Volume 1 ~Issue 7
July 2015 eMagazine of Philippi Prospect Ministries TM
~featuring~
Pastors Michael and Christine Kanyoli and their ministry in
Blantyre, Malawi, Africa
Table of Contents
3~Notes from Rebecca 4~About Us 5~Restoration & Renewal 6-7~The Bright Side by Olivia Carpenter 8-9~VerseWorks by Jaime Dills 10-13 Handmade in Israel 14~PrayerWorks 15-19~Commissioned-Interview with Michael Kanyoli 20-21~In the Potting Shed 22-23~MissionWorks 24-25~Women in Scripture: Sarah 26-27~Showcasing: Keren Peled, Israeli Photographer 28-29~An Ordinary Aussie Mom by Melanie Baker-Nash 30-31~Cleaning Out the Closet 32-33~The Personal Column by Angela Carpenter 34-35~Sons & Maidens 36~GuideWorks 37~Prayer of David 38-39~Highways & Hedges 40-41~Of Parchment & Passage 42-43~FruitWorks 44-45~Remarkables 46-47~Observations: Worth a Thousand Words 48-49~Come to the Water 50-51~In the Garden 52-53~Namesakes 54-55~It is Written 56-57~In Vision’s of the Night 58-59~Parton’s Petals Back Cover~StillWorks Imagery
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Hello to all readers! First, I want to thank you for clicking on the link that brought you to this magazine.
Notes from
Rebecca
New this issue: The magazine is expanding!!! There are a lot of new features this month!! New page titles to look for are: Commissioned, focusing on those that have been called to go out and minister to the world; MissionWorks, featuring ministries that are actively on the “front line” in the spreading of the Good news of Yeshua Ha Mashiach. Also, GuideWorks, a simple lesson on how to live based on Scripture; FruitWorks, an expansion on the fruits of the Holy Spirit, and how to apply them in our lives. And, In the Visions of the Night, where I share the dreams, and their interpretations and fulfillment, that God has given me over the years. Note: Due to circumstances beyond his control, George Calleja’s “Monthly Reflections” will not be featured in the magazine.
The purpose of this magazine is for help, hope and encouragement toward our fellow man. It is about promoting Godly endeavors and Godly results. It is not about judgment, or whether our beliefs are the same or not. The Adversary is about division and subtraction; God is about multiplication and addition. We are our brother’s keeper! Our prayer is that there will be a blessing for each reader among these pages. God bless each and every one! Shalom. Sincerely, Rebecca Matthews Founder, administrator, and ordained minister at Philippi Prospect Ministries Founder, senior editor, writer, publisher of Grace Point! eMagazine Photographer and curator at StillWorks Imagery
(The opinions expressed in this magazine by contributors does not necessarily reflect the opinions or beliefs of James and Rebecca Matthews, founders of 3 Philippi Prospect Ministries, and Grace Point! eMagazine.)
Macedonia Family Worship Center We cleaned the whole church, repainted the Sunday School rooms, and used discarded VBS materials to create some wall art for the kids.
The Macedonia community fell inside the township of Bonneau, and after a few days of cleaning in the church, we got out and walked through the community, inviting people to church. As it happened, there was actually only one person on the church’s role-an elderly lady who had not been there in a long time. The overseer wanted us to encourage the immediate community that had once supported the church to return. As we met the different families along the little side road, it became apparent that the church was a battleground among the relatives of the founders, each with an idea on what, and how, things should be done. We soon found ourselves in a war zone where a heated community battle was silently brewing. 4
A Journey to
I don’t think there is anything much worse than being on a journey all alone. On top of the loneliness itself, there are the feelings of inadequacy, depression, lack of motivation, and even fear. But, while all these feelings exist, sometimes it is needful for us to be on a solitary path for a season, because God needs our full attention. There is something He wants to teach us, and being a part of the crowd would just cause a distraction.
What reflecting is not: a time of
Reflection
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self- doubt or giving up unforgiveness, bitterness or anger wishing we could ‘go back’ and do it differently
What reflecting is: ●
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taking a good, long, hard look in the mirror, and being honest with ourselves taking a good, long, hard look in the mirror, and being honest with God realizing our way isn’t working, and His plan for our lives is better than ours understanding that God has our best interest at heart, and will never lead us wrong deciding that this is the starting point for a new way of living
a publication of Ruth Ministries-The Virtuous Woman,TM a woman's restoration ministry/a segment of Philippi Prospect Ministries TM
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by Olivia Carpenter
Don’t
There are a lot of things I can say about religion. Some of it's good, some of it's bad. You see, religion isn't perfect, just like we aren't perfect. Religion was made by man for God, not by God for man. So how can something we made be perfect, if we aren't perfect ourselves? It can't. We are flawed; so, we can't make something without flaw. This is why we have so many religions. Humans have found flaw in these religions and have branched out from them, and often create a new religion entirely. People often get into the mindset that their new religion is perfect, that it's the only religion. They become judgmental of all other religions that aren't theirs. When I was in elementary school, everyone hung out with just about everyone. But, when I hit high school, everyone hung out with people in their sports, or in their academic group. Basketball players hung out with basketball players. Volleyball players hung out with volleyball players. Artists hung out with artists. They didn't think it was acceptable to hang out with anyone else. 6
Judge
We don't have to be like this, though. If you're a Catholic & want to hang out with a Jew, I say go for it! If you're a cross-country runner & want to hang out with a gamer, go for it! We don't have to discriminate against other religions just because they discriminate against us. Look at the people, not at the religion. God looks at people, not the religion, so why should we? We aren't going to get the gates of Heaven and God ask us, "What religion were you?" He's going to to look at you, his faithful follower, not your religion. Jesus was without sin. He was perfect. He didn't come to Earth searching out people like him. He came to Earth to find people that needed his help and his guidance. John 15:12 My commandment is this: love each other as I have loved you. 7
TM
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VerseWorks TM is a trademark of Philippi Prospect Ministries TM
Do not walk foolishly my child Enjoy your youth but do not be wild. For the road is already hard and long Speak often of psalms and spiritual songs. Give thanks to the Father for his loving way Praise him through the night and day. Pray for all to be done if it His will And remember at moments to just be still. Seek wisdom with every step that you make Do not be discouraged, for we all make mistakes.
