The October 1999 Newsletter

Dr. Harold J. Sala

Jesus laid it on the line with His followers. Luke tells how Jesus often said, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save ito/oo (Luke 9:23,24). There are four marks of a true Christian, and apart from these I would have serious doubts as to whether or not I am a Christian. Joining a church or religious organization is not one of them. These marks deal with your heart and attitudes. These marks are commitment (dealt with last month), conversion, confession, and change.

The second mark of a true Christian is Conversion. Let me Illustrate with a story.

It involves a man who was walking along a mountain road near Craig, Colorado, badly beaten, with both his wallet and his memory gone. Who was he? The only clue was a bracelet near the place he was discovered, bearing the letters SHER. Authorities tried everything to identify him: police and military records, insurance companies and the FBI. They even ran his picture in newspapers, but nothing turned up. Based on the SHER on the ID bracelet, the young man took the name Sherman and started to carve out a new life for himself. He worked as a policeman, then a driver, and eventually he held a variety of jobs. He wanted to marry, but he had this nagging fear that he might already be married.

Then it happenedΣ After almost 20 years of uncertainty, an address popped into his mind ^ something about his childhood. That was the clue that allowed police to trace his true identity. In time he discovered that he was really Robert Sheridan. What a joyful reunion as he was reunited with his family. He described it saying, "it was just like being born again!

When God touches your life it will never be the same, and you wouldn,t go back for anything in the world. It is the result of believing in Jesus Christ and personally accepting the gift of life He offers to all men. Make sure you bear this mark.

The third mark is Confession, which means that you have run up your flag, that you have identified with His cause. It means you are no longer a secret believer, you openly acknowledge Jesus Christ as your Savior. Here,s what Jesus said. "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whosoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven! (Matt 10:32,33). He said, "I am the way, and the truth and the life: no one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).

Paul said that a true Christian is one who confesses Jesus Christ alone. He wrote, "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9).

The person who is uncommitted and hesitates to really be identified is usually miserable, torn by uncertainty and doubt. He doesn't know where he stands and is confused. If you are like that, friend, cross over the line and confess Jesus as your Lord and your Savior.

The fourth mark is Change. When you receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and are born again ^ all of which takes place instantly as you confess Him and trust Him - Jesus Christ comes to indwell your heart and life. This means that Jesus Christ becomes part of your life, your thinking, your goals and future. He becomes your Lord, and when that happens, new life begins to affect your old life. You begin to change as God,s Holy Spirit begins to work in your heart. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, says Paul, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (II Corinthians 5:17)

Would you say, based on these marks, that you are a true Christian? Or would you say that you have doubts as to whether you understand what this is all about? Don,t go on wondering. If there is any doubt in your mind, pray a simple prayer right now, saying, "Lord Jesus, I want to follow You. I believe that You are the One who lived, died, and rose again. I forsake my sinful self and bow at Your feet. Erase any doubt from this point on that I have trusted You. I believe in You and freely confess You this moment. In Jesus, name, amen!" If you prayed that prayer, welcome to the family.

Resource Reading: John 3:22-36.

Dr. Harold J. Sala is heard on Guidelines each weekday afternoon at 5:00 p.m. on WCIF. Reprinted by permission. Copyright 1995 by Guidelines, Inc. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but shall have eternal life. -John 3:16 ________

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Looking Ahead

FOCUS ON THE FAMILY- Dr. James Dobson
(Weekdays 1:30 & 9:00 p.m.)
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY (weekdays 1:30 & 9:00 p.m.) Dr. James Dobson (Schedule is subject to change)

Sept. 30 & Oct. 1 - The Three R,s of Parenting, Dr. John Rosemond and Dr. Dobson talk about the three "r,so/oo of bringing up children.

 Oct 6 & 7 - Wounded Hearts , Author Frank Peretti gives a message to teens and their parents. He offers hope to hurting souls.

 Oct. 8 - A Life Changed By Love, John Paulk shares a message of how he struggled for years with hopeless- ness until the love of God set him free from the bondage of homosexuality.

Oct. 11 - The Wendy Bergren Story, The story of a young mother who developed terminal cancer.

Oct. 12 & 13 - Love and Marriage, Rob Parsons talks about marriage as it really is. He shares insights on how to make your marriage bloom.

