Blessed Magazine August/September, 2014

BEING CHRISTIAN AND GAY….WELCOME TO MY WORLD

BLESSED August, September, 2014

Coping With “a Thorn in the Flesh”

Great Recipes You Should Try What Makes an Attractive Christian Woman

How to Restore the Joy in Your Christian Life

Paula White

Unstable to Stable Her Personal Story

The Things That Break The Heart Of God

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Contributors The Watch Tower The Banner Pastor George Belobaba Anna Diehl Clark Russell Nancy Leigh DeMoss Stephen Hubbard Lisa Ryan

Contact Information Office Phone 917.310.7570 Email Support contact@ blessedmagazine.org Website URL www. blessedmagazine.org Blog Obtaining God‘s Blessings Facebook/Twitter /BlessedMagazine Blessed Magazine August, September, 2014 Page 3

In This Issue‌..

05 Letter from the Editor 06 Coping with a Thorn in the Flesh

11 Christian and Gay: Welcome to my World 14 The Things That Break the Heart of God 17 How to Restore the Joy in Your Christian Life 19 What Makes an Attractive Christian Woman 22 Paula White: Unstable to Stable 26 Great Recipes You Should Try

22 Paula White Her Personal Story Page 4 Blessed Magazine August, September, 2014

Letter From the Editor

Praise the Lord My Brothers and Sisters in Christ!

I am so excited to bring you another issue of Blessed Magazine filled with articles to spark your interest as well as provide insight for your walk with the Lord!

As with every issue, I encourage you to read each article with an open mind, open heart and if at any time you have questions or need to contact the author, please reach out to us here We are always open to aspiring writers, bloggers and commentators to send us their work for consideration of being featured in our magazine If you would like to submit an article, please contact us at contact@blessedmagazine.org I also want to thank our many subscribers and readers of Blessed Magazine as well as our advertisers.

Again, please enjoy this issue of Blessed Magazine and if you are not a subscriber, subscribe today by visiting www.blessedmagazine.org Yours in Christ, Laraine Turner Editor in Chief Blessed Magazine August, September, 2014 Page 5

By The Watch Tower

Page 6 Blessed Magazine August, September, 2014

My undeserved kindness is sufficient for you.”—2 CORINTHIANS 12:9. ―ALL those desiring to live with godly devotion in association with Christ Jesus will also be persecuted.‖ (2 Timothy 3:12) Why is that so?

Because Satan contends that man serves God only for selfish reasons, and he is desperate to prove his point. Jesus once warned his faithful apostles: ―Satan has demanded to have you men to sift you as wheat.‖ (Luke 22:31) Jesus well knew that God allows Satan to test us by means of painful problems. Of course, that does not mean that every difficulty we face in life springs directly from Satan or his demons. (Ecclesiastes 9:11) But Satan is eager to use any means at his disposal to break our integrity.

The Bible tells us that we should not be puzzled over our trials. Whatever may befall us, it is neither strange nor unexpected. (1 Peter 4:12) In fact, ―the same things in the way of sufferings are being accomplished in the entire association of [our] brothers in the world.‖ (1 Peter 5:9) Today, Satan is putting extreme pressure on every servant of God. The Devil delights to see us tormented with as many thornlike problems as possible. To that end, he uses his system of things in such a way that it is likely to add to or aggravate any ‗thorns in our flesh.‘ (2 Corinthians 12:7) Nonetheless, Satan‘s attacks need not break our integrity. Just as Jehovah will ―make the way out‖ for us to endure temptation, he will do the same when we face troubles that are like thorns in our flesh.—1 Corinthians 10:13.

How to Cope With a Thorn The apostle Paul begged God to remove the thorn from his flesh. ―In this behalf I three times entreated the Lord that it might depart from me.‖ What was Jehovah‘s reply to Paul‘s ardent request? ―My undeserved kindness is sufficient for you; for my power is being made perfect in weakness.‖ (2 Corinthians 12:8, 9) Let us analyze this response and see how it can help us to cope with any thornlike problems that pain us

