Hello precious friends and readers,
We hope and pray that you are all well kept by our Dear Lord. We are glad to share with you our 13th Good News Magazine. Jeremiah 17:9-10 says, The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
How true God’s Word is! We are all much more inclined to sin than to righteousness. However, the problem doesn’t lie in our genes, our blood, or our physical makeup. Our physical body is not the problem – the HEART is the problem! We cannot blame our tendency to sin on a bad gene we inherited from our parents because that simply isn’t true! Look at what Jesus said in Matthew. 15:18-19:
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
Your body is not really you. Your body is the temporary house you live in while on this earth. It is made of dust and it will return to the dust when you are finished with it. The body is simply the means God gave us to function in and experience this physical world. The body has no will of its own. The body does not make decisions and choices. However, the body does need some things. It needs food and water. It needs to be cleaned and comforted. It needs rest. God created a mechanism for the body to let us know when it needs something. It is called natural desire or “lust.”
These are natural desires that God gave us so that we can respond and take care of the needs of the body. These desires work through the five senses – sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell. The soul that lives in the body is the one who makes the decisions and choices about what the body gets to look at, to consume, to listen to, or to experience. Your soul finds pleasure in fulfilling these natural desires. Everyone likes to eat. Everyone likes to be comfortable. Everyone likes anything that “feels good.” God made us that way and then He designed all of creation so we could take care of those physical needs, and enjoy it while we did it. But for our own good, God put boundaries around all of these desires and their fulfillment. The problem arises when the desire for these things becomes so consuming that we disregard God’s boundaries and directions.
James 1:15 clearly indicates that when lust hath conceived, or has taken control, it brings forth sin. When our lusts run out of control sin will be the result.
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Lust is a matter of the heart. The body is the vehicle through which we experience it. It isn’t that our body is demanding it, it is the fact that the affections of our heart are set on it. People eat when they aren’t even hungry. They buy things they do not need. They seek for that in which they can take pleasure because they are lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. It isn’t sinful to meet your needs, but when lust goes beyond that and becomes the driving force of your life you are in trouble. Scripture bears witness to the fact that lust is an issue of the heart:
Psalms. 81:12, So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels. And Romans 1:24 puts it this way, Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Sin is a matter of the heart and it is a moral issue, not a physical issue. It is not a physical trait passed from parent to child.
Ezekiel 18:20, The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
The Bible tells us that every man will give account of HIMSELF to God. A just God will not charge anyone with someone else’s sin. He will never transfer someone else’s guilt to you. All of us have made some choices in life or are yet to make. To live right with God or to reject Him. It’s a free will.
When we are sinners, sin controls our lives. We are in bondage and must be delivered if we are ever going to be free from it. That is why God sent a Saviour! Jesus came to “take away the sins of His people.” He came to “set the captives free!” He came to deliver us from ourselves and the mess we've made of the clean vessel God gave us to start with. Titus 2:11-12, For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
I am not denying that man is prone to sin. I am saying that the tendency to sin is of our own making and sometimes we might not realize that we sinned. It is a matter of the heart and not a matter of the physical body.
But the Good News is that, God has not turned away from us. His truth is stronger than what we are feeling. His grace is going to keep us standing.
In the past we made some great choices and some really bad ones. We can also see the sin in this broken world is truly a stumbling block. Praise God for taking all of it and making something beautiful of our lives! When we mentally recount all the really difficult times in our past, we can also see how God intentionally grew you most as a disciple during those same times. You realized when the going got tough; you got going—to the arms of God. And why is it so? Because we are only strongest when we are weakest as the apostle Paul so aptly said.
SPIRITUAL HEARTBEAT
Okay, Bottom Line...What's Your Spiritual Heartbeat Like?
Marvin J. Rosenthal wrote, “You say you are a true believer- you have trusted the Lord Jesus as your Savior from sin. You rightly understand that salvation is a free gift of God. You are a citizen of Heaven, and heir of glory. You attend a good church. You have a measure of spiritual discernment. You lament the wickedness of our day. You long for Christ's return in power and glory to judge this sinful world and bring in a golden age of righteousness. You want desperately to see the wolf lie down with the lamb, and the weapons of warfare made into weapons for farming. And, having set your hands to the plow in your commitment to Christ, you do not look back. All of the above is great, highly commendable, right on target – praise the Lord! But might something still be lacking?”
That's something each one of us need to look inward and evaluate for ourselves...like a spiritual self-evaluation. It has been my experience that my walk with the Lord is different today at the age of 51 than it was when I was 21. I still have the same love for the Lord that I always had, if not more. I still have a zeal for telling others about Christ, sharing what His finished work on the cross has done in my life and can do in the lives of others. I still have the willing heart to do what the Lord requires of me. And yet, in some ways, this has changed. Some parts have intensified, while others have diminished slightly. But this is me I'm talking about. Now, I want to challenge you; So, when it comes to your spiritual heartbeat, where is the bottom line?
We as humans have the ability to be whatever someone needs us to be. On Sunday, we can be a God fearing Christian and mean it most sincerely! On Monday, on the inside, we are still that Christian, at heart, however, our actions don't really have to reflect it as much because this group of people we're with don't expect it from us...until Wednesday night, because that's prayer meeting night, and they DO expect it from us. But that's okay, because we can go right back to being who we were on Thursday until Sunday comes around again. That, my friend, is a diseased heart.
Yes, we all sin. But the bottom line is, how can our spiritual heart expect to keep thumping if we're constantly stopping it then starting it. Stopping it again, starting it again. A human heart wouldn't exist very long if we kept doing that. It would become damaged...as does our spiritual heart. By “heart” I mean our character. I mean our reputation. I mean what we do when no one but the Lord is watching. Are we the same person? Do we do the same things? Or do we stop our heart, then start it back up again because it’s time for church, or we meet up with other Christians? This is something serious we all need to consider.
If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and have truly yielded your life completely over to Him, I'd like you to answer some questions...some very hard questions that I have to ask myself. No one need know how you answer them except for you and the Lord.
Do you read God's word daily? Not just to get through it, but devouring it like a wet sponge...thirsting for the truths contained therein as you did when you were first saved?
How is your prayer life? Do you passionately converse with the Lord as though He were sitting right next to you sharing with Him, loving Him, thanking Him for all He's done in your life, pleading with Him for the souls that don't know Him yet? Or is it more like a shopping list you run down to hurry and get out of the way...like giving thanks before a meal when you are really hungry as opposed to when you're not so hungry and can take the time to include a couple of more items on your list?
Do you have a passion, a burning in your breast burden for those who don’t know the Lord? Are you seeking opportunities to share with others? Are you sharing what the Lord has done in your life and how He can do the same for them? Are you making available situations to confront, out of love, those who need Him so very much? Or do you just whisper a prayer every now and then for those “in general” who don't know the Lord to come to the Lord?
Now is the time for real honesty. Not a report that you have to fill out and send back to me, but a deep down look inside your heart, and with all the honesty you can muster, look at where you were when you were first saved, and where you are now. Was there a time when sharing your faith, your love for the Lord was the one and only first priority passion in your life? When you were so very thrilled with every single thing you learned was just pounding and bursting in your breast until you had the chance to share it with others convinced in your heart that it would affect them the same way...that your love and desire, your passion, what drove you would shine through so brightly that people couldn't help but want the same thing. I ask you, where is it now? Do you listen to a sermon and come away with such a feeling of filling, life-giving fulfillment as fresh and new as the morning dew? Or is it more of a, “Praise the Lord...good sermon, pastor.” ...and the very next thought is where do we go for dinner? Let me ask you this...was there a time when the very thought of Heaven caused your soul to soar and the reality of Hell was, for you, a genuine fearful realization that people you love are going there unless YOU do something about it? Or are we content to put money in the plate for missionaries to do it and still feel we're doing our part?
What has happened to our heart for the Lord?
Any number of things could have happened. We could have become weary in well doing. We could have just burned out because of years of repetition of doing things out of tradition, whereas we started with a heart full of fervor and zeal for the Lord, but it became a habit. Perhaps circumstances in life became either a distraction or became painful for us. So to turn our hearts away from where it once was is much easier than dealing with the realization that we've turned our hearts so far away and would be too painful to reconcile and return. Or maybe it’s just as simple as, along with the general “Christian” populace, we've become contented with being lukewarm. No matter what reason, we need not be content with status quo.
Now is the time to get a good physical from God's word. Taking a look, not from opinion, but from the Bible alone, let's find out all we can about our heart.
Proverbs 4:20-21 - “My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.” We need to keep our eyes in God's word constantly. We also need to keep His words before our eyes...write out special verses on 3x5 cards or post-it notes and place them in places where we know we will see them often. When our eyes are focused on Him, they will be in our heart!
Proverbs 4:23 - “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Remembering that our heart is the very core of who we are, we need to keep it protected. For if we don't, it’s going to affect EVERY aspect of our life. That is why it is so very essential to keep our hearts with all diligence, all the time, every waking moment.
Proverbs 23:7 - “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” What we are inwardly is what we are...period! It is the core of who we are. And according to Jesus Christ, God became flesh, who we are and what we are capable of is NOT a nice picture.
Matthew 15:18-20 - “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies; These are the things which defile a man...”. These evil activities don't just appear out of no where...they come deep-seeded from the heart...they rise from the very bottom of an evil heart...our heart if it is not kept with all diligence and protected by the word of God kept ever before our eyes! We are capable of anything; the Lord tells us...it is the Holy Spirit and the word of God that restrains this heart of ours.
All this being said, we see just how diseased our heart truly is. So what is the cure? The Lord gives us that in His word as well. We're told one step at a time what needs to be done in our hearts to make sure it’s the kind of heart the Lord wants us to have; A healthy, protected, guarded, cleaned and purified heart.
Psalm 51:1-12 - “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness; according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions; and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when though speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts; and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness...Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquites. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take no thy holy spirit from me, Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation...”. I don't believe this requires any explanation as the Lord made it simple and plain and clear so that anyone and everyone can know what needs to be done!
Psalm 73:26 - “My flesh and my heart faileth; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever.” We can't trust our hearts. Left to our own strength, we will fail. But if we give our hearts over to the Lord and trust Him and His strength over our hearts, we have nothing to fear.
All this being said, how can we be sure that we have a spiritually healthy heart? The Lord assures us in Proverbs 23:26 - “My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.” It doesn't get any clearer than that!
So, what have you done to protect your heart? I'm sure you may well have done much to exercise and protect your body, but what about your heart? Not your physical heart, but your spiritual heart? What are the things you have allowed to influence your mind which affects your heart? Proper heart protection does NOT just happen. We must “exercise ourselves rather unto godliness” (1 Timothy 4:7), and determine that by the means of the grace God has bestowed upon us, the words that God has divinely given us, prayer, studying and meditating on the things of Christ, praising Him through song, testimony or evangelizing, and Christian fellowship, by these things, we will keep our hearts spiritually healthy and only for Him.
Amen & Amen.
SAME OLD HABIT
I have heard many times people who try to put an ungodly habit behind them, only to fall again soon after. Feelings of guilt can lead to a renewed commitment to never do something again. But the very next day, the cycle repeats itself as we give in to the same temptations. Our defeat leaves us wondering, what’s wrong with me? Our despair at repeated failure produces a sense of hopeless resignation and confusion. We want to know, Lord, why can’t I change?
All of us have experienced the problem of wanting to honor God and yet reverting back to old, sinful ways almost immediately. Isn’t the Christian life supposed to be more liberating and victorious than this? After all, 2 Cor. 5:17 says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” Why, then, does habitual sin take hold of us? Wasn’t Christ supposed to change all this? If we are new creations, why do we still act like old ones? So how do we shake free from our sinful behaviors?
First, we need to examine the way change occurs in the Christian life. Salvation is an instantaneous work of God, which happens the moment we receive Jesus as Savior. But from that point on, we enter a continual process of transformation called sanctification. The Lord’s goal is to mold us into the image of Christ, but this process requires our cooperation. That’s what the Bible means when it says in Phil. 2:12, Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. If we neglect this responsibility, we’ll find ourselves struggling with the same issues over and over again. But if we submit to the Holy Spirit, He’ll exert His influence in every area of our lives. Old sinful habits will pass away and be replaced with new godly behavior.
If we ever need to live for Jesus, then we must accept change and transformation. Becoming the people God created us to be is an inside-out process. Because our thoughts govern each area of our lives—emotions, decisions, actions, attitudes, and words, any lasting transformation must begin with the mind. If all we want is to modify our conduct, we’ll never experience long term success in our walk with Christ. What we need is a new way of thinking.
This can be accomplished only by what the Bible calls renewing the mind. Romans 12:2, And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. It’s not a sudden transformation but a lifelong process.
We are what we think. We are all a reflection of whatever we’ve been thinking throughout the years. From early on, we are taught to respond to situations in a certain way, with a particular response pattern, and this impacts every area of our lives. In some cases, we can see how people’s expressions reveal the way their minds have developed throughout their lifetime—etching continuous worry, pain, and guilt on their faces.
Take a look in the mirror. Do you see the joy of Christ in your eyes? Or are the destructive effects of sin betrayed by your appearance? The good news is that whatever your thoughts have been in the past, God can teach you to think differently. He gives His Holy Spirit to lead you through a process that produces real healing and lasting change.
God calls us to be watchful and guard our minds at all times. If we don’t, worldly values and purposes will subtly creep in and influence our lives. Whenever we allow ourselves to be conformed to the world, the Enemy gains a foothold in our thinking. And the more we yield to those thoughts, the stronger his hold becomes.
We must wisely choose which thoughts we will accept and which ones we’ll reject. It’s not enough just to resist the Enemy’s lies; we must also deliberately fill our mind with truth from God’s Word. Jesus used this technique when Satan tempted Him in the wilderness. He countered each challenge with Scripture, saying “It is written . . .” When we are ready with a verse that refutes one of satan’s falsehoods, we have the most powerful spiritual ammunition possible.
So consider: How diligent have you been about guarding your mind? Have you permitted the world to influence your thoughts? Or are you allowing God’s Word to shape your reasoning and values? An unengaged mind is an open invitation for sin. If you’re distracted, having trouble praying or reading the Bible, your thoughts are not where they should be.
Perhaps you feel as if you’re the rope in a tug of war between God and sin, constantly being pulled in two opposing directions. Don’t beat yourself up when you fail. Rather, confess and repent as quickly as possible 1John 1:9, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. During those times, remember that you are engaged in a long process, and that you cannot renew your own mind. Trying harder and making promises to God will only discourage you, because in your own strength, you will never be able to change. True transformation is the work of the Holy Spirit and it takes time. Therefore, submit to His leading, heed His warnings, and obey God’s voice.
May the Lord help us all fill our mind with Scripture, focusing on the Lord’s character, ways, and commands. May He help us resist temptation and flee from it by understanding the thoughts and feelings that trigger a sinful response in us!
Let’s check the source of our thoughts, are they from God, our flesh, the world, or Satan? But one more thing is certain, relying on the Holy Spirit will empower us to resist sin and break free from its bondage.
As believers, we can expect this process of transformation to continue until we reach heaven; however, the important issue is that we begin today.
Just as your area of struggle began with one act of yielding to temptation, so your path to victory can begin with one act of submission to God. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, start saying no to thoughts that don’t belong in a believer’s life. At the same time, say yes to appropriate thoughts. When you fill your mind with truth from God’s Word, you’ll gain discernment and be able to more readily identify the thoughts and feelings that cause you to sin.
As you persevere in choosing which thoughts to allow, the bondage of sin will diminish and your mind will be renewed. This transformation, which began internally, will now be worked out externally as behavior changes. When you think right, you’ll act right. Areas of your life that you were powerless to adjust on your own will be refashioned. And Christ’s victorious life will be beautifully demonstrated through you so that others will see and be drawn to Him.
Therefore, let’s all put to death the selfish, sinful nature by repentance to purity. Jesus leads us out of the world, one step at a time, showing us what to give up, and teaching us how to live. The end result is purity and then the return of Christ in His glory with His Kingdom of everlasting peace and joy.
CREATIVE WRITINGS
Heartbeat- By Cindy Wyatt
Sometimes hearts beat slow
and then sometimes fast
People get so scared
they end up at the ER at last
Doctors do EKGs
and look at the monitor sheet
But no one knows but God
when your heart will stop to beat
You are only just a heartbeat
away from eternity
Do you know Jesus Christ
for your eternal security
One day your heart will stop beating
and you know not when
If you want to go to Heaven
trust Jesus while you can
Don't wait until another day
because that is not the safe way
Today is the day of salvation
is what the bible does say
Tomorrow could be too late
if your heart stops to beat at any rate
You must prepare for your eternity now
before it is too late
Once your heart beats the last time
you will go to Heaven or Hell
Jesus bled and died to pay for our sins
is what the bible does tell
The people who are saved will go to Heaven
when their heart stops beating
So accept Jesus as your savior
since this earthly life is quick and fleeting
Please come to the Dear Savior now
before it is too late
You don't know what will be
on tomorrow's calendar date
EENIE MEENIE MINIE MO - By Marion Webster
Eenie meenie minie mo
When you die, where will you go ?
It’s not a gamble and it’s not by chance
It depends on where you make your stance
In your hand, you hold two keys
You’re free to pick the one you please
With one to Heaven you will go
The other leads to .. well you know
The Bible says there’s just ONE way
No matter what we think, or say
Heaven is Holy and God keeps it pure
Our sins can not get through the door
A penalty for sin must be paid
From the beginning that law was laid
But God provided a way for us
And it’s that way, I’d like to discuss
He sent His Son for our sins to die
He loves us that much, but I don’t know why
He suffered and died on the cross that day
The price for our sins He’d willingly pay
Jesus is one of the keys you hold
Accept Him as Savior before you grow old
Invite Him into your heart today
The Bible says that’s the only way
Eenie Meenie Minie Mo
When you die where will you go ?
COLD - By Marion Webster
It’s eight degrees outside my home
The fire is burning, but it still feels cold
Terribly Cold
My daughter lies with fever raging .Her
teeth chatter, her body shivers, she’s cold
So cold
Relationships once sweet and warm
have turned around and become sour and cold
Bitterly Cold
A baby whose flesh and blood are my own
suffers a birth defect.. My heart’s growing cold
Sadly Cold
I cry out to the Lord with my frigid requests
He understands but my prayers are still cold
Icy Cold
Lord I’m hurting so deeply, I need to warm up
Let the warmth return…never more to grow cold
Dreaded Cold
I know Spring will come in my life once again
and I'll bask in the warmth and not think about cold
Forgotten Cold
The warmth of God’s Son can cover the cold of the cruel hard world if we trust Him to.
