Epistle for July 19, 2002

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Quote from Forum Archives on July 17, 2002, 1:27 pm
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e-pistle
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dr. Curt Scarborough, President FreeWay Foundation July 19, 2002
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In This Issue:
Sermon: Numbers 35:1-34
Bible Study: Jonah 3:1-10
Personal Growth of the Minister
A Pastor's Personal Devotional Life

Murder and the Death Penalty
(Numbers 35:1-34)

I. Concentration: on the contents of this chapter
1. The Lord, through Moses, gave instructions about the 48 cities in Canaan which were to be
given to the Levites, including the common land surrounding the walls of those cities;
six of these 48 Levite cities were to be designated as "cities of refuge," vv. 1-8.
2. The other verses of Numbers 35 regulate the function of the cities of refuge, and include
specific regulations about the distinction between murder and manslaughter, and the
punishment to be meted out to those found guilty, vv. 9-34.

II. Meditation: on the regulations concerning homicide
1. An individual who killed another person was entitled to a trial to determine whether it was
murder or accidental death, v. 11.
2. The accused person was allowed to take asylum from retaliation by a victim's family until
a trial was held, v. 12.
3. The "congregation" (probably appointed representatives from among the Israelites who
formed a "jury") were the official legal authority to decide the case.
4. "Murder" was defined by these specific examples:
(1) Striking and killing a person with an iron implement, v. 16.
(2) Striking and killing a person with a stone in the hand, v. 17.
(3) Striking and killing a person with a wooden club, v. 18.
(4) "Hate" crimes, including pushing, ambushing, throwing or shooting a weapon,
or striking with bare hands, which caused a personal death, v. 20-21.
5. "Manslaughter" was defined by these specific examples:
(1) Pushing someone to his death without enmity (malice, hatred,or hostility), v. 22.
(2) Throwing a weapon without premeditation, v. 22.
(3) Throwing a stone which accidentally killed someone, v. 23.
6. The accused killer remained in "protective custody" in a city of refuge; he was taken to the
place where the crime had been committed for trial; and he was returned to the city of refuge
if the verdict rendered was manslaughter, vv, 24-25.
7. The "avenger of blood" was the official, legal executioner chosen by and from the family of the
victim to kill the person convicted of murder (or to execute the person convicted of manslaughter
if that person left the sanctuary of the city of refuge), vv. 19, 25-28.
8. The death sentence for murder only could be pronounced upon the testimony of at least two
eye-witnesses; one witness was not considered sufficient for the death penalty, v. 20.
9. Ransom money was inadequate payment for the death of a person; neither a murderer nor a
manslayer could "buy off" his sentence, vv. 31-32.
10. The length of "jail time" the person convicted of manslaughter spent in a city of refuge was in
God's hands . . . determined by the length of life of the High Priest, vv. 28, 33-34.
Death had to be atoned for by death; the High Priest's death apparently was a
substitutionary atonement for the life of the manslayer.

III. Revelation and appilcations:
1. A land (or a nation) can be polluted (spiritually defiled) by all the killings of human beings
which are not appropriately prosecuted and justly punished, vv. 33-34.
2. The death penalty for murder (both premeditated killings and those committed in angry
passion) is the one and only penalty which fits the seriousness of the crime, which
emphasizes properly the value society places upon a human life . . . the life of the victim.
3. Justice in a murder case is more than merely a legal matter of concern to the state;
it is a spiritual matter, and the laws of God should and must take precedence.
4. No "loop-holes" exist in God's righteous system of justice; guilty persons must receive
their proper sentence and endure their just penalty . . . no paying of a "fine" to be
released, and no being "paroled" earlier than serving the full term of their sentence.

Jonah Preaches God's Message
(Jonah 3:1-10)

I. Concentration: on the events of this chapter
1. Jonah's call from the Lord to preach to Nineveh was issued a second time, vv. 1-2.
2. Jonah obeyed, entered Nineveh, and began to preach:
"Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown," vv. 3-4.
3. The people of Nineveh believed God and proclaimed a fast; the king issued a
proclamation calling the nation to repentance, vv. 5-9.
4. God saw their repentance and withheld His judgment from falling upon them, v. 10.

II. Meditation: on how God deals with sinful mankind
1. God sends His messenger to preach a message of coming judgment because of sin
and to call for repentance.
2. The people hear the message and believe that it is a true message from God and that
He will do what He says.
3. The people repent in godly sorrow and turn from their wicked practices . . . in this case,
the particular sin most prevalent in Assyria was "violence," v. 8.
4. God sees the sincere repentance of their hearts, and in mercy He forgives, rather than
administering the just punishment which is deserved.

