tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25823071403023291242024-02-20T01:11:30.754-08:00His WorkersFor The Glory Of GodBrown Bagshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12801224748946613885noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582307140302329124.post-72659752215204867392010-06-11T11:01:00.000-07:002010-06-11T11:07:35.432-07:00Testimony: Tina<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5lAkiSO0PDVcj0lexbo6FiTCwqdk5XUJ0wVyogKE0B367JS5X__G5TBDOhWIkTFmkJ_-1C1CASl6Smp-uvpRHknNWk5boFoCcmuWp_ybqBnFV2MZEVDWIqoviBLaVLJEzkFGFwMUQedb6/s1600/aaa.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5lAkiSO0PDVcj0lexbo6FiTCwqdk5XUJ0wVyogKE0B367JS5X__G5TBDOhWIkTFmkJ_-1C1CASl6Smp-uvpRHknNWk5boFoCcmuWp_ybqBnFV2MZEVDWIqoviBLaVLJEzkFGFwMUQedb6/s200/aaa.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481579315780149042" /></a><br /><em>Since being a teenager my mother and I began to visit Mediums, Psychics, Crystal Ball and Tarot Card readers. We went to people’s houses for ‘sittings’ to contact the dead and receive messages. We began to attend audiences where one of our favourite Mediums would be performing. Mum wasn’t as enthralled as I was, and on hearing several Mediums saying to me – ‘You can do what I am doing’ – it encourages you to develop your ‘gift’.<br /><br />What I was most attracted to was the Tarot Cards. I was more than eager to go out and buy a pack, along with some instruction books. Then I began to seek out classes where I could learn properly. I was taught to ‘feel’ the deck which I was attracted to, and meditate upon them. I bought different decks of cards to work with. I loved them.<br /><br />I quickly learnt how to read them, and started reading for family and friends, they all thought I was good at it, and came back for more. I even began to keep a record of their readings on my computer, so that I could print it out for them for them to look back on when predicted events happened in their lives. People loved it.<br /><br />So I began to go to development circles. Concentrate on ‘tuning into oneself’ and picking up any visions we might receive. This was then shared with the group and discussed. We were given exercises to do to develop our abilities, and the leading Medium would then make contact and deliver messages to individuals.<br /><br />I became enthralled, and went out and bought heaps of different books on self development, meditations, charka reading, channelling, crystals . . . . You name it – I bought it! I studied them earnestly, eager to develop.<br /><br />We began to have ‘sittings’ at our house, where we would invite several friends or family members to participate in the group. And we would tape record our sittings in order to look back on them as predicted events unfolded. We were hooked!<br /><br />I also began visiting the local Spiritualist church where Clairaudience is carried out, delivering messages from the dead, or having private sittings.<br /><br />I was particularly attracted to the Tarot Cards, and very much took to developing this ‘gift’ and wanted to know all there was to know about them. So this was the line of the Occult which I most focussed upon. <br /><br />We thought it was fine as no harm came to us whatsoever, and everyone who took part in such activities seemed to come to no harm at all, so we continued . . . .<br /><br />--------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br />In 2006 I discovered for myself how dangerous the Occult was when I tried to turn away from it. I was invited on an Alpha course to learn about Christianity. This was the very beginning of me turning away from the Occult . . . . . . <br /><br />There were some strange things which started to happen at that time. I was told to pray and ask Jesus into my life, and things did settle down. I thought any strange happenings were over with and that I was free from the Occult. <br /><br />But two years later there were more strange happenings around the cards . . . .<br /><br />I hadn’t read the Tarot Cards for other people for a few years, but was aware I still had them at the back of a cupboard. As far as I was concerned I had stopped dabbling in the Occult as I had stopped going to classes, circles, visiting Mediums, etc. I only occasionally got the cards out just to read for myself, maybe once a year or so. I also still had all the books I’d bought, I didn’t realise how VITAL it was that I get rid of everything which tied me to the Occult. <br /><br />In the Spring of 2008 I became the member of a Methodist church, and thought it was only right that I get rid of my Tarot Cards, as I was now a Christian, and decided to give 100% to the God who showed me that he IS pure love itself. . . . .<br /><br />It was after getting rid of them that there were several strange happenings, one of these happenings was the presence of a spirit, between May and August. I realised I had actually been in touch with ‘something’, as I started to feel a presence which kept coming to me, very often, almost weekly. It came at any time, out shopping, at work, sitting on a bus, when I was fully awake. I guess it was because I had finally broken the connection, and it was trying to keep it. I got used to it being around, I wasn’t frightened at all. I couldn’t determine who it was, just a definite ‘energy’, in physical terms I guess I could describe it as being aware of a small area of ‘fog’. Although it is impossible to physically describe the non physical.<br /><br />There was even a time when it came whilst I was reading my bible at home, at this point I still didn’t realise it was evil, and I actually welcomed it, wondering who it was, as it wasn’t giving me any identity. My welcome made it become more vibrant. I could feel an increase in its ‘vibration.’ <br /><br />At first its presence made me feel calm and I became familiar with it’s ‘vibration’. As the weeks went by, it became stronger, and in its presence I could feel it’s energy blending more with mine, my body felt quite ‘heavy’, I begun to feel incredibly nauseous when it was around and my mind felt ‘spaced out’.<br /><br />The final time was the strongest, in August. I was in the Pentecostal church and it was Holy Communion, I was in the kitchen filling up the thimbles for the Communion. I felt its presence very strongly, even though the place was busy, people talking to me, distractions, I knew ‘something’ was there and nobody else seemed aware of it.<br /><br />It seemed to strongly ‘touch’ my mind, the very point at which you think was strongly emphasised. As I walked to the front of the church to place the Communion thimbles at the table, there was the familiar feeling of it blending with me. I sat down, and this was more than being calm – I could hardly move out of the chair – my body was so very heavy. My mind was extremely ‘spacey’. Someone came to ask me to serve cups of tea after the service, I immediately answered “I’d love to”. (Normally I would have hesitated as I am quite a shy person). But when I answered it felt like it wasn’t quite me controlling my voice, the words just came, although I was aware that it still sounded like me. As the service began and everyone started to sing, the presence quickly faded. I realised afterwards this was the beginnings of something wanting to take possession of my faculties.<br /><br />Over the next few weeks, I became frightened and very upset, not knowing when it was going to come back, obviously wondering how I could get rid of it. I rang my church Minister and made an appointment to see him, needing help and not knowing what to do.<br /><br />But I days later I cancelled the appointment as it seems that it had decided to leave me alone, and I haven’t felt it since – thank goodness! I can only assume it was because I was in the presence of God and it fled. What more proof do we need of Jesus saving us!! Jesus said, “For where two or three come together in my name, there I am with them.” There was a whole congregation there singing to him! There was definitely something in the church that day which got rid of this spirit. That is absolutely AMAZING! Spirits flee in his presence! IT HAS HAPPENED. AMAZING!<br /><br />-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br />Now my life seems to be back to normal. But on a bad day I start wondering if it will come back. Anyone who has never experienced the presence of a spirit entity could easily dismiss it as imagination, or something mentally wrong, or find a psychological reason for imagining things, - (another torment). The experience is something else completely. I know fully how a spirits presence is absolutely unmistakeable. As real as the person next to you.<br /><br />Anyone who becomes involved in Occult practices WILL have supernatural encounters. You called them up! You’ve called Satan! He will come. It shows how spirit entities have the ability to reveal or conceal themselves, to whoever they choose, wherever they choose, whatever you’re doing, whoever you’re with, at whatever time they choose. It is dangerous!<br /><br />Since turning to Christianity there have been other times when I’ve felt the presence of something far more grand and powerful than any ‘lower’ spirit – a sure sign of an evil one, lacking the power of anything Godly which has the ability to fill a room with depth, sensitivity and love.<br /><br />I now realise what was beginning to happen to me, and how much worse it could have been, and I realise there are also people who have been into the Occult who have experienced far worse than I did. People who are into Occult practices and think it is safe are very nice, well meaning people, but are deceived victims of Satan. You think you are fine, that there’s nothing to worry about . . . . until you try to turn away from it. Then Satan’s demons will show their true colours and try to keep a hold you’re your soul. These spirits are demonic, and want your life. It is not just the truth for me, I am not just one person who has had bad experiences, it is the truth for everyone.<br /><br />I knew Christianity was what I’d been looking for all my life. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life”, this struck a chord with me instantly, how fantastic! I am now a member of a Methodist and a Pentecostal church. I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever of the existence of God and totally accept our Lord Jesus Christ as our only hope and saviour from demonic spirits. God has proved to me he exists, that he is more powerful than evil and that evil spirits flee from him. I want nothing but God in every part of my life, to devote my life to God, I live every second of every day for him, and always will. </em>Lighthouse Prayer Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967875533234296119noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582307140302329124.post-79524405243651558172010-01-31T11:08:00.001-08:002010-01-31T11:09:32.231-08:00The Apologist's First Question<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2CiKVU68B-jACJzIVjkAgBVSp1MY15rynP3gHYwhLG-mv7pZSPrStJ_d5-kK49JOCKDRry9v2NsOo-gMyaXSoTrYk7NQ1RiOulYg41Sc26DB-qtGgFtOkKlNboHxt2CBzsrhA2GLJ/s1600-h/bbbbbbbbbbb.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 124px; height: 94px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2CiKVU68B-jACJzIVjkAgBVSp1MY15rynP3gHYwhLG-mv7pZSPrStJ_d5-kK49JOCKDRry9v2NsOo-gMyaXSoTrYk7NQ1RiOulYg41Sc26DB-qtGgFtOkKlNboHxt2CBzsrhA2GLJ/s400/bbbbbbbbbbb.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432980277472651154" /></a><br /><em>By Ravi Zacharias</em> <br /><br /><br />I have little doubt that the single greatest obstacle to the impact of the Gospel has not been its inability to provide answers, but the failure on our part to live it out. I remember well in the early days of my Christian faith talking to a close Hindu friend. He was questioning the experience of conversion as being supernatural. He absolutely insisted that conversion was nothing more than a decision to lead a more ethical life and that, in most cases, it was not any different from other ethical religions. I had heard his argument before. But then he said something I have never forgotten: "If this conversion is truly supernatural, why is it not more evident in the lives of so many Christians I know?" His question is a troublesome one. In fact,it is so deeply disturbing a question that I think of all the challenges to belief, this is the most difficult question of all. <br /><br />I have never struggled with my own personal faith as far as intellectual challenges to the Gospel are concerned. But I have often had struggles of the soul in trying to figure out why the Christian faith is not more visible. After lecturing at a major American university, I was driven to the airport by the organizer of the event. I was quite jolted by what he told me. He said, "My wife brought our neighbor last night. She is a medical doctor and had not been to anything like this before. On their way home, my wife asked her what she thought of it all." He paused and then continued,"Do you know what she said?" Rather reluctantly, I shook my head. "She said, 'That was a very powerful evening. The arguments were very persuasive. I wonder what he is like in his private life.'" <br /><br />Because my Hindu friend had not witnessed spiritual transformation in the life of Christians, whatever answer she received were nullified. In the doctor's case, the answers were intellectually and existentially satisfying, but she still needed to know, did they really make a difference in the life of the one proclaiming them? The Irish evangelist Gypsy Smith once said, "There are five Gospels. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and the Christian, and some people will never read the first four." In otherwords, the message is seen before it is heard. <br /><br /><br />For both the Hindu questioner and the American doctor, the answers to their questions were not enough; they depended upon the visible transformation of the one offering them. 1 Peter 3:15 gives us the gives us the defining statement: "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer(apologia) to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." Notice that before the answer is given, the one giving the answer is called to a certain prerequisite. The lordship of Christ over the life of the apologist is foundational to all answers given. Peter, of all the disciples, knew well how to ask questions and also how fickle the human heartis. He knew the seductive power of the spectacular in momentary enthrallment. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisVv7Hp89_vx-hJK_Z8h_ve7WuR2etJ-acaZ6Uy3WB4FUQEXmjSe0PRWWWb5l7GkODISzfBCxGf7nlalrswVAT8kscwOzPSPOOSBqbTf3bYHA4tErLi0cqdnNLfRDsnART6F-1ErlH/s1600-h/oneway.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 132px; height: 120px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisVv7Hp89_vx-hJK_Z8h_ve7WuR2etJ-acaZ6Uy3WB4FUQEXmjSe0PRWWWb5l7GkODISzfBCxGf7nlalrswVAT8kscwOzPSPOOSBqbTf3bYHA4tErLi0cqdnNLfRDsnART6F-1ErlH/s400/oneway.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432980836383330962" /></a><br />He knew what it was to betray someone and to fail. He knew what it was to try to explain the Gospel--as he did at Pentecost. Peter's strong reminder of the heart of the apologistis the basis of all apologetic attempts. With character in mind, there follow two immediate imperatives: the quality of life lived and the clarity of answers given. The way the Christian's life is lived will determine the impact upon believers and skeptics alike. This is a defining line because the claim by the believer is unique. The claim is that of a "new birth." After all, no Buddhist or Hindu or Muslim claims his or her life of devotion to be supernatural, yet they often live amore consistent life. And how often does the so-called Christian, even while teaching some of the loftiest truths one could ever teach, live a life bereft of that beauty and character. <br /><br />In apologetics the question is often asked, "If there is only one way, how is it that there are few in all of creation who qualify?" That question is actually more potent than the questioner realizes. It should further be raised, "Out of the few who actually qualify, why are even fewer living it out?" The spiritual condition and character of the apologistare of immense importance. <br /><br />This call to a life reflecting the person of Christ is the ultimate call of everyone who wishes to do apologetics. When Jesus spoke to the woman at the well(John 4:1–26) she raised one question after another as if that were really her problem. It would have been very easy for the Lord to call her bluff with some castigating words. <br /><br />Instead, like a gentle and nimble-handed goldsmith, he rubbed away the markings of sin and pain in her life until she was amazed at how much true gold he brought out in her. He gave her hope, knowing all along who she was on the inside. Likewise, we cannot simply vanquish the person in an attempt to rescue the message. The value of the person is an essential part of the message. This means the apologist's task begins with a godly walk. One ought to take time to reflect seriously upon the question, 'Has God truly wrought a miracle in mylife'<br /><br />Is my own heart proof of the supernatural intervention of God? <br /><br /><strong><em>That is the apologist's first question.</em></strong>Lighthouse Prayer Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967875533234296119noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582307140302329124.post-72369986828354974112010-01-25T11:13:00.000-08:002010-01-25T11:25:27.137-08:00*** Special Alert ***Dear Prayer Partners:<br /><br />I want to introduce you to our *NEW* website.<br /><br />The Lighthouse Prayerline will form part of a larger network called <br />"The Lord's Lighthouse".<br /><br />You may visit the new site at http://lighthouseministries.webs.com <br />and sign in to the site.<br /><br />We have a Photo Album, Blog, and a Guestbook to be used as you desire.<br /><br />You can also access the Lighthouse Prayer Line from the new site by <br />clicking the link that says "PRAYER LINE". <br /><br />The current site, Lighthouse Prayer Line, will only be used for <br />Prayer Requests & Praise Reports. Testamonies, Devotions, and <br />Photos will be moved to our new site at lighthouseministries.webs.com.<br /><br />The URL www.lighthouseprayerline.org will also be changed so that it <br />will be directed to our new site.<br /><br />Please visit http://lighthouseministries.webs.com (new site) and send <br />us your feedback.<br /><br />You can contact me at the following E-Mail Addresses:<br /><br />Lighthouse Ministries: lighthouse.ministries@vodamail.co.za<br />My personal Mailbox: francois.putter@vodamail.co.za<br /><br />Telephone: +27 51 430 3175<br />Mobile Phone: +27 79 465 5880<br /><br />Snail Mail:<br /><br />9 Sarel Cilliers Street<br />Hilton<br />Bloemfontein<br />9301<br />South Africa<br /><br />Thanks & May God Bless You.<br /><br />Francois PutterLighthouse Prayer Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967875533234296119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582307140302329124.post-19681026784805075672010-01-10T12:05:00.001-08:002010-01-10T12:05:40.335-08:00*~*Prayer Requests for 1/11/10:Beginning January 15th, 2010, ownership of Lighthouse Prayer Line will be administered by Francois Putter (Bloemfontein for Jesus).<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.”<br /><br />The Lord shown me in many things He want me to do. This is how Bloemfontein for Jesus started.<br /><br />This ministry first started as an online ministry to represent the Naval Hill Prayer Mountain Ministry.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /> <br />ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:<br />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.<br /><br />Francois Putter<br /><br />BLOEMFONTEIN FOR JESUS<br />9 SAREL CILLIERS STREET<br />HILTON<br />BLOEMFONTEIN<br />9301<br />REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br />•´.¸¸.•¨¯`♥.Thank you for your prayers!.♥´¯¨•.¸¸.´•<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /><br />If you are a regular reader/prayer partner, we would be<br />honored for you to post your pic on our link for prayer<br />partners at the top of the sidebar (right-hand side).<br /><br />If you do not have a pic, any icon/clipart can serve as<br />a symbol of your devotion to those requesting prayer.<br /><br />In no way does your inclusion mean that you are<br />endorsing this site or ALL of its content; it simply<br />means you are approaching the throne of Jesus<br />Christ with their pleas in mind. God bless you &<br />thanks for your meaningful work!!<br /><br />In His precious name,<br /><br />~Mark Seay (LighthousePrayerLine.org)<br /><br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br />(¯`*•.(¯`*•.God is Good - ALL of the Time!!!.•*´¯).•*´¯)<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />"The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous run to it and are safe" (Psalm 18:10).<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />Hi friend,<br /><br />Please keep the following individuals in your prayers:<br /><br />1) "Could you do me a special favor? I need some prayers said for my 82 year old mother-in-law. She has been in the hospital for the last few days. Marge went in for some stomach problems and they found out her gall bladder is not working. Then she started throwing up liquid poo, not good. The doctors tried a tube through the stomach and it's blocked to the intestines. About 20 years ago she had half her stomach removed due to ulcers. So about 12:15 p.m. your time (she lives in Michigan) the doctors took her in for some exploratory surgery and to remove the gall bladder. My husband left this morning at 1:00 a.m. Chicago time to get to Michigan before his mom went under the knife. He told me her weight is under a 100 pounds and she can't even raise her head she is so weak. sigh..........I feel so bad since I can't be there for my husband and give him a hand." -Missy;<br /><br />2) "Dear Beloved Brother in christ Mark seay. <br /><br />Greetings to you in the most precious name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Thank you for your precious love and prayers about us. Our almighty Lord through out the last year protected us and kept us under his arms and leaded us in one more another 2010. Behalf of that in the 31st Night service Lord had leaded us amazingly, in that program from 10pm to 10-30pm believers are sang some songs after that 10-30-pm to 11pm believers had proclaimed the God’s faithfulness through giving their testimonies how Lord protected them through out the year.<br /><br />11pm to 12-10pm thanks giving time through out the last year Lord had protected us from the all the problems and all kind of situation for that spending time in prayers and worshipping lift up his holy name many, people are repent many areas of their lives through the worship. <br /><br />12-10pm to 12-30 I had given the New Year message Lord had used me as his instrument through preach his word. 12-30pm to 1-30 children had done cultural activities through singing some songs, playing action songs, and some skits what they had learned from many days. Nearly 200 Hindu people are attending to this prayer meeting. People are appreciated to Bindu and Pinkey for their grate performances they danced well. I am very happy to send photos of this program through this attachment. Please continuously keep us in your valuable prayers Lord would provide his strength, courage and encouragements to do more work for Christ and extend his kingdom in this Hindu land until I die. <br /><br />Here our church, orphan children and widows and we all are continuously praying for you and for your blessed family. Especially our orphan children are gladly sending their lots of love and their lovely kisses and their lovely hugs to you and to your blessed family. Convey our lovely and best regards to your friends and to your Blessed church congregation. Close with lots of love and prayers and wait for your gracious and prayerful reply. Thanking you, Your Beloved Brother in Christ, Pastor.K.Syam Sundar, New Beginning Missions, Workers for Christ.";<br /><br />3) "I am asking for prayer for my marriage and my husband. He recently told me he "has to find himself" and wants me to decide if I want a separation or a divorce. I want neither. I am praying that God will speak to him and his heart so he can heal himself. He is hurting me by telling me this. I feel God has brought us together for a reason and we have 3 beautiful children." -Pam;<br /><br />4) Pietro asks for our prayers: "I want to learn to love and love unconditionally. I ask for prayers to help me in my relationships, that my feelings may not weaken and I may give up on the relationships. Right now, I am feeling lost and hopeless. I ask the Lord to please remove those "demons" from my heart & head. Thank you, all, for any prayers you can offer. God bless.";<br /><br />5) "I am going in for gallbladder surgery this morning at Sheridan memorial hospital in SHeridan, Wy, please pray for a complication free surgery & a fast recovery and a good results! Thank you." -Shana;<br /><br />6) Denny asks for our prayers. He writes, "could you please pray for me.I'm a business owner out in colorado had 90 employes at one time but had to have a lay off now i'm down to 15 employes and the walls are coming in dont know how much longer i can kept the downs open i need a merical and to top it off my wife is very sick could you please pray for us.";<br /><br />7) "Please pray for me today. I have an appointment with my attorney for bankruptcy. I just hope all goes well today. I have to get one more apprasial for my car so I can claim it for the case. I do hope that things will get better for me. Just ask God to help and give me peace during this trying time." -C. Givens;<br /><br />8) "please pray for my son as he finds his way through his struggles with college and opens himself to new ideas. may he turn to God as his source of strength and discernment." -Ann;<br /><br />9) Paulette asks for our prayers. She writes, "I pray for family unity communities to have unity and cities praying for each other and other families too as if the their family are our own. Pray for the heart of Christ to abide in us as a whole." -Paulette;<br /><br />10) "My husband had emergecy gallbladder revmoval surgery on Dec 31st and has had severe complications. Somehow a he had a hole in his bile duct and his body filled with bile and we almost lost him. For some unexplained medical reason the hole repaired itself overnight. The doctors have never seen this before and can not explain why. I believe god answered my prayers and we witnessed a miracle. Now I need another one for he has had a setback again today. I need him home not only for myself but our beautiful three year old daughter. My faith is wearing thin and I am afraid please pray that this set back is temporary so he can come home to us where he needs to be." - Goodwin;<br /><br />11) "My 80 year old father has an appointment with his cardiologist this week to see if he needs heart surgery. Please pray that his condition is treatable and for God's hand to be on him." -Karen;<br /><br />12) "Father, You have blessed me far beyond anything I could ever deserve. I am so sorry for my constant failures. I want to walk in Your presence daily & serve You as I should. I want to be a good Christian example in the way I live the life You have given me. Please forgive me for my sins. I commit to You Lord God Almighty to begin serving as I should. You deserve nothing less. When You chose for my life here to be done, I want to leave a Godly legacy for those still here. Please lift me up in all of your prayers & again I will lift you all up as well. In the sweet name of Jesus I pray. Amen." -Steve<br /><br />------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br />*** MISSIONS PRAYER REQUESTS: ***<br /><br /><br />-Guatemala:<br /><br />Pray for the team of eleven individuals who will be serving in Guatemala January 10-16 and will be ministering to children at Mrs. Arzu's schools, Mama Carmen's and Manchen Girls Home. The team will be delivering backpacks, school supplies and Bibles to children in Guatemala City. <br /><br />The Lord has blessed us with the privilege and resources to serve children in Guatemala. Please join us in praying for additional funding to meet the needs of more children. <br /><br />A new school year is beginning this month in both Guatemala and Honduras. Pray for the children as they start the new year, that they would be encouraged in their studies and that they would grasp God's love and perfect plan for them. <br /> <br />-Honduras:<br /><br />Pray for Mike Douris and Bob Beams as they travel to Honduras and Guatemala January 15-22. Pray for guidance and wisdom as they visit and evaluate programs.<br /> <br />Also pray for discernment in hiring a case manager at AFE School. Pray that God would bring the right person for the job so that the students and staff are equipped and encouraged to grow in knowledge and truth of who God is and how He desires to use them for His kingdom purposes.<br /><br />-India:<br /><br />Pray for the team from Emmaus Church in Rockwall, TX who will be serving in India January 11-22. They will be showing love to children who have lost their parents to HIV/AIDS and to those who have a parent who works in the Red Light Area. Because of Dr. Edward's husband's death, the kids were not able to celebrate Christmas. Thus, the team will also celebrate with them.<br /><br />One of the children at Santvana Home, Vishal, passed away last night after battling AIDS. Vishal was actually progressing and doing well through treatment. The staff commented on his infectious laugh and grin. Please pray for Dr. Edwards, the staff and the other children at the home as they grieve the loss of this sweet boy.<br /><br />Continue to pray for Dr. Edwards as she grieves the loss of her husband and transitions into life without him. Pray for her leadership at Santvana and for God to give her peace.<br /> <br />-Russia:<br /><br />Pray for Marina, our newest case manager, in St. Petersburg. Marina works with orphan graduates, helping them transition out of the orphanage into independent living.<br /><br /><br /> **God bless you for caring enough to pray!!!**<br /><br />........................................<br /><br />"For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13). <br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br /> *~*Spotlight Site*~*<br /><br />www.christianfreebies.com/backgrounds.shtml<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />*** WANNA SERVE?? ***<br /><br />If you know of someone who would like to serve our Lord<br />Jesus but is not sure where to start, please consider one<br />of the following volunteering opportunities:<br /><br />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. <br /><br />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.<br /><br />Become a Be-A-Voice volunteer by committing to one or more of the above. Register today!<br /><br />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)<br /><br />It's easy to serve the persecuted church. PRAY. WRITE. SHARE. Join Now!<br /><br />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.<br /><br />God bless you! Hope to hear from you soon!!<br /><br />Mark Seay<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />***FREE Christian Bookmarks!!***<br /><br />http://www.christianfreebies.com/bookmarks.shtml<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />GOT BIBLE QUESTIONS?<br /><br />Ask www.bibleinfo.com<br />Click on "Ask a Bible question."<br /><br /><or><br /><br />Write to "Your Bible Questions" at<br /><br />Sign of the Times<br />PO Box 5398<br />Nampa, ID 83653-5398<br />U.S.A.<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />The Word, Necessary Food<br />By C.H. Spurgeon<br /><br /><br />"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word<br />that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4).<br /><br />If God so willed it we could live without bread, even as<br />Jesus did for forty days; but we could not live without<br />His Word. By that Word we were created, and by it<br />alone can we be kept in being, for he sustaineth all<br />things by the Word of His power. Bread is a second<br />cause; the LORD Himself is the first source of our<br />sustenance. He can work without the second cause<br />as well as with it; and we must not tie Him down to<br />one mode of operation. Let us not be too eager after<br />the visible, but let us look to the invisible God. We<br />have heard believers say that in deep poverty, when<br />bread ran short, their appetites became short, too;<br />and to others, when common supplies failed, the<br />LORD has sent in unexpected help.<br /><br />But we must have the Word of the LORD. With this<br />alone we can withstand the devil. Take this from us,<br />and our enemy will have us in his power, for we shall<br />soon faint. Our souls need food, and there is none for<br />them outside of the Word of the LORD. All the books<br />and all the preachers in the world cannot furnish us a<br />single meal: it is only the Word from the mouth of God<br />that can fill the mouth of a believer. LORD, evermore<br />give us this bread. We prize it above royal dainties.<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />The Handwriting On The Wall<br />By Unknown Author<br /><br /><br />A weary mother returned from the store,<br />Lugging groceries through the kitchen door.<br />Awaiting her arrival was her 8 year old son,<br />Anxious to relate what his younger brother had done.<br /><br />"While I was out playing and Dad was on a call,<br />T.J. took his crayons and wrote on the wall!<br />It's on the new paper you just hung in the den.<br />I told him you'd be mad at having to do it again."<br /><br />She let out a moan and furrowed her brow,<br />"Where is your little brother right now?"<br />She emptied her arms and with a purposeful stride,<br />She marched to his closet where he had gone to hide.<br /><br />She called his full name as she entered his room.<br />He trembled with fear - he knew that meant doom!<br />For the next ten minutes, she ranted and raved<br />About the expensive wallpaper, and how she had saved.<br /><br />Lamenting all the work it would take to repair,<br />She condemned his actions and total lack of care.<br />The more she scolded, the madder she got,<br />Then stomped from his room, totally distraught!<br /><br />She headed for the den to confirm her fears.<br />When she saw the wall, her eyes flooded with tears.<br />The message she read pierced her soul with a dart.<br />It said, "I love Mommy," surrounded by a heart.<br /><br />Well, the wallpaper remained, just as she found it,<br />With an empty picture frame hung to surround it.<br />A reminder to her, and indeed to all,<br />Take time to read the handwriting on the wall.<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />KID PRAYERS<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br /><br />Dear God,<br />Did you mean for the giraffe to look like that or was<br />it an accident?<br />Norma<br /><br />Dear God,<br />Instead of letting people die and having to make new<br />ones, why don't You just keep the ones you have now?<br />Jane<br /><br />Dear God,<br />Who draws the lines around the countries?<br />Nan<br /><br />Dear God,<br />I went to this wedding and they kissed right in church.<br />Is that okay?<br />Neil<br /><br />Dear God,<br />Thank you for my baby brother, but what I prayed for<br />was a puppy.<br />Joyce<br /><br />Dear God, It rained for our whole vacation and is my<br />father mad! He said some things about you that people<br />are not supposed to say, but I hope you will not hurt<br />him anyway Your friend (but I am not going to tell you<br />who I am)<br /><br />Dear God,<br />Please send me a pony. I never asked for anything<br />before. You can look it up.<br />Bruce<br /><br />Dear God,<br />If we come back as something, please don't let me be<br />Jennifer Horton, because I hate her.<br />Denise<br /><br />Dear God,<br />I want to be just like my daddy when I get big, but not<br />with so much hair all over.<br />Sam<br /><br />Dear God,<br />I think the stapler is one of your greatest inventions.<br />Ruth<br /><br />Dear God,<br />I think about you sometimes, even when I'm not praying.<br />Elliott<br /><br />Dear God,<br />I bet it is very hard for you to love all the people in<br />the world. There are only four people in our family<br />and I can never do it.<br />Nan<br /><br />Dear God,<br />Of all the people who worked for you, I like Noah and<br />David the best.<br />Rob<br /><br />Dear God,<br />My brother told me about being born, but it doesn't<br />sound right. They are just kidding, aren't they?<br />Marsha<br /><br />Dear God,<br />If you watch me in church on Sunday, I'll show you my<br />new shoes.<br />Mickey<br /><br />Dear God,<br />We read Thomas Edison made light. But in Sunday<br />School, we learned that you did it. So I bet he stole<br />your idea.<br />Sincerely, Donna<br /><br />Dear God,<br />I do not think anybody could be a better God. Well I<br />just want you to know that I am not just saying this<br />because you are God already.<br />Charles<br /><br />Dear God,<br />I didn't think orange went with purple until I saw the<br />sunset you made on Tuesday. That was cool!<br />Eugene<br /><br />Dear God,<br />Maybe Cain and Abel would not kill each other so much<br />if they had their own rooms. It works with my brother.<br />Larry<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).<br /> <br />Be sure to send in your prayer request for the next mailing.<br /><br />You are in my thoughts and prayers! May the Lord continue to bless you with knowledge of Himself.<br /><br />In Christ's Love,<br /><br />Mark Seay<br /><br />Lighthouse Prayer Line<br />105 Quincy Drive<br />Greer, SC 29650<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br />"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).<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />"A sinner can no more repent and believe without the Holy Spirit's aid than he can create a world" (Charles Spurgeon).<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />We hope you have found today's newsletter encouraging to your<br />walk with Jesus Christ. Please send all prayer requests and<br />praise reports to us by using the "comments" hyperlink, which<br />can be found at the end of each blog/article. God is Good!!!<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br />(¯`*•.(¯`*•.God is Good - ALL of the Time!!!.•*´¯).•*´¯)<br />~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /> •´.¸¸.•¨¯`♥.Visit Us Soon!.♥´¯¨•.¸¸.´•<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /><br />REMEMBER: We are Transformed by Beholding JESUS!!!<br /> <br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /><br />"I have resolved that my mouth will not sin" (Psalm 17:3b - NIV). <br /><br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Lighthouse Prayer Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967875533234296119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582307140302329124.post-42514019168440331462010-01-06T18:20:00.001-08:002010-01-06T18:22:30.429-08:00Dear Prayer Partners:As we are nearing the completion of our first draft of the Lighthouse Commentary on the New Testament, we’re praying for a Publisher and Editor to come forth to share in this service for our Lord Jesus in preparation for His Kingdom to come.<br /><br />First, if you’re interested in becoming a contributing Editor, express it by emailing us at LighthousePrayerLine3@gmail.com. In Early July of 2010, we will snail mail a copy to you as we should be finished by that time. You can then “red line” the copy and mail it back to us. <br /><br />Secondly, we will then send it to an interested Co-publisher for typing (final draft). If this is something you would like to do, please contact us as we will get this final draft to you for production sometime around the end of September.<br /><br />If neither of these duties sound like something you would be willing to take on, please keep this project in your prayers, just the same. All active participants will receive credit whether their work is only partially utilized [Ibid.: Rom 12:1-8].<br /><br />Prayerfully,<br /><br />Mark Seay<br />Lighthouse Prayer LineLighthouse Prayer Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967875533234296119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582307140302329124.post-7711814856922294602010-01-01T09:16:00.000-08:002010-01-01T09:23:47.194-08:00*~*Prayer Requests for 1/1/10:Beginning January 15th, 2010, ownership of Lighthouse Prayer Line will be administered by Francois Putter (Bloemfontein for Jesus).<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.”<br /><br />The Lord shown me in many things He want me to do. This is how Bloemfontein for Jesus started.<br /><br />This ministry first started as an online ministry to represent the Naval Hill Prayer Mountain Ministry.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /> <br />ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:<br />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.<br /><br />Francois Putter<br /><br />BLOEMFONTEIN FOR JESUS<br />9 SAREL CILLIERS STREET<br />HILTON<br />BLOEMFONTEIN<br />9301<br />REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />God's Boll Weevils<br /><br />In the center of main street in Enterprise, Alabama, stands one of the strangest monuments in the world. It's a memorial to an insect! Handsomely carved in stone is the likeness of a boll weevil. Many believe that divine providence was involved in the circumstances that led to the erection of this unusual statue. In early plantation days almost everyone in the community raised cotton. But as the years rolled on, a serious pestilence infested the area in the form of a small beetle that punctured the boll of the plant. As a result, it became almost impossible to bring a season's growth to maturity. George Washington Carver, along with several other scientists, became deeply concerned about the situation and began intensive studies to see if any substitute crop could be grown in that part of the country. Raising peanuts was the answer, for they could be planted and harvested with very little loss. <br /><br />In time, cotton gins were forgotten in that region, and it became known as an outstanding peanut center of the world. Soon the farmers' profits far exceeded what they had earned from their best cotton yield. In the end, they realized that the destructive insect they had feared had actually triggered the research that brought them prosperity. <br /><br />The Lord often allows trials to unsettle our lives for a blessed purpose. Perhaps we are trying to "grow cotton" when we should be "raising peanuts." If so, the delays and disappointments we experience are just the gracious "boll weevils" sent to redirect us so that we will plant the crop of God's choosing!<br /><br />(See Rom 8:28; James 1:2-4)<br /><br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br />•´.¸¸.•¨¯`♥.Thank you for your prayers!.♥´¯¨•.¸¸.´•<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /><br />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).<br /><br />If you do not have a pic, any icon/clipart can serve as a symbol of your devotion to those requesting prayer.<br /><br />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!!<br /><br />In His precious name,<br /><br />~Mark Seay (LighthousePrayerLine.org)<br /><br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br />(¯`*•.(¯`*•.God is Good - ALL of the Time!!!.•*´¯).•*´¯)<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />"The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous run to it and are safe" (Psalm 18:10).<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />Hi friend,<br /><br />Please keep the following individuals in your prayers:<br /><br />1) "I have been praying for a money miracle for some time now and have been unable to know if God will answer in my favor.I seem to have become a worthless vessel, either my entire belief in God is wrong,or my daily sinfulness is choked off any chance i have of making it through this trying time,everytime i hear a word, it's like just hold on God is never late hang in there He hears your cry for help and will not let you down, I have become almost a shutin, the only time i go out is to go to the store or to the bank,take one of my children to work, i have no life that i ever dreamed of just one sown of the flesh,I listen to Preaching at home i try to rise up, I feel like he has left me to my own folly and there is no way out, bills <br />pressing phone ringing, mortgage due,I do not say these things out loud, i am bewildered to say the least,I now ask for prayer for protection, care and great mighty things that i know not. He has done many things in the past or i would not be alive if he and millions of members of the body of Christ did not exist, I have not worked due to knee n Back operations, ican't seem to get anything going to provide for those around me, will you take a love offering up for me to help, I woke up today to a snowglobe picture, I do not know how to do loan mod, or tackle the credit card company, I have refraned from going to the social programs due to what the word says, ,please pray for me and agree that this will all be different in a good way soon,.. Thank You." -Dale;<br /><br />2) KB asks for our prayers: "Please pray for Joe D., the father of my brother-in-law, Chris. Joe is elderly, ill, and the doctors don't know what is wrong with him yet. My prayer is that the doctors find out what is wrong so that they can treat it. Also, I ask for prayers for Joe's wife Terry, son Chris and his wife Carol, and for the grandchildren Daniel and Amanda, as they all go through this health crisis together. Thank you!";<br /><br />3) "Please pray for my strength for the Holy Spirit to fill my soul. I feel weak and have thoughts of impurity. I have missed mass for two consecutive Sundays including Christmas mass and have not gone to confession in about a month. Pray that I give a full confession to my priest and that I may return in fullness to the Lord. Also pray for my son Joey as he has no job and is going through tough times as he was dismissed from his previous employment because of some false accusations. Your prayers have been answered before, as my wife found a job and my son's (Orlando) operation was a success. Thanks to God andyour prayers." -Leonard;<br /><br />4) Joan asks to be remembered in our prayers. She writes, "We just moved recently and are in need of a refrigerator, washer and dryer. I just thank God for having a roof over our heads but so many small things in my life seem to make life a lot harder. I would like you to pray for and with me that my family can have these things. Thanks.";<br /><br />5) "Please pray for my son, Eric. He is recovering from drug addiction. Please pray for his continued abstinence, salvation and safety. He has been looking didiligently for a permanent job but can find only temp. employment which is not enough for rent and food. Please pray they God will provide him with a job. Please join me in praying for all those in need of work. Thank you so much for your prayers and may God bless you. In Faith and Belief - In the Holy Name Of Jesus Christ!" -Eric's mom; <br /><br />6) J asks for our prayers: "Please pray for me now for a really great job with great pay and benefits. I need to make enough money to either rent or buy a smaller place for me and my son.";<br /><br />7) Please pray for Germaine. She is a mother of 5 children. She has recently been diagnosed with cancer. Her life hand in the balance. She needs our prayers.;<br /><br />8) Please keep Pastor Frank Page and his family in your prayers. They are weathering some difficult storms.;<br /><br />9) Please pray for Joe N. for his financial and employment situation this coming year.;<br /><br />10) Inez asks for your prayers: "Please pray for me and my family,especially my son who has a drug addiction to crack cocaine and he is living a gay life style. please pray that the Lord continues to strengthen me,and my family. Please pray that my family will decide to give their lives to the LORD for HE is good, and HIS mercy endures for ever. GOD BLESS.";<br /><br />11) "Please pray for God to answer some unspoken requests!" -Anita;<br /><br />12) Jose asks to be remembered in our prayers. He writes, "God, thanks for your blessings. I pray for wisdom and patience. I pray for guidance in this New Year. Here I am Lord, lead me. I pray for my daugther and a new beginning for her. I pray for my son and his division I college basketball scholarship. I ask this in the name of your son Jesus. Amen." -Jose;<br /><br />13) "LAST YEAR... january of '09 i was layed off a job i beleived to be a career, i lost a new truck and let it go back to the bank, i lost my sense of self worth and gave up on life, started getting involved with drugs, so much that i had a narcotics team watching my house, i was lost lonely and depressed, i attempted suicide thru self induced overdose. it was the worst year of my life. i turned to you YOU oh LORD, the great YAWEH, the GOD of love, and you saved my life, you have delivered me from the destruction i set upon myself, you gave me a woman who loves me for who i am, you restored me to my old job, moved me 300 miles closer to where i work and gave the nicest home i have ever lived in, put me on a great rig with really good men to work with, and have showered me with your love and protection oh LORD. now i have new enemies in my life. 2 days ago i drove off the road and my truck is stuck in the bottom of a frozen creek, distractions are all around me trying to pull my focus away from you LORD GOD JEHOVA, you are my refuge my shelter my strength and only hope, i am attacked with doubts about my girlfriends faith to me, saddened and made insecure by the devils attacks, my enemies are all around me, i trust in you oh LORD JEHOVA to save me. i beleive in your son JESUS and trust you will take care of my enemies. please give me wisdom, patience, love, strength, knowledge, peace, and endurance to continue enjoying and appreciating all you do for me. dear readers your prayers have helped my life so much, the LORD truly doese have a good plan for everyones life if we just trust him. i feel my life under pressure which is necessarry for growth, and i appreciate everyone who has lifted me up in prayer to the GREAT GOD of all creation who sent his son to pay the price for our salvation." -Jason<br /><br /> <br /> **God bless you for caring enough to pray!!!**<br /><br />........................................<br /><br />"For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13). <br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /> *~*Spotlight Site*~*<br /> <br /> www.UrbanChristianNews.com <http://www.urbanchristiannews.com/><br /> <br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />*** WANNA SERVE?? ***<br /><br />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:<br /><br />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. <br /><br />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.<br /><br />Become a Be-A-Voice volunteer by committing to one or more of the above. Register today!<br /><br />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)<br /><br />It's easy to serve the persecuted church. PRAY. WRITE. SHARE. Join Now!<br /><br />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.<br /><br />God bless you! Hope to hear from you soon!!<br /><br />Mark Seay<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /> <br />Guide about Organic Cooking, Shopping, Gardening Tips and Recipes. <br /> <br />If you want to cook and eat healthier and do your part to protect your family and help the environment... or you are interested in growing your own organic foods in your garden... <br /><br />http://paydotcom.com/r/51746/lit4u<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /> <br />Why Can't I Just Be a Good Person?<br />By Michael Ramsden<br /><br /><br />"People are basically good," writes one poet. "It is only their behavior that lets them down."<br /><br />It is remarkable to think there are many today who believe they are good enough to get into heaven. Perhaps there is so much bad news about others that they conclude by comparison they are superior, and thus, deserving of a place in eternity. But then it is even more remarkable that when Christians claim they know they are going to heaven, they are regarded as being conceited, boastful, and arrogant. People immediately ask: How can they think that they are better than everyone else?