Faith FEED Jan 2014

Culture

Fait

Ministry

Profile of a digital Christi an When Church leaves the building

Leadership Faith

E

D

E

Innovation

7

Overlooked things

Top Christian Blogs and Twitter pages Figuring out your divine assignment.

God wants from you.

Q&A “I can’t seem to open up sexually to my husband?”

Contents

Would Jesus be on Facebook?

48

Devine

You ever wonder what did Christ diet consist of?

29 Sections Leaders

40

News

86

Men

58

Devotion

72

54

Lifestyle

Q&A

25

Front Cover Digital Christianity

72

7 overlooked things

Divine Assignment

Every Issue

God wants from you

15 58

When Church leaves the building

Devotion News Q&A

40

Faith FE

D

E

Chief Editor Linda Pintus Assistance Editor Rebecca Hines Editorial Staff Chase Robins Tim Robinson Jenny Cummins Contributors Bobbie Ann Cole Anna Darlene Edmundson Andy Castro Stephanie White Production Jamiel Cotman Will Doniker Lance Cummins Connect

https://twitter.com/FaithFEED

_ Contribute FaithFEEDMag@gmail.com Promote

808-419-7583

Editors Feed

We’re super excited about this, our first edition of Faith FEED. In it, we tackle just where the body of Christ is, its most pressing needs and just how we can flow with the spirit to get them answered.

The article, “Digital Christianity’ is sure to be a head turner as we help

Check out our News segment as we explore the Duck Dynasty Controversy and the passing away of faith legends like Paul Crouch and Nelson Mandela. Or, you can just scan through and watch tons of other great content such as devotionals, articles, scriptures and more, all designed to intersect the best that the Christian faith has to offer.

The leadership section most intrigues me. I’ve really been reading the material regarding the future of our faith such as Mark Driscolls book, “Will Christianity Have A Future or a Funeral?” and the article, “The Death of Christianity” with its sobering thoughts. And, while we’re here, just between me and you, its rumored that Lifeway Stores founder J.M. frost will be releasing his book, ‘The Autopsy of A Dead

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Editor

you utilize today’s technology to witness for Christ.

Church’ which I’m sure will be a bucket of cold water on many of today’s apathetic pastors.

One of our contributors, Bobbie Ann Cole also took the time to explore Tu b shevat a Jewish holiday taking place in January, which also goes over what Jesus’s diet may have consist of, while we added a few recipes so we can celebrate as well. Finally, you’ll see some of last years top Christian Twitter and Tumbler pages that I’m sure are each filled with interesting content.

As the body of Christ grows, we aim to stay at the forefront of what is happening, and even introduce a few things here and there. So, on behalf of our entire editorial staff, contributing team, management and all, I salute you, for being a part of this monumental occasion. Really mean that.

We hope you enjoy it. We really do. If you have any comments email us at faithfeedmag@gmail.com.

Be blessed!

Linda Pintus Editor and Chief

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Creators

Feed Wow! O wow, o wow!

Then again I’m not the grammatically correct one am I?

All I can say is while working with the journalist, contributors and managers; I didn’t have much to manage. These guys are pros. I just sat back and read, and read, and read all of the content over and over again because it’s so good! [answered a few emails here and there].

But hey, that’s what happens when you intersect the best that Christian faith has to offer, into one amazing feed, and now, one amazing magazine.

So scan through. Enjoy, and be sure to tell us what you want to hear more about later on.

Jamiel Cotman Production manager

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Manager

Foot, I just work in management.

Faith

Walking away from sin is just the beginning.

This isn’t just another year.

God has a new destination for you in 2014.

Walk

With

Him

F

orget what you’ve heard. This is another year where you

and God can become closer. Its another year where He and you embark on a journey that leads to fulfillment, victory, hope and

Faith

All it takes is your willingness to

and on and on. But here is one

stand by Him when things don’t

thing you have to understand.

look right. You’ve been asking,

This one thing, you must never

‘Where is God?’, ‘Why didn’t He

forget…

____ when I needed Him to?’

God doesn’t give us strength, he is our strength!

In fact, you can fill in that blank with anything you’ve been looking for.

God doesn’t give us riches, he is our riches!

God doesn’t give us victory, he is our victory!

God doesn’t give us healing, he is our healing!

“Yea, that’s good sermon talk. But I really need a breakthrough.” You may be thinking. But you do you know what I think?

God doesn’t give us breakthroughs, He is our breakthrough!

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Until you get your mind around the fact that He is your everything, you won’t get anything from Him. It’s what He told our father in the faith upon His first encounter.

Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

Genesis 15:1 He says the same thing to Abraham was going through some things. He had a promise from God, something He wanted, that he didn’t see coming to pass. He and his wife were dispread. They were troubled. They like you and I, wanted their stuff. They wanted the promise. And here comes God saying to them, “I am your

P7

the Israelites years after. After Moses asks who He is, so the Israelites could know, God says, “I am that I am. Tell them I am sent you.”[Genesis 3:14]. All I’m saying is, prioritize your walk with God, and you’ll see the things you want begin to fall in place.

So how do we walk with

promise”. I am whatever it is you

God, better than we’ve done

need.

before?

Faith

Embrace Your Calling Jesus said this, “If any

embark upon what he’s created

man would come after me. Let

you to do. Jesus’s cross was

him first deny himself, take up

dying for our sins. What’s your

his cross, and follow me” [Luke

cross? It could be to witness to

9:23]. His cross? Let’s be clear,

others in your community or

nobody can die on the cross for

online. It could be to adopt an

humanity except Jesus. So what

urban school by getting on the

is it that he’s referring to? You’re

parental advisory board there. I

calling. The specific thing God

don’t know where God is calling

wants you to do with your life. In

you, but I can say this, its going

essence, to walk closer with

to get you closer to him.

God, you’re going to have to Trust Him To keep up with Christ this

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the scriptures. You may not

year, you’re going to have to

hear three or four sermons on it

yield to Him, before you see any

beforehand. But to really move

reason to. If not, you’ll be left

with God, you must trust Him.

behind. You may not get all of

“Trust in the LORD with all of

Faith

Faith your heart. Lean not to your own

God, you’ll never be in a

understanding” [Proverbs 3:5-6].

position to do that. We don’t

Many believers confuse faith with trust. But trust is more important and different altogether. Faith believes what God says. It’s evident by our acting on what He says.

However, when you don’t trust

accept the words of those we don’t trust. Trust is required, before you can have faith. You’ll be amazed at all of the promises attached to those who trust in the LORD.

We say, “God show me, and I’ll trust you. God

How do you develop trust in God? It’s simple.

says, “Trust me. And I’ll show you.

Meditate on His Goodness!

It sounds foolish I know.

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but didn’t. What about the

But the more someone is good

tragedy you were going through

to you, rather, the more you

that nobody knew about, but

focus on how good anyone has

you were delivered.

been, it enables you to let go

Breakthrough with your children;

and trust them more. Think

Breakthrough in relationships;

about the time you almost died,

Isn’t it time you’ve given God

more credit that you’ve been

already?

Have Faith “He that comes to God

Many believers faith is under

must know that He is and that

attack. They don’t see God.

He is a rewarder of them that

They don’t see blessings. They

diligently seek Him” [Hebrews

don’t know where He is. They

11:6]. Walking with God

have millions of questions about

demands you knowing, not only

God’s existence, His Word, and

that He is, but that He honors

what He did or didn’t seem to do

your walk with Him. He richly

for them. But you’re going to

rewards those who follow and

have to rid yourself of this

seek after Him. The human side

before becoming closer.

of us wants to be rewarded. But

Understand this, nobody has all

the spirit side of us wants God.

of the answers. And even

You’ll need to believe that He is

though God does, He won’t

there, and, that He rewards your

even give you all of the answers

diligently seeking Him to walk

because He wants you to trust

closer.

