easter 2006 web - gii-usa.org · dengan warna merah. kalau kita menelusuri asal muasal kenapa pada...

Eeditorial —————————————————————————————

Selamat merayakan Hari Paskah kami ucapkan kepada para pembaca yang dikasihi oleh Tuhan Yesus Kristus. Biasanya anak-anak Sekolah Minggu sangat senang menyambut hari Raya Paskah, karena pada Hari Paskah anak-anak akan mendapatkan telur-telur ayam yang disepuh dengan warna merah. Kalau kita menelusuri asal muasal kenapa pada setiap perayaan Paskah selalu dilambangi dengan telur-telur ayam dan juga ternak kelinci? Kalau Anda pernah membaca Alkitab secara keseluruhan mulai dari Perjanjian Lama sampai Perjanjian Baru, maka kita tidak akan menemukan Firman Tuhan yang mengatakan bahwa setiap perayaan Paskah harus disertai atau dimeriahkan dengan telur-telur ayam yang berwarna merah dan juga gambar-gambar atau boneka-boneka kelinci. Kalau memang semua itu tidak alkitabiah kenapa kita orang Kristen masih terus melaksanakan tradisi ini?

Sebenarnya manusia pada dasarnya suka pelupa atau senang dengan simbol-simbol yang akan mengingatkan mereka akan sesuatu, atau dengan simbol-simbol tersebut akan menambah semangat mereka atau memacu dedikasi mereka akan sesuatu. Kalau hal ini menjurus pada hal yang negatif maka ini akan dinamakan “Pagan” atau “Berhala”. Tetapi manusia itu mempu-nyai pikiran yang kompleks dan fleksibel, karena simbol-simbol Paskah ini mengandung unsur-unsur atau image yang positif maka tradisi Paskah ini berlanjut sampai saat ini.

Mungkin banyak yang sudah tahu akan arti dari semua simbol-simbol Paskah ini. Tetapi marilah kita sekali lagi membahas semua itu sambil kalau ada yang belum mengerti sama sekali. Mereka paling sedikit akan mengerti arti dari telur-telur merah dan boneka-boneka kelinci yang banyak terlihat di mana kalau menjelang Paskah.

Telur adalah lambang kehidupan, karena di dalam telur itu mengandung se-suatu yang hidup, yang akan hidup kalau telur itu menetas. Di dalam Paskah simbol telur mengingatkan kita akan Juru Selamat kita yang telah dibangkit-kan dari kematian oleh Kuasa Allah. Telur ini sesungguhnya lebih tepat kalau dilambangkan sebagai “Lahir Baru” buat seorang Kristen. Karena Juru Selamat kita telah bangkit dari kematian dengan Tubuh yang Baru, Tubuh Surgawi. Lalu warna merah diasosiasikan dengan “darah”—darah ini juga lambang kehidupan, karena di dalam sesuatu yang hidup akan mengandung darah, tanpa darah tidak ada mahkluk yang bisa hidup.

AGAPE — Easter 2006 1

AGAPEEaster 2006

PenasehatEv. Wilson Suwanto

Daniel Loe

EditorEvelyn SunarkoJanice AtmadjaMerisa Halim

Rachel Atmadja

Ilustrator & FotograferBuddy YusufEva Leony

LayoutBuddy YusufEva Leony

Rachel AtmadjaTesia TrisnadiTjandra Afandi

KontributorRev. Billy Lim

Ev. Wilson SuwantoFairlyn Soetojo

PrintingSemiwaty Oei

E-mail [email protected]

Produksi GII Azusa539 N. Sunset Ave.Azusa, CA 91702

Telp: (626) 812-0326http://lax.gii-usa.org

Lambang kelinci, adalah mengingatkan kita bahwa kelinci adalah salah satu jenis ternak yang kalau beranak, akan beranak banyak bisa lebih dari lima, tujuh atau sepuluh. Maksud baik dari lambang kelinci ini adalah orang Kristen harus seperti Kelinci, mudah “Bergenerasi” atau mudah berkembang. Mengingat Amanat Agung Tuhan Yesus sebelum naik ke Surga, Sang Juru Selamat mengatakan untuk memuridkan orang-orang yang belum percaya. Mereka yang percaya itu akan diurapi oleh Roh Kudus dan otomatis akan memperoleh “hidup baru.”

Sudahkah kita mempunyai hidup yang baru dan sudahkah kita melahirkan orang Kristen? Ataukah kita cuma menjadi telur-telur imitasi atau telur-telur plastik yang tidak ada kehidupan di dalam-nya? Apakah kita juga merupakan kelinci-kelinci yang tidak melahirkan orang-orang Kristen yang baru melalui kesaksian kita atau P.I. (Pengabaran Injil) pribadi kita? Kalau benar demikian maka kita atau kerohanian kita mati dan ini mungkin juga merupakan suatu tanda kalau kita belum diselamatkan oleh Sang Juru Selamat.

Kita tahu kini, bahwa meskipun telur dan kelinci cuma lambang Paskah yang tidak Alkitabiah, akan tetapi bisa mengajar kita atau mengintropeksi kerohanian kita. Tuhan bisa memakai apa saja untuk mengingatkan kita akan tugas kita sebagai orang Kristen dan Tuhan bisa memakai “telur dan kelinci” Paskah.

Sekali lagi redaksi mau mengucapkan selamat merayakan Paskah dan selamat menjadi “Telur” dan “Kelinci” Paskah, semoga di tahun ini atau di tahun yang akan datang kita bisa berbuah yang banyak seperti kelinci dan bisa memuliakan dan menyenangkan hati Tuhan.

redaksi

2 AGAPE — Easter 2006

Minggu Pk. 09.00 Sekolah Minggu Dewasa

Pk. 10.30 Kebaktian Umum (IndonesiaN & En glish)

Sekolah Minggu Anak-anak

Pk. 16.00 Chinese Service

(diterjemahkan ke bahasa In do ne sia)

Jumat Pk. 19.30 Kebaktian Doa (In do ne sian & English)

Bible Study Anak-anak

Sabtu Pk. 18.30 youth fellowship (Indonesian & En glish)

GerejaInjili

IndonesiaAzusa

539 N. Sunset Ave,

Azusa, CA 91702

Gembala Sidang:

Rev. Kristianto Hosea

GII San Fran cisco400 Brussels St.San Francisco, CA 94134(415) 656-0886

Jadwal

kegiatan:

GII Seattle(c/o First Chris tian Reformed Church)

14555 25th Ave. N.E.Shoreline, WA 98155(425) 357-5928

LOKASI

LAINNYA: GII San Jose

600 W. Campbell Ave.Campbell, CA 95008(408) 343-1314

GII Sac ra men to(c/o Chinese Grace Bible Church)

6656 Park Riviera WaySacramento, CA 95831(916) 692-3756


Anda punya usul, kritik, saran, atau apapun yang

berhubungan dengan Agape atau G

II Azusa?

Silahkan m

engirimnya ke agape_gii@

yahoo.com

atau mem

berikannya kepada redaksi.

Ccontent —————————————————————————

Don't forget t

hat we're o

nline!

visit us

@ lax.gii-

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17 Sharing your faith: God’s presence in the workplace Pat Flood

19 Cerpen: One Life to Live (part 1) Daniel Loe

24 Parenting: Good Manners for Kids Ellie Kay

27 Sharing: The SOMPA Method Rachel Atmadja

31 Children's Corner: Crosswords Challenge

32 Humor

focus: Rediscovering the meaning of Easter

05 The Relevance of Easter Message Rev. Billy Lim

07 Perjamuan Kudus Ev. Wilson Suwanto

11 Sikap Orang Percaya Terhadap Krisis Rev. William Liem

11 Time Rev. DR. Stephen Tong

4 AGAPE

Ffocus ————————————————————————————

THE RELEVANCE OF EASTER MESSAGE

On this Easter Sunday,

churches around the world are

packed with people celebrating

Easter, a celebration of our Lord

Jesus Christ’s resurrection from

the dead. Unfortunately, many

of those people worshipping

will not return next Sunday.

