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Our Light Affliction
By Sylvia Huffnagle

In today’s America there are many Christians who have not used the Word to train their thinking to fear not man, to endure tests and trials, and to be longsuffering.

Believers must do these things to overcome--especially in these end times when persecution against Christians can break out anywhere. In fact in most of the world there is more persecution of Christians today than ever before. BE READY!

With compiled scriptures I will endeavor to show believers when to stand against the enemy, how to stand against the enemy, and why they must stand against the enemy. And to show them what endurance is, where it is called for and what longsuffering is, and where it is necessary?

MINDSET:

Cor: 4:17-18: For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Notice that the affliction works for you. How? Every time we choose to do things God’s way and not our own, we gain ground in the battle to be conformed into Jesus’ image. And every time we choose to take a lesser way, we lose ground and are weakened for the battle.

PERSECUTION:

Mt: 5:10-16: Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11: Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12: Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. 13: Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14: Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15: Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Why must Christians stand for the truth?
They are the salt of the earth.
They are to let their light shine.

Mt: 10:16 -21: Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. 17: But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; 18: And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. 19: But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. 20: For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. 21: And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.

22-25: And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. 23: But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel , till the Son of man be come. 24: The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. 25: It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?

Their master (Jesus) did not fear man. He always did as His Father bid Him. Christians will get the same treatment Jesus gets.

26-31: Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. 27: What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. 28: And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29: Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. 30: But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31: Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

32-39: Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33: But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. 34: Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35: For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36: And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. 37: He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38: And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39: He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

Jn: 14:27 : Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

First emphasis: Fear not man. This is necessary in an evil and adulterous generation or in a country where Jesus is not welcome. For many there is a real threat of being beaten up, thrown in jail or even killed. Jesus told us to stand for what He has taught us in the face of persecution.

To stand means the truth is upheld. The truth is proclaimed and emphasized. The benefits are that some people will give heed and even eventually receive the Lord. Others will ponder it and be fore-warned.

To stand also means we are pleasing the Father and the Son.

It means you are doing your part for the cause of Christ, which is to proclaim truth in order to set men free and to save souls. Jesus paid a high price to make these things available. The least believers can do is be His body down here as He represents them as their High Priest up there.

How do you gain the courage and determination to stand?
Develop a close personal love relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Remember that you are salt and light in a dark, tasteless world.
Know that God cares for you and even the hairs of your head are important to Him.
Remind yourself that man can only kill your body. God has power over all of you.
Know that all of God’s children confess Him.
Let not your heart be afraid, put your trust in Him.

How to handle persecution:
Mt: 5:44: But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Who will be persecuted in these last days:
2Tim: 3:12: Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

PATIENCE:

Mt: 18:26 : The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

Christians need patience in order to show mercy.

Lk: 8:15 : But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

Lk: 21:19 : In your patience possess ye your souls.

Rom: 5:3-4: And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

Christians need patience to go through their tests and trials successfully. As they exercise patience during trials they become more skilled at being patient, thus it says here tribulation worketh patience.

Rom: 15:4: For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

2Cor: 12:12 : Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.

Patience is listed as a sign of true Christianity.

Col: 1:11: Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

2Thess: 1:4: So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:

1Tim: 6:11: But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

2Tim: 3:10: But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,

Titus: 2:2: That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.

Heb: 6:12 : That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Heb: 10:36 : For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

Christians need to practice patience to receive the promises.

Heb: 12:1: Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Jas: 1:3-4: Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

Jas: 5:10 -11: Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

Rev: 2:2: I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:

Rev: 3:10: Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

Rev: 13:10 : He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

ENDURANCE:

Mt: 10:22: And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

Mt: 24:13: But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Mk: 4:17: And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.

Mk: 13:13: And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Mt: 13:21: Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

1Cor: 13:4-8: Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5: Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6: Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7: Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8: Charity never faileth:

2Thes: 1:4: So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:

Jms: 1:12: Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Heb:1 2:7: If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

Jas: 5:11: Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

1Pet: 2:19: For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

1Pet: 4:12-14: Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

LONGSUFFERING:

Gal: 5:22: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Eph: 4:2: With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

Col: 1:11: Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

Col: 3:12: Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

1Tim: 1:16: Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

2Pet: 3:15: And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

Longsuffering is the state of enduring as one patiently waits for the desired result.

SUFFERING:

1Pet: 3:14: But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;

2Cor: 4:11-18: For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 12 Cor: 4:12-18: 12: So then death worketh in us, but life in you. 13: We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; 14: Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. 15: For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. 16: For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17: For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18: While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

This must be the believer’s attitude in order to practice patience, endurance, longsuffering, and fearlessness.

About the Author: Sylvia is an ordained minister and writes to help mature the believer.

@ December 29, 2009; Source: Narrow is the Path

A Joyful Song to All
By Carol Hoener

Let this season be filled with joyful singing.
Replacing our tears with the spirit of Thanksgiving.
(Isaiah 35:10)

Be filled with the fatness and sweetness of God's goodness.
Overflowing on those who are hurting and homeless.
(Nehemiah 8:10)

Overcoming our sorrows, troubles and weeping.
Receiving the beauty of Love, Peace and God's joyful singing.
(Isaiah 61:3, Zephaniah 8:17)

Holding on to the joy the world can't take away.
Be assured with the promise of hope and peace when we pray.
(John 16:20-24)

Making this a season to restore, revive and renew.
Finding comfort in songs of joy over you.
(Luke 15:7, Galatians 5:22)

Setting aside the troubles and trials that taunt us.
Letting the spirit of love, hope and joy overcome us.
(Hebrews 12:2, James 1:2, Romans 15:13)

If you see no other reason to make this season bright,
Let this be the season you let Jesus be your light.
(Psalm 51:12, Psalm 63:5)

Without peace there is no unity, without unity there is no love, without love there is war.

"Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me."

If you agree, join me in unity and the best is yet to be.

By Carol Hoener

@ December 9, 2009

A Salvation Party
By Joanne Lowe

“Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” Luke 15: 10, King James Version

We have a party for someone who has a birthday. We also have anniversary parties. We need to have a salvation party for those who have invited Jesus into their hearts to be their personal Saviour. When someone is saved, the angels of God rejoice and celebrate. Think what an impact it would have on a teenager if we have a salvation party for him or her.

Also, it is very important that our churches have a salvation party for those who get saved. You might think that we would be having salvation parties every Sunday. Praise God! O that people would accept Jesus as their personal Saviour every time we have church! It would make Jesus very happy if we would have salvation parties.

I’m not talking about a party with sandwiches, cookies and soda. I’m talking about a big party, a party with all of the trimmings. We should have a big meal and give presents to those who have just been saved. We should be rejoicing with the angels of God. However, if you want to have a salvation party, you must first be saved.

Has there ever been a time in your life when you humbled yourself, admitted that you are a sinner, repented of your sins and asked God to forgive you? Have you opened the door of your heart and invited Jesus in to be your personal Saviour? If not, don’t put it off any longer. Open the door of your heart and invite Jesus in today before it is too late.

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

@ December 1, 2009

Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage
By Angie Lews

I know of two couples personally who got married at a young age and then went through tremendous trials and troubles in their marriage, and for one reason or another they ended up divorcing. After a time, and finding their way in life, after even more trials, they ended up remarrying each other again.

Remarriage to the man or woman you first married is more prevalent than you would think. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to have the knowledge beforehand of knowing you will remarry your spouse, so you could skip the divorce part of it, work on the marriage and stay married?

After I analyzed these now quite happy remarriages, I have come to the conclusion that with the correct knowledge, divorce can be skipped and shouldn’t even be an option. In one of the cases mentioned above, the marriage was greatly disturbed by the presence of an alcoholic. And neither partner had come to accept Christ for their life.

Several years later when he got sober and mentally healthier, and she discovered the power of God in her life, they remarried and the marriage is doing great. The couple above is my sister and brother in law. They have been remarried now for over ten years. I do not see divorce again in the future.

In the other case, the couple was again, very young and quite immature. The problems of the marriage were too much stress for them to handle with such undeveloped intentions, besides they just did not have the basis for a solid foundation going for the marriage, and they ended up divorcing. Several years later they rediscovered one another, now mature in their age, both believers in Jesus Christ, they reunited in marriage. And the marriage is flourishing.

I believe that more and more divorced couples could rediscover one another again and remarry. Here’s why. When we get married, we bring baggage with us. We don’t leave it at mom and dads house or the dorm we once lived in. No, the baggage comes right along with us. Maybe it is addiction or predisposition to addiction, or maybe it is plain out selfishness, or maybe it is emotional retardation. Whatever the baggage is, it doesn’t matter.

The point is, whatever baggage we bring into the marriage, we can learn from it with our spouse, or we can give up, impede growth and divorce. The problem with that is we still have the baggage and it will come along with us into all of our relationships until we rid it from ourselves. Past baggage is not who we are it is only a part of the hurdles in life that we need to grow out from and learn by. Anyone with determination can jump the hurdles of baggage, believe me.

Sometimes the pain of baggage really hurts deep and sometimes we suffer through our tribulations onto the next trial. But here is the answer, as simple as it may seem. With God all things are possible. And with God and a sincere belief and complete trust in the Son of God as our Savior, we can get through our problems of suffering and pain. Yes, it will hurt, but we will get through them.

Let me ask you something. If you knew that you would be remarrying your spouse five or ten years later anyway, would you get a divorce? The answer to that is probably not. You would work on the marriage through any means that worked, wouldn’t you?

Knowing that God wants us to stay married to our first love and knowing that He will give us the resources and strength to work on the difficulties of marriage, should give some of you a second chance in your heart to repent, forgive, and work on yourself and marriage. Skip divorce all together! Who needs it anyway? Why put you and the children through such turmoil and suffering of divorce when God has given you the ability to work through your trials and tribulations? Jump over those hurdles with God!

Think about this. I think that more and more divorced couples could and should reunite with their first spouse if one or both of them have not already remarried someone else. After all, in God’s eyes they are still married anyway.

About the Author:- Angie Lewis has written three books on how to have a happy marriage. She has just finished her fourth book THE ALCOHOLISM TRAP: Understanding Why You Drink and What You Can Do To Achieve Total Sobriety. For more information about this book and marriage books, please visit: http://www.heavenministries.com. To see book previews, please visit: http://stores.lulu.com/angielewis

@ November 17, 2009; Source: Christian Article Bank

Are We Willing
By Joanne Lowe

“Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” - John 10: 17, 18, King James Version

Jesus willingly laid down His life for us. Nobody could have made Him die for us. He could have come down from the cross if He had wanted to stop the crucifixion. There were not enough nails or enough men to keep Him on the cross if He had chose to come down from the cross.

What amazing unconditional love and compassion flowed from the heart of Jesus for you and for me the day He died for us. The wonderful thing is that the same amazing unconditional love and compassion that flowed from His heart for us when He was crucified flows from His heart for us every day of our lives. There is no one like Jesus! No one loves us like He loves us.

What a Saviour! What a friend, this Jesus of Nazareth. I wonder if we can honestly say in our hearts that we are willing to lay down our lives for Him. Are we willing to get out of our comfort zones and serve the One who loves us so much that He died for us? Are we willing to shut off the television and go tell people of our risen Saviour and His unconditional love for them?

If we really love Jesus, how can we sit and watch television hour after hour when there are people who have not accepted Jesus as their personal Saviour and are on their way to hell for all eternity? Remember, the level of our service to Jesus depends on our level of love for Him. How much do you love Him and how much are you willing to do for Him?

@ November 13, 2009

Marriage: I Don't Love You Anymore
By Angie Lewis

Think about the title of this article for just a moment and how corny it sounds. I don't love you anymore. Actually when a spouse says, "I don't love you anymore" it means they don't want to love you anymore. Selfishness has taken precedent in this person's life and they are simply tired of doing things that show love, such as sacrifice, respect and responsibility. Because all three of these are what love is!

