From Pastor Tom’s Desk

The latest fade to hit America is called The Secret. It is the number 1 book on the NY Times bestseller list and is now on DVD. The Secret has been on the shows of Ellen DeGeneres, Larry King, Montel Williams. Even WebMD weighed in with an article entitled "The Secret: Is it the Real Deal?" But when The Secret went on Oprah it became an overnight sensation, as do all books recommended by the Queen of daytime TV, even books that are fictitious claiming to be true.

The Secret’s popularity is growing by leaps and bounds, even outselling the latest Harry Potter book, so far.

Consider what the official website boasts:

What exactly is The Secret? (I’m glad you asked) It is the Law of Attraction.

Really what The Secret would have you discover is that you are god. Sound familiar? I hope so.

The serpent said to the woman, "You surely will not die! "For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." Genesis 3:4-5

This book, which is WAY OVERPRICED (yes I bought and read it, so save your money) was written by Rhonda Byrne an Australian author. She writes that this discovery of The Secret came after her life had collapsed (page ix). She further claims that The Secret is in all major religions, which is probably true, though not the way she thinks. She states the Law of Attraction in many ways:

According to the product description on the DVD,

Dr Donald Whitney writes:

Though I plan writing a little more on this topic, look for it in the next couple of weeks in tract form, let me state that there is nothing new here. This is no Secret, but just some Old Lie repackaged. There is much influence in this book from the cult of New-Thought, which is part of the Mind Sciences heresies. I write this because no doubt you know someone who has or will read this book. Point them to the Real Secret.

He is the center of everything.

For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. Colossians 1:16-17

For not only did He die for our sins and rise from the dead, but now He lives in us.

to whom God did will to make known what is the riches of the glory of this secret among the nations--which is Christ in you, the hope of the glory, (YLT) Colossians 1:27

For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Romans 5:10

Noah’s wet weather forecast gets frosty reception

One old man reported to be taking a stand against the current decline in public behavior, was Noah, who seemed to have gone mad.

He claimed that God was very angry because human beings are completely wicked, and that God told him to build a ship and to load it with his entire family, and a breeding pair of every bird, animal and land creature in the world. Noah’s responsibility was to make sure there was enough food for them.

God would destroy the world and all its inhabitants. It would rain solidly for 40 days and 40 nights. Everybody would die except Noah and his family who would be safe inside the boat.

In a society where most people blatantly boas to their immoral deeds and glory their ability to cheat the system and look after number one, nobody could point a finger at Noah. His piety, his reverence for God and his integrity, were a byword, though he was often humiliated and mocked by his neighbors.

Going down to Noah’s yard for a good laugh would have been a popular pastime. The shape of his huge boat loomed over what few trees still stood nearby. Built to what Noah claimed was a precise blueprint from God, the vessel would not win any design awards but was certainly seaworthy. Its 137 m (450ft) hull resembled a huge box 14 m (45ft) high, laboriously coated in pitch inside and out. In the interior there were hundreds of compartments, which Noah and his family were fitting out ready for the animals they were convinced would come aboard.

(Genesis 6)

The torrential rain continued 40 days and nights just as God had foretold. The flood lasted a total of 150 days and then Noah and his precious living cargo were back on land. Noah realized the waters were receding when a dove sent out from the ark returned with a freshly plucked olive leave in its beak.

Before the rain began, a steady stream of animals and birds came to the boat. Possibly some of the bystanders considered asking Noah to let them in too, but events moved too quickly. As the last animal entered, the great wooden door of the boat silently swung shut. At the same moment, torrential flood began to fall.

Attempts to persuade Noah to open the door were unsuccessful.

Many fled to the hills, leaving their possessions behind, but were overwhelmed by the waters.

The ark came to rest on Mount Ararat. There was an emotional scene on the mountain as Noah led his family in worship and sacrifice to God. And God promised Noah and his sons that he would never destroy all living creatures nor curse the ground again on account of human wickedness. He made a covenant with Noah, that the new world is a resource for humanity.

In the immediate context of the massive death-toll of the flood, there was a somber note to the covenant. Noah could eat animal flesh, but carcasses must be drained of blood. Human blood too was declared precious, and any who spilled it would be answerable to God.

But it was a covenant of life, not of death. The command was to be fruitful to fill the earth. The world would never perish again by water. As a sign of the covenant, God appointed the rainbow to be a reminder for all time of his promise.

(Genesis 7-9)

Very often a change of self is needed more than a change of scene.

(A.C. Benson)

In our century everything seems to be changing; nothing abides. Only those who know the living God escape this threat of universal obsolescence. God abides. The divine Commandments abide. Christ’s Gospel abides. And whoever abides in Him now will forever abide with Him. The cosmic process offers no enduring place to hide but God’s own abiding place. (Carl F.H. Henry)

Little men with little minds and little imagination jog through life in little ruts, smugly resisting all changes which would jar their little worlds.

(Marie Fraser)

It might be just as offensive to be around a man who never changed his mind as one who never changes his clothes.

(Country Parson)

Change is not made without inconvenience, even from worse to better. (Richard Hooker)

When you are through changing, you’re through. (Bruce Barton)

We can benefit from change. Anyone who has ever really lived knows that there is no life without growth. When we stop growing, we stop living and start existing. But there is no growth without challenge, and there is no challenge without change. Life is a series of changes that create challenges, and if we are going to make it, we have to grow.

