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Decisional Regeneration; Fact or Fiction?
By Toni Babcock

Do I believe what is currently being labeled "decisional regeneration" by some critics of the same, a valid portrayal of the truth? Well, yes and no. Yes, because people who become regenerate by the Holy Spirit make decisions to let Christ win at what he came to do, which is be their Lord and Savior. Upon hearing and believing the gospel of Jesus Christ, a new principle is born in the heart; a desire to follow Christ, and because of this people will make decisions to obey. Yes, they will make decisions that will be the beginning of a lifetime of "decisions for Christ", because true repentance is not a one time, "been there done that" transaction, but an ongoing sign of spiritual life in the believer. Praise the Lord for decisions for Christ made by people who have believed and received Him, who were born "not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:13).

God keeps the idea of "decisional regeneration" in perspective for me by making it clear I have not been given the power to regenerate myself. It has not been granted that I can "decide for Christ" apart from His grace. From the standpoint of the flesh, I don't possess the self-assuredness, the strength of will, or the command of my spirit to make a "regenerative decision", and even if the notion were possible, I would have no ground to commend myself before God. The flesh is "captive to the law of sin and death" (Romans 7:25 ESV), and can only beget itself. Here is the one thing I am called to do: believe what God has accomplished through His Son Jesus Christ and accept that Christ is sufficient to regenerate me.

Regeneration is not a by-product of my human decision. It is a direct result of saving faith in the finished work of Christ, and I am not ashamed to proclaim it. This is the "power of God unto salvation" Paul talks about in Romans 1:16 which takes place when the gospel is BELIEVED. I thank God that by his grace he has enabled me to believe the gospel and make a decision to follow Him.

I think if we will give God the glory in what only he can do, we will find trying to win people to Christ much less of a frustrating grind. We will begin to pray more and witness by faith, and people we are trying to reach for Christ will begin to sense the miraculous in their lives instead of our human pressure to get them to do what they ought to do.

Decisional regeneration; fact or fiction? Sometimes the truth lies in the middle of a thin place.

About the Author - Toni Babcock is a freelance Christian writer from South St. Paul. She enjoys writing short stories for children and young people, as well as memoirs, poetry and spiritual essays.

><> January 31, 2012; Source: FaithWriters.com

Control Freaks
By Dionna Sanchez

Women love to control things. Deny it if you will, but we do. We feel more secure if we can have everything planned out and go according to that plan. We tend to be a little "high maintenance" in what we require of those in our homes and lives as well as with ourselves. Yes, we are managers by nature.

Our children are so lucky that we tend to gravitate towards being managers. Can you imagine where they would be if we never had enough food for their school lunches or we were constantly forgetting to manage laundry control? Not a pretty site. Yet, our managing has its place. You see, sometimes we are so set on being a manager and being in control of our environment, that we manage God right out of the picture. And God recently revealed something to my heart about this tendency and nature of a woman.

Men are often said to struggle with following God because they have a harder time than women in submission. We find it much easier to submit to the Lord than a man does. And yet I think our downfall is in control. We struggle with our faith at times, because faith requires us to allow God to do the unknown. Faith means trusting through your doubts. And that is very hard for a woman when she is not used to relinquishing control in her life!

I have learned that when I can give God the steering wheel to my life, that it is only then that I truly feel peace. Things may not go the way I had planned in my head, but they are often much better for me. I feel free in knowing that I can simply be who God created me to be instead of trying so hard to control everything around me and maintain a certain image or impression. I am more relaxed when I take that burden off of my shoulders and place it at God's feet where it belongs.

God has given us this wonderful ability to manage our families. They would be so lost without us. But it is good to remember that our "managerial" and "controlling" qualities have their place and their time. And even during those times, they need to be governed by the Lord. For He is our higher boss. Don't clinch so tightly to the vision you have for things that you fail to see God trying to pry open your hands and show you a different picture. For you just might miss out on the blessing He wants to give you.

About the Author - Dionna Sanchez is Founder of EmphasisOnMoms.com and freelance writes. She also blogs at http://beautyinthestorm.blogspot.com. Contact her at madetomom@yahoo.com

><> January 24, 2012; Source: Faith Writers

Guidance is a Promise of God
By Susan Ferguson

"You hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory." (Psalm 73:23-24 NIV)

Whether we are getting married, buying a house, seeking service for the Lord, or making career decisions, we need God's guidance to help us make the right decisions. God is eager to lead us, and He wants us to make wise decisions. Throughout our lives, He extends His guiding hand to give us counsel and direction.

Some Christians have difficulty seeking direction and knowing God's will. Some of us believe only the "super spiritual" Christians can know His will. Guidance is a priceless promise available to all His children. He loves us equally and unconditionally. His watchful eye can guide us through our earthly pilgrimage to help fulfill His purpose for our lives.

When seeking guidance, it is essential that we are fully surrendered to His will. God knows what is best for us, and He knows what we truly need. He makes no mistakes.

This is a time to embrace God's Word and hold it close to our hearts. God will never lead us to do anything contrary to His written Word. Spending time with the Lord in quietness and stillness will allow Him to speak to our hearts. This is a glorious time to get closer to the Lord and strengthen our walk with Him.

If His plans are not clear to us, we need to wait on His timing. We must let God set the pace. Trust His perfect timing. Working behind the scenes, His hand of providence is shaping events and working out details that are necessary to bring about His will. As His will unfolds, He brightens our paths, so we can see more clearly. Guidance is a promise of God. He is faithful to keep His promises.

PRAYER
Father, how gladdening it is that you provide guidance and counsel throughout our lives. Thank you for loving us and taking an active part in our lives. In Jesus name. Amen.

About the Author - I love Jesus and have a heart to write for Him, especially devotionals. I'm an Accountant by trade. I am married and have been a Christian for 25 years.

><> January 17, 2012; Source: Faith Writers

Encouragement for Faith Writers
By Toni Babcock

One definition for the word 'jag' in Webster's New World Dictionary is "a period of uncontrolled activity." That pretty much says it all for those who have taken up the practice of crafting words, and pity the poor spouse who has to watch while the dishes pile up in the sink, or the laundry languishes in the basket while husband or wife is "in the zone" writing.

For the faith writer, painting with words (and hoping it will hang around for awhile in people's heads) is an intoxicating challenge, but temper it with the fact that "A prophet is not without honor save in his own country, and in his own house." (Matthew 13:57 KJV) In other words, if you expect people near and dear to beat a path to your door so they can read your spiritual stuff, in the vernacular of the plebian, "Sorry folks, it ain't happening."

In fact, letting people know you write about spiritual things might just be the fastest way to becoming a person of non-interest, or placed on the "Ten Most Unwanted Writers to Read" list for some people, so be prepared for a little rejection. Acceptance as one who writes about spirituality will take time, perseverance and humility, and it can be discouraging, but just keep writing. Put yourself in the other person's shoes. They might be reluctant to let you into their spiritual "space" for fear you'll run amok. Why should they think you have anything life altering to say, or that they will want to read it? But don't let that stop you from trying. Just keep on writing.

If God has gifted you with the ability to write for his kingdom, make a commitment to do it regardless of what you think other people think, and hone your skills. Take advantage of writing classes when and where you can without thinking you have to earn a Master of Fine Arts degree, or land a contract with some big publishing house in order to be used by God. Write with the talent you have and be willing to give it away for free if God moves you, and God will use you regardless. Yes, try writing for free when you can. Faithwriters.com gives you a wonderful opportunity to do that. What about your church or local paper? Jesus said "Freely ye have received, freely give." Not only will you be blessed, but who knows, God just might bring a copy of that spiritual essay to some editor's attention who you'll then be hearing from soon, you just never know.

NO MORE FEAR!
By Shirley Carr

Fear is the catastrophic culprit that lingers into the lenses of vision and causes you to doubt, if not question yourself and the voice of God. Fear, the antagonist against your God ordained purpose, often shows up when you are on the edge of your greatest victory. This antagonist has become an expert at disguising in people, places, things, and ideas. Have you ever encountered people who have tried to talk you out of your purpose-even those closest to you (Mark 8:31-33) and so it cause you to fear? Have you ever encountered places that contradicted the direction of your destiny? For example, you may have encountered a place that resembled lack (Exodus 16) and so it caused you to fear. Have you ever encountered things that did not make logical sense and so it caused you to fear? For example in this advent season, how it is that KING of KINGS and LORD OF LORDS was wrapped in swaddling clothes and placed in a filthy manger? (Luke 2:7).

Have you ever encountered an extraordinary idea that caused you to have fear? For example, you barely have enough for yourself but God allows you to be a blessing to other people (John 6:13). No More Fear! For too long you have waited because of fear and wrestled with your God ordained purpose! Now is the time to untie fear from our life. If you were going to fall apart and into that bottomless hole of no escape, you would have done so a long time ago! There is too much inside of you and fear can no longer hold you!Remember you were never given a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). When was the last time that you traced back over the steps of your life and declared to yourself, "I don't know how I made it out of that!" Leaping over roadblock after roadblock you made it.

You are a living testimony because you have conquered over the most turbulent times of your life. You have already experienced delays and detours that were constructed to distract you from the course of your life-and you didn't get bitter, you became better. You know how to outlast relationships that you thought would last forever. You know how to navigate through career changes that changed the direction of your life. You know how to believe even when you watched your broken dreams and promises crash along the course of life. You know how to maximize your potential on limited resources. You know how to surpass the stagnant sense of having to encourage others without any encouragement for yourself. You know how to travel through the trail of tears in search of new opportunities to better the life for your family. You have learned to dance over the despair of poor decisions.

You were able to untie the temptation to quit and stand strong, while staying in stride with high expectations and high hopes. You remembered that you didn't have to know the plan and design to every step. You remembered that every step was strapped to Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ- who already won! He won over loneliness. He won over poverty. He won over sickness. He won over hatred. He won over jealousy. He won over divination. He won over perversion. He won over every lie. He won over idolatry. He won over pride. He won over addictions. He won over the spirit of the antichrist! HE WON OVER F EAR! HE WON and because you are a joint heir because he calls you his own you will no longer let fear hold you captive! NO MORE F EAR creation is waiting!

The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. - Romans 8:19

December 27, 2011; Source: Faith Writers

Christmas Is Coming!
By Willetta Pilcher

One can almost hear the groans. Surely, not again, so soon! I just got last year's Christmas paid for. I hate the crowds. Who do I have to buy for this year? They never like what I buy! All the kids think about is what they're going to get... and on and on the lament goes. Why do we do what we do? Why do we put ourselves through so much that we dislike? Why do we spend so much money that we do not have only to make payments that we cannot afford? Who says we have to? ...

Tradition? Aunt Susie? The kids? The advertisers? Who decides?

Isn't it sad that such a joyous time of year should be one filled with so much drudgery? Well, how about giving a little thought toward changing the old attitude? With a little bit of ingenuity one can come up with new ways to celebrate that will make this truly one of the most blessed events of all the year. Remember, the season is to celebrate HIS birth. The sad thing about it is, HE is usually forgotten.

Why not wrap your celebration around HIM this year. Give Jesus a party! After all, it is His birthday. Getting ready for the party can be as much fun as the party itself.

Decorating can be simple. Let the kids get involved. String popcorn and cranberries. Make ornaments for the tree. And if you can't afford a tree, paint a bare branch gold and hang your homemade ornaments on that. So, they aren't perfect. Which will be the most remembered? The perfect look or the ones the kids get involved in? Besides, if it is done in love for Him, He will think it is perfect!

Do something special as a family for someone else. Perhaps you know an elderly person that will most likely be alone. Making their day will certainly make yours. Or how about a family that has had lots of sickness or other misfortune and just won't be able to make the budget for Christmas this year. Invite them over for a meal on Christmas. You won't need gifts. Let your guest or guests tell stories about their life. Teach your children the joy of sharing and making another person's day glad. Remember Jesus said, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (Mt 25:40)

Make some cookies or make a batch of taffy. Even if it's runny it's good eaten with a spoon! Even raw cookie dough taste wonderful (at least most kids think so, remember Grandma's cookie dough?) And the kids will have a blast. Yes, it will make a mess but isn't Christmas about memories?

Read a Christmas story each evening about how others have enjoyed Christmas. All kinds of books are available on this subject. And don't forget the story of stories, the one from the Bible. Matthew 1:18-2:23 and Luke 1:1-2:52. Divide it up into several sections and share some each evening. Discuss how the characters in the story may have felt. Let the children give their opinions. Play act each part of the story. Sheets and robes make good costumes.

And on Christmas Day, have a birthday cake for Jesus and sing Happy Birthday to him! Tell Him what you would like to give Him but most of all... give Him your self.

About the Author – I am 75 yrs old and I live with my husband of 56 years. A wheelchair is my mode of travel these days. Ministering the Word has been a lifetime passion. For more information about the author go to http://theseedsower.org; http://teachmethyways.org and http://successwithkids.org

><> December 13, 2011; Source: ChristianArticleBank.com

The Real Deal
By Sylvia Huffnagle

Hosea: 4:6-10: My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. 7: As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame. 8: They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity. 9: And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings. 10: For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the LORD.

(The inevitable result of wrong choices is bad outcomes. All that God tells us to do and all that He tells us not to do is for our own good. He is God and His wisdom is true wisdom. Those who go against goodness, wisdom, and truth will pay the price and it is punishment. This truth must be learned. To choose God is life and blessings. To choose self as your god is death and curses. Deut: 30:19-20)

11-14: Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart. 12: My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God. 13: They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery. 14: I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall.

(How did they get into whoredoms? By listening to voices other than God's. Notice Vs 13, they decided they would obey God, but they would do it their way, not His. That's what the church is doing. Compare what and how they do things to the teachings of Jesus and you will see a crucial difference.)

15-19: Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Beth-aven, nor swear, The LORD liveth. 16: For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place. 17: Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone. 18: Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye. 19: The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.

(Hosea has spelled out the problem--the controversy that God has with His people. I believe that God has the same problem with His church today. Yes, it does say in Isaiah 54 that God put an end to this problem. But it only works for those who receive God's plan of salvation. The plan the church is using today is not God's plan. It is a greatly water-down plan, an out of balance plan, a non-workable plan. This article will explain what the problem is, why the problem is, and what the answer to the problem is.

Why is the church in such a poor condition? Maybe you don't think it is. In that case this article is not for you. Why does the church look, think, and act very much like the world does? Don't most churches preach against sin? Yes. Then what is the problem?

It's the call to salvation and then it's the emphasis afterward.

The emphasis in most churches is on what God has done to reconcile people back to Him and then it's on what He has promised to do for them. That sounds good, but here's how it turned out. In the altar call the people were called to come to God, confess their sins, and start a relationship with Him.

They do that and then the prevalent word and spirit in the church is that God is merciful, even tolerant. That He is very patient and is there to take care of all your booboo's. You say, what's wrong with that? He is all those things.

Here's what wrong. The altar call was shortchanged. It should have been made clear that the one who wants to be reconciled must repent and turn away from doing his or her own thing and turn to God to learn of Him. It should be made clear that God has made a way for sinners to be made righteous. It should be made clear that God is giving the repentant sinner a new heart, and new nature, and a new God.

The covenant should be made clear. The repentant sinner is submitting to God. They become His child and they covenant to trust and obey Him. God promises to be their God and Father and covenants to teach them, guide them, lead them, help them, provide for them, protect them, etc.

Here's the kicker. God can't perform His end until the new believer practices his or her end. What! You thought God could do all things. He can, but He will not usurp your free will or nor null and void your choices. If you choose to do things the same way as you did before you went into covenant with God, you will not be a recipient of God's benefits.

If you do not read and act upon your handbook on how to be one of God's peculiar people, you will not have your mind renewed and you will not be able to discern between good and evil.

This is why the church folk look so much like the world, think so much like the world, and are so much like the world. They never really came out of the world. Being a doer of the word draws a believer out of the world and into God's kingdom.

Many think church is the way it is because nobody's perfect and thus no church is perfect. They think that the progress, if there is any, is so slow because humans are dense, ignorant, busy, and at a great disadvantage in this sinful, confusing world.

The truth is that Christians are dense, ignorant, busy and confused because they are breaking their covenant with God and don't even know it.

The answer is for the church teachers and preachers to teach the people how to be Christians and that's where the Bible comes in. That's exactly what the Bible does--it teaches the disciple how to put on the Lord Jesus Christ.

So first the heart must be made right with God, then the handbook must be followed. All of it! You cannot be a Christian by trying to be good. You cannot be a Christian by being kind and what man calls good. You cannot be a Christian by joining a church. The only way to be a Christian is to put on the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible reveals His Spirit. Putting Him on is to receive the Spirit that is embedded in the Bible. James 1:21-26

I know that I have attempted to address this issue many times, but I want you to know that until you received the engrafted word into your spirit, you will never come into the higher life that Jesus spoke of. You will never be able to come out of the world. You will never grow up into the person God has designed you to be. You will never stop being a part of the problem. For the problem is man's thinking. If you relate to the world as anything other than a physician for it, you will always be swept along with man's philosophy and manmade plans to make thing better. Look around, man's ways are not God's way and they are ways of death and not of life.)

Hosea: 5:4-14: They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God: for the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them, and they have not known the LORD. 5: And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity; Judah also shall fall with them. 6: They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the LORD; but they shall not find him; he hath withdrawn himself from them. 7: They have dealt treacherously against the LORD: for they have begotten strange children: now shall a month devour them with their portions. 8: Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah: cry aloud at Beth-aven, after thee, O Benjamin. 9: Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be. 10: The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound: therefore I will pour out my wrath upon them like water. 11: Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment. 12: Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness. 13: When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound. 14: For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, even I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue him.

15: I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.

