Optimism

There is an optimism which nobly anticipates
the eventual triumph of great moral laws, and there is an
optimism which cheerfully tolerates unworthiness.

Agnes Repplier

An optimistic outlook is a result of having confidence that good is ultimately going to triumph over evil. It is an attitude that imparts patience in the midst of difficult circumstances, and also patience with less-than-perfect people.

Optimism doesn't mean that we're naive about the reality of evil in the world or the extent of the damage that evil has done. While it believes that one day everything will be fine, optimism is not so foolish as to imagine that everything is fine today. Clearly, everything is not fine, and genuine optimism looks at the facts with total honesty.

But is there any reason to believe that good will ultimately triumph over evil? I believe there is, even if we limit ourselves to the empirical evidence of human history and our own personal experience. If we consider the evidence, I believe we can't help but see a pattern: truth tends to outlast falsehood, and rightdoing tends to outlast wrongdoing. The victories of evil in this world may be shocking and justice may be long delayed, but facts are stubborn and truth is resilient. Eventually, good has the last say. Why this is so is another question (one that is very interesting, both philosophically and religiously), but the pattern is undeniably clear. Right is more durable than wrong.

So we can make an intellectual choice to be optimists. In hours of darkness, we can choose to hold on to what we've learned while the sun was shining. Maintaining our confidence that good will outlast its enemy, we can stand our ground before the various onslaughts of evil.

Optimism is an important perspective in life not because it makes us feel better but because it strengthens us and gives us courage. Life happens to be full of battles that have to be fought, and as Dwight D. Eisenhower said, "Pessimism never won any battle." Backbone comes from belief -- belief that, despite any number of short-term setbacks, the long-term triumph of good is still sure.

The essence of optimism is that it takes no account of the present,
but it is a source of inspiration, of vitality and hope where others have
resigned; it enables a man to hold his head high, to claim the future
for himself and not to abandon it to his enemy.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Faith Invents

"And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they
uncovered
the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down
the
bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay."
- Mark 2:4



Faith is full of inventions. The house was full, a crowd blocked up the
door, but faith found a way of getting at the Lord and placing the
palsied
man before him. If we cannot get sinners where Jesus is by ordinary
methods we must use extraordinary ones. It seems, according to Luke
5:19,
that a tiling had to be removed, which would make dust and cause a
measure
of danger to those below, but where the case is very urgent we must not
mind running some risks and shocking some proprieties.
Jesus was there to heal, and therefore fall what might, faith ventured
all so that her poor paralysed charge might have his sins forgiven.
O that we had more daring faith among us! Cannot we, dear reader, seek
it
this morning for ourselves and for our fellow-workers, and will we not
try
to-day to perform some gallant act for the love of souls and the glory
of
the Lord.


The world is constantly inventing; genius serves all the purposes of
human
desire: cannot faith invent too, and reach by some new means the
outcasts
who lie perishing around us? It was the presence of Jesus which excited
victorious courage in the four bearers of the palsied man: is not the
Lord
among us now? Have we seen his face for ourselves this morning? Have we
felt his healing power in our own souls? If so, then through door,
through
window, or through roof, let us, breaking through all impediments,
labour
to bring poor souls to Jesus. All means are good and decorous when
faith
and love are truly set on winning souls.
If hunger for bread can break through stone walls, surely hunger for
souls is not to be hindered in its efforts.
O Lord, make us quick to suggest methods of reaching thy poor sin-sick
ones, and bold to carry them out at all hazards.

MISSION SCHOOL pICTURES

The Mission Mind OF Christ

Dearly beloved  in  the Lord.
CHURCHES OF CHRIST
Greetings to you and to your family with all the
saints who are there with you.
May the peace of our father who dwells in Heaven abide
with you continually In Jesus name, Amen.
Beloved, I am counting it all joy to come your way
through this medium though we have not met nor written
to each other before. By way of introduction, I am
UCHENNA F. BEKEE, a gospel preacher with the Church of
Christ that meets at Oyigbo in the Rivers
State of Nigeria.
I have being into the vineyard of our Lord for well
over sixteen years now, and am married with a young
daughter ONE YEAR OLD NOW
I became a preacher of the gospel due to the love I
have for the souls that are living in darkness and the
burning desire to be a part of the building up of the
body of Christ.I was born into a Christian family.My
late father   was also a minister of the gospel before
he died in
1992 after a
protracted fight with
diabetes.