WHY? ►

Barna Research Group gave these reasons at a recent study; they said:

74% There is no value in attending church.81% Churches have too many problems.48% I don’t have the time.42% I’m simply not interested.34% The church is irrelevant to the way

I live.Can you apprehend what these figures

are saying of our generation?For the most part, people think the

church and its message is irrelevant. I find that staggering for I can’t think of anything more relevant or more important than the issue of life after death and our preparation for it. Therefore, let us then think and medi-tate. I want to show you a few of the Easter Message’s relevance to our lives.

In Matthew 28:1-10 we can see how the fact of Easter can change us today. Twice Matthew and many times in other gospels, we see the command—

“Don’t be afraid” (v. 5 & 10).

by: Rev. Billy Lim

SCRIPTURE: MATTHEW 28:1-10


It’s very clear that the message of Easter is one that says to all of us – You no longer need to be afraid.

Yes, fear of all kinds run rampant in our lives. We can be so afraid that we never risk commitment. We can be so afraid that we never get beyond our “comfort zone”. We will never try anything new, never risk reaching out, and never dare to express ourselves.

However, we must also admit that FEAR has its place. Fear is an emotion that is designed to alert us to possible danger. Fear properly dealt with can energize us. Most of the time, though, fears paralyzes us. That’s where resurrection comes in.

1. The resurrection of Jesus means we no longer have to worry about the future.The greatest threat we face in life is the

fear of DEATH. The fear of death controls our life much more than we realize. This fear can dictate what we eat, what activi-ties we engage in, and where we live. The fear of death makes us fearfully attentive to every ache and pain in our body.

The resurrection of Jesus tells us how it will all end for the child of God. Knowing the ending help us deal with what comes in between. The future may not be pleasant but we will overcome it IF your faith is in the One who rose from the dead. There is no need to be afraid of the future.

2. The resurrection of Jesus means we no longer need to fear the PAST.Does your past haunt you? Do you

worry that people will discover who you really are or what you’re really like? Do you fear that they will discover what you said or did in the past? Do you fear that some of your past decisions will come back to haunt you? Do you fear some of

your past deeds will disqualify you from Heaven? If so, you join a large company of people. The resurrection of our Lord Jesus delivers good news for you.

When Jesus returned from the dead, He proved that the sacrifice of His life was acceptable to God. His resurrection shows that the debt for sin has been paid. God’s wrath has been satisfied. We are assured that “everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through his name” (Acts 10:43)

Sure, our past my embarrass us. Our past may lead other people to think differently of us, but ultimately, our past is dealt with. It is erased in the blood of Christ. We’re forgiven and we know it is true because of His resurrection. What a wonderful liberating news this is to every believer. Praise the Lord.

CONCLUSIONWhen Jesus rose again from the grave,

He told us that He would give His Spirit to lead us. This Spirit He promised would guide us into the truth. This Spirti would give us the words to say when we are in difficult situations. This Spirit would give us courage when our knees would buckle. We do not fact our present difficulties alone if we are trusting the One who has risen from the grave. The Lord promises that nothing will separate us from His love. He also promises that in all things, He is at work in our lives for the good. These are promises that can calm the most anxious heart. When we face fearful times of the present and look at the Lord, we realize that He has promised to give us strength and the resources to get through whatever comes. [JA/TA]


kudusFfocus ——————————————————————————————

perjamuanby: Ev. Wilson Suwanto

APA ITU PERJAMUAN KUDUS?1. Perjamuan Kudus adalah

perayaan yang diperintahkan oleh Tuhan Yesus Kristus pada waktu Ia menghadapi saat penderitaan dan kematianNya.

2. Perayaan ini mencakup: meme-cahkan roti dan meminum anggur.

3. Tujuannya adalah untuk mengingat dan mensyukuri pengorbanan Tuhan di salib bagi dosa-dosa kita.

4. Dalam Perjamuan Kudus, setiap orang bersekutu dengan Kristus dan dengan tubuh Kristus, yaitu: gereja.

5. Perjamuan Kudus adalah perayaan yang istimewa dimana Kristus hadir di hati orang percaya sehingga mereka kembali dikuatkan dan diingatkan akan kasih Tuhan yang telah menyelamatkan mereka.

Baca: Yoh. 6:54, Kis. 2:42; 20:7,11, Rm. 15:16, dan 1 Kor 10:16; 11:23-26.

Perjamuan Kudus (Holy Supper) juga sering dikenal dengan Perjamuan Tuhan (Lord’s Supper). Ada beberapa hal yang perlu dijelaskan dalam Perjamuan ini:

1. ROTI DAN ANGGURRoti melambangkan tubuh Kristus dan darah melambangkan darahNya

(Mat. 26:26-28). Roti bukanlah tubuh atau daging Kristus, dan anggur bukanlah darah Kristus. Keduanya ini hanyalah Simbol tubuh dan darah Kristus. Ini berbeda dengan penafsiran Gereja Roma Katolik yang percaya bahwa roti itu berubah menjadi daging dan anggur berubah menjadi darah (ajaran Transubstansiasi).


2. MAKAN DAN MINUMWaktu seseorang makan roti, apa

yang terjadi? Apakah berarti ia menjadi lebih sehat rohaninya? Bukan itu artinya. Makan dan minum adalah bentuk perse-kutuan. Dalam zaman Yesus, makan dan minum bersama berarti bersekutu bersama-sama. Dalam zaman sekarang pun, makan dan minum sering menjadi kesempatan kita berkumpul dan berbi-cara dengan saudara atau teman. Demikian pula dengan zaman dulu.

Maka, bukan soal makan dan minum, tetapi soal bersekutu. Waktu kita makan dan minum, kita tidak melakukannya sendirian. Kita melaku-kannya bersama-sama karena ini adalah sebuah persekutuan.

Waktu itu terjadi, kita sedang berse-kutu dengan Kristus dan kematianNya di salib. Saat yang sama, kita juga sedang bersekutu dengan saudara seiman yang adalah orang yang diselamatkan oleh pengorbanan Kristus.

3. BERSEKUTU DENGAN KRISTUSYesus berkata, ““Inilah tubuh-Ku,

yang diserahkan bagi kamu; perbuatlah ini menjadi peringatan akan Aku!” (1 Kor. 11:24). Waktu kita makan, kita sedang mengingat peristiwa Yesus makan perjamuan terakhir dengan para muridNya. Pikiran kita akan dibawa kembali ke saat-saat kesengsaraan Tuhan kita. Melalui ingatan/memori ini, kita bersekutu dengan Dia dalam kematianNya. Seolah-olah kita dibawa kembali menyaksikan segala pengor-banan dan penderitaan Yesus, dan manusia lama (dosa) kita dipaku di salib bersama Kristus. Sudah lunas terbayar!

THE HOLY COMMUNION(Translated article by Janice Atmadja)

WHAT IS THE HOLY COMMUNION?1. The Holy Communion is a ritual commanded

by the Lord Jesus Christ when He faced His agonizing moments near death.

2. It is composed of: breaking bread and drinking wine.

3. Its purpose is to remember and appreciate Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for our sins.

4. In the Holy Communion, everyone is communing with the Lord Jesus Christ and the body of Christ, which is the church.

5. The Holy Communion is a special celebra-tion where Christ resides in the hearts of the believers to empower and remind them of the love of God that has saved them.

Read: John 6:54, Acts 2:42; 20:7, 11, Romans 15:16, & 1 Corinthians 10:16; 11:23-26

The Holy Communion is also recognized by another name name, the Lord’s Supper. There are some things that need to be further explained about the Supper:

1. THE BREAD AND THE WINEThe bread symbolizes the body of Christ,

while the wine symbolizes His blood (Matthew 26:26-28). The bread isn’t the literal body or flesh of Christ. The wine is also not literally the blood of Christ. They are just symbols of the body and blood of Christ. This is different than the Catholic belief that the bread actu-ally becomes or “transubstantiates” (the Catholic terminology) into the flesh of Christ. Likewise the wine does not transubstantiate into the actual blood of Christ.

2. EATING AND DRINKINGWhat then happens when a person

partakes of the bread? Does it mean that the person will have a healthier spiritual life? No. Eating and drinking are only forms of togeth-erness and fellowship. In the times of Jesus, eating and drinking with one another means


Dalam peringatan/memorial, ada persekutuan/fellowship dengan tubuh Kristus yang tergantung di salib. Pikiran dan hati kita terpusat pada Yesus, inilah arti persekutuan dengan penderita-anNya.