Notice that God encouraged Paul to appreciate the undeserved kindness that had already been extended to him through Christ. Indeed, Paul had been greatly blessed in many ways. Jehovah lovingly granted him the privilege of discipleship, though he had been a fanatic opposer of Jesus‘ followers. (Acts 7:58; 8:3; 9:1-4) Jehovah thereafter kindly gave Paul many thrilling assignments and privileges. The lesson for us is clear. Even in the worst of times, we still have many blessings for which to be grateful. Never should our trials make us forget the abundant goodness of Jehovah.—Psalm 31:19 Jehovah‘s undeserved kindness proves sufficient in another way. God‘s power is more than enough to help us through our trials. (Ephesians 3:20) Jehovah taught Paul that divine power is ―made perfect in weakness.‖ How? He lovingly supplied Paul with all the strength he needed in order to cope with his trial. In turn, Paul‘s endurance and his implicit trust in Jehovah revealed to all that God‘s power was triumphing in the case of this weak and sinful man. Now consider the effect on the Devil, who claims that men serve God only when life is comfortable and uncomplicated.

Paul‘s integrity amounted to a slap in the face of that slanderer!

Here was Paul, Satan‘s former ally in his fight against God, an insolent persecutor of Christians, a zealous Pharisee who, no doubt, once enjoyed many comforts of life because he was born into a privileged class. Paul was now serving Jehovah and Christ as ―the least of the apostles.‖ (1 Corinthians 15:9) As such, he was humbly submitting to the authority of the first-century Christian governing body. And he was enduring faithfully despite his thorn in the flesh. Much to Satan‘s chagrin, life‘s trials did not cause Paul‘s zeal to wane. Never did Paul lose his focus on the hope that he would share in Christ‘s heavenly Kingdom. (2 Timothy 2:12; 4:18) No thorn, however painful, could diminish his zeal. May our zeal, likewise, continue strong! By sustaining us Blessed Magazine August, September, 2014 Page 7

My undeserved kindness is sufficient for you.”—2 CORINTHIANS 12:9. through our trials, Jehovah dignifies us with the privilege of helping to prove Satan a liar.— Proverbs 27:11.

may be getting weary or downhearted because of some thorn in their flesh.—Isaiah 32:2; 50:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:14

Jehovah’s Provisions Vital

All of Jehovah‘s servants are part of his united Christian family. Yes, we are ―members belonging individually to one another,‖ and we are ―under obligation to love one another.‖ (Romans 12:5; 1 John 4:11) How do we fulfill this obligation? According to 1 Peter 3:8, we do so by ―showing fellow feeling, having brotherly affection, [and being] tenderly compassionate‖ to all those related to us in the faith. As for those coping with a particularly painful thorn in the flesh, be they young or old, all of us can give them special consideration. How?

Today, Jehovah empowers faithful Christians by means of his holy spirit, his Word, and our Christian brotherhood. Like the apostle Paul, we can throw our burdens on Jehovah in prayer.

(Psalm 55:22) Although God may not remove our trials, he can grant us the wisdom to cope with them, even with those that are especially hard to bear. Jehovah can also supply us with fortitude— giving us ―power beyond what is normal‖—to help us endure.—2 Corinthians 4:7.

How do we receive such help? We must diligently study God‘s Word, for therein we will find his sure consolations. (Psalm 94:19) In the Bible, we read the poignant words of God‘s servants as they begged for divine help. Jehovah‘s responses, which often include the use of comforting words, are food for meditation. Study will fortify us so that ―the power beyond what is normal may be God‘s and not that out of ourselves.‖ Just as we need to eat physical food every day for nourishment and strength, so we must feed on God‘s words regularly. Do we do this? If we do, then we will see that our receiving ―power beyond what is normal‖ helps us to endure whatever figurative thorns may afflict us now.

God-fearing Christian elders can ―prove to be like a hiding place from the wind‖ of distress, ―a place of concealment from the rainstorm‖ of problems.

Elders, who want to fit that inspired description, humbly and sincerely ask Jehovah to give them ―the tongue of the taught ones‖ so that they may know how to answer suffering ones with the right words. The words of the elders can be like a gentle rain that cools and comforts our spirit during hard times in life. By speaking ―consolingly to the depressed souls,‖ elders truly support their spiritual brothers and sisters who

We should strive to be sensitive to their suffering.