Him. We say, “God show me, and I’ll trust you.” God’s answer

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is always, “Trust me, and I’ll

reward, blessing and fulfillment

show you.” To have the faith.

just like and even beyond

that draws you nearer to God,

anything you’ve expected

you’re going to have to believe

before! In fact, you may find,

that He is and He will reward

much of what you thought you

your looking to Him. Walking

needed, you didn’t really need

with God this year is going to

after all.

simultaneously walk you into

Faith

God doesn’t give us strength. He is our strength.

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While our faith is strengthened by our intake of God’s Word, our flesh is strengthened by all that disagrees with it.

Faith

\

During Difficult

Times Mark 9:24 (NIV) Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

I

believe; help me overcome my

One thought agrees with the Word of

unbelief!� This exclamation signifies a God while the other opposes it. Each contradiction of thoughts.

thought has an origin.

the origin being either the Spirit or the

our flesh still loves to invade our lives.

flesh.

Our flesh produces thoughts of

Doubt creeps in when we least expect it.

doubt and our Spirit produces thoughts

It can overtake us if we are not careful.

of faith. We must realize that the Spirit

The boy’s father knew the answer to his

is strengthened by our intake of the

doubt; the answer was to call out for

Word

is

help. Do we call out for help or do we

strengthened by all that disagrees with

try to “man up” and handle the doubt

the Word.

ourselves? Do we feel as if we are not

of

God

and

our

flesh

We must appreciate the fact that

successful as a Christian because of the

we have two identities to live with: our

doubt and believe that we alone must

Spiritual identity and our identity in the

rectify

flesh – and each nature fights for power.

produce faith in our lives and we cannot

Our consistent use of the Word will bring

maintain it! The sooner we realize our

our Spiritual identity to the forefront and

need for help, the quicker we will go to

give it control in our lives. Even when

God for the help we need.

the

situation?

We cannot

our Spiritual identity is at the forefront,

Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and [that] your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you. John 15:16 Jesus said that He ordained us to go and bring forth fruit – Spiritual fruit.

to our flesh.

The word ordained is defined as: to

I cannot produce faith; faith has a

place or put in a horizontal position, to

Spiritual source. I need to let the Word

make passive.

This means that our

fill me and flow out of me. If I desire

flesh has to be inactive in order for us to

Spiritual fruit that will remain for eternity,

operate in the Spirit.

then I must understand my need to fill

A horizontal

position signifies sleep or death.

We

have to put our flesh in a horizontal position by focusing on Christ and letting

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Him work through us instead of yielding

myself with the Word. My priority must be my intake of the Word.

Admitting our uncertainty and

about what his friends might think. He

crying out to God for the help that we

was not agonizing and fearing that his

need is not a negative action.

lack of faith would disqualify him for the

It is

opening our eyes to our desperate need

help he necessitated.

for Christ – our continual need! Never

began to sink, he cried out. We must do

underestimate your need for Christ.

the same! Do not attempt to handle it

Peter found himself in need as he

on your own.

As soon as he

We need Christ’s help

found himself sinking (Matthew 14:25-

and we need it now.

Instantly Jesus

33).

Peter was walking on the water

reached out to Peter and He will do the

until he looked at his circumstances.

same for us. He is not waiting for us to

Peter looked around and began to fear.

earn His help. If we could earn it, we

This fear led him to cry out to Jesus.

would not really need it!

Peter was not shy when it came to crying out for help. He was not worried

If I desire Spiritual fruit that will remain for eternity, then I must understand my need to fill myself with the Word.

Stephanie White is a wife, a mother, a Bible teacher, and an author. She has authored four books and co-authored four devotionals to-date. Her website is designed to help share the Good News of God’s Word: www.heavenonearthforme.com

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7

Tim Robinson

Overlooked

Things

God Wants

7

Relax and have fun Your faith won’t work unless you rest [Hebrews 4:3]. Yet, the only scripture people remember is, “Faith without works is dead.”[James 2:14].

They often forget that rest, or, letting go is often more critical. When we get into our own works, we end up like Abraham and Sarah who tried to make the promise come to pass, when all they had to do was rest in faith.

6

Faith Find Your Calling In Jeremiah God says, “"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”[1:5]. Your calling is the center of Gods will for your life. It’s why you were born. Yet, most people treat it as ho-hum.

5

That is to say, they think that that unless they are called to be preachers or evangelist, that their life has no purpose.

Start your business

God’s best isn’t for you to work for someone else. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and most of our fathers in the faith, owned businesses. They didn’t work for someone else’s business. It’s impossible to pass a job down to your kids. You

4

have to be there when they tell you. You have to leave when they say so. God wants you to serve him, while money serves you. Business is the only framework where that is possible [Proverbs 22:29].

Be honest Most Christians know how to be nice. But what if I told you that being nice, while not being honest is still a sin [Proverbs 16:6]? Its ok to open up before God first and those with whom honesty is needed. As long as you know how to be respectful when you do it, it’s very beneficial to say to someone, “I enjoyed our conversation, but I don’t think you should have said___” fill in the blank with something that was blatantly w rong.

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3

Faith

Go to church

Going to church is an old fashioned tradition that the bible warns us to

never forsake [Hebrews 10:25]. Barna surveys for years have showcased the difference between Christians who attend church regularly and those who do not. Yet, Christian culture today is bent on finding new ways to

2

seek God. We should never forget the proven way to do so.

Grow Up

.

While its awesome to get better at work, better in health, and better in wealth, one of the chief things God wants for you and I is to become better Christians [Gal 4:1-4]. Why? Because the more we mature in faith, the more of His

purposes and plans He can entrust to us. And that’s a partnership we shouldn’t miss out on.

1

Lead the way

While Christian after Christian goes to church after church, website after website and blog after blog, looking for a Word from the LORD, all too often they overlook the fact that they should be the church, website or blog that others are looking to. Lead. That is a Word of power for believers today. Don’t ask for it from others, work on being it to others. And you’ll never be without it again. [Matthew 5:16]

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Women

Hearing

from

God

Women

Why we as women must become more sensitive to the Spirits’ promptings and how.

Rebecca Hines Hines The funny thing is, as women, we’ve all been listening, just to the wrong person.

W

hile driving down Sunset Blvd, and no, I’m not

talking about the one in Los Angeles, the fake Sunset Blvd we have here in Henrico, Virginia. I’m literally shoved over on the road by another woman, my age, who was seemingly in a rush.

And where was she going,

to which I smiled, lightly laughed

you know; the same place I

and said, “its ok” and walked

was. In fact, I saw her in line

back to my car.

when I got there. It was the 50% off for one day sale at our local Lux Mart. [Its like a high quality Wal-Mart but smaller]. But when

Driving back, I couldn’t believe I didn’t know the details of the event. Oh don’t get me wrong, I knew they had the

we both arrived, we learned that the sales offer was only to premium members, and it

Gods got the goods.

The only question is, am I tuned in?

wasn’t really for the whole day, just the first few hours between 6 and 8 A.M. It was 3:00 P.M. We looked at each other. Laughed, and she, with a cute apologetic face said, ‘I’m sorry for scooting you over”

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butterball turkeys, IPhones, and Samsung Galaxy’s [bigger screens] for half off, whether or

not you purchased a plan. That

would be great]. What if,

was the real reason I went. But

beforehand, I could know where

they also had, literally,

the best guys to date are, the

everything 50% off. But I didn’t

best clothes to shop are, the

know it was for a select time,

best people to meet are, way

and for a select group. Had I

before everyone else did? What

known, I would have gladly

if I was the person everyone

purchased the premium

read about who was discovered

membership, just to get that

by a famous producer, or I was

phone and those turkeys [plural

in on a tragedy that was about

because I planned on racking

to take place and could avoid it.

up]. I mean, the girls told me

Yea, it was Saturday, and since

two weeks before hand. I had it

I missed the blow out sale, I had

marked on my calendar. I began

nothing else to do. I sat on the

to wonder, what if I could get in

couch, picked up the remote,

on all of life’s deals, not just

and before I could push ‘power’

shopping ones [though yea, that

the Holy Spirit arrested me.

