THE SHEPHERDS WITHOUT BORDERS LIGHTHOUSE BUGLE MAGAZINE / APRIL/EASTER/PASSOVER EDITION 2012
. THE MOTHER WHOSE CHURCH GIVE BIRTH TO SO MANY PROTESTANT AND EVANGELITICAL CHURCHES IN DAKAR TAKES A HUSBAND. SHEPHERDS WITHOUT BORDERS & AFRICAN VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS INTERNATIONAL CONGRATUATES THIS WORTHY COUPLE AND PRAY THAT GOD WILL SHOWER BLESSINGS UPON THEIR HOME AND MINISTRY !
ESTABLISHING WOMEN OF WORTH IN CHURCHES ACROSS THE EARTH : MARILYN ORTON SHEPHERDS WITHOUT BORDERS LIGHTHOUSE BUGLE MAGAZINE IS GRATEFUL TO ALL OF HER FRIENDS WHO ENCOURAGED, PATRONIZED, SACRIFICED, CRITICIZED, PRAY FOR, AND SUPPORTED HER GROWTH ONE WAY OR THE OTHER OVER THE YEARS. WE WOULD NEVER HAVE GOTTEN THIS FAR WITHOUT YOUR LOVE, PRAYERS & SUPPORT. WE JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. NOTE: WE COULD NOT PUT THE PICTURES OF THE THOUSANDS OF YOU OUT THERE BUT THESE HERE REPRESENTYOUR LOVE AND CONCERNS FOR US. THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS!
BISHOP STEVEN LIBERTY CEO OF AFRICAN VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS INTERNATIONAL & SHEPHERDS WITHOUT BORDERS LIGHTHOUSE BUGLE MINISTRIES CONDEMN AND CRITICIZES THE EVIL FATWA ISSUE BY GRAND MUFTI SHEIKH ABDULAZIZ AL alSHAIKH WHICH STATES THAT ALL CHURCHES ON THE ARABIAN PENINSULA SHOULD BE DESTROYED , CONDEMNS THE OVERTHROW OF THE MALIAN GOVERNMENT BY SOLDIERS AND URGE THE WORLD TO FOLLOW SUIT , HAILS THE SENEGALESE ELECTIONS AND CONGRATUATES PRESIDENT ELECT MACKY SALL ALONG WITH OTHER WORLD LEADERS ON HIS VICTORY. BISHOP LIBERTY ALSO PRAISED FORMER PRESIDENT WADE FOR ADDING A FEATHER OF TRUE DEMOCRACY IN THE WEST AFRICAN HISTORY.
Transgressed: BY JEFF GODSOWN If we are in full watch mode, you will see the pangs and cries of those who are fed up with the church of the norm, the norm being self and self righteousness. It has brought me a level of anger that put me in a place where I really had to go to great lengths to gain an answer from God. To know deep in your heart, your anger is not wrong, but is out of God’s order and place with God, still the question remains, when will something be done? Mat 15:1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, Mat 15:2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. Mat 15:3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? Mat 15:4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. Mat 15:5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; Mat 15:6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
I want to take a moment for a little enlightenment; we have flesh mothers and fathers, those who have raised us,hopefully in God’s way, in God’s truth. Then we habe spiritual mother’s and father’s, again those who have hopefully raised us in the wyas and truth of God. We also have a third form of mother and Father, Father being God, the Holy righteous pure truthful Father of all mankind. Then we have mother; Gal 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. H3389 yerûshâlaim / yerûshâlayim BDB Definition: Jerusalem = “teaching of peace” 1) the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split Inhereitance or possession of peace Mat 12:50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother If those whom God has given chrge over you and His flock, are not walking in truth, teaching truth, loving God’s truth that they also may love the flock in truth, Jesus calls them hypocrites. Mat 15:7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
Mat 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. Mat 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Mat 15:10 And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: Mat 15:11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. Mat 15:12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? Mat 15:13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Mat 15:14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. Mat 15:15 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. Mat 15:16 And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? Mat 15:17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? Mat 15:18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
Mat 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: Mat 15:20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man. None of what Jesus spoke here negates our responsibilities, to seek after truth, and peace, and righteousness, and walk in love. In the remainder of Matthew 15, we also seek Jesus telling us to go after more than just crumbs, and look for the miracles. We are the garden in which God disires to walk with us in the cool of the day, but will God walk with us in the garden if the garden is filled with weeds? We must not fall prey to pulpit predators who know for a fact that most of the body not only doesn’t study God’s Word, seeking truth, but does not read to renew their mind. With all the conveniances of today that supposedly make life easier, man’s primary goal is about themselves and their selfish attitudes! Technology is only as effective as the mind can think, if the kind and heart are about self, then technology is only a means to self satisfaction and gratification. Man must come out of the ways of the world, out of the ways of self, and get into the ways of God. It’s time to break the trditions and falicies of man, get into the things of God completely, weed our Garden and make it a desirable place for God to walk with us in the cool of the day. Demand God’s truth, learn God’s truth, and be not afraid to confront the title bearing false witnesses of God, demand truth from them, or that God removes them. We the people of God, in order to form a more perfect union and unity in the Spirit, must, must, must walk in God’s truth, if we do not, the false teachings of years gone by will prove themselves, at the cost of our souls, I for one do not wish to lose my soul to satan for any reason.
If you can’t feel the pain in God’s heart over the whore church, the active spirit of Babylon and the manipulation of the spirit of Jezebel in the church today, maybe you’re not as close to God as you think you are. Pray, prayy, pray, for God to guide you through His Spirit of truth and may you be blessed with a new perpsective and eyes to see and ears to hear what the Spirit of God is saying!
Subject: Are you too busy?? =THIS CERTAINLY SOUNDS RIGHT!!! WOW, THIS IS VERY DEEP - PAY ATTENTION TO EVERY WORD!!!!!! Satan called a worldwide convention of demons... In his opening address he said, "We can't keep Christians from going to church." "We can't keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth." "We can't even keep them from forming an intimate relationship with their Savior." "Once they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken." "So let them go to their churches; let them have their covered dish dinners, BUT steal their time, so they don't have time to develop a relationship with Jesus Christ." "This is what I want you to do," said the devil.
"Distract them from gaining hold of their Savior and maintaining that vital connection throughout their day!" "How shall we do this?" his demons shouted. "Keep them busy in the non-essentials of life and invent innumerable schemes to occupy their minds," he answered... "Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and borrow, borrow, borrow." "Persuade the wives to go to work for long hours and the husbands to work 67 days each week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford their empty lifestyles.." "Keep them from spending time with their children." "As their families fragment, soon, their homes will offer no escape from the pressures of work!" "Over-stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that still, small voice." "Entice them to play the radio or I-Pod whenever they drive." To keep the TV, DVDs,
CDs and their PCs going constantly in their home and see to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays non-biblical music constantly." "This will jam their minds and break that union with Christ." "Fill the coffee tables with magazines and newspapers." "Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day." "Invade their driving moments with billboards." "Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, mail order catalogs, sweepstakes, and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering free products, services and false hopes." "Keep skinny, beautiful models on the magazines and TV so their husbands will believe that outward beauty is what's important, and they'll become dissatisfied with their wives. " "Keep the wives too tired to love their husbands at night." "Give them headaches too! " "If they don't give their husbands the love they need, they will begin to look elsewhere." "That will fragment their families quickly!"
"Give them Santa Claus to distract them from teaching their children the real meaning of Christmas.." "Give them an Easter bunny so they won't talk about his resurrection and power over sin and death..." "Even in their recreation, let them be excessive." "Have them return from their recreation exhausted." "Keep them too busy to go out in nature and reflect on God's creation. Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, plays, concerts, and movies instead." "Keep them busy, busy, busy!" "And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences." "Crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power from Jesus." "Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family for the good of the cause."
"It will work!" "It will work!" It was quite a plan! The demons went eagerly to their assignments causing Christians everywhere to get busier and more rushed, going here and there. Having little time for their God or their families. Having no time to tell others about the power of Jesus to change lives. I guess the question is, has the devil been successful in his schemes? You be the judge!!!!! Does "BUSY" mean: B-eing U-nder S-atan's Y-oke? Please pass this on, if you aren't too BUSY! I don't think I know 10 people who would admit they love Jesus. Do You Love Him? IF YOU LOVE JESUS, PASS THIS ON!!!!!!! An education isn’t how much you have committed to memory, or even how much you know. It’s being able to differentiate between what you do know and what you don’t. It’s knowing where to go to find out what you need to know; and it’s knowing how to use the information you get.
WAR PART 1 STRATEGIC PLANNING by Apostle Tim Benitez
As we go into this study this will help you understand some things of going into Battle from different positions and views, this will help you understand some ways Satan attacks and how to top the attacks and this will help you understand what your position in the battle is,When Battles are being planned out and attacking the enemy the first things done is planning, knowing your enemy, knowing the food supplies, knowing the weaponry, knowing the positioning, knowing their ammunition and where it's stored, knowing how any troops your enemy has, knowing and recognizing the enemy their weaknesses and strengths,by knowing all these you know where to attack and where not to attack, In this lesson I will be talking about the old Biblical war but the same can be applied to todays Battles, the weapons are just modern but the attack plans are basically the same and the strategies used are the same, (1) The first thing done in war is observation: When plans and strategies are being drawn up they are based on observation, This today is where Marine Recon and Army special forces and Navy seals go in and observe what the enemy is doing, in Biblical times spies was sent or they would get up on a high Mountain and observe, This in the Church is done by Apostles and Prophets, to see the overall picture of what is going on, and plan strategies.(2) The first place to attack would be the communication lines and supply lines, To cut off communication and supplies, and to cut off Resources,
( you can see this done today with Iran)By cutting th off yu are weakening the enemy.(3) The next place would be to cut off food supplies this again weakens the enemy, without food or water one becomes weak and harder to travel.(4) The next area would be to try and divide the enemy and to pin them down as mentioned in communications by separating the enemies communications you are making separated targets to be easier to take out, this also causes confusion because they are separated.(5) The next step would be to try and stop them from getting ammunition and weapons if you can limit the weapons you can limit their attacks and their strength,(6) The next thing would be to distract the enemy by creating a smokescreen or limit their vision, in old days they would stir up dust, or use the sun to blind the enemy or create a blind spot, today we use smoke bombs and grenades and launchers to cause distraction so we can rush in and take the enemy.(7) Another way is to try and intimidate or disallusion the enemy if you can intimidate the enemy and make them think you are stronger and you can easily beat them you can overtake them, when Russia was in war with Taliban they was a bigger army with more weapons and outnumbered their enemy but after many years of fighting they never could win, they underestimated their enemy and fought them in their territory without studying it and knowing it, Today Russia still has weapons left there for the enemy to use,Masada was the same, it was a high place overlooking and the huge Roman army fought for years trying to take it against a few Israelites, GOD BLESS APOSTLE TIM AND RHONDA BENITEZFISHERMEN MINISTRIES easy-fishing-net.comFishermenministry90@yahoo.comFisherman Ministries @facebook.com
HOW THE ENEMY PLANS STRATEGIES OVER YOU by Apostle Tim Benitez
How The Enemy Plans Strategies Over YouBy Apostle Tim BenitezThis is the second part of the series War. In this part we are going to discuss some ways the enemy plans to come against you and take you out. as discussed in Part 1 I listed an order of Strategies used in war and how Battles and strategies are planned out, usng the outline laid there we now will see how the devil uses th same planning and strategies to take you out, (1) Observation: The devil has an army set up in Military order the same as our Military and the same as God has a set oder with ranks, inthis order he has his angels and demonic spirits and unlean and familiar spirits working to destroy the church as a whole and the reason is, is because when the Church moves in unity and moves the way God intended it there is an Apostolic Five fold Military order to do what Jesus did " To Destroy the works of the devil, To destoy the works of the flesh, to build the Kingdom of God in the Earth and to bring Gods Governing Authority and Government to the Earth to set it up as it is in Heaven, This is why we pray Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven." so to observe satan sends his spies to observe strengths and weakness in each person and as a Church, he's not so worried about individuals as he is the Church operating in order as called by God and in unity,
because when the Church is equipped walki rightly he has no dominion, nor power nor authority, so by observing an area where there is Jealousy, strife, and division, it leaves a weak area to attack in by attacking those people walking in the flesh in those areas, if he sees strength then he has to try and get through and attack the strengthened area to weaken it, he targets those who have a religious spirit or those who walk mostly in the flesh,he finds a place to rest an especially a seat of authority in the church or targets leaders where he can be more effective, Here he attacks credibility, families, and tries to ruin reputations, he might use some truths to do this because if he can start at leadership it will filter down through the body, (2) The next attack would be Communications: In the Military order the way we communicate is through Radios and now other Messaging devices, the purpose of these devices is to let each other know what the other is planning or doing and to keep track of areas,In the Church it would be an Apostle or set man watching over the whole body, Then the prophet, so his plan would to separate an Apostle from his or her next leader down usually a Prophet by attacking the communication system either by a physical way or causing division and misunderstanding with each other, as leaders we have to becareful and not blame each other for lack of communication but pray for better communication also we have to watch to not let vain imaginations to run wild against each other, he will also send others in to cause omunication problems or plant them or to bring division.(3) The next attack would be food supplies:'The Word Of God is our Spiritual Food, the way the devil attacks here is where you get fed the word, he will use devices or people again to destroy the true word by twisting or perverting it,or he will keep you preoccupied not to receive truth, he will use people to come in and challenge or to cause distractions, to cut off using again fleshly emotions and feelings to keep you from growing because his Job is to Destroy you or keep you from being all God has called you to be, (4) The next area would be to cause disallusions, Divisions,to separate and divide to make you an easier target he attacks especially the footsoldiers here, by dividing he weakend the protective lines, " A House Divided can't stand" " God is not the Author of Cunfusion" God can't move where there is Division, so the devil does everything in his poer to cause this,
A Church in Unity is locked together closing all gaps and build a protective wall around a Church or Ministry, also allows the gifts to operate freely, Gods wall Protects, and leaves and allows Freedom to those inside the walls.Satans walls pins downs, Traps and cages and brings Captivy,it bounds up and it brings walls of inprisonment and separation.(5) Te next step would be to stop the flow of ammunition and weapons, the equipping and supply part, he does this by stopping the equipping or operations of the saints in a Church or Ministry, bygetting people to walk and talk in the flesh and building soul ties being tied together not by the Spirit of God but by fleshly emoions and feelings, a soldier in battle moved by his feelings could cause much trouble and are not able to think or act right, and can't guard or protect their area or post.(6) The next attack comes from causing Disallusions, Distractions, Discouragement, Satan does this by creating a blindspot to attack in a weak area, to cause a suprise attack especailly from within, to intimidate or cause a smokescreen to make you think something is there or you are outnumbered or your Ministry is not growing or being productive, to make you walk in theflesh and not believe for the imposible walkof Faith, to get your focus sidetracked or to get you to walk by sight, this is totally opposite to the walk of Faith, most Ministries led by God do the impossible by man, does the opposite to what appears could be done, God used the foolish things in the Bible to Get Glory in the midst of many Battles, Gideos army was one example, Moses another, David,Jericho, John the Baptist, Stephen and Paul,tis is just some ways God took what man wouldn't have chose and used it for His Glory to show forth His work, ( Don't ever underestimate what God can use you or your Ministry for)Now you can se some of the ways satan can come into a Ministry and attack, and why he targets people to use even yourself if you walk in the flesh (feelings and emotions) the main thing he wants is to stop the Manifold wisdom of God being Manfested in His Sons and Daughters.Ephesians 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly [places] might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, Romans 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness *, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part *, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. 4:17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as * other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 4:18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: My Prayer is that we all can come into Unity of the Faith in and through Jesus Christ and be the Mighty Triumphant Church and the Manifold (Joined and in Unity) Wisdom Of God ( How we all work together according as He has planned ) and we become the True Sons Of God shown in the Earth, May God Bless each of you Abundantly, Apostle Tim and Rhonda BenitezFishermen Ministries easy-fishing-net.com Fishermenministry90@yahoo.comFishermanministries@facebbok.com
EASTER: BY ANGEL FULKERSON
Every person will be given the opportunity to know Jesus… every person… including YOU. One day we will stand before God and HE will say “why my child did you not believe in my Son in this matter?” His grace was and is sufficient for you but you chose not to believe. Our lives reflect a line or a string on this earth. There is a place of beginning and birth. There is a place of ending and death. AND THERE IS ALL THAT LIES BETWEEN THOSE TWO PLACES… it is here things happen, don’t happen, are remembered and wished we had done something differently, chose differently… In Virginia where I have lived for nearly 40 years now, Easter is an exciting time in our family. My husband and I are both part of big families. He has 5 living generations in his family and there are 4 in mine… and there are lots of children. As Easter draws near everyone begins to think about easter baskets, candy, egg hunts, new clothes and what seems like an afterthought, they think about Jesus.