<br /><br />The fact that the same person can think of himself as superior to others, while at the same time criticizing Christians for arrogance, underlines one of the effects of living in a postmodern world. Though the contradiction is frustrating, Christians need to be able to respond coherently to the questions at hand: Why can't I just be a good person? <br /><br />Isn't it unfair of God to say that you can't get into heaven unless you believe in Him, even though you have been a good person? Who does He think He is?<br /><br />Jesus was once asked a similar question by a group of inquirers: "What must we do to do the works God requires?" (John 6:28). Interestingly, the question was posed in plural form; it seems they were looking for a list of good things to do. But Jesus replied in the singular, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent" (6:29).<br /><br />Of course, in the minds of those who feel they have lived a good life, Christ's answer will not go unchallenged. What makes belief so special? Surely what we do is far more important than what we believe. How can a good person, who is not a Christian, be denied access on the basis of belief?<br /><br />The difficulty here lies in the assumption that is being made in each of these questions--namely, that there is such a thing as a good person. Jesus again offers further clarification in the form of question and answer. He was once asked, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" (Luke 18:18). The theory of the questioner was clear: Jesus is a good person; good people go to heaven, so what must I do to be in the same group? But Jesus's reply was surprising. "Why do you call me good?" he asked (18:19). He then answered his own question: "No one is good--except God alone."<br /><br />The simple truth is that the issue is not about good people not getting into heaven. Alas, the problem is much worse! Jesus seems to define goodness in terms of being like God, and on that basis there are no good people anywhere. Thus, the real question is not about who is good enough to get in to heaven. The real question is how God makes it possible for anyone to get in at all. The answer is that we need to be forgiven, and that forgiveness is won for us through the Cross.(1)<br /><br />In fact, this is precisely why the Gospel is called Good News, and why we do well to declare it. The good news is that getting into heaven is first and foremost about forgiveness. The Christian testimony is, in fact, far from arrogant! Christians can be sure that they are going to heaven, not because they are good, but because they have received forgiveness by believing in Christ.<br /><br />In other words, if we will trust in and rely on Jesus--his promises, his person, his life, death, and resurrection--we can be sure that we are saved. Christians are not good people because they live morally superior lives to everyone else. They have been made "good" in God's eyes because Christ has made forgiveness possible -- because Christ has extended his own righteousness to those who will believe.<br /><br />Good people will certainly go to heaven. However, the path to goodness lies not in religious observances or respectable acts, but in the forgiveness of a good God, given to us through the Cross of Christ.<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /> <br />Affiliate Hijacker: Powerful! Create Site in Minutes:<br /><br />https://paydotcom.com/r/55810/lit4u/22998381/<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /> <br />Helping Your Spouse Grow Spiritually<br />By Rob Jackson<br /> <br /><br />What can you do when you and your spouse don't have the same level of spiritual maturity or interest?<br /> <br />What can you do when you and your spouse don't have the same level of spiritual maturity or interest? The answer doesn't lie in lecturing or manipulating your mate. Instead, consider the following five actions you can take to better understand your spouse and make the concept of spiritual growth more intriguing to him or her.<br /><br />Be Patient:<br /><br />Whether your spouse is a new Christian, a non-Christian, or just a nonplussed Christian, it's hard not to overreact when he or she doesn't seem to care about the most important thing in your life. But try to remember that God loves your mate even more than you do. He may even be taking your partner on a journey that will ultimately produce a deeper faith.<br /><br />In any event, be careful. God may choose to reach out to your spouse through you, but He doesn't need your help. Sadly, spiritual conflicts are often made worse by a spouse attempting to jump-start a mate's conscience or play the role of the Holy Spirit. <br /><br />Don't Stand in the Way:<br /><br />While perfection isn't possible or even necessary, your behavior can attract or repel your spouse where spiritual growth is concerned. You're living out what you're experiencing with God. Is it appealing? Is your relationship with Christ making you a more enjoyable person to live with—or just a more religious one?<br /><br />Those who languish spiritually especially need to see the real deal. Your mate will benefit from your companionship when you're serious about your devotion to Christ and realistic about your struggles, too. <br /><br />Be Authentic:<br /><br />You should not only share your faith with your spouse, but your concerns as well. It would be hypocritical to pretend you're not worried when a spouse struggles spiritually. But how you share may be as important as what you share. Very few spouses would react negatively to comments like, "I know you're going to be safe to share this with, but it's still not easy to admit I'm worried about you."<br /><br />The spouse who struggles with faith issues needs a gentle partner to come home to. A holier-than-thou approach is sure to deepen the divide—not only between your partner and yourself, but also between your partner and God (and it can't do much for your own walk with Christ, either). Nobody wants to be smothered or judged or patronized. It's not an issue of spiritual leadership or authority; it's just human nature to pull away when someone invades your space physically or emotionally.<br /><br />When you're honest about your own faith issues, you assure your spouse that it's part of the journey to have questions and doubts. Your transparency can be especially healing if your mate has felt—accurately or not—that spirituality has become a competition in your marriage. This process applies the scriptural idea of comforting others with the same comfort you've received (2 Corinthians 1:4).<br /><br />Stay Balanced:<br /><br />There's no doubt about the importance of faith. But it's possible to lose a healthy perspective, especially when you feel your mate's Christian commitment is at stake. Even though you believe you can trust God with your partner's spiritual development, you may try to take matters into your own hands.<br /><br />Sometimes a concerned spouse drops hints or invites others to offer unsolicited counsel to the spiritually indifferent spouse. While well intended, these approaches are manipulative. Others withdraw from a mate and become excessively involved with church or other religious endeavors.<br /><br />Make no mistake: You can't be too devoted to Christ. Nor should you minimize your faith to accommodate your spouse. But overspiritualization and hyper-religiosity will hinder your efforts as much as falling into the opposite ditch of apathy.<br /> <br />Before you sum up your spouse's struggle as merely a "sin issue," take some time to consider his context. What was his religious experience as a child? Was his faith nurtured or hindered? Was his parents' faith meaningful or a chore? Has he experienced a personal relationship with Christ or mere religion?<br /><br />The Bible is clear: We're not authorized to judge others (Matthew 7:1). Sometimes in marriage we're prone to judge because of what we know—or think we know—about our spouses.<br /><br />We do know, however, that God cares about our mates. The struggle may take time, and may even challenge our faith. In the meantime, we can trust Him to nurture our spouses and our marriages.<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />The fleas or God?<br /><br />Corrie Ten Boom in The Hiding Place relates an incident which taught her this principle. She and her sister, Betsy, had just been transferred to the worst German prison camp they had seen yet, Ravensbruck. Upon entering the barracks, they found them extremely overcrowded and flea-infested. Their Scripture reading that morning in 1 Thessalonians had reminded them to rejoice always, pray constantly, and give thanks in all circumstances. Betsy told Corrie to stop and thank the Lord for every detail of their new living quarters. Corrie at first flatly refused to give thanks for the fleas, but Betsy persisted. She finally succumbed. During the months spent at that camp, they were surprised to find how openly they could hold Bible study and prayer meetings without guard interference. It was several months later when they learned that the guards would not enter the barracks because of the fleas. <br /><br />(See 1 Thes 5:16-18)<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Unhindered<br />By Jill Carattini<br /> <br /> <br />My high school band director was adamant about many things, but none so much <br />as what he called the obligatory rule of good musicianship. That is, the two most important notes in any musical composition are the first and the last. "The audience might forgive you for what comes in the middle," he would say, "but they will never forget neither your very first impression nor your final remark." <br /><br />The last word of the book of Acts in the Greek New Testament is the word akolutos. The word literally means "unhindered," though many translations render it with multiple words. Others move the word from its final position for the sake of syntax. In both cases, I think something is lost in translation. Luke was intentionally making a statement with this last word of his two volume testimony to the life of Jesus Christ.(1) I think he intended readers to pause at the conclusion of his words, leaving us with the provocative thought of a gospel that is unhindered. He concludes, "Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, unhindered" (Acts <br />28:30-31).<br /><br />Through prisons and angry crowds, the book of Acts traces the birth and growth of the early church. The book begins with a few hundred believers in Christ and a collective will to be his witnesses in Jerusalem, in Judea and Samaria, and to all the ends of the earth. Opposition to this witness is described at every turn. Persecution, beatings, death, and imprisonment all threatened the voice of the early church and ultimately the spread of the gospel itself. But in spite of all this, Luke epitomizes the history of the early church and the spread of the gospel by boldly describing the progression of God's Word as going forth without so much as the slightest of hindrances. The Good News of God to all the world, he seems to want us to remember, goes forth in power.<br /><br />When we are pressed on all sides by variant theologies and distorted gospels, when the world delights in yet another conspiracy theory that promises to be the downfall of Christianity, we are to remember the great narration of which we are a part. The book of Acts is largely concerned with documenting the history of the early church within the context of the unhindered work of God from the beginning to the end. "Indeed," says Peter, "all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have foretold these days. And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers" (Acts 3:24-25). We need not live defeated by every emerging plot to undermine Christ. We are to live instead in his victory, <br />walking forward as heirs of the great unhindered kingdom of God. <br /><br />Ultimately, we are a part of a movement that will not fade away. The gospel was and is and always will be a testimony that exists without hindrance. No one can thwart the progress of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is sealed by the Spirit that presses it onward. Nothing can stop the ultimate victory of the story of God, for it is finished. Indeed, we follow a God who spoke in the beginning and who will have the final word. <br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).<br /> <br />Be sure to send in your prayer request for the next mailing.<br /><br />You are in my thoughts and prayers! May the Lord continue to bless you with <br />knowledge of Himself.<br /><br />In Christ's Love,<br />Mark Seay<br /> <br />Lighthouse Prayer Line<br />105 Quincy Drive<br />Greer, SC 29650<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br />"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).<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />"A sinner can no more repent and believe without the Holy Spirit's aid than he can create a world" (Charles Spurgeon).<br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />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. <br /><br />God is Good!!!<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br />(¯`*•.(¯`*•.God is Good - ALL of the Time!!!.•*´¯).•*´¯)<br />~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /> •´.¸¸.•¨¯`♥.Visit Us Soon!.♥´¯¨•.¸¸.´•<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /><br />REMEMBER: We are Transformed by Beholding JESUS!!!<br /> <br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /><br />"I have resolved that my mouth will not sin" (Psalm 17:3b - NIV). <br /><br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Lighthouse Prayer Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967875533234296119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582307140302329124.post-9745338210432014172009-12-29T09:20:00.001-08:002009-12-29T09:21:08.492-08:00Heaven's Downward Escalator<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw6doBn7uuRS6DPbfu4pmYnwn6crT2-RaShrTPUSx3SdyaZ9aKTZXG_rclgjcNNkUeaxklL385YYv-rcwQ2S0D-pjSfMCa-MRPysm3v59T0h4xOvrJUWOsBnR1XRlC5yTfweFqBwBX/s1600-h/trump.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 137px; height: 67px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw6doBn7uuRS6DPbfu4pmYnwn6crT2-RaShrTPUSx3SdyaZ9aKTZXG_rclgjcNNkUeaxklL385YYv-rcwQ2S0D-pjSfMCa-MRPysm3v59T0h4xOvrJUWOsBnR1XRlC5yTfweFqBwBX/s400/trump.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420708594765827378" /></a><br /><strong>By Margaret Manning<br /><br /><br />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. <br /><br />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? <br /><br />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. <br /><br />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." <br /><br />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. <br /><br />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. <br /><br />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) <br /><br />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." <br /><br />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. <br /><br /> <br /><br /><em>*(1) Barbara Brown Taylor, Home by Another Way (Cambridge, Massachusetts: Cowley Publications, 1999), 24.</strong></em>Lighthouse Prayer Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967875533234296119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582307140302329124.post-34556034302581346702009-12-25T17:14:00.000-08:002009-12-25T17:15:59.779-08:00Don't Go See This Movie!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoq4ZsC7BU4-sUfvNkZuw7qh-ZkTJ-NZKz1JMsgddGdJVpYU7IQlgL2kD8jNnNRZZNKtWtKiNFO4hxQIId07bcoIoHnDP5w7cK79_ALNw41hB3u18EeVV0g96cKDs05ITY08h9PqIho86h/s1600-h/aaaaaaalegion-poster.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 350px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoq4ZsC7BU4-sUfvNkZuw7qh-ZkTJ-NZKz1JMsgddGdJVpYU7IQlgL2kD8jNnNRZZNKtWtKiNFO4hxQIId07bcoIoHnDP5w7cK79_ALNw41hB3u18EeVV0g96cKDs05ITY08h9PqIho86h/s400/aaaaaaalegion-poster.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419347434459083202" /></a><br />"Legion" Review:<br /><br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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?<br /><br /><br />...............<br /><br />My Take: <br /><br /><br />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. <br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.Lighthouse Prayer Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967875533234296119noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582307140302329124.post-41340900822346152022009-12-25T11:04:00.001-08:002009-12-25T11:04:43.234-08:00*~*Prayer Requests for 12/25/09:Beginning January 15th, 2010, ownership of Lighthouse Prayer Line will be administered by Francois Putter (Bloemfontein for Jesus).<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.”<br /><br />The Lord shown me in many things He want me to do. This is how Bloemfontein for Jesus started.<br /><br />This ministry first started as an online ministry to represent the Naval Hill Prayer Mountain Ministry.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /> <br />ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:<br />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.<br /><br />Francois Putter<br /><br />BLOEMFONTEIN FOR JESUS<br />9 SAREL CILLIERS STREET<br />HILTON<br />BLOEMFONTEIN<br />9301<br />REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br />•´.¸¸.•¨¯`♥.Thank you for your prayers!.♥´¯¨•.¸¸.´•<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /><br />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).<br /><br />If you do not have a pic, any icon/clipart can serve as a symbol of your devotion to those requesting prayer.<br /><br />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!!<br /><br />In His precious name,<br /><br />~Mark Seay (LighthousePrayerLine.org)<br /><br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br />(¯`*•.(¯`*•.God is Good - ALL of the Time!!!.•*´¯).•*´¯)<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />"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 <br />Corinthians 12:9-10 - NKJV).<br /> <br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />Hi friend,<br /><br />Please keep the following individuals in your prayers:<br /><br />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;<br /><br />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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!";<br /><br />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;<br /><br />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.";<br /><br />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;<br /><br />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.";<br /><br />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;<br /><br />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.";<br /><br />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;<br /><br />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!"<br /><br /><br /> **God bless you for caring enough to pray!!!**<br /><br />........................................<br /><br />"For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13). <br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br /> *~*Spotlight Site*~*<br /><br /> http://AnswersBC.org<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />*** WANNA SERVE?? ***<br /><br />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:<br /><br />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. <br /><br />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.<br /><br />Become a Be-A-Voice volunteer by committing to one or more of the above. Register today!<br /><br />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)<br /><br />It's easy to serve the persecuted church. PRAY. WRITE. SHARE. Join Now!<br /><br />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.<br /><br />God bless you! Hope to hear from you soon!!<br /><br />Mark Seay<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Hut-Hut<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br /><br />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!"<br /><br />The captain replied, "If you're all alone on the island why do I see THREE huts."<br /><br />The survivor said, "Oh. We'll, I live in one, and go to church in another."<br /><br />"What about the THIRD hut?" asked the captain.<br /><br />"That's where I USED to go to church."<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /> <br />To Unravel a Culture<br />By Jill Carattini<br /><br /><br />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. <br /><br />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. <br /><br />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? <br /><br />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). <br /><br />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. <br /><br />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. <br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />I Cannot Pray<br />By Unknown Author<br /><br /><br />I cannot say OUR if my religion has no room for<br />others and their needs.<br /><br />I cannot say FATHER if I do not demonstrate this<br />relationship in my daily life.<br /><br />I cannot say WHO ART IN HEAVEN if all my<br />interests and pursuits are in earthly things.<br /><br />I cannot say HALLOWED BE THY NAME if I,<br />who am called by his name am not holy.<br /><br />I cannot say THY KINGDOM COME if I am<br />unwilling to give up my own sovereignty and<br />accept the righteous reign of God.<br /><br />I cannot say THY WILL BE DONE if I am<br />unwilling or resentful of having it in my life.<br /><br />I cannot say ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN<br />unless I am truly ready to give myself to his service<br />here and now.<br /><br />I cannot say GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY<br />BREAD without expending honest effort for it or<br />by ignoring the genuine needs of my fellow men.<br /><br />I cannot say FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS<br />WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST<br />US if I continue to harbor a grudge against anyone.<br /><br />I cannot say LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION if I<br />deliberately choose to remain in a situation where I<br />am likely to be tempted.<br /><br />I cannot say DELIVER US FROM EVIL if I am not<br />prepared to fight in the spiritual realm with the weapon<br />of prayer.<br /><br />I cannot say THINE IS THE KINGDOM if I do not<br />give the King the disciplined obedience of a loyal<br />subject.<br /><br />I cannot say THINE IS THE POWER if I fear what<br />my neighbors do or say to me.<br /><br />I cannot say THINE IS THE GLORY if I am seeking<br />my own glory first.<br /><br />I cannot say FOREVER if I am anxious about each<br />day's events.<br /><br />I cannot say AMEN unless I honestly say "Cost what<br />it may, this is my prayer."<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Visit: http://joshuasway.org<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Where God Is<br />By Stuart McAllister<br /><br />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) <br /><br />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*. <br /><br />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. <br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /> <br /><br />(1) Story told in Leo Tolstoy's, *Walk in the Light While There Is Light and Twenty-three Tales* (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2003). <br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />"Sounds of the Night"<br /><br />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?"<br /><br />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."<br /><br />The man is disappointed but thanks them anyway and goes about his merry way.<br /><br />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."<br /><br />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?"<br /><br />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."<br /><br />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."<br /><br />The monks reply, "Congratulations. You are now a monk. We shall now show you the way to the sound."<br /><br />The monks lead the man to a wooden door, where the head monk says, "The sound is right behind that door."<br /><br />The man reaches for the knob, but the door is locked. He says, "Real funny, may I have the key?"<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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...<br /><br />Finally, the monks say, "This is the last key to the last door."<br /><br />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.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />But I can't tell you what it is because you're not a monk.<br /><br />~Haha<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Look to the Stars<br /><br />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."<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />"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).<br /> <br />Be sure to send in your prayer request for the next mailing.<br /><br />You are in my thoughts and prayers! May the Lord continue to bless you with knowledge of Himself.<br /><br />Merry Christmas!<br /><br />Mark Seay<br />Lighthouse Prayer Line<br />105 Quincy Drive<br />Greer, SC 29650<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br />"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).<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />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<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br />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!!!<br /><br />A Candle Loses Nothing by Lighting Another Candle. Please Keep This Candle Going!<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br />(¯`*•.(¯`*•.God is Good - ALL of the Time!!!.•*´¯).•*´¯)<br />~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /> •´.¸¸.•¨¯`♥.Visit Us Soon!.♥´¯¨•.¸¸.´•<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /><br />REMEMBER: We are Transformed by Beholding JESUS!!!<br /> <br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /><br />"If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O LORD, who could stand?" (Psalm 130:3).<br /><br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Lighthouse Prayer Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967875533234296119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582307140302329124.post-63362884389578170472009-12-17T13:50:00.000-08:002009-12-17T19:32:25.505-08:00*~*Prayer Requests for 12/18/09:\\\ *** Please Read *** /// <br /><br /><br />Beginning January 15th, 2010, ownership of Lighthouse Prayer Line will be administered by Francois Putter (Bloemfontein for Jesus).<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.”<br /><br />The Lord shown me in many things He want me to do. This is how Bloemfontein for Jesus started.<br /><br />This ministry first started as an online ministry to represent the Naval Hill Prayer Mountain Ministry.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /> <br />ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:<br />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.<br /><br />Francois Putter<br /><br />BLOEMFONTEIN FOR JESUS<br />9 SAREL CILLIERS STREET<br />HILTON<br />BLOEMFONTEIN<br />9301<br />REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />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<br /> <br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />***REQUEST***<br /><br />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!!<br /><br />~Mark Seay (LighthousePrayerLine.org)<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />"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).<br /> <br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />Hi friend,<br /><br />Please keep the following individuals in your prayers:<br /><br />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; <br /> <br />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.";<br /> <br />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;<br /> <br />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.";<br /> <br />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;<br /> <br />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;<br /> <br />7) Mike & Kim asks for our prayers for David who is in the latter stages of cancer.;<br /> <br />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;<br /><br />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."<br /><br />10) "Please pray for my mother. God knows what she needs. Thank you." -Sharon;<br /><br />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."<br /><br />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;<br /><br />13) "My name is Pastor Raja Sekhar. I am blessed with wife and three Children. I <br />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.";<br /><br />14) "That my job situation improves and that I will have peace of mind." -Linda;<br /><br />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.";<br /><br />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;<br /><br />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.";<br /><br />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 . . .<br /><br />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<br /> <br /><br /> **God bless you for caring enough to pray!!!**<br /><br />........................................<br /><br />"For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13). <br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /> *~*Spotlight Site*~*<br /> <br /> http://fitformyking.com/<br /> <br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /> <br />Revelations Misunderstood:<br /> <br />http://www.rpi.edu/~sofkam/ISUNY/rev_1097.html <br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br />Suffering Afflictions and Going the Second Mile<br />By Oswald Chambers <br /> <br /><br />"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). <br /><br />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. <br /><br />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. <br /><br />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.<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br />Grace Being with Our Spirit<br />By Living Stream Ministry<br /> <br /> <br />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.<br /> <br />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.<br /><br />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!<br /><br />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.<br /> <br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /> <br />Communicating God’s Truth<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /> <br /><br />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 <br /><br />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. <br /><br />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. <br /><br />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. <br /><br />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. <br /><br />How can we ever doubt the urgency of this message? We have a truth to tell, and we must share it! <br /><br />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.<br /><br /> ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br />VBS 2010: SeaQuest<br /> <br />Diving for God's Treasures!<br /> <br />http://polar.rbpstore.org/2010/<br /> <br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /> <br />Many Staged Miracles<br />By Jill Carattini<br /> <br /><br />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.<br /><br />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). <br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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. <br /><br />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. <br /><br /> ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Faithful With Much<br /><br />At a Wednesday evening church meeting a very wealthy man rose to give his testimony. <br /><br />"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: <br /><br />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." <br /><br />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*!" <br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br /> "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).<br /> <br />Be sure to send in your prayer request for the next mailing.<br /><br />You are in my thoughts and prayers! May the Lord continue to bless you with knowledge of Himself.<br /><br />In Christ's Love,<br /><br />Mark Seay<br />Lighthouse Prayer Line<br />105 Quincy Drive<br />Greer, SC 29650<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br />"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).<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />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<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />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!!!<br /><br />A Candle Loses Nothing by Lighting Another Candle. Please Keep This Candle Going!<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br />(¯`*•.(¯`*•.God is Good - ALL of the Time!!!.•*´¯).•*´¯)<br />~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /> •´.¸¸.•¨¯`♥.Visit Us Soon!.♥´¯¨•.¸¸.´•<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /><br />REMEMBER: We are Transformed by Beholding JESUS!!!<br /> <br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /><br />"If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O LORD, who could stand?" (Psalm <br />130:3).<br /><br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Lighthouse Prayer Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967875533234296119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582307140302329124.post-41454525575689506452009-12-14T19:28:00.001-08:002009-12-14T19:28:24.767-08:00New MinistryBeginning January 15th, 2010, ownership of Lighthouse Prayer Line will be administered by Francois Putter (Bloemfontein for Jesus).<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.”<br /><br />The Lord shown me in many things He want me to do. This is how Bloemfontein for Jesus started.<br /><br />This ministry first started as an online ministry to represent the Naval Hill Prayer Mountain Ministry.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /> <br />ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:<br />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.<br /><br />Francois Putter<br /><br />BLOEMFONTEIN FOR JESUS<br />9 SAREL CILLIERS STREET<br />HILTON<br />BLOEMFONTEIN<br />9301<br />REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))Lighthouse Prayer Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967875533234296119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582307140302329124.post-68203423886975390622009-12-09T19:33:00.000-08:002009-12-09T19:35:10.375-08:00*~*Prayer Requests for 12/11/09:Would you believe that the "Inmate Mail Policy" censors based on religious content????<br /><br />Check this out: www.JusticeFellowship.org<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is in the LORD" (Jeremiah 17:7).<br /> <br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />Hi friend,<br /><br />Please keep the following individuals in your prayers:<br /><br />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;<br /><br />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.";<br /><br />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;<br /><br />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;<br /><br />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.";<br /> <br />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;<br /><br />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.";<br /><br />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;<br /><br />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.";<br /><br />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.;<br /><br />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;<br /><br />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.";<br /><br />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;<br /><br />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.";<br /><br />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;<br /><br />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;<br /><br />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.";<br /><br />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;<br /><br />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;<br /><br />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.";<br /><br />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;<br /><br />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 . . .<br /><br />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<br /><br /><br /> **God bless you for caring enough to pray!!!**<br /><br />........................................<br /><br />"For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13). <br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br /> *~*Spotlight Site*~*<br /><br /> http://myplacewithjesus.com<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />The Sandpiper<br />By Robert Peterson<br />www.LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /> <br /> <br />She was six years old when I first met her on<br />the beach near where I live. I drive to this beach,<br />a distance of three or four miles, whenever the<br />world begins to close in on me. She was building<br />a sand castle or something and looked up, her<br />eyes as blue as the sea.<br /> <br />'Hello,' she said.<br /><br />I answered with a nod, not really in the mood to<br />bother with a small child.<br /><br />'I'm building,' she said.<br /><br />'I see that. What is it?' I asked, not really caring.<br /><br />'Oh, I don't know, I just like the feel of sand.'<br /><br />That sounds good, I thought, and slipped off my<br />shoes.<br /><br />A sandpiper glided by.<br /><br />'That's a joy,' the child said.<br /><br />'It's a what?'<br /><br />'It's a joy. My mama says sandpipers come to<br />bring us joy.'<br /><br />The bird went gliding down the beach. Good-bye<br />joy, I muttered to myself, hello pain, and turned<br />to walk on. I was depressed, my life seemed<br />completely out of balance.<br /><br />'What's your name?' She wouldn't give up.<br /><br />'Robert,' I answered. 'I'm Robert Peterson.'<br /><br />'Mine's Wendy...I'm six.'<br /><br />'Hi, Wendy.'<br /><br />She giggled. 'You're funny,' she said.<br /><br />In spite of my gloom, I laughed too and walked<br />on. Her musical giggle followed me.<br /><br />'Come again, Mr. P,' she called. 'We'll have another<br />happy day.'<br /><br />The next few days consisted of a group of unruly<br />Boy Scouts, PTA meetings, and an ailing mother.<br />The sun was shining one morning as I took my<br />hands out of the dishwater. I need a sandpiper, I<br />said to myself, gathering up my coat.<br /><br />The ever-changing balm of the seashore awaited<br />me. The breeze was chilly but I strode along,<br />trying to recapture the serenity I needed.<br /><br />'Hello, Mr. P,' she said. 'Do you want to play?'<br /><br />'What did you have in mind?' I asked, with a twinge<br />of annoyance.<br /><br />'I don't know. You say.'<br /><br />'How about charades?' I asked sarcastically.<br /><br />The tinkling laughter burst forth again. 'I don't<br />know what that is.'<br /><br />'Then let's just walk.'<br /><br />Looking at her, I noticed the delicate fairness<br />of her face. 'Where do you live?' I asked.<br /><br />'Over there.' She pointed toward a row of summer<br />cottages.<br /><br />Strange, I thought, in winter.<br /><br />'Where do you go to school?'<br /><br />'I don't go to school. Mommy says we're on vacation.'<br /><br />She chattered little girl talk as we strolled up the<br />beach, but my mind was on other things. When I<br />left for home, Wendy said it had been a happy day.<br />Feeling surprisingly better, I smiled at her and agreed.<br /><br />Three weeks later, I rushed to my beach in a state<br />of near panic. I was in no mood to even greet Wendy.<br />I thought I saw her mother on the porch and felt like<br />demanding she keep her child at home.<br /><br />'Look, if you don't mind,' I said crossly when Wendy<br />caught up with me, 'I'd rather be alone today.' She<br />seemed unusually pale and out of breath.<br /><br />'Why?' she asked.<br /><br />I turned to her and shouted, 'Because my mother<br />died!' and thought, My God, why was I saying this<br />to a little child?<br /><br />'Oh,' she said quietly, 'then this is a bad day.'<br /><br />'Yes,' I said, 'and yesterday and the day before<br />and -- oh, go away!'<br /><br />'Did it hurt?' she inquired.<br /><br />'Did what hurt?' I was exasperated with her, with<br />myself.<br /><br />'When she died?'<br /><br />'Of course it hurt!' I snapped, misunderstanding,<br />wrapped up in myself. I strode off.<br /><br />A month or so after that, when I next went to the<br />beach, she wasn't there. Feeling guilty, ashamed,<br />and admitting to myself I missed her, I went up<br />to the cottage after my walk and knocked at the<br />door. A drawn looking young woman with honey-<br />colored hair opened the door.<br /><br />'Hello,' I said, 'I'm Robert Peterson. I missed your<br />little girl today and wondered where she was.'<br /><br />'Oh yes, Mr. Peterson, please come in. Wendy<br />spoke of you so much. I'm afraid I allowed her to<br />bother you. If she was a nuisance, please, accept<br />my apologies.'<br /><br />'Not at all--she's a delightful child.' I said, suddenly<br />realizing that I meant what I had just said.<br /><br />'Wendy died last week, Mr. Peterson. She had<br />leukemia. Maybe she didn't tell you.'<br /><br />Struck dumb, I groped for a chair. I had to catch<br />my breath.<br /><br />'She loved this beach, so when she asked to come,<br />we couldn't say no. She seemed so much better here<br />and had a lot of what she called happy days. But the<br />last few weeks, she declined rapidly...' Her voice<br />faltered, 'She left something for you, if only I can find it.<br />Could you wait a moment while I look?'<br /><br />I nodded stupidly, my mind racing for something to say<br />to this lovely young woman. She handed me a smeared<br />envelope with 'MR. P' printed in bold childish letters.<br />Inside was a drawing in bright crayon hues--a yellow<br />beach, a blue sea, and a brown bird. Underneath was<br />carefully printed:<br /><br />A SANDPIPER TO BRING YOU JOY.<br /><br />Tears welled up in my eyes, and a heart that had<br />almost forgotten to love opened wide. I took Wendy's<br />mother in my arms. 'I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so<br />sorry,' I uttered over and over, and we wept together.<br />The precious little picture is framed now and hangs<br />in my study. Six words--one for each year of her life<br />-- that speak to me of harmony, courage, and<br />undemanding love.<br /><br />A gift from a child with sea blue eyes and hair the<br />color of sand, who taught me the gift of love.<br /><br />---------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />NOTE: This is a true story sent out by Robert<br />Peterson. It happened over 20 years ago and<br />the incident changed his life forever. It serves<br />as a reminder to all of us that we need to take<br />time to enjoy living and life and each other.<br />The price of hating other human beings is<br />loving oneself less.<br /><br />Life is so complicated, the hustle and bustle of<br />everyday traumas can make us lose focus about<br />what is truly important or what is only a momentary<br />setback or crisis.<br /><br />This week, be sure to give your loved ones an extra<br />hug, and by all means, take a moment...even if it is<br />only ten seconds, to stop and smell the roses.<br /><br />This comes from someone's heart, and is read by<br />many and now I share it with you...<br /><br />May God Bless everyone who receives this! There<br />are NO coincidences!<br /><br />Everything that happens to us happens for a<br />reason. Never brush aside anyone as insignificant.<br />Who knows what they can teach us?<br />-------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /> <br />I wish for you, a SANDPIPER!!<br /><br />I know and love one. <br /><br />Do you?<br /><br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />The Holy Spirit Compels You To Unite !<br />By Richard A. Kent<br /> <br /> <br />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<br /> <br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />World Hope International is a faith based relief and development organization alleviating suffering and injustice through education, enterprise and community health.<br /><br />Visit: http://worldhope.org<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />So True! <br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br /><br />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. <br /><br />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.' <br /><br />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. <br /><br />'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.'<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Cosmic Treason<br />By R.C. Sproul <br /><br />"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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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. <br /><br />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. <br /><br />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. <br /><br />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. <br /><br />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.<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />When the Stakes Are Highest<br />By Jill Carattini <br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br /><br />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. <br /><br />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. <br /><br />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) <br /><br />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? <br /><br />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."<br /><br />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. <br /><br /><br />**(1) C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed (New York: HarperCollins, 1989), 49. (2) Ibid., 49-50. <br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />"Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares<br />about you" (1 Peter 5:7 – NLT).<br /><br />Be sure to send in your prayer request for the next<br />mailing.<br /><br />You are in my thoughts and prayers! May the Lord<br />continue to bless you with knowledge of Himself.<br /><br />Your friend in Christ,<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/199/0CA66550222FF786EE01B7FD6F7242FE.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;"/></a><br />Mark Seay<br />Lighthouse Prayer Line<br />105 Quincy Drive<br />Greer, SC 29650<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br />"Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord" (Romans 12:11). <br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br />We hope you have found today's newsletter encouraging to your<br />walk with Jesus Christ. Please send all prayer requests and<br />praise reports to us by using the "comments" hyperlink, which<br />can be found at the end of each blog/article. God is Good!!!<br /><br />A Candle Loses Nothing by Lighting Another Candle. Please Keep This<br />Candle Going!<br /><br />-------††††-------Please<br />-------††††-------Forward<br />-------††††-------This<br />††††††††††††††Cross<br />††††††††††††††Along<br />-------††††-------With Our<br />-------††††-------Newsletter.<br />-------††††-------Share Your<br />-------††††-------Love For GOD<br />-------††††-------With A Friend!!!!!!<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br />(¯`*•.(¯`*•.God is Good - ALL of the Time!!!.•*´¯).•*´¯)<br />~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /> •´.¸¸.•¨¯`♥.Visit Us Soon!.♥´¯¨•.¸¸.´•<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /><br />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<br /> <br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /><br />"If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O LORD, who could stand?" (Psalm 130:3).<br /><br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Lighthouse Prayer Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967875533234296119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582307140302329124.post-29824460874538952192009-12-03T12:34:00.000-08:002009-12-03T12:37:03.350-08:00*~*Prayer Requests for 12/4/09:((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />These children are beyond the reach of a nearby church:<br /><br />www.AngleTree.org/sharethegift<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />"I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful" (John 15:1-2 - NIV).<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />This year, with the help of churches and volunteers across the country, we hope to serve over 400,000 Angel Tree children. But we can't do it without you.<br /><br />As we get closer to Christmas there are still thousands of children who need to know they haven't been forgotten. If you've already supported this year's campaign, thank you so much for your generosity.