4. HUBUNGAN DENGAN PERAYAAN PASKAH DALAM PERJANJIAN LAMA (KELUARAN 12)

Waktu kita merayakan Perjamuan Kudus, kita melakukan hal yang sama seperti orang Israel zaman dulu. Orang Israel diperintahkan Tuhan untuk mera-yakan Paskah (Passover) sebagai ucapan syukur sebab Tuhan menyelamatkan seluruh anak sulung mereka semen-tara Ia membunuh semua anak sulung orang Mesir. Maka Paskah orang Israel adalah peringatan bebasnya mereka dari perbudakan Firaun.

Hal yang sama juga terjadi ketika kita melaksanakan Perjamuan Kudus, kita memperingati pembebasan kita dari perbudakan Dosa. Peringatan ini harus selalu dilakukan dengan hati bersyukur atas segala kasih Tuhan bagi kita.

KESIMPULAN1. Perjamuan Kudus harus dijalankan

di gereja untuk selalu mengingat pengorbanan Kristus. Tanpa salib Kristus, tidak ada Gereja.

2. Perjamuan Kudus merupakan perse-kutuan setiap orang Kristen dengan Kristus dimana mereka menjadi satu dengan kematianNya.

3. Perjamuan Kudus hanya berlaku untuk mereka yang sudah percaya pada Yesus. Yang tidak percaya berarti tidak menerima pengor-bananNya. Bagi mereka, perjamuan ini tidak ada gunanya.

fellowshipping together. Even today, eating and drinking are the activity of choice when “catching up” with our relatives or friends. Today’s culture is not much different from culture of the past. Therefore, what is important to highlight is not the activity of eating or drinking, but fellowshipping. When we eat and drink, we are not alone. We eat and drink together because this is a form of fellowship.

When this happens, we aren’t only communing with Christ or joining in His death on the cross. We are also, at the same time, bonding together with other believers who are also saved by Christ’s sacrifice.

3. FELLOWSHIPPING WITH CHRISTJesus said, “This is my body, which is

broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me!” (1 Corinthians 11:24). When we participate in the Holy Communion, we can imagine the incident of Christ eating His Last Supper with His disciples unfolding in our minds. Our thoughts are ushered back to the times of Christ’s suffering. Through this memory, we are fellowshipping and remembering Him in His death. It is as if we are brought back to witness all the sacrifice and suffering of Jesus Christ. Our “old, sinful selfs” are going to be crucified with Jesus. It has been paid!

In our memorial, there is a fellowship with the body of Christ that was hung on the cross. Our minds and our hearts are focused on Jesus. This is the meaning becoming one in His suffering.

4. THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PASSOVER IN THE OLD TESTAMENT (EXODUS 12)

When we celebrate the Holy Supper, we go through a similar routine as the Israelites of the past. The Israelites were commanded by God to celebrate Passover as a thanks-giving because God saved their eldest sons while killing all of Egypts’ oldest sons. And


4. Tujuan Perjamuan Kudus adalah menguatkan iman setiap orang Kristen bahwa Kristus sudah mati untuk dosa-dosa mereka dan mereka sudah milik Kristus. Kadang-kadang iman kita bisa lemah, sehingga Perjamuan Kudus berguna untuk menguatkan iman kita dan meneguhkan janji keselamatan Tuhan.

5. Perjamuan Kudus juga meru-pakan perayaan yang sementara di bumi sampai kita nanti merayakan Perjamuan di surga dengan Kristus. Pada waktu itu (akhir zaman), semua orang Kristen makan dan minum bersama dengan Kristus di Kerajaan Bapa (Mat. 26:29). [JA/TA]

so, Passover for old Israel, is a celebration of the freedom they received from the Egyp-tians’ enslavement.

The same can be experienced when we undergo the Holy Communion. We can remember the freedom we received from sins’ enslavement through the death of Jesus Christ.. We must always remember and celebrate the Holy Communion with a thankful heart because this blessing, in the form of grace. is just one of the tremendous blessings we receive from the Lord.

CONCLUSION1. The Holy communion must be done in

the Church as a constant reminder of the sacrifice of Christ Jesus. Without His cross, there is no chuch.

2. The Holy Communion is a fellowship when every Christian communes with Christ and becomes one with Him in His death.

3. The Holy Communion is only valid to those who believe in Jesus. Those who are unbelievers do not receive Jesus’ sacrifice, His blessing. For them, this Holy Communion has no meaning.

4. The point of Holy Communion is to empower the faith of every Christian. It once again asserts that Jesus Christ already died for our sins and we are now His. Sometimes our faith falters or we are weary. During these times, the Holy Communion is absolutely essential in strengthening and rejuvenating our faith. It once again implants conviction in our hearts of the promise of God, the assurance of salvation.

5. The Holy Communion is also a form of “temporary” celebration on Earth until the day when we face Jesus in Heaven. At that time (someday in the future), all Christians will eat and drink together with Christ in the Father’s Kingdom (Matthew 26:29).

Akulah roti hidup; barangsiapa datang kepada-Ku, ia tidak akan lapar lagi, dan barangsiapa percaya kepada-Ku, ia tidak

akan haus lagi.


Ffocus

S I K A P O R A N G P E R C A Y A T E R H A D A Pk r i s i soleh: Pdt. William Liem

(http://www.gkagloria.or.id/artikel/a01.php)

SETIAP MANUSIA yang ada di dalam dunia ini tidak bisa lepas dari kesulitan, tantangan, dan penderitaan. Karena hal-hal tersebut di atas merupakan bagian yang tak terpisahkan dari kehidupan manusia, maka kesulitan, tantangan, dan penderi-taan harus disikapi dengan benar, karena kalau tidak, akan berkembang menjadi krisis. Norman Wright, seorang penulis dan psikolog Amerika yang ternama, mengatakan bahwa ke manapun ia pergi, ia selalu bertemu dengan orang-orang yang mengalami stres, depresi, sikap yang panik dan tak berdaya, dan ingin melarikan diri dari masalah-masalah yang ada, sehingga ia cenderung berdoa, “Tuhan, angkatlah segala permasalahanku.” Menurut Wright, semua gejala di atas merupakan ciri-ciri dari orang yang mengalami krisis aktif. ►

Bagaimanakah seharusnya seorang percaya membangun sikap yang benar terhadap krisis, sehingga krisis tidak berkem-bang menjadi suatu kekuatan negatif yang merusak dirinya? Untuk itu kita akan belajar dari teladan Tuhan Yesus sendiri dalam menghadapi krisis.

Lukas 22:39-46 menceri-takan akan masa-masa akhir pelayanan Tuhan Yesus di muka bumi. Di dalam kemahatahuan-Nya, Dia tahu bahwa sebentar lagi Dia akan ditangkap, disiksa dan disalibkan. Walau Kristus mengetahui bahwa dalam menghadapi segala sesuatu Bapa di Sorga selalu menyertai-Nya, tapi ketika waktu-Nya akan tiba, Dia tetap merasa gentar.


Dan kegentaran itu mencapai puncaknya pada malam terakhir, sebagaimana yang dicatat oleh Lukas bahwa di tengah pergumulan-Nya, Dia mencucurkan keringat darah dan tampaklah seorang malaikat memberikan kekuatan kepada-Nya (ay. 43).

Tentang pergumulan Tuhan Yesus yang dahsyat ini, penulis Ibrani juga menulis: “Ingatlah selalu akan Dia, yang tekun menanggung bantahan yang sehebat itu terhadap diri-Nya dari pihak orang-orang berdosa, supaya jangan kamu menjadi lemah dan putus asa. Dalam pergumulan kamu melawan dosa kamu belum sampai mencucurkan darah” (Ibr. 12:3-4).

Bagaimana sikap Tuhan yesus dalam menghadapi krisis?