About the Author - Sylvia has been married for forty-seven years, has two grown boys and four grandchildren. She has published five paperbacks, five e-books, three e-booklets and offers many tracts and articles on her personal website. You can read more on The Holy Spirit and the Holy Bible at Straight Paths

><> November 29, 2011; Source: Christian Article Bank

It's a Holiday Race But Where Is Thanksgiving?
By Minnie Hawkins

Each year it seems as if the holidays are in a race to see which one finishes in first place. Some appear to move very fast while a few are barely in the race.

New Year's Day always gets first notice by default. Many people resolve to start something different such as going on diets, frequenting gyms, and making general lifestyle changes. Then, the holiday is over along with commitments for change.

Next, we give a nod to MLK Jr.'s birthday in mid-January. There are the obligatory parades and ceremonies in different cities across the country as we recall the public battles and the final victory for racial equality.

Ah, then there's Groundhog Day on the 2nd of February. Not even the Groundhog Day movie could keep life in that holiday. It gets a 30 second mention on morning news shows while reporters pretty much tolerate having to cover it.

Valentine's Day temporarily sprints out front in the race year after year. 2011 is a good example. According to figures in MintLife.com, spending per benefactor ranged from $112.54 in Pittsburgh to $160.41 in Phoenix. That's a pretty good haul for florists, candy sellers, and jewelers, therefore those who received gifts were not the only ones who were happy. The day after Valentine's Day, candy goes on sale for 50% off and that makes candy lovers and candy sellers happy. Kudos for everybody.

Along comes Presidents' Day. The only people who seem to make a big deal out of it, at least in my area, are retailers who sell furniture and bedding. Not much fanfare there. The first of April still brings out foolishness in a few people but most of us ignore it because there's enough silliness going on every day that we don't need a special day to honor it.

Easter, or Resurrection Day, as it is otherwise known, can be in March or April. It's the day when we Christians celebrate one of the most important events that has ever happened, the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. It's funny that we celebrate his resurrection but as a society, make his birth an abstraction. This holiday is one of the few times each year when some people actually attend a church service. If it is, God loves them, still welcomes them, and desires to see more of them.

Little mention is given to St. Patrick's Day, Earth Day, Columbus Day, Arbor Day, etc. They fall in with the pack and seem to be celebrated only by local groups and ethnicities. The associated money is poured into local economies.

Some holidays, such as Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Veterans Day, get a different type of recognition and we would probably be considered unpatriotic if we didn't celebrate them. Most of us keep our U.S. flags from year to year and use them in festivities so these holidays are not big money makers. We simply feel good inside when we celebrate them.

Children would probably be disowned if they forgot Mother's or Father's Days, not to mention Grandparent's Day, which appears to be picking up financial steam.

Oh that Halloween! It gallops pass Valentine's Day with ease. Retailers start putting out merchandise in July or earlier and the public is bewitched by it. One local retailer actually placed the Halloween goods right next to the Independence Day merchandise. I found that odd but was in the minority, it seemed.

According to a National Retail Federation survey, the public planned to spend approximately 6.8 billion dollars on candy, decorations, and kid and adult costumes in 2011. These figures will surpass 2010 spending. Looks like we have a winner by more than a nose!

Christmas has become a generalized concept and as such is joined with New Years to become the holiday season. Wouldn't want to offend anyone by actually referring to it by its name. I wonder how Jesus feels about this snubbing since we chose December 25th to celebrate His birthday. Now it seems, he doesn't get one. I guess it's sort of like having someone important to you decide to disregard your birthday, or worse yet, like a mother with several children who decides to celebrate all their birthdays at the same time. It leaves me feeling sad.

Thanksgiving is the forgotten holiday. When I visit local stores, including national chains, I have to search for Thanksgiving decorations. When I actually find them, they are displayed on small 4' by 4' tables, jammed in some out of the way corner. I dare you to try and find a respectable table centerpiece that can be used from year to year. You had better be willing to settle for a plastic cornucopia and some fall colored leaves or be prepared go home and make one for yourself.

If it were not for the football games in the afternoon and the food served earlier in the day, I suppose Thanksgiving would get no recognition at all. Of course, food is where the high dollars are spent for this holiday.

Black Friday is the real holiday. Thanksgiving is just a convenient means under which to hide it. Retailers start planning the best way out of the gates a year in advance. The Internet is filled with tips to make the shopping experience successful, with success defined by how much money each shopper spends. How early should stores open? Should they even close for Thanksgiving? Consumers have to decide if they should call ahead to check quantities - like they are really going to answer the phone. Shoppers must also decide if items they are looking for are door-busters or regularly stocked ones.

Some store managers have decided to open for business on Thanksgiving Day. Potential shoppers can eat and watch the football games at home and then go shopping. After all, employees are so grateful to have jobs these days, they won't mind sacrificing being with family and friends. (Well there's the silver lining but it's a strange way to bring about a spirit of gratitude.)

Thanksgiving is due more respect than we give it. It's rooted in our country's history as far back as the sixteenth century when Spaniards hosted a celebration in territories that are now part of the USA. The colony of Virginia, established in 1607, had as part of its charter to observe a yearly day of thanksgiving for the safe arrival of ships. The day was to be kept holy to show gratitude to God. Year after year, the holiday was celebrated. President Abe Lincoln declared a national Thanksgiving Day in 1863 during the Civil War in hopes of improving the nation's cohesiveness. Each President followed suit in declaring a day of gratitude with FDR finally fixing the date as the fourth Thursday of November each year so it would not shift to different weeks or months from year to year.

Perhaps our lack of honoring Thanksgiving and recognizing our generous God for his blessings are the results of determinations to push him out of our society. The minority element that wants him removed has been harshly vocal about it and relentless in efforts, scrutinizing every thought, word, or deed. Those of us who are Christians have been comfortably silent resulting in our being victims of atheistic bullying.

Thanksgiving may have lost the race to more secular holidays but it lives large in my heart as a most important holiday, coming in slightly behind Easter and Christmas. I thank God I'm alive this year and am not shy about giving thanks and telling everyone I know about his goodness and mercy to all humankind.

I'm looking forward to next year's Thanksgiving celebration and I have a whole year to journal things for which I'm grateful. I will also be careful to stop along the way and say thanks to God and not save it all for that one day. I pray you will too.

><> November 22, 2011; Source: FaithWriters.com

Proof that God Exists: Part 3
By Evelyn Puerto

Finding God through Unanswered Prayer

Proof that God exists abounds through logic, science, and the testimonies of millions whose prayers have been answered. But what about when God seems to be silent? Or keeps saying no? Or doesn't seem to care at all?

I have wrestled with this question at different times in my life. The most agonizing struggle was during a particularly troubled time in my life. Two friends had died sudden deaths, one through homicide. I was dealing with betrayal and abandonment from others, disappointed and disillusioned by people who claimed to be Christians.

As I faced a world where every trace of God seemed to have disappeared, I set out to discover, to prove for myself, if He existed or not. I determined that I was not just going to drift away from the church; I was going to make a definite decision one way or another.

One commitment I made to myself: I was going to continue attending church and participating in all the same activities. My reasoning was that if I wanted to know if God existed, hanging out with people who claimed to know Him might be one way to get an answer to my question.

I also started reading everything I could find by authors who offered proof that God exists. While I understood the logic of the arguments, what was holding me back were my feelings about my circumstances. When I got to the point of being honest about my questioning, I realized what I was stumbling over. The question was not "Does God exist?" The problem was I didn't want to believe in a God who didn't care about my pain.

At one point as I was searching, I heard someone speak of how God revealed Himself to her, in the form of waves of love. "This would be a good time for that to happen to me," I thought. But the silence from Heaven continued. Over the next few months I raged and argued, demanding answers from God, why did I suffer so? What was the purpose?

Finally one night, as I was praying, I told God I knew He was there, that I didn't understand why such pain came into my life, but I would trust Him.

Wave after wave of what only can be described as love rolled over me, and I knew. God knew my pain, He was with me in all of it, and this side of heaven, I won't fully understand it. Looking back, while I wouldn't wish my experience on anyone, but I wouldn't trade it, because of that unmistakable proof that God exists.

My demands to know why were lost in the overwhelming presence and love of God. He has loved me with an everlasting love. Small children are angered or confused when their parents refuse them something, or even cause them pain, as in taking them to the doctor for shots. When they grow up and their minds mature they understand that all along their parents had their best interests at heart. We can be assured that God will take all of our circumstances and bring some good out of them.

So if you are searching for proof that God exists. If you really are looking for scientific proof, then read books on that subject. If you are looking for practical experience with God, then pray. Ask Him not just for your needs, but for direction. Then act on it, and wait for the results. If you are looking for assurance of God's love, read the Psalms and learn how God cares for those who suffer and struggle. Don't ask God for anything but for Him to show you His love for you.

In any case, the Bible promises that if we seek God, we will find Him. So ask Him to reveal Himself to you. He will do it, and you will have proof that God exists.

About the Author - Evelyn Puerto is a former missionary to Russia and has recently published her first book, Beyond the Rapids. Read more about the book and the first chapter at http://www.beyondtherapids.com

><> November 8, 2011; Source: FaithWriters.com

Proof that God Exists: Part 2
By Evelyn Puerto

Finding God through Answered Prayer

People striving to find proof that God exists often are not satisfied by the logical or scientific evidence. While they may agree that logically God exists, they are longing for something more.

"So what?" they might ask. "What difference does this make to me? How does this help me in my everyday life?"

My friend Igor from the Soviet Union was one such person. He had concluded through science and logic that God must exist. But those were just sterile facts, without much relevance to his life.

Then Igor was sent to fight in Afghanistan. While he didn't even know that what he was doing was called prayer, he asked God (whoever he was) to preserve his life. For two years, Igor flew daily missions in a helicopter. Even on days the helicopter was shot full of holes, Igor was never injured. On his return home, Igor tried to find a Bible so he could learn more about the God he was convinced had saved his life during the Afghan War. This was no easy task in the Soviet Union! In the end, he read books written by atheists, since they quoted a lot of Scripture.

The more he read of bits of the Bible in the atheistic books, the more it impressed him with its beauty and power, as opposed to the weak arguments of its critics. Through his reading, he gained some knowledge of Jesus Christ and Christian doctrine, that he was a sinner and needed to repent. Over and over, in science, in logic, in philosophy, in Afghanistan, and now in the pages of the Bible, he met God. His research gave him theoretical knowledge of God, his experience in Afghanistan gave him practical knowledge of God, and his Bible reading taught him the truth that God cared about him personally and that Jesus is His Son. He had found the right conclusion just like he knew when he solved a mathematics problem correctlythere can only be one true answer. Igor no longer had any doubts. He had found proof that God exists.

There are many people, like Igor, who called out to God and received the help they asked for. When they faced a circumstance and received assistance that can only be called miraculous, they knew that God exists.

It's important to remember that God doesn't always respond in the way we expect or would prefer. Often what He brings is better than we expected; sometimes it's not what we wanted but what we needed.

But what about prayers that don't seem to be answered? Couldn't the argument be made that unanswered prayer proves that God doesn't exist? Part 3 explores that question and the proof that God exists that is found on an emotional level.

Proof that God Exists: Part 1
By Evelyn Puerto

Finding God in Logic and Science

At one time or another, nearly every person seeks proof that God existsor doesn't. But not every person is looking for the same kind of proof. Some are looking for logical or scientific evidence. Others are seeking proof through practical experience. Still others want to be convinced on an emotional level. Hundreds of books and articles have been written offering scientific or logical proof for God's existence. A seeker could spend years trying to read them all.

One of the best summaries of one person's search for logical and scientific proof was told to me by a friend of mine who grew up in the Soviet Union.

Igor accepted what he was taught in school, that there is no God. But later, as he began to study science, he realized that atheism had serious logical and scientific problems. He didn't understand why the Soviet scientists didn't see the major contradictions in their theories. Or maybe they were just ignoring them. There was no evidence to prove their theory; there was no way to verify their conclusions. This wasn't like mathematics, where you could check the calculation, or physics, where you could run an experiment to prove or disprove the theory. No one could go back in time to observe the process. And the answers they gave were shallow, never enough.

One of Igor's friends, Misha, was asking the same questions. Together they pondered creation, looking for answers in science, in logic, in philosophy, in eastern and Hindu thought.

One frosty day Misha and Igor were walking in the forest, discussing the mysteries of creation. "Now we know that no scientist argues with the First and Second Laws of Thermodynamics, right?" Igor asked.

"That's right," Misha answered. "We all know that the amount of energy in the universe is constant; it can neither be created nor destroyed."

"And we know that the form of energy is constantly changing, so that less and less of it is available. The result is that everything is naturally wearing down."

"And left to itself, everything is becoming more disordered. Maybe the next time Mama tells me to straighten up my books I should tell her it's just the Second Law of Thermodynamics at work!"

"Seriously, Misha! Every system in nature moves from the complex to the simple, wearing down, becoming more random and less complex. The only exception is when there is an introduction of energy into the system."

"So our friends the atheists would have us believe that life starts very simply out of nothing, and all by itself gets more and more complex!"

"Which is completely opposite to all the laws of nature! Laws that have been verified in the lab over and over by many scientists!"

"So they take their theory of evolution, don't bother to explain how it can be in violation of the laws of thermodynamics, and tell us to believe it on the strength of a tooth or a bone they dig up somewhere. With no more evidence than that."

"See that log hut? Logically, we must assume that someone built it."

"That's right. We have no data from our experience to suggest that a hut can come into being by accident."

"And living things, fish and animals and people, are much more complicated than a hut."

"People used to think that the cells in our bodies were just bits of matter. Now they know they are not so simple. First they said cells were like factories, then like computers. Now there is nothing they can compare with them; they are just too complicated, more like a miniature universe. And we are to accept the idea that the first one-celled living things just mutated out of some chemicals in the sea that were struck by lightning?"

"Would they also have us believe that lightning hitting a garbage dump would produce a television set?"

"I read in a probability textbook that the chances of a live cell appearing from nothing are less than for a monkey to accidentally type a word-perfect copy of Hamlet."

During their walk, they found a tiny six-inch snowman perched on a fence post. Igor asked Misha, "Where did this come from?"

He grinned before replying, "Of course, it evolved."

"Yes, some storm winds must have accidentally created it!"

Igor concluded that creation must have a creator; he still had no idea of his identity.

For many people, however, proof from logic or science will never be enough. Part 2 of this series will explore proof that God exists through practical experience.

When Two Halves Make A Hole
By Nellie Shani

The saying that "Two halves make a whole" only works with fruits! It is not uncommon to hear a pastor at a wedding ceremony say that two halves have come together to make a whole. Romantic as it may sound, it is unfortunately not true.

A good number of people have walked into marriage hoping that the other person will complete them. Undue pressure is then put on the spouse to be a miracle worker! The husband and wife are transformed overnight into poor substitutes for God, who alone can bring genuinely lasting change in a person.

The young husband often sees his wife as the medicine cabinet that, will sooth all his wounds. The bright-eyed bride sees her husband as the knight in shining armor that has come to rescue her from all her woes. Needless to say, it does not take very long before they both realize that the "magician spouse" forgot to bring a wand.

A more accurate statement is that two halves make a hole. A vicious dark hole that sucks in the couple into broken dreams, frustration, regret, and in many cases, divorce. An incomplete person can never complete anyone, and every spouse is a work in progress!

While in many third world countries marriage is still seen as a right of passage into adulthood, in many countries in the west marriage has received a death- blow! It hobbles along emaciated and wounded, as the divorce rate climbs higher and higher.

Disillusioned couples are moving in together as a test to see whether they are compatible, before they can even contemplate marriage. I just recently came across a British advert online that promised divorce in weeks for 17 pounds! The lure was that there would be no forms, court or solicitor fees. The catchphrase was 'Over 100,000 satisfied customers!'

As the institution of marriage is collapsing before a carefree world, the Christian Church is wringing its hands wondering what to do. Unfortunately the 'world' has run into the Church and polluted its biblical standards while the Church has run out into the world and adopted its way of life. All this has been orchestrated by the devil himself!

To prove how much the Church has adopted the standards of the world, research shows that the ratio of divorce among non-Christians is almost identical to the ration of divorce amongst Christians.

Research done in the Unites states three years ago revealed that 49% of all marriages involved a remarriage for one or both spouses. It also estimated that 40% of all marriages ended in divorce. On average, according to this report, first marriages that ended in divorce lasted about eight years. Assuming that most married couples who planned for children got them into the third or fourth year of their marriage, by the time of the divorce, the children would be between four and five years old!

Psychologists tell us that out of all the devastating experiences in life, death comes first while divorce comes second. This devastation hits children the hardest! While the spouses move on to other spouses and form new homes, children are left bewildered, rejected, frustrated and angry.

A family is the core of any society. Can we now see why the world is in the state that it is in? Single parent homes are on the increase at home and abroad. Can marriages be saved for the sake of our societies? Can dissatisfied couples put their needs on hold while they look for solutions? Is there a remedy for this situation?

This situation is not new. Thousands of years ago God lamented over the same situation to His prophet, Malachi. He accused His people Israel of being unfaithful by breaking marriage covenants with their wives.
" . . . The Lord is acting as a witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant" (Malachi 2:14).

According to this verse we can see that God is the primary witness in any marriage covenant. Secondly, God is accusing them of breaking faith. Faith is the primary engine that drives a marriage. The Bible calls faith being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see (Hebrews 11:1). Faith says, although I do not see anything good in this marriage anymore, I trust God who is able to hold this marriage together. To break faith is to stop believing in God.

God goes on to say how intimately He is involved in any marriage.
"Has not the Lord made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because He was seeking godly offspring . . . Do not break faith with the wife of your youth." (Malachi 2: 15a).

God says that he is the one who has brought them together (made them one) and they are His. He says that He was seeking to build a society from godly offspring. God ends up with one conclusion . . .
" 'I hate divorce,' says the Lord God of Israel . . ." (Malachi 2:16).

