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Glen Park Gospel Church >> Archive >> Editorial >> 1997
Each month the Glen Park Gospel Church produce a one page newsletter called the Green Leaf. It's available from the chapel each Sunday. Some months include a topical article or report. We thought you might appreciate reading those previously published.
| Editorial in Year 1997 |
|---|
| Are you a Green Leaf? |
| Read the Bible in 3 Years |
| Jackie's Story |
| Holy Land |
| Secrets From the Past |
| Missionaries Under Threat |
| Give Him the name ‘Jesus' |
Are you a Green Leaf?
"Whose leaf does not wither" Psalm 1:3
"If a man does not abide in me", said the Lord, "he is cast forth as a branch and is withered."
The same thought is here. Put down your roots into the moistness of the river bed and there is no doubt of your continuing through the heat of the day.
The year 1997 promises already to be one of heat and dryness. Look at the demands that are crowding in upon you, the calls upon your time and patience, the pressure of finance and family, of health and occupation. There is sufficient to turn your landscape into barren wilderness where any plant or tree compete for the moisture to survive.
The secret here is in the meditation on the word of God, day and night. Wean yourself from the things of men and feed on the things of God.
Note the word meditate. The heart must steep itself in the word of God and give its truth time to enter and refresh our lives. We must have time for this, time to be shut away from the world, able to spend time with God.
Just as in the temple of Solomon there was the porch where Jesus walked, so in our lives there must be those quiet places where we put aside the rush of everyday business, and put our roots down into the water of life.
Read the Bible in 3 Years
Many Christians have never read the Bible through from cover to cover, others have read it many times. Would you like to?
Here is your opportunity! Go to our Readings page each month or so and collect the summary of daily readings. They are a reading guide of manageable proportions and they lead us through the Old and New Testaments in three years. They are not in time order, but are grouped in sections designed to introduce some variety.
There is no attempt to make this a Bible study course, but you can make it one if you wish by obtaining a good one-volume commentary such as that of Jamieson, Fausset and Brown and use it to encourage your understanding.
The Bible is not meant to be an academic book, but a guide to life and love of the Lord. Make notes in your Bible which will remind you of the blessing God brings your way.
Expect God to reveal Himself to you, as you follow His dealings with His people many years ago.
Check out Readings now.
2/1997
Jackie's Story
Early on the morning of May 1st, we received a call from PNG to say that the NTM plane was in the air, with an emergency medical case. Would we accommodate the patients family, a nurse, a doctor and two pilots?
Tree Tops Lodge provides a significant role of hospitality and service to 'New Tribes Mission'(NTM), a large work in Papua New Guinea. We had no room, but asked guests to share, which they willingly did.
Upon arrival, paramedics rushed the patient, her father, and doctor to Cairns Base hospital. We collected two very weary pilots, a nurse, and Mrs Joanie Bowers, Jackie's mother. Her haunted face told of a nightmare ordeal, which still was not over. The following is a summarised report of the NTM Doctor attending Jackie.
"It was 11.30 pm. I was sound asleep. The phone rang. . . 'Dr Ludwig, Jackie is unresponsive. . .'
Jackie is a beautiful little five year old, the daughter of Dana & Joanie Bowers, dorm parents at Hoskins, on the coast of West New Britain.
I called our pilot. In just over 15 minutes a twin Navajo Chieftain was speeding down a moonlit runway, loaded with gear.
The flight to Hoskins was smooth, bright moonlight above reflecting off patches of clouds below. Dark, foreboding, unforgiving jungle lay far under the clouds.
As we approached Hoskins, the landing lights on the runway were supposed to come on, but something was wrong. The pilots circled the area where instruments told them the runway should be, but there was only a deep, dark well.
Then, lights flashed deep in the well. Car headlights lit the airstrip, so the pilots turned the plane to land between them. Instruments showed us dropping over the bay at Hoskins, until I could see the tops of choppy waves glimmering in the moonlight. The lights came closer and closer. A last moment alignment and the plane touched down.