Inspired by Ephesians 5:15-21
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by Jaime Dills 9
See more from this artist at
Israeli Art Association We are a group of about 30 Israeli artists who design and create authentic Israeli art. We develop special products which combine the symbols of Israel and Judaism with the love to our country. The people who consume our products are: Israelis, Jews & lovers of Israel all around the world. Anyone who's exposed to our art admires and compliments us on our unique and beautiful products. Our goal is to strengthen the love for Israel worldwide. If you love Israel and want to support it, we offer you to purchase your gifts (to yourself or others) directly from the artists who creates them. We donate 15% of each purchase towards scholarships for young Israeli artists, to help and encourage the engaging in arts in Israel. This contribution is your contribution, so anyone who purchases a product on this site will also receive a gratitude letter and a magnet of Jerusalem with the caption: "I support Israeli art." We hope you feel proud to put this magnet on the refrigerator in your home. If you can't find in this site what you are looking for, we can design and produce for you anything your heart desires. Thank you for your support in Israeli artists! photos used by permission
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photos used by permission
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photos used by permission
Original Photography also available for purchase
photos used by permission
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Focusing on those that have been called to go out and minister to the world. We first met Pastor Michael Kanyoli through LinkedIn in the summer of 2014. There was an instant Godly bond, and we have been in continual contact ever since. Both he and his wife are very humble servants of God, and I am very honored that they have agreed to share their ministry with us.
In April of 1990, Pastor Michael Weston Kanyoli was commissioned in a vision by the Lord Jesus Christ to go and plant churches in Malawi and in other African states. In response to his Godgiven vision, he established Praise Chapel Living word of God Church in 1993. Their goals are evangelization, discipleship, church planting and social services .
The Church is made up of two boards : The Trustees Board of Directors , which is the governing council with three members, and it is headed by the Chairman who is nominated constitutionally. The Management Board is an administrative extension of the Church, and it comprises of key personnel with people of diverse experience, professional backgrounds, and is usually chaired by the Senior Pastor. This board is responsible for our Institutional Capacity Building Project. The Praise Chapel Living Word of God Church exists to preach and evangelize the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, to train church leaders and workers to ensure mission–oriented leaders and Churches that will effectively fulfill the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthews 28:19. Praise Chapel Living Word of God Church is established by the divine will. God has given us the mission to our fellowman. This mission is to mature, train, teach, and help the saints to grow in a sound Christian doctrine. Our aim is to equip people for the task so that they can take up their role and their responsibility as true ambassadors of God’s Kingdom. The Church is designed to equip the believers through preaching, teaching, healing, deliverance and intercessory prayer. 15
God started this church with 4 persons in 1993, and now He has blessed us with more than 800 believers. The main church has between 150 and 200 members each Sunday, but the main growth comes not from creating a mega church, but from the 20 churches planted in eight of the country’s districts by the main church.
Our aim is to reach all of Malawi with the Gospel by systematically planting new churches in every village. The only way we can make impact in our unbelieving society is to train and send people to evangelize and plant churches. Our vision is to build a strong local church, and to have an impact on our community, our city, and our nation. We want to tell people the good news of the Gospel, namely that they don’t have to be bound by the enemy – ie. by poverty, sickness, drugs, or any other condition. We want them to know that God desires to bless them. But bringing people to the point where they are able to act on this knowledge, and break Satan’s strongholds in their lives with the Word of God, involves helping them both naturally and spiritually. That’s what we have endeavoured to do, and we have some wonderful testimonies by members of our congregation of God’s life–changing power. We often conduct camp–meetings, seminars, and conferences. 16
Pastor Mrs. Kanyoli poses with ladies during service.
Pastor Kanyoli praying for the people during the camp meeting 2008 at Nchalo in Chikwawa district.
Pastor Kanyoli preaching during camp meeting 2008
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Regardless of what I may say about the limits of our effectiveness in Malawi, our efforts would make a very real difference in the spiritual lives of many Malawians, and the spiritual harvest, if we had the encouragement and support of other ministers and ministries .
OUR 10 POINT MISSION: PREACHING ……..... 1- The Gospel of Jesus Christ to every creature. 2- Revivals and Crusades TEACHING …………. 3- Fundamentals of prayer and intercession for all age groups. 4- Establishment of teaching centres and schools to enhance home and foreign missions in Christian Education; i.e. Schools of Prayer, School of World Missions. 5- Assisting pastors and local congregation in prayer and evangelistic strategies. This will include training in spiritual mapping of their local church/city, for city-wide evangelism. INTERCESSION …………….. 6- Facilitating workshops and conferences for children , youth and adults in intercessory prayer , praise and spiritual welfare. 7- Establish prayer networks between Malawian churches and churches in Blantyre and provide avenues of Mission Support to struggling churches in Malawi/Africa. 8- Establish prayer base in unsaved nations in the world and support of Ministries . 9- Train and Equip intercessors in effective praying for good stewardship and wealth in the Kingdom of God to fulfill the Great Commission. DELIVERANCE ………………. 10- Set the captives free by deliverance ministry, and training Churches and teams in Deliverance Ministry. 18
Pastor Kanyoli poses with leaders outside the church building at Nchalo in Chikwawa
It is always my desire to work hand–in-hand with men and women of substance who can add value to my life, and the ministry at large. We are an indigenous, upcoming church run by indigenous Malawians with a very limited capacity. We’d appreciate if you would consider planning a mission trip to visit us in Malawi and have and on–the-spot appreciation of what the Lord is helping us to accomplish. We are asking you to pray and respond to the cry of the unreached millions of lost people in Malawi. Malawians are happy , warm hearted and hard working people. They are generally open to the Gospel, willing to receive Jesus and in dire need of discipleship. If they receive good input and “catch the fire,” they are dependable in God’s Service. It is time for the Lord to revive and cleanse His Precious Body in Malawi. I urge you to make plans to come and visit us. For the Church in Malawi to be strong and healthy, training and development of indigenous leaders is not optional but imperative. Great men and women of God need to come and INVEST in the lives of Malawi leaders. I sincerely trust that in the light of the above, you will consider planning and organizing a visit to Malawi. I would be very glad to work with you . In closing , I would like to commend you and your entire family in God , and I pray that our Father God in Heaven will bless you with His abundance for all you are doing for the Body of Christ and His Local Church. Let the candle of love , hope and friendship light . May God richly bless you as this candle lights your path . Keep HOPE alive ! I pray the Lord’s bountiful blessing upon your every endeavour. May God bring you to a place of abundant peace, joy, patience and blessing. May He make you great in 2015 and beyond. May you live long and proclaim the Goodness of God!
