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I'd like to have you turn in your Bible to the first chapter of Colossians. For those of you who are visiting, I would just say that we at Grace Church are committed to studying the Scripture, and that means that we just go from book to book. We've been studying now for the seven years that I've been here through the New Testament on the Lord's Day and through the Old Testament in our midweek Bible studies. And we find ourselves in a very, very important book called the book of Colossians.
This little book, it isn't very long, it's only four chapters, was a letter written by the Apostle Paul, who wrote thirteen of the New Testament books. It was written to a group of believers in a city called Colossae; not a city of tremendous importance, but nevertheless a city of some significance, and in that particular city there was founded a little church. The man responsible was a man named Epaphras,and apparently he was the initial pastor of that small congregation in that city, a city that was in a triad of cities, including Laodicea, Heropolis, as well as Colossae in the Lykus Valley. The apostle Paul is writing to them because they are undergoing some problems. The Church is being confronted with some people who are teaching false doctrine about the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, and it's very important that the apostle Paul write this letter to straighten them out.
Now as you know, if you've been with us for our study of the first chapter, Paul has just finished, as we come to verse 23, he has just finished a powerful statement on the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is really a refutation of the false teachers who were denying Christ's deity ‑‑ that is, denying that He was God, denying His power to save. They had said that Christ was not God, that He was just one of many spirits equal to many other spirits, and that He alone could not reconcile man to God; He alone could not bring men into fellowship with God. And Paul denies that. Paul says Christ is greater and far beyond any other created being. He is not just like other spirits or other angels, or other beings. Verse 15 of Chapter 1 through verse 19 of Chapter 1 is a statement regarding who Jesus Christ is. He says He is the image 'of the invisible God, the first‑born of all creation or the prototicas, the primary one of all. For by Him were all things created in heaven and earth, visible or invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or power and of course those are all designations of angels, and different ranks of angels, all things were created by Him and for Him; He is before all things. By Him all things hold together. He is the head of the Body, the Church. He is the beginning, the prototicasfrom the Dead, the primary one resurrected, that in all things He might have the pre‑eminence, for it pleased the Father that in Him shall all fullness dwell. Now there is a great statement concerning the fact that Jesus Christ is God, that He is unique, that He is singly the one that God has ordained to rule the world and rule the Church and rule the universe.
Secondly, the heretics had denied the power of Jesus Christ to save men. And in Chapter 1:20‑23 Paul says that Christ is able to reconcile to bring men to God. In verse 21, "you who were once alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now has He reconciled". And so in this statement from verse 15‑23 Paul is finalizing in simple terms the truth about Christ. He is God, and He is able to save. That's great truth.
Now you'll notice that verse 23 ends with the word "minister". Paul has said that regarding this truth about Christ that he has just spoken he was made a minister. The term "minister", then, triggers Paul's thoughts for the next section, because in verses 24‑29 he describes his ministry. He says, I am made a minister, and then he launches into a description of what that ministry involves, and it is a ministry to proclaim the Lord Jesus Christ, Frequently in Paul's letters, and I'm sure you've come across it time and time again as we have in our studies, frequently in his letters he stops to discuss his ministry.
Paul frequently says I am an apostle, I do this, I do this, this way, this is how I operate, this is how I function, and he makes a very, very strong point again and again and again and again of the style and type and approach of his ministry. He does it for many reasons. He does it for one reason to defend his right to speak for God. He says, from time to time I am a sent one from God. At the end of 23 he says, "I am made a minister." I didn't choose this ‑‑ I was made a minister. And this should give him some credibility. This should give him some punch in speaking to them. He says it then to defend his right to speak for God, or to establish his authority. He says it also to express the wonder that he has in his mind that God called him. He would agree with what Isaiah said when he was up here and said that the Lord has called him into the ministry, and that he didn't understand that, but it was something about which he was extremely excited. Now that's the way Paul is. He continually reiterates the truth of his ministry because it is such a thrill to him, it's more than just a defense, it's also something that is exciting to him. And he wants the people to hear him ‑‑ not as a self-styled, self‑appointed non‑credentialed teacher like so many that existed in the world, but he wants them to hear him as the spokesman for God. And so he repeatedly accredits his ministry.
Now remember that in the city of Colossae to which the letter was written there were false teachers undermining the Gospel. They were undermining the truth of Christ. And Paul comes right back at those people and defends it, and so he feels that he must accredit his ministry. He must state his right to be believed. He must say, this is who I am and this is what God has called me to do. Hear what I say. He wants them to listen with confidence, and so it's important for him to do that. In Chapter 1:1 he says "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God." And that is a statement that he is a sent one from God, and here he adds more sock to that by detailing carefully his ministries so they will understand why he writes the way he does, and they will be more prone to believe what he says.
Now, as I began to look at this passage I kind of keyed in on the statement at the end of verse 27: "Christ in you, the hope of Glory...", and I thought well, I'm going to build around that theme. And so I got that in my mind, I began to study. And several hours of study went by in my mind and I realized that that is not really the theme of what he is saying. That is a theme in what he says, but it is not the theme. The theme that he has in mind through all of these verses is simply to present a detailed look at his ministry. And what I learned out of this passage was so exciting to me because really you have here eight different aspects of the ministry of the servant of God. Eight different aspects that should characterize the life of anybody who serves the Lord Jesus Christ, anybody who's called to teach or preach or minister within the framework of Christianity.
There are eight of these. Now tonight we're going to look at four of them, and next week we're going to look at the rest, the other four. And when it all comes together, you're going to get a beautiful pattern of the ministry as Paul views it. It's a tremendous portion of Scripture, because this is what he carefully does in these verses.
Now to begin with, point number one. The source of the ministry. As Paul looks at his ministry he wants to talk about the source of it, and that you see in verse 23 closing out the last portion in verse 25 as well. Notice the end of verse 23 that statement, "of which I, Paul" and of which in reference to the Gospel back in the verse in the middle of the verse, "the Gospel, which you have heard which was preached to every creature under Heaven of which I, Paul, am made a minister." The word "minister" is not a high‑fallootin' word, it's not an elevated term; it's a very, very low term. It's the word deakinos, which means "servant". "I am made a servant."
Now, how was Paul made a minister? How was he made a servant? Go back to the 26th chapter of Acts, and I want to show you something. Now remember that Paul never claimed to be a self‑styled apostle. Paul never claimed to have figured out one day when he sat down at his desk, "Let's see, I could be an alchemist, or I could be a horse‑breeder, or I could be a farmer, or I could be a mason building buildings, or I could be a minister. Now let me put all the pros and cons, blah, blah, blah, blah, let's see. If I become an alchemist, there's always the danger that I could blow myself up. If I'm going to be a horse‑breeder, there's always the danger that my horses won't come out very good, and so forth and so forth. He didn't do it that way. He, in fact, had pretty well decided what he wanted to be in his life, and that was, he wanted to be a Christian killer. And so he set about to do that. And everywhere he went he says he was breathing in and out threatening and slaughter and he was slaughtering Christians. And he was one day on the road to Damascus, doing what he normally did... just get up in the morning, 8 to 5, kill Christians (laughter), and he was on his way to Damascus; and in the middle of the trip, as he approached the city, he was blinded by a light from Heaven, God slammed him to the ground, he ate a mouthful of dirt, he woke up in his blindness and said, "Lord, what will You have me to do?" And the Lord said, "You are going to be an apostle to the Gentiles." Now, that is not working out your own career.
Now notice Acts 26:13. "At midday, oh King," and here he's telling Agrippa how it all happened, he's giving his personal testimony, "at midday, oh King, I saw in the way a light from Heaven..." I'm walking to Damascus; I saw a light from Heaven, "it was brighter than the sun. Shining round about me and them who journeyed with me, and when we were all fallen to earth, (the whole entourage went down) I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew tongue, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the thorns (or the goads)." When they used to have an ox working in a field, in order to keep the ox going in the right direction and not kick, they put pointed goads right against the heels of the ox, and if the ox kicked, too bad. So the ox learned, don't kick. And the Lord said, it's hard for you to fight against it, to resist me, to kick against me. And I said, "Who are you, Lord?" He recognized it was the Lord, wanted a more specific title. He said, "I am Jesus, whom you persecute. But rise, and stand on your feet, for I have appeared unto you for this purpose (now watch this next word) to make you a minister,"
Now Paul did not choose to be a minister, he was made a minister. And a witness of the things which you have seen, those things in which I will appear unto you. Delivering you from the people, from the gentiles unto whom now I send you. Paul, I have chosen you to go to the gentiles. You are now hereby made a minister. And I'll tell you, people, that's a pretty strong statement. And I can relate to that, as you know. That's exactly what the Lord did to me. Threw me out of a car going about 75 miles an hour, skidded me all over the place, woke me up when it was all done, and spoke to my heart and said, MacArthur, you are now in the ministry. And I said, "Right, whatever you say! You're going to fight like this, I quit." (Laughter) And that's precisely what happened, and I had three months in bed to let that decision sink into my heart.
The Lord makes ministers. His ministers are those who are called. He's done it throughout the Old Testament. Read the story of the prophets. You have no self‑styled, self‑appointed prophets. They're called of God.