There is so much of the "I don't love you anymore" between couples in marriage that marriage gurus have to come up with more and more articles and books on "how to win your ex back" and "how to make your ex fall back in love with you". What kind of love are these articles referring to? You can't just "fall out of love" with your spouse or significant other if you weren't really loving them in the first place.

You shouldn't have to try and win your ex spouse back if he or she belongs to you. Didn't God bless you with the person you are married to? Of course He did. Couples should be reading articles on how to bring God into their marriage so they may learn how to love one another with real love. What is real love? When you sacrifice a part of your self for your spouse that is love. When you try to understand your spouse that is love. When you do things that show love, even when you don't feel like it that is love.

So you see, when all is said and done, it won't matter what worldly tactics you use to try and "be loved" or "win back love" or "love others" unless you are committed to the relationship. Marriage commitment is a lifestyle and marriage non-commitment is a lifestyle.

For instance, if you are used to living by your feelings and doing whatever you want then that is the lifestyle you have made for yourself. If you are used to showing love by sharing yourself and working at being a loving person in your marriage then you have made that your lifestyle. Your commitment level shows in your lifestyle; it shows in what you do for your marriage.

The "I don't love you anymore" attitude is based upon feelings only, and that's all. The person who says they "don't love anymore" may actually believe it because they have been taught that love is a feeling. When you first think you are "in love" with someone, that is only a mixture of desire and lust. That's all it is. This is why two or three years later when these feelings are gone, you believe you aren't "in love" anymore.

If you want to save your marriage you have to "be committed"! You have to "show your love" through your commitment. It doesn't matter how you feel about each other as much as what you are going to do to stay married. You can live an uncommitted lifestyle for your marriage or you can take responsibility for "your part in the marriage" and be happy with what God has blessed you with. It's all up to you. You make your own happiness!

Remember, love is not how your feel, but what you do. Have you shown your love to your spouse today? Love is a choice. You choose to love or not to love. You choose to take responsibility for your marriage, or not. You choose to sacrifice your happiness for the sake of your spouse, or not. You choose to love because it is what Jesus Christ has taught us to do.

About the Author: Angie and Frank's Marriage Ministry: http://www.heavenministries.com; Angie's Books: http://www.lulu.com/angielewis

@ October 7, 2009; Source: Faith Writers.com

Are You Washed In His Blood
By Joanne Lowe

“And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” - Matthew 26: 27, 28, King James Version

Pastor Elisha Albright Hoffman wrote a song that I’m sure you have heard “Are You Washed in the Blood”. The words that Pastor Hoffman penned should make us search our hearts. “Are you washed in the blood, In the soul cleansing blood of the Lamb? Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? All of us need to ask ourselves this question “Am I washed in the blood?”

It doesn’t matter if we have been a member of a church all of our lives or sing in the choir or teach Sunday School or preach. If our hearts have not been washed in the cleansing atoning blood of the Christ of Calvary, we are lost in our sins and are on our way to hell for all eternity. We need to search our hearts and be sure that we are saved. If you are not sure that your sins have been washed in the precious blood of Jesus, make sure even as you read this devotion.

Jesus is coming back any minute and you need to be certain that the precious blood of Jesus has been applied to your heart for the forgiveness of your sins. If Jesus comes back for us today, will you be ready to meet Him? Please make sure that you are saved. It is the most important decision you will ever make. It is the difference between spending eternity in hell with satan or spending eternity in Heaven with Jesus. Where are you going to spend eternity, with Jesus or with satan?

@ September 23, 2009

Healed by Visualization
By Hannah Henderson

New Age philosophy has spilled heavily over into health care and has infiltrated even Christian beliefs about divine physical healing. It's said that some have received medically verifiable physical healing through the practice of the power of visualization. The patient is taught to let his imagination create mental sceneries in which his disease or cancer is under attack by whatever his mind's eye see as the imaginary attacker and conqueror of his condition. Is this a powerful but harmless use of positive thinking and imagery? Cannot both the Christian and non-Christian alike use this power of his God given brain to work with the "universal mind" in which healing lies? The answer for the Christian based on biblical scripture is a forceful no. The Bible has already told the believer seeking healing what to focus his mind on--God's living Word. Proverbs 4.20-22 instructs the believer, saying, "attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my saying. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart (mind's eye). For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh."

The Christian is not to stifle or dismiss other perfectly sensible actions resulting from a positive outlook such as following the instructions of his physician, cleaning up his diet, and taking a look into herbal medicines, all of which have no condemnation in the Bible. He therefore can do many of the same things non-Christians may do in the use of their positive mind, but, to a certain dividing line such as that mentioned above.

All thoughts and actions that rise up in opposition to Christ Jesus, must be quickly brought down to prevent giving any advantage to Satan to work in one's life through sin against God. The Lord is the only true healer of all sickness and disease, both physical and mental, and never is He seen in scripture instructing anyone that He healed, to practice the type of visualization promoted by New Age thought.

The scripture of 2 Corinthians 10.5-6 admonishes men to practice, "casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."

Again, it is recorded in Exodus 15.26 that, "...if thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians; for I am the Lord that healeth thee.

Americans also need to be aware of the various methods for diagnosing disease. These methods include the study of the invisible meridians of the body, yin and yang balance, and so many others that could be listed but that are beyond the scope of this article. Inevitably they lead one into the pagan practices and doctrines from which they were born.

About the Author: Hannah Henderson is the founder and writer for Heavenly Manna an online Bible study website. For more information or to view more of Hannah’s articles, please go to: Heavenly Manna

@ September 1, 2009; Source: Christian Article Bank

God uses ordinary people, like you and me, to do extra-ordinary things for His glory!
By Deborah Morrison

Surely you know that God uses ordinary people to do extra-ordinary things. He puts the super on our natural. Yes! God is still using ordinary people, like you and me, to talk to His people, to present His message of salvation, of love, peace and hope, to heal, to help, and to represent Him, just as He used Abraham, Moses, Joseph, David, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Paul, and so many others. Through ordinary people, God shows His wisdom, His mighty power and His glory for His honor. So let me tell you how God used me. This is my story.

On April 18, 2000 at 4:30 a.m., the Lord told me to write a book with messages about real life situations. I thought "I'm not a writer." As a matter of fact, I was not an avid reader either and I never considered writing a book of any kind. Now thinking of it, I was the perfect candidate for this assignment because if completed, I would not be able to take any credit. But as I said before, God uses ordinary people to do extra ordinary things. He puts the super on the natural and He makes the impossible possible. I'm a living testimony. Please keep in mind, I'm no biblical or religion scholar, I'm not a minister or pastor, and I've not done any type of formal training or study in theology. Again, this made me the ideal candidate. Why? Because there would be no doubt that the messages I would write came directly from God and I was only the messenger. God is awesome!

So every morning around 4:00 a.m. for the next four months, the Holy Spirit woke me-up with a message in my heart. I would get-up and start typing on the computer. My husband didn't fully understand what was happening but God gave him the peace and wisdom to not intervene or interfere. Now, the amazing part of this whole experience was that after writing the message, I would open the Bible and there were the scriptures to match the message. Every time I think of this supernatural event I get goose bumps! Don't tell me that we don't serve a mighty God! You see, you don't understand, I had just started reading my Bible therefore I was not versed in scriptures and I had no clue where to find scriptures, this was all God's doing!

I completed "A Time To Reflect" in four months and on July 31, 2000 I submitted the manuscript to The Library of Congress-Copyright Office. Not bad for a person who was clueless. Being clueless was a good thing because it meant that I had to be obedient and solely dependent on God for everything. So then I asked God, what's next? And He directed me to not publish the book. He told me that I was not ready and that I needed to grow in His Word. I was cool with that. Hey, He was running this show and I was His helper! What an honor and privilege to be God's helper! It was all good!

In 2007 God told me that it was time to publish the book and He sent me confirmation in different ways. In Spring 2009 the book was published. Alright now! Again, I was clueless but obedient and depended solely on God for direction through the whole process. I can't and will not take any credit. I give all praise, honor, and glory to my Heavenly Daddy with who I have a personal and the most fulfilling relationship with. Yeah! Isn't this awesome? I thank God for using me, ordinary me, in this way. Glory to God! Hallelujah!

So what am I saying? God can use anyone for His glory! He wants to use you! Just make yourself available to be used by Him and you too will have an amazing story to tell!

About the Author: Deborah W. Morison rededicated her life to God in 1999. Author of "A Time To Reflect" and a Christian Life Coach. God has gifted her with wisdom and good old common sense which she uses to help people get through difficult times. atimetoreflect@comcast.net

@ August 25, 2009; Source: Faith Writers

May God Have Mercy On Us
By Joanne Lowe

“Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.” Matthew 7: 1 – 5, King James Version

We are so quick to judge other people, aren’t we? It’s a whole lot easier to judge somebody else than it is to judge ourselves. I have to be honest with you and tell you that there were many times through the years before I was saved that I criticized people and judged them.

Then one day something happened that made me realize that I didn’t have any right to judge anybody. I finally understood how wrong it was to criticize and judge others. I had to repent of my own sin and ask God to forgive me for not making sure my own heart was in right standing with Him instead of pointing the finger at someone else.

Many years ago when I lived in Oklahoma, my best friend was my pastor’s wife. We always sat together in church and we did a lot of fun things together. One Sunday morning after my pastor had finished preaching, he gave an invitation for those who weren’t saved to come to the altar and accept Jesus as their personal Saviour.

My dear friend, who was the pastor’s wife, got up and walked down the aisle. Her husband, my pastor, took her hand and listened with tears rolling down his cheeks as his wife invited Jesus into her heart to be her personal Saviour. With tears in her eyes, my dear friend gave this testimony. “I taught Sunday School for twenty three years and sang in the choir. I played the organ and the piano. I went on four mission trips and taught a weekly women’s Bible study for ten years but I did not have a personal relationship with Jesus.”

As I listened to my best friend give her testimony, I was filled with gratitude that I had the privilege of knowing this wonderful Christian lady. Instead of the congregation encouraging her and telling her how happy they were that she had asked Jesus into her heart, they immediately held a business meeting and voted to ask my pastor to leave. May God have mercy on us for judging others when we should be judging ourselves.

Heavenly Father, please have mercy on us and forgive us for criticizing people and judging them instead of encouraging them and praying for them. Help us to realize that You do not need our help; that You are perfectly capable of raising Your children the way You want them raised.

Father, I pray for every pastor’s wife today. Would You please encourage them and let them know how much You appreciate them. May they feel Your unconditional love today as they have never felt it before. Thank You for our pastor’s wives. Please help us to remember to pray for them. Plant deep in our hearts the desire to always be an encouragement to them. Amen.

@ August 4, 2009

An Angry Saint
By Patricia Charlton

Anger and frustration are two of my worst enemies. The more I tried to control these two powerful emotions, the greater the failure. Frustrated from guilt and embarrassment from my many outbursts, I took a journey towards self-control. During this journey, there were several important steps.

Acknowledgement was the first step. Yes, I was angry. Angry at the world, my father’s rejection, abandonment, and many emotional scars. Hiding behind a mask and pretending that it never happened only accelerated my problem - anger turned to wrath and wrath to action. One night, shaking with frustration and clutching a knife, anger got the best of me. Speeding past my brother’s ear, the knife embedded itself in the kitchen wall. That was not the only failure. During an argument with my mother, she turned to leave the room. Bursting with anger, I swung my leg into the air. With her bones cracking and a painful cry, the full force of my leg connected with her hand. Staring at her black and blue fingers, I hung my head in shame.

