FaithUnity by jon_leighton

Volume 12

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A Note From The Editor… Thank you so much for your support of this ministry! It is hard to believe just how much God has grown this operation since Issue 1 just one year ago! We began as “Faith Unity Outloud” with little more than a printer, some paper, and a burden to assist the homeless of Nashville. We now facilitate over 200 distributors in the Nashville area on this, our 1st birthday edition. To date we are the only Christian street paper in the United States, and the opportunities that affords excite us. The mission of our publication is simple: “It’s all about transformed lives.” From the distributor who is able to get on their feet financially to the reader who may discover a treasure within the pages of our publication; our number one goal is to facilitate transformation. We envision a publication that both, affects and advances radical transformation. In a world of politics and opinions, attempts to find any unified cause return bleak. Denominations, Party lines and cultural boundaries separate and segregate in a most destructive manner. With a poor economy and wars on every front, there has never been a greater need for unity. Given the present condition of our country and comparable corporations, we prayerfully plan and brace ourselves for growth and change. What has been known as “Faith Unity Outloud” will now transition to FaithUnity. This single word represents a banner of unity we can all raise: Faith in the American people, Faith in hard work and discipline, Faith in the power of generosity, Faith in the principles of Scripture, and Faith in the victory that Unity can bring. Growth must always be accompanied by change, and FaithUnity will be changing in the coming months. Our name change represents a strategic pursuit of excellence in new contributors, relevant content, professional design, and local support. It takes financial support to provide this opportunity to the low-income and homeless community. Consider a one-time donation or monthly investment in FaithUnity to continue its operations and expand its reach. Most of all we covet your prayers! Will you be a part of establishing landmark transformation in the lives of those in need? …because it’s all about transformed lives. Jon Leighton FaithUnity

FaithUnity Serious About Life Change. For information on FaithUnity and how you can get involved, contact Gene Boros at geneboros@me.com or give a call to 615.873.07 Do you have a transformation story? Email it to FaithUnityTN@gmail.com How Can I Help? .... Check out the back of this publication!

Table of Contents Milestones of Mercy, Landmarks of Gace - Greg Locke ........................................................... Page 2 Marriage and a Pile of Rocks - Greg Fast ................................................................................. Page 3 Todays Landmarks - Jarrod Almond ........................................................................................ Page 4 Where Are The Monuments - Jon Leighton ............................................................................. Page 5 Landmarks of Christianity - John Groves ................................................................................. Page 6 A History of Miracles - Gene Boros ......................................................................................... Page 8 Landmark Your Territory - Chris Lamberth ............................................................................... Page 10 A Turning Point - Anthony Hicks .............................................................................................. Page 11 A Point of Reference - Jay Boyce ............................................................................................ Page 12 Distributor Testimonies ............................................................................................................ Page 13

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Milestones of Mercy, Landmarks of Grace There are many milestones in my life that have indeed been epic transformations, now landmarks of grace. After having lived for many years in total rebellion and bondage, I will never forget the night of April 17th, 1992. I had just been sentenced to a year in a children’s home and my life was rapidly spiraling out of control. I had no regard for authority. I had broken my Mother’s heart and I was a complete mismanaged wreck as a young man. However, that night I was invited to a revival meeting and the Gospel was preached with great power and demonstration of the Holy Spirit. I sensed the undeniable conviction and drawing of God. I knew right then that it was “now or never.” I responded to the invitation and my basketball coach took me into a side room where he patiently and most lovingly showed me the importance of redemption. That night was the beginning of an incredible journey that I’m still happily taking today. When I arose from off my knees that night I knew that the God of Heaven had invaded my life and things where never going to be the same. In June of that same year I began to feel a passionate tug on my heart in the direction of ministry. I was honestly scared to death. Everyday the desire grew stronger as well as more speciﬁc. It was going to be the preaching of the Gospel for the rest of my life or total disobedience and misery. It took me several months of deeply wrestling with the Lord in this area; but on November the 5th, 1992 I walked forward on a Wednesday night at church to announce to the congregation that I would surrender my life to the pulpit ministry. This experience was not just electrifying, it was liberating! At that very moment I knew that the entire direction of my life would now be centered on being a mighty mouthpiece for God. It was without a doubt a landmark occasion in my young life.