We are so spoiled and that sometimes draws us to think more highly of ourselves than we should—to think that such a time where we should be thinking about Jesus who freely laid his life down for us… Jesus who was imprisoned for doing no wrong… beaten because people wanted it that way… stripped and made fun of… He drug a cross amidst people yelling at him and spitting on him… HE was nailed to a cross… crowned king with a crown made of thorns… his garments were gambled over… His side was pierced… His thirst to be quenched with vinegar… and while we would dare not endure such a suffering much less tell someone suffering beside us “YOU ARE FORGIVEN and TODAY YOU WILL BE IN PARADISE WITH ME…” Oh my, all of this and more… Jesus died and was placed in a borrowed grave… Jesus rose from the dead… and so much more… He walked with men along a road to a town called Emmaus talking about these things and they broke bread together AND THEIR EYES WERE OPENED... What does this mean, their eyes were opened? “Father God, open our eyes that we might see this awesome gift YOU have given us in and thru YOUR Son Jesus. Give us ears to hear that we might also speak where others would come to know YOU thru our testimony of YOUR Son in and thru our lives. Let the line between our birth and death bring YOU glory… in Jesus Name, amen” One day some twenty years ago, as I walked along an old rail road track path I found 3 huge nails… they were actually railroad tie spikes but the Holy Spirit stopped me in my steps. I was taking walk thinking about all of “MY” plans made for Easter with my family…get dressed up in our new clothes… sunrise service… church breakfast… the egg hunt… family barbecue… “STOP!” He said to me. The Holy Spirit was so clear that I thought some person was actually coming up behind me but I looked all around and it was just me. Suddenly, I knew God was trying to get my attention.
I bent over and picked up the nails sensing the pounding of the nail. I could hear a hammer coming down on it, CLINK CLINK CLINK… it seemed to get louder and louder in my head and the image of Jesus being nailed to the cross took the place of the egg hunt and activities planned. CLINK CLINK CLINK… Jesus on the cross looking at me saying “YOU ARE FORGIVEN. I AM DOING THIS FOR YOU, FOR YOUR FAMILY, FOR YOUR FRIENDS. I AM DOING THIS BECAUSE I LOVE YOU. I AM DOING THIS WITH A HOPE THAT YOU WILL ONE DAY BELIEVE THAT I DID THIS FOR YOU BECAUSE I LOVE YOU, BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO CHOSE THRU ME LIFE…” I took those nails home… 3 nails… one for each hand and one for his feet… I got home and my boys were dressed in their new clothes ready for church. They were eating breakfast while watching Gospel Bill (A Christian Children’s Program) on the television and what was happening on that day’s program… CLINK CLINK CLINK on a big huge nail. I got dressed then hunted out a hammer to take with me to church, a hammer to go with my three big nails. I opened up my bible to Mark 14 at Sunrise Service and began reading thru about these last things Jesus did for me, about these nails… then I began to search thru Matthew, Luke and John to get more details about what happened, about what Easter is really all about. All thru the breakfast, I read more and more. I had read these passages so many times before but the nails… I lifted the hammer and whacked it down on one of the nails CLINK— again, CLINK—again, CLINK
It wasn’t very loud yet it penetrated my whole being… it was piercing my heart… and it was catching the attention of others who had been talking about their new clothes, their children’s easter baskets, about… it didn’t matter anymore… CLINK CLINK CLINK… Does HE have your attention right now? YOU see HE wants you to know that HE loves you so much that HE Gave HIS only Son Jesus that you might choose to believe in Him and have eternal life. The first step is to believe that He died for your sins… yes, you can be forgiven… how many times in your lifeline have you had the opportunity to believe and not to believe in HIM? Come all of you who are weary and heavy ladened, come and He will give you rest. What? You don’t need forgiveness? What? You don’t wanna believe? What? ------ -------- ------- CLINK CLINK CLINK… your life is passing thru quickly and God wonders will you come, will you believe… will you tell others about the - CLINK CLINK CLINK… Since that year, my Easter basket has changed. It is filled with a hammer, 3 nails, a washcloth & bowl, a bottle of water, a thorny crown, a whip, a bible and amidst a few other things… Jesus’ obituary…before any of my earthy activities are started, I share my Easter basket. This year I have been helping take care of an elderly couple. She cannot make a choice any longer at age 85 but he is 88 and can choose but he refuses to hear, he refuses to read… he refuses Jesus… they are coming to the end of
their life string and still he refuses to believe. Their time is drawing near where God will be asking “why did you not receive my free gift of grace. At any given moment… in the twinkling of an eye, your lives could have been changed but you would not believe…” Right now, God is offering you an opportunity to believe. He meets you where you are and draws you to where HE wants you to believe. Maybe you are ready to believe on Jesus for salvation. How do you do this? Pray with me… Dear God in heaven, I come to you in the name of Jesus. I acknowledge to You that I am a sinner, and I am sorry for my sins and the life that I have lived; I need your forgiveness. I believe that your only begotten Son Jesus Christ shed His precious blood on the cross at Calvary and died for my sins, and I am now willing to turn from my sin. You said in Your Holy Word, Romans 10:9 that if we confess the Lord our God and believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead, we shall be saved. Right now I confess Jesus as the Lord of my soul. With my heart, I believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. This very moment I accept Jesus Christ as my own personal Savior and according to His Word, right now I am saved. Thank you Jesus for your unlimited grace which has saved me from my sins. I thank you Jesus that your grace never leads to license, but rather it always leads to repentance. Therefore Lord Jesus transform my life so that I may bring glory and honor to you alone and not to myself. Thank you Jesus for dying for me and giving me eternal life. Amen. Maybe you are in need of healing or provision, deliverance, boldness… CLINK CLINK CLINK… ask and believe…
when you begin to doubt, ask again… believe, receive… CLINK CLINK CLINK… the nail is always there ready to pierce that area of our lives so we might believe JESUS made a way for us… Draw near…ask…believe… don’t wait till it’s too late… this is your day—on your life line—your day to choose—to choose Jesus.
Happy Easter! Let’s Not Just Take Prayer Requests… Let’s Pray Immediately… Let's reveal to the world we love God by loving others thru prayer! Let us walk fervently in our calling to pray for one another! Abba's Daughters Ministries 2012 Ministry Prayer Focus When Asked to Pray, Let's Pray with the Love of God in our Hearts for One Another Introduction - Invitation - Praise - Bless - Worship - Rejoice Adoration - Repentance - Petition -Thanksgiving - Intercession - Deliverance Ask - Seek - Knock
Easter By : NEEKAH LYNN I do not observe Easter. It has pagan origin and has nothing to do with my Savior's death. The gentiles (heathens) celebrated "Easter" at the same time the Hebrews were observing passover. These are two different things. The gentiles worshiped the "Queen of Heaven" of Babylon. She goes by other names as well...Ishtar,Astarte,Venus, Eostre, Diana, Isis. Semiramis is another name for her. (the mother of Nimrod). She is also the model for Madonna, the virgin Lady of the Catholic Church--who IS CALLED the QUEEN OF HEAVEN!! The mother of Yahuwshua is Miryam.. not Mary.. which the churches teach. Nor is she to be worshiped.. but the Catholic churches and other churches worship her. The pagan goddess Easter symbolizes the renewal of rebirth.. when things start to grow again in the Spring time. This has nothing to do with my Savior's death. King James Version mistranslated the Greek word "pascha" which rendered from the Hebrew (Ibriy) word pesach - which means PASSOVER. Instead of translating it to Passover, they put Easter in the text.
Easter is a pagan goddess who is worshiped.. and of the star we call SOL. So why do we have Sun rise services at Easter time??!! You got it!! So how does Easter eggs and bunnies have anything to do with Yahuwshua Ha machiach? NOTHING!! Now I will tell you how we got them. Eggs - Children were sacrificed and the eggs were dipped in their blood. The eggs used to be dyed red, but now you see that they are all colors. The bunny is a fertility symbol.. and so is the egg. A rabbit will produce a lot of babies during the spring/summer time. Eggs were used as offering during the Easter time.
During the rule of Caesar Augustus, Hyginus, an Egyptian who was the librarian at the Palatine library in Rome, wrote: "An egg of a wondrous site is said to have fallen from heaven into the river Euphrates. The fishes rolled it to the bank, where the doves having settled upon it, and hatched it, out came Venus, who afterwards was called the Syrian goddess (Astarte)." Part of their worship to this goddess was the ritual involving the "golden egg of Astarte." This was where we got the tradition of the Easter egg. Also, the eggs use to be dyed red. The pagans would sacrifice children and use their blood to dye the Easter eggs. The eggs in Babel were dipped in the "blood of sacrificed infants." Those infants were born of the cult prostitutes. These child sacrifices are dedicated to Easter and all the other foreign names of the goddess of fertility. Yahuwshua (you call him jesus which is not his name) was buried for 3 days and 3 nights(sunset to sunset starts a day according to Yahuwah (god). The Christians say he was buried on "good Friday" and arose on Sunday.
That is impossible. that is not 72 hours or 3 days.He was buried around sundown on the 4th day - which is Wednesday, and ended around sundown on the 7th day.Saturday. Below is part of an article that was written by my friend....... "Also keep in mind that the modern day is from midnight to midnight while the day in scripture is from sundown to sundown. This fact is an important consideration in determining the truth of this issue also, as the Roman calendar week is based on pagan ideas and the one in scripture is based on the declaration of Yahuwah. I think I will stick with the system devised by our Creator and let the Romans keep theirs to themselves. Below you will find scriptural and historical evidence of when His death actually occurred, how long He actually was buried, and on what day He was actually resurrected.
A. The day He died Due to the uncertainty of modern Yahudiyth calendars and the calculations for years of ancient times, I have found no way to firmly prove one year or another as the year of Yahushua's death and resurrection. But the year in which it occurred is not nearly as important as on which day it occurred. The year has to be one where the Passover occurred on the fifth day of the week (Thursday [day of Thor] on the pagan calendar). The seven days of the Festival of the Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:34) ended the day before the regular shabbath for the week recorded in Yahuchanan 7-10. According to Yahuchanan (John) 9:14, on that specific shabbath, the day after the last day of the Festival of the Tabernacles, Yahushua healed a blind man.
The very next Passover Yahushua was killed. If we could find a really trustworthy Ibriy calendar, we could use this test to determine the actual year. In order for Yahushua to be seen before dawn after his resurrection and for Him to fulfill the word He spoke concerning the "sign of Yonah," the "Last Supper" had to take place right at sundown after the third day of the week and therefore as the fourth day began. He was tried and convicted on that fourth day (pagan "day of Woden" or Wednesday). Modern scholars and theologians dismiss this by saying that if the meal was eaten on "a Tuesday night" then "sixty hours had to elapse before Yahushua was arrested, and the time frame is too long" because they all "know" that He was "crucified" on "Good Friday" (pagan day of Frigga) Since Yahushua is the Passover Lamb, then the meal commonly referred to as "The Last Supper" could not have been the Seder or Passover meal either. Remember that He would be killed as the Passover Lamb, which means that He had to be killed just before sundown Nisan (Abib) 14, just as the sacrificial lambs were slain every year in commemoration of the original Passover event. As related in MattithYahuw (Matthew) 26:1-5, Yahushua was taken, tried, and killed on the day the Passover was to be killed. (This had to be as Yahushua is the Passover Lamb killed once for all, as the final blood sacrifice that would ever be needed.) The "Last Supper" was NOT the Passover meal, for the next day would have been the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread and a high shabbath so the actual Passover meal was to be eaten that very night He was killed. The Yahudiym (Jews) would not have arrested and killed Him on a shabbath, for then they would have been guilty of the very thing of which they were accusing Him.
In MattithYahuw 27:57-60 it is related how Yowseph (Joseph) obtained the body in the evening, did the things he could in the time he had, and hurriedly placed the body of Yahushua in the tomb. That His burial occurred in the evening, just prior to sundown in accordance with Law of Mosheh, is the thing to remember. Conclusion: Yahushua was killed on the day of the Passover as the Passover Lamb, on the fourth day of the week, which was the 14th day of the month of Nisan (Abib), and buried just before sundown the same day. This event fits with the prophecy of being "cut off in the middle of the week" even though it is understood that the middle of the week also means 3 1/2 years into the final sabbatical period (seven years) of Daniye’l's (Daniel) prophecy (9:27). This particular day also was the preparation day for the high shabbath that followed the Passover (First day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread). B. How long He was buried. Yahushua said He would be buried for three days and three nights, a period of seventy-two hours. He said that the only sign given would be the sign of Yonah (Jonas - Jonah). Many passages in the four Gospels corroborate this statement. Yonah (Jonah) 1:17 Now Yahuwah had prepared a great fish to swallow up Yonah and Yonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Pay particular attention to the fact that the time Yonah was in the belly of the fish was directly stated as THREE DAYS and THREE NIGHTS. The word translated as days is yom, which in this context literally means the twelve hour period of daylight. The word translated as nights is layil and it literally means the period of darkness between the daylight periods (a twist away from the light). There can be no word twisting here to say that each of the mentioned day/night periods were not typical twenty-four hour days.
Here's what Yahushua said about the sign of Yonah. MattithYahuw 12:39-40 But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign and there shall no sign be given to it but the sign of the prophet Yonah. For as Yonah was three days and three nights in the fish's belly so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." Also see MattithYahuw 26:61; 27:40; 27:63, Mark 8:31; 14:58; 15:29, John 2:19; 2:20 The same thing is true of this statement by our Savior. Even if a semantic argument could make the case that in the Greek these periods could be construed as something other than a seventy-two hour period of time, that argument is precluded by the times set forth in Yonah 1:17. Conclusion: Yahushua was buried (in the heart of the earth) for exactly seventy-two hours, the period starting around sundown on the fourth day (pagan calendar - Wednesday), and ending around sundown on the seventh day (pagan Saturday). C. The day He arose The day after the Passover is a high day, referred to in Yahuchanan (John) 19:13 as a high shabbath. The rules that apply to work etc., on the regular shabbath also apply here, so the women could not even buy the ointments to dress the body of Yahushua on this day. The next day was the sixth day of the week (preparation day) and there were no restrictions on working. So the women used this day to find and prepare the things necessary for the treating of a dead body.
The next day was the regular shabbath, and they rested as they were required. They came to the tomb around daybreak the day after the regular shabbath, and Yahushua was already risen. Conclusion: Yahushua was bodily resurrected just before sundown on the shabbath, exactly seventy-two hours after He was buried, and just as He said He would be and was seen by the women a few hours later at sunrise on the first day (pagan Sunday). How Yahushua reckoned the length of the daylight hours. Yahuchanan 11:9:10 - Yahushua answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if a man walks in the night, he stumbles, because there is no light in him." Consider this: An easy way to determine what day and time He was resurrected is to read about when the women went to the tomb where He had been buried. All four gospels are in agreement that it was at or just before dawn (very early or dark) when they got there, yet Yahushua was already risen when they arrived. (See MattithYahuw 28:1, Mark 16:2, Luke 24:1, and Yahuchanan 20:1.) If He had risen just before they got there (at dawn), and remembering what He said about how long He would be in the heart of the earth (three days and three nights), go back seventy two hours in time and see when He HAD to be buried in order for Him to rise at dawn.