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall

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hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

John 16:13

This is the ministry of the Holy

lead into His best, which, as

Spirit! That’s exactly what He

Ephesians says, is beyond

will do. I started to remember

anything I can ask for or think

how the scripture says, “Thanks

[so screw you sales day at Lux

be to God, who always leads us

Mart!]. I literally spent the whole

to triumph…” [2 Corinthians

day researching online exactly

2:14]. If I can get a hold of Gods

how to tune in to Holy Spirit, the

voice, not necessarily His

way you tune in to a radio

written word, but his day to day

frequency. And step by step, the

promptings, I can constantly be

LORD began to guide me

The Written Word What most people don’t understand is, the written word is just as much a manifestation of Gods voice as hearing a literal sound.

Its an extension of His will just the same. Think of it this way, if you left a note to your kids about what they were to do while you were gone [because you didn’t want to wake them up], wouldn’t

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Women

you expect it to be followed just as though you said it verbatim?

Then why is it we like to hear a voice when God has already written instructions to us via the scriptures?

The Spoken Word God can speak to you audibly, to where you actually hear a voice. And, He can speak to you audibly through those He’s committed to watch over your soul. The scriptures say, “I will give you pastors after my own heart, who will feed you knowledge and understanding.” [Jeremiah 3:15]. If the LORD has yet to reveal to you at which church you belong, and under which pastor, you must seek Him about it now.

Dreams Yep. When you’re too busy and God really wants to get something to you, He’ll speak through a dream. Why? Because, like I said, you’re too busy. There are days when you’re constantly bombarded with all that is going on, and the only channel God has is your dreams. I mean, check it out in the amplified:

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Women

Women 14

For God [does reveal His will; He] speaks not only once, but more than once, even though men do not regard it [including you, Job].

15

[One may hear God’s voice] in a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men while slumbering upon the bed, 16

Then He opens the ears of men and seals their instruction [terrifying them with warnings], Job 33

What if you could know beforehand who was going to get fired, hired, promoted or turned down? What if, you could know of things to come, even while you sleep? The bible says you can. In fact, throughout scripture we see God communicating regularly to his beloved while they sleep, sealing their instruction and terrifying them with warnings. What a blessing!

I don’t know if God is going to let me in on the next %50 off sale at Lux Mart [though I doubt they’ll ever have another one again]. But I do know this, that if I stay open to Gods voice the way its described for me to do so in scripture, I’ll definitely be on the inside of His best for me!

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Q: I’m recently married and am not able to let go sexually with my new husband?

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The bible says that the marriage

that often times, we women

bed is honorable and undefiled,

can’t let go there, the way we

yet it never ceases to amaze me

may have done before. Though

Q&A

the world will tell you to begin

People don’t think this is a God

watching erotica or putting on

ordained thing because so

something sexy to get in the

many children are born out of

mood, I’m going to look to the

wedlock, but make no mistake,

person who manufactured your

God doesn’t make anyone in

body, and see what He has to say!

There are five reasons that God created sex, and as you look in scripture and meditate its purposes, you will experience a more and more gradual enabling you to let go with your husband.

First, God created sex for

The voice of God says, “I want you to enjoy sex, because I ordained it. vain. He wants godly people to marry, and multiply, so there will be more and more godly people on earth. Malachi says it this way:

procreation [Genesis 1:27]. God wants his people to multiply.

15

And did not God make [you and your wife] one [flesh]? Did not One make you and preserve your spirit alive? And why [did God make you two] one? Because He sought a godly offspring [from

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Q&A

your union]. Therefore take heed to yourselves, and let no one deal treacherously and be faithless to the wife of his youth.

The heart of God says to you, “I want you to enjoy sex,

that you can enjoy the unity of a

because it brings forth godly

well bonded marriage”

seed” Secondly, God created

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you, “I want you to enjoy sex, so

Thirdly, God created sex for intimate knowledge. The Old

sex to tighten the bond between

English word, “know” was often

you and your husband. Genesis

used to mean, ‘sex’ because it

says, “Therefore shall a man

was then understood that

leave his father and mother and

through sex, you’re accessing a

cleave unto his wife. And the

part of your husband that isn’t

two shall become one flesh”

accessible to other women [or

[2:24]. Nothing creates unity

shouldn’t be]. Knowing him

between two persons the way

intimately will heighten the

sex can. God knew this and

connectivity between you and

designed it to keep marriages

him and make for a stronger

strong and able to fulfill His will.

more intimate bond. “And Adam

Here, the voice of God is telling

knew his wife again, and she

Q&A

bore him another child.”

things right. So create the

[Genesis 4:1]

environment. Talk to your

Fourth, God created sex for enjoyment. Proverbs says, “15 [a]Drink waters out of your own cistern [of a pure marriage relationship], and fresh running

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husband about what you’ll need from him. Get the lingerie and high heels. Know that you’re finally doing it right, and, should be enjoying it more, not less.

waters out of your own well. Let

Finally, the voice of God is

your fountain [of human life] be

saying, “I want you to enjoy sex,

blessed [with the rewards of

because it keeps you engaged”.

fidelity], and rejoice in the wife

In 1 Corinthians 7 it talks about

of your youth”. Here, the voice

how sex in marriage, keeps you

of God is saying to you and

from having to look elsewhere. “

women the world over, “I want

2 But

you to enjoy sex, because I

to impurity and to avoid

ordained it”. Isn’t it wicked that

immorality, let each [man] have

the world promotes sex as more

his own wife and let each

enjoyable outside of marriage

[woman] have her own

than within it. Yet God wants

husband.” In essence, you’re

women like you to purposefully

encouraged to work on making

enjoy it within marriage and set

your sex life fulfilling and

because of the temptation

enriching because it will be part

you will begin to gradual let go

of the glue that keeps your

as you did before. Let them be a

marriage strong.

starting point as you embark on

As you meditate on and allow God to guide you upon

sexual fulfillment, because you’ll know that its Gods will.

these thoughts from His word,

And did not God make [you and your wife] one [flesh]? Did not One make you and preserve your spirit alive?

If you have a question that you would like to see answered here in our monthly Q&A email us at info@faithfeedmag.com.

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Q&A

What was

Je B Daily us

A wide variety of

produce grows in the

Land of Milk and Honey.

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With the Jewish festival of first fruits coming up, Tu b’Shevat, now is a

good time to investigate Jesus’ diet.

esus’

Bread?

U

nlike his self-denying cousin,

15th of the month of Shevat, he

John the Baptist, our Lord, by

would have seen offerings of the

his own admission, came to

first harvests from newly-

us, ‘eating and drinking’.

maturing, young trees being

But what exactly did he eat and

brought to the Temple.

drink?

With the Jewish festival of

grows in the Land of Milk and

first fruits, Tu b’Shevat, just

Honey, (which would probably

around the corner, (January 15-

have been date rather than

16, 2014), now would seem the

bees’ honey). The seven

ideal moment to investigate

foundational species mentioned

what is known, or can be

in Deuteronomy are wheat,

deduced, about Jesus’ diet.

barley, grapes, figs,

If he was in Jerusalem at Tu

b’Shevat, named for its date of

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A wide variety of produce

pomegranates, olives and dates.

Lifestyle

Wheat and barley were used primarily to make bread.

certainly have been unleavened.

We know, from the miracle of

At other times, the bread he ate

the loaves and fishes, as well as

would often have depended

from accounts of the Last

upon who he was dining with.

Supper, that Jesus ate bread.

The poor ate bread made from

He used the word generically to

barley, the wealthy from wheat.

indicate ‘food’ in the Lord’s

Jesus dined with both rich and

Prayer.

poor, so would have been

As a practicing Jew, he

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the Last Supper would most

familiar with both. The type of

would have kept the Passover

bread may have been similar to

traditions. Since Jews do not eat

the pitta or Arab flatbread,

anything leavened during the

cooked in seconds on a domed

eight days of Passover, the

hotplate, still eaten today in the

bread he broke and shared at

Holy Land.