As the story continued to unfold in my life I was simply growing and learning to be what God had created me for. At 19, I feel in love with the lady that I would marry just one year later. Now, after almost 18 years of marriage, we have literally travelled the world together and have seen the grace of God unfold in countless ways. We have been blessed with four beautiful children and a ministry that has grown to unimaginable heights of blessedness. She has stood by me through seminary, the early days of evangelism, riches and poverty, church planting, depression, worldwide travels, and so much more. My wife has been one of the greatest blessings of my entire life; a landmark easily referenced in good times and bad. I would have to say that the fourth and ﬁnal landmark moment in my life was in 2006 when I ﬁnally surrendered to the voice of the Lord. We cancelled the bulk of our travels and launched out totally by faith to start Global Vision Bible Church. GVBC is now nearly 7 years old as a church and I am absolutely amazed by the faithfulness of God. There has not been a more exciting adventure in my entire ministry. It has taught me the ups and downs of life, the reality of people hurts, the thrill of seeing God build, and the truth of utter dependence upon God. The founding of Global Vision has proved to be a tremendous blessing and a monumental milestone in my life and ministry. Only God knows how it will all come together for His glory. That’s the one great thing about life: If you’ve still got breath, then you still have opportunities to watch God create new landmarks in your life.

Greg Locke is the founding and lead pastor of Global Vision Bible Church. Pastor Greg played a huge part in the founding of FaithUnity, and continues to inﬂuence its direction to this day. He is a Tennessee native, and is supported by his wife Melissa, and four children.

Twitter: @pastorlocke

Marriage & A Pile of Rocks No, I am not saying my marriage is on the rocks. Nor is my love for my wife Tami (27yrs and counting) as vibrant as “a pile of rocks”. Read on and you’ll see what I mean by mentioning rocks along with landmarks in marriage.

But what do landmarks have to do with a marriage? I’m reading through the Bible for the eighth time this year right now. The Old Testament has some rich insights that apply to my life today. One is the use of landmarks. Regularly, God’s miraculous provision or protection (think Moses-like events) was followed by believers piling stones as a reminder of what God did. The Bible regularly states, “and they (the stones) are still there til today”. Why the stones? Simple, the people didn’t want to forget what the Lord did.

Let’s Google the word “landmark” and see what we ﬁnd: Deﬁnition of LANDMARK 1 : an object (as a stone or tree) that marks the boundary of land 2 : a conspicuous object on land that marks a locality 3 : an event or development that marks a turning point or a stage

One of the raps against marriage is that spouses forget what brought them together and made them fall in love to begin with. “He (or she) never does that (something fun or romantic or meaningful) any more now that we are married.” That’s where landmarks might come in handy. Landmarks in your marriage where you don’t forget. Times when God stepped in and prevailed. A moment that your spouse came through. Regular traits that your spouse has that you love the most. Find them. Look for them. Celebrate them.

Examples of LANDMARK - The Golden Gate Bridge is a famous landmark in San Francisco. - The battleﬁeld is a national historical landmark. - The moon landing is a landmark in space exploration. - The decision was a landmark in legal history.

What are the landmarks of your marriage? Maybe you ﬁnd some rocks nearby where you can pile them as a reminder of why you married your spouse. Have lots of piles. Can’t have enough of them.

I am one of the blessed ones. I have a great marriage. Notice I didn’t say “perfect” marriage. I have said it here in FaithUnity in earlier articles, marriage (between a man and a woman) in our culture is in trouble. As in an institution it might be on the brink of extinction. I have mentioned that I have a rich heritage to draw from as my parents celebrate their 64th wedding anniversary this September. We also spoke here about the important factors in preserving the marriage you have (date night, forgiveness, etc).

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Today’s Landmark When you think of a landmark what comes to mind? A property boundary, building, or statue? What about the Bible? I must admit when I think of landmarks the Bible doesn’t necessarily pop into my head, however it probably should.

I could give you a long dissertation on the history of the Bible. How people have tried with all of there might to stamp it out thru the generations.

When we think of landmarks that are here now or being placed for the future I start thinking big. Massive structures like the Statue of Liberty, Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer-130’ statue in Brazil), Freedom Tower, Chrystal Cathedral,so on and so on. These are all good examples but it seems like myself and maybe you have missed the mark somewhat. A landmark is something that is placed to commemorate and event, mark a point in history, something we use to navigate by or represent a boundary. These are placed or built with the mindset of them being in that place indeﬁnitely. Where did we get this concept? We get some direction from the Bible in the Old Testament: Deu. 19:14-Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour’s landmark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land that the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it. Deu. 27:17-Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour’s landmark. And all the people shall say, Amen. Also twice in Proverbs: Pro. 22:28-Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set. Pro. 23:10-Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the ﬁelds of the fatherless: Now these refer mostly to property boundaries, but you get the point. With strong wording like this God makes it clear that landmarks are important. Also there are many times mentioned in the Bible where God appears to someone, answers a prayer, saves a people from destruction or preforms something mighty and an alter is erected in that place by the person or people effected. I would call these a landmark of sorts and the Bible mentions that many of them are still there to this day.

