Exloring Life Eternal

Robert has been an encouragement over the years as I read emails from him. He has set an excellent example of loving as Jesus did, even in a very tough environment & against the "certainties" the world offers. Recently, the Lord has been gathering together again some of the "least" in this area as well. Seeing the mentally ill & the despondent & discouraged find hope in Jesus is always a great blessing to me!

Peace in Christ,
Mert the blogger

Please visit our updated AGAPE REHAB SOCIETY webpage:
AGAPE REHAB SOCIETY is www.agape-biblia.org/rehab.
We're now seeing 800++ visits per day to our whole website! ...

We just learned that Valerii Petrovich, a client whom we rehabilitated two years ago from a stroke, is now dying from throat cancer. ...

Thursday morning Cheryl and Elena were going to visit Valerii Borisovich. At breakfast we heard on the news about the domed roof collapsing on a huge market, with about 12 people being killed. Cheryl and Elena travelled right past the subway station where the market is located on the way to and from visiting Valerii Borisovich, and while at his place they heard the full details. By today the death toll has reached 64, with more people very likely still buried beneath the rubble. This is the third roof collapse on a public building in Europe this winter, with the heavy snows. The others were in Germany and Poland.

Yesterday I reached a huge milestone: I finished writing and submitted the first draft of my doctoral dissertation, entitled "The Ministry Driven Church." Now I'm waiting for my academic mentor to review it and provide feedback, so I can prepare the final draft. Here's one of the sources that I quoted:

Eternal life has to do with the total man. It concerns not only my soul but also my body. When we finally inherit the Kingdom of God (1 Cor 15:50), that which is mortal - our physical, frail body - will be swallowed up in life. Eternal life includes the redemption of our bodies. The inheritance of the Kingdom of God means the transformation of these bodies of flesh and blood (1 Cor 15:50). All of us, even though we have received the gift of life, are dying. With some, the descent to the grave will be a long, gradual, painful one. With others, it occurs with shocking suddenness. Some will enjoy a large measure of vigour until the very end. But we are all on our way to the grave, for we are dying, mortal creatures. (George Eldon Ladd, The Gospel of the Kingdom, p. 69.)

Some people ask us, "Why do you work with disabled and dying people?" Our simple answer is: "Because Jesus did, and commanded His followers to do the same." The truth is, we're all in that category, and the people who think they aren't, are actually the most disabled and deluded. We have all been disabled by sin and are dying. Although when we work with stroke victims, amputees, etc., we often see significant improvement in their physical health, these physical healings are just a foretaste of the redemption and transformation of our bodies. When our clients, their families and friends see Christ's agape-love changing lives, they want the eternal life He can give!

Prayer and Praise:
1. Pray that the new law for an alternative to military service in Armenia will meet international standards.
2. Pray for positive results from the World Summit of Religious Leaders to take place this July in Moscow.
3. Intercede for Pastor Ernst Sabilo of the Belarusian Evangelical Church in Minsk, a veteran of Soviet labour camps for his faith.
4. Ask the Lord to preserve religious freedom in Russia, as the new law on NGOs may now reach all religious groups.
5. Praise God for a huge 16% increase in our website traffic this month, and pray that it will keep growing.
6. Pray that our clients Valerii Petrovich and Valerii Borisovich will be assured of eternal life as their bodies wear out.
7. Thank the Lord that the first draft of my doctoral dissertation, "The Ministry Driven Church," is finished.

Please remember to pray for Russia, and for...
Your fellow-servants,
Bob & Cheryl
http://www.agape-biblia.org/hosken-news

Agape-Biblia: www.agape-biblia.org
Agape Rehab Society: www.agape-biblia.org/rehab

Dear Bob Hosken,

If the day has come when the lame are welcome to the table in Moscow, then why can we not trust the Lord for the day to soon come when saints in Azerbaijan will be able to have a place to worship the Lord? David welcomed lame Mephibosheth to the table as a sign of the Lord's covenant love ... and a generation later, the people had a place to worship the Lord for generations. We just have to keep the priorities right!

BTW: The Lord is beginning a small but significant work of ministry among some disabled children in Tibetan regions. Please join in praying for this to continue to completion.

Having read through the Bible now some 20+ times & counting, I dare say that there is never a time through that the Lord does not teach me something. Does it have authority? Well, let's just say that I've seen the Lord use His Word to change the decisions of local governments, to give hope to the poor & distraught, to set free the demonized, to chastize those with multiple PhD's, to guide the young, and to turn back the raging storms of the sea (literally). For myself, I am alive by the mercy of God revealed through His Word. He is my Defence, my Life, my Supplier, my Teacher, my Hope, my Peace, and my Passover. Jesus is Lord. I am a sinner, the worst. I need Him all day every day!

Peace,

Mert Hershberger

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This was in reply to the "Hosken-News for 26 Nov. 2005"
[To view, go to http://www.agape-biblia.org and click on the top button & view the news for November 26, 2005.]