Faith On The Line - Stress, Stress Go Away Vol 18 | Page 2

editor’s corner FIONA I’ve recently added to my menagerie of pets a white German Shepherd named Fiona. She’s 16 weeks old and has been fun to play with and spend time with throughout the day. We’ve also slowly begun obedience training with her, and, as a result I’ve again been brought to contemplate my obedience to God and His desire for our lives. When Fiona first came to our home, she had to learn our expectations for her. Biting is one of the behaviours we needed to curb; chasing cats is another one. As we cared for her, she grew to know us and love us, and soon her wags and licks were from true love and friendship. As we asked her to sit or come, she obeyed for two reasons: because we were the masters and our authority over her demanded it, but also because she loves us. However, Fiona hasn’t learned to obey perfectly yet. She needs lots of repetition, and often she has her own mind. As she is teething, her desire to nip and bite is greater, and we need to realize that she needs appropriate toys to chew in order to calm the discomfort of her teeth. When she bites our fingers, it’s often just a reflex, an inadvertent grasp on our finger instead of the toy. As we say “ouch” and teach her that her actions hurt us, she chooses to stop out of respect and love for us. None of this discipline happens without missteps, but if we are patient and consistent, she will eventually understand and have full control of herself. As I watch Fiona’s efforts to grow up and learn about her world and her limitations, I think of our own process of sanctification. In order for Fiona to learn, she must focus on us, our expectations, and our word commands. She obeys out of love for us and a humbling of herself to our authority. Sound familiar? Do we not also have to submit to God’s will—to His ways of doing things, to His standard and not ours? Does not God also want our obedience to take place because of our love and respect for Him? Do we not also have to stay focused on our Lord and on His Word in order to keep paramount in our minds throughout the day what the standard is, and Who our Helper is? Unfortunately, I do not have the power to make Fiona obey. I rely solely on her willingness to submit and her desire to love me. Sometimes she obeys out of love, because she wants to. Other times, I need to lean more on my authority and insist that she obey regardless of what she wants to do. God never insists, but He gives us the desire to obey Him, and the ability to carry out His expectations. He draws us into obedience when we gaze upon His goodness, and He empowers us with strength to accomplish that obedience from a willing heart. Fiona’s inherent nature is the only thing she really struggles against. Unfortunately for us, we not only struggle against our own nature, but Satan uses our nature’s weaknesses 8 Our aim is to urge men and women to stand for truth and resist error. We pray that in times of serious compromise our ministry will equip you with solid information on current end-time issues and trends, and encourage you to live a life apart from worldly influences. Volume 18 | Issue 1 Faith on the Line is published quarterly by Amazing Discoveries Managing Editor Wendy Goubej Copy Editor Cailey Bennett Proofreader Charlene Kwiatkowski 12 Contributing Writers Dan Gabbert,Victor Gill, Walter Veith, Nettie Gill Amazing Discoveries Directors’ Board Wenzel Goubej, Mark Cleminson, Nettie Gill, Victor Gill, Dagmar Goubej, Wendy Goubej, Mark Kiefiuk Contact PO Box 189 7101C - 120th St Delta BC V4E 2A9 Canada PO Box 4480 Blaine WA 98231- 4480 USA Tel [phone] Toll Free: 1-866-572-9457 Web www.amazingdiscoveries.org Email [email protected] Subscription $25/yr for US and Canada $30/yr for International Copyright 2012 Amazing Discoveries. Articles reflect the opinion of their authors. Permission to quote excerpts is granted where credit is given. Continued on page 16 2 Spring-2012-Magazine-April_4.indd 2 4/4/2012 1:08:06 PM