firstIMPRESSIONS
from Senior Pastor Timothy Satryan

Toward the end of the nineteenth century Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel awoke one morning to read his own obituary in the local newspaper:

“Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, who died yesterday, devised a way for more people to be killed in a war than ever before, and he died a very rich man.”

Actually, it was Alfred’s older brother who had died. A newspaper reporter had bungled the epitaph.

But the account had a profound effect on Nobel. He decided he wanted to be known for something other than developing the means to kill people efficiently and for amassing a fortune in the process.

So he initiated the Nobel Prize – the award for scientists and writers who foster peace. Nobel said, ‘'Every man ought to have the chance to correct his epitaph in midstream and write a new one.”

Few things will change you as much as looking at your own life as though it were finished. What kind of legacy will you leave behind one day when you are gone from this earth? Will your children, grandchildren, and family members remember you as one who followed obediently after the Lord each day of your life?

You and I are surrounded by people – family, friends, and acquaintances – who are watching the words we use and the things we do in this life.

It’s not too late to begin writing your epitaph. Strive to leave a legacy that will bring others to Jesus. Ask the Lord to make your life a testimony of His love and grace to those around you and those you leave behind.

Here is your copy of firstIMPRESSIONS, Volume 7.28. Live for God, on purpose, so that those who follow in your footsteps will be walking with Jesus!

You may be thinking that Ireland and Zambia couldn’t possibly have too much in common. But, this Sunday at WFA you will hear our missionaries to Zambia, Jerry and Paula Ireland!

The Irelands are Assemblies of God World Missionaries to Zambia, southern Africa. Prior to their marriage in 2005, Paula served as missionary to Zambia for over five years. She has worked primarily with Community Health Evangelism, a Christ-centered development program that trains local people to reach out to their neighbors through health education, evangelism, and discipleship. Paula has a B.S. in Physical Therapy from the University of Kansas and a Master’s in Public Health from Loma Linda University.

Jerry is a veteran of the U.S. Navy, where he served as a photographer at the Pentagon and in Italy. He is also a graduate of Teen Challenge, a Christ-centered treatment program for drug and alcohol addictions that God used to dramatically turn his life around. He graduated from Central Bible College in May of this year with at B.A. in Bible.

Together, Jerry and Paula are very excited about serving God together as they go to serve the people of Zambia! They will partner with the national church in training pastors and church leaders through Bible School extension education programs, and developing discipleship and leadership training for youth. They will also be involved in helping churches respond to the nationwide HIV/AIDS crisis through equipping believers for compassionate outreach and health education.

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by J. Lee Grady

God is restoring all the ministry gifts of the New Testament, including the gift of apostle. But we must beware of cheap imitations on the market today.

In recent years a thriving apostolic movement has emerged in the global church. I personally have welcomed these people we call apostles for several reasons: (1) because they carry a special anointing to mobilize the church to achieve its mission; (2) because apostles are biblical and they did not pass from the scene with the publication of the New Testament – as some cessationist theologians contend; and (3) because the church today is in desperate need of strong, inspired, visionary leadership to help us win the world for Christ.

Yet it seems whenever the Holy Spirit breathes new life into the church, Satan is ready with his counterfeits. Thus the restoration of apostles has brought both blessing and confusion. As much as we need apostles, we also need to be cautious of the misguided people who have highjacked the term and are now running it into the ground.

The apostle Paul called these imposters false apostles in print, and he probably called them worse names in person. They were using their position of leadership and their convincing charisma to pull people to themselves rather than toward the purposes of God.

No matter what continent I visit these days, a genuine apostolic movement is being challenged by foolish wannabe apostles who are drunk on power and position. In Holland one so-called apostle has been teaching that certain high-level church leaders may marry more than one woman. In South America, false apostles are demanding that even their closest friends address them with the “Apostle” title-as if carrying the title alone gives you heaven’s endorsement. And in some churches in the United States, false apostles require that offerings be laid at their feet!