<br /><br />https://www.angeltree.org/at-appeal-donation?dc=APPEAL4-1009<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />When you are making out your Christmas card list<br />this year, please include the following:<br /><br />A Recovering American Soldier<br />c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center<br />6900 Georgia Avenue, NW<br />Washington, D.C. 20307-5001<br /> <br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Hi friend,<br /><br />Please keep the following individuals in your prayers:<br /><br />1) "Please pray for DY & KK that God's will be done in their relationship, in Jesus name." -PB;<br /><br />2) Beth asks for our prayers. She writes, "Dearest God, Lord Jesus,Holy Spirit, St. Jude & St. Rita, I ask each of You to BLESS me & Alex & all of the lawyers at the Working Hands Legal Clinic with Your Divine Guidance, Courage & Success in our efforts create Justice for me and all of my co-workers! Thank you. God Bless you!!! For praying with me.";<br /><br />3) "Please pray for me that God will provide me the finances to pay all of my bills and personal needs-$100.00 and for healing of my entire body and return me to perfect health. That God will give me a really good antibiotic." -Larry;<br /><br />4) "Please please pray for me. I really need to get rid of this guy, i found out he was again cheationg on me back in july yet it is so hard to let go. I dont want to try anymore. My depression and alcohol abuse has taken over my life due to trying to cover up the pain I feel. Please give me the stength to walk away." -Lindsay;<br /><br />5) Becky asks to be remembered in our prayers. She writes: "I would like to ask that you please pray for my husband, Lonnie. He has had trouble with his back for many years. It's gotten much worse of late. His primary dr. is referring him to a pain specialist to see if epidurals will be helpful. It's our hope that these will help and surgery will not be needed now. He was told in the past that he needs back surgery but that it wasn't something he should do unless he could no longer stand the pain. He very rarely mentions his pain...well, he told me he's ready to get it fixed now...that told a BIG story - he's in bad shape! If it's time for surgery, please pray that God direct him to a wonderful neuro surgeon and that all goes well, a great recovery. I know medical advances are made daily and I hope and pray this surgery isn't as bad as the docs said in the past. I pray for God's will .... and that it gets Lonnie out of pain, or as much as possible. It's also my prayer that we hear from these docs asap! Thanks very, very much for your prayers!";<br /><br />6) "Please pray for my Husband, Son and I. We are trying to close on a home in a good area with good schools for our son. god placed this house so low in our price range and I do not want this to pass us up. I want my son to grow up in area where I do not have to be scared of him being outside. This is the home for us! Please pray that this works out in our favor and we can finally get in to this home!!!! We fell in love with this home. Lord please help us and guide us to make this happen for us. We are good people and you see it lord,help us with getting this home. Amen." -Jennifer;<br /><br />7) JRG asks for our prayers: "I pray and ask you to pray for Jeremy - that the Judge may see that he had a relapse and that he is taking steps to make his life better. That prison is not the answer for him. He just enrolled in college something he never thought possible for himself. I ask that he be given this opportunity without restriction. I pray for his lawyer to be of a clear mind and great wisdom. I ask that you pray for Jeremy, he has not drank in sometime now that he continues to stay strong in that. I believe the Lord has delivered him from the desire to drink. I believe the Lord has complete control of this situation. I have faith in the Lord! I say these things in our beloved Jesus name, AMEN.";<br /><br />8) "My name is Sal and I am 64 years old. I have a 26 year old Daughter and she is going through very difficult problems which include financial and family issues. She has two adorable boys: ages 7 and one just 8 months old. Please pray for my daughter Kelly! Thank you and God Bless you!";<br /><br />9) "Please pray for my husband nicholas, that he overcomes the things that are against him in the state of new york. he is innocent and we need him to come home safely and soon to his family. please pray that he keeps his faith through all of this because i fear that he may lose focus on what is most important. because of this i had to quit school and i just went back 2 weeks ago, i have a 3 year old boy who i fear wont have his family together for christmas, but i mostly fear that he might not have his family together at all. i am now the head of household and have to find a job quickly because i am losing my home in january. and please pray for me so that i may stay strong during this difficult time and am offered a job monday during my interview and please pray that i have more patience with our baby boy because i am under so much stress. thank you." -Dani<br /><br />10) Bob asks for our prayers: "I would like /need prayer that my families needs are met during the up coming momths. i just had a hernia opertion that i was hoping to hold off til jan.,have not benn getting 40 hours at work because of money taken out for a chapter 13 when i work 30hours i don't get a paycheck. my wife i have(married for 30 years) are having the worst time of our lives.we are looking at utiltiels shut offs, no christmas and maybe even losing our house. just pray that God's will be done and that we may learn whatever lesson we are suppose to learn from these trails.";<br /><br />11) "Please pray for my family as we go through this difficult time. We have never been worried financially and the first time, we worry about having enough food for the next few days. Or keeping the roof over our heads. And during the holidays, we struggle to get in the spirit since we lost a dear son during this time when he was only 3 weeks old, we never brought him home from the hospital. I have 2 sons, 13 and 3. The 13 yr old is struggling with school, even though he is very bright, it's an awkward stage for him. My 3 yr old, I am grateful he does not understand the magnitude of our stressful situation. And I hope he will never have to know or witness this again in the future. I am trying to be strong, but I am losing grip on my life. I cannot even go to my husband and seek comfort, even though he loves me so much and tries to reach out. I tend to withdraw when I am dealing with things. I need strength. We need guidance to get back on our feet. We work all the time, and don't spend but that isn't helping. I'm scared." -Jin;<br /><br />12) Sandge asks to be remembered in our prayers. She writes, "Please pray for my husband, he is an alcoholic and wants to quit but our reservation hospital won't help him. They treat him horribly when he goes up there for withdrawals, he is now afraid to go there. We don't have any private health insurance otherwise I would bring him somewhere else. He definitely has liver damage and wants to quit. Please pray that God will deliver him!!!!";<br /><br />13) "Please pray for Nikita . She is sick and I pray that she will be better. I pray that she will be healed through Christ Jesus. God, please hear my prayer, take away her pain and make her whole. You said if I beleive that nothing is impossible." -Nikita;<br /><br />14) Zandra asks for our prayers: "hey my name is zandra and im a herion addict i've been sober for three weeks now and its hard and t continues to be hard i need prayer to stay sober and for my family to heal and stay together !!!! i also need to prayer for forgiveness because i almost looked for strenght in the wrong ways.";<br /><br />15) "Please prayer for salvation for daughters Christina (20 yrs) and Nicole (17yrs) and sisterly love toward each other. Also for financial blessings for our family. Thank you and God Bless you!" -Cindy;<br /><br />16) Bev asks to be remembered in our prayers. She writes, "Please pray for me. My name is Bev and I am going through major financial difficulties. I haven't been able to pay my rent for Nov and I don't have money for Dec. I know there are many who need prayer, but if you could pray for me and my little dog, Minnie, we would be so very grateful. God Bless You.";<br /><br />17) "I need prayer for healing of my body. My name is Sheila and I have been struggling with Hypothyroidism and the side effects of the drug I have to take for the rest of my life because of it. I ask they you pray for me and that the side effects as well as the diesease leave me. I ask for total healing. PLEASE PLEASE pray for me as God is the only one who can save me from this. I ask that you pray for my heart and the effects that the medicine has had on it." -Sheila;<br /><br />18) Yoanna & Will asks for our prayers: "My name is Yoanna. My husband, Will and I are separated. Please pray that we reconcile soon. I don't feel divorce is God's will.";<br /><br />19) " Just pray for us, since I broke my arm 5 weeks ago it seems satan is attacking me. It is one thing after another, usually on our finances." -David; and lastly...<br /><br />20) Please pray for Dr. Frank Page's family as they are grieving the loss of his oldest daughter, Melissa.<br /><br /><br /> **God bless you for caring enough to pray!!!**<br /><br />........................................<br /><br />A real friend is always and under all circumstances a friend (Proverbs 17:17a).<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br /> *~*Spotlight Site*~*<br /><br /> http://Persecution.com<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails" (Proverbs 19:21).<br /> <br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />After Every Flight<br />By Ledonon Rieumes (from France)<br /> <br /> <br />After every flight, pilots fill out a form called a gripe sheet, which conveys to the mechanics problems encountered with the aircraft during flights that need repair or correction. The mechanics read and correct the problem, and then respond in writing on the lower half of the form as to what remedial action was taken. The pilot,<br />then, reviews the gripe sheets before the next flight.<br /> <br />Never let it be said that ground crews and engineers lack a sense of humor!<br /> <br />Here are some actual logged maintenance complaints and problems As submitted by Qantas pilots and the solution recorded by maintenance engineers.<br /> <br />*(Note: P = the problem logged by the pilot. S = the solution and action taken by<br />the engineers.)<br /> <br /> <br />P: Left inside main tire almost needs replacement.<br />S: Almost replaced left inside main tire.<br /> <br />P: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough.<br />S: Auto-land not installed on this aircraft.<br /> <br />P: Something loose in cockpit.<br />S: Something tightened in cockpit.<br /> <br />P: Dead bugs on windshield.<br />S: Live bugs on back-order.<br /> <br />P: Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200 feet per minute descent.<br />S: Cannot reproduce problem on ground.<br /> <br />P: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear.<br />S: Evidence removed.<br /> <br />P: DME volume unbelievably loud.<br />S: DME volume set to more believable level.<br /> <br />P: Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick.<br />S: That's what they're there for.<br /> <br />P: IFF inoperative.<br />S: IFF always inoperative in OFF mode.<br /> <br />P: Suspected crack in windshield.<br />S: Suspect you're right.<br /><br />P: Number 3 engine missing.<br />S: Engine found on right wing after brief search.<br /> <br />P: Aircraft handles funny.<br />S: Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right, and be serious.<br /> <br />P: Target radar hums.<br />S: Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics.<br /> <br />P: Mouse in cockpit.<br />S: Cat installed.<br /> <br />P: Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer.<br />S: Took hammer away from midget.<br /> <br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />** Article Content Spinner:<br /><br />https://paydotcom.com/r/11999/lit4u/22998642/<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Gauges and Designs<br />By Jill Carattini<br /><br /><br />I have the bad habit of testing the meaning of the word "empty" when my gas tank warns it is nearing the last of its resources. With each car I've owned this process starts out innocent enough. Either I'm low on fuel and can't find a gas station or I'm late for an appointment and decide to stop for gas afterward. But somehow this initiates the unreasonable course of challenging my gauges. If I was once able to go eight miles with my fuel light on, I reason, perhaps I could make ten. If I made it all the way home from work the last time, this time I can surely afford to make one more stop. <br /><br />For a while I drove a car that I was beginning to believe had broken gauges. It seemed like I could drive with the fuel light on forever. Each time the gauge cried empty, I would ignore it to the point where I was certain I was running completely on fumes—and each time I would get away with it. It actually started to bother me. This, I realize, sounds ridiculous, and is probably not good for my car or me, for that matter. Of course, I don't actually want to run out of gas. But I want to know my gauges actually mean something. <br /><br />Perhaps my unreasonable battle with the word "empty" illustrates a similar phenomenon in life. We want to ignore anything that suggests we are creatures of limitation; we want to challenge every gauge and ignore every boundary as long as we possibly can. As children we ward off bedtime though fighting heavy eyelids and perfidious yawns. As we grow older we take the struggle to deeper levels, learning to deflect notions of despair or emptiness, to stifle certain questions in the back of our minds, and to keep our consciences at bay. Like exhausted children insisting they don't need sleep or drivers challenging their inevitable need for gas, we attempt to defy life's gauges and indicators as if they were indicators of nothing. <br /><br />English writer F.W. Boreham tells a story about an old gravedigger whose terrible cough educed the sympathy of a cemetery visitor. The coughing man gestured to the graves around them, noting, "There's plenty here who'd be glad of my cough!" His point is clear enough: even a cough is an indication that life is still present. But all the same, it is a sign that should indicate much more, lest the old man be dragged into a grave of his own. Carrying this thought to a higher place, Boreham wisely comments, "The torments of an aroused conscience are symptoms of spiritual vitality for which a wise man will give thanks on bended knees; but they are useless and worse than useless unless they drive him, in his desperation, to the fountain open for all sin and for all uncleanness."(1)<br /><br />However good I have become at ignoring signs and indicators within my own life, I am at some level aware that it is more than a sign I am ignoring. To live with gauges that go off for no reason would be absolutely maddening. Pain and conscience, unrest and struggle are gauges we have been given with good purpose. They are indicators that bid us to pay attention and can lead us to the place that needs tending. I believe they are also indicators of a designer, whose desire is that we should be led to the true design. <br /><br />During a time of illness and recovery, King Hezekiah followed his anguished soul to a place beyond physical comfort. In a prayer recorded in the book of Isaiah, Hezekiah recognizes the great lengths God used to drive him to the throne: "I cried like a swift or thrush, I moaned like a mourning dove. My eyes grew weak as I looked to the heavens. 'I am troubled; O Lord, come to my aid!' But what can I say? He has spoken to me, and he himself has done this. I will walk humbly all my years because of this anguish of my soul. Lord, by such things men live; and my spirit finds life in them too" (Isaiah 38:14-16). <br /><br />Perhaps there is life to be found even in gauges we'd rather ignore. Empty tank or tormented conscience, might it drive us into the arms of God. <br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />** Headers for Blogs: <br /><br />Spice up your blog with a personal touch!<br /><br />https://paydotcom.com/r/63906/lit4u/22998138/<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />"So that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints" (1 Thessalonians 3:13).<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />The Great Among You Shall Be Your Servant<br />By Living Stream Ministry<br /><br /><br />Mark 10:42 And Jesus called them[His disciples] to Him and said to them, You know that those who are esteemed as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But it is not so among you;<br />but whoever wants to become great among you shall be your servant,<br /><br />Phil 2:6 Who [Christ Jesus], existing in the form of God, did not consider being equal with God a treasure to be grasped, 7 But emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, becoming in the likeness of men;<br /><br />Those who are great in the church, that is, those who are established by the Lord as great ones, are actually the servants and slaves of all. Whoever wants to become great shall be the servant of all, and whoever wants to be the first shall be the slave of all. One should only be a servant, a slave of all. On the one hand, one should have a spiritual basis; he should honor God’s will as the central and highest thing among all things and should release the Lord’s life. On the other hand, one has to be humble, which means having no interest in being the authority among the brothers and sisters and being satisfied with being a servant and a slave. All those who are willing to be servants will be appointed by the Lord as the great ones, and they will be entrusted with authority. All those who are willing to be the slaves, that is, who have a heart to serve the brothers and sisters, will be appointed to be the first by the Lord.<br /><br />...he has to be truly humble, considering himself worthy to be only a servant (not in word only, but in inward feeling). The Lord said that such a one can be great. We are afraid of the kind of humility that stays on one’s lips only. Humility must be something that issues from the heart.<br /><br />The Lord took the form of a slave and became a slave to all. He never seized any authority; all of His authority came from God. The Lord was raised from a lowly place to the height. This is His principle. <br /><br />We should not try to seize any fleshly authority with fleshly hands. We should be the servants of all. Then when God commits certain responsibilities to us, we will learn to represent Him. The basis of authority is ministry, and there is ministry only where there is resurrection. When one has a ministry, he has a service, and when he has a service, he has authority. May the Lord deliver us from haughty thoughts.<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />"Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares<br />about you" (1 Peter 5:7 – NLT).<br /><br />Be sure to send in your prayer request for the next<br />mailing.<br /><br />You are in my thoughts and prayers! May the Lord<br />continue to bless you with knowledge of Himself.<br /><br />May God bless you abundantly,<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/199/0CA66550222FF786EE01B7FD6F7242FE.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;"/></a><br />Mark Seay<br />Lighthouse Prayer Line<br />105 Quincy Drive<br />Greer, SC 29650<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br />"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven" (Luke 6:37).<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />Out Of Gas<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br /><br />A nun who works for a local home health care agency was out making her rounds when she ran out of gas. As luck would have it there was a station just down the street. She walked to the station to borrow a can with enough gas to start the car and drive to the station for a fill up. <br /><br />The attendant regretfully told her that the only can he owned had just been loaned out, but if she would care to wait he was sure it would be back shortly. <br /><br />Since the nun was on the way to see a patient she decided not to wait and walked back to her car. <br /><br />After looking through her car for something to carry to the station to fill with gas, she spotted a bedpan she was taking to the patient. Always resourceful, she carried it to the station, filled it with gasoline, and carried it back to her car. <br /><br />As she was pouring the gas into the tank of her car two men walked by. One of them turned to the other and said: "Now that is what I call faith!" <br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />We hope you have found today's newsletter encouraging to your<br />walk with Jesus Christ. Please send all prayer requests and<br />praise reports to us by using the "comments" hyperlink, which<br />can be found at the end of each blog/article. God is Good!!!<br /><br />A Candle Loses Nothing by Lighting Another Candle. Please Keep This<br />Candle Going!<br /><br />-------††††-------Please<br />-------††††-------Forward<br />-------††††-------This<br />††††††††††††††Cross<br />††††††††††††††Along<br />-------††††-------With Our<br />-------††††-------Newsletter.<br />-------††††-------Share Your<br />-------††††-------Love For GOD<br />-------††††-------With A Friend!!!!!!<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br />(¯`*•.(¯`*•.God is Good - ALL of the Time!!!.•*´¯).•*´¯)<br />~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /> •´.¸¸.•¨¯`♥.Visit Us Soon!.♥´¯¨•.¸¸.´•<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /><br /> I'm just a nobody<br /> trying to tell everybody<br /> that there is somebody<br /> who can save anybody!!<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /><br />Never get so busy doing the work of the kingdom <br />- that you forget who the King is.<br /><br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Lighthouse Prayer Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967875533234296119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582307140302329124.post-3594041624930347172009-11-27T14:07:00.000-08:002009-11-27T14:11:00.222-08:00Vineyard Workers Needed!Dear prayer partner(s):<br /><br />As we are nearing the completion of our first draft of the Lighthouse Commentary on the New Testament, we’re praying for a Publisher and Editor to come forth to share in this service for our Lord Jesus in preparation for His Kingdom to come.<br /><br />First, if you’re interested in becoming a contributing Editor, express it by emailing us at LighthousePrayerLine3@gmail.com. In Early July of 2010, we will snail mail a copy to you as we should be finished by that time. You can then “red line” the copy and mail it back to us. <br /><br />Secondly, we will then send it to an interested Co-publisher for typing (final draft). If this is something you would like to do, please contact us as we will get this final draft to you for production sometime around the end of September.<br /><br />If neither of these duties sound like something you would be willing to take on, please keep this project in your prayers, just the same. All active participants will receive credit whether their work is only partially utilized [Ibid.: Rom 12:1-8].<br /><br />Prayerfully,<br /><br />Mark Seay<br />www.LighthousePrayerLine.orgLighthouse Prayer Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967875533234296119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582307140302329124.post-44010589306988009332009-11-25T18:07:00.000-08:002009-11-25T18:08:28.418-08:00*~*Prayer Requests for 11/30/09:Atleast, take a peek!<br /><br />www.HelpAngleTree.org<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />"I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful" (John 15:1-2 - NIV).<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />Bibles for America (BfA) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to distribute free copies of the New Testament Recovery Version and Christian literature throughout the United States. Please visit www.biblesforamerica.org to order a free Bible or browse our free Bible-reading resources.<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation,<br />that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners;<br />of whom I am chief" (1 Timothy 1:15).<br /><br />John Newton lived to be eighty-two years old and continued to preach and have an active ministry until beset by fading health in the last two years of his life. Even then, Newton never ceased to be amazed by God's grace and told his friends: <br /><br />My memory is nearly gone;<br />but I remember two things;<br />That I am a great sinner, and<br />that Christ is a great Saviour.<br /><br />John Newton (1725-1807)<br />English minister and hymn writer<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />Hi friend,<br /><br />Please keep the following individuals in your prayers:<br /><br />1) "My husband and I have been trying to have a baby for over 4 years now. . . Please pray that the Lord will bless us with a baby soon." -Katie<br /><br />2) Beth asks for our prayers: "Please pray that I am on Mark's heart and that he will not let me go. Please pray that his heart will be convicted to me.";<br /><br />3) "Hello, Today is my son Michael's 29th birthday. On Monday (Nov. 16th) he will go to court and expects to get 5 years in prison (3 years good time.) He is a Christian, but has already done about 3 years for his previous actions (resulting from meth use). Please pray with me for God's will in Michael's life, and for strength, peace, and even joy in the midst of his trials. Also please pray for God's guidance in using the time served (if he gets sentenced) to good use, for the glory of God. Thank you so much for praying!" -Michelle;<br /><br />4) Sonya asks to be remembered in our prayers. She writes, "I am very depressed and emotionally drained. The past year has been the hardest time of my life. I lost my husband and best friend because he didn't trust me any longer due to the things that I have done. I let him down and he said he could never be sure that I wouldn't hurt him that way again. I was unfaithful and put my trust into one person more than I should have. I have put myself into debt by loaning that person money and I am writing those funds off as a loss because I know I will not get it back. My husband divorced me- I was layed off from work - and just recently my father inlaw passed away. At his funeral my ex-husband's new girl friend was there. - I had so much hope we could find our way back to each other. My choices and his choices cost us our marriage. God didn't do this and I know that he didn't we didn't have faith enough in God to make the right choices and now this is where we are at. I know that God has provided me with my health, family and friends. Please pray for me that I find a brighter tomorrow and to help me continue to keep my faith in God and even though I am hurting that things would turn around in my so called existence. That I will find employment, continue to work with my therapist on my depression, and to let go of my ex husband and find happiness. Thank you.";<br /><br />5) "Lord thank for today and for the ability to come to you and ask that you bless me with meaningful employment. I pray for my wifes safety as she is out of town on work. I ask theses things in the name of Jesus. Amen." -Terry;<br /><br />6) Sandra asks for our prayers. She writes, "Please pray for my daughter and grandaughter. Pray that my grandaughter's heart be filled with love and that she remember all the love that has existed between herself and her mother since she was a baby. Thank you.";<br /><br />7) "All the power of god into Tom In the form of personal power..." -James; <br /><br /><br />8) "Pray for me that by disability benifits will be quickly restored." -Mr Brown;<br /><br />9) Tom and Kate asks to be remembered in our prayers. They write: "All the power of god into Tom/Kate in the form of to get the job I am praying for I wanna work.";<br /><br />10) "Bless Sacramento Delta, Bless our president Obama and his family, Bless those who fight for single payer health care, Kusinich -from Oregon, Jay R- Bless Rob who is so ill, Bless me and thank you for the gift yesterday, Bless guide posts. Thank you." -Eleanor;<br /><br />11) Connie asks for our prayers. She writes, "Please pray for my husband who has struggled with ssa since he can remember and is living with another man. Both of them believe in God and He has been working in their hearts. I need wisdom as my husband and I continue communicating with each other.";<br /><br />12) "I am really in need of prayer. My girlfriend and I broke up recently, and it is killing me. I still think she has feelings for me, but she is so afraid of commitment that I feel she thought it would be better to break it off now instead of down the road where her feelings could be stronger. I love her so much and don't want to lose her. I have prayed for restoration and a renewal of our relationship. I really do believe it is God's will for us, but I believe there are way too many negative influences in her life that are keeping her from giving us another chance. Please Please pray that God would give us another chance together, and open her heart, mind, and will to give me a chance with her. Please pray that I act in such a way when I am around her that she looks at me in a very positive light. Let me not get angry or jealous so that she gets turned off, but let me remain calm at all times. Pray that God would send positive people into her life that will help her find Jesus. Pray that she will accept me for who I am, and that the Holy Spirit speak to her heart mind and will to give me another chance. Thank you and God bless you all." -Joe;<br /><br />13) Marie asks to be remembered in our prayers. She writes, "Please pray for my daughter, Karen and her husband Keith who are experiencing many financial problems right now. They have a son who requires many medical procedures since his birth 11 years ago. Both of them have full time jobs but cannot meet the demanding needs of the every day bills especially with all the medical bills they've had which has been in the million dollars. Their insurance covers most but they must pay a lot out of pocket. I ask God to help them with their financial problems before they lose their home which I am so afraid may happen because the taxes keep going higher which means their mortgage goes up too as do gas, oil, electric and food for a family of four. They do not spend money on foolish things. They buy only necessities. Pray for them to be able to meet their monthly payments and tend to the needs of their children.";<br /><br />14) "Yes, Mindy and issues in her life that are to numerous to relate. May the Lords will be done and financial guidence. Judy in hospital , H1N1 complications." -Mindy;<br /><br />15) Jenni asks for our prayers. She writes: "I have had a little bad luck these days. I left a man who was very abusive. Because of this action I am left holding all of the responsibilities at home. We had a house together...my daughter and I still live in the house, but I am losing it. I have no job, but have been trying for months to find one. I am a smart capable woman who just cant seem to get a break. If I lose my home my daughter and I will have nowhere to go. Plus this is our home and because of the abusive relationship I dont want to move her and change her life even more. This is our home we have nothing else.I pray everyday that I find a job or find some help to keep our lives together. I also struggle everyday trying to deal with my past relationship and what it has done to me and my daughter. I am tired very tired of living like this...living day to day with no security. I know I am stronger than I realize....but I need some extra help right now. I am falling apart. So please pray for my daughter and myself that in a miracle...we can keep our lives together. And that the man in my past will leave us alone.";<br /><br />16) "I would like to ask you to pray for Victor who was in a car accident on November 1 and was due to fly back to NY on the 17 of this November from to and then NY. He was taken to the airport and his body went into a deep stress that they did not allow him to fly. I have been calling his cell and got no answer I pray that God will bring him home safe and bless the doctors that are helping him, my name is Michelle but I ask you in the name of Jesus to pray for my husband." -Michelle;<br /><br />17) "Please pray that God would grant me the judicial appointment for my community. Please pray that God would grant me the wisdom knowledge, strength and confidence to be a just and compassionate judge. To God be all the glory. Please pray in Jesus' name. Thanks." -Chris;<br /><br />18) Dorcus asks for our prayers: "IM HAVING TO DEAL WITH ME AND MY HUSBAND NOT WORKING AND BILLS ARE DUE WERE TRYING TO PAY CAR AND INSURANCE AND RENT AND LIGHTS PLUS FOOD HHOW CAN WE GET THROUGH COLLECTORS KEEP CALLING INSURANCE CANCELLING ON CAR ITS CRAZY WE REALLY NEED SOME OTHER GUIDES TO HELP WE HAVE FIVE KIDS AND WERE TRYING TO MAINTAIN ALL OF THIS AND STILL SERVE GOD WEVE BEEN HOMELESS WITH NOTHING SLEEPING IN THE CAR WE JUST PRAY FOR A TURN AROUND PLEASE IN JESUS NAME.";<br /><br />19) "Lord I ask you again for blessings and thank you for blessings. Let my heart be trouble free and my body healthy. Let my finances be like the fishes and loaves now for I know by faith God provides. And Lord please send the right companion to me now; let him be like Jesus and let me know when and who.In Jesus name amen." -Joan;<br /><br />20) "Please pray for my grandson. He is sixteen and is very confused and is looking at gay pornography and books on the occult. I am trusting that God will deliver him. He is living with his dad who has never been there for him." -Doris; and lastly ...<br /><br />21) "Please pray for my son. He knows the Lord & was baptized. He is living with a man who needs salvation. Ask God to send him Godly friends and that he will continue to come home and hear the truth in love. I need Godly wisdom as I talk with him." -Cindy<br /><br /><br /> **God bless you for caring enough to pray!!!**<br /><br />........................................<br /><br />A real friend is always and under all circumstances a friend (Proverbs 17:17a).<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br /> *~*Spotlight Site*~*<br /><br /> http://www.IDesirePrayer.com<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Daily Devotional<br />By Bill Keller<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br /><br />I have to admit to you, that through all that I have seen and experienced in my life and during over a decade in ministry, VERY little shocks me any more. It is not that I am apathetic to what happens in this world, but I realize that sinful men and women who rebel against God are capable of doing ANYTHING. But the other afternoon was one of those rare times that I was both shocked and deeply saddened.<br /> <br />I was at the salon the other day getting my hair cut. As I was waiting, I saw the cover of the recent Cosmopolitan magazine and the BOLD PRINT featuring an article on "50 Sex Tricks ." Now my friend, I am 51 years old, I have been married over 25 years, and prior to fully surrendering to Christ 20 years ago lived in rebellion to God for many years. So I am fully aware of what goes on between men and women not committed to the Lord. But here was a well established, national publication, geared primarily to young women in a place ANYONE of ANY AGE could see, espousing the glory of having sex outside of marriage. Yes, I was shocked and saddened by the message that Cosmopolitan was sending out.<br /> <br />When I got home, I told my wife about the Cosmopolitan cover and she told me <br />that she was in the supermarket check-out line a few weeks ago and saw a past issue of Cosmopolitan. She told me that as she looked through it, she was appalled at the graphic detailed nature of what they were promoting to young women as perfectly acceptable sexual behavior. While I couldn't believe what the cover I saw had said, I assumed that it was just for shock value to get people to buy the magazine.<br /> <br />So my wife and I went out, bought the copy that I had seen, and I can only tell you that I became even MORE SHOCKED as I read through the contents of the entire magazine. It was pure pornography. The saddest thing to me was that this a very prominent national publication that has been around for years, and is responsible in shaping the views of the young women who read it. What they were promoting as acceptable behavior was not only 100% AGAINST God's plan, but does not "empower" women as they claim, it cheapens them!!!! IT DESTROYS THEM!!!!<br /> <br />I make this an issue today for 2 reasons. First, moms and dads, DO NOT let your daughters read this garbage. It is as bad as any pornography that is on the market, and worse since instead of being in a plastic cover behind the counter, it is on shelves where YOUR daughter can see it and can purchase it. Second, young women, I often talk about "garbage in, garbage out." What is on the pages of that magazine is GARBAGE. Stay away from it!<br /> <br />Just so that I am clear, I am NOT for censorship. I believe in and support the first amendment of our Constitution. There are MANY out there who would love to censor what I say each day. The publishers of Cosmopolitan have EVERY RIGHT to print that garbage, just as Larry Flynt and Hugh Hefner have every right to print the garbage they do. BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN WE HAVE TO CONSUME THEIR GARBAGE!!!! Sadly, what I saw in that issue of Cosmopolitan was just that, pure garbage since it was 100% in opposition to God's Word.<br /> <br />Young women, listen to me. I am saying this because I love you and care about you so much. Sex is a WONDERFUL thing. God created it so it HAS to be <br />wonderful. But God created sex to be enjoyed between a man and a woman in the bonds of marriage. Period! The Bible talks over and over about fornication. That is literally, ANY sex outside of the bonds of marriage. It includes ALL sexual acts, NOT just sexual intercourse! The line was clearly set by Jesus when He said that if you "lust in your heart" you have sinned.<br /> <br />God created you in His own image. He loves you. You are special!!! Sex does <br />not make you special, you are special because God made you. If you have made <br />the choice to accept Jesus Christ into your heart, YOU are a daughter of the King! Don't ever let Cosmopolitan, or any other magazine, or any TV program, or other person make you forget that you are special! You have a ROYAL bloodline if you know Jesus!!!<br /> <br />The sad thing about what Cosmopolitan, TV, the movies, and our culture do is <br />glamorize sin. They make sex seem SO WONDERFUL, which it is IF...IF..IF...it <br />is the way God designed it to be enjoyed....IN THE CONTEXT OF MARRIAGE!!!! <br />NOT OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE!!! Well, I have news for you. I receive thousands of <br />emails daily from young women and young men who fell for satan's (Cosmopolitan's) lie. Their problems range from unwanted pregnancies, to STD's that they will have always have to deal with, deep emotional issues, and a full range of other problems.<br /> <br />These are permanent scars that they will carry with them for the REST OF THEIR LIVES!!! Many have had their world shattered at such a young age. So many are wonderful, good young people who simply fell for the lie of the enemy. LISTEN TO ME. YOU ONLY HAVE ONE LIFE TO LIVE.....DON'T MESS IT UP!!!! <br /><br />The enemy is here for what? TO KILL, STEAL , AND DESTROY! Jesus promised <br />what? LIFE, AND LIFE MORE ABUNDANTLY!!!!<br /> <br />I have broken one of my rules about length today. But I have SO MUCH passion <br />about this issue since I see daily thousands who have bought into the <br />"Cosmopolitan view of life." I will go so far today, without any hesitation and say that Cosmopolitan is just as much a tool of satan to destroy the lives of God's precious young women, as Playboy and Penthouse are in the destruction of men!<br /> <br />I pray this day, that this Devotional gets to the publishers of Cosmopolitan. I pray for their souls because of the damage that they are doing to young women all over the world with their magazine. I say to them that you are simply a tool of satan and you are as guilty as he is in the lives you are destroying. For those who read my Devotionals each day, you know that I don't say these things lightly. But I SEE THE DESTROYED LIVES EVERY DAY. I KNOW WHAT SATAN IS DOING THROUGH INSTRUMENTS LIKE COSMOPOLITAN IN DESTROYING THE LIVES OF YOUNG WOMEN!<br /> <br />I do love you and care about you so much. In closing, let me just say this. God loves you, never forget that! Follow Him daily and your life will be blessed. He gave us His Word so that we didn't have to get lost on our journey. He gave us the roadmap. If we follow it, we will know the joy, the peace, the abundance of this life. If we take a detour, we are on our own and there is a very real enemy out there just waiting for us to get off the path to destroy us! To those young women who are reading this today, forget Cosmopolitan and use that time reading God's Word. IT IS NO ACCIDENT THAT GOD IS LETTING YOU READ THIS TODAY! God, NOT Cosmopolitan will make you a REAL WOMAN, ALL THE WOMAN GOD RAISED YOU UP TO BE!!!<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />"But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect...For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit..." (1 Peter 3: 15,18)<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Saint Matthew's Churches is ecumenical in our scope and nature. We reach out with love, compassion, and understanding to people of all backgrounds regardless of their ethnic group, creed or gender. One of the ways in which Saint Matthew's Churches reaches out to the community is to hungry people. St. Matthew's food pantry feeds poor and underprivileged people every month. <br /><br />http://www.SaintMatthewChurches.com<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Called to Suffer and Rejoice: That We Might Gain Christ (Part 1of 2)<br />By John Piper <br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br /><br />Philippians 3:1-14<br /><br />Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you. Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh, although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless. But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ, and may be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. <br /><br />The Bible Promises Suffering for God's People <br /><br />We are focusing in these weeks on the need to prepare for suffering. The reason for this is not just my sense that the days are evil and the path of righteousness costly, but the promise of the Bible that God's people will suffer. <br /><br />For example, Acts 14:22 says that Paul told all his young churches, "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom." And Jesus said, "If they persecuted me, they will persecute you" (John 15:20). And Peter said, "Do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you" (1 Peter 4:12). In other words it is not strange; it is to be expected. And Paul said (in 2 Timothy 3:12), "Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." <br /><br />So I take it to be a biblical truth that the more earnest we become about being the salt of the earth and the light of the world, and reaching the unreached peoples of the world, and exposing the works of darkness, and loosing the bonds of sin and Satan, the more we will suffer. That's why we should prepare. And that's why I am preaching in these weeks from texts that will help us prepare. <br /><br />The messages deal with four purposes that God has in our suffering in his service. One is the moral or spiritual purpose: in suffering we come to hope more fully in God and put less confidence in the things of the world. Second, there is the intimacy purpose: we come to know Christ better when we share his sufferings. That is our focus today. <br /><br />The Purpose of Greater Intimacy with Christ <br /><br />God helps us prepare for suffering by teaching us and showing us that through suffering we are meant to go deeper in our relationship with Christ. You get to know him better when you share his pain. The people who write most deeply and sweetly about the preciousness of Christ are people who have suffered with him deeply. <br /><br />Suffering in the Life of Jerry Bridges <br /><br />For example, Jerry Bridges' book, Trusting God, Even When Life Hurts, is a deep and helpful book about suffering and going deep with God through affliction. And so it's not surprising to learn that when he was 14 years old, he heard his mother call out in the next room, totally unexpectedly, and arrived to see her take her last breath. He also has physical conditions that keep him from normal sports. And just a few years ago his wife died of cancer. Serving God with the Navigators has not spared him pain. He writes with depth about suffering because he has gone deep with Christ in suffering. <br /><br />Suffering in the Life of Horatius Bonar <br /><br />Over a hundred years ago Horatius Bonar, the Scottish pastor and hymn-writer, wrote a little book called Night of Weeping, or, "When God's Children Suffer." In it he said his goal was, "to minister to the saints . . . to seek to bear their burdens, to bind up their wounds, and to dry up at least some of their many tears." It is a tender and deep and wise book. So it's not surprising to hear him say, <br /><br />It is written by one who is seeking himself to profit by trial, and trembles lest it should pass by as the wind over the rock, leaving it as hard as ever; by one who would in every sorrow draw near to God that he may know Him more, and who is not unwilling to confess that as yet he knows but little. <br /><br />Bridges and Bonar show us that suffering is a path deep into the heart of God. God has special revelations of his glory for his suffering children. <br /><br />The Words of Job, Stephen, and Peter <br /><br />After months of suffering, Job finally says to God, "I had heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees thee" (Job 42:5). Job had been a godly and upright man, pleasing to God, but the difference between what he knew of God in prosperity and what he knew of him through adversity was the difference between hearing about and seeing. <br /><br />When Stephen was arrested and put on trial for his faith and given a chance to preach, the upshot was that the religious leaders were enraged and ground their teeth at him. They were just about to drag him out of the city and kill him. At just that moment, Luke tells us, "Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit and gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God" (Acts 7:55). There is a special revelation, a special intimacy, prepared for those who suffer with Christ. <br /><br />Peter put it this way, "If you are reproached for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you" (1 Peter 4:14). In other words God reserves a special coming and resting of his Spirit and his glory on his children who suffer for his name. <br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Arise 2 Write chronicles the journey of 1 human (me) hand in hand with the 1 and only God. <br /><br />Everyday unfolds a new step in my journey. Follow along as I stumble, crawl, and run into the arms of my Heavenly Father.<br /><br />http://arise2write.blogspot.com/<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Dawdling home from Sunday School <br /><br />He was just a little boy, on a week's first day. <br />He was wandering home from Sunday School, and dawdling on the way. <br />He scuffed his shoes into the grass; he found a caterpillar. <br />He found a fluffy milkweed pod, and blew out all the "filler". <br />A bird's nest in a tree overhead, so wisely placed on high, <br />Was just another wonder that caught his eager eye. <br />A neighbor watched his zig zag course, and hailed him from the lawn, <br />Asked him where he'd been that day and what was going on. <br /><br />"I've been to Bible School," he said and turned a piece of sod. <br />He picked up a wiggly worm replying, "I've learned a lot of God." <br />"Hmmm very fine way," the neighbor said, "for a boy to spend his time." <br />"If you'll tell me where God is, I'll give you a brand new dime." <br /><br />Quick as a flash the answer came! Nor were his accents faint. <br />"I'll give you a dollar, Mister, if you can tell me where God ain't." <br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Called to Suffer and Rejoice: That We Might Gain Christ (Part 2of 2)<br />By John Piper <br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br /><br />Three Observations from the Text <br /><br />So the focus of today's message is on this intimacy factor in suffering. One of the purposes of the suffering of the saints is that their relationship with God might become less formal and less artificial and less distant, and become more personal and more real and more intimate and close and deep. <br /><br />In our text (Philippians 3:5–11) I want us to see at least three things: <br /><br />First, Paul's preparation to suffer by reversing his values; Second, Paul's experience of suffering and loss as the cost of his obedience to Christ; Third, Paul's aim in all of this, namely, to gain Christ: to know him and be in him and fellowship with more intimacy and reality than he knew with his best friends Barnabas and Silas. <br /><br />1. Paul's Preparation to Suffer<br /><br />In verses 5 and 6 Paul lists the distinctives he enjoyed before he became a Christian. He gives his ethnic pedigree as a thoroughbred child of Abraham, a Hebrew of Hebrews. This brought him great gain, a great sense of significance and assurance. He was an Israelite. Then he mentions three things that go right to the heart of Paul's life before he was a Christian (at the end of verse 5): "as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless." <br /><br />Paul's Values Before He Met Christ <br /><br />This was Paul's life. This was what gave him meaning and significance. This was his gain, his fortune, his joy. Different strokes for different folks—and Paul's was that he belonged to the upper-echelon of law-keepers, the Pharisees, and that among them he was so zealous that he led the way in persecuting the enemies of God, the church of Jesus, and that he kept the law meticulously. He got strokes from belonging, he got strokes from excelling, he got strokes from God—or so he thought—for his blameless law-keeping. <br /><br />And then he met Christ, the Son of the living God, on the Damascus road. Christ told him how much he would have to suffer (Acts 9:16). And Paul prepared himself. <br /><br />Paul Counted His Prior Values as Loss <br /><br />The way he prepared himself is described in verse 7. "But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ." Paul looks at his standing in the upper-echelons of religious society, the Pharisees; he looks at the glory of being at the very top of that group with all its strokes and applause; he looks at the rigor of his law-keeping and the sense of moral pride he enjoyed; and he prepares to suffer by taking his whole world and turning it upside down, by reversing his values: "Whatever things were gain to me [that's verses 5–6], those things I have counted as loss." <br /><br />Before he was a Christian he had a ledger with two columns: one that said, gains, and another that said, losses. On the gain side was the human glory of verses 5–6. On the loss side was the terrible prospect that this Jesus movement might get out of hand and Jesus prove real and win the day. When he met the living Christ on the Damascus road, Paul took a big red pencil and wrote "LOSS" in big red letters across his gains column. And he wrote "GAIN" in big letters over the loss column that only had one name in it: Christ. <br /><br />And not only that, the more Paul thought about the relative values of life in the world and the greatness of Christ, he moved beyond the few things mentioned in verses 5–6 and put everything but Christ in that first column: Verse 8: "More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." He started by counting his most precious accomplishments as loss, and he ended by counting everything as loss, except Christ. <br /><br />Normal Christianity <br /><br />That's what it meant for Paul to become a Christian. And lest anyone of us think he was unique or peculiar, notice that in verse 17 he says with his full apostolic authority, "Brethren, join in following my example." This is normal Christianity. <br /><br />What Paul is doing here is showing how the teaching of Jesus is to be lived out. For example, Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field" (Matthew 13:44). Becoming a Christian means discovering that Christ (the King) is a Treasure Chest of holy joy and writing "LOSS" over everything else in the world in order to gain him. "He sold all that he had to buy that field." <br /><br />Or again in Luke 14:33 Jesus said, "No one of you can be my disciple who does not take leave of all his own possessions." In other words, becoming a disciple of Jesus means writing "LOSS" in big red letters over all your possessions—and everything else this world offers. <br /><br />What This Means Practically <br /><br />Now what does that mean practically? I think it means four things: <br /><br />It means that whenever I am called upon to choose between anything in this world and Christ, I choose Christ. It means that I will deal with the things of this world in ways that draw me nearer to Christ so that I gain more of Christ and enjoy more of him by the way I use the world. It means that I will always deal with the things of this world in ways that show that they are not my treasure, but rather show that Christ is my treasure. It means that if I lose any or all the things this world can offer, I will not lose my joy or my treasure or my life, because Christ is all. <br />Now that was the reckoning that Paul reckoned in his soul (v. 8): "I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." Christ is all and all else is loss. <br /><br />Why Is This a Way of Preparing to Suffer? <br /><br />Now let's stand back a minute and get our bearings. I am still dealing with the first point: namely, that this is Paul's way of preparing to suffer. Why do I say that? Why is becoming a Christian, and writing "LOSS" across everything in your life but Christ a way of preparing to suffer? <br /><br />The answer is that suffering is nothing more than the taking away of bad things or good things that the world offers for our enjoyment—reputation, esteem among peers, job, money, spouse, sexual life, children, friends, health, strength, sight, hearing, success, etc. When these things are taken away (by force or by circumstance or by choice), we suffer. But if we have followed Paul and the teaching of Jesus and have already counted them as loss for the surpassing value of gaining Christ, then we are prepared to suffer. <br /><br />If when you become a Christian you write a big red "LOSS" across all the things in the world except Christ, then when Christ calls you to forfeit some of those things, it is not strange or unexpected. The pain and the sorrow may be great. The tears may be many, as they were for Jesus in Gethsemane. But we will be prepared. We will know that the value of Christ surpasses all the things the world can offer and that in losing them we gain more of Christ. <br /><br />2. Paul's Experience of Suffering <br /><br />So in the second half of verse 8 Paul moves from preparing for suffering to actual suffering. He moves from counting all things as loss in the first half of verse 8 to actually suffering the loss of all things in the second half of the verse. " . . . for whom [that is, Christ] I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish in order that I might gain Christ." We are going to see this next week: Paul had experienced so much actual loss of the normal benefits and comforts of the world that he could say that he was not merely counting things loss; he was suffering loss. He had prepared by turning his values upside down, and now he was being tested. Did he value Christ above all? <br /><br />3. Paul's Goal (and God's Purpose) in Suffering <br /><br />So let me close by riveting our attention on Paul's goal and God's purpose in this suffering. Why did God ordain and Paul accept the losses that it meant for him to be a Christian? <br /><br />Paul gives the answer again and again in these verses so that we cannot miss the point. He is not passive in this suffering loss. He is purposive. And his purpose is to gain Christ. <br /><br />Verse 7: "I counted them loss for the sake of Christ." <br />Verse 8a: "I count all things to be loss for the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." <br />Verse 8b: "For him I have suffered the loss of all things." <br />Verse 8c: "And I count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ . . . " <br />Verse 9: " . . . and that I may be found in him [so as to have God's righteousness, not my own] . . . " <br />Verse 10a: (still giving his aim in accepting the loss of all things) " . . . that I may know him" <br />Verses 10b–11: (followed by four specifics of what it means to know Christ)<br /><br />" . . . [to know] the power of his resurrection"; and <br />"the fellowship of his sufferings"; <br />"being conformed to his death"; <br />"in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead." <br />In other words, what sustains Paul in suffering the loss of all things is the confidence that in his losing precious things in the world he is gaining something more precious—Christ. <br /><br />And two times that gaining is called a knowing—verse 8a: " . . . in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." Verse 10: "That I might know him." This is the intimacy factor in suffering. Do we want to know him? Do we want to be more personal with him and deep with him and real with him and intimate with him—so much so that we count everything as loss to gain this greatest of all treasures? <br /><br />If we do, we will be ready to suffer. If we don't, it will take us by surprise and we will rebel. May the Lord open our eyes to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ! <br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />How do you get into Heaven? <br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br /><br />You can't fool the kids in Sunday school; they are way too smart... <br />"If I sold my house and my car, had a big garage sale, and gave all my money to the church, would I get into heaven?" I asked the children in my Sunday school class. <br /><br />"NO!" all the children answered. <br /><br />"If I cleaned the church every day, mowed the yard, and kept everything neat and tidy, would I get into heaven?" <br /><br />Again the answer was, "NO!" <br /><br />"Well then," I continued, "how can I get to heaven?" <br /><br />A five-year-old boy shouted, "You gotta be dead!" <br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />"Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares<br />about you" (1 Peter 5:7 – NLT).