TESTIMONY
SAVED AS A CHILD, CONVINCED AS AN ADULT - By Jerry Senese
Growing up in a home where my mother was a born again Christian, however my father was not. Needless to say, this was conflicting. My dad really didn't have any interest at all in spiritual things, so he had no problem with my mother's choice of spiritual influence on my life. I can never remember a time when I didn't attend some Sunday School or church as a child.
Most were non-denominational or Baptist in doctrine. Like most children raised under the influence of a Christian parent, the need of my salvation was made known to me. My mother shared scripture with me such as John 3:16, Acts 16:31 and 1 John 1:9. Not a lot of emphasis was placed on Hell, more emphasis was placed on pleasing the Lord. I knew at this age, this is what I wanted and needed to do. That I was a sinner that needed my sins forgiven,
but I had no way of doing this on my own except by trusting that Jesus paid my sin debt on the cross. Nothing I could do other than to trust Jesus alone for salvation would accomplish this.
As many people who were saved at a young age often find themselves
without the specifics of an exact day or time, I also found myself in this place. This was further complicated by well meaningful, good intentioned people doing their best to ensure that young children hear and understand at their level, the Gospel message. As I began to grow a little older, I then became a bit uncertain as I began to hear teachings such as "if you can't remember a time or a date that you accepted the Lord, you're not saved."
With this concern, I then began to question if I truly was saved. It was at this time, that I met my future wife at the age of 16, that we discussed this quite often. I shared these concerns with her, and she shared with me how she too had accepted the Lord as her Savior at a very young age, meant it sincerely with her whole heart, but also had the same questions and concerns as she matured spiritually. She also shared that 2 women at her church explained in a more mature way, the true Gospel of salvation and all that it entailed, and it was at this time, in April of 1972 that she decided to rededicate her life to Christ and was baptized in June. The more I thought about this, I too wanted that 100% assurance and understanding fully what this entailed, in my senior year of high school, I re-committed my life to Christ and was baptized shortly after. I have no doubts in my mind whatsoever, that I was not saved as a young child. I knew that if I were to die, because of what Jesus did for me, I would be in Heaven with Him.
Since that point, I've come to realize that with each set of Biblical truths that you learn, and accept as truth, the Lord then provides you with more truth. There are some who believe that once you accept Christ as your Savior, commit your life completely to Him, and live for Him to the best of your ability, the Lord will bless you beyond all measure. And to an extent, this is true...but on a spiritual level, not a physical level as were this to be true, my life would exhibit the complete opposite to be true. I don't have health, I don't have prosperity, I don't have "things", my life is not an easy one by any stretch of the imagination. However, spiritually speaking, I have been blessed beyond all measure as the Lord is faithful to His word.
I have joy...even in the midst of all this. I have contentment...no matter what I go through. The life we live here on earth is not promised anywhere in scripture to be a "happy or prosperous" one, in fact, it’s the opposite. However, the Lord does promise us joy...and in Him...we have joy overflowing! Without having the Lord to go to, to depend upon, His faithfulness to rely upon, there is no way my wife or I could make it in this life. Praise God, this world is NOT my Home!
THE GOOD NEWS MAGAZINE 12TH EDITION-1ST
JANUARY 2015
Hello precious friends and readers,
We hope and pray that you are all well kept by our Dear Lord. We are glad to share with you our 13th Good News Magazine. Jeremiah 17:9-10 says, The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
How true God’s Word is! We are all much more inclined to sin than to righteousness. However, the problem doesn’t lie in our genes, our blood, or our physical makeup. Our physical body is not the problem – the HEART is the problem! We cannot blame our tendency to sin on a bad gene we inherited from our parents because that simply isn’t true! Look at what Jesus said in Matthew. 15:18-19:
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
Your body is not really you. Your body is the temporary house you live in while on this earth. It is made of dust and it will return to the dust when you are finished with it. The body is simply the means God gave us to function in and experience this physical world. The body has no will of its own. The body does not make decisions and choices. However, the body does need some things. It needs food and water. It needs to be cleaned and comforted. It needs rest. God created a mechanism for the body to let us know when it needs something. It is called natural desire or “lust.”
These are natural desires that God gave us so that we can respond and take care of the needs of the body. These desires work through the five senses – sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell. The soul that lives in the body is the one who makes the decisions and choices about what the body gets to look at, to consume, to listen to, or to experience. Your soul finds pleasure in fulfilling these natural desires. Everyone likes to eat. Everyone likes to be comfortable. Everyone likes anything that “feels good.” God made us that way and then He designed all of creation so we could take care of those physical needs, and enjoy it while we did it. But for our own good, God put boundaries around all of these desires and their fulfillment. The problem arises when the desire for these things becomes so consuming that we disregard God’s boundaries and directions.
James 1:15 clearly indicates that when lust hath conceived, or has taken control, it brings forth sin. When our lusts run out of control sin will be the result.
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Lust is a matter of the heart. The body is the vehicle through which we experience it. It isn’t that our body is demanding it, it is the fact that the affections of our heart are set on it. People eat when they aren’t even hungry. They buy things they do not need. They seek for that in which they can take pleasure because they are lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. It isn’t sinful to meet your needs, but when lust goes beyond that and becomes the driving force of your life you are in trouble. Scripture bears witness to the fact that lust is an issue of the heart:
Psalms. 81:12, So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels. And Romans 1:24 puts it this way, Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Sin is a matter of the heart and it is a moral issue, not a physical issue. It is not a physical trait passed from parent to child.
Ezekiel 18:20, The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
The Bible tells us that every man will give account of HIMSELF to God. A just God will not charge anyone with someone else’s sin. He will never transfer someone else’s guilt to you. All of us have made some choices in life or are yet to make. To live right with God or to reject Him. It’s a free will.
When we are sinners, sin controls our lives. We are in bondage and must be delivered if we are ever going to be free from it. That is why God sent a Saviour! Jesus came to “take away the sins of His people.” He came to “set the captives free!” He came to deliver us from ourselves and the mess we've made of the clean vessel God gave us to start with. Titus 2:11-12, For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
I am not denying that man is prone to sin. I am saying that the tendency to sin is of our own making and sometimes we might not realize that we sinned. It is a matter of the heart and not a matter of the physical body.
But the Good News is that, God has not turned away from us. His truth is stronger than what we are feeling. His grace is going to keep us standing.
In the past we made some great choices and some really bad ones. We can also see the sin in this broken world is truly a stumbling block. Praise God for taking all of it and making something beautiful of our lives! When we mentally recount all the really difficult times in our past, we can also see how God intentionally grew you most as a disciple during those same times. You realized when the going got tough; you got going—to the arms of God. And why is it so? Because we are only strongest when we are weakest as the apostle Paul so aptly said.
SPIRITUAL HEARTBEAT
Okay, Bottom Line...What's Your Spiritual Heartbeat Like?
Marvin J. Rosenthal wrote, “You say you are a true believer- you have trusted the Lord Jesus as your Savior from sin. You rightly understand that salvation is a free gift of God. You are a citizen of Heaven, and heir of glory. You attend a good church. You have a measure of spiritual discernment. You lament the wickedness of our day. You long for Christ's return in power and glory to judge this sinful world and bring in a golden age of righteousness. You want desperately to see the wolf lie down with the lamb, and the weapons of warfare made into weapons for farming. And, having set your hands to the plow in your commitment to Christ, you do not look back. All of the above is great, highly commendable, right on target – praise the Lord! But might something still be lacking?”
That's something each one of us need to look inward and evaluate for ourselves...like a spiritual self-evaluation. It has been my experience that my walk with the Lord is different today at the age of 51 than it was when I was 21. I still have the same love for the Lord that I always had, if not more. I still have a zeal for telling others about Christ, sharing what His finished work on the cross has done in my life and can do in the lives of others. I still have the willing heart to do what the Lord requires of me. And yet, in some ways, this has changed. Some parts have intensified, while others have diminished slightly. But this is me I'm talking about. Now, I want to challenge you; So, when it comes to your spiritual heartbeat, where is the bottom line?
We as humans have the ability to be whatever someone needs us to be. On Sunday, we can be a God fearing Christian and mean it most sincerely! On Monday, on the inside, we are still that Christian, at heart, however, our actions don't really have to reflect it as much because this group of people we're with don't expect it from us...until Wednesday night, because that's prayer meeting night, and they DO expect it from us. But that's okay, because we can go right back to being who we were on Thursday until Sunday comes around again. That, my friend, is a diseased heart.
Yes, we all sin. But the bottom line is, how can our spiritual heart expect to keep thumping if we're constantly stopping it then starting it. Stopping it again, starting it again. A human heart wouldn't exist very long if we kept doing that. It would become damaged...as does our spiritual heart. By “heart” I mean our character. I mean our reputation. I mean what we do when no one but the Lord is watching. Are we the same person? Do we do the same things? Or do we stop our heart, then start it back up again because it’s time for church, or we meet up with other Christians? This is something serious we all need to consider.
If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and have truly yielded your life completely over to Him, I'd like you to answer some questions...some very hard questions that I have to ask myself. No one need know how you answer them except for you and the Lord.
Do you read God's word daily? Not just to get through it, but devouring it like a wet sponge...thirsting for the truths contained therein as you did when you were first saved?
How is your prayer life? Do you passionately converse with the Lord as though He were sitting right next to you sharing with Him, loving Him, thanking Him for all He's done in your life, pleading with Him for the souls that don't know Him yet? Or is it more like a shopping list you run down to hurry and get out of the way...like giving thanks before a meal when you are really hungry as opposed to when you're not so hungry and can take the time to include a couple of more items on your list?
Do you have a passion, a burning in your breast burden for those who don’t know the Lord? Are you seeking opportunities to share with others? Are you sharing what the Lord has done in your life and how He can do the same for them? Are you making available situations to confront, out of love, those who need Him so very much? Or do you just whisper a prayer every now and then for those “in general” who don't know the Lord to come to the Lord?
Now is the time for real honesty. Not a report that you have to fill out and send back to me, but a deep down look inside your heart, and with all the honesty you can muster, look at where you were when you were first saved, and where you are now. Was there a time when sharing your faith, your love for the Lord was the one and only first priority passion in your life? When you were so very thrilled with every single thing you learned was just pounding and bursting in your breast until you had the chance to share it with others convinced in your heart that it would affect them the same way...that your love and desire, your passion, what drove you would shine through so brightly that people couldn't help but want the same thing. I ask you, where is it now? Do you listen to a sermon and come away with such a feeling of filling, life-giving fulfillment as fresh and new as the morning dew? Or is it more of a, “Praise the Lord...good sermon, pastor.” ...and the very next thought is where do we go for dinner? Let me ask you this...was there a time when the very thought of Heaven caused your soul to soar and the reality of Hell was, for you, a genuine fearful realization that people you love are going there unless YOU do something about it? Or are we content to put money in the plate for missionaries to do it and still feel we're doing our part?
What has happened to our heart for the Lord?
Any number of things could have happened. We could have become weary in well doing. We could have just burned out because of years of repetition of doing things out of tradition, whereas we started with a heart full of fervor and zeal for the Lord, but it became a habit. Perhaps circumstances in life became either a distraction or became painful for us. So to turn our hearts away from where it once was is much easier than dealing with the realization that we've turned our hearts so far away and would be too painful to reconcile and return. Or maybe it’s just as simple as, along with the general “Christian” populace, we've become contented with being lukewarm. No matter what reason, we need not be content with status quo.
Now is the time to get a good physical from God's word. Taking a look, not from opinion, but from the Bible alone, let's find out all we can about our heart.
Proverbs 4:20-21 - “My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.” We need to keep our eyes in God's word constantly. We also need to keep His words before our eyes...write out special verses on 3x5 cards or post-it notes and place them in places where we know we will see them often. When our eyes are focused on Him, they will be in our heart!
Proverbs 4:23 - “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Remembering that our heart is the very core of who we are, we need to keep it protected. For if we don't, it’s going to affect EVERY aspect of our life. That is why it is so very essential to keep our hearts with all diligence, all the time, every waking moment.
Proverbs 23:7 - “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” What we are inwardly is what we are...period! It is the core of who we are. And according to Jesus Christ, God became flesh, who we are and what we are capable of is NOT a nice picture.
Matthew 15:18-20 - “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies; These are the things which defile a man...”. These evil activities don't just appear out of no where...they come deep-seeded from the heart...they rise from the very bottom of an evil heart...our heart if it is not kept with all diligence and protected by the word of God kept ever before our eyes! We are capable of anything; the Lord tells us...it is the Holy Spirit and the word of God that restrains this heart of ours.
All this being said, we see just how diseased our heart truly is. So what is the cure? The Lord gives us that in His word as well. We're told one step at a time what needs to be done in our hearts to make sure it’s the kind of heart the Lord wants us to have; A healthy, protected, guarded, cleaned and purified heart.
Psalm 51:1-12 - “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness; according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions; and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when though speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts; and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness...Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquites. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take no thy holy spirit from me, Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation...”. I don't believe this requires any explanation as the Lord made it simple and plain and clear so that anyone and everyone can know what needs to be done!
Psalm 73:26 - “My flesh and my heart faileth; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever.” We can't trust our hearts. Left to our own strength, we will fail. But if we give our hearts over to the Lord and trust Him and His strength over our hearts, we have nothing to fear.
All this being said, how can we be sure that we have a spiritually healthy heart? The Lord assures us in Proverbs 23:26 - “My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.” It doesn't get any clearer than that!
So, what have you done to protect your heart? I'm sure you may well have done much to exercise and protect your body, but what about your heart? Not your physical heart, but your spiritual heart? What are the things you have allowed to influence your mind which affects your heart? Proper heart protection does NOT just happen. We must “exercise ourselves rather unto godliness” (1 Timothy 4:7), and determine that by the means of the grace God has bestowed upon us, the words that God has divinely given us, prayer, studying and meditating on the things of Christ, praising Him through song, testimony or evangelizing, and Christian fellowship, by these things, we will keep our hearts spiritually healthy and only for Him.
Amen & Amen.
SAME OLD HABIT
I have heard many times people who try to put an ungodly habit behind them, only to fall again soon after. Feelings of guilt can lead to a renewed commitment to never do something again. But the very next day, the cycle repeats itself as we give in to the same temptations. Our defeat leaves us wondering, what’s wrong with me? Our despair at repeated failure produces a sense of hopeless resignation and confusion. We want to know, Lord, why can’t I change?
All of us have experienced the problem of wanting to honor God and yet reverting back to old, sinful ways almost immediately. Isn’t the Christian life supposed to be more liberating and victorious than this? After all, 2 Cor. 5:17 says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” Why, then, does habitual sin take hold of us? Wasn’t Christ supposed to change all this? If we are new creations, why do we still act like old ones? So how do we shake free from our sinful behaviors?
First, we need to examine the way change occurs in the Christian life. Salvation is an instantaneous work of God, which happens the moment we receive Jesus as Savior. But from that point on, we enter a continual process of transformation called sanctification. The Lord’s goal is to mold us into the image of Christ, but this process requires our cooperation. That’s what the Bible means when it says in Phil. 2:12, Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. If we neglect this responsibility, we’ll find ourselves struggling with the same issues over and over again. But if we submit to the Holy Spirit, He’ll exert His influence in every area of our lives. Old sinful habits will pass away and be replaced with new godly behavior.
If we ever need to live for Jesus, then we must accept change and transformation. Becoming the people God created us to be is an inside-out process. Because our thoughts govern each area of our lives—emotions, decisions, actions, attitudes, and words, any lasting transformation must begin with the mind. If all we want is to modify our conduct, we’ll never experience long term success in our walk with Christ. What we need is a new way of thinking.
This can be accomplished only by what the Bible calls renewing the mind. Romans 12:2, And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. It’s not a sudden transformation but a lifelong process.
We are what we think. We are all a reflection of whatever we’ve been thinking throughout the years. From early on, we are taught to respond to situations in a certain way, with a particular response pattern, and this impacts every area of our lives. In some cases, we can see how people’s expressions reveal the way their minds have developed throughout their lifetime—etching continuous worry, pain, and guilt on their faces.
Take a look in the mirror. Do you see the joy of Christ in your eyes? Or are the destructive effects of sin betrayed by your appearance? The good news is that whatever your thoughts have been in the past, God can teach you to think differently. He gives His Holy Spirit to lead you through a process that produces real healing and lasting change.
God calls us to be watchful and guard our minds at all times. If we don’t, worldly values and purposes will subtly creep in and influence our lives. Whenever we allow ourselves to be conformed to the world, the Enemy gains a foothold in our thinking. And the more we yield to those thoughts, the stronger his hold becomes.
We must wisely choose which thoughts we will accept and which ones we’ll reject. It’s not enough just to resist the Enemy’s lies; we must also deliberately fill our mind with truth from God’s Word. Jesus used this technique when Satan tempted Him in the wilderness. He countered each challenge with Scripture, saying “It is written . . .” When we are ready with a verse that refutes one of satan’s falsehoods, we have the most powerful spiritual ammunition possible.
So consider: How diligent have you been about guarding your mind? Have you permitted the world to influence your thoughts? Or are you allowing God’s Word to shape your reasoning and values? An unengaged mind is an open invitation for sin. If you’re distracted, having trouble praying or reading the Bible, your thoughts are not where they should be.
Perhaps you feel as if you’re the rope in a tug of war between God and sin, constantly being pulled in two opposing directions. Don’t beat yourself up when you fail. Rather, confess and repent as quickly as possible 1John 1:9, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. During those times, remember that you are engaged in a long process, and that you cannot renew your own mind. Trying harder and making promises to God will only discourage you, because in your own strength, you will never be able to change. True transformation is the work of the Holy Spirit and it takes time. Therefore, submit to His leading, heed His warnings, and obey God’s voice.
May the Lord help us all fill our mind with Scripture, focusing on the Lord’s character, ways, and commands. May He help us resist temptation and flee from it by understanding the thoughts and feelings that trigger a sinful response in us!
Let’s check the source of our thoughts, are they from God, our flesh, the world, or Satan? But one more thing is certain, relying on the Holy Spirit will empower us to resist sin and break free from its bondage.
As believers, we can expect this process of transformation to continue until we reach heaven; however, the important issue is that we begin today.