Now Paul makes this clear again and again in his ministry, and in the 15th chapter of Romans in the 15th verse: "Nevertheless, brethren, (Rom. 15:15), 1 have written the more boldly unto you to remind you because of the Grace that is given to me of God that I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the gentiles," The reason I'm so bold in writing to you gentiles is because the Lord has made me a servant to you gentiles. I'm only carrying out my ministry. I'm only doing that which God has called me to do. In II Cor. 3:4, we read again: "and such trust have we through Christ toward God, not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything of ourselves, our sufficiency is of God (not that I'm self‑confident, he says). In other words, my confidence and my trust comes because my sufficiency comes from God. That's what he's saying. God has called me into this, and God has equipped me for this. II Cor. 4:4 "in whom the God of this age has blinded the minds of them who believe not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them (the God of this age is Satan, he's blinded men's eyes) for we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus, the Lord, and ourselves your servants because of Jesus. It's Jesus that made me your servants. It's Jesus that drew me in this.
Look at the 5th chapter of II Cor. 18th verse: "and all things are of God who has reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ and given to us the ministry of reconciliation". If I preach that a man can be reconciled to God, it is because God has given me that ministry. I would say this ... you don't choose the ministry that God desires for you. God chooses it. You are either obedient or disobedient. In I Timothy we find in 1:12: "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me (listen) in that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry. Paul says, I'm here because he put me here. I Timothy 2:5 "There is one God, one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time." Listen, "for this I am ordained a preacher and an apostle, a teacher of the gentiles." It's been ordained of God. This isn't something that I whimsically chose. In II Timothy 1:11 it says: "Under which I am appointed a preacher and an apostle, a teacher of the gentiles", repeating the same three terms.
Now, who made Paul a minister? God. Who is the sourcethen of ministry? God. Whatever gifts you have received to operate within the Body of Christ, who gave you those gifts? According to I Cor. chapter 12 the Holy Spirit gives to all men severely as He will. It is the Spirit of God who manifests Himself in the gifts of the Spirit in order that we might minister. It is God who calls us, it is God who puts us in the ministry; it isn't something we choose. Notice again in Col. 1:25, because you have again in the same terms, Col. 1:25, it says: "...of which I am made a minister." Here it is again, "I am made a minister according to the dispensation or the stewardship of God, which is given to me for you to fulfill the Word of God." Notice this, I am made a minister according to the dispensation of God, which is given to me. Stop there.
The word dispensation, oikanammios, noikusis law, or rule. Oikas is house. It means to rule a house; it means to be a steward of somebody else's possessions. It means to rule for the houseowner, it refers to somebody given great responsibility. God owns His Church. It's His house, His temple, and God says I want to appoint you to rule in my behalf, in my Church. It suggests being a great estate to manage, the word does, "of which I am made a servant according to the stewardship", or if you want a goodword for that, according to the God‑given responsibility. "According to the God‑given responsibility which I have received." It's a divine office, Paul says. It's God's plan. It's God's Church. It's God's Gospel. It's God's Christ. It's God's message. It's God's truth. It's God's Word. And, he says, look, Paul. Will you manage it for me? I'm in the ministry because God has put me there. I'm a steward.
You remember our study of I Cor. chapter 4, don't you, a few weeks ago? Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ, Paul says, there, of stewards of the mysteries of God. I'm a steward. A steward doesn't own anything; he manages something for somebody else. The houseowner would have a steward in those days who would manage his whole house. And this was when you had a large estate, and so that the houseowner could go anywhere he wanted, the steward would take care of everything ‑employment, wages, taking care of the supplies in the house, making sure everything was carried out ‑‑ a very great responsibility. So he says, we are stewards. Moreover, I Cor. 4:2 "...it is required of the stewards that a man be found what? Faithful." Just carry out the task. So Paul says, God has given me a task. God has given me a divine responsibility, and I'm obligated to fulfill it. God is the source of my ministry.
In I Cor. 9 a few weeks ago we studied a couple of verses that will give you a good insight on this. I Cor. 9:16: "For though I preach the Gospel, I have nothing to be proud of. I have nothing to boast about, to cause self‑glory. For necessity is laid on me, yet woe is unto me if I don't preach the Gospel. Remember we talked about that? Paul says, look, don't come up to me and say, "Oh, Paul, you're a minister. Oh, Paul, what a self‑sacrificing wonderful human you are. He'll say to you, "Look fella, I was going down the Damascus Road minding my own business, and I got thrown into this deal. Don't pat me on the back. I didn't ask for it, and now it's a situation wherein if I don't fulfill it, I'm in a lot of trouble. So don't pat me on the back about it, I had nothing to do with it. Probably a lot more responsibility than I want anyway. He says in verse 17, if I did it willingly, then I would have a reward, but it's against my will. It's strictly a responsibility that's been committed to me, that's all. It's something given to me, and I didn't ask for it, but I'm in a lot of trouble if I don't fulfill it, so don't pat me on the back ‑‑ pray for me!
In Gal. 2:7 Paul says, on the contrary, when they saw that the Gospel of the uncircumcision or the Gospel that goes to the gentiles was committed to me, we'll stop right there. That's all we want is that phrase. He says, the Gospel to the gentiles was committed to me, I didn't have any choice. In Ephesians, Chapter 3, he says: "...for this cause I, Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you gentiles, if you have heard of the dispensation or if you have heard of the responsibility that God has given me, how that by revelation he made known to me the mystery, and then he said in verse 7 of which I was made a minister, by His grace. In other words, you must know that God has called me and God has made me a prisoner of Christ. I'm chained to Christ, I can't get away. I've got this tremendous responsibility to reveal the truth that God gives me to dispense the mysteries, those are the truths of God's word. I was made a minister. In Titus 1:7 "A bishop must be blameless as the steward of God." Anybodyin the ministry. Bishop means a pastor, not what we call an ecclesiastical bishop, (the term just has to do with a pastor, an elder) is to be a steward of God.
God has called us to a tremendous responsibility. And that's why, no matter who you are as a Christian, the Spirit of God has given you certain gifts, and if He's given you those gifts He's called you to minister those gifts and you need to do that. It's a serious responsibility. If you possess a gift of the Spirit then you possess something that belongs to God, and you are to minister that. You are to dispense it to those in need of it. I Peter 4:10: "...as every man (that's all of us) has received the gift, even so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Every Christian has received spiritual gifts. We're going to get into this in the 12th chapter of Corinthians in the morning, soon. Every Christian has received gifts. If you have, then minister them. As a good steward, as a steward you hold that gift, bit it isn't your own. You're going to use it and manage it for God's glory. If you have a speaking gift, then speak as the oracles of God. If you have a serving gift, then serve with the ability that God gives, that God may be glorified. The source of all ministry is God. We don't choose that.
And so what am I saying? I'm saying that you had better examine your own heart to see what God has called you to do. You had better search your own heart to see what your spiritual gifts are, There are diversity of gifts, but the same Spirit, differences of administration but the same Lord. Diversities of the operations but it is the same God working in all, There are different gifts here. Every one of you are different. But you've been given a stewardship, and it's from God, and he's the source of that calling and the source of that gift, and you'd better use that thing, because you're a steward of it. Some day when you face Jesus Christ the record of your stewardship is going to be what did you do with the gifts you were given? Are you going to be like the servant who buried it in the ground and said, I knew you were tough to handle, so I just buried it and held on to it, or are you going to be the kind who multiplied stewardship? So in any ministry, whatever it is, God calls us, God equips us, God assigns us. Maybe not as dramatically as the Damascus Road experience that Paul had, but just as truly. But you say, John, how do you know God is calling me to the ministry? You'll get the message if He's calling you, believe me. One way or another. You need to be listening and then responding like Paul did with the words: "What will you have me to (what?) to do." So the source of the ministry is God. He says, I am made a minister, verse 23. Verse 25, 1 am made a minister according to a God‑given responsibility.
Second, and this is really neat, he not only talks about the sourceof the ministry but the spirit of the ministry. As we serve the Lord Jesus Christ, recognizing God has called us, what should be our attitude? What should be the spirit in which we serve? Verse 24, watch this. I'm just going to read three words..."who now (what's the third word?) rejoice." What's the spirit of the ministry? A word with three letters, JOY. The spirit of the ministry is joy. Whatever our ministry is, we are to enjoy it. That's a sad reality, I think, that many ministering Christians don't have the right attitude. Do you know that? There just aren't enough joyous Christians. There just aren't enough happy Christians. It's like the little girl who saw the mule and said with a long face like that it must be a wonderful Christian (laughter).
You know, there are a lot of people that have been given a tremendous responsibility by God, but they grudgingly carry it out. You know I mean, what do you do? "Oh... I'm serving the Lord...," you know. It's just agonizing. Where's the joy? It's a sad reality that many pastors have lost the joy of the ministry. They don't have the right attitude. They get like Jonah, you know? Even when it goes good they're hesitant, angry, they're reluctant, bitter, resentful. You say, yeah, but I've got it taught in my ministry. It's hard to have joy. Oh? Think of this one. If you ever think you've got it tough in your ministry and you can't find joy, listen to these words. "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joythat was set before Him (what?) endured the Cross, despising the shame. Why did He do it? For the joythat was set before Him. Jesus never lost the joy of what He was doing. Never. Never. Why should you? You haven't suffered unto blood yet, he says, or you haven't died in your service. Oftentimes you'll talk to somebody, even another pastor, who'll say, "Oh, I've lost the joy of the ministry." You know what that means? That doesn't mean to me that they've got bad circumstances, that means they've got bad connections, see. Because you don't lose the joy unless you lose the Lord, and if you lose the Lord, I've got to redo my theology?