<br /><br />Be sure to send in your prayer request for the next<br />mailing.<br /><br />You are in my thoughts and prayers! May the Lord<br />continue to bless you with knowledge of Himself.<br /><br />In Christ's Love,<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/199/0CA66550222FF786EE01B7FD6F7242FE.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;"/></a><br />Mark Seay<br />Lighthouse Prayer Line<br />105 Quincy Drive<br />Greer, SC 29650<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br />"Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man <br />who takes refuge in Him. Fear the Lord, you His saints, <br />for those who fear Him lack nothing. The lions may grow <br />weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no <br />good thing" (Psalm 34:8-10 - NIV).<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />He Tasted Death For Me<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br /><br />"Jesus ... by the grace of God should taste death for every man." Hebrews 2:9<br /><br />"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 4:10<br /><br />"The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20<br /><br />God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8<br /><br />The Son of God a ransom came<br /> Down from His throne on high,<br />Into this world of sin and shame<br /> For us to bleed and die.<br /><br />We read the Father sent the Son<br /> To die, on Calv'ry's tree;<br />"He tasted death for every man",<br /> He tasted death for me.<br /><br />The wrath that was my portion, Lord,<br /> Was suffered all by Thee,<br />When tasting death for every man,—<br /> When tasting death for me.<br /><br />"'Tis finished", all on Calv'ry's cross,<br /> Redemption's work is done;<br />"No condemnation" evermore,<br /> Through God's beloved Son.<br /><br />O wondrous love and matchless grace<br /> That sets the sinner free;<br />"The Son of God who loved me so,—<br /> He gave Himself for me."<br /><br />May love like this unto Thine own<br /> Our hearts and voices raise,<br />Unto the Father and the Son<br /> Our everlasting praise.<br /> —Lois Beckwith <br /><br />"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God." 1 Peter 3:18<br /><br />"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16<br /><br />For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:21<br /><br />"For the wages of sin is death; but THE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br />We hope you have found today's newsletter encouraging to your<br />walk with Jesus Christ. Please send all prayer requests and<br />praise reports to us by using the "comments" hyperlink, which<br />can be found at the end of each blog/article. God is Good!!!<br /><br />A Candle Loses Nothing by Lighting Another Candle. Please Keep This<br />Candle Going!<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br />(¯`*•.(¯`*•.God is Good - ALL of the Time!!!.•*´¯).•*´¯)<br />~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /> •´.¸¸.•¨¯`♥.Visit Us Soon!.♥´¯¨•.¸¸.´•<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /><br /> I'm just a nobody<br /> trying to tell everybody<br /> that there is somebody<br /> who can save anybody!!<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /><br />Never get so busy doing the work of the kingdom <br />- that you forget who the King is.<br /><br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Lighthouse Prayer Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967875533234296119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582307140302329124.post-61982071849896063202009-11-20T12:10:00.001-08:002009-11-20T12:12:17.804-08:00*~*Prayer Requests for 11/21/09:**Special Prayer Request**<br /><br />Noah Biorkman is a 5yr old boy who is in his last stages of neuroblastoma cancer after a 2 1/2 year battle. His family is celebrating Christmas next week and all he wants are Christmas cards. Lets try and see how many we can get to him from all over the world please. His address is 1141 Fountain View Circle, South Lyon MI 48178. Please re-post this as your status and let's ask God to heal him while we are at it.<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />"You are my King and my God, who decrees victories for Jacob. <br />Through You we push back our enemies; through Your name <br />we trample our foes" (Psalm 44:4-5 - NIV).<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />This year, with the help of churches and volunteers across the country, we hope to serve over 400,000 Angel Tree children. But we can't do it without you.<br /><br />As we get closer to Christmas there are still thousands of children who need to know they haven't been forgotten. If you've already supported this year's campaign, thank you so much for your generosity.<br /><br />https://www.angeltree.org/at-appeal-donation?dc=APPEAL4-1009<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />"Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time" (Oswald Chambers). <br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br /><br />EARLY Christmas Present: *FREE* ESV Study Bible<br /><br />Crossway is excited to give you the gift of FREE access to the ESV Online Study Bible for 30 days! <br /><br />Register to access the ESV Study Bible notes or save your personal notes and highlights.<br /><br />Visit: http://www.esvstudybible.org/promos/Christmas2009<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />There are so many problems with dispensatinalism like: three separate judment days, three separate resurrections, two returns of Christ, and Christians having to leave heaven to return to live on a sin-cursed earth. None of this, ofcourse, is even hinted at in Scripture.<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />Hi friend,<br /><br />Please keep the following individuals in your prayers:<br /><br />1) "Please pray for my brother Jim hearing to be healed. Also please pray that he gets approved for his mortgage to be refinanced fast. Please pray for his busines to be profitable so he can employe his employees and self. Please pray he gets financial blessings. God Bless you, In Jesus name, Amen." -Cellis;<br /><br />2) Jamie asks for our prayers: "Please pray for Kyle - 22 yrs old. He was in a serious car accident and is now in a coma with brain injuries. His brain is swelling and we need a miracle.";<br /><br />3) "PLEASE LORD CONTINUE TO BLESS MY FAMILY WITH THERE HEALTH IN STRENGTH, ALSO BLESS ME AND MY FAMILY WITH A HOME THAT WE CAN CALL OUR OWN. AND FOR A MIRACLE OF MONEY BLESSING." -Regina;<br /><br />4) Debbie asks us to remember her in our prayers. She writes, "Bless us alll Father. We're in need of Blessing in 1 way or another!!! We need the Favors and gifts that are Promised in the Bible...Amen.";<br /><br />5) "I would like you to pray for my mother who is far from the truth as she can be. Please pray for her soul, please pray that God touch her life please, I ask, please pray for her. Thank you." -Ashley;<br /><br />6) "Please pray for healing and recovery for Thomas -who has had a bad fall resulting in a serious head injury. Please also pray for his family who are doing a great deal of traveling to be with him at a care facility far from home. Most importantly please pray that both he and his family will come to the Lord and accept him as their Lord and saviour. Thank you." -NN;<br /><br />7) Michelle asks for our prayers. She writes, "My husband left the home on July 10, 09 and went to his mothers. From that time till September 14th he was not really helping us out so it left me no choice but to file for a divorce. He was served on September 18th. Since then I have told him many times and he is very aware of the fact that this is not what I want. However, this is what he wants. I have repented of my sins on October 18th and since have really been seeking in the Lord. I have even got my 3 youngest children to attend church and a youth group. The Lord fought that battle for me before it started and lead me to a church of non-denomination, I grew up catholic. Big change but worth it. I understand what is being said to me and my children like it as well. I never had to fight to get the kids to go and that was a huge blessing in it self. I was very thankful that the Lord helped me out in that. What I am really wanting is my marriage restored. I admit I have made many mistakes and am truly sorry for doing so. My husband is not perfect either but for what ever reason can't seem to get on the same page as me. This is breaking my heart and our son's heart as well. My husband is not religious so it makes it more of a challenge. Please pray for me and my husband to have a restored marriage and a loving marriage. MY name is Michelle and his name is Bob (Robert).";<br /><br />8) "I have a son who namis Timothy. He is in -correctional institute facing 18 years to life. He has served 13 years already. He was sent to the hospital for chest pain over the weekend. I am asking for prayer agreement for his health, his mental stability, protection from the devil and the evil whipsers. Please pray that God keep him safe from harm dangerous people. Protection from his enemies. I am seeking an attorney to help him get an appeal or a sentence reduction. I pray that God guide me to the right attornty to help me with my son getting released early from his snetence. Prayer that judge's heart be softened when it isw time to talk to him again. Pray for love and mercy, mercy. mercy. Amen." -T.P.;<br /><br />9) Christine asks for our prayers. She writes, "Dear Jesus I pray family please take the demons out of their heads, and stop them from listening to them. Jesus can you take over my moms mouth when it is time, and take me off of my medication. Thank you amen TO those who are reading this and will pray God will talk to you.";<br /><br />10) "I'm studying carpentrey in Job Corps, and I'm very close to completing my trade. I want to transfer to -Job Corps to study Medical Assisting after this, because there are no jobs in carpentrey. In order to do that, I needed to have Mr. M, our lead trade instructor, to request a transfer. I thought he might be opposed to makeing the request, so I asked Mr. H to talk to him about it. Please pray that God will guide Mr. H when he talks to Mr. M. Pray that God will move Mr. M's heart, and that he will request the transfer. Also, please pray that God will guide Mr. M in how he makes the request, and pray that it will be accepted. Please pray that God will draw a lot of prayer warriors to pray for this with wisdom." -Seth;<br /><br />11) Michael asks to be remembered in our prayers: "My daughter Jeana age 5 her mom Amber. My former friend Ursa attending U of- My personal prayer needs. A vision, obedient heart, deliverance from cruel harrasement at -, desire to remain sober from marijuana and anger/depression. I need a tremendous financial miricle to help with going back to college, handle on overwhelming debts, a job and car...simply a lot of prayer! Protection from Satan and his attacks on me and my friends/family."<br /><br />12) "I have been unemployed for over nine months now and am simultaneously in seminary. The stress is sometimes overwhelming and money is running out. Please pray for leads to ministry role or return to corporate world if that is what God desires." -Elke; <br /><br />13) Terry asks for our blessings: "Lord I pray for my married friends who are fighting. I dont know all the issues but they are not getting along. I pray for peace and happiness in their marriage Bless Travis & Linda in the name of Jesus, Amen.";<br /><br />14) "My name is Deborrah and I very much would like for you to pray for me. I want to be closer to the Lord. I need him very much in my life. I am in dire need of a job. I'm behind in my bills. My son (John -)bis in prison for drugs and will be home soon. May 2010. I would like for him to be prayed for as well. We both believe in the Lord, we know He died on the cross for us. I need praying for some kind of money to pay to get my fathers will probated and sell his home. Please pray that I can get a job and that I may get the funds to move closer to my grandchildren and live the life God intended me to live. Thank you and May God Bless You.";<br /><br />15) "PLEASE PRAY FOR MY GRANDAUGHTER AMANDA AND GRANDSON ERIC, THEY ARE HAVING DIFFICULTIES AND DEPRESSION ISSUES. THANK YOU." -Mary;<br /><br />16) Deb asks for our prayers: "Please pray for my little brother, Timmy, and my sis, Julie, who has taken care of him for 25 or 30 years. He is severely retarded, with pneumonia, and very sickly now. I s 51 years of age, the docs told Mom & Dad that he would live to be 10 or 12. We have been blessed with him. But, I think the Lord is calling him home. He has been very sick the last 6 or 8 months now. And this time, he is VERY sick. Please pray for strength and comfort for Tim, Julie, his caretaker and sister, and her daughters who help her so with him, and all of her grandkids, who also are very, very close to Timmy.... Thank you so, and God Bless you all.";<br /><br />17) "I need prayer. My husband left four years ago in the middle of a major renovation project. The house is still unfinished it is cold in the winter. I am continually without money and I am tired of trying to do this myself. Pray that the Lord would intervene as we are all feeling overwhelmed and unhappy. Pray for Steve L my friend that he would know how much I love and care for him. Pray for his salvation. And for my son Kyle to resolve his anger. Thank you for your prayers." -Rose;<br /><br />18) Sherril asks for our prayers. She writes, "That my family be safe and learn that love is the answer to all of our problems. God Bless all of my family.";<br /><br />19) "Pleae pray that my husband and I will find an affordable home. We live with my Mom who has Dementia and may have to be placed in a nursing home soon. Her home may be lost to Medicaid and we don''t have the money to buy it. Please pray that she will be calm and lucid for her remaining days. We are so stressed and feel so unstable. I am working but my husband needs a job which is even more stressful. Thanks for your prayers." -Frances;<br /><br />20) Tom asks to be remembered in our prayers. He writes, "I am starting a new online business. Please pray that God will bless my business with reasonable success. Thank you. GOD Bless.";<br /><br />21) "Thank those that have joined their voice to mine to pray for me and Bruce. I continue to ask for prayers for Bruce and I to be joined back together under God's love. May God help him overcome his fears or whatever they are and have him call me to re establish our relationship quickly. May we be back together for the holidays starting 2010 off as a couple joined in God's holy name." -Deb;<br /><br />22) Annie asks for our prayers: "My business has been struggling for the last two years and I'm at the end of my rope. I can't afford to give up because so many people are depending on me. Please pray that some miracle will happen to help me. I'm desperate. Thank you!"; and lastly...<br /><br />23) "I am asking all you prayer warriors to pray for a dear friend of mine who is in the hospital in ICU. Her name is Doreen. Please take a few moments of your time and hold her up to our precious Savior<br />in prayers of healing. Thank you." -Donna<br /><br /><br /> **God bless you for caring enough to pray!!!**<br /><br />........................................<br />"Whoever says, I know Him but fails to keep and obey His commandments is a liar, and the Truth is not in him. But he who keeps His Word, truly in him has the love of and for God been perfected. By this we may perceive that we are in Him; Whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk and conduct himself in the same way in which He walked and conducted Himself" (1 John 2:4-6 - Amp.).<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br /> *~*Spotlight Site*~*<br /><br /> http://promiseland-books.com<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name" (John 15:16 - NIV).<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Heavenly Rates <br /><br />A man dies and goes to heaven. <br /><br />Of course, St. Peter meets him at the pearly gates. St. Peter says, "Here's how it works. You need 100 points to make it into heaven. You tell me all the good things you've done, and I give you a certain number of points for each item, depending on how good it was. When you reach 100 points, you get in." <br /><br />"Okay," the man says, "I was married to the same woman for 50 years and never cheated on her, even in my heart."<br /><br />"That's wonderful," says St. Peter, "that's worth three points!"<br /><br />"Three points?" he says. "Well, I attended church all my life and supported its ministry with my tithe and service."<br /><br />"Terrific!" says St. Peter, "that's certainly worth a point."<br /><br />"One point? Golly. How about this: I started a soup kitchen in my city and worked in a shelter for homeless veterans."<br /><br />"Fantastic, that's good for two more points," he says.<br /><br />"TWO POINTS!!" the man cries, "At this rate the only way I get into heaven is by the grace of God!"<br /><br />"Come on in!!" <br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />"Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell" (James 3:5-6 - NIV).<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Jesus, Mediator of Mystery (Part 1 of 2)<br />By Rev. Dudley C. Rose<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br /><br />John 17:20-26 (The Living Bible)<br /><br />20“I am not praying for these alone but also for the future believers who will come to me because of the testimony of these. 21My prayer for all of them is that they will be of one heart and mind, just as you and I are, Father—that just as you are in me and I am in you, so they will be in us, and the world will believe you sent me.<br />22“I have given them the glory you gave me—the glorious unity of being one, as we are—23I in them and you in me, all being perfected into one—so that the world will know you sent me and will understand that you love them as much as you love me. 24Father, I want them with me—these you’ve given me—so that they can see my glory. You gave me the glory because you loved me before the world began! 25“O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. 26And I have revealed you to them and will keep on revealing you so that the mighty love you have for me may be in them, and I in them.”<br /><br />Because this morning’s reading from John is a first-person prayer, a personal word from Jesus, I have chosen to present the sermon in a similar fashion. For the next several minutes you will hear from Stephen, a late second century Christian from near Jerusalem. I am not, of course, the Stephen in Acts of the Apostles, who was stoned to death as a Christian martyr. He was alive much earlier than I, but I do think my parents may have named me after him. For when they would read aloud in our home of Stephen, full of faith and the Holy Spirit, they would say, “Nothing greater can be said of a man, Stephen, nothing.”<br /><br />I do not presume to come before you today as a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, at least not like Stephen the martyr. But I was a faithful Christian, who came to love the church and Jesus the Christ. And I want to tell you this morning about what it was like. I want to tell you what it was like to be in the church back then. And I want to tell you a little bit about the scripture you read this morning from the Gospel of John. The Gospel of John, oh what a gorgeous and strange Gospel it is, filled with so many things that are hard to quite get your mind around. And especially this morning’s piece, where Jesus talks about being one with God.<br /><br />Now I know that you have heard about being at one with things, especially the universe. In your day you even have jokes about it. You must have heard the one about the Buddhist who went up to the hotdog vendor and said, “Make me one with everything.” It’s a pretty lame joke, but I like it anyway.<br /><br />Anyway, a lot of people have heard about being one with everything, but I’m not sure how many people really know what it means. And I hope I can say what it is, but I have to confess that it’s more than a little hard to describe. I cannot tell you the number of times we would read the Gospel of John in our home and I would ask my parents, “What does Jesus mean? What does he mean when he says, ‘21My prayer for all of them is that they will be of one heart and mind, just as you and I are, Father—that just as you are in me and I am in you, so they will be in us, and the world will believe you sent me”? I used to ask my parents, “How can one thing be another thing? How can one person be in another person. And how can a person be inside of God? And how can God be inside of another person?”<br /><br />They used to laugh and say to me, “Stephen, how did so many questions get inside of you? Maybe those questions are filling you up and there’s no room for God to get inside you.”But they didn’t really mean it. I could tell they liked it that I asked questions. But finally they would say, “Stephen, one day it will make sense to you.” I have to tell you, though, for a very long time it did not make any sense at all. I would sit out in the yard with two stones in my hand, and I would try everything I could think of to get one of them inside the other, or to squeeze them into one thing. But, of course, it never did work, no matter how hard I tried.<br /><br />After awhile, I gave up thinking about making things one or how one thing could get<br />inside another. After awhile, I just forgot about those ideas and played ball and did all the things that young boys do. One day, though, I got into a mess of trouble. An older boy down the street took the stone I was hitting with a stick, and he threw it a long way into the bushes. And then he laughed as hard as he could. I got so mad at him that I wacked him as hard as I could with my stick. Of course, he was bigger than I was, so he grabbed another stick, and he beat me up. It was the first fight I was ever in, but my mother took one look and knew right away that I was in<br />a fight.<br /><br />My mother washed by cuts and bruises and she put something on them that didn’t smell too good, but which she said would make me feel better. Then she sat me down, and she said, “Stephen, please tell me what happened.” I told her the whole story, and it made her a little sad, I think, but she didn’t get too mad at me. Then she said, “Stephen, when you got mad and hit the boy down the street because he stole your rock, do you think that was what Jesus would have done?” I told her I didn’t think so. Then she said, “Well, Stephen, remember when you used to ask what it meant for Jesus or God to be inside of you?” I nodded. She said, “Well, maybe a part of what it means is that you do what Jesus would do.”<br /><br />I said to her, “Geez, Mom, I’ve seen those bracelets that say WWJD (You know, what would Jesus do?), but is that really all that it means to be one with Jesus?<br /><br />She looked at me and said, “No, that’s not all there is to it, Stephen, but it’s not a bad place to start. And you found out today, didn’t you Stephen? that it’s not all that easy to do, either.”<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. Not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9 - NIV).<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />The Love of Christ <br />TruthMinistry.org<br /><br />(Experienced and written by a member of Truth Ministry Men's Support Group)<br /> <br /> <br />WOW! What a thought! Jesus Christ, a Man I never met in flesh and blood, a Man who lived 2000 years ago, a Man who was so special that angels sang at his birth…this Man loves me. Not only that, it gets better. He is God in the flesh. That means that the God of heaven who knows what it’s like to live on this earth loves me. <br /><br />But it gets even better. Jesus Christ knew me before I was born, He formed me in the womb, and He planned out my life so that I would be born to the parents I was born to. I would marry the wife that I married. I would beget the children I have. He planned out all of those blessings for me because He loved me. <br /><br />But there is one more thing that is so amazing it’s almost beyond belief. Jesus Christ loved me when I was powerless to love him. He loved me even when I was ungodly and didn’t think about spiritual things at all. He loved me when I was an outright sinner. He loved me when I was his enemy. Can you believe that? Everyone of us was powerless, ungodly, sinners, and enemies -- every one of us. And yet Christ loved me. <br /><br />Christ loved me and saved me even though He knew I would fail Him and sin against Him. You see, He’s omniscient. He knows all things: past, present, and future. So when I was a defeated backslider who could seem to never free myself from my sin, He loved me. When I was disobedient to His commands, He loved me. When I made all my own decisions the way I thought best, He loved me. When I acted like He didn’t see me and thought that I could operate in secret, He loved me. When I was trapped in my sin because of my own doing, and my sin shut out the work of His Spirit, He loved me. When sin began to produce bad fruit in my life, He loved me. When sin’s harvest was brought in, He loved me. <br /><br />For many years I took the love of Christ for granted. I cheated on Him and worshipped other objects. I ignored Him. I gave Him little of my time. I did little or nothing for Him. I went to Him in minor crises and asked for His help, but I never really trusted Him for big things. I rarely told others about His great love. I was so ungrateful. Many times praise was not genuine, just some lip service on a Sunday morning. In all of this He loved me. <br /><br />Oh, there were seasons of repentance, rejoicing, service and praise, but then I would slip back into lethargy. And over and over again, the One who loved me and created me for His purposes have to watch me return to a place of sin, defeat, and self-destructive behavior. The sad thing is that as sin wore me down, I became more and more withdrawn from the things that could give me life. I did not drink from the fountain of living water. I did not eat from His feasting table. I wandered in the wilderness, having lost my way, in the dead of winter, with no knowledge as to how to get home. Even when I was as far away from Him as possible, He loved me. <br /><br />I was a lone sheep. I did not enjoy the fellowship of Christ’s Church. And the place where I should have experienced the love of Christ, the place where the love of Christ is supposed to be manifest in human form, where the love of Christ is felt by the human touch of one brother reaching out to another, I was even farther from the love of Christ. If Christ loved me, then why didn’t I feel loved by His people? <br /><br />Why didn’t I experience the love of Christ in Church? <br /><br />Because at church we all pretend to be perfect. <br /><br />Because men don’t know how to love other men as Jesus commanded in the New Testament. <br /><br />Because church had become a sermon-listening exercise where I, as a believer was merely an audience member. <br /><br />Because at church it seems that there is conditional love and conditional acceptance. <br /><br />Because I did not cultivate a camaraderie among the men at church . <br /><br />Because at church men didn’t see the need to be intimate with other men and never advanced beyond sharing news about the weather. <br /><br />Because the men in the church didn’t learn how to be accountable to each other. <br /><br />Because pride pervaded the church to the point that no one would dare admit that he struggles with sin. <br /><br />Because there was this idea that you and God were supposed to work everything out in the prayer closet or during the sermon. <br /><br />Because John 13:35; James 5:16; Galatians 6; and 1 John were ignored. <br /><br />Because sexual sins are disgusting, taboo, and never mentioned even though Christ and the apostles recognize their existence and even teach of great deliverance from them. <br /><br />Because I was too proud to ask for help. <br /><br />Because I was too afraid to ask for help. <br /><br />Because keeping appearances was more important than having the reality of a life free from sin’s dominion. <br /><br />Because my sin blinded me to the healing power of confession. <br /><br />Because the devil is good at keeping people enslaved to their sin and the church sometimes doesn’t take spiritual warfare seriously. <br /><br />Because the shepherds of the church didn’t know the sheep intimately. <br /><br />The good news is that even when the Church is lacking and when I didn’t take advantage of the means of grace that were there, Jesus still loves me and He has plans for me, plans for deliverance, and plans for sanctification. <br /><br />Jesus loved me so much that he was there during seasons of disaster in my life. I endured storm after storm so that I felt like Florida had it easy during its worst hurricane season. Then came an earthquake. The storms did not drown me, and no buildings crushed me during the earthquake. <br /><br />Jesus loved me so much that He stood with me as I experienced the same kind of rejection He experienced on the cross. Many who loved Him, and those who hated Him, rejected Him. Because He endured that, He can minister to me in times of rejection. When the first hurricane hit I thought all was soon to be lost. An overwhelming sense of rejection came in like a tidal wave. First, I felt rejected by my wife, the one I loved the most in this world. Secondly, I feared that if my wife decided to leave for another man, the reasons would be known that triggered her infidelity and that everyone would blame me, reject me, and hate me. I feared the loss of my wife, my children, my parents, my in-laws, and all my friends. Having been a lonely soul my whole life, I would rather have people like me for who they thought I was. I could not risk letting them know those dark secrets that I had buried in my heart. But Christ had other plans; He was cleaning out my heart, unearthing buried skeletons, and creating a new man. He wanted me to be transformed into His image. He wanted me to be healed of the pains that I had bottled up for decades. He wanted to make me whole. He was not willing to let me languish any longer. So all the rejection had to be dealt with. <br /><br />So more hurricanes came, week after week a new wind blew in to destroy my old life. The counseling and recovery I had to experience required that I face all the rejections in my life that had crippled me. I faced the pains of rejection by my father, by my peers, by my spouse. Each new remembrance and reliving of the pains of my past allowed me to cast my cares on Christ. His presence in my life was so real that I began to experience His love like I had never known it before. What was once head knowledge became heart knowledge. I gave over to my Savior all the pains of the sins that were committed against me, and He took that all away. Even if all forsake me, even if all reject me, I know that I am accepted in the Beloved. Rejection cannot hurt me as it did before. I know where to take my rejection and I know Who will take it away. <br /><br />There were groves in my life; those had to be leveled too. In the Old Testament, the children of Israel became idolaters and planted groves of trees where they would worship false gods and commit sexual immorality in that worship. God put His finger on idols that I had in my life and, one by one, they were destroyed. At that time, He took away from me all the guilt and shame of the sins that I had become a willing participant in. Liberty was a reality. Freedom could be quantified by the measure of how little the former things attracted me. <br /><br />While living life in the dungeon of despair, the wicked jailer will keep moving you deeper and deeper into the bowels of the dungeon. My heart was becoming freer day by day, but there were still several jail doors to pass through before being really free. Old habits still enslaved me. I still had too much love of the things of the world like TV, movies, and computer networking. I would not be completely free until my spirit could walk out with no jail doors to keep me locked up. So another earthquake hit. And just like the time when Paul was in prison and God sent an earthquake and all the prison doors fell off their hinges, my jail doors have fallen off too. Television, movies, Facebook, and other frivolous wastes of time don’t have the appeal that they once had. <br /><br />The love of Christ is not merely a doctrine to be taught. It must be experienced in life. His love moves Him to intervene in your life’s affairs. And when it seems like the waves are going to drown you and the earthquakes are going to level everything to rubble, rest assured that those disasters will not destroy you. Does everyone have to experience His love in such disastrous surroundings? Perhaps those who are full of faith and obedience experience it to a greater degree and without the need of such dramatic dealings by our Lord. In any case, I do know that the heart that yearns to experience Christ’s love will not be disappointed. <br /><br />So how do you conclude such a story? Well, what have I learned? <br /><br />Christ’s love for me is UNCONDITIONAL and it NEVER WAVERS! <br /><br />Christ’s love is ACTIVE, He is working all things out for my good. <br /><br />Christ’s love is ETERNAL, nothing I do can cause Him to give up on me EVER. <br /><br />Christ’s love is ALL-CONSUMING, He is a jealous lover and perfectly capable of tearing my idols down, if I don’t do it myself. <br /><br />Christ’s love is PATIENT, He endures my follies and forgives over and over again. <br /><br />Christ’s love is KIND, He only does what is best for me. <br /><br />Christ’s love is MYSTERIOUS, I will not know how or when He will shower His love on me. <br /><br />Christ’s love is MARVELOUS AND WONDERFUL AND MERCIFUL AND COMPASSIONATE AND CANNOT BE FULLY DESCRIBED OR EXHAUSTIVELY EXPLAINED. <br /><br />I can’t just stop there though. Otherwise all of this will just be doctrine in your head, where I’ve just been the illustration and nothing more may come of it. You have to experience it for yourself. <br /><br />Do you have pain that you have kept bottled up? Christ’s love can take away your pain. <br /><br />Do you have loneliness that is overpowering and drives you to compulsive and self-destructive behavior just so that someone can accept you at any cost? Christ’s love can flood your most inner self with feelings of acceptance and He can take away that compulsive, self-destructive behavior of trying to get your needs met improperly. <br /><br />Do you need the tough love of another brother in Christ who will strengthen you like iron strengthening iron? Christ wants to love you through brothers and sisters in Christ. <br /><br />Do you need intimacy and a place where you can confess your sins and receive healing? Christ will provide you with such friends and give you the help you need. He is the Great Physician and He knows how to heal broken hearts and mend bruised souls. <br /><br />Are you too afraid to become vulnerable? Christ has never rejected or mocked one who opens the deepest part of one’s soul to Him. <br /><br />The love of Christ can reach into your life and change everything! <br /><br />Wait, there’s one more thing. <br /><br />When you’ve experienced the love of Christ, there is one super-amazing side effect. You will now have the ability to love others unconditionally. <br /><br />You will be able to forgive anyone of any sin they have committed against you. <br /><br />You will be empowered to speak of Christ’s love to perfect strangers. <br /><br />You will be able to love those who were just like me and I’m perhaps like you. <br /><br />You will be able to love the ones in your life who have disappointed you, because you will gain the stamina of Christ and His persevering love. <br /><br />You won’t look at people as sinners and saints; you will look at people as another person who needs to know the love of Christ. <br /><br />You will be able to love others as Christ has loved you. <br /><br />So go experience the love of Christ. <br /><br />Go and share the love of Christ. <br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Whether you are a young person trying to make a place for yourself in the world, a parent trying to give your children the best possible opportunities, or a more mature person trying to enjoy the fruit of your hard work, you have likely discovered that life can be very challenging. The answers are not always clear and the choices are not always easy. Fortunately, no matter where you are in life, you don't have to try to work it all out yourself. There is a God Who has all the answers and a church that wants to help you tap into them.<br /><br />Tap into: RealLifeSC.org<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Daily Devotional<br />By Bill Keller<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br /><br />I have to admit to you, that through all that I have seen and experienced in my life and during over a decade in ministry, VERY little shocks me any more. It is not that I am apathetic to what happens in this world, but I realize that sinful men and women who rebel against God are capable of doing ANYTHING. But the other afternoon was one of those rare times that I was both shocked and deeply saddened.<br /> <br />I was at the salon the other day getting my hair cut. As I was waiting, I saw the cover of the recent Cosmopolitan magazine and the BOLD PRINT featuring an article on "50 Sex Tricks ." Now my friend, I am 51 years old, I have been married over 25 years, and prior to fully surrendering to Christ 20 years ago lived in rebellion to God for many years. So I am fully aware of what goes on between men and women not committed to the Lord. But here was a well established, national publication, geared primarily to young women in a place ANYONE of ANY AGE could see, espousing the glory of having sex outside of marriage. Yes, I was shocked and saddened by the message that Cosmopolitan was sending out.<br /> <br />When I got home, I told my wife about the Cosmopolitan cover and she told me that she was in the supermarket check-out line a few weeks ago and saw a past issue of Cosmopolitan. She told me that as she looked through it, she was appalled at the graphic detailed nature of what they were promoting to young women as perfectly acceptable sexual behavior. While I couldn't believe what the cover I saw had said, I assumed that it was just for shock value to get people to buy the magazine.<br /> <br />So my wife and I went out, bought the copy that I had seen, and I can only tell you that I became even MORE SHOCKED as I read through the contents of the entire magazine. It was pure pornography. The saddest thing to me was that this a very prominent national publication that has been around for years, and is responsible in shaping the views of the young women who read it. What they were promoting as acceptable behavior was not only 100% AGAINST God's plan, but does not "empower" women as they claim, it cheapens them!!!! IT DESTROYS THEM!!!!<br /> <br />I make this an issue today for 2 reasons. First, moms and dads, DO NOT let your daughters read this garbage. It is as bad as any pornography that is on the market, and worse since instead of being in a plastic cover behind the counter, it is on shelves where YOUR daughter can see it and can purchase it. Second, young women, I often talk about "garbage in, garbage out." What is on the pages of that magazine is GARBAGE. Stay away from it!<br /> <br />Just so that I am clear, I am NOT for censorship. I believe in and support the first amendment of our Constitution. There are MANY out there who would love to censor what I say each day. The publishers of Cosmopolitan have EVERY RIGHT to print that garbage, just as Larry Flynt and Hugh Hefner have every right to print the garbage they do. BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN WE HAVE TO CONSUME THEIR GARBAGE!!!! Sadly, what I saw in that issue of Cosmopolitan was just that, pure garbage since it was 100% in opposition to God's Word.<br /> <br />Young women, listen to me. I am saying this because I love you and care about you so much. Sex is a WONDERFUL thing. God created it so it HAS to be wonderful. But God created sex to be enjoyed between a man and a woman in the bonds of marriage. Period! The Bible talks over and over about fornication. That is literally, ANY sex outside of the bonds of marriage. It includes ALL sexual acts, NOT just sexual intercourse! The line was clearly set by Jesus when He said that if you "lust in your heart" you have sinned.<br /> <br />God created you in His own image. He loves you. You are special!!! Sex does not make you special, you are special because God made you. If you have made the choice to accept Jesus Christ into your heart, YOU are a daughter of the King! Don't ever let Cosmopolitan, or any other magazine, or any TV program, or other person make you forget that you are special! You have a ROYAL bloodline if you know Jesus!!!<br /> <br />The sad thing about what Cosmopolitan, TV, the movies, and our culture do is glamorize sin. They make sex seem SO WONDERFUL, which it is IF...IF..IF...it is the way God designed it to be enjoyed....IN THE CONTEXT OF MARRIAGE!!!! NOT OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE!!! Well, I have news for you. I receive thousands of emails daily from young women and young men who fell for satan's (Cosmopolitan's) lie. Their problems range from unwanted pregnancies, to STD's that they will have always have to deal with, deep emotional issues, and a full range of other problems.<br /> <br />These are permanent scars that they will carry with them for the REST OF THEIR LIVES!!! Many have had their world shattered at such a young age. So many are wonderful, good young people who simply fell for the lie of the enemy. LISTEN TO ME. YOU ONLY HAVE ONE LIFE TO LIVE.....DON'T MESS IT UP!!!! <br /><br />The enemy is here for what? TO KILL, STEAL , AND DESTROY! Jesus promised what? LIFE, AND LIFE MORE ABUNDANTLY!!!!<br /> <br />I have broken one of my rules about length today. But I have SO MUCH passion about this issue since I see daily thousands who have bought into the "Cosmopolitan view of life." I will go so far today, without any hesitation and say that Cosmopolitan is just as much a tool of satan to destroy the lives of God's precious young women, as Playboy and Penthouse are in the destruction of men!<br /> <br />I pray this day, that this Devotional gets to the publishers of Cosmopolitan. I pray for their souls because of the damage that they are doing to young women all over the world with their magazine. I say to them that you are simply a tool of satan and you are as guilty as he is in the lives you are destroying. For those who read my Devotionals each day, you know that I don't say these things lightly. But I SEE THE DESTROYED LIVES EVERY DAY. I KNOW WHAT SATAN IS DOING THROUGH INSTRUMENTS LIKE COSMOPOLITAN IN DESTROYING THE LIVES OF YOUNG WOMEN!<br /> <br />I do love you and care about you so much. In closing, let me just say this. God loves you, never forget that! Follow Him daily and your life will be blessed. He gave us His Word so that we didn't have to get lost on our journey. He gave us the roadmap. If we follow it, we will know the joy, the peace, the abundance of this life. If we take a detour, we are on our own and there is a very real enemy out there just waiting for us to get off the path to destroy us! To those young women who are reading this today, forget Cosmopolitan and use that time reading God's Word. IT IS NO ACCIDENT THAT GOD IS LETTING YOU READ THIS TODAY! God, NOT Cosmopolitan will make you a REAL WOMAN, ALL THE WOMAN GOD RAISED YOU UP TO BE!!!<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />"At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life" (Titus 3:3-7 - NIV).<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Neil Pope has been ministering through gospel music since he was 15 years old. Growing up under the wings of artist like Wendy Bagwell, Jan Buckenr, Amy Lambert, and Mike Speck, Neil has been on the gospel music scene since a very young age. <br /><br />Visit: NeilPope.org<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Jesus, Mediator of Mystery (Part 2 of 2)<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br /><br />Over the years it seemed that I had to learn over and over again how hard it was to do what Jesus would do, or what he would have wanted me to do. I remember the time that a popular group of boys said I could be in their group. But they told me I could no longer be friends with some of my other friends, because they were Geeks. I really wanted to be popular, so I said okay. But I knew it wasn’t right.<br /><br />They say that as they grow older, boys don’t really grow up. Their toys just bit bigger. Well, it’s not just their toys. A lot of choices get bigger, too. I mean, when I think back about getting in a fight over a stone, or trying to be accepted in the popular group, I realize that those things were small olives (We didn’t have potatoes near Jerusalem, so we used to say small olives.). Anyway, the stakes became greater and greater. Was I going to turn in my friend to the Romans, or was I going to risk protecting him? Was I going to ruin another person’s career so I could get ahead at work? Was I going to charge a fair price for the furniture I made even though I could get more money? Was I going to be honest with my wife when it was so much easier and less stressful to lie. Was I really going to turn my cheek or walk the extra mile or give up my cloak, when I didn’t have to?<br /><br />During all this time, I kept going to our church. In a way, it was confusing. It seemed that at almost every turn the message the world gave was opposite to the message that Jesus gave. There were lots of times that I thought I should just give up on what Jesus said. I mean, what good was he if nothing he said fit into the world. But I kept on going. Maybe it was remembering my mother’s instruction to me when I was a boy. Maybe it was habit. But in truth, I think it was more than that. Because no matter how ridiculous what Jesus said was, somewhere deep inside of me there was this voice, well it wasn’t a voice , really, maybe more a realization. That’s it, even though what Jesus said was ridiculous, I more and more realized that it actually made sense. Now, of course, what I just said doesn’t make any sense, does it? How can something be ridiculous and make sense at the same time. Well, I think it must be something like what the apostle Paul meant when he said: “For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.” In any case, I kept going to the church, and this idea, this strange sense of things kept growing within me.<br /><br />As time went on, something even stranger began to happen. I began to think like the voice, the realization that was within me. How can I explain it? Let’s see. Ah, yes. Do you remember in the other Gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke, when Jesus was tempted in the desert. He was starving and the devil offered him bread? How the devil took him high up on an overlook and waved his hands and said, “All of this can be yours”? I remember thinking what great moral strength Jesus had when he refused the devil. And that was certainly true to some degree. But what I had missed, and what began to come clear to me, was that Jesus was much more in tune with, much more disposed to do the right thing than the wrong thing. <br /><br />For me, in the beginning, the ways of the world were the most obvious and present, and in the background, within me, was a small voice, telling me things weren’t as they seemed. But as time went on, the whole thing became reversed. After awhile it suddenly dawned on me, that the voice within me had moved to the front and was much stronger, and the wiles of the world were more and more becoming the background noise. I wouldn’t want to sound too bold, but in some sense I began to feel as though I were in tune with the heart and mind of God.<br /><br />It was not long after this realization dawned on me that I read the passage from John that we are talking about, and I began to understand more fully what Jesus was praying to God about. Jesus knew that the world on its own inclinations does not know God. And Jesus knew that by its own efforts it is almost impossible for the world to come to know God. Without help, the way of the world has too strong a hold on humankind, and it cannot break free.<br /><br />This is the sense in which I understand that God’s son came to save the world. And Jesus knew that the project was just beginning with his first disciples. They were beginning to get the picture. But he was worried, and he prayed to God with these words: “20“I am not praying for these alone but also for the future believers who will come to me because of the testimony of these.” Jesus thought of the future generations, and he imagined, I believe, the church. He imagined the continuation, whereby this first generation would continue to grow in their faith, and whereby the testimony of this first generation would go on to the next and the next and the next. For Jesus recognized that without the church, without a vehicle for the testimony and the teaching and the lived celebration of the love of God, the people could not become one with God.<br /><br />When I reread this passage back then, it suddenly washed over me what had happened. It was just as Jesus had prayed. In the church, with teachings that at first seemed quite at odds with my instincts, day by day, gradually, I came more and more to know the presence of God within me, dare I say it? to more and more feel at one with God. Listen again to the prayer of Jesus, and know that it was meant for you. 20“I am not praying for these alone but also for the future believers who will come to me because of the testimony of these. 