If we are callous, cold, or indifferent, we might inadvertently make their suffering worse. Our being aware of their trials ought to move us to be careful in what we say, how we say it, and how we act. Our being positive and encouraging can help to dull some of the sharp pain of whatever thorn is afflicting them. We may thereby prove to be a strengthening aid to them.—Colossians 4:11

How Some Have Coped Successfully As we near the end of these last days, the ―pangs of distress‖ are increasing daily. (Matthew 24:8) Thus, trials are likely to afflict everyone on earth, especially Jehovah's faithful servants, who are seeking to do his will. For example, consider a Christian serving in the full-time ministry. She was diagnosed with cancer and had to have her salivary and lymphatic glands surgically removed.

When she and her husband learned that she had this disease, they immediately turned to Jehovah in a long, beseeching prayer. She later said that an unbelievable peace came over them. Still, she endured many ups and downs, especially when coping with the side effects of her treatments To deal with her situation, this sister tried to

My undeserved kindness is sufficient for you.”—2 CORINTHIANS 12:9. learn as much as she could about cancer. She consulted with her doctors.

In The Watchtower, Awake!, and related Christian publications, she found personal accounts showing how individuals had coped emotionally with this illness. She also read relevant Bible passages showing Jehovah‘s ability to sustain his people during difficulties, and other helpful information.

One article on coping with despair cited these wise words: ―One isolating himself will seek his own selfish longing.‖ (Proverbs 18:1) The article therefore gave this advice: ―Resist isolation.‖The sister relates: ―Many told me they were praying for me; others phoned me. Two elders called regularly to check up on me. I received flowers and loads of cards. Some even prepared meals.

Also, many volunteered to take me to my treatments.‖

A longtime servant of Jehovah in New Mexico, U.S.A., was in two automobile accidents. Her neck and shoulders were injured, aggravating an arthritic condition with which she had been coping for over 25 years. She relates: ―I had great difficulty holding my head up and carrying anything weighing over five pounds [2 kg]. But fervent prayer to Jehovah has sustained me greatly.

So have the articles in The Watchtower that we have studied. One commented on Micah 6:8, noting that being modest in walking with God means knowing one‘s limitations. This helped me to appreciate that in spite of my condition, I should not get discouraged, even though the time I spent in the ministry was less than I wished. Serving him with pure motives is primarily what counts.‖ She also reports: ―The elders always commended me for my efforts to attend the meetings and to go out in the field ministry. Young ones would greet me with a hug.. The pioneer ministers were so patient with me and often rearranged their plans

on my bad days. When the weather was difficult, they would kindly take me on return visits or invite me to sit in on their Bible studies. And since I could not carry a book bag, other publishers put my literature in their bag when I went out in the preaching work.‖ Notice how congregation elders and fellow believers helped these two sisters to cope with their thornlike infirmities. They offered practical, kind assistance designed to meet specific spiritual, physical, and emotional needs. Does that not encourage you to render aid to other brothers and sisters who are experiencing problems? You young ones too can be an aid to those in your congregation who are contending with thorns in their flesh.—Proverbs 20:29.

magazines have published many life stories and experiences of Witnesses who have coped, and are still coping, with problems in life. As you regularly read such articles, you will see that many of your spiritual brothers and sisters around the world have endured economic hardships, loss of loved ones in disasters, and dangerous wartime conditions. Others live with incapacitating diseases. Many cannot do some of the simple things in life that healthy ones take for Blessed Magazine August, September, 2014 Page 9

My undeserved kindness is sufficient for you.”—2 CORINTHIANS 12:9. granted. Their illnesses test them most severely, especially when they cannot share in Christian activities as much as they would like. How deeply they appreciate the help and support that their brothers and sisters, young and old, render them!

Endurance Brings Happiness Paul rejoiced to see how God strengthened him.

He said: ―Most gladly . . . will I rather boast as respects my weaknesses, that the power of the Christ may like a tent remain over me. Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in insults, in cases of need, in persecutions and difficulties, for Christ.