Lifestyle

Jesus would probably have

waters, so named after Peter

dipped his bread in vinegar, just

found a coin in the mouth of

as Ruth did when she sat down

one. This allowed him to settle

to eat with Boaz during the

his tax bill.

barley harvest in Bethlehem.

This fish is in fact tilapia. It

That vinegar may have come

is delicious fried and eaten in

from the flourishing balsam

the open air by the water. It is

plantations of Ein Gedi, a green

usually served with French fries,

oasis beside the Dead Sea.

today. Jesus would not have

We know that Jesus ate fish. He

known these. The world would

prepared a fish breakfast for his

not discover potatoes for some

disciples by the Shores of the

1500 years.

Sea of Galilee, after his

Meat could not often be

resurrection. The fish he cooked

afforded, in Jesus’ time, which

would likely have been the St.

was why the lamb or goat

Peter’s fish native to those

cooked to celebrate the Continued on page 37

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Chicken Pomegranate Salad

Celebrate with these special dishes.

Dressing

½ c sugar ½ c honey ½ c red wine vinegar 2 tsp mustard ¾ tsp salt 1/8 tsp pepper

Take about

2 ½ tbsp of dressing.

Mix in

2 tbsp canola oil.

Toss with

1/2 red onion, diced ½ of a large pomegranate Bag of romaine lettuce

Boil 2 cups of pomegranate juice and 3 tbsp of wheat flour until mixture becomes thick. Spoon over boneless chicken breast and bake for one hour. Add arills of ½ of a large pomegranate. Uncover and bake for 10 more minutes.

Mushroom Barley Soup

6 sliced carrots 2 stalks of celery Dash of garlic powder 2 tsp season salt or to taste Cup of raw whole barley

Fill an 8 qt pot halfway with water Add 2 pieces of flanken or 4 marrow bones. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low flame for 2 hours

6 sliced carrots 2 stalks of celery Dash of garlic powder 2 tsp season salt or to taste Cup of raw whole barley

Sautee above vegetables. Let simmer for 30 mins on medium flame.

Continued from page 34 Passover was considered such a treat. When meat was eaten, the rules of kosher, laid

rival faiths.

For meat to be considered

out in Leviticus and

kosher, it has to be slaughtered

Deuteronomy, applied. Jesus

in rabinically-approved fashion,

came to fulfil the Law, not

the blood must be drained and it

abolish it, and would have

must not be consumed with

followed these rules.

dairy foods. This last rule stems

Some of the prohibitions, such

from the prohibition against

as snake and birds of prey,

eating a kid boiled in its

come as no surprise. The ban

mother’s milk, which is found in

on meats commonly eaten

Exodus.

elsewhere, such as pork and

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Judaism from the traditions of

There were no

rabbit, is less easy to explain

refrigerators in Jesus’ day. Even

and may originate in long-

with salt from the Dead Sea

forgotten bids to differentiate

rubbed into it, meat would have

been hard to keep fresh in the

perfumes, anointing and fuel for

hot, Israeli climate. Pulses, such

lamps, as well as for cooking

as lentils and chick peas,

and dipping bread.

cooked with vegetables, like the bean stew Esau sold his

species extensively used was

birthright for, would have been

grapes. Grapes were used to

far more usual than meat

make wine and ancient wine

dishes.

presses have been found all

Such stews would have

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Another of the seven

over Israel. Jesus’ first miracle

been cooked in olive oil. Olives

was to change water to wine at

are one of the seven species.

a wedding. At the Last Supper

The oil was readily available.

in Jerusalem, at the end of his

Many ancient presses have

ministry, he asked us to

been discovered, which is

remember his blood, spilled for

hardly surprising, since it was

us, with wine. It was common

used for Temple sacrifices,

practice to take wine with meals.

With its slightly antiseptic

take easy, non-spoiling foods

properties, wine would have

along to sustain him. Raisins,

been a whole lot safer to drink

which are dried grapes, dates

than water was. There were

from the palm orchards of

many mosquito-infested

Jericho and dried figs, along

swamps in Israel at that time.

with locally-grown nuts, such as

A little water might be

walnuts, pistachios and

added to cut the wine. The

almonds, would have been both

Romans, who were occupying

tasty and nourishing.

the Holy Land at that time, liked

It is customary, in Israel

to add honey to sweeten theirs.

today, to gift baskets of dried

As he travelled about the

fruits and nuts at Tu b’Shevat.

country, preaching the good

Nothing very much has changed

news and healing the sick,

in two thousand years, it would

Jesus would have needed to

seen.

Known as 'The Testimony Lady', Bobbie Ann Cole helps others hone their testimonies and dare to share. Her workbook, 'Start Writing Your Christian Testimony', is FREE at http://testimonytrain.com.

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When

Church Leaves The Building

Will Doniker

Leaders

How do we take the church’s influence

I

outside of its four walls?

love driving through neighborhoods to see how

people live. Typically, these aren’t suburban and rich ones.

Though those are fine, I love going through the low income neighborhoods the most. I let the Holy Spirit speak to me about what can be done. How to help and overall feel His heart of compassion. I get out. I talk to the guys on the corner. I go into drug facilities and pray. I enter stores and buy. And typically, on my way home, away from the poverty, away from the drama, away from the stress, streets and misery, what do I see? What is that over there in a neat little corner, seemingly bothering nobody, making no difference, having no impact.

It’s a church.

And then my questions begin.

Leaders

What’s missing? Why isn’t the local church the proverbial light on a hill that it should be?

“If you want to maximize your growth, invest in a

1

Web 3.0 strategy?”

Minimum: Web 2.0 Maximum: Web 3.0 At a minimum, churches need a Web 2.0 growth plan. What is that? Web 2.0 simply means that your have a strong presence online.

Your website can’t be just something that you’ll get around to. Your website has to be an integral part of leading the congregation. Why? Because it takes the walls off of your church. There should be signs up on the building that encourages them to log on. You should have trivia’s that demand that they do in order to win. The more you incentivize web traffic, the more you can expose them to the glorious gospel of Christ.

But if you want to maximize your growth, invest in a Web 3.0 strategy. That means that you allow members to congregate and

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connect online, around the values you present at your church. This is where most churches miss it. Encouraging conversation, discussion and even debate, is the heart of evangelistic outreach. Your website and blog can be the center of that. However, online, in Web 3.0 the church is winning 0 to 100. More Christians, particularly young ones, log onto atheist discussion boards as it seems to be more relevant to their lives. Churches, well, we’re not there.

2

“Your brand is the sum Minimum: Business acumen Maximum: Brand building

total of perceptions others have about your ministry”

Developing a business approach to ministry is oh so intelligent.

Wasn’t it Jesus that referred to ministry as business in the first place [Luke 2:49]? So long as you don’t put business before ministry, its brilliant when business minded people assist in managing ministry efforts. Sounds scary? You may be thinking, “Why let him in here and run anything?”, that’s fine, if you don’t want to bring business people from the outside, train them from the inside, but the church needs business acumen, to assist with things like organizations, systems, innovations, logistics and profitability. Church is an excellent internship program even for those who want to learn to run their own business.

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But if you’re past knowing the importance of business acumen, you can use that as a foundation for brand building. What is a brand?

It’s the sum total of perceptions people have about you. What is your brand? How can you build it? It should be to where, whenever someone mentions the name of your church or ministry, they think a particular thing. They feel and expect a particular thing. That’s brand development. And it creates monumental growth!

3 Minimum: Visual aid Maximum: Active learning

Now, if you want a minimal upgrade to your ministry, develop more visual communications, in your sermons, website, staff meetings and beyond. The human brain retains more when we use pictures than words. Ever heard the saying, “A picture is worth 1,000 words”?

The only picture most ministers give their congregants is them reading a book. Good, but not effective if you’re church is to leave the building, impacted by your message. Go visual. Bring in touch stones. Involve

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more than one of their senses, and the findings show, you’ll be more effective at reaching them. If you’re already doing visual, reinvest.

