Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Heaven's Downward Escalator


By Margaret Manning


Christmas morning has come and gone for another year. Arriving and departing at an ever-quickening pace, I am always sad to see it go. Yet, the account of Jesus's birth in Luke's Gospel lingers with me even as another Christmas draws to a close.

I am always struck by the way Luke juxtaposes the announcement of the King of Israel—"for unto you is born this day in the city of David the Savior who is Christ the Lord"—with the sign of his kingship—"and this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger" (Luke 2:12). Israel's Messiah would be born in a feed trough for animals, and his royal vestments would be a few tattered cloth strips. How could a tiny baby—born in an animal barn with a manger for his bed—uniquely reveal the glory of God?

Luke's Gospel portrait of Jesus highlights what seem to be the most mundane details for us as modern readers. And yet, Luke highlights these seemingly ordinary details because they illumine his unique view of how God's kingdom would look very different from the kingdom the people of Jesus's day were expecting. For if you were a Jew living during this time, the announcement of the Messiah born in the city of David is a very big deal! The Jews had lived under repressive and oppressive regimes most of their history—some were of their own making, and some were brought upon them by foreign nations and through exile. The Davidic kingship represented the glory days of Israel, and the Jews knew that someday another king like David would arise who would lead them to freedom and greatness again. They were waiting for that king, and for that kingdom.

Out of the silence of 400 years, the angel Gabriel announces the promised Messiah to a young girl, Mary. She sings of his reign as that that which would "scatter the proud, bring down rulers from their thrones, exalt the humble and fill the hungry with good things" (Luke 1:46-52). Out of the silence of that quiet night, the angel spoke and announced what the people had all hoped for: He is here, Luke tells us, born in the same city as your great king of old, King David! The people now would look upon the new David—their new deliverer, their Messiah. He would be their great ruler. The prophet Micah announced, "As for you, Bethlehem too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you one will go forth for me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity."

But the king that came was not the king they expected. He was not born in a palace, the appropriate birthplace for a king, nor was he born into the household of a priest like his cousin John the Baptist. "And this will be a sign for you; you will find a baby wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger." Born this day, in the city of David, is your Christ, your Messiah. And guess what? You'll find him in a manger.

The manger receives the Messiah, and poor shepherds receive the announcement of his birth. We might expect that the birth of Israel's king would be heralded throughout the nation—to the priests, the rulers, and to the leaders of the people. But no country-wide announcement is made. In fact, only those who seem most insignificant are the first to hear the good news. The coming of Jesus, the Messiah, is but a whisper into the ears of a few, select individuals; the announcement comes to a young, unmarried girl, her betrothed Joseph, and to poor shepherds—likely the youngest boys and girls in the family, just as David was sent out into the fields to tend his father's sheep. Israel's king would not reveal his glory as a conquering king against the Roman regime; this king came in humility as the prince of peace.

The Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth, was the same God who chose to be glorified in human flesh as the baby Jesus. Unveiling the glory of God through the humble circumstances of Christ's birth is a point Luke doesn't want us to miss! Humility reveals the glory of God! Humility demonstrates his greatness and glory. God entered this world in humility to come among us as "God with us, Immanuel." As author Barbara Brown Taylor writes, "None of heaven's escalators are going up [this Christmas]. Everybody up there is coming down, right here, right into our own Bethlehem, bringing us the God who has decided to make his home in our arms."(1)

God's glory came into the world as the baby Jesus with a whisper in a few folks' ears. Those who heard the whisper believed the glory of God was revealed in that manger: "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth."

It's no matter that Christmas morning has come and gone just as the year gives way to another year. We can carry the message with us all year. Sometimes the most humble things reveal the awesome glory of God.



*(1) Barbara Brown Taylor, Home by Another Way (Cambridge, Massachusetts: Cowley Publications, 1999), 24.

Friday, December 25, 2009

Don't Go See This Movie!


"Legion" Review:


I experienced this at Comic-Con when I witnessed a trailer for the upcoming movie Legion; a movie which uses the Christian worldview as the template upon which to tell its story. The general concept of the movie is that God has decided that humanity is beyond redemption and the slate needs to be wiped completely clean, the only hitch being that His top angel, Michael, disagrees. He would like to give mankind another chance. The way he sees fit to do this is to sever his connection to God and seek out a woman pregnant with child only referred to as “humanity’s last hope.” God responds by sending all of the angels of heaven to kill this woman and child…and Michael if he gets in the way.

Where to begin…. First off, let it sink in that in this movie, God is the bad guy. Blatantly so. Now I don’t want to veer off on too big of a tangent about what that says about the state of American culture, but it can’t be considered a positive development that “God as the villain” is the theme of a major studio release and it is hardly making a ripple in society at large. But I’m more bothered by something else: who the good guy is. Within the Christian context the movie has as its setting, the one who opposes God is Satan, a character who seems to be missing in this movie…or is he? In case you are not familiar with the back story of the Prince of Darkness, here is a brief rundown: he was originally Lucifer, the Angel of Light. Grand Pooh Bah of the Angels. There came a time when he decided that he wanted to be God and God threw him and the third of the angels who sided with him out of heaven, leaving Michael as the ranking angel. So, the movie correctly asserts the primacy of Michael among the angels but then it has him rebel against God. Hmmm. So the screenplay calls for no Satan to be present, then it has Michael essentially play the role of Satan with a different name. Got it.

Next is the concept of the Messiah. In the Christian worldview the Messiah has already come in the person of Jesus Christ. Anyone else coming along laying claim to the title “Messiah” would have to be considered the Antichrist. In some of the publicity for the film I have even heard this “hope” child referred to as the Messiah, but even if he weren’t directly called it, that is clearly the inference. So, we have a movie where the audience is asked to root for Satan as he tries to protect the Antichrist from being killed by God. Nice.

On top of everything else there is the issue with the name of the film. When Jesus confronted the Gaderene Demoniac Jesus asked the demons what their name was and they responded, “Legion, for we are many.” “Legion” is the name of demons (fallen angels, bad guys) and yet in this context it appears to be referring to the numbers of angels sent by God to kill the Antichrist.

So, it would appear that just about everything in this movie in relation to the Christian worldview upon which it is supposed to be based has been turned on its head. Now I understand that the producers are trying to spin this as a re-telling of the Old Testament Flood narrative with God giving up on mankind and effectively hitting the reset button, but in no way was God ever depicted as the bad guy in that scenario, so that analogy doesn’t hold up. This treatment of this worldview betrays either an unfamiliarity with the subject matter or an utter disdain for it. At this point one might think it would be time to ask what this says about the folks behind the production of this film, but there is something else that concerns me greater. Similar treatment of the Star Wars or Star Trek universes by a director would stir up a firestorm across the blogosphere the likes of which we have never seen. Yet in this case there is mostly silence. So, what does that say about us?


...............

My Take:


I just saw the trailer for a movie coming out in January called Legion. The premise of the movie is that God is sick of humans and sends His angels to Earth to kill mankind's savior who is still in his mother's womb. The only one who can help the humans against God's monstrous servants is the fallen Archangel Michael.

Okay, normally I am not offended by movies because I think it's a waste of my energy to care, but I think this is incredibly offensive. They've flipped the universe upside down: God is the bad guy (!), Gabriel and the other angels are monsters, Michael is a fallen angel, and Jesus is not our savior.

I just wanted to rant about this. Don't get dragged into seeing it. The frustrating thing for me is seeing commentary from Christians who don't mind the premise because "it's just fiction." Blasphemy is blasphemy in whatever form it takes.

*~*Prayer Requests for 12/25/09:

Beginning January 15th, 2010, ownership of Lighthouse Prayer Line will be administered by Francois Putter (Bloemfontein for Jesus).

Bloemfontein for Jesus is an Interdenominational Christian Mission, started during October 2008 for the purpose to unite the Church of Christ through Cell Ministries, Bible Study Groups, Prayer Actions and Evangelical Out­reaches to all nations around the world.

The idea to begin a Ministry like Bloemfontein for Jesus started way back in 1995 when I decided to finally give myself in full-time service to the Lord Je­sus Christ.

The moment I was baptised, I started to pray to the Lord to give me a vision on what my personal purpose is on earth.

The Lord shown me that there are many people online who do not have any other way to learn about Him than to be actively involved in an Online Minis­try.

I have told the Lord: “Lord, there are so many online ministries already active on the Net. I know that you are no Copycat. I know that you created me to have my own unique way to work with other people. Please show me exactly how you want me to work in Your kingdom.”

The Lord shown me in many things He want me to do. This is how Bloemfon­tein for Jesus started.

This ministry first started as an online ministry to represent the Naval Hill Prayer Mountain Ministry.

The Prayer Mountain is active for the past 7 years, but when I started Bloem­fontein for Jesus, I decided to publish some photo’s of the Prayer Group at Naval Hill. You may visit http://bloemfontein4jesus.webs.com/ if you want to see more about us.