21My prayer for all of them is that they will be of one heart and mind, just as you and I are, Father—that just as you are in me and I am in you, so they will be in us, and the world will believe you sent me. 22“I have given them the glory you gave me—the glorious unity of being one, as we are—23I in them and you in me, all being perfected into one—so that the world will know you sent me and will understand that you love them as much as you love me. 24Father, I want them with me—these you’ve given me—so that they can see my glory. You gave me the glory because you loved me before the world began! 25“O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. 26And I have revealed you to them and will keep on revealing you so that the mighty love you have for me may be in them, and I in them.” Amen. <br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />"Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares<br />about you" (1 Peter 5:7 – NLT).<br /><br />Be sure to send in your prayer request for the next<br />mailing.<br /><br />You are in my thoughts and prayers! May the Lord<br />continue to bless you with knowledge of Himself.<br /><br />Prayerfully in Christ Jesus,<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/199/0CA66550222FF786EE01B7FD6F7242FE.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;"/></a><br />Mark Seay<br />Lighthouse Prayer Line<br />105 Quincy Drive<br />Greer, SC 29650<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br />"This is the day the LORD has made; <br />let us rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalm <br />118:24 - NIV).<br />.<br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />What God Hath Promised! <br />By Annie Johnson Flint <br /><br /><br />God hath not promised<br /> Skies always blue,<br />Flower-strewn pathways<br /> All our lives through;<br />God hath not promised<br /> Sun without rain<br />Joy without sorrow,<br /> Peace without pain.<br /><br />But God hath promised<br /> Strength for the day,<br />Rest for the labor,<br /> Light for the way,<br />Grace for the trials,<br /> Help from above,<br />Unfailing sympathy,<br /> Undying love.<br /> <br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br />We hope you have found today's newsletter encouraging to your<br />walk with Jesus Christ. Please send all prayer requests and<br />praise reports to us by using the "comments" hyperlink, which<br />can be found at the end of each blog/article. God is Good!!!<br /><br />A Candle Loses Nothing by Lighting Another Candle. Please Keep This<br />Candle Going!<br /><br />-------††††-------Please<br />-------††††-------Forward<br />-------††††-------This<br />††††††††††††††Cross<br />††††††††††††††Along<br />-------††††-------With Our<br />-------††††-------Newsletter.<br />-------††††-------Share Your<br />-------††††-------Love For GOD<br />-------††††-------With A Friend!!!!!!<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br />(¯`*•.(¯`*•.God is Good - ALL of the Time!!!.•*´¯).•*´¯)<br />~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /> •´.¸¸.•¨¯`♥.Visit Us Soon!.♥´¯¨•.¸¸.´•<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /><br /> I'm just a nobody<br /> trying to tell everybody<br /> that there is somebody<br /> who can save anybody!!<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /><br />Never get so busy doing the work of the kingdom <br />- that you forget who the King is.<br /><br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Lighthouse Prayer Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967875533234296119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582307140302329124.post-74204387977012884622009-11-11T18:06:00.001-08:002009-11-11T18:17:08.890-08:00*~*Prayer Requests for 11/12/09:((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />Humility is a paradox. The moment you think you've finally found it, you've lost it. There has yet to be written a book intitled, "Humility and How I Achieved It." And yet, God expects (and rewards) an attitude of servant-like humility in His followers.<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />One Year at Thanksgiving . . .<br /><br /><br />My mom went to my sister's house<br />for the traditional feast.<br />Knowing how gullible my sister is,<br />my mom decided to play a trick.<br /><br />She told my sister that she<br />needed something from the store.<br /><br />When my sister left,<br />my mom took the turkey out of the oven,<br />removed the stuffing,<br />stuffed a Cornish hen,<br />and inserted it into the turkey,<br />and re-stuffed the turkey.<br />She then placed the bird(s) back in the oven.<br /><br />When it was time for dinner,<br />my sister pulled the turkey out of the oven<br />and proceeded to remove the stuffing.<br />When her serving spoon hit something,<br />she reached in and pulled out the little bird.<br /><br />With a look of total shock on her face!<br />My mother exclaimed,<br />"Patricia, you've cooked a pregnant bird!"<br />At the reality of this horrifying news,<br />my sister started to cry.<br /><br />It took the family two hours<br />to convince her that turkeys lay eggs!<br /><br />Yep.................SHE'S BLONDE!<br /> <br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />ESV Study Bible Notes:<br /><br />Crossway is excited to give you the gift of FREE access to the ESV Online Study Bible for 30 days! <br /><br />Register to access the ESV Study Bible notes or save your personal notes and highlights.<br /><br />Visit: http://www.esvstudybible.org/promos/Christmas2009<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />**Special Prayer Request**<br /><br />Noah Biorkman is a 5yr old boy who is in his last stages of neuroblastoma cancer after a 2 1/2 year battle. His family is celebrating Christmas next week and all he wants are Christmas cards. Lets try and see how many we can get to him from all over the world please. His address is 1141 Fountain View Circle, South Lyon MI 48178. Please re-post this as your status and let's ask God to heal him while we are at it.<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Hi friend,<br /><br />Please keep the following individuals in your prayers:<br /><br />1) "I'm looking for a place to live and prefer a rural location. I found a small island in Maine that I am interested in. There are no cars on the Island, it's 6 miles from - and I can take a ferry there. There is a house available and the owners are a bit gun shy about renting to own in case I change my mind. I don't forsee that happening. I was wondering if you could pray that God provides a rural place for me to live and that I can get the money to move. Also that my card business and my -Quest business start to do well. Please pray that I make a wise choice and that God finds a house for me. I know there are no perfect houses but there is a house that is perfect for me. I really like the idea of the island and have looked up a neurologist in - I just need a different place and I think maybe it's my time to expand." -Heidi;<br /><br />2) Ana asks for our prayers. She writes, "I am in a lot of emotional pain right now. I am extremely depressed. I am feeling extreme loneliness, I'm in love with a man who is not in love with me, I am facing the fact that I may never have children (b/c I'm getting older (late 30's) and don't have a partner), and am extremely disatisfied with many aspects of my life... I fear that my mood will not improve and that my life will continue to feel meaningless and lack any sense of fulfillment. I pray that clarity and peace come my way, and that I can begin to feel that my wishes of having a life partner and children with the person I love will come true...";<br /><br />3) "My 16-year-old daughter, Olivia, has been battling depression and now substance abuse issues. She went from being the model student/citizen to the opposite end of the spectrum. She's confused. She's scared. She's obviously down and out. I had no choice but to use tough love this time and had her placed in foster care with eventual treatment on the horizon. I need a God-given miracle that she is saved from any additional despair and gets on the right track to a happy, healthy lifestyle." -Lori;<br /><br />4) Paula writes: "My moher literally, it seems worried herself to death, at least to an early grave. my prayer is for peace and to Trust God, for my siblings, realtives and myself who are still grieving---i now believe mother has found love and peace, finally. I pray God in the name of Jesus deliver me from anger and the aweful things that have been done to me on the my job because of access of my private medical records, and subsequent harsh and prejudicial treatment because of the condition-i pray God teach me to Love the unlovable and find peace and forgiveness and peace in lifes storms ...";<br /><br />5) "Please keep my Sons, Private William -, Private Mark -, Lance Corporal Paul -and all Military troops in your prayers, for strength and courage and that they all come home safe from Afghanistan. Also for those of us at home scared but proud, to have the strengh to support them and get thru the raelly difficult time. Thank You." -Jil;<br /><br />6) Chispa asks for our prayers. She writes, "Please pray for my son Jowi. He struggles with depression, anxiety, stress. He is going through a difficult financial situation. Please pray that God can heal him spiritually, mentally and emotionally. And also that God blesses him in his new job so that he can support himself and pays for his bills and expenses. I also ask that you pray for me as I go through this trial that God gives me strength, peace and direction. Thank you so much and God bless you.";<br /><br />7) "Please pray for my 20 year old son. He has problems with alcohol and drugs, but continues to deny it. He won't go to college classes, continually lies, and is currently not living with us any more. I pray that God will touch his heart and give hime the strength and determination to change his life and help him find his integrity again." -Judy;<br /><br />8) Allison asks to be remembered in our prayers. She writes: "Pray that I can rise out of this whole my life has become. My marriage is at the worst place it could be, my husband only sees and does what is absolutely necessary to survive for that day...he is good, kind, etc but we are way off on where we should be. Our finances from him being out of work over a year and getting a job that does not pay, me being out of work close to a year, a child in college, a teenager who is desparately trying to help out by doing yards and me fighting depression. I get by every day and have many things to be thankful for...but need help.";<br /><br />9) "Please pray Satori passes her Stage 2 aviation verbal exam with Missy. It is quite important that this test is passed on the first attempt, as there are 36 applicants competing with her for the same helicopter pilot job. Also, please pray for Satori's comrades, that all those who are worthy will also find employment situations after graduation. Thank you for your prayers." -AN;<br /><br />10) Pamela writes, "Please pray for my son Mark who is a POlice Office for God's protection in his life and also for the other Officers that works with him. Thank you.";<br /><br />11) "Please pray the lord will keep my grandchildren safe and send them back home soon. A judge gave my son temp. custody 5 yrs ago, since then it has expired, but my son continued on like the judge had set things up. Things have been fine unitl the middle of July. She took the children for their visit and will not bring them home. She is a drug addict, has a criminal record (on probation now - felony), has had SS called on her numerous times over her oldest son (not ours) he is in therapy now for situations she has put this child in. She also is in therapy. She breaks the law and gets a slap on the wrist every time. She knows she can do whatever she wants and the law will not do nothing. This has been proved many times with her. She has taken them before and left the state. But the law does nothing. My son has filed for custody he is not working right now so I had to sell something my dead husband gave me to pay for a lawyer, but it is worth it and I know my husband would agree. We have to go to the boys school to see them They ask can we bring them home with us and we have to tell them soon. My son is having panic attacks caused by stress. He has never been sick like this before. Please pray the lord will bring our boys home soon. For their sake and my sons. I know he's here and I know the devil can't defeat him. Thank you all and God bless you all." -Debbie;<br /><br />12) Tam asks for our prayers. She writes, "Father God, Thank You for this day. Lord, Gwendolyn is having surgery for congestive heart failure today be with her and her doctors. See her through her surgery and her recovery. Also, her granddaughter Elizabeth is very concerned and tired from long travels, bring her peace of mind and heart. In Jesus Name. Amen.";<br /><br />13) "Thank you for prayer. My daughter got a continuance on her court case. Please pray for God to guide her lawyer so that she can get her ex husband's visitation rights removed. He is constantly lying and putting the child in danger. He is trying to get my daughter in trouble with the law so he can get out of child support." -AN;<br /><br />14) Dave asks for our prayers. He writes, "My sister in law husband is very sick from Leukemia. His name is Dave M. Please pray for a miracle that he beats this and fully recovers. Thank You.";<br /><br />15) "Please pray for the Lord's healing of eyes so that my vision would be free from any diseases of cataracts, glaucoma, or macular degeneration and that I would be able to have good vision on a permanent basis. In Jesus name. Much appreciation, Mary Jane.";<br /><br />16) "I'm diagnosed with depression. I am so worried about finances, things at work, and relationships. Please God. I need you." -LAA;<br /><br />17) Manuel and Maria asks for your prayers. They write, "due to problems in our marriage my wife was unfaithful and committed adultery and is in adultery now. it has been very painful&confusing for me and my girls. we were married fifteen years. please pray God would remove this judgement from my life. She is the only woman i have ever loved. that God would open her eyes and change her heart and mind, just like need to change my mind & heart also. I desire my marriage restored today. Need your prayers.";<br /><br />18) "Please pray for kathleen that she can bring unity to library and that the board will listen to her suggestions and see how much she cares. thanks you help molly and mario recover completely , please let maria recover fast and find angels all around her at rehab center, thank you." -Carol;<br /><br />19) Mick asks to be remembered in our prayers. He writes: "Hi, Thank you for this precious ministry. Please pray for 4 of my sons who have strayed far from the Lord.";<br /><br />20) "Please pray for my family we our house has been forclosed on and went to sheriffs sale we are still living in the house but tomorrow the judge will decide how long we haved to get out of the house we do not have anywhere to go we have a bid on a house but it is a short sale and it takes longer than the regular sales please pray that we will have the time to find somewhere to live before we get thrown out thank you and God Bless you." -Diane; and lastly...<br /><br />21) "After three months, incredible warfare and many hours, I feel confident that phase one has been completed. Thank you all who have been praying for me and for your time and consideration in taking time to check out the site. All feedback is welcomed and encouraged. If the Lord leads, please pass on the link to those whom you think would be blessed by it. I cannot thank you all enough for your thoughts and prayers: as always, there is still tremendous opposition and attack, but we are learning to count it all joy for Jesus, still we desperately need your agreement for the victory our Lord has promised. In Christ Jesus, Gigi (aka "Ezriel Josephina Perez", my spiritual name and pen name from the Lord, it means in Hebrew: "God is my help"- "The Lord May Add"- "The Breakthrough")" **Visit: www.propheticwatch.org .<br /><br /><br /> **God bless you for caring enough to pray!!!**<br /><br />........................................<br /><br />A real friend is always and under all circumstances a friend (Proverbs 17:17a).<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br /> *~*Spotlight Sites*~*<br /><br /> www.emailministry.webs.com<br /> www.propheticwatch.org<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />The quick and easy way to manage and host a blog advertising site with minimal work involved!!<br /><br />Blogging is the new hot thing in the internet and you can now start pulling in profits with this versatile automated blog script. Run your own Blog Advertising Service. <br /><br />Easy to install, setup and maintain. <br /><br />Visit: http://paydotcom.com/r/12380/lit4u<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />THE WIDOW'S SON RAISED - <br />A PICTURE OF MONERGISM (Part 1 of 2)<br />By Dr. R. L. Hymers, Jr.<br /><br /> <br />"Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the bier [the coffin]: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother" (Luke 7:12-15). <br /> <br />The New Testament only records three instances of Jesus raising people from the dead during His earthly ministry. There may have been a few more such cases, but they are not given in the four gospels. We must not have the idea that Jesus raised everyone who died in Israel during His ministry among us. He raised Jairus' daughter; He raised Lazarus; and He raised this woman, the widow of Nain's son. Those are the only three instances of Him raising people from the dead recorded in the four gospels. <br /><br />Dr. J. Vernon McGee said, <br /><br />These three instances are examples…from the three age groups: a child [Jairus' daughter], a young man [this widow's son]; and an adult man [Lazarus] (J. Vernon McGee, Th.D., Thru the Bible, Thomas Nelson, 1983, volume IV, p. 276). <br /><br />Now let us think about this particular miracle - the raising of the widow of Nain's son from the dead. Christ and His disciples went into the city of Nain. As they walked along the road through the village they met a funeral procession. Many people followed the coffin as it was carried by several men down the street. The mother of the young man was weeping profusely. Many of those in the funeral procession would also have been weeping and wailing loudly, as was the regular custom of the Jews (cf. Luke 8:52). Jesus had compassion on this widowed woman. The young man who died was her only son. Jesus knew she would be destitute without him to care and provide for her. There were no "social services" in those days, no Social Security, no Medicare, no free apartments or houses. Without her only son to provide for her she was left alone, with no one to care for her or help her. It was a tragic situation for this poor woman, and our text tells us, <br /><br />"When the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her" <br /> (Luke 7:13). <br /><br />Jesus came and touched the coffin. Then He said, <br /><br />"Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother" <br /> (Luke 7:14-15). <br /><br />She must have felt unspeakable joy to see her dead son rise from the dead at Jesus' command. She had been rescued from a life of drudgery and despair. Her son was alive again, and would now go home to work and take care of his widowed mother. I will draw three simple lessons from this wonderful miracle of resurrection. <br /><br />I. First, why Christ raised this young man from the dead. <br /><br />He certainly did so out of compassionate sympathy for the young man's mother. That is clear from the text. <br /><br />"And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her" <br /> (Luke 7:13). <br /><br />But, as Dr. McGee said, the three instances given in the gospels of Jesus raising the dead "are examples…from the three age groups: a child [Jairus' daughter], a young man [this widow's son]; and an adult man [Lazarus]." I agree that they are examples. But examples of what? I believe that these three resurrections Christ performed were actually examples of the new birth and conversion. In his great exposition of the correlation between baptism and the new birth, the Apostle Paul said, <br /><br />"Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4). <br /><br />In this passage of Scripture, in Romans six, the Apostle tells us that water baptism is only the outward sign of the inner resurrection that occurs when a sinner is born again. Like Christ his Saviour, the sinner is "raised up from the dead [to] walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4). <br /><br />To understand the importance of this young man's resurrection from the dead, we must understand that it is a picture, a type, of the spiritual resurrection that occurs when anyone is resurrected from spiritual death by the new birth and conversion. <br /><br />I believe that this is the reason Jesus raised these three people, as recorded in the gospels: a child [Jairus' daughter]; a young man [the widow of Nain's son] and Lazarus [an adult]. You see, this shows that Jesus can give you salvation through the new birth whether you are a child, a young person, or an adult. No matter what age you are, Jesus can regenerate you from spiritual death, and give you new life. <br /><br />Make no mistake here. If you are still unconverted, no matter how good you are, or how religious you are, you are dead in the sight of God and in your own experience as well. The Apostle Paul spoke of his own dead spiritual condition prior to conversion when he said, <br /><br />"O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" (Romans 7:24). <br /><br />In the next chapter of Romans, the Apostle tells us, <br /><br />"For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" (Romans 8:6-7). <br /><br />These verses do not refer to the modern notion of "carnal" and "spiritual" Christians. That idea came in as a direct result of the false theories and practices of "decisionism" that filtered down to us from the days of Charles G. Finney, the Pelagianist evangelist, who did so much to undo the Reformation doctrines of grace and replace them with the works and obedience of lost sinners in gaining their own salvation. No, Paul is not speaking of "carnal" and "spiritual" Christians at all. He plainly says, "To be carnally minded is death." And he goes on to say that the carnal mind is so dead to the things of God that "it cannot be subject to the law of God." It is impossible to please God in an unconverted condition. He says so in the very next verse, <br /><br />"So they that are in the flesh cannot please God" (Romans 8:8). <br /><br />The unconverted person cannot please God, no matter what he does because he is spiritually dead. "To be carnally minded is death." <br /><br />So strong are the chains that hold an unconverted person that they are <br /><br />"by nature the children of wrath" (Ephesians 2:3). <br /><br />The unconverted person is "dead in sins" (Ephesians 2:5). <br /><br />Before conversion, the sinner is dead spiritually, unable in any way to please God, chained up in his sin nature, inherited from Adam, and by his very inward nature a child "of wrath" (Ephesians 2:3). <br /><br />Furthermore, this dead spiritual nature of unsaved man is so horribly strong that he cannot do anything whatever to free himself from its grip. He is "in sin," enslaved to sin, "dead in trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1). Theologians call this deadly condition of the natural, carnal, unconverted man "total depravity." Man in this state has no light, and no strength of his own to break out of his enslavement. This is a perfect picture (in fact it typifies) the condition of every lost person on earth. <br /><br />Christ raised the widow of Nain's son from the dead to dramatically show that man cannot save himself, or even contribute one thing to his own salvation. <br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />IS GOD'S WILL MY WILL? <br />By Oswald Chambers<br /><br /> <br />"This is the will of God, even your sanctification." 1 Thessalonians 4:3<br /><br />It is not a question of whether God is willing to sanctify me; is it my will? Am I willing to let God do in me all that has been made possible by the Atonement? Am I willing to let Jesus be made sanctification to me, and to let the life of Jesus be manifested in my mortal flesh? Beware of saying - Oh, I am longing to be sanctified. You are not, stop longing and make it a matter of transaction - "Nothing in my hands I bring." Receive Jesus Christ to be made sanctification to you in implicit faith, and the great marvel of the Atonement of Jesus will be made real in you. All that Jesus made possible is made mine by the free loving gift of God on the ground of what He performed, my attitude as a saved and sanctified soul is that of profound humble holiness (there is no such thing as proud holiness), a holiness based on agonizing repentance and a sense of unspeakable shame and degradation; and also on the amazing realization that the love of God commended itself to me in that while I cared nothing about Him, He completed everything for my salvation and sanctification (see Rom. 5:8. R.V.). No wonder Paul says nothing is "able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." <br /><br />Sanctification makes me one with Jesus Christ, and in Him one with God, and it is done only through the superb Atonement of Christ. Never put the effect as the cause. The effect in me is obedience and service and prayer, and is the out come of speechless thanks and adoration for the marvellous sanctification wrought out in me because of the Atonement. <br /> <br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Chocolate Brownies <br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br /><br />Many parents are hard pressed to explain to their youth why some music, movies, books, and magazines are not acceptable material for them to bring into the home or to listen to or see.<br /><br />One parent came up with an original idea that is hard to refute. The father listened to all the reasons his children gave for wanting to see a particular PG-13 movie. It had their favorite actors. Everyone else was seeing it. Even church members said it was great. It was only rated PG-13 because of the suggestion of sex--they never really showed it. The language was pretty good--the Lord's name was only used in vain three times in the whole movie.<br /><br />The teens did admit there was a scene where a building and a bunch of people were blown up, but the violence was just the normal stuff. It wasn't too bad. And, even if there were a few minor things, the special effects were fabulous and the plot was action packed.<br /><br />However, even with all the justifications the teens made for the 13' rating, the father still wouldn't give in. He didn't even give his children a satisfactory explanation for saying, "No." He just said, "No!"<br /><br />A little later on that evening the father asked his teens if they would like some brownies he had baked. He explained that he'd taken the family's favorite recipe and added a little something new. The children asked what it was.<br /><br />The father calmly replied that he had added dog poop. However, he quickly assured them, it was only a little bit. All other ingredients were gourmet quality and he had taken great care to bake the brownies at the precise temperature for the exact time. He was sure the brownies would be superb.<br /><br />Even with their father's promise that the brownies were of almost perfect quality, the teens would not take any. The father acted surprised. After all, it was only one small part that was causing them to be so stubborn. He was certain they would hardly notice it. Still the teens held firm and would not try the brownies.<br /><br />The father then told his children how the movie they wanted to see was just like the brownies. Our minds deceive us into believing that just a little bit of evil won't matter. But, the truth is even a little bit of poop makes the difference between a great treat and something disgusting and totally unacceptable.<br /><br />The father went on to explain that even though the movie industry would have us believe that most of today's movies are acceptable fare for adults and youth, they are not.<br /><br />Now, when this father's children want to see something that is of questionable material, the father merely asks them if they would like some of his special dog poop brownies. <br /><br />~ That closes the subject!!<br /><br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Just Do it.<br />By Bill Keller<br /><br /><br />Jesus said in Mark 9:23, "Everything is possible for him who believes."<br /> <br />The Nike sporting goods company used a very simple but powerful phrase in one of their recent ad campaigns, "Just do it." This is going to be a little different Devotional today. I want to take a moment right now before you do anything else and simply ask the Lord to open your heart to hear this message today since it has to do with faith. Now, let me ask you a question. What is something that you have always dreamed of but have never done? Maybe it is to see a certain place or do a certain thing. What is something that you have always dreamed of but have never done?<br /> <br />The writer of Hebrews defines faith in Hebrews 11:1 as, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Note the key words in this definition are SURE and CERTAIN. True Biblical faith is not something we simply hope for, but we are SURE of what we hope for. True Biblical faith is not just a blind leap into the dark, we are CERTAIN of what we do not see. That is why Jesus told us that, "EVERYTHING is possible for him who believes." Not a few things, not certain things, not most things . . . EVERYTHING!<br /> <br />Today, I want to challenge your faith and encourage you to fulfill your dreams. As I share with you often, this journey through life is very short. It is over before we even know it. We know the Bible teaches us that tomorrow is promised to none of us, that each day is literally a gift from God. We must treat each day as the precious gift it is and make the most of it. Too many people live their lives in those "ruts." You get comfortable in making life work for you on a daily basis and get locked into a routine that you rarely if ever deviate from. You complain how boring life is, how unexciting life is, when the problem is not life but the way you choose to live it each day!<br /> <br />Over these past 20 years, I have ministered to and walked with hundreds of people from 10 to 97 in the final days of their life. In almost every case the person shared with me their regrets about things they had always wanted to do but didn't, places they had always wanted to see but never went. Now, in their final hours of this life they felt bad for not having taken the time or made the effort to see and do all of the things they had wanted to do.<br /> <br />Let me ask you again, what is something that you have always dreamed of but<br />have never done?<br /> <br />Here is my word for you today, my challenge. Sit down with a paper and pen and answer the above question on the paper. Write down what it is you have dreamed of but never done. Maybe you always wanted to see the Great Wall of China. Write it down. Maybe you have always wanted to learn how to ride a horse. Write it down. There is not one person reading these words today that doesn't have something you have always wanted to do or some place you have always wanted to visit. Everyone has a dream they have not seen fulfilled.<br /> <br />After you have written down what it is you have always dreamed of, take that paper and pray over it. Pray in faith that God is going to let you see your dream come true. God is not some magic genie in a lamp that we rub and make wishes to. However, God is the One who promised that, "Everything is possible for him who believes." God is the One who promised to, "Give you the desires of your heart." As a follower of Jesus Christ you have very right to hold God to His promises. There is no dream that is too big for God!!!<br /> <br />This journey through life is exciting, exhilarating, and can be a wonderful experience. What I find in so many lives I deal with each day is that they have allowed the trials and tribulations of this life to overwhelm them to the point they have stopped dreaming. They are simply content with not living in turmoil and have forgot how to dream, let alone believe their dreams can come true.<br /> <br />Your life, just like your relationship with the Lord will be exactly what you choose it to be. We ALL have to face the problems that life throws our way. That is simply part of living in this sin-filled and fallen world. There are always problems, things that don't go the way we expect or like. The key is do you allow the problems of life to choke off your joy? Do you allow the trials you face to steal your peace. Do you allow the challenges of life to rob you of the abundance Christ promised you?<br /> <br />I love you and care about you so much. I want to encourage you to start living each day in faith, the faith that "everything is possible for him who believes." That doesn't just mean being victorious over the day-to-day trials of this life, but seeing your dreams fulfilled as well. I want to encourage you today to take the piece of paper you have written down whatever you have always dreamed about and work to make your dream a reality! God will help you.<br /> <br />Don't listen to the liar satan tell you don't have the money, you don't have the time, it can't be done, or any other lie he will tell you to discourage you. Who are you going to believe, the liar who says your dream won't come true or God who promised you that "everything is possible?"<br /><br />This message today is MUCH deeper than just challenging you to make your dream come true. Once you do whatever it is you have dreamed about, once you make that dream a reality, you are going to want to make your next dream come true. After you see that dream become a reality, you will want to make the next dream come true. Over time, you are not just living life, you are making the most of each day and instead of simply dreaming, YOU ARE LIVING YOUR DREAMS EACH DAY!<br /> <br />Jesus promised us, "Everything is possible for him who believes." <br /><br />Don't dream it, DO IT!!!<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />THE WIDOW'S SON RAISED - <br />A PICTURE OF MONERGISM (Part 2 of 2)<br />By Dr. R. L. Hymers, Jr.<br /><br /><br />II. Second, what this means theologically. <br /><br />There are several of you here tonight who are as dead in sin as this young man in the coffin. The world to you is a coffin - carrying you along until you are finally buried, dead in sins, to await the Last Judgment, and the punishment you will receive in the lake of fire for eternity. <br /><br />There are three theories in theology of how you can escape the lost condition you are in. The first is Pelagianism. This theory says you are not dead at all; and that you can change your own heart and become a Christian. The Pelagian evangelist Finney preached a very famous sermon which proclaims this view. The very title of this landmark Finney sermon reveals his Pelagian error. It is called, "Sinners Bound to Change Their Own Hearts." There is no need for the intervention of God's grace in Finney's Pelagian view. Man simply "changes his choice" and "changes his own heart." There is little if any place in his thought for God to be the one who resurrects the dead sinner. Tell that to the dead man in the coffin! I say he was so dead there was nothing whatever he could do to change himself back to life! <br /><br />The second idea of how a lost man can escape from his lost condition is called "synergism," or "semi-Pelagianism." It admits that man is in a ruined and fearful state - but it holds that there is still something within the sinner that can respond to God in Christ, and help the lost man to save himself. Most modern evangelists have modified Finney's pure Pelagianism to this position, called "synergism" or "semi-Pelagianism." But this view is just as wrong as Pelagianism. Ask the dead man that Christ raised! "Was there anything in you that helped you to be resurrected? Did you do anything to help yourself be resurrected?" What would he have said? He certainly would have said, "No. I was dead. Christ did it all." <br /><br />Christ does it all. That is the third position. It is called "monergism." That is what the Bible teaches. <br /><br />"[We] were by nature the children of wrath…But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us [made us alive] together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;), and hath raised us up together…" (Ephesians 2:3-6). <br /><br />That is monergism! That is salvation by the power of God in Christ alone! That is salvation by God's grace alone, without any admixture of human effort! <br /><br />Jesus spoke directly to the dead body of this young man. <br /><br />"And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak" (Luke 7:14-15). <br /><br />What happened to this dead man? Why, he was instantly "alive from the dead" (Romans 6:13)! <br /><br />He was instantly "quickened…together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)" (Ephesians 2:5). <br /><br />"Even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (I Corinthians 15:22). <br /><br />"Alive from the dead" - instantly - by the power of God in Christ! That's the new birth! That's what it means! <br /><br />"Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak" (Luke 7:14-15). <br /><br />This is for you also. Jesus said, "Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again" (John 3:7). <br /><br />Dr. John R. Rice correctly said, <br /><br />That word "again" is Greek anothen, and it should be "born from above"…Jesus is insisting on not just a new dedication, or a new course of action, but one should be born miraculously "from above," born of God (John R. Rice, D.D., The Son of God, A Commentary on the Gospel According to John, Sword of the Lord, 1976, p. 67). <br /><br />"Ye must be born again," that is, "born from above" - by the power of God in Christ, not by your own efforts. <br /><br />I am afraid that Dr. John MacArthur introduces elements of synergism (semi-Pelagianism) in his book, Hard to Believe (Thomas Nelson, 2003). For instance, he says, "Becoming a Christian means…affirming your commitment to the Lordship of Christ to the point where you are willing to forsake everything" (pp. 132-133). He says that's what you do when "Becoming a Christian." Did this young man do that? Did he make a "commitment to the Lordship of Christ to the point where [he was] willing to forsake everything"? I don't see it in our text. It simply tells us, <br /><br />"And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak" (Luke 7:14-15). <br /><br />This young man didn't learn the "plan of salvation." He didn't say a "sinner's prayer." He didn't "come forward" at an altar call. He didn't raise his hand or sign a "decision" card, saying he wanted to be saved. He didn't get baptized. He didn't get "slain in the Spirit." And he certainly didn't "affirm [his] commitment to the Lordship of Christ to the point where [he was] willing to forsake everything" (MacArthur, ibid.). This young man did nothing to contribute to his own salvation. There was absolutely no synergism involved. The man did nothing to save himself. His salvation was totally monergistic - completely the work of God in Christ - with no human work involved. <br /><br />"And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak" (Luke 7:14-15). <br /><br />He certainly was one of the early Christians who followed Christ, His Lord, to the point of discipleship all his days after that. But such a commitment played no part whatever in his resurrection from the dead, his new birth and conversion. Discipleship flowed out of his resurrection - but played no part in the actual resurrection itself. We are <br /><br />"created in Christ Jesus unto good works" (Ephesians 2:10). <br /><br />But the "good works" do not have any part in being "created." That is the work of God in Christ alone. The other is synergism, semi-Pelagianism, in effect, no different from Finney, although the theology may appear more orthodox. Even though the theology is orthodox, the practical application is semi-Pelagian. Sinners must be "created in Christ Jesus unto good works," not the other way around! <br /><br />"And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak" (Luke 7:14-15). <br /><br />"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour" (Titus 3:5-6). <br /><br />"But God…even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved;)" (Ephesians 2:4-5). <br /><br />"And he said, young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother" (Luke 7:14-15). <br /><br />III. Third, what this means to you. <br /><br />If you are still lost, it means that you cannot learn how to be saved. A dead person cannot learn how to be alive, can he? Do you think you could stand over a coffin and teach a dead body how to come to life? Surely you're not that foolish, are you? So, you must not think that way about yourself. You don't want to be "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (II Timothy 3:7), <br /><br />do you? You don't want to go on and on learning about salvation but remaining dead in sin, do you? Well, then, give up the idea that you need to learn more. You know enough already, if you have come to this church for a week or two. It isn't learning that you need. It's resurrection - born from above. And only Jesus Christ, Himself, can give you that, by His grace alone. <br /><br />It also means that you cannot depend on your feelings. Do you think that this young man wondered what it felt like to be resurrected? We don't know what he thought. All that we know is that he heard the voice of Jesus, "Young man, I say unto thee, Arise" (Luke 7:14). <br /><br />He did not look inwardly to see if he felt "right" or not. Oh, no! He simply did what Jesus told him to do. Jesus said, "Arise," <br /><br />"And he that was dead sat up" (Luke 7:15). <br /><br />"But," you say, "I couldn't do that!" Why not? If Jesus calls you tonight, you will do it. It will surprise you how easy it was. After all of your fears of failing, and fears of not "getting it right," you will simply come to Jesus. And, you'll think, "Why, that was so simple - so easy!" Of course, because it was not by your power, but <br /><br />"According to the power that worketh in us" (Ephesians 3:20). <br /><br />"For it is God which worketh in you…" (Philippians 2:13). <br /><br />"And he said, young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak" (Luke 7:14-15). <br /><br />What did he say? We are not told - but we can give an educated guess. And I think that he was thankful. "Thank you, Jesus, for raising me from the dead. Thank you, Jesus, for giving me back to my mother. She prayed for me so long. She wept and prayed, and feared that she would be left all alone, because I was lost and dead. But now you have given me back to her, to care for her. Thank you, Jesus." <br /><br />There is a Christian mother here tonight who will not tell you so - but inside she fears that you will leave her too. She weeps and prays for you, but you never see it. In her heart she is afraid. She will never tell you that - but she is afraid that you will leave her, and leave the church, and leave God some day. <br /><br />You must be saved - if not for your sake, for your mother's sake! There are young people here tonight who have a Christian mother. She has worked long and selflessly for you. She nursed you when you were a helpless baby. She taught you the first words you spoke. She worked so hard to buy you clothes and fix your meals and keep your room clean. And now you are grown, and she weeps and prays for you in secret. She is so afraid. She never tells you so - but she is so afraid that you will leave her all alone some day. When she is alone, she prays, "Oh, God I'm so afraid my boy will not be saved. I'm so afraid he will go wrong, and not be saved, and leave me all alone." <br /><br />"There was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow…And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the [coffin]: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother" (Luke 7:12-15). <br /><br />You may not care about your own soul tonight. But what about your mother? Do you love your mother? Do you care about what happens in her heart? If you love your mother, "I say unto you, Arise," and come to Jesus for her sake. Wait no longer. Come to Jesus now. "And he delivered him to his mother." Oh, I beg you, let your poor, hardworking little mother know that her life was not wasted, that she has a Christian son who will always be there to care for her. <br /><br />Whether your mother is a Christian or not, you are her hope in this world. My own mother was not a Christian - but I knew that I was her only hope. I knew that if I didn't become a Christian and get things straightened out for her, she had no hope. My mother finally did get saved, but she never would have if I hadn't led the way. <br /><br />Young person, boy or girl, come to Jesus tonight. If not for your own sake, come to Him for the sake of your mother. Come to life in Christ so you can care for her. "And he delivered him to his mother." <br /><br />President William McKinley was very close to his Christian mother. When his mother was dying, the President sent a telegram that said, "Tell Mother I'll be there," as he rushed on a train to be by her side when she died. Charles Fillmore turned those words into a hymn that was used for many years in evangelistic services. Listen to the words as Mr. Griffith comes to sing it again. <br /><br />When I was but a little child how well I recollect <br />How I would grieve my mother with my folly and neglect; <br />And now that she has gone to Heav'n I miss her tender care: <br />O Saviour, tell my mother, I'll be there! <br /><br />Though I was often wayward, she was always kind and good; <br />So patient, gentle, loving when I acted rough and rude; <br />My childhood griefs and trials she would gladly with me share: <br />O Saviour, tell my mother, I'll be there! <br /><br />One day a message came to me, it bade me quickly come <br />If I would see my mother ere the Saviour took her home; <br />I promised her, before she died, for Heaven to prepare: <br />O Saviour, tell my mother, I'll be there! <br /><br />Refrain: <br /><br />Tell mother I'll be there, in answer to her prayer; <br />This message, blessed Saviour, to her bear! <br />Tell mother I'll be there, Heav'n's joys with her to share; <br />Yes, tell my darling mother I'll be there. <br />("Tell Mother I'll Be There" by Charles M. Fillmore, 1860-1952). <br /><br />Come to Jesus. It will thrill your mother's heart more than anything you could do for her. Give this to your mother. Do it for her. Come to Jesus as He calls to you. <br /><br />"And he said, young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother" (Luke 7:14-15). <br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Jesus, Saviour, Pilot Me<br />By Edward Hopper <br /><br /><br />Jesus, Saviour, Pilot Me <br />Jesus, Saviour, pilot me,<br />Over life's tempestuous sea;<br />Unknown waves before me roll,<br />Hiding rock and treacherous shoal:<br />Chart and compass come from Thee:<br />Jesus, Saviour, pilot me.<br /><br />As a mother stills her child,<br />Thou canst hush the ocean wild;<br />Boisterous waves obey Thy will<br />When thou say'st to them "Be still!"<br />Wondrous Sovereign of the sea,<br />Jesus, Saviour, pilot me.<br /><br />When I last I near the shore,<br />And the fearful breakers roar<br />'Twixt me and the peaceful rest,<br />Then, while leaning on Thy breast,<br />May I hear Thee say to me,<br />"Fear not, I will pilot thee!" <br /> <br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />"Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares<br />about you" (1 Peter 5:7 – NLT).<br /><br />Be sure to send in your prayer request for the next<br />mailing.<br /><br />You are in my thoughts and prayers! May the Lord<br />continue to bless you with knowledge of Himself.<br /><br />May God richly bless you,<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/199/0CA66550222FF786EE01B7FD6F7242FE.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;"/></a><br />Mark Seay<br />Lighthouse Prayer Line<br />105 Quincy Drive<br />Greer, SC 29650<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />"But in your hearts set apart CHRIST as LORD. <br />Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone <br />who asks you to give the reason for the hope that <br />you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, <br />keeping a clear conscience, so that those who <br />speak maliciously against your good behavior in <br />Christ may be ashamed of their slander" (1 Peter <br />3:15-16 - NIV).<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br />We hope you have found today's newsletter encouraging to your<br />walk with Jesus Christ. Please send all prayer requests and<br />praise reports to us by using the "comments" hyperlink, which<br />can be found at the end of each blog/article. God is Good!!!<br /><br />A Candle Loses Nothing by Lighting Another Candle. Please Keep This<br />Candle Going!<br /><br />-------††††-------Please<br />-------††††-------Forward<br />-------††††-------This<br />††††††††††††††Cross<br />††††††††††††††Along<br />-------††††-------With Our<br />-------††††-------Newsletter.<br />-------††††-------Share Your<br />-------††††-------Love For GOD<br />-------††††-------With A Friend!!!!!!<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br />(¯`*•.(¯`*•.God is Good - ALL of the Time!!!.•*´¯).•*´¯)<br />~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /> •´.¸¸.•¨¯`♥.Visit Us Soon!.♥´¯¨•.¸¸.´•<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /><br /> I'm just a nobody<br /> trying to tell everybody<br /> that there is somebody<br /> who can save anybody!!<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /><br />Never get so busy doing the work of the kingdom <br />- that you forget who the King is.<br /><br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Lighthouse Prayer Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967875533234296119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582307140302329124.post-71352633802228998972009-11-05T20:48:00.000-08:002009-11-05T20:51:12.564-08:00*~*Prayer Requests for 11/7/09:((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />"He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and He will pay back what he has given" (Proverbs 19:17 - NKJV).<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />"One thing is certain, that these two things--salvation <br />and the knowledge of the truth--are always inseparably <br />joined together" (John Calvin).