So now that we understand what a land mark is, doesn’t the Bible itself ﬁt into most if not all of these categories? I could give you a long dissertation on the history of the Bible. How people have tried with all of there might to stamp it out thru the generations. However the harder they have tried to remove, burn and destroy it always remains. It is the rock in which truth is held ﬁrm. That makes The Bible, The Word of God, the same one we neglect and take for granted, a landmark to rival almost all landmarks. A book penned by men, that were inspired of the Holy Spirit has stood the test of time. Is still the best selling book of all time with over 6 BILLION printed. It is staggering when we think of it. The Bible: Commemorates and event; one of the most Important events of all time, Christ’s Death on the Cross. It marks a point in history and is 100% historically accurate. We use it as a navigational tool; There is no better way to be able to measure accurately where we (personally, as a Nation or a society) have been or are currently going. All this can be measured by the Bible. Lastly it acts as a boundary; Not for properly per se but for us personally. It is our guidebook for life. Where the answers to the most important questions can be found.It tells us how we should live, how to treat one another. What sin is, how it w us from God, how we can be saved. How we as a christian should act, how we treat those in authority to us. You name it........All by these boundaries and ways for life are set by the Bible, God’s Holy Word. Now in the future when I think of landmarks even as many earthly ones may be being built and erected all around me. I will now think of that ever important landmark, not so much in size or grandeur but in it’s power and ability to be that rock in my life. The point on which I navigate, remember when I’ve came from and where I am going.

So now that we understand what a land mark is, doesn’t the Bible itself ﬁt into most if not all of these categories?

Jarrod Almond is a brand new contributor to FaithUnity. He serves on staff at Global Vision Bible Church as Executive Pastor. Pastor Jarrod is supported by his wife Beverly Almond. @jarrodalmond

Where Are The Monuments Landmarks serve a monumental purpose of remembrance. In April 1863, in Columbus, Mississippi after decorating graves of her two sons, an elderly woman moved to two unmarked mounds where she began to give the same attention and décor. Upon being notiﬁed that under those mounds lay the bodies of two Union soldiers, the woman replied, “I know. I also know that somewhere in the North, a mother or a young wife mourns for them as we do for ours.” One lady grew to a band of ladies who set into motion what we now call Memorial Day. Monuments exist across our great United States to remind us of our heritage. The Washington Monument is scattered with scripture. The Statue of Liberty welcomes all who would come into the land of the free. Memorials stand in honor of veterans from the Civil War to our nation’s most recent excursions. Monuments stand as reminders of landmark days both good and bad. From Plymouth rock to ground zero, America has always been a nation eager to preserve its national history. Perhaps one of the most intriguing memorials was erected when Joshua led the people of Israel across the Jordan. Remember, the water stopped ﬂowing just as the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant stepped into the water at the river’s edge. They stood in the middle of the riverbed until the people had crossed safely into the Promised Land.

While crossing, Joshua instructed 12 men, one from each tribe, should gather 12 large stones to be erected as a monument on the bank of Jordan. Joshua 4 says, “That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones? Then ye shall answer them That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it passed over Jordan, the water of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever….and they are there unto this day.” These stones represented a time of provision, and reflected upon a time of battle. The Jordan, is forever Landmarked by God not only as a display of his power, but as an opportunity for others to share of his providence. Can you imagine that little child coming home from playing wit his friends asking, “Papa, why are those rocks stacked out there?” Papa takes his son on his knee and begins to share the account passed down to him of a time when God did the supernatural. The child’s eyes lit with delight, and his imagination sparked with curiosity, “Papa, could you tell me the rock story again?” Without hesitation Papa would share this account innumerous times, for someday his little boy would passing this story along to the next generation. Friend, where are your monument landmarks? Have you intentionally constructed landmarks in your life that will spark the curiosity of the coming generation? Do your landmarks point back to the God who miraculously provided for you? As believers will we fight to preserve the landmarks that remain, pointing back to our country’s foundation upon the Word of God? Upon our departure from this life, will our lives serve as landmarks of faith? No matter how old or how young, now is the time to begin construction. Carve out landmarks in your time, finances, and faith that will allow the next generation to ask, “What mean these stones?” Believer…where are the monuments?

Jon Leighton is an accomplished Christian writer and blogger for multiple Christian publications. Jon presently serves as Student Pastor of Global Vision Bible Church. Pastor Jon divides his time among evangelistic travels, ministering at GVBC, and serving as Editor of FaithUnity.

James Edwin Orr, a Baptist minister, hymn-writer, professor, author and promoter of Church Revival once said, “There have been instances in the history of the church when the telling and retelling of the wonderful works of God have been used to rekindle the expectations of the faithful intercessors and prepare the way for another Awakening.”