III. Revelation: on the spiritual implications seen here
1. Before the Lord punishes sins, He gives warnings.
2. The proper response is faith . . . believing that there is a God and that what He says, He will do.
3. Repentance . . . a change of the mind which results in a change of the heart and of the
conduct . . . is the necessary companion of faith.
Repentance is turning from sin; faith is turning toward God.
4. When God sees true repentance and sincere faith in a person, He extends mercy (taking
away the deserved penalty of a guilty sinner) and grace (giving the undeserved blessing
of forgiveness and cleansing).

IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Listen to the Holy Spirit, Who convicts me of my sins.
2. Live and walk daily by faith in the Living God.
3. Remain in a constant state of repentance, confessing and forsaking my sins as soon as the
Holy Spirit convicts me.
4. Receive with praise and thanksgiving God's twin gifts of mercy and grace, extended to me
through His Son, Jesus Christ.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." Confucius
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Personal Growth of the Minister
by: Dr. David Claybrook, Pastor, Christ Church - St. Louis

Dear J.D. (Jesus' Disciple)
Did you know that only 3-6% of those who make professions of faith in large evangelistic crusades in America ever become active in a local church? In contrast, in the great open-air evangelistic crusades held in Latin America, spanning over a dozen years, 80% of the converts become active church members and productive disciples of Christ.
I had to know why the Latins were so much more successful in integrating converts into the church, so at the end of July one year my wife, Gretchen, and I attended a training event in Houston, Texas that featured two men who are active in the Argentine crusades. One was Carlos Mraida, Associate Pastor of the "Del Centro" Evengelical Baptist Church in Buenos Aires, the oldest Latin Baptist church in the world and second oldest Baptist church in the western hemisphere. Besides his duties at this mega church, Dr. Mraida also teaches at the International Baptist Seminary. The other presenter was Pablo Bottari, who, for over a dozen years, has been responsible for training altar workers for the extremely effective mass evangelist, Carlos Accacondia (over three million converts in the last decade.)
Have you ever listened to a message that as soon as you heard it, you knew it was right because it was so Biblically based. That's what happened as these two humble, but powerful men of God shared what they had learned about evangelism and disciple making.
Dr. Mraida, the consummate professional, spoke on inner healing, but his presentation on "Conquering the City for God" was the most cogent and challenging message to the church I have ever heard. It really was about having a renewed vision for ministry and it pinpointed where we are in history and in God's plans. Every pastor in the western world should hear this message with open heart. J.D., I can get you a copy of this tape. Just let me know if you want one.
Pablo's subject was the Ministry of Liberation. As I said, he trains workers for Annacondia's crusades. Pablo Bottari is a key reason for the success in turning converts into disciples. In a nutshell, here's the reason. At our crusades in the U.S., we get people forgiven but not freed. We introduce them to Jesus as Savior, but not as healer or deliverer, so what happens? For a few days they enjoy the sweet fellowship of the Holy Spirit, but before very many days, their old hurts and sin patterns crowd out the new-found joy and they drop back into old patterns of thinking and living. They begin to doubt their salvation and then are too ashamed to show up in church where everyone looks good and holy to them.
In the South American crusades, they go further. The crusades are open air and usually last for over thirty days. This alone helps, for it keeps people coming back for an extended period of time. But what really matters is that they take those who have made decisions for Christ into another area and immediately begin the process of helping them get healed of the hurts in their lives (inner healing or healing of emotions). They then break any bondage or yokes that have been placed on their lives through sin. In other words, J.D., they do what Jesus told His disciples to do, "preach the good news of the Kingdom of God, heal the sick and cast out demons."
Most of us in America have shied away from "Deliverance Ministry" for obvious reasons: we don't believe there are demons today, or Christians can't have them, or we don't like the sensationalism that goes with dealing with them. I know, I have held all three positions. But what I saw from these humble men of God was so loving, so pastoral. They do not chase demons, but minister to the deep needs of people, and people are obviously set free, I had to try their approach. The Lord set me up first.
I have had sin bondage that I could not get permanent victory over, so I spent an extended time with my wife one evening, with her ministering to me and me to her. We repented of every specific sin the Holy Spirit brought to mind. We renounced these sins and broke the bondage associated with them. On the Sunday that followed, the congregation saw a changed pastor. I explained what had happened and challenged everyone to take advantage of the ministry of liberation. Since that time Gretchen and I have been very busy ministering to our leadership. It has been so rewarding to see them getting free of things that had bound them for years. Now they are working with the people they serve.
J.D., if you have never submitted yourself to in depth ministry for healing of past hurts, cleansing from specific sins and breaking of the bondage created by them, you need to. Let me know if you would like more information about this. I am ready to help!