Just as your area of struggle began with one act of yielding to temptation, so your path to victory can begin with one act of submission to God. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, start saying no to thoughts that don’t belong in a believer’s life. At the same time, say yes to appropriate thoughts. When you fill your mind with truth from God’s Word, you’ll gain discernment and be able to more readily identify the thoughts and feelings that cause you to sin.
As you persevere in choosing which thoughts to allow, the bondage of sin will diminish and your mind will be renewed. This transformation, which began internally, will now be worked out externally as behavior changes. When you think right, you’ll act right. Areas of your life that you were powerless to adjust on your own will be refashioned. And Christ’s victorious life will be beautifully demonstrated through you so that others will see and be drawn to Him.
Therefore, let’s all put to death the selfish, sinful nature by repentance to purity. Jesus leads us out of the world, one step at a time, showing us what to give up, and teaching us how to live. The end result is purity and then the return of Christ in His glory with His Kingdom of everlasting peace and joy.
CREATIVE WRITINGS
Heartbeat- By Cindy Wyatt
Sometimes hearts beat slow
and then sometimes fast
People get so scared
they end up at the ER at last
Doctors do EKGs
and look at the monitor sheet
But no one knows but God
when your heart will stop to beat
You are only just a heartbeat
away from eternity
Do you know Jesus Christ
for your eternal security
One day your heart will stop beating
and you know not when
If you want to go to Heaven
trust Jesus while you can
Don't wait until another day
because that is not the safe way
Today is the day of salvation
is what the bible does say
Tomorrow could be too late
if your heart stops to beat at any rate
You must prepare for your eternity now
before it is too late
Once your heart beats the last time
you will go to Heaven or Hell
Jesus bled and died to pay for our sins
is what the bible does tell
The people who are saved will go to Heaven
when their heart stops beating
So accept Jesus as your savior
since this earthly life is quick and fleeting
Please come to the Dear Savior now
before it is too late
You don't know what will be
on tomorrow's calendar date
EENIE MEENIE MINIE MO - By Marion Webster
Eenie meenie minie mo
When you die, where will you go ?
It’s not a gamble and it’s not by chance
It depends on where you make your stance
In your hand, you hold two keys
You’re free to pick the one you please
With one to Heaven you will go
The other leads to .. well you know
The Bible says there’s just ONE way
No matter what we think, or say
Heaven is Holy and God keeps it pure
Our sins can not get through the door
A penalty for sin must be paid
From the beginning that law was laid
But God provided a way for us
And it’s that way, I’d like to discuss
He sent His Son for our sins to die
He loves us that much, but I don’t know why
He suffered and died on the cross that day
The price for our sins He’d willingly pay
Jesus is one of the keys you hold
Accept Him as Savior before you grow old
Invite Him into your heart today
The Bible says that’s the only way
Eenie Meenie Minie Mo
When you die where will you go ?
COLD - By Marion Webster
It’s eight degrees outside my home
The fire is burning, but it still feels cold
Terribly Cold
My daughter lies with fever raging .Her
teeth chatter, her body shivers, she’s cold
So cold
Relationships once sweet and warm
have turned around and become sour and cold
Bitterly Cold
A baby whose flesh and blood are my own
suffers a birth defect.. My heart’s growing cold
Sadly Cold
I cry out to the Lord with my frigid requests
He understands but my prayers are still cold
Icy Cold
Lord I’m hurting so deeply, I need to warm up
Let the warmth return…never more to grow cold
Dreaded Cold
I know Spring will come in my life once again
and I'll bask in the warmth and not think about cold
Forgotten Cold
The warmth of God’s Son can cover the cold of the cruel hard world if we trust Him to.
TESTIMONY
SAVED AS A CHILD, CONVINCED AS AN ADULT - By Jerry Senese
Growing up in a home where my mother was a born again Christian, however my father was not. Needless to say, this was conflicting. My dad really didn't have any interest at all in spiritual things, so he had no problem with my mother's choice of spiritual influence on my life. I can never remember a time when I didn't attend some Sunday School or church as a child.
Most were non-denominational or Baptist in doctrine. Like most children raised under the influence of a Christian parent, the need of my salvation was made known to me. My mother shared scripture with me such as John 3:16, Acts 16:31 and 1 John 1:9. Not a lot of emphasis was placed on Hell, more emphasis was placed on pleasing the Lord. I knew at this age, this is what I wanted and needed to do. That I was a sinner that needed my sins forgiven,
but I had no way of doing this on my own except by trusting that Jesus paid my sin debt on the cross. Nothing I could do other than to trust Jesus alone for salvation would accomplish this.
As many people who were saved at a young age often find themselves
without the specifics of an exact day or time, I also found myself in this place. This was further complicated by well meaningful, good intentioned people doing their best to ensure that young children hear and understand at their level, the Gospel message. As I began to grow a little older, I then became a bit uncertain as I began to hear teachings such as "if you can't remember a time or a date that you accepted the Lord, you're not saved."
With this concern, I then began to question if I truly was saved. It was at this time, that I met my future wife at the age of 16, that we discussed this quite often. I shared these concerns with her, and she shared with me how she too had accepted the Lord as her Savior at a very young age, meant it sincerely with her whole heart, but also had the same questions and concerns as she matured spiritually. She also shared that 2 women at her church explained in a more mature way, the true Gospel of salvation and all that it entailed, and it was at this time, in April of 1972 that she decided to rededicate her life to Christ and was baptized in June. The more I thought about this, I too wanted that 100% assurance and understanding fully what this entailed, in my senior year of high school, I re-committed my life to Christ and was baptized shortly after. I have no doubts in my mind whatsoever, that I was not saved as a young child. I knew that if I were to die, because of what Jesus did for me, I would be in Heaven with Him.
Since that point, I've come to realize that with each set of Biblical truths that you learn, and accept as truth, the Lord then provides you with more truth. There are some who believe that once you accept Christ as your Savior, commit your life completely to Him, and live for Him to the best of your ability, the Lord will bless you beyond all measure. And to an extent, this is true...but on a spiritual level, not a physical level as were this to be true, my life would exhibit the complete opposite to be true. I don't have health, I don't have prosperity, I don't have "things", my life is not an easy one by any stretch of the imagination. However, spiritually speaking, I have been blessed beyond all measure as the Lord is faithful to His word.
I have joy...even in the midst of all this. I have contentment...no matter what I go through. The life we live here on earth is not promised anywhere in scripture to be a "happy or prosperous" one, in fact, it’s the opposite. However, the Lord does promise us joy...and in Him...we have joy overflowing! Without having the Lord to go to, to depend upon, His faithfulness to rely upon, there is no way my wife or I could make it in this life. Praise God, this world is NOT my Home!
THE GOOD NEWS MAGAZINE 12TH EDITION-1ST JANUARY 2015
We hope and pray that you are all well kept by our Dear Lord. We are glad to share with you our 13th Good News Magazine. Jeremiah 17:9-10 says, The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
How true God’s Word is! We are all much more inclined to sin than to righteousness. However, the problem doesn’t lie in our genes, our blood, or our physical makeup. Our physical body is not the problem – the HEART is the problem! We cannot blame our tendency to sin on a bad gene we inherited from our parents because that simply isn’t true! Look at what Jesus said in Matthew. 15:18-19:
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
Your body is not really you. Your body is the temporary house you live in while on this earth. It is made of dust and it will return to the dust when you are finished with it. The body is simply the means God gave us to function in and experience this physical world. The body has no will of its own. The body does not make decisions and choices. However, the body does need some things. It needs food and water. It needs to be cleaned and comforted. It needs rest. God created a mechanism for the body to let us know when it needs something. It is called natural desire or “lust.”
These are natural desires that God gave us so that we can respond and take care of the needs of the body. These desires work through the five senses – sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell. The soul that lives in the body is the one who makes the decisions and choices about what the body gets to look at, to consume, to listen to, or to experience. Your soul finds pleasure in fulfilling these natural desires. Everyone likes to eat. Everyone likes to be comfortable. Everyone likes anything that “feels good.” God made us that way and then He designed all of creation so we could take care of those physical needs, and enjoy it while we did it. But for our own good, God put boundaries around all of these desires and their fulfillment. The problem arises when the desire for these things becomes so consuming that we disregard God’s boundaries and directions.
James 1:15 clearly indicates that when lust hath conceived, or has taken control, it brings forth sin. When our lusts run out of control sin will be the result.
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Lust is a matter of the heart. The body is the vehicle through which we experience it. It isn’t that our body is demanding it, it is the fact that the affections of our heart are set on it. People eat when they aren’t even hungry. They buy things they do not need. They seek for that in which they can take pleasure because they are lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. It isn’t sinful to meet your needs, but when lust goes beyond that and becomes the driving force of your life you are in trouble. Scripture bears witness to the fact that lust is an issue of the heart:
Psalms. 81:12, So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels. And Romans 1:24 puts it this way, Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Sin is a matter of the heart and it is a moral issue, not a physical issue. It is not a physical trait passed from parent to child.
Ezekiel 18:20, The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
The Bible tells us that every man will give account of HIMSELF to God. A just God will not charge anyone with someone else’s sin. He will never transfer someone else’s guilt to you. All of us have made some choices in life or are yet to make. To live right with God or to reject Him. It’s a free will.
When we are sinners, sin controls our lives. We are in bondage and must be delivered if we are ever going to be free from it. That is why God sent a Saviour! Jesus came to “take away the sins of His people.” He came to “set the captives free!” He came to deliver us from ourselves and the mess we've made of the clean vessel God gave us to start with. Titus 2:11-12, For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
I am not denying that man is prone to sin. I am saying that the tendency to sin is of our own making and sometimes we might not realize that we sinned. It is a matter of the heart and not a matter of the physical body.
But the Good News is that, God has not turned away from us. His truth is stronger than what we are feeling. His grace is going to keep us standing.
In the past we made some great choices and some really bad ones. We can also see the sin in this broken world is truly a stumbling block. Praise God for taking all of it and making something beautiful of our lives! When we mentally recount all the really difficult times in our past, we can also see how God intentionally grew you most as a disciple during those same times. You realized when the going got tough; you got going—to the arms of God. And why is it so? Because we are only strongest when we are weakest as the apostle Paul so aptly said.
SPIRITUAL HEARTBEAT
Okay, Bottom Line...What's Your Spiritual Heartbeat Like?
Marvin J. Rosenthal wrote, “You say you are a true believer- you have trusted the Lord Jesus as your Savior from sin. You rightly understand that salvation is a free gift of God. You are a citizen of Heaven, and heir of glory. You attend a good church. You have a measure of spiritual discernment. You lament the wickedness of our day. You long for Christ's return in power and glory to judge this sinful world and bring in a golden age of righteousness. You want desperately to see the wolf lie down with the lamb, and the weapons of warfare made into weapons for farming. And, having set your hands to the plow in your commitment to Christ, you do not look back. All of the above is great, highly commendable, right on target – praise the Lord! But might something still be lacking?”
That's something each one of us need to look inward and evaluate for ourselves...like a spiritual self-evaluation. It has been my experience that my walk with the Lord is different today at the age of 51 than it was when I was 21. I still have the same love for the Lord that I always had, if not more. I still have a zeal for telling others about Christ, sharing what His finished work on the cross has done in my life and can do in the lives of others. I still have the willing heart to do what the Lord requires of me. And yet, in some ways, this has changed. Some parts have intensified, while others have diminished slightly. But this is me I'm talking about. Now, I want to challenge you; So, when it comes to your spiritual heartbeat, where is the bottom line?
We as humans have the ability to be whatever someone needs us to be. On Sunday, we can be a God fearing Christian and mean it most sincerely! On Monday, on the inside, we are still that Christian, at heart, however, our actions don't really have to reflect it as much because this group of people we're with don't expect it from us...until Wednesday night, because that's prayer meeting night, and they DO expect it from us. But that's okay, because we can go right back to being who we were on Thursday until Sunday comes around again. That, my friend, is a diseased heart.
Yes, we all sin. But the bottom line is, how can our spiritual heart expect to keep thumping if we're constantly stopping it then starting it. Stopping it again, starting it again. A human heart wouldn't exist very long if we kept doing that. It would become damaged...as does our spiritual heart. By “heart” I mean our character. I mean our reputation. I mean what we do when no one but the Lord is watching. Are we the same person? Do we do the same things? Or do we stop our heart, then start it back up again because it’s time for church, or we meet up with other Christians? This is something serious we all need to consider.
If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and have truly yielded your life completely over to Him, I'd like you to answer some questions...some very hard questions that I have to ask myself. No one need know how you answer them except for you and the Lord.
Do you read God's word daily? Not just to get through it, but devouring it like a wet sponge...thirsting for the truths contained therein as you did when you were first saved?
How is your prayer life? Do you passionately converse with the Lord as though He were sitting right next to you sharing with Him, loving Him, thanking Him for all He's done in your life, pleading with Him for the souls that don't know Him yet? Or is it more like a shopping list you run down to hurry and get out of the way...like giving thanks before a meal when you are really hungry as opposed to when you're not so hungry and can take the time to include a couple of more items on your list?
Do you have a passion, a burning in your breast burden for those who don’t know the Lord? Are you seeking opportunities to share with others? Are you sharing what the Lord has done in your life and how He can do the same for them? Are you making available situations to confront, out of love, those who need Him so very much? Or do you just whisper a prayer every now and then for those “in general” who don't know the Lord to come to the Lord?
Now is the time for real honesty. Not a report that you have to fill out and send back to me, but a deep down look inside your heart, and with all the honesty you can muster, look at where you were when you were first saved, and where you are now. Was there a time when sharing your faith, your love for the Lord was the one and only first priority passion in your life? When you were so very thrilled with every single thing you learned was just pounding and bursting in your breast until you had the chance to share it with others convinced in your heart that it would affect them the same way...that your love and desire, your passion, what drove you would shine through so brightly that people couldn't help but want the same thing. I ask you, where is it now? Do you listen to a sermon and come away with such a feeling of filling, life-giving fulfillment as fresh and new as the morning dew? Or is it more of a, “Praise the Lord...good sermon, pastor.” ...and the very next thought is where do we go for dinner? Let me ask you this...was there a time when the very thought of Heaven caused your soul to soar and the reality of Hell was, for you, a genuine fearful realization that people you love are going there unless YOU do something about it? Or are we content to put money in the plate for missionaries to do it and still feel we're doing our part?
What has happened to our heart for the Lord?
Any number of things could have happened. We could have become weary in well doing. We could have just burned out because of years of repetition of doing things out of tradition, whereas we started with a heart full of fervor and zeal for the Lord, but it became a habit. Perhaps circumstances in life became either a distraction or became painful for us. So to turn our hearts away from where it once was is much easier than dealing with the realization that we've turned our hearts so far away and would be too painful to reconcile and return. Or maybe it’s just as simple as, along with the general “Christian” populace, we've become contented with being lukewarm. No matter what reason, we need not be content with status quo.
Now is the time to get a good physical from God's word. Taking a look, not from opinion, but from the Bible alone, let's find out all we can about our heart.
Proverbs 4:20-21 - “My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.” We need to keep our eyes in God's word constantly. We also need to keep His words before our eyes...write out special verses on 3x5 cards or post-it notes and place them in places where we know we will see them often. When our eyes are focused on Him, they will be in our heart!
Proverbs 4:23 - “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Remembering that our heart is the very core of who we are, we need to keep it protected. For if we don't, it’s going to affect EVERY aspect of our life. That is why it is so very essential to keep our hearts with all diligence, all the time, every waking moment.
Proverbs 23:7 - “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” What we are inwardly is what we are...period! It is the core of who we are. And according to Jesus Christ, God became flesh, who we are and what we are capable of is NOT a nice picture.
Matthew 15:18-20 - “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies; These are the things which defile a man...”. These evil activities don't just appear out of no where...they come deep-seeded from the heart...they rise from the very bottom of an evil heart...our heart if it is not kept with all diligence and protected by the word of God kept ever before our eyes! We are capable of anything; the Lord tells us...it is the Holy Spirit and the word of God that restrains this heart of ours.
All this being said, we see just how diseased our heart truly is. So what is the cure? The Lord gives us that in His word as well. We're told one step at a time what needs to be done in our hearts to make sure it’s the kind of heart the Lord wants us to have; A healthy, protected, guarded, cleaned and purified heart.
Psalm 51:1-12 - “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness; according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions; and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when though speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts; and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness...Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquites. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take no thy holy spirit from me, Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation...”. I don't believe this requires any explanation as the Lord made it simple and plain and clear so that anyone and everyone can know what needs to be done!
Psalm 73:26 - “My flesh and my heart faileth; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever.” We can't trust our hearts. Left to our own strength, we will fail. But if we give our hearts over to the Lord and trust Him and His strength over our hearts, we have nothing to fear.
All this being said, how can we be sure that we have a spiritually healthy heart? The Lord assures us in Proverbs 23:26 - “My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.” It doesn't get any clearer than that!
So, what have you done to protect your heart? I'm sure you may well have done much to exercise and protect your body, but what about your heart? Not your physical heart, but your spiritual heart? What are the things you have allowed to influence your mind which affects your heart? Proper heart protection does NOT just happen. We must “exercise ourselves rather unto godliness” (1 Timothy 4:7), and determine that by the means of the grace God has bestowed upon us, the words that God has divinely given us, prayer, studying and meditating on the things of Christ, praising Him through song, testimony or evangelizing, and Christian fellowship, by these things, we will keep our hearts spiritually healthy and only for Him.
Amen & Amen.
SAME OLD HABIT
I have heard many times people who try to put an ungodly habit behind them, only to fall again soon after. Feelings of guilt can lead to a renewed commitment to never do something again. But the very next day, the cycle repeats itself as we give in to the same temptations. Our defeat leaves us wondering, what’s wrong with me? Our despair at repeated failure produces a sense of hopeless resignation and confusion. We want to know, Lord, why can’t I change?
All of us have experienced the problem of wanting to honor God and yet reverting back to old, sinful ways almost immediately. Isn’t the Christian life supposed to be more liberating and victorious than this? After all, 2 Cor. 5:17 says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” Why, then, does habitual sin take hold of us? Wasn’t Christ supposed to change all this? If we are new creations, why do we still act like old ones? So how do we shake free from our sinful behaviors?
First, we need to examine the way change occurs in the Christian life. Salvation is an instantaneous work of God, which happens the moment we receive Jesus as Savior. But from that point on, we enter a continual process of transformation called sanctification. The Lord’s goal is to mold us into the image of Christ, but this process requires our cooperation. That’s what the Bible means when it says in Phil. 2:12, Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. If we neglect this responsibility, we’ll find ourselves struggling with the same issues over and over again. But if we submit to the Holy Spirit, He’ll exert His influence in every area of our lives. Old sinful habits will pass away and be replaced with new godly behavior.
