HB Newsletter Volume 11 - Number 08

8/8/2019 HB Newsletter Volume 11 - Number 08

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Homeward Bound Volume 11 Number 08

Homeward Bound Ministries Post Office Box 3351 Milford Connecticut 06460 (203) 882-9661

Lips Versus Life

He that hath my commandments, andkeepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and hethat loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself tohim. (John 14:21)

Do you profess to love the Lord JesusChrist? Do your actions line up with yourwords? Jesus here tells us of the importance ofproving our love for Him by keeping, that isobeying His commandments. The verb keepeth

here indicates an ongoing and current action,one that is a continuing and not simply a onetime event or action. Do you keep Hiscommandments? Just a few verses prior Jesussays, If ye love me, keep my commandments.(John 14:15) This is not optional. The mannerin which we live our day to day lives proves whether we are indeed His blood washedservants, forgiven of our sin and on our way toan eternity with Him in Heaven.

Make no mistake, it is according to howHe has described the terms of discipleship that we will be judged, not theprofession of ourlips. Well didIsaiah prophesy,Wherefore the Lord said,Forasmuch as this people draw near me withtheir mouth, and with their lips do honour me,but have removed their heart far from me.(Isaiah 29:13) Jesus says, drawing on this

prophecy, This people draweth nigh unto mewith their mouth, and honoureth me with theirlips; but their heart is far from me. But invain they do worship me . . . . (Matthew15:8-9) How grievous He has said that it isthese who worship Him in vain, meaning that itprofits them nothing and will not avail on theday of judgment.

I know many who claim to be His butthe lives they lead demonstrate a continuing

practicing of sin, ongoing and premeditatedRemember, Jesus says, Many will say to mein that day, Lord, Lord, have we not

prophesied in thy name? and in thy name havecast out devils? and in thy name done manywonderful works? And then will I profesunto them, I never knew you: depart from meye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:22-23)

You may insure your eternal security byfollowing Him in obedience, forsaking all sinand thereby proving through your actions just Whose you really are. Talk is cheap, it costyou nothing to say it. Prove it by your life andLet your light so shine before men, that they

may see your good works, and glorify yourFather which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

John Payne


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Flunking Witnessing

by John Fischer

I heard a story once about a girl who

flunked witnessing. Though this was an actualcourse she failed at a Bible college, I think wecan all identify on some level with flunkingwitnessing as not a course, but a reality in ourdaily lives. Ive flunked witnessing numeroustimes by simply not making myself available tothe Holy Spirit for the job. Others haveprobably flunkedwitnessing by notfeeling preparedenough. We have

all kinds of waysof disqualifyingourselves for this

job. We wouldntknow what to say.We wouldnt knowhow to bring upthe subject. Wehavent taken thecourse, much lesspassed it.

But tellingothers aboutChrist is one ofthe five greatpurposes in our lives. Why do we often find thisso hard? Partly, I think its because wevemade such a big deal about it. In some circlesits not one of five purposes, its our onlypurpose. And its usually presented as if wewere at a sales conference getting pumped tosell our product.

I dont know about you, but Im a verypoor salesman. Im the kind of guy whosesales pitch would be, You dont want to buythis, do you? I dont like interrupting people. Idont like infringing on their space. I hate itwhen people do that to me, so why would Iengage in it myself? Plus, I dont like pretense.I dont like being nice to someone just to makea deal. I wouldnt want anyone to think they area means to an end.

Thats why Ive been very encouraged tofind out that true witnessing doesnt involve anyof these things. It doesnt even involve havinga memorized speech. Witnessing is reallynothing more than befriending people and

telling them your story at the right time (usuallywhen they ask you).Witnessing is being so in love with God

that you eventually end up talking about himWitnessing is being so overwhelmed by theundeserved nature of your salvation that youcant contain your joy. Witnessing isnt coercingsomeone; its quite the opposite. Its having

someonecoerce theGospel out of

you, becausethey cant standnot knowingwhats going onwith youanymore.

If youwant to preparefor anythingthink abouyour own storyhow you cantell it, and howyou canconnect it to theevents that are

happening around you the things that aregoing on in the world that you know peoplewant to talk about. But dont worry about notbeing prepared. Probably some of the bestwitnesses around are people who would flunka witnessing course, but make excellentfriends.

Therefore said he unto them, Theharvest truly is great, but the labourersare few: pray ye therefore the Lord ofthe harvest, that he would send forthlabourers into his harvest. (Luke 10:2)


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I'm Okay! HonestAuthor and Christianity Today columnist

injured in SUV accident.

Philip Yancey

(Editors note: I received a personal email from PhilipYancey the other night, a friend of Homeward Bound

Ministries. He is doing well and gives God the glory for his

deliverance from severe injury or death in this accident.