Disciple Maker (D.M.)

A Pastor's Personal Devotional Life

Thursday Morning, August 1 "Fasting and Praying"
9:30 - 10:00 Introductions and Theme Interpretation:
Dr. Curt Scarborough
President, FreeWay Foundation
10:00 - 11:00 Presenter: Dr. Gary Taylor, Pastor
First Baptist Church
O'Fallon, Missouri
11:00 - 11:30 Open Discussion; Questions & Answers

Thursday Morning, August 15 "Singing and Praising"
9:30 - 10:00 Introductions and Theme Interpretation:
Dr. Curt Scarborough
President, FreeWay Foundation
10:00 - 11:00 Presenter: Rev. Dan Hite, Pastor
Christian Family Fellowship
Wentzville, Missouri
11:00 - 11:30 Open Discussion: Questions & Answers

Thursday Morning, August 29 "Reading and Meditating
9:30 - 10:00 Introductions and Theme Interpretation:
Dr. Curt Scarborough
President, FreeWay Foundation
10:00 - 11:00 Presenter: Dr. David Claybrook, Pastor
Christ Church
St. Louis, Missouri
11:00 -11:30 Open Discussion: Questions & Answers

Thursday Morning, September 12 "Receiving and Journaling"
9:30 - 10:00 Introductions and Theme Presentation:
Dr. Curt Scarborough
President, FreeWay Foundation
10:00 - 11:00 Presenter: Rev. Jim Carter, Pastor
First Baptist Church
Ferguson, Missouri
11:00 - 11:30 Open Discussion: Questions & Answers

These four sessions are designed to assist the faculty of Pillsbury Institute of Applied Christianity in developing curriculum for a new course entitled "Personal Disciplines for Spiritual Growth." All ministers and other interested persons in the St. Louis Metropolitan Area are invited to attend and participate in these free seminars at the Christian Civic Foundation Building, 3426 Bridgeland Drive, Bridgeton, MO. For more information call toll-free 1-888-7freeway or email info@freewayfoundation.org

Posted by: info <info@...>

e-pistle
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dr. Curt Scarborough, President FreeWay Foundation July 19, 2002
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In This Issue:
Sermon: Numbers 35:1-34
Bible Study: Jonah 3:1-10
Personal Growth of the Minister
A Pastor's Personal Devotional Life

Murder and the Death Penalty
(Numbers 35:1-34)

I. Concentration: on the contents of this chapter
1. The Lord, through Moses, gave instructions about the 48 cities in Canaan which were to be
given to the Levites, including the common land surrounding the walls of those cities;
six of these 48 Levite cities were to be designated as "cities of refuge," vv. 1-8.
2. The other verses of Numbers 35 regulate the function of the cities of refuge, and include
specific regulations about the distinction between murder and manslaughter, and the
punishment to be meted out to those found guilty, vv. 9-34.

II. Meditation: on the regulations concerning homicide
1. An individual who killed another person was entitled to a trial to determine whether it was
murder or accidental death, v. 11.
2. The accused person was allowed to take asylum from retaliation by a victim's family until
a trial was held, v. 12.
3. The "congregation" (probably appointed representatives from among the Israelites who
formed a "jury") were the official legal authority to decide the case.
4. "Murder" was defined by these specific examples:
(1) Striking and killing a person with an iron implement, v. 16.
(2) Striking and killing a person with a stone in the hand, v. 17.
(3) Striking and killing a person with a wooden club, v. 18.
(4) "Hate" crimes, including pushing, ambushing, throwing or shooting a weapon,
or striking with bare hands, which caused a personal death, v. 20-21.
5. "Manslaughter" was defined by these specific examples:
(1) Pushing someone to his death without enmity (malice, hatred,or hostility), v. 22.
(2) Throwing a weapon without premeditation, v. 22.
(3) Throwing a stone which accidentally killed someone, v. 23.
6. The accused killer remained in "protective custody" in a city of refuge; he was taken to the
place where the crime had been committed for trial; and he was returned to the city of refuge
if the verdict rendered was manslaughter, vv, 24-25.
7. The "avenger of blood" was the official, legal executioner chosen by and from the family of the
victim to kill the person convicted of murder (or to execute the person convicted of manslaughter
if that person left the sanctuary of the city of refuge), vv. 19, 25-28.
8. The death sentence for murder only could be pronounced upon the testimony of at least two
eye-witnesses; one witness was not considered sufficient for the death penalty, v. 20.
9. Ransom money was inadequate payment for the death of a person; neither a murderer nor a
manslayer could "buy off" his sentence, vv. 31-32.
10. The length of "jail time" the person convicted of manslaughter spent in a city of refuge was in
God's hands . . . determined by the length of life of the High Priest, vv. 28, 33-34.
Death had to be atoned for by death; the High Priest's death apparently was a
substitutionary atonement for the life of the manslayer.