If we ever need to live for Jesus, then we must accept change and transformation. Becoming the people God created us to be is an inside-out process. Because our thoughts govern each area of our lives—emotions, decisions, actions, attitudes, and words, any lasting transformation must begin with the mind. If all we want is to modify our conduct, we’ll never experience long term success in our walk with Christ. What we need is a new way of thinking.
This can be accomplished only by what the Bible calls renewing the mind. Romans 12:2, And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. It’s not a sudden transformation but a lifelong process.
We are what we think. We are all a reflection of whatever we’ve been thinking throughout the years. From early on, we are taught to respond to situations in a certain way, with a particular response pattern, and this impacts every area of our lives. In some cases, we can see how people’s expressions reveal the way their minds have developed throughout their lifetime—etching continuous worry, pain, and guilt on their faces.
Take a look in the mirror. Do you see the joy of Christ in your eyes? Or are the destructive effects of sin betrayed by your appearance? The good news is that whatever your thoughts have been in the past, God can teach you to think differently. He gives His Holy Spirit to lead you through a process that produces real healing and lasting change.
God calls us to be watchful and guard our minds at all times. If we don’t, worldly values and purposes will subtly creep in and influence our lives. Whenever we allow ourselves to be conformed to the world, the Enemy gains a foothold in our thinking. And the more we yield to those thoughts, the stronger his hold becomes.
We must wisely choose which thoughts we will accept and which ones we’ll reject. It’s not enough just to resist the Enemy’s lies; we must also deliberately fill our mind with truth from God’s Word. Jesus used this technique when Satan tempted Him in the wilderness. He countered each challenge with Scripture, saying “It is written . . .” When we are ready with a verse that refutes one of satan’s falsehoods, we have the most powerful spiritual ammunition possible.
So consider: How diligent have you been about guarding your mind? Have you permitted the world to influence your thoughts? Or are you allowing God’s Word to shape your reasoning and values? An unengaged mind is an open invitation for sin. If you’re distracted, having trouble praying or reading the Bible, your thoughts are not where they should be.
Perhaps you feel as if you’re the rope in a tug of war between God and sin, constantly being pulled in two opposing directions. Don’t beat yourself up when you fail. Rather, confess and repent as quickly as possible 1John 1:9, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. During those times, remember that you are engaged in a long process, and that you cannot renew your own mind. Trying harder and making promises to God will only discourage you, because in your own strength, you will never be able to change. True transformation is the work of the Holy Spirit and it takes time. Therefore, submit to His leading, heed His warnings, and obey God’s voice.
May the Lord help us all fill our mind with Scripture, focusing on the Lord’s character, ways, and commands. May He help us resist temptation and flee from it by understanding the thoughts and feelings that trigger a sinful response in us!
Let’s check the source of our thoughts, are they from God, our flesh, the world, or Satan? But one more thing is certain, relying on the Holy Spirit will empower us to resist sin and break free from its bondage.
As believers, we can expect this process of transformation to continue until we reach heaven; however, the important issue is that we begin today.
Just as your area of struggle began with one act of yielding to temptation, so your path to victory can begin with one act of submission to God. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, start saying no to thoughts that don’t belong in a believer’s life. At the same time, say yes to appropriate thoughts. When you fill your mind with truth from God’s Word, you’ll gain discernment and be able to more readily identify the thoughts and feelings that cause you to sin.
As you persevere in choosing which thoughts to allow, the bondage of sin will diminish and your mind will be renewed. This transformation, which began internally, will now be worked out externally as behavior changes. When you think right, you’ll act right. Areas of your life that you were powerless to adjust on your own will be refashioned. And Christ’s victorious life will be beautifully demonstrated through you so that others will see and be drawn to Him.
Therefore, let’s all put to death the selfish, sinful nature by repentance to purity. Jesus leads us out of the world, one step at a time, showing us what to give up, and teaching us how to live. The end result is purity and then the return of Christ in His glory with His Kingdom of everlasting peace and joy.
CREATIVE WRITINGS
Heartbeat- By Cindy Wyatt
Sometimes hearts beat slow
and then sometimes fast
People get so scared
they end up at the ER at last
Doctors do EKGs
and look at the monitor sheet
But no one knows but God
when your heart will stop to beat
You are only just a heartbeat
away from eternity
Do you know Jesus Christ
for your eternal security
One day your heart will stop beating
and you know not when
If you want to go to Heaven
trust Jesus while you can
Don't wait until another day
because that is not the safe way
Today is the day of salvation
is what the bible does say
Tomorrow could be too late
if your heart stops to beat at any rate
You must prepare for your eternity now
before it is too late
Once your heart beats the last time
you will go to Heaven or Hell
Jesus bled and died to pay for our sins
is what the bible does tell
The people who are saved will go to Heaven
when their heart stops beating
So accept Jesus as your savior
since this earthly life is quick and fleeting
Please come to the Dear Savior now
before it is too late
You don't know what will be
on tomorrow's calendar date
EENIE MEENIE MINIE MO - By Marion Webster
Eenie meenie minie mo
When you die, where will you go ?
It’s not a gamble and it’s not by chance
It depends on where you make your stance
In your hand, you hold two keys
You’re free to pick the one you please
With one to Heaven you will go
The other leads to .. well you know
The Bible says there’s just ONE way
No matter what we think, or say
Heaven is Holy and God keeps it pure
Our sins can not get through the door
A penalty for sin must be paid
From the beginning that law was laid
But God provided a way for us
And it’s that way, I’d like to discuss
He sent His Son for our sins to die
He loves us that much, but I don’t know why
He suffered and died on the cross that day
The price for our sins He’d willingly pay
Jesus is one of the keys you hold
Accept Him as Savior before you grow old
Invite Him into your heart today
The Bible says that’s the only way
Eenie Meenie Minie Mo
When you die where will you go ?
COLD - By Marion Webster
It’s eight degrees outside my home
The fire is burning, but it still feels cold
Terribly Cold
My daughter lies with fever raging .Her
teeth chatter, her body shivers, she’s cold
So cold
Relationships once sweet and warm
have turned around and become sour and cold
Bitterly Cold
A baby whose flesh and blood are my own
suffers a birth defect.. My heart’s growing cold
Sadly Cold
I cry out to the Lord with my frigid requests
He understands but my prayers are still cold
Icy Cold
Lord I’m hurting so deeply, I need to warm up
Let the warmth return…never more to grow cold
Dreaded Cold
I know Spring will come in my life once again
and I'll bask in the warmth and not think about cold
Forgotten Cold
The warmth of God’s Son can cover the cold of the cruel hard world if we trust Him to.
TESTIMONY
SAVED AS A CHILD, CONVINCED AS AN ADULT - By Jerry Senese
Growing up in a home where my mother was a born again Christian, however my father was not. Needless to say, this was conflicting. My dad really didn't have any interest at all in spiritual things, so he had no problem with my mother's choice of spiritual influence on my life. I can never remember a time when I didn't attend some Sunday School or church as a child.
Most were non-denominational or Baptist in doctrine. Like most children raised under the influence of a Christian parent, the need of my salvation was made known to me. My mother shared scripture with me such as John 3:16, Acts 16:31 and 1 John 1:9. Not a lot of emphasis was placed on Hell, more emphasis was placed on pleasing the Lord. I knew at this age, this is what I wanted and needed to do. That I was a sinner that needed my sins forgiven,
but I had no way of doing this on my own except by trusting that Jesus paid my sin debt on the cross. Nothing I could do other than to trust Jesus alone for salvation would accomplish this.
As many people who were saved at a young age often find themselves
without the specifics of an exact day or time, I also found myself in this place. This was further complicated by well meaningful, good intentioned people doing their best to ensure that young children hear and understand at their level, the Gospel message. As I began to grow a little older, I then became a bit uncertain as I began to hear teachings such as "if you can't remember a time or a date that you accepted the Lord, you're not saved."
With this concern, I then began to question if I truly was saved. It was at this time, that I met my future wife at the age of 16, that we discussed this quite often. I shared these concerns with her, and she shared with me how she too had accepted the Lord as her Savior at a very young age, meant it sincerely with her whole heart, but also had the same questions and concerns as she matured spiritually. She also shared that 2 women at her church explained in a more mature way, the true Gospel of salvation and all that it entailed, and it was at this time, in April of 1972 that she decided to rededicate her life to Christ and was baptized in June. The more I thought about this, I too wanted that 100% assurance and understanding fully what this entailed, in my senior year of high school, I re-committed my life to Christ and was baptized shortly after. I have no doubts in my mind whatsoever, that I was not saved as a young child. I knew that if I were to die, because of what Jesus did for me, I would be in Heaven with Him.
Since that point, I've come to realize that with each set of Biblical truths that you learn, and accept as truth, the Lord then provides you with more truth. There are some who believe that once you accept Christ as your Savior, commit your life completely to Him, and live for Him to the best of your ability, the Lord will bless you beyond all measure. And to an extent, this is true...but on a spiritual level, not a physical level as were this to be true, my life would exhibit the complete opposite to be true. I don't have health, I don't have prosperity, I don't have "things", my life is not an easy one by any stretch of the imagination. However, spiritually speaking, I have been blessed beyond all measure as the Lord is faithful to His word.
I have joy...even in the midst of all this. I have contentment...no matter what I go through. The life we live here on earth is not promised anywhere in scripture to be a "happy or prosperous" one, in fact, it’s the opposite. However, the Lord does promise us joy...and in Him...we have joy overflowing! Without having the Lord to go to, to depend upon, His faithfulness to rely upon, there is no way my wife or I could make it in this life. Praise God, this world is NOT my Home!
THE GOOD NEWS MAGAZINE 12TH EDITION-1ST JANUARY 2015
TRADING
THE OLD FOR THE NEW
A welcome Note
Dear Readers,
We
welcome you back to this New Year, 2015 and to our 12th Good News
Magazine. The past year is gone and behold the New Year has come. Am sure each
one of us is very happy about this year. It is a year we would want to focus
and live right with our God. I know we have many goals, many plans, but all
this can be accomplished only through Him, by His grace.
The whole universe was created in His love, by and through Him. All things were made by
him; and without him was not any thing made that was made, John 1:3. With us in
mind and everything we see that He has given to us is from His goodness, love
and kindness toward us.
God wants to bring us to complete knowledge of His love, because, when you have
perfect love flowing through us, we will not fear, though the earth be removed
and mountains thrown into the sea.
Nothing shall separate us from God's love, be it tribulation, distress,
persecution, famine or nakedness, peril or sword. Nothing shall separate us
from His unfailing love, nor angels or devils, in other realms, nor
principalities and powers, things present or things to come. For the scriptures
puts it this way, Romans 8:38-39, For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor
angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us
from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I see many precious ones still have a fear of death, which reveals that their
hearts need to let in more light, to remove all darkness. Their lamps are
lacking oil for the next transition that is soon to come; we must not be
without a full lamp with oil to spare. And so as for us, we know that we shall
live and declare His goodness for the time the Lord has given us!
The righteous are taken but no one has taken it to heart, yet the righteous are
removed from the evil to come.
In Him we have a new life, with His death ,burial and resurrection we rose with
Him to heavenly places where He sits with His Father.
Yes, we are filled and perfected with His love, it has cast all fears from us
and we can move on with strength and vigor! In Him we can DO ALL things!
We are growing slowly by slowly and allowing the Lord to manifest His life to
us, so that when done with this life, we can shed our mortal bodies and take on
immortal bodies, and then we shall cross through the door into the other side!
One more thing, we will take nothing with us but the fruit we bore.
Love is a gift, if we do not learn to give it here, we will not be able to live
in it there, for where lack of love is, there is only darkness, so let’s be
filled with His light while there still is light. The devil and his angels are
darkness not light so they cannot live among His loved ones.
Love flows out from the heart of God and touches and changes everything and
where light is darkness flees. Those that choose to walk in self, never receive
the light, they live in darkness. It is only when we finally "See the
light" that we begin to change and manifest the Lord's love and light to
the world.
Our purpose here is not to just get saved from hell; it is to be vessels or
bearers of light, so that our life or love changes everything it comes near.
People respond to Him, when they are touched by love.
The work we do that is done from love that comes from the Lord and through us,
and those who receive it are blessed and changed and will absolutely never be
the same.
Love passes knowledge, knowledge will be done away with, as will prophecy and
tongues, because when the perfect arrives there is no longer a need for those
things. They are only to teach us by the Spirit, how to walk in the spirit of
love.
God is the exact perfect expression of love, when we KNOW Him we will know
love, and can then give it to others, in goodness, kindness, love, mercy, peace
and long suffering.
Love is all goodness, all righteousness, so everything we are learning to do
here by the Spirit we are ultimately learning to love.
We have yet to open fully to His love, due to scars and woundedness, we are
still not dead to all that is of the self. When we can step aside and let Him
have the reigns of your life, He can then pour all His love into us, and give
us all His fullness, so that we can be perfect.
So many are caught up with the cares of this life, concerned about what He is
bringing to the earth, yet His promises never fail, it seems many care more
about this life than the next one that we will be in. Let’s value eternal
things.
The Lord has given us all we will need to accomplish what He has given us, and
we will look to heavenly things, and to look for His appearing.
Let’s tune our ears to His voice, leave the distraction of other voices. Don't
Depend on His vessels that He speaks through but rather listen for ourselves,
make it a practice, WE MUST HEAR HIS VOICE.
In the last days there will be many sent to deceive, false prophets ,it is
going to get almost impossible to know the truth unless we study for ourselves
to be approved a workman not needing to be ashamed. 2Timothy 2:15 says, Study to shew thyself
approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing
the word of truth.
Let’s bathe in His love, He will bring much light to our lamps and we will
shine when the world is in darkness. Rise and shine for your LIGHT HAS COME!
I
want to share about God’s love for us. Sometimes people tend to ignore God’s love,
others ask, If He so loves me, why did I go through so much last year? Even
this year am going through the same things…well, it is not so. God is Love. The
Lord is reminding us of His unfailing love, to remind us that it is beyond the
breadth, the length, the depth and height of anything we can conceive. He that loveth not
knoweth not God; for God is love. 1John 4:8
The whole universe was created in His love, by and through Him. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made, John 1:3. With us in mind and everything we see that He has given to us is from His goodness, love and kindness toward us.
God wants to bring us to complete knowledge of His love, because, when you have perfect love flowing through us, we will not fear, though the earth be removed and mountains thrown into the sea.
Nothing shall separate us from God's love, be it tribulation, distress, persecution, famine or nakedness, peril or sword. Nothing shall separate us from His unfailing love, nor angels or devils, in other realms, nor principalities and powers, things present or things to come. For the scriptures puts it this way, Romans 8:38-39, For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I see many precious ones still have a fear of death, which reveals that their hearts need to let in more light, to remove all darkness. Their lamps are lacking oil for the next transition that is soon to come; we must not be without a full lamp with oil to spare. And so as for us, we know that we shall live and declare His goodness for the time the Lord has given us!
The righteous are taken but no one has taken it to heart, yet the righteous are removed from the evil to come.
In Him we have a new life, with His death ,burial and resurrection we rose with Him to heavenly places where He sits with His Father.
Yes, we are filled and perfected with His love, it has cast all fears from us and we can move on with strength and vigor! In Him we can DO ALL things!
We are growing slowly by slowly and allowing the Lord to manifest His life to us, so that when done with this life, we can shed our mortal bodies and take on immortal bodies, and then we shall cross through the door into the other side!
One more thing, we will take nothing with us but the fruit we bore.
Love is a gift, if we do not learn to give it here, we will not be able to live in it there, for where lack of love is, there is only darkness, so let’s be filled with His light while there still is light. The devil and his angels are darkness not light so they cannot live among His loved ones.
Love flows out from the heart of God and touches and changes everything and where light is darkness flees. Those that choose to walk in self, never receive the light, they live in darkness. It is only when we finally "See the light" that we begin to change and manifest the Lord's love and light to the world.
Our purpose here is not to just get saved from hell; it is to be vessels or bearers of light, so that our life or love changes everything it comes near. People respond to Him, when they are touched by love.
The work we do that is done from love that comes from the Lord and through us, and those who receive it are blessed and changed and will absolutely never be the same.
Love passes knowledge, knowledge will be done away with, as will prophecy and tongues, because when the perfect arrives there is no longer a need for those things. They are only to teach us by the Spirit, how to walk in the spirit of love.
God is the exact perfect expression of love, when we KNOW Him we will know love, and can then give it to others, in goodness, kindness, love, mercy, peace and long suffering.
Love is all goodness, all righteousness, so everything we are learning to do here by the Spirit we are ultimately learning to love.
We have yet to open fully to His love, due to scars and woundedness, we are still not dead to all that is of the self. When we can step aside and let Him have the reigns of your life, He can then pour all His love into us, and give us all His fullness, so that we can be perfect.
So many are caught up with the cares of this life, concerned about what He is bringing to the earth, yet His promises never fail, it seems many care more about this life than the next one that we will be in. Let’s value eternal things.
The Lord has given us all we will need to accomplish what He has given us, and we will look to heavenly things, and to look for His appearing.
Let’s tune our ears to His voice, leave the distraction of other voices. Don't Depend on His vessels that He speaks through but rather listen for ourselves, make it a practice, WE MUST HEAR HIS VOICE.
In the last days there will be many sent to deceive, false prophets ,it is going to get almost impossible to know the truth unless we study for ourselves to be approved a workman not needing to be ashamed. 2Timothy 2:15 says, Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Let’s bathe in His love, He will bring much light to our lamps and we will shine when the world is in darkness. Rise and shine for your LIGHT HAS COME!
The whole universe was created in His love, by and through Him. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made, John 1:3. With us in mind and everything we see that He has given to us is from His goodness, love and kindness toward us.
God wants to bring us to complete knowledge of His love, because, when you have perfect love flowing through us, we will not fear, though the earth be removed and mountains thrown into the sea.
Nothing shall separate us from God's love, be it tribulation, distress, persecution, famine or nakedness, peril or sword. Nothing shall separate us from His unfailing love, nor angels or devils, in other realms, nor principalities and powers, things present or things to come. For the scriptures puts it this way, Romans 8:38-39, For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I see many precious ones still have a fear of death, which reveals that their hearts need to let in more light, to remove all darkness. Their lamps are lacking oil for the next transition that is soon to come; we must not be without a full lamp with oil to spare. And so as for us, we know that we shall live and declare His goodness for the time the Lord has given us!