For when I am weak, then I am powerful.‖ (2 Corinthians 12:9, 10) Because of his personal experiences, Paul could confidently state: ―Not that I am speaking with regard to being in want, for I have learned, in whatever circumstances I am, to be self-sufficient. I know indeed how to be low on provisions, I know indeed how to have an abundance. In everything and in all circumstances I have learned the secret of both how to be full and how to hunger, both how to have an abundance and how to suffer want. For all things I have the strength by virtue of him who imparts power to me.‖—Philippians 4:11-13 So, then, by enduring whatever figurative thorn is in our flesh, we can find great happiness in showing everyone that Jehovah‘s power is being made perfect in our weakness. Paul wrote: ―We do not give up . . . Certainly the man we are inside is being renewed from day to day. For though the tribulation is momentary and light, it works out for us a glory that is of more and more surpassing weight and is everlasting; while we keep our eyes . . . on the things unseen. For the things . . . unseen are everlasting.‖—2 Corinthians 4:16-18.

Most of Jehovah‘s people today hope to live in his earthly Paradise and to enjoy the blessings he has promised. Such blessings might be considered ―unseen‖ to us today. However, the time is rapidly approaching when we will see those blessings

with our own eyes, yes, and enjoy them forever.

One such blessing will be the relief of never again having to live with any thornlike problem! God‘s Son will ―break up the works of the Devil‖ and ―bring to nothing the one having the means to cause death.‖—1 John 3:8; Hebrews 2:14.

Therefore, whatever thorn in our flesh is hurting us today, let us keep on coping with it. Like Paul, we will have the strength to do so by virtue of Jehovah, who generously imparts power to us.

When we are living in the earthly Paradise, we will bless Jehovah our God every day for all his wonderful doings in our behalf.—Psalm 103:2

Imagine living in a world where you are not able to love, not be in a romantic relationship, not have a family. Then imagine the sadness of not being able to change your feelings and realizing that you have no choice in who you are attracted to Welcome to my world Blessed Magazine August, September, 2014 Page 11

I was 13 years old when I first realized that I am a lesbian. My first thought was, I’m a freak. No one can ever know. For the next decade or so, I dated boys and told myself that one day I‘d be normal: I‘d find the right man, fall in love, and have the family I dreamed of. That never happened

the practice of a homosexual lifestyle is.

In my 20s I came out and lived a gay lifestyle. Being open and honest about being gay meant I was free, I thought. Never would I want to hide this part of me again.

A Divisive Issue

Sixteen years ago, everything changed. For most of my life, I had been an atheist, refusing to trust anyone or anything but myself. But no matter what I did or who I had relationships with, something was missing.

With the help of some wonderful people, I finally realized that what was missing in my life was God. At first I was hesitant to follow God. I was very afraid that by becoming a Christian I would have to give up on my dream of having a family. Reading what the Bible says about homosexuality, it became clear that this was not the lifestyle God intended for me.

Some of my friends who attend ―gay-friendly churches‖ believe that living a homosexual lifestyle is OK as long as the relationship is monogamous. These friends believe that the Scriptures dealing with homosexuality reflect the context in which they were written and do not apply to us today.

These churches were very appealing to me. I could go, worship God, be part of a community, and continue to hope for a family. But with much trepidation, I decided to trust God‘s Word.

On its website, the Christian Reformed Church states, ―Homosexualism (that is, homosexual practice), is incompatible with obedience to the will of God as revealed in Scripture.‖ The church is not saying that homosexual orientation itself is sinful, but

All these years later, I still agree with the position of the CRC. But I cannot silence the loneliness. Much of the time I feel like I am walking this road alone, which makes keeping the commitment more difficult.

Homosexuality is one of the most divisive issues in Christianity today. Much pain has been caused—either by the things people say or by the deafening silence that sometimes accompanies this subject.

When Christians tell offensive gay jokes in my presence, I feel like I need to hide who I am. Other times, their silence can be even more hurtful than insensitive words. At times I have wanted to talk about my struggles with my brothers and sisters in Christ. But I‘m often met with silence. Just hearing the word homosexual or gay brings up images, stereotypes, and assumptions that make it difficult for many in the church to participate in a conversation about homosexuality. A few very precious individuals have been willing to sit with me, listen, ask questions, and remind me of how much God loves me.

I‘ve had some tough conversations with gay friends. I tell them that even on the days I feel most alone, knowing that God loves me makes those days so much better than any of the days that I lived without God. Many of my friends say they will never set foot in a church. They believe church people despise them. And they are right—some do despise them. Unfortunately, theirs are the voices we hear most often. They preach hate and picket funerals with signs that say ―Fags go to hell.‖ But I have met many others who are willing to love people who are homosexual, but just don‘t understand the issues. If you‘re one of those people, here are some things to consider Understand that for a gay person to follow Christ means never enjoying the intimacy of

marital love, never having a traditional family. I have been told numerous times over the years that being gay and celibate is just like being a single person without a spouse.

