Blessed Magazine April - June, 2020

I SHARED THE SAME BED WITH A MAD MAN

MAGAZINE

Let Go of the Life You Wanted & Look to the Life to Come

How To Get Along Better With People Things Couples Should Talk About Before Marriage (But UsuallyDon't)

The Day The Ring Came Off

Lessons from a Carpenter Examining the Life of Joseph

Praying Without Faith! Who Does That?

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CONTENTS

April - June, 2020

08 - Contributors 10 - Editor’s Corner 13 - Things Couples Should Talk About Before

Marriage (But Usually Don’t) When we meet "the one," we assume that everything is going to magically fall into place — but that's just not the case. In fact, as I've explained to counseling clients in the past, marriage really is work.

13 27 – How to Get Along with Difficult People

27 Difficult people seem to know just how to “push one’s buttons” and stir up trouble.

Dealing with difficult people becomes an exercise in patience, love, and grace.

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23 – The Benefits of Laughing

They say that laughter is the best medicine… and they’re not wrong! This hysterical panacea works wonders for the physical and mental wellbeing of those who enjoy it regularly. Here’s how laughing can make you happier and healthier.

23 27 – Le t Go of the Life You Wanted and

Look to the Life to Come What if you look back, like my friend, and all you see is a graveyard of buried dreams, an egg that never hatched, great things that never came, years that passed as a sigh?

What do you do when the life that should have been finally escapes the rearview mirror?

33 – When God Wasn’t Enough: The

Prodigal Daughter What do you do when you have a reputation written all over you? When people see you for one thing, and one thing only? What do you do when drinking becomes the only thing you want to keep you afloat? What do you do when your own mental and physical abuse leaves you feeling hopeless and pointless?

37 – I Shared The Same Bed With a Mad

Man He was tied to the tree with wires...he was a mad violent person and upon seeing him, she heard the Holy Spirit saying to her, 'call your son to pray for him'...she tried to ignore that gentle voice of the Spirit, but the more she tried to avoid the voice the more the voice became loud and clear and eventually she succumb to it.

37

42 – Praying Without Faith: Who Does

That?

Would you bake a cake without adding eggs?

Or, would you go to work and expect not to get paid for your labor? If you answered no to both questions, then my final question would be; would you pray to the Father, but not expect Him to answer?

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46 – The Day the Ring Came Off

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Looking back now, I thank God for protecting me (and him) from a potential life time of compromise. I was slowly giving up pieces of myself in order to fit a lifestyle that I was never intended for.

50 – Lessons From a Carpenter Examining

the Life of Joseph Everyone knows that Jesus' stepfather, Joseph, was a carpenter and that Matthew calls him "a righteous man," but we seldom think about the wisdom he handed down to Jesus.

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Editor’s Corner

Praise the Lord My Brothers and Sisters in Christ!

First, I always give all glory and honor to my Lord Jesus Christ for without Him in my life, nothing I could ever do would amount to anything!

With so much going on this year, I want to remind everyone to stay connected to God! This new plague is just another milestone for us to work through, but we can’t work through it without faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

I want to personally thank all of our fans and readers for their continued support of this ministry which has continued to strive and for that I am grateful to our Lord, Jesus Christ Our goal is to continue being a resource for Christians and others for years to come and with your support we can keep this publication available free of charge always on our digital platform Pray for us as we continue to pray for you and thank you for reading this issue of Blessed Magazine

God bless you!

Your Humble Servant in Christ,

Laraine Turner Editor-in-Chief

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When we meet "the one," we assume that everything is going to magically fall into place — but that's just not the case. In fact, as I've explained to counseling clients in the past, marriage really is work.

Things Couples Should Talk About Before Marriage (But Usually Don't)

BY JEANNE CROTEAU

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Things Couples Should Talk About Before Marriage (But Usually Don't)

When we meet "the one," we assume that everything is going to magically fall into place — but that's just not the case. In fact, as I've explained to counseling clients in the past, marriage really is work.

After all, this is a partner that you are hoping to have through your lifetime. The world will change, challenges will test you, and you will grow older. As a result, your relationship will have to evolve to stand the test of time.

For this reason, the foundation it's built upon needs to be solid. It's incredible to think of how many couples make it to the altar without having discussed some really important issues. Maybe this is the reason why we are seeing so many divorces in our time. To improve your chances of success and happiness, here are 10 things that couples really should talk about before marriage.

What’s Your Religion?

There are few things that affect all aspects of someone's life quite the way religion does.

Even if you belong to the same faith, you may not observe it the same way that your partner does. For this reason, it's important to be very open and honest about your beliefs, how you plan to practice them, and your expectations. This is especially important if yours will be an interfaith marriage.