The righteous are taken but no one has taken it to heart, yet the righteous are removed from the evil to come.
In Him we have a new life, with His death ,burial and resurrection we rose with Him to heavenly places where He sits with His Father.
Yes, we are filled and perfected with His love, it has cast all fears from us and we can move on with strength and vigor! In Him we can DO ALL things!
We are growing slowly by slowly and allowing the Lord to manifest His life to us, so that when done with this life, we can shed our mortal bodies and take on immortal bodies, and then we shall cross through the door into the other side!
One more thing, we will take nothing with us but the fruit we bore.
Love is a gift, if we do not learn to give it here, we will not be able to live in it there, for where lack of love is, there is only darkness, so let’s be filled with His light while there still is light. The devil and his angels are darkness not light so they cannot live among His loved ones.
Love flows out from the heart of God and touches and changes everything and where light is darkness flees. Those that choose to walk in self, never receive the light, they live in darkness. It is only when we finally "See the light" that we begin to change and manifest the Lord's love and light to the world.
Our purpose here is not to just get saved from hell; it is to be vessels or bearers of light, so that our life or love changes everything it comes near. People respond to Him, when they are touched by love.
The work we do that is done from love that comes from the Lord and through us, and those who receive it are blessed and changed and will absolutely never be the same.
Love passes knowledge, knowledge will be done away with, as will prophecy and tongues, because when the perfect arrives there is no longer a need for those things. They are only to teach us by the Spirit, how to walk in the spirit of love.
God is the exact perfect expression of love, when we KNOW Him we will know love, and can then give it to others, in goodness, kindness, love, mercy, peace and long suffering.
Love is all goodness, all righteousness, so everything we are learning to do here by the Spirit we are ultimately learning to love.
We have yet to open fully to His love, due to scars and woundedness, we are still not dead to all that is of the self. When we can step aside and let Him have the reigns of your life, He can then pour all His love into us, and give us all His fullness, so that we can be perfect.
So many are caught up with the cares of this life, concerned about what He is bringing to the earth, yet His promises never fail, it seems many care more about this life than the next one that we will be in. Let’s value eternal things.
The Lord has given us all we will need to accomplish what He has given us, and we will look to heavenly things, and to look for His appearing.
Let’s tune our ears to His voice, leave the distraction of other voices. Don't Depend on His vessels that He speaks through but rather listen for ourselves, make it a practice, WE MUST HEAR HIS VOICE.
In the last days there will be many sent to deceive, false prophets ,it is going to get almost impossible to know the truth unless we study for ourselves to be approved a workman not needing to be ashamed. 2Timothy 2:15 says, Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Let’s bathe in His love, He will bring much light to our lamps and we will shine when the world is in darkness. Rise and shine for your LIGHT HAS COME!
TRADING THE OLD FOR THE NEW
In our last edition, we talked about
saying goodbye to the old year 2014. As
we begin this crisp, cold January, it is usually the time of focusing on the
fresh new start of a fresh new year.
Prayerfully petitioning the Lord that this New Year to come will bring a
fresh new perspective to our walk with the Lord, our relationship with Him, and
the desire to advance in our striving to live more like Christ.
There are times in our life where it
is painful to say goodbye to the old.
Perhaps it’s an old job that you truly enjoyed. Or maybe a home that you made so many
memories for, but have outgrown and need to move to a new one. But there are some old things that we need to
bid farewell…and doing such, should bring us joy.
One thing we need to say goodbye to
is our sin nature. We live in a
sin-filled, sin-cursed world. We are
saturated in its culture whether we want to be or not. If you shop in a store, you're surrounded by
things we perhaps shouldn't see, or people whom we observe either dressed in an
unfitting manner that is impossible to escape our eyes. Billboards,
conversations even language that people use...we may not be listening, but we
over hear it. All these things and more
infiltrate our hearts. Little by little,
we may not even realize it, it begins to manifest itself. Or perhaps you may be a babe in Christ who is
just learning what is acceptable behavior in Christ and what is not...and to
these young ones, we must be careful to show mercy and grace as our Heavenly
Father so lovingly and patiently afforded us.
Remember, “While we were yet sinners, Christ died
for us”. There was a time
in our life when we were in the same position.
This is where patience and understanding come into play. Nevertheless, no matter where we are in our
walk with the Lord, we all have things we need to “put off”. We are called to change. We are called to be different.
But how many of us like change? How many think it’s easy to change? Change
never comes easy, it’s always difficult.
Romans 6:6-7
Romans 8:1
There is therefore now no condemnation to
those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but
according to the Spirit.
No matter who we are, we
have a tendency to hold on to the old... the old man...to cling to the person
we were before we yielded our life over to Jesus Christ. Sometimes, we don't even see it or realize
it! It just comes natural to us, it’s in
our nature, our sin nature! But we are
called by Christ to change from whom we were, to the person we are to strive to
be in Him.
These certainly are a
nice, long list of things that we should put off…”old” things
that we had in our lives that need to be cast off and done away with once we
have Jesus Christ dwelling in us!
If you have been taught by Him then put off the “old man.” In other words stop
being who you were and become like Him. However, many people have
justifications for remaining the same...we seem to be experts at finding loop
holes such as, “ I can more easily reach
people like me, if I’m like them...”
WRONG! It is the difference in us
that people see...if they knew us before we were saved, it’s the changes that
cause people to question us to why we are different all of a sudden, and what
better opportunity to share your personal testimony and how the change in your
life all came about because of Jesus Christ in your life now.
Looking at it from the
opposite spectrum, January is the NEW beginning of the New Year. And after we've accepted Jesus Christ as the
Blessed Controller of our life, we willingly and whole-heartedly yield our bad
habits, our old man over to Him to lead and control, there should be major
change...we should become a “new creature”...a new man...fresh and new.
Romans 6:11-15 answer's
this quandary without question; “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin,
but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
In our last edition, we talked about
saying goodbye to the old year 2014. As
we begin this crisp, cold January, it is usually the time of focusing on the
fresh new start of a fresh new year.
Prayerfully petitioning the Lord that this New Year to come will bring a
fresh new perspective to our walk with the Lord, our relationship with Him, and
the desire to advance in our striving to live more like Christ.
There are times in our life where it
is painful to say goodbye to the old.
Perhaps it’s an old job that you truly enjoyed. Or maybe a home that you made so many
memories for, but have outgrown and need to move to a new one. But there are some old things that we need to
bid farewell…and doing such, should bring us joy.
One thing we need to say goodbye to
is our sin nature. We live in a
sin-filled, sin-cursed world. We are
saturated in its culture whether we want to be or not. If you shop in a store, you're surrounded by
things we perhaps shouldn't see, or people whom we observe either dressed in an
unfitting manner that is impossible to escape our eyes. Billboards,
conversations even language that people use...we may not be listening, but we
over hear it. All these things and more
infiltrate our hearts. Little by little,
we may not even realize it, it begins to manifest itself. Or perhaps you may be a babe in Christ who is
just learning what is acceptable behavior in Christ and what is not...and to
these young ones, we must be careful to show mercy and grace as our Heavenly
Father so lovingly and patiently afforded us.
Remember, “While we were yet sinners, Christ died
for us”. There was a time
in our life when we were in the same position.
This is where patience and understanding come into play. Nevertheless, no matter where we are in our
walk with the Lord, we all have things we need to “put off”. We are called to change. We are called to be different.
But how many of us like change? How many think it’s easy to change? Change
never comes easy, it’s always difficult.
Romans 6:6-7
“Knowing this, that our old man is
crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we
should not serve sin. For he
that is dead is freed from sin.”
Romans 8:1
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
Romans 8:1
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
No matter who we are, we
have a tendency to hold on to the old... the old man...to cling to the person
we were before we yielded our life over to Jesus Christ. Sometimes, we don't even see it or realize
it! It just comes natural to us, it’s in
our nature, our sin nature! But we are
called by Christ to change from whom we were, to the person we are to strive to
be in Him.
Ephesians
4:20-31
“That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old
man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; If
so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: And be renewed in the spirit of your
mind; And
that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and
true holiness.
These certainly are a
nice, long list of things that we should put off…”old” things
that we had in our lives that need to be cast off and done away with once we
have Jesus Christ dwelling in us!
If you have been taught by Him then put off the “old man.” In other words stop being who you were and become like Him. However, many people have justifications for remaining the same...we seem to be experts at finding loop holes such as, “ I can more easily reach people like me, if I’m like them...” WRONG! It is the difference in us that people see...if they knew us before we were saved, it’s the changes that cause people to question us to why we are different all of a sudden, and what better opportunity to share your personal testimony and how the change in your life all came about because of Jesus Christ in your life now.
Looking at it from the
opposite spectrum, January is the NEW beginning of the New Year. And after we've accepted Jesus Christ as the
Blessed Controller of our life, we willingly and whole-heartedly yield our bad
habits, our old man over to Him to lead and control, there should be major
change...we should become a “new creature”...a new man...fresh and new.
Romans 6:11-15 answer's
this quandary without question; “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin,
but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should
obey it in the lusts thereof.
Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness
unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead,
and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under
the law, but under grace.
What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but
under grace? God forbid.”
There
comes a time in our life when we have to realize, what we were before was
filthy in the sight of a sinless God. Not that anything we can do in and of
ourselves will either earn us salvation or be of any worth to the Lord.
For anything good that we can possibly achieve
is due only to the fact the Holy Spirit dwells within us, and convicts
us...pricks our conscience, and with His help, strength and ability, can
overcome these things that belong to “the old man” and begin to live as one who
has become a “new man” through Jesus Christ and His finished work of redemption
on the cross of Calvary. Oh, what peace of heart, comfort and hope this very
thought brings to the very core of each true Follower of Jesus Christ!
We're
told in 2 Corinthians 5:17 with all confidence, “Therefore
if any man be in Christ, he is a new
creature:old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new”.
So as we say goodbye to the old year, let us without regret,
murmuring or complaining also say goodbye to the “old man” and with a zeal-like
anticipation, welcome not only the fresh, new year...but take peace in the fact
that we too can be fresh and new in Jesus Christ. That the “old” things are passed away, and
with the help of the Holy Spirit, all things can become “new”. The choice is up to YOU!
FACING THE NEW YEAR WITH A RENEWED MIND
'Hey, young man, look up!'
'I am sorry sir' I answered.
Now, that voice from the man whom I stepped onto kept on my mind for long after
I left him. 'Hey, young man, look up.' It came to my mind, that this was
the New Year, though I knew it, it definitely woke me up from my thoughts. What
are we up to for us who know the Lord? And this scripture came to my mind, Romans 12:1-2. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that
ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is
your reasonable service.
Yes, and another
scripture Colossians 3:2 as King James Version puts it, Set your affection on things above, not
on things on the earth.
This is what the Lord requires from each one of us, this year is going to be a
new year with our minds renewed. There is so much we see around us, so much we
think in our minds and in our hearts. Therefore, there is need for us to be
renewed in our mind if we need not live like the world.
But we cannot renew ourselves on our own. We can guard ourselves from
corrupting influences. We can offer ourselves to God and come to better discern
His will. Ultimately, however, God Himself must do the renewing, not just when
we are saved, but daily. Only God's grace can sustain, empower, and renew us.
Let's offer ourselves completely to Him. Then, let's confidently ask for His
grace to empower, perfect, and renew us all throughout this year!
The world is full of many evils, so much going on, we hear, we see, we
encounter but God's Word is so loud and clear, that though we live on this
world, we are not of the world, our home awaits us, and before we get there, a
place where Jesus went to prepare for us, we must not be conformed to the
pattern of this world, let's set our minds on things above, be renewed from
every form of sin, every form of idle word we have ever uttered and embrace the
true nature of Christianity!
Our lives need transformation each new day. Transformation can only come when
we renew our minds. It is my prayer today that God will transform you into a
new person by changing the way you think. Probably you have been thinking
negatively, not seeing that anything good can ever happen to you, you have
lived in debt, no job, been sick until you lost hope, I have come to tell you
that it is the year of transformation, a new year with renewed mind. God wants
to do a new thing in our lives, He wants to transform us, only submit in His
will. Let’s change our thinking and our perspective on things, once this
happens, we'll find ourselves no longer conforming to the standards of this
world but to the will of God.
I have come to learn that the way we think matters a lot. When we think we can
never make it or amount to anything, this really is true and it happens. It is
through our mind that we start thinking. We know that the battle is in the
mind, it all starts there. The way you think determines the way you feel, and
the way you feel determines the way you act. If we want to change the way we act,
we must determine the way we think.
We can't start with the action. We've got to start with the thought and for our
thoughts to be right and positive then we must agree to be renewed in our minds
through God’s Word!
Look at King David, a man after God's own heart, he looked at Bathsheba and he
thought about her. And the rest of the story you know what happened. Let's
therefore each day, each hour renew our minds by applying God's Living Word,
just as John 17:17 says Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth... By doing this, we will lock out the
devil's evil thoughts from our minds and hearts.
Finally, it is my prayer that this year, we walk in victory, in God's
protection and in His will. Our minds being renewed, our conscience clear,
nothing will definitely separate us from the love of God. Therefore, let this
be our guiding scripture, 2Cor.
4:16 For
which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man
is renewed day by day..
Yes, it is a new year and am gonna walk looking up to my savior, my mind
renewed and focused on things above.
'Hey, young man, look up!'
'I am sorry sir' I answered.
'I am sorry sir' I answered.
A man twice
my age was staring at me while he spoke those words. I had accidentally stepped
onto his foot as I was busy walking and talking on phone. It is in the heart of
the city, the first day of the year, everyone in town is busy as ever, so much
noise, music all over, people moving from one store to another, children
holding hands with their lovely parents, business men ushering customers to
their stores and oh, it is a new year that others get new things for their
families, it is the order of the day here! And now that the man was carrying a new
pair of shoes which of course he dropped down after I stepped onto his foot, I
picked them up, handed him and said sorry again.
Now, that voice from the man whom I stepped onto kept on my mind for long after I left him. 'Hey, young man, look up.' It came to my mind, that this was the New Year, though I knew it, it definitely woke me up from my thoughts. What are we up to for us who know the Lord? And this scripture came to my mind, Romans 12:1-2. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Now, that voice from the man whom I stepped onto kept on my mind for long after I left him. 'Hey, young man, look up.' It came to my mind, that this was the New Year, though I knew it, it definitely woke me up from my thoughts. What are we up to for us who know the Lord? And this scripture came to my mind, Romans 12:1-2. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
And
be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your
mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of
God.
Yes, and another scripture Colossians 3:2 as King James Version puts it, Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. This is what the Lord requires from each one of us, this year is going to be a new year with our minds renewed. There is so much we see around us, so much we think in our minds and in our hearts. Therefore, there is need for us to be renewed in our mind if we need not live like the world.
But we cannot renew ourselves on our own. We can guard ourselves from corrupting influences. We can offer ourselves to God and come to better discern His will. Ultimately, however, God Himself must do the renewing, not just when we are saved, but daily. Only God's grace can sustain, empower, and renew us. Let's offer ourselves completely to Him. Then, let's confidently ask for His grace to empower, perfect, and renew us all throughout this year!
The world is full of many evils, so much going on, we hear, we see, we encounter but God's Word is so loud and clear, that though we live on this world, we are not of the world, our home awaits us, and before we get there, a place where Jesus went to prepare for us, we must not be conformed to the pattern of this world, let's set our minds on things above, be renewed from every form of sin, every form of idle word we have ever uttered and embrace the true nature of Christianity!
Our lives need transformation each new day. Transformation can only come when we renew our minds. It is my prayer today that God will transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Probably you have been thinking negatively, not seeing that anything good can ever happen to you, you have lived in debt, no job, been sick until you lost hope, I have come to tell you that it is the year of transformation, a new year with renewed mind. God wants to do a new thing in our lives, He wants to transform us, only submit in His will. Let’s change our thinking and our perspective on things, once this happens, we'll find ourselves no longer conforming to the standards of this world but to the will of God.
I have come to learn that the way we think matters a lot. When we think we can never make it or amount to anything, this really is true and it happens. It is through our mind that we start thinking. We know that the battle is in the mind, it all starts there. The way you think determines the way you feel, and the way you feel determines the way you act. If we want to change the way we act, we must determine the way we think.
We can't start with the action. We've got to start with the thought and for our thoughts to be right and positive then we must agree to be renewed in our minds through God’s Word!
Look at King David, a man after God's own heart, he looked at Bathsheba and he thought about her. And the rest of the story you know what happened. Let's therefore each day, each hour renew our minds by applying God's Living Word, just as John 17:17 says Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth... By doing this, we will lock out the devil's evil thoughts from our minds and hearts.
Finally, it is my prayer that this year, we walk in victory, in God's protection and in His will. Our minds being renewed, our conscience clear, nothing will definitely separate us from the love of God. Therefore, let this be our guiding scripture, 2Cor. 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.. Yes, it is a new year and am gonna walk looking up to my savior, my mind renewed and focused on things above.
Yes, and another scripture Colossians 3:2 as King James Version puts it, Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. This is what the Lord requires from each one of us, this year is going to be a new year with our minds renewed. There is so much we see around us, so much we think in our minds and in our hearts. Therefore, there is need for us to be renewed in our mind if we need not live like the world.
But we cannot renew ourselves on our own. We can guard ourselves from corrupting influences. We can offer ourselves to God and come to better discern His will. Ultimately, however, God Himself must do the renewing, not just when we are saved, but daily. Only God's grace can sustain, empower, and renew us. Let's offer ourselves completely to Him. Then, let's confidently ask for His grace to empower, perfect, and renew us all throughout this year!
The world is full of many evils, so much going on, we hear, we see, we encounter but God's Word is so loud and clear, that though we live on this world, we are not of the world, our home awaits us, and before we get there, a place where Jesus went to prepare for us, we must not be conformed to the pattern of this world, let's set our minds on things above, be renewed from every form of sin, every form of idle word we have ever uttered and embrace the true nature of Christianity!
Our lives need transformation each new day. Transformation can only come when we renew our minds. It is my prayer today that God will transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Probably you have been thinking negatively, not seeing that anything good can ever happen to you, you have lived in debt, no job, been sick until you lost hope, I have come to tell you that it is the year of transformation, a new year with renewed mind. God wants to do a new thing in our lives, He wants to transform us, only submit in His will. Let’s change our thinking and our perspective on things, once this happens, we'll find ourselves no longer conforming to the standards of this world but to the will of God.