I have desired to continue the work which my father
left behind and also to glorify God. Many souls have
been led to be born into the family of God in our
ministry.
Brethren, a few years back the Lord ministered to my
heart and opened my eyes to see the great need which
our African children have and the associated dangers
or setbacks they will face if Christian education is
neglected. I have noticed and discovered the great
damage being done to Christian homes here through
Non-Christ centered education. From a population study
which I did and from many spot experiences in Bible
classes that I have organized for our children, It was
discovered that the devil is using the public schools,
which are meant to be tuition-free, to attack the
strength of the Church.  Also the so called
private-schools, which are mostly owned  by
denominational churches, eat on the fabric of
the
behavior of
our children and their faith. It became
obvious that the near absence of Church of Christ
schools in our State,  which has about 13 million
people , is contributing to the absence of leadership
in almost all the congregations here. This happens
even to an extent that we hardly recover our children
from falsehood and create separation, weakness, and
unfaithfulness in the parents and guardians.
.We have lost so many young people to drug abuse,
promiscuity, rape, indecent life styles and doctrinal
error that many are discouraged from following the
Christ.
Some good families that are poor cannot afford to pay
for the education of their children and resort to
these schools that offer free education and
scholarships to them, and as a result, they fall away
from the faith. Seeing these trends disturbed my soul
and I began to think of what to do to salvage the
situation. I discovered that if we can begin
to set up
Christian
schools where our children can be trained
and nurtured both academically and spiritually, we
shall save the situation to a large extent.
Hence, the coming into existence of HIDDEN TREASURE
CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL. After a discussion I had last
year with brother Glenn Boyd (Searcy Arkansas)  who
oversees the work going on at a Bible school in the
South east part of Nigeria ,God used my poor talents
to begin this all-important school, which is NINE
months old this week.
This school is meant to offer full curriculum
education to the children born into poor Christian
families, and to serve the entire church family and
the community as well. it is intended to also minister
to the physical and spiritual needs of these children,
and to those who are underprivileged, delinquent, and
neglected children by providing quality Christian
residential education and care. Many of these children
have been
neglected, rejected, and abused.
through no
fault of their own, they suffer from the ills of
dysfunctional families, Emotionally, they are torn
apart. We want to help them become useful to
themselves, their families, and the community of
believers.
We seek to provide activities to assist the well
rounded development of each child or student, a
development similar to Jesus' development in Luke.
2"52. Here, intellectual growth will be stimulated
through academic training, Physical growth promoted
through various physical activities, and spiritual
growth fostered through religious training and worship
periods.Students in Hidden Treasure now are encouraged
to always give their full effort in these areas.
Our moral philosophy rest on the moral principles
found in the Bible. the educational goals therefore
seek to help each student become the best he / she can
be in life.

Hidden treasure Christian High School
has been
established to provide
both the atmosphere and
training most conducive for developing well educated
and faithful Christians. Hence, every member of the
administration, faculty and staff is committed to live
by and to teach the bible
.
Brethren, presently, we have  children from Christian
homes in the school and they are learning very fast.
We have seven teachers, including four females and
three males, and a minder who takes care of the KG4-5.
The school is intended to be a purely missionary
Christian school, and that is why this long letter is
been sent to you who also know the value of education.
I know of your faithful work in the lord's vineyard
and strongly hope that you people can help us and
as well  guide us toward congregations or individuals
who could help our great need.

Presently, we are using a leased apartment and we
lack
many basic facilities  to  encourage learning
and
development of the boy and girl child. We
are
outgrowing our space and need to relocate to a place
we can call our own. We need a minibus, for the
transportation of the children to and from school,
classroom books,library, science equipment, school
desks,  and a set of computers.

