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VOLUME 15 ISSUE 6 NOV-DEC 2014 TheShining Light

UNITED

WE STAND UNITED WE STAND “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” Psalm 133:1 Sis. Merlene Scott

Dearest children of the Shining Light! Come with me to- be like a herd that formed a circle with one of the oxen turned day to the Arctic–a snowy land known for its endless winter backwards or sideways! What do you think would happen? nights. Shhh! What is that noise? It’s a loud noise! Sounds like Yes, it would give the enemy an inlet to get to the young and a herd of wild beasts. Oh! It is a pack of arctic wolves chasing the weak. Not so in the church of God! We have unity here, a musk ox. The poor creature is running for dear life! children, and you need not fear. Oh, thank God! Would that All of a sudden, seemingly out of nowhere, there appears there were more precious children that were as privileged as another pack…wolves? No! A herd of musk oxen, and they you and I to have the security that we have. “For they watch are doing some sort of ritual movement. They have united for your souls.” Heb. 13:17. together with their horns lowered, helping them form a seri- You and I must follow the example of unity that our min- ous barricade, which could be deadly for the enemy. They are istry has set for us! You may say, “Well, that’s the ministry’s getting shoulder to shoulder to form a circle, while the one duty; I don’t have to protect anyone–I am just a child.” No, no, being chased (a younger one), runs at top speed straight into no, you are wrong! You have to keep the unity in your class- the middle of the herd! Once there, its worry is over. There are rooms, at service, and especially at home. You have a big job other weaker and younger musk oxen in the circle too. to do! If you cannot get along with your siblings at home, then Now, the battle begins! Or does it? The musk ox that was you will not get along with your classmates either, and that being chased by the wolves knew that it was no match for will spill over into service as well. Work on unity at home, and the wolves by itself. However, if it could just reach the herd you will see how beautifully it works everywhere else. from which it had strayed, then all would be well! The fear- Guard against envy, jealousy, selfi shness, and pride. The song less musk oxen will bravely face the enemy and defend the says, “Old Satan is working mighty hard to get me to falter…” young and the weak within the circle. They are known for their And he is–don’t let him get you! Pray for each other instead! unity and can battle with any creature in the Arctic! The pack Unity is not a strange word among the saints. You may of wolves, having been in this situation before, snarls and growls, hear it just about every service you attend. Why? Because it is but makes a wise decision to scatter and go on about its business. beautiful in the sight of God. “How beautiful it is for brethren To me, this is a beautiful picture of the church of God! to dwell together in unity!” May the Lord bless us all, dear Have you ever been in trouble and needed help? There is no children, as we work together as one, for His name’s sake. place like home! At home you will fi nd your Father, God Al- mighty, and your mother, the church, ready to defend you, and Some characteristics of the musk ox: defend you they will. • The “boss” is a thick, broad plate which cov- I can recall several times in my life, feeling like the little ers the head like a helmet, ten inches wide and several musk ox chased by ravenous wolves! My thoughts were, “If inches thick. I can just talk to Bro. Danny or Bro. Ray, if I can just get to • When a grizzly bear attacks a musk ox, he will those that watch for my soul, all will be well!” Guess what, lose; the grizzly is no match for those powerful horns. children? It was true! They stopped the wolves in their tracks! • A musk ox can throw a wolf so high that the fall And regardless of which minister you talk to, they will all say alone would break the wolf’s legs or ribs. the same thing! • A musk ox sets off a unique, strong, musky odor You cannot feel protected if one minister tells you one beneath its eye to warn of an imminent attack. thing and another tells you something different. That would

THE SHINING LIGHT*** PAGE 2 THE SHINING LIGHT Subsidiary of The Gospel Trumpet Editor: Sis. Christine Thilmony    Please direct correspondence to: The Shining Light Psalm 119:109 says, “My soul is con- so I can get interest, or I will do such and P.O. Box 1139 tinually in my hand...” In another verse in such so I can get more.” But one servant Greenville, OH 45331 Matthew 25:14-30, we fi nd a very impor- was foolish. As he looked at what was giv- E-mail: [email protected] tant parable. This parable describes how en to him, he despised it and didn’t realize    many people act in our day. its true value. Maybe he thought something A certain man, perhaps a king, was go- like this to himself, “This isn’t my money The Shining Light is operated under ing on a trip, but he had some important anyway. Why should I work with it and try the authority of the general ministerial body of the Church of God. things to take care of fi rst. He called three to make more? The more the king has, the servants to himself, perhaps his most trust- more he wants. He is so hard to please! He ed ones, and said he needed to go away. gives us money and says, ‘Make more for He couldn’t tell them when he would be when I come again.’ I will just bury my vants faithful and welcomed them into his back, but they should be ready for him at talent, and when he comes back, he can kingdom. Lord grant that He will say that all times. But have it all back. about us! But the one servant was called before he left, That way I won't foolish and unwise. Why? Because he was

he wanted to lose anything lazy and didn’t want to do anything wrong.

