People who know how to pray to move God to take hold of our affairs in a mighty way

Alan Hermann

Above all else the Church today needs people who will constantly claim and prove God’s promises in prayer. These are the people who will determine the health and future of the modern church. It is not educated people we need today. It is not more money that the church requires. (The church is never short of money but of God centred prayer warriors who live their prayers.) It is not better structures, more programs, improved facilities or effective publicity helpful though these are. It is people of all ages and backgrounds who know how to pray, who will in prayer move God to take hold of our affairs in a mighty way and put life and power into the church and all its structures. Such prayer is dangerous. When it is active radical things happen and we must be prepared for our lives to be shaken to their foundations. Are we people who are available to God to be used when the Holy Spirit moves in response to prayer? If so then let us pray and risk everything to God. We will never be the same again. Are we game?

Parish, local church community - Parochie, plaatselijke kerkgemeenschap

Parochie: Parish

ME Parroche paroisse fr L parochia fr LGk paroika fr paroikos Christian (fr Gk stranger, fr par para + oikos house) fr the early Christians looking upon themselves as strangers on earth, their real home being the Kingdom of God.

The ecclesiastical unit of area committed to one pastor; the local church community; a portion of diocese committed to the pastoral care of the clergyman. A district having its own church and minister or priest.




For the first Christians the parish was the house where the 'foreigners' came together.  They looked at themselves as foreigners who stayed here on this earth as temporary residences, or getting this earth in loan, until they could enter the Kingdom of God.

In the Roman catholic Catholic Church the parish became the ecclesiastic order that constitutes part of a diocese, about which a priest has been appointed.
By some protestant groups, it is the ecclesiastic municipality or the church community or congregation.  Also the association is named in the Netherlands once in a while  briefly 'the Soos'. 

By several Biblestudents one speaks more of the church community or ecclesia, by which the inhabitants of a larger territory are meant, that belong to a particular group, or follow their service  in a particular house or church or temple, considered being part of that ecclesia.

In general we can say that it is the independent ecclesiastic municipality of a denomination, under a priest, pastor or minister, which mostly forms a part of a large town or a city- municipality with a separate preacher. 

The parish transforms then the ecclesiastic territory, by the R. Catholic Church as a division of a diocese, about which a priest or legal person is appointed, there, on the order of the bishop, to take care of the soul-service.  This priest becomes named priest, pastor or minister .  The priest and its co-helpers (curates in the Catholic Church) (Elders in protestant communities) form together the parish-ministers, parish clergy or parish-elders. The Roman Catholics, that in a particular Parish have their domicile or seemingly domicilie, are the parishioners; they must turn to for their clergyman matters to the priest of the Parish. 

To set up a Parish for the Roman Catholics , change or to cancel it can only be done by the local ordinarius (the bishop of the diocees).  In the Mission, this church resort seemingly-Parish (quasi-Parish) is than  a part of an Apostolic vicariate or prefecture (Apostolic vicaris and Apostolic prefect).



The parish Church is then that church, that has been built for a particular parish in which the religious service shall be held, and the parishioners be administered the sacraments  (baptism, marriage, etc.) and their funerals are held.

Voor de eerste Christenen was de parochie het huis van de vreemdelingen waar samen gekomen werd. Zij aanzagen zichzelf als vreemdelingen die hier voorlopig verblijven, of de aarde in leen krijgen, tot zij het Koninkrijk van God kunnen binnen gaan.

In de Rooms Katholieke Kerk werd de parochie het kerkelijk gebied dat deel  uitmaakt van een bisdom, waarover een pastoor is aangesteld.
Bij sommige protestantse groepen is het de kerkelijke gemeente of geeft het de kerkgemeenschap of congregatie weer. Ook wordt het wel eens de sociëteit genoemd of in Nederland kortweg 'de Soos'.

Bij verscheiden Bijbelstudenten spreekt men eerder van de kerkgemeenschap of ecclesia, waarbij de bewoners van een groter gebied die bij een bepaalde groep behoren of hun dienst volgen in een bepaald huis of kerkgebouw of tempel, dan als behorende tot die ecclesia worden beschouwd.