Bloemfontein for Jesus is not only an online Ministry. Although we concen­trate on online ministries, we also have some cell-groups, Bible Study Groups and Prayer Actions where we have personal contact with fellow Christians.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Anyone who has questions with regard to this ministry, or the future of the Prayer house Ministry after it has been handed over to us, is welcome to send an E-Mail to bfn4j@telkomsa.net and I will answer any questions you have.

Francois Putter

BLOEMFONTEIN FOR JESUS
9 SAREL CILLIERS STREET
HILTON
BLOEMFONTEIN
9301
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA

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•´.¸¸.•¨¯`♥.Thank you for your prayers!.♥´¯¨•.¸¸.´•
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If you are a regular reader/prayer partner, we would be honored for you to post your pic on our link for prayer partners at the top of the sidebar (right-hand side).

If you do not have a pic, any icon/clipart can serve as a symbol of your devotion to those requesting prayer.

In no way does your inclusion mean that you are endorsing this site or ALL of its content; it simply means you are approaching the throne of Jesus Christ with their pleas in mind. God bless you & thanks for your meaningful work!!

In His precious name,

~Mark Seay (LighthousePrayerLine.org)

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"And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2
Corinthians 12:9-10 - NKJV).

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Hi friend,

Please keep the following individuals in your prayers:

1) "Yes please do I have been struggling since January 20,2009. First i was terminated for unknown reason, then that same week I was sent a notice to move from my condo,owner wants to see, put my belongins in storgage,lost everything and its been downhill since. My job was my second income and helped me to survive. I have prayed and prayed to GOD each and every day for a fiancial blessing. My needs to get out of the debt is 25,000 dollars and of course pay God first.Please pray for a financial blessing and to take away my lonliness. I feel like I have lost everything and everyone god bless" -Denyse;

2) Betty asks for your prayers: "MY DAUGHTER & I ARE LIKE SNOW BOUND IN VA..WE AIM TO TRY TO GO TO WV TOMORROW AFTERNOON...PRAY FOR TRAVELING MERCY FOR US...WE HAVE 24" IN WV & OVER 20" IN VA....WE NEED YOUR PRAYERS...THANK YOU & GOD BLESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!";

3) "I would like you to pray for my friend Tina. She has Edema and shortness of breath and We hope it is not Heart trouble. And also for Carol which is having a biopsi done which could be Lung Cancer,. Thank you and God Bless!" -NN;

4) Barbara asks to be remembered in our prayers. She writes, "Please say a prayer that God will continue to strengthen my sister's marriage and my parents marriage. I hear of so many ppl divorcing or not being in love, but God is love....and He has ordained the institution of marriage.";

5) "Struggling with emotions over this holiday season. Trying not to dwell on hurt feelings & diappointments. Trying to hold on to the true meaning of this season...Christ!" -Terri;

6) Ana asks for our prayers: "Please pray for my son Jayden, male 8 month old, he needs healing energy and full liver functioning, that he may live a long healthy life and not have to face cancer or liver transplant.";

7) "Please pray for my 2 yr old grandaughter, Ava to be healed from AML (leukemia) without the need for a transplant. Please pray she stays in remission with no relapses or complications and that her bloodwork is normal this month and every month.She goes back 12/22 for follow up. Please let her be our Christmas miracle. Thank you and God Bless." -Paulette;

8) EK asks for our prayers: "My son Kevin desperately needs an immediate large financial blessing. He is very depressed over an overwhelming financial burden and impending divorce. Please pray for a financial angel to provide this relief.";

9) "That Shawn will have peace as she prepares for her surgery. That the surgery will be successful. Bless the surgeon and his team. let her heal quickly." -Nicholas;

10) Mary asks to be remembered in our prayers. She writes, "Yes, I am a therapist who treats hand and I had a simple eye procedure in November but am having complications. I am losing vision now and have to have another procedure tomorrow. God has allowed me to treat patients all these years but I am afraid that is in jeopardy. Please pray for my sight to return. Thanks!"


**God bless you for caring enough to pray!!!**

........................................

"For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).

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*~*Spotlight Site*~*

http://AnswersBC.org

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*** WANNA SERVE?? ***

If you know of someone who would like to serve our Lord Jesus but is not sure where to start, please consider one of the following volunteering opportunities:

PRAY for the persecuted. Often we ask Christians who have been tortured, arrested or abused, what they need most. They answer emphatically, "Please pray for us." Be-A-Voice Network makes it effortless to pray for the suffering church. Join now and receive up-to-date prayer bulletins to share with friends and family to grow your prayer network.

WRITE to prisoners: "Please don't stop. The letters are a great encouragement ..." says Joseph, a Chinese Christian, on behalf of Li Ying, imprisoned in China for loving Jesus. We've seen how letters give strength to Christian prisoners and their families. In some cases letters have even led to a prisoner's early release. SHARE their voice: As a member of the Be-A-Voice Network you can send FREE copies of Tortured for Christ, written by VOM's founder Richard Wurmbrand, to Christian friends and family members.

Become a Be-A-Voice volunteer by committing to one or more of the above. Register today!

We hope you will prayerfully consider joining the Be-A-Voice Network today, thus fulfilling Scripture, "Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also." Hebrews 13:3 (NKJV)

It's easy to serve the persecuted church. PRAY. WRITE. SHARE. Join Now!

If you are interested, please email me at LighthousePrayerLine3@gmail.com with "Send Me the Volunteer Link" in the subject line along with your name.

God bless you! Hope to hear from you soon!!

Mark Seay
LighthousePrayerLine.org

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Hut-Hut
LighthousePrayerLine.org


One balmy day in the South Pacific, a navy ship espied smoke coming from one of three huts on an uncharted island. Upon arriving at the shore they were met by a shipwreck survivor. He said, "I'm so glad you're here! I've been alone on this island for more than five years!"

The captain replied, "If you're all alone on the island why do I see THREE huts."

The survivor said, "Oh. We'll, I live in one, and go to church in another."

"What about the THIRD hut?" asked the captain.

"That's where I USED to go to church."

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To Unravel a Culture
By Jill Carattini


Some years ago a group of Christian thinkers were asked to answer the question: How can followers of Christ be countercultural for the common good? Their answers ranged from becoming our own fiercest critics to experiencing life at the margins, from choosing our battles wisely to getting more sleep. A case could easily be made to add many other ideas to their thoughtful list, and its project leaders would agree. The possibilities for counterculturalism are perhaps as numerous as the cultures and sub-cultures of our globalized world. The idea was to get people thinking about what it means to be countercultural in the first place, a lifestyle Jesus heralded as a man with the government on his shoulders, one from whom others hid their faces, and for whom affliction was well known.

Of course, Jesus did not come to shape an insurgent army of cultural protestors. But he did turn both culture and cultural norms on their heads, and he continues to do so today. To crowds gathered in the first century, the wisdom of the rabbi from Nazareth was different than most. He taught with authority, but he also perplexed his would-be students with words about the first being last, and prostitutes and tax collectors making their way into the kingdom before religious experts. To crowds in the current century, this radical teacher continues to herald a radical message. Loving your neighbor is a command that runs counter to most cultural norms, loving your enemy all the more so. The entire Sermon on the Mount was, and remains, the most countercultural sermon ever given.

But still, the question persists: Did Jesus come to overturn cultural norms like he overturned the moneychangers' tables? And exactly how, then, are his followers to be countercultural themselves? Are Christians to be inherently cultural naysayers, gypsies who wander through this world unattached and (hopefully) unaffected? Did Christ come to free us from the very fabric of culture and history into which our lives are woven? Or was his life's ambition to unravel something much deeper?

To begin with, I think we misunderstand Jesus as a countercultural leader heralding a countercultural message if we separate his radical life and message from his radical work on the cross. Jesus did not come to destroy culture as we know it, but to save the world within it. "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets," he told a Jewish world built upon the Law and the Prophets. "I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them" (Matthew 5:17).

Perhaps the best image of counterculturalism is an image of something that is being woven rather than unwound. Nancy Jackson, an artist who creates tapestries, notes the "countercultural" philosophy of weaving. "Weaving tapestry in our modern world requires a different mindset that has taken many years to cultivate," she writes. "It requires faith that the world will still be here in two years.... Weaving a tapestry is good for the soul." In fact, the radical message of Christ is that God is not only near us, but that God's presence is woven into all of life; God has been before us and will remain after us. The saving grace of God's work among us can be seen throughout history, in the lives we live today, and in every stroke of time to come. Jesus did not come to unravel the fabric of the human story or the human himself. On the contrary, he came to unravel* sin*, and to make clear the perfect tapestry made by a creator who has in mind the beginning, the middle, and the end.

Perhaps we are most adequately countercultural, then, when we live as people aware of the entire picture, when we counter the pervasive individualism that bids us to look no further than our own homes or schedules or priorities. Perhaps we are effectively countercultural when we testify to the radical work of the cross in the world and in our hearts, a cross which exchanged our guilt for grace, our ashes for beauty, our collective sorrow for joy. Perhaps we are countercultural when we see the startling colors of Christ's life in our own stories and our neighbors' stories and know that these are only small glimpses of the magnificent work that God is weaving through all of time.

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I Cannot Pray
By Unknown Author


I cannot say OUR if my religion has no room for
others and their needs.