Responsibility was my second step. As a child of God, I am to: “put off all these: anger, wrath, malice….” (Colossians 3: 8) As an ambassador of Christ, every action and spoken word reflected His character. My explosive anger did not reflect God’s character. (James 1: 20) If I did not control my anger, God would deal with my outbursts. (Hebrews 12: 6) God held me accountable for my actions.

The final step involved courageous action. The courage to deal with my problem would come from a powerful source. I needed power that was greater than anger and frustration. Where did I find that power? That power came from this: “the exceeding greatness of His power towards us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power.” (Ephesians 1: 19) Freedom from explosive anger was my choice. With openness and honesty, I talked to the Lord about each painful hurt. Forgiveness and releasing each situation to Christ, I stepped out of my explosive anger. Was this an easy process? NO! With my hand in the hand of the one who walked on water (Jesus), I walked around each situation - acknowledging that every back stabbing, knife-twisting hindrances from others happened. The luxury of hiding from my painful past, I could no long afford. After many tearful encounters with my past transgressions and prayerful nights, this process got easier. Also, I found several prayer warriors, who loved and encouraged my victory over this sin.

In order to maintain this newly acquired peace, I searched and implemented a conflict resolution plan. This plan included confronting those who I have wronged or have wronged me. With any future frustration, I searched for the root cause and immediately dealt with that cause. With regular exercise (I swim three times a week) and healthy eating, I have the physical stamina to control any further angry outbursts.

Changing my thought patterns was the premier part of this new conflict resolution plan.
Again, with the help of others, I memorized chapters of the Bible - chapters that brought encouragement or positive behavior. From Philippians 4: 8, I learned how to “think positively” – “whatever things are true, noble, just, pure….”. Over and over and over again, I verbalized that verse into my being. From 11 Timothy 3: 16, 17 I realized that scripture was a powerful tool and very necessary for this victory. Timothy also realized that: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. That the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” With these tools I have put on (Christ) and stepped out of my anger. Daily I used these tools and victory in Christ was mine.

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; http://www.yourinheritance.blogspot.com

@ July 28, 2009; Article Source: Christian Article Bank

Always Be Prepared
By Alyssa Avant

There are many times in our lives that take much preparation on our parts. Our children going back to school each fall, preparing for vacation, or holidays, all these things take preparation. With each activity there may be supplies to buy, clothes shopping to be done or new routines to get used to. Each event can be trying. The hustle and bustle of these activities begins and let’s face it we can all get a little “fussy” to say the least.

However, as Christians it is important that our busyness does not alter our attitudes so much that those around us do not even know that we are Christians. We are called to be “set apart” from the world. This should include our attitudes with not only our families, but with others. Sure this is a crazy busy time of year for everyone, but if you face each busy day with a positive, Christ-like attitude others will take note and wonder what is different about you, and what makes your outlook on life so much different from others, or maybe even their own.

As 1 Peter 3:15-16 says, “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”

Others will be recognizing this set-apartness that you have, however they may not know what it is that makes you different, that is where you are responsible as a Christian to be prepared to explain to them or to “give an account” to them for that hope that you have that is being shown in your attitude and hopefully in your actions as well. So, just like you are preparing for the new school year, a summer vacation or the holidays by buying supplies, getting new clothes and incorporating new routines into you life, you should also be prepared with a testimony or account of why you have the hope that you have through Jesus Christ.

It is not always easy to open your mouth and tell others about your relationship with Christ, but the more you do so the easier it will become, so get prepared!

About the Author: Alyssa Avant is a Christian work at home mom, writer, speaker, and blogger whose desire is to turn the hearts of girls towards God. As the founder of Beauty By Design Ministries, http://beautybydesignonline.com Alyssa seeks to reach tween and teen girls and their moms through products and events that are both exciting and inspiring.

@July 21, 2009, Source: Christian Article Bank

It Never Expires
By Joanne Lowe

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.” 1 Peter 1: 3, 4; King James Version

I received a coupon from a restaurant that allows me to buy one entrée and get another entrée free. However, the coupon is only good for three more days. As I was thinking about that coupon expiring in three days, it reminded me of our Scripture verse. For those of us who have humbled ourselves and admitted that we are sinners, repented of our sins, asked God to forgive us for our sins and invited Jesus into our hearts to be our personal Saviour, we have an inheritance reserved in Heaven for us. It will never expire and it is free to us.

Jesus paid for our reservation in Heaven with His own blood when He hung on that cross of torture and excruciating pain. What compassion and unconditional love flowed from the heart of our precious Saviour for us when He allowed them to crucify Him. There is no one like Jesus. He loves you so much that He willingly walked that long and lonely road to Calvary and died for you. What a Saviour, this Jesus of Nazareth!

Jesus is standing at the door of your heart and knocking to come in but you must open the door and let Him in. “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20). If you have never invited the Christ of Calvary into your heart to be your personal Saviour, I urge you; I plead with you to give your heart and life to Jesus right now before it is too late!

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

@ July 14, 2009

How to Eliminate Fear Out of Your Life
By Ann Stewart

Are you fearful of the economic conditions of our time ,your health diagnoses, your future? Maybe you are not even aware that you're being tormented by a deep- seated fear.

Fear affects your whole internal system causing your immune system to deplete and eventually, if allowed to persist, can turn into stress, depression and every conceivable illness.

"The thing which I greatly feared is come upon me." (Job 3: 25)

Alas, Job's grievous comment is all too often true. We have all heard people around us say things like: "See, I knew that would happen" or "I told you so," with a somewhat triumphant face at having predicted it.

The sad truth is that you do predict it when you say it. Pre-dict means to say beforehand. A fundamental law is that what you sow is what you will get. By speaking the negative, you do affect your belief system.

You can have faith for healing or good things and speak those into being. But, the opposite is also true for the negative.

The question is not so much as to whether you are fearful under certain circumstances. There are very few people who don't face fear on a daily basis. It's much more important
to know what to do about fear trying to control you.

So, what is the antidote for fear? When fear strikes to the very depths of your being, that's the time you need a great deal of love. Yes, love!

Fear promotes discouragement and ends in defeat. On the other hand, love promotes hope, which produces overcoming faith. Isn't that the exact opposite of what fear does? It's no wonder then that love is the greatest of the three ingredients to victorious Christian life: faith, hope and love! (1 Cor. 13: 13)

God is love and to love God is the first and greatest commandment. God has given us the commandments ultimately for our own good.

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us." (1 John 4: 18 - 19)

The best source for acquiring that love and peace you so desperately need is the Bible. All the answers to every fear and problem are there. Talk to God and wait quietly to allow Him to reach out to you. He always does both through the Scriptures He leads you to and the peace that accompanies being in His presence.

"Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another… If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us." (1 John 4: 11 - 12)

It has been my experience time and time again that when I was most in need of prayer and comfort, circumstances presented themselves for me to pray for others in even worse situations. It's a sobering and humbling experience to realize that your problems may be insignificant to those of others.

To exercise faith for someone else's situation, especially at a time that you don't feel you have it in you, can bring about a miracle! That is putting love and faith into action. That's some powerful duo to get worry and fear scurrying.

Remember these words: "God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." ( 2 Tim. 1: 7)

You are more than a conqueror. Nothing can separate you from the love of God (Rom. 8: 37 - 38)

About the Author: Ann is the author of “With Wings as Eagles,” an inspirational and encouraging testimonial of how we can overcome terrible circumstances in our lives. Get it here: with-wings-as-eagles.com Get her inspirational newsletter here: www.lifealteringwords.com

@ July 7, 2009; Source: Narrow Is the Path

Footprints of Faith
By Tessy Fuller

I gazed at the clouds drifting by the window and wondered if I could somehow contain the fluffy apparatus into my pocket. I imagined the face of my curious two-year old daughter as I placed it into her upturned hands. I envisioned that bringing home a cloud in my pocket would somehow make up for the time I would be without her.

As my husband and I prepared for our two week mission trip to Ecuador the "What Ifs" continually plagued my mind. I wrestled with guilt, wondering if I was being selfish? What if something happened to us? What would she do without her parents? Fear threatened to grip my heart. I started to question if I had made the wrong decision to go on this trip. My thoughts were riddled with worries that seemed to be blocking the door God had opened for us.

After spending a lot of time in prayer it dawned on me that this decision was critical on how I would choose to live my life. What kind of legacy did I want to leave behind? Her beautiful brown eyes watch me constantly. Her little mouth imitates my words. Would I want her to live her life in fear of the unknown or let God lead her on a marvelous adventure? As a mother, I knew I had a very important role in setting the tone for this decision.

Before we left, I wrote the following words to her in a letter that I plan to keep and give to her on her graduation day.

"I am about ready to leave for Ecuador on a mission trip, which is part of the journey God has lead me on. I am going to miss you so much. I feel compelled to write you this letter to let you know how much you mean to me. I also want you to understand why this decision to go to Ecuador is so important. I love you with every essence of who I am. From the very first movement in my tummy I vowed to be the best mother I could be. In a few months you will be turning two. You're at the stage where you imitate everything. This provides times of laughter and moments of self-reflection as I see myself mirrored in what you say and do. I know through my every action I am setting an example for you to follow, even if I am unaware of it at times. We all have a choice on how to live and I am choosing a life that is uncertain at times, but one that God intended us to have. A life of service to Him. I am going to help others that have much less then we do. We have been blessed with so much and I feel I need to give back. I hope I am giving you the best example to follow and that is to live life to the fullest by seizing divine moments on the journey God lays before you."

Tears flowed down my cheeks as I penned each word. With every tear that fell I knew I had made the right choice. I would not let fear reign in my heart. I would not let divine moments God intended for me to have slip into oblivion. Footprints of faith would be my legacy to her. The years will pass quickly and so will the opportunities to teach her. One day she will leave my home and set out on her own journey. When she gets to this point, I hope I have marked a trail with my life that will inspire her to follow God's direction at every turn.

About the Author: I am a 28 year old mother of a three year old daughter, Aleigh and one year old twins Ryan and Avery. I have been married to my husband, a youth pastor, for almost seven years. I love being a mom and serving God in our home church where I teach Sunday School for the 2's and 3's class.

@ June 30, 2009; Source: Faith Writers

Have A Wonderful Day
By Joanne Lowe

“And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.” Luke 11: 1, 2, King James Version

Heavenly Father, we come to You this morning in the precious name of Jesus. We aren’t asking You for anything. We just want to praise You and thank You for all that You do for us. We thank You so much for the precious gift of Your beloved Son. We pray that You have a wonderful day. May many people invite Your Son into their hearts to be their personal Saviour so that Jesus will be happy and Your heart will rejoice. We love You, Heavenly Father, and we appreciate You so much. Amen.

How often do we praise God and thank Him for all He has done for us without asking Him for anything? I have to be honest with you. The first few times I tried to pray without asking Him for something, I found myself asking Him for something. How about you? Have you ever prayed and thanked Him and praised Him without asking Him for something?

If so, how long has it been since you have prayed without asking Him for something? Have you prayed with a heart full of praise and thanks today? Let’s make this a wonderful day for Him. Heavenly Father, indeed You are worthy of our praise. Thank You for being our loving compassionate Father. We praise You and thank You for who You are, a tender and precious Heavenly Father. Amen.

@ June 23, 2009

Beauty from Destruction
By Bridgette Rock

The room I entered was darker then the one I had left behind. It took a matter of nanoseconds for my eyes to adjust to the absence of light; but as I regained my focus, he came into view. There in a dark corner of the empty space, a little boy sat on the floor. I took a step closer and leaned forward to see what the small child was playing with. He was humming a somber tune as he played diligently. Pensive music coming from his throat slowly sank into my already heavy heart.