I have included an estimated monthly budget of the
school with our immediate needs, and pictures of the
present children and staff. I am located on the far
right of the smaller children. The faculty and staff
are Christians, working on faith that their salaries
can be raised.

An executive board of four Christian brothers is being
set up to oversee the school and its finances. More
detail can be provided upon request. We are praying
that God will bless us with sponsoring congregations
and individuals. At present our income is about
$400/month, far less than needed .Of course parents of
students will be expected to contribute
what they are
able, but most are very poor. Some
of the needs are
urgent.

The church in Storrs has supported the
work here for many years, but  it is small and can
only provide a small amount.

we will appreciate it if you can be of help
to us in this work we are doing for our God.

until I hear from you, remain blessed forever.
Yours In Him.
UChenna F. Bekee.
CONTACT PERSONS:
Brother Boyd of College street Church of Christ in
Searcy Arkansas. e-mail. gsboyd@sbcglobal.net
Brother Jim Bell of Storrs road Church of Christ.
e-mail; bell3563@sbcglobal.net.
there web address>www.storrsroadchurchofchrist.org

MY MAILING ADDRESS IS :
UCHENNA F. BEKEE
P.O.BOX A 179 OYIGBO
My Phone Is : +2340864376769

For enquiries through the board of Directores, You can
write, : hiddentreasure74@yaoo.co.uk
WEBSITE;www.hiddentreasurechristianschools.org

Particular People

By the grace of God I am what I am . . .

1 Corinthians 15:10

One of the most important steps we ever take toward wisdom and maturity is taken when we accept the specifics of our own individuality. Much of the first half of life is spent in the luxury of limitless possibilities. There is no place we might not go before we die, no accomplishment we might not achieve, and no character trait we might not develop. As we turn toward life's latter stages, however, it becomes obvious that we'll not live long enough to actually do any more than a fraction of the things we've imagined. Some choices will have to be made. And for each thing we choose to grasp, there'll be many others we have to let go of. We can do anything we want, but not everything we want.

Human beings are not infinite. We are "particular" people, each defined by our own specifics. We are born into this particular family, and not the millions of others we might have been born into. We have this set of personal characteristics, and not the millions of others we might have acquired. Before life is done, we will have had this set of experiences, and not the millions of others we might have had. The older we get, the more comfortable we need to become with our own personal particulars. We should never quit dreaming and working, of course, and while life lasts we should always be pressing toward new possibilities. But when all has been said and done, even the most varied life will still consist of a limited set of particulars. Some people pack more into their lifetimes than others, but there are limits beyond which no one can go. It's impossible to be a brown-eyed person born in Mississippi and also be a blue-eyed person born in Minnesota. And even in matters of choice, it's impossible to have our cake and eat it too.

Wisdom suggests that we should not only accept our particulars, we should be grateful for them. Even if we've made poor choices in the past and wasted much of our potential, we can be thankful for the unique opportunities that now lie before us. There is good work yet to be done -- work that can only be done by a person who has just this set of particulars. Warts, scars, and all!

Let us be contented with what has happened to us and thankful for all
we have been spared. Let us accept the natural order in which we move.
Let us reconcile ourselves to the mysterious rhythm of our destinies,
such as they must be in this world of space and time.

Winston Churchill

Neighborliness

Neighborliness

The love of our neighbor in all its fullness simply means
being able to say to him: What are you going through?

Simone Weil

Neighborliness involves both an attitude and and action. It is both a spirit and a state of living. When we live neighborly lives we recognize that we are, for better or worse, connected to those around us, and we honor that connection by being willing to share one another's sorrows and joys. To be a neighbor is to be able to say, as Simone Weil suggests: What are you going through?

Our neighbors are not simply those for whom we'd like to have a fond feeling, and they're not just those whom we'd prefer to deal with if we could arrange our circumstances to suit ourselves. No, our neighbors are the folks with whom we're called upon to deal in our actual circumstances. George MacDonald said it succinctly: "Your neighbor is the man who is next to you at the moment, the man with whom any business has brought you into contact." These are the real people who are sorrowing and rejoicing around us. They are the ones to whom we must be able to say: What are you going through?