Make it better. Keep investing in visual because its how Jesus taught: Look at the birds...[Matthew 6:26] See these stones...[Matthew 24:2] Not only what was done to this fig tree...[Matthew 21:21]

However, if you want to really impact your community, engage issue active lessons, centered around Gods Word. Active learning [simulations, discussions, activities] are the meat and potatoes of effective ministry, not passive learning [I talk-they listen, sermons, lectures]. Jesus always used action to get his points across.

Questions: Who do men say that I am...[Luke 9:18] The baptism of John, was it from God or men...[Mark 11:30] Do you believe I can do this...[Matthew 9:28] Interaction:

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Leaders

Teaching and being taught by them... [Luke 2:46] Answering questions... [Matthew 22:36-40] Engaging in conversation... [Luke 24:15-31]

Leaders, let’s get our churches and ministries out of the building, and impacting the global community for Christ this year!

Would Jesus be on Facebook?

So you ask yourself, “would Jesus be on Facebook?” The answer is a resounding yes! In fact, Jesus would probably be on every social network via his staff. Why? Because Jesus always went where the hurting were, that’s why!

He always went where people, especially those with faith in His name dwelled. Make up your mind today to stop and reach others while you’re online as well!

Christianity as we know it has come to an end.

The Death Of Christianity

M

any pastors are releasing books

this year that intrigue the masses and those who critique the Christian faith. Take for instance Mark Driscolls ‘Will the Church Have A Future or A Funeral?’ which challenges ministry leaders to peer into the future of our faith. But not only that, Lifeway CEO is said to be working on a book titled, ‘Autopsy of a Dead Church’. So what gives? Why our powerful men and women who guide the

body of Christ seemingly predicting its doom? I’m convinced it’s because we’re doomed! We’ve failed to appropriate our faith in a way that intrigues generations x and y. In fact, on Redditt a website loved by millennials, the ‘Atheism’ category has

2,000,000 subscribers while the

generation or so. Because

Christian segment only carries

nobody in the next few

about a 10th of that [67,000].

bloodlines will believe it. In fact, CNN recently did a brief

If you’re leading a ministry,

discussion reviewing just why

business, family or group for

young Christians leave the

Christ, this should concern you.

church:

In essence, all of the work you’re doing will die out in a

Promote what we stand for, not just against When the average young person thinks of Christianity, they more closely associate it with negatives.

They can’t have sex outside of marriage …

They can’t experiment with homosexuality…

They can’t go out to the club …

They can’t …

They can’t …

They can’t …

When the average young person thinks of Christianity, they more closely associate it with things they can’t do.

What is most common in that

bunch of things. On the

setup? “Can’t”. Whether said or

contrary, it was a training camp,

implied, that word is very

where you learned to be above

disempowering. Jesus didn’t

the circumstances of this fallen

promote Christianity as a prison

world through the power of God!

camp where you can’t do a

Stop trying to be cool, start being honest “I know how to get

how hip they attempt to

generation x and y in my

be. Why? It’s like your

church” you say. “I’ve just

mom going to one of your

put a coffee shop in the

teenage parties. Who’s

foyer, equipped with wi-fi.

going to be the parent?

We also have a new youth

Surprisingly enough, the

band that’s ripping the

surveys show us that

charts. That’ll bring them

young people want

in.” But does it really? As

boundaries and discipline,

we mentioned in the

they just want to be

opening of this article,

inspired into it, not scared

youth are still leaving

into it. So instead of trying

these churches, in spite of

to be more like them,

encourage them to be

where they are. They will

more like Christ, in spite of

listen.

Offer Combined Solutions, not one size fits all Today, we see many a politician come up with a new law, rule or program that will assist a certain group of people, be it the retired elderly, or, new business owners. We also see today’s pastors come up with antidotes like new books, messages or corporate prayer sessions where we tackle spiritual needs.

However the biggest most icky problems are never in just one category. Rather, the biggest, messiest of messes tends to be an overlap between many problems. The average person doesn’t just have a financial problem, or, a spiritual problem. They tend to have multiple problems that are interconnected. That is why the church must begin to offer combined solutions that tackle more than just one. Jesus said it this way, “That which is spirit is spirit. That which is flesh is flesh” [John 3:6]. Our LORD and savior noticed that there are different categories of issues that must be addressed with different things.

Churches must begin to

Christianity as we know it,

have classes that help young

may have to die, in order for

women with godly dating, and,

biblical Christianity to live. As

businessmen with running their

you employ the above, you’ll

companies Gods way. It seem

see your ministry live on and

foreign but, these sorts of

thrive for the kingdom for

combined solutions will offer

generations to come!

rapid growth to the local church and worldwide ministries.

-Jenny Cummins

Jesus didn’t promote Christianity as a prison camp where you can’t do a bunch of things.

Leaders

Review

Is the body of Christ really growing? New York Times bestselling author Mark Driscoll doesn’t think so

I P52

t’s tempting to believe that

an illusion. Believe it or not, only

the Christian faith is alive

8 percent of Americans profess

and well in our country

and practice true evangelical

today. Our politicians talk about

Christian faith. There are more

God. Our mega-churches are

left-handed people than

filled. Christian schools dot our

evangelical Christians in

landscape. Brace yourself. It’s

America.

into insular tribes, lobbing eIn this book, Mark Driscoll

bombs at each other in

delivers a wake-up call for every

cyberspace.

believer: We are living in a postChristian culture—a culture

Mark’s book is a clarion call for

fundamentally at odds with faith

Christians. It’s time to get to

in Jesus. This is good and bad

work. We can only do this if we

news. The good news is that

unite around Jesus and the

God is still working, redeeming

essentials found in his Word,

people from this spiritual

while at the same time,

wasteland and inspiring a

appreciating the distinctiveness

resurgence of faithful believers.

within each Christian tribe. Mark

The bad news is that many

shows us how to do just that.

believers just don’t get it. They

This isn’t the time to wait or

continue to gather exclusively

debate. Join the resurgence!

There are more left-handed people than evangelical Christians in America.

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Devotion

B

Deuteronomy 11:11-12 ut the land which you enter to possess is a land of hills and valleys which drinks water of the rain of the heavens. A land for which the Lord your God cares; the eyes of the Lord your God are always upon it from the beginning of the year to

the end of the year

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

January

7 Day Devotion on page 50

Embracing a New Year brings excitement but also carries memories of past failures, guilt of things done and heartache of things left undone. Who doesn’t love a fresh start each day?

Embedded in the heart of Christianity stands a living truth---almighty God makes all things new [Revelation 21:1-5] God loves new things:

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Embedded in the heart of

“For if a man is in Christ he

Christianity stands a living truth-

becomes a new person

--almighty God makes all things

altogether; the past is gone,

new (Revelation 21:1-5). God

everything is fresh and new. All

loves new things: new songs,

this is God’s doing, for He has

new hearts, new heaven and

reconciled us to Himself through

earth, new names. Jesus is the

[the blood] of Jesus Christ” [2

new wine of a better covenant

Corinthians 5:17].

Deuteronomy 11:11-12Embedded in the heart of Christianity stands a living truth---almighty God makes all things new! and His arrival in the world dawned a joyful new era

Everyone needs new birth (John

between God and mankind.

3:3). Re-creating us in Christ Changing our nature of dust, He

Jesus, He does not ‘patch’ up;

made us the light of the world

but rather makes us a newly

(Matthew 5:14).

regenerated creation “What you

learned was to fling off the dirty Dying on Calvary’s cross, the

clothes of the old way of living,

only begotten Son took all of

to be spiritually re-made, to put

humanity’s old self into death

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on the clean fresh clothes of the

new life which was made by

God’s design” [Ephesians 4:22-24].

God alone understands what

forward to a new day “I do not

and who we are. Forgetting,

consider, brethren, that I have

forgiving ourselves for what is

captured and made it my own

behind enables us to look

[yet]; but one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]; forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead. I press on toward the goal to win [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward” Philippians 3:13-14 What lurks behind and what lies ahead are insignificant compared to Who lives within us!

