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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (April 9, 2003)
Page B4 (Elje Ìfìortlanh (ßbserüer April 09. 2003 R eligion What is God’s Will for You? find that in the N ew T estam ent, the phrases fall into tw o categories. O ne category is “G o d ’s moral w ill," and the o th er category is "G o d ’s personal w ill." G o d ’s m oral will in Scripture is th e " d o s’’a n d " d o n 'ts,” the "T h o u shalt do this”and "T hou shalt not do this." M en and w om en w ho develop a lifestyle in harm ony w ith G o d ’s m oral com m ands will experience G o d ’s g u idance in a special way. W hen you a n d l live lives o f obedi- m R ev . E thei .1. B u e s for T he P ortland O ksekv er I I think that it is safe to say that the question o f what is G o d 's will for us. His children, is one o f the most frequently asked by sincere Christians who are in love with God. A nd just as w e are enraptured with the desire to please the option o f our earthly affection, w hen w e fall in love with G od we b eco m e o b sessed with the desire to please Hint and to know His will for us. How do I know the will o fG o d for my life? How do I know w hen in a situation w here I have tw o options w hich way G od wants m e to go? How do I know which person I am supposed to m arry? How do I know w hen to change jobs'? H ow do I know if I should stay in the jo b I am in? W hat school should I put my kids in? In Jo h n 14:21, Jesus pu ts it this w ay: He w ho has my c o m m a n d m en ts and k eep s them , it is he w ho loves m e. A nd he w ho loves m e w ill be loved by M y F ath er an d I w ill love him and m an ifest m y s e lfto h im . As C hristians, w e believe that G od is interested in our decisions and has a plan for our life. We believe that G od has a preference as to w hich direction w e should take. But discovering His w ill can be a frustrating process. G od definitely h asa will for you. I f you w ere to take a concordance and look up the phrases "th e w illo f G o d ” and “G o d 's w ill,” y o u w ould f I f you have sin in your life — willful, deliberate sin — trying to discover God’s will is frustration. > but He will say it will never work until you deal w ith the sin problem. T here is d anger in praying and asking for G od to show you His plan in a m ajor decision when there is willful sin in your life. Som ething is already w rong in your thinking process if you are tolerating sin. Y ou have rationalized a given area that G od says m ust be dealt with. H ere is the problem : ourevaluation o fs in is not the sam e as G o d ’s! He hates it! He w an ts it out o f our lives, and sees it as a stum bling block to H is best for us. I am the re c ip ie n t o f d iv in e in te rv e n tio n an d I h av e no ch o ice but to seek H is w ill for my life and d o w h a te v e r H e ask s o f me. N ot th a t I d e se rv e d to h av e been sav ed from an e arly g rav e, but it w as for H is g o o d pleasu re that He c h o se to heal m e o f c a n c e r and re sto re d m y life. N ow I’m on a m issio n . I’m d eterm in ed to know w h at G o d ’s w ill is for my life, and w ith ev ery b reath in m y body, I w ill n o t allo w an y e arth ly en tity to d e te r me! O ne thing I have desired o f the Lord, that will I seek: That I may dw ell in the house o f the Lord, All the days o f m y life ‘To behold the beauty o f the Lord, A nd to inquire in His tem ple.’ That is G od’s will for all o f us! D o y o u k n o w G o d ’sw ill foryou? Do you not know that you have a special jo b to do in your limited time on this earth? M any C hristians have m issed the blessed experience o f walking in G o d ’s will for their lives. It is tim e to be about o u r F ath er's bu sin ess! ence, w e are in step w ith G o d ’s thoughts and G o d ’s w ay. It m akes sense that w e are able to discern His voice m ore easily. A ny d eci sion you m ake o r any option you are looking at that is in conflict with G o d 's will is not o fG o d . Ify o u have sin in your life-w ill ful, deliberate sin trying to dis- co v erG o d ’s will is frustration. You are saying, ‘G od, I really w ant to know y o u r will in this area. W hat ev er you say to do, I am w illing to do. But Ciod, d o n ’t w orry about this areao fsin right now. I’llta k e c a re o f that later.’ G od is not going to let you ig nore sin. I am not saying you will never know the will o f G od if there Ethel J. Bates is a minister fa r is sin in y o u r life. Som etim es, G od the Allen Temple CME Church in may show you exactly w hat to do, Portland. H King Remembered ■■■■■ Nuns Stand Trial for Peace Protest (A P) Three nuns have been accused o f defacing a missile silo. They swung ham m ers and painted a cross on it with theirow n blood. This w as called a peaceful protest by their defense attorney. Sisters Ardeth Platte, 66, Jackie 11 udson, 68 and ( arol Gi Ibert. 