Think of all of the major holidays and come to an agreement about how each will be

celebrated. If you come from two backgrounds, will you combine it or celebrate each separately? I've even heard of people alternating from one year to the next.

Experiment a little and do what works best for you as a couple. Start your own traditions!

Will We Have Children?

This one is huge and should be taken seriously. You need to talk about whether you want to have children, and, if so, how many and how you will raise them. Make sure to touch on hot topics such as vaccinations, daycare, and homeschooling, among other things.

It's incredibly important to pay attention to what your partner says on this topic and take it at face value. If they say they don't want kids and you want three, that is a serious problem. Do not downplay your own wants, in hopes that you will convince them to change their mind. Everyone has the right to decide whether parenthood is part of their future. Respect that.

Where Will We Live?

It's incredible how often this topic goes under the radar since it has the potential to really derail a relationship. Talk to your partner about where they hope to live. Do they want to stay where they currently are, long-term? Do they enjoy the idea of exploring new places? Would they relocate if one of you got a new job?

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You might be surprised by the answers you get. Some people are really connected to their hometown and would never consider moving — even for a great opportunity. This is definitely an important conversation for you both to have before you consider marriage.

Till Dept Do Us Part!

Talking about money can be very uncomfortable. You don't want to seem like you are trying to pry or even be judgmental but, at some point, if you are going to share your life with someone, you need to know where they stand financially.

The last thing you want is to unknowingly inherit someone else's debt. Of course, if you are the one with outstanding amounts owing, you need to come clean with your partner. If possible, put off any wedding plans until your finances are more manageable.

more minimalist existence while others need a little more luxury. There's no wrong or right as long as we are honest about it (and can afford our chosen lifestyle).

This is one more area where your ability to compromise will dictate the quality of your relationship. While it's possible that you and your partner may be on the exact same page, it's more likely that you will have to meet somewhere in the middle. Just make sure you talk about it before you start buying furniture!

Who’s Doing the Laundry?

A lot goes into keeping a household running smoothly. There's never-ending laundry and dishes to do, toilets to scrub, bills to pay, meals to cook, and groceries to buy. It's a good idea, therefore, to talk about who will be doing what after you get married.

I can honestly say that, in my time working with clients, as well as my years as a married woman, a common (and avoidable) reason for fights is the unfair distribution of household labor. Even if you have to come up with a chart, sit down and divide the chores in a way that you both think is fair and stick to it. Trust me on this one!

Between the Sheets!

Champagne Taste with Jukebox Money!

Personal preferences and our own upbringings play a role in how we feel most comfortable. Some of us are happy living a

Just like anything else, a person's sexual preferences are unique and must be respected. As an increasing number of couples redefine the boundaries of marriage, it's more important than ever to be honest and forthright about sexuality.

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Are you expecting a monogamous relationship? What is too little and what is enough, when it comes to how frequently you are intimate? Is porn okay? How would you feel if your partner masturbated? Sure, some of it is blush-worthy but being married is a serious commitment. You need to be able to talk about these things in order to have a mutually fulfilling relationship.

Is Your Mother Here Again?

Everyone's life will be easier if you happen to love your in-laws (and vice versa) but, no matter how you feel about your respective families, you will need to decide how you will incorporate them into your lives.

Does your mother like to drop by unannounced? Does your partner text their siblings every time you guys get into a fight?

Are your parents fighting over where you, as a couple, will have Christmas dinner? Talk to your partner about setting boundaries when it comes to extended family and create a united front. Do it sooner, rather than later.

It will save you a lot of headaches.

Is That What You’re Eating?

If you've never lived together, there's a good chance that you don't have a full understanding of your partner's eating preferences. Once you have to start stocking

a shared pantry and fridge, you might be shocked by your differences.

If your idea of a healthy breakfast is granola and yogurt but your partner is happy grabbing a powdered donut, things might get tense. Really. One partner might resent the fact that unhealthy food is being brought into their space, and the other might feel like they are being unfairly criticized. The stakes are even higher if you choose to have children since you might worry about how your eating habits will affect them.

This is one of those things to definitely discuss before getting married. See if you can come to a healthy, happy agreement. If not, this can genuinely cause daily battles.

Retirement Goals The goal, at least for most couples, is to grow older together — but then what?

There's a lot more to talk about than you might realize. For starters, how old do you want to be when you retire? The answer to this question might surprise you. I've had clients tell me that they plan to work up until they die!

Once you retire, what do you want to do with your time? Do you want to travel the world?