There are a lot of things that God hates that are happening in our world today. Divorce is just one of them. We do not live in a perfect world, and the sad fact is that a lot of people are going to continue making wrong choices of a life partner, be self-centered, selfish, violent, unfaithful and not ready to make sacrifices.

Behind every broken marriage is a fierce battle that was lost in the spirit realm. Many people do not realize that from the moment that they say, "I do," a raging battling starts whose sole objective is the break-up of their marriage.

The Bible warns us that our enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Pet. 5:8). We are told not to be a passive onlooker but to "Resist him . . ." (verse 9).

We should realize that when we have problems in our marriage, we are not fighting against our spouse (flesh and blood), but " . . .Against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:12).

The increasing rate of divorce is a clear manifestation that Satan is effective in his vile scheme to destroy the first institution that God ever created. We do not see godly offspring coming out of broken homes. The results on the contrary are young people without role models, and without hope. Involvement in illicit- sex, drugs, alcohol and violence is a natural outcome of Satan's diabolical scheme.

To understand the intensity of the fierce battle against marriage, we need to see it against the backdrop of a fierce and angry devil. To destroy the society, he has to destroy marriages. Every individual on this earth has come out of the union of a man and a woman. Whether they are married or not, they have formed a nuclear family (father, mother and child). Thus we are all products of how that nuclear family related to each other for good or for evil and how it has influenced us.

A warning has come to the inhabitants of the earth.
"Therefore rejoice you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short" (Revelation 12:12).

Because Satan knows that his time is short, he has to adopt smart and effective wiles and schemes - schemes that will bring the greatest results within the shortest time. What better scheme is there than to destroy marriage?

Whether you are single, happily married, unhappily married, divorced or planning to divorce, my prayer is that the next step you take will be towards the kind of marriage that God intended for you. Marriage is His idea and only He has the blueprint for how it works.

About the Author - Nellie Shani is a Counselor, Conference speaker and writer. Her first book, "Stand Your Ground," and second book, "Hope For The Childless are available on amazon.com, Barnes and Nobles and on her author's websites. http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/StandYourGround.htm
http://sbpra.com/nellieodhunoshani/; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xstf4ILnfmg

><> October 18, 2011; Article Source: FaithWriters

Until Death Do Us Part
By Melissa Martin

Husband and wife, "Until death do you part."
The groom heard this vow and took it to heart.

The groom shouted, "Submission, submit I say!"
"I'm head of the house. God made it that way!"

The groom said, "Quit your job and stay home all day."
"Don't talk on the phone and do what I say!"

The groom hit her, he beat her, and he broke her bones,
Then he quoted from the Bible and ripped out the phones.

The bride ran to her family and they gave her advice,
"You said 'I do' and now you pay the price."

The bride ran to her church and they told her to pray,
Keep the house cleaner and try to obey.

The bride ran to a counselor for relief from the pain.
He said,"Forgive him and go back again."

The bride ran to the hospital, bloodied and sore,
The groom by her side said, "She ran into a door."

One night in a rage he threw her against a wall,
He beat her to death by crushing her skull.

The bride ran to the heavenly God above,
"I didn't want bruises, I only wanted love."

God in heaven opened up his book and with a long pause He said,
"When I wrote 'until death do you part,' I meant by a natural cause.

><> October 11, 2011

Christian Health: 7 Principles of the Maker's Diet
By Rhonda Jones

The beginning of the year paves a way for new diet-fads to enter the general population. After weeks of feasting and celebration, people are looking for ways to lose that extra flab they've gained. It's not surprising that people get confused because there are just too many choices to pick from. In this article, I want to recommend to you a new kind of diet that is revolutionary in every aspect, it's called "The Maker's Diet" by Jordan Rubin. It's unique because it's based strongly on biblical principles that focus on a wholesome approach to eating, dieting, and health. The Maker's Diet also helps to bring balance to the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual aspects of the person. The author of the Maker's Diet contributes these natural and holistic principles to his complete physical healing after being diagnosis with a deadly disease. The seven principles of the Maker's Diet are as follows:

Healthy and Balanced Diet

If you check out Genesis, Leviticus and Numbers, the early Israelites were given very specific instruction on what to eat. Today, food is processed so much that the life-giving nutrients are removed from the food that we eat. Go natural and go organic in the supermarket. Make sure that everything you eat is fresh and not loaded with preservatives. Check out the food pyramid and know the proper balance of each kind of food to have in your diet.

Adding to the Balance

There are some nutrients which are hard to come by naturally in most food. There's no harm in taking multivitamins that have most of the vitamins/minerals that the body needs. Also, adding extra Omega 3 fatty acids into your diet will ensure that your body remains in optimum condition.

Be Extra Clean

Practicing proper hygiene (making sure that you, your house and your surroundings are clean) can improve your health as well. This will drastically reduce the amount of bacteria that can affect your body and cause illness.

Training & Pampering the Body

Take time to exercise. Science has proven that exercise improves a person's overall health. One reason why people now are falling prey to sickness is that more and more, people are becoming inactive. The invention of cars, elevators, escalators means that people put less effort into everyday movements. In the past, the Israelites didn't have such commodities and thus people were exposed to physical exertion daily as they go about doing their work. Give your body due rest daily by sleeping at least 7 hours.

A Non-toxic Environment

Change the environment that you are in. Reduce the chemicals that you use around the house and even on yourself. These chemicals are not natural and may be causing harm to your body without you knowing.

Keep Negativity from the Heart and Mind

Never fill your heart and minds with grudges, stress, or hatred, etc, because they serve no purpose in keeping anyone healthy. Take time off to relax, find peace and meditate on the Lord's goodness.

A Purposeful Life

Live with a purpose. Live with a goal. Know where you're headed and you'll never get lost.

The Maker's diet is revolutionary in its approach to overall health. If you want to transform yourself in every aspect in a Biblical way, try it out for this new year. God has blessed us with such wisdom, why not use it?

About the Author - Try Christian Meditation for Free. Find Christian Meditation & Affirmation CDs that will enhance your life and relationship with God at http://www.thechristianmeditator.com . Ready to transform your life & live with more purpose and passion visit http://www.detoxyourlifenow.com.

><> October 4, 2011; Source: Faithwriters.com

Essence of Humanity
By Patricia Charlton

Emotions are a gift from God so that humanity can relate to a feeling God. How does God demonstrate his emotions? “The Lord your God in the midst of you is mighty; He will save. He will rejoice over you with joy. He will rest in His love. He will joy over you with singing.” (Zephaniah 3: 17 NKJV) God takes great delight in you and me. Whatever our emotional state, Jesus saves, rejoices, sings at our future victory. That is good news to a person from a troubled background.

Often my twisted emotions resulted in much heartache. I used anger to influence my friends into supporting actions that destroyed relationships. My bitterness locked my emotional well being into a prison of fear and rejection. My feisty attitude produced many a critical remark. These remarks built a wall of loneliness. I needed a lesson in God’s school of emotions. Emotions are powerful tools in the hands our attitudes.

I needed a guide to show me the path to a productive life. Who did I find for such a task? “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief:” (Isaiah 53: 3 NKJV). Jesus Christ is fully qualified to guide me through my valley of deep destructive emotions. Only Jesus Christ experienced this: “For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4: 15 NKJV) It took many years to accept help from Jesus Christ.

My problem with my twisted emotions began with trusting others. After many a failed attempt at sharing my troubles, I wrote an article called “Dirty Little Secrets.” This article shed light upon my path towards healthy God honoring emotions.

My desire to conqueror my twisted emotions began with an honest look at myself. My destructive habits needed an overhaul. For many years, I suppressed my anger until one day the festering mess exploded. Again, I shared my experience in an article titled “An Angry Saint”. Anger is a time bomb waiting to happen. The suppressive nature of denial only triggers an even greater explosion.

We all experience those frustrating moments with difficult people, skin pealing criticisms and emotional prisons. My emotional prison included fear, anxiety, and anger. After all my years battling with explosive anger, the Holy Spirit finally enlightened my journey with a new insight into frustrations. If I want to stop anger from exploding, then don’t light the wick to the bomb – simple enough. I do what God says in Proverbs about “The beginning of strife is like releasing water. Therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts.” (Proverbs 17: 14) But how do I practically stop my old self from damaging another? Learn what and who triggers your frustrations. So, I read a devotional Titled “Beyond My Control”. Only with recognition and releasing my frustrations to the power from Jesus Christ did I overpower my desires to stike out at others. Life is chuck full of frustrating people and situations. A wise and spiritual mature woman gave me the best advice about my frustrations and controlling my feisty old nature. Never make life-changing decisions when you are too tired, too hunger or too angry. Even to this day her advice rings in my ears whenever I face frustrating circumstances.

Your victory over destructive emotions depends on your relationship with Jesus Christ. If you haven’t turned your emotions over to Jesus, I suggest that you do that now. Only Christ can handle “the good, the bad, and the ugly.” (Hebrews 4:15) Turn to the cross of Jesus and lay all your emotional baggage there. I warn you, that tendency to pick it up and trust your coping mechanism is a strong force. Remember this promise “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and the word of their testimony. And they loved not their lives unto the death.” (Revelation 12: 11) Only the blood from Jesus Christ cleanses and releases us from past habits.

About the Author - Devotional writer for EzraWeb and a contributing columnist for Crossmap.com, Patricia shares her experiences with the power of God to make anyone more than a conqueror. This conqueror expresses her creative nature with fashion designing, lighting layouts and interior design. These are all worthwhile adventures but Jesus is her passion and writing is her venue. You can contact Patricia at: MastersPen@faithwriters.net or review her other devotionals at the following:
http://columns.crossmap.com/authors/PatriciaCharlton.htm;
http://www.devotionsfortoday.blogspot.com; and
http://www.yourinheritance.blogspot.com

><> September 27, 2011; Source Christian Article Bank

Loving Yourself: Are You A Caterpillar Or a Butterfly?
By Angie Lewis

How is your relationship with yourself? Do you have a relationship with you? I encourage you to ponder into the deep side of you and meditate upon the mysteries of who you are, or better yet, of whom you can become. I firmly believe that before we can have significant and lasting relationships with others, we need to understand the person we are now and the person we can become.

I urge you to break free from your inhibitions and ask yourself, "Who am I?" "What is my purpose in life?" Answer with complete truth and honesty. Then live your life off of that foundation. Base your life upon who you are. Break free from your doubts and fears and be happy loving who you are. Once you love who you are, you will be totally free to love others.

I believe our whole purpose on this earth is to love others with complete and true love. We certainly cannot love properly if we are hiding inside our insecurities and not really loving ourselves. Hiding behind a sea of emotions or a certain weakness will keep us from growing into the person we were meant to be. Being afraid to love others because of being hurt in the past also keeps us from trusting others enough to love.

The first step in growing out from self is to understand what your purpose, goals, ideas, and dreams in life are. Believe it or not, some folks aren't sure what their purpose and goals in life are and live in a depressed state of aimless wondering and disillusionment. But it doesn't have to be like that!

The focus here is to grow out from self by knowing first, who we are, and then secondly working towards the substance of who we are. Who are you? What are you? Where are you going? Why are you going? Find it, seek it, acknowledge it, know it, and go after it with gusto!

It’s like a caterpillar that eventually metamorphosis (grows) into a beautiful butterfly. All of God's creation has the ability to become beautiful butterflies. But not all of God's creation will become a beautiful butterfly. Why is that? A caterpillar doesn’t allow himself to be free from self. Whether it is through a weakness or fear, a caterpillar must break free from what is holding him back by realizing he can become a butterfly.

A butterfly is free from the restraints of self. A butterfly has grown out from self and now seeks to love others with all the love he has while a caterpillar is still seeking to be loved by others. Unfortunately, many caterpillars do not know they have the ability to become butterflies and so remain in their cocoon until they die off.

I encourage you to come out of your cocoon and become the butterfly you were meant to become. Learn to know who you are by having a relationship with yourself by growing out from any negativities wedged within your mental and spiritual capacities.

Low self worth, fear, mistrust, insecurities, sin, and unbelief will keep you from discovering the natural and true person you really are. But when you have enough belief in God then you know He will keep you safe from those feelings that plague you or that would keep you from growing into the butterfly you were meant to be.

The fearful and insecure person is the one who hides behind negative emotions and is enveloped within a particular weakness in their life. Unbelief is a weakness. Unbelief in the Creator is the biggest and most damaging weakness a person can carry upon their shoulders.

For fifteen years I lived in my weakness of unbelief, which prompted my drinking, which fueled my addiction to alcohol. After becoming sober, I lived three more years basking in negative emotions. During those years, I didn't know how to have a relationship with myself because my relationship was with the bottle. I was rebellious to my marriage and God.

My low self-esteem kept me living in a cocoon bound by a web of deceit that kept me from growing into the beautiful butterfly I was meant to become. I was afraid to grow out from self and get to know God. I encourage you to get to know who you are, because that is what God wants for you. Come out of hiding all you caterpillars in become free butterflies!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17

About the Author - Angie Lewis is the author of several marriage books and E-books. Journey on the Roads Less Traveled is a book about love, life, addiction and marriage. Love The Man You Married is an informative and biblically centered book tackling such issues as adultery and learning to completely forgive your spouse. For more information on these books, visit Angie's marriage ministry at http://www.heavenministries.com

><> September 20, 2011; Source: Christian Article Bank

A Letter From a Concerned Wife

Dateline ran an episode regarding husbands who are addicted to video games which is causing about 48% of the divorce rate, even in the church. 50% is caused by P0-RN use. The rest is financial or other issues. Pastor Hagee's son preached on how many men in their church he has counseled because of the gaming addiction, leaving wives abandoned and children orphaned. He suggested on TV that the wives should take a hammer to the PlayStations. When a husband protested, he said, "Brother you vowed to forsake all others for your wife and that includes Sony."

I myself have been guilty of throwing laptops in the pool or smashing them on the ground after finding P0-RN videos on my husband's computer. I got the DVD's "Helping Her Heal" by Douglas Weiss from a sex addiction program and my husband refused to watch it. Even him watching it would bring healing as it validates me and brings understanding to my behavior because of the damage he has done to my heart...

How do you address the issue of Christian husbands dabbling in the occult via these video games that involve divination, necromancy, spells, witchcraft, etc? I believe it opens the door to these demonic spirits. as I have had first hand experience in this matter and have seen manifestations of these demonic beings. This isn't something we want to bring into our homes or pass on to our kids. What about the excuse, "Oh it is only a game. There is no sin in it." Like going to a psychic or reading your horoscope. Just fun and games, they say. If it is so harmless or inocent, why are families being divorced over it?

How do you address people who recite a prayer confessing Jesus as being the son of God and the way, and never change? Is this believing in their hearts, or are they giving mental accent to Jesus just as we would believe in "Abe Lincoln"? I thought the baptism in water was to represent death to sin and self and living unto righteousness instead of a free hall pass to do as you please thinking you have purchased your fire insurance. I was always taught that some receive the seed joyfully, but because of other things they fall away and never bear fruit. Are these the ones that get cut down because the axe is being laid to the root? Are these folks really saved even if they receive the word with joy and it never produces any fruit and they remain wallowing in the mud and eating their own vomit like a dog? Real sheep don't do that. Real Christianity is about death to self, picking up your cross and following Jesus in obedience... families and marriages are suffering because of this.

Dateline should not be the one leading the way in exposing these things. The church should be. If people could find help in these issues because it is being addressed, more would come to church. My biggest hurt, suffering and pain are coming from these issues and I need healing from the pain it brings, and you won't get that in a church that doesn't know about it or address it strongly. Please help the women, children, marriages and families and wake these hypnotized men up.

><> September 13, 2011

Emergent Church is Spreading Spiritual Cancer
By Marsha West

In the Sixties the counterculture rejected consumerism, individualism, traditional values and ideas, and protested against their parent's middle class values.... Now a similar assault on historic orthodox Christianity is underway...

In John 8:31-32 Jesus said, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

There is a growing movement afoot in the postmodern Church that does not abide in God's Word; hence they do not know the truth. The movement calls itself "Emergent" or " Emerging Church" (ECM) and it's emerging away from orthodox Christianity, spreading its spiritual cancer throughout the globe. ECM change agents have made inroads into evangelicalism, big time. What they preach is a counterfeit social gospel. They say they bring a "message of peace." Their hope is to make Christianity more palatable to the world. Sounds altruistic, doesn't it? But don't believe it! In order to accomplish their lofty goal, the shifters must first repackage the Church.

So they're touring the country, promoting their social gospel and message of peace to the masses. Prominent ECM leader Brian McLaren is spearheading the "Everything Must Change" tour. According to McLaren's website the planet is in Deep Shift - A time of transition rethinking re-imagining and re-envisioning.

You may not have heard about The Shift yet, but you will – soon! Shifters, like pod people, are in our midst... They lecture, write for Christian news sources and they're all over the Internet. Now they're touring the country. Many shifters are familiar faces on TV and have become media darlings. Browse through your local Christian bookstore and you'll find their names lined up on shelves. Brian McLaren, Jim Wallis, Tony Campolo, Marcus Borg, Dallas Willard, Leonard Sweet, Erwin McManus, Phyllis Tickle , Rob Bell, Dan Kimball, Doug Pagitt, Tony Jones, Scot McKnight, Eddie Gibbs, Ryan Bolger, Jeff & Sherry Maddock, Peter Rollins, to name a few. Every one of them are theological liberals!

But shifters are offended when they're labeled liberal. And besides, liberal is so yesterday! And let's be honest here; liberal has a negative connotation, thanks largely to vociferous conservatives...

ECM's beginnings

In his article, "Understanding the Emergent Church" Walter Henenger says that while some of ECM's leaders came of age in the "new paradigm" churches of the Sixties and Seventies, "the real starting point was the mid-1980s, when Gen X ministries began catering to youth culture..."

