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THE WAY MINISTRIES
AND
BLACK-TOP GOSPEL MUSIC MINISTRY.
Vol. 1 Issue # 3
April 2001 issue
THE WAY MINISTRIES

This is a new on-line e-maga-zine published and edited by:
The Way Ministries
http://communities.msn.ca/NewTestamentChurchRevivalTheWay/homepage
This e-maga-zine will contaiin the following sections.
1- main article (THE MARTYRDOM OF POLYCARP) part 3
2- Inspirational Story.
3- Womens Section.
4- News Story.
Featured Web Sites in this Issue.

GREAT SITE FOR WOMEN
http://members.truepath.com/cald2BHis/Hannah.html


GREAT SITE FOR ALL
http://www.theburningbush.org
Whether you turn to the right or to theleft, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, "THIS IS THE WAY; WALK IN IT. Isa. 30 v 21

Our feature story is the continuing story of The Martyrdom of Polycarp.
This months continuation is Chapters 4 10---- Part 3
For those of you that did not receive the previous issues of this e-maga-zine, you can view it in the on-line version by clicking the above link. We hope that you are finding encouragement and inspiration from this story of a great early Christian and his life and confession of faith. We encourage you to send us your comments and suggestions on ways to improve this e-maga-zine. We also are interested in your contributions: poetry, short stories, events, recipes, etc.

Chapter IV.-Quintus the Apostate.
Now one named Quintus, a Phrygian, who was but lately come from Phrygia, when he saw the wild beasts, became afraid. This was the man who forced himself and some others to come forward voluntarily [for trial]. Him the proconsul, after many entreaties, persuaded to swear and to offer sacrifice. Wherefore, brethren, we do not commend those who give themselves up [to suffering], seeing the Gospel does not teach so to do.
Chapter V.-The Departure and Vision of Polycarp.
But the most admirable Polycarp, when he first heard [that he was sought for], was in no measure disturbed, but resolved to continue in the city. However, in deference to the wish of many, he was persuaded to leave it. He departed, therefore, to a country house not far distant from the city. There he stayed with a few [friends], engaged in nothing else night and day than praying for all men, and for the Churches throughout the world, according to his usual custom. And while he was praying, a vision presented itself to him three days before he was taken; and, behold, the pillow under his head seemed to him on fire. Upon this, turning to those that were with him, he said to them prophetically," I must be burnt alive."
Chapter VI.-Polycarp is Betrayed by a Servant.
And when those who sought for him were at hand, he departed to another dwelling, whither his pursuers immediately came after him. And when they found him not, they seized upon two youths [that were there], one of whom, being subjected to torture, confessed. It was thus impossible that he should continue hid, since those that betrayed him were of his own household. The Irenarch then (whose office is the same as that of the Cleronomus), by name Herod, hastened to bring him into the stadium. [This all happened] that he might fulfil his special lot, being made a partaker of Christ, and that they who betrayed him might under go the punishment of Judas himself.
Chapter VII.-Polycarp is Found by His Pursuers.
His pursuers then, along with horsemen, and taking the youth with them, went forth at supper-time on the day of the preparation with their usual weapons, as if going out against a robber. And being come about evening [to the place where he was], they found him lying down in the upper room of a certain little house, from which he might have escaped into another place; but he refused, saying, "The will of God be done." So when he heard that they were come, he went down and spake with them. And as those that were present marvelled at his age and constancy, some of them said. "Was so much effort made to capture such a venerable man? Immediately then, in that very hour, he ordered that something to eat and drink should be set before them, as much indeed as they cared for, while he besought them to allow him an hour to pray without disturbance. And on their giving him leave, he stood and prayed, being full of the grace of God, so that he could not cease for two full hours, to the astonishment of them that heard him, insomuch that many began to repent that they had come forth against so godly and venerable an old man.
Chapter VIII.-Polycarp is Brought into the City.
Now, as soon as he had ceased praying, having made mention of all that had at any time come in contact with him, both small and great, illustrious and obscure, as well as the whole Universal Church throughout the world, the time of his departure having arrived, they set him upon an ass, and conducted him into the city, the day being that of the great Sabbath. And the Irenarch Herod, accompanied by his father Nicetes (both riding in a chariot), met him, and taking him up into the chariot, they seated themselves beside him, and endeavoured to persuade him, saying, "What harm is there in saying, Lord Caesar, and in sacrificing, with the other ceremonies observed on such occasions, and so make sure of safety? "But he at first gave them no answer; and when they continued to urge him, he said, "I shall not do as you advise me." So they, having no hope of persuading him, began to speak bitter words unto him, and cast him with violence out of the chariot, insomuch that, in getting down from the carriage, he dislocated his leg [by the fall]. But without being disturbed, and as if suffering nothing, he went eagerly forward with all haste, and was conducted to the stadium, where the tumult was so great, that there was no possibility of being heard.
Chapter IX.-Polycarp Refuses to Revile Christ.
Now, as Polycarp was entering into the stadium, there came to him a voice from heaven, saying, "Be strong, and show thyself a man, O Polycarp!" No one saw who it was that spoke to him; but those of our brethren who were present heard the voice. And as he was brought forward, the tumult became great when they heard that Polycarp was taken. And when he came near, the proconsul asked him whether he was Polycarp. On his confessing that he was, [the proconsul] sought to persuade him to deny [Christ], saying, "Have respect to thy old age," and other similar things, according to their custom, [such as], "Swear by the fortune of Caesar; repent, and say, Away with the Atheists." But Polycarp, gazing with a stern countenance on all the multitude of the wicked heathen then in the stadium, and waving his hand towards them, while with groans he looked up to heaven, said, "Away with the Atheists." Then, the proconsul urging him, and saying, "Swear, and I will set thee at liberty, reproach Christ; "Polycarp declared, "Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He never did me any injury: how then can I blaspheme my King and my Saviour? "
Chapter X.-Polycarp Confesses Himself a Christian.
And when the proconsul yet again pressed him, and said, "Swear by the fortune of Caesar," he answered, "Since thou art vainly urgent that, as thou sayest, I should swear by the fortune of Caesar, and pretendest not to know who and what I am, hear me declare with boldness, I am a Christian. And if you wish to learn what the doctrines of Christianity are, appoint me a day, and thou shalt hear them." The proconsul replied, "Persuade the people." But Polycarp said, "To thee I have thought it right to offer an account [of my faith]; for we are taught to give all due honour (which entails no injury upon ourselves) to the powers and authorities which are ordained of God. But as for these, I do not deem them worthy of receiving any account from me."
To be continued..