Doesn't work, does it! Seventy-two hours from dawn in either direction in time is ANOTHER dawn! We all know from all of the gospel accounts that in fact He was entombed prior to sundown on the same day He was killed. So if scripture is correct, and we know it is, He was buried at or just before sundown and so had to arise at or just before sundown seventy-two hours after His burial. He could NOT have been resurrected AT dawn and scripture still be true. In fact, when the women arrived at the tomb, as scripture says, "He IS risen!" (See MattithYahuw 28:6, Mark 16:6, and Luke 24:6.) And so He was! If Yahushua had been killed on "Good Friday" and then resurrected early (just before dawn) on "Easter Sunday," He would have been in the heart of the earth for a period of less than thirty-six hours (one and a half days) instead of the seventy-two that He stated. If the "Friday to Sunday" scenario was correct, we are missing two of the days and one of the nights that He spoke of in MattithYahuw 12:39-40. This would mean that He did not tell the truth about His burial period, and we know that it is impossible for our Savior to lie. More to consider: Nowhere in the scripture are we told to observe anything about His death, burial, and resurrection as a "religious" event such as is done today with all of the pagan symbology and rites. We partake of His death, burial, and resurrection in the believer's immersion, and remember His death in the communion. These are the scriptural observations we are told to do. None else. Anyway, can you think of any way that a boiled, dyed, and decorated chicken egg, delivered and hidden by a bunny rabbit, has anything to do with our Master and Savior, Yahushua HaMashiach? Kind of nonsensical, isn't it, and it certainly is not supported in the written word of Yahuwah.
The egg as a symbol of the renewal of the earth and as a sign of spring, however, is a fixture in various pagan religions. Especially those based on the religion of Babel. The rabbit is one of their pagan symbols of fertility. Our Sovereign has told us in too many places to avoid the works of the heathen (pagans). Easter observation is just one more of the works of the heathen that we must avoid." -Written by C.F. Castleberry http://www.considerthis.net buck@considerthis.net Jer 7:18 “The children are gathering wood, the fathers are lighting the fire, and the women are kneading their dough, to make cakes for the sovereigness of the heavens, and to pour out drink offerings to other mighty ones, to provoke Me. Jer 7:19 “Is it Me they are provoking?” declares יהוה. “Is it not themselves – unto the shame of their own faces?” Deut 12:29 “When יהוהyour Elohim does cut off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land, Deut 12:30 guard yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire about their mighty ones, saying, ‘How did these nations (Gentiles) serve their mighty ones, And let me do so too,
Deut 12:31 “Do not do so to יהוהyour Elohim, for every abomination which יהוהhates they have done to their mighty ones, for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their mighty ones.
Deut 12:32 “All the words I am commanding you, guard to do it – do not add to it nor take away from it. You, guard to do it – do not add to it nor take away from it.
A DESPERATE CRY! :BY MARGARET MULLINGS Recently while in the middle of praying my mind was shifted to the story of Blind Bartimaeus, which took me to a time and a place; where I felt just like him. It happened a few years ago while in preparation to travel to the Baptist National convention. I had been fasting before the Lord, and did take note before going on the fast....felt very sick. What is so interesting is that while on the fast I felt so well. The day before the trip, the fast was broken (completed). To my dismay all the sickness returned. Yet I purposed in my heart to still make the trip. Instead of getting any better I grew worse. The first night in the hotel room. I fought fiercely by standing on and declaring the word.....something was squeezing the breath of life out of me. It was large and hideous.....relentlessly I fought until the morning light, and when my feet touched the floor these words were uttered out of my mouth...." Thank You Abba Father for allowing me to still be in the land of the living !
As I walked towards the bathroom, I knew I was in no condition to go to any of the day sessions of Convention, but right then I made a petition to Yahweh, the God, who redeems. Here is exactly what I said...." God, my heavenly Father. I am not returning home like this ! ' I am going to convention tonight, and I am going to get my healing ! " Went to the service. It was packed to capacity including the over flow seating. The preacher, a young man made a declaration before beginning his sermon. He said, someone is going to be healed tonight. Someone is going to get their breakthrough. Then he proceeded to preach, and Oh did he preach ! He was concluding his message, he said. " I am going to take my seat... just then I said to Abba Father....." He can't take his seat ! I did not get my healing yet. " I was sinking fast ! The preacher began walking towards his chair.....When suddenly out of me came a desperate cry.... it did not sound right, for I could not even sit up straight. The young preacher stood still and turned. For as long as I live, the look on the preacher's face I shall never forget the expression on his face.
He not only heard the desperate cry but he also knew what it meant, for he looked into the realm of the Spirit. The words he spoke next shifted the entire atmosphere. He said. " Y'all remember Bartimaeus ? By this time more desperate cries could be heard. Read what the young preacher said. " They want you to shut up.....Keep on shouting, you are going to get your healing and your breakthrough. " Instantly I was healed ! It is very important to take a closer look at blind Bartimaeus, read it for yourself from the book Mark 10:46-52. " Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a good multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. " Take note ! (47) " And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, ' Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me !" (48) " Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, ' Son of David, have mercy on me ! " (49) " So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, ' Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you. " What blind Bartimaeus did next really speaks volumes in verse (50) " And throwing aside his garment (his cloak, that identified him as a beggar) he rose and came to Jesus. (50)
" So Jesus answered and said to him, ' What do you want me to do for you ? The blind man said to Him 'Rabboni', that I may receive my sight. " (52) " The Jesus said to him, 'Go your way, your faith has made you well,' And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road. " Oh Hallelujah ! As you and I commemorate the death and burial of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; and celebrate His resurrection be it known to you if you do not know that the atmosphere shifts, and miracles happens when Jesus is present ! Did you not read or hear about a widow, who was on her way with the funeral procession to bury her only son. She was desperate....she had no one to take care of her. Can you imagine how she felt ? But Jesus passed by. He not only saw the funeral procession, He heard her desperate cry ! Read exactly what Jesus said to her. I was paraphrasing. Luke 7:13-15 (13) "When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her " Do not weep. " (14) " Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, ' Young man, I say to you arise. " (15) " So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother
What a comfort it is to know that you and I have been empowered through the resurrection power of Jesus Christ with the spoken word to shift the atmosphere, and to bring change to people's lives....Not just during Easter season but each day; let's you and I be mindful that it is finished ! What is finished ? Are you ready for this ? Here we go.....When Jesus Christ died on the cruel cross at Calvary.....The word is resounding from Ephesians 4:8-10 (8) " Where fore He saith, when He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men. (9) " (Now that He ascended, what is it but that He descended first into the lower parts of the earth) ? (10) " He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above the heavens, that He might fill all things.) " Remember Jesus Christ is no longer in the tomb ! Listen......Pause for a moment He is passing your way even now ! Can you hear His footsteps ? In the hotel room, He was there fighting for me......I could not have made it in that hideous fight, which lasted the entire night. Jesus Christ intervened for me; and it was my faith, which caused me to petition Abba Father for my healing.....that desperate
cry was faith in action, and Jesus was passing by ! The widow as she wept for her only son......Jesus was passing by. He heard her desperate cry ! Blind Bartimaeus was begging, and it was a way of life for him, but when he heard that Jesus was passing by; he made a desperate cry ! Jesus heard him ! During the convention service. Jesus was passing by, and He heard my desperate cry... He healed me ! What about you ? Are you willing to forget about who you are, and what others will say about you ? Listen. In that Service I forgot about who was sitting next to me. I forgot that I am a Pastor's wife. I forgot about how I looked. I was desperate to be healed ! How desperate are you ? Jesus is passing your way.....Will you release your faith and allow Him to hear your desperate cry ? Be encouraged and strengthened in His WORD !
Donkey in the Well--An Inspirational Story: BY DEBRA LYNN-LAKE ROBERTS
One day a farmer´s donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally he decided the animal was old and the well needed to be covered up anyway, it just wasn´t worth it to retrieve the donkey. He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone´s amazement, he quieted down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer´s neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up.
Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off. Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well, is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a stepping stone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step Upward!
JESUS & EASTER: BY TOM ZART
There once was a traveler who was driven out of town On His shoulders was a burden that pushed Him to the ground. On His head was a crown made of thorns from a bush And the street was so crowded the guards had to push. They beat Him with nine tails each step of the way Where Christ found the strength, only God could say. They stopped at some sandstone at the top of a hill There was a round hole the cross would soon fill. They made Him lie down upon that wood cross There they nailed Him to prove who was boss. The beam was up-ended by the muscles of men As it plunged down the hole it was carved to fit in. Then Jesus looked up at the lightning that flew And cried, God, My Father, they know not what they do. They crucified our Lord as His blood flowed to earth If inside you believe, you feel what love is worth. They wrapped Him in loincloth when He was taken down Then carefully removed His scarlet stained crown. They placed Him in a cave with a large, round, stone door Before sealing forever, they lay lilies on the floor. Though it wasn't very long, and the stone was rolled away For Jesus resurrected, to rise on Easter Day!
Being Covered Produces Great Fruit In Season Gardening is a favorite pastime for many, as they watch the seeds planted, and how they yield a great harvest. Many that are active into gardening understand that there are certain seasons in which to plant in order to reap a bountiful harvest. Likewise, this same principle applies to us as Christians. Let’s examine the principle of planting as it applies to GOD’s people. Planting involves having (1) Seeds (2) Soil (3) Showers or watering, & (4) Sunshine. Psalm 1, which was composed by King David, likens the believer to a “tree planted…” In this text, David uses this term metaphorically to allow the audience to draw a parallel between natural and spiritual planting. The seed planted determines the outcome of the harvest both spiritually and naturally. A gardener can only plant what they desire to reap. If an apple seed is planted, then the gardener should expect to reap a harvest of apple trees. Given the fact that GOD has a plan to make us into His image, as He plants us into Kingdom soil, He expects to reap a bountiful harvest. (See Gen. 1:26, & Gal. 6:8b) In planting, the soil chosen is pivotal to the preservation of the seed as it prepares to undergo changes for growth. If we are in Christ, GOD knows the right soil needed for proper growth to take place.
What is GOD saying in this? GOD is saying to us today, that we must be willing to be placed in a position to be buried as seeds in order to grow into that strong “tree planted…” as David mentioned. Burial as a seed means, that we are in a place of surrender, no longer in control, or that we are in a hidden place. Jesus said in John 12:24 that dying, or being buried produces growth, or fruit, as He stated, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” (ESV) As anointed as many are, being hidden can be an uncomfortable spot to be in, yet necessary. Though we struggle with the planting process, endure it, because if we hang in there, we are sure to blossom into something strong, and long-lasting! David continued to expound on the process of planting, as he stated, “that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” (vs. 3b) Gardeners understand very well, that planting alone does not guarantee a harvest. Showers or watering is needed in order to produce growth once the seed is implanted into the soil. As we are planted in GOD, He knows when to allow the “Living Water” to rain down upon our souls for growth. Provided we are connected to Him, there will never be a season of drought, and a bountiful harvest is imminent! Sunshine is the final component needed to complete the process of growth for the seed. Believers can look forward to His presence as we allow ourselves to be planted in Him. If we have GOD present in our planting process, we rise up, or spring forth, yielding fruit in the right season.
If we have GOD present in our planting process, the fruit of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness, & temperance will not wither, but will be readily available for ourselves and others to benefit from. (See Gal. 5:22-23 for fruit of the Spirit) Being planted properly by GOD allows us to demonstrate love, and not be lacking in it! Being planted by God allows us to exercise faith that helps us, and blesses others to gain faith! Being planted by GOD gives us a contagious joy that spreads like “wildfire� to countless others around! In closing, if we as believers care about our spiritual growth, we must seek His method of planting. Some in this hour are buried in the wrong soil, with no hope of prospering. GOD’s way is the best way as it concerns the life of a believer. GOD is fashioning us daily, so that many others will know, that His people are like trees planted by the rivers of water, and no matter the trial, and we shall never be moved! Pastor Pamela Richards, Beulah Baptist Church Baldoc, South Carolina
The OT says that the practice of Polygamy was not adultery but how to explain the concubines (girlfriends?) BY CHRISTINE D’LABRION
The Old Testament seems to contain many passages of polygamy and patriarchy that cannot be expounded by western Protestant Christianity and this is where her blindness and powerlessness lie. The Bible says clearly that Polygamy was part of the customs, God’s gift in Biblical times, even in Jesus’ times, it was allowed. Josephus noted that Herod was allowed to have multiple wives, because it was the custom in Israel at that time. It was also allowed them to have concubines (girlfriends) 2 Samuel 12:7-8 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: “I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8 I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more.
Deuteronomy 21:15-17 15 If a man has two wives, and he loves one but not the other, and both bear him sons but the firstborn is the son of the wife he does not love, 16 when he wills his property to his sons, he must not give the rights of the firstborn to the son of the wife he loves in preference to his actual firstborn, the son of the wife he does not love. 17 He must acknowledge the son of his unloved wife as the firstborn by giving him a double share of all he has. That son is the first sign of his father’s strength. The right of the firstborn belongs to him. Old Testament polygamy The Vision of Rachel and Leah, wives of Jacob The Old Testament mentions plural marriage as an acceptable variation for the Hebrews, and many of the Abrahamic prophets and patriarchs had multiple wives, including Lamech, Abraham, Jacob, Esau, Gideon, Saul, David, Solomon, Rehoboam, Elkanah, Ashur, Abijah and Jehoiada. Some interpretations also suggest Moses had a second wife in Tharbis. Other Polygamists identified in the bible include Abijah of Judah Ashur, Ahab, Ahasuerus, Ashur, Belshazzar, Benhadad, Caleb, Eliphaz, Esau, Ezra, Gideon, Jehoiachin, Jehoram, Jerahmeel, Joash, Lamech, Machir, Manasseh, Mered, Nahor, Rehoboam, Shaharaim, Simeon, and Zedekiah. Moses married Zipporah and also the Cushite woman. Exodus 2:21; Moses agreed to stay with the man, who gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage. Numbers 12:1; And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman. More info from Wikipedia: That laws preventing polygamy began with the pagan traditions of the Roman Empire, see notes in the writings of Joseph describing how the polygamous marriages of Herod were permitted under Jewish custom.
Polygamy was not banned in the Jewish community until about 1000 A.D. by Rabbi Gershom. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygamy_in_Christianity
One Flesh - Although the New Testament is largely silent on the issue, some point to Jesus' repetition of the earlier scriptures, noting that a man and a wife "shall become one flesh". However, some look to Paul's writings to the Corinthians: "Do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, 'the two will become one flesh.'" They claim this indicates that the term refers to a physical, rather than spiritual, union.