It was 3.30 am. Jackie had been in a coma for four hours. Her parents showed relief through tear soaked eyes. Friends supported them, their child so near death. Two nurses had a tray of supplies next to the bed. Jackie lay motionless and jaundiced. As I examined her, she began to jerk and twitch with a convulsion.
One nurse checked the blood pressure, while the other assisted me giving a Valium IV to quieten the seizure. As it stopped, Jackie drew up her hands and pointed to her toes, a position indicative of serious brain damage.
I tried inserting a breathing tube, but her jaw muscles were in spasm and she bit my finger. I turned her onto her side and although her back was rigid and arched, I tapped the spine and clear fluid flowed out, a good sign. I scooped her up in my arms and whisked her into the car.
At 4.30 am, we took off in the dark and headed for help in Australia. Jackie lay on the floor with Tracy beside her. I stayed at her head watching each breath, monitoring her heart beat.
The flight took 5 hours, the longest in my life. Jackie's seizures continued. We responded with more Valium and each time they subsided the IV was re-started. She vomited many times, inhaling liquid into her lungs, the cause of more problems later on. Tracy managed to get an NG tube down through the nose and into the stomach, then with a large syringe could empty much of the contents. We did not succeed with the breathing tube.
Her respiration remained good until our approach to Cairns Airport. Abruptly, she stopped breathing (and so did I). I placed the Ambu bag mask over her tiny face and forced air into her lungs. As we taxied, I continued breathing for her. The plane stopped and she started breathing on her own. Once again, I scooped her up into my arms, and laid her rigid body on the ambulance stretcher.
At 9.30 am, with lights flashing and siren screaming, we sped to the emergency room of Cairns Base Hospital. They were expecting us. Nurses helped wheel Jackie into the trauma room. Immediately, three doctors and two more nurses were at her bedside, drawing blood, giving medicine, and attaching EKG leads. I explained in detail the events of the night. Another doctor gave Jackie a medicine that paralysed her and I watched as her rigid body went limp, and the doctor passed a breathing tube into her lungs, hooking her up to a ventilator.
Jackie was moved to the ICU. One test confirmed deadly cerebral malaria. Others showed kidney problems. How much more could she endure? Then, a glimmer of hope as her electrolytes gradually normalised. Next, the kidneys improved just a bit. Then the platelet count crashed, already critically low. Her lungs filled with more fluid. The doctors called to tell us that Jackie may not make it, but she clung to life. Her condition roller coasted. Finally signs of gradual improvement. Slight, but steady improvement. Then Jackie's little brother, and mother, were hospitalised with Malaria.
After three weeks, Jackie remains in the ICU. They removed the ventilator, but she worsened and they had to shock her heart back into normal rhythm. I heard that yesterday she laughed at her little brother. I wish I could have seen her laugh, with all those tubes in her. We still don't know about permanent brain damage. Time will tell.
Late update:
There is a little nerve damage on the left side of her body, but it appears she will make a good recovery. The family are due for furlough in July, and their biggest worry is that family and friends will try and talk them out of going back to PNG because of Jackie's ordeal.
Holy Land
We thought that this month we would take the trip with Gordon,
Mal & Rae as they travel the Holy land.
They commenced their journey last Sat 26th April from Tullamarine
Airport and arrived on Sun 27th at Athens. After a rest they then
proceeded to Cairo in the evening after maybe some sightseeing
of Athens. We can imagine them seeing Mars hill where the Apostle
Paul spoke his famous sermon to the men of Athens (Acts 17: 22-31)
|
Mon 28th April Cairo: |
A visit to the Museum, a tour to ancient Memphis &
Sakkhara and a visit to the Pyramids & Sphinx sound and light
spectacle. I guess when the Israelites where in captivity in
Egypt there were no sound and light spectacles, only a lot of
hard work and sorrow as they were in bondage to Pharaoh. On Tuesday
they will follow approximately the route of the children of Israel
as they travelled in the wilderness. They will see Mt Sinai and
maybe go to the top. This was where Moses spoke with God and
received the tablets of stone with the ten commandments written
by God's own hand. ~ |
|
Wed 30th April Mt Sinai: |
Through the Sinai Desert to Nueiba on the Red Sea and a
ferry to Aqaba, Jordan. Thurs 1st May to Petra. Fri 2nd Visit
the ancient city of Petra. Petra was carved out of the rock.