give them each y Soul or do anything Do you ever feel that way? You know something, M wrong.” The you should testify, pray out, etc., but you something very Bible calls this hesitate because you are scared to do some- special that was servant wicked thing wrong. What you are saying is, “I will a part of him- and slothful. bury my talent.” Or maybe you feel like, self, and that he This par- “Why should I always do these things? It wanted to have able is a won- seems the more I do, the more the Master back when he derful example wants me to do!” Don’t bury your talent! returned. They Is in My Hand of the verse Remember, your soul is in your hands. The were to use we started out Master may return at any moment, and may this money with in Psalm He fi nd us busy increasing what He has and work with it, and increase it. So he left 119:109. Just as these servants were given given us.  —Sis. Nettie Schmidt reminding them he could return any time. something very special from their master, That meant get busy quickly! so we have been given something very im- So we have the servants each holding portant from our Master. Something that is in their hand something directly from their not our own, but is a part of Himself that Lord. I can imagine that as they stood look- He has entrusted to our care. He is expect- ing at their money many suggestions and ing us as his servants to deal wisely with perhaps selfi sh temptations came to mind. what He has given to us. We need to look at But the Bible says that two of the servants our soul as if we carry it in our hands. The were wise. As they stood looking at what Lord is expecting us to increase what He Each of us holds was in their hands and as many different has given us. When we are tempted to do thoughts passed through their minds, they unwise things, we need to look down into in our hand something stopped and thought to themselves, “No, our hands and say, “This is my soul that has directly this is not my money, and the king might been entrusted to me by God. What if the from our Lord. come back soon. Those things would not King would come back right now?” When make him happy. I will put it into the bank the king returned, he called the two ser-

THE SHINING LIGHT*** PAGE 3 “...Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15 NEPAL

T

The Buddhist temple pictured here is called Bouhatani, and R is in Kathmandu, Nepal. I Hinduism is the primary religion P

Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world.

THE SHINING LIGHT*** PAGE 4 “...Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15

Nepal is a country in Asia surrounded by later times in the day consisted of both meat curry China and India. Within its boundaries, the high- and rice. Due to a strong British infl uence, tea was est mountain peak in the world, Mount Everest, also served twice each day. NEPAL resides in the Himalayas along with seven other Because they stayed at the mission home, the of the world’s top ten mountain peaks. Nepal is brothers were able to spend hours with the chil- populated by almost twenty-eight billion people dren in the home. A few of the children were able and is about the size of the U.S. state of Iowa, to speak English quite well. The brothers spent whose population is three million. time talking and playing games with them. The Bro. Patrick O’Shea and Bro. Isaac Griffi th children enjoyed playing basketball and soccer. were just one hundred miles from Mount Everest They were also very interested in learning new when their fl ight landed in Kathmandu on October children’s songs and having Bible studies. 11, 2014. They were transported from the airport The saints gathered for meetings on October in a taxi van to the children’s home of the church 14-16. Bro. O’Shea preached and taught the doc- of God, which is about thirty minutes away. They trines of the church of God to the saints and the stayed at the children’s home during their eight- visitors who came. The meetings were held in the day stay in Kathmandu. meeting room in the mission house. The children The brothers were greeted and re- present in the meeting far outnumbered the adults ceived with much joy by the saints and and carried the meetings with their strong singing were afterward shown to the rooms which and faithful testimonies. had been carefully prepared for them. The brothers returned to the airport in Kath- The brethren joined in the daily schedule of the mandu on October 19, 2014, for the eighteen- children including morning devotions at 6:00 a.m. hour return trip to the United States. They were followed by a breakfast meal of an egg omelette very encouraged by the saints, the children, and sandwich. The lunch and supper meals served at the work in Nepal!

