Olivet Nazarene University Digital Commons @ Olivet Herald of Holiness/Holiness Today Church of the Nazarene 12-1-1993 Herald of Holiness Volume 82 Number 12 (1993) Wesley D. Tracy (Editor) Nazarene Publishing House Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.olivet.edu/cotn_hoh Part of the Christian Denominations and Sects Commons, Christianity Commons, History of Christianity Commons, Missions and World Christianity Commons, and the Practical Theology Commons Recommended Citation Tracy, Wesley D. (Editor), "Herald of Holiness Volume 82 Number 12 (1993)" (1993). Herald of Holiness/Holiness Today. 72. https://digitalcommons.olivet.edu/cotn_hoh/72 This Journal Issue is brought to you for free and open access by the Church of the Nazarene at Digital Commons @ Olivet. It has been accepted for inclusion in Herald of Holiness/Holiness Today by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Olivet. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Christmas Story in John He Learned to Smile Again Self-surrender, Prelude to Service Size Seven Shoes in Its Place... the homes of friends and family members a correctional institution in your community the waiting room of a hospital the home of an elderly church member dorm rooms of college kids in every your Nazarene public library your home mailbox! Give the Herald this Christmas We will enter a subscription for someone you love □ One year $10.00 Yes, please enter a gift subscription □I—I rri1 wo years i19.00 n nn f°r: nlC: □ Three years 2 8 .0 0 Name --------------------------------------------------- Name - Address_________________________________________________ Address_________________________ Phone, Toll-free city____________________________________ C ity___________________ 1-800-877-0700 State/Prov.___________________ Z ip _____________________ State/Prov._____________________ Zip C ontents DECEMBER 1993 VOLUME 82, NO. 12 FEATURES 6 The Christmas Story According to John A LB E R T J. L O W N 8 Poinsettias and Lilies IANET WHITE 10 Defeat the Holiday Doldrums SHIRLEY POPE WAITE 12 He Learned to Smile Again S T A N M EEK 26 I Will Sing of My Redeemer KEITH SCHWANZ 32 Self-surrender, Prelude to Service IANINE TARTAGLIA 37 Is God’s Money in Your Pocket? MORRIS CHALFANT 38 God’s Writing Career W . E. M cCU M BER 40 Size Seven Shoes CLAUDE T. STAUFFER CONTINUING COLUMNS 2 General Superintendent’s Viewpoint, t a m e s h d i e h l 23 In a W oman’s Voice, r e b e c c a l a i r d 24 Into the Word, r o g e r l . h a h n 25 W hen You Pray, e d e e f r e e b o r n 46 Observer at Large, j o h n c . b o w l i n g DEPARTMENTS 3 Editor’s Choice, w e s l e y d t r a c y 4 The Readers Write 18-22,42-44 News, MARK GRAHAM, TOM FELDER 28 The Question Box 30 Words and Music 45 Close to Home, t o m f e e d e r 47 Marked Copy, m a r k g r a h a m 48 Late News, m a r k g r a h a m , t o m f e e d e r POETRY 11 Poetry for the Christmas Season MARILYN HOCHHEISER, MARLENE J. CHASE, SHERRI LANGTON PERSONAL EXPERIENCE FEATURE COVER PHOTO 14 God’s Wheelchair Grace, j u d i r e e d a s t o l d t o b o b h o s t e t l e r Jim Whitmer Photography s r VIEWPOINT ................... .. A A A A A A Clay in the Master’s Hands by James H. Diehl uesday, July 17, 1993, was a Verses started to speak to me from ture! We are the day. God is the Pot­ very difficult day for me. As a every chapter between Isaiah 41 and ter. When we surrendered everything delegate to the General As­ 50. "When you pass through the wa­ to God and were sanctified, we totally sembly from the Colorado ters, I will be with you; and through placed our little “piece of clay” in the District, I was in my assigned the rivers, they shall not overflow almighty hands of God. How could seat trying to keep up with the you. When you walk through the fire, we be totally surrendered to God but business at hand. The difficul­ you shall not be burned, nor shall the at the same time tell Him, “I don’t ty came concerning the vote for gen­flame scorch you. For 1 am the Lord like what You are making of me”? At Teral superintendent. Five ballots yourhad God” (43:1-3, NKJV). that