SHORT STORY
The Bridge
(A Modern Parable) There was once a big turntable bridge, which spanned a large river. During most of the day, the bridge sat with the length running up and down the river parallel with the banks allowing ships to pass freely on both sides of the bridge. But, at certain times of the day, a certain train would come along and the bridge would be turned sideways across the river allowing the train to cross. A switchman sat in a small shack on one side of the river, where he operated the controls to turn the bridge and lock it into place when the train crossed. One evening, when the switchman was waiting for the last train of the day to come, he looked off into the distance, through the dimming twilight, and caught sight of the train's light. He stepped to the controls and waited until the train was at a prescribed distance when he was to turn the bridge. He turned the bridge into position, but to his horror, he found that the locking control didn't work. If the bridge was not locked securely into position, it would wobble back and forth at the ends when the train came to it, causing the train to jump the track and go crashing into the river. This would be a passenger train with many people aboard. He left the shack with the bridge turned across the river, and hurried to the other side of the river, where there was a lever, which he could use to operate the lock manually. He could hear the rumble of the train now, and leaned backwards to apply his weight to it, locking the bridge. Many lives depended upon this man's strength. Then, coming across the bridge from the other direction, he heard a sound that made his blood run cold. "Daddy, where are you?" His four-year-old son was crossing the bridge to look for him. His first instinct was to cry out to the child, "Run! Run!" But the train was too close. The tiny feet would never make it across the bridge in time. The man almost left the lever to run and snatch up his son and carry him to safety, but he realized he could not get back to the lever in time. Either the people on the train, or his son, must die. He took just a moment to make his decision. The train sped swiftly and safely on its way, and no one on board was even aware of the tiny, broken body thrown mercilessly into the river by the rushing train. Nor were they aware of the pitiful figure of a sobbing man, still clinging tightly to the locking lever long after the train had passed. They didn't see him walking home more slowly than he had ever walked to tell his wife how he had sacrificed their son. Now, if you can comprehend the emotions, which went through this man's heart, you can begin to understand the feelings of our Heavenly Father, when He sacrificed His Son to bridge the gap between us, and eternal life. Can there be any wonder that he caused the earth to tremble and the skies to darken when His Son died? And how does it feel when we speed along life without giving a thought to what was done for us through Jesus Christ? When was the last time you thanked Him for the sacrifice of His Son? - Author Unknown



Womans Section
We thought the following article would be of major interest to our readers, as it seems that the symbolism and Biblical teaching regarding marriage seems to be lacking in our churches. We feel that marriage is of major importance and it is essential that every child of God have a clear view of Gods plan and purpose in His design for this God designed and ordained relationship between Husband and wife. This is part one in a series on Marriage in Christ.
Marriage In Christ
"[Joyfully the radiant bride turned to him, the one altogether lovely, the chief among ten thousand to her soul, and with unconcealed eagerness to begin her life of sweet companionship with him, she answered] Make haste, my beloved, and come quickly, like a gazelle or young hart [and take me to our waiting home] upon the mountains of spices!" Song of Solomon 8:14
Amplified Bible

