Evangéliumi Hírnök, 1981 (73. évfolyam, 1-16. szám)

1981-02-01 / 3. szám

1981. február 1.

7. oldal

kerüljenek. Aztán, mivel tudtam, hogy az ilyen kérés az Isten akaratával megegyezik, nyugodtan bízhattam volna abban, hogy Atyám megadja mindet. Sőt, még attól sem kellett volna rettegnem, hogy mi lesz velük, ha valamikor vétkeznek, mert hiszen Isten kezébe téve őket, tudhattam volna, hogy Atyám az O isteni bölcsessége szerint előbbi kérésem alapján meg fogja találni a módot arra, hogy őket ilyen esetben magához visszaterelje. Igaz, hogy talán vesszőt, vagy fenyítéket is fog alkalmazni ennek érdekében életükben, de az O vesszeje és fenyítése gyengéd és bölcs lesz. Csak olyan próbát, csak annyi nehézséget fog megengedni, amennyit el tudnak viselni és amennyiből áldás származik rájuk. Elmondhattam volna, hogy mivel ilyen kézbe tettem le őket, így többé nem félek, hanem előre is köszönöm a csodás meghallgattatást, vezettetést, kegyelmet. Előre is dicsőítem nevét mindenért. S ez lett volna a hit imája! Ez adott volna nekem nyugalmat, árasztotta volna el szívem bizalommal és hittel és adott volna Istennek imameghallgattatási alapot. Aztán, ha ezt rendszeresen gyakoroltam volna, akkor hitem, nyugalmam egyre jobban növekedett volna.

Testvéreim! Imádkozzunk így, mert az ilyen imára ígéretünk az, hogy: “Meg is kapjátok. ”

Mátrai Mihályné * *

AMERICAN HUNGARIAN BAPTIST UNION RECEIPTS For November and December 1980

Home Mission

Mrs. Vilma Albright, N. Versailles, Pa. $25.00; Hungarian Baptist Church, New York 75.00; Bethesda Church, Palm Bay, Fla. 200.00; Bethesda Retirement Home, Palm Bay, Fla. 300.00; Chestnut Street Baptist Church, Wadsworth, Ohio 37.50; Silliman Memorial Baptist Church, Bridgeport, Conn. 29.80; Rev. William B. Molnár, Naugatuck, Conn. 100.00; Rev. Michael Major, Cleveland, Ohio 15.00. — Total: $782.30.

*

Literature

Rev. Michael Major, Cleveland, Ohio $20.00; Gospel Messenger, Treasurer 465.96; Mrs. Theresa Ver, Dayton, Ohio 25.00. — Total: $510.96.

*

Special Mission

Bethesda Church, Palm Bay, Fla. $70.00.

Louis Drescher, Treasurer-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Speaking Out—About Gossip

“HAVE YOU HEARD THE LATEST?”

By David Wilkerson

Gossip is fast becoming the biggest weapon Satan has against God’s chosen people. Rumors are flying around, everywhere. Filthy gossip is ruining the reputations, ministries and marriages of many of God’s choicest servants.

If I believed all the gossip I overhear daily—I would lose all faith in mankind. And the gossip does not originate in a bar room. It is not passed on by reprobates and prostitutes. Most of the gossip circulated today pours out of the hearts and lips of Christians who sit in a church pew every Sunday morning singing about the love of Jesus.

Ministers often complain about how certain members of their congregation “talk about them behind their backs.” It’s well known fact that some parishioners go home every Sunday afternoon and “chew up the pastor.” They gossip about his new car—his hair—his wife’s shoes —his sermon—his “dictatorial methods.” And shamefully, many Christian members seem to gloat over a minister who gets caught with another woman—or who gets into some kind of moral, financial or spiritual trouble.

Satan is out to destroy every man and woman of God—and he will stop at nothing to discredit an effective ministry. Tragically, some ministers are just as guilty of nasty gossip as the members they accuse. They sit around at conventions and in little “after meeting” sessions trading stories of pastors and evangelists who have “messed up.” Most of the gossip is vicious—but seldom true.

Recently I was suddenly overwhelmed by all the reports I’d heard of ministers having problems —of marriages breaking up —of evangelists who were reported to be living double lives. It was so depressing—it sounded like almost everybody was having problems. The world was going berserk.

A well known young single evangelist had rumors circulated about him suggesting he was a homosexual. Thousands were attending his six-week long revival meetings and unusual evidence of God’s power was demonstrated. Yet — every time his name was mentioned—some minister would pipe up —“Isn’t it a shame he’s a homo? How can God use him when he’s so sweet and effeminate?”

A minister friend of mine resigned his church suddenly. The following week I received three phone calls from “saints” who warned me to have nothing to do with the man “because he had been having an affair with five women in the church. ” They each insisted he had been forced to resign and that everybody in the country knew why.

A well respected minister approached me, enlisted my help “to combat the false doctrine being promoted by a certain youth group involved in missions.” I was asked to use my influence to expose them and straighten out their thinking. They were reportedly “ruining” young people all over the the state of California. I heard the same rumor in every state I visited for the next four weeks. The leader of their missionary youth group was supposed to have indoctrinated other youth leaders and they had “all gone bananas.”

While in prayer one night my heart began to cry out —“Oh God! What is happening? Everything seems to be falling apart. False doctrine — immorality — compromise. What shall I do?” And it didn’t take God very long to get the answer through to me.

First of all, God began to deal with me about my own gossiping tongue! No one thinks of himself as being quilty of gossip. But I was one of those who always prefaced my gossiping remarks with—“Now I’m only telling you this so you can pray about it. Mind you —I love this person, but did you hear about...”

We use all kinds of excuses to spread our gossip garbage—and seldom do we stop to think of the far reaching effect, of the horrible