Neighborliness has to be shown by us personally. We can't hire it done, and, worst of all, we can't expect the government to do it. Hubert H. Humphrey, who as a politician believed that government should spend great sums to cure social ills, knew as a human being what all of us should know: "The impersonal hand of government can never replace the helping hand of a neighbor." As tempting as it is to let "society" take care of our neighbors, that's our job as individuals.

Angelus Silesius said, "What you wish for your neighbor, that you ask for yourself. If you don't wish his good, you ask for your own death." We can't neglect others without hurting ourselves, but neither can we help others without uplifting ourselves. Somewhere deep inside, most of us know this to be true. We just need to act on what we know. We need to renew our appreciation of the old-fashioned virtue of neighborliness. What are you going through? has always been one of life's most important questions. Let's learn to ask it every single day.

While the spirit of neighborliness was important on the frontier
because neighbors were so few, it is even more important now
because our neighbors are so many.

Lady Bird Johnson

BECOMING WHAT IS INFLUENTIAL

Impacting Our World: Becoming A Person Of Influence and Passion (6 of 7)
Series: Raise The Standard
UCHENNA F. BEKEE
Matthew 5:13-16

Message Truth: God calls every believer to be His spokesperson and to carry the message of Jesus to other people.

Introduction: In his book Christian Counter-Culture, John R.W. Stott has this to say: "If the beatitudes describe the essential character of the disciples of Jesus, the salt and light metaphors indicate their influence for good in the world.

Yet the very notion that Christians can exert a healthy influence in the world should bring us up with a start. What possible influence could the people described in the beatitudes exert in this hard, tough world? What lasting good can the poor and the meek do, the mourners and the merciful, and those who try to make peace not war? Would they not simply be overwhelmed by the floodtide of evil? What can they accomplish whose only passion is an appetite for righteousness, and whose only weapon is purity of heart? Are not such people too feeble to achieve anything, especially if they are a small minority in the world?

It is evident that Jesus did not share this skepticism. Rather the reverse. The world will undoubtedly persecute the church, yet it is the church's calling to serve this persecuting world. This must be your only retaliation; 'Rudolf Stier expressed it, -love and truth for hatred and lies.' Incredible as it may sound, Jesus referred to that handful of Palestinian peasants as the salt of the earth and the light of the world, so far-reaching was three influence to be."

By modest estimate, more than a quarter of the entire population of the United States has professed an evangelical conversion experience. William Iverson wryly observes that "A pound of meat would surely be affected by a quarter pound of salt. If this is real Christianity, the 'salt of the earth,' where is the effect of which Jesus spoke?" (Christianity Today, June 6, 1980, p.33)

A LOOK AT UNCHURCHED
Here are the results from a Gallup survey called, The Unchurched

1. The survey reports that 44% of Nigeria adults are "unchurched", defined as neither belonging to a church nor visiting one within the last six months except for religious holidays, weddings and funerals.

2. The unchurched are becoming increasingly receptive to what churches have to offer, and are staying away primarily out of inconvenience, not hostility.

3. 63% of the unchurched believe the Bible is God's Word.

4. 77% say they pray to God.

5. 72% believe Jesus is the Son of God.

6. 58% said they were open to joining a church if they found the right one.

7. Gallup's conclusion: These people are ripe for the picking, but it will take new and creative strategies to reach them.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE SALT AND LIGHT ?
(Mat 5:13-16 NIV) "You are the salt of the earth. Bu ...

Thinking

As soon as a man does not take his existence for granted, but beholds
it as something unfathomably mysterious, thought begins.

Albert Schweitzer

It's hard to see -- I mean really see -- things and not be moved to think about what we see. Observation naturally leads to contemplation. What is this thing that I see? Is there more to it than appears at first glance? How did this thing come to be? What is its purpose? Is it to be used? Enjoyed? Learned from? What is there about this thing that I should be glad to know?