(Warren Wiersbe)

Nelson Bell was born of devout Presbyterian parents in western Virginia. He set out to be a lawyer, but shortly after enrolling at Washington and Lee University in 1911 he felt strongly called to be a missionary doctor. Shortly after graduation from the Medical College of Virginia he married Virginia Leftwich. He was invited to go to China by the mission board of the Presbyterian Church in the United States. The Bells arrived in China in late 1916 and joined the staff of a Presbyterian mission hospital in Tsingkiangpu, in the province of North Kiangsu. A few years later Bell was made superintendent of the hospital. He actively sought contributions in the United States for the work, and by the mid-1930’s the hospital was the largest Presbyterian hospital in the world. Because of his innovative surgical and medical techniques (especially in connection with a dreaded tropical disease, kala-azar or black fever), Bell was made a fellow of the American College of Surgeons in 1934.

During much of Bell’s missionary career, China was torn by civil disorder, so the mission’s work was often carried on under extreme difficulties. Finally, in May 1941, the Bells were forced to leave China because of Japanese occupation. Returning to the United States, Bell settled in Montreat, North Carolina, and established a surgical practice in nearby Asheville. He soon become concerned over liberal theological trends in the Presbyterian Church in the United States, and was largely responsible for founding the Southern Presbyterian Journal to defend a conservative biblical position within the denomination. He strongly opposed a proposal for union between the Presbyterian Church in the United States ("Southern Presbyterians") and the Presbyterian Church in the United States of American ("Northern Presbyterians"), largely because of the theological liberalism in the northern church. The proposal was defeated in 1950, with Nelson Bell unquestionably a major factor in the defeat.

Bell’s concern for biblical Christianity led him, along with his son-in-law Billy Graham and Carl F.H. Henry, to establish Christianity Today magazine in 1956. he retired from his medical practice and devoted full time to the magazine as its executive editor. He also contributed numerous articles to the magazine, especially through a regular column, "A Layman and His Faith."

Although a series of heart attacks caused him to relinquish some duties in Christianity Today, Bell continued a wide ministry of writing and speaking. In 1972 he was elected the moderator of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, the highest elected office in the denomination. Although opposed to liberal trends with in the denomination, Bell urged fellow conservatives not to withdraw from the denomination. His biography, A Foreign Devil in China, was written by John Pollock in 1971.

"Death hath no more dominion over Him…in that He liveth, He liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God."

Romans 6:9-11

Co-Eternal Life. Eternal life was the life which Jesus Christ exhibited on the human plane, and it is the same life, not a copy of it, which is manifested in our mortal flesh when we are born of God. Eternal life is not a gift from God, eternal life is the gift from God. The energy and power which was manifested in Jesus will be manifested in us by the sheer sovereign grace of God when once we have made the moral decision about sin.

"Ye shall receive the power of the Holy Ghost" – not power as a gift from the Holy Ghost; the power is the Holy Ghost, not something which He imparts. The life that was in Jesus is made ours by means of His Cross when once we make the decision to be identified with Him. If it is difficult to get right with God, it is because we will not decide definitely about sin. Immediately we do decide, the full life of God comes in. Jesus came to give us endless supplies of life: "that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God." Eternal Life had noting to do with Time, it is the life which Jesus lived when He was down here. The only source of life is the Lord Jesus Christ.

The weakest saint can experience the power of Deity of the Son of God if once he is willing to "let go". Any strand of our own energy will blur the life of Jesus. We have to keep letting go, and slowly and surely the great full life of God will invade us in every part, and men will take knowledge of us that we have been with Jesus/

Nursery Volunteers Jeannine 732-369-6792

Needed -Cribs, porta-cribs, playpens

KidKare Co-0rdinator and volunteers needed see Wayne Hostetler

To Pray: The purpose of this network is to pray for those in our congregation and their immediate families. Requests for friends or extended family members should be directed to your other fellowship groups (ex. To Receive and Make Phone Calls: If you are interested in being a part of the Prayer Phone Network Ministry Call Martina Marples at 732-388-8327.

To receive e-prayer: prayer requests via e-mail contact Laura - info follows:

The Marshall family wants to thank everyone for all the prayers sent out for baby Owen and the family (he is doing great), also special thanks to the people that took time to drop off meals to our home…It was very helpful. We consider our family very blessed having all of the people of the church...God Bless you all!!

The Marshall Family

I greet all with a holy kiss and hugs from my heart. In behalf of my son and I we sincerely thank you for your care and support when Mom passed. After my operation, God… the Greatest Being, blessed Mom and I with a closeness we never knew before, she took great care of me. I also thank you for prayers and care in behalf of Brian. Answered prayer, through our Lord’s Justice, led to being found not guilty by self-defense. I asked God for a good lawyer and He gave us three. May the faith of our Lord He showed through me be encouragement to the lawyers and any who need it. Yea God for all He is. Blessed be to you and yours from our Lord and Savior. Maranatha.

Now and forever.

Janice

The homeschoolers now have a blog that you can use to get all the information you need on our upcoming parties and field trips.  You can find us @:  ccfhs.blogspot.com

Elderly, Hospitalized, Shut-Ins: If you or someone you know within the fellowship of CCf who would like to be visited by a deacon/ness please contact Laura Ellison

908-889-8098 or visitation@ccfou.org