He thanks you all for praying for him and his recovery!)

So many have called to express concern, anda few wild rumors have been floating around, so Ithought it would be best to send out an "official"report of my accident on Sunday, February 25. I'mOK! Honest. Here are the details.

I had spent a lovely weekend in Los Alamos,New Mexico, speaking to a unique church that

combines six different denominations. Janettraveled with meso much duringthe book tourthese past fewmonths that shefelt obligated tostay home and doher duties at thesenior center

where she works,so I went alone.

My New Mexicohosts met me in Taos for a delightful day of bam-

bam bump skiing on Thursday, then we drovetogether to Los Alamos. It's quite a place, created inthe 1940s for the Manhattan Project, and the fabledhome of the atomic bomb. The town has morePh.D.'s per capita than any place in the world. I hada fascinating meeting with some of the physicistsand other scientists from the lab during which wediscussed matters of science and faith and nuclearterrorism and pacifism and other weighty issues.Friday night I spoke on my book Prayer: Does It

Make Any Difference?a very appropriate topic in view of what follows. Saturday I did a seminarconsisting of three one-hour lectures and a booksigning, and then took off early Sunday morning forDenver, where I planned to meet Janet for afriend's wedding.

I was driving alone on a remote highway,curvy but not too hilly, at about 65 mph. A curvecame up suddenly and I turned to the left, perhapstoo sharply. As you may know, Ford Explorers arerather notorious for fishtailing, and this one did. I

tried to correct, but as best as I can reconstructwhat happened, my tire slipped off the edge of theasphalt onto the dirt. That started the Explorerrolling over sideways, at least three times andprobably more. Amazingly, the vehicle stoppedright side up. All windows were blown out, and skis

boots, laptop computer, and suitcases were strewnover 100 feet or so in the dirt. I tried my hands andlegs and they worked fine. I was able to unbucklethe seat belt and walk away. Within five minutes acouple of cars stopped and their occupantsMormons on the way to church, called for help.

I had a lot of minor cuts and bruises on myface and limbs, but except for a persistentnosebleed, nothing serious. I did have intense painin my neck, though. When the ambulance camethey strapped me into a rigid body board, taping myhead still and immobilizing it with a neck brace. It

took almost an hour to reach the town of Alamosain southern Colorado.

Looking back now, I see so many mini-miracles that all contributed to a good outcomeThe Mormons (two of whom were E.M.T. trained)traveling that route on a Sunday morning. The mostexperienced X-ray/MRI technician, normally off on

weekends, filling in for a sick colleague. The E. Rdoctor, featured that day on the cover of the localpaper, a graduate of the University of Michiganmed school who had just returned to his small townin Colorado to be of service. And, most of all, the

injury itself.Alamosa has no radiologist on duty over the weekend, so all images had to be modemed tAustralia (where it was Monday morning, a normal work day) for interpretation. The images are sdense that the high-speed transmittal takes anhour, and then the diagnosis can take another hour

After the initial batch, the doctor came in withthose prefatory words no patient wants to hear:"There's no easy way to say this, Mr. Yancey " Ihad broken the C-3 vertebra in a "comminuted"fashion. (I didn't know that word either; look it upand the dictionary says "pulverized.") The goodnews was that the break did not occur in the spinalcord column itself. If it had, well, C-2 is whereChristopher Reeve's break occurred, so you get thepicture of what can happen up there. The spinalcolumn has three channels, one for the spinal cord,and two for arterial blood supply, which is wheremy fracture occurred. The bad news was that due tothe splintered nature of the break, a bone fragmentmay well have nicked or penetrated an artery.

"We have a jet standing by if needed toairlift you to Denver," the doctor explained. We'll


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do another MRI, this time with an iodine dyesolution to reveal any possible leakage from theartery. This is a life-threatening situation."

Meanwhile Janet, whom I had called fromthe ambulance, had scrambled to throw thingstogether and begin the drive to Alamosa (4 hours

from Evergreen) to be with me. Our GoodSamaritan neighbor Mark insisted on going withher, a magnificent gift as it freed her to make phonecalls and compose herself during that tense drive.They were about halfway to Alamosa when thedoctor gave her this news via phone, explaining thatif they found arterial leakage they could not holdthe plane for her; I would be shipped immediately.

You would have to use a cell phone in Colorado tounderstand some of the tension here: about everythird word gets dropped and, in the mountains, thecall cuts off every thirty seconds or so. Poor Janet

was trying to decide whether to turn around anddrive back to Denver or continue on to Alamosa,

with the possibility of watching my jet contrails inthe sky above her.