THE SHINING LIGHT*** PAGE 5 Prayer Warriors

Precious saints, them. The Lord chose Bro. Daniel W. Layne to be a faithful We are so blessed today to be a part of the children of leader, and we see where the body of the Lord is today. We God. We have been rescued from so much wickedness in this have come a long, long way from where we were to where we dark and sinful world. God has chosen true men and women, are today. Restoration would not be what it is today if there had children and young people to stand in the gap. Who will be the not been real prayer warriors. one that is willing to wrestle in prayer for souls as Jacob did? When I think about prayer warriors, I think about Sis. Ag- Gen. 32:24-32. atha Froese, who has gone on to be E. M. Bounds tells us, “God with the Lord. So often she prayed shapes the world by prayer. The for her two sons to be saved, and re- more praying there is in the world, quested prayer for them. She lived the better the world will be and the to see the fruit of her consistent mightier the forces against evil ev- praying. But even if we never live to erywhere. Prayer, in one phase of see our prayers answered, but con- its operation, is a disinfection and tinue to have faith in God, He will a preventative. It purifi es the air; it truly work on souls. destroys the contagion of evil. The Sis. Phyllis Hargrave was a very life and prosperity of God's wonderful Mother in Israel. She was cause, even its very existence, de- a kind, loving sister. When her sons pend on prayer. Only praying hearts did not want to go this way, she and hands can do God’s work.” prayed for them. They could not Sometimes we as human be- enjoy themselves in their sin, be- ings feel so feeble. Thinking about cause they knew their mother was © Dollar Photo Club how much iniquity there is upon this praying for them. The Lord glori- earth, we may not feel that we are ously saved them. able to do very much, but if we can There are also those that en- move God’s hand, that will make a dured great affl iction like Sis. Pe- difference. When we pray in faith, it ters, yet she was always glad to moves the hand of God to deal with have the saints over. Although some souls. When God can save souls through our prayers we can may have been very weak in their bodies, they were steadfastly glorify His name more. minded and grounded in the truth. Oh, that we had more children and young people that knew Now the question is, what will you do when you are tried? how to bring souls to Jesus. God needs true prayer warriors to When there is someone in need of prayer, can he depend upon further the Gospel work. No person is a soul winner who is not you? It is important, children, when you pray to think about to an expert in the ministry of prayer. whom you are praying and to be consistent. We see those that have gone on before us and laboured “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth for the Lord, and how He was able to do great things through much.” James 5:16b.  —Sis. Tina Dyck

THE SHINING LIGHT*** PAGE 6 Sophia wondered where she would be Victory through if she had given up and not persevered. She knew that she probably would not be doing well spiritually. From that time on, Perseverance Sophia set it in her heart that she would take every opportunity to go against Sa- The second week of June began just and hurried outside to do her chores. tan’s plan for her life. as every other week before it. Sophia Later that night, once the children Sometimes we may think that the had been having a hard time with her at- were in bed, Sophia sat down at her desk progress we are making is very small and titudes, and she had set it in her heart that to read her Bible. When she had fi nished that nobody will notice. Maybe people this summer she was going to do better. reading, she began to review in her mind will not notice at fi rst, but eventually it She had decided to really begin working everything that had happened during the will begin to show on the outside and on it this week. day. It had not always been easy to have people will notice. When you feel like Early Monday morning after Sophia a good attitude. When she knelt down to giving up, just continue to do your very was fi nished with her chores, she went pray, she thanked God for helping her. Al- best, and God will help you and give you into the house and helped Mother pre- though it did not seem as if she had got- strength for the battle. As one man said, pare breakfast. Once breakfast was over ten very far, Sophia was very encouraged “The smallest deed is better than the and the dishes were washed, Sophia went with the progress she had made. greatest intention.”  to her room to fi nish reading an interest- Tuesday morning everything seemed —Sis. JoAnn Miller (Age 17) ing book she had begun the week before. to go wrong. It seemed to Sophia as if Just as she was settling down to read, she could not do anything right, but she Mother called continued doing TESTIMONIES and said that she her best anyway. “The smallest deed needed some By lunchtime Praise the Lord, help weeding is better than things seemed I am thankful to be a part of the the garden for the greatest intention.” to have settled church of God. I am very thankful that I a few hours. down a little. can the privilege to be saved in this end At fi rst Sophia Even though the time. I can truly say it is wonderful to be was tempted to become annoyed, but she morning had been hard, Sophia’s heart a Christian. quickly reminded herself that with God’s was singing with joy! When she went to Sis. Selena Zacharias (Age 11) help she was going to have a good atti- bed that night, her heart was at peace, and Durango, Mexico tude. Getting up quickly, she went outside she was ready to face the morrow. to help Mother. Wednesday morning dawned clear My Salvation! By the time an hour had passed, So- and bright, but the fi ght seemed even Dear saints, phia and Mother were nearly fi nished harder than on Tuesday. All morning it I’m so glad to be saved and in the weeding the garden. Once they were fi n- seemed like her siblings were getting into church of God. I’m so glad to have true ished, Sophia went into the house to pre- everything, which made it much hard- salvation. I am thankful there is a place pare lunch. As she was setting the table, er to have a good attitude. Sophia was where I can get food for my soul. Thank she thanked God for helping her have a tempted to give up in despair, but still she God for His Church. Please pray for me. good attitude even though she had not persevered. Sis. Bethany Tinsman (Age 9) been able to do what she had wanted to. When they reached service that eve- Ohio, USA She was glad that she had not allowed ning, she could hardly wait to testify Mother to see her disappointment. about what the Lord had done for her! Praise the Lord! After lunch, Sophia helped Mother However, Satan was not going to give up I am so thankful that the Lord in his put the little ones down for a nap. Mother easily. He had used Sophia's bad attitudes great mercy saved a sinner as I was. I am told Sophia that she was allowed to read against her for a long time. Soon after ser- so thankful that I am not just a child but her book while the children were sleep- vice started, Sophia began to feel as if she a child of God. My desire is that the Lord ing. She quickly washed the lunch dishes really had not won a great victory. As ser- would make me stronger and stronger as I and went to her room to read her book. vice progressed, Satan continued to work walk this narrow way and I desire to help When almost two hours had passed, So- hard on her, but again she persevered. As other souls to get onto the narrow way as phia put down her book and went to help she testifi ed, the battle ended and she was well. Lord bless you. Mother get her siblings up from their the victor! Sis. Annie Hiebert (Age 12) naps. Then Sophia slipped her shoes on Many times after that experience, Durango, Mexico