Pastor Kanyoli poses for a group picture with the church after services.
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In the Potting Shed by
Rebecca Matthews
What makes you
stand out from the rest?
photo courtesy of Tony Short via Flickr | License
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After the dreariness of winter, one of the first things we want to do is fill our garden full of color when spring comes. So we take a trip to the local nursery or garden center to see what catches our eye. Having been a part of the retail plant market for roughly half my life, I have dealt with a lot of people planting a flower garden. From professional landscapers to the backyard do-it-yourself-er. No matter which, each person is looking for the same thing: what plant gets their attention, whether it is bloom size, color or care needed.
But, aren’t we all plants in God’s garden? Isn’t one of our goals is to bloom big and bright enough that someone who does not know the Savior is curious enough to want what we have? If we were a plant offered to the public to represent God to them, would we stand out enough to be chosen? Would they want what we present in the form of a beautiful blooming plant? Would we be considered to grace their window sills? Or, to be planted in the space where they need a bright spot in their life? What do we have that makes us stand out to the one who is looking for hope in amongst all that the world has to offer? photo courtesy of BRF Klätterträdet via Flickr | License
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TM
Introducing Avner Valer, a vibrant young man, born and raised in Israel, who believes in Yeshua Ha Mashiach, who is himself a unique person, with a gripping testimony, and a unique ministry. Click on the video link below to hear his story in his own words (English subtitles included.) Then, continue to read what an Israeli journalist had to say about this distinct man of God. Read more about him at http://www.avnervaler.com/
Avner Valer Work of Art Ministries
Messianic Jew Finds Cure For Insanity It is well known that many geniuses live out their lives in mental hospitals around the world. In Israel, there is a Messianic Jewish believer diagnosed with clinical schizophrenia who is a Bible whiz, and he claims that God’s Word has healed his mind. By David Lazarus for “Israel Today" 22
Born on a Moshav (farming community) in southern Israel, Avner Valer suffered an extreme episode of psychosis as a teenager. “When I was 18, I took an ecstasy tablet and went crazy,” he recalls. “For two weeks I was like a mad man. I would run into the streets without any clothes. So they put me into the lockdown ward of the local mental hospital.” Avner, whose family is secular, said it was an earlier addiction that helped him cope. “Ever since I learned to read in first grade I was captivated by the words of the Hebrew Bible,” he told ‘Israel today’. “I became obsessed with reading the Scriptures. The only class I went to in high school was Old Testament.” Restrained and suppressed by psychiatric drugs in the mental hospital, Avner’s passion for God’s Word grew ever stronger. “I hardly remember what happened to me, but my sister tells me that I couldn’t stop quoting verses from the Hebrew Bible day and night.” Avner relates how as a child he had seen a video clip of people mocking someone carrying a cross: “That touched my heart deeply and my whole life I have been looking for the man in the video tape. I had no idea who it was. In the Hospital I started drawing a figure on a cross while obsessively writing in a notebook Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I think someone was reaching out to me.” Eventually, Avner was released from the hospital to the care of a rehabilitation facility. “I wanted to take another ecstasy pill and kill myself.” Concerned with his state of mind, a cousin shared the Gospel with him at a Bar Mitzvah. “I was a broken man when he talked with me,” he says. “But when my cousin was talking about Jesus, I knew that this was the one I had been looking for all my life.” And that’s when the healing began. “I read in Proverbs that God’s Word ‘will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones,’ so I began to take his Word into my life everyday as a medicine for my disease” he says. “I would even play an audio version of the Bible at night as i slept”. Avner is still diagnosed with schizophrenia and visits a psychiatrist regularly just to be safe. At 31, he has gone more than 10 years without any medication, except, of course, God’s Word which, he says, “I still take every single day.” Last year he had another psychotic episode and the medical staff were amazed that he was able to stay balanced without medication. “God’s word is healing me. No one can deny that,” he says. “People ask me to come and pray and help them with their depression. All I can tell them with is to spend time with God’s word. That is the only place I find hope for my life.” Some years ago, as part of his healing process, Avner began studying the Book of Proverbs. All day and late into the night, he pored over the ancient wisdom seeking practical instruction for his life. “Every word has become a part of who i am,” he says. “It is the only thing that keeps me going.” Avner has written word-by-word commentaries in Hebrew on the Books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, which are available as free online downloads. He refuses to receive any payment for his work on God’s word. Quoting from Proverbs 23:23, he says: “Buy the truth and do not sell it."