This is difficult to hear. Straight people have the option to begin a relationship with someone they are interested in. But I believe that obeying God comes first, even when it means we can‘t have our heart‘s desires. And I have discovered that God honors this.

Walking alongside Christian gay people means you‘ll encounter both those who are seeking to follow God through celibacy and those who aren‘t. Talk to people who are struggling with this. Some of the most helpful, healing conversations I have had were with people who truly want to understand, who care enough to ask questions. Show compassion. Cry with people and laugh with them. Share a meal and break bread together. Love them and let them love you back. Be empathetic. Imagine what it would be like to walk in their shoes. Include them in events that are for families

He explained the church‘s position: that the Bible teaches that an active homosexual lifestyle is not acceptable to God. Over the years, the woman continued to speak with the pastor. He welcomed the conversation, as did others in the church. She and her partner continued attending. I asked her what kept them coming. ―I don‘t agree with the church‘s position on homosexuality,‖ she said, ―but there‘s a lot of love here.‖ The pastor was also able to convey that this woman and her partner will always be loved by God. Jesus said, ―By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another‖ (John 13:35). That means loving ―sinners‖ as well as ―saints.‖ Let‘s come alongside homosexuals and let them know they are not alone. And may they know we are Christians by our love.

Listen. We don‘t have to solve every problem. We can‘t pretend to really know how we would react to the same struggle. All we really have to do is to love others the way that God loves us Pastors and leaders, address the issue of homosexuality. Teach what the Bible says about the practice of homosexuality, but also teach how we are to love one another and welcome people into the church. Remind your congregation that the church is a place for those who are broken, and Jesus is the one who can make all things right. Create times when people can ask you questions about this subject and be in discussion with each other If we in the church can only love people who are not broken, who would be left? Loving people does not mean condoning a lifestyle. I knew a gay woman who decided to attend church with her partner. She liked what she heard and eventually spoke with the pastor.

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Blessed Magazine August, September, 2014 Page 13

The Things That Break The Heart Of God

By Pastor George Belobaba

―I am broken,‖ God says, ―because you have chosen other things to love.‖ Page 14 Blessed Magazine August, September, 2014

Ezekiel 6:9-10, ―And they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations whither they shall be carried captives, because I am broken with their whorish heart, which hath departed from me, and with their eyes, which go a whoring after their idols: and they shall loathe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations. And they shall know that I am the LORD, and that I have not said in vain that I would do this evil unto them” (KJV). ―I am broken,‖ God says, ―because you have chosen other things to love.‖ They were not paying attention to God. They were not fruitful and they did not know intimacy with God. Psalm 78:4142 reads, “Yea, they turned back and tempted God and limited the Holy One of Israel. They remembered not His hand nor the day when He delivered them from the enemy” (KJV). God judged them, caused them some suffering, and their land became desolate… just so that they would know that the Lord God was Almighty. Hosea 5:15says, “I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.” Paul teaches in Philippians 1:29, “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.” Isaiah teaches in Isaiah 63:8-10, “For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour. In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.”

Christian, are you breaking God‘s heart by an unholy lifestyle? 2 Corinthians 6:17-18says, ―Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty” (KJV). Christian, stop sinning and “cleanse [yourself] from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1).

Jeremiah 23:9-12, ―Mine heart within me is broken because of the prophets; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of the LORD, and because of the words of his holiness. For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing the land mourneth; the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up, and their course is evil, and their force is not right. For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the LORD. Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the LORD” (KJV). The preachers and prophets in Jeremiah‘s day had been ignoring the holiness of God; so many preachers and prophets in our day are ignoring the holiness of God as well. Jeremiah says, ―The land has become full of adulterers and swearing,‖ and he teaches further that “their course is evil‖ (v. 10). Our nation has a serious problem with adultery and swearing. The problems have come because of sin and God lays it upon the shoulders of the preachers and prophets. Preachers and prophets must remember that they too will fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:31).