I cannot say FATHER if I do not demonstrate this
relationship in my daily life.

I cannot say WHO ART IN HEAVEN if all my
interests and pursuits are in earthly things.

I cannot say HALLOWED BE THY NAME if I,
who am called by his name am not holy.

I cannot say THY KINGDOM COME if I am
unwilling to give up my own sovereignty and
accept the righteous reign of God.

I cannot say THY WILL BE DONE if I am
unwilling or resentful of having it in my life.

I cannot say ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN
unless I am truly ready to give myself to his service
here and now.

I cannot say GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY
BREAD without expending honest effort for it or
by ignoring the genuine needs of my fellow men.

I cannot say FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS
WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST
US if I continue to harbor a grudge against anyone.

I cannot say LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION if I
deliberately choose to remain in a situation where I
am likely to be tempted.

I cannot say DELIVER US FROM EVIL if I am not
prepared to fight in the spiritual realm with the weapon
of prayer.

I cannot say THINE IS THE KINGDOM if I do not
give the King the disciplined obedience of a loyal
subject.

I cannot say THINE IS THE POWER if I fear what
my neighbors do or say to me.

I cannot say THINE IS THE GLORY if I am seeking
my own glory first.

I cannot say FOREVER if I am anxious about each
day's events.

I cannot say AMEN unless I honestly say "Cost what
it may, this is my prayer."

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There are many opportunities for you to be involved here at Joshua’s Way. We have listed them in three main areas below. Come join us as we learn more about God and in response offer ourselves in service to others.

Visit: http://joshuasway.org

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Where God Is
By Stuart McAllister

In a certain town there lived a cobbler, Martin Avdeitch by name. He lived in a small basement room whose one window looked out onto the street, and all he could see were the feet of people passing by. But since there was hardly a pair of boots that had not been in his hands at one time for repair, Martin recognized each person by his shoes. Day after day, he would work in his shop watching boots pass by. One day he found himself consumed with the hope of a dream that he would find the Lord's feet outside his window. Instead, he found a lingering pair of worn boots belonging to an old soldier. Though at first disappointed, Martin realized the old man might be hungry and invited him inside to a warm fire and some tea. He had other visitors that evening, and though sadly none were Christ, he let them in also. Sitting down at the end of day, Martin heard a voice whisper his name as he read the words: "I was hungry and you gave me meat; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you took me in. Inasmuch as you did for the least of these, you did unto me."(1)

Every Christmas, our family reads the story of Martin the Cobbler as an aid to our celebration. Tolstoy's words offer something of a creative attempt to capture the wonder of a God who comes near and helps us picture the gift of Christ among us in accessible terms. Notably, the story was originally titled, *Where God Is, Love Is*.

The Christian story that informs the Christian calendar gives its followers time and opportunity to remember the coming of Christ in a specific context—in Bethlehem, in the Nativity, in the first Christmas. But it also presents us with repeated opportunities and reminders to prepare for the coming of Christ *again*. Like Martin eagerly waiting at the window, the Christian worldview is one that asks of every day of every year: How will Christ come near today? Will I wait for him? Am I ready for him? Am I even expecting to find him? We are reminded to keep watch, to be prepared, and to continually ready our hearts and minds for the one who is already near. At the same time, the Christian story would also have us to remember how *unexpectedly *Christ at times appears—as a baby in Bethlehem, a man on a cross, as a woman in need.

In the book of Titus, we read that "the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men." How and where will it show up this week? In order to stay alert to the rich possibilities, perhaps we need to keep before us the radical thought of all that God has offered us: a Christ child who comes down to us, a redeemer willing to die for us, a God willing to redefine what is near—all so that we might be where God is. Christianity is not an escape system for us to avoid reality, live above it, or be able to redefine it. Christianity is a way that leads us to grasp what reality is and, by God's grace and help, to navigate through it to our eternal home in God's presence.

The story God has given us indeed feeds the hungry, takes in the stranger, and orients the resident alien who is ever-looking homeward. The focus of Christ's coming is the message of Immanuel—*God is with us*. The focus of Christ's earthly ministry is the declaration of the cross—*God is for us*. And the focus of Christ's resurrection is the promise of a future and his imminent return—*God will bring us safely home*. Until then, God knows all, God is above all, and God is among us, even when it seems most unlikely.


(1) Story told in Leo Tolstoy's, *Walk in the Light While There Is Light and Twenty-three Tales* (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2003).

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"Sounds of the Night"

A man is driving down the road and breaks down near a monastery. He goes to the monastery, knocks on the door, and says, "My car broke down. Do you think I could stay the night?"

The monks graciously accept him, feed him dinner, and even fixed his car. As the man tries to fall asleep, he hears a strange sound. The next morning, he asks the monks what the sound was, but they say, "We can't tell you. You're not a monk."

The man is disappointed but thanks them anyway and goes about his merry way.

Some years later, the same man breaks down in front of the same monastery. The monks accept him, feed him, and fixed his car. That night, he hears the same strange noise that he had heard years earlier. The next morning, he asks what it is, but the monks reply, "We can't tell you. You're not a monk."

The man says, "All right, all right. I'm dying to know. If the only way I can find out what that sound was is to become a monk, how do I become a monk?"

The monks reply, "You must travel the earth and tell us how many blades of grass there are and the exact number of sand pebbles. When you find these numbers, you will become a monk."

The man sets about his task. Forty-five years later, he returns and knocks on the door of the monastery. He says, "I have traveled the earth and have found what you have asked for. There are 145,236,284,232 blades of grass and 231,281,219,999,129,382 sand pebbles on the earth."

The monks reply, "Congratulations. You are now a monk. We shall now show you the way to the sound."

The monks lead the man to a wooden door, where the head monk says, "The sound is right behind that door."

The man reaches for the knob, but the door is locked. He says, "Real funny, may I have the key?"

The monks give him the key, and he opens the door. Behind the wooden door is another door made of stone. The man demands the key to the stone door. The monks give him the key, and he opens it, only to find a door made of ruby.

He demands another key from the monks, who provide it. Behind that door is another door, this one made of sapphire. So it went until the man had gone through doors of emerald, silver, topaz, amethyst...

Finally, the monks say, "This is the last key to the last door."

The man is relieved to no end. He unlocks the door, turns the knob, and behind that door he is amazed to find the source of that strange sound.
.
.
.
.
But I can't tell you what it is because you're not a monk.

~Haha

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Look to the Stars

One night Abraham Lincoln suggested to a young man that they take a walk along a country road. Lincoln lifted his eyes to the heavens full of stars and said, "I never behold them that I don't feel I am looking into the face of God. A man might look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how he could look into the heavens and say there is no God."

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"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you" (Philippians 4:8-9 - NKJ).

Be sure to send in your prayer request for the next mailing.

You are in my thoughts and prayers! May the Lord continue to bless you with knowledge of Himself.

Merry Christmas!

Mark Seay
Lighthouse Prayer Line
105 Quincy Drive
Greer, SC 29650
LighthousePrayerLine.org

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body" (Corinthians 6:19-20).

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Anyone who is to find Christ must first find the church. How could anyone know where Christ is and what faith is in him unless he knew where his believers are? ~Martin Luther

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We hope you have found today's newsletter encouraging to your walk with Jesus Christ. Please send all prayer requests and praise reports to us by using the "comments" hyperlink, which can be found at the end of each blog/article. God is Good!!!

A Candle Loses Nothing by Lighting Another Candle. Please Keep This Candle Going!

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(¯`*•.(¯`*•.God is Good - ALL of the Time!!!.•*´¯).•*´¯)
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♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
•´.¸¸.•¨¯`♥.Visit Us Soon!.♥´¯¨•.¸¸.´•
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REMEMBER: We are Transformed by Beholding JESUS!!!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

"If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O LORD, who could stand?" (Psalm 130:3).

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Thursday, December 17, 2009

*~*Prayer Requests for 12/18/09:

\\\ *** Please Read *** ///


Beginning January 15th, 2010, ownership of Lighthouse Prayer Line will be administered by Francois Putter (Bloemfontein for Jesus).

Bloemfontein for Jesus is an Interdenominational Christian Mission, started during October 2008 for the purpose to unite the Church of Christ through Cell Ministries, Bible Study Groups, Prayer Actions and Evangelical Out­reaches to all nations around the world.

The idea to begin a Ministry like Bloemfontein for Jesus started way back in 1995 when I decided to finally give myself in full-time service to the Lord Je­sus Christ.

The moment I was baptised, I started to pray to the Lord to give me a vision on what my personal purpose is on earth.

The Lord shown me that there are many people online who do not have any other way to learn about Him than to be actively involved in an Online Minis­try.

I have told the Lord: “Lord, there are so many online ministries already active on the Net. I know that you are no Copycat. I know that you created me to have my own unique way to work with other people. Please show me exactly how you want me to work in Your kingdom.”

The Lord shown me in many things He want me to do. This is how Bloemfon­tein for Jesus started.

This ministry first started as an online ministry to represent the Naval Hill Prayer Mountain Ministry.