<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />The Most Important Gift Catalog in the World:<br /><br />http://www.heifer.org/gift<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Hi friend,<br /><br />Please keep the following individuals in your prayers:<br /><br />1) "I was let go of my job of 3 months all because my bankruptcy was not finalized. I am hoping and prayng that when I receive the final close out of the bankruptcy will restore me my job. As well as I have noticed that my husband is doing drugs and getting deeper into to it without admission of doing so." -FeFe;<br /><br />2) Autumn asks for our prayers. She writes: "I wish if u could pray for my friends baby landen he just got diagnosed with cycistic fibrosis. He is 7 months-old. thank you.";<br /><br />3) "I urgently need a job I can do from home on the internet, I am deeply in debt and need help. When God leads me to the job I need to know it's from Him. I really need money for Christmas. Thank you and God bless" -Rhonda;<br /><br />4) Shari asks to be remembered in our prayers. She writes, "David and Mike need new jobs, but we praise God for the ones they have...but we are praying for new and better ones. Hayley's upcoming wedding - for God to bless the the two of them and for me, the guidance as a mother of this family to be strong and have wisdom. For all the unemployed may they find jobs. For the sick, may God heal in his time.";<br /><br />5) "Pray for Grandson Joseph - first - that he come to know the love, wisdom, righteousness and sanctificaton or our Lord and and Saviour - Jesus. Second - that he sell some cars to support his family. That that the Lord lead him to a job that he is ab le to perform. Thanks." -Don;<br /><br />6) Debbie asks for us to remember her grandchildren. "Please pray the lord will keep my grandchildren safe and send them back home soon. A judge gave my son temp. custody 5 yrs ago, since then it has expired, but my son continued on like the judge had set things up. Things have been fine unitl the middle of July. She took the children for their visit and will not bring them home. She is a drug addict, has a criminal record (on probation now - felony), has had SS called on her numerous times over her oldest son (not ours) he is in therapy now for situations she has put this child in. She also is in therapy. She breaks the law and gets a slap on the wrist every time. She knows she can do whatever she wants and the law will not do nothing. This has been proved many times with her. She has taken them before and left the state. But the law does nothing. My son has filed for custody he is not working right now so I had to sell something my dead husband gave me to pay for a lawyer, but it is worth it and I know my husband would agree. We have to go to the boys school to see them They ask can we bring them home with us and we have to tell them soon. My son is having panic attacks caused by stress. He has never been sick like this before. Please pray the lord will bring our boys home soon. For their sake and my sons. I know he's here and I know the devil can't defeat him. Thank you all and God bless you all."; <br /><br />7) "My beloved friend, and christian Judy -lays at deaths door. She survived lung cancer a year ago, only to have her lungs failing now from the damage the chemo, and radiation did to them. She was expected to pass away over a week ago, but hangs onto life. She is in her 40's, and was not ready to leave I believe. She has many who love, and need her here still. I ask you pray for God to work a healing miracle, but if it isn't his will, to at least have tender mercy, and take her home. She sufferes horribly, and dies slowly, and painfully. Please ask God to heal her, or let her go home. I have prayed, cried, pleaded over a week... even asked him to take me in her place. Yet she continues to suffer. Thank you." -John;<br /><br />8) Brenda asks for our prayers. Shew writes, "Please pray for my son. He keeps wanting to get dismissed from school almost everyday. He says he is going to leave school even if I dont dismiss him. He is on prozac and is going to start to go to a therapist. The last therapist he didn't say anything to her. He thinks he doesn't need any help. He says he doesn't believe in GOd. I refuse to let the devil have him. He is a gift from GOd to me and I will continue to pray. I have been fasting on and off for his emotional and mental state. I don't know if he is bipolar or not. It doesn't matter because GOd is the great healer. Please pray with me for his healing. Also pray for my marriage to be fully restored and for the other woman to be completely removed from my marriage and my husbands heart. Completely removed never to return again. Please pray for my sister in the Lord. Her name is Sandra she is a devoted prayer warrior for GOd. Her finances and health are being attacked. I pray GOd delivers her soon. I am praying for a financial breakthrough for her and also for GOd to give her complete healing. Thank you for your prayers.";<br /><br />9) "Please pray for my wife. She found out that she has diabetes along with COPD. She is not doin so good. Sugar level stays too high. Please think of her in your prayers. May God bless you." -AN;<br /><br />10) "Dear heavenly Father, the Guideposts Christian Intercessors and I, come to Your throne of grace, in the blessed name of Your only Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ Your will be done in us. Help us to walk in Your Word. In His blessed name. Amen.Please pray for the protection and safety of my son, Nicholas. Please pray for the eternal salvation for my family. Please pray for the forgiveness of all of our sins that we have committed against our Lord God Almighty. (James 5:16; Nehemiah 1:6; Daniel 9:18). Please pray for our enemies that our Lord God Almighty would give them a full measure of blessing, mercy, and grace, peace, a saving faith, a new heart, and a new spirit. (Matthew 5:44-45; Luke 6:27-28; Ezekiel 36:26). Please pray for our privacy, safety & protection, and protection of our personal information that our Lord God Almighty would send His angels to protect us and our properties and that we would be delivered from the evil one, our enemies, and people who have been lying in wait for us. (Psalm 91:11; Job 1:10; Matthew 6:13; Lamentations 4:19; Proverbs 26:19; 29:5, NIV).Please pray for the healing of whatever was causing my chest ache and my back to ache and if God is willing that I would not contract any dreadful diseases.I thank our Lord God Almighty that last week I attended a course, Evangelism, for the twentieth time. Right after the class I attended a house prayer meeting. Thank you, Christian Intercessors, in advance for your consideration and assistance in this matter. Thank you, Christian Intercessors for standing in the gap for us. Our Lord God Almighty bless you. (Numbers 6:24-26). Sincerely, a brother in Christ, Lian.";<br /><br />11) "I want the universe to send me a clear and immistakable message as to how to find my one true purpose, and what I need to be doing to be able to share it with the people in my life." -Karen;<br /><br />12) Sherry asks for our prayers. She writes, "Please pray for Sheldon and his sons. His wife has left him, filed for divorce and taken their boys. He is in desperate need of steady employment. He found a place to live in the town where she is currently living and where the boys are going to school. He is also trying to get custody, but now she it appears she is going to pull the boys out of this school and move them away. She is having an affair while she is living in a shelter with the boys though Sheldon has never been abusive. She is an alcoholic and past drug user, is vindictive and deceptive and will do everything to keep the boys from us, the grandparents and is making it difficult for Sheldon to see them. Please pray that things will begin to turn around for Sheldon...especially a job and that there will be a good outcome in the divorce/custody battle that will benefit the boys. She is using them as pawns right now. Please also pray for me, his mother as I try to help him through this difficult time. I am trying to keep and share my faith with Sheldon. I am also trying to support him financially until he can get back on his feet. Thank you so much.";<br /><br />13) "Please join me in prayer of intercesion for a lady that accidentally burnt her both hands, while having an epileptic fit. She is alone at the hospital and her name is Petrona." -Chavalo;<br /><br />14) Tar-Shay asks to be remembered in our prayers. She writes: "Please join me in prayer requesting God grant favor and blessings to do the following: -experencing true love.-- my health is resoted and that I hear devine instructions from God.--that the feelings of loneliness and desperateness to be loved is removed from me. --Please deliver me to my gifts.-- Lord I thank you for these blessings and healing. Thank you. I feel its comming through faith. Lord I ask that you bless the person(s) who took time out to read my prayer. this prayer and to pray for me. Bless them too lord. And God, I also want to pray for those who don't know you or who are not strong in their walk of faith with you. I pray that you renew their spirit and mind so that they can live a life pleasing to you. Lord we all need you. I love you always. Thank you God, Amen.";<br /><br />15) "Please pray for me for a financial miracle blessing & a great job offer to come. Amen." -Alice;<br /><br />16) William asks for our prayers: "I am weak now. I am about to loose my job. I have 4 children and a nephew. I ask that you pray for me and my family. Thank you.";<br /><br />17) "My name is Cathy and I am getting finiancially behind on my rent and utilitie payments. My boss cut my hours and now i probably work 10 hrs a week. I have a truck payment and rent to pay. please pray that I get a better paying job to make ends meet. thank you all.";<br /><br />18) "I am a newly single mom of 2. I am afraid that I am going to fail my children. I am also worried that I am not going to be able to pay my bills on my income. I have a job interview on wednesday for a much better job! I really need it!" -Shannon;<br /><br />19) Joyce asks for our prayers. She writes, "Please pray for that God will move in my finance and Help me get back on my feet. And please pray for my Husband to be at peace about our finance.";<br /><br />20) "Please pray for my husband Martin. He needs a job and he needs one quickly. He is on probation and that is one of the conditions or it can possibly be revoked. His spirit is fragile - please pray for protection from the evil one. God bless your ministry and thank you." -Joanna;<br /><br />21) Sue asks to be remembered in our prayers. She writes: "My nephew is 28 years old and is having a problem swallowing and a problem with his ears. He is having a test on Nov. 9, 2009 to see what is going on. Please pray for him that this is nothing serious. Thank You.";<br /><br />22) Diane Pearson is about to have a masectomy. Please pray for her healing from this cancer.;<br /><br />23) Larry and Cindy Cope... pray for their marriage to come together again.;<br /><br />24) Please keep Mike and Stephanie in your prayers. Please pray for Mike to overcome a drinking problem and pray for their marriage to become stronger.;<br /><br />25) David broke his arm last weekend and has been off work all of last week without pay. Pray for his quick healing.;<br /><br />26) "Can you, please, fervently pray For COMPLETE RECONCILIATION with my loved one NEBOJSA That we MEET and TALK, THAT GOD FORM LINES OF GOOD COMMUNICATION BETWEEN US, KEEP US IN HIS CARE and HELP US TO WORK OUT ALL PROBLEM That Nebojsa DOES NOT GET INVOLVED INTO ANY NEW RELATIONSHIP , but THAT WE START AGAIN, continue OUR WAY TOGETHER and officially get married! God gives promises, and I know He is FAITHFUL! I am sure when your prayers join mine will surely receive a miracle. I am praying with Faith and please help me in this. Thank you very much. God bless you. I pray for you. Praise the Lord for He hear prayers and answer on it." -Kaca; and lastly...<br /><br />27) Keep Wanda in your prayers. She left work early this past week due to chest pains.<br /><br /><br /> **God bless you for caring enough to pray!!!**<br /><br />........................................<br /><br />A real friend is always and under all circumstances a friend (Proverbs 17:17a).<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br /> *~*Spotlight Sites*~*<br /><br /> http://www.truthministry.org<br /> http://www.newbirthgreenville.com<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />THE UNHEEDED SECRET <br />By Oswald Chambers<br /><br /> <br />"My kingdom is not of this world." John 18:36<br /><br />The great enemy to the Lord Jesus Christ in the present day is the conception of practical work that has not come from the New Testament, but from the Systems of the world in which endless energy and activities are insisted upon, but no private life with God. The emphasis is put on the wrong thing. Jesus said, "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation, for lo the kingdom of God is within you," a hidden, obscure thing. An active Christian worker too often lives in the shop window. It is the innermost of the innermost that reveals the power of the life. <br /><br />We have to get rid of the plague of the spirit of the religious age in which we live. In Our Lord's life there was none of the press and rush of tremendous activity that we regard so highly, and the disciple is to be as His Master. The central thing about the kingdom of Jesus Christ is a personal relationship to Himself, not public usefulness to men. <br /><br />It is not its practical activities that are the strength of this Bible Training College, its whole strength lies in the fact that here you are put into soak before God. You have no idea of where God is going to engineer your circumstances, no knowledge of what strain is going to be put on you either at home or abroad, and if you waste your time in over-active energies instead of getting into soak on the great fundamental truths of God's Redemption, you will snap when the strain comes; but if this time of soaking before God is being spent in getting rooted and grounded in God on the unpractical line, you will remain true to Him what ever happens. <br /> <br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Remember Lot's Wife <br /><br />The Hebrew school teacher was describing how Lot's wife looked back and turned into a pillar of salt, when little David interrupted. <br /><br />"My Mommy looked back once while she was DRIVING," he announced triumphantly, "and she turned into a telephone pole!" <br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />"Blood sustains precious human life. Its presence and flow allows us to seek the purpose of our existence and attain life's milestones. When we share blood, wounds heal; individuals thrive; and families remain whole. We share blood to enrich our life experience, casting aside our differences to link the human race through a common, natural bond."<br /><br />http://thebloodconnection.org<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Signs of Life<br />By Jill Carattini<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br /><br />Dietrich Bonhoeffer is best remembered as the young pastor martyred for his leadership against Hitler and his army. Speaking up with a faith that confronted evil, he had a passion for truth and an approach to following Christ that is truly inspiring. Nonetheless, Bonhoeffer’s transparent wrestling with matters of identity has also been a significant influence in the lives of many. It is comforting to know that even one willing to die for something at the very core of his identity still struggled, at times in anguish, with the question: "Who am I?" In a poem written in prison, Bonhoeffer offers both the cry of his heart and the only hope that can answer it: <br /><br />Who am I? <br />This or the other? <br />Am I one person today, and tomorrow another? <br />Am I both at once? A hypocrite before others,<br />And before myself a contemptible woebegone weakling? <br />Or is something within me still like a beaten army, <br />Fleeing in disorder from victory already achieved? <br />Who am I? They mock me, <br />these lonely questions of mine. <br />Whoever I am, Thou knowest, O God, I am Thine.<br /><br />"Who am I" is the question we often ask in the midst of the struggle. In moments where our conscience is tormented, in places where life's walls seem to crumble, it is in the tear-stained places of life where we wrestle most intensely with who we are. <br /><br />English writer F.W. Boreham tells a story about an old gravedigger whose terrible cough educed the sympathy of a cemetery visitor. The coughing man simply gestured to the graves around them, noting, "There's plenty here who'd be glad of my cough!" His point is clear. Even a cough is a sign of life. All the same, it is also a sign that a cure is needed lest the old man be dragged into a grave of his own. Carrying this thought to a higher place, Boreham remarks wisely, "The torments of an aroused conscience are symptoms of spiritual vitality for which a wise man will give thanks on bended knees; but they are useless and worse than useless unless they drive him, in his desperation, to the fountain open for all sin and for all uncleanness."(1)<br /><br />In other words, pain and sorrow, unrest and struggle are actually signs of life, signs that we were created with emotions and consciences. But they are also signs that lead to a cure for the sin-stained conscience, to life in knowing the one who created you, and an identity found ultimately in Christ. The signs of life indeed point to the promises of heaven. It is this sacred truth that William Cowper proclaimed in verse: "The path of sorrow, and that path alone, Leads to the place where sorrow is unknown." <br /><br />When your identity is rooted in Christ, sorrow and struggle can be met with the same confidence that kept William Cowper singing and the imprisoned Dietrich Bonhoeffer hopeful. Though weeping may linger for the night, joy comes in the morning. <br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Preacher and the Mower <br /><br />A preacher retired and moved to the country to enjoy life and practice his hobby of yard work. Needing a lawn mower, he headed into town to buy one. On the way he saw a sign advertising a lawn mower for sale. He stopped at the house and a young lad came out to greet him. The preacher asked about the lawn mower and the kid said it was behind the house. The two went to look at the lawn mower. The engine was sputtering along at idle speed. The preacher increased the speed of the engine and mowed a few strips. Satisfied that the mower would do the job they settled on a price of $25.00.<br />Later in the day, the young lad was riding his bicycle when he spied the preacher pulling on the engine starter rope. The kid stopped and watched for a couple of minutes. He asked, "What's wrong?"<br /><br />The reply came, "I can't get this mower started. Do you know how?"<br /><br />The kid said, "Yep."<br /><br />"Well, how do you do it? Tell me!", the preacher yelled.<br /><br />The kid replied, "You have to cuss it."<br /><br />The preacher rose up indignantly. "Now you listen here. I am a preacher and if I ever did cuss, not saying I have, I've forgotten how to do it after all these years."<br /><br />With a wise look on his face well beyond his years, the kid said, "Preacher, you keep on pulling that rope and it'll all come back to ya." <br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Miracles<br />By Katherine Kehler<br /> <br /><br />“Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14)<br /><br />Wayne and Doreen’s three-year-old son Cameron had cancer and was admitted to the hospital for treatments. The hospital was an hour drive from their home and every evening Doreen would drive to the hospital to be with Cameron until the treatment was over. Watching him suffer broke her heart. Most evenings, after she said good-bye, she would cry because of what was happening to her little boy.<br /><br />One pitch-dark night, while driving home in the pouring rain, she was crying so hard she could hardly see the road. Suddenly, she felt a presence beside her and she began to feel peaceful. It seemed like she was resting in the arms of the Lord. It was an angel in the passenger seat. He took hold of the steering wheel and drove the car all the way to her home. She said the angel had the kindest face.<br /><br />Again, years later, when her son was 23 years old, he had to have reconstructive surgery to repair the damage the cancer had done to his face. Some of the bones had ceased to grow after the cancer he had as a child. The surgery they were trying had never been done before on bone weakened by radiation. The surgeon didn’t know if the bone would bond again after the procedure or what the outcome would be.<br /><br />After the surgery, the doctor, who was not a Christian, came to the lobby and sat in a chair and just looked at Wayne and Doreen. Wayne asked, <br /><br />“Is Cameron alright?”<br /><br />The surgeon began to cry and then he said, <br /><br />“Someone was moving my hands.”<br /><br />Doreen realized it was an angel and told him so. The surgeon answered, <br /><br />“Whatever it was, it was absolutely wonderful.” <br /><br />They all cried because they knew they had just experienced something supernatural. They had experienced God.<br /><br />Father God, You are an awesome God! ‘Who is like you – majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?’ We love You. Thank You for Your compassion and Your loving kindness. Amen.<br /><br />Angels are sent from God--they are His servants to care for us. God is so very good and kind to us. <br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />A Great Gnashing of Teeth<br /><br /> <br />A preacher of the old school was describing the events of Judgment Day and, of course, he used Biblical phraseology whenever he could.<br /><br />"Oh, my friends," he intoned, "imagine the suffering of the sinners as they find themselves cast into the outer darkness, removed from the presence of the Lord and given to eternal flames. My friends, at such a time there will be weeping, wailing and a great gnashing of teeth!"<br /><br />At this point, one of the elders of the congregation interrupted.<br /><br />"But Reverend," he said, "what if one of those hopeless sinners has no teeth?"<br /><br />The preacher crashed his fist on the pulpit, "My friends, the Lord is not put out by details. Rest assured ... teeth will be provided!"<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />"Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares<br />about you" (1 Peter 5:7 – NLT).<br /><br />Be sure to send in your prayer request for the next<br />mailing.<br /><br />You are in my thoughts and prayers! May the Lord<br />continue to bless you with knowledge of Himself.<br /><br />Yours in His saving grip,<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/199/0CA66550222FF786EE01B7FD6F7242FE.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;"/></a><br />Mark Seay<br />Lighthouse Prayer Line<br />105 Quincy Drive<br />Greer, SC 29650<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br />"The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; <br />the LORD accepts my prayer" (Psalm 6:9).<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />Humility is a paradox. <br /><br />The moment you think you've finally found it, you've lost it. <br /><br />There has yet to be written a book intitled, "Humility and How I Achieved It." <br /><br />And yet, God expects (and rewards) an attitude of servant-like humility in His followers.<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br />We hope you have found today's newsletter encouraging to your<br />walk with Jesus Christ. Please send all prayer requests and<br />praise reports to us by using the "comments" hyperlink, which<br />can be found at the end of each blog/article. God is Good!!!<br /><br />A Candle Loses Nothing by Lighting Another Candle. Please Keep This<br />Candle Going!<br /><br />-------††††-------Please<br />-------††††-------Forward<br />-------††††-------This<br />††††††††††††††Cross<br />††††††††††††††Along<br />-------††††-------With Our<br />-------††††-------Newsletter.<br />-------††††-------Share Your<br />-------††††-------Love For GOD<br />-------††††-------With A Friend!!!!!!<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br />(¯`*•.(¯`*•.God is Good - ALL of the Time!!!.•*´¯).•*´¯)<br />~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /> •´.¸¸.•¨¯`♥.Visit Us Soon!.♥´¯¨•.¸¸.´•<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /><br /> I'm just a nobody<br /> trying to tell everybody<br /> that there is somebody<br /> who can save anybody!!<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /><br />We can use your help!<br /><br />Aside from the fact that ALL of your donation will<br />be used to purchase Bibles, Gospel Tracts & Bible <br />Studies, you will be serving as an active witness in <br />someone's life. Your donation will directly touch the<br />lives of many who are being introduced to Jesus as <br />their Lord & Savior for the very first time! <br /><br />Friend, we have the unique opportunity of being able <br />to offer purple & gold, 100%-siliconized wristbands. <br />These attractive bands have been debossed right here<br />in the good 'ole USA with "Need Prayer?" etched on <br />one side; and with "LighthousePrayerLine.org" on the <br />other.<br /><br />So many wonderful causes will be helped through<br />this drive, such as countless numbers of inmates <br />through our prison ministry, South Indian missions<br />and many USA workers.<br /><br />We are waiving the postage fees. FREE Shipping!! <br /><br />Would you be willing to help "the least of these"?<br /><br />1 band .... $ 5<br />2 bands ... $ 9<br />3 bands ... $12<br />5 bands ... $15<br /><br />We appreciate your support and witness to a fallen world!<br /><br />Send your gift in the form of cash, check or money order to:<br /><br />Mark Seay<br />105 Quincy Drive<br />Greer, SC 29650<br /><br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Lighthouse Prayer Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967875533234296119noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582307140302329124.post-34899582777350609642009-10-31T17:38:00.000-07:002009-10-31T17:41:08.565-07:00Check it out!<!-- Begin AffiliateBOT.com Affiliate Code v1.0 --><br /><a href="http://www.affbot3.com/link-3c1f55513c1e55540505065a02065e5b45565d060a020e1911030a524a415149595a550b0040570155?plan=921" ><img src="http://www.affbot3.com/image-1664-22893.jpg" border="0"></a><script language='javascript'>document.write('<img src="http://www.affbot8.com/impression-3c1f55513c1e55540505065a02065e5b45565d060a020e1911030a524a415149595a550b0040570155.jpg?ref='+escape(document.referrer)+'" width=1 height=1>');</script><br /><!-- End AffiliateBOT.com Affiliate Code v1.0 -->Lighthouse Prayer Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967875533234296119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582307140302329124.post-26511260275061659402009-10-29T19:40:00.000-07:002009-10-29T19:53:37.610-07:00*~*Prayer Requests for 10/30/09:♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br />•´.¸¸.•¨¯`♥.Thank you for your prayers!.♥´¯¨•.¸¸.´•<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /><br />If you are a regular reader/prayer partner, we would be<br />honored for you to post your pic on our link for prayer<br />partners at the top of the sidebar (right-hand side).<br /><br />If you do not have a pic, any icon/clipart can serve as<br />a symbol of your devotion to those requesting prayer.<br /><br />In no way does your inclusion mean that you are<br />endorsing this site or ALL of its content; it simply<br />means you are approaching the throne of Jesus<br />Christ with their pleas in mind. God bless you &<br />thanks for your meaningful work!!<br /><br />In His precious name,<br /><br />~Mark Seay (LighthousePrayerLine.org)<br /><br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br />(¯`*•.(¯`*•.God is Good - ALL of the Time!!!.•*´¯).•*´¯)<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />"If we cannot believe God when circumstances <br />seem to be against us, we do not believe Him at <br />all" (Charles Spurgeon).<br /> <br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />**FREE** Bible Study:<br /><br />"Unsealing Daniel's Mysteries"<br />A Bible Study Series by Mark Finley<br /><br />Golden images, winged lions, proud kings, Judgment<br />Day and the Holy Sanctuary...they are all part of the<br />fascinating, colorful book of Daniel. Follow along in<br />this chapter-by-chapter, self-grading Bible study as<br />you unravel complex prophecies and learn simple<br />biblical principles for everyday life.<br /><br />Thought-provoking topics include:<br /><br />*Confidence in Crisis<br />*Kingdoms in Collision<br />*Always on Time<br />*Still in His Hands<br /><br />Start your FREE Bible Study, Today!!<br />http://studies.bibleinfo.com/daniel/<br /> <br /> ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Hi friend,<br /><br />Please keep the following individuals in your prayers:<br /><br />1) "My brother who has cancer is very ill. no engery and he can eat, they gave him a vacation from cemo and radiation because of his pain. Please pray for him. Pray for me for some luck so I can visit him and my mother. Please pray for me to get some luck so I can visit them." -Jerry;<br /><br />2) NN asks for our prayers. She writes, "I need prayer for our foster grandchild that will be having a hearing tomarrow to determine if he is to go back to his biological father or if he is to remain in the custody of our daughter & son-in-law. Please pray that God will instruct the people that are going to determin this child's entire future to act only in the child's best interest. We pray that he ramins in ourr family, but if it is God's will that he be removed from the loving home that he has been in since he was 1 1/2 days old (he is now 14 months old), then I pray for comfort for all who have given their heart and sould to loving this child unconditionally. Please make the tranision for him and all of the lives that he has touched, as painless as is posible if the courts do not act in our behalf. Please pray for Juan to remain a part of our family as he has changed our lives forever more. Please help the judge to see that this other family is only wanting this child for reasons tht are not on the best interest of the child. They have stated that they need him due to his biological father's girlfriend being laid off from her current job and they need more food stamps and social service assistance. The hearing begins Oct 20th at 9:00 AM. Please pray that he remains as he is now, a part of our family and a true child of God. Thank you for your prayers.";<br /><br />3) "Father God thankyou for making Alida healthy and I plead the blood of Jesus Christ covering over my life and when i sleep at night keep evil away. Send your angels to protect me in Jesus name." -anonymous;<br /><br />4) "Rose --is battling AML (leukemia).She has been in the hospital for 109 days. Doctors say that her bone marrow is not working and are very doubtful that it will come back. She needs a bone marrow transplant and has a donor but --- says she has to be strong enough to walk in order to get the transplant. She hasn't walked for almost 3 months since the leukemia attacked her nervous system. She is getting stronger daily but just not walking yet. She needs a miracle. She says she does not feel sick. But we know she needs her bone marrow to work now and she needs to walk. Miracle, Miracle, Miracle. That is what is needed. She has 3 daughters, 1 20 year old granddaughter, 1 seven year old granddaughter and one 4 year old granddaughter that pray for her continuously!" -Rose;<br /><br />5) Luz asks to be remembered in our prayers. She writes: "Please pray for my son, daughter, and ex husband that they may seek God and get right with him.";<br /><br />6) "I left a prayer request on here a couple of days ago about my husband and I. We did get back together for 3 days then he left me again. Please pray for our marriage,I still want it to work out. I love him alot. He cheated on me and we got involved in certain drugs and things which I know I have to take a certain part of reponsibility for. Please pray that God will open his eyes to the error of his ways. Please pray that God will change his heart in the right direction. I pray that God will heal our marriage." -Melissa; <br /><br />7) Donna asks for our prayers. She writes, "Please pray for my granddaughter Loghan --. She was in an accident Sept. 27. She is in a coma. Please pray for her and for her mother who is with her in the hospital. Thank you so much. May God bless you." - Donna;<br /><br />8) "Please pray that I am free of any and all cancer. I had surgery last year and radiation and since then other test that have come back fine. I just started feeling a slight ache and of course I am scared that it could be something bad again. I go to the oncologist this Friday for a follow up and will talk to him about this new thing. I do know that they found a piece of tissue from a CT scan they did in May..it was nothing and maybe it is causing this slight pain..Please pray that the fear I have will go away. I know the devil can make me think bad things and I want to be able to trust God and let go of this fear. Thank you for praying for me." -Louise<br /><br />9) Debbie asks for our prayers. She writes, "Please pray the lord will keep my grandchildren safe and send them back home soon. A judge gave my son temp. custody 5 yrs ago, since then it has expired, but my son continued on like the judge had set things up. Things have been fine unitl the middle of July. She took the children for their visit and will not bring them home. She is a drug addict, has a criminal record (on probation now - felony), has had SS called on her numerous times over her oldest son (not ours) he is in therapy now for situations she has put this child in. She also is in therapy. She breaks the law and gets a slap on the wrist every time. She knows she can do whatever she wants and the law will not do nothing. This has been proved many times with her. She has taken them before and left the state. But the law does nothing. My son has filed for custody he is not working right now so I had to sell something my dead husband gave me to pay for a lawyer, but it is worth it and I know my husband would agree. We have to go to the boys school to see them They ask can we bring them home with us and we have to tell them soon. My son is having panic attacks caused by stress. He has never been sick like this before. Please pray the lord will bring our boys home soon. For their sake and my sons. I know he's here and I know the devil can't defeat him. Thank you all and God bless you all."<br /><br />10) "Please pray for our Grandaughter, Rachael, who has had a serious seizure condition since she was five months old. She now is 10 years old and has been on medication all this time. Her Doctors feel the time has come to try taking her off as ahe has been seizure free almost three years. Please pray that the condition has left her and she can be seizure free and live a normal life with out the medication. Thanks." -Carol;<br /><br />12) "Please pray for my mother Susan L who is in the Hospital with heart problems. Please pray for a successful recovery." -Susan;<br /><br />13) E & Family asks to be remembered in our prayers. They write: "Pray for blessings and miracles in every area of our life. Pray for all family members and our dog Jakzon to have a long, wealthy and healthy life. Pray for financial miracles and miracle healings. Pray for my husband will not be laid off from his job or he may find a good job. Please, Heavenly Father, spare my husband´s job--Pray for hubby he is caughing strange and I am suffering different health issues. Pray that I may receive a permanent social security disability. Pray for weight loss, ulcer,extreme anxiety, insomia, pain and major depression.. Pray for my children Marie & Phillip to have a bright future. Pray for Marie & Phillip to meet a good christian soulmate.- Pray for a soundful sleep and have a great day for tomorrow. Pray for E and M for extreme weightloss and lift upp both of us in depression. -Please pray that God will answer our dreams and prayers. Bless us financial help and healing miracles to Remove fears and worries. Pray for Blessings and miracles in every erea of our life.Thank you for all of your prayers. God bless you all!";<br /><br />14) "Please pray that my husband passes his phone interview in the morning and ends up getting the job if God's will. Thank you so much. In His Love, Lori";<br /><br />15) Please keep the following requests in your daily prayers:<br />•Pray that the doors of Iran will soon open to Christian missionaries. <br />•Ask God to raise up prayer teams who will begin breaking up the spiritual soil of Iran through worship and intercession. <br />•Ask God to give the small number of Jamshidi believers opportunities to share the Gospel with their friends and families. <br />•Ask God to raise up linguists to translate the Bible and other Christian materials into the Jamshidi language. <br />•Take authority over the spiritual principalities and powers that are keeping the Jamshidi bound. <br />•Pray that God will provide greater freedom to live and work among the people of Iran. <br />•Pray that God will reveal Himself to these precious people through dreams and visions. <br />•Ask the Lord to bring forth a triumphant Jamshidi church for the glory of His name!;<br /><br />16) "Please pray for a Woman Named Janie, and her family. Her 19 year old son commited suicide yesterday." -Janie;<br /><br />17) Pray for Nate and Katie to return to church and prayer.;<br /><br />18) "Thank you God, and thank you Prayer Warriors, for the healing I see between me and my daughters. Give me the strength, patience, courage, and boundless love I need, Lord, to continue to help them, and I ask you all to keep us in your prayersthat we may once again, some day, be the beautiful family of women we once were. Help them every day to understand a little more about why I have left their father, and why it was the best thing I knew to do for all of us. Help them see I mean him no harm, but am seeking only what is right and just, so that we may continue as a family, as well as they may continue with him, and that we may all be well, and whole, and have peace each in our own lives. In the name of all that is Good, in the name of Light, in the name of Love, in the name of Christ I ask these things. Thank you and Amen." -NN;<br /><br />19) Cher asks for our prayers. She writes, "My 30 yr. old son, Phillip, NEEDS A JOB NOW! It has been 2 yrs. since he has been working. He was self employed so he has received no unemployment or health benefits. He is not homeless because I supplement him, he is my son and he is a good son. He does not ask for anything because he is ashamed. I know he must eat and have a roof over his head. He does NOT have drug/alcohol issues and prior to his being unemployed, he was ALWAYS self-sufficient, independent and did quite well, that is, until he lost EVERYTHING. He lives in Fla. and I live in Md. He is a college graduate and I am a school teacher. He has gone on so many job interviews, only to not get hired. Last week he went on a job interview, which landed a 3rd interview. I am praying and believing that the Lord has this job for him. I really do not know how much more a man can take in this economy when he tries. This is why I am reaching out to you to pray for my son, Phillip. It is the WORD of God that He will NOT deny us any good thing. Certainly, being able to support oneself is a good thing. He will know this week if he has the job that he has just interviewed for. Please pray with me for my son, Phillip, to get GOOD work. Thank you and bless each of you.";<br /><br />20) "Please pray for my grandson that he only has a cold and not that swine flu thank you and God bless you." -Mary;<br /><br />21) Lucita asks to remebered in our prayers. She writes, "Please pray for my husband, my family, and my finances - that the lord open the heavens for my blessings and giving thanks for his protection.";<br /><br />22) "Hey Mark, Pray for me I broke my shoulder Saturday and have been off work Mon and Tues. I will return on Wednesday with my wife helping me to deliver packages. Pray for a speedy recovery. Thanks and God Bless, David"; and lastly ...<br /><br />23) Lighthouse Prayer Line encourages you to pray for believers in the Philippines who face persecution because of their faith. Pray especially for the family and congregation of Pastor Vicera, who have lost a father and pastor. Ask God to heal Pastor Vicera's wife, Beth, and Pastor Saturnino who were injured in the attack. Pray the testimonies of these faithful believers will draw their persecutors into fellowship with Christ.<br /><br /><br /> **God bless you for caring enough to pray!!!**<br /><br />........................................<br /><br />A real friend is always and under all circumstances a friend (Proverbs 17:17a).<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br /> *~*Spotlight Site*~*<br /><br /> http://www.backtothebible.org<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Man knows that God exists. <br /><br />"Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of Him from The Creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His Eternal Power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened" (Romans 1:19-21).<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Father Murphy<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br /><br />Father Murphy walked into a pub and said to the first man he met, "Do you want to go to heaven?" <br /><br />The man replied, "I do Father." <br /><br />The priest said, "Then stand over there against the wall." <br /><br />Then the priest asked a second man, "Do you want to go to heaven?" <br /><br />"Certainly, Father," was the man's reply. <br /><br />The priest said, "Then stand over there against the wall." <br /><br />Then Father Murphy walked up to O'Toole and said, "Do you want to go to heaven?" <br /><br />O'Toole said, "No, I don't Father." <br /><br />The priest said, "I don't believe this. You mean to tell me that when you die you don't want to go to heaven?" <br /><br />O'Toole said, "Oh, when I die, yes. I thought you were getting a group together to go right now." <br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Speakers for your next Conference / Revival:<br /><br />http://therobinsonagency.com<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Election or Free Choice? (Part 1 of 2)<br />Prepared by Mark Seay<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br /><br />The word "elect" appears 10 times in the New Testament:<br /><br />1. Matthew 24:22<br />If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for<br />the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.<br /><br />2. Matthew 24:24<br />For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great<br />signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible.<br /><br />3. Matthew 24:31<br />And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will<br />gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to<br />the other.<br /><br />4. Mark 13:20<br />If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But<br />for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them.<br /><br />5. Mark 13:22<br />For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and<br />miracles to deceive the elect—if that were possible.<br /><br />6. Mark 13:27<br />And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds,<br />from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.<br /><br />7. Romans 11:7<br />What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the<br />elect did. The others were hardened,<br /><br />8. 2 Timothy 2:10<br />Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too<br />may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.<br /><br />9. Titus 1:1<br />Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of<br />God's elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness—<br /><br />10. 1 Peter 1:1<br />Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God's elect, strangers in the<br />world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and<br />Bithynia,<br /><br /><br />The phrase "God's chosen" or similar appears 19 times.<br /><br />1. Matthew 22:14<br />"For many are invited, but few are chosen."<br /><br />2. Luke 18:7<br />And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out<br />to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?<br /><br />3. John 6:70<br />Then Jesus replied, "Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!"<br /><br />4. John 13:18<br />"I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But<br />this is to fulfill the scripture: 'He who shares my bread has lifted<br />up his heel against me.'<br /><br />5. John 15:19<br />If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is,<br />you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the<br />world. That is why the world hates you.<br /><br />6. Acts 1:2<br />until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions<br />through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.<br /><br />7. Acts 10:41<br />He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.<br /><br />8. Acts 22:14<br />"Then he said: 'The God of our fathers has chosen you to know his will<br />and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth.<br /><br />9. Romans 8:33<br />Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.<br /><br />10. Romans 11:5<br />So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.<br /><br />11. Ephesians 1:11<br />In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,<br /><br />12. Colossians 1:27<br />To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.<br /><br />13. Colossians 3:12<br />Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe<br />yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and<br />patience.<br /><br />14. 1 Thessalonians 1:4<br />For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you,<br /><br />15. James 2:5<br />Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?<br /><br />16. 1 Peter 1:2<br />who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.<br /><br />17. 1 Peter 2:4<br />As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him—<br /><br />18. 1 Peter 2:9<br />But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a<br />people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who<br />called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.<br /><br />19. Revelation 17:14<br />They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers."<br /><br />Based on these verses, will anybody dispute the fact, therefore, that<br />God chose, or elected, who would be his people, i.e. who would be<br />saved? The question then is how did God choose? One thing is certain,<br />no one can tell God what to do. Therefore he must have chosen by his<br />own counsel. Does anyone disagree with this?<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />The Latest Profit Producing Technology. Get your Message right in Front of your Customers! Impact PopUp Creates Unblockable Note-Style PopUps and PopOvers Instantly. Buy now and watch your Website Profits go through the Roof...!<br /><br />http://paydotcom.com/r/11927/lit4u<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Daily Devotional<br />By Living Steam Ministry<br /><br /><br />Hebrews 12:5 ...My son, do not regard lightly the<br />discipline of the Lord, nor faint when reproved by Him;<br />(11) Now no discipline at the present time seems to<br />be a matter of joy, but of grief; but afterward it yields<br />the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have<br />been exercised by it.<br /><br />Every step of the Spirit's discipline is God's work in<br />us. Had we not become sick that one time, what would<br />have become of us? Had we not failed that one time,<br />what would have become of us? What we faced may<br />have been a problem, but through facing that problem<br />we may have avoided greater problems. On that day<br />we will see why the Lord allowed all these things to<br />happen to us. On that day we will bow our heads<br />and say, "Lord, I was a fool, because I did not praise<br />You that day. I was a fool, because I did not give<br />thanks to You that day." When our eyes are opened<br />and we become clear on that day, how very shameful<br />we will be when we recall our murmurings.<br /><br />We have to learn to believe and to praise. If we do, we<br />will say on that day, "Lord! I thank You for Your grace<br />which saved me from unnecessary complaints and<br />murmurings..." We have a desire to praise the Lord<br />because He is good. We need to always say, "The Lord<br />is good." Today we have to learn to believe that the Lord<br />is good and that He is never wrong, even though we<br />cannot always understand what He is doing. If we<br />believe, we will praise. Our praises are His glory.<br />To praise is to glorify God. God is worthy of all glory.<br /><br />May God gain abundant praises from His children.<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Election or Free Choice? (Part 2 of 2)<br />Prepared by Mark Seay<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br /><br />In my previous post, I showed numerous verses that clearly stated that God chose who would be his people. While I am sure some will disagree, I believe that this is undeniable.<br /><br />So, if God has chosen who will be saved, by his own counsel, were<br />there any factors that he took into account when making the decision,<br />say for example, did he know those who, if given a chance, would<br />choose him, or did he see something desirable, a flicker of goodness,<br />in those that he chose?<br /><br />To answer these questions we must look at the nature of man since the Fall.<br /><br />The whole Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, asserts this original sin<br />and decisive ungodliness of will of all fallen men. Gen. vi. 3: " My<br />spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh<br />(carnally minded)." Again, chap. vi. 5: "God saw that every<br />imagination of the man's heart was only evil continually." After the<br />terrors of the flood, God's verdict on the survivors was still the<br />same. Chap. viii. 21: "I will not again curse the ground any more for<br />man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his<br />youth."<br /><br />Job, probably the earliest sacred writer, asks, "Who can bring a clean<br />thing out of an unclean? not one." (Chap. xiv. 4.) David says:<br />'"Behold I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive<br />me." (Ps. li. 5.) Prophet asks (Jer. xiii 23), "Can the Ethiopian<br />change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good<br />that are accustomed to do evil." Jeremiah says, chap. xvii. 9: "The<br />heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." What<br />does desperately mean? In the New Testament Christ says (John iii, 4<br />and 5), "That which is born of the flesh is flesh;" and "Except ye be<br />born again ye cannot see the kingdom of God." The Pharisees' hearts<br />(decent moral men) are like unto whited sepulchers, which appear<br />beautifully outwardly, but within are full of dead men's bones and all<br />uncleanness. Does Christ exaggerate, and slander decent people?<br /><br />Peter tells us (Acts viii. 23) that the spurious believer is "in the<br />gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity." Paul (Romans viii.7):<br />"The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the<br />law of God, '"neither indeed can be," (inability of will).(Ephesians<br />ii.): " All men are by nature children of wrath . . . . and dead in<br />trespasses and sins."<br /><br />Taken from The Five Points of Calvinism by R. L. Dabney<br /><br />'Out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness' (Mark 7: 21-22). 'The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no not one' (Psalm 14: 2, 3).<br /><br />The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned' (I Cor. 2: 14).<br /><br />Taken from From the tract, Another Gospel, by Rev. William MacLean<br /><br />Of course there are many more verses that talk about the reality of<br />the nature of sinful man. Man is dead in his sins and transgressions.<br />Alone we would never choose God. So what possible good, even the<br />smallest flicker of light, can God see in fallen man to cause him to<br />say "That one will be mine"? Can anybody show me a single verse that<br />states that God chose man because of anything that is in a man?<br />And tell me, if God did choose who he would save based on something<br />good within them, or because he knew given the chance they would<br />choose him whereas others wouldn't, is this not something a person<br />could boast about?<br /><br />"God chose me because he could see that I had some good within me, whereas he saw that you had nothing good in you at all!"<br /><br />or<br /><br />"God chose me because he knew I was clever enough to choose him, but you were too stupid and didn't choose God!"<br /><br />But we know that "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us<br />to do." Ephesians 2:8-10<br /><br />No, we are God's workmanship, created by him, chosen by him, moulded by him. Only God can turn a heart of stone into a heart of flesh. Only God can raise the dead and that is what we were - dead. We are alive again only through his grace. Therefore how can we do other than worship him? Praise be to our Lord and Saviour!<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />"Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares<br />about you" (1 Peter 5:7 – NLT).<br /><br />Be sure to send in your prayer request for the next<br />mailing.<br /><br />You are in my thoughts and prayers! May the Lord<br />continue to bless you with knowledge of Himself.<br /><br />Starve your doubts and feed your faith,<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/199/0CA66550222FF786EE01B7FD6F7242FE.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;"/></a><br />Mark Seay<br />Lighthouse Prayer Line<br />105 Quincy Drive<br />Greer, SC 29650<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br />"He said, 'If you listen carefully to the voice of the <br />LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, <br />if you pay attention to his commands and keep all <br />his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the <br />diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the <br />LORD, who heals you' " (Exodus 15:26 - NIV).