Evidently Esau and his descendants settled in the vicinity of
this rugged area (Obadiah 3:4). ~ |
|
Sat 3rd May Jordan: |
To see Madeba, Mt Nebo, Jacob's Brook and Jerash (a City
visited by Jesus), then to Amman for the night. ~ |
|
Sun 4th May Amman to Jerusalem: |
In Israel to visit Jerico, the Wadi Kelt Overview, the
inn of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10: 30-35), and the Mount of
Olives where Christ ascended to His father (Luke 24: 50-52, Acts
1:10-11). ~ |
|
Mon 5th - Sat 10th Jerusalem: |
So much to see; Mt of Olives, Gethsemane, Garden Tomb,
'Wailing' Wall, Temple Mount, and see where Christ was betrayed,
tried and crucified. Emmaus, Bethel, Judean wilderness, Jerico,
Bethany, Bethpage, the old city of Jerusalem, Beersheba, Qumran
(Dead Sea Scrolls), Masada, Caves of Abdullum, Ashkelon, David's
Brook. Literally walking where Jesus walked. ~ |
|
Sun 11th - Tues 13th Bethlehem: |
Sleeping in Bethlehem where our Lord Jesus was born and
spent the first little while as a baby before fleeing from Herod. ~ |
|
Tues 13th - Sat 17th Galilee: |
Spending time around the beautiful Sea of Galilee and travelling
around the many places of Jesus' public ministry. Then to Golan
Heights, the Syrian Border and around the east coast of the Sea
to Peniel, the place where Jacob wrestled with God (Gen.32:30). ~ |
|
Sat 17th - Mon 19th Leave Galilee: |
On to Tel Aviv and tour Nazareth where Jesus spent his
childhood and early manhood. Mt Carmel, Megiddo, Caesarea, Joppa. ~ |
|
Mon 19th - Wed 21st From Tel Aviv: |
Fly from Tel Aviv to Athens. Visit Corinth, Cenchrea, Lechaion,
see some of the Greek Islands; places where the Apostle Paul
went in his ministry. ~ |
|
Wed 21st - Sat 24th Macedonia to London: |
Over to Macedonia continuing in Paul's steps; Philippi,
Appolonia, Thessaloniki etc. Then in the evening, Gordon, Mal
& Rae and some of the others will take a flight from Thessaloniki
to London to spend a further couple of weeks visiting places
in England Scotland & Wales before coming home to us. ~ |
Please pray for them as they travel and ask for their safety in every place they go to and as you follow on, remember the places as they are recorded in so many instances in the Bible. Let us also enjoy the trip with them.
Secrets From the Past
There are two verses each buried in successive Chapters of ll Chronicles. Each is a secret in its own right, but together pure synergy.
First, 26:15 (Uzziah) became very powerful because of the help he received from God. (But when King Uzziah became strong, he grew arrogant and that led to his downfall.)
This is a secret that few know and fewer apply. King Uzziah achieved wonderful feats because he humbly trusted in God and His word. In time he became one of Judah's most memorable kings, and the whole nation was blessed.
The lesson is re-enforced by the example of Uzziah who in time became proud, thinking that he himself had accomplished these feats. His pride became his undoing.
Second, 27:6 'Jotham grew powerful because he obeyed the Lord His God'. Obedience is the obverse of trust. They are the right and left shoe.
Trust and Obey for there is no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to Trust and obey.
Pray for our
Missionaries Under Threat
The Readers Digest in the October 1997 issue carried a story entitled The Global War on Christians.
New Life Newspaper almost every week brings a report of Christians in some remote part of the world who are suffering for their faith.
There are two current authors who are highlighting the plight of Christians under threat. Nina Shea is author of In the Lion's Den and Paul Marshall has written Their Blood Cries Out. The plight of Christians under persecution had received little attention until publication of these books.
We suggest that you obtain a copy of these publications and become aware of the mounting current trend, in order to more readily pray for our extended overseas Church family. It is estimated that there are some 2,000 million Christians who risk persecution every day, just because they are Christian.