Darlene Anna Edmondson enjoys a quiet life in rural southern Georgia USA. Her articles are available on Faithwriters.com

7 Days of Newness

Day 1

Proverbs 20:18

Day 4

Philippians 4:13

Day 2

Proverbs 21:5

Day 5

Hebrews 10:35

Day 3

Mark 9:23

Day 6

Proverbs 10:4

Day 7 James 4:17

Men

D e Assi t

Divine

ignment Finding your place on Gods team.

You’re 16 again, and as usual, you head out to football practice after the bell rings to end the school day.

Swooosh!!!

Off you go.

You put on your knee pads, helmet, cleats, and mouthpiece, and sure that

You know what I’m talking about.

One of the new players, a freshman, not only didn’t remember the play, he forget his position on the field.

And like always, it ruined everything!

In football we know,

you’ve got all you need you

whoever doesn’t know their

head out to the grid iron

position, is ineffective and likely

because the coach has been on

to get in the way of those who

everyone about being late.

do. But what if I told you life was

Everyone’s in formation.

no different, that you and I were created to play a specific role in

You’re playing center, prepared to block for the quarter back [who just so happens to be

Gods kingdom, and fulfill his purpose from within those confines?

your best friend Tom], and then it happens.

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Wouldn’t believe me?

Well check this out:

which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those

Psalm 139:16 16

Your eyes saw my unformed substance, and in Your book all the days [of my life] were written before ever they took shape, when as yet there was none of them.

things which were written in the books, according to their works.

Not only that, Revelations says that you and I will be judged by that book that was written for us.

This playbook, is an outlay of what God wants us to

Sound like God has a plan for

accomplish, within His overall

you and I brother. One that

plan here on earth. You can call

should be guiding our day to

it, - divine assignment!

day aspirations.

The LORD, our Father and coach, has given each of us a

Revelations 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and

calling from eternity that’s bigger than ourselves.

great, stand before God; and

It’s going to take us out of our

the books were opened: and

comfort zone.

another book was opened,

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Men

The LORD our commander and coach has given each of us a calling from eternity.

It’s going to unlock our potential.

It’s going to bring us uncommon reward.

gun, you may think upon looking at me that I’m a ….Nurse? No, you’d think I was a cop because of what was on me. In the same

So how do we embark upon our assignment and walk in the fullness it brings?

manner, the natural gifts and talents you’re endowed with, often points to what God has

1 What frustrates you?

called you to do.

In Nehemiah 2, Nehemiah, a

What did God Say?

servant of the King was suddenly grieved about the walls of Jerusalem being torn down. Yet, there were other Israelites who weren’t. Typically, an uncommon frustration you have is an indicator of what God has called you to do.

2 What are your gifts?

If I had a cops hat on, a cops

In Philippians 3:12, Paul says something very interesting, he says, “I run after Christ, to find out why Christ ran after me”.

Seeking God is perhaps the simplest way to find out what you’re created to do. Its logic, if a player doesn’t know his spot on the field, he should ask the coach.

badge, a cops belt with a cops

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Men

Here’s the thing guys, when we

fulfillment, significance and

don’t know our place on Gods

greatness elsewhere.

team, we’ll levitate towards the

But that doesn’t have to be you.

enemy. Why? Because as men, we all want some place to be significant. And if we don’t find it in the things of God, oh well, we’ll slowly, but surely find

You can secure your spot in the kingdom by embarking on your calling today. And unlike the new guy at practice, you’ll never mess up a play again!

As men, we all want a place to be significant.

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Mud Man

The creation of man and you is not to be looked at moderately, with restraint or with minor importance.

Because He created me, I am supremely significant to Him.

H

e must have seen the glory beaming out of the one named Adam. He had to see the sunrise and sunset, creativity and passion, strength and love in the muddy

P65

Men

mixture. He must have seen the majesty of untold greatness and the beauty

apprehension: “What is God up

of wholeness in this unfamiliar

to now?” The scene, I’m sure,

work of creation. Lucifer, in all

was like an audience in a

his anger, resentment and

theater entrenched in a movie

bitterness must have seen

leading up to the climax of the

Adam as a reflection of Almighty

film. Nothing is more important

God. He must have shook in

than knowing what is next.

fear as he watched the Creator from a distance form, mold and shape the mud into man.

Questions and worry must have invaded his mind as God etched away all imperfections to create His self-portrait. The fallen angels must have been uneasy as they observed the great Artist do His finest work. They must have anxiously paced and murmured amongst themselves.

They had to wonder with great

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Then it happens. God, the Father, draws near to the hand crafted form of dirt. He looks deep into the eyes of the lifeless creation. As the fallen one’s silence them-selves in utter anticipation, God breathes deep, as do the fallen also. He releases His breath into His art form. Life giving breath. Not just any life, everlasting Life from the Father of all that is.

The climax has reached its

abruptly open. The body

summit. The fallen have

violently gasps its first breath

reached a point of clamor and

and moments later, softly says,

riotousness within its camp.

“Abba”.

Who knows what’s next with God’s making? They sense the atmosphere altering. And in God’s perfect timing, as if He was waiting for the cells, blood, nerve endings and all the infinite details that keep man physically alive, the eyes of His image

With a hostile piercing roar, the fallen cry out, “God has released His most glorious composition! More glorious than all that He has created. The music, songs and worship from this mud man will be superior to our Lucifer.”

Psalm 139:13-16(AMP) 13

For You did form my inward parts; You did

knit me together in my mother’s womb.

14

I

will confess and praise You for You are fearful and wonderful and for the awful wonder of my birth! Wonderful are Your works, and that my inner self knows right well.

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15

My frame was not hidden from You

when I was being formed in secret [and] intricately and curiously wrought [as if embroidered with various colors] in the depths of the earth [a region of darkness and mystery].

If we could grasp, take

you is not to be looked at

hold and capture our depth of

moderately, with restraint or with

significance in our God,

minor importance. You and I

dramatic shifts in our thoughts,

were created with the upmost

words and actions would take

thought and care. We were

place. The creation of man and

created with hands of a loving

The body violently gasps its first breath and moments later, softly says, “Abba.�

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Father, the passion of Jesus

“For I know the plans that I have

and the strength of the Spirit.

for you,” declares the LORD,

In 2013 I had to learn to take the creation of me seriously.

Because He created me I am supremely significant to Him.

“plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” I’m sure you’ve read or heard this before but let’s really study this to get a better

You are also supremely significant to God. Let that soak

understanding of why we were created.

in a minute and try to grasp a glimpse of your magnificence.

Due to the difficulties in translating the bible from

So now what? Why did He make us in His image? He could have made us like any other animal or another sort of angelic being but He didn’t. He made us above the angels and the question is why?

There are a few related

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Hebrew to English, some of the words have lost a greater meaning in out text. Let’s start with the word “plans” as the Strong’s concordance defines it.

Def: a contrivance or to plan

with cleverness or ingenuity; cunning and curious work;

answers but I will focus on one.

purpose or for which something

Jeremiah 29:11 (NAS) says:

exists.

a better understanding of the

rule the earth but the enemy

word plans, this is what I am

attacked and took the power

hearing. The plan for our life will

from them. We were created to

include cleverness and

do the good work of taking back

ingenuity. It is a cunning and

all that was lost. The call is to be

curious work and this is the

clever, cunning and inventive in

purpose for which we exist. This

our work to reconcile God and

matches up with Ephesians 2:10

man.

(Amp) which states: “For we are

God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].”

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Adam and Eve were to

What you just read was completely contrary to how I was raised and what religion taught me. Therefore most of my Christian life was spent walking in circles looking for a career and not my call. I was completely unfulfilled and did not produce much fruit. Once I perceived myself as supremely significant and magnificent in God’s eyes and understood why

Men

After reading this text with

I was created, I found my call

and others find the call but I can

and started making a new path

only coach you. You must be at

for my life.

the point of wanting, needing

Now I must ask are you doing what God created you to do or do you still looking to find

and craving change. You must be willing to be in it for the long haul and to dig deep inside yourself to make changes for

the call.

