Thoughts from the Editor
Jane S. Hancock
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:6-7).
This column is about prayer. It’s also about the time of the silence of God.
Prayer is personal. It’s our way of communicating with God. For me it’s also private. I can’t pray out loud. I am overcome with emotion, my voice begins to sob. This moment is mine and mine alone.
Prayer sustains me. Often people ask how I manage to get through some of the rough times I have had in my life. “Don’t you worry?” they ask. And I have to admit I don’t worry because my father, Otis Q. Sellers, a very wise man, always said to me, “If worrying would help, I’d worry.” But it doesn’t help. What does help? Telling God about it and leaving it with him. He may be silent, but He hears and He understands and with Him, I am able to get through my own troubles. God invites us to get rid of fear, worry, and anxiety, to let our burdens rest with him.
I heard a song on the radio the other day, a country-western song, called “God Must Be Busy.” Even if you don’t know the lyrics, I’m sure you can recognize from the title what it is about. It’s about praying for world peace, praying for good health, praying for safety.
And I know in the big picture
I’m just a speck of sand
And God’s got better things to do
Than look out for one man.
I know he’s heard my prayers
‘cause he hears everything
He just ain’t answered back . . .
God must be busy.
What the writer doesn’t recognize is that this is the time of the silence of God, that at one time God did communicate with people on earth, but all that stopped at the end of the Acts Period. During the Acts Period men commissioned by God spoke God-inspired messages, these messages confirmed by signs that followed. That is not the way God deals with men today.
So when I talk to God, I don’t expect an answer. I don’t think that He is too busy to bother with me. I know better. And I know what He expects of me. He expects me to study His words, the Bible, and to show my faith by taking His words and acting upon them.
We pray but we should not use prayer as a way of “getting” things from God, but as a way of talking to God. Yes, I believe He hears my prayers but I cannot expect an answer because this is the time of the silence of God.
One of my favorite passages in the Bible is Ecclesiastes 3:
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak (Eccl. 3:1-7).
A time to keep silence. This is the time of the silence of God.
Although I personally cannot pray out loud, we here at The Word of Truth Ministry definitely pray together. Each week we thank God for the opportunity to continue this little ministry, to spread the truth of the Kingdom of God. We ask God to bless those who read our publications, who find our messages on the Web site, who meet in small groups across the country. We ask God to bless our work. And we pray always for God’s Kingdom to come because when the Kingdom comes, wars will cease, food will be plentiful, the weather will not be destructive, evil people will not be a part of the Kingdom on earth.
No, God is not too busy to listen to us. Has He answered our prayers? We like to think so. We know He listens. Our prayers are prayers of thankfulness. And if we have some requests, and we do, we may get answers in unexpected ways, at unexpected times. We have no proof. We don’t know. We just happen to be living in the Dispensation of Grace, that time between the end of the Acts Period and the Kingdom of God, the time of the silence of God.
He is never too busy. ???
From the Director
David R. Hettema
Over the past several years The Word of Truth Ministry has lost valuable names from our mailing list, not by people requesting removal but by the fact that they have not notified us of their changes of address. On every mailing, we print on our envelopes a request that if the envelope cannot be delivered by the Post Office, it will be returned to us.
When there is a forwarding address, we send it there, but if not, that mail becomes a dead letter and we have lost someone from our list. They may not realize this fact for many months, but we have no way to reach them. Please keep this in mind: if you do move or are contemplating a move, let us know the new address. We value our contacts with all of our readers.
We are now in the final months of year 2007. The Executive Board of the Word of Truth Ministry is looking ahead and planning for the upcoming years. We must renew the lease agreement for the use of our present building. The members of the Board of Directors who sign the 3-year Lease are somewhat like our early United States government fathers in the Revolutionary War who signed the Declaration of Independence pledging that whatever was necessary to accomplish their goals, it would be done. We are committed to an even greater cause— the continuing proclamation of God’s coming government into this earth; God’s salvation for the world. We, like the early patriots manifest that same heartfelt attitude. Paul by inspiration told Timothy: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine (2 Tim 4:2).
At this point in our fiscal year our financial position is down from normal so we are cutting our overall plans to fit our situation. We have no paid workers here, just volunteers. We are grateful to all of you who have a continuing financial part in this ministry; you make it possible.