As for John Wycliffe, his understanding of the Word of God became one of the great landmarks in the history of Christianity, thus paving the way as a spiritual fire shed light that the majority of the world’s population had yet received the ability to hold the Word of God in their hands. In 1899, John H. Nicholson, Samuel E. Hill, and Will J. Knights decided to organize a group, “to band Christian commercial travelers together for mutual recognition, personal evangelism, and united service for the Lord.” At their first meeting, Knights declares, “We shall be called Gideons,” based on the story in Judges 6-7. Since many of the early members were businessmen who travel extensively, they decided to place a Bible in every American hotel room as their contribution to Christianity. They placed their first Bible in a Montana hotel in 1908. The organization grew into a worldwide group, and now operates in 190 countries. They estimate they have placed 1.6 billion sets of Scriptures throughout the world.

History, you might say, is an acquired taste. To trust that a great vent took place is good, but to ﬁnd it’s historical landmark often brings validity and purpose. Recently, I preached a series of messages from Exodus 15 on the ‘Wells of Elim’ that Moses encountered as he led Israel from the Red Sea. Each well served as a landmark in the hand of God’s direction and supply, as well as to remind the following generation of the fulﬁllment of God’s plan for His people. Israel would follow as God provided, therefore creating a landmark or check point in Israel’s history. However, in times of murmuring, God often brought his people into remembrance of those past landmarks to encourage them to trust Him. If today, we will follow the example of our forefathers and revisit the old landmarks of Christianity, we too could experience a great awakening of the Spirit of God.

When you enter a hotel room and lay hold on that Bible with a Gideon stamp on its cover; you are holding one of the very landmarks that Christianity is founded upon! Have you considered that the Holy Spirit is revealing a landmark to you by His Word? It is: *Beautiful in its language. Ps.23 *Incorruptible in its nature. 1Pe.1:23 *Loving in its message. Jn 3:16 *Blessed in its bestowments. Ps.32 *Effective in its purpose. 2Tim. 3:16,17 *Wonderful in its accomplishments. Is.55:11 *Water - Eph.5:26 *Lamp - Ps.119:105a *Fire - Jer.20:8,9 *Hammer - Jer.23:29b *Sword - Heb 4:12 *Seed - 1Pe.1:23 *Spiritual Nurishment - Jer.15:16 *Indestructible - Matt.24:35 *Incorruptible - 1Pe.1:23-25 *Indespensible - Matt.4:4 *Infallible - Matt.5:18 *Inexhaustible - Ps.92:5 *Redemption - Eph.1:3-14 *Planned by God - 1Jn.4:9,10 *Revealed by the Spirit - Jn. 16:7-9 *Light to our path *Gate to Heaven *Guide for youth *Inspiration for the mature *Comfort for the aged *Food for the hungry *Water for the thirsty *Rest for the weary *Hope for the unbeliever *Salvation for the sinner *Grace for the Christian

Proverbs 22:28 “Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.” Charles Weigle, author of the song “No One Ever Cared For Me Like Jesus”, wrote in the late 1800’s, ‘I would love to tell you what I think of Jesus, Since I found in Him a friend so strong and true; I would tell you how He changed my life completely, He did something that no other friend could do’. It’s time we revisit the Landmark of our Salvation! John 19:17 “And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: 18 Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst. 19And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews.” This landmark is not a theory (merely one of many ideas with no certainty). It’s not fiction (a story without any real truth for foundation). It’s not fantasy (a mental illusion or day dream). And certainly not a feeling (feelings come and go). The landmark of Salvation is real. Psalms 119:18 “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” The Landmark of God’s Word. John Wycliffe, an Oxford professor, questioned his Catholic teachings, including the requirement that scripture was to be written exclusively in Latin, a language few common people could read. Briefly a national hero for his resistance to Rome, Wycliffe ultimately loses both influence and his professorship. From 1380-82, he compiles an English translation of the Bible, translating his first edition in 1382. A second edition was published after his death in 1384, and became known as the Wycliffe Bible.

Nations rise and fall - YET IT LIVES Presidents come and go - YET IT LIVES Hated and cursed - YET IT LIVES Scoffed at by scorners - YET IT LIVES Inspiration is denied - YET IT LIVES

In an act of revenge, the Catholic Church excommunicated him thirty-one years after his death and, in 1428, exhumed his bones, burned them and scattered his ashes.

To Believe it is to Live it. To Know it is to Love it. To Love it is to Accept it. To Accept it is Eternal Life.

Landmarks of Christianity ...

Müller’s trust in God strengthened day by day and he spent hours in daily prayer and Bible reading. – indeed, it was his practice, in later years, to read through the entire Bible four times a year. Dear child of God, be encouraged that prayer changes circumstances, changes hearts, changes our outlook, and reaches the very heart of God. Author and Artist Bill Gaither, along with Hovie Lister, made popular the great song “The Old Landmark”. Its lyrics, “Let us all go back to that old landmark. Let us stay in the service of the Lord”, still ring true today as it challenges its listeners to return to those old Landmarks of Christianity.