Buy some land and grow a farm? Volunteer for specific charities? How you envision the last years of your life is worth sharing with your partner so that you can see if your goals align.

Set the Tone for a Successful Marriage

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Even if some of these topics seem intimidating, having an open dialogue sets the tone for your marriage. You want to feel like you can talk about anything with your partner — and that begins before you say "I do.“ If you feel unsure about where to begin, pick a topic and just dive right in. Begin by explaining that your relationship is important to you and that you want to do everything you can to improve your chances of being happy and successful. Keep an open mind and an open heart and you'll be just fine!

The End

How to Get Along with

S. Michael Houdmann Difficult people seem to know just how to “push one’s buttons” and stir up trouble. Dealing with difficult people becomes an exercise in patience, love, and grace We all know people whom we find “difficult” in one way or another, and we’re all called upon to deal with difficult people at some time or another. A difficult person may be one who is condescending, argumentative, belligerent, selfish, flippant, obtuse, or simply rude. Difficult people seem to know just how to “push one’s buttons” and stir up trouble. Dealing with difficult people becomes an exercise in patience, love, and grace.

Our response to difficult people should model the examples provided by Jesus, for He surely dealt with many difficult people during His time here on earth. In His interactions with difficult people Jesus never displayed an attitude of harsh superiority or dismissive pride; rather, He showed authority under control. He used rebuke when necessary (John 8:47), but He also dealt with difficult people by remaining silent (John 8:6), asking questions (Mark 11:28–29), pointing them to Scripture (Mark 10:2–3), and telling a story (Luke 7:40–42).

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus was quite specific about dealing with difficult people in love and humility: “But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic.

Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.

Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:27–31). We must never give tit for tat: “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing” (1 Peter 3:9).

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In dealing with difficult people, we must guard against pride. It is important to recall the admonition given by the apostle Paul in Romans 12:3: “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you” (see also Philippians 2:3–4).

So, when we know we must deal with a difficult person, we approach the situation in meekness. Love is also key: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Galatians 5:14). We are to show God’s love to everyone— including difficult people.

breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.” If possible, it might be best to avoid the situation altogether by choosing carefully whom we associate with: “Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered” (Proverbs 22:24).

Dealing with difficult people is unavoidable.

When we deal with difficult people, it’s easy to respond in the flesh. But that just brings out the worst in us. How much better to allow our dealings with difficult people to bring out the fruit of the Spirit in us (Galatians 5:22–23)! By the grace of God, may we deal with difficult people in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and—to top it all off—selfcontrol. May we extend the same love, grace, and mercy that God extended to us. And may we be careful not to become the “difficult people” ourselves! T he End

The book of Proverbs provides much wisdom in dealing with difficult people.

Proverbs 12:16 promotes patience in our relationships: “A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.” Proverbs 20:3 commends peacemaking: “It is to one’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.” Proverbs 10:12 encourages love: “Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.”

Proverbs 17:14 values foresight and deference: “Starting a quarrel is like

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The Benefits of Laughing

by Dave Cardell

They say that laughter is the best medicine… and they’re not wrong! This hysterical panacea works wonders for the physical and mental wellbeing of those who enjoy it regularly. Here’s how laughing can make you happier and healthier.

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The Benefits of Laughing

Laughing Relieves Stress And Reduces Pain From giggles to belly laughs, laughter releases powerful chemicals into the brain, which have positive outcomes on the body.

Endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine caused by laughter can create a “high” that promotes a good mood, relieves stress, and helps reduce depression and anxiety.

Chortle-induced endorphins not only make you feel happier, but they’re also powerful painkillers. In fact, endorphins work similarly to morphine in the brain to reduce pain. Unlike morphine, however, the endorphins our bodies produce aren’t addictive.

According to researchers at Vanderbilt University, you can burn between 10 and 40 calories by chuckling for 10-15 minutes.

While giggling isn’t as effective of a workout as biking or swimming are, it’s a sneaky way to burn a few extra calories.

You can think of laughing as cardio; it raises the heart rate by 10-20 percent and increases energy use.

Giggling is also a strengthening exercise.

According to a study published in the Journal of Motor Behavior, laughing is as effective at engaging the abdominal, oblique, and spine muscles as doing crunches and back extensions.

Laughing Strengthens The Heart And Immune System Laughing Improves Memory As hysterical hooting relieves stress, it also bolsters the immune system. According to research from Loma Linda University, laughter increases antibodies in the blood by 14%. These antibodies are responsible for protecting the body from illness.

In addition to providing immune system benefits, giggling also strengthens the heart by increasing blood flow and therefore reducing blood pressure.