The Prayer Mountain is active for the past 7 years, but when I started Bloem­fontein for Jesus, I decided to publish some photo’s of the Prayer Group at Naval Hill. You may visit http://bloemfontein4jesus.webs.com/ if you want to see more about us.

Bloemfontein for Jesus is not only an online Ministry. Although we concen­trate on online ministries, we also have some cell-groups, Bible Study Groups and Prayer Actions where we have personal contact with fellow Christians.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Anyone who has questions with regard to this ministry, or the future of the Prayer house Ministry after it has been handed over to us, is welcome to send an E-Mail to bfn4j@telkomsa.net and I will answer any questions you have.

Francois Putter

BLOEMFONTEIN FOR JESUS
9 SAREL CILLIERS STREET
HILTON
BLOEMFONTEIN
9301
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA

((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))

Join the ranks of today's centurions as they reconcile people to Jesus while releasing the Truth of His Word to a corrupt culture: www.BreakPoint.org

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***REQUEST***

If you are a regular reader/prayer partner, we would be honored for you to post your pic on our link for prayer partners at the top of the sidebar (right-hand side). If you do not have a pic, any icon/clipart can serve as a symbol of your devotion to those requesting prayer. In no way does your inclusion mean that you are endorsing this site or ALL of its content; it simply means you are approaching the throne of Jesus Christ with their pleas in mind. God bless you & thanks for your meaningful work!!

~Mark Seay (LighthousePrayerLine.org)

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"And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:9-10 - NKJV).

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Hi friend,

Please keep the following individuals in your prayers:

1) "God to bless my newborn grandson, Randy, Jr. He was born on Nov. 8, 2009 and is a beautiful healthy angel. I just want to Thank God for the miracle of his birth. And ask that God continues to keep him healthy and strong, today and always, and I will give God the Praise! Thank you!" -Donna;

2) Michele asks for our prayers: "I am 37 yrs old with a husband on disability trying to raise my 15 yr old and 10 yr old and my oldest son who is 20 and his 20 yr old wife with a 10mth old son. I struggle financialy every day. I pray a miracle will happen to me and my family. Please pray a miracle to happen to us.";

3) "I would like for everyone to pray that I, Melissa, will do well with my interview tomorrow so that I will be offered a position with the company that I am interviewing with. I have been facing tough financial times and I am a single mother of my son, David. The prayer that I have said is: May the Lord give me strength and wisdom to help me through this difficult and competetive process. It is only Him that can help me through my tough financial situation, and it is him that I have faith in." -Melissa;

4) Sharon writes: "My son is not sure about his sexuality. He is also hurting himself with objects! We have been going to drs and therapist which are only causing more problems. Please pray for my son and our family that Christ's love can penetrate the confusion.";

5) "Please pray for clear direction and guidance; as I have been struggling with homosexuality most of my life. I have accepted Christ and have been in and out of the lifestyle for years, but I am left confused and pulled in different directions." -Vikki;

6) "Please pray for my nephew. He has decided to try and live the gay lifestyle and when we have talked to him he tells us this is the only way he can find someone to love him. Pray the Lord will give us the right words to share with him." -Ann;

7) Mike & Kim asks for our prayers for David who is in the latter stages of cancer.;

8) "My 23 y.o. son, Jordan, goes back to court 12/15/09. He origionally had two charges, one has already been dropped. I am praying that the other will be dropped. I serve an almighty God, I know all things are possible. I am expecting great things." -Richell;

9) Julie asks for our prayers: "My son is in need of your prayers. He has been employed with a car wash company for 7 years, . In the winter time business slows down, they get paid by commission, first come first serve, so he competes with 5 other men for a vehicle. His wife works as a cashier, she is pd hourly, but she is sent home when business slows down. They dont' get paid if there not there. So this means no money coming in, It cost much more to live in the winter, the cost of heat, cars need more gas etc. So, he came up with an idea to earn more money to make ends meet. He purchased a plow to attach to his truck so he could remove snow. HIs boss said it would be fine, Today, it snowed he was going to take the day off, as discussed, but his other boss, told him NO, even though it had been approved by his boss My son said he seems to always pick at him, so he wrote down what he wanted to get off of his chest, He read it to me & has made some very good points, he said he plans to read it to him, since this man don't like to hear anyone out, He don't want to loose his job. He said he has been praying on this & will pray before he reads it to him. I'm praying and I know I can count on you to pray for him too. There such good hard working caring people who love the Lord. Thank You so very much for being here for me today, We all appreciate your prayers, I pray God will open up his bosses eyes & his heart. God Bless you richly."

10) "Please pray for my mother. God knows what she needs. Thank you." -Sharon;

11) Mechelle asks to be remembered in our prayers. She writes, "I am praying for fertility. My husband and I have been trying to conceive for close to 4 years. I just really believe that God will bless us with a child. I read all the infertility stuff its depressing. I just pray that God will open up my womb, and bless us."

12) "Please pray for the man I love so much and I to come back together as a happy loving respectful caring couple. I miss him dearly and he has seem to run off course. Please help me pray for us to reconnect and reunite very soon." -Brittney;

13) "My name is Pastor Raja Sekhar. I am blessed with wife and three Children. I
have been ministering to the people with the Word of God for 20 years. My ministry has taken place in remote and tribal areas in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, and Orissa in India. I call on you in the name of Jesus Christ please remember my ministry in your precious prayers, and kindly remember my co-pastors and children homes in different areas of remote villages and tribal hill places that has taken place among the poor, and needy tribal people.";

14) "That my job situation improves and that I will have peace of mind." -Linda;

15) AN asks for our prayers: "I offer this prayer for the lonely person seeking God to rescue them. Please, dear Lord, be with this person this instant. Enfold this person in the arms of all your angels, and let them know Your Love immediately, infinitely, and with perfect Faith. Let all the Prayer Warriors bring this person into their hearts, minds, and prayers, and send this person so much positive energy that s/he can almost feel its warmth filling his/her heart. I ask these things in the name of Love, and in the name of Christ, in this holiest of seasons, when no one should feel alone. Amen.";

16) "I would like to request for prayers for a good Christmas with my family. Each year my Christmas has been a anxious one worried about my son who wants to be drinking during the Holidays. If it is not that then it is drama with other family members. I would like prayers for a peaceful and joyfull Christmas with my family. I also ask for prayers for my son, healing for his addictions. Sometimes I wish for a miracle that once and for all he will see the light and change his way of life which includes going back to church. Thank you so much for your prayers." -Jennifer;

17) Tom and Kate ask to be remembered in our prayers: "All the power of god into Tom/Kate in the form of fearlessness/energy/to only need my own hearts approval gods approval/my own hearts.";

18) "My husband and I are going through a possible divorce. I do not want the divorce. I pray everyday about it. Today, I would like to pray that God dwell within me and my home. That He gives me guidance on how to be a better steward of my home, and a more patient mother and wife. I ask that God radiate within me and help me to make those changes that will make me a more attractive partner for my husband. I also, ask that God make the necessary changes within my husband that will allow him to be the husband, father, and home leader that God wants." -Rene; and lastly . . .

19) "Please prayer for salvation for daughters Christina (20yrs) and Nicole (17yrs) and that they may have sister love toward each other. Also for healing for sisters Terry, Mona and Yvonne, they have many aliments (high blood pressure, arthtis, blood disease and other) and brother Mark for healing with drugs and alcohol and salvation for all. As for me, I've given my heart to Christ and faithful tithe. Please pray for financial blessings. Thank you so much and God Bless You!" -NN


**God bless you for caring enough to pray!!!**

........................................

"For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).

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*~*Spotlight Site*~*

http://fitformyking.com/

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Revelations Misunderstood:

http://www.rpi.edu/~sofkam/ISUNY/rev_1097.html

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Suffering Afflictions and Going the Second Mile
By Oswald Chambers


"I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoeve rslaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also" (Matthew 5:39).

This verse reveals the humiliation of being a Christian. In the natural realm, if a person does not hit back, it is because he is a coward. But in the spiritual realm, it is the very evidence of the Son of God in him if he does not hit back. When you are insulted, you must not only not resent it, but you must make it an opportunity to exhibit the Son of God in your life. And you cannot imitate the nature of Jesus— it is either in you or it is not. A personal insult becomes an opportunity for a saint to reveal the incredible sweetness of the Lord Jesus.

The teaching of the Sermon on the Mount is not, "Do your duty," but is, in effect, "Do what is not your duty." It is not your duty to go the second mile, or to turn the other cheek, but Jesus said that if we are His disciples, we will always do these things. We will not say, "Oh well, I just can't do any more, and I've been so misrepresented and misunder-stood." Every time I insist on having my own rights, I hurt the Son of God, while in fact I can prevent Jesus from being hurt if I will take the blow myself. That is the real meaning of filling "up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ. . ." ( Colossians 1:24 ). A disciple realizes that it is his Lord's honor that is at stake in his life, not his own honor. Never look for righteousness in the other person, but never cease to be righteous yourself.

We are always looking for justice, yet the essence of the teaching of the Sermon on the Mount is— Never look for justice, but never cease to give it.