See, there's joy in the ministry, Oh, it's easy to get discouraged with circumstances. Paul was, He said, I have continual sorrow and heaviness of heart concerning my people Israel, but he
never lost the internal joy. We've talked about this. The element of personal joy was the spirit of his ministry. Everywhere he went he was rejoicing. You realize when he wrote the Philippians‑ he was rejoicing, and‑most likely he was in jail? And I've told you about that Jail. It was a hole in the ground. In the prison they just dropped prisoners in that place and when they got 40 in there they'd open the sewage, the sewage would run in and drown them all, they'd let it drain out and then they'd start with another 40. And that's where he was when he wrote, "rejoice always, and again I say rejoice," Somebody was probably sitting there saying this guy is out of his mind. What's he so happy about? It had nothing to do with circumstances. He had a relationship with the living God that was perpendicular and transcended beyond all circumstances.
I told you a few weeks ago, joy is the deep down confidence that God is in control of my life, and that doesn't change. That's where the joy comes. Whenever I, see somebody who's lost the joy, I don't worry, I don't want to talk about if something's happened with the Lord. Paul's joy was generated because of what Christ had done for him, and I'll tell you something else. Keep this in mind. Humility generates joy. You know something‑-humility, generates joy in this sense. Paul always thought of himself as so unworthy, that even having the privilege of dying for Jesus Christ was a cause for joy, because he didn't even think he was worthy of that. When you lose the joy is when you get to thinkingyou're too good tobe sufferin' what you're sufferin', or to be havin' it like you're havin' it. And that's the wrong perspective.And he says, "Hey, I now rejoice. You say, yeah, you know he was probably in a wonderful place. You know where he was? In prison, that's where he was. In prison. Remember him in the jail in Philippi? With his feet and his hands in the stocks, in the middle of the night in the inner dudgeon, what was he doing? Singing! Paul rejoiced even though he was bound by a chain in Rome. No circumstance could affect his deep down confidence that God was in control of his life, and boy, that brought satisfaction and the spirit of the ministry, beloved, is joy.
Christians ought to just be beaming with joy. In the midst of anything and everything, and that's what the world's gonna see, and they'll say, what's wrong with those people? I was reading Eristhenes, and he says, (he's a Greek and he's commenting on Christians) and he couldn't figure them out, and he says, it's amazing. He says, when a baby dies, they rejoice, for one who passes through the world without suffering. He said, when one of them dies, they carry his body through the streets and sing hymns of praise like someone who had simply taken a journey from one place to another. He couldn't figure it out.
Joyful Christians are absolutely dramatically effective on the world. The spirit of the ministry is joy. Colossians right here in chapter 2 verse 5, Paul's in jail in Rome here chained to a Roman soldier as he writes, he says, "for though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order in the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. Absolutely undaunted was this guy. Because his joy was always based on the perpendicular. In I Thessalonians he writes, I think it's chapter 2 there, verse 19, he says, "what is our hope? For joy, a crown ofrejoicing." Are not you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ for you are our glory and joy. Listen, he rejoiced about God and he rejoiced about everybody else, and consequently what happened to him didn't matter. And you say, I don't care what I go through, when I see that you knowthe Lord Jesus Christ and that you're going to be there at the Second Coming, I'm so happy, I could care less about me. That's what he's saying. That little letter of Philemon in the 7th verse, he says, "we have great joy". And here he is a prisoner again when he wrote this; he always talks about joy when he gets in jail. Says, we have great joy, because the hearts of the saints are refreshed by you, brother. When I hear about you, Philemon, I'm so happy about you. He's always got his joy in his relationship to the Lord and then his relationships with people, and so it didn't matter what happened to him because he was totally, absolutely, unselfish.
When you see somebody without joy in the ministry, it's because they're selfish, and they think they deserve better than they've got, and if they really looked at their hearts they don't even deserve what they've got, right? That's why Paul kept his joy, because anything that came to him, even suffering, was something more than he felt worthy to receive. And I'll tell you something, once the joy is gone, you're in trouble, you're in a lot of trouble. Because everything you try to do is gonna be works, legalism, and have little effect. The beginning of the letter to the Philippians he writes, he says, again the same idea, he says, (he's in jail), so in verse 13 he says, "My bonds in Christ are manifested in all the palace." In other words, this is great being a prisoner because all these soldiers who get chained to me keep getting saved and they take the message back to the palace. "And many of the brothers in the Lord, becoming confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the Word." In other words, there are other Christians who can see what you can do as a prisoner who aren't so worried about it any more. They see that since I've been a prisoner, all kinds of people have been getting saved around the jail here, and so they're a little more bold to preach, figuring that if they wind up in jail they'll have a good time there too. And he says, you know there are other people who go around condemning me and saying that I'm in jail because the Lord had to put me on the shelf because I blew my ministry, and it's kind of a judgment on me and some people are trying to even add affliction to my bonds, he says in verse 16, in this kind of criticism, but some love me. But I don't care, verse 18 he says, "if Christ is preached in that I (what?) do rejoice, and I will continue to rejoice. The spirit of the man undaunted and the spirit of the ministry is joy.
What are the thieves that rob us of joy? What are the thieves that rob you of joy? Circumstances, people? People are thieves ‑‑ they steal joy, you know that? If you let 'em. Things? Worry, that's the worst thief, And what are the guards that protect your joy?, Humility, Devotion to Christ. Trust in God. Those things. You say, year, but maybe it was pretty nice where Paul was going to jail here. It wasn't too bad, maybe, that's why he had so much joy, Oh? Let's look at Colossians 1:24 again, "Who now rejoice in my sufferings'." Now wait a minute. Paul, you actually rejoice in your suffering? Oh yeah‑ Oh yeah. Why? Because they're for (what?) for you. And secondly, they fill up that which is behind or remaining of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His body's sake, which is the Church.
Now that is a very confused verse, as you first read it, Let me explain it to you, and this brings us to the third point, We've seen the source of the ministry, the spirit of the ministry; here's the suffering of the ministry. The suffering of the ministry. He says, I'm rejoicing in ny suffering, because it's for you, and also it fills up what is remaining of the afflictions of Christ, Now this has really been misconstrued, Now there are some people who say that Christ when He died on the cross did not finalize all suffering, This is, generally speaking, the 'Roman Catholic view, that more suffering is necessary to fill up that which remains of the suffering of Christ, and that's why they teach that the saints must suffer, And you'll find many people, there are some who are very devout, who wear belts with nails in them.
I knew a man who went years and years with thing like rocks in his shoe, and tacks. There are many, many people who go and light candles and so forth, and so on, in order to get people out of purgatory, because they have to go to purgatory to suffer awhile to atone for sin because they have to fill up that which remains of the suffering of Christ. That's where all that comes from, you see. That Christ's sufferings have to be supplemented by Paul and by you and by everybody else.
Now you say, what about the ones that are super good. Well, you see, if you're super good in this life, according to Catholic theology, you can get enough accomplished in this life to go right to Heaven, and then if you have any extra they'll put it into what's called the Treasure of Merit and apply it to somebody in purgatory who needs it, That's true. That's what's called the Treasury of Merit. And the idea is that you have to continue to suffer and suffer and suffer and so forth in order to expiate sin. You think that's what Paul's saying? Why, that would be a fatal blow to what he just said. Because what he just said was that Christ by the blood of His Cross, through His death, has presented us, verse 22, through death presented you what? Holy and unblameable and what? Unreprovable. Through His death. So Paul is not going to unsay everything that he has just said. And Paul is dealing with a heresy in Colossae that's insisted that Christ's death and Christ's life had to be supplemented by ascetism and human works anyway. He's certainly not going to say that. In fact, the word for affliction here is nowhere used to describe the atoning suffering of Christ. You say, well, what is he saying, All right, let's look at it.
"Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you." Now this, relates directly to him being a prisoner, as he is a prisoner when he writes Colossians. Chapter 4 tells us that as we find him in Rome and he makes certain references to his situation, we know without a shadow of a doubt that he's a prisoner. Now listen. In Acts 9:16 the apostle Paul was told something at the very beginning. This is the chapter that tells of his conversionthe 16th verse, "I will show him how great things he must (what?) suffer for my namesake." From the very beginning God said, Paul, you're going to pay a high price. You're going to be a prisoner of life. And you know what was so neat about Paul? He never sawhimself as a prisoner of Rome. Every time he talks about being a prisoner he says, I'm a prisoner of Jesus Christ. He always saw it that way. In Philemon 1: "Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ", Philemon 9: "Now a prisoner of Jesus Christ", Philemon 23: "my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, So he's always seeing himself not as a prisoner of the Romans, a prisoner of men, a prisoner of anybody but Christ, and all of this is a fulfillment of prophesy. So he says, hey, I rejoice in my suffering for you. It's what the Lord predicted. It just helps me to believe in Him more because it's exactly what He said would happen, I see it fulfilled. Why did he rejoice? Notice, "because my suffering is for you." Now the end of the verse 24, "it's for His body's sake, which is the Church." I'm suffering for your sake, For your sake. You say, in what sense?
Look at Philippians 1:29. "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on Him, but to suffer for His sake." To suffer for His sake. Paul says, it's not only my lot to suffer for Christ's sake, but yours too. I'm going to suffer for Him; you're going to suffer for Him, for His sake. That means because of Him. The early Church, buy they suffered. They really suffered. Paul says, I rejoice in this, I'm thrilled with it. You say, how can a guy be thrilled about suffering? Well, I'm going to give you five little thoughts here. Five causes for joy in suffering.
Number one, it brings us nearer to Christ. It brings us nearer to Christ. You know, Paul wanted to get as close to Christ as he could. ‑‑Philippians 3:10: "that I may know Him, the power of His resurrection, and the (what?) fellowship of His (what?) sufferings." You say in what sense, John? When we suffer for the cause of Christ, that is when the world casts it's slurs at us, and mocks our Christ, in a sense that suffering helps us to understand what Jesus went through, doesn't it? Because in John 15 and 16 Jesus says, if they hated Me, they're going to hate you. If I've suffered, you're going to suffer. And in II Timothy 3:12, all that live Godly in this present age are going to suffer persecution. And so it helps us to understand more about Him. It helps us, as Hebrews 13:13 says, to go outside the gate and bear His reproach with Him. So I think there's joy in suffering because it brings us nearer to the understanding of Christ.