Laughing Can Be A Workout

Having trouble remembering what you did yesterday? Chortling can help. Laughter decreases stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol can block the neurons that are responsible for memory and learning functions. With less cortisol in our brains, our short term memory improves.

Laughing is healthy for the mind, body, and soul. Need to add some laughter to your day?

Watch a funny movie or TV show, spend time with grandchildren (they say the funniest things!), or read some jokes!

The End

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Let Go of the Life You Wanted and Look to the Life to Come

By Greg Morse What if you look back, like my friend, and all you see is a graveyard of buried dreams, an egg that never hatched, great things that never came, years that passed as a sigh? What do you do when the life that should have been finally escapes the rearview mirror?

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Let Go of the Life You Wanted and Look to the Life to Come

“I have nothing to show for my life,” he said.

“No career. Few friends. No spouse. No financial future. Nothing. I’m enslaved to debt, struggle with childhood sins, and have little left to hope for. Don’t hear me say something I’m not, but many days, I wonder why I am still here.”

The season of youth had past. Dead dreams and wrinkled expectations kept him company each night with his pets. He described his life the way Anne of Green Gables had: “My life is a perfect graveyard of buried hopes.” And many of his hopes went into the casket alive.

Time picked at his wounds. He felt anger towards church members who betrayed him, resentful towards employees who cheated him, embittered that others had what he only longed for. He had been fighting his sin the best he could — and this is how God repaid him?

“There is more to every Christian’s story than can be experienced now.”

Disappointment seemed easier to bear in his youth, but now the sun began to set. Where was the life he always imagined? He stood an undertaker to hopes gone by.

What if you look back, like my friend, and all you see is a graveyard of buried dreams, an egg that never hatched, great things that

never came, years that passed as a sigh?

What do you do when the life that should have been finally escapes the rearview mirror?

Let Go Of The Life You Wanted We must acknowledge that a “hope deferred makes the heart sick” (Proverbs 13:12). If the job never comes, the spouse is never found, the wound never heals, then the delay (and death) of good things should make tears run their course. But the day must come when we lay aside the weight of an unrealized life and run the actual race set before us, looking to Jesus (Hebrews 12:2).

Christ teaches this when he says to “remember Lot’s wife” (Luke 17:32). Instead of pressing forward into the life God called her to, she looked back longingly at Sodom.

As a result, God turned her into a pillar of salt. Like her, many of us are tempted to look back longingly, as Demas did when, “in love with this present world,” he forsook Paul (2 Timothy 4:10). Still others of us look longingly to a city we never visited, a life we never lived.

“One of the hardest things to do in life, is letting go of what you thought was real.”

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Jesus continues, “Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it” (Luke 17:33). The life we hoped for can be one of the hardest to lose. Ghosts are more challenging to kill. But we all must forget what lies behind when it would impede us from straining forward to what lies ahead (Philippians 3:13).

For what do we wait? We wait for our blessed hope, the appearing of Jesus Christ.

He is a very different hope than we have on earth. He is a happy hope, a hope that shall not fail, falter, or break. Once buried, he is the only hope that conquered the grave.

Look To The Life To Come The story of humanity is not “a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing,” as Macbeth despairs. It is a tale, larger than our individual cameos, told by a wise and good Creator and, to the Christian, a Father. We must not pretend as if our story is the story, but happily locate our few lines in the scope of God’s redemptive drama. The Christian alone can look upon his (underwhelming) sentence of life, wince for a moment, and then rejoice with joy inexpressible and filled with glory, because in Christ many more chapters — indeed the best pages — still lie ahead. Death is more of a beginning than an end, a comma than a period, an arriving home than a leaving of it.

This is why Paul describes our life this side of heaven as waiting. We kill sin and live godly lives, “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). We evangelize, waiting. Seek his face, waiting.

Host small groups, raise children, work jobs, waiting. There is more to every Christian’s story than can be experienced now. “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied” (1 Corinthians 15:19).

Do you lament a life that never came?

Behold “the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). Our hope sits enthroned at the Father’s right hand, immortal; our inheritance, imperishable. The believer’s true life appears when he does: “When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Colossians 3:4).

On the day when he casts his children’s reproach to the bottom of the sea, the saints will be seen — even in our mundane, ordinary lives — as the great treasures of Christ’s crown, the kings and queens of heaven. It will be said on that day,

Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation. (Isaiah 25:9).

Life begins at his arrival. The adventure

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Let Go of the Life You Wanted and Look to the Life to Come

long to be at home with the Lord. I long for all the bad things to come untrue. To cease battling sin. To cease hearing horrible news.

To experience perfect unity with the saints.

To see him face to face.

begins beyond the grave.