How do we combat this craziness? I would offer these characteristics as biblical qualities of a true apostle:

1. Apostolic authority. A genuine apostle not only casts demons out of people. He or she also mobilizes God’s people as a unified army to dislodge territorial demons so that entire cities and regions can be transformed. My African mentor Mosy Madugba, an apostle from Nigeria, has literally seen God remove demonic principalities from their power sources in rural villages after the residents became Christians.

2. Apostolic miracles. Some denominations teach that New Testament miracles ceased when the Bible was published. Today, we need to invite apostles from the developing world to our seminaries and allow them to tell how God has healed the sick, raised the dead and multiplied food for crowds. These things still happen! And God is using apostles to restore these miracles to the church today.

3. Apostolic vision. A genuine apostle sees the big picture and becomes agitated when the church is not fulfilling the Great Commission. We need these men and women in our midst to stir the pot and keep us hot. Apostles also understand that God does not always follow our 10-point plans or our nice church-growth programs. Apostles leave room for the divine strategy of the Holy Spirit and they depend on intercessors and prophets to help them hear God’s agenda.

4. Apostolic boldness. Genuine apostles are not afraid of men, religious systems or oppressive governments. I will never forget the eight days I spent with a group of Chinese apostles. All of them had been beaten with crowbars and thrown in jail three and four times. Nothing stopped them-they just kept on preaching in the jails, even when guards would pour hot water on them or stick needles under their fingernails. Like Paul and Silas in the Philippian jail, they rejoiced even in their sufferings-and then they continued to preach with even more boldness.

5. Apostolic character. Those who carry the true anointing of an apostle are not going to be involved in the financial funny business we see in so many charismatic circles in the United States today. Apostles do not demand to be driven around in Rolls-Royces or require five-figure offerings. Those who do such things have proven they are counterfeits. Genuine apostles lead with humility. They do not have an authoritarian spirit, but their ministry is marked by gentleness and a servant’s heart. True apostles serve on teams and do not engage in one-man or one-woman shows. Ministry is not about them. They do not view apostleship as a means to control people, but rather as a way to equip and empower others to discover their ministries.

6. Apostolic compassion. The apostle Paul told the Romans that he would give his life in exchange for the salvation of the Jews (see Rom. 9:3-4). He was moved at the very deepest core of his being for lost souls. Can we say the same about those who use the title “apostle” today? Many of them seem more like noisy gongs, devoid of love yet full of selfish greed. True apostles don’t cater to the rich and powerful; they share the love of Christ with the poor.

7. Apostolic intercession. We all know about the apostle Paul’s prayer life. He often gave up food and sleep in order to intercede for a spiritual breakthrough. He even entered into the dangerous realm of travail – a place few of us know. He literally allowed the groanings and yearnings of the Holy Spirit to be poured through Him. That is the calling of any person who carries the anointing of an apostle.

We desperately need these apostolic leaders to emerge. But let’s not settle for imposters who want all the glory but none of the groaning, and who want the title but not the travail. False apostles can tickle our ears but they cannot conquer new territory. I pray we have the sense to know the difference between the real and the cheap imitation.

As seen in “Fire In My Bones,” a weekly email message from J. Lee Grady, editor of Charisma magazine.

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by Kelly McFadden

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.  Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. — Psalm 23

Sheep are notoriously known as dumb animals, unable to make decisions on their own. They simply follow the lead of the shepherd, stopping when he stops, walking when he walks. They never think for themselves. Of course, as I read this psalm by David, I think he has a different view of sheep.

Most likely this psalm is familiar to you. It is a psalm of comfort and peace; a reminder that the Lord is with you at all times, even in the darkest hour. People cling to this psalm when someone dies, when there is illness, a loss of a job, or a relationship ended. We cry out to the Lord who is our Shepherd, begging Him to show us which way to turn.