In my research I ran across a panel discussion on You Tube, "Let's Talk Post-Modernism and the Emergent Church."[16] Here highly regarded orthodox theologians R.C. Sproul, Albert Mohler and Ravi Zacharias had a "conversation" about postmodernism, modernism, liberalism, and ECM.

The main thrust of ECM, the scholars say, is its rejection of modernism and its embrace of postmodernism. Why reject orthodoxy? Because the orthodoxy are absolutists. Absolutists want to reinsert categories of right and wrong, whereas postmodernists balk at doctrinal assertions. They gave as an example Brian McLaren's position on homosexuality in a Time Magazine interview. Following is the excerpt from Time: "Frankly, many of us don't know what we should think about homosexuality. We've heard all sides but no position has yet won our confidence so that we can say 'it seems good to the Holy Spirit and us.' That alienates us from both the liberals and conservatives who seem to know exactly what we should think." So McLaren suggested a five-year moratorium on making pronouncements. And what will we do in the meantime? He went on to say, "[W]e'll practice prayerful Christian dialogue, listening respectfully, disagreeing agreeably. When decisions need to be made, they'll be admittedly provisional. We'll keep our ears attuned to scholars in biblical studies, theology, ethics, psychology, genetics, sociology, and related fields. Then in five years , if we have clarity, we'll speak; if not, we'll set another five years for ongoing reflection."[17]

Um…the Bible says homosexuality is a sin, Brian. (Lev. 18:22, Lev. 20:13, Rom.1:26-28, 1 Cor. 6:9-10,)

McLaren's wishy-washy comment on homosexuality obviously did not go over well with the panel. Near the end of the discussion Albert Mohler commented that his response to the homosexual question is the very essence of postmodernism. He then cautioned, "It is the abdication of Christian responsibility. It is the abdication of Christian conviction and it is a cave in of Christian courage. We do have an answer! And it's not like we don't know what it is!"

As R.C. Sproul said so well, ECM appeals to Christians "who don't want to have to deal with theological conflict." These same folks relativize doctrine, and that makes Sproul angry. He then points out that disagreeing doctrinally is a "bad thing." Looking rather grim-faced he said, "We can't be satisfied with it. Because truth is too important to kill it in the streets for the sake of peace! You can't do it!" Bravo!

The Emergent movement is most definitely gaining currency, especially with young people and those who are dissatisfied with mainline evangelicalism. Which is the reason it's imperative that committed Christians take a deeper look into the "conversation." Listen carefully to the language to see whether or not what a person purports is within the pale of orthodoxy. In other words, check to see if it's biblical. Because if the conversation" doesn't line up with Scripture, it's not from God. And if it's not from God…it's from the pit of hell.

About the Author - To read more from Marsha West or to see her quoted references please go to http://www.newswithviews.com/West/marsha66.htm

><> August 30, 2011

Being Christ-like - The Priority of Devotion
By Cortney Whiting

Luke 2:49 - And He (Jesus) said to them (Mary and Joseph), "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"

Many people know the story where young Jesus was in the temple in Jerusalem listening to the teachers and asking them questions. Mary and Joseph thought that Jesus had travelled back with them, but while they were on their way home, they realized he was missing. They searched for three days for him. Finally, they found him with the religious leaders in the temple. I am sure a mixture of panic, relief, and anger filled the mother and father when they saw Jesus calmly sitting down chatting alongside his elders. The word Luke used to describe their emotional state is astonished, or better yet, dumbfounded (BDAG). Can you imagine losing the Son of God?

They approach him and, in essence, ask how Jesus could put them through so much turmoil and distress. Jesus' answers them with a simple question that demands the following answer: they should have known that his devotion belonged to his Heavenly Father and he would act accordingly. There are several reasons why we know this as the interpretation. First, the questions use the Greek negative that demands a positive answer in questions. Second, when Jesus asks them the second question, he uses the Greek verb that means "it is necessary" or "it must happen that." This gives emphasis to the fact that this is the logical progression of what should happen because of the closeness of his relationship with God. Therefore, his response to be where he was is completely appropriate.

There are many times throughout the Gospels in which Jesus' closeness to the Father is made explicit. (Luke 10:22; John 1:1, 18; 3:35; 5:19-20; 10:30; 14:7,11, 31; 15:9). His devotion was his profound dedication to his Father played out on earth. He did the work of his Father and what the Father authorized him to do (John 5:17-22, 36; 10:25; 14:31). Jesus came in the name of his Father in order to represent Him (John 5:43). He spoke the message the Father told him to speak (John 12:49-50; 14:10, 24). In Luke 22:42 (Mark 14:36), Jesus surrendered his own will over to the Father to show his complete obedience with the cross.

What are we to learn from Jesus' example? First, as believers, we have been given the right to be called children of God (John 1:12). Therefore, we are given the ability to have an intimate and personal relationship with God. It is fitting for us to take advantage of this great privilege. By making our relationship with God a priority, some might not understand. We might offend others. Jesus offended many people because of his commitment to God. People were angry with him because he refused to back down on the message and the ministry God gave him. His relationship with the Father was the focal point to his life. Everything else he did stemmed from that relationship.

So how do we spend time with God? The first is through prayer. Jesus had a lifestyle of prayer (Luke 5:16; 6:12; 9:18; 9:28; 11:1; 22:41; 22:44). The second way we spend time with God is through the study of his Word. Jesus placed a high priority on Scripture, with the gospels recording him quoting from the Old Testament 78 times. Therefore, it is obvious that he had a high view of Scripture.

The challenge today is to ask yourself how you can improve your devotion to God. As we will continue to look at the life of Christ, we are going to see that he was not some fundamentalist Bible thumper. Rather, because of his devotion to God, he lived a radical, exciting, and fruitful life that was anything but mundane. When our lives consist of such passion and dedication, it is hard first, for us not to be changed, and second, for those we encounter to to be impacted.

About the Author - Cortney Whiting graduated from Berry College with a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology and graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with a Masters of Theology, concentrating on New Testament Studies. becomingministries.blogspot.com/

><> August 23, 2011; Source: FaithWriters.com

How Self Help E-books are Helping Christians Put Their Lives Back Together
By Barbara Taylor

As a society today, we learn a lot of things. We learn that it's okay to stand on our own. We learn that real people can juggle family, jobs, bills and friends while simultaneously going to school and starting our own Internet business, and they do it without ever dropping the ball. We learn that the best type of person is one who's always there for their friends and never asks for anything in return.

Is it any wonder so many of us live on coffee and stress? Superman couldn't live up to these expectations! Nobody wants to be a martyr, but with people pushing on us from every direction it's hard to know which way to turn. If this sounds like you, there's no shame in reaching out to a self help e-book.

To paraphrase a popular teenage television show, sometimes the most grown-up thing we can do is ask for help. Ideally we'd feel free to reach out to our friends and family for that help, borrowing an extra set of hands to juggle household chores and responsibilities while we wear the many hats we're expected to wear. We can turn to professionals for help with depression and psychoses, and nothing beats getting down on your knees and asking the Lord for guidance.

And we can reach for the many self help e-books designed specifically for Christians to help us get our feet back on the straight and narrow and find the path that we've lost.

What can self help e-books do that friends and family (and your neighborhood psychiatrist) can't? They can offer you the anonymity you need to find your path. Many times when we're floundering we refuse to turn to our friends and neighbors because we don't want to be a burden. More importantly, we don't want to appear weak.

When you pick up a self help e-book, nobody's judging you. You have the voice of a professional in your ear carefully walking you through the steps of your problem and what solutions are available to you. They can offer guidance and direct you to places in the Bible where you can go for spiritual strength when you continue to struggle-and you will continue to struggle until the heart of the issue is resolved. The important thing is that self help e-books can help you take the first step on your journey of a thousand miles that you might not have had the courage to take otherwise.

If you have a problem in your life, seek help from the ones that love you and from the great Physician. Nothing replaces building your network of friends and going to the lord on your knees. Just remember, there's no shame in reaching out to the self help e-books out there to give you the strength you need to start looking for the answers you desperately need to find.

About the Author – To learn more about Barbara Taylor visit her on her website http://bestchristianshop.com & http://bestchristian-ebooks.com

><> August 16, 2011; Source: Christian Article Bank

When Ordinary Becomes Extraordinary
By Cindee Snider Re

Seventeen years ago, I walked into a McDonald's with my young son. We ordered lunch, and I picked up the tray, took my son by the hand, choose a booth, and settled in. Minutes later, chaos reigned. My son refused to sit, refused to be still, refused to eat. He fidgeted and whined and flung a French fry, tore up two napkins and scattered the pieces, and finally climbed across the table, grabbed my iced tea, ripped off the lid, and thrust his hand in deep reaching for the lemon slice. Iced tea erupted across the table and all over my lap.

Overwhelmed and exasperated, I wanted nothing more than to leave the restaurant immediately. I shoved my half-eaten burger in my purse, grabbed a stack of napkins and mopped up the booth, hoisted my squirming son onto my hip, took two steps, and stopped.

There in front of me sat another mom with a table full of well-behaved children, not one or even two, but four little kids, all laughing and talking and smiling and actually enjoying each other's company. "How is that possible?" I silently cried. "How can she handle four when I can't even handle one?" And before I even thought about what I was doing, I crouched beside her table, my son still writhing on my hip, and poured out my heart.

Fast forward seventeen years to a warm June afternoon in a quiet church where I sat listening to my now 18 year old son sing and play guitar in the worship band for his high school graduation. As the band finished practicing, the run-through of the slide show began and I gasped, "I know that name! Seventeen years ago that graduate's mom led me to Christ and she doesn't even know it," I thought, though she soon would as a tear-filled, joy-filled, embrace-filled moment of recognition ensued.

One ordinary woman in an ordinary restaurant on an ordinary day investing one third of an ordinary hour in another, forever impacted the lives of more than a dozen members of one family across three generations. Why? Because that woman serves an extraordinary God!

That is the awesome, august, almighty power of the risen Christ, the sacred heart of the Great Commission, the amazing blessing of community, and the indescribable legacy of faith that changes the world. One life touching one life touching one life in ever-expanding circles spreading higher, longer, wider, deeper, farther than we can ever begin to imagine, than we will likely ever understand this side of Heaven. That is the incredible, unbelievable legacy of lived-out faith.

So what does it take to change the world? One ordinary moment filled with One extraordinary God!

Father, may we never be too busy to share Your love, mercy, compassion, and grace with the world - one heart, one life, one family at a time. Amen.

About the Author - Cindee Snider Re lives in Sussex, WI with her husband, their five children, two cats, and two Shichon puppies. She enjoys quiet evenings, long walks, good books, homeschooling her kids, and lots of good, strong, hot, black tea. For more of Cindee go to http://www.BreatheDeeply.org

><> August 9, 2011; Source: Faithwriters.com

The Holy Spirit, Our Constant Companion
By Patricia Bankhead

John 14:26 (KJV) But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

We live in a world that is changing rapidly and uncontrollably. Feelings of instability, insecurity, and inadequacy surround us, but we have an enduring source of hope: God does not change. His power and love, expressed to us through His immutable Word, have remained constant.

When we have God living through us, we can have a sense of stability, regardless of storms blowing about us. God’s provision of hope—carried out by His Spirit—is part of our salvation. One of the responsibilities of the Holy Spirit is the renewing of our mind. He empowers us to think about our circumstances as God does. Unless we observe the difficulties and instabilities in our life as God looks at them, we will never be able to see the best plan for dealing with our trials and stresses.

In order for the Holy Spirit to do this work effectively, we must be studying the Word of God. Our reading will reveal how God works in the life of believers, what He expects from His children, and how He expresses His love and power. Then, when we are most in need of reassurance, the Holy Spirit can bring to mind the principles and promises we have read. Anchoring us to the Bible is an important work of the Spirit of God.

The Holy Spirit is absolutely essential to the Christian life because the Father has given Him to us as our constant companion in this life. He helps provide stability by giving us direction and showing us the wisest and most joyous way to live.

Rom 8:9 KJV But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

About the Author – Patricia Bankhead learned of Jesus at a very young age and couldn't resist His awesome love. Everyday He lavishes her in His love and she gets to tell others what He has done for her.

><> August 2, 2011; Source: Christian Article Bank

Job’s Comforters
By Bette Dowdell

So there you are in the middle of one of life’s train-wrecks–dazed, wounded, wondering what shoe–or bomb–will drop next, and up walks Job’s comforter.

You may remember Job from the Bible. A rich, powerful man, a great father and good in every way was Job (pronounced like Joe with a “b” on the end). Then, in a series of overlapping cataclysms, he lost everything and everybody except his wife–who turned out to be a whole lot less than supportive in her changed circumstances. And Job ends up sitting alone on a pile of dirt, scratching his boil-covered body with some broken pottery.

We can identify with old Job. Life drags us through some tough, tough patches, times of loss that make us feel every bit like Job Redux. Caught in an undertow of pain and wondering if we’ll ever make it to safety.

And, ho boy, do we recognize Job’s so-called friends who showed up to supposedly offer support and comfort. As they sat with Job in his misery, they took turns playing a self-centered, self-righteous, can-you-top-this game of assuring Job that every bit of his disaster had to be his own fault. They weren’t sure how or why because Job seemed so upright, but deep down, they insisted, he couldn’t be all he pretended to be.

This is familiar territory. Your spouse dumps you like a bag of wet garbage; friends can only imagine what you did to deserve that. You get fired, and friends smirk knowingly when you try to explain the political nature of the event. Your child gets into difficulty–well, you know the kind of comfort you’ll get from friends about that. It probably started sometime during potty training.

Yet, from the Bible story, it’s clear that Job was completely innocent. Dreadful things do happen to completely innocent people, good people. Because of their presumption of Job’s guilt, history awarded his friends–and their attitudinal heirs–the label, “Job’s comforters,” so-called friends who add to a suffering person’s anguish by piling on false charges of liability and guilt.

You may never have met anybody like Job, but you’ve met his comforters on more than one occasion. They seem to be everywhere.

We can charge some of it off to jealousy. Job had everything a person could dream of wanting–and then some–so jealousy was never more than a stone’s throw away. The green-eyed monster is a little more subtle with people living everyday, typical lives, but jealousy doesn’t need much ground to take root and grow with vigor.

But we should never dismiss fear. If bad things happen to people who don’t deserve them, they could happen to anybody, including me. If I don’t want bad things to happen to me, and who does, I have to persuade myself and everybody around that the victim’s actions caused the problem. If blame can be assigned, then I’ll be safe as long as I’m good.

In other words, if I can claim that the cause of your problem is something you do that I don’t do, then what happened to you can’t happen to me. There is, of course, no logic to this, but it brings some shaky comfort to fearful hearts.

We see this thinking at work when people stare numbly at misfortune and ask, “What did I do to deserve this?” Sometimes the answer is, “nothing.”

The real question is what to do when life has just pummeled us a good one, and Job’s comforters show up at our door. Nobody says we have to let them in. And certainly nobody says we have to entertain them. And, most positively, nobody says we have to believe them.

We can sort out the who’s-to-blame-for-what stuff after we get some solid ground under our feet and a little zip back into our lives. That kind of review helps us keep history from repeating itself. But we still won’t want Job’s comforters anywhere around; we’ll want people who care.

About the Author - Author Resource:- About the author: Bette Dowdell is a former IBM Systems Engineer, a small business consultant and software company owner. A lifelong people lover, she authored How to be a Christian Without Being Annoying, an encouraging book about how the Bible describes Christianity, and creates Quick Takes on Life, a no-cost, weekly e-mail subscription of original, motivational quotes. You can read about both the book and subscription opportunity–and contact Bette–at http://www.ConfidentFaith.com

><> July 19, 2011; Source: Christian Article Bank

Every Drop for Good
By Donna L Watkins

There are so many events in our lives that don't seem to be justified. We do good to others, we tithe, we do our best to walk in the fruits of the Spirit, and yet we sometimes go through periods of our lives (and sometimes for most of our lives) that just don't seem fair - or just!

Hannah Whitall Smith says, "Nothing that is not part of God's will is allowed to come into the life of someone who trusts and obeys Him. No matter how unjust something may be, even when it comes straight from Satan himself, by the time it reaches us it is God's will for us and will ultimately work to our good."

I want to say that God's will is never for evil! However, the world is and we open many doorways as we pass through it for the devil to appeal before God for permission as he did with Job. In Job's case it was pride and fear that opened the doorway to allow the devil to work.

Read Job again and notice that "what he feared the most" came upon him and his "arguments" with his friends and God revealed the pride in his life.

God used it all for good though because Job's heart was with God. God is just and even the devil has to play by His rules. We ultimately, as children of God, win the war! We must make a conscious decision daily to walk in His ways no matter what comes our way. That is the way we overcome, which is the promise given to us. What we choose to think and believe about our circumstances will change the world around us. Jesus said, "Only believe."

In the pain, we share in Christ's sufferings. We look upward and onward knowing that our reward is not of this world. We can get good out of the evil we endure. Sometimes we just don't see the door out, but in it all, God is still with us, never leaving nor forsaking us, but calling us always to follow Him in Faith.

I sat on the porch and watched it raining one afternoon. The raindrops beat down the flowers until they almost laid on the ground. I in my wisdom knew that the rain would be good for the flowers, for without it, they would surely die. However, if I did not know that, I would think that the rain was destroying those beautiful flowers. When it stopped the flowers did their part and stood up again glowing to show us a picture of Christ in this fallen world.

God knows that the pain we endure will not destroy us, if we take His hand and choose Faith. God will turn every drop into good for us and others. Don't let the rain in life keep you from glowing inside.

About the Author - Donna L. Watkins lives in Central Virginia with her wonderful husband enjoying birds, wildlife, gardening, forests, nature travel and her cat, Squeek.