all photos, videos and articles used by express written permission
Click here to link to this article on avnervaler.com
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Women in Scripture and What We Can Learn From Them by Rebecca Matthews
Sarah: The Matriarch
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photo courtesy of My Lord Katie Blog
How many of us women call our husbands 'lord' these days? (How many would deserve the title, as Abraham did?) Maybe a few cultures promote it, but it is not the norm. Out of those that do, is it out of respect, or is it a forced 'endearment' based on man's interpretation of scripture-that the man has dominance over the woman? Genesis 18:12 Sarah called Abraham 'lord' in her heart, as a sign of respect, because he followed God's direction. A man that consistently and wholeheartedly follows God should be respected as such. A man that is power-hungry, proud, controlling, and demanding, should not. Genesis 12:5, 16 She had followed her husband from their homeland, and saw how God had prospered him. She was a recipient of the blessings from her husband's obedience. Do any of us have that confidence? Are we so sure that our husbands are following the will of God that we don't question it? Are our husbands Abrahams, and are we Sarahs? Genesis 16:2 God had promised Abraham a son, through which He would provide the seed that would lead to Jesus. But. like some of us, Sarah got impatient for God's promise, and took matters into her own hands. Sarah was old-too old to have children, and since the prophecy was given to Abraham, she obviously concluded that she did not have to be the mother. So she gave her handmaid, Hagar, to him to have a child by. Isn't it just like us to jump in front of God with what we think is a good idea in order to bring about what He has told us, instead of waiting for Him to bring it to pass? Genesis 21:9 Sarah saw Ishmael mocking her son, and her anger rose against the child and his mother, and as a result, they were cast out of the camp. How many times have we made our lives difficult, having to contend with the result of our impatience? The lesson here is to have patience with God, otherwise we will grow resentful to the decision we made when not consulting with the Lord. Genesis 23:1 Sarah was a 127 yrs old when she died-she had birthed Isaac when she was 90. As the matriarch of God's chosen, she is the only woman in scripture whose death is recorded in such detail. Even the death of Eve, the mother of us all, is not recorded at all. This tells us that her willingness and obedience~not just to her husband, but to God~gained her the position of respect that we, as women, should strive for today. The lesson Sarah had to learn, as we today have to, is that a woman can only be virtuous toward her husband when she believes that nothing is too difficult for God. 25
Keren Peled
Photographer from Israel Queen Shaba Hotel in Eilat Eilat is Israel's southernmost city, a busy port and popular resort located at the northern tip of the Red Sea, on the Gulf of Aqaba.
Western Views Sunset overlooking the Mediterranean Sea from my porch in Haifa.
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Rainbow After the storm, overlooking the Mediterranean from Haifa.
My Favorite Flowers Beautiful blooms from my collection of orchids.
Relaxing On the shores of the Mediterranean.
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Sometimes life gets really tough. Sometimes we can feel so overwhelmed when things happen around us which we’ve had no say about or control over…Do you know what I mean? Well, the same goes for our children; they too can feel overwhelmed and can struggle to cope with life’s pressures. Unforeseen tragedies can occur in our family’s lives which need to be walked out in faith and love. This article is my 5 point guide for our role as parents to help our children navigate and cope with life’s tragedies. Please be aware I am not a child psychologist. This article comes from my perspective as a Christian parent who is theologically educated and has worked with young people. 1. Deal with your own issues: We understand that to help others we need to be healthy ourselves. That being said, sometimes as parents we still need to care for our children while dealing with our own issues. I feel if we always waited for the perfect timing to come alongside our children, we’d possibly never find the right time, as I always have some area to grow in and things to deal with. As the adult we need to be self-sufficient in dealing with our own baggage to be a healthy parent for our own child/ren. This means we need trusted Christian counsel; a safe adult to talk things through with. For single parents this means we need to find someone obviously other than a spouse; from personal experience as a single parent, for true untainted clarity, I often need to talk to a trusted Christian who is not a family member and therefore not emotionally connected to me. I will still share things with close family, but for healing and discernment about many issues I will speak to others. I believe we can most definitely work on our own healing and issues while also being available for our children. Read Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 which speaks about being diligent and not waiting for the right time to sew which will encourage you to continue to sew into your children’s lives. 2 Timothy 4:2 also says to preach the word in and out of season and scriptures such as Proverbs 22:6; Ephesians 6:4; Deuteronomy 11:19 exhort parents to teach their children in the way of The LORD. As parents we have the most honoured position to speak into our children’s lives. 2. Be prepared to be a Counsellor: I personally think the pendulum has swung too far in recent times in relation to professional counselling for children which has disempowered parents. I think we need to find middle ground again. Yes, professional Christian counselling is a great tool for both adults and children (for example possibly in relation to point one; dealing with our own issues) but when it becomes first base, parents can become viewed by their children as disinterested, uncaring and incompetent. The basic premise of good counselling is first and foremost LISTENING…really listening…active attention-given listening! Then it is NOT to provide the other person with all the answers, rather it is to ask questions to help the other person think through the problem themselves and problem-solve. A good counsellor is a sounding board for someone and always ENCOURAGES and EMPOWERS the other person. A parent who has a close relationship with their child and loves them can definitely do this! A wise, mature counsellor will of course guide the conversation and caution when necessary. 28
3. Be a Teacher: After being a counsellor, a parent also has the right to be their child’ s teacher. This is the God-given privilege of speaking biblical based wisdom and truth into our child/ren’s lives. When talking issues through, teach your child/ren teach the biblical reason for the right response. Avoid just telling them what to do, for in my opinion that is more legalistic and can result more easily in rebellion, rather than wise, loving and respectful parenting. Implant good theology into your children for the rest of their lives. Treat them how you want to be treated. Doesn’t God give us the why rather than just rules? Talk to your child about WHY they should show grace and pray for their enemies…talk to them about WHY that person in their life has most likely made that bad choice…WHY they should forgive and so on.
4. Be an Encourager: Life is tough and children need encouragement. Speak words of life into your child/ren’s lives. Tell them the special things you know about them. Help them see their talents and run the race with joy. Tell them God has a good plan for them! As a parent there will be times when you need to rebuke your child but follow it up with encouragement…reassure them as God does us.