Embrace The Life You Have Holding heaven before us, we can embrace the life we have now. Jesus climbed the tree and drank our wrath “for the joy that was set before him” (Hebrews 12:2). The end of the story helped him, and helps us, endure the middle. If, within our brief paragraph, we hear Jesus say, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43), then we need not grow despondent over the dullest or seemingly most wasted life. To “depart and be with Christ . . . is far better” (Philippians 1:23).

So, as John Piper counsels, “Occasionally, weep deeply over the life you hoped would be. Grieve the losses. Then wash your face.

Trust God. And embrace the life you have” — knowing that, in Christ, it’s not the life you’ll soon have. Our future inheritance teaches us not to despair at what should have been, but rather to rejoice in what will be.

We burn with zeal for good works, God’s glory, and others’ good; we pray to our Father, read his word, obey and adore his Son; we laugh and cry, sing and hope, looking for him around the next bend. Trust in Christ, follow him now, and this will be the furthest you ever stand from home.

But all the greatest stories teach us not to tire of waiting. The final resolution will make it all worth it. Should we fatigue, waiting for everything we ever wanted? Should we grieve that the sunrise of eternal bliss rises at six o’clock instead of four? Certainly, a few extra hours of darkness make the eternal rays all the more delightful; the few extra chapters of suspense can be used to heighten the resolve.

He will come. Blessed are those who, through the disappointments of this life, wait for the coming chapters. Let go of the life that never came. Embrace the life you have.

Wait for the life that soon shall be. The End

Do Not Grow Weary Perhaps you tire of waiting. I know I do. I

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What do you do when you have a reputation written all over you?

When people see you for one thing, and one thing only? What do you do when drinking becomes the only thing you want to keep you afloat?

What do you do when your own mental and physical abuse leaves you feeling hopeless and pointless?

When God Wasn’t Enough: The Prodigal Daughter Hannah Grace Bower

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When God Wasn’t Enough: The Prodigal Daughter

Constantly running away and constantly coming back home.

I was the Prodigal Son at least once a month from age eight to seventeen. Growing up in a Christian home, I had been to church, heard the truth, and was always told God loved me.

The situation of feeling guilty on Sundays and then feeling great in sin on Mondays was my reality. There came a point at seventeen years old when I didn’t want to come back home. Running away was the best option, and God wasn’t enough.

written all over you? When people see you for one thing, and one thing only? What do you do when drinking becomes the only thing you want to keep you afloat? What do you do when your own mental and physical abuse leaves you feeling hopeless and pointless?

Calloused to the world and people around me, I cried out to God. . . not expecting much. I had cried out to God before.

Demanded He fix situations. Demanded he get my family out of debt. Demanded He make me feel happy and whole.

But that’s the thing.

I was introduced and addicted to pornography at the age of eight. There’s a reason the Bible says “don’t awaken love before its time”. Once that door is open, it’s extremely hard to close it. At a young age, insecurity gripped me and began to devour my heart. For years, every time I would come away from the computer screen I felt ashamed of the way I looked, and longed for the day when a man would want to look at me the way they looked at the women in those pictures.

This time I didn’t demand anything of Him.

This disillusioned and corrupt view of affection burdened me into my late teens.

Eventually, it lit a match in me to search for physical love through men and women. All the while, what was supposed to be affirming touches, only threw me further and further into depression.

When He is saying, “First, ask Me how much I love you.”

I simply asked Him to help me. And that was exactly what He did.

Sometimes when we are crying out to God we feel like we don’t get an answer. It’s not because He doesn’t hear us, but maybe it’s because we are asking the wrong question.

We may say, “God, why do I feel this way?

Get me out!”

When we let even the smallest wall to our hearts down and give God the freedom to move, He rushes in like a mighty wind. With low hope, I gave God a chance. He’s been giving me one ever since.

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I surrendered my heart (a little reluctantly and completely terrified) toward the end of my 18th year, and have never been the same since. Through time alone with the Father, and guidance from people He put around me, I began to see my beauty and worth for what He made them to be. I no longer look at myself only to see worn eyes, a low spirit, and a used body, but rather a cherished daughter, a brave evangelist, and a loved princess. He has led me into a life so much more fulfilling than the late nights I used to spend making myself “feel good”. His promise is sure when He says He has plans for us to prosper.

He takes even the lowest of lows, and crowns them in righteousness.

When you leave room for insecurity in your life, you’re giving it permission to rot and wither you from the inside out. Insecurity will lead to blindness that ties you down from reaching your full potential in Christ.

Don’t let the enemy tell you who you are, or what you should be. Instead, keep your eyes on the father, your heavenly prince, and let Him lake the lead. He says you are fearfully and wonderfully made, and who better to know, than the one who created you?