Secondly, when we suffer it brings us the assurance of salvation. Suffering brings us the assurance of salvation, in a sense. I Peter 4:14: "If you are reproached for the name of Glory and Christ happy are you for the Spirit of God rests on you. In other words, when you suffer you have this tremendous confidence of the presence of the spirit of God. And that's a very assuring thing. So, suffering can bring joy to the apostle Paul, to any Christian because it identifies him with Christ because it brings him a sense of the presence of‑the Spirit of God which assures him that he belongs to God.
Thirdly, it brings a future reward‑. When you're willing to step out for Christ and be bold and speak the truth and suffer the consequences sometimes as we all have from time to time it promises a reward. Listen to Romans 8:18: "The sufferings of this present age are not worthy to be compared with the Glory which shall be revealed," Verse 17: "If so be that we suffer with Him we will be glorified with Him." There is a sense in which the suffering now will be rewarded in the day that we look forward to in the future. In fact, in II Cor, 4:17: "Our light affliction for this moment works a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."
So, suffering can bring joy because it identifies us with Christ, because it brings assurance of the presence of the Spirit of God, a confidence of salvation, it brings a future reward.
Fourthly, it results in the salvation of others. it results in the salvation of others, I can remember as I wrote in the book on "God's Will is not Lost" the time that I preached and I suffered I think at that point maybe one of the most difficult times of persecution in my life, and out of it people were redeemed. In Philippians 2:17 he says: "If I be offered as a sacrifice for your faith, I joy and rejoice." In other words, if I offer my life and you get saved that's joy. There's a price to pay, he says, but that's all right. The results are worth it.
So, we can rejoice in suffering because it brings us near to Christ, it brings assurance of salvation, it brings a future reward and it results in salvation for others.
And I think a fifth thing; I just have to throw this in. It leads to terrible frustration on the part of Satan because he's trying all he can to wack us around and all that comes out is good results. It puts a dent in the Kingdom of Darkness, In Acts 9:16 he says: "How many things you will suffer for His namesake." It'll come to His glory; it will bounce back to the glory of Christ.
Now, having said those five things, Colossians 1:24 adds another reason, and this brings us right to the text again, He says, I'm not only rejoicing in my suffering because it brings me nearer to Christ from other passages we gathered that, it gives me assurance of salvation, it brings a future reward, it results in the salvation of others, it frustrates Satan. But I am rejoicing because it fills up that which is remaining of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh. What he means is this, look; I am receiving in my body what is intended for Christ. This does not mean there is anything lacking in the atonement, it does not mean that there's some kind of short change in the value of the death of Christ, it means this. The enemies of Christ were never satisfied with what they did to Jesus, do you know that? They hated Jesus with an insatiable hate. They wanted to add to their, suffering. And as soon as Jesus ascended back into Heaven and He wasn't around any more, and the world hated Him so much, who did the world attack? The Church, didn't they? They began to persecute the Church and persecute the Church and persecute the Church, and why were they whipping the Church and burning the Church at the stake and throwing the Church to the lions ‑‑ why? Was it because they hated those individual personalities, no. It was because they stood in the place of Christ and since Christ wasn't around to get they got the people who stood in His place. That's what it means.
Paul is saying this, look: the world isn't done persecuting Christ, but since He's not here, whatever is lacking in what they want to do with Him I am receiving into my body and standing in His place who stood my place is a cause for joy. To take the blows meant for Him who took the blows meant for me makes me happy. If Jesus Christ could hang on the cross and take my sin and the punishment I deserve I think I can take a few punches for His sake. That's what he's saying. And you see, in that sense all Christians are in His place. As the enemies of Christ attack Christ they attack us, and what is left lacking in their minds in the affliction that Christ deserves they give to us and we ought to joyfully say, if I can take a blow for Jesus who took all the blows for me that's cause for joy.
You see, in Acts 9 Jesus said to Paul as he was on the Damascus Road, we read it in 26:2, he said: "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou the Christians." Is that what He said? What did He say? "Why persecutest thou (what?) me." You see, when Saul killed Christians who was he really laying the blows to? Christ. But since He isn't here, Paul says when they do it now to Him, I take the blows. I fill up in my own flesh the afflictions the world intends for Christ. In II Cor. 1:5 Paul says, for as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, the sufferings in Christ abound in us. What a great statement. The world persecutes us ‑we bear His suffering. And he talks about it so many places. He says in Galatians 6:17, beautiful statement, I bear in my body the scars of the Lord Jesus. The blows that I've received have been taken because the world can't hit Him.
Paul says allof this, for your sake, for the Church. All of this to win you to Christ, All of this to mature you in Christ. All for you. You're the objective in this thing. I pay a price to win people to Christ. I pay a price to build the Church. They stone me. They beat me up. In II Cor. 11:23 he says what he has suffered: in stripes above measure, that is whippings, prisons more frequently, death often, of the Jews five times received I forty stripes except one (that's thirty‑nine stripes), three times I was beaten with rods, that's a whole big group of whip‑like sticks wrappedtogether that flail against the skin. Once I was stoned, three times suffered shipwreck a night and a day in the water, journeyings often, perils of waters, robbers, mine own countrymen, gentiles, perils in the cities, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils among false brethren, weariness, painfulness, watching, hunger, thirst, fasting, cold nakedness. He did all that for the sake of the Church and the whole time he ministered he worked to earn his own living in spite of all that and he not only earned his own living but the living of those people who traveled with him and he did every bit of that for the sake of the Church.
And he says, I'm willing to make a sacrifice, In Acts 20:22 and now he says, "I go bound to Jerusalem. I don't know what's going to befall me except the Holy Spirit tells me in every city that bonds or chains and affliction await me." I know when I get to Jerusalem I'm gonna get it. "But none of these things move me, neither count I myself dear to myself so that I might finish my course with (what?) joy. I will not allow my spirit to change because the spirit of the ministry is joy, and I'm going to finish this thing with joy, which I received of the Lord Jesus to testify the Gospel of the Grace of God, and I don't care what anybody does, it isn't going to change it. I'll suffer anything for the sake of the Church, I'm willing to build the Church at any price, even the price of my own life, and one day it was true. An axe came down in the sun and severed his head from his body, He says, I endure, in II Tim. 2.10, "I endure all things for the elects' sake, that they may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus. I'll do anything to get people saved, I'll do anything to make 'em grow. I'll go anywhere, I'll say anything that has to be done and has to be said. In confronting the lost and in building the body, he suffered. But after all, he said to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:28, "you take care of this flock which the Lord has purchased with (what?) His own blood, and Paul always felt that if the Lord would shed His own blood for the Church Paul could shed a little of his for them too.
So he says, I'm not just a servant of the Lord, I'm a servant of the Church too, and I'll suffer. He cried. You know, it says in Acts 20 that he wept. That he cried over his ministry. Tears. He warned them night and day to tears. H suffered internally as well as externally ‑‑ not just persecution but internal anxiety over the Church. What is the sour e of the ministry? God. What is the spirit of the ministry? Joy. Suffering of the ministry ‑‑ it is the willingness to go out and accept the blows from the world that are meant for Christ and rejoice in it that you're even counted worthy to do it.
Fourth and the last thing we're going to talk about. Paul presents the scope of the ministry. This is beautiful. At the end of verse 25: "to fulfill the Word of God," Fantastic statement. The scope of the ministry: to fulfill the Word of God, or to give full scope to the Word of God, Paul is simply saying, I just want to do what He called me to do. What God has given me to do I want to do it. And so I will rejoice, because that's the right spirit. I will suffer because that has to be in fulfilling the scope of the ministry, Paul wanted to fulfill it. I just read you Acts 20 where he says, "none of these things move me, I don't count my life dear to myself, I just want to finish the ministry God has given me. That's all; I just want to finish it. That's the only thing he had on his mind was to finish the ministry with joy. And you know something? He did. And that man's ministry touches the world. You know it's still touching the world right now through the letters that he wrote? I just want to finish the ministry. I just want to do what He called me to do, to fulfill His Word. What does that mean? To fulfill the Word of God. I think primarily it means the Word of God directly to him that called him into the ministry.
Secondarily it means to fulfill all that the revelation of God is. To teach it all. I think what he's saying here is, I want to teach all the word of God to all of the people that God has called me to. The whole world? Not necessarily. But the whole Word to all the world that God sends me. I want to teach the whole Word to that world that God gives me. That's exactly what he has in mind.
Now, at the end of his life in II Tim. 4:2 and following he kind of talks about it. And when it's all over, he's just about to die, verse 7 he says this: "I have fought a good fight (I love it) I have finished the course, I have kept the faith." You fought all the way? Oh, yeah, I had to fight. It wasn't easy. And I never changed what I believed ‑‑ I kept the faith. And I (what?) finished the course. Wouldn't you like to say that? Wouldn't you like to come to the end of your life and say God, I'm done. I can leave now. Anytime you're ready. Hit the eject button. I'm ready, I'm done. How did he do it? How did the man fulfill it? How could a man ever finish the work God gave him? How is it possible? Because he said I just want to do one thing, now notice this. Fulfill the Word of God. I just want to do' what He called me to do. Give the whole Word to the people He's called me to reach.