In 1862, a partition was publicly posted in England sharing this testimony of his belief in the Word of God and of prayer. “That the word of God alone is our standard of judgment in spiritual things; that it can be explained only by the Holy Spirit; and that in our day, as well as in former times, he is the teacher of his people. The office of the Holy Spirit we have not experimentally understood before this time. Indeed, of the office of each of the blessed persons, in what is commonly called the Trinity, we have no experimental apprehension. We have not before seen from the Scriptures that the Father chose us before the foundation of the world; that in him that wonderful plan of our redemption originated, and that he also appointed all the means by which it was to be brought about. Further, that the Son, to save us, had fulfilled the law, to satisfy its demands, and with it also the holiness of God; that he had borne the punishment due to our sins, and had thus satisfied the justice of God. And, further, that the Holy Spirit alone can teach us about our state by nature, show us the need of a Saviour, enable us to believe in Christ, explain to us the Scriptures, help us in preaching, etc. It is our beginning to understand this latter point in particular; for the Lord has enabled us to put it to the test of experience, by laying aside commentaries, and almost every other book, and simply reading the word of God and studying it. The result of this shall be, that as one should shut himself up, to give of himself to prayer and meditation over the Scriptures, he should learned more in a few hours than any period of several months previously, thereby receiving real strength for the soul in doing so.” Author, Unknown Personally, one of my favorites is the Landmark of Prayer. Luke 18:1 “....that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” Aside from our mothers, who I’m sure have prayed for their children in ernest, I can think of no greater Landmark in Christianity than that of the prayers of George Müller. Once, while crossing the Atlantic on the SS Sardinian in August 1877, his ship ran into thick fog. He explained to the captain that he needed to be in Quebec by the following afternoon, but Captain Joseph E Dutton (later known as “Holy Joe”) said that he was slowing the ship down for safety and Müller’s appointment would have to be missed. Müller asked to use the chartroom to pray for the lifting of the fog. The captain followed him down, claiming it would be a waste of time. After Müller prayed, the captain started to pray, but Müller stopped him; partly because of the captain’s unbelief, but mainly because he believed the prayer had already been answered. When the two men went back to the bridge, they found the fog had lifted. The captain became a Christian shortly afterwards.

Dr. Jon Groves is a full-time evangelist with a passion for revival. He travels with his two youngest sons Henry and George, and wife Julie Groves. Visit his website thegrovesfamily.org

A History of Miracles:

As I continue my daily walk with God, while seeking Him, I believe in my whole heart when Jesus told us with these verses - - Matthew 6:33-34 But seek ﬁrst his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. - - Seeking Him and all for His will, I cannot explain how much God has already given to my family, to me, and many others I’ve encountered in this life He has given. All for a purpose I have sincerely found along my journey to take with me in my own life destination for tomorrow.

Volume 9

I have one destination I pray to reach one day. My journey continues there on a daily basis. I have put my trust in God to walk up to this place, for Jesus says in - - Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” - - When I prayed to God asking Him to direct me to this narrow gate, I was unsure of the destruction I found through the wide gate. At the same time, I was not sure what I was doing wrong to find this narrow gate. The biggest part of being human is that living in this world, it is very easy to follow the wrong of the world without even knowing it. We are told in - - 1 John 2:16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. - - I thought for years on end that lust was love, that the eyes were for visual art of any form, and my pride is what kept me smiling for everyone to see. It sure was not what I thought, yet I was hiding to be someone else. It was full of tears, hurt, anger, guilt, heartache, depression, and I suppressed it all deep down inside. As I prayed, I asked God to help me look at what I’ve done, so that I may know how to share it with others. I can honestly say that as I took my step back, God gave me a new verse, - - Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. - - I honestly had a very Volume 7 profits benefit distributors hard time accepting that the world does not love God as I walk with Him daily. I learned it is God who loves me and He created me in order to teach me how to renew my mind through my own life. I was given my life of cruelty and love, so I may share encouragement with others. I have those tests that I have failed, the tests that I have done in His pleasing and perfect will, with some made noticeable in my own mind.

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I now recognize how life miraculously changes when I follow - - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. - - I have to admit how difﬁcult it was to rejoice in the bad while it was so easy to rejoice in the good! I found ways for praying for strangers, for people who are going through their own rough times, and people I am around on a daily basis. I also cannot thank God enough in all He does in my life. I am extremely thankful for all the bad I’ve gone through! For encouragement and the comfort is there, and to receive God’s love, for me to share is more than a blessing to cherish. No matter how much of any of it I many never understand in my journey.