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” -2 Corinthians 5:7. The End

Question: Do You Know Jesus?

He was tied to the tree with wires

I SHARED He was THE SAME a mad BED WITH A violent MAD MAN person

EVANGELIST KASAVI VENON MASEKA

He was tied to the tree with wires...he was a mad violent person and upon seeing him, she heard the Holy Spirit saying to her, 'call your son to pray for him'...she tried to ignore that gentle voice of the Spirit, but the more she tried to avoid the voice the more the voice became loud and clear and eventually she succumb to it.

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I Shared the Same Bed with a Mad Man

She rung me and told me that, there is man here (Palabana) who has gone mad, he is so violent such that they had to tie him with wires....she (my mother ~ Catherine Mwala) went on to tell me what the Lord told her.

I reached Palabana in the evening, the following Day I called on brother man Clifford Habasimbi and together we went to where this supposedly mad man was....we found him at his in law's place chanting, and also naked as his trouser and shirt were terribly torn.

We introduced ourselves (off course both of us were well known by the family as we all grew up in Palabana)...after which the fight began....it was a very terrible manifestation, so we decided to take him to Assemblies of God Church headed by Reverend Martin Pelekelo Simamgolwa ~ we continued to pray for him and it seemed as if, the more we prayed for him the more he became violent.

Then, the Holy Spirit told me to do something so unusual, he instructed me to take this man home (mum's place), I obeyed the voice of God, and amazingly, the mad man followed me home without any form of resistance, it was now around 7pm in the evening.

Upon reaching home with him, the Holy Spirit instructed me to share the same bed with the mad man (imagine, sharing the same bed with a mad man ~ 100% mad...talk of

the smell that was coming out of his body...everything about him was horrible). I remember, when I reached him with him, we found my mother having super and upon

“How could a person in his right state of mind share the same bed with a violent mad person?� seeing him, she could not eat her nshima any more, as a matter of fact, she started vomiting.

I told her that that the Lord had instructed me to share the same bed with the mad man, she immediately objected the whole idea...she told me that there was no way I could sleep on the same bed with a mad of man....as a mother, she was sincere and very concerned with my well being (how could a person in his right state of mind share the same bed with a violent mad person?)

Wow! I reminded her that I came to pray for the mad man at her request as she was instructed by the Holy Spirit for me to go and pray for this same guy....I told her also, that the way she heard God, is the way I heard him too and I had to obey the voice of the Holy One. She had no choice but to let me share with him the same bed that night...I went to sleep with the mad man (off course, my mother

38 | Blessed Magazine

could hardly sleep because she was very concerned and persuaded within her that that mad man was going to do something bad to me...either he was going to strangle me to death whilst I am fast asleep or do just something terrible to take my life).

Wow! I reminded her that I came to pray for the mad man at her request as she was instructed by the Holy Spirit for me to go and pray for this same guy....I told her also, that the way she heard God, is the way I heard him too and I had to obey the voice of the Holy One.

“She told me that there was no way I could sleep on the same bed with a mad of man�

She had no choice but to let me share with him the same bed that night...I went to sleep with the mad man (off course, my mother could hardly sleep because she was very concerned and persuaded within her that that mad man was going to do something bad to me...either he was going to strangle me to death whilst I am fast asleep or do just something terrible to take my life).

For whatever reason, we all slept deeply including mum...around 5am in the morning, the mad man woke me up, I woke up just to hear the person who was mad asking me, "what am I doing here? Why am I looking so dirty and why are my clothes torn and dirty like that of a mad man? How did I come here?"

Brethren, it was at this point, I came to realize that God Almighty had completely taken away the madness of this man...yes, he was 100% restored to sanity.

It is now 12 years since this profound doing of the Lord took place in Palabana.

Two reason we should learn from this experience.

1. BE SENSITIVE TO THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT It's very important to heed to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

2.

SUCH EXPERIENCE.

ARE

SUBJECTIVE

There will be times that the Holy Spirit will instructed us to do the unusual at certain given time. Such unusual instruction are meant just for a specify time, event or period of time. Such experiences should not be turned into doctrine. Subjective experience cannot be turned into scriptural or biblical doctrine. God through the shadow of the Apostle Paul brought healing to the sick and delivered to the demon possessed and through handkerchief and aprons taken from the Apostle Paul, people were healed from their sickness, diseases and delivered from demonic spirits, but neither Apostle Peter nor Apostle Paul is seen anywhere in the epistles teaching on how to use the shadows anointing or the apron and handkerchief anointing, why? They were consciously aware that subjective experiences cannot be made into doctrine.

