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Welcome To Your Next Issue Of
Once we accept God as our Father, meaning we believe and accept Him our relationship with Him is established. Some people believe you can lose your salvation/relationship. We however, believe if you have truly accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, your salvation is secure. Now don't get confused you can go to church and never really have a relationship. Relationship is not determined by church attendance. We are talking about a real relationship, the type of relationship that those who have truly given their lives to Christ have, not a religious experience.
If you have a relationship God is your Father. The example that could be used here is similar to the example of a father/child relationship. At the time of our birth we have a biological father. That person will always be our biological father no matter what happens. That is relationship.
Fellowship unlike relationship can be broken. Fellowship can be broken by our behavior. We all have had a friend, co-worker or family member that at one time or another we stopped talking to or spending time with because of something that happened. Our relationship and fellowship with God is similar to that. Once we accept Him as our Lord and Savior in relationship that is permanent. But our fellowship can be separated by sin, bad behavior or disobedience.
The key issue to harmony with our Father is obedience. If we are obedient to our Father we will live in harmonious relationship with Him. Our relationship with God was forever settled when we were born into His family. The harmony or fellowship issue is another matter. When we obey God we live in harmony with Him. When we don't obey that harmony is disturbed. If we love God we strive to obey Him. Even when we are in disharmony because of our disobedience, our relationship with Him is not at stake, because, we are related by the blood of Jesus Christ. In Romans 8:35-39, the bible is clear it says, 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36As it is written,
"For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. Like a loving Father, He loves us even when we are disobedient. He is not happy with our bad behavior, but He still loves us.
Your relationship is set. The only thing you can do is improve the harmony of your relationship with God through your diligent efforts to obey Him.
You will know how to be obedient if you know what is required. Spend some time with Him in prayer, study of His Word and praise/worship to get to know Him better.
If the relationship we are talking about has escaped you. You have found yourself in church for years but not in relationship with the living God we encourage you to develop that relationship. It is not enough to know about Him or to have heard of Him, you need a personal relationship with Him.
Scripture:
Romans 8:35-39:
35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36As it is written,
(A) "For your sake(B) we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered."
37No, in all these things we are more than(C) conquerors through(D) him who loved us. 38For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
====> Angela Willingham, CEO New Beginnings Holistic Fitness Ministries, Inc. www.mynewtemple.org Copyright New Beginnings Holistic Fitness Ministries, Inc.
Announcements
Bible Quiz
1. Pentecost Sunday is celebrated in many churches to mark the coming of the Holy Spirit. In what form did the Holy Spirit come to Jesus' apostles?
- Seven horsemen
- Tongues of fire
- A voice from Heaven
2. What sound did the apostles hear just before the Holy Spirit came?
- A voice from the clouds
- Rushing wind
- Thunder
3. What happened to Jesus' disciples when the Holy Spirit descended on them?
- They began to speak in other tongues.
- Their faces shone like a bright light.
- Their robes shone like a bright light.
- They were taken up into Heaven.
4. Who acted as spokesman for the apostles on that day?
- Paul
- Peter
- Thomas
This cyst was about the size of a small egg. It was diagnosed and my parents were told that it would be a simple operation to remove it. We had the operation. Apparently some kind of liquid was still in the area, so the surgeon left a small drain tube right in the middle of the stitches to allow the stuff to drain out. Eventually the drain tube was removed but instead of sewing the hole up they allowed it to heal naturally.
I thought it was all over. But several weeks later, after the drain hole had healed, my neck began to swell up again. It would get about as large as it had before until the pressure would force open the weakened area where the drain had been, and then (yuck) all this fluid would come out. Over the course of nearly a year this took place over and over again.
My parents finally convinced me to allow them to take me to another doctor to find out what was going on. In a nut shell he said that apparently the first surgery didn't get it all and that if I didn't have a second surgery that this process would go on the rest of my life. I didn't want that but I didn't want my parents to go through the expense of another surgery (by the way, you'd think surgery would come with some kind of guarantee like other things we purchase wouldn't you?).
I went to the Lord about it and prayed. In short, the place broke open one more time allowing all the liquid to drain out and guess what . . . it healed up and never happened again. I'd say that was a miracle.
In the book of John seven wonderful miracles of Jesus were recorded that illustrate some truths about Him. First of all we see in John 2:1-11 that He changed water into wine. In chapter 4 He healed the son of an officer. The great thing about this one was that the boy wasn't even in the presence of Jesus but a whole town away. In chapter 5 He healed a man who had been lame for thirty-eight years. And in chapter 6 He fed a large multitude of people with only five barley loaves and two small fish. All these show us just who Jesus is: The very Son of God!
Then in John 6 we read about Jesus walking on the water. In chapter 9 He healed a man who had been born blind, and in chapter 11 He brought Lazarus back to life after he had been dead for three days. These all demonstrate His power over nature.