I have come to learn that the way we think matters a lot. When we think we can never make it or amount to anything, this really is true and it happens. It is through our mind that we start thinking. We know that the battle is in the mind, it all starts there. The way you think determines the way you feel, and the way you feel determines the way you act. If we want to change the way we act, we must determine the way we think.
We can't start with the action. We've got to start with the thought and for our thoughts to be right and positive then we must agree to be renewed in our minds through God’s Word!
Look at King David, a man after God's own heart, he looked at Bathsheba and he thought about her. And the rest of the story you know what happened. Let's therefore each day, each hour renew our minds by applying God's Living Word, just as John 17:17 says Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth... By doing this, we will lock out the devil's evil thoughts from our minds and hearts.
Finally, it is my prayer that this year, we walk in victory, in God's protection and in His will. Our minds being renewed, our conscience clear, nothing will definitely separate us from the love of God. Therefore, let this be our guiding scripture, 2Cor. 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.. Yes, it is a new year and am gonna walk looking up to my savior, my mind renewed and focused on things above.
CREATIVE WRITINGS
THIS
LIFE THAT I LIVE – By Louise Buhay, Florida
This Life that I live, belongs to You,
I surrendered it years ago.
All that I am and say and do,
I give You complete control.
This life that I live, may it glorify,
Your holy and precious Name.
This flesh that I am, will I crucify,
For it only brings me shame.
This life that I live, submitted to You,
I lay down before Your throne.
Allowing in me, You to live through,
My life is not my own.
This life that I live, desiring to please,
Striving to do what is right.
Spending each day down on my knees,
Seeking Your will every night.
This life that I live, living by faith,
Yearning to be holy and pure.
Trusting in Your mercy and grace,
Sufferings able to endure.
This life that I live, longing to be,
A reflection of Your love.
Displaying Jesus to all I see,
Glorifying Your name above.
This life that I live, down here below,
I live to serve and obey.
On me, daily, Your grace You bestow
To help keep me above the fray.
This life that I live, until I die,
Will I spend in devotion to You.
Until I meet You in the sky,
Raised gloriously and changed anew!
CALM THIS RESTLESS SOUL – By Mary Ann Trott
Lord please calm
this restless soul,
things are happening
so quickly, here below.
Seems this ole world
is coming apart,
So much on the news
I'd rather just depart!
How I long
for Heavens Shore,
With Jesus waiting
at the Door!
Many burdens,
Shoulders weighed down,
I see their faces,
and many frowns.
Put Joy in our hearts,
Let us look to You,
You made us dear Lord,
You know what to do.
Carry these burdens,
Lighten our load,
Lift our Spirits,
Let your mercies unfold.
Heal the broken hearts,
strengthen the frames,
You came to redeem us,
In Jesus precious Name!
Give us new vision,
let us enjoy each new day,
Remove those storm clouds,
Teach us to pray!
Open our eyes
to the beauties around,
Let us be thankful
In You, we are found.
We are here to serve
our Sisters and brothers,
And most of all, God,
We are to love one another.
Strengthen our hands,
for the battle ahead,
The Watchmen are warning,
More wars and bloodshed!
Still our hearts,
We must not fear,
Jesus coming
Is Very Near!
The Earth groans
The Nations tremble,
So much dissension,
Man is not able.
But the Father knows,
when all this will end,
We lift up our eyes,
Waiting for Jesus to descend!
I feel the trumpets
deep in my Spirit,
Angels awaiting God's orders,
And Your children will hear it!
Glory to God
for sending His Son,
To redeem Mankind,
Truly, our lives have just begun!
DAY BY DAY - Author Unknown
Day by day, and with each passing moment
Strength I find to meet my trials
here.
Trusting in my Father's wise
bestowment,
I've no cause for worry or for
fear.
He, whose heart is kind beyond all
measure,
Gives unto each day what He deems
best,
Lovingly its part of pain and
pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest.
Every day the Lord Himself is near me,
With a special mercy for each
hour;
All my cares He fain would bear
and cheer me,
He whose name is Counsellor and
Pow'r.
The protection of His child and
treasure
Is a charge that on Himself He
laid;
"As thy days, thy strength
shall be in measure,"
This the pledge to me He made.
Help me then, in every tribulation,
So to trust Thy promises, O Lord,
That I lose not faith's sweet
consolation,
Offered me within Thy holy Word.
Help me, Lord, when toil and
trouble meeting,
E'er to take, as from a father's
hand,
One by one, the days, the moments
fleeting,
Till with Christ the Lord I stand.
COME, DEAR BRIDEGROOM - Author
Unkonwn
Lord, how long, dear Bridegroom,
'Til You come, Lord, how soon?
Don't delay for that coming day!
Grant me, Lord, to be filled
With You, Lord, every day.
Dearest Lord, take me all the way.
Lord, make home in all my heart,
In my secret, deepest parts
Hidden, Lord, and reserved for
You.
You would be preeminent
In all things and all events,
Possessed by Thee to that extent.
In my prayer and deepest plea,
In my spirit always be
Saturated and soaked with Thee.
This would be my life daily--
Every hour expecting Thee.
This I pray, Lord, desperately!
The universe, in it we see,
In the sweetest touch of Thee,
You're my choice and my destiny.
Lord, whate'er the price may be,
Lord, Amen, let it be!
Oh, my Lord, please come back
quickly!
In Your love I am constrained.
What's within, I can't contain.
Lord, I can't anymore restrain.
In Your love, I'll pour on Thee,
And the church, Your bride to be,
This my choice voluntarily.
Come, Lord Jesus,
Please come, dear
Bridegroom!
Precious One, come soon,
come soon.
Lord, consume me!
O Lord, don't let me stray,
Faithful to You all the
way.
TESTIMONIES
We
from The Good News Magazine, are grateful for all the testimonies you shared
with us. And this time round we are pleased to share all the testimonies shared
in our previous editions in this New Year. We realize that not all of you got a
chance to read all the editions and hopefully you will be able to read this new
edition. May the Lord bless you, encourage you, and strengthen you through all
this as you also share with friends.
How I came to know the
Lord(Justus) – 1st Testimony
I so love my mom, she has invested a lot in me and what she deposited in my heart
will always remain as a seal in me. I so cherish her and love her so much.
My mum was the first one in our family to give her life to the Lord. She got
saved back then in 1991 when she received an invitation to go to church by a
friend. 'I felt such a great move and very peaceful in my heart that day...' I
recall her telling me her story. She had no future, all she used to do was to
sell illegal brew, she was the devil's captive but when she received Jesus,
life was never the same again.
Well she had made her decision. She started taking us to the church, by then I
was only 8 years. We went to church every Sunday, my brother Dennis and I would
be happy at Sunday school but then we only heard of the Lord's great deeds but
never received Him in our lives.
One day, in the year 1998 mum called us at the table, my brother Dennis and I.
'My sons, you know you have to receive Jesus as Lord and savior in your
hearts', she said. Then I responded, 'Mum, we do go to church every Sunday, and
we have heard the pastor preach to us about Jesus.'
It was then that mum lovingly expounded the scriptures to us, and I listened
carefully as she taught us God's word in plain truth. That we were all sinners,
and that unless you confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and He
rose from the death, and that He is the son of God, and call upon His name, you
can never be saved. This startled me, and compelled me and my brother to
receive Jesus in our hearts. She prayed for us and led us in a confession
prayer. From that day, my faith started growing... and my life was never the
same again.
My mother was a humble woman and so she is up to now. She also taught my dad
the word, dad too came to church after mum told him that the Lord wanted him
for His service. Dad came to church and the pastor prayed for him and received
Jesus as Lord and savior in his heart! What a big role my mum played!
I am so thankful to the Lord for my mother. She is the reason for us knowing
the Lord.
She spent most of her time in prayer and her prayer was, 'Lord, save my whole
family, let them know you Lord Jesus' and this prayer has already been answered
as my whole family are now born again. With God all things are possible. All
that seems to be impossible with men, it is possible with God.
Don't go by the opinions of men, just like my mother received many critics from
the people, she stood her ground and the Lord has been faithful to her and to
us all. Trust in the Lord and have faith in Him. Accept Him today and start
your life afresh in Him.
By brother James Beverly – 2nd
Testimony
"I was born on August 21, 1978
and have lived in Pike County, Georgia U.S.A. all my life ...... although I
have moved around some. My mom was raised in a strict Christian household and
was saved when she was 9. She met and married my dad in 1972. My dad was a hard
man and was as lost spiritually as the day is long when I was growing up. The
scriptures say at one point not to be unequally yoked with an unbelieving
partner in this life.
I am not a "special" person as far as people go. My life is
not exciting or thrilling. There is nothing in my life
that stands out as "out of the
ordinary". I've accomplished nothing that would be considered spectacular. So its safe to say, my
life is pretty boring and ordinary.
The same can be said for my testimony...or so I thought. I always felt my testimony was boring
and quite ordinary as I was saved as a
young child.
I wasn't "rescued from a life of
drugs or alcohol". I
wasn't a gang member that was hardened and a police record a mile long. I wasn't the neighborhood grouch
that people hated to be around until the
Lord got a hold of my life and changed me into
a "new creature". I just always was...and believe it or not,
was
almost ashamed to give my testimony because I
had nothing exciting to share about what
the Lord saved me from...but that was out of ignorance. My testimony is one of a precious outpouring mercy and
grace that was bestowed upon a young child that
saved and prevented that little girl from
suffering the guilt and consequences of such a life...one that was taken for granted.
At a very young age, my mother began taking me
to a neighborhood church. I
attended Sunday School and age appropriate class
during the morning service where my mom
attended. At the age of 4,or there about,
it was my mother during conversation before prayer time, that we discussed my need for a Savior, and prayed with me
as I gave my heart to Jesus.
I trusted Him with a child like faith, and loved Him so much because He first loved me. This, as a
result of what I was taught in Sunday School, and re-emphasized by my mother
at home. While both my parents professed
to have accepted Jesus as their Savior,
my dad had no part of church...it was just mom & I.
However, before too long, my mom found herself
expecting my brother and was no longer
able to take me to church, and so the church bus would pick me up. I cannot remember exact details of date or
age, however, I was going to be in the church
Christmas program, and dad agreed to
attend with my mom to see me. It was through this Christmas program, that my dad began questioning his
salvation. The pastor &
assistant pastor would meet with my father in our home after I was in bed, and as a result of this, my father
made sure of his salvation by realizing
his need to have his sin debt paid for when he
was not able to pay for it himself, repented of
this sin before the Lord and asked Jesus
Christ to be his own personal Savior. While he felt that he had been saved when younger, he
wanted to peg it and be sure...and that
he did. His life changed, began attending church faithfully, gave up habits that the Lord in His time
convicted him of, and became a true
spiritual leader of our home.
As a family, we all began to grow in the
Lord and found ourselves serving Him
through any venue we were able to. However, it was Easter Sunday, 1972, that two elderly, dear women who loved the
Lord enough to contend with a group of
pre-teen, unruly children during church time,
that they would take us into a class room and teach us an age appropriate lesson. These two sweet women, Marie
Ritter & Betty Mills, both Home with
their Savior now, expounded upon all that Jesus had endured leading up to and during His crucifixion. They
explained
that no matter what pain He was feeling, no
matter how badly He was beaten, no matter
what torture He was placed under, no matter what humiliation suffered, in the back of His mind, was such a strong love
for me, and my sin debt that needed to be paid,
that I could not pay for no matter how
good I was, or how many good deeds I had done.
all...and then, eventually "gave up"
His life...His life was NOT taken from
Him!
Salvation was the same way....Jesus is offering
us a gift, that was quite expensive to
Him, but because He loved us so much, purchased this gift for us. Were we going to say, "No thank you"
and not accept it? ...or would we realize
this love that no one else ever had for us or
ever will, and confess our sin to Him, admit that there is no way we could pay that sin debt that we owed, repent of the
things we did wrong and turn away from the,
and accept His free gift of salvation He wants
so badly to give to anyone who will accept it. With tears
running down my cheeks, soon turning into sobs,
I rededicated my life to that wonderful
Savior who loved me so much ...I didn't deserve Him. It was not long after that, I was baptized as
the Lord commands after salvation as a
witness to others of the decision I made to commit the rest of my life to living for Him.
Do I still sin? Yes. Do I have a
dramatic story to share of an exciting
life of crime and horror that the Lord saved me from? No. But what I've taken for granted all these years, is
all the pain, suffering, shame,
consequences, repercussions,. and regret that the Lord spared me from! I DO have a testimony worth
telling. There is something to be excited
and ready to share about my testimony! Maybe it’s not what He saved me out of, but its what He
saved me from and prevented me from
experiencing.
Debbie Senese, Co-editor of The Good News Magazine.
When my mother was
asked she turned to me and asked if I wanted to go. I was a little shy about
it, but the lady who talked to us was so nice and really acted like she wanted
me to go. My mother said if I didn't like it I didn't have to go back but it
would be nice to give it a try, so when it started, I walked into a church for
the very first time in my life. I didn't know anyone but all the teachers and
helpers were very friendly. I heard a story about Jesus. I really didn't know
who He was, but it was explained that He is God's own Son. The more I heard about Him, the more I
was drawn to Him.
There was an
Evangelist there who was on fire for the Lord and his enthusiasm was
contagious. At one of his revival meetings, he made it clear that you can't
walk the fence . You were either 100% for the Lord or 100% against Him, and he
invited all those who didn't know the Lord to accept Him, and all those who weren't
sure of their salvation to make sure of it , and all those who weren't walking
with the Lord to come back to Him. For
me, I just wanted to peg it (so to speak ) so I would never have any doubts
about it.
By Helen Dowd -6th Testimony
Isaiah
44:22 – “I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a
cloud, thy sins:”
I stood before the throne.
And on a great wide T.V. screen
My whole life there was shown.
My name was in plain view.
To ALL, God made me known.
I saw before my very eyes
The wicked seeds I’d sown.
I didn't like this show.
I saw there all the hidden things
I thought folks didn't know:
The private, secret thoughts,
Deceits from long ago,
The mean and selfish things I'd done.
The list began to grow.
And on the T.V. screen
I saw Christ walking toward the Throne:
He’d come to intervene.
When God called out my name
I saw Christ step between.
I heard Him say, “I’ve paid the price.”
He’d wiped the record clean.
The screen was filled with light.
Again my name was written there.
But Christ had set things right.
I stood before the Throne,
Pure in a robe of white.
A lasting memory will remain
Of the dream I had that night.
By Edward C. Webster -7th
Testimony
When I was a young
teenager, I went to a small country church in Texas. The pastor and a
missionary home on leave came to our house one day. He shared the Gospel ( The
good news that Jesus came to Earth to
save sinners ) with my sisters and me. I prayed to accept Jesus as my Savior that
day and was baptized as soon as possible at that same church. I grew up and
went on my way leaving the Lord out of my life. When I met the girl I was to
marry, I told her I had trusted Christ as my Savior. We married and were
blessed with two children a daughter Debbie and a son Eddie. My wife wanted
them to be raised in the admonition of the Lord, so Debbie Began going to
Sunday School. Eddie was a baby at the time.
By Lynne Conklin – 8th Testimony
We
from The Good News Magazine, are grateful for all the testimonies you shared
with us. And this time round we are pleased to share all the testimonies shared
in our previous editions in this New Year. We realize that not all of you got a
chance to read all the editions and hopefully you will be able to read this new
edition. May the Lord bless you, encourage you, and strengthen you through all
this as you also share with friends.
How I came to know the
Lord(Justus) – 1st Testimony
Did
you know that our mothers have played a big role in our lives in getting to
know about our Lord JESUS?
I so love my mom, she has invested a lot in me and what she deposited in my heart will always remain as a seal in me. I so cherish her and love her so much.
My mum was the first one in our family to give her life to the Lord. She got saved back then in 1991 when she received an invitation to go to church by a friend. 'I felt such a great move and very peaceful in my heart that day...' I recall her telling me her story. She had no future, all she used to do was to sell illegal brew, she was the devil's captive but when she received Jesus, life was never the same again.
I so love my mom, she has invested a lot in me and what she deposited in my heart will always remain as a seal in me. I so cherish her and love her so much.
My mum was the first one in our family to give her life to the Lord. She got saved back then in 1991 when she received an invitation to go to church by a friend. 'I felt such a great move and very peaceful in my heart that day...' I recall her telling me her story. She had no future, all she used to do was to sell illegal brew, she was the devil's captive but when she received Jesus, life was never the same again.
She
received critics, others telling her that she will never amount to be anything
at all, that now she is not selling liquor where could she get money? You see
the enemy is very deceptive, though she sold all this, she never profited in
it, all she got was losses after losses and now when she came to Jesus, she got
critics. But she said, it is better I live for Jesus than die selling liquor.
Well she had made her decision. She started taking us to the church, by then I was only 8 years. We went to church every Sunday, my brother Dennis and I would be happy at Sunday school but then we only heard of the Lord's great deeds but never received Him in our lives.
One day, in the year 1998 mum called us at the table, my brother Dennis and I. 'My sons, you know you have to receive Jesus as Lord and savior in your hearts', she said. Then I responded, 'Mum, we do go to church every Sunday, and we have heard the pastor preach to us about Jesus.'
It was then that mum lovingly expounded the scriptures to us, and I listened carefully as she taught us God's word in plain truth. That we were all sinners, and that unless you confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and He rose from the death, and that He is the son of God, and call upon His name, you can never be saved. This startled me, and compelled me and my brother to receive Jesus in our hearts. She prayed for us and led us in a confession prayer. From that day, my faith started growing... and my life was never the same again.
Well she had made her decision. She started taking us to the church, by then I was only 8 years. We went to church every Sunday, my brother Dennis and I would be happy at Sunday school but then we only heard of the Lord's great deeds but never received Him in our lives.
One day, in the year 1998 mum called us at the table, my brother Dennis and I. 'My sons, you know you have to receive Jesus as Lord and savior in your hearts', she said. Then I responded, 'Mum, we do go to church every Sunday, and we have heard the pastor preach to us about Jesus.'
It was then that mum lovingly expounded the scriptures to us, and I listened carefully as she taught us God's word in plain truth. That we were all sinners, and that unless you confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and He rose from the death, and that He is the son of God, and call upon His name, you can never be saved. This startled me, and compelled me and my brother to receive Jesus in our hearts. She prayed for us and led us in a confession prayer. From that day, my faith started growing... and my life was never the same again.