We as workers together have this joyful privilege of telling others about the coming Kingdom of God, which is truly God’s salvation, a world where there is no more death and sin, just the joy of eonian (everlasting) life, the abundant life from God.
Giving Thanks
By Joanne L.H. Johnson
In November, we celebrated Thanksgiving Day, a time for giving thanks for God’s many bountiful blessings throughout the year. Thanksgiving was originally a time to give thanks for a bountiful crop harvest like our forefathers, the Pilgrims, did back in the 1600s.
The Word of God uses that word “thanksgiving,” which is the Greek word eucharistia, derived from charist, which is “grace.” Philippians 4:6-7 (NASB) says it so beautifully, that I cannot elaborate nor improve on God’s Word except to update it from the Old English: “Be anxious (careful) for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension (understanding), will guard (keep) your hearts and your minds in (through) Christ Jesus.”
God is very gracious to us and the one way we can give “grace” back to God is through abundant thankfulness. Remember, we are witnesses of God’s wonderful work in creation.
Keep giving “thanks” and “grace” to God for all those things we so take for granted in everyday life: a good life (various degrees of it), a beautiful sky or flowers, something special that worked out for you today, or remembering something special you found in God’s Word.
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Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of our readers from The Word of Truth Ministry . . . from our place to yours!
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BIBLE STUDY AUDIO MINISTRY
By Otis Q. Sellers, Bible Teacher
The entire Tape Library (TL) series, consisting of numbers TL-1 to TL-570, is still available on MP3 compact disks. A complete list of subjects may be obtained from our Web site, www.seedandbread.org, or the home office in Pasadena, California, or writing/e-mailing:
The Word of Truth Ministry
Mrs. Gwen Staiger, Recorder
121 Wood Oak Dr., Joshua, TX 76058
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We Get Letters
“One prominent Bible teacher admitted on radio that the Christian effort to reach and ‘save the world’ through evangelical means (saving souls) has been an utter failure. This proves what we have been saying all along: ‘You can’t put your faith in someone you do not know.’”
“Enjoyed reading the Bulletin and the three Seed and Breads.”
“Thanks for sending me all of the Word of Truth printed material.”
“I so enjoyed reading the new booklets by Mr. Ribbens that was sent in July. I’ve read them all and starting to reread them. It is so well written and understandable. I’ve been praying when I start to read [like the familiar hymn refrain]: ‘Open mine eyes that I may see—Glimpses of Truth Thou hast for me.’”
“I am now rereading Mr. Ribbens ‘Rapture’ pamphlet [‘The Imminency of the Rapture: Fact or Fiction?’]. And also looking for more Scripture to refute the prevalent notion of dying and ‘going to Heaven.’ I have stopped a few by asking, ‘did Christ go immediately from the cross to Heaven—or the grave?’ And, ‘How long was He there?’ Till resurrection! Same as we will be.”
“The writing and Bible studies, which I’ve received for many years from The Word of Truth Ministry, have all been so good. I’ve so much appreciated all of them. The two ‘More Seed & Bread,’ sent to me with the last Bulletin, are so good—‘God’s Attributes,’ by M.B. Hammond, and ‘A Returned Creation,’ by David R. Hettema. Thank you.”
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The Dutch Lachai-Roi Web Site
Read Seed & Bread and One-A-Day in Dutch on the European Web site: www.lachairoi.org. Johan Hansen and his son, Arnoud, translated these particular Otis Q. Sellers’ publications because they appreciated his independent studies, finding answers to unsolved problems.
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New Book Out on Death Beliefs or “Pillars” by Louis J. Tonetti
What do you know about popular Biblical theology and seven very popular positions on “death” (like “the idea that good people go to heaven when they die”)? Otis Q. Sellers had many opinions about “death” based on his own sound Scriptural searches and studies, and these principles are still very sound. An old member of the Pasadena Bible Fellowship, Louis J. Tonetti outlines these poplar positions or belief “pillars” and has written a paperback book titled, “The Seven Pillars of Death: Is Your Belief Foundation Sure?”
