Calvin Synod Herald, 2010 (111. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2010-01-01 / 1-2. szám
CALVIN SYNOD HERALD 3 Bishop 's Greeting As we begin the New Year, I am reminded of some of the most impressive scriptures in the Bible. They are found in the Fifth Book of Moses, in Deuteronomy 8: 5 - 18. Read this beautiful section. We are embarking on a journey in the New Year, with the “greatest expectations” for what the future holds. And the truth is, the future does indeed hold all the possibilities which you wish, yearn and hope for. The life God has prepared for us, for His world, is full of blessings, full of wonderful gifts for each one of you. God only gives us His Best! It is His Best that is offered to each one of you individually. Many people read the “scriptures” as if they were a book accorded a special place on the shelf, “holy words” to be recited only on special occasions, or to be “studied” in class. The Scriptures are in fact personal - very personal! They weren’t written to people two or three thousand years ago. They were written to YOU! The scriptures are not some vague historical literature - they are personal letters to you. You need to read them as if they were written to you by your “Great Uncle Moses ” who loved you very much, or by your parents as their “last will and testament”. They were, in fact, written and given to you by a very loving individual; He loved you so much that He gave YOU His only begotten Son! So what do we have that is so special? Your “Great Uncle” writes it all down in the 8th Chapter of Deuteronomy: “For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land— a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce, and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills. ” Now you might be thinking: “That is the ‘Promised Land” given to the Hebrews by God: that has nothing to do with us ”. The fact is that it has everything to do with you! Anyone who members, who requires several surgeries totaling approx. $200K so that he will be able to hear. THE PRESBYTERIAN REFORMED CHURCH, Manassas VA announces the sudden passing of beloved Pastor, Dr. Rev. Edwin Elliott who was called Home on October 12. A true Shepherd of the Lord, he will be missed beyond measure. Please see inside for more regarding Dr. Elliott. WEST SIDE HUNGARIAN REFORMED CHURCH, Cleveland, OH held a Christmas Mini-Camp for the children of the Congregation. And on Dec. 19 the Calvin Men’s Group conducted a kolbász sale. knows anything about Palestine, either today or 3,000 years ago, knows that it was not a land covered by lush green vegetation. In the Bible we repeatedly read references to the prized “well”, which was the most precious possession an elder son could receive from his father as an inheritance. Why would a “well” be a prized possession in a land that is lush with vegetation? Because the land was in fact largely arid. The description is largely metaphorical, and in fact a “faith statement” by the Hebrew people; God had led them from the misery of poverty and servitude and hopelessness to a land which was theirs, where there was opportunity and a future! On the other hand, look across this land. Think about what you see. THIS is the land described by your “Great Uncle. ” The letter was written to YOU! And if you aren’t aware that your ancestors, just a couple of generations back were awed by this land when they first saw it, this letter is especially written to you! Your “Great Uncle ” had a good idea that those who receive the richest blessings from God soon forget where the blessings came from, and to whom they really belong. He continues his “letter” to you: “When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land He has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe His commands, His laws and His decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God”. Your “Great Uncle” reminds us what our responsibilities are having received this gift from God. Don’t start thinking it is YOURS because of who YOU are: don’t forget that in fact, YOU are not in command in life; the one who gave you everything is in command, and you must be obedient to Him. Our poverty, our lack of perceived resources and our hopelessness come about when we have started thinking and treating God’s gifts to us as our own, when we forget that we are the most blessed people on the face of this planet, and we squander His gifts and resources on everything but those things important in the eyes of God. You see, the fact is, you already have the very best ever envisioned by anyone in the Bible, or for that matter, the whole history of humanity! This is the starting point this year. That is the “good news.” As we enter the season of Lent, we are reminded that God did not leave us alone: He sent His Son, to renew and fully reveal His Love and Blessings to us. The future that Christ has prepared for His Church, for His world, is full of blessings, full of wonderful gifts for each one of you. Christ only gives us His BEST! It is His Best that is offered to each one of you individually. This is the “New Year” into which we are being led by our God. Rt. Rev. Koloman K. Ludwig, Bishop Compiled by Tünde Garai