The founder of the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther wrote: "I confess that I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict the Scripture. If a man wishes to marry more than one wife he should be asked whether he is satisfied in his conscience that he may do so in accordance with the word of God.� Now, regarding adultery according to the Old Testament, If a married or unmarried man slept with an married woman, both were committed an adultery, but if she is unmarried and is found lying (have sex) with an unmarried or married man, then it was not considered an adultery or sin. In my opinion, people should have a choice, if they want to marry one or more women. But for me, I wouldn’t marry a poly, a guy who is already married. If he wants to marry me, first, he would have to divorce his wife, or stay miserable with her for the rest of his life. Shalom
For more inf. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygamy_in_Christianity
A CROWN OF THORNS!!!!! : BY APOSTLE JESSE STRIGGLES
The first thing they did to Jesus - NO ONE TALKS OR PREACH ABOUT!!!! If you be The King of the Jews - then you must have a crown. THEY PLACED A CROWN OF THORNS ON JESUS HEAD - SO EMBEDDED THAT IT WOULD REMAIN ALL THRU THE WHIPPING POST UNTIL HE HUNG HIS HEAD AND SAID "IT IS FINISHED". I am hear to tell you - THE CROWN WAS TO PERSEVERE YOUR MIND!!!! No matter what you would go thru in life. When you thought you would lose your mind, when things just didn't make sense, when mama died & then daddy died, when you were evicted from your home with the children you stumbled & almost fainted; but the crown was transferred in the Spirit Realm to keep you mind. Depression set in; but you snapped out of it - IT WAS THE CROWN!!! Haven't you notice when a woman is brutally beaten - it is ALWAYS TO THE HEAD - O MY; but wait a minute - Jesus put the crown on your head & you don't know how you came thru it; but it was the CROWN for you. He always put the gun to your head - but thru it all - if he pull the trigger or threaten to pull it - it was the CROWN. Apostle Paul had a thorn in his flesh that God would NOT remove - saying MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR THEE. CATCH THE CONNECTION & WISDOM OF THIS THING. JESUS HAD A CROWN OF THORNS & APOSTLE PAUL HAD A VISUABLE THORN IN HIS FLESH - THAT THEY BOTH WORE TO THE END. O my sister & brothers you can expand on this note as you are lead by the Holy Spirit. NO WE DON'T TALK ABOUT THE CROWN OF THORNS!!!!
there have been so many thorns in our lives & some remain and God will NOT move them; but we must press in & press on as we so proudly WEAR OUR A CROWN OF THORNS. BE BLESSED PEOPLE OF GOD. from the desk of Apostle Jessie Striggles
EASTER WHAT IS EASTER TO YOU? I recently did a survey asking people to tell me in one word what Easter means to them… Most people answered over and again with… Risen… Cross… Promise… Saved… Celebration… Family… Faith… Egghunt… Children… Jesus… Church… Sunrise… Life… Smiles… Grace… and then two people said Forgiveness AND ONLY ONE PERSON SAID “LOVE.” *For God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son (Jesus) that we might chose thru Him eternal life. John 3:16 *We love Him because first He loved us. 1 John 4:19 Some versions say, We love because first He loved us. *Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. Hebrews 13:8
*In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. *And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John 1:1, 14 I could share more and more scriptures but what Easter seems to be is all about LoVe, the love of God for us so much so that He have us Jesus, His Only Son… His Word made Flesh… the same yesterday, today and forever…unchanging… Easter is a Love story made personal as a Love Letter to each one of us meeting us where we are and as in any true love letter, drawing us in closer to where the writer of the love letter wants us. The Author and Finisher of our Faith has written us a letter (the Bible) to let us know we are loved… come as you are… This Author wants us to know that His love for us is so great that nothing, absolutely nothing can separate us from His love for us… well, except that we would chose to refuse His love. But beyond refusing His love He forgives every wrong. His hands are forever outstretched bidding us to come near to Him and as we draw near to Him our very act of breathing in His presence starts our love letter back to Him. *You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. 2 Corinthians 3:3 So often, we read of the Easter story as though it has a start and a finish but as I opened the story this morning once again, the Author of this love letter to me draws me back to something else, something new. Oh I have read it many times before but this time I see that there is a fine thread that intertwines each piece of this love letter and even now, the Author has begun intertwining my love letter in with His… and also, your love letter with his. We often think of Easter as a fun day to spend with starting off at a Sunrise Service at Church hearing about the risen Christ then celebrating with family and friends over food and drink, egg hunts and discussions of the days events… wait… isn’t this what happened on the road to Emmaus…
* Luke 24:13-35 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him. 17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 “What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.” 25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. 28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” 33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
Have you ever thought about the Emmaus Road Story being a part of the Easter Story? They were retelling the story of what had happened just as we do today. Easter, the greatest love story ever told… the greatest love letter ever written… You see, I have come to see that our God is not so small as to limit Himself to meeting everyone at the same place in this love relationship we have with Him. He made a way thru His precious Son Jesus so that we would allow Him to meet us where we are and draw us then to where He wants us. There is no wrong meeting place that we can come to in drawing near to Him… in getting lost in His love letter to us… in our beginning and continuing our love letter to Him… Do you have a favorite place you like to meet Him? Maybe we meet him at his place of birth… or maybe where there was a promise of His birth… In the places he walked the earth and taught about His Father… in the places where He healed the sick… maybe in places where He spoke of faith and hope… maybe you find intimacy in sitting with Him with the Apostles… maybe your heart rips open at his being in the garden praying… is that where you join Him? How about at the table getting your feet washed? The Easter Story is a Love Story and when it becomes personal to us, to you… the Easter Story becomes a Love Letter to you as well as a Love Letter from you to Him intertwining. When this Easter Story becomes personal, we want to share it with others so that hopefully they too can experience this amazing love for themselves. Will you meet Him today at that place where He was whipped… maybe where He was being judged for something He did not do yet the people want to make an example of Him even in His innocence… do we meet Him at that point where he was crowned king with a crown of thorns… will you meet Him in that place where He is carrying His own cross or where you might have an opportunity to carry the cross for Him… maybe where He is being nailed to the cross or maybe being the one holding the hammer… how about in that place where He is nailed to the cross the that cross is swung into the air for all to see and dropped into a hole, THUMP…
There are so many places to meet Him at and if I could choose just one… if I could tell you that I had a favorite meeting place I would always only go to but truly He meets us where ever we come… and sit… Is it sitting on the ground looking up at the cross as he hangs there as an innocent man… do I refuse some days to even acknowledge this love relationship, I mean, consider the men on the cross beside him… only one was told he was forgiven and would be in paradise with Him that day… only one, not because Jesus refused him but because the man refused Jesus… where are we meeting Him for our Easter moment—in our Love Letter to Him…are we the mother looking up at her son or are we the mother being looked upon by her Son… are we the brother, sister, friend, servant, giver of judgment… Maybe we will meet Him today at that place where the sky grew dark and the temple veil was rent in two from top to bottom… maybe thru tears we are meeting Him where they take His body down from the cross and we help ready it for burial… at the borrowed grave as they roll the stone into place to close off the grave… do we meet Him as a guard over the body… or with the angel after the stone is rolled away… where we can feel like the first to know HE IS RISEN… where we go boldly to share that He is risen… where we doubt what others say and go see for ourselves… there are so many places to meet in this love relationship… in this place where the Easter Story comes alive for us, where we too become a part of the Easter story… Is it where we see for ourselves it is REAL and we walk the road of life sharing with friends the events of the day and those final words of Jesus on the cross.. what some say as TETELESTAI and the translation, It Is Finished! BUT IS IT????? Our part in the Easter story is still being written… Our Love letter to Him continues as we continue in His Love letter to us.
He will meet each of us where we are and draw us to where He wants us, where we can know even more how much He loves us… He love YOU! Share Your Easter Story with someone today… Angel Fulkerson
WHAT DOES THE PASSOVER/PESACH MEANS TO YOU; A TIME OF HOPE, CHANGE, DELIEVERENCE, GOD INTERVENTION IN YOUR LIVES OR JUST ANOTHER BIBLICAL FEASTIVAL? : WRITTEN BY BISHOP STEVEN LIBERTY SR.
ADDED BY: EVANGELIST FAVOR P. LIBERTY “And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.
And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD's passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever. Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you. And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even. Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land. Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread. Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover. And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.
For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you. And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever. And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the LORD will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service. And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service? That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD's passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped. And the children of Israel went away, and did as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they. And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of Passover in 2012 will start on Saturday, the 7th of April and will continue for 7 days until Friday, the 13th of April (in Hebrew PESACH) ; this holiday commemorates the greatest event in Jewish and biblical history. It commemorates the exodus of the children of Israel from the bondage in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land. The story is familiar to many who are acquainted with the biblical and Jewish accounts. Here are a few highlights: 1. The brothers of Joseph sold him as a slave in Egypt 2. Joseph upright behaviour gives him favour in the eyes of God and men 3. Joseph was made Prime Minister of Egypt and later his people move over during a period of famine. 4. After Joseph’s generation pass on and the Pharaoh died a new Pharaoh made the people of Israel slaves for hundreds of years.
5. In answer to their prayers and promised to their forefathers God delivered them. God, who heard their prayers and sent Moses to Pharaoh with the message to "let my people go" When Pharaoh repeatedly refused, God brought plagues upon the Egyptians. After the devastation of the final plague, the killing of Egypt's firstborn, Pharaoh ordered the Israelites to leave. Later, God hardened Pharaoh's heart and Pharaoh's armies pursued them into the desert. Before fleeing Egypt, God tells the Jews to sacrifice a lamb, one of the many Egyptian gods at the time, and eat it hastily. They were also instructed to sprinkle lamb's blood on the doorposts of their homes to show their faith in God and their willingness to defy the Egyptian deity. The angel of death, seeing the blood on the doors of the Jewish homes "passed over" them and spared the children inside. And so, the name of the festival, and the sacrifice offered, became known as Passover. It also commemorate the period when Christ was sacrifice for the sins of the world. Christians also celebrate the Passover but for a different reason altogether. They highlight the following: 1. Jesus observed the Passover (Matt. 26:17-20; Luke 22:15; John 2:13,23;13) 2. Jesus in the temple at time of Passover (Luke 2:41-50,) 3. A criminal chosen by the people to be released instead of Jesus (Mark 15:6-15) 4. Christ our Passover (1Cor 5:7) 5. Christ crucified at the time of the Passover ((Matt 26:2; Mark 14:1,Ê, John 18:28) 6. The Lamb of the Passover ; A type of Christ (1 Cor.5:7) 7. LORD’s supper ordained at the time of the Passover (Matt 26:26-28; Mark 14:12-25;Luke 22:7-20) The question I want us to deliberate upon is not what happened in those times; but what effects does the Passover have on your life today as a Jew or Christian?
For me the feast of the Passover means a time of remembrance of how Mighty and Faithful our God/YHWH is to those who really wait patiently and put their trust in Him. It is a time of deliverance from those things that hold us captives in life; those Pharaohs of today that we need to be freed from. Yes there are Pharaohs in your lives even today that continues to hold you captives and enslaved you. Passover should be a time when you let go of those habits of exploitations, pride, greed, drugs, drunkenness, sex crimes, adultery, prostitutions, witchcraft, murders, oppressions, depressions, persecutions, and turn over a new page in life. God has free you from the slavery you found your self in and now it is your turn to act by preparing your hearts and minds to release those old slave chains and move to freedom. It is neither cheap nor easy. If you read the original account of the first Passover; you will note that a certain high standard is required of those who must partake in this feast. You are to share with those who do not have and accountability is strong here too because you are to determine the amount of meat each person will eat. The animal chosen for the Passover cannot be just any animal but one without spots or defect. You are to care for them for a time until the people of Israel must slaughter them at twilight (in unity). They are to take some of the blood and sprinkle it on the doorpost of the houses where they would eat the meat‌. I am surprised that those who commemorate this festivals most times fail to fully elaborate on the significance of what it actually meant to partake then and now. They fail to highlight that it is a period of sharing, uniting, in leaving behind a old form of life in slavery, defects that held them down, being purified by God/YHWH for a new walk with God/YHWH. It is a period where you turn it all over to God and allow Him to fight your battles for you. Yes at midnight if you are willing He will strike a blow of death on the first born of those evil pharaohs in your live today, thus paving the route for your total freedom from them.
It is a time to recognize that your God/YHWH can be trusted and answers prayers regardless of how long it takes. Do not celebrate an empty feast just for the show of it; no, celebrate God/YHWH in your life today. Let us Passover from that land of physical, psychological, spiritual, intellectual, traditional, doctrinal and immoral slavery holding hands, sharing, as a single family to a land of Milk and honey that you willingly; holding on to the precepts of God/YHWH, allow Him to plant you feet. Let God fulfil the promised made to our forefathers because He is capable to fulfil them. It is a period to note that on our own we are helpless and our only hope of deliverance lies in the hands of God/YHWH. If you note carefully you will realized that it was our own selfish behaviour that most times take us to the bondage of slavery. We betray and sell our own brothers. We try to crave out a destiny for ourselves that is not ordained by God/YHWH or the divine time has not yet reach for it. Yes God is faithful to the promised He made to the forefathers and does not leave our side. He is stronger than any manmade God; therefore He used an Egyptian god for the Passover meat. Oh What a Mighty God/YHWH we serve. It proves that those man-made gods around your wrist, in your homes, offices etc are powerless and will perish. Christians let us celebrate Passover with the newness of hope for the future only if we are willing to allow this major event not to just be a tale we tell but a reality we live. Christ is our Passover Lamb that was sacrifice for our sake. He was not a pagan god/lamb but a spotless Lamb from God for the deliverance of our sins. If that is so and you believe in His sacrifice, than we must be ready to put into action the reason of the sacrifice and apply it to our lives. He came that you might see in the darkness; recognized those pharaohs that are holding you captives , healing your lame and weak legs for the journey into new life, releasing the chains that are tie around your necks by this evil world and it’s rulers, and setting you free from the prison of sin. Sprinkle the blood of the Lamb on the door post of your life and rid your self of generation curses, witchcraft, spiritual death, immorality, and sin.
Do not celebrate this period because you see others doing it. There are many who do not celebrate the festivals of both Christians or Jewish. In that case I urge you to celebrate God/YHWH; Christ and let the impact be seen in your lives today. I do not intend to discuss its nature but it’s implications on our lives.
'THE GLORY OF THE RESURRECTION": BY JOHN GRACE
Christianity without the resurrection is both dead and vain. We can preach the Cross until the kingdom comes, but it is useless without the resurrection. By His death were we reconciled to God (made right with Him). By His life we are preserved unto life (Romans 5:10). Thus it's safe to say that Christ's resurrection from the dead is the lynchpin of our faith. Without it, we are still dead in our sins and headed for hell. He may have paid the price for our sins, but what good is it if He could not conquer death, the very result of sins (Romans 6:23). For this reason great rejoicing is in order. Christ indeed has risen from the dead and so, by virtue of our baptism into Christ Jesus, we receive new life, the old being passed away (Romans 6:4; 2 Corinthians 5:17). Moreover, due to the gloriousness of Christ's resurrection, we shall one day inherit new bodies, free from all sickness, disease, strife, sin, or anything that condemns or kills. We shall put on the very nature of Christ Himself and, with Him, rule forever in the heavenly of heavenlies! That is an inheritance well worth suffering tribulation and trial for here below. Our faith is tested and tried so that it may come forth as pure gold to His praise and glory. We shall then enter the glorious Kingdom spotless and pure, gifted with all the glories of God Himself (II Peter 1:3-9). In the meantime because of, and by the power of, His resurrection (viz., the power of an indestructible life), Christ Jesus sits as our Mediator; our High Priest in glory. As we are being sanctified and progressing toward our own eternal resurrection (i.e., the final salvation of our souls),
Christ's priestly ministry covers us and empowers us through this mortal vale of death until then. So, due to the things I briefly cited above, we have great reason to rejoice and glory in the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ! It was far more than an awakening from physical death that defines this Easter phenomenon. It is the complete vanquishing of death, hell, sin and satan! It is the raising of our spirits from eternal death to quickening life (Ephesians 2:17)! It is the promise of an eternal inheritance, the seal of its promise being the gift of His blessed Spirit indwelling (Ephesians 1:13-14)! It is the empowerment of quickening grace to walk in newness of life, able to keep God's commandments through our union with Christ Jesus (Romans 6). There is so much to be said about the power and glory of the resurrection. All of this is merely a foretaste, as it were, of glory divine. Therefore, greatly praise the Lord for His death, but moreso for His resurrection, the lynchpin of the Christian faith! With these marvelous truths in mind, have yourselves a fabulous Easter and bless the Lord always! Love and grace in Christ Jesus,
EMBRACING NEW LIFE: BY LINDA FAWKES
Easter will soon be here and for me it is a time to put behind me the things that have hindered me and embrace the NEW things God is seeking to give me. I went to an event at Church where I could reflect on the meaning of Easter through TASTE and TOUCH. I would like to share what I felt God was revealing to me. The Meditation was centred around Psalm 23 "The Lord is My Shepherd!" The first step involved looking at lots of beautiful scenery with lush green pastures which reminded me of God's provision for His people and His care. The second was a big bucket of water with two piles of stones. One set of stones was very large and smooth. The others were very small and sharp. I chose to pick up the sharp stones as in my life are many painful things and I prayed for all the problems I was facing and as I dropped them into the water I imagined surrendering them to God and LETTING THEM GO. Then I decided to pick up a big smooth stone which brought the thoughts into my mind that ONE DAY - ALL WILL BE WELL. Life is filled with sharp painful things including illness in our familes, death or rejection as well as the SHARP STONES of hurtful words from others. But it is possible to DROP THEM into God's Big Bucket where He can and will deal with them and walk away with a lighter heart. THE BIGGER SMOOTH STONE IS A CONSTANT REMINDER THAT God will one day eradicate all suffering and painful things and life will be joyful forever. I decided to make my own scene at home with the stones and daily practice in my prayer time the stones illustration to BRING HOME this reassuring message.