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Grace Being with Our Spirit
By Living Stream Ministry


Phil. 4:23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. 2 Tim. 4:22 The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you. John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

When Paul says, "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit," he means that the supply and enjoyment of the Triune God by and through the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ should be with us. When we have such a supply, we enjoy and experience the Triune God all day long. The spirit here is our regenerated spirit indwelt by the Spirit of Christ. It is in this spirit of ours that we enjoy Christ and experience Him as Paul did. Many Christians today have missed the mark of the regenerated spirit. They speak much about the Holy Spirit, but not of the human spirit. Because of this neglect of the regenerated human spirit, there is very little experience of Christ or enjoyment of the all-inclusive grace.

If we would enjoy the grace which is with our spirit, we need to exercise our spirit. The way to exercise the spirit is to pray, pray-read the Word, and call on the name of the Lord Jesus. Whenever we call on the Lord Jesus or pray to God the Father, we automatically exercise our spirit. ...when we call on the Lord, pray in a proper way, and pray-read the Word, we truly exercise our spirit. Exercising our spirit in this way is the secret to enjoying the grace which is with our spirit. Oh, we all need more exercise of the spirit to enjoy the Lord!

We know that man has three parts: the spirit, the soul, and the body. Bodily exercise is necessary and profitable. When I exercise physically, I sleep better at night. It is hardly necessary to speak of the exercise of the soul, especially of the mind, since this is emphasized so much in the schools. But there is a great need to emphasize the need to exercise the spirit. The church is a spiritual gymnasium where we can exercise our spirit. The more we exercise the spirit, the more we shall be healthy and strong in our entire being. Our physical body will be healthy, our mind will be sober and keen, and our spirit will be energized. Again I say, the exercise of the spirit is the secret, the unique way, to participate in the very grace which is the Triune God as the all-inclusive Spirit. As we enjoy Him, we become healthy and strong in our spirit and in our whole being.

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Communicating God’s Truth
LighthousePrayerLine.org


Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20 NIV

Sadly, a lot of people will make a statement like, “That may be true for you but not for me.” Genuine truth is not relative. Nor is it a part-time phenomenon. In other words, if something is true, then it’s always true. Therefore, the rock-solid principles that God has communicated to you should, in turn, be shared with others.

We see this admonition repeatedly in Scripture. In Matthew 28:18-20, the Lord gives us what is known as the Great Commission. This is a charge for all of us who believe: we are to go out and spread the truth about Jesus Christ, teaching others what we have been taught.

Likewise, in 2 Timothy 2:2, Paul instructs Timothy not only to tell others what he has learned, but also to encourage those men to tell even more people. In 2 Corinthians 5:20, Paul even states that we, as believers, are “ambassadors for Christ.” In other words, we are His emissaries to the world.

We are to take what we know and make it known to those we encounter. For what purpose? The passage makes it clear that our mission is to help others be reconciled to God.

How can we ever doubt the urgency of this message? We have a truth to tell, and we must share it!

This week, take the time to write out your faith story, including all the key details. Review this testimony so you’ll feel comfortable and confident sharing it with little or no warning. Then, pray for opportunities to share your faith. This shouldn’t be scary; just tell your story, and trust the results to God.

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VBS 2010: SeaQuest

Diving for God's Treasures!

http://polar.rbpstore.org/2010/

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Many Staged Miracles
By Jill Carattini


They told me to give it three weeks. "Your eyes and your brain are getting reacquainted again," he said. "Your eyesight will fluctuate for the next few days." But less than a week after eye surgery, I was tired of fluctuating. At times my vision was so crisp that it was almost too much for me—like I was somehow seeing more than I should. But this clarity came and went; I was sometimes far-sighted, sometimes near-sighted, sometimes neither very well. Perfect sight was not as immediate as I anticipated.

My experience of Christ is not so far from this. I was given the charge of retelling my story—my journey to faith and sight—the same week I was having trouble seeing. The reflective task of peering into my life, looking at patterns and history with the hope of illumination seemed ironic as I squinted to see my computer screen. But it served as a helpful metaphor. My vision of Christ has been far from immediate. It has been much closer to a fluctuating timeline of beholding and squinting. My experience has been something like the blind man's from Bethsaida. "Do you see anything?" Jesus asked after placing his hands on his eyes. The man looked up and said, "I see people; they look like trees walking around" (Mark 8:23-24). Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. "Then his eyes were opened; his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly" (8:25).

For those of us who want to relate to Jesus as the God of immediacy, two-staged miracles are cumbersome. I don't want fluctuating vision. I am leery of winding roads and long journeys. I want to live knowing that he is the one who makes all things new—now. And he is. But Christ also makes us ready to handle it. God is working that we might be able to stand in the very midst of the one who makes all things new—and apparently we are not always ready.

Seeing apparently takes time. Though undoubtedly, we are slow learners, all too often satisfied with walking trees. "Do you have eyes but fail to see?" It is a question Jesus placed before everyone he encountered. The blind man knew enough not to settle with people looking like evergreens. What he saw with his eyes was something he knew was less than eyes could see. Though partial sight was itself a miracle, the one who touched him—and he himself—had in mind something more.

How interesting, then, that Jesus's two-staged miracle takes place following an exchange with the Pharisees who were looking for a miraculous sign that Jesus wasn't giving, as well as an exchange with the disciples who were in the presence of light itself and yet somehow kept failing to see. Mark seems to be telling us that seeing takes time, that learning to see is a process, but also, that Christ is ever-patient with those who do not see. In our best attempts to consider God, wrote Augustine, we are essentially asking the everlasting Light to "lighten our darkness." Perhaps the miracle of sight is less like a light switch and more like a series of lights God strings together until we can finally see.

Vision, not unlike redemption, is at times a process by which Christ must dazzle gradually. Other times we may find ourselves moved nearly to blindness as we encounter more than we have eyes yet to see. But God is at work in the process, even when we are seeing walking tress. "Do you see anything?" Jesus asks as often we need him, while holding near the well-lit miracle that one day we shall see him face to face.

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Faithful With Much

At a Wednesday evening church meeting a very wealthy man rose to give his testimony.

"I'm a millionaire," he said, "and I attribute it all to the rich blessings of God in my life. I can still remember the turning point in my faith, like it was yesterday:

I had just earned my first dollar and I went to a church meeting that night. The speaker was a missionary who told about his work. I knew that I only had a dollar bill and had to either give it all to God's work or nothing at all. So at that moment I decided to give my whole dollar to God. I believe that God blessed that decision, and that is why I am a rich man today."

As he finished it was clear that everyone had been moved by this man's story. But, as he took his seat, a little old lady sitting in the same pew leaned over and said: "*Wonderful story*!* I dare you to do it again*!"

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"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you" (Philippians 4:8-9 - NKJ).

Be sure to send in your prayer request for the next mailing.

You are in my thoughts and prayers! May the Lord continue to bless you with knowledge of Himself.

In Christ's Love,

Mark Seay
Lighthouse Prayer Line
105 Quincy Drive
Greer, SC 29650
LighthousePrayerLine.org

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body" (Corinthians 6:19-20).

((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))

Anyone who is to find Christ must first find the church. How could anyone know where Christ is and what faith is in him unless he knew where his believers are? ~Martin Luther

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We hope you have found today's newsletter encouraging to your walk with Jesus Christ. Please send all prayer requests and praise reports to us by using the "comments" hyperlink, which can be found at the end of each blog/article. God is Good!!!

A Candle Loses Nothing by Lighting Another Candle. Please Keep This Candle Going!

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(¯`*•.(¯`*•.God is Good - ALL of the Time!!!.•*´¯).•*´¯)
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♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
•´.¸¸.•¨¯`♥.Visit Us Soon!.♥´¯¨•.¸¸.´•
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

REMEMBER: We are Transformed by Beholding JESUS!!!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

"If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O LORD, who could stand?" (Psalm
130:3).

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
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Monday, December 14, 2009

New Ministry

Beginning January 15th, 2010, ownership of Lighthouse Prayer Line will be administered by Francois Putter (Bloemfontein for Jesus).

Bloemfontein for Jesus is an Interdenominational Christian Mission, started during October 2008 for the purpose to unite the Church of Christ through Cell Ministries, Bible Study Groups, Prayer Actions and Evangelical Out­reaches to all nations around the world.

The idea to begin a Ministry like Bloemfontein for Jesus started way back in 1995 when I decided to finally give myself in full-time service to the Lord Je­sus Christ.

The moment I was baptised, I started to pray to the Lord to give me a vision on what my personal purpose is on earth.

The Lord shown me that there are many people online who do not have any other way to learn about Him than to be actively involved in an Online Minis­try.

I have told the Lord: “Lord, there are so many online ministries already active on the Net. I know that you are no Copycat. I know that you created me to have my own unique way to work with other people. Please show me exactly how you want me to work in Your kingdom.”

The Lord shown me in many things He want me to do. This is how Bloemfon­tein for Jesus started.

This ministry first started as an online ministry to represent the Naval Hill Prayer Mountain Ministry.