He compares what he has found in popular theology and other religions to what Sellers found true in the Word of God. The content is placed in modern-day settings like a nine-act Shakespearean play based on “a journey . . . with six college students as their teacher assigns them the task of objectively evaluating the ‘mainstream’ position against a revolutionary alternate viewpoint [including popular Biblical theology]” (as quoted from Tonetti’s book back cover). This nine-act play also involves an interesting time-warped type of “time travel and interviews with dead people (like the Apostle Paul and Abraham).”
The book is simply compelling reading at its best. To order a copy of your book, three Web sites offer it for sale: www.authorhouse.com, $11.95; www.amazon.com, $13.50; www.barnesandnoble.com, $13.50.
Tonetti is generously donating half of his profit from the sales to The Word of Truth Ministry. Please be sure to pick up your copy today!
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“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God,
The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His Kingdom, to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this.” Isaiah 9:6-7
News Briefs
New Additions To Our Web Site (www.seedandbread.org)
Since the last Bulletin (September 2007), we have added six more “Sunday Morning Bible Studies” topics to our Web site. We now have a total of 100 studies (10 disks with 10 messages per compact disk). These are derived primarily from the LA Tapes Bible studies of David R. Hettema and Milton B. Hammond. These studies are available “free” for your listening pleasure on the Web site and are available for sale for your study enjoyment at $7 per compact disk. These will be further reduced to $3.50 per disk during our year-end “Christmas Sale.” (See announcement below.)
The latest news: We are also adding to our Web site the first three Seed & Bread issues translated into the Spanish language. This has required much work in finding appropriate Spanish words for certain English words. We’ve certainly been trained along these lines when going from the Greek language to English. Our deepest thanks go out to our Brother in Christ, Ruben Garcia, for all of his efforts in this regard! We are also issuing these Spanish Seed & Bread in leaflet format so they may be handed out.
Half-Price “Christmas Sale” Repeated
Yes, this sale was so successful last year that we have decided to do it again! Throughout the month of December, our Web site, www.seedandbread.org, offers our readers some handy Christmas specials on its “Christmas Season Special Page,” which will be deleted after January 31, 2008.
This year we have to add a $3 (minimum of $20) or 15 percent (over $20) shipping and handling fee to all orders (which includes the extra care and materials required to package the materials shipped and increased postal rate increases).
The first of these specials includes discounted copies of David Hettema’s booklet, The 8 Signs of John’s Gospel, written with younger people in mind! A single copy was $4.50 and is now offered for $2; 10 copies were $40 and are now offered for $15.
The second part of these specials shows discounted prices concerning the Otis Q. Sellers’ “TL-Series” Audio MP3-CD Ministry. Each compact disk (CD) contains 10 studies or “TL” Bible studies, which are in numerical order from TL-001 through TL-570. A single disk, formerly $15, is now offered at $10, which averages $1 per ever 45-minute message. A complete set of 10 disks was $125 and is now offered for only $75. (Sorry, we cannot discount these further for larger quantities.)
The third part of our specials is a real space-saving and paper-saving bonus! The publications come in “handily-stored-on-shelves” and “easily-carried” smaller sizes, anywhere from 5-1/2” x 8-1/2” (individual Seed & Bread leaflet sizes) to 6” x 9” (Otis Q. Sellers’ Bible study subjects booklets). All WOTM written materials and publications (including the Seed & Bread, Bound Volumes One & Two) are now offered at 50 percent off or below the present prices shown on our Web site.
To order any of the above items, check our product listings (also found on the Web site) and please list what you desire (complete names/titles of the item[s] you desire, quantities of each item, and the costs of each item, and the total amount per order) and send us your order with shipping instructions (such as destination delivery addresses if different from yours). Shipping and handling costs are $3 for total orders of $20 and under, and 15 percent for total orders over $20. Please include check or money order in U.S. dollars, made out to The Word of Truth Ministry, for the total amount due and mail to:
The Word of Truth Ministry
228 El Molino Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91101-1675
Please allow four to eight weeks for delivery. For the status on any order, you may contact us by “snail mail” at the above address or by e-mailing at wordoftruth@earthlink.net.
Also on the “Christmas Season Special Page, we offer you Grace publications’ transcribed version of the real story of Christmas, “Reflections on the First Christmas,” and Mark Hammond’s informative PowerPoint slide show.
Ask for a price list, or check out the Web site (www.seedandbread.org) and if you see an item you like, it will be half-priced until January 31, 2008! Orders are now being accepted.
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