I went in for the iodine-dye scan, and then was left alone to wait for the transmission toAustralia and the results. In all, I lay strapped ontothat body board for seven hours. The emergencyroom was quite busy that day, mostly crying babies.I had plenty of time to think. I've done articles onpeople whose lives have been changed overnight byan accident that left them paraplegic or

quadriplegic. Evidently I had narrowly missed thatfate; and I mean narrowly--my break was aboutone-half inch from the spinal cord. However, if myartery was leaking, an artery that feeds the brain, orif it threw a clot, well, a fate worse than paralysisawaited me.

I stayed calm throughout, my pulse holdingsteady around 70. And as I lay there, contemplating

what I had just been teaching in Los Alamos aboutprayer, and facing the imminent possibility of deathfor the first time, I felt very peaceful. I reflected on

what a wonderful life I have had, with a life-givingmarriage partner of 37 years, all but three ofColorado's 54 14,000-foot mountains under my

belt, adventures in more than 50 countries, workthat allows me both meaning and total freedom.Just that weekend I had heard again story afterstory of people who have been touched by one ofmy books. I looked back on my life and felt noregrets (well, I would like to get those last three"14ers" climbed). And as I thought of what mayawait me, I felt a feeling of great trust. No oneraised in the kind of church environment I grew upin totally leaves behind the acrid smell of fire and

brimstone, but I felt an overwhelming sense of trustin God. I have come to know a God of compassionand mercy and love. I have no clue what heaven oran afterlife will be like but I felt sustained by thattrust. OK, the morphine drip was beginning to kickin too!

Those were the tense hours: Janet ridingdown the road with our neighbor, feeling helplessand unsure, with scenes of how her life wouldchange with a dead or paralyzed husband; and meutterly helpless, strapped on a table with the imagesthat would determine my future bouncing off somesatellite en route to Australia.

As it happened, thank Godoh, yes, thankGodthe results

were far betterthan either of uscould imagine.

The MRIrevealed noarterial leakage.I was released

within half anhour of Janet'sarrival, fitted

with a rigid neck brace that willkeep my head from moving for the next 10 weeks orso. If all goes well, the vertebra may heal backappropriately on its own; if not, I may need surgery

down the road.We got a hot meal, my first of the day, andbegan the drive back to Evergreen. Before midnightI was sitting in a bathtub discovering new cuts andabrasions, warming up, and getting ready for achallenging night's sleep in my own bed.

I am profoundly grateful to so many whoput the word out, who prayed and continue to prayfor my recovery. I'm sure I will face new challengesand my schedule over the next few monthsdefinitely needs some major adjustments. But I amalive, my fingers and toes are moving, my brain isfunctioning. I remember sitting in the seat of theFord Explorer as it finally stopped rolling, with itsengine still running, and thinking, "This beginschapter two of my life." Indeed it does, though withconsiderably brighter prospects than it seemed atthe time. I hope to ski long mogul runs again, albeitnot till next year, and I have another chance toclimb those last three "14ers," to gaze at the wildflowers along the way, to cherish friends and lovemy wife and family and thank God for every minuteof this precious gift of life. Praise God.


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I AM CRYSTAL METH

This is a poem written by a 21-year-old femalewho lost her life while addicted to crystal meth

(methamphetamine). After her death her family was

cleaning out her apartment and in her top dresserdrawer found this. Although it is written by thevictim, it could easily have been the words of Satan

who taunts and tempts, and not through this drug

alone . . . you may insert most other types ofaddictions in its place here and it would be equally

valid. Addictions destroy mens souls as easily as

other sins. The price is great and it is a tragedy.

I destroy homes, I tear families apart,take your children, and thats just the start. Im

more costly than diamonds, more preciousthan gold, The sorrow I bring is a sight to behold. If you needme, remember! Imeasily found, I live allaround you inschools and in town. Ilive with the rich; Ilive with the poor, Ilive down the street,and maybe next door.

Im made in alab, but not like youthink, I can be madeunder the kitchensink. In your childscloset, and even in the woods, If this scares you to death, well itcertainly should. I have many names, buttheres one you know best, Im sure youveheard of me, my name is crystal meth.

My power is awesome; try me youll see,But if you do, you may never break free. Justtry me once and I might let you go, But try metwice, and Ill own your soul. When I possessyou, youll steal and youll lie, You do what youhave to just to get high. The crimes youllcommit for my narcotic charms Will be worththe pleasure youll feel in your arms, yourlungs, your nose.

Youll lie to your mother; youll steafrom your dad, When you see their tears, youshould feel sad. But youll forget your moralsand how you were raised, Ill be yourconscience, Ill teach you my ways. I take kids

from parents, and parents from kids, I turnpeople from God, and separate friends. Ill takeeverything from you, your looks and yourpride, Ill be with you always right by yourside.