<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />My God Is King<br />By Jill Carattini<br /><br /><br />A story written in antiquity that continues to exceed<br />contemporary standards of what is considered "good<br />storytelling" is more than a little interesting. The book<br />of Ruth has drawn accolades from many voices for many<br />years. Goethe held that it was "the loveliest complete work<br />on a small scale" while another pronounced, "No poet in<br />the world has written a more beautiful story."(1) The book<br />is simple and honest, the lives it gives account of both<br />ordinary and compelling.<br /><br />But the story is not an island anymore than are the lives<br />of people it describes. By means of a beautifully told story,<br />we are shown both the weaving of redemption throughout<br />history and the God who redeems.<br /><br />Ruth was a young woman from Moab whose husband died<br />in the midst of a great famine. Returning to her family would<br />have been appropriate; the young widow would have been<br />cared for and could have married again among her own<br />people. But she chose to stay with Naomi, her also-widowed<br />mother-in-law, who was not a Moabite. Shortly after the story<br />begins, we hear Ruth declaring resolutely to Naomi: "Where<br />you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people<br />will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will<br />die, and there I will be buried" (1:16-17a).<br /><br />At this point in the story, we don't know much about Naomi's<br />God or her people, or why Ruth would be so determined to<br />adopt them, other than as a sign of loyalty to her mother-in-law.<br /><br />The story briefly mentions Naomi's God, though it seems to<br />arrive as secondhand information, and not from the widow<br />herself. (The text reports that she heard that the LORD had<br />come to the aid of his people and food was to be found in<br />Judah.) Interestingly, the first time Naomi speaks directly<br />of her God within earshot of Ruth, it is to say that God has<br />made her cold and grieving. Naomi imparts that her name<br />should no longer be Naomi, which means "my delight," but<br />Mara, which means "bitter": "For I went out full, but the LORD<br />brought me back empty" (1:21).<br /><br />I have heard both sides of the argument about admitting anger<br />at God. Some say, "God knows you are angry and God can<br />handle it." Others insist, "Saying you are angry at God is in<br />effect saying you don't believe God is acting as your redeemer."<br /><br />But I have experienced God's grace in both places.<br />With angry words I have pounded my fists on God's chest<br />and God in his mercy convicted me with his redeeming<br />presence. I have also tried taking thoughts of bitterness<br />captive, answering cynicism with truths of Scripture<br />and discovering God's grace and comfort. (I have also<br />just been angry and altogether refused to see God.)<br /><br />Naomi's words were at once both honest and blind. Her grief<br />is unfathomable to me, and the very meaning of her name<br />seems a cruel irony. But she was also not seeing everything<br />clearly; in fact, she had not returned entirely empty. God had l<br />ed Naomi back to Judah with the gift of a loyal daughter-in-law<br />who had pledged to discover the God of Israel, perhaps<br />even as Naomi rediscovered this God again herself.<br /><br />And she did. Naomi and Ruth came to see the work of God's<br />redemption among them, as Job did even in the midst of his<br />grief: "For I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end<br />he will stand upon the earth" (Job 19:25). The book of Ruth<br />ends with a child who offers the promise of redeeming the<br />name of Naomi's deceased husband. In Hebrew culture,<br />Ruth's child, Obed, was seen as the one who would carry on<br />the line of Naomi's husband. And in fact, his name, which lived<br />on because of loyalty and in spite of blinding despair, can be<br />followed all the way to the lineage of King David and the line<br />of Jesus Christ. His name was Elimelek, which stirringly<br />proclaims the meaning of the entire book: "My God is King."<br /><br /><br />(Jill Carattini is senior associate writer at Ravi Zacharias<br />International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia./(1)As quoted by<br />Tremper Longman in The Introduction to the Old Testament.)<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />We hope you have found today's newsletter encouraging to your<br />walk with Jesus Christ. Please send all prayer requests and<br />praise reports to us by using the "comments" hyperlink, which<br />can be found at the end of each blog/article. God is Good!!!<br /><br />A Candle Loses Nothing by Lighting Another Candle. Please Keep This<br />Candle Going!<br /><br />-------††††-------Please<br />-------††††-------Forward<br />-------††††-------This<br />††††††††††††††Cross<br />††††††††††††††Along<br />-------††††-------With Our<br />-------††††-------Newsletter.<br />-------††††-------Share Your<br />-------††††-------Love For GOD<br />-------††††-------With A Friend!!!!!!<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br />(¯`*•.(¯`*•.God is Good - ALL of the Time!!!.•*´¯).•*´¯)<br />~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /> •´.¸¸.•¨¯`♥.Visit Us Soon!.♥´¯¨•.¸¸.´•<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /><br /> I'm just a nobody<br /> trying to tell everybody<br /> that there is somebody<br /> who can save anybody!!<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /><br />We can use your help!<br /><br />Aside from the fact that ALL of your donation will<br />be used to purchase Bibles, Gospel Tracts & Bible <br />Studies, you will be serving as an active witness in <br />someone's life. Your donation will directly touch the<br />lives of many who are being introduced to Jesus as <br />their Lord & Savior for the very first time! <br /><br />Friend, we have the unique opportunity of being able <br />to offer purple & gold, 100%-siliconized wristbands. <br />These attractive bands have been debossed right here<br />in the good 'ole USA with "Need Prayer?" etched on <br />one side; and with "LighthousePrayerLine.org" on the <br />other.<br /><br />So many wonderful causes will be helped through<br />this drive, such as countless numbers of inmates <br />through our prison ministry, South Indian missions<br />and many USA workers.<br /><br />We are waiving the postage fees. FREE Shipping!! <br /><br />Would you be willing to help "the least of these"?<br /><br />1 band ... $ 5<br />2 bands ... $ 9<br />3 bands ... $12<br />5 bands ... $15<br /><br />We appreciate your support and witness to a fallen world!<br /><br />Send your gift in the form of cash, check or money order to:<br /><br />Mark Seay<br />105 Quincy Drive<br />Greer, SC 29650<br /><br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Lighthouse Prayer Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967875533234296119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582307140302329124.post-23048272669624688502009-10-25T17:56:00.000-07:002009-10-25T17:58:19.913-07:00The New AtheismBy J.M. Njoroge<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTdXpRh0KDYHHnjd3FcAtS4j5lqLa0shDUo7ufM28JBbHpFGU8VR-DFOxS9_B-hdlkUKFMkrov07KJbYoNOAVqUYcyXCGv3RmDdDtmpyEMpxOYA-xqCqDvbhpKOJ5NVDZe8wyXQsrn9cDH/s1600-h/atheists.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 168px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTdXpRh0KDYHHnjd3FcAtS4j5lqLa0shDUo7ufM28JBbHpFGU8VR-DFOxS9_B-hdlkUKFMkrov07KJbYoNOAVqUYcyXCGv3RmDdDtmpyEMpxOYA-xqCqDvbhpKOJ5NVDZe8wyXQsrn9cDH/s400/atheists.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396706586911515794" /></a><br />Though the chorus of voices decrying belief in God has been humming in the ideological background for centuries, it seems to have reached a crescendo with the emergence of a movement that has been dubbed the new atheism. The trademark of this new brand of atheism is its vitriolic attack on religion. To its advocates, religious beliefs are not only false; they are also dangerous and must be expunged from all corners of society. The pundits of the new atheism are not content to nail discussion theses on the door of religion; they are also busy delivering eviction notices to the allegedly atavistic elements of an otherwise seamlessly progressive atheistic evolution of Homo Sapiens.<br /><br />Given the rhetoric, one might be forgiven for thinking that some new discoveries have rendered belief in God untenable. Curiously, this drama is unfolding in the same era in which perhaps the world’s leading defender of atheism, Antony Flew, has declared that recent scientific discoveries point to the fact that this world cannot be understood apart from the work of God as its Creator. This is no small matter, for Flew has been preaching atheism for as long as Billy Graham has been preaching the gospel. Unlike Flew and others, the new atheists seem to forget that the success of their mission hinges solely on the strength and veracity of the reasons they give for repudiating religion. Venom and ridicule may carry the day in an age of sensationalistic sound bites, but false beliefs will eventually bounce off the hard, cold, unyielding wall of reality. <br /><br />A good example of a claim against religion that does not sit well with the facts of reality is issued in the form of a challenge to the believer to “name one ethical statement made, or one ethical action performed, by a believer that could not have been uttered or done by a nonbeliever.”(1) We are expected to agree that no such action or statement exists, and then conclude that morality does not depend on God. The problem is that the conclusion does not follow from the premise. The fact that a non-believer can utter moral statements and even act morally does not logically lead to the conclusion that morality does not depend on God, much less that God does not exist. This challenge misunderstands the believer’s position on the relationship between morality and God.<br /><br />The believer’s claim is that the world owes its existence to a moral God. All human beings are moral agents created in God’s image and are expected to recognize right from wrong because they all reflect God’s moral character. The fact that human beings are the kinds of creatures that can recognize the moral imperatives that are part of the very fabric of the universe argues strongly against naturalism. Unlike the laws of nature, which even inanimate objects obey, moral imperatives appeal to our will and invite us to make real decisions on real moral issues. The only other parallel experience we have of dos and don’ts comes from minds. Thus when the atheist rejects God while insisting on the validity of morality, he is merely rejecting the cause while clinging to the effect.<br /><br />Without God, morality is reduced to whatever mode of behavior human beings agree on. There is no action that is objectively right or wrong. Rape, hate, murder and other such acts are only wrong because they have been deemed to be so in the course of human evolution. Had human evolution taken a different course, these acts might well have been the valued elements of our moral code. Even Nazi morality would be right had the Nazis succeeded in their quest for world dominance. Unless the world contains behavioral guidelines that transcend human decisions, there is no reason why anyone should object to such conclusions. <br />Though some religious people do not live up to the moral principles they prescribe, it is not true that genuine religious devotion makes no difference to one’s moral commitments. It is missionaries, and not atheists, who regularly give up their own comforts and accept unbelievable amounts of pain and suffering to better the lives of societal outcasts, not just through preaching but also through education, technology, and humanitarian relief. Our failure to live up to what we know to be right provides empirical evidence for the need for God’s intervention in our lives.<br /><br />Those who insist that objective morality makes no difference to human autonomy still expect morality to guide the behavior of others. That our society is saturated with transcendent moral sentiments accounts for the popularity of some television programs that arrest our attention night after night. Perhaps ninety percent of the shows they contain depend exclusively on our ability to apply objective moral standards to the actions of the characters. Should the Judeo-Christian moral bank close its doors to our cultural psyche, the bankruptcy of human-centered morality would eventually send our spiritual tentacles scouring for an alternative transcendent anchor. Thus were the new atheists to succeed in their quest, the result would not be the elimination of religion but the entrenchment of a different religion. As Ravi Zacharias has warned, eventually, the real choice for the West will not be between Christianity and atheism but between Christianity and some other religion. Beware of ethical naturalists bearing moral gifts.Lighthouse Prayer Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967875533234296119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582307140302329124.post-89927102793826363902009-10-23T22:11:00.001-07:002009-10-23T22:11:53.524-07:00*~*Prayer Requests for 10/24/09:((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />"If we cannot believe God when circumstances <br />seem to be against us, we do not believe Him at <br />all" (Charles Spurgeon).<br /> <br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings" (1 Peter 5:8-9 - NIV).<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />Hi friend,<br /><br />Please keep the following individuals in your prayers:<br /><br />1) "I am thankful for all the many blessings God has provided me! I pray that God would continue reminding me of these blessings and eliminate the worry that Satan places in my mind. Thank you for praying!" -Mark;<br /><br />2) N.N. asks for our prayers. He writes: "I have been in this situation for over 3years now. It used to be I had joy and a peace of mind in my life. Some how some way,That all stoped. Since then I have been trying to rid my life of negative energy, but no matter what I do, I always somehow look to the wrong solutions to solve my trials. I ask you my friend, if you can Pray to our Lord that I may find my strength, inner joy, and peace in my life once agian. Please, if you can, ask Jesus to forgive my ways and help guide my path as a father/husband and man in his most Holy name. Thank you and God bless.";<br /><br />3) "God please let me know if this is what you want me to do. I know you don't ever want a marriage to end, but I don't see things changing for the better. I have prayed and prayed for change in me and him, but it always ends up the same way. I love him Lord with all my heart, and I have apoligized for all I have done but it is not good enough. I have prayed for us to have a change of heart and to soften our hearts to hear you and what you want us to do. He doesn't want to hear anything I have to say Lord. You know my heart and I just don't understand anymore. I am so tired. Do I let go Lord? I don't know what else to do. I want our family to stay together. Please give me a sign as what to do and please help him Lord, he needs you too. He won't listen to me anymore. Please help us Lord. I have prayed to be who I should be and prayed for you to give me the words to speak to his heart. Please God help me to trust him." -Frances;<br /><br />4) Tamara asks for our prayers. She writes, "Me and my boyfriend want to get marry and start a family.";<br /><br />5) "Please watch over MIke and GInny. Mike is having a colonoscopy and has had some related health issues and Ginny is concerned. Operation is at 9:30am tomorrow. God Bless, Janet";<br /><br />6) Mickie asks to be remembered in our prayers. He writes, "Please Pray for my Nanny who is in surgery at this moment; That the Almighty Surgeon will take control; and Let her heart be strong enough to get her through it. Thank you God, and Everyone.";<br /><br />7) "Please pray for my brother in law Justin --. He is in ICU with pneumonia Please pray for a miracle." -Ana;<br /><br />8) Rick writes: "Pray for a financial miracle for Rick.";<br /><br />9) "I'd like to request prayers for the following: Jackie, Melanie, Irene, Joni, and Tim." -AN;<br /><br />10) "Please pray for me that I can overcome this depression and let go of the way my life has been almost all of my life. I was actually happy at one time...for a short time, please pray that I can regain this happiness and keep it with the Lord. Oh please pray that my children and myself, as well as my mom, can move away from this crime infested area into a house that is comfprtable for the children mainly. I want them to know more than just the ghetto. Please pray that we will get out of financial hardSHIP And break the chain that goes on in this family. Please pray that God will guide me and let me know my purpose in life on top of having my children. Please pray that I will find a husband that is truely good to all of us, especially my kids, and we can live happily. Please pray that my children wont fall victim to the negative influences in school and that they will continue to do good in school by the grace of the Lord. Thanks again." -Nikia;<br /><br />11) Gloria asks to be remembered in our prayers. She writes, "Please pray with me for my great-grandson Gabriel who is only 2 months and has developed a skini disorder that the DR's say he wil suffer from forever. It is called Seborrheic wrong spelling I know) but nonetheless it is a type of disorder that is scally and he is very uncomfortable. The medicines are beginining to ease the pain a bit, but, I know that our Lord Jesus Christ can cure him. I have that much faith. So, if you will see yourselves with a few extra minutes, please help me. I would pray for your baby. God bless you all. Thank you.";<br /><br />12) "Please pray that we find a way to ease our financial burden. My husband worries so and it's so stressful for him. Bless you!!" -CJ;<br /><br />13) Eleanor asks for our prayers. She writes, "Please pray for me and my family..and my husband. Both of us suffer from chronic back pain and also our knees are getting affected from our back. His knee is worse off than mine, his minuscus are torn and have to have surgery to fix but I'm the only one working and provide for my 3 kids, my husband and myself and just barely make enough to cover my bills. I've been struggling and getting very tired and stressed out. I feel like I'm a single mom, working, cooking when i go home and cleaning, going to to go wash my laundry @ the laundry mat, shopping for our food, paying bills, bathing our 2 young kids. Please pray that I may love my kids unconditinally, i don't like who i'm becoming..always having back pain, my responsibilities, taking care of my kids, i've become short tempered and easily angered, plwase pray that i may pay more attention to my kids even i have never ending chores to do. I feel overwhelmed and tired and getting very stressed out. PLease pray that my kids may get along and love each other even me. thank you daily posts for coming back to my email, i look forward to reading them and they also give me inspiration and lifts me up too. Please also pray that i may have enough money for christmas, i enter my kids names for Christmas name exchange every year and i do have a big family and live in a little village.";<br /><br />14) "For the last 10 years, we have worked with -- @ -- College, especially with "Kids Gift Day" that allows children to come and choose gifts (new or gently used) to give their parents for Christmas. The student volunteers help them wrap the presents. My husband and I provide the children each get a bible, a nativity or ornament depicting the nativity, and a coloring book about the nativity, and other small items. There are usually 300 children. Because of the economy, my husband and I are having a hard time providing those items for the kids. And the college is esp short of items for the kids to choose from for their parents. Please pray for God direction in where and how to get these items for the children. The date of this year's event is 6th." -Lynda;<br /><br />15) Albert asks, "that Kay and the kid's receive JESUS, and that HE would heal our relationship and bring us back together. I lost her because of my drinking. I ask that GOD would heal me of drinking.";<br /><br />16) "I am 60 and my husband is 62. He is losing his eyesight due to diabetes. He has mascular dengeneration. I am required to do most of the driving, keeping up with appointments, medicine etc. I am asking for prayer for my mind. I can't remember anything. I argue that he has not told me soemthing or that I didn't see something and it ends up that I just can't remember. I worked for 33 years on a missile command and had to keep up with where thousands of missiles were. Now I can't remember a conversation I had with my husband. I want to be able to take care of our business so that we can stay independent. Thank you for your prayers." -Bernice;<br /><br />17) TWalsh asks to be remembered in our prayers. She writes, "First I want to Thank God For who he is and for all he has done for my husband and I. We own a small business and this past year has been tough financially. We are now playing catch up with paying our vendors. Please pray for wisdom and direction as we pay them. We want to be a blessing to our customers and to our vendors. Please pray for the customers who owe us a large amounts of money that they will follow thru on their commitment to pay us.";<br /><br />18) "Please pray that I am on Mark's heart and that he will not let me go. Please pray that I am worth it to him." -Beth;<br /><br />19) Nathan asks for our prayers. He writes, "Hi i have a friend named baylie. She and i are really close i care for her alot. But she is with with this guy named keith. He hits her curses her and cheats on her. I have tried to get her to go to church but every time she gets up the nurv to leave him he keeps calling her and yells at her till she comes back. id like you to pray for her. Pray that god will help her get out and stop hanging with this crowd. get over him and move on to someone that will take her to church and show her how god will change her life. I love this person very much the only thing I can do is pray and ask you to do the same.";<br /><br />20) "This prayer request is for a coworker of mine who is currently going through a very rough time. A few months ago his father was found with many blood clots and has been hopitalized since then. His wife has been found with what could be breast cancer a few weeks ago. His mother of 82 years is very ill at this time. My co-workers name is Dan and he himself has had many health issues this year requiring surgeries. However, on top of all this going on, his grandson Ryan, 2 years of age, has been hospitalized recently. Just what appears to have happened overnight, the child developed two tumors behind his neck and two tumors behind one of his eyes. The diagnostic confirmed that the child has a form of cancer called Rhabdomyosarcoma. It is in stage 3 or 4 and his progressing rapidly. You can imagine how hard it has been to go through daily life for Dan these days and now to have his only grandson sick with such a horrible diseasse. I ask that we pray for Ryan his grandson, for Dan and his well being, His wife Virginia, and all of his family members who are coping with this time of their lives. Thank you." -Ruben;<br /><br />21) Please pray for Donnie. His health has been deminishing over the past year.;<br /><br />22) "Pray for Richard and me. He is in the hospital getting blood. Please may he start feeling better. Pray for Rick,Nancy,Anne,Mary,Greacen,Louise,Louise and Floyd sr.and all others needing God's help in their time of need." -Susan;<br /><br />23) Lorna asks for our prayers. She writes, "Please pray that Art and I will be able get a gym membership at the best possible price. Please pray that I become serious about losing the weight that I need to lose(50pounds and also to lower my blood pressure. Lord I want to give you praise and glory for all that you do for me and all the blessings you provide.especially today my birthday. I give thanks that the kids remembered and celebrated it and me with their thoughtfulness. Continue to bless my family with good health.I pray especially for my grandchildren that they are well and developing according to their age groups.Be with Ben and Ryan,heal them of any illness that they have.Be with Justin and Grace give them both character and self esteem.Please help Grace learn to read. Ben and Ryan ages 3 and 2 have not been very well lately,please lay your great physician hand on them and they will be healed. Please be with Justin 4 and Grace 6 as they go to school. Help them to learn and adjust,especially Grace help her with her reading and self confidence. Justin also.. Tthank you Lord for my family and friends.";<br /><br />24) "Please pray for my puppy Buster. He was hit by a car last Wednesday night. He has a dislocated hip, a shattered pelvis and some internal bruising. Please pray for God to bring healing to my sweet boy and relieve his pain. Thank you very much. Sincerely, Nicki";<br /><br />25) Kim asks to be remembered in our prayers. She writes, "Please pray for our finances and me to find job - very scared thanks" -Kim;<br /><br />26) Please keep Reagan & Anna in your prayers. They are little ones that have become very ill.; and lastly ...<br /><br />27) Keep Scott in your prayers. He recently had two back operations. At present, he is healing and recooperating.<br /><br /><br /> **God bless you for caring enough to pray!!!**<br /><br />........................................<br /><br />A real friend is always and under all circumstances a friend (Proverbs 17:17a).<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br /> *~*Spotlight Site*~*<br /><br /> http://www.ccmsc.org<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br /> *** Prayer request from one of our prayer partners:<br /><br /><br />"Dear Beloved Brother in Christ Mark Seay,<br /><br />Warm greetings to you in the most precious name of our lord and saviour Jesus Christ. Thank you so much for your continuously prayers about us. Since 4days we did our floods relief work various villages near by us these four days we hired a pay auto those areas and have seen their miserable condition. Hundreds of villages were drawn and houses also are filled water. Flood was affected mainly in three districts. 1. Kurnool2. Guntur (not in our place Bapatla) other part of our district. 3. Krishna (Vijayawada. So we went to our district Guntur Repalle area. Repalle mandalam zone consists many islands and so many villages. So we went to some villages and small Islands. As I shared with you in my previous mail about it, I could raise some money and bought 8 bags of rice and biscuit packets, some medicine and we went villages called Epuru lanka near by Kullur, Repalle. All the roads were covered with water so there is no transportation to go to that village. From last ten days those villagers are not able to come out side due to continues rains, floods and struggling food materials and drinking water packets. Also there is no power supply from that day so they are living darkness in the nights.<br /><br />Few of our church members and we took those rice bags on our shoulders and other things with us. We walker around 5 kilo meters by walk carrying those things on our shoulders. After walking 5 kilo meters a boat came to take us to that island, so we kept all those things in side the boat and reached that village Epuru Lanka. All our people were tired with heavy luggage. Finally we reached that village, when we reached there many people were waiting people who can help them, give them some thing to eat & drink. But we have little their need is very big, so we went there and prayed for those villagers and told them our situation. We gave them what ever we brought for them. They were so happy by seeing our love and hospitality. I told them we are doing these things because of love of Jesus.<br /><br />I have taken some pictures I am sending to you by through this attachment So that you can see them and pray for those victims. Flood effected not only one place and one village. Three districts of Andhra Pradesh were effected by flood. So need is very much. Still people need cloths, blankets, and food materials and medicines financial support to rebuild their houses. So please pray and share yours friends, family and church members and ask them to pray for these flood victims. Our orphan children and our widows and we all are continuously praying for you and for your blessed family. Especially our orphan children are gladly sending their lots of love and their lovely hugs to you and to your blessed family. Closing here for now. Waiting for your prayerful reply. Thanking you. Your’s in his service. President. K.Syam Sundar. Voice-President. John Mani, New Beginning Missions / Workers for Christ, India"<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />"If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth" (1 John 3:17-18 - NIV).<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />What God Looks Like<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br /><br />A kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they drew. She would occasionally walk around to see each child's artwork. As she came to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was. <br /><br />The girl replied, "I'm drawing God." <br /><br />The teacher paused and said, "But no one knows what God looks like." <br /><br />Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing the girl replied,. . . . "They will in a minute." <br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised him from the dead and seated him at His right hand in the heavenly realms," (Ephesians 1:18-20 - NIV).<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />(Part 1of 2)<br /><br />HAGAR AND SLAVERY vs. SARAH AND FREEDOM <br />(Galatians 4:21-31)<br />By John Piper<br /><br />Tell me, you who desire to be under law, do you not hear the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and one by a free woman. But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, the son of the free woman through promise. Now this is an allegory: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. 'Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. For it is written,<br /> <br />"Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; <br />break forth and shout, you who are not in travail; <br />for the children of the desolate one are many more <br />than the children of her that is married."<br /><br />Now we, brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise. But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now. But what does the scripture say? 'Cast out the slave and her son; for the son of the slave shall not inherit with the son of the free woman." So, brethren, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.<br /><br />The allegory of Hagar and Sarah is written to persuade us (along with the Galatians) not to follow the Judaizers into slavery with Hagar and Ishmael but to follow Sarah and Isaac into freedom. So I want to begin with a definition of freedom that I think is implied here. Then we will look at the allegory and learn from it how to have freedom.<br /><br />Full freedom Is what you have when no lack of opportunity, no lack of ability and no lack of desire prevents you from doing what will make you happiest In a thousand years. In order to be free in the fullest sense you have to have opportunity, ability and desire to do what will make you happy in a thousand years. Another way to say it would be that there are four kinds of freedom, or better, four stages of freedom on the way to the full freedom all of us long for: the freedom of opportunity to do what we can, the freedom of ability to do what we desire and the freedom of desire to do what will bring us unending joy.<br /><br />Let's take skydiving, for example. Suppose you are on your way to the airport to go up for your first real jump, but your car hits a pothole on Hiawatha, you have a blowout and run into a telephone pole. You are no longer free to jump whether you have the ability or not because the opportunity passes while you wait for the tow truck. You lack the freedom of opportunity.<br /><br />Or suppose you do make it to the airport but you have no ability at all -- you have never studied skydiving and never learned the first thing about how a parachute works. The opportunity is there, but you don't have the freedom of ability -- you are in bondage to your own lack of know-how.<br /><br />But suppose that you make it to the airport, you've been to school and been trained and have all the abilities needed. and you take off for your first jump. But as soon as you look down all your desire vanishes and in its place comes a tremendous fear. The opportunity is there, the ability and know-how are there, but you don't have the freedom of desire. The interesting thing about the freedom of desire is that you might be able to go ahead and jump without it, but it won't be a free act. For example, you might feel so humiliated in front of your instructor (or girlfriend) that the desire not to be humiliated overcomes the desire not to jump. So you jump. But the emotional experience is not what we call freedom. You are acting under very uncomfortable external constraints. You are like Herod when his step-daughter asked for the head of John the Baptist. He didn't want to kill John but he wanted even less to be shamed before his guests. So he acted, but not with the freedom of desire. You have the freedom of desire when you do what you love to do.<br /><br />That's the way a lot of professing Christians try to keep the commandments of Christ. They don't really delight to do them but they feel some uncomfortable constraints like social pressures or fear of hell or desire to impress someone. So they go through outward motions of obedience but the desire of their hearts is fixed somewhere else. They do not enjoy the freedom of desire which Christ gives when he is being formed in the heart (Gal. 4:19).<br /><br />But there is one last requirement for full freedom. Suppose you get to the airport with no obstacle; you have all the know-how necessary; you look out the door at the tiny clusters of silos and barns and farmhouses and just can't wait to jump. You have freedom of opportunity, freedom of ability and freedom of desire. So you jump. And as you free fall unbeknown to you, your parachute malfunctions and will not open. Are you free? In three senses, yes. But in that critical fourth sense, no. What you are doing so happily, so freely, is going to kill you. Whether you know it or not, you are in bondage to destruction. It would be a mockery to exult in the freedom of an exhilarating free fall if you knew it was leading to destruction. In order to be fully free it is not enough to have opportunity, ability and desire to act. The acts you desire and perform have to lead to life indeed, eternal life not destruction.<br /><br />This is why it is naive for a Christian young person to envy the so-called freedom of those who pitch themselves out the window of sin and exult for a season in the exhilaration of free fall sex or free fall greed, or free fall drugs or free fall luxury. They will pass away like a vapor but those who do the will of the Lord will abide for ever (1 John 2:17). True freedom is not just the opportunity and ability to do what you desire to do. It is the opportunity, ability and desire to do what will make you happy in a thousand years.<br /><br />Therefore, true Christians are the freest people in the world. And Paul is fighting with all his might in Galatians to expose the teaching of the Judaizers for what it really is: slavery. For Paul, the experience of freedom is not icing on the cake of Christianity. Freedom in Christ is Christianity. It is a matter of eternity. That's the first point of the allegory. So let's see if we can understand it and strengthen our stand in freedom.<br /><br />In verse 21 Paul simply says that those who are turning back to the law of Moses as a job description for how to earn the wages of blessing from God, should listen to what the law says. Note this well, lest anything I or Paul have said sounds anti-Semitic. Paul only wants to teach things that are implied in the Jewish Bible. His problem with the Judaizers is not that they are Jewish but that they aren't Jewish enough. Paul himself was a Jew and never surrendered his allegiance to the law. What does it teach about freedom?<br /><br />Verses 22 and 23, "It is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, the son of the free woman through promise." Let's go back to Genesis 15 and remind ourselves of what happened to Abraham and Sarah. In Genesis 15:1-6 Abraham is downcast because he and Sarah have no children, no heir to fulfill the promises of becoming a great nation (12:2). There is only Eliezer the slave. But God says in verse 4, "This man shall not be your heir; your own son shall be your heir." God's intention was to give Abraham a son and an heir when it looked humanly impossible so that Abraham would have to rely solely on God.<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />The Most Important Gift Catalog in the World:<br /><br />http://www.heifer.org/gift<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />**Article Content Spinner**<br /><br />https://paydotcom.com/r/11999/lit4u/22998642/<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:11-13 - NIV).<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Faithful With Much<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br /><br />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: <br /><br />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. <br /><br />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." <br /><br />As he finished it was clear that everyone had been moved by this man's story. <br />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!" <br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Daily Devotional<br />By Bill Keller<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /> <br /><br />For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:21<br /><br />A test for where your heart is. In today's world of modern medicine, there are numerous tests to check the condition of your heart. However, today I have a very different test for your heart. Jesus said many profound things during His years of ministry. One of those profound sayings is our anchor verse today that binds together your treasure and your heart. What you spend your money on is a great indicator of where your heart really is. I want to challenge you to let God speak to you through these words today. This is like one of those pop quizzes you used to get in school. How you score on this test will give you a great indication if you are on the right track or if you need some work in this area. Please know that I will be praying for you.<br /><br />Every day we have many choices to make. One of the choices we make each day is how we will spend the money God gives to us. Never forget, all that we have is from God, it is simply on loan to us. We have been given stewardship over the resources God gives us during our life. How we manage and utilize those resources becomes a test of not only our ability to be a good stewards of what God entrusts into our care, but where our heart is. As Jesus stated in today's passage of Scripture, you can get a great measure of your heart for God based on how you spend the money God blesses you with.<br /><br />Ok, here is your test. Get a piece of paper and something to write with. You don't need to be an accountant and detail every penny, but in round numbers, figure out how much money you have made in the past year. You need to include all of your sources of income. What you made working, what you may have made selling something, any money people gave you, include everything that you have had come into your hands over the past year. Now, roughly figure out what you spent. In this part, break it down into two columns. Column one is basic living expenses and column two is everything else.<br /><br />Basic living expenses include what it costs you to live each month, where you live, utilities, food, insurance, transportation, medical, clothing, all the basic necessities of daily life. Everything else is all the money you spend outside of your basic living expenses. This is the key element of the test, so it is important to do your best to include EVERYTHING you spend money on, no matter how trivial it may seem. Most people are actually shocked as they fill out this column regarding how much of their money they spend on so many different things. A very small percentage of people have ever done this before, actually sitting down and listing all of the things <br />they buy and how much they spent. I assure you it will be an eye opening experience for you.<br /><br />After you have finished putting everything down on paper, it is time to take a look at where your heart is. Listen, the purpose of this exercise is not to make you feel bad or upset you. It is a great exercise to see exactly where your heart is, since what you spend your money on gives you a great indication of where your priorities are, what is really important to you. Zero in on the everything else column. Look carefully over what you are spending your money on and how much you are spending on different things. Out of that total dollar amount, what percentage is going to support the Lord's work through your church or some ministry you have been led to give to? Is it 5%? Is it 10%? Is it 25%? Is it 50% or more?<br /><br />I can't sit here and tell you how much you should be giving to the Lord's work. That is an amount you and God have to work out. All I want to do today is help you see in black and white what you are spending your money on, how much you are spending on different things, and what percentage is actually going to God. Now it is time to get alone with the Lord and pray. Ask Him to show you through these figures if your heart is where it needs to be. I know most will be amazed at the things they buy, at how much money they spend on things that seem so trivial, and how much more they could be doing to support the work of God. Those in bondage to smoking and/or alcohol will quickly see a huge amount of money that is acutally being spent to kill yourself slowly. No doubt you will see other areas that you are spending a great deal of your resources on and it will force you to ask yourself how much of your heart is really God's.<br /><br />I love you and care about you so much. I will be praying for you today. I will be praying for the Lord to use this test to really show you where your heart is. God's Word teaches us to be good stewards of what He entrusts into our care during this life. After our basic living expenses are taken care of, we need to be wise to invest some of our resources for the future. How we spend whatever is left gives us a good insight into where our heart is really at. I challenge you today that if your heart is God's, you will find that a good portion of your treasure is being invested in the work of the Lord since it was Jesus who told us, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />(Part 2 of 2)<br /><br />HAGAR AND SLAVERY vs. SARAH AND FREEDOM <br />(Galatians 4:21-31)<br />By John Piper<br /><br />But in Genesis 16 Abraham and Sarah weaken in their faith for a time and devise a plan by which they will use their own resources to help God fulfill his promise. Sarah gives Hagar, her handmaid, to Abraham so she can bear him a son (16:2). And in Genesis 16:15 it says, "Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram called the name of his son whom Hagar bore to him Ishmael." So when Paul says in Galatians 4:23 that Ishmael was born "according to the flesh" it means that he was the product of self-reliance. Abraham ceased to rely on God's power to fulfill his word and instead relied on his own power and ingenuity to get a son.<br /><br />Then, fourteen years later, in Genesis 17:16 God says to Abraham that his wife, Sarah, will have a son. God intends to fulfill his promise in a way that removes all ground for boasting. In verses 17-19 it says, "Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, 'Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah who is 90 years old bear a child?' And Abraham said to God, 'O, that Ishmael might live in thy sight!' God said, 'No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him."' God rejects what Abraham was able to produce on his own and promises again that in spite of Abraham's age, he will have a son by his own wife. So in Genesis 21:1 it says, 'The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised." Isaac was not born according to the flesh because his birth was the result of God's supernatural intervention in fulfillment of his own promise. Abraham had learned his lesson: the only acceptable response to God's merciful promise is trust in that promise, not works of the flesh that try, to bring down God's blessing with our efforts. So Galatians 4:23 sums up the story: "The son of the slave was born according to the flesh, the son of the free woman through promise."<br /><br />Verse 24 says that Paul sees an allegory in these events, that is, he sees them as apt representations of something more than their literal meaning. I don't think Paul would say that the original meaning of Genesis had reference to Mt. Sinai or to Jerusalem. I think he would say that the truth implied in the stories about Hagar and Sarah is the same truth that we can now see in what happened at Mt. Sinai and continues to happen in the present Jerusalem. So it is fully legitimate to use those stories from Genesis to symbolize and illustrate the later events.<br /><br />According to verse 24, Hagar and Sarah represent two covenants. First, he focuses on Hagar and says, "One (covenant) is from Mt. Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mt. Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children." The key question here is: how is Hagar and her affair with Abraham and their son Ishmael like the covenant of Mt. Sinai - the giving of the law through Moses? There are two similarities at least. Hagar's giving birth to Ishmael is done "according to the flesh" (v. 23); Abraham and Hagar tried to get God's promised blessing by their own strength without relying on God's supernatural enablement. That is just what happened when the law was given at Mt. Sinai. Instead of humbling themselves and trusting God for help to obey his commands Israel says confidently, "All the words which the Lord has spoken we will do" (Ex. 24:3; Deut. 5:27). But they did not have hearts inclined to trust in God (Heb. 4:2) or truly depend on him (Deut. 5:29). And so like Hagar and Abraham they depended on their own resources. And just as Ishmael was born according to the flesh, so the law offered was not received because (as Romans 8:3 says) the law was "weakened by the flesh." All that Abraham and Hagar produced on their own was a son who would not be the heir. All that Israel produced when they tried to keep the law on their own was a legalism which would inherit nothing.<br /><br />Which leads to the second similarity between Hagar and Mt. Sinai -- both of them bear children for slavery. Verse 24 says that the covenant Hagar represents is from Mt. Sinai "bearing children for slavery." Since Ishmael was not accepted as an heir he was no better than his mother, a slave. And when the Israelites take the law upon themselves without trusting God for gracious enablement, they become slaves because they have no freedom to do the law from the heart and because their unbelief locks them into disobedience and excludes them from the inheritance.<br /><br />Then to bring the allegory up to date at the end of verse 25 Paul says, "She corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children." This is a direct attack on the Judaizers who have come from Jerusalem (cf. 2:12). They are the children of Jerusalem and they are slaves to the law and to the demonic forces of the world (4:3,8). So you can see Paul's point: don't follow these false teachers -- they may show you how to become sons of Abraham, but beware! With them you will be an Ishmael, not an Isaac. A slave, not an heir.<br /><br />Then in verse 26 Paul turns his attention to the other half of the allegory -- Sarah and her child, Isaac. But he skips over any mention of the (Abrahamic) covenant and gets right up to date: "But the Jerusalem above is free. and she is our mother." He contrasts the present Jerusalem in verse 25 with the "Jerusalem above" in verse 26. What he means by the Jerusalem above can be seen in Colossians 3:1-3, "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth. For you have died and your life is hid with Christ in God." The Jerusalem above represents the dwelling place of God. Our life and our freedom flow down from him and our lives are already secure on the citizen books of that city. Sarah represents that city because she gave birth to Isaac not by reliance on herself but by an act of God from above in fulfillment of his promise. Therefore, spiritually speaking, she is the mother of all Christians -- of people whose lives are not merely the product of human resources but of God's supernatural work in their heart. So Paul says in verse 28, "Now we brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise." Our real life is not, like Ishmael's, simply owing to the work of man. Our real life is owing to the work of God in us fulfilling his promise to make for himself a people (Gen. 12:1-3) and to put his Spirit within them (Ezek. 36:27) and write his law on their hearts (Jer. 31:33).<br /><br />This is confirmed by the contrast in verse 29. It says, "But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now." Recall how in verse 23 the contrast was between one born according to the flesh and one born through promise. But notice here in verse 29 that the same contrast is between one born according to the flesh and one born according to the Spirit. "Born according to the Spirit" is interchangeable with "born through promise." This confirms that "children of promise" in verse 28 refers to people whose inner life is the work of God's Spirit in fulfillment of his promise. The difference between Ishmael-types and Isaac-types is a supernatural work of the Spirit of God.<br /><br />Then verse 30 assures us that not the Ishmael-types -- not the Judaizers -- but the Isaac-types will inherit the blessing of Abraham, even though they may be persecuted. Finally, Paul concludes in verse 31 that we -- that is, we who live by faith in the Son of God and don't rely on what we can achieve on our own -- are not in the slave category but in the category of the free.<br /><br />Which brings us back to our definition of freedom. Freedom is what you have when there is opportunity. ability and desire to do what will make you happy in a thousand years. Surely everyone here wants this full freedom -- to have occasion and ability to do what you love to do with the result that you live in perfect joy forever. If that's what you want, then this text is crucial for you, because Paul says the Ishmael-types don't have this freedom but the Isaac-types do.<br /><br />Why aren't the Ishmael-types free? They are not free because they lack the desire to rest in God's promises. They lack the desire to show their own resourcefulness. It's not that they desire to reject God. They simply want him on their own terms. Abraham and Hagar wanted God's blessing but not on his terms.<br /><br />The Judaizers want God's blessing but not on his terms. Ishmael-types in every age rely on human resources and don't desire to feel like children in need of a father, or like a patient in need of a doctor. Ishmael-types think you can outgrow:<br /><br />Jesus loves me, this I know<br />For the Bible tells me so.<br />Little ones to him belong,<br />We are weak but he is strong.<br /><br />Therefore, when it comes to saving faith, Ishmael-types do not have the freedom of desire. They do not want it. Therefore they also lack the freedom of eternal life, because no one who prefers to live in his own strength rather than trusting God will be saved and go to heaven. And what's more, the hardness of heart that spurns childlike dependence on God will also darken the understanding. Every one of us knows that the most common use of the mind is to justify our desires. Therefore, deeply wrong desires will deeply mislead the mind until it is not able to understand what is right. So Ishmael-types are not free because they lack the freedom of desire to rest in God's sovereign grace; and therefore they lack the freedom of ability to understand God's will, and finally, they lack the freedom of eternal joy, because the life they have chosen leads to destruction.