Algemeen zou men kunnen zeggen dat het de zelfstandige kerkelijke gemeente is van een denominatie, onder een pastoor, pastor of dominee, welk meestal slechts een deel van een grote dorps of stadsgemeente met een aparte predikant vormt.

De parochie vormt dan het kerkelijk gebied, bij de R.Katholieke Kerk deel van een bisdom, waarover een priester of juridische persoon is aangesteld, om er, in opdracht van de bisschop, de zielzorg uit te oefenen. Deze priester wordt pastoor, pastor of dominee genoemd. De pastoor en zijn medehelpers (kapelaans in de Katholieke Kerk) (Ouderlingen in protestantse gemeenschappen) vormen tezamen de parochie-geestelijken of parochie-oversten. De katholieken, die in een bepaalde Parochie hun domicilie of quasi domicilie hebben, zijn de parochianen; zij moeten zich voor hun geestelijke aangelegenheden tot de pastoor van de Parochie wenden.

Een Parochie voor de Katholieken oprichten, veranderen of opheffen kan slechts de plaatselijke ordinarius (de bisschop van het diocees).
In de Missie heet dit kerkressort quasi-Parochie, een onderdeel van een Apostolisch vicariaat of prefectuur (Apostolisch vicaris en Apostolisch prefect).

De Parochiekerk is dan die kerk die voor een bepaalde parochie gebouwd is,  waarin de godsdienstoefeningen worden gehouden en de parochianen de sacramenten worden toegediend (doopsel, huwelijk, etc.) en hun uitvaart wordt gehouden.

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kerkdorp, kerkgemeenschap, binnen-/buiten-parochie, filiaalkerk, dochterkerk

The task given to us to love each other

And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.

1 John 4:21, New International Version

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     We must love our brothers and sisters in Christ. This reminder, however, is the clincher. If we love God, then we must love his children and our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Notice that the word isn't "should" or "will try" or "want to." No, we must. The Bible is careful not to put many "must do" or "thou shalt" commands in Scripture. But God's point is clear. Love of each other is not optional, negotiable, or even something to be delayed. God sent Jesus to die for the sins of all of God's children. How can we not love those for whom Christ gave so much? As Paul will say to the Corinthians, "God's love compels us!" We MUST love.

    Sovereign LORD, forgive my sometimes selective practice of loving your children. I ask you now to bless, to nourish, and to sustain my brothers and sisters in Christ. I want to pray in particular for several of your children who have great trials and burdens... (please list some of those you know who need God's help). In addition, dear Father, please use me to minister to them in tangible ways. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Dutch version / Nederlandse versie > Opdracht om anderen lief te hebben

The business of this life

SOMETHING TO CHEW ON

As Jesus watched the people of his day criss-crossing the pathways of Palestine, and possibly thinking also of all those coming in the future, he said: “Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with ... the cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares” (Luke 21:34).

 The business of this life is not adding business to business and land to land, or diploma to diploma, or dollar note to dollar note. The business of this life is a personal preparation for the coming of the Lord and the ensuing fellowship with him throughout eternity. The hope of eternity with Christ ought to be as real to every businessman as his balance sheet. It should be as real to every worker as his pay packet, but unfortunately, it is not so. The crumbling, material things that are seen are given more attention than the indestructible things that as yet are not seen.

 Above the din of the market, the buzz of social gossip, the stamping and mirth of the pleasure spots, booms the unmistakable voice of Jesus Christ with a steadying question: “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” How foolish to grasp out after possessions far and wide and in doing so pass up the most priceless treasure closest at hand - one’s own soul. Some may think this question applies only to would-be world dictators, tycoons, and top-flight entertainers. But no; it sounds into everyone’s world. The busy housewife can lose her own soul among the shopping, the baking, the washing, the social round, if she lets life slip by without seeking after God. Of what value then is all her busyness? The daughter of fashion can lose hers among the style books, the fabric counters, the dress shops, if she does not stop to pin her faith securely on the hope of a garment of righteousness obtainable only from Jesus Christ. 