Jeremiah continues in Jeremiah 23:13, “[The prophets] have prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err” (KJV). Anyone who preaches that sin is all right is walking in lies; God says they are as bad as the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. In Jeremiah 23:14, God says, ―I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem a horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.” Many of today‘s preachers and prophets are alike, like brothers together in their sins. Adultery is not just a physical thing; it is the breaking of a contract Blessed Magazine August, September, 2014 Page 15

Many people today have broken their contract with God. When He saved them, they made a contract with Jesus to love Him with all their hearts and quit sinning. Today, many of the preachers and prophets have other things on their minds… things like pleasure, money, prestige, entertainment, and whatever is more important to them than God. That was the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah; that‘s adultery, the breaking of a contract (Ezekiel 16:49).

Sin is sin and God hates it. Jeremiah continues in Jeremiah 23:15-17 and says, ―Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD. They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you” (KJV). God says not to listen to or pay attention to these kinds of prophets. Those prophets did not put enough value on the word of God (Jeremiah 23:18). These people did not hate God, they just didn‘t care or love God above all else.

In Jeremiah 23:19, God calls these people wicked. Sinners are wicked; Christians who continue in sin are wicked too.

Jeremiah 23:20-32 says, “The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly. I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings. Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD. I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed. How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart; Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbor, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal. The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD. Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbor. Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith. Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the LORD”(KJV).

Page 16 Blessed Magazine August, September, 2014

How to Restore the Joy in Your Christian Life

by Clark Russell

When you got saved there was joy in heaven (Luke 15:7, 10). And when God, our Father is happy, we can‘t help but be merry with Him (v. 23)

It‘s a fact that God wants all His children to be joyful Jesus said, ―These things I have spoken to you that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be made full‖ (John 15:11) Paul the apostle said, ―always rejoice‖ in 1 Thes.

5:16 But often we just don‘t have that inward feeling of joy. It‘s been missing. Maybe for a while…weeks…months… even years.

Blessed Magazine August, September, 2014 Page 17

You recognize the joy in others. You see it on their face when they talk. Jesus is their Beloved. His Word is precious to them. You can see it in their eyes, hear it in their voice. Their love for Christ is effervescent But for you, it‘s missing. So what do you do?

Do you forget about it? Give it up? Just dismiss it as a past stage in your life?

Do you outgrow all of that? Do you outgrow that kind of enjoyment or experience? Or do you…

should be such pure-hearted ―virgins‖ lovingly awaiting our marriage to Christ, our Bridegroom (John 3:28-29).

The point is, we just can‘t separate the joy of our salvation from our love for Christ our Bridegroom Peter said, ―Whom having not seen, you love, into whom though not seeing Him at present, yet believing, you exult with joy that is unspeakable and full of glory‖ (1 Pet. 1:8) So how is your love? The first step to recovering your joy is to rekindle your love for the Lord Jesus

GET YOUR JOY BACK Good. Glad you‘re still reading. I can‘t do it for you. You have to do it. But, I‘ll just tell you what has helped me.

For a minute, look beyond Christ as your Redeemer and Savior, and behold Him as the Bridegroom. Just tell Him,

Let‘s start (as we always should) with Christ. To get your joy back, Christ is two things to you. Conveniently, they‘re both found in Matthew 25

“Lord, you’re my Bridegroom, and I really love You.”

THE BRIDEGROOM

Go ahead. Tell Him. Out loud.

There‘s a story at the beginning Matthew 25 about ten women. These women, all virgins, were waiting for same thing. They wanted to meet bridegroom

of ten the the

If we don‘t get this, if you don‘t recover our best love for Him, we‘ll never take back our joy. Our joy is in the presence of our Bridegroom

If you know the story, you also know there‘s a lot more to it, but don‘t miss this point: Christ is our Bridegroom And these ten virgins represent us— Christ‘s believers. Before God, we all

It‘s so important. It‘s the prerequisite. So get yourself a pen and a sticky note. Start a tally of how many times throughout the day you tell the Lord Jesus that you love Him. Shoot for a dozen. I‘ve been doing this. It really helps. Keep a tally

Page 18 Blessed Magazine August, September, 2014

What Makes an Attractive Christian Woman

by Nancy Leigh DeMoss

Blessed Magazine August, September, 2014 Page 19

They have more attitude. They have more power And they overpower guys more It‘s Scary…

This is the culture in which we live. And yet Christ calls His followers to be counter-cultural. In fact, Paul says in 1 Timothy 2:9-10 that two attitudes are to characterize a Christian woman's approach to her appearance and behavior: modesty and self-control.