<br /><br />But we, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise (Gal. 4:28). We have been born of the Holy Spirit. The essence of Christianity is the miracle of new birth. The hallmark of the Isaac-types is that we have been converted, changed, transformed at the center of our lives so that we desire to rest in God's sovereign grace. We desire to become as little children and receive the power and wisdom and holiness from our all-sufficient Father. We hate the remaining tendencies in us to be proud and to trust in ourselves or other people instead of God. Our delight is in the law of the Lord and our choicest food is to do his will in reliance on his power. This is what it means to be born according to the Spirit. This is what it means to say I no longer live but Christ lives in me (Gal. 2:20). His passion becomes our passion.<br /><br />Therefore, Isaac-types have the freedom of desire. We don't labor slavishly under the burden of having to do what we don't want to do. We are free to do what we love to do and to do it forever in perfect joy. For God has caused us to be born again by the Spirit of his Son, and is shaping our desires according to his will.<br /><br />"For freedom Christ has set us free! Stand fast, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery."<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />**Safe List Buddy**<br /><br />https://paydotcom.com/r/2484/lit4u/22998653/<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />"Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares<br />about you" (1 Peter 5:7 – NLT).<br /><br />Be sure to send in your prayer request for the next<br />mailing.<br /><br />You are in my thoughts and prayers! May the Lord<br />continue to bless you with knowledge of Himself.<br /><br />Let's keep our light shining and our prayers lifted!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/199/0CA66550222FF786EE01B7FD6F7242FE.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;"/></a><br />Mark Seay<br />Lighthouse Prayer Line<br />105 Quincy Drive<br />Greer, SC 29650<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br />"In his heart a man plans his course, but the <br />LORD determines his steps (Proverbs 16:9 - NIV).<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />"God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in <br />our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His <br />megaphone to rouse a deaf world" (C.S. Lewis).<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br />We hope you have found today's newsletter encouraging to your<br />walk with Jesus Christ. Please send all prayer requests and<br />praise reports to us by using the "comments" hyperlink, which<br />can be found at the end of each blog/article. God is Good!!!<br /><br />A Candle Loses Nothing by Lighting Another Candle. Please Keep This<br />Candle Going!<br /><br />-------††††-------Please<br />-------††††-------Forward<br />-------††††-------This<br />††††††††††††††††Cross<br />††††††††††††††††Along<br />-------††††-------With Our<br />-------††††-------Newsletter.<br />-------††††-------Share Your<br />-------††††-------Love For GOD<br />-------††††-------With A Friend!!!!!!<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br />(¯`*•.(¯`*•.God is Good - ALL of the Time!!!.•*´¯).•*´¯)<br />~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /> •´.¸¸.•¨¯`♥.Visit Us Soon!.♥´¯¨•.¸¸.´•<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /><br /> I'm just a nobody<br /> trying to tell everybody<br /> that there is somebody<br /> who can save anybody!!<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /><br />We can use your help!<br /><br />Aside from the fact that ALL of your donation will<br />be used to purchase Bibles, Gospel Tracts & Bible <br />Studies, you will be serving as an active witness in <br />someone's life. Your donation will directly touch the<br />lives of many who are being introduced to Jesus as <br />their Lord & Savior for the very first time! <br /><br />Friend, we have the unique opportunity of being able <br />to offer purple & gold, 100%-siliconized wristbands. <br />These attractive bands have been debossed right here<br />in the good 'ole USA with "Need Prayer?" etched on <br />one side; and with "LighthousePrayerLine.org" on the <br />other.<br /><br />So many wonderful causes will be helped through<br />this drive, such as countless numbers of inmates <br />through our prison ministry, South Indian missions<br />and many USA workers.<br /><br />We are waiving the postage fees. FREE Shipping!! <br /><br />Would you be willing to help "the least of these"?<br /><br />1 band ... $ 5<br />2 bands ... $ 9<br />3 bands ... $12<br />5 bands ... $15<br /><br />We appreciate your support and witness to a fallen world!<br /><br />Send your gift in the form of cash, check or money order to:<br /><br />Mark Seay<br />105 Quincy Drive<br />Greer, SC 29650<br /><br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Lighthouse Prayer Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967875533234296119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582307140302329124.post-54393257176600362302009-10-17T18:58:00.000-07:002009-10-17T19:22:29.708-07:00The SandpiperBy Robert Peterson<br />www.LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZW2ISmwu0g0bFueMRnz5o79amTj4NMjjV05TvlGx9U63N6KcdYKkQ2VwIu-lg7hbPGD-0_LrSzu19xRbJD6rLap4x858CpHDlZ-vVmxFOS6P_LcuvUbhdKh4AHIHG-a6YpHwhs48FJvH3/s1600-h/aaaaaaa6.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 87px; height: 116px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZW2ISmwu0g0bFueMRnz5o79amTj4NMjjV05TvlGx9U63N6KcdYKkQ2VwIu-lg7hbPGD-0_LrSzu19xRbJD6rLap4x858CpHDlZ-vVmxFOS6P_LcuvUbhdKh4AHIHG-a6YpHwhs48FJvH3/s400/aaaaaaa6.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393755346609390594" /></a><br />She was six years old when I first met her on<br />the beach near where I live. I drive to this beach,<br />a distance of three or four miles, whenever the<br />world begins to close in on me. She was building<br />a sand castle or something and looked up, her<br />eyes as blue as the sea.<br /> <br />'Hello,' she said.<br /><br />I answered with a nod, not really in the mood to<br />bother with a small child.<br /><br />'I'm building,' she said.<br /><br />'I see that. What is it?' I asked, not really caring.<br /><br />'Oh, I don't know, I just like the feel of sand.'<br /><br />That sounds good, I thought, and slipped off my<br />shoes.<br /><br />A sandpiper glided by.<br /><br />'That's a joy,' the child said.<br /><br />'It's a what?'<br /><br />'It's a joy. My mama says sandpipers come to<br />bring us joy.'<br /><br />The bird went gliding down the beach. Good-bye<br />joy, I muttered to myself, hello pain, and turned<br />to walk on. I was depressed, my life seemed<br />completely out of balance.<br /><br />'What's your name?' She wouldn't give up.<br /><br />'Robert,' I answered. 'I'm Robert Peterson.'<br /><br />'Mine's Wendy...I'm six.'<br /><br />'Hi, Wendy.'<br /><br />She giggled. 'You're funny,' she said.<br /><br />In spite of my gloom, I laughed too and walked<br />on. Her musical giggle followed me.<br /><br />'Come again, Mr. P,' she called. 'We'll have another<br />happy day.'<br /><br />The next few days consisted of a group of unruly<br />Boy Scouts, PTA meetings, and an ailing mother.<br />The sun was shining one morning as I took my<br />hands out of the dishwater. I need a sandpiper, I<br />said to myself, gathering up my coat.<br /><br />The ever-changing balm of the seashore awaited<br />me. The breeze was chilly but I strode along,<br />trying to recapture the serenity I needed.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4VnQRM6ZANvO3NFKYG2-yIpFM2TkFOuu58aQV-lt2mDYxFSD6dZh6dJS1xVZucyd3l-DaTz7b_oVOkN3lJVO6st-kpMpAVgf7KJ8DWdDHFj8EujsImSgZDTmWj4I3mh3ak1tbezAJCI4a/s1600-h/aaaaaabeach.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 140px; height: 102px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4VnQRM6ZANvO3NFKYG2-yIpFM2TkFOuu58aQV-lt2mDYxFSD6dZh6dJS1xVZucyd3l-DaTz7b_oVOkN3lJVO6st-kpMpAVgf7KJ8DWdDHFj8EujsImSgZDTmWj4I3mh3ak1tbezAJCI4a/s400/aaaaaabeach.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393755594870593026" /></a><br />'Hello, Mr. P,' she said. 'Do you want to play?'<br /><br />'What did you have in mind?' I asked, with a twinge of annoyance.<br /><br />'I don't know. You say.'<br /><br />'How about charades?' I asked sarcastically.<br /><br />The tinkling laughter burst forth again. 'I don't<br />know what that is.'<br /><br />'Then let's just walk.'<br /><br />Looking at her, I noticed the delicate fairness<br />of her face. 'Where do you live?' I asked.<br /><br />'Over there.' She pointed toward a row of summer<br />cottages.<br /><br />Strange, I thought, in winter.<br /><br />'Where do you go to school?'<br /><br />'I don't go to school. Mommy says we're on vacation.'<br /><br />She chattered little girl talk as we strolled up the<br />beach, but my mind was on other things. When I<br />left for home, Wendy said it had been a happy day.<br />Feeling surprisingly better, I smiled at her and agreed.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrPH5IJLzHlr6JGyxTmOM6yxlg1Pz0aIlIzx80GmPg-2EfojChym3ZzoFVNTH3BW_9qRT1R1pFL9ExuLdb7fs7YhUmZS3sHZdu2P5y7kBe2Svn6UNYqoBGZImECPMA0Rol8JLu58WK1MYc/s1600-h/aaaaabeach.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 130px; height: 90px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrPH5IJLzHlr6JGyxTmOM6yxlg1Pz0aIlIzx80GmPg-2EfojChym3ZzoFVNTH3BW_9qRT1R1pFL9ExuLdb7fs7YhUmZS3sHZdu2P5y7kBe2Svn6UNYqoBGZImECPMA0Rol8JLu58WK1MYc/s400/aaaaabeach.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393755897464155586" /></a><br />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.<br /><br />'Look, if you don't mind,' I said crossly when Wendy<br />caught up with me, 'I'd rather be alone today.' She<br />seemed unusually pale and out of breath.<br /><br />'Why?' she asked.<br /><br />I turned to her and shouted, 'Because my mother<br />died!' and thought, My God, why was I saying this<br />to a little child?<br /><br />'Oh,' she said quietly, 'then this is a bad day.'<br /><br />'Yes,' I said, 'and yesterday and the day before<br />and -- oh, go away!'<br /><br />'Did it hurt?' she inquired.<br /><br />'Did what hurt?' I was exasperated with her, with<br />myself.<br /><br />'When she died?'<br /><br />'Of course it hurt!' I snapped, misunderstanding,<br />wrapped up in myself. I strode off.<br /><br />A month or so after that, when I next went to the<br />beach, she wasn't there. Feeling guilty, ashamed,<br />and admitting to myself I missed her, I went up<br />to the cottage after my walk and knocked at the<br />door. A drawn looking young woman with honey-<br />colored hair opened the door.<br /><br />'Hello,' I said, 'I'm Robert Peterson. I missed your<br />little girl today and wondered where she was.'<br /><br />'Oh yes, Mr. Peterson, please come in. Wendy<br />spoke of you so much. I'm afraid I allowed her to<br />bother you. If she was a nuisance, please, accept<br />my apologies.'<br /><br />'Not at all--she's a delightful child.' I said, suddenly<br />realizing that I meant what I had just said.<br /><br />'Wendy died last week, Mr. Peterson. She had<br />leukemia. Maybe she didn't tell you.'<br /><br />Struck dumb, I groped for a chair. I had to catch<br />my breath.<br /><br />'She loved this beach, so when she asked to come,<br />we couldn't say no. She seemed so much better here<br />and had a lot of what she called happy days. But the<br />last few weeks, she declined rapidly...' Her voice<br />faltered, 'She left something for you, if only I can find it.<br />Could you wait a moment while I look?'<br /><br />I nodded stupidly, my mind racing for something to say<br />to this lovely young woman. She handed me a smeared<br />envelope with 'MR. P' printed in bold childish letters.<br />Inside was a drawing in bright crayon hues--a yellow<br />beach, a blue sea, and a brown bird. Underneath was<br />carefully printed:<br /><br />A SANDPIPER TO BRING YOU JOY.<br /><br />Tears welled up in my eyes, and a heart that had<br />almost forgotten to love opened wide. I took Wendy's<br />mother in my arms. 'I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so<br />sorry,' I uttered over and over, and we wept together.<br />The precious little picture is framed now and hangs<br />in my study. Six words--one for each year of her life<br />-- that speak to me of harmony, courage, and<br />undemanding love.<br /><br />A gift from a child with sea blue eyes and hair the<br />color of sand, who taught me the gift of love.<br /><br />-------------------------------------------------<br />NOTE: This is a true story sent out by Robert<br />Peterson. It happened over 20 years ago and<br />the incident changed his life forever. It serves<br />as a reminder to all of us that we need to take<br />time to enjoy living and life and each other.<br />The price of hating other human beings is<br />loving oneself less.<br /><br />Life is so complicated, the hustle and bustle of<br />everyday traumas can make us lose focus about<br />what is truly important or what is only a momentary<br />setback or crisis.<br /><br />This week, be sure to give your loved ones an extra<br />hug, and by all means, take a moment...even if it is<br />only ten seconds, to stop and smell the roses.<br /><br />This comes from someone's heart, and is read by<br />many and now I share it with you...<br /><br />May God Bless everyone who receives this! There<br />are NO coincidences!<br /><br />Everything that happens to us happens for a<br />reason. Never brush aside anyone as insignificant.<br />Who knows what they can teach us?<br />--------------------------------------------------<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3tuRs3l55k7S6KT5v5GOV1HpY5h1x0mdmWRoNKtr206Ey0gHpUZdKFAYj1gnx2jPJ_q6m40RAcSjsj4DEpZ2Zr8lRZ9EqJ-RNuiK5kt3zQ_mgnFdl-5dQU4Rg_eg10yBTSJJ-zYpeq6SA/s1600-h/aaaaaasp.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 145px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3tuRs3l55k7S6KT5v5GOV1HpY5h1x0mdmWRoNKtr206Ey0gHpUZdKFAYj1gnx2jPJ_q6m40RAcSjsj4DEpZ2Zr8lRZ9EqJ-RNuiK5kt3zQ_mgnFdl-5dQU4Rg_eg10yBTSJJ-zYpeq6SA/s400/aaaaaasp.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393757568411039362" /></a><br /><br /><em><strong>I wish for you, a SANDPIPER!!<br /><br />I know and love one. <br /><br />Do you?</strong></em><br /><br /><br /><br /><em>** To read many other stories just like this one, <br />visit: http://www.LighthousePrayerLine.org .</em>Lighthouse Prayer Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967875533234296119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582307140302329124.post-7477990708916277632009-10-17T10:18:00.001-07:002009-10-17T10:36:57.446-07:00*~*Prayer Requests for 10/17/2009:((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />"If we cannot believe God when circumstances <br />seem to be against us, we do not believe Him <br />at all" (Charles Spurgeon).<br /> <br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />This year, with the help of churches and volunteers across the country, we hope to serve over 400,000 Angel Tree children. But we can't do it without you.<br /><br />As we get closer to Christmas there are still thousands of children who need to know they haven't been forgotten. If you've already supported this year's campaign, thank you so much for your generosity.<br /><br />https://www.angeltree.org/at-appeal-donation?dc=APPEAL4-1009<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />"Let no one deceive you with empty words, <br />for because of such things God's wrath comes <br />on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not <br />be partners with them" (Ephesians 5:6-7 - NIV).<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />Hi friend,<br /><br />Please keep the following individuals in your prayers:<br /><br />1) Vince asks for our prayers. He writes, "I ask for prayer for my brother in-law Jack,who was brought to the hospital today for heart problems. He is older and a good kind man. He is always willing to give a helping hand to anyone that needs help. I pray for the doctors who will be taking care of him. I know he is in God's hands. I pray through Christ, our Lord.";<br /><br />2) "I AM IN DESPRATE NEED OF AN EMERGENCY MIRACLE. I AM IN DESPRATE NEED OF $5,000.00 RIGHT NOW. I AM SINKING FAST HERE. I OWE 3 LOAN COMPANYS AND I NEED $1,200.00 BY OCT.27TH FOR MY TAXES. I HAVE NO ONE ELSE ALIVE TO HELP ME ALL I HAVE IS JESUS AND YOUR PRAYERS FOR ME. JESUS SAYS ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE KNOCK AND THE DOOR WILL BE OPENENED UNTO YOU. WELL,I'M ASKING DESPERATELY FOR HELP AND I'M KNOCKING AS HARD AS I CAN TO BE HEARD. MY HUSBAND AND I ARE DISABLED AND WE ARE BOTH IN WHEELCHAIRS. WE ARE STRUGGLING HERE SO BAD. OUR HOME NEEDS NUMEROUS REPAIRS AND WE CAN'T FIX THEM. WE CAN'T AFFORD TO TAKE OUT ANYMORE LOANS. SO,I PRAY THE LORD WILL HEAR MY PLEA FOR $5,000.00 IMMEDIATELY. PLEASE KEEP US IN YOUR PRAYERS THANK YOU!" -LUCRETIA;<br /><br />3) MLD asks to be remembered in our prayers. He writes, "If it is your will God please heal Kand R's marriage. Thank you for your prayers.";<br /><br />4) "I feel lost spiritually, and in need of praying for me. I miss the feeling of being close to Jesus. PLEASE pray that I meet someone to talk to me about Jesus. I'm lost big time. I feel like I'm dead inside. PLEASE PRAY,PLEASE PRAY." -Nena;<br /><br />5) Sue asks for our prayers. She writes, "Please I am praying for a miracle to bring my husband back home to my kids and I. I miss him so much and really want our marriage to be restored. Please Please pray hard for this miracle.";<br /><br />6) "Oh, please, help me. I don't feel like God is listening to me anymore. I don't feel His presence, hear His voice, feel Him in my life. At one time, I felt God had a plan for me, but now I feel so alone, so bereft. How can I pray for others when I feel so disconnected from God? Please, Lord, don't abandon me!" -Becky;<br /><br />7) Teri asks for us to remember her in our thoughts and prayers. She writes, "Please pray the Lord will lift my family out of this dry, difficult season of crisis and heal us and give us direction. Thank you.";<br /><br />8) "My son Jessie is very sick. He is 24 years old. He has HIV. I love him so much please pray that God would see him through this. I ask for his healing. I know God is able. God Bless." -Billy;<br /><br />9) Jim asks to be remembered in our prayers. He writes, "My name is Jim recently my girlfriend's dad has banned me from going to visit her for a reason I am still unsure of. My girlfriend now cries just about every minute of the day knowing that I won't be seeing her as often as i used to. I helped this family in their time of need, my mom and I when shopping for them twice and bought them groceries when they needed them, so i haven't the slightest clue what happened that he wanted to ban me from his home. I feel sort of betrayed by him (her dad). Please pray for me and help me ask God to affect her dad to let me visit her again.";<br /><br />10) "Please pray for my husband and I to find a home, we are getting evicted and have no where to turn to or the money to get there. please pray for our love to not turn from each other while going through such a bad time. Sincerely, Diana";<br /><br />11) "...that I reach my full potential and bloom into the young flower that I know I can be!! God is always in my heart regardless of my path I end up taking! :)" -Lizzy;<br /><br />12) Marisa asks for our prayers. She writes, "My husband and I are trying to get pregnant. Please pray that we are successful are names are Marisa and Joshua.";<br /><br />13) Please pray for Lynn, my wife. She has had terrible pains in her upper back this week which has kept her awake most nights tossing & turning.;<br /><br />14) Nikka asks to be remembered in our prayers. She writes, "Dear Lord, please give me the strength and the patience to deal with all the misery in my life. I don't know what i'm going to do. I'm about to go crazy. I don't have any support after You. Please, please hear my cries and help me through my misery Father. i ask it all in your son's Jesus name I pray. Amen.";<br /><br />15) "Today happens to be my birthday and want to take this oppertunity to thank god for opening the gate to peace for me and my family - Clement, Premela,Crystal and Mark. Thank you lord and please continue to guide us all to your pathway of peace and humility. Bring us closer to each other and to you. Close the door to all evil doers and open the door to yur pathway. Lord, I am so grateful to you for bringing us closer to you and have faith and strength in you." -Clem,Prem,Crystal and Mark;<br /><br />16) Shoney asks for our prayers. She writes: "My friend is very angry at God about the loss of a dear friend from cancer a while back, and now another friend has been diagnosed with cancer. He is thinking that God is mean and often rages at him. Can you pray for God to touch his heart. And pray for me that I may help to rid him of his anger toward God."<br /><br />17) "My husband just lost his job, and we need a miracle from God now, he can't find another job please pray for our family I have a 13 year old and a 6 month old we need Gods help." -Stephanie;<br /><br />18) Anna asks to be remembered in our prayers. She writes, "My husband is currently working in Iraq and has been for three years. He is ready to come home. I need guidance and peace of mind that he is doing the right thing since he will be coming home with no job and that God will lead him to make the right decision. I Know God works in mysterious ways.....pray that if he does come home he will lead him to a good job and the right job. we have worked so hard and now I am scared he is making a mistake cause he is lonely and upset with matters over there. I want him home desperately...but with Gods blessings. Please help me find comfort in knowing that this is where God is leading him at this time! PRAY really hard all over the World. I think we could use it! I very future hangs on this. We could loose our home and everything becasue what I make will barely buy the groceries!"; <br /><br />19) Harley asks us to pray for her 'Nana' and her back problems. She will be visiting the doctor next week to see if she can get relief from the constant pain.;<br /><br />20) Ken and Joan Hester, missionairies in the Philippines, write: "Prayer Requests: *Pray for all those that cleaning up from the slides it is dangerous. * For me as I travel by bus to Manila and that the rds will be clear and safe. * And as I travel from to Davao in the southern end of Philippines Plane. * As I minister in Churches and Villages both while here and there in Davao.";<br /><br />21) K.P. Yohannan asks for our prayers. He writes, "In the two states in South India that were recently hit with some of the worst floods in memory, our missionaries and believers have already been able to reach 10,000 families with relief supplies. The death toll has already surpassed 300, and millions have been displaced from their homes. Please keep our missionaries and believers in prayer as they continue to minister in Jesus' name among these men, women and precious children who have suffered so much.";<br /><br />22) "Please pray for my husband who has struggled with ssa since he can remember and is living with another man. Both of them believe in God and He has been working in their hearts. I need wisdom as my husband and I continue communicating with each other." -Connie;<br /><br />23) "LORD KEEP MY EYES ON YOU NOT ON Y FEARS." -MICKEY;<br /><br />24) "Please stand in agreement with me that god grants a miracle restoration of our marriage (John and Sue). Thank you, John";<br /><br />25) Nikia asks for our prayers. She writes, "Please pray for me, please pray for those loved ones and those I know who are unhealthy in any kind of way. Please pray for my children and there safety and happiness. Please pray that my family can rise from poverty and get out of this neighborhood into a better and brighter neighborhood where they can go outside and play with no worries. Please pray for financial upbringing and happiness for us all. Please pray that we will get closer to the lord. Thank you.";<br /><br />26) "I request this prayer on behalf of my Boyfriend Ian. Several years ago he fractured his spine, several bone fragments shot into and around the surrounding area causing severe pain. The pain never really went away but was manageable... until now. He is starting is practicum in criminology this January, but his pain has become so severe that he has been in the emergency room everyday because there's nothing else to do. The doctors told him they are unable to do anything, but there has to be something. I pray for Ian to have a little more faith in god, he will provide. Pray for him to be healed, if that means surgery so be it. He needs a doctor willing to fight for him. He is 20 years old. Right now it seems like there is a dark future ahead, but I'm praying and getting everyone I know to pray. Please, we could use you support! God bless." -Krista; and lastly...<br /><br />27) Saint419 asks for our prayers: "Please pray for my friend Arlyn N. She has been working with us for exactly two years now, however she was recently informed by the District Manager Lou V. that she could be transferred to another store at any time. We feel very sad about this. We don't want Arlyn to go and neither does she want to leave us. Please pray that Lou and his boss Greg C. will change their minds and allow Arlyn to continue working with us at store #163 for at least one more year. Thank you for your prayers!".<br /><br /><br /> **God bless you for caring enough to pray!!!**<br /><br />........................................<br /><br />A real friend is always and under all circumstances a friend (Proverbs 17:17a).<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br /> *~*Spotlight Site*~*<br /><br /> http://WayOfTheMasterRadio.com<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />"He who conceals his sins does not prosper,<br />but whoever confesses and renounces them <br />finds mercy" (Proverbs 28:13 - NIV).<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Falling Off The Horse<br /><br />The old time pastor was galloping down the road, rushing to get to church on time. <br /><br />Suddenly his horse stumbled and pitched him to the ground. <br /><br />In the dirt with a broken leg, the pastor called out, <br />"All you saints in Heaven, help me get up on my horse!" <br /><br />Then, with superhuman effort, he leaped onto the horse's back and fell off the other side. <br /><br />Once again on the ground, he called to Heaven, "All right, just half of you this time!" <br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />"Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them" (Luke 12:35-37 - NIV).<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Acts 23:1-5 (Part 1 of 2)<br />By Laurence W. Venoitt<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br /><br />On Friday the president of Cornell University, Hunter R. Rawlings III condemned teaching intelligent design as science. He denounced intelligent design as, (NY Times, Saturday, Oct. 21, 2005) "religious belief masquerading as a secular idea."<br /><br />He cited a recent report by the Pew Research Center in Washington which said 42 percent of Americans believe that creationism should be taught instead of evolution. Rawlings said, "This is above all a cultural issue, not a scientific one,"<br /><br />How do you feel as a Christian when you read something like that? If you're a Christian you have to believe in intelligent design because that's what the first two chapters of Genesis teach. So how do you react when you read something like that? Should we hang our heads and be apologetic about our Christian beliefs? Should we admit grudgingly admit that Christianity is wrong about creation and merely try to convince them that it is right on other points? <br /><br />Not at all. One of the great things that our text teaches us is the attitude that Christians should have about the gospel. Paul shows us something here that we should not miss. Not only are Christians to go forth with the gospel of Jesus Christ, but we are to go forth with it in a certain way, with a certain attitude, with a certain demeanor. There's an attitude that God wants us to have when we are proclaiming Jesus Christ. It's an attitude of confidence, of boldness, absolute certainty in the truth of the gospel, of being sure that what we are proclaiming is in very truth what the world needs. <br /><br />There are three things in our passage that show us this. <br /><br />First, consider how Paul behaved when he was brought before the Sanhedrin. <br /><br />Paul was the center of attention. All eyes were on him. He had made some very surprising statements. He had told the Jews that God had told him to leave Jerusalem and preach to the Gentiles. As we have seen, this infuriated the Jews. To them it was one of the greatest of heresies. <br /><br />Now it's important that we see this in its wider context. <br />As J. A. Alexander writes, "Paul was not a mere chance <br />visitor to Jerusalem, accidentally involved in a disturbance <br />there, but the Apostle of the Gentiles, specially commissioned <br />to make, as it were, a last appeal to Israel, before he <br />finally transferred his center of operations to the great <br />metropolis and mistress of the heathen world."<br /><br />So we are not to look at this narrowly, but remember that the Spirit compelled Paul to go to Jerusalem. He is there on official business for Jesus Christ. <br /><br />As a result of the disturbance the previous day Paul is brought before the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin was the Jewish high council. It was composed of high priests, elders and scholars, and met under the presidency of the ruling high priest. But it wasn't exclusively a religious court. It was, (BDAG) "the highest indigenous governing body in Judaea… and… was the ultimate authority not only in religious matters, but in legal and governmental affairs as well, in so far as it did not encroach on the authority of the Roman procurator."<br /><br />This body was the epitome of Judaism that had rejected Jesus. They did not accept Jesus' claims to be the Messiah, the Anointed One, the One who came to fulfill the Old Testament. <br /><br />So Paul is brought before them, the Sanhedrin, with all their tradition, with all their learning, with all their pomp and circumstance—and what does he do? We read,<br /> <br />"Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, 'My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.'" <br /><br />Paul didn't let them steal the high ground. He was not at all apologetic about the gospel. Nor should he have been. He had a good conscience. He told them that. Paul told them that he was far from being an apostate or renegade, (J. A. Alexander) "he claimed to be still a faithful member of the chosen people…"<br /><br />Further, Paul knew that, (Alexander): <br /><br />"Christianity was the genuine development of ancient Judaism, so that he, and not his adversaries, held fast to the true design and spirit of the Mosaic institutions."<br /><br />Paul knew the gospel of Jesus Christ was the power of God for salvation. He knew he had the truth—the truth of God and he stood up for it. As he wrote in Romans 1:16, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile." <br /><br />He knew that Christ was, (1 Corinthians 1:24) "the power of God and the wisdom of God." <br /><br />So as he stood before the Sanhedrin, he was full of confidence and boldness. He was not ashamed to testify about Jesus. He knew that Jesus was the Savior of the world, the only hope of lost sinners. He knew what He was called to. In Acts 1, just before He ascended into heaven, Jesus said to His disciples, <br /><br />"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." <br /><br />He knew that Jesus had come to save sinners. As Jesus proclaimed in the synagogue in His home town of Nazareth, <br /><br />"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." <br /><br />So when Paul went forward with the gospel, it was with full confidence. He was not ashamed of it. He was bold and courageous, full of confidence. He knew he had the truth and he held his head up and proclaimed it boldly. <br /><br />That's the way we should be with the gospel, with God's Word and what it teaches. For what we have with the president of Cornell is that he is trying to steal the high ground. <br /><br />He's trying to tell everyone that creationism and intelligent design is not in accord with science. But don't let anyone fool you. God created science. Science does not contradict the Bible. The more you know about science, the more you should be drawn to glorify God. I consider science to be like Psalm 19—it declares the glory of God. Just like the study of astronomy should cause people to know God, and praise Him for His greatness, so the study of all science should cause people to draw closer to Him and praise and adore Him. The great question is—why doesn't it? <br /><br />There are two great ways you can go wrong with science and the Bible. One applies to Christians and one applies to scientists. <br /><br />One way is to misinterpret and misunderstand what the Bible says. This sometimes happens to Christians and it causes scientists to look down on Christianity and its teachings and to treat them with contempt. The great scientist Galileo was convicted of heresy and imprisoned because he taught the views of Copernicus. Copernicus taught, quite correctly, that the earth revolves around the sun instead of the sun revolving around the earth. Yet some in the church believed that that could not be so because Psalm 93:1 says, <br /><br />"The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved." <br /><br />They misunderstood Psalm 93. They thought it was teaching the scientific truth that the earth was stationary. But that's not what Psalm 93 teaches. Psalm 93:1 teaches others things. John Calvin wrote, <br /><br />"The Psalmist proves that God will not neglect or abandon the world, from the fact that he created it."<br /><br />Charles Spurgeon says on Psalm 93: <br /><br />"Because Jehovah reigns terrestrial things for a while are stable. We could not be sure of anything if we were not sure that he has dominion. When he withdraws his manifest presence from among men all things are out of order; blasphemers rave, persecutors rage, the profane grow bold, and the licentious increase in wantonness; but when the divine power and glory are again manifested order is restored, and the poor distracted world is at peace again. Society would be the football of the basest of mankind if God did not establish it, and even the globe itself would fly through space, like thistle down across the common, if the Lord did not hold it in its appointed orbit. That there is any stability, either in the world or in the church, is the Lord's doings, and he is to be adored for it."<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Dolphins are so intelligent that within a few weeks of<br />captivity they can train a man to stand on the edge of<br />their pool and throw them fish three times a day.<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior" (Habakkuk 3:17-18 - NIV).<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />For many of us, the Sunday pulpit call to “Go share the Gospel and make disciples” feels inspiring in the moment and horribly intimidating once we step out into the real world. When “sharing my faith” becomes another item to check off on my “to do” list, it often feels more like drudgery than delight.<br /><br />It doesn’t have to be that way. <br /><br />Visit: http://Lote.org<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Sermon<br /><br />A pastor, known for his lengthy sermons, noticed a man get up and leave during the middle of his message. The man returned just before the conclusion of the service. <br /><br />Afterwards the pastor asked the man where he had gone. <br /><br />"I went to get a haircut," was the reply. <br /><br />"But," said the pastor, "why didn't you do that before the service?" <br /><br />"Because," the gentleman said, "I didn't need one then." <br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />100,000 Website Visitors:<br />https://paydotcom.com/r/13936/lit4u/22998695/<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />Acts 23:1-5 (Part 2 of 2)<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br /><br />So Psalm 93 understood correctly, is not in conflict with the fact that the earth revolves around the sun. But sometimes Christians make themselves look bad by holding to views that are wrong. That's one reason why some scientists look with disfavor on Christian teaching. <br /><br />The other way to go wrong is what some scientists do. They will tell you that the scientific method consists of only things that are verifiable and repeatable. Since creation as it's presented in Genesis 1 & 2 doesn't meet that criteria—they rule it out. And let's be clear about this—they don't rule it out because the facts are against it—but because it doesn't fit in with the presuppositions. So when the President of Cornell makes statements like I quoted, Christians don't have to hang and head and feel like we're stupid for believing what the Bible teaches—not at all. God created the universe. Genesis 1 and 2 can't be reasonably interpreted any other way. Just because some scientist's presuppositions discount it—doesn't at all mean that they've disproved it. It just means they're not even considering it. Creationism has never been discredited. Rather it has been dismissed. We don't have to hang our heads because of that. <br /><br />Creation is part of the gospel. It teaches that men and women are responsible before God because He created them. Paul was very up front about that when he preached in Athens. He said, (Acts 17:24) <br /><br />"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands." <br /><br />He went on to command them to repent. <br /><br />So don't be ashamed of the gospel. When you put it forth, do it like Paul. It's the truth of God that people need to hear. <br /><br />The second thing in our passage that shows us Paul's confidence is the way he rebuked the high priest who ordered him to be struck in the face. <br /><br />In verse 2 we read that the high priest Ananias, "ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth." This had great symbolic meaning. <br /><br />J. A. Alexander writes, <br /><br />"Striking on the mouth implies a previous unlawful use of it, as well as an injunction to cease speaking… Translated into language it was here equivalent to saying, that Paul's claim, not only to integrity and innocence as some suppose, but to the highest theocratical fidelity, was false in itself, and grossly insulting to his judges…"<br /><br />In other words, the priest was totally rejecting Paul's defense. It was like he was accusing Paul of something akin to blasphemy. Paul is struck on the mouth. It's much more extreme than the harshest verbal rebuke. Paul is struck on the mouth. It was an extremely forceful, painful and cruel rebuke. It was meant to be decisive and silencing. Perhaps after this they thought that Paul would hang his head in shame. <br /><br />Hang his head in shame? Paul wasn't going to do that. There was no reason for it. This is important for us to note. <br /><br />Have you ever see people act guiltily? It's painful to watch. I've see Christians doing something wrong and they know they're doing wrong and with some of them, you can see that their conscience bothers them. You can see it sometimes in church situations. They know they're doing wrong and they're ashamed of their behavior—but they carry on in it. One look at them and you know that truth and righteousness is not on their side. They just act guilty. <br /><br />That's how the enemies of the gospel would like to see Christians act. But Paul refused to hang his head and act like that. He was struck, but he did not even begin to act like he was guilty. Rather, with great boldness, he said, <br /><br />"God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!" <br /><br />Paul draws attention to their hypocrisy and shows that they, the epitome of Judaism that had rejected Jesus—were not obeying the law. Paul rebuked the high priest for doing wrong and warned him of the severe judgment that would fall on him—how God would strike him. <br /><br />It is quite likely that Paul was here speaking under the power of the Holy Spirit. You'll remember that in Matthew 10:17 Jesus said to His disciples, <br /><br />"Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you." <br /><br />Paul was speaking with the authority of Christ. He is on trial—but he is the one who is fearless. He is the one who is citing the law and pointing out his accusers disobedience to it. He is the one who is warning them about the punishment that will fall on them for what they are doing. He is the one who has authority and power. <br /><br />Now this is a very important lesson for us. No matter what your situation, whether you are being mocked, ridiculed or attacked for the gospel— <br /><br />Don't be afraid. The gospel has authority that is above all other authority. Proclaim the gospel truth with authority. <br /><br />You'll remember just before Jesus ascended into heaven, Jesus said to His disciples, (Matthew 28:18) <br /><br />"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." <br /><br />We go out with Jesus' authority. Go out with confidence, with boldness. Be absolutely fearless. <br /><br />The third thing in our passage that shows us Paul's confidence is the irony in his apology. <br /><br />J. A. Alexander writes, <br /><br />"The fashionable sentimental view of this verse is,' that Paul acknowledges his having spoken in a fit of passion, and apologies for it."<br /><br />Alexander goes on to totally dismiss such an understanding. He writes, <br /><br />"besides the sheer impossibility of making I wist not (i.e. did not know) mean I did not consider (or remember at the moment), the acknowledgment itself would be at variance with all the facts and circumstances of the case."<br /><br />How could Paul not know the high priest? Paul is familiar with the Sanhedrin. Various suggestions have been put forward. One is that the high priest was not wearing his official robes. It was a hastily called meeting so they think that Paul did not know he was the high priest. Others suggest that Paul didn't know who had given the order to strike him, that his poor eyesight prevented him from seeing who it was who ordered him to be struck—that he thought he was speaking against someone other than the high priest. But all such possibilities are weak. <br /><br />Paul is not apologizing but is continuing his rebuke. Alexander writes, <br /><br />"Another objection to both these solutions is that they suppose Paul's words to mean, "I did not know him but I know him now,' whereas the present tense (esti) necessarily implies, that his ignorance, whatever it might be, still continued. The combination of the past and present forms can only be explained by understanding him to mean, 'I did not know (and I do not now know) that he is the High Priest.'"<br /><br />I believe the best solution, with Augustine, Calvin and Alexander, is to see irony in Paul's apology, that it is an apology with a sting—that Paul apologizes but at the same time in effect says, (Calvin) <br /><br />"I, brethren, I recognize nothing priestly about this man."<br /><br />Alexander writes, <br /><br />"Paul means to deny that Ananias was in any such sense High Priest, as to make him a violator of the law in Exodus."<br /><br />Although some see this directed at the man, and not the office, Alexander sees it also directed at the office. <br /><br />"Paul's denunciation was not meant to terminate upon the individual, but through him aimed at the entire system, of which he claimed to be the representative."<br /><br />Alexander sees Paul as pointing to the lawlessness of their whole system, that now that Jesus has come, the whole Mosaic system has been superseded—and that those who are carrying it on are violators of the law. <br /><br />As I mentioned earlier, Paul was no chance visitor to Jerusalem. He was there because of the Spirit. Alexander writes, <br /><br />"All that is recorded of his acts and sufferings, in his farewell visit to the Holy City, must be viewed as having an official character on his part…"<br /><br />Paul was showing that the high priest, the whole Sanhedrin—were in violation of the law, and that they were going to be judged by God because they had rejected God's Messiah. <br /><br />Christians, as you go forth with the gospel, don't be ashamed of it. It's the power of God for salvation. It's in accord with the facts of the universe. It's the truth, the truth that is the fulfillment of the Old Testament—Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, the only hope of the world. <br /><br />Lastly, for those of you who aren't Christians—you should understand that Paul had authority from Christ. So too, the words of Christ that you have heard today have authority. Embrace Jesus. As Psalm 2 says, <br /><br />"Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him." <br /><br />Go to Jesus today. Find life in Him. <br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /><br />"Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares<br />about you" (1 Peter 5:7 – NLT).<br /><br />Be sure to send in your prayer request for the next<br />mailing.<br /><br />You are in my thoughts and prayers! May the Lord<br />continue to bless you with knowledge of Himself.<br /><br />Your friend and brother in Christ,<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/199/0CA66550222FF786EE01B7FD6F7242FE.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;"/></a><br />Mark Seay<br />Lighthouse Prayer Line<br />105 Quincy Drive<br />Greer, SC 29650<br />LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br />"'I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness;<br />I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and<br />will make you to be a covenant for the people<br />and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that<br />are blind, to free captives from prison and to<br />release from the dungeon those who sit in<br />darkness'" (Isaiah 42:6-7).<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br /><br />Having A Hunger For God<br />By Pastor Bryant R. Ali<br /><br /><br />"Jesus answered, 'It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God' " (Matthew 4:4 NIV).<br /><br />As I embrace the timetable of my healing I am forced to reflect on how I came to the place of needing to be healed. Was the culture of the church actually killing me? My journey in the church world has always been surrounded by food. As a former cocaine addict with an obsessive compulsive personality. I had never learned the beauty of temperance, moderation or self control. I came from the BT Express generation "do it until you are satisfied whatever it is do it'. One of the biggest myths in Christendom is that every one will be delivered without facing the consequences of your actions. Galatians 6:9 states that God is not mocked what ever a person sows that what they shall also reap.<br /><br />Oh what a shock it was when it came time for me to pay the piper. When I came out of the streets and returned back to God in 1990 I was 240 pounds and for the last four years I have been hovering around 420 pounds. The concept of clean living was killing me. In reality it was my failure to embrace healthy alternatives. My good friend Pastor Henry Clay would always declare to me that we are preaching about how great God is, yet we are destroying the temples that he has given us.<br /><br />This is not a post heart attack confession this is a reflection on the grace of God in spite of me. I could place blame a number of things but the reality is I did it to myself. I failed in my hunger for the words of God. Oh yes, I used his words to preach, teach, for personal devotion, and theological reflection. Yet, I have not seen the manifestation of the vision, my dreams or the over abundance of souls running to the throne of grace.My spiritual life was in a recession and my heart attack was my bailout. Have you ever been guilty of working for the master, serving the master, and not letting the master work on you. Public success but a private mess.<br /><br />Well in 2009 I won't talk about it, I will be about it. I know who I am and to whom I belong and my goal is to seek first his kingdom and the healing , weight loss, abundant life and freedom to serve him in spirit and in truth will follow. I have to not look at other's vineyards but bloom where I have been planted. As my doctor told my wife, don't let the church folks feed the bear. Jesus took it a step further, don't leave by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Just because it is before me doesn't mean I have to eat it. I hear God saying "Bryant<br />don't live to eat, but eat to live. My prayer for today is Lord I thirst for you, I long to live in your presence. My heart seeks after you, Draw me nearer to the beauty of your holiness. This is my thought for today. Peace.<br /><br />((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))((¯`»¦«´¯))<br />We hope you have found today's newsletter encouraging to your<br />walk with Jesus Christ. Please send all prayer requests and<br />praise reports to us by using the "comments" hyperlink, which<br />can be found at the end of each blog/article. God is Good!!!<br /><br />A Candle Loses Nothing by Lighting Another Candle. Please Keep This<br />Candle Going!<br /><br />-------††††-------Please<br />-------††††-------Forward<br />-------††††-------This<br />††††††††††††††Cross<br />††††††††††††††Along<br />-------††††-------With Our<br />-------††††-------Newsletter.<br />-------††††-------Share Your<br />-------††††-------Love For GOD<br />-------††††-------With A Friend!!!!!!<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br />(¯`*•.(¯`*•.God is Good - ALL of the Time!!!.•*´¯).•*´¯)<br />~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /> •´.¸¸.•¨¯`♥.Visit Us Soon!.♥´¯¨•.¸¸.´•<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /><br /> I'm just a nobody<br /> trying to tell everybody<br /> that there is somebody<br /> who can save anybody!!<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br /><br />"Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances <br />you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord <br />forgave you" (Colossians 3:13 - NIV).<br /><br />♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥<br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Lighthouse Prayer Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967875533234296119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582307140302329124.post-5214503567039947912009-10-15T18:10:00.000-07:002009-10-15T18:12:07.829-07:00Who's on first?LighthousePrayerLine.org<br /><br /><br />Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. ~Matthew 19:21–22 (NKJV) <br />------------------------<br /> <br />Jim came to me feeling anxious. He was raised in a wonderful home and had offered his life to Christ. Yet he felt God wouldn’t listen to him. He was baffled. <br /><br />I remembered feeling as Jim did. Then someone had pointed me to the story of Jesus and the rich young man. “The story tells us that Jesus wasn’t primarily interested in what we do to ‘be good,’ but whether we put God first. Anything other than God that we put first, when we make our decisions, that is our real god.” <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhezXClDp87lbMj3qqlBz1HmHrM2Trg6VFslKqYMAMDAdJhpg71slF5w6Rj61U0JS6TnlnBFcrgBmu63Mh8yvYaI_4LRhCBKGmYrajRrvfduv2ncojrK7CkrbZRXhL8Gs9ahHGyTtaW/s1600-h/Sold_Out_Jesus_Freak.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 125px; height: 100px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhezXClDp87lbMj3qqlBz1HmHrM2Trg6VFslKqYMAMDAdJhpg71slF5w6Rj61U0JS6TnlnBFcrgBmu63Mh8yvYaI_4LRhCBKGmYrajRrvfduv2ncojrK7CkrbZRXhL8Gs9ahHGyTtaW/s400/Sold_Out_Jesus_Freak.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392997457745089874" /></a><br />Jesus asked the rich man first to give everything to the poor. The young man could not do that and left sorrowfully. He already had a god: his wealth. <br /><br />I told Jim about the rich young man and how I realized Jesus was saying to me, Keith, you can’t follow me as a disciple, because you already have a god that you obey when the chips are down. To follow me in the way I taught, I must be the one that you obey. <br /><br />I wrestled quite a while before I could finally say, “Okay, God, I sur- render my whole life to you, including the secret gods I’ve been hiding. I love You more than these.” <br /><br />Lord, thank You for showing me that even the good things in life will be ruined if I put them before You and make them responsible for my happiness. Amen.Lighthouse Prayer Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967875533234296119noreply@blogger.com0