Pertama, Yesus berdoa: “Ya Bapa-Ku, jikalau Engkau mau, ambillah cawan ini dari pada-Ku …” (ay. 42). Apakah doa Tuhan Yesus ini menyatakan bahwa Dia ingin menghindarkan diri dari misi-Nya mati di atas kayu salib? Atau apakah doa itu menunjukkan bahwa Dia ragu-ragu untuk melanjutkan pekerjaan-Nya, sehingga ada kesan Dia ingin menyerah di tengah jalan? Sekali-sekali tidak. Tapi justru dengan berkata-kata seperti di atas, kita mendengar suatu doa yang jujur: Apakah kematian di atas kayu salib merupakan satu-satunya cara menyela-matkan manusia berdosa?

Doa Tuhan Yesus menjadi contoh dari seorang yang jujur dan terbuka terhadap Allah. William Barclay berkata: “Bukanlah suatu hal yang salah bila kita mengung-kapkan perasaan kita yang sesungguhnya terhadap Allah.” (It is never wrong to express our true feelings to God). Hanya mereka yang jujur terhadap Allah, baru

dapat jujur terhadap diri sendiri dan sesamanya. Hanya mereka yang terbuka terhadap Allah, baru dapat terbuka terhadap diri sendiri dan sesamanya.

Kedua, Yesus menegaskan kembali akan komitmen-Nya terhadap kehendak Bapa. “… tetapi bukanlah kehendak-Ku, melainkan kehendak-Mulah yang terjadi” (ay. 42). Walau Kristus mempertanyakan adanya alternatif lain dalam mengge-napkan misi-Nya untuk menyelamatkan orang yang berdosa, namun pada saat yang sama, Dia menegaskan kembali akan komitmen-Nya terhadap kehendak Bapa di Sorga. Meski jalan salib ini sulit, tapi kalau itu kehendak Bapa, Kristus rela menerimanya. Ini adalah suatu ketaatan yang mutlak. Sikap yang demikian juga pula perlu kita perlihatkan terhadap Allah. James C. Dobson menulis: “Pertum-buhan dalam kehidupan orang Kristen terletak pada ketaatannya dalam masa-masa krisis.” (Growth in the Christian life depends on his obedience in times of crisis).

Ada banyak peristiwa yang mena-kutkan yang setiap saat bisa menimpa kita, tapi jika itu seizin Tuhan, kita akan belajar menerimanya dengan sukacita. Maka: “Janganlah berdoa untuk kehidupan yang mudah, berdoalah menjadi orang yang lebih kuat. Janganlah berdoa untuk tugas-tugas yang sesuai dengan kekuatan Anda, berdoalah untuk kekuatan yang sesuai dengan tugas-tugas Anda” (Philip Brooks).

Lagipula, dalam mengizinkan berb-agai kesulitan dan tantangan dalam kehidupan anak-anak-Nya, Tuhan ingin melatih kita supaya menjadi orang- orang percaya yang kuat. Mensius, salah satu murid Konfusius yang terkemuka,


melihat kebenaran ini dan mengung-kapkan demikian: “Jikalau langit memberikan tugas yang berat kepada orang tertentu, maka orang itu pasti diberikan kesengsaraan besar, dilatih sampai semua ototnya lelah, dan hatinya penuh kepedihan, barulah dia akan menuaikan tugasnya.”

Bagi orang beriman, kita harus percaya bahwa tidak ada masalah yang lebih besar daripada Allah, dan tidak pernah ada problema manusia yang lebih besar daripada solusi Allah. Kesempitan kita adalah kesempatan bagi Tuhan. Oleh sebab itu, marilah kita belajar mempu-nyai ketetapan hati dalam dunia yang terus bergolak ini.

Ketiga, Yesus diteguhkan kembali. Setelah berdoa, Dia berkata kepada murid-murid-Nya: “Bangunlah, marilah kita pergi. Dia yang menyerahkan Aku sudah dekat” (Mrk. 14:42). Di taman Getsemani kita melihat suatu peman-dangan yang kontras: Yesus memasuki taman Getsemani dalam kegelapan; Dia keluar dari sana dalam terang karena Dia telah berbicara dengan Allah. Yesus memasuki taman Getsemani dengan pergumulan; Dia keluar dari sana dengan damai di dalam jiwa-Nya karena Dia telah berbicara dengan Allah. Maka betapa pentingnya doa bagi orang Kristen.

Kebiasaan berbicara dengan Tuhan secara intim perlu kita kembangkan. Cho Yonggi, pendeta sejuta umat di Korea Selatan, berkata: “Bagiku doa sangat penting. Doa akan menjawab semua persoalanku.” Hal yang sama juga diutarakan oleh Martin Luther: “Doa adalah hal yang terpenting dalam hidupku. Apabila aku tidak berdoa, maka aku akan kehilangan api iman.”

Josephus, sejarahwan Yahudi yang amat tersohor, setelah menyaksikan berbagai bentuk penganiayaan sadis yang menimpa orang-orang Kristen di awal kekristenan, menulis demikian: “Saya tidak bisa mengerti, pada waktu singa menerkam orang-orang Kristen, mereka tetap mempunyai wajah-wajah yang tenang, hati yang begitu stabil dan terus memuji Yesus Kristus. Sebelum mati, suara pujian tidak henti-hentinya keluar dari mulut para martir.”

Kita dapat berasumsi bahwa jika orang-orang Kristen itu dapat dengan tabah menghadapi semua siksaan yang ada, ini dikarenakan mereka semua telah terlebih dahulu berbicara dengan Allah, dan seperti yang Tuhan Yesus alami, mereka juga memperoleh keten-traman yang amat besar dalam jiwa mereka dari Allah. Hanya orang Kristen yang mempunyai damai dari Tuhan, baru mampu dengan tenang mengha-dapi semua tantangan hidup. Karena itu, perlulah kita mengingat nasehat penulis Ibrani yang berkata: “Sebab itu marilah kita dengan penuh keberanian meng-hampiri tahta kasih karunia, supaya kita menerima rahmat dan menemukan kasih karunia untuk mendapat pertolongan kita pada waktunya.” (Ibr. 4:16).

Berbagai krisis yang sedang menimpa negara Indonesia kelihatannya belum akan segera berlalu. Dan sebagaimana yang telah kita lihat dan alami bersama, krisis-krisis ini telah membawa berbagai dampak negatif dalam kehidupan anak-anak Tuhan. Walau demikian, kita tidak perlu berkecil hati dan putus asa, karena seperti Bapa menyertai Tuhan Yesus, Dia juga KE HALAMAN 18 ►


Ffocus ———————————————————————————————

timeSummarized from a gospel tract by Rev. DR. Tong http://www.stephentong.org/time.htm

When we think about Easter, we usually divide the emotion into two categories; the sad part and the gracious one. The persecution and the death of Jesus really can make us all cry. On the other hand the resurrection of Jesus can make us burst into tears of happiness. After that emotion, what remains in our thought is what matter.

Jesus died around age 32. It’s a pretty young age. He only had that much time in the earth to do His job, which he accomplished very well. How about you and me? We never know when we will die. Let us learn together from this short message by Rev. DR. Stephen Tong about how we appreciate the time that we have. ►


WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT TIMEPsalm 90:12: Teach us to number our

days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. The westerners often compare time with money because they look upon time from a commercial angle. Thus, they say that ‘Time is money’. This definition is indeed shallow in nature. There is a Chinese saying that states that an inch of time cannot be bought with an inch of gold. This saying links time with money, but the emphasis is that although time is deemed to be as precious as gold, it is not possible for one to replace time with gold.

Whatever the case may be, it is shallow for one to define time in terms of money. It does not take into account culture, and it is a definition far from any acceptable standard. I have given time 3 definitions. If you can remember these three, you would find them useful for the rest of your life.

FIRSTLY, TIME IS LIFEYour life span cannot possibly be

longer than the time you have. Thus, to waste time would be to waste life itself. To squander away time would be to squander away life.

I have often asked others, “Do you believe in Jesus Christ? Have you heard the gospel of Jesus Christ? Are you willing to come to church to worship and listen to the gospel?” Their answers often would be, “I am willing, but I am just too busy. I have no time!”

They live within time, and have been using time. Yet they say they have no time. Do you not find this contradictory? Why are they lack of time? They are too busy! Why can’t they make arrangement in their time schedule and set aside time

for sermons and worship services? When are you going to have enough time? Are you going to wait till you are gravely sick before you can find time?