I want to say something that's very important right here. I want you to get this. Some ministers, and I really see this, get so carried away at this point, and so can we as Christians, that they think they have to win the whole world. "I've got to fulfill it all ‑‑ they're going to be all over everywhere." You know what happens, their ministry is all over everywhere about that deep. It never does much of anything. You know, think about it. The apostle Paul affected the world and he's still affecting the world. You know, the guy only took three missionary trips. That's right ‑‑ three. You know that all three of those missionary trips went to the same places. Little tiny area in the Mediterranean ‑‑ little tiny area, First time second time, went over a little ways,/same ground, step a little further, third time, same ground, another little further. He just said, I'd like to get to Rome, and he got there as a prisoner at the expense of the Roman government. That's all ‑‑ that's all the further he ever went. Just three little trips. And yet the man affected the entire world. How did he do that?
Think about Jesus. Do you realize that Jesus never left? Jesus never went on a boat and went anywhere? He stayed right in the area of Israel ‑‑ Galilee ‑Jerusalem, Galilee‑Jerusalem, that's it. You think He had a sense of winning the world? You better believe He did, but He never left where He was. You say but how could He reach the world if He neverleft where He was? Because He knew how. David McKenna says, self‑styled Messiahs are megalomaniacs. Their sense of mission has no limitations, short of conquering the world and conquering it now. At the slightest signal that their efforts are being frustrated they usually respond with rage and madness. You see, Jesus had a tremendous economy of effort. He knew how to do what He wanted to do in limitation.
Now let me say this, because I think it's very important. And I need to hear this, I need to remember this. Jesus limited His ministry. Because it isn't how broad it is, it's how deep it is. God says, you take care of the depth of it; I'll take care of the breadth of it. Look at the limits that Jesus put on His ministry. Number one limit ‑‑ he says, "I will only do what the Father shows me to do." Limit number one on anyministry ‑‑ God's will. Right? God's will. And I'll tell you there are all kinds of people dreaming about all kinds of fantastic things and running around doing them and God doesn't have a thing to do with it. And instead of spending their time doing what God wants them to do and God gifted them to do they're running around doing what they want to do and usually it's megalomania. Usually it's an ego problem when that gets too far stretched out. John chapter 5:30 that's precisely what Jesus said, that what He wanted to do was just what the Father gave Him to do "I seek not my own will, but the will of my Father who sent Me." So the first limitation He put on His ministry was the limitation of God's will.
Second one was the limitation of time, He had a timing limitation. How many times have you read it in the Gospel of John, "His hour was not yet come." He had a sense of timing, that there were certain things to be done in certain times, and until it was the right time and the Father's time, and the Father's will, He didn't do them. That put limitations on His ministry in terms of God's will and in terms of timing. And I'll tell you one thing ‑‑ when it did become the right time it was exciting, wasn't it? Boy, when He finally did say, "My hour is come," man, it was exciting.
The third limitation that He put on His ministry that I see in the Bible is the objective of His ministry when He first came into the world in Matt. 9:13, Matt. 10, He said "I have not come but for the lost sheep of the House of Israel." I'm just going to talk to Jews. You say, why would He limit Himself like that? He tightened the circle of His ministry. That Father's will, a special time, a special people. He wanted to reach Jews. I'll even go a step further. He only wanted to reach one kind of Jew. You say, what kind? "I come not to seek the righteous, but to bring (what?) sinner to repentance." He didn't want hypocritical super religious ones he wanted ones who recognized their sin. Again, the scope of His ministry is narrowed.
Another thing that limited His ministry. Not only the Father's will, time, particular people, but the subject. All through Jesus' ministry people tried to pressure Him into making political statements. What do you think about Caesar? And what did He say. Very judiciously He avoided any political involvement and said render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's. You see, He refused to be forced into political involvement because that was not His purpose. And I know He had strong feelings about it but He evaded it because He had limits on His ministry. You know something else, He limited Himself in the people that He discipled. Mark, chapter 5. He healed a maniac. And after He healed the maniac the maniac fel1 down at His feet and clutched Him and he was clothed and in is right mind and he said, "I want to go with you." And Jesus said (what?) no. You stay here; you go back to your own people. Why didn't He take him? You see, megalomaniacs, mad‑men, they need lots of disciples. See, because they need to drag them around and prove themselves. Jesus. He knew how many He could handle, He knew many He had and that's all He wanted.
Kept narrowing, and narrowing, and the limitations on His ministry are astounding, and yet Jesus Christ affected the world. The apostle Paul says in Romans chapter 15, I've got limits too. He says this: "I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not wrought in me." My limit is that I only talk about what God has done in my life. It isn't theory. And I'll tell you something else, verse 20: "I have strived to preach the Gospel not where Christ was named." I've got another limit. I only go to places that are newplaces forthe Gospel. Listen. The men who affect the world put limits on their ministry that allow them to do it with depth. Paul goes back to the same people three times. Jesus works with the same twelve people three years. And it ultimately affects the world. Learn it, people. There is a scope to the ministry. The scope that you're going to have in your ministry ‑is not related to how fast you travel it's related to how deep you plow. You worry about the depth of it and God will spread it. And I can give you personal testimony to that.
I am absolutely astounded at the ministry that Grace Community Church has all over the entire world, as people from hear travel ‑‑ as they carry tapes and materials, as they learn from the teachers and they spread the message. We get mail from the world, and yet we have this ministry here. The deeper this goes the greater will be its breadth. Listen. What does it mean to give full scope to the ministry, what does it mean to fulfill the Word of God for your life. It means this. To obey God's will in God's time. To do what God has called you to do, to teach the whole Word to those God has given you to do and let Him worry about extending it. If I could just do that I'd be satisfied. So Paul lays out His ministry. The source is God. The spirit is joy. The suffering ‑- well, that's on behalf of Christ for the sake of the Church. And the scope is the whole word to the world God has called me to, and then by His Spirit, to extend it to the world beyond.
I'll tell you something, that's only four of the features of the ministry. We've got four more. But if God's people were committed to those four, what a revolutionary thing the Church would become. Let's pray.
PRAYER: Thank you, our Father, tonight, for a good time of fellowship. It's just exciting to be together, and I want to thank you for the gift you've given me and the ministry ‑‑ to teach these beloved precious people, Thank you for every person here tonight, every one of them especially made object of your love ... the one that you want to draw back to yourself, that they might know the fullness of life. I thank you for their faithfulness, for the fact that they come back week after week to hear and to learn and to share and to worship and to fellowship and how rich you've made me ‑‑ how much joy I have because of you and because of them. May I never be too concerned about me. I pray that you'll teach us all that you're the one who puts us in the ministry and you're the one who equips us and the only response we can have in whatever service we do no matter what the circumstances are is to be rejoicing because anything that we get is more than we deserve, even if it's to suffer for your sake, what a sweet joy it is. Help us to realize that you've told us that we're to just fill up the cup that you've given us and do it right and do it well, and then you'll pass it around for the world to drink. Help us to be obedient servants ‑‑ to speak the oracles of God, and to minister in the ability that you've given. In Jesus' name. AMEN.
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Nightshade - Waking Nightmare
Chapter Thirteen/ Forty-One is out.
A new score of vampires threatens life as Bella knows it. Responsible for gruesome murders and missing children, they are now roaming the northwest portion of the United States. The decision had come, to change Bella or not to change Bella? Either way, the small Cullen family does not seem to have a chance at protecting Forks with Emma on the fritz, even if they have help from your friendly neighborhood werewolvesr; All of this belongs to Stephenie Meyer. I am just playing with it. Incase you have not figured it out yet, this is the sequel to Nightshade.
Everything is ready for Bella to be changed into a vampire. She has made all of her cuts from society and has begun to emotinally withdrawl from her familiy. Then, as the Cullen family hunts one last time before the fateful day, a friend from Bella's past shows up. To her, Bella is Izzie and Izzie is the only one that can help her.
All of this belongs to the beautiful Stephanie Meyer. She made up Twilight. We all her a debt of gratitude. Yea!
Be happy that I don't own this. Or sad. If I did, Bella would already be a vampire. But, she's not. Darn.
1. Chapter 1-Saturday Moring
Rating 5/5 Word Count 1187 Review this Chapter
To say that I was shocked would be a complete understatement. When I had opened my door on that bright, sunny, completely Edward-less Saturday morning, I was not expecting to see an old face standing on my doorstep. But I did. At first, I had not recognized her; it had been so long since we had last seen each other. If I recalled, it was our tearful goodbyes at our third grade graduation party as Renee dragged me by the hand to our plane which took me to blissful and dull Phoenix.
Time had aged her face. I supposed that it had aged mine as well, though for mine, I was doubtful on whether or not it was for the better. For her, it was.
"You said that if I ever needed anything to look you up," she said, quietly. I could still hear the faint trill of her voice. We had said that she had sounded like a songbird singing when we were younger. Part of the melody still lingered in her deeper, dark voice.
I knew her very well. So very well. It was almost as if time had not passed. I rushed forward and embraced her. "Of course. Come on in,"
I smiled as I lead Emma Jewell into my tiny house.
"How are you doing?" I asked, curious as to why my old friend from Tennenbark, South Dakota was on my doorstep in Forks, Washington.
"Fine, fine," she bobbed her head like she had answered this question a million times.
"Really?" I knew I was prodding, but when someone shows up at your house with a duffle bag, quoting a promise that you made in third grade, you know that something is up.
"Actually, Izzie. No, I'm not fine. Not at all," Emma called me by the name that I had forgotten. I was thankful that Edward had gone on a hunting trip with his family. He would not be back for an other week. When he had told me, I had been devastated, afraid to be apart from him for so long. But, perhaps now it was a good thing. I could help Emma and get her going before the nights that Edward and I shared would return, full-force.