The Prayer Mountain is active for the past 7 years, but when I started Bloem­fontein for Jesus, I decided to publish some photo’s of the Prayer Group at Naval Hill. You may visit http://bloemfontein4jesus.webs.com/ if you want to see more about us.

Bloemfontein for Jesus is not only an online Ministry. Although we concen­trate on online ministries, we also have some cell-groups, Bible Study Groups and Prayer Actions where we have personal contact with fellow Christians.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Anyone who has questions with regard to this ministry, or the future of the Prayer house Ministry after it has been handed over to us, is welcome to send an E-Mail to bfn4j@telkomsa.net and I will answer any questions you have.

Francois Putter

BLOEMFONTEIN FOR JESUS
9 SAREL CILLIERS STREET
HILTON
BLOEMFONTEIN
9301
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA

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Wednesday, December 9, 2009

*~*Prayer Requests for 12/11/09:

Would you believe that the "Inmate Mail Policy" censors based on religious content????

Check this out: www.JusticeFellowship.org

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"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is in the LORD" (Jeremiah 17:7).

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Hi friend,

Please keep the following individuals in your prayers:

1) "Please ask God to send an answer soon. Home in foreclosure, mortgage company considering a modification to lower payments but nothing definite since we are on disability and have low income. Was to get an "agreement letter" about new payments but instead received a statement for $9,000 today which is our past due payments. We desperately need this modification to be approved to save our home. Am getting very anxious but still praying and praising the Lord. Thank you for your prayers." -Ellayne;

2) Anna asks for our prayers: "My sons out of control and i need lots of prayers, PLEASE!!! He's using drugs and i cant get him to accept treatment. He threatened if i sign him up he'll flunk all his classes. He's a senior in high school and i want him to graduate in time, but i can't let him destroy his life with drugs. I pray to the Lord and the Virgin Mary to please help me guide my son with love. LOrd hear my prayers.";

3) "Please pray for my friend Tony, he has been a loner for 11 yrs due to not letting go of his hurt from his ex. He needs deliverance and for the chains to be removed from his heart, so that he can move forward in life, he needs to know Gods love. I am his girlfriend and he has completely shut me out and caused me great pain. He is running from me. I love him." -AN;

4) Jo asks for our prayers. He writes: "My daughter Jo is going through a divorce and learning to survive as a single mom. She has serious money issues and an autoimune system illness. She now found out that she may have cervical cancer. We help her as much as we can, but sometimes I think her money issues would be less if we would have helped less. We need prayers for guidance in how to best help her, but she needs prayers that she can get emotionally and physically healthy, and also overcome her money problems. She does work and is looking for another job, but given her health they may not work. Thank you for your prayers." -Jo;

5) Virginia asks to be remembered in our prayers. She writes, "RECENTLY DIVORCED HAVING A REAL HARD TIME, WE WORK TOGETHER SO I HAVE TO SEE HIM ALOT. ADULTERY WAS THE REASON FOR DIVORCE I WANT TO FORGIVE HIM AND MOVE ON BUT I CAN'T ALL I DO IS SLEEP WHEN NOT WORKING. CRY ALOT. NEED HELP.";

6) "Thank you for your prayers for me while speaking with my customers and players just now. Please pray for me all day as I am tired and the Christmas season is here now. Thank you for your prayer support and please also pray for our debit/credit card sales as we are committing ten percent to the prayer ministry as a tithe to the Lord for your wonderful prayer support." -Robert;

7) Danny and Donna asks for our prayers: "God the Father, Protect me and my Family from any harms and dangers. May your graces be with us in our daily lives. May the wishes of everyone's heart of my family be real. I ask you this in the name of Jesus our Lord and Saviour .. Amen.";

8) "My son and I had to relocate recently due to the current economic condition. We are currently both looking for jobs in Nevada. We both need prayer for favor and guidance. We both love the Lord and we believe that He supplies all of our need according to His riches in glory. Thank you for agreeing with us, and may God richely bless each of you." -James;

9) Sasha asks for our prayers. She writes, "Please pray for the love of my life. Although he and I are no longer together, please keep him safe and well protected. Please allow him and I to be strong and please allow us both to somehow find each other again one day. Thank you.";

10) Please keep Chris in your prayers. He recently lost his job. Ask the Lord to use this loss as an opportunity for blessing him if it be His Will.;

11) "Dear God, Dear Prayer Team, please pray for Mark, whom I love dearly. He is in need of guidance and wisdom. Please God, talk to him. Open his heart and mind. Fill his heart and mind with understanding and wisdom, ideas and humbleness. Bring him on his right path and allow for our love to grow and to deepen. I am asking in prayer for a fulfilled and committed relationship with Mark. A fulfilled and committed relationship that will lead to us to be in a fulfilled and committed lifelong marriage with each other. Lift Mark up and have your angels watch over my Beloved. Thank you! Amen." -G;

12) Scott asks to be remembered in our prayers. He writes: "Please pray for my husband's salvation. He left me and I have not seen him in more than 4 weeks. I would like to pray for his health, peace of mind, softening of our hearts, forgiveness, renewing of the mind and our reconciliation and restoration of our marriage.";

13) "I am going on 4 months without employment since I was laid off from my job back in early Feb. Thankfully the Lord has provided for me financially in the interim with severance pay and unemployment. Please pray for God's "door" or "window" to become apparent and to open in His timing." -Miranda;

14) Tony writes: "Please pray for Willa Medinger who is recovering from a massive stroke. Willa is the wife of Alan Medinger-former Exodus president and director of Regeneration. She is expected to be in ICU a few more days. Please pray for a full recovery.";

15) "Please be in prayer for my family. My husband, Mark learned yesterday that his company is closing, and he as well as the rest of the employees will no longer have employment after December 29th. Mark has a deep desire to be a witness during this time, to demonstrate his faith in God for provision and a plan. We are going to believe; after all, we are believers right?! We're going to trust that God has a plan and a purpose and in His perfect timing He will open another door, to an even better job." -Mileah;

16) "I have a genetic eye disorder that I have dealt with most all my life. Recently I lost vision in my right eye. I had a corneal transplant,but immediatly lost the vision again. I have had another corneal transplant that so far is not doing well. I am praying for my eye to heal and to regain my vision so that I can go back to work.(I am the sole wage earner for my family. My husband has retired and has heart disease, so is limited in what he can do.) Please pray for my vision. Thank you." -Marilyn;

17) Dynita asks to be remembered in our prayers: "I am in need of prayer of my family and that who ever that trieing to put hexes,-- etc. of the enemy that have attempted to penetrate me be put to the pitts of hell where they belong and bind up in the name of Jesus! i pray that my finances be release from the enemy hands and the strongholds be destroyed over me and my family and be cast aside and destroyed any demonic spirit be turned around in jesus name. thank you for your prayers. your friend in christ jesus of nazareth i pray.";

18) "My husband and I have a 3-year-old son who is absolutely a joy to us. We love him so very much, but there have been a lot of behavior issues that have put me in tears on more than one occassion. I feel exhausted and somewhat hopeless at times trying to be the mom he needs while teaching him what he needs. It is hard to take him places because of how he acts and it becomes somewhat isolating when I am at home with him all day. Please pray for guidance and clarity for my husband and I and for our son to learn to behave a little better! Thank you." -Amanda;

19) Chuck asks for our prayers. He writes, "Please pray for me and my wife. We are seperated but still very much in love. We continue to see each other and are very much involved in each other's lives, but we're confused and frightened when it comes to deciding whether or not we should take the next step and try living together again. Please pray that God will give us guidance and strength, and open our hearts and minds to let us see the right path to follow. Our names are Chuck and Wendy. Thank you for your kindness." -Chuck;

20) J asks for our prayers: "My 5 year old son has a lot of eating difficulties. He is very tiny for his age - 3 feet tall, 30 lbs. He has not gained any weight in several months. He has very few foods he eats and those have to be forced. He has a lot of aversion to food textures (he basically eats soft, smooth food like fruit and yogurt - no veggies, meat or bread). He has some behavioral issues as well. Meal time is very difficult for our family. It is a struggle and usually ends in frustration for everyone. It is dictating our entire lives. Please pray that he would would learn to chew better, that he would not be afraid to try new things, and that he would be cooperative, and that he would decide that eating is fun!! Also pray that he would grow, gain weight and be healthy.";

21) "I am in great need of prayer and i'm asking for your help. I have an addiction i can't seem to stop. its not good for my general health and its ruining a relationship thats important. the guilty and shame its causing is to much to bear. please please pray for me. i am also looking for a good church home with a recovery program. i will be attending one tonight for a bible study. i am a born again believer and am ashamed that i have strayed from the church into this habit. please pray the stronghold be broken.thankyou so very much!" -Lisa;

22) Charles asks to be remembered in our prayers. He writes: "Please pray for me and do all that your site is intended to do. For I believe that where two or more are gathered that He (JESUS/IESOUS/YEHOSHUA) is in the midst and will give them the supplications of their heart. It is in this fact of knowing that for with YAHWEH nothing shall be impossible that I ask in the blood of the Lamb that my marriage to Anita is restored, that my covenant with her and GOD is re-established and that our family is made whole, that my ministry takes off and that my book will exceed all sales quotas that in my wealth I will build up the kingdom of GOD and shall bless his people for Jesus states that we have him but for a short time but the poor we shall have always. I pray right now that GOD will make haste and not tarry and that this prayer will come to pass right now by the blood of the Lamb and in the name Jesus Christ do I believe that I have all that I have prayed for. Amen. Amen. Amen."; and lastly . . .

