Steinbach Bible Institute - Star Yearbook (Steinbach, Manitoba Canada)

Page 12 text:

REV. BEN HOEPPNER Gebet und Mission “Bettet fur uns und fur das Werk!” so und mit ahnlichen Worten bitten die Mis- sionare. Solche Fiirbitte wird gewiinscht, weil da ein Verhaltnis des Gebets zur Wor-t- verkiindigung ist. Dass so ein Verhaltnis vorhanden ist, zeigt das ird ' ische Leben des Herm Jesu. Sogleich als er seine offentliche Arbeit an- trat, fastete er vierzig Tage. Wenn es gait, seine Jiinger zu wahlen, betete er durch die Nacht. Soil 1 ten die Jiinger den Mission- sinn haben, sagte er ihnen: “Bittet den Herrn der Ernte, dass er Anbeiter aussen- de in seine Ernte.” Er nahm si Oh die Zeit, um die Jiinger Beten zu lehren. We ' iter betete er fiir Petrus, i.e. fiir den Einzelnen. Er betete ehe er seinen letzen Leiden be- gegnete. Besonders heftig flehte er in Ge- thsemane, wo r Blut schwitzte, und am Kreuz, wo er fiir uns starb. Er vergass, auch nieht die Danksagung nach der Erhorung. Wahrend er hier auf Erden war, war das Gebet fiir ihn stets das Vorangehende, das Begleitende und das Folgende seiner Mis¬ sion. Die wiohtige Beziehung des Gebets zur Mission sieht man besonders auch in Chri- sti Auferstehungsleben. Als Hoherpriester zur Rechten des Vaters debt er immerdar, um fiir die Seinen zu beten. Denkt euch — bestandig durch die Jahrhunderte betet er. Uns bleibt hier der Gedanke vor Verwunde- rung und Anbetung stehen. Warum muss er, der Sehopfer, der Herr imd Gott, bestan¬ dig beten? Wir konnen es nieht begreifen. Es wird uns aber verstandlicher, dass das Gebet und die Mission unaufloslioh ver- bunden sind. Die nahe Verbindung des Gebets zur Mis¬ sion wurde genau von der apostolischen Ge- meinde beachtet. Nach dem der Herr ihnen den Missionsbefehl gegeben hatte und gen GERMAN. PRAYER, OLD TESTAMENT, SYNTHESIS, HOMILETICS, CULTS, HISTORY. ENGLISH Himmel gefahren war, hielten sie sich in Jerusalem auf, um einherzig und einmiitig zu beten. Nach der Ausgiessung fingen die Jiinger mit der Mission an — dooh nieht ohne Gebet. Es war, als sie zum Gebet gingen, da Johannes und Petrus den Lahmen heilten und dem Volk das Heil predigten. Es war durch das Gebet der Gemeinde, dass sie mit Freudigkeit anhielten das Wort zu pred ' igen. Ails die Klage wegen der Armen- pflege aufkam, sagten die Apostel: “Sehet . . . naoh . . . Manner . . . Wir aber wollen anhalten am Gebet und am Amt des Worts.” Beachten wir, sie stellten das Ge¬ bet vor die Mission. Dasselbe sehen wir in Apg. 13:1-3. Hier waren die Lehrer zu- sammen mit Fasten und Beten, ehe Barna¬ bas und Paulus vom Heiligen Geist in die Heidenmission gesandt wurden. Epaphras rang mit Gebeten und Flehen fiir die Ge- me ' inde. Auch Paulus Jjrauchte das Gebet in der Mission. Folglich bat er: “Betet . . . fiir mich, auf dass mir gegeben werde das Wort mit freudigem Auf tun meines Mun- des, dass ich moge kundmachen das Ge- heimnis des Evangeliums.” Die erste Ge¬ meinde erkannte die naihe Beziehimg des Gebets zur Mission. Diese Gebetserkenntnis hatten auch die Reformatoren und die Missionare der Kir- ohengeschichte. John Knox flehte: “Gott, gib mir Schottland, sonst sterbe ich.” So waren auch Schwarz, William Carey, Brain- er, Hyden, alle Manner des inbriinsbigen Gebets. Hyden bat um die Errettung zehn Seelen an e ' inem Tage. Der Herr erhorte. So geht das intime Verhaltnis des Gebets zur Mission durch die erfolgreiche Missions- geschichte. Wie wichtig auch das Gebet in der Mis¬ sion ist, so ist es doch nieht der Ersatz der Wortverkundigung. Wenn Gott einen ins Missionsfeld ruft, muss man gehen. Daheim bleiben und beten wiirde nieht zureichen. “Gehorsam ist besser als Opfer.” Angesichts der Beziehung des Gebets zur Mission freuen wir uns fiir die Gelegen- heiten des Gebets in dem Institut. Einmal diirfen wir taglich in dem Andachtssaal ge- meinsohaftlich beten. Auch diirfen wir jede Kiasse mit Gebet beginnen. Zu dem hat man Zeit fiir das Gebet im Kammerlein. Schliesslich haben wir das Fach des Ge¬ bets auf dem Sichulprogramm. Das Ziel hierin ist: “Herr, lehre uns beten!” “Herr, hilf uns das richtige Verhaltnis des Gebets zur Mission zu erfahren!” Ben Hoeppner 10