You have considered your life and the Way of life as worthless, not willing to spend even a little time to think about the value of life, its meaning, purposes and the matters of life and death. You have not being thinking seriously about your life, which is why you time, life and time have been given to money.

This is the type of life that many people are leading today. Are you one of them?

SECONDLY, TIME IS OPPORTUNITYObviously, we do not have oppor-

tunities in every second of time. But all opportunities are to be found in time. No one knows how much time he has left on earth. Some people made speeches plan and arranged for some work to be done, and suddenly leave the world that every night.

I have a friend who would look into the obituary page first when he reads the newspaper, looking for familiar faces. I asked him, “Would it be possible that you will see your own obituary?” He answered, “No, you can only see the death of others, but never your own death.” Although we cannot see our own death, death will come upon us one day as well. If you were to leave the world this evening, are you prepared?

Time is opportunity. Do you have the opportunity to repent? Do you have the opportunity to listen to a sermon? Do you have the opportunity to receive the grace of our LORD? Have you had the opportunity to see the filth in your own life under the moving of the Holy Spirit


and the illumination of the Bible? Have you heard words of grace, telling you that your sins can be forgiven? What do you think about the many opportunities when you can come before the LORD Jesus? Why have you rejected them time and again? God is not to be taken lightly. He has been gracious and patient, giving you the opportunity to repent and submit to Him. Have you taken hold of these oppor-tunities?

THIRDLY, TIME IS A RECORDWhen I preach, the audio recorder

would record every word I say. My thoughts have been recorded in time. I always remind myself that I have to be careful because even mistakes would be recorded as well. I hope that you will feel the same way, because heaven has a recording of you. Do not think that no one knows about your sins, and only your conscience is involved.

Do not forget, time is a record! The Creator LORD is recording every moment of your life.

CONCLUSIONThe prayer of Moses is great indeed,

“Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” He linked time with wisdom, and knew that he should seek direction from the LORD that transcends time.

The wise man lives within time itself, and builds his life based on ethics. The foolish man however, wastes away his life in time with evilness.

How are you holding on your time today? What sort of things makes up the content of your existence? Upon what foundation do you build your ethics?

Are you guided and directed in life with wisdom, and the more important ques-tion would be from where do you get this wisdom? Do you know the God who has created time, yet transcends time? He is the only one who can grant you wisdom while you are living in time.

I termed the prayer of Moses as the “Prayer of Life”. This is very different from the prayers of daily living, which essen-tially ask for a trouble-free life, and things like prosperity in business. The Prayer of Life asks for our life to be link with the will of eternal God.

This LORD who created life, who gave us the breath of life, also pre-determined our sphere and span of life, so that we will seek after Him.

You cannot treat the opportunities given to you lightly. You also should not waster away the time that He has given to us. We must learn to number of days and have a heart of wisdom. We should trea-sure the days He has given to us with the wisdom He has granted to us.

May the LORD Jesus Christ grant you that heart of wisdom. [ES/TA]

TIME is: . Life . Opportunity . A record

Moses' PRAYER OF LIFE:Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. PSALM 90:12

//quick reference


The Great Commission challenges all of us, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20, NIV).

The average adult is awake 16 hours a day: one hour to prepare for work, 30 minutes each driving to and from work, eight hours at work. That’s already 10 out of 16 hours. Let’s contrast that with the time we invest at church. For some people, it’s just an hour a week. The point? The majority of our life is invested in preparation for work and in doing it. That’s why God’s presence in the workplace matters.

God knew the struggle we were going to face in the workplace, so throughout Scripture He gave us clear instruction,

warning and encouragement about our work.

INSTRUCTION “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:23-24, NIV).

WARNING “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money” (Matthew 6:24, NIV).

ENCOURAGEMENT “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?” (Matthew 6:25, NIV).

SHARING YOUR FAITH

BE BOLD ABOUT FAITH ON THE JOB By: Pat Flood | Chairman and CEO of HomeBanc Mortgage Corporation, in Atlanta, GA.


The workplace offers great opportunities to encourage those who know Christ and to witness to those who don’t.

I have heard many arguments about why God does not belong in the workplace. There is the legal argument. The “it might offend someone” argument. The “what gives you the right?” argument. I have even heard the “it might scare off customers or employees” argument.

But Jesus said, “I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God.” (Luke 12:8-9, NIV).

If I claim Christ, if I accept His offer of grace, I cannot leave Him in the car and spend the bulk of the day pretending I don’t know Him. Think of how Peter denied Jesus—is that any different from our daily failure to claim Him in the workplace?

The marketplace matters because God offered us His Son, the greatest Gift in history. And our acceptance of that Gift came with instructions: Every one of us is called to participate in the Great Commission. Every day in the workplace we have the opportunity to share that Gift with others. Be bold. Live your Christian faith every day. If we do that, we will affect the lives of many in the great harvest field that exists in the workplace.

akan menyertai kita. Tuhan Yesus tidak akan membiarkan kita yatim piatu.

Pada saat kita mengalami jalan buntu dan kita tidak tahu bagaimana harus berdoa dan menyelesaikan permasalahan kita, kita perlu mengingat perkataan Paulus dalam Rom. 8:26: “Demikian juga Roh membantu kita dalam kelemahan kita; sebab kita tidak tahu, bagaimana sebenarnya kita harus berdoa; tetapi Roh sendiri berdoa untuk kita kepada Allah dengan keluhan-keluhan yang tak terucapkan.”

Orang Kristen mungkin meng-hadapi situasi yang berada di luar kemampuannya, tetapi perlu diingat bahwa ia tak pernah di luar kemampuan Allah. Pada akhirnya, Denis Waitley berkata: “Krisis merupakan suatu kesem-patan untuk mengendarai angin yang berbahaya. Pandanglah krisis sebagai suatu kesempatan atau batu loncatan untuk menggapai bintang.” [ES/TA]

► DARI HALAMAN 13

►additional resources: <=x Faith in the Workplace:

http://www.ccel.org/contrib/exec_outlines/top/workers.htm

x Workplace Evangelism: How to Fish Out Seekers:

http://www.globalopps.org/papers/workplac.htm


“LUTHER!”TERDENGAR DENGAN LANTANG SUARA TERIAKAN IBUNYA DARI LANTAI BAWAH.

“Luther, apakah kau sudah tuli?” terdengar lagi teriakan yang lebih lantang dan kasar dari ibunya, karena Luther tidak menjawab teriakan ibunya. Luther dengan cepat berlari turun kebawah dan menghampiri ibunya yang sedang berada di dapur.

Luther melihat adiknya yang sangat di sayang oleh ibunya sedang menangis terseguk–

seguk seperti seseorang habis memukulnya. Ibunya melotot kearahnya, amarah ibu

juga terlihat di gerakan tangannya yang sedang memegang pisau. Ibu rupanya sedang

memotong daging untuk makan siang keluarga. Entah apa yang menyebabkan Ryan,

adik Luther itu untuk tiba – tiba menginginkan pistol air yang Luther dapatkan sewaktu

Luther berulang tahun.

BY DANIEL LOEPART I


“Luther! Mana pistol–pistolan mu, cepat berikan pada adikmu dan jangan kau ambil lagi dari padanya... mengerti? Dan aku tidak mau lagi mendengar adikmu menangis lagi karena pistol pistolan itu, mengerti?”

"Tapi... bu, itu kan hadiah ulang tahun Luther!”

“Eh, membangkang pada ibumu sendiri yah, berani kurang ajar kau sekarang yah!”

Terlihat ibunya mengacung-acungkan tangannya yang sedang memegang pisau kepada Luther. Luther takut dan kuatir kalau–kalau pisau itu jatuh dan melukai Luther.

“Tidak bu. Baik, akan Luther berikan!”

“Cepat,berikan sekarang juga. Kenapa kau sekarang begitu bodoh, hah? Tidakkah kau lihat adikmu yang sedang menangis ini? Cepat ambil sekarang juga, dasar anak bodoh!