5. Be a Model: As a Christian parent we MUST model our faith as this will speak louder than any words. We must be aware we will become a reflection of the Father to our children and of the accountability that brings. We MUST be the constant, stable, faithful, wise person in our child/ren’s lives. We need to model how to seek God first at all times and especially in relation to dealing with tragedy and our emotions; how to comfort others; how to respond appropriately with self-control; how to not live a fleshly driven life; how to intentionally worship God during the week and how to have quiet time with Him and so on. We MUST model a life where God’s grace is sufficient because the world won’t. Finally don’t be afraid to lead your family spiritually, as we teach by example and are equipping our children for their future.
see more from Melanie Baker-Nash at Life of an Ordinary Aussie Woman
by Melanie Baker-Nash 29
Cleaning Out the Closet by
Rebecca Matthews
What does your closet say about you? Neat and orderly? Or sloppy and chaotic? 30
Our closets are where we store our clothing that we put on when we present ourselves to the world. It is a private place and, therefore, can be somewhat of an intimate place. When we present ourselves to the public, wearing the clothing that we have chosen for the day, we might receive compliments on our choices, or questions as to where we purchased a certain item. But, what would those same people think if they saw the state of our closet? Would they be as apt to compliment us on our clothing choice if our closet looked like this? Would they think our garments were just as pretty if they knew we dug them from a pile of unsorted laundry? Does what we present on the outside line up with what’s really going on on the inside? So, what does our spiritual closet look like? And, then by extension, what does our spiritual life look like? Does our life have a semblance of being “decent and in order” as Paul spoke of how the church must conduct itself? Are we not the church? Are we not to conduct ourselves with decency and orderliness? But, how do we do that if we live in chaos? How do we go about having order in our spiritual lives if there is no order in our physical lives? And, if our most intimate and private places are in chaos, but we try to present otherwise to the world, is that not an element of living a lie? These are hard questions that we must ask ourselves if we want to be true to ourselves, true to God, and true to the world, who look to us to see how we handle the things that life throws at us. The thing about closets is that they cannot organize themselves. They must be cleaned out by us, then maintained through the leadership and direction of the Holy Spirit, to a higher standard than we have been accustomed to in the past. I don’t know about you, but some of us have work to do. 31
The Personal Column by
Angela Carpenter
What Does God Look Like?
What does God look like to you? Is He a giant on a golden throne? Is He brighter than the sun?
desire cars, mansions, and money; the flesh does. We desire faith, hope and love, and these are of God.
We all see God every day. God is everywhere, and is everything. He is the hope, trust, faith, patience, compassion and joy that is in all of us everyday. God is the purest form of love that all of these would be nothing without .
As I write this article, I can see what He looks like more and more, but one question comes to my mind:
Can you see Him in everyone? Have you ever heard a child sing, and was moved to tears or awe? What about an angry coworker or neighbor ? Can you see Him in them? Of course you can. He is in them and you. And you can do all things through Christ. John 11:25
Do I look worth God's only son? Do I look like the prince of peace that passed the torch to me from the cross? Do I look like the child facing her giants with God’s aim? Do I look like the girl Esther, out of love for her people? Do I look like the men willing to go in the fiery furnace for God’s purpose? Do I look like the person that could part the sea for the freedom of my people?
Jesus said no one has to remain dead. He is the life; He is the one that brings back to life. Because you believe, you can plant a seed of faith in others. That means no one is without God. God created the heavens, and the earth, and all things. So God is in everything. He is in the things unseen and unheard, and the things seen and heard. He is the awe in the stars. He is the beauty in a friendship. He is the passion in a soldier fighting for freedom. He is the compassion in forgiveness. He is the spirit in missionaries free to spread the WORD. He is the love of a mother for her child. He is the joy in helping another. He is the peace that calms the soul. He is the faith in our prayers. He is the strength in us to keep going. He is the fire in us to speak truth. He is the rain that waters the earth. He is the rock which we all stand on. He is the movement in the wind. He is the light in the sun. He is the nourishment in the food we eat. He is the oxygen for our lungs. He is the beat in our heart. He is the free in free will. God is everywhere and everything. God is love for us . Psalms 37:4 God said He will grant our every desire. That is because He is our every desire. We do not 32
What do I look like to Him?
I humbly, with tears in my eyes and confidence in my heart, say yes. WE all look like these to God. God created us in His image, the same image He created His son. That image is love. God knows the power that love is, the power that He is, and what He is capable of through us. Do we? Jesus’ mission was to show us the power of God ( love). He knew what God (LOVE) was capable of, and planted that seed in other’s heart. Was it Esther that help free the Jews? Was it David that killed the giant? Was it Moses that parted the sea? No, it was LOVE. The pure power of God’s love that is freedom. Jesus passed that torch to us to finish planting the seeds of LOVE and bring life to others. Jesus was capable of performing miracles for others to know God, and so are you. Love is a cure for all things. We can love others because He first loved us. We can help others because He first helped us.
We can teach, motivate, encourage, and inspire hope for others. Are these things not a miracle to another? You have to see Him and know the power of love through HIM. You can see Him in an angry coworker or neighbor, because the power of love is the power of God. And, like God, love has no limit.
To me, God looks like LOVE!!!!! God is love. Love is patient . Love is kind. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
read more from Angela at notbusinesitspersonal.blogspot.com
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for and about today’s youth
from Timothy Ministries-The True Son & accompanying blog, The Maiden’s Portion
Cut to the Quick In the spring of 2012, where we were ministering at an emerging skate church, my husband would walk the perimeter of the grounds praying for the youth. In the group of teens that came daily after school to skate, there were quite a few that needed to hear that Jesus loved them. For the time we were there, we labored in a field of white, ready to harvest. There was also a home school program run in the morning hours fours days a week by the pastor's mother. One particular mother in the program had two teenage daughters, a preteen daughter, and a six year old son. It was plain that something was not quite right about the family, and soon enough we saw what it was. One morning, when the oldest daughter was taking too long to solve a math problem, the mother let loose a tirade of insults, so loud that everyone could hear her. Some of us went into a room close by and prayed for this woman while another interrupted the math lesson and talked privately with her. On many occasions, when my husband would walk the property any pray, he would find wads of paper towels~lots of them~with brown stains. We reported our findings to the leadership, but all were puzzled as to what it could be. It wasn't until one day, soon after the math incident, that my husband was walking and praying that he found 'fresh' paper towels and realized the brown stains had been dried blood. When the ugly truth came out, both of the older girls were being physically and verbally abused by their mother. At that point, social workers came into the picture, and we lost contact with the family, but it was obvious that the cutting was an attempt to deal with the pain inflicted by the mother.