My
heart was filled up with joy and going to church was not something normal but I
saw it as a place where I found my peace, joy, love and getting to fellowship
with brothers and sisters in one accord.
My mother was a humble woman and so she is up to now. She also taught my dad the word, dad too came to church after mum told him that the Lord wanted him for His service. Dad came to church and the pastor prayed for him and received Jesus as Lord and savior in his heart! What a big role my mum played!
I am so thankful to the Lord for my mother. She is the reason for us knowing the Lord.
She spent most of her time in prayer and her prayer was, 'Lord, save my whole family, let them know you Lord Jesus' and this prayer has already been answered as my whole family are now born again. With God all things are possible. All that seems to be impossible with men, it is possible with God.
Don't go by the opinions of men, just like my mother received many critics from the people, she stood her ground and the Lord has been faithful to her and to us all. Trust in the Lord and have faith in Him. Accept Him today and start your life afresh in Him.
By brother James Beverly – 2nd
Testimony
My mom always stood on the WORD
though when people would throw that up at her and she would say "the
scriptures also say that if any part of your family is lost and you pray for
them fervently then they shall be saved." That is my mom and I am so
blessed to have a mother that not only knows the WORD but isn't afraid to stand
up for it also.
Her prayers were answered in 1991
when my dad finally surrendered to the conviction of the Holy Spirit and gave
his life to the LORD. Almost 20 years of praying for him every day. That is
commitment. I can remember my mom and my
grandmother, her mom, crying a lot out of joy. Me being younger and lost I had
no understanding of what was going on. I now know without a doubt that the
angels were rejoicing when he was won ... you would have had to know him.
In the fall of 1996 we, my mom, dad
and myself, moved to my current location just outside of Molena out in the
sticks as people say around here. The road we moved on had hardly a house all
the way down it. It was totally different for me and I knew that it was going
to take some time to adjust to, and boy did it ever in more ways than one. We
were moved in somewhat by the time school started back (my junior year ..... it
would have been my senior but I failed due to goofing off in the 8th grade).
Although we were in a different locale things seemed to be pretty much the
same. My mom and dad both worked at the same textile mill and we went on with
our lives; or so I thought. In June 1997 the telephone rang at a little after
2:00 am on a Monday morning and my mom answered it. It was the mill where they
worked wanting my dad to come in to start up some machines (he was always on
call because he was the chief mechanic). She woke him up and rolled back over
to go to sleep. He stood up, took two steps and fell over dead with a massive
heart attack. This would start the ball rolling for what seemed like a long,
long time of living in the valley for my mom and me. The very next June we were
involved in a serious car accident that had me in the hospital for an extended
time and then confined to a chair at home for nearly 4 months. That fall, the
mill permanently closed up and my mom's job was gone. They filed bankruptcy and
although she had put in many years her pay for that time amounted to almost
nothing.
Things seemed to be only going down
hill to me until that October when one night my mom had turned on the tv to and
was listening to some preaching that I knew nothing about. Being laid up like I
was for such a long time when I was very active had become somewhat a thorn in
my flesh. I was tired of doing nothing but as I sat there that night and
listened to a message of salvation I noticed myself bowing my head and closing
my eyes and praying that the LORD would save me. I didn't know why I was doing
it or even what it meant but I knew something was causing me to do it. My mom
was ecstatic that I had gotten saved and I was like, "Okay?"... haha
....
So here we are now in 2014 and as I
look back on these things I type this and think "Wow...look at what the
LORD has done." Now I have to add a few more details here to complete
this. To begin with, I didn't follow through like I should have with getting
baptized and getting into the WORD and going to church. As a matter of fact I
didn't even join a church until January 2004. After all those years of being
saved and stagnant the LORD was about to unveil me so to speak.
One Saturday morning in January I
was sitting around doing nothing and the thought came to my mind that I should
go to a local church that my mom had been going to on and off over the years. I
asked her where she was going the next morning and being my mom she asked
"I would love to....you want to go with me?" Before I even knew what
had happened I had answered her and said "Yes I do." The next morning
I walked into that huge church with all of those people and sat there not
knowing what to expect. At the end of the service the pastor asked if anyone
wanted to be saved or baptized or ... WAIT!!! ...that was it... the
baptizing... I had never followed through with it. I was scared to death to
walk out into that aisle and go down in front of all those people but the LORD
nudged me on and after I took that first step I felt as though I just glided
down there. He asked me what I wanted him to do for me and I told him that I
was saved but that I had never been baptized and I wanted to do that and join
so I could get in with the fellowship that I needed to grow.
Now to show you how the LORD works
so mightily. That particular church holds baptism once a month and guess what
day the LORD has impressed on me to go? That's right ... it was the day of
their baptizing. I was baptized that night along with 16 others and I thought
that was something too ... for all my life I have always loved the number 17. I
also now know that the number 17 means "victory" when studying the
Bible and that is what I have ladies and gentlemen... I have victory in JESUS!
I started singing in the choir there and then started playing lead guitar for
the youth band that the LORD blessed me to be part of although I certainly
wasn't a youth. I was there until October 2009 when the LORD moved me to a
little church that I played at for 3 1/2 years. They were needing help in their
music department and HE spoke to me strongly on this one Sunday while I was in
choir. I knew nothing of this church HE was calling me to help at but I didn't
question HIM. I was obedient and HE blessed me in many ways for my time there.
In April of 2013 the LORD spoke to me again. It was time for me to move on
again. Interestingly HE moved me back to the church I was baptized in and I
shall be there as long as HE needs this time as well.
The LORD's ways are NOT our ways
and I know that more now than ever. We all think that we are okay until we are
redeemed and then we can look back and really see how far off course we really
were. The LORD has blessed me so much over the years and now I am involved full
time at my church and a big ministry on Facebook straight off of my wall. I now
hope to be used through this website too and sharing what HE will impress on my
heart to share.
The LORD has blessed me with many
things but the gift that I appreciate more than all is the very gift of HIS Son
that died on the cross some 2000 years ago so I could live forever with HIM in
perfection!!! GOD bless you all and I appreciate you taking your special time
that HE has given you to read this and I pray above all that it will in some
small way minister to you and let you know that even though we are all
different we are all the same when it comes to needing a Savior!!! Love you all...
By Deborah – 4th
Testimony
I wasn't "rescued from a life of
drugs or alcohol". I
wasn't a gang member that was hardened and a police record a mile long. I wasn't the neighborhood grouch
that people hated to be around until the
Lord got a hold of my life and changed me into
a "new creature". I just always was...and believe it or not,
was
almost ashamed to give my testimony because I had nothing exciting to share about what the Lord saved me from...but that was out of ignorance. My testimony is one of a precious outpouring mercy and grace that was bestowed upon a young child that saved and prevented that little girl from suffering the guilt and consequences of such a life...one that was taken for granted.
At a very young age, my mother began taking me to a neighborhood church. I attended Sunday School and age appropriate class during the morning service where my mom attended. At the age of 4,or there about, it was my mother during conversation before prayer time, that we discussed my need for a Savior, and prayed with me as I gave my heart to Jesus. I trusted Him with a child like faith, and loved Him so much because He first loved me. This, as a result of what I was taught in Sunday School, and re-emphasized by my mother at home. While both my parents professed to have accepted Jesus as their Savior, my dad had no part of church...it was just mom & I.
almost ashamed to give my testimony because I had nothing exciting to share about what the Lord saved me from...but that was out of ignorance. My testimony is one of a precious outpouring mercy and grace that was bestowed upon a young child that saved and prevented that little girl from suffering the guilt and consequences of such a life...one that was taken for granted.
At a very young age, my mother began taking me to a neighborhood church. I attended Sunday School and age appropriate class during the morning service where my mom attended. At the age of 4,or there about, it was my mother during conversation before prayer time, that we discussed my need for a Savior, and prayed with me as I gave my heart to Jesus. I trusted Him with a child like faith, and loved Him so much because He first loved me. This, as a result of what I was taught in Sunday School, and re-emphasized by my mother at home. While both my parents professed to have accepted Jesus as their Savior, my dad had no part of church...it was just mom & I.
However, before too long, my mom found herself expecting my brother and was no longer able to take me to church, and so the church bus would pick me up. I cannot remember exact details of date or age, however, I was going to be in the church Christmas program, and dad agreed to attend with my mom to see me. It was through this Christmas program, that my dad began questioning his salvation. The pastor & assistant pastor would meet with my father in our home after I was in bed, and as a result of this, my father made sure of his salvation by realizing his need to have his sin debt paid for when he
was not able to pay for it himself, repented of this sin before the Lord and asked Jesus Christ to be his own personal Savior. While he felt that he had been saved when younger, he wanted to peg it and be sure...and that he did. His life changed, began attending church faithfully, gave up habits that the Lord in His time convicted him of, and became a true spiritual leader of our home.
As a family, we all began to grow in the Lord and found ourselves serving Him through any venue we were able to. However, it was Easter Sunday, 1972, that two elderly, dear women who loved the Lord enough to contend with a group of pre-teen, unruly children during church time, that they would take us into a class room and teach us an age appropriate lesson. These two sweet women, Marie Ritter & Betty Mills, both Home with their Savior now, expounded upon all that Jesus had endured leading up to and during His crucifixion. They explained
that no matter what pain He was feeling, no matter how badly He was beaten, no matter what torture He was placed under, no matter what humiliation suffered, in the back of His mind, was such a strong love for me, and my sin debt that needed to be paid, that I could not pay for no matter how good I was, or how many good deeds I had done.
They explained that He held the power to
say "No More!" and be done with all this and have angels come to His rescue at any
time through the entire suffering He
endured, and yet, even if I was the only person in the whole world, He would have went through it all
just for me...for anyone who was willing
to accept Him. It was this love that held Him on the cross, not the soldiers, not the nails nothing
but pure love for people who didn't even
care about Him, that He endured it
all...and then, eventually "gave up" His life...His life was NOT taken from Him!
all...and then, eventually "gave up" His life...His life was NOT taken from Him!
After 3 days and 3 nights, He rose
from the dead, and lives today
in Heaven preparing a place for each one of us who realizes that we needed this Savior to pay the price for a huge debt
that we owed and could not pay. It
was explained, supposing it was our birthday....and
we were given a gift. Would we look at that person and say, "No thank you...it was nice of you to
spend all that money on me and love me
enough to purchase it for me, but I don't want it".
Salvation was the same way....Jesus is offering us a gift, that was quite expensive to Him, but because He loved us so much, purchased this gift for us. Were we going to say, "No thank you" and not accept it? ...or would we realize this love that no one else ever had for us or ever will, and confess our sin to Him, admit that there is no way we could pay that sin debt that we owed, repent of the things we did wrong and turn away from the, and accept His free gift of salvation He wants so badly to give to anyone who will accept it. With tears
running down my cheeks, soon turning into sobs, I rededicated my life to that wonderful Savior who loved me so much ...I didn't deserve Him. It was not long after that, I was baptized as the Lord commands after salvation as a witness to others of the decision I made to commit the rest of my life to living for Him.
Do I still sin? Yes. Do I have a dramatic story to share of an exciting life of crime and horror that the Lord saved me from? No. But what I've taken for granted all these years, is all the pain, suffering, shame, consequences, repercussions,. and regret that the Lord spared me from! I DO have a testimony worth telling. There is something to be excited and ready to share about my testimony! Maybe it’s not what He saved me out of, but its what He saved me from and prevented me from experiencing.
Salvation was the same way....Jesus is offering us a gift, that was quite expensive to Him, but because He loved us so much, purchased this gift for us. Were we going to say, "No thank you" and not accept it? ...or would we realize this love that no one else ever had for us or ever will, and confess our sin to Him, admit that there is no way we could pay that sin debt that we owed, repent of the things we did wrong and turn away from the, and accept His free gift of salvation He wants so badly to give to anyone who will accept it. With tears
running down my cheeks, soon turning into sobs, I rededicated my life to that wonderful Savior who loved me so much ...I didn't deserve Him. It was not long after that, I was baptized as the Lord commands after salvation as a witness to others of the decision I made to commit the rest of my life to living for Him.
Do I still sin? Yes. Do I have a dramatic story to share of an exciting life of crime and horror that the Lord saved me from? No. But what I've taken for granted all these years, is all the pain, suffering, shame, consequences, repercussions,. and regret that the Lord spared me from! I DO have a testimony worth telling. There is something to be excited and ready to share about my testimony! Maybe it’s not what He saved me out of, but its what He saved me from and prevented me from experiencing.
I am blessed to have been saved at a
young age, and blessed to have been raised in a
God-fearing Christian home, where my
parents loved me and cared enough for me, to train me up in such a way that I didn't realize at the time,
but can appreciate today. I love
Him, and thank Him and with tears of gratitude, will never cease to praise His Name for loving me enough to
die for me, and lives today preparing a
place for me to live with Him forever when He is ready for me. The alternative to NOT making this decision, of
spending an eternity with a Savior who loved you
so much that he died for you is the
reality of an eternity of Hell fire and brimstone...forever tormented, and
separated from this loving Savior, Jesus Christ.
A choice to NOT put your faith is trust in Him is a decision for Hell. Making no decision at all, is the same
end result. Won't you accept this
expensive gift that someone who loved you so very much purchased for you?
Don't delay making this decision as we
have no idea when we can be
plucked from this life and into eternity. Please, make the right choice, and make it today! Its
out of this same love, that this
publication comes out each month to share this with you...we too love you in the Lord and desire to see each one of
you accept this gift. Thank you for
allowing me the joy and privilege of sharing what Jesus Christ did in the heart of a little 4 year old
girl...who 46 years later, have found His
love, forgiveness and steadfast longsuffering,
mercy and grace so difficult to understand, so undeserved, yet never ending, faithful and true.
Debbie Senese, Co-editor of The Good News Magazine.
Debbie Senese, Co-editor of The Good News Magazine.
By Marion Webster – 5th
Testimony
For anyone
who doesn't believe that young children can get saved, I have to disagree with
you, because I am living proof that they do. I grew up on a North Philadelphia
street of row homes, and at the end of our block was a small Presbyterian
church. One Summer, some of the members went around visiting door to door
asking people with children if they would be interested in going to their
Vacation Bible School .
When the
teacher explained what He did because He loved me, I was touched to the point
of tears. At the end of the lesson, the teacher asked us all to kneel by our
chairs so we could talk to Him, She said she was going to say a prayer and if
we wanted the Lord Jesus Christ to come into our heart and be our Savior to say
what she was saying quietly in our hearts. I just learned about Jesus for the
first time, but already I knew I loved Him and wanted Him to come and live with
me in my heart. I was a very young child and didn't understand all that was
involved with getting saved, but I know now what the scripture means by " coming
to Him as a little child".
I felt sorry
for all the bad things I did and wanted to make Jesus happy now. We closed by
singing a little song called "Into
my heart”. It went..
Into my heart.. Into my heart..
Come into my heart Lord Jesus...
Come in today .. Come in to stay..
Come into my heart Lord Jesus.
Upon singing
that song I had tears streaming down my face. After Bible School was over the
teacher talked to me. I can't remember what she said. All I knew was that Jesus
lived in my heart now.
From that
day on, I wanted to be in that church every time the doors were open. It didn't
matter what the reason was. I just wanted to be there because that's where I
heard about Jesus. I couldn't even read yet, so I just sat all by myself and the
wonderful people there always made me feel welcome.
I started going
to Sunday School every Sunday and got a pin for perfect attendance at the end
of each year. When I was 14, I went to a youth conference with our Christian
Endeavor group. It was the Labor Day weekend and two of my friends and I shared
a room together. We had the most wonderful time I ever had. We had so much fun
and so much studying God's Word as well. It was like nothing I ever experienced
before.
So at the
given time, I asked the Lord to make me
know it for sure, and when I came out of that little Chapel on the hill I knew
without doubt that I belonged to the Lord Jesus. I remember looking at everything
in a different way as we walked. I saw flowers and grass and in my heart I was
saying "My Father made these"
I wasn't formal like God made these, it was adoration for my own
Heavenly Father. My childhood was amazing.
I was the
only saved member of my family, so I got no support in Spiritual things, but the
Lord made me feel His presence all the time.
Looking back
it was almost a supernatural childhood. I felt like I was taking Jesus with me
everywhere I went and even if no one saw Him, I knew He was there. One time I got on a very crowded bus going to
school and I was squashed up against the lady next to me, and I was thinking in
my heart. You don't know it lady, but there is someone else sitting here right
between us . He went to school with me , He came home with me, and He was with
me all the time.
Now when I
see the verse. "For
he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Hebrews
13:5b. I have to think of how it was, and still is for me. I may go astray from
Him from time to time, but He has never left me and He never will.
"Thank
you Lord for saving my soul, Thank you Lord for making me whole..
Thank you
Lord for giving to me.. Thy great Salvation, so rich and free.
By Helen Dowd -6th Testimony
Sometimes It Takes A Dream
Isaiah
44:22 – “I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a
cloud, thy sins:”
Isaiah 1:18 –– “Come now, and let us reason
together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as
white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
Sometimes
it takes a vivid dream to help us see reality. It did for me, not long ago. I
had had a bad day, and was extremely tired when I went to bed.
As
a child I was plagued with nightmares. They were always the same. I was brought
up in a very godly home. My mother was a gentle woman. Her actions, rather than
a lot of words, shouted her Christianity. My father, on the other hand, drilled
into his children what would happen if we did not follow the Lord. In other
words, he was a "hellfire preacher" to us children.
We
always had prayer before going to bed. And time and time again I would wake up
trembling, and in a cold sweat. I dreamed that Jesus had come, and I was
left...Even after I had given my heart to the Lord, at the age of eight, I had
these nightmares. I would stand at the top of the stairs, afraid to go down, in
case my parents had "gone up to heaven", and I had been left. On a
few occasions I got the nerve up to call out to Dad. He always came. We would
kneel by my bed and he would ask God to take my nightmare away. Then I would go
to sleep, reassured that I was still a child of God.
When
I became an adult those nightmares faded out. But on this occasion I woke up in
the same old cold sweat. It was then that God gave me the same old assurance
that I was still a child of God.
This
poem was born as a result of this experience.
I had a dream last night.
I stood before the throne.
And on a great wide T.V. screen
My whole life there was shown.
My name was in plain view.
To ALL, God made me known.
I saw before my very eyes
The wicked seeds I’d sown.
I stood before the throne.
And on a great wide T.V. screen
My whole life there was shown.
My name was in plain view.
To ALL, God made me known.
I saw before my very eyes
The wicked seeds I’d sown.
I hung my head in shame.
I didn't like this show.