More articles can be found atTheHerbsPlace.com and a free subscription to her mailing, A Healing Moment.http://www.theherbsplace.com/ahm.html

><> July 12, 2011

Encouraging Friendships in Preschoolers: Your Role as a Sunday School Teacher
By Denise Oliveri

As a Sunday school teacher, you have the unique opportunity to watch friendships grow in your classes each year. It is wonderful to see a little girl who is shy and reserved enter your class, and leave with a bounty of confidence as she moves on to a new class. Yes, making friends makes life so much more enjoyable. What ways can you encourage friendships in your Sunday school class?

Let Parents Know What Goes on in Class

The best friendships just happen when two or more people click. You may notice that Sally and Jill always sit together, laugh, and play all the time. They are more or less inseparable. You can alert the parents of these two budding friends of their friendship, and perhaps this will turn into play dates outside of church. Preschoolers only get an hour or two to spend together each week in your class, and being able to be friends outside of church can help that friendship to grow even more.

Provide Plenty of Teamwork Opportunities

Young children learn to be friends by being nice to each other and working together. Inspire friendships through teamwork games that you can play in class. Games such as bowling, a team scavenger hunt, or any game that requires kids to share parts is a great idea. When children learn that a game is not all about "me," they learn that it is more fun to work in a group with friends.

Have a Show and Tell

Show and Tell can accomplish three important tasks. First, kids can show pride in something that they want to share with the rest of the class. It can be their Bible, a favorite stuffed animal, or anything else that brings them joy and comfort. Show and Tell helps children discover other children who share the same interests as they do. This leads the way to conversation and friendship. This activity also gives you a chance to get to know your preschoolers better, and tune in on the things that they like.

Accept Natural Friendships

One of the best things you can do in your Sunday school class is recognize that not every child is going to be friends with every other child in the class. You probably see two girls clinging to each other, while another group of friends consists of the same five boys each week. As long as each child in your class has at least one other child to be friends with things are going great. You do want to emphasize the importance of getting along with everyone, but that does not necessarily mean making sure everyone is a friend. There is a difference between knowing how to be "friendly" and being a true "friend."

Teaching preschool Sunday school is a blessing. You are giving your time to help young children understand the Bible, and know that Jesus loves them each very much. Jesus says a lot about the importance of being friends in the Bible, and this is the most important reason why you should be teaching it in your class as well.

About the Author - Denise Oliveri is owner of Preschool Sunday School Central, a site designed to help preschool Sunday School teachers find the best resources for helping with Bible lesson planning. There are tons of free materials, as well as valuable and professional eBooks on many different subject matters. Visit today!

><> June 21, 2011; Source: FaithWriters

Here Comes the Bride
By Pam Ford Davis

The groom has eyes for one only; he beholds his beloved as she walks down the aisle, enraptured with her beauty and captivated by her charm. The bride draws from the wells of his love with knowing glances and places her hand of submission and commitment in his. Here comes the bride; happy is the groom.

I walked the aisle of matrimony nearly 44 years ago and have repeated those sacred wedding vows on a few other occasions. I am feeling led to publicly renew that pledge in a formal church ceremony on our golden wedding anniversary. Here comes the bride, still madly in love with the groom.

The Lord loves us intimately; he desires a vibrant relationship of love and commitment. "You will be called 'The People God Loves.' Your land will be called God's Bride,' because the Lord loves you, and your land will be his. As a young man takes a bride and she belongs to him, so your land will belong to your children. As a man is happy with his new wife, so your God will be happy with you (Isaiah 62:4b-5 ERV)."

The Father is unveiling a celestial city. "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth had disappeared. Now there was no sea. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It was prepared like a bride dressed for her husband (Revelation 21:1-2 ERV)." Here comes the bride; we worship and adore the groom.

About the Author: With God all things are possible! Devotionals are my first love in writing! Published articles in Mature Living Magazine, Secret Place, Daily Devotionals for the Deaf. Available now in book store: FORGET-ME-NOT DAILY DEVOTIONAL http:/ebooks.faithwriters.com/ebook-details.php?id=520

><> June 14, 2011; Source: Faith Wirters

The Invisible Mother

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store.

Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?'

Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all.

I'm invisible - The Invisible Mom.

Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more.

"Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?"

Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, "What time is it?"

I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What number is the Disney Channel?"

I'm a car to order, "Right around 5:30, please."

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going, she's gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well.

It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this." It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription:

"To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees."

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, "Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it."

And the workman replied, "Because God sees."

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become."

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.

I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table." That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there."

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot see if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Great job, MOM!

><> June 7, 2011

13 Reasons for Calamity, Disease, Accidents, Afflictions, Mayhem, and the Bible
By Robin Calamaio

There is purpose behind each negative event that befalls an individual. The potential reason(s) depends upon one’s standing with God. Each person is either outside of Christ (unbeliever) or in Christ (believer). One’s actual standing (not which one an individual thinks he/she is in) determines which possibilities are viable.

Unbelievers

1. The Reality of This Existence - The Initial Judgment of God

Adam’s fall in Genesis is accompanied by a group of judgments from God. The bottom line is that Adam’s physical body would now be overcome by the environment. “You are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Gen 3:19). If Adam’s physical body was already that way before the fall (as all Evolutionists and longevity model adherents believe), then such a “judgment” is nonsense. But, the burden of proof lies on the naysayer - and the honest ones know their system still is no more ... than a theory. One “gift” Adam passed to us all ... is a body that cannot survive this environment. Sooner or later, some negative “thing” will kill us (See Lk 13:1-5). That is the reality of this existence.

2. Direct Judgment on an Individual

This is always in response to some specific incident. “(F)ire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed” Nadab and Abihu - Aaron’s sons (Lev 10:1-20). Read of Korah’s rebellion (Nu 16), or Ananias’ and Sapphira’s fatal error (Ac 5: 1-11). And Herod, after delivering a seemingly great speech, failed to give God His proper due and “an angel of the Lord struck him ... and he was eaten by worms and he died” (Ac 12:23). The only reason we know these are direct judgments from the living Creator ... is because He told us. I am absolutely certain similar actions occur around us all the time - but aren’t written down. Jesus has “the keys of death and of Hades” ( Rev 1:18). And ... He uses them. It is indeed “a terrifying thing to fall into the Hands of the living God” (Heb 10:31).

3. Judgment on a Group

While each person will only account for his/her own actions, many times an entire group is judged by God - and calamity comes sooner than it might have otherwise. The flood killed people of all ages (Gen 6-8). So also the fire and brimstone on Sodom and Gomorrah and environs (Gen 18:7 through 19:29). Nations that forget Him ... He warns. “He makes the nations great, then destroys them ... He changes ... a fruitful land into a salt waste, because of the wickedness of those who dwell in it” (Job 12:23 and Ps 107:33,34). The moment is approaching when His name will be damned ... one time too many. The end of this age will be a worldwide group judgment (Mt 25:31-46 and Rev 20:11-15).

4. Reaping What Has Been Sown

There are multitudes of applications to this. If one ingests destructive materials, or otherwise violates natural law, negative things will come. If one violates legitimate civil law and is caught, negative things arrive. If one is naive and foolish, whether in finances, sexual activity, or governing activities (family, business, or political) - negative consequences are guaranteed. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap” (Gal 6:7). If you sow to the wind, do not be surprised if you “reap the whirlwind” (Hos 8:7). Reaping is not often ... a one-to-one ratio.

5. Afflictions Designed to Bring One to God

A man might be “chastened with pain on his bed, and with unceasing complaint in his bones ... his flesh wastes away ... and his bones, which were not seen, stick out .... God does all these oftentimes with men, to bring back his soul from the pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of life” (Job 33:19,21,29,30). Psalm 107 depicts several scenarios of this same type (Also see Ps 119:67,71). A classic example involves the Christian-killer, Saul. “... a light from heaven flashed around him, and he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying ... ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’” After some instructions, he got back up, “and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing” (Ac 9:3,4,8). This is the beginning of the Christian life ... of the Apostle Paul.

6. Miraculous Deliverance

This may be somewhat related to the previous point. A man, who had been born blind, was in such a condition “in order that the works of God might be displayed in him” (Jn 9:3). God may allow, or even cause some negative thing (Ex 4:11), with the intention of miraculously delivering the afflicted one as a demonstration of His power, ability and mercy. Incredibly, these feats do not always end in the conversion of the one so delivered - or the onlookers (See Lk 17:11-19, Jn 5:2-16, and Mt 28:2-4 and 11-15). They can actually end ... in greater judgment.

For Unbelievers ...

... that’s about it. With the exception of Number 5 (and sometimes Number 6), unbelievers are subject to all kinds of mayhem - with no constructive purpose behind it. These are black events escorting one to an ultimate destination of “outer darkness” (Mt 22:13). For unbelievers, their “portion in life is of the world” (Ps 17:14). This is tragic.

Believers

The Christian is subject to all the above - with modifications. The most important is this promise: “God causes all things to work together toward good, to those who continue loving God” (Ro 8:28). The preposition, “eis” (toward) primarily means, “motion towards something.” God uses evil (be it natural or moral) to accomplish solid life gains for the one who continues to esteem and respect Him (“agapao”). “Let those who suffer according to the will of God continue entrusting their souls to a faithful Creator in doing good” (1Pet 4:19). Some believe the, “in doing good (‘en agathopoiia’)” refers to God. Others think it is calling the believer to continue doing good - while trusting God. It appears this can be legally translated either way. This may be deliberate ... as both understandings are indeed accurate. This Book continues to astound me.

7. Individual Discipline Replaces Individual Judgment

“Do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord ... He scourges each one He welcomes as a son .... All discipline, for the moment, seems ... sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness” (Heb 12:5,11). These disciplines are individualized actions from God. “He disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share His holiness” (Heb 12:10). He is responding to a believer’s sin - with the goal of driving it out - and then making the believer more Christlike.

8. Abuse of the Lord’s Supper

This is actually an extension of Number 7. If a believer partakes of the Lord’s Supper - and yet is casually partaking of some sin as well, this is presumption - making one “guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord” (1Cor 11:27). This is a sure-fired way to bring down the Hand of God. “When we are judged, we are disciplined that we might not be damned along with the world” (1Cor 11:32). In Corinth, many were made “weak, sick and a number sleep” - died (with the assumption they repented before their exit) on account of this. Do not assume ... God has gone soft.

9. Testing God

God protects believers, but that does not mean the Christian can be reckless and expect God to come to the rescue. Satan quoted protective Scripture and then dared Jesus to jump “from the pinnacle of the Temple” (Lk 4:9-11). Jesus rebuked him, “You shall not force a test on the Lord your God” (Lk 4:12). There is a line somewhere between stepping out in faith - and presumption ... thus testing God. Some individuals are quite daring and adventurous and should not be censured by the more reserved among us. This is ultimately a matter determined between the individual saint and God.

10. Conflict in the Heavens

Job’s troubles were brought on ... by a conflict in the heavens. Actually, the Lord challenged Satan ... with Job - and Satan took up the challenge. And disaster struck. Read Job 1 and 2 - and ask God to spare you from such an ordeal. I sure do. Satan also demanded permission (interesting phrase) to sift Peter “like wheat.” It appears that was granted (Lk 22:31-34).

11. Testing

“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance” (Ja 1:3). It does not appear these episodes are brought on by overt sins (attracting God’s discipline). “The Lord tests hearts” (Pr17:3). These tests are hard things - and often bring up dark stuff ... exposing deep attitudinal and/or character flaws (See Ro 5:3-5). When successfully navigated, the believer is more sound in the faith. Moral defects are acknowledged (1Jn 1:9), renounced (Tit 2:12) and then, by His grace, put to death (Ro 8:13).

12. To Keep One From Sin

“And because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me ...” (2Cor 12:7). Does it even matter what the problem was? Satan meant ill - but he actually kept Paul useful to God. This is an amazing use of evil. Your seemingly debilitating situation ... may actuality be equipping you - for eternal labor. You know, our God ... is real big.

13. Suffering for Christ

“For to you it has been granted ... not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake” (Phil 1:29). Paul did his share “in filling up that which is lacking in Christ’s afflictions” ( Col 1:24). God came into His own domain and was rejected (Jn 1:10,11). Believers are going to experience rejection - as the world is still rejecting God. No Christian should go looking for this. It will come on its own. (Also see Mt 5:10-12, Phil 3:10, 2Tim 1:8, 2Tim 2:3,9 2Tim 3:12, 1Pet 4:12-19, Rev 13:7, etc.).

Conclusion

While there is often just one reason behind some “event” - that is not always the case. Job’s situation started with a conflict in the heavens, but it was also a test designed to bring out a deep self righteousness in Job - from which he repented.

When struck ... should one refrain from asking, “Why?” As a believer, I know God can prevent any particular negative event. Indeed, that is my fate in the coming, eternal age. So, when He decides to let the hedges drop (Job 1:10) - I know there is a reason - or reasons - behind that. So, ... I ask why. I seek why. I am certain that many times I will benefit by knowing why ... even if not thrilled with the answer(s). Paul entreated the Lord three times about his “thorn in the flesh” before getting an answer (2Cor 12:7-10). Maybe a good starting place is to review the 13 possibilities above, lay each one on the situation and see which ones can be immediately dismissed - and which are possibilities. The other option ... is to stay in the dark.

About the Author - Whether you are looking for the Biblical position on the Abortion Argument or a visual Gospel Presentation , you can find these, or other Free Christian Ebook (s) at freelygive-n.com! Robin has a BA, Bus. Admin (Milligan College '90) and Master of Divinity (Emmanuel School of Religion '92).

><> June 1, 2011

Not Enough
By Cindee Snider Re

So often on this journey through life I have no idea what to do, what to say, how to act, react, what to allow, what to stop, when to applaud, encourage, discourage, mediate, fix, be still, be silent, say less, say more, embrace, love on, cry with, let go, or lift high.

Last week after an incident between my boys, I sat at the table with one, his anger spilling into defiant, defensive, angry, aggressive words and a desire for vindication, the other pounding his anger into soft, spring earth longing for release from pain I didn't know he felt. As my second son skulked back in and dropped into a chair at the table, emotion roiling in his eyes, I quietly sat beside him and laid my hand on his arm. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"It's not Kyle," he finally choked out, his body convulsing, tears falling, fists clenched against the pain, "It's me. I can deal with Kyle. It's me. I just don't want to be me."

There were no words in my heart, only tears spilling onto the table with his, because this is life with Sam's diseases, and short of a miracle or medical breakthrough, I can't say, "This'll get better, just hold on a little while longer," because it won't, and Sam knows it.

So how, as a Mom, do you know when to speak and when to be silent? When anger is simply anger and when it's the symptom of something more, something deeper, something too big to navigate alone? How do you know when to allow your child to struggle with, muddle through, and finally figure out a situation on their own, and when to step in and lovingly guide them through it?

I honestly don't know. I didn't know a week ago, and I didn't know a few days later when I could only quietly say to my angry oldest son, "You're right. I'm not enough, not enough as your teacher or your mom or as a wife or friend or daughter or writer. I will always love you, but I will never, ever be enough, and I'm sorry."

There were no other words, only tears, nothing I could say or do to fill the emptiness inside my son or right his world, and it hurt. I will never be enough, but I wasn't created to be enough. I can only love and guide and pray, and allow the One who is enough to touch my son's heart and fill the empty, aching longing in his soul.

Every minute, every word, every breath of this journey is a choice, God or me. Do I seek His beauty in the midst of chaos or allow the circumstances to overwhelm me? Choose to live in the power of His Spirit or rely on my own strength and ambition? Choose His will, His way in His time or settle myself on the throne of my own life? It can't be both ways. It's either God or me. Why then would I choose me, the one who is not, who will never be, enough when I can choose God, the One is the One who is so much more than enough -- absolutely always enough?

About the Author - Cindee Snider Re lives in Sussex , Wisconsin with her husband, their five children, two cats and two new Shichon puppies. She enjoys quiet evenings, long walks, homeschooling her children, good books, and lots of good, strong, hot, black tea.

><> May 17, 2011 ; Source: Faith Writers

Memories of the Changing Seasons
By Sylvia Hensel

I remember when childhood was a time of simple pleasures that actually satisfied and the seasons were anticipated with excitement for what they represented. Change! Change brought the transferring of joys from the departing season to the evolving one, the environment due to summers spent at Grandma’s, and the games we played, but most of all the sounds and scents that became etched in my mind which trigger so many of my childhood memories.

Spring came with its promise of new life, ushered in on March winds so anticipated by young kite fliers. The pungent scent of April showers and the chill of winter gave way to warmer days with the realization that school would soon be out, caused young minds to dream of the joys of summer. The scent of fresh turned soil as gardens were prepared for planting caused visions of eating warm tomatoes straight from the garden, the taste of a variety of fruit plucked right from the trees, and corn picked fresh and cooked for that evening’s supper.

Soon spring ushered in the hot days of summer that stretched out welcoming arms to children at play with the sound of little girl giggles as they race around each other in games of tag and hide-and-go-seek; and of course playing house and making mud pies. We actually took time to smell the flowers, hear the drone of bees and watch spiders weave their webs, all with fear and delight. Bike riding, with a playing card attached to the spokes with a clothes pin, caused young minds to feel the thrill of racing motorcycles. Dinner and dishes done was the time for neighborhood children to gather in the street to play “kick the can” “red rover” and “hopscotch.” No need to worry about traffic since so few people owned “machines”. The dreaded street lights heralded the end of another day of play.