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photo courtesy of Kiran Foster via Flickr | License | read more at The Maiden's Portion
Jesus dealt with a 'cutter' when He went into the Gadarenes. This man lived among the tombs, had been bound by the people by shackles and chains, but had broken them easily. He was 'always, night and day, in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.' (Mark 5:1-20) This is a grown man who was in so much emotional pain, manifested by demons, that he cut himself, and lived naked in the tombs. Was it because he was physically or verbally abused as a child? Was it because he saw no hope for his future, and this was the only way of relieving himself from the pain? This sounds very much like the girl mentioned above. The key to the hope of the future is putting the demons in the presence of Jesus Christ. In the scripture, as soon as Jesus' presence was perceived by the demons, they immediately called out to Him. For those people, no matter their age, who cut themselves to try to get rid of the pain, they need to be put in the presence of Jesus, just as the man in the tombs was. This can be achieved through intercessory prayer, to lift up the abused and neglected. When the demons were cast out, the man was 'sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind.' How great a miracle would it be to see today's young people experience the same thing? How great would it be for all those people to proclaim that Jesus healed them? That's what Jesus told the man to do-share his experience. We need to pray for our youth, and those that abuse them. The troubled mind of anyone that has to deal with abuse of any kind gives the perfect conditions for demons to take over and manifest themselves so that people try to destroy themselves. Some wounds cut to the quick, so deep that only Jesus can heal them.
photo credit: Jesus Casting Out Legion
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GuideWorks
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It Is Written by
Rebecca Matthews
Find a Space to The Seven Steps CalltoYour Own Yeshua from Matthew 14:24-33 1. Recognize you’re in a storm. (v.24) 2. Ask Him to bid you, and He will say “Come.” (v.28) 3. TAKE THE STEP (v.29) 4. Do not be afraid, and do not doubt. (v.30) 5. But, if you falter, He will take you by the hand, and lead you to safety. (v. 31) 6. The storm will cease. (v. 32) 7. You will see Him for who He is. (v.33)
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Highways & Hedges by Rebecca
Matthews
Pounding the Pavement Some people treat their calling of going out into the “highways and hedges� as if it were a job they had to hunt down and secure.Instead of letting themselves be led of the Holy Spirit to whom God wants them to minister to, they gather up a few pre-written note cards (called tracts) then walk around all over giving them out to people. Most people throw them in the trash. I personally have found them in bathroom stall left on top of the toilet paper dispenser.
Really? What happened to striking up a conversation with someone, and letting them know 38
the hardships that the Lord has brought you through? Does handing out a hundred papers a day really bring anyone closer to surrendering to the Holy Spirit? I believe it had a niche in the spreading of the Gospel before the technology of phones and internet took over. But, that type of general broadcasting of the Good News is past its prime, and the only people to still use it is those with no real knowledge of current technology. Just like we no longer use horses and buggies to travel around, we have outgrown the some of the old ways of sharing Scriptures. People have more access to the written Word today, more than ever before. But, what they want to hear is our personal stories. They want to know how to get through hardships, how to depend on God for everything, and how to make Godly decisions.That’s hard to get from a snippet of paper. We need to talk to people, and by our conversations, they will be won over. (1 Peter 3:1)
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But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:7-9
photo credit: Jeff Kubina via Flickr | License
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a closer look at the fruits of the Spirit
In Galatians 5:22-23, we are given a list of the fruits of the Spirit. They are the guidelines to which we conduct ourselves in our daily walk. These are nine different aspects of Godliness that we must adhere to, to live to our fullest spiritual potential. They vary slightly, depending on the translation, but the foundational fruits of the Spirit are: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. While at first glance, these all look the same, a closer look reveals small differences in their meanings, which translates to differences in their application and implementation. This article is meant to shed light on each of these nine characteristics of holiness, to explore their nuances and minute differences. Hospitality falls under the category of kindness.
Hospitality What is it? What does it look like? The modern definition for this word is most often linked to the services of hotels, motels, bed & breakfasts, and the like. But, what does this word really mean? How do we apply it? And, is there a Scriptural model? The dictionary describes hospitality in the following way: 1. the friendly reception and treatment of guests or strangers. 2. the quality or disposition of receiving and treating guests and strangers in a warm, friendly, generous way. The keywords are friendly, reception, and strangers. To operate in the action of showing friendliness, we must not be harsh, hateful, manipulating, spiteful, or a host of other words that could be described as the opposite of friendly. To be receptive, we must be able to receive something. For a person who is used to giving, receiving might be a little hard for them. And, finally, the crux of the whole verse. Strangers. We are supposed to treat strangers as if they were our friends, before they actually become our friends. This is the foundation of loving our neighbor as we love ourselves. If we are to operate in the gift of hospitality, we must have these three ingredients for it to work. Otherwise, we are show ourselves to be insincere, conceited, and cold-hearted towards others. 42
dictionary credit
Jesus answered, "A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. By chance a certain priest was going down that way. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. In the same way a Levite also, when he came to the place, and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he traveled, came where he was. When he saw him, he was moved with compassion, came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. He set him on his own animal, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, and gave them to the host, and said to him, 'Take care of him. Whatever you spend beyond that, I will repay you when I return.' Now which of these three do you think seemed to be a neighbor to him who fell among the robbers?" He said, "He who showed mercy on him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise." Luke 10:30-37 The story of the “Good Samaritan� is probably the best example of hospitality in Scripture. The interesting thing about the Scriptural definition of a neighbor is that it is not limited to who lives next door. It does not mean who is geographically close to you. It is those who you let know that you care for their wellbeing, no matter their situation or circumstance.
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“Put one of the put a
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Remark a foot in front b l other you can e s mountain behind you.� ___
by Amanda Marler
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Observations: Worth a Thousand Words
by Rebecca Matthews
What does this picture say to you?
