by J. Randal Matheny

Brazilians have a Thanksgiving Day, but nobody has ever heard of it. Why is that?

While I leave the answer to anthropologists and sociologists, the United States' Thanksgiving Day is a part of the country's basic, institutional, initial values. From a religious, Christian (broadly defined) impulse.

The true Christian has thanksgiving ingrained in his deepest core. More than a yearly observance, gratitude is the well-spring of his being. Each day presents new reasons to pray a thank-you to the Father and to find in nearly every person and in every situation a motive of thanksgiving.

Some things are to be taken literally in the Bible, others should be understood figuratively. This command belongs to the first order:

"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

First off, I'm grateful for what my wife prays for. She prays the "Woman's Prayer" daily: "Dear Lord, I pray for Wisdom, to understand a man, Love, to forgive him, and Patience, for his moods, because, Lord, if I pray for Strength, I'll just beat him to death ..."

The day she prays for strength (with a capital "S," yet), I'm a goner.

Second, I'm grateful for

• wonderful kids flying the nest,
• adolescents who behave like real human beings,
• supportive parents who have put up with our being on the mission field for decades,
• churches who have stuck with us for all this time,
• the Internet that keeps us connected,
• new Christians and churches in our region,
• Christian writers and editors I know,
• the gift of listening (so they tell me),
• okay, I'll quit before I lose you.

One more: I'm grateful for having lived and worked in Brazil for the last 20 years, as of November 28. This country, these people whom I came to teach, have taught me so much about life, faith, hardship, zeal, joy.

Saturday, the good brethren in our region shared a special moment of celebration with us. On the wall and on the gigantic cake, hearts divided with a Brazilian flag on one side and the American flag on the other.

Those hearts are not actually divided, but united; not split, but welded, as we have not only formed our own "third culture," but the melding of the two in a Christian bond that vibrates the cultural strings and transcends race, class, language, and nationality.

As Paul calls it in Ephesians, it's the "heavenly realms" here and now.

To cherish this, and to thank God for such a blessing, is the essential subject.

Not just this week, but every day.

by Kevin Cauley

Greek prepositions usually merit their own major section of discussion in the syntax of most Greek grammars. They merit such discussion due to their multifaceted nature. The Greek preposition is one of the Swiss army knives in the Greek language; one preposition may have multiple uses. The Greek reader must carefully consider the context in which the preposition is used and correctly apply the proper usage if he is to get all there is out of reading the text. In our discussion this week, we will look at one particularly special nuance of the Greek preposition KATA.

KATA may take two cases depending upon how it is used. With the genitive case, KATA can mean "against," "down," or it can intensify the meaning of something as to it's depth (such as in 2 Corinthians 8:2). With the accusative case, KATA may represent ownership, authorship, or repetition (distribution). It is sometimes translated "according to" with this case. It is the last use of KATA, the distributive use, which we will focus upon here.

When the distributive KATA is used, the idea of repetition is involved, usually with reference to people, times, or places. The word "every" is a good word to use in reference to this preposition. For example, in Matthew 27:15 (and in the parallel in Mark 15:6) we have the distributive use of KATA. The ASV text says, "Now at the feast the governor was wont to release unto the multitude one prisoner, whom they would." The word KATA occurs early in the sentence. It is translated here by the word "at." However, when taking the distributive use of the preposition KATA into account here, we would more accurately translate the sentence, "Now at every feast…." The idea is that this was a repeated event. That it wasn't just at this feast, but was customary at all of the feasts to release a prisoner.

Another rather obvious example is in Mark 14:19 where the disciples question Jesus "one by one." The word translated "by" in this verse is KATA. The distributive sense can be seen clearly in this passage.

Romans 12:5 is also another good example. "So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another." Each individual member is part of the body of Christ.

Perhaps one of the most significant uses of the distributive KATA is found in 1 Corinthians 16:2: "Upon the first day of the week let each one of you lay by him in store, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come." You may think that the word "each" in this verse is KATA, but it isn't. The word KATA is translated "upon" in this verse. The idea is upon every first day of the week, the church was to take up this collection. The implication is obvious. The church met every first day of the week and this was the time at which Paul instructed them to take up their contribution.