I lead her over to the couch and sat down, pulling her with me. It was some time since I had come in contact with a another human, Charlie and I were still not on speaking terms. Him being angry over Edward returning and the motorcycle and all. She was very cold, but I could direct her movements. It was a securing feeling.
"I ran away from home,"
She said it as a simple fact, something that completely shocked me. Emma made it sound like she had run from being tagged in hide-and go seek.
"What? Why?" I managed to gasp out.
"My mom, she remarried. Again." Emma bit out. I sighed. Emma's mother, Charlatty, had issues concerning men as well. Renee had out grown it when ever she found Phil. I could tell by Emma's voice that her mother was still wandering the seas of love.
"To who?"
"Some guy named Marty. I think that she actually loves him," Emma sounded so repulsed by that. I momentarily wondered if she was disgusted by the idea of her mother loving some one besides her. I quickly banished it. The Emma that I had known had never been selfish with her mother's love. When we were best friends, Emma's house was my second home and mine hers. What was so bad about Marty that made Emma hate him. "He beats her," she answered my unasked question. "Me too. I couldn't stand it any more. Izzie, I had to get out of there! I called your house in Phoenix. The people who bought it gave me Renee's number in Florida. I called her and she said that you were in some forsaken place named Forks. That's how I got your address," she explained in a rush.
"Why did you look me up?" I asked, breathless. It was not that I minded or anything, I just wanted to know.
"Because, Izzie, well, this is so embarrassing, but you were my only friend in life. I never really got along with the other kids. At school, I was just a freak, faceless and emotionless.
A sharp pain twisted in my stomach. That was exactly how life had been for me in Phoenix. Then I moved to Forks, where everything had changed. At Forks, I met Edward. Just thinking of Edward made a smile come to my face.
Emma noticed it and looked her. I quickly explained that I was thinking of all the good times that we had together and that my life had been just as she described it. I hated to lie, but I thought that she might be a little insulted if I said that I was thinking about my gorgeous, wonderful boyfriend while she lay her troubles before my feet.
"Oh," she answered. "Izzie, I am sorry if it's inconvenient, but I had nowhere else to go! If you need me to leave, I can hitchhike back to Tennenbark."
"No!" I shouted, then blushed. "You can stay here, as long as you like. Charlie, my dad, he may not like it at first, but once you explain everything, he'll come around. Eventually," I said.
I nodded.
"Oh, thanks, Izzie!" She flung her arms loosely around me. I smiled and returned her embrace. My head knocked into her sunglasses. She quickly readjusted them.
"You know, you don't need those here," I teased.
Emma replied in the same light-heartened tone, "But they're just so fashionable!"
We laughed. It really was like old times.
"C'mon, I'll show you to my room. I don't know where you will sleep, but your things can go in my room." I took her up the stairs and to my room.
Emma whistled appreciatively. I gave her a look. She shrugged.
"This is much nice than the double wide we had back home."
I shook my head, "You got that right,"
Yes, both Emma and myself had lived in double wide trailers until the tender age of nine. Don't judge me.
"Are you hungry?" I asked as I walked back downstairs to the kitchen.
"No thanks," Emma said, right behind me, "I've already ate,"
"Okay," I said as I made my way to get a bowl from the cabinets. I was hunting for my cereal.
Unfortunately, my clumsiness got the better of me. As I walked, my foot caught around the leg of the table. I startled to fall forward. I was caught by two cold, strong arms. My face was just inches from the floor. I heard the clutter as Emma's sunglasses fell to the ground
"Thanks," I said as I stood.
I looked back at my frozen friend. Consequently, I looked into two blood red eyes. The pit of my stomach sank. Eyes of an untamed vampire.
- Chapter 1-Saturday Moring
- Chapter 2 - Saturday's Explanations
- Chapter 3 - Monday's Shopping Trip
- Chapter 4 - Tuesday's Adventure Into Enemy Territory
- Chapter 5 - New Faces on Wednesday
- Chapter 6- Mike's Opps-Up on Thursday
- Chapter 7 - Partying All Friday Night
- Chapter 8 - Fun in the Hidden Sun on Saturday
- Chapter 9 - Sunday?s Observation of Disconsolate Love
- Chapter 10 - Remembering Him on Monday
- Chapter 11 - Forgetting Him on Tuesday
- Chapter 12 - For lack of a better, less explanitory name and me having not come up with one to my regrets, the chapter twelve shall be henceforth known and properly called, ehhm, FINALLY!
- Chapter 13 - Conversations
- Chapter 14 - Emma and Edward's Late Night Conversation
- Chapter 15 - Playtime
- Chapter 16 - The Cause
- Chapter 17 - Dirty Little Secrets
- Chapter 18 - Kentucky
- Chapter 19 - Yukon Ho!
- Chapter 20 - Stone Angel
- Chapter 21 - Dammit Emmett! This is an Incognito Thing!
- Chapter 22 - Hate This Place
- Chapter 23 - A Sembalance of Normalcy
- Chapter 24 - Wedding Bells Are Ringing
- Chapter 25 - Chapter One
- Author's Note
- Chapter 27 - WAKING NIGHTMARE
- Chapter One - Beautiful
- Chapter Two - Necessary
- Chapter Three - Foreigners
- Chapter Four - Accidentally So
- Chapter Five - Unbelievable
- Chapter Six - Fighting It
- Chapter Seven - Over Dramatic
- Chapter Eight - Haunting
- Chapter 36 - Just for fun!
- Chapter Nine - The Best Course?
- Chapter Ten - On the Road
- Chapter Eleven - Hurt
- Chapter Twelve - Resolution
- Chapter Thirteen - It Starts Again
- Chapter 42 - Authors Note
- Author
- AngeDeLumiere
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subset: commoncrawl


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Online students are expected to have a thorough knowledge of their personal computer, its operating system, and basic knowledge of software and tools such as a word processor, e-mail, an Internet browser, and search engines.
Students in online courses should expect to login to their courses at least three times a week.
A minimum download speed of 1 Mbps and a 0.15Mbps minimum upload speed is recommended. One site you can use to check your internet speed is http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/.
Your browser must support the following, either via browser settings or plug-ins:
Greenville University uses Brightspace by D2L as a course management system. You must first be enrolled in a course and assigned a Greenville College network user name and password to access D2L.
D2L's direct URL for Greenville University is https://learning.greenville.edu.
Tutorials are available 24/7 within D2L's help feature. Additional training and support is also available by sending an email to email@example.com or by calling 618.664.6839 during regular business hours.
Students will be expected to know the basics of the D2L system before beginning their online courses. Online orientation is provided. Check with your Admissions Counselor for orientation information specific to your program.
Students will be provided a Greenville University e-mail account through Gmail. All students are responsible for monitoring this e-mail account for important University correspondence, including messages from instructors. Students may choose to forward messages from this Gmail account to another personal email account if desired.
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Copyright: Dolls made by international Doll Artist Maureen Martin.
Teddy bears are part of Mrs Martins private collection.
Specialising in unique distinctive wallpapers and wallcoverings for dollshouses and miniature roomboxes for period 1/12 scale and 1:24 scale
Interior and exterior decoration products include tiling, flooring and roofing
We also stock rare heirloom antique dollshouse furniture for the discerning miniaturist as well as hard to find unusual collector antique dolls, teddy bears and books.
Dolls Hospital & Teddy Bear Hospital established since C1978
Alternative requirements accommodated.
Interior decoration products include YES glue paste.
If you click the link below it will take you DIRECT TO 64 photographshs displaying our latest dollshouse rooms = no clutter = we sell all items within the room settings as well as décor and other rare interesting collectables! YOU WILL ALSO find fine porcelain dolls including some of the Royal Portrait dolls I have for sale which I have made & won many international awards for!


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international trading company | 136 West Main Street | Welland ON Canada L3C 5A2 | Tel. 905-788-3577
I have severe hearing problems - please contact me by e-mail
Searchable Data Base for visitors or business interested in
Ontario and Newfoundland-Labrador
Things to see and to do
Shopping, Investment
Ontario Events
Contact Information:Niagara Parks (check their web site)
Internet: http://www.itcwebdesigns.com/ontario_events01.htm
Description:This site gives you a brief overview about various events which we have visited. We will add continuously content to this site.
The Siege of Fort Erie
Contact Information:Niagara Parks (check their web site)
Internet: http://www.itcwebdesigns.com/siege_of_fort_erie_british_attack.html
Description:This annual and spectacular event is performed by volunteers from the USA and Canada. It brings back the historical attempt by the British army to reconquer the fort which was in the hands of American troops. Visit the camps of both parties. Participate in the "Lantern Tour".
The Rose Parade in Welland, Ontario
Contact Information:City of Welland (check their web site)
Internet: http://www.itcwebdesigns.com/rose_parade_welland_e01.htm
Description:The annual Rose Parade in Welland, Ontario was a spectacular event in June 2008. It was dedicated to the celebration of the 150 th. anniversary of our city which is also called "The Rose City".
Ball's Falls, Conservation Area
Contact Information:N/A
Internet: http://www.itcwebdesigns.com/balls_falls01_ca.html
Description:Whenever you visit the Niagara Region and its attractions in and around Niagara Falls you may be interested also in one of the hidden treasures with unspoiled nature, hiking trails and some history. All this you can find in the near by Ball's Falls Conservation Area. When you are here in October you should spend at least a few hours when Thanksgiving is celebrated in Ball's Falls. Local artist and crafts people show their work and sell it. Beautifully restored buildings from the former hamlet are filled with live.