A Modest Heart You don't hear the word modesty often today, at least not in a positive sense. It conjures up images of a dour, frumpy schoolmarm. But that's a misconception.

A woman's greatest loveliness comes through a modest heart that expresses itself in modest behavior, dress, and attitudes. Modest comes from a Greek word, aidos, which means propriety, decency.

The word also hints at a proper sense of shame. For example, a modest woman would be ashamed if anything about her attitude or appearance dishonored Christ, distracted other believers, or caused men to sin A modest woman is disinclined to call attention to herself. There's nothing wrong with having an outgoing personality, but a modest woman does not try to get people to notice her. In her speech, dress, and behavior, she is free from showiness or ostentation Page 20 Blessed Magazine August, September, 2014

Here are some questions to help you assess your level of modesty: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

• Do I have a humble view of myself?

• Do I have a high view of God? • Am I grieved at the thought of offending God or causing someone else to sin?

• Do I wear clothing that is neat, decent, and doesn‘t cause distraction or temptation to others?

• Am I guilty of promoting myself?

• Do I come across as controlling, bossy, or domineering?

• Do I talk too much? Scripture says, ―In the multitude of words sin is not lacking‖ (Proverbs 10:19, nkjv).

Controlled Freedom If you‘re like me, you can easily get discouraged by reading passages like 1 Timothy 2:9-10 that spell out God‘s standard for our lives as women. That‘s why we need to call out to the Lord: ―Apart from You, there is no way I can be the kind of woman You have called me to be! By the power of Your Holy Spirit, please make me this kind of woman.‖ If you allow the Spirit of God room to work, He will produce His fruit in your life— including the fruit of self-control.

By practicing self-control, you‘ll avoid

many difficult situations altogether because you‘ll make wise, restrained choices upfront—with your tongue, your eyes, your touch, your spirit.

As you did with modesty, ask yourself some questions to evaluate your level of self-control: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

• Do I manage my time well?

• Am I disciplined in my work habits?

• Am I moderate and temperate in my eating, drinking, and spending?

• Is my tongue controlled by the Spirit, or do I blurt out whatever comes to mind?

• Am I prone to emotional outbursts?

• Am I restrained in my relationships and demeanor with men?

The greatest freedom comes when you‘re under the control of the Holy Spirit.

That‘s when you can enjoy healthy and wholesome relationships in the Body of Christ A heart of modesty and self-control will bring joy and peace in your life—and will make the Gospel believable to unbelievers.

Blessed Magazine August, September, 2014 Page 21

Paula White Unstable to Stable Her Personal Story

By Stephen Hubbard and Lisa Ryan

Photo Credit by Jim DeYonker

Page 22 Blessed Magazine August, September, 2014

Paula White is the one-woman dynamo who is taking the Christian world by storm. She and her husband pastor one of the ten largest churches in the U.S. in Tampa, Florida.

Her daily TV show reaches 90 percent of the world. She has a big-time book deal and the endorsement of one of America‘s most respected spiritual leaders… Bishop T.D. Jakes All this from a lady who was practically unknown less than five years ago ―I think it‘s funny,‖ Paula White says. ―T.D. Jakes said, ‗Paula, everyone thinks you‘re an overnight wonder.‘ I said, ‗Daddy, that is the longest night of my life!‘‖ Paula White‘s life started in what seemed to be an ideal situation -- the adored child of wealthy parents ―My father took care of me every day,‖ she recalls. ―He would take me to breakfast every morning and then to the country club. My mom ran the businesses. They were entrepreneurs. We owned toy stores, craft stores, restaurants, and seafood chains. So I just knew that loving arm that would hold me and draw smiley faces on my pancakes ―I was always told I was Daddy‘s little girl. In fact, we owned toy stores, and I would run in and want to get the latest toy off the shelf. My mom would say no way, and my dad would say, ‗Get whatever you want, baby.‘‖

Paula was five when her family moved from Tupelo, Missisippi, to Memphis, Tennessee.