As I patiently wait to reach my own destination to this narrow gate God has given to each and every one of us, my heart says, - - Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. - - With my heart trusting in all that happens for His purpose and reason, no matter the triumph or pain, or wonder why it was me.... I have found out that with my daily walk with God, He does talk with me in all I do already. I just did not want to listen and He only wanted for me to talk back with Him. I trust that one day, my path will become straight and to my destination to the narrow gate comes closer.

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We celebrate our 12th month “Anniversary Edition.” Through the past 11 issues, I have seen God do so many wondrous things... Things only he could do! First of all if you were able to read my article in the ﬁrst edition, you would have read how I ran from the feeling of God putting it on my heart to get the gospel into the streets and to help and serve the homeless along with low income individuals. I thought I could plea with God telling Him, “I’m not the one! I don’t know anything about print! I don’t have anyone to help me! I’m not a writer! I don’t know anything about homelessness, and if I did... I don’t have the money to do this!” All these were my excuses to “not” do the publication. God works in mysterious ways, causing me to “completely” rely on Him for everything. I do not say this lightly. In every life situation, He was able to shape me to do it His way. The beautiful thing about God is that He teaches you through experience ﬁrst hand. Through this I have been taught to have patience (not just with God, but with people), I have learned to trust Gods timing (even when we think He is late), He has strengthened my Faith and trust in His way of doing things, but as much as all of this... He has taught me to Love people. Love them right where they are. That alone has been life transforming!

The Holy War Of America Christian soldiers throughout America must agree to set doctrinal defferences aside during this ﬁnal war against evil. visit FireHot.Net for Secret Code

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The Founding of FaithUnity

The name “FaithUnity” is no accident. It means just what it says. Ephesians 4:5 tells us we are all of one “Faith” and that alone tells me we should be unified. But the Bible goes much deeper than that talking about “Unity” of the Body saying as each member we all have gifts and must work together as the body. (Supportive scripture). The bible also tells us to go out into the highways and byways compelling them to come inside; I believe as a Christian StreetPaper we do just that. Again even deeper than that the Bible tells us that the poor will always be among us and that we should help them (supportive scripture). I truly believe that God uses this publication to do all these things... But it does not stop there. It is filled with the Gospel and testimonies and revelations says we overcame by the blood of the lamb and by the word of our testimony (supportive scripture) and this also we share. Then comes even more testimonies. We have been able to see God use this to dramatically change lives. Not just a few but many, many lives. Basically we are church in the streets. Then we get the honor to see it work. We have seen families reconciled, marriages put back together, 30 year alcoholics quit drinking, people with crack addictions quit, heroin addicts get clean, thieves quit stealing, people on the streets get a stable place to live, vendors transition to regular stable jobs, people that didn’t believe now come to believe, vendors find a church home, get saved and baptized. You see God is alive and He is moving in people’s lives that I have found are the most humble people I’ve ever met. In a place we could never even dream of being. There is more to this story than even all that I have already shared. Must I remind you that this is only over the course of 11 issues.

After all that has already happened through the process of printing this publication... God did something absolutely amazing! A customer bought a paper from a vendor Went home read it and felt compelled to come back and bless them with a cashiers check for $10,000 yes ten thousand dollars. The customer told them it was only $200 in the envelope. Of course once again all the news stations covered the story. God has had his way to keep growing the paper and in ways we could not ever imagine.

God has worked in some miraculous ways... First has been the start up funding to start this publication. I had no idea where it would come from; I told God I’m willing to do it, I’m willing to let you use me, but you will have to provide the funds. This is when I learned He truly does just want our willingness to serve because He provided.

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profits benefit distributors

You would think after all of this and only 11 issues I’m we wouldn’t have anything else to tell you but we do... My ﬁrst day at Global Vision was the day that once a year they take men from the church and go downtown for what they call the “homeless experience.” This ﬁrst day was one of those I again felt God calling me. In fact it was the moment I gave in and told God “ok I’m in.” Remember I told you I didn’t know anything about homelessness, and this was God’s crash course teaching me what they go through. So the following year after the paper was already going and growing I went on this experience. Wow! It was tough. And I only had to spend a weekend. We went down without sleeping bags, money, phones, or extra clothes; having only what we were wearing. Freezing temperatures soon mixed with sleep deprivation. Why do I tell you this? Well, because this is when God really taught me how they feel. So when they come to us for papers I am now able to understand their feelings and maybe why they drink or have an attitude. Helped me by leaps and bounds when dealing with them. God prepares the ones He chooses to use, but He does it in His own way.