These are indeed mighty miracles. I'm sure that most of us have a few situations in our lives, whether sickness and disease, or circumstances where we could use some power over nature, in which we would welcome a miracle. I believe that Jesus still works miracles today. I believe that He has and wants to do great things for His people.
But you know, each and every day we experience miracles we may know nothing about. For instance, we get behind a slow moving vehicle that aggravates the heck out of us. We fuss and carry on about it impatiently trying to find an opening in the traffic that will allow us to pass. But did you ever consider that the seconds or minutes we've been delayed behind that slow-poke may have saved us from a terrible accident on up the road? Every day I believe that God protects us from things we think nothing about and are oblivious to. The magnificent seven miracles in the Gospel of John were mighty and show us that Jesus Christ is the very Son of God and that He has power over all situations, circumstances and even nature herself. But He also has power over the unseen, the unexpected and blind areas of everyday life, and those belong up there with the magnificent too.
Are You Out For You?
====> Annagail Lynes is the author of several Christian ebooks. From inspiring devotionals to e-books on how to unlock your potential, from e-books on how and who to date to those on how your success is in your daily routine, these e-books are chock full of information, Scripture and truth. Order them today http://astore.amazon.com/visionhopenew-20
Also to read her daily blog, go to http://annagaillynes.wordpress.com
Don't you feel silly when you are searching desperately for something and it suddenly appears right in front of your eyes? Maybe your eye glasses were discovered on top of your head!
Know what is really frustrating? That is when things you believe are missing are found exactly where they should be! Admittedly it is in desperation where we look last! Maybe perfectionists do not have these problems, but I am not very organized. My husbands' famous words are repeated often in our home, "You'll find it when you're not looking for it." As Gary Cooper would say, "Yep'!"
Book stores and library shelves are filled with books on self help, psychology and professional advice. For answers to personal problems and broken relationships people grasp at straws. We do all need help and seek solutions somewhere. Maybe we confidently turn to family or friends? At times hurting men and women are too ashamed to confide in anyone. So, an author who claims to have all the answers tucked away between the front and back covers is a safe choice.
The obvious can be invisible to us and we are just clueless to reality. Sometimes we just need some one to lovingly point it out to us. God asks, " Can you hear me now?" "
The Lord is near ( clear as the nose on your face) all who call out to Him ( pray, ask for help, share your problems and questions) all who call out to Him with integrity ( honest questions and seeking). He fulfills the desires ( according to what He knows is best for us) of those who fear Him ( revere, respect and honor Him). He hears their cry (listens attentively) for help and will save them.
( delivers and rescues)
(Psalms 145:18-19 HCS)
God asks "Can you see me now"? I am right here waiting for you to confide in Me. Don't refuse His counsel. He invites you into His private chambers.
I am a wife of over 40 years, mother and proud granny. I was born in N.Y. State, currently reside in central AL. With a past career in Radio announcing our family lived across the nation, later worked in the child care ministry. Now, I am living the dream of writing. All things are possible! - Pam Davis
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Time
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Although I do have clocks in the house I have not worn a watch for over 15 years; either lost or broken. Strangely enough, I still have no desire to wear a watch. I do not have schedules of time-keeping as in the past. God has slowed me down so I can listen to Him and not rush from one meeting or job. I came out of the 'rat race' 11 years ago. There is much more meaning and purpose now that God is in control.
We are bombarded with words and phrases about time; they are thrust upon us every waking hour. TV, magazines, adverts, films, even the conversations we have with our colleagues and friends too. 'It's your time now', 'Spend time just for you', 'time is of the essence', 'haven't got time' etc it goes on and on.
Structure is considered to be of the essence to live a good life, school timetables, church meetings, work. Time for your children and family has in recent years proved more and more difficult. Materialism has taken over our very existence, even within religious establishments God has been pushed out.
I thought about this question of time and was drawn yet again to the book of Genesis and who started and created time.
"And God called the light Day and the darkness Night And the evening and the morning were the first day" Genesis 1 v 5
God not only made the first day but the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and then rested, after His work on the seventh. God has set the rhythm and measure of time whilst we live on earth not to hinder us but to help us.
The dictionary explanation for time is past, present and future as a continual whole. We may not understand it but we experience it every day. We see the hands of the clock going round and before we know it we have moved from the past, living in the present and the future all at the same time.
Timing is everything, if we get it wrong then our whole day or even well made plans are jeopardised.
Jesus knew His appointed time. He predicted His own life and events, he knew at what point he would depart.
"Then Jesus said unto them my time is not yet come: but your time is always ready" John 7 v 6
"These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come". John 8 v 20
Jesus knew of His destiny do you know yours?
Are you living in Gods time frame or your own.
The bible is crystal clear that an end is coming. Time will not drift into oblivion but will end. The devil knows his time is short.