 Oct. 14 - A Visit With The Dravecky,s, A burden shared is a burden diminished. Join Dave Dravecky and Dr. Dobson as they discuss how to help bear one anothers burdens.

 Oct 18 & 19- Ministry To The Mentally Impaired, Members of the Freedom Foundation join with Dr. Dobson to discuss ways to reach out to those with mental handicaps.

 Oct. 21 - Y2K Checkup: The Final Quarter, Larry Burkett joins the Doctor to offer advice and encouragement in the face of the end of the millennium.

 Oct. 22- Abortion , The Lasting Effects, She was 19 when she made the choice. Today, 20 years later she,s still dealing with the pain. She tells of God,s healing in her life.

 Oct. 25- Running To Win: The Mark Anderson Story, Meet a National Decathlon Champion.

 Oct. 26 - Insights For America, Janet Parshall, conservative talk show host discusses with Dr. Dobson the spiritual and political condition of our culture.

 Oct. 28 & 29 - Women and Stress, Dr. Dobson and Jean Lush discuss how to reduce stress and bring peace to your life.

IN TOUCH Charles Stanley (weekdays 2:00 & 9:30 p.m.)

Dr. Charles Stanley (weekdays 2:00 & 9:00pm)

 Oct. 4 & 5 - The Abiding Life

Oct. 6 & 7- What Does It Look Like?

Oct. 8 & 11 - The Power Within

Oct. 12 & 13 - Pruning the Branches October 14 & 15 - The Spirit Filled Life, How To Maintain It

 Oct. 18 & 19 - God Desires Your Success October 20 & 21 - Goal Setting: The Key To Success

Oct. 22 & 25 - How To Reach Your Goals

 Oct. 27 - Success and Money

 Oct. 27 - Success Blockers

 Oct. 28 - The Golden Rule of Success

 Oct. 29 - Faith Vs. Reason

KEY LIFE Steve Brown (weekdays 6:15 a.m.) THE ALTERNATIVE (Weekdays 6:30 p.m.) Dr. Tony Evans

 GRACE TO YOU (Weekdays 11:00 a.m.) John MacArthur

 Oct. 4-8 - Series: If God,s Will Is So Important, Why Can,t I Find It?

 Oct. 11-22 - Series: The Beginning of the End

 Oct. 25-29: Series: Guidelines For Singleness and Marriage

 INSIGHT FOR LIVING Chuck Swindoll (weekdays 8:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.)

 Oct. 1-18 - The Series: Relating to Others in Love

 Oct. 19-28 - The Series: The Value of Authentic Servanthood

 WCIF 106.3 FM

 725-9243

 >From outside the local calling area (toll free):

1-877-725-9243

October is Clergy Appreciation month. Encourage the church staff to encourage you.

God has given a special group of people the important assignment to look after your spiritual well-being. If you think that is an easy assignment, imagine some of the struggles you have had with yourself about spiritual discipline and growth. When you have attempted to do your best to please the Lord and have found internal resistance, you probably had to get tough with yourself to keep in line with what you knew the Lord wanted your life to be. You can do that because you know it,s for your own good. Imagine giving someone else permission to deal with you in love and with Godly goals for you in mind. That is part of your clergy,s charge, to encourage you to your best spiritual service.

Sometimes that is difficult because at all times it is personal. Can you imagine how many times your spiritual "shepherdo/oo is appreciated in some tangible way by those they lead? According to statistics not many.

With the pressures, the scrutiny, and the spiritual warfare focused on this type of ministry, our clergy need us to tell them how much we appreciate them. They are there for all of us. October is one time a year when we can all take the time to tell our church staff how much they mean to us and how much we really care.

You can think of ways to do this but if we can help, we have a supply of planning guides obtained from Focus on The Family, which we would be glad to send to you. There are ideas you may not have thought of and some which will involve other members of your congregation and please your staff and their families. It,s time we expressed our gratitude and helped energize the gifts of those "who direct the affairs of the church wellΣo/oo. The elders who direct affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.

I Timothy 5:17

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Happy Birthday

Each month we list our broadcasters that have birthdays that month. We encourage you to remember these friends and their ministry with special prayer on that day.

