glad and peaceable. Everyone has some power over someone. What shall we do with this power of ours? In the teachings of Jesus we find his warnings and rebukes more often directed to the powerful than to the weak. He saw that the troubles that would wrack the world, would come largely from the strong. The ages have testified the truth of this. In this secular age Christians are often maligned as being weak and inadequate, afraid of life and needing the opiate of religion to protect them from the harsh realities. But it is not the weak who have drenched the world in blood and made the centuries reek with the smell of death. The strong have done that. So the ethic of Jesus was primarily directed at the strong. He said to his disciples; `The Kings of the Gentiles laud it over them ... but you are not to be like that. Instead the greatest among you should be like the youngest and the one who rules, like the one who serves'. Luke 22:25,26. Thus did Jesus recognise human power. Power is to be dedicated and used and renounced if need be. Christ exemplified this teaching. `I am among you as one who serves.' As he stood before Pilate in the Judgement Hall, Pilate was everything that Jesus declined to be. Pilate menaced Jesus with his power. `Don't you know I have power to release you or to crucify you?' Jesus renounces his power. `You would have no power at all unless it was given to you from above.' The mystery of Jesus' way is that in his renunciation of power he overcame Pilate and the world with all its brandishings of power. The most powerful thing in the world is power renounced. Another word for this is service. Service in Christ's name for God and God's creatures. Said Paul, `We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.' Romans 15:1. We are citizens of a world society where power is worshipped. To go out into life armed with the spirit and ethic of Christ will bring us into sharp conflict with the status quo. For the Gospel is not only medicine for the weak (who are usually first to embrace it) it is medicine for the strong as well. More people are ruined by their strength than by their weakness. May God help us each to be Christians; to be powerful for God in service and in sacrifice. --Ron Allen Havagiggle: (Not really funny.) Increasingly, today's young people know little or nothing about religion. This was recently demonstrated by Tonight Show host Jay Leno. Leno frequently does "man-on-the street" interviews, and one night he collared some young people to ask them questions about the Bible. "Can you name one of the Ten Commandments?" he asked two college-age women. One replied, "Freedom of speech?" Mr. Leno said to the other, "Complete this sentence: Let he who is without sin..." Her response was, "has a good time?" Mr. Leno then turned to a young man and asked, "Who, according to the Bible, was eaten by a whale?" The confident answer was, "Pinocchio." -- Christina Hoff Summers. From the files of Leadership. Split Second Wisdom: It isn't necessary to have relatives in Kansas City in order to be unhappy. -- Groucho Marx (1890-1977) The Extensive Exposition. Each issue we will make available a longer article available by email free to those who request it. This is to keep the FreEzine a readable length yet make available more in-depth material for those who are interested. Articles provided under this section do not always reflect totally the beliefs of the editor. In some issues more than one article will be available under this section and articles will need to be asked for by name to save confusion. We have no separate mailing list for the automatic despatch of articles in The Extensive Exposition so a separate request will need to be made for each article. This month's article: Boost Your Partner's Self-Esteem By Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott Articles may be obtained free by writing to the editor and asking for the article by name. The Funny Bone: Eyeing Marriage Keep your eyes open before marriage; half shut afterwards. --Benjamin Franklin (Cited in James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited, Tyndale House Publishers Inc, Wheaton, 1988, p. 332) Aside: Are you a writer, a poet or an illustrator? If you have something you have written or illustrated that you would like to consider having published, a free 60 page Style Guide is available online at , or from the Editor of this FreEzine. There is no charge for publishing and YOU receive payment on publication (see the free Style Guide for details). Publishing formats include Books, Pamphlets, Leaflets, Magazines & Ezines, Online video & audio, CD-ROM & floppy-disk electronic books & multimedia, Video & Audio tapes and Talking Books & audio CDs. Sermon Snippet: Psalm 23 From the 'Message' GOD, my shepherd! I don't need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction. Even when the way goes through Death Valley, I'm not afraid when you walk at my side. Your trusty shepherd's crook makes me feel secure. You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies. You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing. Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. I'm back home in the house of GOD for the rest of my life. -- by Eugene H. Peterson Theologically Speaking: Only One God A Christian boy in a secular school was being given a difficult time by his non-Christian teacher. One day she asked him, "Johnny, how many gods are there? "There is only one God", Johnny replied. She sneered at him, "And how do YOU know that?" Johnny replied, "That's all there is room for." -- Bill Jackson (in Illustrations & Quotations, BBS, 1989) Freebies: Free PowerPoint Resources For a selection of free resources for using Microsoft(r) PowerPoint, visit You'll find PowerPoint Help, PowerPoint Templates, PowerPoint Tips, PowerPoint Add-ins, How-Tos, Links and much more. There's even a Macintosh-specific section too. From My Case Files: A Message 'From the Other Side' After three decades of counselling, your editor (a retired sociologist) sometimes ponders some of the things which have come up in counselling that, in retrospect, contain an element of humour. This section will be included from time to time to share some of these snippets. Names have been changed to protest privacy. Frank was a well-respected real estate agent in Glen Innes NSW, Australia. I say 'was', because Frank, now in his sunset years, died recently. Although Egbert (not his real name) had known Frank for over a decade, the news of Frank's death reached Egbert too late for him to attend Frank's funeral and 'pay his last respects'. Egbert told me he was worried that, because he didn't go the funeral, he would be haunted by the spirit of the now deceased Frank. So much so, he dreamed about him that night, imagining that somehow Frank would give him a message 'from the other side'. Sure enough, at about midnight he awoke to a strange knocking sound emanating from the kitchen. He crept into the kitchen and switched on the light. No one was there, but the knocking noise continued. It appeared to come from the sink. Immediately Egbert imagined that Frank was cursing him by attacking the plumbing. Thoughts of the enormous cost of repairs flooded Egbert's worried mind. It was then that he noticed that he had left the hot-water tap running and this was causing a knocking noise in the pipe. When I asked Egbert if this relieved him of any anxiety about messages from heaven, he simply replied, 'Oh, I got the message from Frank, all right. And he's not in Heaven - in fact I know he's in the other place because he was telling me that he's now "in hot water"!' Take a Hint: A New Golden Rule If you open it, close it If you turn it on, turn it off, If you unlock it, lock it. If you break it, repair it, If you can't fix it, call in someone who can. If you borrow it, return it. If you use it, take care of it. If you make a mess, clean it up. If you move it, put it back. If it belongs to someone else and you want to borrow it, ask. If you don't know how to operate it, leave it alone. If it doesn't concern you, don't mess with it. Cooks Corner: Chocolate Mint Foot Balm The Natural Remedy in this issue (see above) is a Mustard Foot-bath. Here is another recipe, and again, try to resist the temptation to eat this! A half cup olive oil; 1 teaspoon beeswax; 2 teaspoons cooking chocolate; A half teaspoon peppermint essential oil (peppermint essence is alcohol-based and not nearly as effective - most of it evaporates). Gently heat the oil and wax in a double boiler until the wax is melted. Add the chocolate and stir until melted. Remove from heat. Scoop off any brown scum (don't worry, the chocolate scent lingers), and stir in the peppermint oil. Pour into small pre-heated jars (cold jars may crack). Rub balm into feet (especially heels), and also elbows and cracked lips. Although this is safe to use, the originator of this recipe warns, 'Beware of wombats; they're fascinated by the smell'. -- Jackie French's Natural Solutions from The Australian Women's Weekly Home Library (p.13) Letters to the Editor WM, email writes, 'In the editorial for the March 2003 FreEzine you talk about "Tarnishing Tarshish". I understand what you mean by the biblical Tarshish, but I can't find it on any modern maps. Where is/was Tarshish?' Dear WM. Tarshish is now Turdetania or Tartessus in south-western Spain near the mouth of the Baetis River. --Editor 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. Subscription Information: FreEzine is a free email magazine/newsletter, published by Lionel Hartley () no less than monthly and sent out ONLY to those who request it. As FreEzine uses an opt-in email list, we never buy or otherwise obtain email addresses. Although we encourage our readers to forward a copy of FreEzine to their friends and invite them to subscribe, we have a strictly No Spam Policy. To subscribe, please send an email telling us where you heard about FreEzine, to and type SUBSCRIBE in the subject line. To change your email address, please send a blank message to and type ADDRESS CHANGE in the subject line. 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Although all out-going emails are scanned using Symantics's Norton AntiVirus with the most recent virus definitions, FreEzine cannot warrant or represent that this communication (including any enclosed files) is totally free from any electronic viruses, faults or defects. FreEzine is also available in Spanish - La Revista libre de Ezine, French - La Revue de Ezine libre, German - FreiEzine Zeitschrift, Italian - La Rivista di Ezine libera, and Portuguese - Revista livre de Ezine. PS. This could be your next home: Check out And, in closing: There Are Only Two Things to Worry About Either you are well, or you are sick. If you are well, then there is nothing to worry about. But if you're sick, there are two things to worry about. Either you will get well, or you will die. If you get well, there is nothing to worry about. But if you die, there are only two things to worry about. Either you will go to heaven or hell. If you go to heaven, there is nothing to worry about. But if you go to hell, you'll be so busy shaking hands with friends, you won't have time to worry. --Anon- Editor's Archives