The world in which we live is so wondrously and brilliantly multifacted, one lifetime is too short a time to see and think about it all. Every day that the sun comes up, we're surrounded by things that beckon us to observe them gratefully and consider them thoughtfully. If we ever catch ourselves being bored, there can be only one explanation for that: we're simply not paying attention to what's around us.

The ability to think about things is one of our unique endowments. Of all the species in the world, we alone can think rationally about the nature and significance of what we experience. And this ability to think about what we experience adds a whole new depth to our enjoyment of the world. "Thinking," as Lord George Noel Gordon Brown described it, "is the magic of the mind." We can not only enjoy things, we can enjoy the fact that we are enjoying them!

Unfortunately, we often miss the benefit of thinking by trying to bypass the work that's involved in it. But there aren't any shortcuts to the enjoyment of a fully human life. It takes thinking, and "no amount of energy will take the place of thought. A strenuous life with its eyes shut is a kind of wild insanity" (Henry Van Dyke).

Because we have the gift of language, we also have it within our power to share the good things that come from thinking. Our less-than-honorable thoughts should not be shared, of course; they're usually better off left unexpressed. But once in a while, most of us have a good thought, a helpful thought, a beautiful thought. And we never give a better gift than when we share the best of what we've thought.

If, instead of a gem or even a flower, we could cast
the gift of a lovely thought into the heart of a friend,
that would be giving as angels give.

George MacDonald

PAy Attention to God's Presence

God is always with you, yet in this busy world it's easy to become so distracted that you aren't aware of it. You can count on God's presence at all times and in all situations, since He pays close attention to you. However, God doesn't force His attentions upon you. He waits patiently, reaching out to you with love, eager for you to discover Him. To find Him, you must learn how to pay attention.

Here's how you can discover God's presence in deeper ways by learning how to pay attention:

Focus on what God is doing instead of what you're doing for Him. Become aware of what God is up to in your life and seek to cooperate with that work, rather than making your own plans and asking Him to bless them. Pattern your life on Jesus rather than your inner compulsions or outer expectations. Every day, invite God to transform you to become more like Jesus. Pursue what God wants for your life by basing your decisions on His guidance, and you'll discover much more about Him in the process.

Develop the qualities of attentiveness. Ask God to help you: be fully present in each moment, study something long enough to learn something new about it, look at something familiar with a fresh perspective, be available, be aware, wait with expectancy, be mindful, and be wakeful. Make it your goal to see God in all things, and all things in God.

Learn from your spiritual steppingstones. Make some time in a quiet place to recall any major events or relationships that had a deep spiritual influence on you. Try to recall not just the outward circumstances, but the inner meaning it had for you. Use a piece of paper to draw a circle for each one, and write a few words in each circle to describe what you recall. Thank God for each of the steppingstones. Study them to learn in which areas you need more insight and growth.

Get enough sleep. It's hard to pay attention when you're sleep deprived. But when you're well rested, you're able to concentrate well and are likely to notice much more of what God is doing in your life. Change your schedule to make getting enough sleep each night a high priority. Keep in mind that sleep is also a spiritual exercise, because it's an expression of trust -- resting in the knowledge that you don't need to try to control your life, and that God will care for you at all times, including while you're completely unconscious.

Devote your first thoughts of each day to God. When you first wake up each day, turn your thoughts immediately toward God and pray simply that during the day to come, God would open your eyes to His presence in new and deeper ways. Then -- even if you just have a brief amount of time -- spend some time listening to what the Holy Spirit may have to say to you for each new day.

Seek a fresh perspective. Ask God to help you look at life from His perspective -- at any time (not just special times), anywhere (not just in certain places) and toward anyone (not just particular people). Pray whenever you need help looking beyond your own limited view.

Abide in Christ. Decide every day that you will listen for Jesus' guidance and respond to it with obedience motivated by love. Make a habit of listening first to Jesus' words rather than your own needs and desires, then responding in the ways that best show your love for Him.