Our "Sugar Bush" Adventure
Contact Information:N/A
Internet: http://www.itcwebdesigns.com/sugarbush_ca.htm
Description:This is a tour in which you learn about the history of making the delicious maple syrup as well as about today's processes. During our tour we could try and purchase different maple syrup products. These tours take place end of March. Check for advertised tours.
Dragon Boat Regatta in St. Catharines
Contact Information:
Internet: http://www.itcwebdesigns.com/dragon_boat01.htm
Description:Canadians love to help others by doing volunteer work. Seniors work in hospitals, they drive cancer patients, they distribute food, there is almost no end. Sometimes, the task to collect money for charitable organizations is combined with fun. This brief web site shows how money was collected for the fight against breast cancer by organizing a dragon boat race in St. Catharines.
Powwow in Fort Erie
Contact Information: N/A
Internet: http://http://www.itcwebdesigns.com/powwow_fort_erie01ca.html
Description:Learn about our native people and visit a pow wow. Our web site gives you a little impression what to expect.
Canal Days in Port Colborne
Contact Information: N/A
Internet: http://www.itcwebdesigns.com/canal_day_ca01.html
Description:Port Colborne is always worth to visit. I believe that this city has created a business and tourist friendly environment compared to others. Nice little restaurants, boutiques and lots of sightseeing. The Canal Days are celebrated every year. The next will be between July 30, 31, August 1, 2, 2010.
A Western Night with the Welland BIC Church
Contact Information: N/A
Internet: http://www.itcwebdesigns.com/western_nightl_ca01.html
Description:As a fund raiser a "BIC Jamboree" took place at Club Richelieu in Welland. This event full of clean fun and took place on October 17, 2009. Visit our brie site and watch a video.
Christmas drive through at the Welland Brethren in Christ Church
Contact Information: N/A
Internet: http://www.itcwebdesigns.com/BICC_drive_trough01.html
Description:The Welland Brethren in Christ Church has celebrated, for the last few years, the birth of our Savior in their parking lot with a drive-through.
Volunteers show scenes related to this great event. No fee is charged and even a free CD is handed out which guides you through the different live displays.


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This month is a special month for me, in terms of age. I honestly get tired of hearing, "It's just a number." It is not just a number, if I want it to bother me some; I will let it bother me (some).
No parties, no presents and I think perhaps, it would be nice to spend it on a train.
The AARP decided to throw gas on my birthday cake by sending me an invitation and my first card to carry around in my wallet. I wanted to fire off a letter to them explaining that I wasn't interested in any discounts, magazines or help with deciding who to vote for in the upcoming elections.
If I want a discount, I'll get one. If they won't give me one, I'll move on to the next hotel, car rental company or restaurant. Age discrimination works both ways. Why not give discounts to twenty-something's with small children? While you are at it, you should give discounts to folks that travel with dogs – not charge them extra.
I will stick with my AAA card, buy magazines from the elementary school children and as for voting, I can figure that out.
It was starting out to be a difficult weekend. Needing a break, I volunteered to go to the grocery store. Honestly, the grocery store is a briar patch type place for me. A briar patch type place, as in the story of Brer Rabbit. Can't you hear me?
"Roast me! Hang me! Do whatever you please." "Only please, Brer Fox, please don't throw me into the grocery store."
This time it almost backfired.
Enjoying myself with my normal escapades, I was having a good time on this Saturday morning.
After obsessively cleaning the whole grocery cart with one of those antibacterial wet wipes the grocery store provides, the produce section is always the best place to start. You are there to develop a relationship with a fruit or vegetable.
For instance, try an onion. Hold it up to the light, then to your ear, then hold two onions, one in each palm while stretching your arms straight out on each side forming the letter "T" with your soon to be AARP body.
Always make sure someone is watching, preferably a college aged girl who probably hasn't gone to the grocery store much.
When you are sure she can hear you, pull both arms in and look closely at the onions again. Put one in a bag and then into your cart, then before putting the unlucky onion back, hold it up in front of your face and say, "I'm so sorry, you were not chosen." Three out of ten young women will pick up the onion you put back and take it home with them, even if they didn't need an onion.
Bell peppers, tomatoes and apples have a better chance of being picked up, but on this day I really needed an onion. Don't try this with watermelons!
While walking around the grocery store, I often wonder why folks (men in particular) go to singles bars, use online matchmaking services or go on singles cruises. They should just go to the grocery store, grab a cart and look helpless. Please note that doing the "onion thing" makes you look stupid, not helpless.
It is apparent to me; the grocery store has folks shopping for more than just groceries. I'm ok with that.
After entertaining as many folks as I could and getting what I needed, I decided it was time to go. Saturday at the grocery store in Williamsburg, Virginia can be kind of hectic, if you go at the wrong time of day. On this Saturday morning, the grocery store was filled with a lot of (us) older folks.
In Williamsburg, there are a considerable number of what the locals call "come here's." Folks from New York and New Jersey like to retire here, to what they think is the South.
I'm a "come here" from Alabama and I can tell you that it is a very nice place, but it is not The South.
There were a lot of folks in line waiting to check out. It was frustrating, but I wasn't in a hurry and wasn't missing any meaningful college football games. Standing there in line, I was daydreaming, thinking of ways to cut the lines down some. I considered announcing there was a free wine and cheese tasting in the back of the store, but the manager got a little miffed the last time I did that.
Lost in the moment, the line moved up the length of one grocery cart and I just stood there. Before I could move up, this nice lady with about 30 years more AARP experience than I, slipped in front of me. My mouth fell open and I'm pretty sure I said, "Well, I'll be doggone." The lady wouldn't look at me; she pretended to be in a trance. She was looking up and around.
I wanted to screech out in my best Barney Fife, Mayberry Deputy voice, "Line-breaker," but I held it back.
It did make me think about the AARP card. Maybe it entitles you to break line anywhere you want.
One of the managers opened up another line and let me go first. I figured he either saw what happened to me or didn't want to risk the wine and cheese announcement.
I was happy.
As I was walking out of the store, the line-breaking, probably from New Jersey lady was still waiting in her line. I couldn't help it, I had to do it. I did the "line-breakers never win" dance with my cart and clicked my heels in the air.
One of these days, I'm going to break something (a leg or ankle).
With the time falling back an hour, there were no excuses for not making it to church on time the next Sunday morning. I did, the pastor preached a bang up sermon and we came home.
My daughter and some friends had been making s'mores outside over a fire pit the previous weekend. Evidently, they left the graham crackers, Hershey bars and marshmallows within reach of Doolittle, my 92.5 pound Standard poodle.
Doolittle and Maddie (miniature poodle) had drug the graham crackers, the chocolate and all the makings into the den in front of the fireplace. The previously unopened box of graham crackers was devoured and two of the Hershey bars had been consumed. The marshmallows and peanut butter have not been found.
They decided to have some sort of party in front of the fireplace while we were at church.
Doolittle tried to hide as soon as we came in the door. It is hard for a 92.5 (plus a little more) pound poodle to hide.
What do you say?
I say, "Thank God they didn't start a fire."
If you didn't know it, graham crackers were invented in New Jersey by a Presbyterian minister named Sylvester Graham.
PLEASE NOTE: I know about chocolate and dogs, mine have lived through worse. I know people from New Jersey can be nice and so can Presbyterians.
Cranks My Tractor
Share this story with friends - it helps me. "Like" the Cranks My Tractor Facebook Site, you can share this story from there.
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Also feel free to crank my tractor on Twitter.
Tell 27 people you love them today; something good will happen.
I'm BN Heard and I like semicolons, dogs and pulling my grocery cart instead of pushing it.


text:
Tarbela hydel generation to touch 4,888 MW with 4th extension
The hydel generation capacity of Tarbela dam will further enhance to 4,888 MW with completion of 1410 MW 4th extension hydropower project.
Officials sources told APP Friday that Tarbela would be the largest water reservoir in term of hydel generation after completion of the extension project while Mangla has become the largest water storage reservoir.
They said that Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) had already awarded civil works contract worth Rs 26.053 billion with Chinese firm Sinohydro for civil works of the 1410MW Tarbela 4th extension hydropower project.
The sources said the World Bank had also agreed to provide $ 840 million loan for the project. They said the project would take three and half years for commissioning at estimated cost of $928 million. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has already inaugurated the 4th extension project.
The project will increase the hydropower generation capacity of Tarbela Hydel Power Station to 4,888 MW after installation of three units of 1410 MW. On completion, the project will add about 3.84 billion units low-cost electricity to the national grid per annum. Annual benefits of the project have been estimated at about Rs.30.7 billion. The sources said that the project would pay back its cost in just three years.
They said the project would also be instrumental in saving foreign exchange on import of almost one million ton of furnace oil annually, required for the equivalent generation of electricity from thermal sources. The project will also provide a cushion to undertake rehabilitation and up-gradation of the existing Tarbela Power House during the lean period.
The Tarbela 4th extension hydro power project is a part of least-cost power generation strategy of the federal government being implemented by WAPDA on priority. This strategy not only aims at adding a sizeable quantum of electricity to the national grid but also improving the share of low-cost hydel electricity in the overall system for reducing the power tariff.
Energy Sector News
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#361 Tarbela
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Posted 31 July 2014 - 02:04 PM
Tarbela hydel generation to touch 4,888 MW with 4th extension
" In million of books, there is only word...
If your vision is clear, just Bismillah is enough for you"
#362 Magnus
- +Senior Moderator
- 10,970 posts
Posted 17 August 2014 - 09:45 AM
#363 Tarbela
- Senior Members
- 2,404 posts
- Gender:Male
- Location:USA
Posted 09 October 2014 - 09:27 AM
The United States on Wednesday pledged support for Pakistan's massive $14 billion 4,500MW Diamer-Bhasha dam project as top officials and business leaders explored investment prospects, amid exponential energy needs of America's 'critical partner' nation.