There is plenty in a man’s world too, to make him lose his own soul if he will not take time to search Christ out, even though such searching be done at night as was the case with Nicodemus when he had his heart to heart talk with Christ. Then what shall it profit?

  This question contains many words used frequently today. “Profit,” “gain,” “loss” - these words escape from the lips of businessmen every second. The far-reaching deal, the sure contract, the safe investment, the “what’s-in-this-for-me” attitude, are like the taxes - for ever with us. “Steady, steady,” sounds the voice of Jesus. “See, that eternity with me is the most far-reaching deal, the surest contract, the safest investment. There is everything in it for you that could possibly be desired. I cannot reveal it to you in perfect detail now, but I must ask you to trust me. I have failed no one yet.” In times of anxiety his voice speaks again: “Steady now, I am with you.”

When we long to retaliate for wrongs done to us, again that calming voice penetrates our hurt and our angry frustration? “Vengeance is mine. Don’t you take the law into your own hands, for I will repay” (see Rom. 12:19). Anger is a great bungler, and it has well been said that we get at odds when we try to get even.

  “Steady, steady,” says the Word of God in times of financial adversity. “The silver is mine and the gold is mine. I can supply your need. I don’t let the righteous beg for bread. David will tell you that.”

  In every age God has used His faithful ministers to halt the headlong rush of His people. Haggai, the great minister of rebuke, called in loud tones to the people of his day: “Consider your ways, consider your ways. See how unprofitable all your selfish striving is. Your wages are going into bags with holes in them. Your grab-all-policy is a lose-all-policy, if only you would wake up and realize it. You are working yourself to death for nothing. There is no lasting gain for you while you let the work of God languish, and there is no satisfaction for you while you give Him no satisfaction by your conduct.”

  Paul, the fearless apostle to the Gentiles, commanded the church members at Corinth to, “Examine yourselves whether you are in the faith; prove your own selves.” Quite likely there were a number of those who heard this who felt hurt at the thought that their minister doubted them. Some would be indignant, but Paul knew what they needed, and though he did not want to upset them, he wanted to stir them to see that their nominal profession of Christianity would not save them. Their faith must be nurtured, and guarded.

  May God bless all the faithful ministers who sound just such a steady warning to the people under their care. And may God give us all the grace to listen to them and to accept their counsel in the spirit in which it is given.

  We must daily seek the Lord with the request that He will prepare us to be sounding boards for the “steady” warning.” Often friends look to us for advice when they feel that they are too close to a situation to sum it up properly. Other times they fail to see that they need some guidance, and this is when we need Divine tact to point it out to them. We are told that we should not give advice unless asked, but that doesn’t always hold good. “A friend in need is a friend indeed,” and “faithful are the wounds of a friend.”   A young girl once said how grateful she was for the timely counsel of an older friend. She had enjoyed a long acquaintance with a young man, but now he was beginning to show trends of conduct that did not fit into acceptable Christian living. The conflict in her mind was sharp. How could she marry him, and yet how could she break it all up? She hesitated, hoping things would change. Came one morning and her friend with it. They talked things over. Finally the friend said: “Remember, while you are single we can do everything to help you, but if you marry him, we can do nothing.” Then she went away. The warning penetrated her confused thinking and settled a decision in her mind. Her friend’s wise departure at that point emphasized the on-your-own-if-you-marry-him part of her message. >From that morning on the young girl determined she would marry a Christian, a true-blue one, or no one at all.

  May God help us all to be faithful and tactful friends. We need to ask the Lord to help us to speak to the point, and not to “let our train of thought be wrecked by a flood of emotion,” when we have to counsel those near and dear to us. Brief, meaningful sentences, full of logic and understanding, penetrate and motivate, whereas an emotional, verbose talk bordering on a long drawn-out speech only produces negative responses.

  In home life, in social life, in business life, and most of all in decisions for eternity, let us heed the Word of God, and the words of our ministers, parents, teachers, and friends.

- John Aldersley

Dutch version / Nederlandse versie > Activiteiten in dit leven nagaan
For related articles in Dutch: raad, wraak, berispen, eeuwigheid, leven, bedoeling, frustratie, woede, voorganger, vriend