Luther berlari keatas dengan sangat ketakutan, dan karena tergesa-gesa Luther jatuh di tangga dari ketinggian lima langkah kebawah. Dan hal ini membuat ibu Luther semakin kalap dan mengamuk.

“Dasar anak Bodoh! Eh sekarang lamban

dan tidak hati-hati lagi. Ayo cepat balik keatas dan jangan coba–coba menangis kau sudah besar. Itu akibat keteledoranmu sendiri! Mungkin karena kau ke gendutan karena kau pelahap dan makan melulu, ayo cepat kenapa masih di situ?”

Itulah pertama kali pengalaman buruk Luther yang di alami didalam hidupnya. Dan sejak saat itu sepertinya Luther ‘sial’ atau ‘kesambet.’’ Sejak saat itu hidup Luther menciut, dunia geraknya semakin sempit. Orang-orang yang ada di sekitarnya menjadi tidak ramah. Akhirnya Luther

menjadi ‘minder,’ h a m p i r s e t i a p orang menjauh d a r i p a d a n y a . Tidak jarang pula terdengar orang mengejek Luther dengan label-label

menyakitkan seperti "freak","loser",dan "dumb" Pada suatu hari, Luther sedang berada di sekolah. Luther baru saja membuka lockernya ketika tiba-tiba seseorang berlari dengan kencangnya dan menabraknya sehingga membuat pintu lockernya menutup kembali dengan kencangnya, menjepit tangannya yang berada didalam locker. Darah mengalir dari tangan Luther dengan begitu derasnya. Penderitaan Luther tidak sampai di situ, orang yang dengan sengaja menabraknya malah memaki-makinya.

"FREAK","LOSER," AND "DUMB"


“Kurang ajar, apa matamu buta? Tidak-kah kau lihat aku sedang berlari! Lain kali akan ku hajar kau!”

“So...soory...!” suara Luther tersendat ketakutan.

Orang lain yang ada di sekitar locker tersebut tertawa–tawa dan semua memperhatikan Luther dengan pandangan mata yang mendakwa, menghina, dan melecehkan. Luther Cuma menundukkan kepalanya, melihat lantai yang digenangi dengan darah yang mengalir dari tangannya. Sementara itu orang-orang yang sudah bosan mentertawakannya meninggalkannya satu persatu. Tetapi tiba-tiba Luther mendengar langkah langkah yang mendekat ke arahnya. Masih dalam posisi menunduk Luther melirik dan melihat seorang gadislah yang menghampiri ke arahnya.

“Hey lihat tanganmu berdarah harus segera di balut!” Lalu gadis itu meraih tangan Luther dan membalutnya dengan sapu tangannya. Luther terhentak dan mundur ke belakang menghindari ‘gadis yang baik hati’ ini.

“Biarkan aku bisa membalutnya sendiri!”

Tidak mengapa, kau perlu bantuan,” kata gadis itu, bersikeras untuk membalut luka Luther.Lalu dengan kasarnya dan secara reflek Luther menolak dan mendorongnya

sehingga menyebabkan gadis itu untuk hampir terjatuh.

“AKU TIDAK PERLU BANTUANMU... AKU TIDAK MAU KAU MENGASIHANI AKU... PERGI KAU... PERGIIIII...” Gadis baik hati ini menangis dan lalu dengan kencang berlari meninggalkan Luther seorang diri di aula locker high school "JUNGLEWOOD" Kemarahan Luther yang selama ini terpendam bertahun-tahun seolah olah meluap–luap didalam dadanya, bagaikan air mendidih yang bergolak-golak di atas api yang membara. Tiba-tiba mata Luther menjadi liar, lebih liar dan mengerikan dari pada mata burung Elang ataupun Srigala yang sudah berhari –hari belum mendapatkan mangsa. Lalu Luther membalut lukanya dengan “sapu tangan” yang di tinggalkan oleh gadis itu. Lalu Luther mengambil baseball bat yang ada di dalam lockernya, yang di dapatkannya di lapangan baseball yang di tinggalkan oleh seseorang sewaktu Luther pulang terlambat karena di hukum oleh guru matematik-nya sewaktu dia lupa mengerjakan homework.

Luther membanting pintu lockernya dan berlari bagaikan kijang di kejar oleh seorang pemburu, kedua kakinya menginjak genangan darahnya sendiri yang berceceran dilantai, sehingga meninggalkan jejak- jejak darah di sepanjang aula locker tsb.


Luther masuk kedalam kelas di mana anak muda yang menabraknya itu berada. Kelas belum lagi mulai dan ada banyak anak–anak yang sudah duduk di kursi mereka masing masing. Sewaktu mereka melihat Luther datang dengan ‘api pembalasan’ yang seolah olah di sulut oleh setan dari bawah neraka sana, anak- anak muda ini bisa tertawa menghina!

Luther menghampiri anak muda yang baru saja menabraknya dan berdiri di depannya.

“Apa yang ingin kau lakukan idiot? Mau minta di ajari bagaimana cara memegang baseball bat?

“THUD....! THUD! THUD! BRAAGH!” Terdengar hantaman keras baseball bat menghantam muka, kepala dan badan anak muda yang congkak ini. Anak muda ini langsung jatuh kelantai dan darah mengalir dengan derasnya dari hidung, kepala dan mulutnya.

Seketika itu juga ruangan menjadi sepi dan setiap orang berusaha menyelamatkan dirinya sendiri. Luther yang bagaikan “pahlawan” yang baru memenangkan perang melangkah keluar dengan gagahnya.

Selama ini Luther selalu menundukkan kepalanya kalau berjalan. Sekali ini dia melihat dengan tegak kearah depannya.

Luther memukul setiap orang yang masih sempat di temuinya di ruangan kelas tsb. dan di aula sekolah yang sekarang berubah menjadi kacau balau dengan orang–orang yang berlari kian kemari.

Kurang dari setengah jam, Luther sudah mencabut puluhan nyawa anak-anak Junglewood high school. Di mata Luther,

semua yang di bantainya adalah orang-orang yang selalu menganiayanya, baik dengan cara physic atau verbaL.Belum sempat alarm di hidupkan dan belum sempat security awaretentang apa yang terjadi di dalam, Luther berlari dengan kencangnya. Dia tidak menggunakan jalan umum, tapi dia menelusuri route rahasia yang selama ini dia gunakan untuk menghindari keramaian. Dia takut diejek dan dihina oleh orang-orang yang melihatnya.

Dalam waktu sepuluh menit Luther sudah berada di depan pintu rumahnya, lalu dengan kasar dia membuka pintu rumahnya. Ibunya yang hari itu juga sedang berada di dapur mempersiapkan

“THUD....! THUD! THUD! BRAAGH!”


masakan buat "family dinner" mendengar kerusuhan di pintu rumahnya. Ketika melihat Luther yang masuk dengan baseball bat ditanganya, ibunya semakin marah dan memaki-maki Luther.

“Idiot, bodoh, pemalas, apa yang kau lakukan merusah pintu rumahku? Anak kurang ajar, tidak tahu diri....pandir......anak si...al....!”

Secepat kilat Luther merampas pisau yang berada di tangan ibunya, dan dengan buasnya Luther menghujamkan pisau dapur tsb. ke dada ibunya. Berkali–kali, sehingga dada ibunya berlubang cukup besar untuk menumpahkan semua darah yang ada di tubuh ibunya tsb.

Kilatan dari stainless steel pisau tsb. menyilaukan mata Luther dan dia teringat detik detik pertama kali kilauan dari pisau tsb. sewaktu ibunya memarahinya dan menyuruhnya untuk memberikan pistol-pistolan air kepada adiknya. Senyum menyeringai terlihat di muka Luther!

Suara makian ibunya membuat Ryan, anak emas keluarga terbangun dari tidurnya... Ryan baru saja pulang kerumah dan baru saja membaringkan dirinya diranjang ketika terdengar terikan ibunya kepada Luther. Ryan penasaran karena setahunya,

Luther masih harus berada di sekolahnya. Ryan turun kebawah dan memanggil ibunya.

“MA......ADA.... AP...........A!