55, are accused o f breaking into a Minute man 111 missi le si Io site on Colorado’s northeastern plains Oct. 6. They have been charged with interfering w ith the nation’s defense and causing property damage. H u d s o n ’s a tto r n e y , W a lte r G erash, said the sisters entered the N -8 site to protest. They read Bible verses about pounding sw ords into plow shares and sang hym ns. The nuns said they w ere com pelled to act as w ar w ith I raq m oved c lo se r and b ec a u se the U nited States has never prom ised not to use nuclear w eapons. UPCOMING EVENTS Two spectacular Resurrection Services Sunday, April 20"' 2003 HIGHLAND UCC (The Right Place) 1 737 NE Alberta Street, Portland, Oregon 97211 Rev. W.G. Hardy Jr. 10:30 am - 12:30 pm & 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm With Special Guest The Renowned Professor Craig Hayes Vice president o f the National Ciospel Music Workshop o f America & Recording artist o f United Voices of Trenton New Jersey You Don't want to miss this! Please come early for limited seating For more information call 503-287-9567 Church of the Living God ( 'hristian workers for fellowship 6401 N.E. 10,h Avenue Portland, Oregon 97211 Services P astor a n d h irst l.adv Roy G. M oxie S unday School M orning W orship E vening W orship W ed. B ible Study 9:45 A.M. 11:50 A.M. 7:00 P.M. 7:00P.M . "Where there is no vision, The People perish. ” Marvin Johnson, 19, walks in the courtyard o f the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tenn., Thursday. The museum is housed in the Lorraine Motel and the warehouse where James Earl Ray shot Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4,1968 . Thursday marked the 35th anniversary o f King's assassination. Several hundred people marched more than a mile from the site o f his death to the Mason Temple, a church where King gave his “I have been to the mountaintop" speech the night before he was killed. Christian Relief in Iraq Opposed American Islamic advocacy group upset effort includes Muslim critic (A P) U .S .-based C hristian relief organizations are poised to offer medicine, food, and other sup plies to needy Iraqis once the w ar ends, but critics are concerned the groups m ay use hum anitarian aid to m ake inroads in the predom i nantly M uslim nation. TheCouncil on American-lslamic Relations, a W ashington advocacy group, said it w as especially upset to h e a r th a t th e r e l i e f a g e n c y Sam aritan's Purse, run by the Rev. Franklin Graham, planned to work in Iraq. ( iraham has cal led Islam "a very evil and wicked religion.” " I t’s particularly disturbing that a group headed by a m an w ho openly states he believes the faith o f Islam is evil w ould enter into a M uslim country in the w ake o f an invading arm y .” council spokes- J^cvivuf ¡Tpme a t Elder Roy G, Maxie, Pastor APRIL9TH-1 ITH * — Rev. Franklin Graham, who will provide aid In Iraq aftercalling Islam ‘a veryevilandwlckedreliglon' man Ibrahim H ooper said. Like m ost C hristian agencies, S am aritan’s Purse says it w o n ’t proselytize. “ In Iraq, as is the case w herever we work. Sam aritan's Purse wi II offer physical assistance to those w ho need it, w ith no strings attached,” Trent W heeler, spokesm an for H ealing H ands relief group, said the approach o f C hristian relief groups has shifted. "It used to be primarily, ‘ Preach, preach, preach,’” he said. The new strategy is to help first and explain C hristianity later, W heeler explained. Weddings & Receptions 99 Ramada Inn and Suites Portland Airport 6221 NE 82nd Ave Portland, Oregon 503-255-6511 • C om plem entary H oneym oon Suite for Bride and G room 1 • Special room rate for W edding Party G uests EVANGELIST MANUAL SCOTTJR. •T w o B allroom s available to accom m odate 200-300 G uests • In-H ouse C atering, Rehearsal D inners, & O n-S ite C oordinators • C onveniently located near the Portland International A irport J I We don't have to preach in order to be a Christian relief organization. U Qiurcfi oj oJTie For more information please call (503) 284-5171 Everyone s Welcome.... Rev. Franklin Graham G raham w rote in an opinion piece for the Los A ngeles T im es’ T hurs day editions. “ W e d o n ’t have to preach in order to be a Christian relief organi zation. Som etim es the best preach ing w e can do is sim ply being there with a cup o f cold w ater, exhibiting C h rist’s spirit o f serving o thers.” S am aritan’s Purse says it’s pre pared to provide drinking w ater for up to 20,000 Iraqi fam ilies, build tem porary shelter for m ore than 4,000 fam ilies and supply packages o f household item s for 5,000 fam i lies. 6401 NE 10TH AVENUE, PORTLAND, OREGON 97211 Cat! now to reserve your space today! The Ramada Inn and Suites Portland Airport Phone 503-255-6511