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Many heretic teachings and practices within the Christian fraternity are due to subjective experiences. This is common within the prophetic movement of our time. Suffice me to say, many prophets need those that God has called into the teaching ministry (teachers).

It is not God's will for the prophet to operate independently ~ God's perfect will is for the five fold ministry to operate accordingly, together without competition, intimidation or jealous of one another.

2020 Be very sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit.

Lets spend time in the word, prayer and fasting, fellowship with the like of faith and soul winning.

Be expectant for the mighty move of the Holy Spirit.

Yours friend and brother Evangelist Kasavi Vernon Maseka With an Evangelistic and Apostolic mandate

Love Covers a Multitude of Faults.

Please Love One Another

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By Laraine Turner

Would you bake a cake without adding eggs? Or, would you go to work and expect not to get paid for your labor? If you answered no to both questions, then my final question would be; would you pray to the Father, but not expect Him to answer?

We pray because we either need something from the Lord or want to thank Him for all that He has done for us. But, it makes no sense to pray for deliverance, healing or salvation only to doubt God. 42 | Blessed Magazine

When we pray to the Father, God wants us to have faith in Him. Faith that He can deliver us. Faith that He can heal us and faith that He can save us. The bible clearly states in Hebrews 11:6: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him” Let’s take Moses for example. If he didn’t have faith that God could deliver them from the Egyptians standing at the Red Sea, God would not have moved on his behalf Just like Moses and countless others in the bible, FAITH moves God and remember what Jesus stated in Matthew 17:20: “Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you” And for those of us who need a little help with our faith like the apostles asked in Luke 17:5; “Increase our faith”

So just to recap….

Praying without faith is vain, useless, of not substance…you get the picture. We must believe that the Father can and will in all things pertaining to our life….God Bless You! The End

Question: Do You Know Jesus?

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“Then I pray God won’t let this wedding happen.” The words of my future mother-in-law unwittingly crushed the sliver of self-esteem I had managed to salvage. This small sentence seemed to sign the death certificate to the only chance of happiness I had left in this season. Little did I know, I would soon be thanking her for the prayers.

Hi, my name is Campbell, and I called off my own wedding. Three weeks before I was scheduled to say, “I do.” A horrible, unwanted, and heart shattering day that no person wishes on anyone, happened to me. This entry is to explain why this unexpected time turned out to be the greatest day of my life. This entry is to describe an account of God turning ashes into beauty. If you suspect you can glean any comfort, wisdom, or encouragement from this testimony, then please read on.

The Day the Ring Came Off

By C.K.S.

Looking back now, I thank God for protecting me (and him) from a potential life time of compromise. I was slowly giving up pieces of myself in order to fit a lifestyle that I was never intended for.

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For those of you who know me personally, you know that this split actually occurred a couple months back. There was no explosion after this happened. No facebook rants, no sad emojis published, and definitely no gossip flaming up between social circles. All was quiet on the social media front. In reality, however, there was a vast reservoir of shame, guilt, and rejection being deposited in my heart-every feeling shrieking that I was a failure. Things might have been easier if cheating, drugs, or some sort of extreme betrayal had been involved. Although, in all honesty, two young people who just weren’t equipped spiritually was the root of the disintegration.

Looking back now, I thank God for protecting me (and him) from a potential life time of compromise. I was slowly giving up pieces of myself in order to fit a lifestyle that I was never intended for. I tucked dreams away in order to prepare for “reality”.

However, the actual reality is this: God will never ask or expect us to be like anyone other than ourselves. He will never ask us to pack away huge dreams so that we may relate to the mundane better. He will never ask us to compromise who we are designed to be in order to blend in and people please.

Reader, you are destined and designed to be a trailblazer. Do not let anything hold you back- be it a relationship, a negative attitude, or any rejection you may have experienced in the past. If God has drilled anything into my spirit this season, it is that no matter how many areas I have failed in, I am not a failure. Nor will I ever be. I am fearfully and wonderfully made on purpose for a purpose.

Just like you, dear Reader.

There are cravings, dreams, and desires stirring in the soul of man. Some of those dreams include marriage and family for many people, which is lovely and God ordained. But if all other God breathed dreams must die in order to fulfill one longing, is it worth attaining? This had been the case for me when I chose the ring over God’s revelation. Dear Reader, you can have it all: joy, peace, love, and every wild idea God whispered to you in the prayer closet.