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Do you feel like you are standing on the edge of something big? Are you amazed at all the possibilities ahead of you? Do you feel like you are a very small part of a very big world? Have you realized that there are some things in life that you cannot go around, but that you must go through? Are there some things you just have to see for yourself? Have you come to the place where you are ready to face your fear? Is it time to put certain things into perspective? Does your horizon seem out of reach? Has your life been full of highs and lows, and you are ready for some level ground?
photo courtesy of Ed Gregory at stockpic. com
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Come to the Water by Rebecca Matthews
The Well : Jacob’s Well When most people read stories in scripture, they apply it to the time and culture in which they live. In so doing, very valid points come across with subtlety, if at all, and miss what some points are really about. Every person that claims to 'know the Bible' ought to also study the culture of biblical times. Take the woman at the well. There are several 'hints' in the scripture as to the cultural differences between Jesus and the woman. But, without reading additional literature about why there were differences, the story loses part of its great message. Let's look at the story in John 4. v4But it was necessary for him to come and pass through Samaria. Samaritans were the outcast Jews~those of mixed blood. Jews normally avoided going through Samaria when traveling between Judea and Galilee, even though it was the shortest route. v6And Jacob's spring of water was there, and Jesus, weary from walking, sat down by himself at the spring at the sixth hour. Jesus sat on Jacob's well, figuratively associating himself with 'the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob', while the water inside it represented him. Also, that it was noon meant it was the hottest part of the day. v7And a woman from Samaria came to draw water and Jesus said to her, Give me water to drink. The woman came to the well when she knew no one else would be there. Respectable women would have come in the evening when it was considerably cooler. As we read on in the story, we realize why as her past is revealed. v9And the Samaritan woman said to him, How is it that you, a Jew, would ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink? For the Jews do not associate with the Samaritans. She had two major things going against her: she was a Samaritan, and she was a woman. She did not comprehend Jesus' respect toward her. v11This woman said to him, My Lord, you have no bucket and the well is deep. From where do you have living waters? She was amazed at Jesus' offer to give her living water, even if she didn't yet know He was speaking of himself. Notice that in his respect toward her, she addressed him with a title of respect more so than in her previous statement. 48
v12Are you greater than our forefather Jacob, he who gave us this well, and he drank from it, also his children and his flock? When the Samaritans and Jews were getting along as neighboring villages, the Samaritans would claim their heritage from Jacob. When they were not, they would discount that heritage. In a subtle way, however, she questioned Jesus' authority in offering her water. v15This woman said to him, My lord, give me from these waters that I shall not thirst again, and so I am not coming to draw from here. Still respectful, she wants the water, and even more so, wants it so she does not have to come out into the public place to get it. v17She said to him, I have no husband. Jesus said to her, You have said correctly, I have no husband. A simple statement. In today's times, it is nothing out of the ordinary. But for her, it meant having no male to represent her socially. We begin to see why she came to the well at noon. vv19-20The woman said to him, My lord, I perceive that you are a Prophet. Our forefathers worshiped in this mountain, and you say that in Jerusalem is the place where it is necessary to worship. There is a hint of her culture~obviously her forefathers worshiped idols. She 'switches sides' to claim her non-Jewish heritage in recounting the practice of worship in her people. v25The woman said to him, I know that The Messiah is coming, and when he comes, he will teach us all things. She has heard the prophecy, so the idea of a Savior is not new to her. In his next words, he tells her that he is indeed the Christ. v27And while he was speaking, his disciples came and they were amazed that he was speaking with the woman, but no man said, What are you seeking?, or, Why are you speaking with her? Here is the culture all wrapped up in a few words. The disciples were shocked that he would be talking with a Samaritan, especially a woman from Samaria. vv28-30And the woman left her cruse and went to the city and said to the men: Come see a man who told me everything that I have done. He is the Messiah! And the men departed from the city and they came to him. Things changed as soon as she was told that he was the Messiah. She had no shame in returning to the city, to the men, telling them who she had just met. No doubt these were men who availed themselves of her services at night and acted as though she didn't exist during the day. She was so out-of-character compared to before that they had to go see what she was talking about.
This woman was the first evangelist, playing the key role in spreading the gospel to a large number of people that probably would not have listened to Jesus had he just walked into town and started preaching. He used a woman that the people were least likely to listen to.
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In the Garden by Rebecca Matthews
Fruits in Scripture
The Pomegranate 50
Most people who have grown up in church have been taught that it was an apple that Eve took the bite from. However, Jewish tradition says that it was a pomegranate. And, evidence supports that premise in how pomegranates were used in the context of Scripture. In all aspects of their use, they represent, and are associated with, wisdom.
On the tree: When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit, and ate; and she gave some to her husband with her, and he ate. Genesis 3:6 The symbolism here is “with knowledge comes responsibility” and also “responsibility is of God, blame is of the devil.” What was the first thing Adam did when God questioned them? Blame Eve. So, if a person wants knowledge without understanding, that person is on a sure road to nowhere. On the hem of the priest’s robe: They also made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates all around on the hem of the robe, alternating a bell and a pomegranate all around on the hem of the robe for the service, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. Exodus 39:25-26 The symbolism here is “listen to wisdom” and be respectful to those that have it in a Godly capacity. On the pillars of Solomon’s temple: And the four hundred pomegranates for the two networks; two rows of pomegranates for each network, to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the pillars. 1 Kings 7:42 The symbolism here is being under the authority and leadership of one who has wisdom will result in a blessed life. Jewish tradition also states that there are 613 seeds in every pomegranate, corresponding to the 613 laws given in regards to God’s instruction of how to live.
rimmon: a pomegranate Original Word: ִרמּוֹן Part of Speech: Noun Masculine Phonetic Spelling: (rim-mone') from ramam: exalt Original Word: ָרמַם Part of Speech: Verb Phonetic Spelling: (raw-mam') from a primitive root word: to rise (literally or figuratively), to lift oneself up, to exalt oneself, to mount oneself up higher than others 51
Isaac Laughter
Our names are more than just what we are called. God gave names, or changed names, in Scripture, in the lives of those whose names were changed. Do up to the character of that name? Or, do you feel
English spelling: Isaac Hebrew Transliteration: Yitschaq Hebrew Spelling: י ִ ְצחָק from tsachaq meaning laughter, play, make sport from a primitive root word meaning to laugh outright (in merriment or scorn)
Genesis 17:17, 19, 21 Then Abraham fell on his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, "Will a child be born to him who is one hundred years old? Will Sarah, who is ninety years old, give birth?"... God said, "No, but Sarah, your wife, will bear you a son. You shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his seed after him. ... But my covenant I establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this set time next year." Isaac’s name comes from what both his mother and father did when they learned that Sarah would be having a son at ninety years old, not from an indication that his life would be filled with humor. Isaac’s purpose was set, regardless of the name given him. We can think of Isaac’s name when God gives us a prophecy that we know is humanly impossible, and then laugh with pleasure when it comes about.