Both the US officials – including US Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Dr Rajiv Shah and US Special Representative Dan Feldman – and Pakistan's Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar and Minister for Water & Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif, who is also defence minister, highlighted tremendous opportunities for American and international investors in the 'transformational' power generation and water storage project.
The officials spoke at a joint platform that brought together senior leaders and experts and business leaders at the US Chamber of Commerce at a meeting, co-hosted by the USAID and the US-Pakistan Business Council. Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States Jalil Abbas Jilani and US Ambassador in Islamabad Richard Olson participated in the daylong conference, spread over several sessions.
Pakistan needs 10,000MW of power to meet its rapidly growing domestic, industrial and agrarian requirements. The materialisation of Diamer-Bhasha dam will be a giant step in that quest.
Besides producing 4,500MW of power, the dam will help with four million acre of water for irrigation, save millions from flash flooding, boost other hydro projects and contribute vitally to extending life of Tarbela Dam by 30 years.
The Obama administration officials assured the investors of effective results, citing results from US-financed energy up-gradating projects in Pakistan.
"We know that success can take hold," Dr Shah said in reference to completion of small projects and addition to power generation capacity of large dams.
Daniel Feldman said the US and Pakistan have a wide-ranging strategic partnership and that Washington is in for a long-term economic and investment relationship with Pakistan, particularly in the energy field. "Investment in Diamer-Bhasha dam is the smartest choice for Pakistan," Feldman remarked, reiterating the White House and Secretary John Kerry's commitment to back economic and energy security of Pakistan.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's government is committed to encouraging foreign investment in various sectors of the economy and is crystal clear that the country needs both the Dasu and Bhasha dams. "We have demonstrated our commitment – and acquired land from own indigenous resources," he added.
He apprised the meeting of government's robust economic agenda, saying Islamabad has stemmed the economic downslide it inherited and now exports, GDP rate, remittances, revenue collection and industrial growth, have all registered marked growth.
"Despite demonstrations in Islamabad, the rupee has been fairly staying at stable exchange rate, while inflation has also been checked," he added. Senator Dar said the government has paid off circular debt it had inherited from the previous administration.
Khawaja Asif said Washington's support for the vital Diamer-Bhasha dam would cement the relationship between the two countries.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 9th, 2014.
" In million of books, there is only word...
If your vision is clear, just Bismillah is enough for you"
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Unicode 6.1 Released
The Unicode Consortium announced the release of Unicode 6.1.0 yesterday. The new version adds characters for additional languages in China, other Asian countries and Africa. This version of the standard introduces 732 new characters. In addition, the standard also added "labels" for character properties that will supposedly help implementers create better regular expressions that are […]Continue Reading


text:
Close to a Full House?All you need to know about West Ham United FC's potential move to Stratford.
Moderators: bristolhammerfc, sicknote, -DL-, Rio, Gnome, chalks, the pink palermo
Close to a Full House?
I've always been pro the move and believe we will have no problem filling the OS. I'm also fed up of rival fans telling me how we will be playing in front of thousands of empty seats every other week.
I read on here somewhere that we have just reached the point where ST applications for the OS have surpassed the current capacity at the BG, which if true, is great news. I know we plan to give away around 5k tickets per game and have limited areas where it will only cost £5. Then there's the away allocation to consider.
So, can someone please help me with the basic sum below, where I have used 'made up' numbers.
35k ST Holders
5k Free Tickets
5k £5 Tickets
5k Away Tickets
That would only leave around 4k tickets for Members and General Sale, which would surely be snapped up. This also doesn't allow for any further STs sold between now and the start of the season.
Am I missing something obvious here or are we close to being able to say with absolute confidence that we will be playing in front of a full house?
Re: Close to a Full House?
I think that they were very confident of a full house some time ago!
Re: Close to a Full House?
I sincerely hope they will not be giving away 5000 tickets to away supporters if we have any kind of waiting list for tickets, I see no reason why we don't give the same 3000 or so that other clubs allocate.
Re: Close to a Full House?
The stated plan is to sell 40,000 Season Tickets and I guess that includes the 3400 or so corporate / hospitality seats.
PL away allocation is up to 3000.
Free tickets are up to 100,000 across all sport and music events at the OS, so unlikely to be anywhere near 5000 at PL matches. See this section of the agreement:
Don't know where you get the 5k £5 Tickets from? If we are going to have 5000 free and 5000 at £5 that would only leave 44,000 real tickets.
One of the rugby games had 56,000 and they have said they can go to 60,000 so I expect a lot more than 4000 tickets to go on sale to members and general.
Re: Close to a Full House?
Thanks bengeo, that makes more sense. I've clearly misinterpreted a lot of what has been released. I had it in my head that the lovely Baroness B said something about certain areas of the stadium would have seats available at £5, but maybe not.
Anyhow, I'm much more confident about our ability to fill the place.
Re: Close to a Full House?
I thought it was widely expected that we would easily have a full house next season and the club are already looking at increasing the capacity from 54k to 70k?
As has been mentioned on this forum the 40k season tickets available won't be enough and there will be thousands left disappointed. Claret & Hugh have re-iterated this point again today:
"25,000 to miss out on OS season ticket"
So my understanding is that there will only be 2 remaining reasons we wouldn't sell out next season:
2. Away tickets: 5,000 available per match
I'd be amazed if the 9k home tickets don't sell out, given that is actually far less than the number of home matchday tickets available at The Boleyn this season.
Therefore I would think it's the number of away supporters who turn up which might prevent a full house. I guess maybe the likes of Swansea might fail to fulfil their allocation, for example.
Re: Close to a Full House?
I just hope that those people on the waiting list, like me, that have been given an appointment (phone or personal visit in Stratford) actually will still be offered tickets. The disappointment at this stage of NOT getting ANY kind of ticket for the OS would be huge.
It's slightly different of course if you have entered the waiting list pretty late, so at a certain point there will obviously be people not even getting appointments anymore because there simply are no tickets left to sell.
As for those 5K free tickets you cannot break it down like that. It'll be 100K throughout the season for all kinds of events, community sports etc.
5K free tickets for Newham residents will be very rare for West Ham games, it surely will not be the average number of free tickets.
Re: Close to a Full House?
I think she was referring to the Under 16 Season Tickets which work out to just over £5 per game.
Re: Close to a Full House?
Away tickets for PL should be limited to 3000, not 5000.
If away teams don't take up their full allocation then these seats should go on general sale as now.
Re: Close to a Full House?
OK this being the case then I can't see any reason why we wouldn't sell out every home game in the PL other than ridiculously expensive match-day ticket pricing (which haven't been released yet - so I have no idea yet how prohibitive that might be).
Re: Close to a Full House?
I gave up looking at this forum way back because it had become a moan fest of it will be half empty, I won't be going there....
A while back some of the I won't be going there's became sheepish well I'm going after alls....
Now it turns out that extra seats might have to be made available as it looks to be a sell out.
Re: Close to a Full House?
Spot on. I have been a regular visitor to this forum over the last couple of years and despite early reservations am now firmly in the pro move camp. I rarely posted as anything positive on here was pounced upon by several vociferous members! I note that these days the mood is much more positive with the naysayers reducing in numbers!
This move is going to be a catalyst for better times ahead, no doubt in my mind.
Re: Close to a Full House?
It was actually very few, totally unrepresentative of the consensus. But agreed they were vociferous in the extreme hi-jacking this into a forum of negativity.
Re: Close to a Full House?
Indeed, it is often the case that the very few make the most noise. Their constant negativity was really something.
Last edited by costa75 on Sat Feb 13, 2016 8:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Close to a Full House?
I was very anti a while back - mainly due to ill-feeling from not being fairly consulted on the move. I posted a few challenges on here which I hope were fair. My overriding concern was that I would be asked to pay more for a worse view. The 20+% reduction in ST prices for band 4 obviously made a massive difference.
I have moved from standing in the BML (where I have been since it was built) to sitting in the upper tier in the east side - which is still band 4.
I've been happy to change my view but better communication earlier might have prevented some of the negativity.
Re: Close to a Full House?
Let's wait to see how they will allocate cup final tickets (if we ever get to one) to 40,000 season ticket holders before we get excited, nothing surprises me with this lot as far as tickets are concerned.
Re: Close to a Full House?
To be fair, that just seems an unsolvable problem for any big, well supported club. I guess it can either be done as a 'raffle', st history or priority to away fans.
Re: Close to a Full House?
I must admit the ST sales have surprised me. I work with a Man U ST holder who said that he was looking forward to us moving to the OS as they would bring about 10k and make the atmosphere like a home game for them. I tended to agree with him then but happy to be wrong now.
The only query I have is surely the extra ST numbers are taken up with the current members and casual match day ticket buyers and therefore we may not need too many of these in the OS.
Re: Close to a Full House?
I am a member on the priority list. I renewed my membership in September but do not expect to get a reservation appointment, there just aren't enough seats to go round. The fact that the club are still actively encouraging people to join this list and pay a non refundable tenner stinks.
Re: Close to a Full House?
Got my season ticket last month, plenty left...the geezer who sold me mine reckoned the 54k capacity was more than enough...at the point Brady was gobbling off that we had sold 40k, we hadn't hit 30k
When I went in jan, the fella rejoined we were at about 33k...a long way to go until we are full...and if we sell out and there's thousands still willing to buy, we have the option to apply for an extension on the capacity
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