The third scene was a table with two jars . When I opened them - one smelt awful and the other smelt beautiful. This reminded me that if we fill oir lives with God and all the good things He offers - we give off a sweet fragrance which reflects Christ and draws others to His beauty. In the same way if our lives are filled with sour and bitter thoughts and behaviour then we will be spiritually unattractive to others and not pleasing to God. We will be like a FOUL SMELL. I decided I would rather be a "sweet offering" which radiated beauty so I will concentrate on fixing my thought on Jesus and obeying His commands. The next scene was soil and mustard seeds. I planted a mustard seed and watered it and this reminded that it is God who produces New Life and if we have the faith of just a mustard seed - MOUNTAINS CAN INDEED BE MOVED! So we must sow God's Word and He will water it with His Spirit and it WILL bear fruit. THE WORD OF GOD NEVER RETURNS VOID. The next meditation was a table set with lots of different foods. Some very sour and some very sweet. I was given a choice of which food I would rather eat. I went for the sweet ones. This reminded me that encouraging words are sweet like honey and healing to our spirits but sour words can hurt and destroy and leave a bitter taste. I decided to fill my speech with Good things and I know the closer I draw to Christ the more I will become more like Him. May my words be acceptable in Your sight Oh God. The next one was a massive map with a compass and I had to find a certain place. This reminded me that God is my Guide and He knows the way so I can never get lost. God is also like a magnet. HE DRAWS people to Himself as His love is powerful and embraces all. No one is too bad or good for Christ. We ALL need Him. The last station was a BIG EMPTY WOODEN CROSS with two cushions underneath. This reminded me to be STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD and to remember that JESUS IS INDEED ALIVE. He rose from the dead! He is Victorious. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and I recognised afresh the need to constantly celebrate Communion when we remember what Christ achieved on the cross and how we need to constantly fellowship with others.
After these reflections I prayed with other Christians and was given insight into why my life had gone in certain directions in the past and How God's hand was in it all. God works in mysterious ways and we are not to question WHY but to OBEY for God knows best. As Easter approaches I feel assured that God will continue to Guide me and He will never fail me. I recall His countless answers to my prayers and know He always has the best in mind for me. I pray that you will ALL KNOW THAT JESUS CHRIST IS RISEN INDEED AND IS THE SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD. In HIM is NEW LIFE and HEALING and DELIVERANCE. The Peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always. Linda Fawkes (c) Copyright 2012
An Overcoming Love BY TIMOTHY WARD
As we enter into this very sacred and special time of year known as Easter, I want to share with you a new revelation I received this year. Many may know this already, but it was a fresh word to me. We know the story of the crucifixion, the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am not making light of that by any means. He shed His blood and died that we may be healed and saved. I would like to share something that the Lord woke me up with the other night. It was so powerful, that I felt I needed to share it. We know the wonderful things that Jesus accomplished with His death on the cross. It provided for our healing, by His stripes. It provided for our salvation through His death and resurrection. But think for a minute what else He accomplished for us. He is our high priest, tempted in all manner like we are but He never sinned. He knows the things we go through, and has faced them all Himself. Yet, because of His love for us, He was able to overcome every obstacle and opposition. He continued to finish the work He started even though He could have chosen at any time to stop. So, what did He accomplish for us prior to the crucifixion? Let’s look a little deeper and see. The scene is the garden of Gethsemane. Jesus is there with His disciples. He is asking them to watch and pray, because his spirit is heavy.
He knows what He is soon to face. He feels the mental torment and anguish, and asks God if there be any other way, let it be. Jesus had emotions just as we do, and this in the natural He did not want to do. But, because He loved you and me, His love overcame the mental torment and anguish and He was able to surrender His will to that of the Father. Also, He went back to find His disciples asleep. They were not praying the way He had asked. His friends (John 15:15) had disappointed Him and let Him down. His love was strong enough to overcome the hurt and disappointment of friends. Next, Judas comes to Him in the garden, and by a pre-arranged signal, kissing Him on the cheek. He has betrayed the Son of God. The crowd took Him and brought Him before the high priest.
The disciples scattered and had abandoned Jesus during His time of need. Once again, Jesus’ love for us was strong enough to overcome betrayal and desertion from friends. When He was brought before the high priest, they spoke all manner of evil against Him, saying He blasphemed. He knew He had not, but kept silent. Once again, He could have stopped the whole proceeding. But, He knew what needed to be done for the redemption of mankind. His love overcame the false accusations and ridicule. (Matthew 5:44) Then, they brought Jesus to Pilate. Pilate is the one who turned Jesus over to be scourged. He was beaten and whipped beyond earthly recognition. It was a brutal and savage beating that He endured. Again, He could have called legions of angels to come and deliver Him. Yet, He loved us so much that He overcame the physical and mental abuse, and continued to fulfill the Father’s plan.
As if the beating were not bad enough, then they made Him carry His own cross through the streets to Golgotha. He was not only bleeding and hurting beyond belief, but He was openly humiliated by carrying the cross through the city streets. Again, He could have stopped all of this from continuing, but His love overcame the public embarrassment and humiliation. Then, perhaps the hardest part of Jesus’ journey – the crucifixion. When they nailed Him to the cross and raised it up and dropped it into the hole, it was extremely painful. However, the Father turning His head, rejecting His Son, was more painful. (Matthew 27:46) Yes, Jesus did die on the cross! Yes, He was buried in a borrowed tomb, and on the third day was raised from the dead. Praise God for that! He has given us authority through His blood, that we should be healed, Hallelujah! But just as Jesus overcame the cross, death, hell, and the grave because of His love for you and I, He also overcame many things in the natural that we must overcome as well. He did this to show to us that WE CAN overcome them, due to our love for Him. He overcame mental torment and anguish, he overcame disappointment from friends, He overcame betrayal, He overcame abandonment, He overcame being falsely accused. He overcame the physical and mental abuse. He overcame the public embarrassment and humiliation. Finally, He overcame the rejection of His own Father. He did ALL of this because He had an overcoming Love. He had a focus on the greater picture, not on Himself. That is our lesson and example. We need to have a focus on the greater picture and not focus so much on ourselves. If we can do this, we will be more than conquerors through Christ. (Romans 8:37-39) Jesus overcame all of the issues that we will face in life, both physically and emotionally. He did this as a man, in the flesh, showing us that we can do the same. The only way we can is to accept Him as our Lord and Savior and allow Him to lead, guide and direct us.
Once we are IN CHRIST, we can even have a focus on the greater picture and not focus so much on ourselves. If we can do this, we will be more than conquerors through Christ. (Romans 8:37-39) Jesus overcame all of the issues that focus on the greater picture, not on Himself. That is our lesson and example. We need overcome death, just as Christ did. So, stop focusing on the hurt or pain, and love the way Jesus says we are to love (1Corinthians 13), and we CAN overcome all these things just as Jesus did. Amen! Hebrews 4:15 For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Do You Know Jesus? If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and would like to, simply say this prayer. Heavenly Father, I know that Jesus Christ is Your Son. I know and believe in my heart that He came to earth, died on the cross, and on the third day was raised from the dead. I confess that I have sinned. Lord Jesus, I ask You to forgive my sins and come into my heart. I confess You now as my Lord and Savior. Lord, I thank You that through You I can overcome ALL the hurts and concerns of this world. Thank You Lord for forgiving me and cleansing me and allowing me to become Your child, In Jesus’ name, Amen! Praise Report The Lord has been extremely gracious and merciful to my wife and me. As of March 8, 2012, we are now totally Debt-Free! Hallelujah! All Glory belongs to God!
Prayer Requests The Ministry is in need of a digital camcorder to record messages so we may download to Facebook, YouTube, etc. Also, to record our quarterly teaching CD that will come out with newsletter. We are welcoming opportunities for ministry in 2012. If you would like to invite me to minister as the Lord leads, please feel free to do so. Timothy Ward Ministries 227 Old Stage Road SW Milledgeville, Georgia 31061 (478)-363-4814 “Touching The World, Making Disciples� Matthew 28:19
WOMEN OF WORTH INTERNATIONAL & ITS IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF CHRISTIAN WOMEN WORLDWIDE-YOU CAN BE A PART OF WOMEN MAKING A DIFFERENCE! THIS IS A MUST READ FOR CHURCH LEADERSHIP WORLDWIDE BELOW IS A LETTER FROM THEIR LEADERSHIP ANSWERING EVERY QUESTION YOU MAY HAVE: BY : BISHOP STEVEN LIBERTY SR.
MARILYN ORTON-PRESIDENT Dear Bishop Liberty, Thank you for your interest in helping women through WOW!! I am so very happy to hear from you! God has joined us together for such a time as this. There is no doubt but that ours is a Divine appointment. I know you will be a blessing to everyone. If I can ever be of assistance, please contact me at wow@wowintl.net Women of Worth International is an organization that distributes a simple, free program that will help churches start and maintain an effective Women's Ministry. We are getting requests from Pastor's because they see the benefit of having their women involved in ministry. It also helps the women to do the work of the ministry, freeing up some of the Pastors time. The women love it because it adds structure to their Women’s Ministry, and gives them a leadership role in their church (under their Pastor’s direction.) It also gives women a place to develop their spiritual gifts.
WOW is many things. It is leadership, on the job, training. It is using spiritual gifts in ministry. It is Spiritual growth. It is fun and fellowship. It connects churches with a common purpose. It is evangelistic in nature. It brings the churches together to work on a community project, such as feeding the poor. It creates a national sisterhood. WOW is much more than a simple program that works. It unites the Body of Christ, sets aside denominational differences, and brings glory to God! Below, is the WOW Connection program. If followed it will greatly generate excitement and enlarge your Women's Ministry in a short period of time. WOW began in Nigeria a couple of years ago, and has spread all over the country. This summer we are having 15 Celebrate Jesus Festivals. If you would like to know more about WOW, what it has done for the women in Nigeria, and what it can do for you, please go to our site at http://www.wowintl.net WOW is international. We are adding new countries faster than we can respond or post them. WOW is now starting in 50 + countries. God is doing what only He can do, and we give Him praise and honor and glory for the movement of the Holy Spirit. In accepting The WOW Connection, you are giving WOW permission to post your name, and state, with a link to your email address. We want the people in your area to know where you are, so that you can work together in expanding WOW. If you do not want your name and link posted, please notify us immediately. The quickest way to expand WOW is to copy The WOW Connection below, and distribute it to Pastors and women that you know. Once they see it they will want it. WOW is totally free. There is never any charge for anything we do. But we do ask:
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That the name of your Women’s Ministry be called Women of Worth International.
Each chapter is asked to register online at http://www.wowintl.net We need to know where you are so that we can send updates, announcements and new information.
That you send periodic emails with pictures and updates to be posted on our website.
No one in WOW, including its officers and Board of Directors receives a salary.
We are Servant Leaders. Freely, Freely we have received. Freely we give.
That all money collected within your chapter must be dispersed by your chapter.
No one outside of your WOW chapter, is authorized to collect funds on behalf of WOW Your service, through WOW, is not to an organization, but to the Lord Jesus Christ. WOW empowers you to have a ministry that is accountable to Him. We are here to cheer you on! You are beginning a great adventure with God and with each other. I am so very excited for you!
Every Blessing and much love,
Marilyn Marilyn Orton, President Women of Worth International Please post your questions on our website http://www.wowintl.net You will be answered promptly.
THE WOW CONNECTION HOW TO CREATE AND MAINTAIN AN EFFECTIVE WOMEN’S MINISTRY A Word About Women Women are valuable and loved deeply by God. They are also relational. This means that meeting, talking and building relationships are very important to them. This need can be met through having a Women’s Ministry in your church. It can change lives for the glory of God, and at the same time build attendance and assist the Pastor in visiting and caring for his congregation. Why have a Women’s Ministry? To lead women to an understanding of Christ’s love and salvation To equip women to minister to others To help women discover and use their spiritual gifts to benefit and serve the local church To share Christ with those who don’t know Him and to disciple those who do
What WOW is and is not. WOW is FREE. There is no cost involved at all WOW is to strengthen the women in each INDIVIDUAL church -- not to take women from other churches WOW is designed to give women a leadership role under the leadership of their Pastor
WOW is NOT designed to take women from other churches WOW is NOT a denomination. WOW works well in any Women's Ministry
The WOW Connection WOW will help your women to be: Confident in His Calling Compassionately reaching out to others Courageous in adversity Consistently bearing fruit Connected spiritually with other women
The WOW Cause A Christ-centered Women’s Ministry can: Provide a distinctive atmosphere for godly counsel, spiritual enrichment, and physical help in times of need Help each woman recognize the importance of knowing the Word of God and spending time in prayer Teach women how to disciple other believers and rather than just giving advice, to give counsel from the Word of God
Creating a WOW Chapter
Step 1. PRAY! WOW is founded on prayer and operates by faith, through prayer
Step 2. God will show you the women in your church who have the spiritual gifts needed to form the WOW Team
WOW’s Core The Leadership Team
Step 3. Select and appoint a Leadership Team member for each of the positions below. Go over their duties with them. If only one person is in charge, the ministry will never grow any larger than the burden that person can carry. The WOW Leadership Team will administrate the Women’s Ministry together using the structure of multiplication. This:
Builds a stable ministry
Provides a place for accountability in ministry responsibilities
Develops a strong leadership base and involves many women in ministry
Creates a leadership style that will not depend solely upon one another
The Leadership Team Team Director
Leads Ministry Team and trains and disciples Leaders Liaison to Pastor and Deacons Appoints and oversees Retreat Director and committees Develops overall retreat schedule Selects workshop and other speakers Bible Study Coordinator Submits studies for Team approval Finds and trains Bible Study leaders Coordinates teachers, childcare, refreshments, etc., for weekly studies. May also teach a Bible Study Encouragement Coordinator Women’s Counseling Ministry Mentoring Ministry Prayer Ministry and Events Service Coordinator Leads ladies visitation program Missions Meals for the sick
Publications and Registration Coordinator Oversees the planning and production of printed materials Tracks the budget and reports on it monthly Oversees Registration Music Coordinator Obtains musicians for worship and special music Selects music Retreat/Event Coordinator
Organizes monthly activity/fellowship time
Works with Director to plan annual Women of Worth Conference
Oversees all areas of the retreat
Delegates tasks to Team leaders
Develops the overall schedule for the event and works with Team members to coordinate music, workshops, and other activities
Ask each group to hold a meeting to get to know one another, and the duties you will be performing.
Step 4. After you have appointed your team members and gone over their duties, it’s time to introduce WOW to your women Begin with a Girls Night out.
Bring your women together for fun activities so they can get to know one another better Ask a few women to give testimonies on how they came to know Christ or have a devotional Ask someone to organize a game Continue to have a Girls Night out once every month. Be sure and invite the young women too Have a "girls night out" or "girls day out" once a month. It is a time to do something fun together. Maybe some of them can put on a drama. Or they can tell funny stories of things that happened to them, or choose women to give testimonies. This time is just to have fun together whatever makes you smile do it together. Step 5. Have a signup sheet ready with all of the committee duties and ask the women to sign up to serve in one of the team groups.
After appointing the Leadership Team Register your WOW Chapter at http://www.wowintl.net Step 6. Print this sheet and distribute it to other Pastors, asking them to start a WOW chapter in their church Step 7. When you have several churches in an area that have WOW chapters, then you may want to meet and consider joining together to sponsor a Celebrate Jesus Festival
WOW is designed to be in the local church. The idea is NOT to take women from other churches, but to build on the women you already have in your church.
While you are forming the group in your church, you can hand out the WOW Connection to women in the other churches in town to start a WOW chapter in their church. When you have several chapters going then you will all come together once a year for a Celebrate Jesus Festival. A day with all of the WOW groups in the town praising Jesus and hearing great speakers. For more detailed information please go to our website at http://www.wowintl.net Please do not change the name of WOW International or The WOW Connection sheet. The program is free, but we do ask you for periodic updates and pictures. If you have been given permission to use program, you may add your name, email address, and phone number for contact purposes.