If you still need to find the call, are you ready to make a complete turn around and commit to changing thought patterns and start moving toward the good work you were

God made us in His image so we could outstanding victors in this life. So let’s do this together. I will write more on the subject and you can leave comments if you would like.

created to do?

As a writer and life coach I will do what I can to help you

Andy always said he was a miserable wretch of a man. He was angry, bitter, and spiteful. He was critical, self-righteous, and full of pride. Other than that...he was fine.

But now because of Christ, he writes and speaks to encourage people to “find the call” for their life and fulfill their God given purpose. He can be reached at info@findthecall.com.

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Men

the better.

Lifestyle

Digital

Christ ty

Mark 16:15-16 15 And

he said unto them, Go ye

into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

tianity

Let me ask you something.

return, buts it’s one of the

Have you ever wondered, just

biggest green lights. It’s one that

when, is Jesus going to come

we have control over even. So

back? I have. I look at Mark

again, I ask myself, “Haven’t we

13:10 that says, ‘The gospel

just about reached every nation

must first be preached to all the

with the message Christ?”

nations’, and I ask myself, “Haven’t we done that already?”. Jesus made it clear, that before his return, that mandate must be finished. No, it’s not the only thing that indicates his We have evangelist all over Africa, India and other indigenous countries.

We have television, internet, books and cds’ filled with God’s Word.

We have Christian ministries that have reached far and wide.

Isn’t, wouldn’t you say, about time we saw Jesus’s second coming?

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forefront, to check their emails, surf the web, and

Are you utilizing technology to witness for Christ?

build a website for their church, a book they’re writing and so forth. But I’m convinced Christians have yet to accept the

I know, I know, a lofty demand it is, yet, I’m convinced there is one last thing we’ve yet to do. I’m convinced, the great

power that digital tools allow evangelism, and as a result, are sleeping on the greatest opportunity to win others.

commission hasn’t been fully accomplished in one place. One nation that Christians have yet to take seriously. One area that we’ve overlooked and even admitted it was a little over our head. That one place, is the digital forefront!

Now, when I say, ‘Digital Forefront’, I’m referring to more than just the internet. I’m talking all that technology provides.

Files, apps, connectivity, websites, creativity, social media and on and on. This area, in theory, is uncharted waters!

Yea sure, there are plenty of Christians who use the digital

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It’s much like a nation of people we’ve yet to reach. A country of

kinsman we’ve failed to engage.

upon millions of lost souls who

So year after year, we head to

need your testimony.

Afghanistan, Africa, China and South America, all along not realizing that your smartphone may be hiding access to millions

It’s a church.

Is your church reaching

And then my questions begin.

souls on the digital forefront?

A Look at the Landscape So let’s get an idea of this nation. If you put all of the smartphone users, social media accounts, and pc users together, how many citizens would it have?

6,499,697,060 Computer users 1.08 Billion Smartphone users 3.8 Billion on Social Networks

But since Smartphones and social networks can be counted as computers or are used on the same, we can say that this country is 6.5 billion strong. That’s just a billion less than the world’s total

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population. And to think, some Christian don’t even have a twitter account.

Will you embark?

The Digital Divide So how are believers beginning to embark on the digital forefront to win and the disciple the lost? Well first, let me start by saying, there aren’t many who are doing this, but, there are a few. Below, are ways that they’ve engaged the world for Christ, using digital technology, and how you can too!

1) Heightened awareness of its power

The power of technology is leverage. It’s being able to do more with less. Less of your time, money and effort. When you leverage your efforts to reach others for Christ with technology, the impact you can have is limitless! No, it doesn’t mean you stop real life interaction, it simply means you enhance it. You stay in touch with other believers and those we’re called to reach out to and disciple. You can use it to train. You can use it to testify. You can use it to share recipes and other forms of

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Mark 16:15-16 .

15 And

he said unto them, Go ye

into all the world, and preach the Name

Jason Malwalkee

Profession

gospel to every creature.

P.E. teacher

Online Twitter Facebook Linked In YouTube

“If you think you need to travel to Africa to reach the world for Christ, you haven’t fully grasped digital evangelism.”

Instagram

Question Why don’t you reach the world for Christ in the traditional fashion?

Answer The traditional fashion has its place. God has given us technology so that we all can fulfill the great commission, not just preachers.

So, don’t think this guy is equipped to reach the world?

Lifestyle

Think again.

fellowship. Whatever the case, technology strengthen your ability to strengthen others. Yet, very few Christians think to apply the power of technology to matters of faith.

2) Presentations

People remember %70 more of what they see and partake of.

Yet, the only visual aid most pastors use is the bible in your lap.

A very few churches are beginning to use presentations instead of sermons to reach others. Using digital imagery to supplement stage setup and displays creates a learning experience for church attendees, in lieu of just giving them a lecture. But whats more, you can use digital imagery, video and the like at home with your personal bible study group or devotion with loved ones or even alone. Only a minority have considered this.

3) EBooks, blogs and websites

Have an amazing testimony? Share it! Got a few corny, but, Christian themed names for your cooking recipes [I’m thinking faith fries and glory wraps here, but your guess] blog it! Why

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.

Top 20 Christian Bloggers Joyce Meyer

JoyceMeyer

2

Darlene Zschech DarleneZschech

3

Beth Moore

BethMooreLPM

4

Michael Hyatt

MichaelHyatt

5

Donald Miller

donaldmiller

6

Natalie Grant

NatalieGrant

7

aheartforgod

aheartforgod

8

Jon Acuff

JonAcuff

9

Christine Caine ChristineCaine

10

Michael Minot MichaelMinot

11

Thom Rainer

ThomRainer

12

Paul Washer

paulwasher

13

Ed Stetzer

edstetzer

14

Priscilla Shirer

PriscillaShirer

15

Thangluai FamilyTheGodTweeter

16

albertmohler

albertmohler

17

Billy Graham

BillyGraham

18

Ann Voskamp

AnnVoskamp

19

Marie Wikle

spreadingJOY

20

Anthony Evans AnthonyEvansJr

Lifestyle

1

.

Celebrities aren't the only ones who can claim royal status on Twitter. Though he might not be Kim Kardashian, Pope Benedict XVI has already collected hundreds of thousands of followers for his Twitter account, @pontifex.

It's not surprising that holy high rollers are drawn to the medium: religious leaders on average pull more weight per tweet, with one retweet for every 500 followers. In comparison, musicians typically get a retweet for every 30,000. “We see a very high level of engagement with religious and spiritual content," Twitter spokeswoman Rachael Horwitz told CNN. "Followers respond to these topics with replies, retweets, and clicks on links much more often than they do other subjects."

With that in mind, here are 8 Christian rock stars of Twitter:

Pope Benedict XVI @Pontifex The Catholic Church leader has just claimed his holy handle, @pontifex. Regardless of the fact that he has zero tweets--he'll host his first Q&A on December 12--the Pope has already garnered almost 400,000 followers. No word on what his first choice for a Twitter handle was, but the

. obvious choices were long taken before today: @Pope is a web developer; @BenedictXVI is a fan who doesn't tweet.

Joel Osteen @JoelOsteen Classic tweet: "Just because you don’t see anything happening doesn’t mean God is not working." The Houston megapastor Osteen, who has more than 1 million followers, tweets daily, inspirational aphorisms that regularly see between 5,000 and 10,000 retweets and favorites.

Joyce Meyer @JoyceMeyer Classic tweet: "You don't need to know what tomorrow holds; all you need to know is the One who holds tomorrow. "The Christian author and speaker, one of several Twitter "powerhouses" featured by the New York Times, has an average of 170 reactions per 50,000 followers--almost 3 times Justin Bieber's average.

Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr. @RevJJackson Classic tweet: "When guns are in close proximity: used a fit of anger they are more likely to kill a loved one than a robber..."

The Baptist minister and civil rights activist's Twitter feed is

. typically peppered with news stories and his own commentary on issues in both Chicago and the White House.