In front of him were two lumps of clay. I observed as his little hands molded each lump, contemplatively fashioning body parts for each figure he shaped. “Little boy, what are you making there?” I asked. Although his humming ceased for the moment; the boy didn’t stir in my direction. He didn’t stop his work. “I am making someone to love.” He said matter of factly. His beaming voice carried an assuredness that translated as comfort with my presence; as if he’d expected me all along. When the melody resumed, it was less solemn.

I knelt down beside him, my mouth agape with awe. “What is that,” I pointed toward an elaborate, miniature clay world. “Will that be their home?” I wanted to know everything, but I did not want to disturb the boy’s peaceful state. I held my tongue, biting back the ceaseless questions rumbling in my mind. I wanted his peace to find its way to me. I had been torn and restless before walking through the door; I had been searching for so many answers to the pain in my life. It was nice to be near this quiet child.

“This will be their cradle,” he answered as he pointed to the tiny diorama. The structure was breathtaking and as beautiful as I’d pictured Mount Abora in the poems I’d read as a child; it was as vast as any stretch of infinity. “See, these will be the hills they sleep on.” He pointed towards the rolling green landscape he’d crafted. “And these trees will give them food to live.” I was enthralled with excitement for what I saw before me, “the trees already have fruit” I gasped. His craftsmanship was detailed and intricate.

The small child held a completed figure in each hand. Explaining to me he said, “This is the man. His back will be strong. He will take care of everything he can see.” He gently placed him on top of the highest hill. “This is the woman. Her heart will be strong. She will be loving and tender to everything she can see.” The little boy meticulously smoothed out a place on the hill and smiled wide. “I will love you forever and for always,” he said as he placed her next to the man. The picturesque cradle seemed to be whole as it now fulfilled its purpose to sustain them.

“Will you love me back?” he asked aloud. His voice seemed timid. I wondered if his heartrending question was aimed at the man and woman on the hill, or was his inquiry intended for my audience only. I was unsure. “No one has answered that question for me” my sober words were spoken softly. My shattered heart was still grieving from a lifetime of forsaken love starting with a man and a woman who hadn’t responded when I asked the very same question. With tears welling in my eyes, I stared at the clay world. His devotion was captured in the diorama’s beauty. The world was captivating and motionless; it was perfect. I knew a lifetime of desolation would fade if only I could live in his little world.

I felt his gaze digging into my heart; it was his warmth and grace filling the emptiness. Touched by his love and genuine sentiment; I turned to place my hand on his shoulder with empathy and answered, “Yes, I will love you back.” My intoning words captured his gaze as the honest gesture rang through like an angelic melody. I considered our similarities. “This lonely child has been left wanting; he longs to fill this dark emptiness around him with requited love just as I long to fill the dark emptiness encasing my heart.”

The boy breathed in a heavy breath and exhaled like a gust of wind over the garden. The innocent child’s eyes filled with tears; his grin grew wider. “Look. Look at what I’ve made,” with a whisper he pointed to his clay man and woman. To my surprise, the figures were moving in the garden; picking fruit from the trees, smiling up at the boy with love and thankfulness.

I heard a sudden popping whiz sound behind me. With wide eyes I looked at the boy, His attention was focused beyond the clay garden and past me. I followed his eyes and turned to look over my shoulder. My once dark surroundings were now illuminating more and more with each popping sound. I saw planets orbiting in the faded darkness as brilliant stars whizzed to life. I stuttered. “How? What is this? Did you?” I was baffled by the glowing magnificence above me. I stood up to touch the little balls of fire. The stars aligned in what seemed to be images mirroring the same creatures he’d constructed to fill the garden. “Is this the beginning?” I asked the boy. I was dazed in the magnificence of his creativity. “Did you make all of this?” I wondered aloud, amazed by the grandeur. He gave me only a shy smile, but no verbal response. I was lost for what seemed like eons in the ornate vista of flickering lights.

Some time later, I turned back to the boy. His face was filled with worried turmoil; weeping, he asked "how could they forget me?” While I had been watching the birth of stars and planets, the garden had begun to evolve. The perfect diorama was developing on its own; becoming larger and more spread out. I watched as his eyes wandered over the engineered utopia in search for some sign of remembrance. The clay people were lost scurrying about the hills. Stunned, I spoke quickly. “Wait a minute, what has happened? Why are you sad boy?” Oddly, I was searching for resolutions to my own agonies congruent with this small child’s distress.

At first he only had tears. With a defeated heart, he looked away from the very thing he had created to love. “I am so lonely. I only wanted someone to love. Someone to love me.” Tears from my heart poured out of my eyes. He continued to grieve, “I gave them everything they needed, with all my love.” His sobs cracked through his voice. “But, but I will still love them, forever and for always,” his weary words were so heartfelt.

I watched as the man and woman forgot all about the little boy sitting above them. They wandered around, thoughtless of his loving hands stretched out towards them. The very hands responsible for the existence they blindly carried on with. “Hey!” I shouted angrily, “what are you doing? Why aren’t you paying attention? This little boy is lonely. He misses your love so much.” But they did not hear; they did not listen. They did not stop; they did not look. They were all too busy doing what pleased them instead. I exhausted myself and hung my head in shame. The damage in my heart caused me to turn away from them; mourning created by personal loss and sorrow drained my body.

I cried heavy tears while everything around me became still. As the last of my selfishness dropped from my jaw line, I realized the tragedy I felt was from his broken heart; the sad abandonment in my life didn’t compare to the pin pricks of his pain. Once I was cognitive of my silent surroundings, realization struck. My voice articulated my thoughts “I came through the door searching for my own answers; now I am searching for yours.”

“Maybe they don’t understand why you created them. Perhaps they cannot comprehend that so much love and beauty is right here waiting for them to receive. They can’t see your gift at all.” My stoic words of questioning explanation tore threw my own heart’s desire to be loved. “They only focus on what they see right in front of them.” I was just the same as those blinded clay figures. “My entire lifetime had been spent focusing only on what was in front of me at any given moment based on my needs.” Now I had to put all of my own despair behind me if I was to console this little boy. “They have forgotten you are right here because they can not see you anymore.” I cried again.

He grasped my hand tightly in consolation and to ask for my help. “Why can’t they see me, when they can clearly see these stars I’ve made to light their darkness.” He pointed over my shoulder to the illuminating fire balls glowing through the darkness. “They see each planet I’ve constructed for their entertainment. They marvel at my creations with reverence and awe.” He studied each piece he’d constructed for their world. “Yet they can not see me as I sit watching them, protecting them, and always loving them?” His sight was transfixed on the motions of the empty clay people.

“What shall I do to help them?” he asked, still wanting to save them. Evolution was happening in front of us, and pending destruction rose upon the horizon of the vast diorama now; silently we sat holding hands. I couldn’t see tears in his eyes, because fluid, leaking profusely from my own, blurred my vision. Had it been me, I would have left them to their own demise. I would have bitterly turned my back on those people, those empty clay people, who had turned their backs on me. Behind the door were countless examples of me doing the very thing he was avoiding; this boy still yearned to love the same people who caused him so much pain.

We sat quietly together in that little corner; unobserved by his creations as they caused destruction to the cradle and themselves. Anger no longer filled my heart for those clay people; my own bitterness had been replaced with the little boy’s compassion. I irrevocably understood his pain; the same pain I’d felt each time another person walked out the door of my world. “Why are they looking so far away for the love they crave; the love you give so freely?” I had to evaluate my own past pursuits in conjunction with my current inquiry.

We turned to gaze at the burning stars and orbiting planets; reverently consuming the beauty of his fabricated universe. At long last, I reached forward and picked up the remaining lump of his clay. Bursts of energy jolted through my fingers as I kneaded the pliable material. I wanted to help this child find the solution, not for my sake – but to protect his heart.

Slowly whispering into the clay turning about in my hands I said, “Make someone new.” I paused, briefly contemplating my thoughts – being careful to choose the right words to convey my idea. He stood there, silently waiting for me to continue. He wasn’t hurried to hear the answer; he only wanted to hear my ideas. The peace I found in his face as he watched my hands and listened for my words filled me with a happiness that gave my heart strength to speak out loud.

I continued vebalizing my idea with veneration in the words I spoke. “Tell him all of your secrets; let this new one be a witness of your grace and glory. Give him your heart; a pure heart that longs for love as strongly as your own arms wish for an embrace. Kiss the new one’s lips with the majestic words of your thoughts; place in his hands your gift of life. And then, when he is ready, send the new one into the cradle as you had sent the man and woman,” I continued with resolution. “The new one will be overjoyed with your love; he will impart your secrets and stories of splendor. This one will share the news of your wonderful gifts.” I positioned the last lump of clay in front of the boy; tears fell over the union of our hands.

Excitement blazed in his eyes and peace washed over us. Joyful hope poured from his hands into the clay. “I shall craft a boy, just like me. He will be my gift to the man and woman.” Tears blurred my vision as he spoke. Finally, they would know the abundance of this small child’s love.

“This one will be my son.”

About the Author: My name is Brigette Rock . I am a imaginative dreamer with a creative writing talent. I have lived in VA for almost 10 years, brought to the area by way of the US Navy. I continued to reside here after my enlistment because the beaches are beautiful. I enjoy writing, reading, painting, and playing with my son.

I currently co-chair the marketing department for a local clothing company called Passion Brand Clothing, where I also help with designing. My only links are myspaces: Personal: www.myspace.com/allayz; PBC: www.myspace.com/passionbrandclothing

@June 15, 2009

Not Just Tomorrow
By Joanne Lowe

“And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.” Exodus 14: 13, 14; King James Version

Bill Gaither wrote a beautiful song that is filled with hope and encouragement “Because He Lives”. I love this song. It is one of my favorite songs and I sing it all the time. Some of the words in the song that really touch my heart are “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow”. Thank God that Jesus is alive and interceding for us.

As I was singing that beautiful and inspiring song this morning, the thought came to me that because my precious Saviour lives, not only can I face tomorrow, I can also face today. There have been many times in my life when I have been so discouraged that I felt like I wasn’t going to make it through another hour.

What a comfort it is to our weary and battle scarred hearts to know that Jesus is not only going to be there for us tomorrow; but He is also here for us today. Joy floods my heart when I think about the Saviour of the world loving me so much that He hurts when I am discouraged and hurting.

I don’t know what is going on in your heart and life today but Jesus knows and He cares for you. Whatever battles and struggles you have today, give them to Jesus. He is more than able to carry you through all the dark valleys of your life and set you once again on the mountain top of happiness and peace. There is no one like Jesus! No one loves you like He loves you. Run into His arms today and let Him kiss your tears away.

@ June 9, 2009

Signs of a True Apostle
By Patricia Backora

Bullies abound. They plague our schools. They grab power in the corporate world by back-stabbing and waging psychological warfare against weaker people. And, unfortunately, bullies lust after power in the Kingdom of God. Whether the bully calls himself a pastor, a prophet or an apostle, he’s still a bully. What you do is a sure sign of what you truly are. The apostle Peter exhorted church leaders not to act like lords over God’s inheritance, but to be examples to the flock (I Peter 5:3).

A false apostle is like the scary wizard in the Wizard of Oz. The wizard maintained his grip on power through bullying tactics. His subjects would approach the wizard in fear and trembling, and make their petitions to a fiery, fearful spectre booming out threats and commanding them to bow down before him. He got his kicks out of scaring timid creatures. Only when Dorothy’s dog Toto pulled back the curtain was the “mighty Oz” exposed as a weak fraud who created his audio-visual effects solely through high-tech wizardry. The character behind the curtain knew that behind the scary scenes he projected, he was nothing but a feeble little old man.