III. Revelation and appilcations:
1. A land (or a nation) can be polluted (spiritually defiled) by all the killings of human beings
which are not appropriately prosecuted and justly punished, vv. 33-34.
2. The death penalty for murder (both premeditated killings and those committed in angry
passion) is the one and only penalty which fits the seriousness of the crime, which
emphasizes properly the value society places upon a human life . . . the life of the victim.
3. Justice in a murder case is more than merely a legal matter of concern to the state;
it is a spiritual matter, and the laws of God should and must take precedence.
4. No "loop-holes" exist in God's righteous system of justice; guilty persons must receive
their proper sentence and endure their just penalty . . . no paying of a "fine" to be
released, and no being "paroled" earlier than serving the full term of their sentence.

Jonah Preaches God's Message
(Jonah 3:1-10)

I. Concentration: on the events of this chapter
1. Jonah's call from the Lord to preach to Nineveh was issued a second time, vv. 1-2.
2. Jonah obeyed, entered Nineveh, and began to preach:
"Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown," vv. 3-4.
3. The people of Nineveh believed God and proclaimed a fast; the king issued a
proclamation calling the nation to repentance, vv. 5-9.
4. God saw their repentance and withheld His judgment from falling upon them, v. 10.

II. Meditation: on how God deals with sinful mankind
1. God sends His messenger to preach a message of coming judgment because of sin
and to call for repentance.
2. The people hear the message and believe that it is a true message from God and that
He will do what He says.
3. The people repent in godly sorrow and turn from their wicked practices . . . in this case,
the particular sin most prevalent in Assyria was "violence," v. 8.
4. God sees the sincere repentance of their hearts, and in mercy He forgives, rather than
administering the just punishment which is deserved.

III. Revelation: on the spiritual implications seen here
1. Before the Lord punishes sins, He gives warnings.
2. The proper response is faith . . . believing that there is a God and that what He says, He will do.
3. Repentance . . . a change of the mind which results in a change of the heart and of the
conduct . . . is the necessary companion of faith.
Repentance is turning from sin; faith is turning toward God.
4. When God sees true repentance and sincere faith in a person, He extends mercy (taking
away the deserved penalty of a guilty sinner) and grace (giving the undeserved blessing
of forgiveness and cleansing).

IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Listen to the Holy Spirit, Who convicts me of my sins.
2. Live and walk daily by faith in the Living God.
3. Remain in a constant state of repentance, confessing and forsaking my sins as soon as the
Holy Spirit convicts me.
4. Receive with praise and thanksgiving God's twin gifts of mercy and grace, extended to me
through His Son, Jesus Christ.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." Confucius
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Personal Growth of the Minister
by: Dr. David Claybrook, Pastor, Christ Church - St. Louis