THE SHINING LIGHT*** PAGE 7 The Man That Died for Me

J.K. Barney

For many years I wanted to go as a foreign missionary, bered his mother, hoping to fi nd a tender place in his heart; but my way seemed hedged about. At last I went to live in but he cursed her. I spoke of God, and he cursed Him. I tried California. Life was rough in the mining country where I to speak of Jesus and His death for us, but he stopped me with lived, with my husband and little boys. his oaths, and said, “That’s all a lie. Nobody ever died for While there, I heard of a man who lived over the hills and others.” was dying of consumption. The men said, “He is so vile that I went away discouraged, saying to myself that I knew it no one can stay with him; so we place some food near him, and was of no use. But the next day I went again, and every day leave him for twenty-four hours. We will fi nd him dead some- for two weeks. He did not show the gratitude of a dog, and at time, and the sooner the better. Never had a relative, I guess.” the end of that time I said that I was not going any more. That This pitiful story haunted me as I went about my work. night as I was putting my little boy to bed, I did not pray for For three days I tried to get some one to go to see him and the miner. My little boy noticed it and said, fi nd out if he was in need of better care. As I turned from the “Mama, you did not pray for the bad man.” last man, vexed with his indifference, the thought came to me: “No,” I answered with a sigh. “Why not go yourself? Here is missionary work, if you want it.” “Have you given him up, Mama?” I will not tell how I weighed the probable uselessness of “Yes, I guess so.” my going, nor how I shrank “Has God given him up, Mama? Ought you to give him Has God given him up, from one so vile as he. It up till God does?” Mama? was not the kind of work I I could not sleep that night. I thought of the dying man, so Ought you to give him up wanted. vile, and with no one to care! I rose and went away by myself But at last one day I to pray; but the moment that I knelt, I was overpowered by the till God does? went over the hills to the sense of how little meaning there had been to my prayers. I little abode. It was a mud cabin, containing but one room. The had no faith, and I had not really cared, beyond a kind of half- door stood open. In one corner, on some straw and colored blan- hearted sentiment. I had not claimed his soul for God. kets, I found the dying man. Sin had left awful marks on his Oh, the shame of such missionary zeal! I fell on my face face, and if I had not heard that he could not move, I should literally, as I cried, “O Christ, give me a little glimpse of the have retreated. As my shadow fell over the fl oor, he looked up worth of a human soul!” Did you, Christian, ever ask that and and greeted me with an oath. I stepped forward a little, and mean it? Do not do it unless you are willing to give up ease again he swore. and selfi sh pleasure; for life will be a different thing to you “Don’t speak so, my friend,” I said. after this revelation. “I ain’t your friend. I ain’t got any friends,” he said. I remained on my knees until Calvary became a reality “Well, I am your friend, and–” to me. I cannot describe those hours. They came and went un- But the oaths came quickly, and he said, “You ain’t my heeded; but I learned that night what I had never known be- friend. I never had any friends, and I don’t want any now.” fore–what it was to travail for a human soul. I saw my Lord as I reached out, at arm’s length, the fruit I had brought for I had never seen him before. I knelt there till the answer came... him, and stepping back to the doorway, asked if he remem- To be continued