“ZZAAAAP!!” terdengar suara desingan pisau yang dilemparkan oleh Luther dan dengan jitunya menancap di kepala Ryan.. seketika itu juga putuslah nyawa Ryan dengan mata mendelik. Lalu Luther dengan tenangnya dan seolah-olah tidak pernah terjadi apa apa, melangkah ke arah kulkas, mengeluarkan orange juice dari dalamnya dan menenggaknya hampir setengah gallon kedalam mulutnya. Lalu Luther melangkah keluar dan bersamaan dengan itu telpon di rumah Luther berdering, Junglewood High School hendak melaporkan kepada orang tua Luther kalau anaknya hari ini has “gone bad.”

Luther berlari dan berlari dengan cepatnya bagaikan terbang... bagaikan srigala atau burung elang yang baru saja mendapatkan mangsa yang selama ini di - idam–idam kan nya.. dan sekarang Elang atau Srigala ini berlari pulang ke gua atau kesarangnya... ketempat dimana lawan-lawanya tidak mungkin akan menemukannya!

Bersambung...


MANNERS ARE MUCH MORE THAN JUST SAYING “PLEASE” AND “THANK YOU.” THEY ARE WAYS OF SHOWING KINDNESS AND CONSIDERATION.

Whether we like it or not, people will judge

our children on how they handle them-

selves. It’s much easier to teach good man-

ners while our children are young than it is

to break bad habits when they are older.

Voltaire said, “We cannot always oblige;

but we can always speak obligingly.”

Here are just a few of the areas we can fo-

cus on when teaching our children the art

and value of good manners. Included are

some ideas for helping our children

want to practice politeness.

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B Y E L L I E K A Y

24

Way to Go, Joe! | We can teach our chil-dren to become cheerleaders in life and an encouragement to people they meet. The best way to do this is to model this behavior and communication in a sincere and specific way. For example, “Joe, it was nice when you helped the elderly lady in the grocery store unload her cart.”

Sharing | Help your children understand the importance of sharing with others. Com-pliment them when you see them sharing with others. Look for ways you can share your food, clothing and unused household goods with someone else, and let your child participate in this act of kindness.

Games | Ask your child the following ques-tions. (For every question she answers correctly, give her a kiss — a real one or a chocolate one.)

• What do you say if you walk in front of someone’s line of view? (Excuse me)

• Moving over so someone can sit down is being…? (Polite)

• When you ask for something, you say …? (Please)

• When you receive something you say …? (Thank You)

• When you meet someone, you say …? (Nice to meet you, Mrs. Kay)

• When you apologize, you say …? (I’m sorry I yelled at you.)

SOCIAL MANNERS FOR 8- TO 12-YEAR-OLDS

Thank-You Notes | Teach your child the importance of thanking people for gifts and other acts of kindness. This will give

SOCIAL MANNERS FOR TODDLERS

Social manners make your child a better person for himself, family, friends and com-munity. And you don’t have to wait until he’s in school to start teaching him simple ways to show politeness.

“Tank U” and “Pwease.” | Even young tod-dlers can learn how to say “thank you” for gifts, acts of service and food. They will need constant reminding and should not receive a requested item unless they say “please.”

Introductions | Even when your children are young, you can lay the foundation of introduction manners by introducing them to the mailman, baby-sitter or Sunday school teacher. After you say, “Tommy, this is Mrs. Hanson,” teach your toddler to say, “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Hanson.” Even if his initial attempts sound more like gibber-ish than graciousness, it’s a commendable start.

Health | Children tend to behave badly when they are tired or hungry. Help your children by making sure they get enough rest and nutritious food.

Games | Role-play a conversation with your child — and with a bag of fruit snacks. Have your child practice saying “please” and “thank you” and reward him each time during the role-playing session.

SOCIAL MANNERS FOR 4- TO 7-YEAR-OLDS

“I’m Sorry.” | When our kids fail, it’s impor-tant for them to learn the hard lesson of of-fering the other person a specific apology, such as “I’m sorry for pushing you.”


For example, if your son tends to speak disrespectfully to his siblings, then have Rude Ralph speak harshly while Polite Polly is kind. A gentle reminder when they act a certain way in the future can be: Are you being a Polite Polly or a Rude Ralph today?

My husband, Bob, is a military pilot, and we were invited to a potluck dinner at his flying squadron. The noisy room was filled with jabbering kids and their chatting moms and dads. Our oldest son, Daniel, was only 2 years old and Philip was a baby. We let Daniel play with the other kids because it was a safe environment.

Soon thereafter, he came back with a pack-age of peanut butter crackers and proudly held them out to us. A fighter pilot who asked, “Is this little boy yours?” followed him.

“Yes he is,” I answered, wondering what he may have done.

“Well,” replied the pilot, “I’ve been pass-ing out crackers to the kids for the last two hours, and your son is one of the youngest guys I gave them to. He’s the only one who said ‘thank you.’”

Daniel smiled and proudly repeated, “Tank u.”

them a head start in life as they learn to appreciate others. Show them how to write a personal and prompt thank-you note on special stationary that they can make themselves.

Be sure they name the gift (or act of kind-ness) and are specific in what they appreci-ate about it. For example:

Dear Mrs. Pedone,

Thank you for the new craft kit for my birthday. I like making things to give away. It was nice of you to think of me.

Love,

Tommy

Empathy | This is the age when children be-gin to notice how words and actions make others feel. Help your child understand how they cause harm to others by doing or saying unkind things.

Ask them how they would feel if someone said the same thing about them. At first, you may just be running damage control, but eventually your child will learn to avoid harmful words and actions.

Honesty | While apologizing for misbehav-ior is frequently difficult for children, it is also a lesson in honesty. When they admit that they have done something wrong, tell them you would have been more angry or disappointed if they had not admitted their mistake.

Games | Have them make and put on a pro-duction of “The Polite Puppets,” featuring Polite Polly and Rude Ralph for younger siblings or neighborhood children. Help them write a script that includes areas they are having problems with themselves.


[ A variation of the SOAP method, which originally appears in “Life Journal.”]

Choose a book in the Bible, it can be any book in the Bible, but it isrecommended that you choose one from the New Testaments, especially if you area new believer. Matthew, John, Philippians, James, and Hebrews are some of theexcellent books that many Christians have found full of applications and relatableto everyday life. You can choose to read a chapter or a heading each day, depend-ing on your learning preferences. If you like to study the Word in depth and in-ductively, then you might want to read a heading (about 18 verses or so) within achapter on a given day. If you’re more of a “big picture” type of person or you’rea fast-reader, then one chapter a day is the right pace for you. When you read thatpassage in the Bible, do not rush yourself. Make sure you have at least 20 to 30minutes to devote to studying the Word.

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What I am about to introduce to you is a different approach to study God’s Word,it is called the SOMPA method, and it has truly been a blessing for me. I did not come upwith this method, although I wish I did. SOMPA is great for those of us who struggle withmaintaining consistency in reading the Word. This method does not guarantee you “good”devotions; there will always be days when it seems as if God’s Word is not speaking toyou. When that happens, I hope that you will ask God for His wisdom, and He will give itto you (James I: 4-6). Remember that we understand the Word according to how much theHoly Spirit reveals to us. All of us are very busy and sadly, our quiet time with the Lord is one of the first things that we sacrifice to make time for other things. To help prevent this from happening, I encourage you to set up a mandatory block of time reserved just for spending time alonewith the Lord and to connect with Him in faith, because connecting with Him is the mostimportant thing that you can do in your walk with God. Honestly seek him and connectwith Him, and through it He will bless you abundantly and provide for all your needs (Mat6:33-34).

[ A variation of the SOAP method, which originally appears in “Life Journal.”]

Choose a book in the Bible, it can be any book in the Bible, but it isrecommended that you choose one from the New Testaments, especially if you area new believer. Matthew, John, Philippians, James, and Hebrews are some of theexcellent books that many Christians have found full of applications and relatableto everyday life. You can choose to read a chapter or a heading each day, depend-ing on your learning preferences. If you like to study the Word in depth and in-ductively, then you might want to read a heading (about 18 verses or so) within achapter on a given day. If you’re more of a “big picture” type of person or you’rea fast-reader, then one chapter a day is the right pace for you. When you read thatpassage in the Bible, do not rush yourself. Make sure you have at least 20 to 30minutes to devote to studying the Word.