Dear J.D. (Jesus' Disciple)
Did you know that only 3-6% of those who make professions of faith in large evangelistic crusades in America ever become active in a local church? In contrast, in the great open-air evangelistic crusades held in Latin America, spanning over a dozen years, 80% of the converts become active church members and productive disciples of Christ.
I had to know why the Latins were so much more successful in integrating converts into the church, so at the end of July one year my wife, Gretchen, and I attended a training event in Houston, Texas that featured two men who are active in the Argentine crusades. One was Carlos Mraida, Associate Pastor of the "Del Centro" Evengelical Baptist Church in Buenos Aires, the oldest Latin Baptist church in the world and second oldest Baptist church in the western hemisphere. Besides his duties at this mega church, Dr. Mraida also teaches at the International Baptist Seminary. The other presenter was Pablo Bottari, who, for over a dozen years, has been responsible for training altar workers for the extremely effective mass evangelist, Carlos Accacondia (over three million converts in the last decade.)
Have you ever listened to a message that as soon as you heard it, you knew it was right because it was so Biblically based. That's what happened as these two humble, but powerful men of God shared what they had learned about evangelism and disciple making.
Dr. Mraida, the consummate professional, spoke on inner healing, but his presentation on "Conquering the City for God" was the most cogent and challenging message to the church I have ever heard. It really was about having a renewed vision for ministry and it pinpointed where we are in history and in God's plans. Every pastor in the western world should hear this message with open heart. J.D., I can get you a copy of this tape. Just let me know if you want one.
Pablo's subject was the Ministry of Liberation. As I said, he trains workers for Annacondia's crusades. Pablo Bottari is a key reason for the success in turning converts into disciples. In a nutshell, here's the reason. At our crusades in the U.S., we get people forgiven but not freed. We introduce them to Jesus as Savior, but not as healer or deliverer, so what happens? For a few days they enjoy the sweet fellowship of the Holy Spirit, but before very many days, their old hurts and sin patterns crowd out the new-found joy and they drop back into old patterns of thinking and living. They begin to doubt their salvation and then are too ashamed to show up in church where everyone looks good and holy to them.
In the South American crusades, they go further. The crusades are open air and usually last for over thirty days. This alone helps, for it keeps people coming back for an extended period of time. But what really matters is that they take those who have made decisions for Christ into another area and immediately begin the process of helping them get healed of the hurts in their lives (inner healing or healing of emotions). They then break any bondage or yokes that have been placed on their lives through sin. In other words, J.D., they do what Jesus told His disciples to do, "preach the good news of the Kingdom of God, heal the sick and cast out demons."
Most of us in America have shied away from "Deliverance Ministry" for obvious reasons: we don't believe there are demons today, or Christians can't have them, or we don't like the sensationalism that goes with dealing with them. I know, I have held all three positions. But what I saw from these humble men of God was so loving, so pastoral. They do not chase demons, but minister to the deep needs of people, and people are obviously set free, I had to try their approach. The Lord set me up first.
I have had sin bondage that I could not get permanent victory over, so I spent an extended time with my wife one evening, with her ministering to me and me to her. We repented of every specific sin the Holy Spirit brought to mind. We renounced these sins and broke the bondage associated with them. On the Sunday that followed, the congregation saw a changed pastor. I explained what had happened and challenged everyone to take advantage of the ministry of liberation. Since that time Gretchen and I have been very busy ministering to our leadership. It has been so rewarding to see them getting free of things that had bound them for years. Now they are working with the people they serve.
J.D., if you have never submitted yourself to in depth ministry for healing of past hurts, cleansing from specific sins and breaking of the bondage created by them, you need to. Let me know if you would like more information about this. I am ready to help!

Disciple Maker (D.M.)

A Pastor's Personal Devotional Life

Thursday Morning, August 1 "Fasting and Praying"
9:30 - 10:00 Introductions and Theme Interpretation:
Dr. Curt Scarborough
President, FreeWay Foundation
10:00 - 11:00 Presenter: Dr. Gary Taylor, Pastor
First Baptist Church
O'Fallon, Missouri
11:00 - 11:30 Open Discussion; Questions & Answers

Thursday Morning, August 15 "Singing and Praising"
9:30 - 10:00 Introductions and Theme Interpretation:
Dr. Curt Scarborough
President, FreeWay Foundation
10:00 - 11:00 Presenter: Rev. Dan Hite, Pastor
Christian Family Fellowship
Wentzville, Missouri
11:00 - 11:30 Open Discussion: Questions & Answers

Thursday Morning, August 29 "Reading and Meditating
9:30 - 10:00 Introductions and Theme Interpretation:
Dr. Curt Scarborough
President, FreeWay Foundation
10:00 - 11:00 Presenter: Dr. David Claybrook, Pastor
Christ Church
St. Louis, Missouri
11:00 -11:30 Open Discussion: Questions & Answers

Thursday Morning, September 12 "Receiving and Journaling"
9:30 - 10:00 Introductions and Theme Presentation:
Dr. Curt Scarborough
President, FreeWay Foundation
10:00 - 11:00 Presenter: Rev. Jim Carter, Pastor
First Baptist Church
Ferguson, Missouri
11:00 - 11:30 Open Discussion: Questions & Answers

These four sessions are designed to assist the faculty of Pillsbury Institute of Applied Christianity in developing curriculum for a new course entitled "Personal Disciplines for Spiritual Growth." All ministers and other interested persons in the St. Louis Metropolitan Area are invited to attend and participate in these free seminars at the Christian Civic Foundation Building, 3426 Bridgeland Drive, Bridgeton, MO. For more information call toll-free 1-888-7freeway or email info@freewayfoundation.org