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MR. MENNO R. HAMM DEAN OF HIGH SCHOOL DEPT. MATHEMATICS, CHEMISTRY, GR. XII PHYSICS, GR. X SCIENCE The Starry Heavens “When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained.” Psalm 8:3. Such contemplation of the heavens on a clear night has a profound effect on the observer. Surely, “Thy heavens declare the glory of God.” Psalm 19:1a. Consider a few illustrations of the remarkable agreement between the B ' ible and modern Astronomy, an agreement largely impossible 35 years ago. Jeremiah declared, “The host of heaven cannot be numbered, niether the sand of the sea measured.”33:32. Early astrono¬ mers had carefully catalogued every star and ' the total was not much over 3,00 0. Who was right? The development of the telescope pointed in favour of the Biblical statement there are over 100 b ' illion stars in our galaxy, with probably billions of galaxies like our own. Astronomers to¬ day agree with Jeremiah that the stars cannot be humanly counted. Astronomy has been used to support evolution, but ' in recent developments it de¬ finitely gives evidence to creation. For ex¬ ample, every star is losing mass and en¬ ergy, much like a clock as it runs down. There must have been a time when they were fully “wound” or created. It should be noted that we have no reason to be¬ lieve that this time was 4004 B. C., the date of creation to us. Many undevout scientists have ridiculed Moses for believing that the sky was a “firmament”, Genesis 1:6-8. “There is not a solid sphere above us which revolves with its starry lamps,” they say; and they are right. But neither is Moses wrong: his original term rakiya means the expanse without limits. What better word could Moses have used to describe the immense space about us? Great advance was made in astronomy when it was discovered that the moon was not a luminous body like the sun. Yet the Bible says, “The moon and it shineth not.” Job. 2 5 :5 . The moon ' is also quoted as a type of “faithful witnesses in heaven. Psalm 89:37. The moon as we see it on a dark night actually witnesses or sees the sun whose beams are hidden from us. It reflects some of these beams in our direct- i o n and witnesses to us that the sun is still shining. What an object lesson for the Christian to be focused on the true L ' ight, Christ, and then reflect Him to those in darkness! The heavens reveal much of God’s char- actor to us. They illustrate his glory, power, wisdom, faithfulness, dhangelessness perfection and greatness, but hardly His love and grace. In order to reveal His love to us, God was made flesh, and dwelt among us.” John 1:14. A view of the enor¬ mous vastness of the universe makes man realize that he is only a tiny speck of dust. “What Is man, that Thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that Thou visit- est him?” Psalm 8:4. It is wonderful to know that the God Who created the hea¬ vens, setting the stars in their courses. Who “calleth them all by their names.” Psalm 147:4b, as the same God Who called you and me to eternal life in Jesus Christ. Mr. Menno Hamm You Are Writing Your Own Story No matter what else you are doing, From craddle days, through to the end, You’re writing your life’s secret story — Each night sees another page penned. Each month ends a thirty-page chapter Each year means the end of a part, And never an act is misstated, Nor ever one wish of the heart. Each day you wake, the book opens, Revealing a page clean and white. What thoughts and what words and what doings Will cover its surface by night ? God leaves that to you — you’re the writer, And never one word shall grow dim, Till someday you write the word, “Finish,” And give back your life book to Him. — Wallace Dunbar Vincent

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MR. EDWARD REIMER DEAN GEOGRAPHY X, ENGLISH, NOVEL AND COMPOSITION The Garden of Youth Youth, with its freshness, beauty, and charm, is indeed very much like a garden. What k ' ind of a garden would you like your youth to be? No garden is complete without a few flower beds. As we plan our gardens let us be sure to give the “Lily of the Valley,” the symbol of the purity of Christ, a very prominent place. The fragrance of the “Rose of Sharon” (the beauty of Christ) Should emanate from our lives. Every garden has at least one or two paths, often winding and wide. But the paths in the garden of our youth must be “straight” (Heb. 12:13) and “narrow” if we want our lives to be successful, if we want God to be our Guide. The paths must be paved with cobble-stones of “righte¬ ousness”. (Psalm 23:3). A garden is not only a place of loveli¬ ness, but also a place of quietness, a place of peace and rest, a place of refuge. The most important place in our garden is a bower, covered by the luxuriant foliage of a broad-leaved vine, in the cool shade of which we can daily withdraw from the ac¬ tivities of the day and the heat of the sun, for a time of refreshing, alone with the Master Gardener. In the fertile soil of youth, weeds will flourish in profusion if given half a chance; hence, be diligent, be viligant young man, young woman, lest “youthful lusts” (11 Tim. 2:22) sprout a “root of bitterness” (Heb. 12:15) and grow into a “gall of bit¬ terness” (Acts 8:23) that may ruin your own life as well as the l ' ives of others for time and eternity. Watch those weeds! The Master Gardener’s Guide Book is ever at your disposal. Do not neglect it. Never! A garden is not merely a luxury, how¬ ever. It is more than a place of loveliness, and a place of quietness. A garden, to be complete, must have a practical function. Even so, youth has a practical function in the Kingdom of God. Youth is the ‘ideal time to bring forth fruit for the Master. (1 Tim. 4:12) In fact, Christian youth be¬ comes a full experience only as it is lived for Christ and others. “And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul . . . thou shalt be like a watered garden . . .” (Isa. 58:10,11). With the coming of autumn the flowers fade, wilt, and are gone; the stems wither and die; only bouquets picked for others and the fruit garnered in the granaries of heaven will retain fragrance and beauty for all eternity. Edward Reimer Believe the Bible “Great peace have they which love thy law; and nothing shall offend them.” Psa. 119:165. There are some who believe the Bible, And some who believe in part, And some who trust with a reservation, And some with all their heart. But I know that its every promise Is firm and true always; It is tried as the precious silver, And it means just what it says. It ‘is strange we trust each other And only doubt our Lord; We will take the word of mortals, And yet distruct His word; But, oh, what light and glory Would shine o’er all our days If we always would remember That He means just what He says. Rev. A. B. Simpson, D. D. 11