Secondly, we, along with Global Vision Bible church hosted a “Bridge Revival” for the homeless. We saw broken hearts and a bridge ﬁlled with hurting people…real people, might I add, that had real needs! The bridge revival was the moment when pastor Locke decided he wanted to be used to bless them. He went up on a lift for 72 hours (didn’t even come down for bathroom breaks) to raise 100 sleeping bags, 100 brand new bicycles, tents and other needed items for the homeless... All the news stations covered the story! In the process of printing, growing and learning; our funds went short right before print was ready. This is where I learned God is an on-time God. I learned the true meaning of daily bread. We went to a youth revival that was being hosted by the FCA and at the end of service pastor Locke of Global Vision took just a few moments to announce what God does through FaithUnity and those kids brought to the alter the exact amount of money needed to print the next day. I also learned In this moment that God uses His people to serve His people. It was like manna falling from heaven. I cried like a baby.

Volume 10

Volume 11

I know your saying... Wow! is there more? Well of course there is! When God works He works BIG! Pastor Locke decided he wanted to bless the vendors even more. I must tell you that when this paper ﬁrst started it was $2.00 on the street and $1.00 for the vendors, but we prayed and felt God telling us to reduce the paper to $1.00 and 50 cents to the vendors. That made a huge difference in sales and distribution. But we felt God pushing us to go a step further. Pastor Locke said our God is bigger than a quarter; Telling me its time - drop the price to the vendors to 25 cents. I thought there is no way we can do this. It cost more to print than that. Pastor reminded me... Who’s paper is this? Instant conviction set in. Yes the beautiful thing of the Holy Spirit! Our distribution once again doubled. GOD at work once more.

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profits benefit distributors

With doing this pastor Locke said I feel God wants me to do a walk to help through this transition to provide funds to carry the paper. So we started training and went on a 240 mile walk together. Walking 40 miles a day for 6 days. Sleeping however far we made it that day. I really felt God teaching me many things during this walk. Not to mention physically and mentally I was completely broken. So much so that I was ready to give up on the first night. But God taught me to seek Him when I’m weak. These are the moment I believe He waits for. The greatest lesson I learned was that I believe we give up too early, just when we are fixing to receive our blessing. So He taught me when things get tough and hard, push and seek harder. He will reward you when we are weak He is strong the Bible tells us but I didn’t understand that until this walk. We raised $10,000 to help cover the cost of print for 3 months. Which was a huge blessing while we implement changes. Pastor Locke and I have both sold papers to experience what the vendors go through selling them. In the Bible, I constantly read that God has never asked us to do something that He is not willing to do Himself. Even down to sacrificing His son; as He asked Abraham to do on the same mountain that God later sacrificed His. I think as leaders we should learn from this. We should be ready and eager to do what we ask others to do!

I truly believe up to this point everything that has happened through this publication has been biblical through experience! I hope that you enjoy, learn, and grow as well through our future issues. I have been blessed by God allowing me to be a small part.

Landmark Your Territory

For some its honor and loyalty. To others it’s a warm bed, food, someone to love. No matter what you value, its all for nought, if our life is not centrally focused on God and his word. This “territory” we spend years attempting to mark is temporary, with no eternal value. There is one thing, however, that God so desperately wishes to mark. If you don’t have a father in your life, just know that there is Heavenly Father who Desperately wants a relationship with you. He will never leave you. He will always protect you. He wants to stain you with the ever cleansing blood of Christ, forever marking you as his own. Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world! Landmarks exist at times to tag something as your own; claiming it in your name. Gangs tag area’s to let others know it belongs to them. Every highschool girl seeks out that class ring necklace, or letter jacket from their man, to mark them as “his.”

What does it actually mean to “Mark Your Territory?” Can we spiritually mark our territory? Does the way we think, line up with God’s plan for us? As we dive in, let’s Deﬁne a couple of words : Mark: v. – To make a visible impression or stain on. Territory: n. – 1) An area of land under jurisdiction of a ruler or state. 2) Area defended by an animal against others of the same sex. Mankind has taken this concept of territory to a whole new level! We allow ourselves to get so wrapped up in temporal things, and when any item incurs damage - we, ourselves get bent out of shape. Another’s encroachment upon our “territory” ignites an aggression and anger within us, leading to a display no more mature than the aggression of two male dogs. In actuality, we are ﬁghting over things that are not truly ours to possess. I recently went to an event in support of some friends. While this concert should have brought enjoyment, the attitude of the men began to intrigue me. In an attempt to display masculinity, huge displays of aggression and sheer pride broke out as these men tried to “prove” themselves, and publicly proclaim their ownership of the girls they were escorting. Often the thing that we value most is what sparks the most passion within us. Some people believe money is important. Some think its family.

The landmark of the cross existed that Christ’s blood might be shed to mark you as his child. Where humans spend useless energy and countless fortunes to “mark” their temporal territory...one landmark will never be replaced, and its montra never forgotten: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son; hat whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Has your soul traveled to that landmark? Is your life a territory “marked by God?”

Chris Lamberth is a local caterer and contributor to FaithUnity for the last year. He and his wife, Carolyn are active members of Global Vision Bible Church. Their family shares a passion for youth and individuals in need.