Other examples of the distributive use of KATA can be found in Luke 8:1, 4, 9:6, 13:22, Acts 8:3, 13:27, 15:21, 15:36, 17:17, 20:23, 22:19, 24:5, 24:12, 26:11, Titus 1:5, Hebrews 9:5, and Revelation 22:2. A good exercise would be to see if you can spot the distributive KATA in these verses.

by Michael E. Brooks

"One of them, a prophet of their own, said, 'Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons. This testimony is true'" (Titus 1:12,13a).

Daniel Regmi, a preacher from western Nepal who helped coordinate a recent campaign in the city of Narayanghad, shared with me some of the difficulties he experienced in making arrangements. We invited a number of Christians from some of the poorer "jungle" villages for these lessons and he had trouble finding hotels and restaurants that would accommodate them. "Those kind of people eat too much" was one complaint heard repeatedly. Another was, "those village people are dirty and damage our rooms and furniture."

I was reminded of Paul's frank assessment of the people to whom he had sent Titus to minister. "Know those with whom you are working," he seems to be warning. "Don't expect more of them than they are likely to produce." This should not be read as a condemnation of all Cretans, or even a negative assessment of the potential of the Church in Crete. Paul's writings are too optimistic and too filled with his conviction of the power of the Gospel for us to reach that conclusion. Rather he is telling Titus that there are built-in obstacles to his work, and he must be careful to properly identify them so that his work might be successful. So, as we talk with neighbors and friends about the Gospel, we too should be realistic about who they are, and what difficulties we must overcome in reaching them. This evaluation is not to "write them off" or to discourage us, but to realistically plan our approach and prepare us for success.

Having said that, it is also important that we not be the prisoners of our stereotypes. We would assume that not every single Cretan was a liar, an evil beast, and a lazy glutton. These were apparently general characteristics describing the culture of Crete. That does not mean that those characteristics were inherent in every citizen. So in Nepal, not every villager eats huge amounts, or practices poor hygiene. More importantly, no villager is predestined to those traits or unable to be taught to change his habits. Stereotypes are common, and it is unfortunately also common for us to impulsively apply them to people whose true characteristics we do not know. Blonde hair does not mean lack of intelligence. A southern drawl does not prove ignorance. A French accent does not establish arrogance. We must be careful not to let our pre-suppositions prejudice us against anyone. Rather we should approach every person with open minds and sincere hearts, prepared to love our neighbor as ourselves.

by Tim Hall

We are becoming a nation of forensic experts. A large genre of television programs is based on criminal investigation. Three different versions of "Law and Order" and "CSI" lead the pack, a group which also includes "Crossing Jordan," "Monk," and others. Americans are fascinated with modern methods of tracking down and prosecuting the guilty.

One of the cornerstones of modern sleuths is DNA evidence. Investigators rejoice when they discover blood, body fluids, or hair at the scene of the crime. The cells that make up such human tissue contain DNA, an intricate "fingerprint" that can help convince a jury of a person's guilt. When your DNA has been matched to that found at the crime scene, there apparently is no point in arguing your innocence. The evidence is there and it's in the realm of undeniable.

Wouldn't it be great if we could find God's DNA? Maybe people would no longer deny his existence.

The fact that living things possess DNA is evidence that points to God. Walter L. Bradley, scientist and author of "The Mystery Of Life's Origin" (1984), summed up the amazing nature of this evidence: "In living systems, the guidance that's needed to assemble everything comes from DNA. Every cell of every plant and animal has to have a DNA molecule. Think of it as a little microprocessor that regulates everything .... Frankly, the origin of such a sophisticated system that is both rich in information and capable of reproducing itself has absolutely stymied origin-of-life scientists. As the Nobel Prize-winner Sir Francis Crick said, 'The origin of life appears to be almost a miracle, so many are the conditions which would have had to be satisfied to get it going'" ("The Case For Faith", Lee Strobel, Zondervan Publishers, 2000, pp. 99,100).

God's DNA has been found. The fact that every living organism possesses it points to an intelligent Creator. Unfortunately the evidence, though strong, is not undeniable. There are still many who deny that life's complex structure proves God's existence.

