Epistle for September 13, 2002
Posted by: info <info@...>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Curt Scarborough, President FreeWay Foundation September 13, 2002
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In This Issue:
"Iron Sharpens Iron" Seminars
Fellowship of Christian Educators
Bible Study: "Personal & Practical" Joel 2:1-32
"Iron Sharpens Iron"
Join Dr. Curt Scarborough in three in-depth studies:
Date: Thursday, October 10, 2002
Time: 9:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Subject: "The Extra Blessing of Baptism"
Date: Thursday, November 7, 2002
Time: 9:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Subject: "The Extra Blessings of the Lord's Supper"
Date: Thursday, December 5, 2002
Time: 9:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Subject: "Meditations on Being Spirit-Filled"
Fellowship of Christian Educators
Pastor, please pass this information along to school teachers in your congregation.
With the help of the Lord Jesus Christ, I covenant to:
* Pray daily for the students and faculty of my school
* Exemplify Christian love in my attitudes and speech
* Conduct myself always according to "The Golden Rule"
* Encourage and support other FCE members by meeting
regularly in school with them for prayer and devotions
Dr. Curt Scarborough, president of FreeWay Foundation, writes:
"We have discovered, during more than a quarter of a century of service
to the public schools of Missouri, that a high percentage of teachers,
administrators, and school counselors are Christians active in their local
churches. They look upon their teaching profession as a Divine calling,
in spite of the increasing secularization of many public schools and the
"demonizing" they suffer from well-meaning (but often misguided) Christians
who characterize all teachers in all public schools as "secular humanists."
"Christians who teach in public schools often are targets of verbal fire from both
sides. From the left flank, they are shot at for bringing God and religion into
public schools. From the right flank, they are shot at for propagating atheism,
situational ethics, and anti-family values."
"The truth is, public school systems (as a general rule) indeed are more secular
than a half-century ago. But it is also the truth that a great many public school
teachers are professing Christians who are experiencing increasing frustration
at the whip-sawing pressures being exerted upon them."
"FreeWay Foundation is in a unique position to do something to affirm and
encourage these Christian educators. Our Board of Directors in 1998 launched a
mutual support ministry which was named "Fellowship of Christian Educators."
Our goal is to establish a FCE group in all 1,700 public schools in Missouri."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Detach Here:
Fellowship of Christian Educators
Registration Form
School Name:_______________________________________District:___________________________
County:____________________________State:______
FCE volunteer leader or contact person:
Name________________________________________e-mail address___________________________
Official position in the school:___________________________________________________________
Church Affiliation:_____________________________________________________________________
Approximate number of persons expected to meet as a FCE chapter weekly:_________________
_____Please do not include us in the listing of the FCE State Directory
Fill out this form, enclose $10.00 registration fee, and mail to:
FreeWay Foundation
3426 Bridgeland Dr.
Bridgeton, MO 63044
For more information, please contact:
Dr. Curt Scarborough, CEO and President
drcurt@freewayfoundation.org
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nelson Mandela said, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."
I Will Pour Out My Spirit
(Joel 2:1-32)
I. Concentration: on the main themes of this chapter
1. Joel warned of a pending invasion which would be the "Day" of God's judgment, vv. 1-11.
2. He repeated his message of chapter one, calling for fasting, mourning, and repentance;
he held out the hope of god's grace, mercy, kindness, and blessing, vv. 12-17.
3. He prophesied of an era of relief and blessing in which God would meet both the
physical and spiritual needs of the nation, vv. 18-27.
4. His prophecy in verses 28-32 was fulfilled initially on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2), and
it will be culminated with the coming again of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, and the
subsequent end of the world.
II. Meditation: on God's Spirit being "poured out"
1. God's promised "pouring out" of His Spirit was to be upon all flesh; young and old,
men and women, masters and slaves, vv. 28-29.
2. The "pouring out" would produce prophecy, dreams, and visions, v. 28.
3. "Wonders," like the plagues of Egypt, are signs of God's final judgment . . . "before
the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord," vv. 30-31.
4. The "remnant" (those persons who have called on the name of the Lord) shall be
saved through the deliverance provided in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem . . . the
atonement of Jesus Christ, v. 32.
III. Revelation: on the fulfillment of Joel in Acts
1. Peter identified the miraculous events of Pentecost as the fulfilling of Joel's
prophecy, Acts 2:16-21.
2. The outpouring of the Spirit in the Old Testament usually had been upon only
the spiritual or national leaders of Israel; at Pentecost, the Spirit was poured out
on everyone present, Acts 2:2-4.
3. The "anointing" by the Holy Spirit is firmly linked to the bringing of persons to
salvation; both Joel and Peter proclaimed that following the outpouring of the Spirit,
"Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" . . . and on that Day
of Pentecost 3,000 persons were saved, Acts 2:41.
4. Joel's prophecy about the gift of the Holy Spirit is for all believers of every era:
". . . to you and to your children and to all who are afar off, as many as the
Lord our God will call," Acts 2:38-39.
IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Know for certain that all of God's promises will be fulfilled.
2. Daily receive the fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit on my life.
3. In the power of the Spirit, witness to the lost of God's saving grace.
4. Exemplify the Spirit-filled life.