A Turning Point

Being human, with a sin-nature, it is so easy to default to “victim mode.” We are driven toward revenge against those who have wronged us. This passionate drive leads quickly to anger, bitterness, and resentment. No matter how small or insignificant at the first, these seeds mature into deeply rooted emotions. Though different in nature, we all have problems. Friend, you are not defined by your affliction, rather by your reaction. Will your problem turn you toward vengeance or victory?

There comes a time in our lives when we say, “There has to be more to life than this!” There has to be another way to walk through life without the pain, the addictions, the chains and bondage of slavery that has us tied down. We actually start believing maybe we deserve the pain. Maybe we deserve to sit back and watch as everyone we love and everything we have goes down the drain.

If you have found yourself here, I would like to introduce you to Joseph, a man of God in the book of Genesis. This young man was favored most by his father, igniting hatred in the hearts of his brothers. Sharing his God-given dreams with his brethren only fueled the ﬁre of their jealousy. The ﬂame of wrath burned inside them until exploding in a plot to kill him. With one act of “tenderness” they conspired together to sell him to the Egyptians. His humble servitude brought him to the head of the Egyptian’s (Potiphar) household until the master’s wife accused him of adultery. With one accusation, Joseph was landed in captivity once again.

The life of Joseph displays three landmark times of testing, each a turning point toward a greater future. Even through these tests of great proportion, at the end of the story we ﬁnd Joseph embracing his offenders with forgiveness and a statement applicable to every life: “What you meant for evil, God meant for good.” The Bible is saturated with examples of a loving God whose mercy and grace far outweigh any sin. Each and every situation is an opportunity for this Heavenly Father to grow in a relationship with us. Understanding this concept so impacted the life and perspective of Joseph that he named his second son Ephraim, meaning “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my afﬂiction.”

Maybe you share a commonality with Joseph. At times the sin in other’s lives leads to the destructive nature of our own. We feel unjustly proportioned with the emotional, psychological, maybe even physical abuse. Look up friend, there is hope!

Psalm 18:6 - “In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.” Each testing in our present is a testimony in our future. Your problem today will soon stand as a landmark of God’s deliverance. Look to the landmarks for fruitfulness amidst afﬂiction.

Anthony Hicks came to the Lord and discovered drastic change in every aspect of his life. Through personal victory and the prompting of the Lord, Anthony,along with his wife, and daughter founded "Radical Fellowship" to minister to those recovering from addiction

A Point Of Reference In studying about actual physical landmarks, I began to think about why spiritual landmarks are important as well. Here are some thoughts to ponder:

In 2008, I had the privilege to visit the Holy Land, modern day Israel. One of the highlights of the trip for me was the day that we visited the ancient city of Petra. Our drive to Petra was very interesting and along the way I noticed piles of stone along the road every 50 to 100 yards or so. I asked our tour guide what the stones were and he promptly replied, “Those are landmarks.”

Reference points – All of us have these in our past and will continue to make new ones in our present and future. These monumental times in my life, both good and bad, help to remind me of where I am now and how I made it to this point. Landmarks in my life also tend to serve as a spiritual GPS if you will, guiding me through the twists and turns of life. For many, the thought of these landmarks tend to be painful, but they serve as cautious reminders to avoid the same mistakes over and over again.

In ancient Bible days, a landmark was a durable object or objects used as a legal reference point between two properties, whether on a relatively minor scale, such as adjoining ﬁelds between farms, to boundaries between nations, or territories within nations. Known from the most ancient times, and throughout Bible history, right to the present, landmarks very often were a stone, hence the reason that landmarks were also known as boundary stones. Moving or violating a landmark was a high crime in the eyes of God, not only because it was a violation of the commandment against theft, but also because it was an arrogant attack on God’s sovereignty (Exodus 19:5 and Psalm 74:17).

Boundaries – All of us should have boundaries. Everyone is different, but we all need to have these landmarks in our homes, in our marriages, and in our Christian walk. We should have boundaries to keep us from spiritual burnout, boundaries to protect us from sinful behavior and boundaries to keep us accountable to others and to our Lord. So, as painful as it may seem, honor the reference points in your life. They are there to remind you of God’s grace and mercy. Also, continue to set boundary landmarks each and every day. Paul encourages us in Philippians 2 to “work out” our salvation with fear and trembling. The Christian life is a process that takes work on our part to achieve successful sanctiﬁcation and setting good, biblical boundaries will beneﬁt you in accomplishing that goal. Blessings, Jay Boyce Romans 8:28

Jay is married to Samantha and they have two beautiful boys, Grady and Judah. He currently serves as the student and worship pastor at Oaklawn Baptist Church in Winston - Salem, NC.

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