Relief from the heat on muggy summer nights came by sleeping in front of the open living room door. And I must not forget to mention that churches in the summer would have been unbearable if it were not for the cardboard fans furnished by the local funeral parlor to remind us we would probably all die of the heat if it were not for their generous gift. Then there were the little fans that sat on the dashboards of “machines” to cool the driver. I always thought they were used only by the wealthy, as everyone I knew used the “440” version of air conditioning, four windows down and driving 40 miles an hour

Once again, summer gave way to crisp cool days and the pageant of fall, as our Creator extended forth His hands, and with a flit of His fingers, rained down an array of colors that caused awe-inspired wonder from all. The scent of fall apples and burning leaves are all an interregnal part of the season. Hauling mounds of coal from the curb or drive to coal bins was a necessary chore done with something less than enthusiasm. Raking leaves into piles, then bounding across the lawn to leap directly into the center, scattering hours of work back across the yard, was more fun than the need to rake it all again.

All too soon, fall faded into the frosty days of winter. Fresh fallen snow covered with a fine dusting of coal was perfect for making snow angels and snow cones. Siblings racing in from hours of play created the daily fight for the few hot registers that brought toasty warmth to their nearly frozen bodies.

Twilight brought skies painted with hues of pink, purple and orange on a canvas of pending darkness. The earth seemed asleep in frozen stillness, with quietness closing in upon itself. Drawing the last breath of daylight, night descended like a curtain on the last act of a play. Stars and moon shown so brightly upon the fresh fallen snow, one reveled in the light of night, its beauty to behold.

Holiday preparations and the anticipated visits from hordes of relatives and friends was a time of breathless excitement. Christmas morning came early, with a flurry of children racing to the tree to see what Santa brought. Breakfast over brought a day of play with new toys, games, and arguments as what belonged to whom. Some things never change.

Then, once again, the howling winter winds gave way to gentle spring breezes and the cycle of life began again.

><> May10, 2011; Source: Faith Writers

Mocking Mainstay
By Pam Ford Davis

Many people would love to turn back the hands of time. It is true; the past does hold happy memories, but it also stores up hurt for many. My teen years were a potpourri of both laughter and tears. Conversations with family and old girlfriends warm me as we rehash experiences, yet reminders of heartbreak trigger a chill.

My father struggled to provide for his large family, but we were not poor, middle class is the label that fits. We lived out in the country and enjoyed the advantages of rural life, grass to tumble in, hills to climb and a crick to cool us during sweltering summers. Our school days in nearby Fayetteville were not as carefree.

The majority of schoolmates were from the upper crust, children of more affluent families, residing in the village's modern ranch style houses. They had a tendency to look down on us and used their tongues as weapons of destruction. Mocking became a mainstay to their egos. "In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking him, saying,' He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe him (Matthew 27:41-42 NRS)."

The religious leaders arrogantly believed they knew it all. They were ignorant. Jesus could save himself. He willingly remained on the cross to save us. Mockingly they said they would believe in him if he would free himself from the cross. He arose from the grave and they still rejected him! They mocked; Jesus forgave to save the perishing.

About the Author - With God all things are possible! Devotionals are my first love in writing! Published articles in Mature Living Magazine, Secret Place, Daily Devotionals for the Deaf. Available now in book store: FORGET-ME-NOT DAILY DEVOTIONAL http://ebooks.faithwriters.com/ebook-details.php?id=520

><> April 21, 2011; Source: Faith Writers

UnCovering the “Covering Doctrine" Part I”
By Cheryl MacGrath

In a number of the denominations I've been involved in, including at leadership level, a "doctrine of covering" was taught and accepted. And for many, many years, I never questioned this teaching. After all, everyone believed it; the leadership upheld it, so it must be right, right? It is only as the Holy Spirit has impressed me to study the scriptures more deeply on this teaching that I've had to come to terms with the fact that He NEVER originated it! In His infinite grace, He chose to wait patiently for a time when the Spirit of Truth would become dearer to me than the traditions of men.

The teaching on "covering" goes like this. Everyone needs to be accountable to someone who is spiritually his or her superior. This someone may be your cell group leader, the head of a church department or your senior pastor etc. In turn, these leaders receive covering from someone further up the line, for instance a denominational leader or a "recognized" apostle. The necessity for this covering is based on the belief that believers need to be safeguarded from falling into error and/or sin. So covering is provided by those who are more spiritual than we to protect us from such error. At the top of this pyramid of covering there is quite often a well-known and recognized "name" but the chances of meeting or having any kind of relationship with that person if you are at the bottom of the pyramid are fairly slim. Currently, there are several networks offering this kind of covering to those in some form of church leadership or ministry, more often than not for an annual fee. The annual fee usually provides for the running of the network, and conferences where you can fellowship with others under your particular brand of covering. You may also be denied entrance from one of these networks because you don't have the appropriate credentials.

One of the strange things about this "covering" teaching is that rarely is anyone asked about their spiritual covering, until they step outside their particular church, denomination or network. However, the minute a believer shows signs of having something important to share with the wider Body of Christ, suddenly all and sundry are

interested primarily in that one important question: "Who are you covered by?" It all sounds pretty reasonable except for one problem - it's NOT FOUND in scripture. In fact, the early church was taught to rely on the inner anointing to discern the spiritual source of potential ministers. (1 John 2:20; 1 John 4:1)

So, where did this idea originate that believers need to be "covered" in order to serve God and minister within Christ's Body? Are you, like many others, living your Christian life under the shadow of this fear that without "covering" you dare not minister, preach, pray or do a myriad of other things you're called to do by the Spirit of God, because you will somehow be ministering without protection?

The purpose of this article is to shed some light on this issue based on scriptural truth. To begin with, though, we need to understand that this need to be covered by a perceived spiritual authority, and the scriptural instruction to submit ourselves to God's delegated authorities, are NOT necessarily one and the same thing. Furthermore, New Testament authority as demonstrated by Jesus and the first apostles, is servanthood- authority, upholding, strengthening, reinforcing and overseeing the Body from BENEATH, not DOMINEERING, CONTROLLING and RULING from ABOVE. Therefore, it is vital in examining this issue that we begin from a correct understanding of Biblical submission and Biblical authority.

'LET THIS MIND be IN YOU'

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought in not robbery to be equal with God; but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." (Phil. 2:5-8)

The current mindset we carry in much of the church concerning submission is quite unrelated to the submission taught and demonstrated by Jesus and the early apostles. There is a desperate need to return to the same mind that was in Christ Jesus. The scripture tells us that though He was equal with the Father, Jesus CHOSE to submit Himself, He CHOSE to humble Himself, He CHOSE to obey. This is the key to Biblical submission, and the model laid down for us by both the Father and the Son.

Submission is firstly a choice; a choice that can only ever be made by the giver. Biblical submission can never be demanded or forced. That kind of relationship is subservience, not submission. Jesus chose to subject Himself to the Father, but the Father "so loved the world that He GAVE His only begotten Son." Sacrificial giving and sacrificial submission are married to each other. In the Spirit, you cannot have one without the other. If you try, you will invariably end up with control, dependence and abuse rather than humility, interdependence and grace.

The New Testament concept of submission, or subjection, is one of a totally voluntary attitude of giving, of yielding one's preference and deferring to another. In this way, Jesus as a child was subject to His parents, yet the scriptures record that He did not even consult them when He was "about His Father's business." (Luke 2:49,51)

"IT SHALL NOT be SO AMONG YOU"

"Obey your spiritual leaders and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they know they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this joyfully and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit." (Hebrews 13:17, NLT)

"But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, "You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all." (Mark 10:42-44)

"Jesus got them together to settle things down. "You've observed how godless rulers throw their weight around," he said, "and when people get a little power how quickly it goes to their heads." (Mark 10:42 The Message)

There is no question that the scriptures instruct each one of us to submit to God's delegated authority. It is the understanding and the application of that authority we often stumble over. The Bible records that Jesus taught the twelve this Kingdom authority as

they walked along the road to Jerusalem. His face had been set toward the Cross, and it is certain He was keenly aware of the short time He had left with them. Perhaps He was conversing with His Father about what were the most important lessons He could impart to them during the time that was left. We know that He heard them disputing over who among them was the best "leadership material". Perhaps Peter, having not long before witnessed Jesus' transfiguration, thought that gave him special status. Perhaps James and John felt they were more likely candidates for rulership than impetuous Peter. Shortly before, they had asked Jesus to give them special places of honour in His Kingdom. Whatever had started their dispute, Jesus certainly knew how to end it!

"Whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave....." (Matt. 20:27).

The Lord was speaking to a group of people who had grown up under the rule of the Roman Empire. The Romans exercised their authority through forced subjection and harsh cruelty. In fact, the literal translation of the words Jesus used in reference to Roman rule mean "to be under the power of" and "to be subdued." Despite having witnessed Jesus using a very different kind of authority and power, the disciples had not yet understood exactly what He would require of them. The Romans were, in the political sense, their masters. Yet here was Jesus stating that to exercise the authority He was going to invest in them they would need to become slaves to one another, and not masters. One might safely assume these weren't words any of them particularly wanted to hear that day!

Kingdom authority has nothing to do with titles, positions, educational qualifications or reputation. Kingdom authority is granted by the Lord according to the measure with which He can trust us to wield it with humility. The greatest authority in the kingdom is reserved for His bondslaves.

WHAT about ACCOUNTABILITY?

In today's church system we have confused the word "covering" with the need for accountability. Consequently many are holding themselves accountable to people with title and position, regardless of whether or not they are developing an ongoing transparent relationship with that person. In the Kingdom, it is not possible to be truly accountable to those with whom we are not actively growing in relationship. How can I be trusted to call you to account righteously if I don't love you in Christ? How can you love me with Christ-like love and not call me to account?

Paul was able to correct the Corinthians because he had true relationship with them. He had travailed over them, nurtured them, wept for them and rejoiced with them. Therefore he was able to reprove them, for their edification and not for their destruction. (2 Corinthians 13:10)

When we turn to the scriptures for guidance on this issue of accountability, a startling fact confronts us. The News Testament mentions accountability ONLY in terms of the believer towards God. The scripture teaches that we will give accountability TO GOD ALONE in the following areas:

*stewardship (Luke 16:2)

*ourselves (Rom. 14:12)

*fruit (Phil 4:17)

*what we do in the flesh (1 Pet. 4:5)

*leaders shall give account for the souls they watch over (Heb. 13:17)

What then, DO the scriptures teach about how believers, as members of the corporate Body of Christ, are to relate to one another?

"... all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." (1 Peter 5:5)

In Galatians Chapter Two we read of a journey Paul took to Jerusalem. He states that he went up "by revelation", that is, at the instigation of the Holy Spirit, in order to confirm that the gospel he had been preaching was approved by the eldership of the Jerusalem church. He goes on to state that "those who seemed to be something, whatever they were, it makes no difference to me," had nothing to add to his teachings. He further adds that when James, Cephas (Peter) and John perceived the grace God had shown him, he was given the "right hand of fellowship."

At the instigation of the Holy Spirit, Paul had subjected himself to the Jerusalem eldership, including Peter, for the purpose of accountability. One may safely assume that Peter, having spent around three years day and night with Jesus, and highly regarded by the early believers, held very great authority in the church. Paul, however did not ask Peter to cover him. Instead, he did not hesitate in calling Peter to account when Peter was later swayed to go back on his word by the fear of men (Gal. 2:11-14). Bear in mind this is the same Peter who stated "We ought to obey God rather than men." (Acts 5:29)

These men understood the nature of relationship through the Holy Spirit; ALL of you be submissive to one another, ALL of you be clothed with humility. Each of us is accountable to one another, whatever our function in the Body, whether apostles, teachers, deacons or helpers. This is the church Christ is building.

To say that we are demonstrating accountability to a person or group of people we may briefly rub shoulders with at a meeting once or twice a week, or perhaps once or twice a year, is ludicrous.

True accountability is about how we express Christ in us - our lifestyle, our character and our integrity in families, jobs and church community. This cannot be measured outside Godly relationships, and without a humble willingness to be in subjection one to another. Each one of us needs to seek out and submit ourselves to those in the Body the Lord has placed close to us to provide that accountability, regardless of their position, title or function. Each one of us needs to be willing, in humility and service, to provide that same accountability base for others in the Body. This applies to leadership equally as it does to the newest, most inexperienced member of the Christian community.

Sadly, what we see today in so much of the church, is a frenzied jockeying for position under the supposedly protective umbrella of some ministry name or reputation, in order to prove ourselves "covered". "WHO COVERS YOU?" has become one of the most frequently asked questions among Christians, and too often it is the deciding factor in assessing a ministry's integrity or otherwise. Consequently, an unsatisfactory answer to that question in some church circles can label you "outside the camp" and almost certainly not to be trusted. Christians are judging each other's worth and relationship with God on this issue of covering, and using it to justify self-righteousness and spiritual elitism.

In Part Two of this study we will talk about what is at the root of this distorted doctrine, and the clear choices that lie before us in order to be free from it.

><> April 12, 2011; Source: www.greatsouthland.org/

UnCovering the “Covering Doctrine" Part II”
By Cheryl MacGrath

".....then the LORD will create above every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and above her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night. For over all the glory there will be a covering." Isaiah 4:5

"He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler." Ps. 91:4

IT'S about HIS NAME

"Now it happened on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him and spoke to Him, saying, "Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?" (Luke 20:1-2)

As we see from this portion of scripture, the question "who covers you?" is not new. The chief priests, scribes and elders were not simply asking Jesus where His supernatural power came from. More than that, they wanted a NAME. "Who is he?' Come on, tell us Jesus, who is the scribe, who is the rabbi, who is the prophet who covers you? And no more of that over-spiritualized talk about your Father. We want the name of the person who said you could do these things!"

The apostle Paul confronted a similar problem in the Corinthian church.

"For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe's household, that there are contentions among you. Now I say this, that each of you says, "I am of Paul," or "I am of Apollos," or "I am of Cephas," or "I am of Christ." Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptised in the name of Paul?" (1 Cor. 1:10-13)

The Lord is jealous over us concerning His Name. We were bought and paid for by His Blood, and His Name is the only Name by which we are to identify ourselves. When believers choose to find their identity in another name other than His, the Spirit is grieved and His Name is dishonoured.

IT'S ABOUT the FLESH

"Don't ever let anyone call you `Rabbi,' for you have only one teacher, and all of you are on the same level as brothers and sisters. And don't address anyone here on earth as `Father,' for only God in heaven is your spiritual Father. And don't let anyone call you `Master,' for there is only one master, the Messiah. The greatest among you must be a servant." (Matthew 23:8-11, NLT)

The Corinthians were apparently separating into factions according to whom they considered was the most authoritative teacher. They were following after men, and for that reason Paul took issue with them. Further in his letter he goes on to challenge them by describing this kind of mindset as carnal and fleshly rather than spiritual:

"For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not CARNAL?" (1 Cor. 3:1-4)

Finally, he instructs them: "Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come-all are yours. And you are Christ's, and Christ is God's." (1 Cor. 3:21-23)

The Corinthians had become so obsessed with the attributes of certain teachers they were idolising them. They wanted to regard particular individuals as their "master", "father", or "teacher", but Paul wanted them to understand that in doing so they were falling short of their full inheritance in Christ. He wanted them to see that all of these teachers, belonged to them as servant-ministers, and not the other way around.

IT'S ABOUT a SUBSTITUTE KING

At the heart of the Corinthians' idolatry was the age-old desire for a ruler, a king. The flesh would much rather fear man than fear God. The flesh would much rather submit to the control of law than submit to the freedom of the Spirit. This principle is seen throughout scripture.

Afraid they would die, the Israelites begged Moses to be God's messenger to them, rather than hear His Voice for themselves.

"Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. Then they said to Moses, "You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die." ( Exodus 20:18-19)

God desired for the people to hear Him for themselves, but they refused. Effectively, the Israelites were elevating Moses as their mediator. The entire nation had been called as a kingdom of priests, but their preference was to be ruled by one man. (Exodus 19:1-9)

Many years later, when the prophet Samuel officiated as Israel's judge, Israel's carnal desire for a man-king surfaced again.

"Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, "Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations." But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." So Samuel prayed to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, "Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them... However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behaviour of the king who will reign over them." So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who asked him for a king. And he said, "This will be the behaviour of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots... And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work. He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants. And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the Lord will not hear you in that day." Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, "No, but we will have a king over us..." (1 Samuel 8:4-22)

The key to Israel's demand for a human king, rather than the direct reign of Yahweh over them, was "that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles." They wanted a name and a face that could "go out before" them. They wanted someone visible they could show the other nations. They wanted a symbol, a token leader who could take responsibility for how they would live and conduct their lives. They wanted someone with a reputation they could identify with. They wanted to be like the world. They wanted human "covering."

You see, friends, there is a place for governmental leadership, there is a place for accountability within the Body, there is a place for submission to legitimate God-delegated authority. All these are valid and in order, but only insofar as they are not permitted to substitute for the direct rule of God in our lives. And only insofar as they are not sought out as a counterfeit for the sovereignty and rulership of the Holy Spirit within each believer.

IT'S OF a DIFFERENT SPIRIT

"You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; you were on the holy mountain of God; you walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones." (Ezekiel 28:14)

Many Bible scholars agree that God's rebuke to the "king of Tyre" recorded in Ezekiel 28:1-19 is prophetically addressed to Satan. In it, we find that originally this fallen angel was called the "anointed cherub who covers". Some scholars believe he was especially anointed to cover the Mercy Seat in the Holy of Holies. In the Presence of God, he walked back and forth in the midst of the fiery stones. The passage states that when iniquity was found in him he was cast out of God's holy mountain, and removed from the midst of the fiery stones.

This Hebrew word "to cover" means "to hedge, fence about, shut in, block, overshadow, screen, stop the approach, shut off, cover" (H. "cakak" Strongs 05526 ). It is a word than can be used either in relation to defence or oppression.

Beloved, Satan still desires to walk back and forth in the midst of God's living, fiery stones. He still desires to be the covering cherub on God's holy mountain, but the covering he offers is oppressive, designed purely to hinder believers and rob them of the freedom and full potential that is ours through Christ.