Out of the blue… her life changed forever My dad comes in one night. He‘s been drinking excessively, and he grabs one hand of me. My mother grabs the other, and they begin to pull at me like a Raggedy Ann doll -- just tugging at me. He says, ‗Give her to me, or I‘ll kill myself.‘ She said, ‗No, I won‘t.‘ She held on to me with her life, and my father

extended his hand out and began to bash her head in. I had never seen a violent side to my father. So they call for the police, take him away, put him in jail overnight, he gets out, and takes his life as he had said he would,‖ Paula says Paula faced a much different future without her beloved father to watch over her. Her ―perfect‖ life became increasingly unstable From the ages of six to thirteen, Paula endured years of sexual and physical abuse

―Some were caretakers, some were neighbors, different people,‖ she says. ―It wasn‘t a consistent abuse, but it was enough to do damage that psychiatrists said that I would be dysfunctional all my life.‖ Paula‘s downward spiral continued as she searched for the love she so desperately needed ―One thing just began to build in my life after another. Then there were the eating disorders: bulimia, anorexia… Sleeping with different people, thinking this is how you find love,‖ she says. ―There was such a fear in me that [men] would never come back so do whatever you have to. Hit me, beat me, call me a dog, do whatever, just don‘t leave.‖ The odds that Paula White would find Jesus seemed slim since she‘d never even been to church

―I never heard the Gospel until I was 18 years old,‖ she says. ―Jesus Christ… the name was synonymous to me as the Tooth Fairy or Santa Claus. I‘d heard the name but I did not know that He was the Son of God, that He walked the earth that He lived, He died, was crucified on an old rugged cross… that there was a God that loved me unconditionally.‖ At 18 Paula was visiting the home of a friend Blessed Magazine August, September, 2014 Page 23

―I‘m sitting in the living room, his uncle comes in, and says, ‗I can see all your pain‘.

I‘m thinking, How can you see any pain? I am a master at this time at masking any hurt [and] anything that would show the dysfunction ―He begins to pierce me with words that penetrated my being. He starts saying, ‗I know what you‘re going through.‘ He doesn‘t know anything about who I am, my background. He gets out a Bible, and I don‘t even know what a Bible is. I have no idea what he‘s doing. He says, ‗I have the answer for everything that‘s hurting you, for every problem that you face.‘ He just begins to, what I call, read me my mail. He takes me through the Word of God -shows me the plan of salvation. Not only does he lead me to the Lord but he releases all the things in my past, shows me from the Word of God that I don‘t have to be a victim to the things that happened to me. I have this supernatural encounter. I mean, I got saved! I got rescued. I was radically changed

―So I held the Word of God up and said, ‗I want to know You. I want answers for life. I want to understand who You are. I don‘t want to trainwreck my life. I don‘t want to go back to anything that had been a part of that dysfunction.'‖ Soon Paula‘s passion for evangelism was born ―I found myself in the inner cities of America, all over the world for years,‖ she says. ―Just hugging little boys and girls, telling them about the love of God, and picking up little broken Paulas. I was holding myself, restoring myself, and giving them the Word that so transformed me.‖ Paula married her husband Randy, and they lead Without Walls in Tampa, Florida ―There‘s so many things that God has given me,‖ he says. ―I have a wonderful husband, wonderful children, wonderful friends, a great church. My life is so satisfied and fulfilled in so many other areas that I focus on what God has given me and what I do have instead of what I don‘t have.‖ Most of all Paula White is determined to pass on ―what she does have‖ to the people who need it most ―My greatest thrill was not preaching in public,‖ she says. ―It was going into a restaurant, looking into a waitress‘s eyes, seeing behind the package [to] the depth of her soul, and giving her that same love that God gave me when I was 18 years old

―I cannot tell you what exploded on the inside of my being. I can just say I, for the first time in my life, knew love.‖

―Life labeled me, people gave up on me, and thought that there was no hope, but God takes the people who have been cast aside and look like trash. God‘s in the recycling business. He recycles that trash and brings forth treasure

Paula set out on a journey to find out what God was all about.

“What nothing in this world can put back together, God can. If someone says it’s too

Page 24 Blessed Magazine August, September, 2014

much, what they‘re saying is that the blood of Jesus Christ, the covenant that God made, is not enough. I stand as an [example] to say it is more than enough‖

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