You will find Steps to Planning a Celebrate Jesus Festival on our website http://www.wowintl.net
Note: WOW does not charge for anything we do. We do not collect dues, or charge for training. Anyone asking to speak on behalf of WOW or say they are collecting funds for WOW is not a WOW representative.
If you would like a WOW representative to speak at your chapter, give a seminar, or speak at any conference you are planning, please register on our website. There is no honorarium; however we do ask that you pay the expenses of the speaker you invite. Love offerings are optional.
Copyright and trademark Marilyn Orton 2012 all rights reserved.
Marilyn Marilyn Orton President Women of Worth International wow@wowintl.net www.wowintl.net
"I am the Resurrection"....BY KENNETH WHITE
We are in a season now many Christians call "Easter" which they assume means the time our Lord was crucifed, buried, and arose from the dead after three days in the grave. However, the word Easter is not Christian at all but has its roots in paganism. This is the time of "the passover" and Jesus was and is our "Passover Lamb" slain for our sin nature. This season also speaks of his body being placed in a borrowed tomb for three days which speaks volumes of our death with and in him. However, on the third day he arose from the dead as he said he would be. When Mary, John and Peter arrived at the tomb they found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. I feel the stone was rolled away so they could enter the tomb as Peter did. It wasn`t rolled away so Jesus could walk out because he now had a body that could walk through stone walls. I believe the most important point to be made is to remember the Passover meal with the disiciples. Jesus said "whoever drinks my blood(spirit=life)and eats my flesh(living word)shall have eternal life". I want to draw your attention to drinking of his blood. The blood has life in it and this life sustains your body. Without this God breathed life in your blood you would instantly fall over dead. When a person is baptized with the Holy Spirit and Fire eternal life(ZOE) enters them and their spirit(life) is joined to God`s Spirit. This is the drinking of the blood. Most will drink of the natural cup and believe they are obeying the Lord in remembering him. However, I`m of the opinion that whenever you are led by and involved with Spiritual things, you are drinking of the cup. The life is in the Spirit! Without the Spirit(blood=life) you may be walking around physically, but full of dead mens bones. In my opinion, the cup has nothing to do with wine or grape juice. They are just a symbol of greater things.
Whenever you read his word and meditate on it, believe it, and get up and walk it out, you are eating of his body(flesh=body=life). This is where you nourish the inner man within you who lives off the word of God and the word mixes with the blood(Spirit) and produces a change within your inner man(who you really are)and causes him to mature as you feed on the word and drink of the well of living water(Spirit). This produces a life within you greater than the outward form of life we now have in our death doomed bodies. The outer man must perish or be changed into his image and put on incorruption as Jesus did whe he arose from the dead. This new body of incorruption is your final resting place where no sin dwells or the effects of the sin nature can effect you. There are no tears in this place, but joy and happiness for you are now in heaven, your heavenly dwelling place but your feet are still on the earth. Your inner man has matured through the drinking of the blood(Spirit) and eating of the flesh (Word). You are now mature Sons of God...
Spring into Life : BY HEATHER ROBERTS
The sun pokes it's head out from the clouds and the skies begin to clear. Small animals open their sleepy eyes and retreat from their cozy winter beds. Flower lilies bloom their fresh buds to the warmth of the glowing sun and the small dew drops appear on the surface of their leaves. The cold gloomy winter setting has now transformed into a delightful spring ambiance that bursts with popping colors and is now filled with pleasant life. The new birth of living brings new explorations and beginnings of reaching a determined potential. The life Jesus breathes into us revitalizes our being that had gone into hibernation. The forgiveness He gives us after falling into the slump of lazy and selfish winter days of depression and bitterness compares to the first day of Spring. The pureness; the freshness; the ability to have a clear conscious and open mind, is the gift God gives to us when our sins are washed away. The filthy and the vile mistakes we make are laid on the cross and are never to be seen again. New opportunities and chances are granted with endless possibilities and millions of ways to make an impact. Spring filled forgiveness releases us from our wrongs and allows us to continue growing on the tree of life. Written by Heather Roberts (age 15)
"RISE UP AND WALK"
WRITTEN BY PROPHETESS SISTER MARY BOLDEN ONE OF THE FABULOUS MIRACLES THAT JESUS DID WHEN ON EARTH WAS MAKE THE LAME MAN TO WALK. HE SIMPLY SAID TO HIM, "RISE UP AND WALK." AND DID HE NOT DO THE SAME THING WHEN HE ROSE FROM THE GRAVE? YES, HE PRACTICED JUST WHAT HE PREACHED. JESUS NOT ONLY TALKED THE TALK, BUT HE WALKED THE WALK! WE NEED TO DO THE SAME. IT'S TIME FOR US TO QUIT MAKING EXCUSES AND HIDING BEHIND THE "WHAT IF'S? THE WHY'S? THE WHEN, LORD WHEN? THE HOW COME HE OR SHE CAN'T DO IT? I'VE DONE ENOUGH....WHEN YOU KNOW BETTER. GOD IS NOT THROUGH WITH YOU YET! BEFORE ONE CAN HAVE A TESTIMONY, HE MUST FIRST GO THROUGH SEVERAL TESTS IN LIFE. AND THE MAJORITY OF US DON'T LIKE TESTS. BUT, ONCE WE MATURE TO THE PLACE IN LIFE WHEREAS WE REALIZE, IT'S A MUST BE TO BE TESTED AND TRIED THROUGH LIFE'S TRIBULATONS...AND EVERY TRIAL THAT WE GO THROUGH IS TO MAKE US STRONG, THEN (HOPEFULLY) WE CHANGE OUR MINDS AND STOP OUR COMPLAINING. THE TRIAL OF OUR FAITH WORKETH PATIENCE, THE BIBLE SAYS. AND THEN WE MUST LET PATIENCE HAVE HER PERFECT WORK. THE LORD JESUS IS THE MASTER TEACHER AND HE MUST TEACH US THE IMPORTANCE OF WAITING ON THE FATHER'S PERFECT TIMING.
I MUST CONFESS, IT HASN'T BEEN EASY FOR ME TO WAIT FOR THE PAST 4 YEARS ON THE LORD TO BRING SOME THINGS TO PASS THAT HE HAS PROMISED ME. I'VE HAD TO FIGHT DOUBTS AND FEARS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT GOD CANNOT LIE AND IF HE SAID IT......HE WILL DO IT! HE IS NOT A MAN THAT HE SHOULD LIE,NEITHER THE SON OF MAN THAT HE NEES TO REPENT. GOD DOES NOT LIE. JESUS IS THE WAY ,THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE. AND NO MAN CAN COME UNTO THE FATHER UNLESS THEY GO THROUGH JESUS. IT'S TIME TO RISE UP AND WALK NOW WHILE WE ARE STILL UNDER THE DISPENSATION OF GRACE , WHEREAS JESUS WILL INTERCEDE TO THE FATHER IN OUR BEHALF AND THE FATHER WILL FORGIVE AND FORGET ABOUT OUR MANY SINS, FAULTS, AND FAILURES. IT'S TIME TO STOP OUR COMPLAINING AND SIMPLY WATCH AND PRAY AS HE HAS INSTRUCTED US TO DO. WHAT IF JESUS HAD REFUSED TO OBEY THE FATHER WHEN HE SAID FOR HIM TO COME DOWN TO THIS SIN-SICK WORLD AND SAVE US? WHAT IF HE HAD COMPLAINED AND SAID WHY SHOULD I , THEY'RE JUST GOING TO REBEL AND TRY TO HAVE IT THEIR WAY EVEN IF I GIVE MY LIFE FOR THEM. WHY SHOULD I , FATHER, SACRIFICE MY LIFE FOR THOSE WHO WILL HATE ME WITHOUT A CAUSE? AND WHY , FATHER, WHEN SOME WILL THINK THEY CAN HIDE BEHIND TITLES AND POSITIONS OF POWER AND AUTHORITY AND THINK THAT WILL BUY THEM A TICKET INTO YOUR KINGDOM? JESUS COULD'VE COME UP WITH LOTS OF EXCUSES AND JUST SIMPLY REFUSED TO COME DOWN HERE, KNOWING HE WOULD HAVE TO SUFFER , BLEED, HANG AND DIE FOR A WORLD THAT WOULD HATE HIM WITHOUT A CAUSE. OH, NOT EVERYBODY , BUT SOME COULD HAVE GIVEN JESUS A GOOD ENOUGH REASON IF HE WERE LIKE SOME OF US. BUT JESUS' LOVE IS UNCONDITIONAL AND EVERLASTING. HE HAS NO RESPECTOR OF PERSONS . HIS LOVE IS UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. AREN'T YOU GLAD THAT HE DOESN'T CARE WHAT COLOR YOUR SKIN IS;
WHAT RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND YOU COME FROM; WHAT CULTURE OR TRADITION YOU'RE CAUGHT UP IN IS NOT RELEVANT TO JESUS. HOWEVER MUCH EDUCATION BACK GROUND YOU HAVE IS NOT IMPORTANT TO HIM, EITHER. WHAT KIND OF CAR YOU DRIVE, HOW BIG A HOUSE YOU LIVE IN, HOW BIG YOUR CHURCH IS, WHO YOUR MOTHER OR FATHER IS? WELL, NOW DIDN'T HE PLACE YOU IN YOUR MOTHER'S WOMB? YOU MAY CONSIDER YOURSELF SICK AND EVEN "SICKLY" , MEANING ALWAYS THERE SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING WRONG IN YOUR BODY. IT COULD BE CONFUSION IN YOUR MIND. YOU MAY EVEN JUST BE AN "ATTENTION GETTER"; ONE WITH CHILD-LIKE FAITH, BUT WHEN THERE IS SOMETHING YOU REALLY WANT, YOU SEEM TO TRIGGER UP ENOUGH FAITH TO GO AFTER IT. WELL, WHY NOT RISE UP AND WALK AND DO THE WILL OF THE FATHER. THAT IS UNLESS YOU DON'T WANT HIM TO SMILE FAVOR UPON YOU AND BLESS YOU CONTINUOUSLY. I DON'T WANT TO LOSE ANY BLESSING OF THE LORD'S MYSELF. I KNOW THAT WHAT GOD HAS FOR ME, IS FOR ME. AND NO DEVIL IN HELL IS GOING TO BE ALLOWED TO ROB ME, STEALING MY LOVE, JOY, PEACE, LONGSUFFERING, GENTLENESS, KINDNESS, MERCY, PATIENCE, TOLERANCE. GOD GAVE THE NINE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT TO ME AND NO MAN CAN TAKE IT FROM ME. FOR WHOM THE SON SETS FREE, IS FREE INDEED.. AND WHERE THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS, THERE IS LIBERTY. HE ALSO SAYS, "IF ANY MANY LACKS WISDOM, LET HIM ASK OF GOD WHO GIVES TO EVERY MAN LIBERALLY. SO, WHY IS IT THAT SO MANY ARE WONDERING AROUND LOST AND IN BONDAGE WITHOUT EVEN KNOWING IT? WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO WAKE UP, STAND UP, SPEAK UP FOR THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST? HE TOOK A STAND FOR YOU AND I WHEN HE CHOSE TO COME ALL THE WAY DOWN FROM HEAVEN ON HIGH AND WILLINGLY GIVE HIS LIFE FOR YOU AND I. SO ,
NOW IT'S TIME FOR US TO GIVE BACK FOR HIS GLORY AND HONOR. IT'S TIME FOR US TO STOP LAYING AROUND AND HIDING BEHIND EXCUSES . COME ON SAINTS OF GOD,..... RISE UP AND WALK THE WALK , AS WELL AS TALKTHE TALK . DO IT FOR JESUS! HE HAS SHOWN US HE LOVES US. NOW IT'S TIME FOR US TO SHOW HIM WE LOVE HIM. AND WE DO SO BY SHOWING IT TO OTHERS THAT JESUS IS IN US AND ALLOWING OURSELVES TO BE ENDOWED WITH HIS WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE OF HIS WORD, AND TO BE MOVED WITH COMPASSION UPON THOSE IN NEED. THAT'S RIGHT, IT'S TIME TO DO THE JESUS' MINISTRY. RISE UP, SAINTS, AND WALK!!! LOVE IN CHRIST JESUS' NAME, PROPHETESS SISTER MARY
True Forgiveness : BY NESTOR GONZALEZ
If you find you heart seems broken, and you're search your mind for cause. See if you can find that you've brought this to your own unforgiving heart. True forgiveness is not hateful, nor holds on to seek for whom to blame. Holding grudeges doesn't solve things, all it does is bring you pain. So resolve this day and always, to unload this heavy load. Be kind to self, and to the others, by truly finding in your heart, true forgiveness then you'll sense always what you sought right from the start.
Life is full of trials and troubles, yet this is one that you can solve. Be kind to heart, seek and give the true forgiveness that will liberate your heart.
TO MY BROTHERS & SISTERS THAT ALMOST LET GO!!!!! :BY APOSTLE JESSIE STRIGGLES
I WAS LIVING LIFE W/O APOLOGY - THEN LIFE CAUGHT UP WITH ME!!!! I WAS CAPTURED BY THE GAME THAT I THOUGHT I HAD THE MASTER PLAN. SICKNESS SETUP CAMP IN MY BODY UNTIL I ALMOST LET GO!!! THEN I SAW THE LIGHT!!! I had to take the medication for a little while, I had to have the operation; but then the HEALER step in. He healed my mind & healed my body; then told me to run on. I ALMOST LET GO!!!!. MERCY SAID NO!!!! I had to go to prison for years that I thought would never end; for you see I thought I had invented the game. When I was sentenced - I ALMOST LET GO; then I heard a voice saying (Romans 8:28) over & over again. I begin to see the light penetrating the darkness; my mind began to change - OMG I was transformed thru the renewing of my mind. I remember when NO ONE COULD TELL ME ANYTHING - now I reflect on the people in my life that wanted the best for me and spoke truth to me; even when I didn't want to hear it. When I ALMOST LET GO, now I remember Jesus had gone to jail for me, Jesus knew I would be here before I knew I would be here. He told me He set me aside to keep me alive until I came to an understanding of what He had done for me. He let me know that He is with me even in prison. Jesus let me know that what I had done was forgotten & forgiven; that I still had a chance to get it right & live again.
TO MY BROTHERS & SISTERS THAT ALMOST LET GO!!!!! MAY YOU BE ENCOURAGE TO KNOW THAT YOUR LIFE IS NOT OVER & YOU HAVE THE POWER IN EARTHEN VESSELS TO SPEAK HEALING TO YOUR MIND & YOUR BODY!!! FINAL NOTE: KNOW THIS - THE CROWN ON JESUS HEAD WAS TO KEEP YOUR MIND THRU EVERYTHING THAT YOU WOULD GO THRU!!!! from the desk of Apostle J. Striggles
Babsie van der Berg
Congratulations! Someone has thought of you today, and has sent you a virtual Survival Of Life kit! Here it is:  Toothpick  Rubber band  Band-Aid  Pencil  Eraser  Chewing gum  Mint  Candy Kiss  Tea Bag Here's why:  Toothpick - to remind you to pick out the good qualities in others...Matt 7:1  Rubber band - to remind you to be flexible, things might not always go the way you want, but it will work out...Romans 8:28  Band Aid - to remind you to heal hurt feelings, yours or someone else's...Col. 3:12-14  Pencil - To remind you to list your blessings everyday...Eph 1:3  Eraser - to remind you that everyone makes mistakes, and it's okay... Gen. 50:15-21  Chewing gum - to remind you to stick with it and you can accomplish anything ...Phil 4:13
 Mint - to remind you that you are worth a mint to your heavenly father...John 3:16-17  Candy Kiss - to remind you that everyone needs a kiss or a hug everyday...1 John 4:7  Tea Bag - to remind you to relax daily and go over that list of God's blessings...1 Thess 5:18!!