The doctrine of covering is an old lie with a new name. It is fundamental to the maintenance of a false hierarchical religious system controlling many Christians in this day. Without the power of this erroneous mindset, it is even doubtful that some sections of the "church" could survive.

"Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to one hope when you were called - one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is OVER ALL and THROUGH ALL and IN ALL. (Ephesians 4:3-6) The scriptures plainly state that it is God alone who is OVER all. Only God can cover His people, and only the Holy Spirit can unite them. The most disturbing aspect about the covering teaching is that it subtly encourages believers to look to men and women rather than develop their own deep relationship with God through the Holy Spirit. It upholds a man-made church built on hierarchy rather than a spiritual temple built through the unity of the Spirit. It promotes a class system of rulership by title, human appointment and personality, and DEVALUES the PRIESTHOOD of every believer. It negates leadership by the Holy Spirit and discourages believers from hearing the direction of the Spirit for themselves. It is a DOCTRINE OF DEMONS being used to deceive and bind countless believers.

Now, about that freedom we were talking about at the beginning of this article! Don't, repeat DON'T, use your newfound liberty as a license for rebellion against authority. If you have been trapped in this covering doctrine be wise in how you appropriate your freedom. There are many, many humble and faithful men and women overseeing and serving the Body of Christ with humility and

devotion, and it may well be that whoever has been "covering" you is one of them. If you are blessed enough to be aligned with a servant-leader who demonstrates true Biblical authority, honour them, support them, and submit to them. But don't expect them to cover you - that's not theirs to give.

False doctrines are mindsets and beliefs that can only be cast down by the Spirit and the Word together. And ultimately, our walk in the Spirit is not the responsibility of leadership; it is our own responsibility. It is time for each one of us to choose - do we want the rulership of kings, or do we want the rulership of THE King?

Finally, let me leave you with these thoughts:

1) Who covered Philip when He went down to Samaria and started a revival? (The apostles heard about it and sent Peter and John down to check it out!) (Acts 8:4-8)

2) Who covered Philip when the angel of the Lord directed him to the Gaza desert? (Acts 8:26-40) (There's no record of the Ethiopian eunuch asking him for his "covering" credentials!)

3)Who covered Ananias when he was sent to pray for Saul? (He went to pray for aknown enemy of the church and didn't event get permission!) (Acts 9:10-18)

4)Who covered Apollos when he taught boldly in the synagogue, even though he had not yet received the full gospel? (Acts 18:24-25)

5)And who covered Aquilla and Priscilla when they took Apollos under their wing to instruct him further? (Acts 18:26)

6)Who covered Agabus when he travelled down from Judea to deliver a prophetic word to Paul? (Acts 21:10)

The answer is the same in each instance: The Holy Spirit covered, protected, led, and enabled. He is the only covering we need. The real question is this: is He the only covering we want?

About the Author - Cheryl McGrath hails from Australia. She is a teacher and minister with Great Southland Ministries and is "deeply committed to encouraging and equipping Christian women into deeper expressions of life in Christ at all levels." She currently attends a home church, but has attended Charismatic and Pentacostal churches in her past. Please comment on this topic at the website below- http://www.johnthebaptisttv.com/

><> April 14, 2011; Source - www.greatsouthland.org/

Rescue a Trafficked Woman
By Kimberly Rae

Human trafficking. These two words define the lives of hundreds and thousands and yes, even millions of young women and children, forced into lives of slavery and hopelessness. They are stolen from their homes, or sold by adults they once trusted, taken captive, sold like animals, some in cages. Many face futures chained to beds of sexual slavery, far from any hope of ever being freed.

The buying and selling of souls has been happening for millennia, but never before has the true extent of this evil been so seared upon the American consciousness.

Though slavery was outlawed and supposedly eradicated long ago, aware individuals know it has never left us, only changed its appearance to again slide far enough under the radar to avoid attention.

Only now the flashlight of the world is shining upon itthe evil of human trafficking that is happening not just in third world countries around the world, but here in America as well.

Becky McDonald decided to do something about it. Though she grew up in a traditional missionary setting in Bangladesh, the word traditional has never defined her outlook on ministry.

Ever since age fourteen, when a young girl was brought into her life, the girl's vocal chords permanently damaged from acid poured down her throat by the men who had tried to rape her, Becky has been a warrior on behalf of the helpless and oppressed.

Since starting Women At Risk International in 2006, Becky has fought tirelessly to free the enslaved, wrapping arms of love and protection around those most in need, rescuing them, and restoring their dignity and hope.

WAR International now has projects in 14 countriessafe houses in Thailand and India where rescued women create quality jewelry to sell. Cake decorating in Nepal, which provides income to continue the ministry of rescuing trafficked women. Bridal rental shops in Latin America, that not only provide funds for ministry, but a creative means of outreach as well.

And here in America, Becky works with homeland security to rescue our own.

Though the majority of Americans once turned a blind eye from those enslaved, Americans today care deeply about ending the atrocities of human bondage. They care and they want to help.

But how can one person make a difference when the need is so vast?

By shopping, of course! As odd as that may sound, WAR International continues and thrives because women all over America are buying the beautiful jewelry, purses, scarves and clothing created by rescued women all over the world. Many churches and individuals are hosting WAR parties, where groups can come and shop together for a great cause. By buying WAR's products, the rescued women are restored to lives of dignity as they see that their work is sustainable.

Money given to WAR might provide for a girl stolen from Nepal to escape the bonds of forced prostitution. It may provide for a former street worker, now dying of AIDS, to give the rest of her life to fulfilling ministry. It may help the emergency fund, which is specifically for those urgent, unexpected needs, like rescuing a baby going to be sold that very night.

Every once in awhile, the moment comes when we have the chance to change someone else's whole lifegiving them hope, and the Gospel of hopea change that will last for eternity.

That time is now.

What will you do? How will you change the world?

For more information on how you can get involved, see
www.warinternational.org.

About the Author - Kimberly Rae lived in Bangladesh, Uganda, Kosovo and Indonesia before health problems brought her back to America, where she continues ministry through writing. Kimberly has been published over 100 times. Her first novel, STOLEN WOMAN, about human trafficking, is due for release Summer 2011.

March 29, 2011; Source: Faith Writers

Channels of Blessing
By Joanne Lowe

“Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.” - 2 Corinthians 5:20, KJV

One of the definitions for ambassador in Webster’s Dictionary is “an authorized representative or messenger”. When the blood of Jesus is applied to our hearts for the forgiveness of our sins, we become authorized messengers to tell others about Jesus.

Harper Garcia Smyth, who was a music director at a Baptist church, wrote a hymn that should make every Christian search his or her heart “Make Me a Channel of Blessing”. Can we honestly say from our hearts that we are channels of blessing?

Can we say yes to all of the questions in this hymn? “Is your life a channel of blessing? Is the love of God flowing through you? Are you telling the lost of the Savior? Are you ready His service to do?”

I pray with all of my heart that my life is a channel of blessing and that others can feel the love of God flowing through me. Yes, I am telling the lost about my precious Saviour, Jesus. I am ready His service to do.

Can you say yes to all of these questions? If not, ask God to help you be a channel of blessing so that others can feel the love of God flowing through you. We can not be channels of blessing unless the love of God is flowing through us.

Heavenly Father, we confess that we fail You at times. Please have mercy on us. Forgive us for not always allowing Your love to flow through us. Help us be ambassadors for Christ. Amen.

About the Author: To read more from Joanne Lowe, please visit her website at www.joanne-ourprecioussaviour.blogspot.com or to be included on her daily inspirational email list you can contact her joannelowe8@cox.net

><>March 22, 2011

Why We Pray the Word of God
By Angeline Williams

God commanded saying "...these words, which I command thee this day, shall be upon thy heart; and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up" (Deuteronomy 6:6-7).

Christian spiritual growth depends upon knowing God's Word. "...as newborn babes, long for the spiritual milk which is without guile, that ye may grow thereby unto salvation" (I Peter 2:2). Just as food must be taken into the system and digested before it can benefit the body, so must the Scriptures to strengthen the soul.

Laying up scripture in the heart provides comfort and strength in times of trouble. "Unless thy law had been my delight, I should then have perished in mine affliction. I will never forget thy precepts; for with them thou hast quickened me (Psalms 119:92-93).

The Word of God accompanied by faith is a powerful weapon. When tempted by Satan in the wilderness, Jesus successfully defended himself with the Word of God that was stored up in his heart (Matthew 4:1-11). To emphasize how important the Word of God is Jesus said, "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)

The Word of God contains numerous promises about many situations, circumstances and issues. Reading, meditating and proclaiming these Scriptures helps us to understand how God wants us to act in diverse circumstances and increases our faith. Praying the Word of God helps us to pray and intercede with wisdom and knowledge rather than from a perspective of fear and anxiety. I encourage you to build your prayers around these commands and mandates from Scripture.

Summary:

• Our prayers are answered when we pray according to the will of God which is found in His Word. (1 John 5:14-15)

• When we pray the Word it increases faith in our hearts. (Rom.10:17)

• The Word has authority. When God created the universe, He did it through His Son, the Word. The Word still has the same power. When we call on the living Word, it has the power to give life and to re-create.

For sample prayers according to the Word see Save My Loved Ones Prayer Manual at (http://www.savemylovedones.com/prayermanual)

You are invited you to join Save My Loved Ones Christian Community Room, a non-denominational online community where everyone is welcome here to have Christian discussions, get your questions answered, get encouragement, spiritual mentoring, ask for prayer and offer prayer and find help in all stages of their walk with Jesus. Step into our online Christian community and become involved to whatever degree you are comfortable. The doors never close at Save My Loved Ones Christian Community Room and encouragement is just a click away. (http://savemylovedones.ning.com)

God Bless you,

Angeline

About the Author – To read more from Angeline go to Save my Loved Ones Prayer Ministries International, http://www.savemylovedones.com. You are welcome to copy this message in its entirety and pass it along. Jesus is coming soon, let’s get as many saved as we can.

March 15, 2011; Source: Narrow is the Path

Encouragement Not Criticism
By Joanne Lowe

“They helped every one his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage. So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smootheth with the hammer him that smote the anvil, saying, It is ready for the sodering: and he fastened it with nails, that it should not be moved.” Isaiah 41:6, 7, King James Version

Three years ago, someone emailed me and said that she had received an email that was filled with criticism. The lady who sent me the email was heartbroken. Instead of criticizing people we should be encouraging them.

Joyce Landorf Heatherley, a Christian speaker and author, who God used to literally save my life three times because of listening to her tapes made this comment on one of her teaching tapes.

“Men and women are leaving full time ministry in droves because we have not encouraged them. We have impressed them with our spirituality and just knocked a hole in their relationship with God and with others”.

If something needs to be said, we need to say it in a way that will encourage people instead of discouraging people. I believe that many times that the way we say things to people causes them to doubt that Jesus loves them.

If we are in a leadership position and find it necessary to correct someone, it is very important that we say it with love so it doesn’t put the person down and humiliate the person. Are you giving encouragement or criticism?

><>March 8, 2011

How to Change Husbands…without Getting a Divorce
By Millie McNabb

She married Mr. Right…she just didn’t realize his first name was “Always.” It’s an old joke, but it’s not that funny for a lot of women—Christian or not. Couples are splitting and looking for happiness elsewhere. The divorce rate for Christians is as high as for non-Christians. Desperate housewives are staying in unfulfilling relationships because they have no Biblical reason for divorce.

In our culture, long-term marriage, which used to be the norm, is now bucking the trends. Rutgers University studies marriages in our country, and publishes an annual “State of Our Unions” report. Their 2007 report says,

“Today, there is more ‘family diversity:’ Fewer adults are married, more are divorced or remaining single, and more are living together outside of marriage or living alone.”

So what’s going on? What needs to happen in the marriage so that you honor God, your husband and your vows, and have a healthy relationship? Is there hope for that?

Yes. There is hope for a God-honoring, fulfilling marriage. Although it “takes two to tango,” one person can make a significant difference in the relationship. Here are some steps the wife can take to change her husband.

The first step is commitment to a Godly marriage in the face of an anti-marriage society. Our culture has shifted away from the Christian values that formerly defined our society. We are all influenced by those around us. So, how can you sustain that commitment? Begin here:

1) Continually evaluate your thoughts, words, and actions by a Scriptural standard to see if dissatisfaction in your marriage is being generated by societal expectations.

2) Pray for (not about) your spouse. Pray for Christian men to interact with and encourage your husband.

3) Enlist a same-gender Christian to pray and support you.

The second step is for the wife to see to it that she respects her husband. It is interesting that Paul didn’t just say, “wives respect your husbands.” That little phrase, “see to it” implies that this respect may take some work. Here’s three “respect tests”:

1) Do your children respect you? Your children reflect how you treat your husband.

2) Do you “roll your eyes” at things your husband says? Rolling your eyes indicates not only disagreement, but an attitude of defiance—even if expressed in no other way.

3) Do you build your husband up to others? When you are pro-active in making your husband look good, it builds your relationship.

The third step is to take care of the sexual needs that your husband has. Women ask if the only thing men think about all of the time is sex. The answer is, “No.” Sometimes they also think about food. Here’s some guidelines for marital sex:

1) Don’t deprive or manipulate each other with sex. Plan to have sex a minimum of twice a week.

2) Control your thinking—men generally need to think less about sex, and women need to think more about sex.

3) Sex should be pleasurable. If it is painful, there is probably a physical reason that can be corrected.

A fourth step is to recognize and appreciate your differences. Many women go to college looking for the perfect man, and pick up a good husband along the way. We tend to marry our opposite, because at some level, we recognize the strengths our partner has that can fill in for our weaknesses. Then after we marry, we start attacking the qualities that attracted us, because they’re different from us. A phrase that is helpful for these differences is: “It’s not wrong, it’s different.” A Temperament Profile and coaching can offer more insights in this area.

A fifth step is to identify your “hot buttons” and refuse to use them. Hot buttons are the pathway to your innermost fears and emotions. Most longstanding differences have their root in a “hot button.” These roots need to be dealt with. For example,

1) If your father was undependable, you likely will have a fear that your husband will flake out on you. Therefore, any indication of that, no matter how slight, will evoke a disproportional response from you.

2) If you were molested as a child, you may expect every relationship to have a sexual aspect. This expectation may cause you to project that your spouse is unfaithful or mistreating your children.

3) If you had sexual relations with your spouse before you were married, you both know at that deepest level that you do not honor marriage vows. This can lead to mistrust in all aspects of your marriage.

Yes. There is hope for a God-honoring, fulfilling marriage. Follow the steps above and you’re on your way in the right direction. You really can change your husband without getting a divorce…and that change begins with you.

About the Author - ©Millie McNabb, B.A., B.Mus., founder of Christian Values Legacy, offers Temperament Profiles and coaching for individuals, couples and parents. She and her husband have been married for thirty-two years, and have four adult daughters. She has been sharing her insights, expertise and experience by speaking for Christian groups for over 25 years. Visit her website at www.ChristianValuesLegacy.com or email her at millie@ChristianValuesLegacy.com.

><> March 1, 2011; Source: Narrow is the Path

Mother of the Bride
By Yvonne Blake

"Oh, Mama, don't cry. You'll make me cry."

I waited and prayed for this day, but now I don't know if I'm ready for my little girl to grow up and get married. Just look at the groom up there, looking so sharp in his tuxedo. He's so handsome. It's no wonder Linda fell in love with him. (gasp) She's beautiful! When did she grow up into such a beautiful woman? It seems like yesterday she was jumping rope and playing with dolls. (sniff) Oh, I can't cry

"Do you, Donald, take Linda to be your wedded wife?"

Wedded wife?... Is my baby girl ready to be a wedded wife? (sniff) Have I her taught her enough? Can she cook more than scrambled eggs or microwave popcorn? How can she keep a clean house when I had to beg her to clean her room? Will she trust her husband like she did her father? Does she know I'm sure she'll learn, just as I did.

"Do you promise to love her for better and for worse, in sickness and in health"

This handsome young man who stares at her with a twinkle in his eye, what do we really know about him? He seems to be steady and responsible and a hard worker, but does he know what to do if Linda gets in one of her grumpy moods? Does he know that chocolate and a shopping trip will cheer her up? Will he be firm in his convictions? Will he lead his family in the ways of the Lord?

"You may kiss the bride."

Ahhh yes, they are so happy together. (sniff) They'll be good parents. I can just imagine their children with blond hair and blue eyes. Children? Do they know how hard it is to raise kids? Will they teach them to obey and to be kind and to enjoy life? Does Donald like camping or playing ball? Will Linda bake cookies with them and read to them every night? Grandchildren? Oh, I can't wait for grandchildren!

"It was a beautiful wedding. You haven't lost a daughter, you've gained another son."

Another son? Yes, I suppose he's another son, but I didn't know him when he was little tyke. I didn't teach him to tie his shoes or ride a bike. I didn't pull his wiggly tooth or put a bandaid on his skinned knee. I didn't punish him when he told a lie or teased his sister. I didn't take him to Sunday school or hear him pray. He doesn't feel like a sonnot yet anyway.

"Hi, Mom. May I call you that? Thanks for everything. It's been great."

Mom? I want to be a good mother-in-law not one of those dreaded bossy women, insisting on being a part of every decision, inspecting the refrigerator, criticizing their clothes, giving advice on everything whether it's wanted or not. I don't want him to run away when I come to visit or make jokes about me behind my back. I don't want to be a mother-in-law like that.

"You're quiet tonight, Dear. I'm glad God brought Donald into Linda's life, aren't you?"