The day I gave up the ring, I gave up compromising God’s call on my life. As for life after the ring. . . To put it simply, God has made me free indeed. Free from other’s expectations, free from rejection, guilt, shame, condemnation, and the like. Free to dream bigger with a renewed passion and vigor. Free to be satisfied solely through my Maker. Because let’s face it: human romance is beautiful, but to be swept away in the love story that is God surpasses all expectation and is a greater pursuit than any dream or desire.

Dear Reader, if there is any encouragement I could leave you with based off of this season of my life, it would be this: fight viciously for every piece of your relationship with God, because He is fighting viciously for every piece of His relationship with you.

Whether you’ve been through 25 failed relationships, or you’ve never been asked out on a date, seek God’s face first. Only the Creator can complete and fulfill His creation.

It will never matter if we end up single all our lives or married with 14 kids if we never did it in the pursuit of God.

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The Day the Ring Came Off

In the end, we all get our happily ever afters when we accept that Jesus is the way, truth, and life. Living the crazy life that Jesus designed is far more satisfying than looking to the world to quench our never ending thirsts, even in the darkest times. This season certainly hasn’t been the easiest. There have been many hard lessons along the way, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world because God has walked through every step of it with me.

There is nothing more valuable than His presence in our lives. The day we give up our selfish desires is the day we receive the freedom to pursue God’s purpose for our lives.

Be blessed, Reader. The End

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

(Matthew 6:33)

Love Covers a Multitude of Faults.

Please Love One Another

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Lessons From a Carpenter Examining the Life of Joseph

by Jack Zavada Everyone knows that Jesus' stepfather, Joseph, was a carpenter and that Matthew calls him "a righteous man," but we seldom think about the wisdom he handed down to Jesus.

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Everyone knows that Jesus' stepfather, Joseph, was a carpenter and that Matthew calls him "a righteous man," but we seldom think about the wisdom he handed down to Jesus.

In ancient times, it was customary for a son to follow his father into his trade. Joseph practiced his trade in the small village of Nazareth, but he probably worked in nearby towns as well.

Recent archaeological digs at the ancient Galilean city of Zippori, only four miles from Nazareth, have shown that extensive building was done in this former district capital.

Zippori, called Sepphoris in Greek, was completely restored by Herod Antipas, during the years that Joseph was working as a carpenter. It's very likely that Joseph and the young Jesus made the hour's walk to help in the city's reconstruction.

Much later in Jesus' life, when he returned to his hometown of Nazareth to teach the gospel, the people in the synagogue couldn't get past his former life, asking, "Isn't this the carpenter?" (Mark 6:3 NIV).

As a carpenter, Jesus must have learned many tricks of the woodworking trade from Joseph. While tools and techniques have changed a great deal over the past 2,000 years, three simple rules that Joseph lived by still hold true today.

MEASURE TWICE, CUT ONCE

Wood was scarce in ancient Israel. Joseph and his apprentice Jesus couldn't afford to make mistakes. They learned to proceed with caution, anticipating the consequences of everything they did. It's a wise principle for our lives, too.

As Christian men, we need to be careful in our behavior. People are watching.

Nonbelievers are judging Christianity by the way we act, and we can either attract them to the faith or drive them away.

Thinking ahead prevents a lot of trouble. We should measure our spending against our income and not exceed it. We should measure our physical health and take steps to protect it. And, we should measure our spiritual growth from time to time and work to increase it. Just like the timber in ancient Israel, our resources are limited, so we should do our best to use them wisely.

USE THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB

Joseph wouldn't have tried to pound with a chisel or drill a hole with an ax. Every carpenter has a special tool for each task.

So it is with us. Don't use anger when understanding is called for. Don't use indifference when encouragement is needed.

We can build people up or tear them down, depending on which tools we use.

Jesus gave people hope. He wasn't embarrassed to show love and compassion.

He was a master at using the right tools, and as his apprentices, we should do the same.

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TAKE CARE OF YOUR TOOLS AND THEY'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU Joseph's livelihood depended on his tools.

We Christian men have the tools our employer gives us, whether it's a computer or an impact wrench, and we have a responsibility to take care of them as if they're our own.

But we also have the tools of prayer, meditation, fasting, worship, and praise. Our most valuable tool, of course, is the Bible. If we sink its truths deep into our minds then live them out, God will take care of us, too.

In the body of Christ, every Christian man is a carpenter with a job to do. Like Joseph, we can mentor our apprentices--our sons, daughters, friends and relatives--teaching them the skills to pass the faith on to the generation after them. The more we learn about our faith, the better a teacher we'll be.

God has given us all the tools and resources we need. Whether you're at your place of business or at home or at leisure, you're always on the job. Work for God with your head, your hands, and your heart and you can't go wrong. The End

Love Covers a Multitude of Faults.

Please Love One Another

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