So let us look at when our marriage with Christ took place. When God decided to give Adam a wife, He took a rib from Adam's side and created His wife; a part of him, to be beside him, to be under his arm of love and shelter. Adam was designed to be an extension of the Godhead, the flow of leadership coming from the throne of God, through the Son, to man. However God knew Adam would be unable to fufill His desire for spiritual offspring, therefore the blood sacrifice needed to purge the sin Adam would release into the world was already provided through God's own Son.
Now we step forward in time to the fulfillment of God's heart. Christ has become the second man Adam. He is able to do what man cannot, because He is part man, part God. The holy purity of God flows through Him. In flesh He is tempted, but in Spirit He overcomes. God desired for His creation, His children, to be able to come to Him, to love Him, to rely upon Him and to be in continuous relationship with Him. This is impossible when sin has breached our union with Him. Thus Christ in His holiness identifies with all mankind, accepts our sin nature upon Himself and becomes our substitute for judgement, so that Father can again share His heart with His children. It is through the Son we come to know God as Father.
So now we come to the place where the marriage of Christ to the church occurs. Remember that Christ is the second man Adam. The first man [was] from out of the earth, made from dust; the second Man [is] the Lord from out of heaven (1 Corinthians 15:47). Now lets look to the cross where Christ has just died. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out (John 19:34). Do you notice the significance of this? A bride was created from the side of Adam. A bride was created from the side of Christ. One physical; one spiritual. The water is the Word, the blood represents the provision of Christ.
"So that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the Word, that He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such things [that she might be holy and faultless]." Ephesians 5:26-27 Amplified Bible
The unveiling of the provision of Christ can be yours when you seek to understand what He completed on the cross of Calvary. We would like to share some of that provision with you in things pertaining to marriage. First, there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). This means that Jesus, Who intercedes for you and has destroyed the effects of sin by His death on the cross, does not remember who you were before you became a Believer, nor does He remember your deeds of unrighteousness.
"For I will be merciful and gracious toward their sins and I will remember their deeds of unrighteousness no more." Hebrews 8:12 Amplified Bible
Whatever occurred before you and your spouse became one flesh, should never be brought into your marriage union. There is a physical oneness, but here we are talking of a spiritual oneness. A Christian couple should be striving for a spiritual unity. This page is written for the couple who want more from marriage than what the world has to offer. This page is for the couple who want all of God within their union. It does not happen without effort. And to grow in God means that obedience to His Word and Spirit are required. We must be willing to become what He wants us to be.
As we see His fullness develop within our union, I can tell you from living this, marriage is awesome. Christ Himself flows through the marriage in every area, and it is not a work, but a rest in which we enjoy what He has already given us. God desires to dwell within your union, but most couples do not know how to allow Him dominion in their marriage.
Isn't it strange how we, as Christians, will seek God's direction and provision in every area of our lives, except our marriages. We have an idea of what marriage should be and we set about attempting to make it that- but we never ask God what He desires marriage to be. We just assume that it will all work out. Unfortunately, it does not just work itself out. We can stumble through our marriage life trying to make the best of it, or we can search out God's heart and have the most fulfilling marriage God has provided.
One last word about condemnation. We tend to hold condemnation within ourselves over things we have done or said. We also feel that the people around us are continually condemning our past actions, and they may be, but Christ has taken that upon Himself so that you may walk in the fullness of God. Part of the provision of the cross is that Christ took all condemnation and judgement so that we could have 'no condemnation' and live as the righteousness of God. That righteousness has already been imputed to you upon your belief in Jesus as Savior. It is not something that you strive to attain- it has already been given. Now, just as your past actions are no longer remembered by God, so also are the past actions of your spouse non-existent in the eyes of God. It is wrong for either spouse to ever bring up the past of their mate in a moment of anger. Whatever either of you have repented of has been forgiven. This applies to yesterday as well as 20 years ago. Once repented for, God no longer remembers the sin.
Now that we know when our marriage in Christ occurred, we then need to discover how the marriage is to function. There is a leaving, a cleaving, a leadership, a helper, and an outward flow from this union which produces godly offspring. God is a spiritual being and His Word is meant to be discerned spiritually. That is why we have been given the Holy Spirit as our guide and Teacher. We ask you to pray for the Scriptures to be unveiled to you that you may know what is the hope of His (God's) calling...(Eph.1:17-23)

RECIPE
Exported from MasterCook
Crispy Peanut Butter Treats (No-Bake) Recipe By :Quick Cooking Serving Size : 36 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Bars Cookies No Bake Amount Measure Ingredient
Preparation Method
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup peanut butter
7 cups crispy rice cereal
10 ounces peanut butter chips
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners' sugar
In a large microwave-safe bowl, heat chocolate chips and peanut butter, uncovered, on HIGH for 1 min.; stir. Microwave 30-45 sec. longer or until chips are melted; stir until smooth. Stir in cereal until evenly coated. Pat half into a greased 13x9" dish. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat peanut butter chips and butter, uncovered, on HIGH for 1 min.; stir. Microwave 10-20 sec. longer or until chips are melted; stir until smooth. Stir in water, vanilla and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Carefully spread over cereal layer. Carefully press remaining cereal mixture over peanut butter layer. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour. Cut into squares.

NEWS STORY
APRIL 2, 2001

Rebels with a cause: Show the truth There are numerous signs that the abortion debate (which liberal politicians, social activists and feminists continuously assert is settled) is boiling once again. Events since November would suggest social peace does not exist in Canada on this issue, if we judge by the activities of young pro-life activists, provincial politicians, church leaders and, indirectly, even by Mr. Chretien's own health minister...Alberta Report Magazine.