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What does the New Testament Christian Passover memorialize? The New Testament Christian Passover is a memorial of the death of Jesus Christ as the true Passover Lamb. Believers partake of unleavened bread and wine in remembrance of the sacrifice of Jesus' beaten body and shed blood. This sacrifice makes possible the forgiveness of our sins. By partaking of the Passover symbols of bread and wine, we are proclaiming our continual faith in Jesus' sacrifice. Each year at Passover those who are converted believers partake of the unleavened bread and wine that was instituted by Jesus on the night he was betrayed. The bread and wine are reminders that those who partake of them share or participate in the death of Christ: "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread." (1Corinthians 10:16-17, NKJV). The Greek word translated in 1Corinthians 10:16 as "communion" is Îą or koinonia. The word means to participate or share something with others. The New American Standard Bible translates 1Corinthians 10:16 as: "Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ?" (1Corinthians 10:16, NASB) When a person accepts the sacrifice of Jesus and is baptized, he shares in the death of Christ, his "old man" or former way of living is crucified with Jesus. When they partake of the Passover symbols, they again participate or share in the death of Jesus. For the Christian, Passover is a reminder of the commitment made to God at baptism.
RESURRECTION WEEKEND
John 10:9-10 " I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10' The thief cometh not, but to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:' I Am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. When I think of the death & resurrection of OUR SAVIOUR...I am humbled! He paid sins penalty for me.. me! If he had not done what he did..we would be so lost...so so lost..no hope... just like all the people that are wandering so aimlessly in this world..they NEED the SAVIOUR! I was so lost before I heard the GOSPEL! I didn't know that JESUS came to die for our sins..I didn't know! I thought that this is how life is..hopeless! That's why my heart is always reaching out to lost souls because" HOW WILL THEY HEAR unless someone share the GOSPEL with them!?" YES! The death & resurrection of JESUS CHRIST is the great plan of SALVATION! RESURRECTION power is what we need to live for the LORD! As we speak His Word, a power so formidable is created within us. This life-changing, devil-shattering power is called dunamis, a Greek word that means power.
The devil could not stand the power-packed, highlyexplosive Word of God that came out the mouth of Jesus. Likewise, Satan cannot stand the power that lies in God’s Word when you speak it. SPEAK THE WORD OF GOD! IT IS POWER!
dunamis: (miraculous) power, might, strength From the Noskey household in Canada, we say ,GOD bless you each one as we celebrate what CHRIST has done for us all! Amen
CHOCOLATE AND EASTER! :BY LINDA FAWKES
What is Easter all about? How many people understand who Jesus is and why He came? In England the shops are filled with Easter Eggs - all different shapes and sizes. Appealing to all ages. The Easter eggs appear soon after Christmas and kits on how to make "Easter bunnies and bonnets" are everywhere. I remember when I was a child not knowing what Easter was all about. To me it was "how many eggs would I get?" I raided the cupboards and wardrobes way before Easter and often found them hidden and my sisters and I would eat them early and carefully place the packaging back - hoping my mum would not notice we had eaten them. When I talk to children they don't seem to know the Easter Story as alot of schools do not teach it these days. Instead they are arranging Easter Raffles and organizing an Easter garden competition so children can enter into SOMETHING. But God is left out. I have shared with my grandchildren what Easter really means and they understand as much as they can for four year olds BUT like Christmas, a lot of the meaning has been replaced by toys on shelves, buying things and eating more then usual. As Christians we need to spread the message of the Gospel. That Jesus Christ was crucified on Good Friday and rose from the dead Easter Sunday. Christ has conquered death and in Him we can have everlasting life. Our sins can be forgiven and we can indeed be "born-again!"
Lord help us to share the Good message of Easter and may it bring hope to our despairing world. IN JESUS NAME AMEN. JESUS IS RISEN. HE IS RISEN INDEED! HALLELUYAH! Linda Fawkes (c)Copyright 2012
Suffering Lamb - Victorious King!
WHAT PRICE TAG CAN YOU PUT ON WHAT CHRIST DID FOR YOU?: ADDED BY MARIAMA FANTA TURAY / WRITTEN BY BISHOP STEVEN LIBERTY SR.
“I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me. Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he. When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.”(John 13:18,19,21) “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture. They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded. I became also a reproach unto them: when they looked upon me they shaked their heads. As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men.”(Psa.22:1(Matt 27;46)13,16,18,(Luke 23:34;John19 23,24);69:21(John 19:28-30;Matt 27:34; Mark 15:23)26,(John 19:29);103:25 (Matt 27:39);Isa.52:14) The prophecy that was foretold long before it happened and fulfilled in the life of Jesus Christ of Nazareth/Yeshua.
Is there any price tag imaginable that can be place on what He passed through to save us from eternal death and separation from God? He was forsaken by God and man and degraded to the lowest extend so that we might be free. What more do you want Him to do? Yeshua or Jesus Christ; whichever way you call Him came to earth and change the destiny of millions forever. The gift He gave was free and He did not charge us a dime for all the pains and abused he went through for us and from us who He came to saved. It is written that all He pass through for us was done with humbleness, dignity, and without complaint. “ He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.� (Isa 53:7-12) Well I was sitting and thinking about all the ungratefulness we repaid Him with everyday and came to the conclusion that we do not place enough value on the gift of life that Christ give us as we do for those expensive toys we think we own; like the latest jet, car, house, suits, chains watches etc. Oh yes not once have we sat to attach a price tag to our salvation or else we would have known the true value of what it means to be saved by the blood of Jesus Christ/Yeshua. For in the case of man, the higher the value the more we attach importance to it.
We place value on our expensive watches and chains or suits and treasure them a lot; most of the times giving them even more attention than our salvation. People remember to clean and admire their shining cars, and other toys most times than they remember to pray or appreciate the worth of Jesus Christ/Yeshua in their lives, putting more attention and taking keen interest in these things while giving Christ lips service; words and never deeds without self gains. Well looking at all these things I thought it would be a valuable lesson to look at the cost of what Christ did for us individually and leave it up to you to see if technology or science have invented a calculator that can come up with a close figure; because my ran out of numbers trying to do just that. “Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.�(Dan. 3:24-27) What happened to the fourth man after the three boys left the fire? Did He return to where He came from? Did He remain there and burned in their place? Let’s critically examine this narrative for a brief movement. Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah who were renamed by the Babylonian as Shadrach Meshach and Abednego. (Daniel 1:6;); defiled the King rules to bow to his image and were thrown into a very hot fire. They stood on their grounds and preferred to die than to rebel against God. As a punishment they had die. They were binded and thrown into the fire but it appears that someone took the punishment for them.
As we can see from the narrative above a very extraordinary episode took place and most times our selfish human nature focus on the salvation of the three boys and leaving out an important fact. What happened to the fourth man after the boys were released? Nothing is said on the matter and we presume that He returned to where He came from; but what if He didn’t? This is my point of focus. Interestingly, Heaven intervene and a fourth man appears in the fire and His presence cause the boys not to feel the heat of the fire, not to get burn and to even smell of the fire. It is evident by the fact that those who threw them into the fire; that the fire was blazing hot, because they died. Now the point I am trying to drive home is: Who got burned that they were not burned? You see friends; God does not contradict Himself because He is True and Just, Pure and Holy. Have you ever wonder why the fourth man did not come out of the fire? Did He vanish as He came after the boys were free; I assume not? He remains in that fire and took the pains of the burning so that they would get out unharmed. What value would you place on one of those boys’ lives? How much would they pay if it was money that it took to get someone to burn in their place? When God intervened to save mankind from eternal death and sin a price had to be paid. Many think it was only dying on the cross that day that finally did it and for that reason celebrate a certain part of the year .(Don’t get me wrong, I do not question your actions) I think it was a slow and painful process that lasted everyday Christ walk the face of this earth . Here was a King who had no lack for anything, angels bowing before Him and willing to do His bidding ,that had to leave it all because the price for man crime was so high the even the angels could not qualify to pay for it. Gabriel the messenger, Michael the Captain, among others was not qualified to redeem man because the price was higher than their combine value. It had to be done by He who made the rules Himself and that demanded living and walking, healing and teaching the very ones He knew would betray would in the end. Imagine His thoughts as He encountered those so-called teachers of the law in the temple that day when He was twelve years old.
They saw a boy and marvel at His wisdom but He saw them even before they were born and knew their deeds in and out. Yet He could not reveal to them that you see a boy but I was long before you and have come to fulfil a promise made to your forefathers to bruise the head of the serpent. When I see the words written in the book of Isaiah (53: 4-12); I try to place a value on what Christ had to pass through for our sakes. He who created the world had no home in the world, the blind, lame and lepers He cleanse were the very ones shouting loudest crucify Him, yes day by day He was conscious of the fact that those He love and trusted as His closest friends and allies in Ministry would betray and desert Him in His final hour. He who worst enemy was sin had to live with sin day after day and see it physically manifested in His eyes. The worst thing that broke His heart was the ungrateful nature of man. Almost at the end of His mission He weeps over Jerusalem because they were blind to the powerful love God had for man and their rejection of His covenant. Was it worth it? From the beginning of His earthly Life He faced many challenges; from Mansion in Heaven to animals manger on earth, from King to refugee, from carpenter to Rebel against the religious practices and from miracle worker, teacher, preacher, healer, to a common criminal hung on a wooden cross forsaken by God and man. Satan held in the pits of death captives of the souls of men and women that He claimed were his because they had follow his path. They had to be broken free and being a Just God bought back fairly according to established rules. Zech 9:11 puts it this way “By the blood of thy covenant, I have send forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein there is no water�. His blood was to serve as a fountain that would cleanse us from sin and buy us back for the LORD. (Zech 13:1) Back in the old days in the desert when the people has departed from the true of God words a punishment of death through snake bites began to kill them. They cried to God for help and repented from their evil ways but death could not go away unless a price was paid and that price was engraved and hung up on a pole that whosoever look up at it were save.
Many times I think about it and ask myself: was it only the look that save them; of course the answer I give myself is NO? It was the faith that was applied within the look that saved them. They reach out from the very bottom of their souls in faith. What price do you place on your survivor in times of sickness, trails and tribulations and on your redemption from eternal death to eternal life? The lashes did not pain as much as the fact that those given Him the whipping were the very ones He can to redeem. The accusation could have been fun were they not from the very ones that call Him teacher, ate with Him, received His healings, the ones He rose from the dead and released from the power of demons. His betrayer would not have been so painful if it came from outside but it came from the very ones that call Him Master. The denial of all those who follow Him was not as painful as from the one who first recognized Him as the Christ. (Sometimes I try to envisage that look that Christ give Peter that day and find word for those seconds of eye interaction; “ Is it really you Peter the Rock ? Remember I told you so, but it does not hurt as much as witnessing it”. Those unspoken words did something in Peter that day and brought hot tears to his face. When the opportunity presented itself again to make good His promise; he boldly faces death many times in the Name Of Jesus Christ of Nazareth and in the end counted himself worthy to die for Him.) (Personal opinion) Strip of His Kingship, betrayed, accused, denied, and hung on a wooden pole, just for people who paid lip service to the value of His blood. If you were to pay cash to have someone take all this pain, disgrace, and agony for you, how much would you give? It was a heavy load to carry by anyone in human flesh. He knew all these things for He foretold them to His disciples: “I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!” (Luke 12:50) Imagine walking daily with those you know will harm you and loving them, with those you are delivering, feeding, knowing that they will finally reject and kill you. This entire episode He went through that we may live and have hope for the future; yet we continue to place a low value on Him.
Today we use His name and blood to profit ourselves physically, yet placing a higher value on our children, cars, etc than Him. Most of the time it is not what we can do for Jesus but what we can do to make sure our Ministry succeed that we may be recognized among the whos who tilling the earthly Kingdom. Well that in it self could pass if not for the fact that the interior motive is different from the ulterior motive. Can you place a price on what Christ did for you as an individual? Try as I can I can’t pay Him with anything else besides the two coins He asked for; faith and believe. I will leave this message without a conclusion for I know the final chapter will be told by each of us ; but I want to share this prayer that I think is necessary for this period ; whether you celebrate Easter or the resurrection of Jesus Christ/Yeshua feast or nothing at all. LORD JESUS /YESHUA ANOTHER PERIOD HAS COME WHEN WE FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF LIFE TRY TO DO THINGS TO CELEBRATE AND REMEMBER WHAT YOU DID FOR US. SOME OF US CELEBRATE DURING THE FEAST OF PASSOVER ETC PERIOD THAT YOU DIED; WHILE OTHERS CELEBRATE DURING WHAT IS TERM EASTER. WE ARE SURE THAT THESE CELEBRATIONS ARE MEANINGLESS UNLESS WE REALLY KNOW YOUR WORTH AND APPRECIATE IT NOT THROUGH THE VARIOUS FEASTIVALS AND CELEBRATIONS BUT IN OUR DAILY LIVES. YOU DO NOT DESIRE OUR PHYSICAL ACTS OF CELEBRATIONS FOR YOU KNOW THAT DEEP WITHIN OUR HEARTS WE DO THEM TO PLEASE CUSTOMS, TRADITIONS, AND DOCTRINES AND NOT NECESSARILY BECAUSE WE CARE FOR YOU. MOST OF THE TIMES WE CELEBRATE OURSELVES, WEARINGS, FOOD, DISPLAY OF OUR LASTEST TOYS AND STATUS IN LIFE. HELP US TO REALIZE THAT THE PRICE YOU PAY FOR OUR SALVATION WAS GREATER THAN ANY THAT HAS EVER BEEN PAID OR WILL EVER BE PAY. YOU ONLY REQUIRE THAT WE HAVE FAITH AND BELIEVE. WE CONFESS THAT DAILY WE PLACE MORE VALUE ON OTHER THINGS THAT ARE UNNECESSARY THAN ON YOU. MOST OF THE TIME WE DO WHAT WE DO; NOT TO SEEK YOUR APPROVAL BUT TO SEEK THE APPROVAL AND PRAISES OF OUR FELLOW MAN.
TEACH US TO LOVE AND VALUE ALL YOU CONTINUE TO DO FOR US. WE CONFESS THAT WE HAVE MOST TIMES BEEN UNGRATEFUL AND UNFAITHFUL BUT WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE ALWAYS READY TO TAKE US BACK IN IF WE REPENT AND COME BACK TO YOU. FORGIVE US DAILY WHEN WE CAUSE YOU PAINS THROUGH OUR UNGRATEFUL ACTS, WHEN WE SPIT ON YOUR FACE THROUGH OUR SINFUL BEHAVIOUR, WHEN WE REJECT YOU THROUGH OUR EVIL , SELFISH AND REBELLIOUS WAYS AND WHEN WE PIECRE YOUR SIDE AND YOUR PRECIOUS BLOOD FLOW IN VAIN BECAUSE OF OUR DENIAL AND REFUSER TO ACCEPT YOU FULLY IN OUR LIVES. DURING THIS PERIOD IN LIFE TEACH US TO VALUE WHAT YOU DID FOR US AND TO COUNT OUR BLESSINGS INSTEAD OF WHAT WE THINK ARE OUR PITFALLS. TEACH US THE IMPORTANCE OF UNITING AND LIVING A LIFE WORTHY OF YOU,IMPLEMENTING VISIONS WORTHY OF YOU, AND WALKING A WALK THAT IS WORTHY OF YOU AND NOONE ELSE. TEACH US TO APPRECIATE EACH OTHER REGARDLESS OF WHERE WE FIND OURSELVES IN LIFE AND TO UNITE IN GIVING YOU ALONE THE GLORY IN ALL WE DO. REMOVE THE HEART OF SELFISHNESS FROM US AND REPLACED IT WITH ONE OF LOVE AND APPRECIATION. TEACH US TO ALWAYS STOP AND REMEMBER THAT EVERY SECOND THE CLOCK TICKS BRINGS US CLOSER TO THE FULFILLMENT OF THE DESTINY THAT WAS ORDAINED LONG BEFORE WE ENTER OUR MOTHERS WOMB. HELP US TO STOP DAILY AND PLACE OUR CONFIDENCE IN YOU ALONG AND IN NO MAN, NO DOCTRINE, NO RELIGION, NO TRADITION, AND NOTHING THAT WE THINK WE HAVE ACQUIRED HERE ON EARTH. TEACH US TO BE HUMBLE IN ALL WE DO FOR TRUE WISDOM CAN ONLY BE FOUND IN THE HUMBLE.WE CONCLUDE OUR CONVERSATION WITH THESE WORDS: THANKS YOU! DURING THIS PERIOD IF IN ANY WAY WE HAVE SINNED AGAINGST YOU IN OUR THOUGHTS REGARDING YOU AND OUR FELLOWMEN; OUR SPEECH REGARDING THE UTTERENCES FROM WITHIN OUR BELLIES TOWARDS YOU OR OUR FELLOWMEN OR OUR ACTIONS OF UNFORGIVENESS,COVETOUSNESS,
AND GREED ETC TOWARDS YOU OR OUR FELLOWMEN; WE PRAY FOR PARDON AND DO HONESTLY REPENT OF THESE EVILS. FROM THIS DAY FORWARD YOU WILL BE THE MOST PRICELESS GIFT IN MY LIFE AND I PROMISED FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART TO ALWAYS STRIVE TO LIFE ACCORDING TO ITS VALUE FOR MY LIFE.