Reverend Run @RevRunWisdom Classic tweet: "Are you wrinkled with burden? Come to God for a FAITH lift.."

Joseph "Rev. Run" Simmons--who often links to photos and tweets from different members of his famous family--has nearly 4 million Twitter followers.

Rick Warren @RickWarren Classic tweet: "Academic exegesis can be like studying the Mona Lisa in a microscope - so detailed you miss the beauty of the big picture."The pastor, who has more than 800,000 followers, is also an avid Instagram user.

Rabbi Shmuley Boteach @RabbiShmuley Classic tweet: "we had to be in Europe for wedding. i am working day/night on my new relationship book 'kosher lust'.

aren’t more, not less, Christians doing ebooks, blogs and sites? The few that do, are doing it half way.

Last Call Oh, and did I mention

about winning the lost. Just in

there is a bit of a warning here?

case, you’ve already decided to

Well there is. Every good thing

ignore the great commission,

comes with a warning sign

win and disciple the lost. Keep

these days, and while I could

in mind that Satan is already on

get into the dangers of

it! He’s using social media to

technology, I’d much rather

introduce our young people to

focus on the small writing on the

alternative lifestyles. He’s using

bottom of the package. What

video, social media, and digital

does it say? It says,

tools to build accomplish his

Warning: What we don’t take advantage of, Satan will!

Technology is no exception.

agenda against your marriage, finances and spiritual life. You do know there are billions viewing pornography each day?

Just in case you’re too lazy to concern yourself with all of this techie stuff. Just in case, you’re not passionate enough

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You do know that generations x and y are the biggest group of atheists and agnostics this world has ever seen, and their not

pulling their information from the

Linked, and Twitter; They’re

bible or strong men and women

simply seeing who has the since

of God like you. They’re just

enough to reach them on their

logging on you know. Facebook, platform and speak their language. And can you blame them, Jesus was known for reaching people at their level of understanding. Why should we be any different?

Don’t let the enemy use what God meant for good, for something evil. Tough but, either choose to use technology to leverage what you do for Christ, or be powerless against Hell’s onslaught in using it against you. It’s really come down to that.

Would you accept the call to digital Christianity?

Would you awaken to the fact that we’re in a new era?

The lost needs you.

The saints need you.

In 2014 we can embark on the great commission, win the lost and be all God called us to be like never before. All we have to do is become Christians off and online as well!

P85

News

Duck Dynasty controversy

News

S

with A&E

ooooo, heard the one

gay comments to GQ

about Phill Robertson of

magazine? What do we at Faith

Duck Dynasty, making anti

FEED have to say to that?

What did they expect?

P86

Not only was he not on the A&E

show at the time,

to a group of male

but he was talking

readers.

“It seems like, to me, a vagina—as a man—would be more desirable than a man’s anus. That’s just me. I’m just thinking: There’s more there! She’s got more to offer. I mean, come on, dudes! You know what I’m saying? But hey, sin: It’s not logical, my man. It’s just not logical.”

This is what real men talk about,-women.

P87

far as they can with

just me. I’m just

women, especially

thinking: There’s

when around other

more there! She’s

guy friends.

got more to offer.”

Whether it’s their

But what

women, such as

most intrigues us,

girlfriends or wives.

is that Phil

Or, other women,

Robertson didn’t

such as models or

make any anti gay

actresses, guys

comments, rather,

love to talk about,

he stated his

look at, and go as

preference. “That’s

Were his words when referring to gals. Today, were a gay person to say, “I’m a man and I prefer men. I don’t see why everyone wants a woman.”

Nobody would

to attack someone

being a sin, well, it

notice. Media has

for enjoying

is! He just

so widely excepted

heterosexuality. He

referenced the

the homosexual

did nothing wrong.

bible like most

agenda, its purely

Oh, and the

Christians should.

demonic for them

comments about it

He didn’t reference a person.

He didn’t reference a group of people.

He simply referenced their actions in light of the bible.

P88

This was a 7 day

threatening to

Phil. After several

war in the spirit,

boycott A&E

days, the

where believers

[Which we

suspension threat

from around the

supported wholly] if

was gone. A&E

globe submitted a

they followed

comments were:

250,000 petition

through to suspend

News

“While Phil's comments made in the interview reflect his personal views based on his own beliefs, and his own personal journey, he and his family have publicly stated they regret the 'coarse language' he used and the misinterpretation of his core beliefs based only on the article. He also made it clear he would 'never incite or encourage hate.' We at A+E Networks expressed our disappointment with his statements in the article, and reiterate that they are not views we hold."

Duck is the No. 2

top seller at Wal

thought so! A

series on cable TV,

Mart. And a holiday

mostly completed

behind The

album, Duck the

10-episode season

Walking Dead, and

Halls: Christmas

will begin airing

ranks among the

with the

Jan. 15, with all of

top 30 of all TV

Robertsons, has

the Robertsons

shows with an

sold 700,000

featured. The new

average of 13.4

copies since its

episodes,

million viewers. It's

release in late

scheduled to be

a also a

October, says

shot this spring, will

merchandising

Nielsen SoundScan

air later next year.

phenomenon, as a

Yea, we

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What did Nelson Mandela do for the kingdom of God?

The final days of

the truth. It was

2013 witnessed

his faith in the

several exits to

God of the bible

imprisoned for life

glory. The most

that made him the

for encouraging

popular of which,

hardcore activist he

was that of Nelson

became. Mandela

Mandela.

stood strongly

Christians often

against apartheid

ask, “What did

or racial

Nelson Mandela do

segregation and

for the kingdom of

oppression of

God?� thinking he

minorities in South

was a none

Africa. Though the

believing civil rights

claims were

leader. But nothing

unfounded, he was

can be further from

P90

riots and stand stills of support of oppressive bodies in the nation.

However, while in prison, his fame and values spread.

He would negotiate on behalf of minority citizens several times, with political leaders,

What did Nelson Mandela do for the kingdom of God?

P90

and governing

region refused to

foundation and

bodies while behind

end apartheid

other none profit

bars. In fact, he

practices. He was

initiatives to end

even turned down

released at the age

the mistreatment of

the opportunity to

of 71, being

the poor, after

be free, if

imprisoned for 27

being elected as

politicians in the

years. Mandela

president of South

would go on to start

Africa. He passed

his self-named

away at 95.

We reminisce on the life and calling of TBN founder Paul Crouch.

P91

2013 ended with a

Missouri, the son of

would use such

major upset as we

Assemblies of God

technology to send

saluted the life and

missionaries.

the Gospel around

legacy of Paul

Crouch, whose

the world. He

Crouch, founder of

father died when he

graduated from the

the Trinity

was seven years

Central Bible

Broadcasting

old, was mainly

Institute and

Network,

raised by his

Seminary in

responsible for

mother with the

Springfield,

most of the world’s

help of his

Missouri in 1955

most powerful

grandparents. He

with a degree in

Christian television

soon became

theology.

media on cable.

interested in

Crouch was born in

amateur radio and

St. Joseph,

announced he

Crouch left KHOF in 1973 and

News P92

with his wife, Jan,

TBN has grown to

with CBS, FOX,

founded the Trinity

become the United

and NBC holding

Broadcasting

States' largest

fourth, fifth and

Network (TBN). In

Christian television

sixth place,

1974, TBN

network,[1][2] and

according to TV

purchased its first

the third largest

News Check's

TV station, KLXA-

group owner of

annual listing of the

TV (now KTBN-

broadcast TV

Top 30 Station

TV). Since then,

stations in the U.S.,

Groups

TBN has grown to become the U.S’s largest Christian television network.

Last Page

Your eyes saw my unformed body.

And in your book, all the days of my life were written. [Psalm 139:16]

You weren’t born and then given an assignment. You were born because

Faith Facts

you have an assignment.

There is enough information in your DNA to fill the Grand Canyon 40 times.

The information your DNA provides, predetermines what you are likely to enjoy, dislike and have a bent towards.