Considerable persecution comes to Christians living in some Muslim countries where laws derived from the Koran are used as the basis of hostile opposition. Other Islamic countries, such as Jordan are tolerant of people of other faiths.
In Sudan the government is waging a war against Christians, one fifth of it's own population. Hasan AL-Turabi, leader of the National Islamic Front wants to eliminate all non-Islamic religion and in the north of the country where he holds power people are given the choice to convert to Islam or face denial of the basic needs of life. In Sudan's Nuba mountains, almost all men have been slain and the women and children live in camps, facing starvation every day.
Another major area of anti-Christian persecution is China. A recent press report referring to the Christian part in Russia's recent liberalization, stated that 'If China does not want such a scene to be repeated in it's land it must strangle the baby whilst still in the manger'. The Church in China continues. Christians meet for worship in homes in the small hours of Sunday morning while police prowl about try to locate the groups. If found, the leaders are arrested. Persecution in China has increased in the last two years.
Where does this anti-Christian action come from? The answer can only be, from the pit. It is Satan's doing. Persecution is breaking out simultaneously in several seemingly unconnected ways, and Christians in free countries can stand against this evil by standing against the Evil One who is overcome by the 'blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony'.
What can we do? Local Christians may seem powerless to act. But we can at least do two things. We can be aware, and we can pray. There is a world day of prayer organised for November 16th. At the time of writing a local venue is not to hand, but that need not deter those who wish to participate. We can pray anywhere, anytime.
Countries with larger concentrations of Christian people and in which there is identified organised persecution are; China, Cuba, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Libya, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
Missionaries supported by our Church are working or involved in Irian Jaya, Mindanao, Morocco, Pakistan, and Indonesia. There are other missionaries working in dangerous situations who also need our prayer.
Give Him the name ‘Jesus'
"Take Mary Home . . . She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." Matthew 1:21.
This verse is possibly the least quoted, but by far the sweetest of the Christmas texts. It puts meaning into the Christmas story that makes the season so great.
The name means ‘Saviour' a form of the old Hebrew name ‘Joshua'. This was just what the ancient world needed, just what our world needs, just what society today needs, just what we need. We need a Saviour.
When sin looked to be darkest as ever it could. When the whole world was groaning under national and personal hardship and tyranny, God stepped into human experience in the person of His dear Son. Jesus was born of Mary 2000 years ago, God in the likeness of sinful flesh. He took on Himself the sin of human kind at its most basic level. On behalf of sinful man, God in Christ died upon the cross of Calvary.
On a national level we today need this same Saviour. Our world is groaning under the pressures of the inhumanity and injustice of political, economic, and social tyranny as race sets against race, nation against nation, religion against religion, culture against culture. The wars and woes of the twentieth century have not taught us how to live in righteousness. We need a Saviour.
Is our nation that much better. Australia is amongst the most godless of nations, despite our lavish spending on ourselves at the Christmas festival. Our younger people are drug dependent. The elderly are constantly being mugged in their homes to support the habit. The older worker is unemployable. Governments can only relieve debt by snatching their income through massive gambling networks. Witchcraft abounds. Family relationships are fractured beyond belief. The media portrays every evil as the norm. Homosexuality is considered valid. Every twisted vice may be purchased openly and without shame. We need a Saviour.
What of our own lives? What of the individual? When God invaded history on that first Christmas 2000 years ago, he did not come to break the Roman yoke. He did not come to feed the poor or to form a new economic paradigm. Nor did he start a new political party. Yet he came to work with the individual, to put them right with God, with themselves and with others. He came to make individual men and women right in every way. Our text says, ‘He will save his people from their sins'. If the world rejects Him there will be no change. If our nation rejects Him there will be no change. If we reject Him there will be no change in our lives, in our homes, in our society. We need a Saviour.
But the reverse is true. As we individually open our hearts and lives and minds to the Saviour, we too become numbered amongst ‘his people'. Hear then the angel's proclamation -
"You are to give him the name Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins." .
To as many as receive Him to them he gives the power to become the sons of God. Will you receive Him this Christmas.
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