David, the author of this psalm, was a shepherd himself. He knew as well as anyone how lost a sheep was without its shepherd. The shepherd took care of every need. The shepherd led his sheep to water and food, and provided time to rest and recoup. It was when the sheep walked away and tried to do things on their own that trouble came, as they too easily walked away from their best interests.

In this psalm, David doesn’t focus on the stupidity of sheep. He focuses on whom they are following. For they follow the one who will protect and provide for them. They follow the one who wants to give extravagant blessing, unfailing love and goodness. Sounds like some smart sheep to me.

How else can you and I walk through death, but with the Lord at our side? He is the only one to conquer it. It is He who offers us His hand, guiding us to eternity with Him. He wants us to have eternal life, eternal blessings and eternal goodness. But, He also wants us to be as smart as sheep and choose to follow Him daily. He wants us to choose to walk through this life walking near to Him and holding onto His promises.

as seen in “Today’s HomeWord,” a daily devotional with Jim Burns. Visit them online at www.homeword.com

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by Nathalea George

It takes commitment to do most things in life. If we don’t make the time to appreciate the joys of life, we rush past them. Consequently, we see only grief and negativity.

Here are 8 ways to find and create joy in our lives:

1. See God’s divine hand in all things. The simplest and most profound joy is derived from the knowledge of God who created the heavens and the earth and all they contain. Creation, in all its splendor, is enough to baffle the mind and flood the heart with unspeakable wonder and joy.

2. Don’t allow traces of bitterness to fester and tarnish your soul. Don’t wallow in self-pity and do nothing. As painful as it may be, deal with your perplexing situations and get on with the business of living and enjoying life.

3. Turn a deaf ear to self-doubt and pessimism. Cease allowing naysayers to stifle your dream and dictate your work and lifestyle. When your dreams and goals are supported by prayer, constructive advice and genuine support, you should follow your heart.

4. Let go of unnecessary stress and seek to restore a sense of balance to ensure a healthy, relaxed and enjoyable lifestyle.

5. Stop making excuses and be spontaneous. Often, spending time with the people you love, or helping someone in need proves to be the perfect antidote to counteract feelings that overwhelm and fatigue. Plan and be open to impromptu outings and visits.

6. Create your personal oasis and develop personal rituals. It could be anywhere – bedroom, bath, porch, backyard or garden. Tranquil spaces and soothing music help to create a serene environment. Infuse your home with the things that help promote a relaxed and peaceful atmosphere. Surround and submerge yourself in the space, colors, scents and sounds you love.

7. Learn to enjoy silence. Unplug your television, computer, phones, etc, to create a peaceful change in your stressful routine. The change will free your mind from distractions and enable you to listen to your inner voice.

8. Laugh. Don’t take life or yourself too seriously. Despite the difficulties of life, try to maintain a light-hearted attitude and environment in your home. For example, watch cartoons with your children.

Banish the mess. Clean and de-clutter your mind and surroundings creating space for serenity and mental clarity.

Learn something new. Make a list of the things you want to experience in your life. Then begin to do them one by one. Sign up for art, karate or swimming lessons.

Expand your perspective of the world and its people. It is not all bad news. Read National Geographic magazine or watch their cable channel. Spend an evening at the library. Take a tour of the country with like-minded people.

Talk to elderly people of different races for a wise, witty and informative first-hand account of their history.

Be forgiving. Forgiveness is a deliberate action you can take even when your heart would prefer to wallow in resentment. If forgiveness is difficult, at least pray for a transformation in the life of your offender. Give up grudges and let go of toxic memories. Reconcile with estranged friends and family members, offering the understanding and compassion you would like extended to you.

Start and end the day with prayer, praise and thankfulness. If people and situations contribute to your feeling discouraged during the day, focus your mind on the good things in your life.

Manage anger. Think twice before responding to people and situations. Consciously replace boiling emotions with composed thoughts.

Find healthy ways to let off steam: pray, exercise, play a musical instrument, listen to your favorite music, do some gardening, paint, write in your journal. Over time, by God’s grace, you can learn to face, deal with, and walk away from potentially explosive situations.