Youll give up everything - your family your home, Your friends, your money, theyoull be alone. Ill take and take, till you havenothing more to give, When Im finished with you, youll be lucky to live. If you try me bwarned - this is no game, If given the chanceIll drive you insane. Ill ravish your body, Ilcontrol your mind, Ill own you completely

your soul will mine.

Thenightmares Ill give you while lying ibed, The voices youllhear, from inside your head. sweats, the shakesthe visions youll see

I want you to knowthese are all giftsfrom me. But thenits too late, and youll know in youheart, That you aremine, and we shall

not part. Youll regret that you tried me, theyalways do, But you came to me, not I to you.

You knew this is would happen, mantimes you were told, But you challenged my

power, and chose to be bold. You could havesaid no, and just walked away, If you could livethat day over, now what would you say? Ill beyour master, you will be my slave, Ill even gowith you, when you go to your grave.

Now that you have met me, what wil you do? Will you try me or not? Its all up to you. I can bring you more misery than wordcan tell, Come take my hand, let me lead you tohell.


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Dedication of theBilly Graham Library

A frail Billy Graham, using a walker and leaningon his son Franklin, was honored Thursday by three

former U.S. presidents as they dedicated a museum built tobe a "living crusade" that will carry on his work after theminister is gone.

The $27 million Billy Graham Library traces theevangelist's journey from farm boy to the most widelyheard minister of all time. He befriended every U.S.president since Harry Truman and preached in person tomore than 210 million.

"This building behind me is just a building,"Graham said in brief remarks. "It's an instrument, a toolfor the Gospel. The primary thing is the Gospel of Christ."

In a keynote address a crowd of about 1,500,

President George H.W. Bush wept as he said how muchthe minister meant to him, calling Graham "a spiritual giftto all of us." Bush noted Graham had comforted fourgenerations of his family; that includes President GeorgeW. Bush.

Presidents Carter and Clinton recalled howGraham's insistence that his crusades in packed stadiumsbe racially integrated helped bring blacks and whitestogether in the South.

But Clinton said Graham is just as impressive forthe personal kindness. "When he prays with you in theOval Office or upstairs in the White House, you feel he'spraying for you, not the president," Clinton said.

Graham, 88, suffers from fluid on the brain,prostate cancer and Parkinson's disease, and is largelyconfined to his home in Montreat. His hair thinning andhis face dotted by age spots, he was driven by golf cart tothe outdoor stage, where aides helped him to his seat inheat inching toward 90 degrees. His wife Ruth, 86, hasdegenerative osteoarthritis of the back and neck and isbedridden at their home.

The 40,000-square-foot complex was built on thegrounds of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, andamong its designers was the ITEC Entertainment Co., ofOrlando, Fla., which has done work for Disney and other

theme parks. The dairy farm where the preacher grew up isjust a few miles from the site and the library reflects hisroots.

The cavernous lobby is meant to resemble a barnwith scattered bales of hay and milk cans. The sounds of acackling chicken and neighing horse are piped in. The firstBible verse Graham's mother taught him, John 3:16, "ForGod so loved the world that he gave his one and onlySon," is engraved onto a rafter.

To the right is a cow shed, where a display thathas drawn the most curiosity stands. An animatronic

black-and-white cow named Bessie says in a southerndrawl that Graham has been "preaching the pure milk ofGod's word for 60 years." Bessie tells kids to "get moo-ving" to learn more about the preacher.

Critics have dubbed the display the "Golden Calf"and say it cheapens Billy Graham's legacy. But Franklin

Graham said it is meant as an appeal to children. The museum, which reporters toured before th

ceremony Thursday, is more heartfelt tribute thanscholarly review.

Graham's personal papers will be stored at the

museum, while documents related to his crusades wilremain in an archive at Wheaton College, the prominenevangelical school in Illinois where the minister and hiswife met as students.

There are photos of Graham with the U.presidents he befriended and displays of gifts they gavehim, including a golf club and a check that PresidenNixon had given the preacher as an offering. Howeverthere is no mention of how Graham's close ties withNixon had cast a shadow on the minister.

Old TV sets broadcast clips of the troubled timesin America when Graham preached, including the CiviRights era. Graham has been praised for integrating hiscrusades starting in 1953, but also criticized for hisrestrained support for the movement.

Designers have recreated the scene of Graham's

1949 Los Angeles tent revival, dubbed the "CanvasCathedral," that lasted for weeks, drawing nationaattention to his ministry for the first time. A replica of theBerlin Wall is meant to underscore how remarkable it wasthat Graham won permission from communisgovernments to evangelize behind the Iron Curtain.

Billy Graham's children have been divided overwhere their parents should be buried at the library or atThe Cove, a Bible training center near the Grahams' homeFranklin Graham believes his parents have decided thelocation, but "haven't made that public yet."

HB Newsletter Volume 11 - Number 08

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