Lord, I've never been a mother-in-law before. I don't know how to do this. You will have to show me how. Keep me quiet when I feel like speaking my mind. Give me the right words to say when they ask for advice. Don't let my daughter have to choose between obeying me and the husband that you gave her. Let me learn to trust him to be a good husband and father. Thank you for the years I had with my little girl. (sniff) Bless them as they start their new life together. In Your Name, Amen.

About the Author - Yvonne Blake is a retired school teacher hoping to break into the world of writing. I've written a novel and would also like to write missionary stories for children. Visit me at http://mybackdoorministry.blogspot.com; email - yvonblake@hotmail.com

><> February 22, 2011; Source: Faith Writers

Our Tender Comforter
By Joanne Lowe

“As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.” - Isaiah 66:13, King James Version

In the last three weeks, I have received eight emails from people who are heartbroken. Some of the people have illness in the family, some of them have had a death in the family and some of them are lonely, discouraged and hurting.

Not only is Jesus our comforter, He is our tender comforter. He has a tender compassionate heart. I needed His tender comfort yesterday because satan launched a vicious poisonous attack of discouragement at me all day long because of lack of finances.

When will we ever learn to go to Jesus immediately when we are attacked by satan? Instead of crying out to Jesus as soon as I felt the first arrows of discouragement, I tried to tough it out and make it through the day.

It didn’t work and it never will work. Only Jesus has the power to defeat satan. I didn’t even send a prayer request to my mailing list asking them to pray for me. I didn’t want them to know I was discouraged.

Joyce Landorf Heatherley, a Christian speaker and author, said on one of her teaching tapes. “I am not victorious every second of the day and if I’m going to make it through, it’s going to have to be because of you”.

The best way to comfort someone is to hug them for Jesus. We can tell them that we love them but we must put actions with our words. Actions speak louder than words. When is the last time you hugged someone for Jesus?

><>February 15, 2011

How to cope in the unpleasant workplace
By Marie Grossett

It's Monday morning the alarm goes off; it's that time again to get up to go to work. You slowly wake up, sluggishly get out of the bed unenthusiastic about going to a job that you dislike, but those bills need to be paid and the family needs looking after.

If you love your job then that's great you'll be excited about getting up in the morning. But if you were like me getting up to a job you're not passionate about, and where the management aren't friendly this can be an unpleasant situation. I know I've been there.

I use to work in customer services at my local council. To me every day getting up was a chore. Don't get me wrong I was grateful to God that he gave me a job, but in all honesty I didn't like it. It wasn't my passion to hear people complaining and having self pity, it wasn't my passion to work for people who didn't even give me the time of day only speaking to me if they needed something done. So how did I cope?

Ephesians 6:5 'Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favour when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.'

Every morning before I'd go to work I would have to read that scripture. I had to remind myself that I needed to do the job I was given to the best of my ability, I'm there as a servant of the Lord to be a light in the darkness. All I had to do was just be obedient, get on with my work and be polite to everybody even if they were not polite to me.

Once I started doing that, I stopped moaning about the fact I had to get up to 'go to this place,' as I use to say and just got on with it, I began to feel much happier going to work.
Sometimes as Christians we forget it's not about us it's about God. He put us in our workplace for a reason, maybe were suppose to meet somebody for a particular season, maybe we need to witness to a particular person, whatever it is you are there for God's purpose not your own.

If you really want to leave your job and find something better pray that God would give you something else, but in the meantime do the job you're in wholeheartedly. Remember you are there for Christ and to be an ambassador for him. I know its hard finding the motivation to do something that you're not passionate about, but you can do all things through Christ that strengthens you.

Next time you get up to go to work rather than moan say 'Lord thank you for this job, give me the strength and the enthusiasm to do this job to the best of my ability. Lead me to someone that I could encourage or witness to today as Lord I'm in this place for a time and a season, for your purpose, it's all about you Lord and not about me for I am a mere servant called to do your work,'

Remember there are some people out there wishing they had a job. Let's not take for granted what we have, as God sees how we handle the small things first before he gives us the bigger things.

May God bless you this day and thank you for reading the article.

About the Author - Marie Grossett aka Vanessa Grossett is the Author of the book 'Don't Look Back' Published by Tate Publishing and Enterprises. She loves regularly writing for Keeping It Real on line magazine. www.womenscommunity.co.uk & http://vgrossett.wordpress.com

><> February 8, 2011; Source: FaithWriters

Our Tender and Loving Saviour
By Joanne Lowe

“Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with tender mercies.” - Psalm 103: 1 – 4, King James Version

Will L. Thompson, a poet composer, wrote the beautiful and heartfelt song “Softly and Tenderly Jesus is Calling”. As the great Evangelist Dwight Lyman Moody lay on his death bed, he took Will Thompson by the hand and said to him “Will, I would rather have written “Softly and Tenderly Jesus is Calling” than anything that I have been able to do in my whole life.”

We have a tender and loving Saviour. Not only is He a tender and loving Saviour, He is also a patient Saviour. For some of us, He has been patiently knocking on the door of our hearts for years not only to let Him into our hearts but also to give Him our lives, our talents, our time and our service.

Have you heard Jesus calling you into service for Him and you have refused to answer His call? If so, may God have mercy on you. You are breaking the heart of our precious Saviour. Ask God to forgive you and to fill your heart with a desire to serve Jesus with all of your heart.

Heavenly Father, we give You thanks for our tender and loving Saviour, Jesus. Thank You that one day You opened Your heart of compassion and sent Jesus into the world to save us. You have a wonderful, beautiful and loving Son. Thank You for sharing Him with us. Amen.

><> February 1, 2011

How to Know If You Have Met the Right Christian Person For Marriage
By Angie Lewis

Statistics now show that 60 percent of marriages fail. Why do you think that is? It is because we are not marrying suitable people. If a person exploits you and disrespects you during the courtship / dating period, what makes you think anything is going to change after marrying them?

During the "getting to know one another" stage of the relationship do they care more about what they can receive from you than getting to know you? Do they care more about what you have, how you look, or what you do for a living than the person within? These things are all very superficial and do not matter for having a loving and stable marriage.

Building A Firm Marriage Foundation Before Getting Married

If your relationship starts out as a sexual relationship but never develops into anything else and you marry them, what will the relationship be based on? Lust and desire are not emotions that we should base our marriage on. Having sex with someone before getting married does not guarantee marital success. But getting to know someone's character and seeing they have moral convictions about marriage purity does!

Marrying someone with lots of money and stuff will not guarantee marriage happiness, but marrying someone because you both live comparable lifestyles in Jesus Christ does! Marrying someone because they are good-looking does not guarantee happiness ever after, but marrying people who are committed to staying married, no matter what, does!

The bottom line is we need to marry people who share our same beliefs in Jesus Christ. Just because two people "say" they are Christians does not mean they are compatible people. One person's faith and beliefs may be VERY different than another person's faith and beliefs. Know who you are marrying!

The root of the problem for failing marriages is that they do not start off right to begin with. Without a firm foundation to support the marriage on, it cannot survive, hence divorce, or at the very least, an unhappy marriage. We need to start off our relationships on something tangible and true! God and His principles are something we can hang onto when times are tough in our marriage, but feelings of lust and desire diminish with time and will not be around to help us when we are having marriage difficulties.

Why are we so superficial in our relationships? Why are we jumping into marriage with such fairytale images of happiness ever after? I think it is because we have not been taught how to find suitable marriage spouses from our parents and because we aren't waiting on God. We seriously need to pray about our friendships with the opposite sex and never take our focus off of the reason we are able to even love another properly in the first place. If Christ had not sacrificed his life for ours how would we have learned what real love and forgiveness is all about?

Jesus Christ living in us gives us the fruits to discern the difference between someone who is only using us and thinks they want to spend the rest of their life with us, and the person who we should actually marry. Look for the fruits in others. Fruits do not come from outside appearances, nobility, status, money, power, etc. But fruits of the Spirit come from within a person. These are what we need to look for in a potential marriage spouse. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

About the Author – For more on Angie Lewis check her out on Facebook and Myspace. Can Cause Infidelity in Marriage: http://youtu.be/n5lcUM-QIs0. The Marriage Preparation and Godly Courtship Ministry: http://www.heavenministries.org.

><> January 25, 2011; Source: Article Source: Faith Writers

The "E' Files: Exceptional Living
by Shannon Heiden

Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.(Daniel 6:3 NIV)

Beautiful One, have you ever been known for something exceptional? Have you and the word even made it into the same sentence? Do we really understand what the word exceptional even means?

It is an interesting thing people do. We talk a lot, and a lot of what we say we don't comprehend. We are hardwired to regurgitate what we have heard others say. Upon investigating my own vocabulary, I was pretty amazed to discover and unearth the nuggets I absolutely had no idea were there.

Exceptional: better than average : superior, deviating from the norm. Exceptional also means being excellent, something wonderful.

Beautiful one, in a world that screams conform to the norm by day, and whispers disingenuous lies at night, how can we become exceptional? The hard truth is, there is a lot of thought and care that first must be wrestled with in the recesses of our minds. For some of us, it might take a lot of care and attention because we are so conditioned to focus on others, and the cares of this world, that we miss the opportunities that desire to well up from the inside of us and materialize on the outside.

We are the masters of our fate. In other words, we have been given power from God, to live out a life that is exceptional. Everyday, despite circumstances, we have the choice to be better than average. And, it is a choice. It is possible to deviate from the norm, and break off into something that goes above and beyond what we expect from ourselves and others.

Expectation plays a huge part in our life. We get what we expect, if we don't think we are capable of achieving something, than most likely we wont even try and therefore null and void our opportunity to get the cards rolling in our favor. We will receive nothing, because nothing was ever done to begin with. Even if we try and fail, no matter how big or small, God loves a willing heart, and in order to be willing, we also have to be active.

Take our work for instance. For some, it might simply be an exceptional thing deviating from the norm of complaining. Maybe we could do more than is required of us, and doing it when no one is looking!

How about our relationships? How wonderful it would be to esteem another with excellence, showering them with affectionate words that will build them up, instead of tearing them down. Lending our ears more than our opinions, and actually taking the time to show someone else that they are valued and worthy. What an exceptional thing it would be to forgive on the spot, and return genuine kindness for an unpleasantry.

Beautiful One, the Bible says that Daniel so distinguished himself, that it not only got him noticed, but rewarded.

Did Daniel distinguish himself for the applause of others? Actually no, Daniel happened to be the same consistent man, both day and night. In a crowd or alone by himself, Daniel was exceptional and only for an audience of One.

God himself.

So what exceptional qualities did Daniel possess? Being fearless was one, he didn't allow others opinions to sway him. Staying true to his ideals and beliefs. When people succumbed to the pressure of adversity, Daniel stood his ground.
Even in the face of death, Daniel remained faithful to what he knew was right and true. Prayer and worship never left his side. Daniel was a leader and follower to none. He deviated from the norm, and not only was he admired for these qualities, he was going to be rewarded big time.

Beautiful One, today, let's deviate from "our norm." Let's go beyond the usual efforts we normally make. What can we do to get out of our boxes? But you may say, we like our boxes, even if we are scrunched up, it's safe, and we know it well.

Sometimes the fear of failure, rejection or the fear of the unknown can seem harder to face than our reality. But, so what! No one who is exceptional is ever comfortable anyway. Conformity is comfortable, but exceeding even our own expectations would be a wonderful thing to experience.

Not only would it be wonderful, but it is possible, so let's start today!

Let's Be Exceptional!

Beautiful One, just believe!

About the Author - Shannon Heiden has served in full time ministry for four years. Serving the needs of the community and my congregation through Pastoral Care, Outreach and Recovery. I currently write a weekly column for a Christian Womens Magazine. TakeRootandWrite.com I am very excited and expectant for what the future holds in this new direction. It is my passion to "Inspire Others, to Come Up Higher," through the transforming power of Gods Word. By Changing One Life, We Can Reach Many! changingonelifereachingmany.typepad.com Silent Sufferers with Shannon Heiden at takerootandwrite.com. shannonheiden@yahoo.com and changingonelifereachingmany.typepad.com

><> January 18, 2011; Article Source: FaithWriters.com

6 Ways to Let Those with Chronic Illness in Your Church Know You Care
By Linda Copen

Nearly 1 in 2 people in the U.S. have a chronic condition. If it’s not you, it’s someone sitting next to you.

Too often, a chronic illness, such as fibromyalgia, or a chronic condition like back pain from a car accident, is invisible. Those who live with chronic illnesses do everything they can to look presentable, get to church, and sit through the service. But as someone with rheumatoid arthritis, as I stood during worship and grasped onto the pew in front of me to balance my knees that need joint replacements, I nearly laughed as the worship song said, “I will stand in spite of pain.” Surrounded by a church I loved, I still felt lonely and misunderstood.

Churches have an overwhelming amount of needs that must be fulfilled where the need is obvious. So if people aren’t saying anything about their pain, doesn’t that mean they are coping with it fine? Their faith and the ability to pray for strength should be enough, right?

Let’s look at some staggering statistics:
• Despite what we may assume, 60% of those who live with daily illness or pain are between the ages of 18 and 64.
• The divorce rate among the chronically ill is over 75 percent.
• Depression is 15-20% higher for the chronically ill than for the average person.
• Various studies have reported that physical illness or uncontrollable physical pain is major factors in up to 70% of suicides.*
There is cause for concern. Whether you see it or not, your church body has many ailing bodies, and they are often accompanied by broken spirits. So, if people aren’t talking about their pain, how do you know how to reach out to them?

(1) Conduct a survey on the needs people may have that they are not speaking out about, especially if you are a large church where people may be more reluctant to talk about their needs. In a recent Barna group study, it was found that larger churches were the least likely to mention congregational care ministries as a priority (Church Priorities for 2005 Vary Considerably). Ask, “if a van is provided, will you be able to get to church more easily? Would you listen to church on the internet if you were too ill to attend? Do you feel you can call and ask for occasional personal assistance (especially if the illness is chronic and not acute)? Would you like the worship song lyrics in the bulletin and not just on an overhead? Are the seats comfortable or would you prefer a few rows be saved for you with cushions?” Brainstorm with a group of people who have a chronic illness and ask them for a wish list. Then sit down and prioritize.

(2) Provide a small group/Bible study setting for those with illness. For example, Rest Ministries has a small group program called HopeKeepers which provides a wide variety of materials and Bible studies for this purpose. You may find that although people enjoy the small groups they are in, they feel that talking and praying about their illness week after week is a burden. Having a place where they can “speak the same language” and even laugh at the same jokes can be invigorating. And if only a few people come, that’s okay. It brings people comfort to know the church has this oasis when they need it.

(3) Have special guest speakers. There are dozens of people who have physical disabilities that go to churches and share their testimony. Allowing them to be at the pulpit and share what God has done in their lives despite physical challenges, sends a message to those that are ill that you recognize their needs, you care, and most of all, that you believe they are still worthy to be used by God. People such as Dave Dravecky, Renee Bondi and Joni Eareckson Tada, and many others, minister to the masses, not just those with disabilities.

(4) Consider adding a parish nurse to your staff, especially if your church body has a lot of seniors. Many retired nurses are finding this area of ministry appealing and most hospitals now offer training. Parish nurses have a variety of duties, depending on your church’s needs and goals, for example, they may go to homes to monitor diabetes or high blood pressure of church members, organize health fairs and screenings, help provide walking groups, etc. This position may be more applicable for the size of your church than a specific disabilities coordinator, yet s/he would cover these responsibilities, working closely with the congregational care pastor.

(5) Provide helpful resources that are available for borrowing. Many people with chronic illness are on a fixed-income and yet they need encouragement. Stock your church library with books on living with chronic illness such as “Why Can’t I Make People Understand?” by Lisa Copen or “When God Weeps” by Joni Eareckson Tada. Buy a few subscriptions to magazines such as “HopeKeepers”, “Guideposts” and even “Arthritis Today.” Remember to have books on tape, audio presentations and large-print whenever they are available. Post flyers or have brochures available about chronic illness or disability ministries, such as Joni’s “Wheels for the World” program or Rest Ministries’ annual outreach, “Invisible Illness Week.” A parish nurse may also want to collect lists of local resources and national ministries and put them in binder; lists of organizations, magazines and newsletters on topics for Christian seniors, those with disabilities, caregivers, and assisted living to name a few.

(6) Lastly, and most importantly, remember people with illness want to serve—not just be served. “He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed” (Proverbs 11:25). For example, when someone tells you she is resigning from teaching Sunday school, let her know that she is welcome to serve in other ways when she is ready. She may find she enjoys writing notes to others who have illnesses to encourage them. A man may find he can mentor another man with a chronic illness one-on-one rather than leading a Bible study. Let them know that you value wounded healers and believe that God comforts us “so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God” (2 Corinthians 1:4). About twice a month someone tells me that they went to their pastor with a request to start a chronic illness HopeKeepers ministry and they were told, “you can minister to others until you are healed.” I’ve seen too many broken hearts because people are told they are no longer useful to the church or even to God when they live with illness.

In Luke 14:21 Jesus shares a parable of a great banquet. When the man’s friends all turned down his hospitality he commanded, “Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.” This is still a mandate to us today, but we must remember that to provide a place where we offer hospitality, we must first “go out” into our own pews and provide a place of refuge; then these people who have experienced the comfort in your church will be there to walk alongside the rest of the community with open arms of understanding.

References:
- Chronic Care in America: A 21st Century Challenge, a study of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.),
- National Health Interview Survey
- Rifkin, A. "Depression in Physically Ill Patients," Postgraduate Medicine (9-92) 147-154.
- Mackenzie TB, Popkin MK: "Suicide in the medical patient.". Intl J Psych in Med 17:3-22, 1987

About the Author - People in your church are hurting! Discover 505 ways to encourage a chronically ill friend in Lisa Copen's 94-page book, Beyond Casseroles. Get 3 copies for just $10! http://www.comfortzonebooks.com

><> January 4, 2011; Source: Christian Article Bank

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