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What I am about to introduce to you is a different approach to study God’s Word,it is called the SOMPA method, and it has truly been a blessing for me. I did not come upwith this method, although I wish I did. SOMPA is great for those of us who struggle withmaintaining consistency in reading the Word. This method does not guarantee you “good”devotions; there will always be days when it seems as if God’s Word is not speaking toyou. When that happens, I hope that you will ask God for His wisdom, and He will give itto you (James I: 4-6). Remember that we understand the Word according to how much theHoly Spirit reveals to us. All of us are very busy and sadly, our quiet time with the Lord is one of the first things that we sacrifice to make time for other things. To help prevent this from happening, I encourage you to set up a mandatory block of time reserved just for spending time alonewith the Lord and to connect with Him in faith, because connecting with Him is the mostimportant thing that you can do in your walk with God. Honestly seek him and connectwith Him, and through it He will bless you abundantly and provide for all your needs (Mat6:33-34).

by: Rachel Atmadja


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After reading that passage, choose a verse (or verses) that particularly stick out to you.It can be for many reasons, maybe you do not understand it, or maybe you find profound meaning packed in a those few words that you would like to explore. Try to keep it to within 2 verses.

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This is where you summarize what happens in that verse, or the context that surrounds that verse. It isalso helpful to identify what topic the verse deals with, for example faith, trust, humility, etc.

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This is where you meditate on that verse’s meaning. A good way to start would be to writedown why that particular verse sticks out to you. Write down your interpretation of that verse, this canbe different for every person, and your interpretation may change as you come back to that verse lateron. Remember to pay close attention to the context that surrounds that verse. I encourage you to learn to examine the motives of each character in the Bible, especiallythe ones commended for their faith. Learn from their mistakes. You can also meditate on Jesus’ ac-tions and His heart behind it. Through observing Jesus’ actions, you come to realize the motive behindeach action, and in turn get a glimpse of His values. One of the ways that we show our love for Godis by taking on His values above our own. I encourage you to try to understand Jesus’ heart behindevery action that he does, be it healing the sick or speaking in parables. See the message behind eachmiracle, not just the actual miracle in itself. If a particular verse reminds you of another story oranother verse, by all means look it up through the concordance at the back of your Bible. Cross-refer-encing clarifies the verse’s meaning to you so you can better understand the verse as a whole.

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Take the time to pray that God will help you apply what you learned, you can also list outprayer requests.

Do not be anxious about anything. But in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, pres-ent your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4: 6-7

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Part of internalizing God’s Word is applying it in our daily lives. This is where you relatewhat you have learned from that particular verse into your daily life. This application should be prac-tical things that you can do within a week after you read that verse. Applications is not restricted tophysical things, it can also be changes in your perspective of things.

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After reading that passage, choose a verse (or verses) that particularly stick out to you.It can be for many reasons, maybe you do not understand it, or maybe you find profound meaning packed in a those few words that you would like to explore. Try to keep it to within 2 verses.

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This is where you summarize what happens in that verse, or the context that surrounds that verse. It isalso helpful to identify what topic the verse deals with, for example faith, trust, humility, etc.

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This is where you meditate on that verse’s meaning. A good way to start would be to writedown why that particular verse sticks out to you. Write down your interpretation of that verse, this canbe different for every person, and your interpretation may change as you come back to that verse lateron. Remember to pay close attention to the context that surrounds that verse. I encourage you to learn to examine the motives of each character in the Bible, especiallythe ones commended for their faith. Learn from their mistakes. You can also meditate on Jesus’ ac-tions and His heart behind it. Through observing Jesus’ actions, you come to realize the motive behindeach action, and in turn get a glimpse of His values. One of the ways that we show our love for Godis by taking on His values above our own. I encourage you to try to understand Jesus’ heart behindevery action that he does, be it healing the sick or speaking in parables. See the message behind eachmiracle, not just the actual miracle in itself. If a particular verse reminds you of another story oranother verse, by all means look it up through the concordance at the back of your Bible. Cross-refer-encing clarifies the verse’s meaning to you so you can better understand the verse as a whole.

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Take the time to pray that God will help you apply what you learned, you can also list outprayer requests.

Do not be anxious about anything. But in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, pres-ent your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4: 6-7

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Part of internalizing God’s Word is applying it in our daily lives. This is where you relatewhat you have learned from that particular verse into your daily life. This application should be prac-tical things that you can do within a week after you read that verse. Applications is not restricted tophysical things, it can also be changes in your perspective of things.

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Do not hold on to this method as a fixed set of rules. Be creative, personalize your way of doing devotions because each of us is different and we learn through different ways. Do not be discouraged if this method does not work for you, keep seeking ways to connect with God and study His Word.

Take the time to memorize about 2 verses each week. Memorize them so you will be armed with God’s Word every time you face a difficult situation where you’re not sure what to do. It is also helpful for comforting a friend in distress as well as keeping you in

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It is very easy to get lost in the head knowledge of studying God’s Word. Desire to know doctrine is all well and good, but do not forget to remain in awe of God as you study the Word. The end goal of reading the Word is to see the glory of God, which is reflected in the face of Jesus. Always seek for the glory of God and his sovereignty in His Word to keep you from getting lost in the head-knowledge. A good way to keep ourselves in awe of God is to ask ourselves, “how does knowing this truth about God make me feel?”

When you don’t understand a particular verse, do not lean on your own under-standing. Ask one of your pastors, or an older brother or sister in Christ who are further along in their walk with the Lord than you are. It is good to start a small group to study the Word together outside of church. That way, you’ll have accountability with each other to keep you from slipping, and you can always ask each other and discuss the Word together.

A creative way to keep the verses handy are these little 2” x 3” notecards that you can slip into your pock-ets. They’re available at most office-supply stores, the one pictured at the left side are manufactured by Kokuyo. You’re welcome to think of other creative ways to keep the scripture close to you!

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ACROSS

1. One of the books of the Bible.

2. ___fish and five bread.

3. John the Baptist’s food.

4. Humble king who asked God only for wisdom instead of wealth or health.

5. Who was thrown into the cage full of hungry lions?

6. The garden of creation

7. The tax collector who invited Jesus to dine with his friends.

8. The sister who listened to Jesus while her sister prepared food.

9. The woman who gave birth to a son when she was already beyond the proper age to give birth.

DOWN

1. One of the Trinity whose job is to guide us.

10. Who was told by God to build the ark?

11. Our Savior.

12. The faithful woman who asked God for a child and named him Samuel.

13. Song: who is the king of the ________

14. Jesus changed Simon’s name to Peter which means the _______.

15. “The Father of many nations.”

16. The father of Esau and Jacob.

CROSSWORDS CHALLENGE

C H I L D R E N ' S C O R N E R

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GOLONGAN DARAH YESUS

Sebuah percakapan setelah selesai suatu kebaktian.

“Tahukah kamu golongan darah Yesus?”

“Tak mungkin ada yang tahu. Kamu tahu?”

“Ya, golongan darahNya ‘O’”

“Bagaimana kamu tahu?”

“Kan ada di Kidung Jemaat no. 36, `O, darah Tuhanku’.”

BUKAKAN PINTU BAGIKU Pada suatu hari seorang pendeta melakukan kunjungan pada jemaatnya. Semuanya berjalan lancar sampai ketika ia tiba di suatu rumah. Jelas ada orang di dalam, namun ketika ia mengetuk pintu, tak ada orang yang membukakannya.

Akhirnya ia mengambil kartu namanya dan menuliskan sebuah catatan: “Wahyu 3:20--Lihat, Aku berdiri di muka pintu dan mengetok; jikalau ada orang yang mendengar suara-Ku dan membukakan pintu, Aku akan masuk mendapatkannya dan Aku makan bersama-sama dengan dia, dan ia bersama-sama dengan Aku.” Ia menyelipkan kartu itu di bawah pintu.

Keesokan harinya, ketika ia sedang menghitung persembahan ia mendapatkan sebuah kartu nama di kantung persembahan, di situ ada catatan: “Kejadian 3:10--Ketika aku mendengar, bahwa Engkau ada dalam taman ini, aku menjadi takut, karena aku telanjang.”

HUMOR


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