hotel couch in Indianapolis, been cast, and I saw the rising number Dorothy and I again surrendered to My wife and I struggled. We still of votes that were cast for me. the Potter! The answer was yes. wanted to return to Denver to pastor My problem is that I am a pastor, Can you believe the blessing in my the greatest people in the world. We through and through. I have been a heart when, at our first district assem­ college administrator and a district su­ bly as a general superintendent, a re­ perintendent, but I always longed to tired district superintendent prayed. get back to my first love— pastoring a "When you pass through the waters. I great group of God’s people. I re­ G iv e t h e d iv in e p o t t e r will be with you . .”? At our second turned to the pastorate at Denver First district assembly, the district superin­ Church in May 1989. Dorothy and I PERMISSION TO MAKE OF YOU tendent stood and read from Isaiah, had never been happier. God had just WHAT HE WILL. "When you walk through the fire, helped us to receive 193 new mem­ you shall not be burned.” For the bers into the church, 130 of whom third time in three weeks, God was were new Nazarenes. Attendance was speaking to us from the same scrip­ growing. Great altar services occurred ture in Isaiah! I looked from the plat­ regularly. Finances were strengthen­ even prayed out loud, “Lord, please form into the congregation and ing. I was challenged and fulfilled. don’t do this to us!” caught Dorothy’s eye. We could not More than 700 members had joined Wednesday morning came. The conceal the smiles on our faces nor the church the past four years. session opened. The report on the the songs in our hearts. The Potter I left the Hoosier Dome after Tues­ sixth ballot was read. I had just been was forming the clay as He desired day’s business session with a heavy elected the 29th general superinten­ and confirmed it to us in two different heart. Ballot number six had just been dent of the Church of the Nazarene. I district assemblies in two different cast. Many were saying that our lives tried to see Dorothy in the gallery, but states. had just been changed forever. We re­ 1 couldn’t find her. I found myself on In this Christmas month, while you ally didn’t want to talk about it—just the platform asking for an hour to go give gifts to others, why not give a go to our hotel room and be alone. back to the hotel room to pray. I had gift to our Lord Jesus Christ? Whose We talked. We cried. We prayed. I to know if this was of God or man. birthday is it anyway? Let me urge knew I needed help, so I opened the Dorothy and I got on our knees and you to give Him a piece of clay. You. Bible to Isaiah 41 and started to read. prayed. We cried again. The Holy All of you. Give it to Him with no Scriptures started to jump out at Spirit whispered a scripture to my strings attached. Give the Divine Pot­ me: “Fear not, for I am with you; be mind that I had read on Tuesday, ter permission to not dismayed, for I am your God. I "Woe to him who strives with his make of you what will strengthen you, yes I will help Maker! . Shall the clay say to him He will. If you do, you, I will uphold you with My righ­ who forms it, ‘What are you mak­ there will be a day teous right hand" (41:10, NKJV). ing?”’ (Isaiah 45:9, NKJV). My para­ when you won’t be Reading on to verse 13: “For I, the phrase of that verse is, “Shall the clay able to conceal the Lord your God, will hold your right say to Him who forms it, ‘I don’t like smile on your face hand, saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will what You are m aking’?” How the nor the song in help you.’” Spirit spoke to me through that scrip­ your heart. 2 H er a l d o f H oliness Editor’ s C hoice What I Found Out About God neighbor’s wife, but those aren’t the herit my holy hill” (Isaiah 57:13, only things that grieve our Lord. NEB). He taught me to pray with Looking at the chart of my spiritual David, “And now, Lord, what wait I journey, 1 see a point at which I was for? my hope is in thee” (Psalm 39:7, willing to give up the whole idea of KJV). ministry.