A WRITTEN GOSPEL MESSAGE BY PASTOR AFAM MOSES
DO GOOD TO CHANGE THE BAD (LUKE 6 VS 27 -37) God has a son Jesus Christ whom he planted here on earth to produce, millions of born again Christians in many families today who are to follow his footsteps accordingly. Are you a Christian? If yes, have you ever seen anything wrong in what someone else is doing? How best do you honor Jesus Christ in your corrections? Is it by speaking negative and making bad utterances about the person without love and care? Jesus Christ is right here in our midst to transform your life from failure to success, sickness to good health, hopelessness to happiness.
Are you too quick to discover other peoples bad aspect of life without doing what is right to change the bad which you found out? Are you a fault finder who does not provide solution? What must I do when I see my Neighbor going astray? You should learn to do good when things are going wrong around your brother or sister. This is the Gospel truth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The gospel message of our Lord Jesus Christ is very challenging. Jesus means what he says and he says what he means. In Luke 6 VS 27 -36,A Christian's life is a disciplined life. Because it is based on God's word which gives an excellent moral standard God's word reflects his character. God’s word teaches us to do what is good to change the bad we discover. Let us be seen, known and addressed as people who are for good and not only against bad. We should stop being so anxious to point out weaknesses of others without correcting maturely. The Bible instructs us that instead of criticizing others, we should show by example that is by the way we live that Christ lives in us. A little example can have a big influence. If you find yourself condemning others, ask yourself the questioned I practice what I preach? Jesus Christ never strive to look good. He was simply good and he did not labor to appear truthful because he as truthful enough to his father and mankind in general. Jesus Christ never struggled to acquire good reputation due to the fact he had character. Only your character can testify to your confession of Christ. Does your character testify to your confession of Christ? How many souls have you won for Jesus through your Christ like character? To accept Jesus Christ is to accept the nature of God. One thing is needed of you today, remains your thoughts, actions which must reflect what you believe and exhibit in life.
We are commanded to stop seeing imaginary enemies, stop blaming yourself and inflicting woes on others. Jesus Christ was at all points tempted like we are. Yet he responded with forgiveness while saying Father forgive them. When Jesus said Father forgive them, this include you and me. Do you forgive others? By your words, how many lives have you forgiven? Because the words you speak determine the life you enjoy.
PASTOR JOEL MCNABB
CHRIST OUR PASSOVER
“Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us” (1Co 5:7). 2,000 years ago on a spring night, Jesus and the 12 came to the upper room to keep the law God gave to Moses, as Jesus had done since His birth. This night was very important to our Lord, because He knew His time had come to fulfill all the Father had sent Him to do. Jesus came in the volume of the book that was written of Him, and He offered Himself freely, as the scriptures needed to be fulfilled. Paul said, “The law having a shadow of good things to come, not the very image of those things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect” (Heb 10:1). All that written in the law and the prophets had to be fulfilled, and Jesus was sent to earth to step into the shadow and make it real. The initiation of passover brought freedom to the children of Israel, and the initiation of the New Testament covenant brought us freedom from sin. In the upper room where Jesus had sent some disciples to prepare the passover supper, as they were eating, Jesus took bread and blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to His disciple, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body”. He took the, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank it. And he said unto them, “This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many”. Just as the passover lamb was taken and prepared, God prepared a body for Jesus to dwell in. John saw Jesus and said, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world”. Jesus is the only begotten of the Father, clearly prophesying of Abraham offering his only son Isaac. God told him to take his only son when God knew very well Abraham had another son, Ishmael born before Isaac. Abraham took Isaac, some wood, and went to the place God had shown him, he took the wood and laid it on the back of his son, and went. Isaac said to his father, “My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering”? Abraham said, “My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering”.
“And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son” (Gen 22:1-13). Can you see it, here in the law which was given to Moses, the story of a father’s love and willingness to do all that God had asked of him. Abraham believed God, Isaac was the promised seed, and if God wanted to test him, and offer his only son, that God would also raise his son to life again, that was the faith of Abraham, who knew everything God told him would come to pass. We can see Jesus in Isaac, as the cross was laid on the back, and we see Him in the thicket, as the crown of thorns was placed on the Saviour’s head. God provided a sacrifice for the sins of mankind, and by the shedding of His blood from the stripes on His back, the thorns on His head, nails in His hands, and the spear in His side, our Passover Lamb became sin, so we might have newness of life. We sing songs about the death and sacrifice of our Lord, like, “On a hill far away stood and old rugged cross, the emblem of suffering and shame, and how we will cherish the old rugged cross, where the dearest and blessed for a world of lost sinners was slain. And Jesus paid it all, all to him we owe, sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow. Knowing it is the His blood offering that cleanses us and makes an atonement for our sins. The children of Israel on the night the death angel passed through the land of Egypt, were to take the blood of the lamb of each household and apply it to the door posts of the house.
Then at midnight, when God sent the death angel to slay all the firstborn in the land, the angel would see the blood of the lamb and would passover the house, and the firstborn of the house was saved. After the children of Israel were freed, God commanded them to keep the Passover, in remembrance of the night they were saved from the death angel. That night in the upper room Jesus, after the bread and wine said, ‘This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me”. He was giving us a commandment to keep the new testament, to remember the price of His sacrifice. Paul said, “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come” (1Co 11:26). 2,000 years later, are we still remembering the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, remembering the cruel stripes that He took for our sins? Christians today need to take the season of Passover, and say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD’S passover, taking time to remember His death. This is not something God wants us to dwell on all the time, that is what He gave us the season of Passover, once a year a time to bring to our remembrance we were sinners, and we were spared from the death of sin by His Son Jesus. The rest of the year we are to think about the life we have in Christ, the reason of our hope. So as the appointed season of Passover comes this year let us examine ourselves, that we might not partake of the Communion unworthily, and be found guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. And keep the Passover of the New Testament as it was given by our Lord, in remembrance of His death. Like the king Josiah, and Hezekiah restored the passover, let us renew the Passover, by applying the blood of Jesus to the door posts of our heart, to assure that His sacrifice was not in vain. So I’ll cherish the Old Rugged Cross, for He was wounded for our transgressions, and bruise for or iniquities, surely He bore our sorrows and by His stripes we are healed.
Prepare your hearts saint, Christ our Passover is worthy, and we can be living sacrifices unto His glory. May the Lord bless you in all you offer unto Him, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, our Passover.
Understanding God's Ways Through His Word ~ADDED BY SUSAN C.CLARK / written by John Paul Jackson
God is not separate from what He does. Everything He does speaks of Him. His every action declares His name and nature. This means that we can look at our circumstances, both good and bad, and expect to see a deeper meaning within them: What is God’s heart in this? What does this situation, or the remedy to this situation, reveal about the Father? What is God saying? What is He declaring about Himself? Knowing God’s ways is the same as knowing God, and it is one step deeper than knowing “about” God. We need to know His ways so that we won’t be bowled over and crushed by circumstances that bring us pain. We can do several things to expand our understanding of why God does what He does. In this article, I want to highlight two steps in particular: We can study His Word, and we can pray His Word. Study His Word To study God’s Word in depth, we don’t study it verse by verse alone, as if each piece were a separate entity. Yes, God can certainly speak through individual verses; however, when we study His Word in context, we begin to understand His ways and heart at a much deeper level. To learn more of God’s ways, the very best place we can go is the narrative of the Old Testament. For example, as the Lamb of God, Jesus is portrayed in the sacrificial system found in Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers.
If we dig a little deeper, we can even find reference to Him in the Garden of Eden when God sacrificed an animal to cover Adam and Eve’s sin. The types and shadows displayed in the Old Testament are unfolded in the New Testament, and they show us God’s ways — why He does what He does. Pray His Word An excellent way for us to become more familiar with God’s mind and heart is to meditate while we pray. For example, as I read the Word of God, I often read it in the way it would apply to me — that is, I pray His Word and put myself in it. This makes it much more personal to me, and it gives me a clearer picture of what God is doing:
You are gracious and full of compassion toward me. You are slow to anger and great in mercy toward me. You are good to me. Your tender mercies are over me. You have redeemed me from the enemy’s hand. You deliver me out of my distresses.
Declarations such as these have a powerful impact on our ability to see God as He is — to know His ways. Why Should We Know God’s Ways? What is the purpose of your life’s journey? Are you trying just to make it to your next paycheck, or are you living with your eyes and ears open to the movement of God’s hand and the sound of His voice? Are you looking to see Him in your circumstances? Life is all about God and His ways. As we begin to understand why He does what He does, this “journey” takes on new meaning. We begin to see our lives the way God sees them. More importantly, we begin to understand His heart, and as this occurs, we find ourselves experiencing the “life more abundant” that Jesus talks about.
WELCOME TO THE CORRIDORS OF THE SHEPHERDS LIGHTHOUSE BUGLE MAGAZINE The Shepherds Bugle is the voice of Shepherds Without Borders Lighthouse Ministries; which comes out once monthly to highlight messages, news, visions, projects, strength & weakness of the United Body of the Kingdom of God. Inspired Shepherds come together monthly to write message etc for the community of God chosen. Every shepherd chosen, charged, and called by God (YHWH) to care for His flocks is officially a member. Shepherds serve as an ambassadors of the Kingdom of God , advocates for petitioning God for mankind, administrators for the handling and distributing the truth of God's Word and they need a watch tower on the hilltop to help them not to crash against the stones of temptations placed in their path by the Devil. This magazine is the shepherds’ consultant for wisdom and direction when it comes to how the work of the Kingdom of God is being carried out in different places around the world. It is also a confronter of the evil practices that are carried out in the name of the kingdom of God. It is no respecter of any particular doctrine, tradition, color, language, social status, or geographical locations. It is the voice for the united kingdom of God's body of workers in the vineyard here on earth. This magazine is the discussion leader of any topic concerning the kingdom of God and the warfare of God's people. Here you will see and post the work you do for the kingdom; however it should be clear that every work you see here is the responsibility/views of the writer who placed it there and not always necessarily the views of everyone. It is a medium to serve as an encourager for the shepherds around the world who are striving to get the truth of God's Word out even at a risk to their own families and lives. As a spotlight, we intend to also serve as a ground inspector of the work of every ministry we can and highlight their strengths and weaknesses. Shepherds, we say a big welcome to you and your flocks. Let this place be a companion and knowledge dispenser, a place where you can rest and discover your God given talents, your historian where you can view the past and log the present, the nurturer of your visions, your opportunities spotter, and critic.
I know many times when you are in the wrong and we speak about it, you might be hurt. Go home and pray about it, and please come for a second look. Partake and make this place a home away from home. Make this place a secret corner for airing your views and questions that have been bothering you for a long time. Please allow Shepherds Bugle to help you develop your ministries and broken lives. To date we are sharing the word in (67) nations of the world and nearly all of the major cities and towns in those countries as listed below : United State United Kingdom. Senegal Pakistan Germany Canada. India South Africa. Russia France Australia Nigeria. Ireland Ghana Philippines Uganda Burkina Faso. Kenya Trinidad and Tobago Sweden Ukraine Mexico Cameroon Israel Singapore Spain Hungary United Arab Emirates Czech Republic Cote D'Ivoire Malaysia Mauritius Saudi Arabia Norway China Italy. New Zealand Kuwait Luxembourg Switzerland Gambia Liberia Barbados Iceland Romania Macedonia Thailand Bahrain Turkey Indonesia Egypt Peru Estonia Colombia Argentina Mongolia Taiwan Poland Slovakia Belarus Morocco South Korea Ethiopia Antigua and Barbuda Netherlands Unknown - European Union TWO FLAGS WERE ADDED TO OUR OUTREACH IN JANUARY AND WE PRAISE GOD FOR REACHING THE WORD THERE : THEY ARE THE
BAHAMAS
AND CONGO
Unity is strength and if we are to ever reach the ends of the earth; penetrating every doctrine ,traditions ,creed, or religious belief with the living word of God , then we must united on all fronts. To date we are struggling to keep the touch burning. While the magazine is and will always be totally free of charge; we need the help of volunteers and finance to paid for electricity, housing etc. Your will contributions of any amount & prayers could go a long way to assist us.
The View from My Porch
DUELING By: Dr. Bernie L. Wade At one time it was legal for men to take up arms to settle arguments. This was called dueling. When a man refused to apologize for an insult he could face being challenged to a duel. While this is viewed from our modern vantage point as extreme, it was not without merit. A man was expected to be accountable for his actions, attitude and what he said. He was also responsible for what his wife and/or children might say. In the American West, if a man carried a gun and hurled insults he might well be called upon to use the gun to defend his actions. This made men conduct themselves in a more civil manner. While I am not advocating we return to dueling or gun fighting, I am appalled at our culture and how we have allowed people who have some public forum to insult others. Notice, we are not talking about perfect people. There is a forum for people who make mistakes or misspeak; it is call an apology. As Christians we are to ask forgiveness for impasses we make against our fellow man. Syndicated talk show host Rush Limbaugh recently demonstrated that even American’s number 1 talk show host (a man who claims to be right 97% of the time) apologized for an insult he hurled during his program.
However, there are a plethora of people who NEVER find the time or place to use such courtesy. These are not held to the same standards as the rest. While President Obama chided the insult made by Mr. Limbaugh, he ignored similar insults made by his major campaign donor and political hack, Bill Maher. Maher has hurled out personal insults on a variety of American citizen’s including Tim Tebow and Bristol Palin. He has also insulted Jesus Christ and Christians. However, Jesus Christ (like he did to Pontius Pilate) did not respond. Where has the carefulness gone in the people of America? Why has our general attitude of respect that was held toward one another gradually deteriorated to one of contempt? I would like to pretend that this attitude while prevalent in the world it is not in the church. However, that would not be true. Men and women who call themselves followers of Jesus Christ for some reason feel quite comfortable hurling insult at their fellow believer. I hear the words of Apostle John, “Brethren, these things should not be!” Let me encourage all of us to be careful what we say. Our children sing a song, “Oh, be careful little tongue what you say.” The song continues, “For the Father up above is looking down in love…” The bottom line, God is watching and listening and whether Bill Maher ever apologizes to the world for his terrible example as a human being, there will be a day of reckoning for all of us. There is coming a day when we will all have to stand before the King of all the earth and account for what we have done in this life, including what we say. Together let’s work to having a right spirit and not let our mouth sin against either our brother or our God.
REMEMBER YOU CAN CHOOSE TO BE THE APPLE OF GOD EYE OR THE APPLE OF SATAN DESIRE & AND WHICH EVER ROAD YOU CHOOSE DETERMINES YOUR FUTURE! I WANT TO WISH YOU WHAT YOU WISH YOUR SELF THE EASTER/PASSOVER SEASON + GOD UNMERITED GRACE & BLESSINGS WHICH CAN ONLY BRIGHTEN YOUR FUTURE IF YOU ACCEPT IT AND USE IT WISELY ! BISHOP STEVEN LIBERTY SR & THE SHEPHERDS FAMILY