Strong family ties cultivate stability in the home. Make “I love you” more than a sentimental greeting on a card. Say it often and show it in tangible ways.

Find and indulge passion. Whether at work or at home, time spent pursuing your passion will make you healthier, more energetic, less stressful, and you will enjoy a deeper satisfaction in all areas of your life.

Do something. A feeling of helplessness contributes to stress. When you help others, you help yourself. Practice random acts of kindness. Surprise someone with a little gift. The joy of giving will be your reward.

Appreciation for the joys of life is contagious; it begins with you, it begins with me. We must be aware and sensitive to the ills and negativity that abound.

Nevertheless, we must keep our eyes on God who provides countless joys in life, which help us to hold on, and go on.

Nathalea George lives in San Bernardino, California. As seen in Women’s Ministries Pages and Tunes at http://womensministriesunlimited.ag.org/good_word/rediscovering_the_joys_of_life.cfm

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by Alan Smith

Mensa is an organization whose members have an IQ of 140 or higher. A few years ago, there was a Mensa convention in San Francisco, and several members lunched at a local cafe. While dining, they discovered that their saltshaker contained pepper and their peppershaker was full of salt. How could they swap the contents of the bottles without spilling, and using only the implements at hand? Clearly this was a job for Mensa! The group debated and presented ideas, and finally came up with a brilliant solution involving a napkin, a straw, and an empty saucer. They called the waitress over to dazzle her with their solution.

“Ma'am,” they said, “we couldn’t help but notice that the peppershaker contains salt and the saltshaker....”

“Oh,” the waitress interrupted. “Sorry about that.” She unscrewed the caps of both bottles and switched them.

We live in a world, like the Greek culture of the first century, that prides itself on being “wise.” We have achieved so much in the area of technology. We’ve set up a space station that orbits the earth. We’ve visited the moon. We’ve taken close-up pictures of Mars. We feel confident that we are able to figure out the answer to almost every problem that is presented to us, if we work on it long enough.

And yet, like the Greek culture of the first century, our own culture – which takes such pride in its own wisdom — seems unable to understand that which is truly wise. Solving the great problem of mankind doesn’t involve eliminating poverty, preventing global warning, or even making world peace possible. No, those who are “wise” in this world seem blind to what the world’s biggest problem is – our separation from God. And those with less earthly wisdom are often more open to God’s solution to that problem, which is centered in the cross of Jesus Christ. Paul put it this way:

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.’ Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.” (I Corinthians 1:18-25, NIV)

The “foolishness” of God truly is wiser than man’s wisdom! Be reminded of that the next time you see salt and pepper shakers.

This article by Alan Smith, Senior Pastor of the Helen Street Church of Christ in Fayetteville, North Carolina. You can visit his site at http://www.TFTD-online.com

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Inmate Mitchell King had a visitor – his wife. King was serving a six-year jail term in Auckland, New Zealand for armed robbery. But his wife didn’t want to be away from him for that long. So they held hands. And they stuck. She’d rubbed her palms with Super Glue.

Their new-found closeness was short-lived. And their separation painful. Her technique is not one I’d recommend for a closer relationship.

But if you want more closeness; if you desire relationships that are deeper and broader, more meaningful and longer-lasting, then remember the word “travel.”

T is for TRUST. Trust is the glue that holds people together (not Super Glue). A relationship will go nowhere without it.

R is for RESPECT. “Do not save your loving speeches for your friends till they are dead; do not write them on their tombstones, speak them rather now instead,” writes Anna Cummins. It’s about respecting others and letting them know that you value them.

A is for AFFECTION. Sometimes affection means love. Sometimes it means a touch. Always it means kindness.

V is for VULNERABILITY. Though we may feel afraid to let another too close, no relationship will go anywhere without risking vulnerability. Entrepreneur Jim Rohn says, “The walls we build around us to keep out the sadness also keep out the joy.” And the love.