October 3
Erwin Lutzer
Moody Church Hour
Songs in the Night
1609 N. LaSalle Drive
Chicago, IL 60614

October 15
Joni Tada Joni and Friends
P. O. Box 3333
Agoura, CA 91301

October 16
Chuck Colson
Breakpoint
1856 Old Reston Ave.
Reston, VA 22090

October 18
Charles Swindoll
Insight for Living
P.O. Box 69000
Anaheim, CA 92817

Ben Haden
Changed Lives
554 McCallie Avenue
Chattanooga, TN 37402

October 21
Dr. Woodrow Kroll
Back to the Bible
P.O. Box 82808
Lincoln, NE 68501

October 28
Lee J. Martinez
General Manager
WCIF
P.O. Box 366
Melbourne, FL 32902

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Letters

MELBOURNE -What can we say to express our appreciation to WCIF? You truly are the "bestesto/oo!! We traveled through nine states this summer and never found a Christian radio station to hold a candle to WCIF. Thanks so much for starting and ending our days on such a wonderful note.

MELBOURNE - Reading in your recent newsletter about your change in location in the year 2000, I am led to encourage you, and to bless the Lord for His goodness by sending you a gift at this time. His Word is faithful to all who trust in Him.

MELBOURNE - I love to wake up and hear Mike Kellogg and OEMusic in the Night,. I listen to all programs until 11:30 am. I am almost blind. Thanks be to God for the sight that I have.

PALM BAY - God bless all at WCIF. Just to say I love you all and sending in my gift. Say a prayer for me as my body is not well.

BAREFOOT BAY - I do enjoy your radio station. I hope this check helps a little. Keep up the good work.

MELBOURNE - Your wonderful radio station continues to richly bless our family; and we are grateful every time we tune in. Thank you for all the educational and inspiriational programs you present daily.

PALM BAY- I thank God for blessing WCIF. The music and other programs are such a blessing that sometimes on my way to work I rock, clap and sing along. What a wonder to serve an awesome God.

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Memorial Gift

A gift has been given to the ministry of WCIF
 

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WCIF Day Sponsors
September 26 - Danny and Mary Shearer in honor of their thirty-fifth wedding anniversary.

 October 4 - David and Susan Leebrick in honor of their son Jon,s eighteenth birthday.

 October 5 - Walt Manning in honor of his wife Magdalene on her birthday.

October 7 - Curt and Linda Smith in honor of their granddaughter Julia Galik on her second birthday.

 October 10 - Anonymous, In appreciation for our faithful, God honoring Pastors, staff and families at Covenant Presbyterian Church.

October 11 - Loyde and Rosie Carpenter in honor of their granddaughter, Auburn Breeden on her third birthday.

 October 18 - Paul and Lorna Nunn in honor of Velma Haeussler on her 90th birthday.

 October 20 - Isaac and Natalie McKinney in honor of their forty-eighth wedding anniversary.

 October 23 - John and Becky Boncek in honor of their twenty-second wedding anniversary.

 October 25 - James Maskasky in celebration of his grandmother Florence Fream on her 100th birthday

 October 26 - Ron and Gloria Richardson in honor of their granddaughter Rebecca Elizabeth Richardson on her first birthday.

 October 31 - Anonymous, in memory of Nancy Wallace Tucker.

Thanks to our Day Sponsors who have underwritten the cost of a broadcast day on WCIF. If you or your church would like information about being a Day Sponsor call 725-9243. WCIF 106. FM Home page: www.wcif.com E-mail address: wcif1063@iu.net LEE MARTINEZ, General Manager at WCIF began his seventeenth year at WCIF on May 23! SCOTT TERRY, Morning Announcer for WCIF begins his third year as full ti

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Pastor of the Week

A program featuring pastors of local churches heard weekdays at 5:30 p.m.

October 4-8

 Dr. Douglas Pruiett, Sr.

 Chaplain, Brevard County Detention Center, Sharpes

October 11-15

 Pastor Ken Long

 First Church of God

 Vero Beach

October 18-22

 Pastor Ray Justice

 First Baptist Church

 Rockledge

June 28 - July 2
Pastor Glen Stockton
Calvary Baptist Church,
Melbourne

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PLEASE REMEMBER TO PRAY FOR WCIF

INVITE A FRIEND TO TUNE IN

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 WClF FM
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Melbourne, FL 32901.
(407) 725-9243.

VOLUME XVII, No. 6 Free subscription sent upon request

I am the Way the Truth and the Life, No man cometh unto the Father, but by Me. John 14:6