We do not know when we are going to be born or when we are going to die but God does. Our lives have already been accounted for by God himself.
The human race is panicking because underneath the fear of death is there. But Jesus came to show us that there is eternal life.
"The Lord is not.. Willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" 2 Peter 3:9
Jesus did not come to earth just to leave us here but to take us home, to heaven to be with the Father but we have to admit that we have sinned and gone our own way. Jesus came for salvation and salvation alone, why? Because He loves us so much.
The clock is ticking, time is running out and God is calling you, with love.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life". John 3 v 16
There is eternal life at the end of our earthly life.
The dictionary meaning of eternal means, everlasting, endless, immortal, timeless, indestructible, imperishable and lasting.
Jesus died on the cross, took our sins in great pain and then came back to life to show the world of His great love, that there is life everlasting for those that believe.
"Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen". 1 Tim 1 v 17
shofar girl
JAnnJulyan@...
This is what the LORD says: "In the time of my favor I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances, to say to the captives, 'Come out,' and to those in darkness, 'Be free!' "They will feed beside the roads and find pasture on every barren hill. (Isaiah 49:8-9 NIV)
Beautiful One, what do you do when the direction you've been heading takes an unexpected turn? How do you navigate your way through life when you feel like your lost and in unfamiliar territory?
Have you ever had one of those days where you just wish you never got out of bed? You wake up and nothing seems to go right. To top it off, your late. Really late. You grab your keys. Spill your coffee. You manage to make it out the door but you know you forgot something. Just don't know what. Yet.....
You're driving and encounter every red light possible. You miraculously manage to get behind every slow driver on the road. You're in a hurry, impatient, and completely stressed out.
Then, as if it can't get any worse, you notice that the road you're on has a detour. You cannot go the way you had planned. Instead, you are led in a different direction. Ultimately the detour will get you to where you're supposed to go. Just not the way you had thought, or in the time you allowed.
Life can be that way. Our life's journey sometimes looks like the above scenario. It is said that "all roads lead to somewhere." But, what happens when your road leads to nowhere; a dead end? Or, the road is so bumpy that it gives you a flat tire and leaves you stranded by the roadside. What happens when you unknowingly take a wrong turn and you end up in a place that looks nothing like what you expected?
What do you do?
Beautiful One, who has been able to answer these questions effectively? Each of us is unique, as are the bumps, holes, and detours we encounter along our own way. What works for nim or her, may not work for you or me.
When we encounter roads that are long and hard, we need to remember we are just passing through. This is a season, not our identity.
We think that we are the ones who have gotten ourselves to where we are. The truth is; God is the Master Orchestrator behind the scenes; pulling the strings in the affairs in our lives (even when we are lost in the dark or on some deserted road.) God is there and He knew our path and destination before we did.
God has ordered our very steps. He helped us in the past and He's not about to change now. Whether it's our darkest hour, when we feel like we've failed, we don't know our way or when we're panicked - He is there!
In the time of His favor, He will answer us and tell us things we didn't know. He continuously teaches and trains each of us in the issues of life daily. . .even when life's not going our way.
When plans have been made and dreams were given breath, there is hope and great excitement. But, sometimes opposition, circumstances, and people tag along for the ride and it doesn't go as smoothly as one hoped for. In fact, the opposition can become so great that it distracts us and we miss a turn or make the wrong one.
The good news is; we have the power and ability in Christ, to turn around anytime.
When life turns on us, it can catch us off guard. How many go to a job they love, only to go one day and it's no longer there? Two people fall in love and say, "I do" only to discover only one of them meant it. A doctor's report comes, but it's not good. A misunderstanding occurs and a relationship is severed. An opportunity overlooks you and lands in someone else's lap.
Beautiful One, we may not understand the "whys in life." That's OK. It would be too much information to process anyway.
What we do need to understand is that we have a Great God. He has mapped out our roads long before we ever embarked on our journey. God is like our very own personal GPS (global positioning system) system. If we go too fast, He slows us down. If we miss our exit, He gets us to another one. When we are lost, He comforts and guides us. When there is danger, He protects us. When we encounter people and pick them up without discernment or discretion, God is faithful to help us out of any alliance that is harmful if we follow His guidance.
Beautiful One, maybe the road your on right now is closed or broken. Maybe there is sorrow. Maybe you feel like nothing will ever change.
That is a lie.
No matter what your road looks like and what you are dealing with, remember that you have a Great High Priest who knows every detail of your life. He even knows the things you don't. Christ walked through everyone of your issues, joys, and sorrows two thousand years ago. And, He overcame them all so that you can too.
Beautiful One, just believe. All roads do lead to somewhere. May your road lead you to the One who made it.
