What then should we say when we are trying to lead someone to Christ? I think a better picture is simply what the New Testament uses as its normative word - πίστις/πιστεύω. The noun form (πίστις) can be translated 'faith,' 'belief,' or 'trust.' The verb can be translated 'I believe,' 'I have faith,' 'I trust.' In some contexts the object of belief is emphasized (namely, Christ); in other contexts, the kind of belief is emphasized (namely, a genuine trust, an embracing). Thus, πίστις has this twofold force of content and conviction. To be saved, one must have the right object of faith (content); and one must truly put his trust entirely in that object (conviction).

Daniel Wallace

CATEGORY	CUISINE	TAG	YIELD
Dairy, Eggs	Philadelphia	Cookies	4	Servings

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2	c	Margarine
1 1/2	c	Sugar
8	oz	Philadelphia cream cheese
2		Egg
2	tb	Lemon juice
1 1/2	ts	Lemon zest
4 1/2	c	Flour
1 1/2	ts	Baking powder
		Apricot filling
		Sugar, confectioners
11	oz	Apricots, dried
1/2	c	Sugar
		per Carrie Naley
		Fidonet HOME_COOKING echo

INSTRUCTIONS

APRICOT FILLING
Combine margarine, sugar and softened cream cheese mixing until well
blended.  Blend in eggs, lemon juice and rind. Add combined dry
ingredients to cream cheese mixture and mix well and chill. Roll
into medium size ball.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Flaten
slightly, indent center, put apricot filling in center. Bake 350
degrees for 15 minutes.  Cool slightly and sprinkle powdered
sugar on top.
Fillling:  Put 1 pkg. (11 oz.) apricots in saucepan and add water just
cover. Add 1/2 cup (or to taste) sugar and bring to boil. Cover and
simmer 10 minutes or until apricots are soft and most of water is
absorbed. Force through sieve or whirl in blender. Makes 2 cups.
From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini

A Message from our Provider:

“Jesus: Because with God only perfection will do”

When the law was written on tablets of stone, there was a significant weakness. The weakness of the Old Covenant was not in the law. The weakness of the Old Covenant was the people’s hearts. They couldn’t keep the law because they lacked two basic ingredients. Both of them interestingly were mentioned in the Old Testament when God used His prophets to speak while under the Old Covenant of the coming New Covenant. First, as God said through Jeremiah, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it” (Jer. 31:34). The writing of the law went from tablets of stone to tablets of human hearts (2 Cor. 3:3). And second, as God said through Ezekiel, “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances” (Eze. 36:27). We by far have greater power to obey the law with the fullness of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us as God says, “causing” us to obey. So there should be a radical difference between us and Israel. It’s not in the God we serve. It’s not in the desire to obey Him. It’s not in the faith of a Messiah to take away our sins. It’s not in a law that is given from God to be obeyed. It’s not even in a delight in that law. The difference is simply this. The Old Covenant is characterized by people who were stiff-necked and rebellious (Dt. 9:6; 10:16; 31:27), whereas the New Covenant is characterized by people who have soft hearts and the ability to obey.

Randy Smith