Today any inadequate entity with a bit of Bible knowledge can hang out his shingle and claim to be an apostle of Christ. Think of the prestige this brings him before the Christian community! It confers automatic respect because Christians tend to shy away from examining the life of the “apostle” to determine whether there’s enough evidence to convict him (or her) of being one. “Common saints” will be warned not to touch “God’s anointed”, and so will fear to question anything he says. But I Thes. 5:21 gives us the right to “prove all things”. That includes determining whether or not a guy really qualifies to hold the office of apostle by measuring the fruits of his ministry against the yardstick of Scripture.

A false apostle believes that only a select few who meet his personal approval have the right to speak in the Name of the Lord to build up the Body of Christ. He will loudly denounce all others as mere “wanna-be’s”, regardless of how long they have walked with the Lord, and regardless of their faithfulness to the written Word of God. All he knows is he doesn’t personally like certain ones, so they cannot be of the Lord. He will accuse those who desire to flow in the best spiritual gifts of self-exaltation or of going on a head trip. But what does Scripture have to say? Remember, Paul did not address his writings only to the spiritual elite of the churches, but to all the sheep out in the pews who loved and worshipped the Lord.

Far from being reserved strictly for some “apostle’s” inner circle, the best gifts should be coveted by everyone:

I Cor. 12:31: But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet I shew unto you a more excellent way.

I Cor. 14:1 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.

VERSE 5 I would that ye ALL spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except ye interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

VERSE 39: Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. *****Notice, forbid not. Religious dictators are in the “forbidding” business.

I Thes. 5:20 Despise not prophesyings.

Far from being an exclusivist privilege for the elite, ALL God’s people are meant to minister their share of the life of Christ to the congregation. I Corinthians 14:26 says: How is it then, brethren? when ye come together EVERY ONE OF YOU hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying (building up the Body of Christ).****Notice, many of the believers “out in the pews” had a doctrine or a revelation from the Lord. And they didn’t fear to speak it out boldly just because some religious official might split hairs and find fault with what they shared. The false apostle suppresses all dissent from his own personal views, often based merely on the fact he doesn’t like you personally. He knows his own lamp has gone out because there is no love in his life, so it makes him look just a little brighter by snuffing out your tiny candle. He keeps his image up by walking in your shadow.

In Mark 9: 38-40 the apostle John warns Jesus that someone outside their group is casting out devils in His Name. John and his fellow apostles forbade that person to exorcise any more demons in the Name of Jesus. But Jesus said to John: Forbid him not: For there is no man that shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part (side).**** If Jesus outranks even true apostles like John, how much more does He outrank imposters on a power trip!

A similar scenario takes place in Numbers Chapter 11. Joshua wanted to protect Moses’ place in the pecking order. Joshua felt it wouldn’t look right for others besides Moses to be used mightily of God. No one must overshadow the great Moses. But the Lord had other plans. He also put His Spirit upon the seventy elders who assisted Moses. They began to prophesy without ceasing (verse 25). Two in particular, Eldad and Medad, were spotted by a young man who went and alerted Joshua to this new thing the Lord was doing. But Joshua feared that those two were robbing Moses of spiritual stature by being used of God in that way. So in verse 28, Joshua says: “My lord Moses, forbid them.”

But instead of coveting ALL of God’s anointing for himself and forbidding God to anoint others for service, Moses replies in verse 29: Enviest thou for my sake? Would God that ALL the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!*** A far cry from the false apostle who stomps on the ministries of little people he personally dislikes, trying to discourage them! Evidently Joshua had forgotten that the Lord’s original plan for the Nation of Israel was to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation unto Him (Exodus 19:5-6). But that would be fulfilled only through the continued obedience and faithfulness of the Israelites. The conditional promise of a national priesthood was given a few chapters before the Israelites worshipped the Golden Calf while Moses was receiving the Law atop Mt. Sinai. Because of this terrible sin, God was going to wipe the whole nation out, and would have made a great nation of Moses only. But unlike today's spiritual tyrants, Moses wasn’t out merely for himself. He loved his nation. He interceded for Israel and God listened and spared them.

After the rebellion in the Wilderness of Sinai, only the tribe of Levi could be priests under the Mosaic system. Because of rebellion the Israelites lost the anointing which would have rested upon them as a nation. But the church of the Living God has never lost its priesthood as a penalty for rebellion and idolatry. True, sin has cropped up now and then in the church. But through the grace of God, God views the church as covered by the Blood of Christ, as being made righteous through faith in Him. Not just one tiny segment of the Body of Christ, but ALL of God’s Holy Nation is called to be priests before the Lord. So who has the right to set himself up as lord over us and say God’s anointing has no right to flow through our lives to bless others?

Chapter 12 tells of Miriam and Aaron’s power struggle with Moses, who doesn’t struggle at all. Far from grabbing glory for himself, verse 3 says that Moses was the meekest man in all the earth. Moses’ own sister Miriam criticized him over issues that had nothing to do with how well he served the Lord. That’s gratitude for you. Moses had saved them all from being annihilated by God through his intercessions for them on Mt. Sinai, and now his sister is criticizing him over a mixed-race marriage. Miriam and her brother Aaron went on to question Moses’ place in God’s scheme of things. BUT instead of scolding Miriam, Moses appealed to God to vindicate His ministry. God punished Miriam for unjustly attacking His servant and struck fear in the heart of Aaron. Notice, God was angered by the powerlust of Miriam and Aaron, who were not content with the honorable positions they already held in the congregation of Israel.

Next time some high-fallutin’ “apostle” denies your calling when you differ with him over some doctrinal point and he tries to discourage you, say this to him: “What are YOUR qualifications to call yourself an apostle anyway? How many dead have YOU raised? How many blind people have YOU restored sight to? How many lepers have YOU cleansed? How many devils have YOU cast out? How many signs and wonders are following YOUR ministry? At least I don’t try to put my tiny little feet in the big boots of an apostle. All I claim to be is a child of God who serves the Lord.

WHAT IS A REAL MC COY APOSTLE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING? (commentary inserted)

II Cor. 12:12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience (not meanness), in signs and wonders and mighty deeds (not bully-boy hot air boasting).

Romans 15:18-19 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient by word and deed. Through many signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about by Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

Matt. 10:7-8 And as ye go, preach, saying; The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.****How many of today’s apostate ministers make a tidy profit off their "apostleship" these days!

Acts 2:43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

Acts 5:12 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people.

Acts 14:3 Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the name of the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of His grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.****God backed up their words through signs and wonders!

Acts 19:11 And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.*****Notice, Paul didn’t mail the prayer cloths in a glossy brochure with instructions to sign the cloth, then sleep over it one night, then wrap it around their “best offering” and send it back to him by tomorrow morning!

Hebrews 2:4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His own will?

Wow, that’s some job description! The life of a true apostle is an exciting life indeed, but it has its ouchy side too. II Corinthians 11:23-28 details the drawbacks of the apostolic life: beatings, shipwrecks, perils of false brethren, hunger, thirst, lack of basic necessities, exposure to cold, the burden of overseeing many churches. Today’s “apostles” can buy plenty of beans with ministry funds to stave off hunger. The worst suffering the false apostle could complain of would be carpal tunnel syndrome from waging war against little people on his keyboard. Or, it might be laryngitis from preaching a lot of hot air devoid of love and power. Next time some “apostle” takes a bite out of you, ask him (or her) when’s the last time they suffered any of Paul’s trials. Suffering for Jesus is yet another sure sign of the apostolic life.

In II Cor. 6:4-10 Paul lists still more proofs of his personal ministry: afflictions galore, having to be patient with enemies, vexations, privations, stripes, stints in jail, tumults, hard work, sleep deprivation, hunger, ad infinitum. And through all these miserable things Paul demonstrates pureness of heart, true knowledge of God's Word, kindness and love in the Holy Ghost. All the while Paul rightly applies the Word of Truth, even as he demonstrates the power of God in his life and ministry. He wears the armour of righteousness, not a flashy veneer of arrogance. Some honor Paul and say good things about him because of who he is in the Lord, others dishonor him because they reject his message. But through it all Paul could truthfully say that whatever befell him, whether favorable or unfavorable, none of those things moved him (Acts 20:24).

I would think twice before claiming the highest office in the Church, that of apostle. If some heavy-handed apostle is making your life a misery, ask yourself this: Did he receive his ordination through a true anointing of the Spirit, and by the laying on of hands by true followers of Jesus? And even then, after a long, sober session of group prayer? Matthias, Judas Iscariot's replacement, was chosen after a ten-day prayer meeting in the Upper Room. Matthias didn't just up and decide one day that the best way to get his Pay Pal donations flowing like milk and honey would be to slap the title of apostle on himself. Back then, most followers of Jesus respected God too much to play such deceitful games. They walked in the fear of the Lord, not just in a happy-clappy "love" which could evaporate like mist in the morning. Really and truly, I'd be surprised if even one-tenth of today's "apostles" would remain true to Jesus if they had to suffer like the Apostle Paul did.

If a professing apostle is really and truly filling the giant boots of a true Biblical apostle, he’ll be way to busy to swat at every online posting he doesn't agree with. He’ll unglue his eyes from his plasma screen long enough to get out into the real world where the needs are. He'll go help some down-and-outer with a kind word and a cup of coffee. He’ll preach brotherly love and live it, just like the Apostle John did. He'll wage warfare against satan’s onslaughts against the true Body of Christ. And he'll look at his own life and ask himself whether he is tearing the Body of Christ apart with his teeth like a wolf, or laying his own life down for it like the Good Shepherd.

Satan knows that if he can split the Body of Christ up into warring factions, he can kick back and relax and enjoy the war the saints fight against themselves. He has infiltrated the church with bully-boy tyrants who quench the Spirit and stomp on new ministries. He knows he can depend on professing Christians to polish off their own wounded. He knows they'll even clamp a bushel basket over lights who have finally found the courage to shine. And if some surrender to unjust accusations of pride and quench their light to be seen no more, the devil still wins. Such saints who withdraw from active service would still be criticized, this time for “doing nothing” for the Lord. Either way, the devil wins an easy victory.

The hour is perilously late, way too late to play the sick power game which is driving many followers of Christ out of the institutional church. The important thing is to be busy about the Master’s work of proclaiming His Good News of salvation, while warning others of His coming Judgment upon sin. We don't all have to be apostles. We don't have to attach any label to ourselves whatsoever. We should rejoice that we are able to speak a word in good season to someone who is weary (Isaiah 50:4). Let us love not in word but in deed (I John 3:18).

About the Author - Patricia Backora has been filled with the Holy Spirit since 1970. She believes in the nine Gifts of the Spirit, and the imminent return of Christ. Patricia’s articles address problems and spiritual needs in the Christian church. She believes that the rightly divided Word of God (2 Tim.2:15) must be the final authority.
http://banpreachergreed.tripod.com http://kingdomage.tripod.com

@ June 2, 2009; Source: Christian Article Bank

God’s Recipe Of Love
By Joanne Lowe

“And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.” Luke 23: 33-34, King James Version

There are many ingredients in God’s recipe of love. The ingredients in His recipe of love are unconditional love, mercy, compassion, tenderness, forgiveness and grace. However, the main ingredient in His recipe of love is forgiveness. God’s recipe of love started at the cross when Jesus said “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do”.

Far too often, we harden our hearts and refuse to forgive people when they hurt us. O we may tell them that we forgive them but our hearts are still filled with bitterness, hatred and resentment. Unless we forgive them from our hearts like Jesus forgives us, we have not forgiven them. When we harbor unforgiveness in our hearts, it stinks in the nostrils of Jesus.

What a sad commentary it is on those of us who claim to be Christians when we refuse to forgive those who have hurt us. If ever anyone has a right to harbor unforgiveness in His heart, it is Jesus. He suffered more than anyone has ever suffered or ever will suffer. When He hung on that cruel cross of horror, He endured an excruciating pain that is impossible for us to fully comprehend. He allowed them to beat Him beyond recognition and crucify Him for you and for me.