Shannon Heiden
shannonheiden@...
changingonelifereachingmany.typepad.com
Psalm 71:15-18 "I will make mention of Thy righteousness, even of Thine only. O God, Thou hast taught me from my youth, and hitherto have I declared Thy wondrous works. Now also when I am old and gray headed, O God, forsake me not; until I have showed Thy strength unto this generation, and Thy power to every one that is to come." (KJV)
These verses convict my heart each time I read them. Some days when I'm running on all four cylinders and singing "Zip-ah-dee-doo-dah", I must admit I totally forget to consult with the great "I AM". However, "HE IS" has a way of transporting me back from "somewhere over the rainbow," and reconnecting my spirit with the things eternal. Avidly I catch hold of them, absorb them into my spirit and offer them out to the world. A taste of His sweetness perhaps will make heaven more real to others than ever could be imagined. People need to see God "with clothes on", in our actions, words, and hearts, in order to grasp the great Hope eternal life in heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior and King.
An old saying goes: "Success is not counted by how high you have climbed, but by how many you have brought with you." This can surely apply to our spiritual walk with our heavenly Father.
Father, do not forsake us! Enable us, transform us; grant us renewal, a deeper spiritual perception so You may be glorified and lifted up for all to see and believe. Help us remember that others are watching us, and as we live out our allotted time here on earth, we're building bridges for those who have yet to cross over.
Jeanne E. Webster
This Christian lady is a freelance writer of 40+ years, published in the Decision Magazine, editor of a monthly newsletter for widows, and authored her first E-book. She writes verse, articles, children's stories, and is a proficient proofreader.
http://www.faithwriters.co
Spiritual DNA
Jody Goode
I got a glimpse of a new image of truth the other night as I was writing a friend and then woke up the following morning with 'more on the subject'...
... As I write I have been given an explanation as I have never seen it before (I hope I can explain it in the same degree) ... Just as Christ was God and Man as He walked this earth because the Spirit of God was actually half of His DNA - conceived by the Holy Spirit - so are we, once we believe. When we are reborn in Christ, we, too, are conceived by the Holy Spirit. We are walking in our humanness, but are invaded in our spirit with the Spirit of God. That is why faith cannot be faked - maybe for awhile, but if it is not truly of God, it will eventually fade away. This is wonderful news of Hope. None of us would be struggling so hard if the Faith we have is not truly of God because the enemy of our souls would not look twice at us because there would be no threat!
And God says, "by George, I think she's got it :)"
Yes, God is still on the Throne and He is my Faith - I cannot fail. He cannot deny Himself.
The next day I awoke with my mind pondering the subject and the Lord faithfully expounded upon it ...
Jesus walked as a perfect being because He was conceived by the Holy Spirit yet born of Mary so that He might walk this earth; this is why He is our perfect example to look to and reflect in our lives. We could never be looked upon by God the way He looked upon His only Son because of the sin that stained us until He paved the way to the Throne as He did. How did He do that? On the Cross, Christ, our Savior, laid aside His Holy DNA and took on our sin and brought it with Him to the grave. Was He wholly man when He made this sacrifice? Is that what was meant when with His last breath He proclaimed, 'Unto Thee, Father, do I commend My Spirit'? Is that why God was not (or could not be) with Him when He descended into Hell - because He no longer dwelled within? What faith He had in His Father to bring Him back Home to dwell with Him,so that He may be once again seated at His right Hand - was Christ, in essence, reborn at that moment, just as we are called to be, when His Father called Him back from Hell? Was the moment He gave up His Divine Spirit on the Cross and decended into Hell the real moment He came to us as we are? I had always considered the moment He was born as a babe in the manger as the moment He came to dwell with us, but until the Cross, He was an alien in a foreign land sanctified by the Spirit of God. But we dwell in Hell and Death and have since 'the Fall' - we are truly the walking dead. No, I believe the difference came when Christ came to where we were and defeated Death in order to give us the opportunity of New Life, thus, of course, salvation coming in the resurrection and the empty tomb. By example, even for our Savior, salvation came as a gift of Grace through Faith from the Father because Christ laid down His Divine Spirit before descending and truly relied on the Father to resurrect Him into His renewed Life of Glory. There truly is not one thing our Savior has not experienced that He asks us to! What love He had for us when He gave up everything just so we could share in the Inheritance that was solely, justly, wholly His! He had EVERYTHING and He chose to share it all willingly and obediently.
I have such new clarity regarding my salvation and the idea of being crucified with Christ and rising with Him into new life - reborn - conceived of the Holy Spirit. At that very moment, eternal life begins, an alien in a foreign land, death defeated, a true child of God - forever!
This may not be exactly how it was but with this explanation I feel I understand my salvation a little bit better and all I can say is - Wow.
Jody R Goode ~ Servant of God writing and sharing His words of inspiration. Copyright 2009, www.EvangelicalPoetry.com. All rights reserved.
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