23) "I just got a 3 day eviction notice to leave my home. I have a wife and 2 young daughters with no savings left, no money, and no place to go. I need God to work with me and help me use my skills to find income streams and a place to live. Thanks for the prayers. I NEED THEM." -Jeff


**God bless you for caring enough to pray!!!**

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"For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).

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*~*Spotlight Site*~*

http://myplacewithjesus.com

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The Sandpiper
By Robert Peterson
www.LighthousePrayerLine.org


She was six years old when I first met her on
the beach near where I live. I drive to this beach,
a distance of three or four miles, whenever the
world begins to close in on me. She was building
a sand castle or something and looked up, her
eyes as blue as the sea.

'Hello,' she said.

I answered with a nod, not really in the mood to
bother with a small child.

'I'm building,' she said.

'I see that. What is it?' I asked, not really caring.

'Oh, I don't know, I just like the feel of sand.'

That sounds good, I thought, and slipped off my
shoes.

A sandpiper glided by.

'That's a joy,' the child said.

'It's a what?'

'It's a joy. My mama says sandpipers come to
bring us joy.'

The bird went gliding down the beach. Good-bye
joy, I muttered to myself, hello pain, and turned
to walk on. I was depressed, my life seemed
completely out of balance.

'What's your name?' She wouldn't give up.

'Robert,' I answered. 'I'm Robert Peterson.'

'Mine's Wendy...I'm six.'

'Hi, Wendy.'

She giggled. 'You're funny,' she said.

In spite of my gloom, I laughed too and walked
on. Her musical giggle followed me.

'Come again, Mr. P,' she called. 'We'll have another
happy day.'

The next few days consisted of a group of unruly
Boy Scouts, PTA meetings, and an ailing mother.
The sun was shining one morning as I took my
hands out of the dishwater. I need a sandpiper, I
said to myself, gathering up my coat.

The ever-changing balm of the seashore awaited
me. The breeze was chilly but I strode along,
trying to recapture the serenity I needed.

'Hello, Mr. P,' she said. 'Do you want to play?'

'What did you have in mind?' I asked, with a twinge
of annoyance.

'I don't know. You say.'

'How about charades?' I asked sarcastically.

The tinkling laughter burst forth again. 'I don't
know what that is.'

'Then let's just walk.'

Looking at her, I noticed the delicate fairness
of her face. 'Where do you live?' I asked.

'Over there.' She pointed toward a row of summer
cottages.

Strange, I thought, in winter.

'Where do you go to school?'

'I don't go to school. Mommy says we're on vacation.'

She chattered little girl talk as we strolled up the
beach, but my mind was on other things. When I
left for home, Wendy said it had been a happy day.
Feeling surprisingly better, I smiled at her and agreed.

Three weeks later, I rushed to my beach in a state
of near panic. I was in no mood to even greet Wendy.
I thought I saw her mother on the porch and felt like
demanding she keep her child at home.

'Look, if you don't mind,' I said crossly when Wendy
caught up with me, 'I'd rather be alone today.' She
seemed unusually pale and out of breath.

'Why?' she asked.

I turned to her and shouted, 'Because my mother
died!' and thought, My God, why was I saying this
to a little child?

'Oh,' she said quietly, 'then this is a bad day.'

'Yes,' I said, 'and yesterday and the day before
and -- oh, go away!'

'Did it hurt?' she inquired.

'Did what hurt?' I was exasperated with her, with
myself.

'When she died?'

'Of course it hurt!' I snapped, misunderstanding,
wrapped up in myself. I strode off.

A month or so after that, when I next went to the
beach, she wasn't there. Feeling guilty, ashamed,
and admitting to myself I missed her, I went up
to the cottage after my walk and knocked at the
door. A drawn looking young woman with honey-
colored hair opened the door.

'Hello,' I said, 'I'm Robert Peterson. I missed your
little girl today and wondered where she was.'

'Oh yes, Mr. Peterson, please come in. Wendy
spoke of you so much. I'm afraid I allowed her to
bother you. If she was a nuisance, please, accept
my apologies.'

'Not at all--she's a delightful child.' I said, suddenly
realizing that I meant what I had just said.

'Wendy died last week, Mr. Peterson. She had
leukemia. Maybe she didn't tell you.'

Struck dumb, I groped for a chair. I had to catch
my breath.

'She loved this beach, so when she asked to come,
we couldn't say no. She seemed so much better here
and had a lot of what she called happy days. But the
last few weeks, she declined rapidly...' Her voice
faltered, 'She left something for you, if only I can find it.
Could you wait a moment while I look?'

I nodded stupidly, my mind racing for something to say
to this lovely young woman. She handed me a smeared
envelope with 'MR. P' printed in bold childish letters.
Inside was a drawing in bright crayon hues--a yellow
beach, a blue sea, and a brown bird. Underneath was
carefully printed:

A SANDPIPER TO BRING YOU JOY.

Tears welled up in my eyes, and a heart that had
almost forgotten to love opened wide. I took Wendy's
mother in my arms. 'I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so
sorry,' I uttered over and over, and we wept together.
The precious little picture is framed now and hangs
in my study. Six words--one for each year of her life
-- that speak to me of harmony, courage, and
undemanding love.

A gift from a child with sea blue eyes and hair the
color of sand, who taught me the gift of love.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: This is a true story sent out by Robert
Peterson. It happened over 20 years ago and
the incident changed his life forever. It serves
as a reminder to all of us that we need to take
time to enjoy living and life and each other.
The price of hating other human beings is
loving oneself less.

Life is so complicated, the hustle and bustle of
everyday traumas can make us lose focus about
what is truly important or what is only a momentary
setback or crisis.

This week, be sure to give your loved ones an extra
hug, and by all means, take a moment...even if it is
only ten seconds, to stop and smell the roses.

This comes from someone's heart, and is read by
many and now I share it with you...

May God Bless everyone who receives this! There
are NO coincidences!

Everything that happens to us happens for a
reason. Never brush aside anyone as insignificant.
Who knows what they can teach us?
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I wish for you, a SANDPIPER!!

I know and love one.

Do you?


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The Holy Spirit Compels You To Unite !
By Richard A. Kent


Last week we spoke of the “new thing” God is stirring in the body of Christ. We spoke of unity and how separate teachings and titles (denominations) can cause division, and cause confusion to those seeking a truth that seems to be blurred in a cloud of human theories and flat out rebellion at times. Where the arguments of man have indeed been the most hindering and power robbing aspect to the Christian faith. How can a faith that holds to “one way to Heaven” teach multiple truths? The answer is- it can not

In my journey to fulfill the quest God has placed before me, I have heard so many comments from members of various churches. Most stating they know there this is an issue in the body of Christ, and that we as the body need to work towards a remedy, but they also seem to have an empathic attitude towards the idea that it can really happen. “It will have to be a mighty move of the Holy Spirit” they say. Not realizing that move has already begun as we speak. From my experience, I feel that is mostly a spirit of pride that to this day prevents the true unification of the Christian faith. It is Mankind’s persistence in maintaining its stance that they are right and others are wrong, that their specific denomination holds the only solid truth, and others are lost.

The best picture I can give to show as an example of our unification problem is that of puzzle. There are many pieces of this puzzle placed through-out the world. They are scattered in this maze of doctrines and theories, and found in hundreds of our local churches. The enemy of God with a simple strike has blown what once was a solid picture into a scattered puzzle with the people having no real knowledge of how to restore it. In order to bring the church back to it roots, we must begin putting the pieces back together. These pieces I speak of are the members of what the word of God says are the five fold ministry, found in Ephesians 4:11, It reads: "It was he who gave some to be (1) apostles, some to be (2) prophets, some to be (3) evangelists, and some to be (4) pastors and (5) teachers." Without these called men and women working together and in one accord, it is much like a team of horses pulling in opposite directions and ripping the body of Christ into separate pieces, and thus hindering the works of the true church from the inside.

Without a doubt no man or woman can claim in truth these words to be false. How or why then, would any not place this on the top of the prayers list on every Christian church in the world? Why is not the most talked about move in the Christian faith? How can we simply ignore something this huge and just go back to our normal churches and hope it just goes away. I am here to tell the church, “It’s not going to go away”. The true men and women of God will be united, and yes it will be a mighty move of the Holy Spirit, but it will also be a mighty move of choice. I Mean, that we as believers have to consciously make the choice to hear the voice of God and act on it-amen. I believe not to act on it would be sin. I ask each person that reads this short article to take this to prayer. Take it into our churches, speak with it to the local pastors, and let’s make a choice to do what’s right today.

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World Hope International is a faith based relief and development organization alleviating suffering and injustice through education, enterprise and community health.