E is for EMOTIONAL INTIMACY. Learn to be open. Learn to communicate freely. What kinds of relationships you make are largely determined by how openly you have learned to communicate.

L is for LAUGHTER. Victor Borge got it right when he said, “Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.” It’s also the most enjoyable.

For relationships that can really go somewhere, just remember the word “travel.” Then enjoy the trip!

as seen in Pastor Charles Kitner’s daily email devotional, Sonforu Thought for Today. To subscribe, send an email to sonforu@verizon.net, placing the word “subscribe” in the body of the e-mail.

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Last week we shared the “Find 40 Books of the Bible,” a paragraph containing the names of forty books in the Bible, within the context of the words of the paragraph. Here are the answers -

This is a most remarkable puzzle. It was found by a Mr. Valdez Raburn, in an airplane seat pocket, while on a flight from Los Angeles to Honolulu, keeping him occupied for hours. John Hess, who owns a beauty salon in N.J., ere... MI? Ah, it was N.Y.! He found it tucked in one of his beauty magazines. He spent so much time on this puzzle while eating at the local Deli, Saia Hess, his ex-wife, had no choice but to buy out Hess’ salon! I answered quite a bit of email from people that have seen this puzzle. A famous comic, a hilarious musician, sent an email that he studied this puzzle while playing his banjo. Elaine Taylor was so mesmerized by this puzzle, she wrote a poem telling people not to fall victim; “O thy hidden books, which fail to be found, I look so hard and futile, I cannot put this puzzle down!” She judges the job of solving this puzzle so involving, she brews a cup of tea to help her nerves. There will be some books that are really easy to spot, others near impossible! In fact, some people will soon find themselves in a jam, especially since the book names are not necessarily capitalized. Truthfully, from answers we get, we are forced to admit it usually takes a minister or a scholar to find some of them! At the worst, one should be able to find at least half of them. Research has shown that something in our genes is responsible for the difficulty we have in seeing the books hidden in this paragraph. The Chronicle, surveyed over 200 patrons, including Jude Raj, a local seminary professor. They agree this puzzle is one of the most difficult they have ever seen. Prof. Raj, on a Holy Bible, vowed to find all the books; rumor has it he’s still looking. During a recent fund raising event, which featured this puzzle, the Alpha Delta Phi lemonade booth set a new record in sales. At an auto auction, where one HEMI, ahead of all other vehicles sold, received a record bid due to the buyer preoccupied with this puzzle while bidding! As Daniel Sherman, a humble priest at St. Luke’s medical center puts it, “The books are all right here in plain view, hidden from sight.” Those able to find all of them will hear great lamentations from those who have to be shown where the books are found. One revelation that may help is that books like Timothy and Samuel may occur without their preceding numbers. Also, keep in mind two things, punctuation and spaces... some proclaim these two bad. I, ahead of the game, knew that spaces and punctuation in the middle of a book would be normal! A chipper attitude will help you compete really well against those who claim they can find the hidden books faster. Remember, there is no need for a mad exodus; there really are 40 books of the Bible lurking somewhere in this text, waiting to be found. God Bless and good luck!

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Three friends decided to go hunting together. One was a lawyer, one a doctor, and the other a preacher. As they were walking, along came a big buck. The three of them shot simultaneously. Immediately the buck dropped to the ground and all three rushed up to see how big it actually was. Upon reaching it they found out that it was dead but had only one bullet hole. Thus a debate followed concerning whose buck it was.

Five minutes later a game officer came by and asked what the problem was. The doctor told him their reason for the debate. The officer told them he would take a look and tell them who shot it.

Five seconds later he said he knew who shot the buck. He said with much confidence, “The pastor shot the buck!” They all wondered how he knew that so quickly. The officer said, “Easy. The bullet went in one ear and out the other.”

It’s going to be a great day this Lord’s Day here at WFA as the Irelands share their ministry with us about what the Lord is doing in Zambia. I am expecting the Lord to speak intimately and dynamically!