Notice those in need around you. Strike a healthy balance between paying attention to God and paying attention to the people in need who He wants you to serve. Be prepared to love God by answering His call to help others whenever He leads you to do so. Pray to be able to see whoever you meet with Jesus' eyes and do whatever work you do as if you had Jesus' hands. Expect that, as you serve, you'll become aware of the realities in which you're immersed but were previously unaware.

Stop hurrying. The pressure of being in a hurry prevents you from being able to pay attention to anything well. Make whatever changes you need to make to your schedule so you can slow your life down to a healthy pace. Sort out what's truly important from what's urgent, and focus on important tasks as much as possible to cut down on unnecessary busyness. Do more than just reduce your activities, though -- refocus your heart. Notice what God is doing through you, and rest assured at the end of each day that if you've done your best for God, that's more than enough.

Read Scripture for transformation, not just information. When you read the Bible, invite God to use what you read to change your life. Pay close attention to what you read and carefully consider how you should respond to it. Try the ancient practice of Lectio Divina ("divine reading") when you read the Bible. First, read a passage aloud several times, asking "What does it say?". Then reflect on the text (or even just a word or phrase from it) to ask "What does it say to me?". Pray your response back to God. Then rest in the presence of God, who stands behind the text.

Learn from interruptions. Realize that interruptions are more than mere annoyances; they're often opportunities to learn something valuable. The next time your plans are interrupted, ask God to show you how He wants to use that interruption to change your thinking, and even the direction of your life.

Overcome barriers to attentiveness. Fatigue, apathy, worry, and fears can all prevent you from paying attention. Overcome them by admitting your humanness and brokenness, embracing the grace God offers you, and trusting Him in deeper ways. For example, if you're too tired, it's usually because you've tried to do too much yourself and need to rely on God's strength more. And if you're afraid, it's usually because you haven't trusted God's love enough.

Be still. Regularly reflect on Psalm 46:10, in which God says, "Be still, and know that I am God." Let this Scripture bring peace to your soul. In a peaceful state, you can do more than just "know" many things partially, as you do when you simply gather information in a busy world. Relying on God's peace to pay attention well, you can know one thing at time -- deeply. Don't mistake the flow of adrenaline for the moving of the Holy Spirit. Remember that what counts isn't what you're doing for God, but what God is doing in and through you. While you're still, you can be moving into the fullness of what God has in mind for you.

Let the darkness help you see the light. Don't try to avoid the suffering and challenges that come your way. Instead, venture into the darkness of the unknown, trusting God to help you every step of the way. Let the mysteries you experience motivate you to pursue God more. Grieve your losses and learn from your mistakes. Remember that hard times can usher in transformation and new life. Write a list of some of the dark times in your life. Then, beside each one you've listed, write something about how God revealed more about Himself and what gifts He gave you through that time. Guard your heart from being weighed down by negative emotions like anger and doubt. When you experience a negative emotion, ask yourself what prompted it. See if you can identify the particular need or longing behind it. Then remind yourself that only God can truly meet that need or longing, and give that emotion over to God, trusting Him to care for you. Then just turn your attention to what He leads you to do next.

Rest to find freedom. Rest can be much more than just time for leisure or sleeping. Ask God to help you use your times of rest to experience more of the freedom He wants you to enjoy -- the freedom to trust, work, create, play, let go, and move on into the dreams God has for you. While you rest, invite God to unburden you of regrets about the past and anxious thoughts about the future. Enjoy resting with God right now. Practice centering prayer to direct your attention toward God with you in the present. Set aside one or two times a day (such as right after waking up and right before going to sleep) to wait quietly in God's presence, listening for however He may direct you.

Examine your soul. At the end of each day, think about more than just what you did or didn't get done; consider what values you've pursued. Think about what the way you've used your time shows about your relationship with God and the type of person you're becoming. Ask yourself questions like these: "What I am most and least grateful about today?", "Where did I sense God most today?", "Where did I miss Him?", "Where was I most fulfilled?" "Where was I most drained?", "Where was I the happiest?" and "Where was I the saddest?". As you examine your soul, pay close attention to what God teaches you.