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photo courtesy of http://www.personalcreations.com/ | License
They can reveal a lot about our character. When it signified that a change was about to take place you have a Scripture-based name? Are you living a name-change is in order?
Rebekah Agreement
English Spelling: Rebekah/Rebecca Hebrew Transliteration: Ribqah Hebrew: ִר ְבקָה from an unused root meaning to bind by tying up the fetlock; fettering (by beauty); by extension, a binding, an agreement, a joining together Genesis 24:56-59 He said to them, "Don't hinder me, since Yahweh has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master." They said, "We will call the young lady, and ask her." They called Rebekah, and said to her, "Will you go with this man?" She said, "I will go." They sent away Rebekah, their sister, with her nurse, Abraham's servant, and his men.
Genesis 24:65-67 She said to the servant, "Who is the man who is walking in the field to meet us?" The servant said, "It is my master." She took her veil, and covered herself. The servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife. He loved her. Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.
The Rebekah in Scripture served her name well, by agreeing to go with Abraham’s servant, and then joining together with Isaac to become his wife. When it came time for Isaac to bless his elder son, she made sure that Jacob got the blessing. Some have faulted her for this, but I believe she acted out of the knowledge that was given to her by God, which was a binding agreement between the two of them. 53
It Is Written by
Rebecca Matthews
Getting Back to the Basics
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Sometimes, it is good to get back to the basics. Ivory © has been selling their soap using a version of that by-line for well over 100 years. Sometimes, it is good to put down the iPhone © / iPad © / Smartphone © or tablet, and pick up an old-fashioned pencil and piece of paper. There is nothing like the feeling of smoothness when opening a brand new pack of paper. And, nothing quite compares with a freshly sharpened pencil, poised above a blank sheet, ready to create the story we have in our heads. I don’t recommend using paper and pencil all the time. It simply is not practical in our ever-growing world of technology. But, I would recommend it when we need to slow down, and let our words flow in a gentle, cursive flow.
Take some time to reconnect to the foundation of writing. Who knows where it might lead.
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In Visions of the Night by
Rebecca Matthews
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photo
court esy o f Rut
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via F
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| Lice
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Waiting at the Summit
Several years ago, in '94 and '95, I went through some unexpected life-changes. My children were 5 1/2 and 4 when my then-husband and I divorced. There was a period of about 2 1/2 to 3 years leading up to the divorce that I was miserable. (I had a cheating husband that just would not stop.) I had no real support group; no one in my family or friends that 'gave me a shoulder to cry on', so to speak. For 2 years afterward, I slept with my Bible cuddled to me like a teddy bear. For those years, God looked out for me, and I wasn't even in a 'good' relationship with Him. But, one night, in a dream, He showed me how much He cared. In my dream, my two little girls, my mother, and I were climbing up the side of a rock cliff. Each one of us had a rope anchored at the top. We each held onto our rope, grasping hand over hand, walking up the rock.I reached the top before the others. As soon as I was on flat ground, I turned loose of the rope and looked up. Standing just a few feet away was Jesus. He was very tall-about 15 to 16 feet. I ran the few steps between us and jumped into His arms, throwing my arms around His neck. I clung to Him. I woke up at this point. Even though it has been about 20 years since I had the dream, thinking about it makes me feel just as loved by Him now as it made me feel then. The symbolism speaks volumes. I had been climbing a mountain of misery, shame and humiliation for the five years previous. But, Jesus was waiting at the top to tell me that He would be there to help me out from then on. Looking back, I can now see a deeper meaning behind the dream than I could see at the time. It was March of '95, a month before my divorce was final, that I turned my life completely over to Him. In the dream, He was just welcoming me back.
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petals of wisdom, hope, inspiration, and truth by Keitha
Parton
Changing World Recently, there has been many upsetting decisions made by the American government that make me shake my head in complete and utter disbelief. I realize that I am but a mere person, and do not fully understand all the ins and outs of the political scene, but from a Christian standpoint and from a Biblical reference, it should be apparent to not only me, but the rest of society, that the world is changing, and not necessarily in a good way. Maybe we in America have gotten spoiled somewhere along the way, and are just now being faced with the harsh reality that the Christian faith is not only being slowly eradicated, but also held in the utmost disdain. It has been supposed that the United States is changing into a “secular country,” and that there is a discord between “man’s laws and God’s laws.” It has also been purported that our current president has loosed a “war on religion.” If we look at the violence toward Christians around the world today, the apparent answer would seem to be no…or would it? Certainly here in America we don’t suffer religious persecution to the extent of lives lost and brutality, but we are seeing what I fear to be the beginning stages of those mere acts of intolerance starting to form.
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In America today we are seeing an increase of antagonism and prejudice toward Christian views and principles. It is true that we have not lost our right to choose which religion we want to follow. We can still vote with regards to our religious viewpoints in mind, openly worship in a manner in which we choose, and state our religious opinions openly. However, all one has to do is watch the news on television, pick up a newspaper, or follow the majority postings on a social media site to see that Christianity is slowly being ostracized in American culture.
It is time for Americans to pay attention, speak up, and start realizing that we are living in a changing world that is not catered to the promise of religious freedom that our ancestors fought so hard to establish. We must choose whom we will serve, stand for what is right, and ever look toward our Heavenly Father for guidance in the trying, scary, and troubling times and rest assured that Man’s law may change, but God’s never does.
Luke 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draws near.
read more from Keitha at Tuckasegee Country Living and Keitha Parton-Official Mary Kay Consultant
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