That's the way it has always been. In the days of Jesus, a marvelous miracle took place when Jesus opened the eyes of a man who had been blind from birth. Some Jewish leaders, however, had already made up their minds that Jesus was an impostor. They declared to the healed man, "We do not know where he is from" (John 9:29, NKJV). The formerly blind man couldn't believe what they were saying: "Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where he is from, and yet he has opened my eyes!" (John 9:30). The evidence before them was compelling, but they refused to see. Through their bias they had become incurably blind.

The presence of a cornfield with evenly spaced rows convinces us that a farmer planted this field a few months earlier. We know there is an assembly plant somewhere staffed with skilled workers because of the impressive automobile in the showroom. But as some consider DNA -- vastly more complex than cornfields or automobiles -- they scratch their heads and wonder, "Why do those religious fanatics believe in God?"

"The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God'" (Psalm 14:1).

by Mike Benson

Imagine that you live during Old Testament times. Imagine too that you and a good friend have been working together in the woods, when suddenly a terrible accident occurs. That ax you've been swinging over the past several hours splinters apart, flinging its stone head at your friend's temple. His death is instantaneous. There was no premeditation in the event; it just happened. It was unintentional, but your friend is dead nonetheless.

So what do you do?

You obviously can't dial 911 because phones aren't in existence. Neither can you simply wait around for emergency authorities to arrive on the scene because your life is now in jeopardy. You see, once news of your friend's untimely death reaches his families' ears, their goel (pronounced "go-L") or avenger of blood/1 (Number 35:19) will be in hot pursuit. It is his duty to hunt you down and kill you (Deuteronomy 19:4-6). Yes, even though your friend's death was an accident, as long as you are "out in the open," the goel has the legal right to take your life. That means that either you run -- or die.

You run to any one of six special cities (e.g., Golan, Ramoth, Bezer, Kedesh, Shechem and Hebron -- Joshua 20:7,8) which God designated as sanctuary (Exodus 21:12,13). Each of these cities is strategically located so that, regardless of where you live in Canaan, you can flee no more than a day's journey and find respite therein./2

Once you arrive, you present an abbreviated version of your "case" before the elders of that particular city. Assuming there is prima fascia (i.e., "at first glance") evidence for your innocence, you are permitted to enter the city for the short term. When the goel arrives, a more formal trial is held to determine your standing. If at the conclusion of the proceedings you are found guilty of murder, then you will be turned over to the goel for immediate execution. If, however, you are found innocent, then the goel will be sent home, and you will be offered the long term lodging and protection that only a city of refuge can avail. You must remain there until the death of the high priest (Numbers 25:35).

The reason you must abide in this particular city is because security is found only in those half dozen municipalities which God set apart. "I will appoint for you a place where he may flee" (Exodus 21:13b; cf. Joshua 20:1,2). The cities of refuge were divinely appointed. They weren't the result of the combined wisdom of Israelite elders who thought that it might be a good idea to create safe havens. God Himself decreed that there should be places to which a fugitive could run and be protected from the avenger of blood. These are the ONLY places where your safety is guaranteed. To run to any other city scattered around Canaan would be foolhardy, because it can not offer any protection.

Like the cities of refuge, God has appointed a specific place for your spiritual safety today -- it's called the church (Ephesians 1:22,23; 1:1, 3-7; 3:10,11). It is the only place of real deliverance from the pursuit of sin and its consequences. There are hundreds of religious entities (i.e., cities) to which you might flee, but only the one set up by God affords real security for your soul (cf. Hebrews 6:18; Psalm 46:1; Romans 8:1; Matthew 11:28).

Are you tired of running from the sins in your life? Are you sheltered within the walls of divine protection? I urge you to flee to the city of God. If the Judgment finds you outside of the refuge found only in Christ and his church you will perish (Romans 6:23; Galatians 3:27). Run, dear friend, run!

/1 Also known as a "kinsman redeemer." /2 Roads were built to these cities, thus making it easier for a manslayer to get to them (Deuteronomy 19:3). Extra-biblical sources also suggest that at every crossroad along the way, special signs were posted to help direct the fugitive.