Even though Jesus endured all of that pain and suffering, out of His heart that is filled with compassion and unconditional love for us, He still forgave us. I believe that we hurt Jesus and break His heart when we refuse to forgive those who have hurt us. None of us are perfect. There was only one perfect person who ever lived or ever will live and His name is Jesus! We need to realize that we hurt others also. If we want them to forgive us, we had better forgive them.

If Jesus hadn’t forgiven us from His heart of compassion on that dark and terrible day when He hung on the cross for our sins, we would be on our way to hell for all eternity. Thank God for the unconditional love and forgiveness that came from the tender compassionate heart of Jesus for us on that dark and terrible day when He died for us. Thank God for His recipe of love that started in the heart of Jesus.

Heavenly Father, we confess that we have not forgiven those who have hurt us as You forgive us. Cleanse our hearts and make us fit for Your use. Help us to forgive others from our hearts just as You forgive us from Your heart. Thank You for Your recipe of love which was delivered to us by Your beloved Son. Thank You, Jesus, for dying for our sins and for paying the price that we could never have paid. Amen.

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

@May 19, 2009

Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord
By: Sylvia Huffnagle

Lk: 3:1: Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, 2: Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. 3: And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; 4: As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5: Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; 6: And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

I Jn: 5:12: He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

Why did John the Baptist have to come and prepare the way of the Lord?

In order for people to receive the Savior, they must repent of their ways and turn to God. How did John say one must prepare? They must repent and get their hearts prepared to receive. When kings travel in backward countries, say by camel train or even elephant, laborers go before the train and pick out the large stones and pebbles, and smoothes out the path or road so that the VIPs will have as pleasant a ride as can be had.

To prepare the way for the day of the Lord, the Word must be preached or read and the hearer’s heart must be brought into the right condition for the entry of the Lord. I am making a point of this because some have missed the point that in order for one to receive the Savior and in order for that one’s soul to be saved, they must get the obstructions out of the way. This is done by sincerely wanting God’s salvation and by sincerely turning to Him.

I am not talking about living right and then asking God to accept you. We are accepted in the beloved. I am talking about truly wanting to be saved from sin and death--rather than just wanting to escape hell or live in heaven.

This turning involves giving up the idea that one can do their own thing and still be in a position to have what God promised to give. He can only enter into covenant with you if you will receive Him as your authority. If you are not willing to receive Him as your Father and God, He cannot save your soul and Jesus cannot be your Savior.

Prepare ye the way of the Lord!

About the Author: Sylvia Huffnagle is an ordained minister and writes many articles to help men and women strengthen their faith and become more mature believers in Christ.

@ May 12, 2009; Source: Narrow Is the Path

Something is Missing in the Church Today…
By Jennifer Hallmark

Sorrow; at different times in my life I have experienced deep, deep sorrow like that which occurs at death or other loss. The sorrow I experienced once several years ago was different, a sorrow that was deep but not depressing in the same way as a loss of a loved one. At that time I cried and wept off and on for two weeks during prayer and intercession for people and the church. Certain scriptures kept coming to mind;

“…Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5 NKJV

“Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seeds for sowing shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” Psalm 126: 5-6 NKJV

I stood on those words, “shall doubtless come again with rejoicing” during that difficult time. The rejoicing was what I wanted but sometimes tears do the work of God so I kept the tears. Tears can be for interceding, for birthing things, for harvest or tears of repentance. Many people in the Bible lamented over the wrongs they saw in the nation and church while others seemed oblivious to what was happening.

Some of my tears were definitely for the Church; for young Christians rushing headlong into a battle they were not prepared for; full of pride instead of boldness and a reckless abandon instead of humility. Many would be unnecessarily wounded because of an eagerness to fight without brokenness in their hearts that must come first.

People give their lives to God and start to walk with Him and want to rush into battle and no one is telling them that they must stop and pray to find the brokenness and humility that God gives. They must find this so they know it is not by their own power or might but victory comes by His Spirit.

Something was missing in the Church when I first wrote this and is still missing today. There is little mourning or godly sorrow over the sins and tragedies in the world and in the Church. Everyone is praying and binding, clapping, jumping and rejoicing but something is missing. Many churches have services that sound good but are empty, empty of that deeper digging, the digging that asks God as David asks him in the book of Psalm:

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-34 NKJV

Lamentations 2:11 talks about Jeremiah and his weeping over the things he is witnessing in his nation:

“My eyes fail from weeping; my emotions are deeply disturbed, my heart is poured out upon the ground [in grief] because of the destruction of the daughter of my people, because infants and nurslings faint in the streets of the city.” Amplified Bible

This breaks my heart. The children faint in the street and their life is poured out for lack of food and drink; a lack of meat being evident. The same is true in many churches today where only milk is served and there is no real “meat” of the Word, no substance. The people are hungry for it but it is not there. Jeremiah goes on to say in verse 14:

“Your prophets have predicted for you falsehood and delusion and foolish things; and they have not exposed your iniquity and guilt to avert your captivity [by causing you to repent.] But they have divined and declared to you false and deceptive prophecies, worthless and misleading.” Amplified Bible

There are more warnings in verses 18 and 19 that are not being preached today.

“The hearts [of the inhabitants of Jerusalem] cried to the Lord. [Then to the congregation, I, Jeremiah, cried, addressing the wall as its symbol] O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears run down like a river day and night; give yourself no rest, let not your eyes stop [shedding tears.] Arise [from your bed] cry out in the night, at the beginning of the watches; pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift up your hands toward Him for the lives of your young children, who faint from hunger at the head of every street.” Amplified Bible

It is time for the Church to stop being a “social” club and a “bless me” club and become a vessel fit for the service of the Lord. The Church is supposed to be a place where people can be brought to the knowledge of the Lord unto salvation, filled with His Spirit and delivered from bondage so we all can go out and set a world free through the power of Jesus Christ in us. A people humbled and broken that will move in obedience to the will of the Father. There is still time but it is running out…take time to pray and fast and ask God to have mercy on this nation and His Church while we still can…

About the Author: Find out more about Jennifer Hallmark at http://www.jenniferhallmark.com or http://www.aclarioncall.com

@ May 5, 2009; Source: Christian Article Bank

Our Flower Of Hope
By Joanne Lowe

“I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.” Song of Solomon 2: 1; King James Version

My favorite flower is a red rose. It is beautiful and it smells so sweet just as Jesus is beautiful and sweet. I love the words to this inspiring song that Edward Mote wrote “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus Name. On Christ the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand; All other ground is sinking sand.” Every time I sing this song or hear it, I am reminded of the faithfulness and beauty of Jesus.

The greatest Christian is only a sinner who has been saved by God’s grace and by the precious cleansing and atoning blood of our risen Saviour. We must keep our eyes on Jesus and trust in Him and not in people. We need to anchor ourselves to the solid Rock, the Lord Jesus Christ. One of the definitions for hope in Webster’s Dictionary is “to expect with confidence”. We can trust Jesus to protect us. He will be faithful to heal our hearts and dry our tears with His tender kisses when satan hurls his poisonous darts of discouragement, criticism, and judgment at us.

There are times that instead of putting our trust in Jesus we put our trust in people and then we wonder why we get hurt. We should never put our trust in anyone other than Jesus. He will never hurt us and He will never fail us. What He tells us we can rely on and we can take it to the bank. Our precious Saviour is trustworthy and it is always safe to trust Him. Indeed, Jesus is our flower of hope. Have you put your trust in Him?

Has there ever been a time when you invited the Christ of Calvary into your heart? If not, please don’t put it off. You may not have another day or even another hour to live. Swallow your pride, admit that you are a sinner, ask God to forgive you for your sins and ask Jesus to come into your heart to be your personal Saviour before it is too late. Your family and friends can’t do it for you as much as they want to do it. Salvation is a personal issue between you and Jesus. Will you open your heart to the Saviour of the world who loves you so much that He died for you on a cruel cross of horror and agony?

@April 28, 2009

Wear That Crown!
By Pam Ford Davis

Do you like your hair color; or do you even know your hair color? With the convenience of easy hair coloring today, many people cover gray, or just like a change.

My hair decided on a change in the 7th grade. Before then, my light blonde hair made me very happy. My three sisters all had shades of brown; only my younger brother and I were blondes.I colored it for many years; and had a couple disasters! One time it turned out orange and; another time it took on a shade of green!

Roots are just to keep your hair in and ignored, unless you color your hair; and then they become a never ending enemy!

Some people look so natural in a new color, that the original hair coloring would make you laugh! On the other hand Lucille Ball's stylist went a little bit too far at times!

My Mother's beautiful naturally curly brown hair started turning gray in her 40's. She colored it herself and did a beautiful job. Unfortunately, her system decided it should fight back, and reject the treatments. She ended up at the doctor's office with a severe allergic reaction. Her physician began to prescribe a medication; and they talked about our family. She explained that all four of her daughters were expecting babies. He told her, "You have earned that gray hair!" I don't think she ever colored it again!

"A gray head is a crown of glory; It is found in the way of righteousness,”
(Proverbs 16:31 NAS).

About the Author: I am a wife of over 40 years, mother and proud granny. I was born in N.Y. State, currently reside in central AL. With a past career in Radio announcing our family lived across the nation, later worked in the child care ministry. Now, I am living the dream of writing. All things are possible!

@ April 21, 2009; Source: FaithWriters.com

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.

Author Resource: 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 http://www.ChristianValuesLegacy.com or email her at millie@ChristianValuesLegacy.com.

@April 14, 2009; Source: Christian Article Bank

You Are Always There
By Joanne Lowe

“Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Matthew 28: 20, King James Version

When our hearts are breaking and it feels like everyone has left us, Jesus is still with us. There are times in all of our lives when the storms of criticism, heartaches, rejection, ridicule and discouragement overwhelm us and we don’t think we are going to make it. Jesus has given us good news. He has promised us that He will be with us even unto the end of the world.

Not only will He be with us to the end of the world; we will also be with Him in Heaven for all eternity if we have had His cleansing and atoning blood applied to our hearts for the forgiveness of our sins. Thank God for a Saviour who is always there for us. His compassion and unconditional love for us will never end. He loved us as much yesterday as He does today and He will love us as much tomorrow as He does today.

Thank You, Jesus, that You are always there for us. Thank You for loving us and for caring about us. May we always be there for You. Thank You so much for dying for our sins on the cruel cross of Calvary. Indeed, there is no one like You, Jesus. I love You with all of my heart and I appreciate everything You have done for me.

Jesus is there for you whenever you need Him. Are you there for Him when He needs you? Do you thank Him daily for His companionship and concern for you? He is always there for us and it is time that we are there for Him. What a Saviour! What a friend, this Jesus of Nazareth!

@April 7, 2009

How to Consciously Choose Great Health Each Day
By Cathy Morenzie with Healthy By Design

Scripture to reflect on: “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live." ~Deut. 30:19

I’ve heard that people make about 120 decisions each and every day. How many of them bring blessings to you or others?

Why do you do what you do? Frequently it’s because it’s what you’ve always done: very often our choices are based on habit rather that what is right or best for us. It’s only when God shows us that there is a better way that we are able to move to higher heights. God shows us through the Holy Spirit.

Nicodemus also had difficult time with this concept. He wanted to know what he had to do to be saved (John 3:3). Change can only come from a choice to live a conscious new life. Jesus says the same thing us He says to Nicodemus. We must be born again. We must choose life—a life that is centered on Christ.