Visit: http://worldhope.org

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So True!
LighthousePrayerLine.org


A father wanted to read a magazine but was being bothered by his little girl, Shelby. She wanted to know what the United States looked like. He tore a sheet out of his new magazine on which was printed the map of the country.

Tearing it into small pieces, he gave it to Shelby , and said, 'Go into the other room and see if you can put this together. This will show you our whole country today.'

After a few minutes, Shelby returned and handed him the map, correctly fitted and taped together. The father was surprised and asked how she had finished so quickly.

'Oh,' she said, 'on the other side of the paper is a picture of Jesus. When I got Jesus back where He belonged, then our country just came together.'

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Cosmic Treason
By R.C. Sproul

"The sinfulness of sin" sounds like a vacuous redundancy that adds no information to the subject under discussion. However, the necessity of speaking of the sinfulness of sin has been thrust upon us by a culture and even a church that has diminished the significance of sin itself. Sin is communicated in our day in terms of making mistakes or of making poor choices. When I take an examination or a spelling test if I make a mistake, I miss a particular word. It is one thing to make a mistake. It is another to look at my neighbor's paper and copy his answers in order to make a good grade. In this case, my mistake has risen to the level of a moral transgression. Though sin may be involved in making mistakes as a result of slothfulness in preparation, nevertheless, the act of cheating takes the exercise to a more serious level. Calling sin "making poor choices" is true, but it is also a euphemism that can discount the severity of the action. The decision to sin is indeed a poor one, but once again, it is more than a mistake. It is an act of moral transgression.

In my book, The Truth of the Cross, I spend an entire chapter discussing this notion of the sinfulness of sin. I begin that chapter by using the anecdote of my utter incredulity when I received arecent edition of Bartlett's Familiar Quotations. Though I was happy to receive this free issue, I was puzzled as to why anyone would send it to me. As I leafed through the pages of quotations that included statements from Immanuel Kant, Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas, and others, to my complete astonishment I came upon a quotation from me. That I was quoted in such a learned collection definitely surprised me. I was puzzled by what I could have said that merited inclusion in such an anthology, and the answer was found in a simple statement attributed to me: "Sin is cosmic treason." What I meant by that statement was that even the slightest sin that a creature commits against his Creator does violence to the Creator's holiness, His glory, and His righteousness. Every sin, no matter how seemingly insignificant, is an act of rebellion against the sovereign God who reigns and rules over us and as such is an act of treason against the cosmic King.

Cosmic treason is one way to characterize the notion of sin, but when we look at the ways in which the Scriptures describe sin, we see three that stand out in importance. First, sin is a debt; second, it is an expression of enmity; third, it is depicted as a crime. In the first instance, we who are sinners are described by Scripture as debtors who cannot pay their debts. In this sense, we are talking not about financial indebtedness but a moral indebtedness. God has the sovereign right to impose obligations upon His creatures. When we fail to keep these obligations, we are debtors to our Lord. This debt represents a failure to keep a moral obligation.

The second way in which sin is described biblically is as an expression of enmity. In this regard, sin is not restricted merely to an external action that transgresses a divine law. Rather, it represents an internal motive, a motive that is driven by an inherent hostility toward the God of the universe. It is rarely discussed in the church or in the world that the biblical description of human fallenness includes an indictment that we are by nature enemies of God. In our enmity toward Him, we do not want to have Him even in our thinking, and this attitude is one of hostility toward the very fact that God commands us to obey His will. It is because of this concept of enmity that the New Testament so often describes our redemption in terms of reconciliation. One of the necessary conditions for reconciliation is that there must be some previous enmity between at least two parties. This enmity is what is presupposed by the redeeming work of our Mediator, Jesus Christ, who overcomes this dimension of enmity.

The third way in which the Bible speaks of sin is in terms of transgression of law. The Westminster Shorter Catechism answers the fourteenth question, "What is sin?" by the response, "Sin is any want of conformity to, or transgression of, the law of God." Here we see sin described both in terms of passive and active disobedience. We speak of sins of commission and sins of omission. When we fail to do what God requires, we see this lack of conformity to His will. But not only are we guilty of failing to do what God requires, we also actively do what God prohibits. Thus, sin is a transgression against the law of God.

When people violate the laws of men in a serious way, we speak of their actions not merely as misdemeanors but, in the final analysis, as crimes. In the same regard, our actions of rebellion and transgression of the law of God are not seen by Him as mere misdemeanors; rather, they are felonious. They are criminal in their impact. If we take the reality of sin seriously in our lives, we see that we commit crimes against a holy God and against His kingdom. Our crimes are not virtues; they are vices, and any transgression of a holy God is vicious by definition. It is not until we understand who God is that we gain any real understanding of the seriousness of our sin. Because we live inthe midst of sinful people where the standards of human behavior are set by the patterns of the culture around us, we are not moved by the seriousness of our transgressions. We are indeed at ease in Zion. But when God's character is made clear to usand we are able to measure our actions not in relative terms with respect to other humans but in absolute terms with respect to God, His character, and His law, then we begin to be awakened to the egregious character of our rebellion.

Not until we take God seriously will we ever take sin seriously. But if we acknowledge the righteous character of God, then we, like the saints of old, will cover our mouths with our hands and repent in dust and ashes before Him.

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When the Stakes Are Highest
By Jill Carattini
LighthousePrayerLine.org


There is a place in my Bible that is prone to be frequently revisited. In fact, it is quite often the place I find in front of me when I open the book. And every time it happens, like a scent that uproots a potent memory, I recall the story behind the pages.

Some time ago, between classes in college, I was reading in a park when the skies shifted without warning and the pounding rain left a permanent bookmark on a chapter in John. The pages have long since dried, leaving the paper wavy and wrinkled, and easy to turn to upon opening. But something about the lasting impressions of the rain—no doubt, a fitting metaphor of life—has also impressed that day into my mind. The hardest rains always leave indelible imprints.

In The Problem with Pain, C.S. Lewis refers to pain as God's megaphone to rouse a deaf world. Convincingly, he presents a careful theodicy, considering the problem of suffering from an entirely theoretical perspective. He presents the things we know to be true of suffering, pain, and evil, what we know of the suffering and death of Christ, and the strength we are given when the peripheral questions of life are answered by a good God. Twenty years later, in the pages of A Grief Observed, Lewis describes watching his beloved wife lose her battle with cancer and wrestling with God through the pain. Here, he writes as a man who bitterly and intimately knows what he knows to be true of God and evil, suffering and Christ, even as his soul is breaking. Writes Lewis, "Your bid—for God or no God, for a good God or the Cosmic Sadist, for eternal life or nonentity—will not be serious if nothing much is staked on it. And you will never discover how serious it was until the stakes are raised horribly high."(1) He continues, "Nothing less will shake a man—or at any rate a man like me—out of his merely verbal thinking and his merely notional beliefs. He has to be knocked silly before he comes to his senses. Only torture will bring out the truth. Only under torture does he discover it himself."(2)

I believe the first time I really and fearfully looked the object of my faith in the eyes was while I was pounding my fists against the chest of God, half-demanding, half-pleading to know why my father was dying. Those indelible days gave new meaning to Paul's admonition, "Work out your salvation in fear and trembling." In our prayers we cry and in our hymns we sing, "Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord, To the cross where Thou hast died. Draw me nearer, nearer, To Thy precious, bleeding side." But when the stakes are at their highest, do we really mean it? Have we counted that cost?

Just before Paul admonishes the Philippian Church to work out their salvation in fear and trembling, he describes the cost of Christ, "who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross" (Philippians 2:6-8). In his life, his body, his very attitude, Christ carried the cost of our sin; he carried our dire need for hope in life and in sorrow, and our inability to draw near to God ourselves. There was a point in my dad's pain from spreading cancer when he said to me, "I had no idea how Christ suffered." There is something about our pain that can lead us to the foot of the cross, to the utmost expression of love wrought with stripes and sorrow. As the hymn continues, "There are depths of love that I cannot know, Till I cross the narrow sea; There are heights of joy that I may not reach, Till I rest in peace with Thee."

It is fitting, then, that the pages marked by rain in my Bible tell the story of the death and resurrection of Lazarus. As Mary and Martha and Jesus wept, the rain seemed appropriate. But I remember clearly being struck with another thought: Surely, it was Lazarus who got the lesser end of the deal that day. To a crowd of people mourning death and loss, Jesus proclaimed radically, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies" (John 11:25). While Jesus spoke to the mourning crowd about true life, Lazarus himself was closer to truly living. I wondered that day how Lazarus felt about coming back. He was one great step closer to the heights and depths of the joy we long for on earth, the kingdom Jesus had told him about; he had been drawn nearer to the almighty God. For Lazarus, humanity's deepest problem and loudest prayer had been answered. And then it began to rain, ever etching that thought into my Bible and my consciousness.


**(1) C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed (New York: HarperCollins, 1989), 49. (2) Ibid., 49-50.

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"Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares
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Your friend in Christ,


Mark Seay
Lighthouse Prayer Line
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LighthousePrayerLine.org

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