Often when we feel afraid and vulnerable, we revert to what we’ve always done, regardless of whether it’s good for us or not. When tested, the Israelites went back to what they knew best – grumbling and complaining and worshipping false idols. Glory to God that He has given us a new heart and a new spirit that allows us to live by His rules and not our own (Ezekiel 36:26-27).

Before you make another decision about your food choices, ask yourself whether the decision will produce life or death in your body. Will the foods you are consuming help you lose weight or gain weight? Healthy food choices such as fruits and vegetables produce life for your body and your cells, whereas processed and sugary foods produce death for your cells and your body.

God wants us to choose life, and to pass a legacy of good health to our children.

About the Author: Cathy Morenzie, the president of Active Image is a sought after presenter, editor and personal trainer. She has been a leader in the fitness and health industry for over 20 years. Her impact has influenced thousands of people over the years to help them lose weight and develop positive attitudes about exercise and active living. To download your free report to discover the Biblical blueprint for weight release God’s way visit www.hbdprogram.com.

@ March 27, 2009, Source: Narrow is the Path

Breaking Free from Debt

By Donna L. Watkins

Debt-free living is such a key area of our lives that needs to be changed in America. The focus needs to be taken off of THINGS and put on PEOPLE ... the time we spend shopping for stuff to fill our closets and cabinets could be and should be, spent on building relationships and helping others.

We need a Global Focus to understand that we don't have to have a Pity Party for ourselves to give up the stuff. You don't have to look very far to realize how blessed we are. There are people dying on streets that don't have any food to eat. There are people eating out of trash cans daily and sleeping on concrete. It's time for us to be grateful for what we have and to share with others who do not have. God told us to do so.

Here's a few of our tips for debt-free living. You have to find and make your own. Borrow some books from the library on debt-free living and on simplicity. You don't have to buy them ... just borrow them. People generally read a book only once and then stick it on the shelf as another possession. Use the library system or check with friends and begin to trade books.

We have been living debt-free now for many years...and it's brought tremendous blessings of peace and contentment to our lives. To get out of debt, we had to change bad habits of impulse buying. I believe that's how most people get in debt and stay there forever.

We made a commitment to God and ourselves that we would do three things:

#1) Anytime we intended to purchase something, we would grab our note pad (instead of our credit card) and write down what we wanted to purchase and the price. We would have to discuss it with each other. If we still thought we wanted to buy it, we would wait 24 hours to make the final decision to purchase ... that eliminated 90% of our purchases.

#2) When something was a necessity and over $20, we would get three prices on it to be sure we got the best deal for our money. Use the telephone and internet to research! Don't waste gas money shopping. Sometimes the shipping is less than the gas to buy something. According to the AAA, the average cost is 56 cents a mile for the year 2004 in America and that's rising.

#3) We set up a grocery budget that was reasonable, but not excessive, and we lived off of it. No exceptions! That budget included "eating out," which, by the way, we just decided to give up. There's very little nutrition in eating out, so we figured we'd be gaining in health and wealth. We "ate out" by serving meals in different place ... like on a tablecloth in a bedroom, or eating at the coffee table in the living room, or picnicking outside the back door.

Get creative and make getting out of debt a fun project, not a drudgery!

We had a variable income and it appeared to be an impossible task to set up a budget (although there are ways to do it), so we decided to set up boundaries instead. Those mile-high boundaries allowed us to have plenty of money each month to pay off the debts we had. After many years of doing this, it just became a "new habit" and we now consider it a lifestyle. It has simplified what I have to dust and clean and maintain ... because anything you own costs you to maintain it ... and what you own, owns you in some form or fashion.

This method takes a lot of self-control. Not everybody is ready for that, so a budget would be a necessary thing to make it work for you.

It's amazing how much time we have since we rarely go shopping. We purchase our food supplies in bulk and shop for produce twice a month. Staying out of grocery stores on a regular basis makes a huge difference in health and wealth also.

When you've earned the contentment that comes with the discipline of getting out of debt, and you've changed your mindset to wanting time and peace, instead of wanting things, life becomes a whole new adventure!

We were warned in the Bible about the pressures of debt in Proverbs 22:7, "The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender's slave." Carrying a load of debt around is definitely a form of slavery/bondage.

Have fun! Live simply! Life is not in who owns the most stuff!

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

@ March 24, 2009; Source: Christian Article Bank

All The Ingredients

By Joanne Lowe

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Ephesians 6: 13, King James Version

I was hungry for a salad and had all the ingredients to make the salad but I didn’t make it until the next day. All day long, I wanted that salad because I knew how delicious it would taste yet I didn’t make it until the next day. We do the same thing with God at times. He has already given us all the ingredients to live a victorious and happy and peaceful life yet we don’t always use the ingredients He has given us.

If you will read Ephesians chapter six, you will find that He has given us instructions on how to have less stress and heartaches yet there are times when we don’t put on the whole armour of God. It is never His fault when we have a bad day. If we fail to put on the whole armour of God when we wake up, it is our fault, not His fault. There are things that come our way that we can’t do anything about but we can go to Him and ask Him to please help us through them.

Are you using the ingredients God has provided for you to live a happy life? No matter what comes our way, if we have accepted Jesus as our personal Saviour we will never be alone because our precious Saviour has promised us that He will never leave us, not even for one minute. As soon as you wake up in the morning, even before you get out of bed give your day to God. Ask Him to please protect you and lead you. You will find you will have a much better day but even more important you will make Him happy because you spent time with Him.

@March 17, 2009

From Clutter to Clarity: Simplifying Life from the Inside Out

by Nancy Twigg

When most people think of simplifying, the first thing they think of is getting rid of clutter around the home or office. Cleaning out closets and drawers is definitely a part of simplifying, but true simplification goes far deeper than that. Clutter is much more than old magazines, outdated clothes, and kitchen gadgets you never use. Certainly those things are clutter, but from now on, think of clutter as any possession, habit, thought pattern, attitude or activity that fits into one of these three categories:

* Anything you don't need or use anymore
* Anything that doesn't fit or work for you like it used to
* Anything that doesn't add value and meaning to your life as it once did

Under this new definition, clutter is anything that complicates your life and stands in the way of simplicity. In the past, you may have only thought of clutter in terms of stuff: those size 8 jeans you hope to wear again someday or those unfinished projects in your garage. But let me share a secret with you. These kinds of unwanted and unneeded material possessions are only the tip of the iceberg! What about the multitude of commitments that cram-pack your schedule? What about the thoughts that jumble your mind and the spending habits that sabotage your finances? All of these things are clutter too, because they cause chaos and confusion.

When you think of clutter in this new light, you begin to see what a tremendous problem clutter truly is. You will also see that the root causes of this ugly clutter make the clutter itself look tame. Think about it. Why do you say yes to everyone who requests your time and services? Are you afraid that people won't like you if you say no? Do you feel the need to present a Super Mom image to the world?

What about those clothes you hold onto even though you know you will never wear them again? Are you afraid that if you get rid of them you will need them again someday? If you did happen to need them, do you doubt God's ability to provide more? And if you have a tendency to spend more than you can afford, ask yourself why you do that. Are you driven by feelings of discontentment or the need for instant gratification? Are you afraid that if you pass on a sale now you will never find a good price on that item again? These issues go much deeper than just having a messy desk or disorganized pantry. These are issues of the heart.

Clutter is a problem for anyone, but for Christians, it spells major trouble. Clutter does more than affect us physically and emotionally; it affects us spiritually because it keeps us from following Jesus fully. We simply cannot make room for Him when so many other things are in the way. The more we stay focused on the junk of this life, the less time and energy we have to focus on the important mattersGod and His plans for our lives.

Have you ever tried to lug an overstuffed suitcase through a crowded airport? Not an easy task, is it? No matter how hard you try, you simply cannot move quickly and efficiently when you're carrying a heavy load. Think of clutter as baggagephysical, emotional, and financial baggage that weighs you down and holds you back. Clutter is the heavy load that keeps many of us from maneuvering effectively through our lives. Our suitcases are filled with all kinds of deadweight: habits we need to give up, attitudes we've long since outgrown, activities and possessions that no longer serve a reasonable purpose. If we want to lighten the load, we have to get rid of some of the junk.

What keeps you from moving forward at a steady pace in your life? Undoubtedly the things that slow you down are some kind of clutterclutter you want to get rid of for good. Maybe you struggle with physical clutter around your home. Try as you might, you cannot seem to get organized. Or maybe you want to get a handle on your finances. You are tired of making good money but having nothing to show for it. Or maybe yours is an issue with time. You are tired of living at warp speed. You want to stop running and start living.

Whatever clutter challenges you face, trust me when I say you can learn to clarify your life by putting clutter in its place. I know because I have done it myself. My biggest clutter challenge was not dealing with cluttered living spaces or even cluttered finances. My challenge was to open up my emotional suitcase and go through its contents carefully. When I did, I discovered all kinds of clutter lurking inside. I found worry and doubt. I uncovered a faulty self-image and an inability to set appropriate boundaries. I even found an unhealthy preoccupation with what others thought of me. It was a painful process, but necessary. One by one, I learned to trade in these old clunkers for the more efficient models God offered.

I'm not saying I have it all together. Believe me, I don't. I'm not saying I never face challenges. But I have come to a place of clarity and life is much more pleasant now that I have. Is my life perfect? No, but it is much more peaceful and purposeful. And isn't that what we all wantto live in peace as we live out our purpose?

About the Author - Nancy Twigg is an author and speaker who loves inspiring women to live more simply. To learn more about Nancy's speaking and writing ministry, visit her online at www.keepitsimplesister.com

@March 3, 2009, Source: Faith Writers

A Heart For Jesus

By Joanne Lowe

And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.”Mark 6: 34, King James Version

When Jesus saw the people without a shepherd, His heart was moved with compassion for them. Just as His heart was moved with compassion for them, His heart is also moved with compassion for us. We have a compassionate loving Saviour. The question each one of us needs to ask ourselves is “Do I have a heart for Jesus?” Do we have compassion for Jesus? Do our hearts break when people curse Him, reject Him, ridicule Him and disobey Him?

Jesus has suffered so much for us. He was crucified on a cruel cross of horror. He was beaten beyond recognition for you and for me. He was spat upon. He was cursed, mocked and ridiculed. He walked that long and lonely road to Calvary because He loves us so much and there allowed them to crucify Him. He could have come down from the cross if He had wanted to do so.

However, He loves us so much that He stayed on the cross and paid the penalty for us so that we may have our sins forgiven and live with Him for all eternity. What unconditional love and what compassion flowed from the heart of Jesus for you and for me as He hung on that cross. There is no one like Jesus! Do you love Jesus? If so, what are you doing to prove that you love Him? Remember, the level of our service to Jesus depends on how much we love Him. How much do you love Him?

@Feb 11, 2009

The Angel of God That Christians Serve

By Hanna Henderson

Ironically, in order to expound on this important question, this article emphasizes learning to identify one unique and special angel of God which leads to comprehension of the role of all of the holy angels of the Lord.

Who is this one angel of God that every Christian should be able to distinguish from the others in scripture? Why is he unique? How does identification of him lead to identification of the other angels of God?

The New Testament scripture of St. Luke 1:11-19 recounts the appearance of the angel Gabriel who was sent by God to Zacharias to announce the news of the upcoming birth of John the Baptist, his son. There are very significant statements in this passage that reveal who Gabriel is. He said to Zacharias, "...I am Gabriel that stands in the presence of God and am sent to speak unto thee and to shew thee these glad tidings."

The reader sees that the angel gives his name. The angel says he was sent by God to speak to Zacharias. Gabriel's work aligns with what is written regarding the role of the holy angels. Hebrews 1:13-14 reads, "but to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand....Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?"

Zacharias is an heir of salvation because he was a believer. Gabriel is obviously a spirit, having appeared out of thin air (Luke 1:11). He also ministered to Zacharias revealing him as a ministering spirit. The identification of Gabriel as one of the holy angels of God also identifies him as a created being, not being God himself.

The New Testament book of Jude reveals another of the holy angels. His name is Michael and scripture informs that he's the archangel. Verse 9 of Jude says, "yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil, he disputed about the body of Moses. (He) durst (dare) not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee."

Again, significant information is given about who Michael is and who he's not. First, his position and name are revealed, as well as his stance before God. He's the archangel. His name is Michael. He's obviously in right standing with God having been found in dispute with Satan over the body of Moses. Most importantly, Michael is not God; therefore, he, like Gabriel, and all other angels, holy and unholy, are created beings. Note that if Michael was God or equal with God he would not have refrained from rebuking the Devil, leaving the rebuke to be done by the Lord, as it's recorded in scripture.

There's another angel of God who appears numerous times throughout scripture. His name is never revealed in the same way that Michael and Gabriel's names were. He never says he was sent by God or that he stands in the presence of God, nor does he ever leave any task left to be done strictly by the Lord. He acts on his own authority and most significantly, when scripture speaks of him, he's interchangeably referred to as the 'angel of the Lord' and the 'Lord' himself. Who is this angel who shows absolutely no sign of being inferior to Jehovah?

Genesis 16:6-11, 13 records when Hagar fled from the harsh treatment she received from Sarah during the time of her pregnancy with Ishmael. Scripture says,"and the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain in the way to Shur. And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai. And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Return to thy mistress and submit thyself under her hands. And the angel of the Lord said unto her, I will multiply thy seed (the unborn Ishmael) exceedingly.... And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael because the Lord hath heard thy affliction. And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me....

The angel of the Lord that spoke to Hagar never said he was sent by God. He never said what his name was. He speaks of what he'll do on his own authority which is multiply the seed of Hagar. Also, scripture plainly says that it was the
Lord that spoke with Hagar (verse 13).

The passage of Judges 6:11-16 speaks of when Gideon was called by God. It reads, "and there came an angel of the Lord, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite. And his son Gideon threshed
wheat by the winepress to hide it from the Midianites. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. And the Lord looked upon him and said, Go in this thy might and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have not I sent thee? And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? Behold, my family is poor.... And the Lord said unto him, Surely I will be with thee and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.

Again, the angel of the Lord doesn't give his name or say that he was sent by God. In fact, he's the one that sends Gideon. He speaks on his own authority and is called 'Lord' in the passage by Gideon and by the author of the book of
Judges. Observe also that 'Lord' is capitalized when referring to him. This is the Bible's way of distinguishing the idol and mortal lords from the Lord God, clearly denoting his divinity and supremacy.

There are many more scriptural examples depicting this special angel of the Lord. One more passage that's worth pointing out is that of the announcement of the birth of Samson in the book of Judges. An angel of the Lord appeared to a man
named Manoah, the father of Samson. Manoah did not know that the angel that appeared to him was unlike the angels Gabriel, Michael, or any of the other created angelic beings. He did not even know, at the time, that he was speaking to a spirit. Therefore, he offered the hospitality that was customary to offer in those days.

Scripture says, "and Manoah said unto the angel of the Lord, I pray thee, let us detain thee until we shall have made ready a kid (meat) for thee. And the angel of the Lord said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of
thy bread. And if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the Lord. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the Lord. And Manoah said unto the angel of the Lord, What is thy name that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour? And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret? So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering and offered it upon a rock unto the Lord and the angel did wondrously and Manoah and his wife looked on. For it came to pass when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar that the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it and fell on their faces to the ground. And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die because we have seen God. But his wife said unto him, if the Lord were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have shewed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these" (Judges 13:15-20, 22-23).

The angel of the Lord's ascension in the flame of the altar was his acceptance of the couple's sacrifice. According to scripture, the servants of God never sacrificed to anyone but God himself. Notice that the angel of the Lord's name was secret. Who's name was unknown for centuries? Who's name did the prophets of old desire to know? Of whose name was it asked, "what is his name if thou canst tell?" The exact name of Israel's promised Messiah was unknown for centuries. The prophets of old desired to know the name of their salvation to the point of inquiring diligently (1 Peter 1:10). It is the name of Israel's Deliverer and the world's Savior that could not be told. His given name was a secret and mystery for centuries.

Proverbs 30:4 says, "who hath ascended up into heaven or descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in a garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his
son's name if thou canst tell?"

The scripture of Matthew 1:21-25 teaches that 'Emmanuel', which translates to 'God with us', was one of the titles of the Son of God whose name was finally revealed as 'Jesus' after being unknown and secret for ages.

The serious Christian would do well to pay close attention to the biblical phrases: 'an/the angel of God/the Lord'. He'll take notice of very important characteristics of the angel in the passage, asking himself questions. Is the angel a created being? Does he give his name? Does he say that he was sent by God and/or stands in the presence of God? Does he speak only by the authority of God or on his own? Does he receive sacrifices or worship (Manoah and his wife's
fall to their faces on the ground constituted worship). Is he interchangeably called the 'angel of the Lord' and the 'Lord'? These are facts that reveal who he is.

No, there is no created angelic being who is equal with God. However, the Spirit and the presence of God are both often referred to, by the Bible, as his 'angel'. The apostle Paul did not worship angels; yet, he said in Act 27:23, "for there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve." Of course, Paul is not saying that he belongs to and serves an angel as most people would interpret the word 'angel'. He's saying that he serves the Lord whose Spirit stood by him one night.

More from the Author: Further biblical studies on angels, the paranormal, and the mysterious at Heavenly Manna.

Source: Narrow is the Path

Gods System Restore

By Joanne Lowe

"Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.” Psalm 51: 12, King James Version

There are times when we have to do a system restore on our computers when viruses and spyware get through our firewall and antivirus programs. The same is true with our Heavenly Father. There are times when He has to do a system restore on our hearts and lives when satan attacks us with the virus of discouragement.

Thank God that He has provided a system restore for our hearts and lives through Jesus. When we are so discouraged that we feel like we are going under for the last time, it is then that we need to cry out to Jesus and ask Him to please restore His joy to our hearts and lives. Do you need a system restore in your heart and in your life?

If so, allow Jesus to restore His joy to your heart and life once again. He will take your hand and walk with you through the dark valleys and will once again set you on the mountain top of joy, peace, happiness and excitement. There is no one like Jesus! No one loves you like Jesus loves you! Thank You, Jesus, for caring about us and for restoring our hearts and lives with Your joy, peace and happiness.

@Jan 21, 2009

Seven Ways to Tell if Your Child is Rejecting Your Values

By Millie McNabb, Founder, Christian Values Legacy

Absolutely shocking! Reading a recent study, I learned that 61% of young adults who were churched as teenagers are now spiritually disengaged.

How did this happen? Were the parents of these teenagers aware that “values rejection” was on the agenda?

Parents recognize open opposition when a child talks back and sticks out his tongue. Scripture identifies the tell-tale marks of this rebellion:

“…Their speech and their actions are against the LORD…the expression of their faces bears witness against them.”

Is your child telling you in their behavior, words, and/or attitudes that they are rejecting your values?

Parenting is a 24/7 vigil, a leadership position like no other. Most leaders do not get their followers at birth and take responsibility for every morsel they are fed, physically, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually! Parents do. It is a monumental undertaking. Recognizing signs of rebellion and correcting attitudes while a child is young, goes a long way toward having your children respect and keep your values into adulthood.

Rebellion can be obvious—or subtle. Jesus poses the question about a father who asked his two sons to go work in the vineyard . The first son said, “I will, sir”; and he did not go. The second son answered “I will not”; but he reconsidered and went. Jesus asked, “Which of the two did the will of his father?” The listeners replied, “The latter.”

1. This “actions speak louder than words” test is one way a child reveals himself. So, right here, you can ask yourself, “Am I only listening to my child’s words, or do I follow through and inspect his actions?” Observing behavior is key.

A friend’s son was to put away his laundry. The boy was very quick with the task and reported that he was done. His mother went with him to inspect and found the clothes on the floor by the dresser, not really put away.

Jesus talks about knowing people by their fruits. One of the “fruits“ is our character. Character development is absolutely influenced by the way we parent.

How do we understand the “fruit” Jesus spoke of? No need to guess. We’re told.

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control…”

Again, observation is essential.

2. Is your child demonstrating these qualities both in and out of the home? My daughter was babysitting, and asked the young boy to help pick up the toys. He replied in a lilting voice, “No, thank you. I don’t want to.” The politeness lesson was in play; the obedience lesson still needed some work.

3. What kind of stories do you hear about your child from his peers and other adults who work with him? These can tell you if your values are sticking. The fruit of the developing character can be seen very early, and requires almost constant pruning.

As we think about the story Jesus told of the father and two sons, we may see a parallel to our own children. Sometimes our children openly oppose us, and we may agonize, pray, and take steps to win a child over. The situation that is more likely to blindside us, is the quiet, compliant child who rejects our values after they leave our household. Are there any signs of this silent rebellion?

Yes, there are. And again, it is a matter of observation. The signs of silent rebellion are most often found in body language.

4. Does your child avoid eye contact or avert their eyes when you talk to him? This is an indicator of disagreement. Ask yourself what your child is hiding, that he can’t look you in the eye. Is it guilt? Is it fear? Is something bothering him that he can’t entrust to you?

My two-year old granddaughter likes to climb, and has been told to stay off my desk and out of the post-it notes. When I see her headed that direction and intervene, she works hard at avoiding my eyes, even as I say, “Look at me.” Parents have to train their children to see “eye-to-eye” on their values.

5. Rolling the eyes is an indicator of a seriously bad attitude. This carries with it not only disagreement with what you are telling your child, but also an attitude that the child thinks you are a fool. This contempt leads the child to despise your values. Sadly, this is a behavior most likely learned by observing the parents. Perhaps the mother disagrees with the father and does not say anything, but the children observe that she rolls her eyes.

6. A negative interpretation of life will cause a child to reject your values. The words of your child is often where this tendency shows up. Grumbling, finding fault, answering “Yes, but,” misinterpreting neutral comments to be negative, or being defensive are all indicators that your child is rejecting your values. A parent may let a child get away with these attitudes because they are not hurting anyone else. The challenge here is to recognize and correct the rebellion.

The stated goals at our household were to have our children be able to run the household by the time they were 12, and to be able to go out on their own by age 18. One daughter left for college when she was 18, but came back and asked me why we didn’t kick her sisters out when they were 18. We had said, “be able to” and she had interpreted, “You’re out of here.” I didn’t recognize her misinterpretation until years later.

7. Limited interaction is possibly the most difficult sign of rebellion to recognize. This calls for observing verbal and body language responses—or lack thereof--when you talk with the child. Is the child interacting by nodding, adding comments, or asking questions when you’re together? That’s healthy. If your child says nothing, you may think they’re agreeing, when in fact they are giving you no feedback. They may give you a blank stare, or make it more interesting, by looking thoughtful, but they likely have their own thoughts, which are not in agreement with yours.

Parents, these signs of rebellion are representative of the way children reveal themselves. As you seek to instill your values in the lives of your children, “values rejection” is on the agenda, and you are now more prepared to recognize it.

About the Author: Millie McNabb, B.A., B.Mus., founder of Christian Values Legacy, offers strategies and support for parents who are intentionally raising children to become Christian adults. She homeschooled their four daughters and has been speaking for Christian groups for over 25 years. Visit her website at ChristianValuesLegacy.com or email her at millie@ChristianValuesLegacy.com. Download her free report today: “Considerations for Intentionally Raising Children to Become Christian Adults” at www.ChristianValuesLegacy.com/report/

Source: Narrow is the Path

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