I saw there all the hidden things
I thought folks didn't know:
The private, secret thoughts,
Deceits from long ago,
The mean and selfish things I'd done.
The list began to grow.
I didn't like this show.
I saw there all the hidden things
I thought folks didn't know:
The private, secret thoughts,
Deceits from long ago,
The mean and selfish things I'd done.
The list began to grow.
But then the picture changed.
And on the T.V. screen
I saw Christ walking toward the Throne:
He’d come to intervene.
When God called out my name
I saw Christ step between.
I heard Him say, “I’ve paid the price.”
He’d wiped the record clean.
And on the T.V. screen
I saw Christ walking toward the Throne:
He’d come to intervene.
When God called out my name
I saw Christ step between.
I heard Him say, “I’ve paid the price.”
He’d wiped the record clean.
And now another scene:
The screen was filled with light.
Again my name was written there.
But Christ had set things right.
I stood before the Throne,
Pure in a robe of white.
A lasting memory will remain
Of the dream I had that night.
The screen was filled with light.
Again my name was written there.
But Christ had set things right.
I stood before the Throne,
Pure in a robe of white.
A lasting memory will remain
Of the dream I had that night.
Isaiah 43:25 –– “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy
transgression for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.”
© Helen Dowd
By Edward C. Webster -7th
Testimony
As for me, I
had no interest in the Lord. Debbie was given a small part in a Christmas
program and we were invited to go. Not long after that we had a visit from the
new young Pastor and a Deacon. The Deacon (who was also a Pastor) offered to
come to our house once a week to have a Bible study with us, and we accepted.
He gave my wife and I a study booklet in which we were to answer questions that
we would go over the following week. After a few weeks of meeting with this
brother, we found we were enjoying it very much.
We looked
forward to the studies and we had refreshments together and developed a
wonderful friendship. We always seemed to have a lot of Bible questions for him
and he was always happy to answer them.
One week, I had put off my study until the night before he was to
come. I did my study and the next day at
work, I had no peace. The Bible says in
Romans 3:23 (KJV) “ For all have sinned and come short of the
Glory of God “ and Romans
6 :23 says “ For the wages of sin is death, but the
gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. I
wondered if I was saved from my sins or if I would have to pay for them. I
couldn’t get if off my mind all day. I know now the Holy Spirit was convicting
me. I didn’t want to have to pay for my sins myself.
That evening
our brother and friend came as he did faithfully every week. As we were doing
our Bible Study, He asked me if I was saved. I told him that I prayed to accept
Jesus as my Savior as a youngster, but how do I know I’m really saved? His
answer was in the form of a story. He said there was a farmer who always
doubted his Salvation, so he went out in the middle of his field and dug a
hole, and put a fence post there. Then he got down on his knees and asked Jesus
to forgive his sins and to come into his heart and save him. Then the farmer
said to himself from now on when I have
any doubts about my salvation, I will look at that post and say, Yes, I am
saved ,and I pegged it right there. After that story, our brother in the Lord
asked me if I would like to peg my salvation before the Lord and I said “yes’’
so right there at the table where we had our study, I pegged it and asked Jesus
to forgive my sins and save me.
Acts 2:21
says “ And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call
upon the name of The Lord, shall be saved “ Since
that night, I have tried to live my life to the Glory of God. In closing I would like to share Rev. 20:15 “
And Whosoever was not found in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire” I
know my name is written in the Book of Life, Praise God. How about you my
friend?
By Lynne Conklin – 8th Testimony
How
The Lord Saved My Life Eternally
I realize that there are some who come to know the
Lord at an early
age as a child, and others who come to know the
Lord as an adult, some even on their
death bed. But the Lord used a Youth Rally to convict my heart and save my soul.
About the age of 14, once a month the churches
in our area would have a youth
rally. It was held at a different church every month. There was one meeting in particular where the Holy Spirit
touched my heart and convicted me.
As the invitation to come forward to accept Jesus Christ as my personal Savior was given, that is when I
answered that call and went forward. In
my prayer to the Lord, I acknowledged that I was a sinner who couldn't "work" my way into Heaven or pay the
sin-debt that I owed and that only Jesus
could. I realized that He accomplished
this when He died on the cross for my sin, but then raised from the dead 3 days and nights later, then
shortly returned to the Father where He
lives today, waiting to return to the clouds to call all His children Home to be with Him. I was raised in a
Christian home, we were faithful in church, my
mom taught the teen class and always had
kids at the house for teen outings. But all this couldn't save me, I had to make that decision for myself. No one
can make that decision for you. So I did.
Because I was raised in a Christian Home, I
can't say there were real
noticeable changes in my life as one might see
from someone who didn't grow up in church
and such. Not too long after that, on a Sunday evening, I responded to the call of
Baptism in obedience to His command that
once we are saved, we are to be baptized as a public affirmation of complete yielding of our life over to
Him. It was such a special time for
me...knowing, that I was pleasing the Lord through my obedience in Baptism.
As I look back, I'm so very thankful to my mom
for being a Godly woman and example of
true Christian love in our home. Yes, I still fall short from time to time of what Christ wants me to be,
but He's still working in my heart and
life everyday as I strive to be more like Him.
Today, I still have a yearning, a hunger to know
what my Lord and
Savior desires of me in everything that I do and
say. An unquenchable hunger to know
more and more about Him. I'm learning still that doing what's right in God's eyes through the gift of His
word, the Bible, is vitally
important. I've also learned that exterior changes that the
Lord commands of us are so much easier than the
heart issues we struggle with every day;
Bringing my heart and mind under subjection to His will and His way. My prayer continues to be, "Change
my heart, O God, make it ever true!”
I am what I am, because He is who He is!
Thank you for allowing me to share how
the Lord saved my soul from eternal Hell to life everlasting.
By
Zedekiah Nandwa – 9th Testimony
Having been born in God fearing
family, my parents were church goers and great great believers of Christ. I
believed that being our parents we were automatically born again as their
children. Each and every Sunday my mum would wake us up prepare us and take us
to Sunday school. I was so active in church during those days that everyone
knew how much we feared God. Our parents were proud of us and they could pray
for us every day. Deep inside my heart I had no knowledge of who God was. I
took it as normal. I did not know that there something extra needed to be
complete.
My pastor’s name was Brother J.C.
Chapman... I was saved in a revival meeting
on a Wednesday night.
At this service, Brother Tom Hayes was doing the preaching.
Before I was saved, I was a wild child always getting into trouble or fighting or
cussing people out for no reason at
all. And if anyone happened to hurt me or belittle me, my first response was to hurt them...physically!
I wasn't raised in a Christian home; I grew up
with my parents, along with my 4 brothers
and 4 sisters, along with some aunts that lived with us. We Lived In The City Of Carol City, Florida...
Needless to say, I had my hands full
growing up as I was the 7th of the 7 children.
School was very difficult for me. For some
reason, my teachers wouldn't teach me
what I needed to learn all through elementary school. Those were hard years from 1970-1976. I would plead with them to give me work according to
my age group and I would do it but the
work was so far beneath what I was capable of. Needless to say, this just added to my frustrations. I told them if
they refuse to give me work I'm capable of; I
will refuse to do the work. So they
tested me...however, they would only let me go so far, and then stop me, trying to convince me that I was
"a slow learner". The most
frustrating part of it all, was to know that if they would give me half a chance, I knew I could do it...but they
didn't have the faith in me that I could
do it.
Then, the taunting began. I was made fun
of so very badly for "being slow"
by the time I reached Jr. High School. I was taunted even more because I had no hair. All this bitterness just
built up inside me until I was just a
mean, nasty hateful person to most anyone...other school kids, teachers, and even other people. If
you crossed me, I would tell it like it
was and not hesitate to use inappropriate names to tell them so!
We Moved To Jonesboro, Georgia in 1979 to
make a change for the better in our lives.
You see, my dad had to retire early from his job at Eastern Airlines when I was in 8th grade which meant starting
all over again at a new school, Jonesboro
Jr. High/At first things seemed to
be going pretty well...a lot better than it was...until a teacher wanted to do some testing with me all of a
sudden and at that point started getting
baby work. I didn't understand what was happening until I realized they had received records from my former
school in Florida. I refused To do the
work. So they put me in a Special
Ed class because I refused to do more testing.
This made me more and more bitter. I
didn't want to listen to anyone unless it
was something I like to do, or play. I was threatened that I wouldn't be promoted to my next grade because they
didn't think I could do it, but I proved
them wrong, and I DID do it, and was promoted each year...and then I hit high school...I was in for a shock!
I actually had teachers that cared about me and
really helped me to overcome a lot of
hurt and pain I had been carrying with me from my past. They wanted me to show them exactly what I
was capable of... I amazed them by what I
was able to do. I told them about my past and how I was treated by other teachers and all the problems and obstacles
I had overcome...so they placed me in my proper
level where I belonged. A very
special teacher, by the name of Mr. Pecca and his caring for me and my well being tested me on a higher
level. I never would have made it
through high school if it weren't for him. I did graduate in 1984, the only boy in my family to
graduate from high
school!
It was during the summer of 1983, June 3rd that I was
saved. There was a point in my life, when I heard the Spirit of the
Lord speaking to me that I needed to be
saved. I didn't hesitate one minute. I ran from the back door of the church to the altar and fell
on my knees crying, "Lord save me"... I didn't know what
else to say... I didn't know how to
pray...I just kept saying it over and over asking the Lord to save me. Then, the preacher knelt down beside
me and told me
Romans 10:9, “That
if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine
heart that God hath raised him from the
dead, thou shalt be saved." He also shared, Romans 14:11. "For
it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess
to God." Also Matthew 10:32. "
Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in
heaven." When I got up from that altar, I was
a new Born Again Child of God! Jesus saved
my soul from Hell!
I did some work for the state of Georgia in
transportation and was a sheriff deputy two
terms, I also worked for a few air freight companies,
Delta Airlines and was a substitute teacher for 5 years. I had been told my entire life that I wouldn't amount
to anything. But to God be the glory, He
proved them wrong through my life.
To me
Christian life was normal. I could do anything at any time and claim that I was
still a child. My dad and mum are there, if anything happens they’ll be there
to cover me. That’s how I used to think. I had no knowledge that they also had
their own lives and I had my own life to lead. As much as I engaged in church
activities I did not take life so seriously, everything depended on my parents.
I was so lost in “child thing”
At one time
when I was still in grade seven, there was a youth conference and we were given
a choice to attend, that was when I was totally born again. It was in the year
two thousand and four when I received Christ as my personal savior.
First we
were taught of the love of God and what He expects of us as His children. We
were taught that everyone has his one life to lead and everyone is accountable
to his/her own actions. Even our parents have their own lives to live and at
the end everyone will appear before the Lord and those who are righteous will
be with Him forever.
That is when
I took a step of faith and decided to get born again. It was then that
everything became different in my life. There was a total transformation that I
received; there was a great favor that I started receiving. Everything becomes
completely different. I felt some form of release and separation. I started to
see life different from the way I used to see it.
I came to
realize that parents should coach their children and bring them up in a proper
way. They should not ignore that they are children. It is their responsibility
to up bring them in a God fearing way, show them the right way, teach them the
right way, that way you’ll be exposing them to the right way in life. Everyone
their own lives even the young ones have their own lives.
By Charles – 10th
Testimony
My name is Charles Eric Rice. People usually just call me
Chuck. I was Born In Atlanta Georgia on October 28th 1966 at Georgia Baptist Hospital, I
accepted Jesus as my Savior on June 3rd, 1983 at True Gospel Baptist church in Forest Park, Georgia at the
age of 17.
My pastor’s name was Brother J.C. Chapman... I was saved in a revival meeting on a Wednesday night. At this service, Brother Tom Hayes was doing the preaching. Before I was saved, I was a wild child always getting into trouble or fighting or cussing people out for no reason at all. And if anyone happened to hurt me or belittle me, my first response was to hurt them...physically!
I wasn't raised in a Christian home; I grew up with my parents, along with my 4 brothers and 4 sisters, along with some aunts that lived with us. We Lived In The City Of Carol City, Florida... Needless to say, I had my hands full growing up as I was the 7th of the 7 children.
School was very difficult for me. For some reason, my teachers wouldn't teach me what I needed to learn all through elementary school. Those were hard years from 1970-1976. I would plead with them to give me work according to my age group and I would do it but the work was so far beneath what I was capable of. Needless to say, this just added to my frustrations. I told them if they refuse to give me work I'm capable of; I will refuse to do the work. So they tested me...however, they would only let me go so far, and then stop me, trying to convince me that I was "a slow learner". The most frustrating part of it all, was to know that if they would give me half a chance, I knew I could do it...but they didn't have the faith in me that I could do it.
Then, the taunting began. I was made fun of so very badly for "being slow" by the time I reached Jr. High School. I was taunted even more because I had no hair. All this bitterness just built up inside me until I was just a mean, nasty hateful person to most anyone...other school kids, teachers, and even other people. If you crossed me, I would tell it like it was and not hesitate to use inappropriate names to tell them so!
We Moved To Jonesboro, Georgia in 1979 to make a change for the better in our lives. You see, my dad had to retire early from his job at Eastern Airlines when I was in 8th grade which meant starting all over again at a new school, Jonesboro Jr. High/At first things seemed to be going pretty well...a lot better than it was...until a teacher wanted to do some testing with me all of a sudden and at that point started getting baby work. I didn't understand what was happening until I realized they had received records from my former school in Florida. I refused To do the work. So they put me in a Special Ed class because I refused to do more testing.
This made me more and more bitter. I didn't want to listen to anyone unless it was something I like to do, or play. I was threatened that I wouldn't be promoted to my next grade because they didn't think I could do it, but I proved them wrong, and I DID do it, and was promoted each year...and then I hit high school...I was in for a shock!
I actually had teachers that cared about me and really helped me to overcome a lot of hurt and pain I had been carrying with me from my past. They wanted me to show them exactly what I was capable of... I amazed them by what I was able to do. I told them about my past and how I was treated by other teachers and all the problems and obstacles I had overcome...so they placed me in my proper level where I belonged. A very special teacher, by the name of Mr. Pecca and his caring for me and my well being tested me on a higher level. I never would have made it through high school if it weren't for him. I did graduate in 1984, the only boy in my family to graduate from high
school!
It was during the summer of 1983, June 3rd that I was saved. There was a point in my life, when I heard the Spirit of the Lord speaking to me that I needed to be saved. I didn't hesitate one minute. I ran from the back door of the church to the altar and fell on my knees crying, "Lord save me"... I didn't know what else to say... I didn't know how to pray...I just kept saying it over and over asking the Lord to save me. Then, the preacher knelt down beside me and told me
Romans 10:9, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." He also shared, Romans 14:11. "For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God." Also Matthew 10:32. " Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven." When I got up from that altar, I was a new Born Again Child of God! Jesus saved my soul from Hell!
I did some work for the state of Georgia in transportation and was a sheriff deputy two terms, I also worked for a few air freight companies, Delta Airlines and was a substitute teacher for 5 years. I had been told my entire life that I wouldn't amount to anything. But to God be the glory, He proved them wrong through my life.
My pastor’s name was Brother J.C. Chapman... I was saved in a revival meeting on a Wednesday night. At this service, Brother Tom Hayes was doing the preaching. Before I was saved, I was a wild child always getting into trouble or fighting or cussing people out for no reason at all. And if anyone happened to hurt me or belittle me, my first response was to hurt them...physically!
I wasn't raised in a Christian home; I grew up with my parents, along with my 4 brothers and 4 sisters, along with some aunts that lived with us. We Lived In The City Of Carol City, Florida... Needless to say, I had my hands full growing up as I was the 7th of the 7 children.
School was very difficult for me. For some reason, my teachers wouldn't teach me what I needed to learn all through elementary school. Those were hard years from 1970-1976. I would plead with them to give me work according to my age group and I would do it but the work was so far beneath what I was capable of. Needless to say, this just added to my frustrations. I told them if they refuse to give me work I'm capable of; I will refuse to do the work. So they tested me...however, they would only let me go so far, and then stop me, trying to convince me that I was "a slow learner". The most frustrating part of it all, was to know that if they would give me half a chance, I knew I could do it...but they didn't have the faith in me that I could do it.
Then, the taunting began. I was made fun of so very badly for "being slow" by the time I reached Jr. High School. I was taunted even more because I had no hair. All this bitterness just built up inside me until I was just a mean, nasty hateful person to most anyone...other school kids, teachers, and even other people. If you crossed me, I would tell it like it was and not hesitate to use inappropriate names to tell them so!
We Moved To Jonesboro, Georgia in 1979 to make a change for the better in our lives. You see, my dad had to retire early from his job at Eastern Airlines when I was in 8th grade which meant starting all over again at a new school, Jonesboro Jr. High/At first things seemed to be going pretty well...a lot better than it was...until a teacher wanted to do some testing with me all of a sudden and at that point started getting baby work. I didn't understand what was happening until I realized they had received records from my former school in Florida. I refused To do the work. So they put me in a Special Ed class because I refused to do more testing.
This made me more and more bitter. I didn't want to listen to anyone unless it was something I like to do, or play. I was threatened that I wouldn't be promoted to my next grade because they didn't think I could do it, but I proved them wrong, and I DID do it, and was promoted each year...and then I hit high school...I was in for a shock!
I actually had teachers that cared about me and really helped me to overcome a lot of hurt and pain I had been carrying with me from my past. They wanted me to show them exactly what I was capable of... I amazed them by what I was able to do. I told them about my past and how I was treated by other teachers and all the problems and obstacles I had overcome...so they placed me in my proper level where I belonged. A very special teacher, by the name of Mr. Pecca and his caring for me and my well being tested me on a higher level. I never would have made it through high school if it weren't for him. I did graduate in 1984, the only boy in my family to graduate from high
school!
It was during the summer of 1983, June 3rd that I was saved. There was a point in my life, when I heard the Spirit of the Lord speaking to me that I needed to be saved. I didn't hesitate one minute. I ran from the back door of the church to the altar and fell on my knees crying, "Lord save me"... I didn't know what else to say... I didn't know how to pray...I just kept saying it over and over asking the Lord to save me. Then, the preacher knelt down beside me and told me
Romans 10:9, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." He also shared, Romans 14:11. "For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God." Also Matthew 10:32. " Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven." When I got up from that altar, I was a new Born Again Child of God! Jesus saved my soul from Hell!
I did some work for the state of Georgia in transportation and was a sheriff deputy two terms, I also worked for a few air freight companies, Delta Airlines and was a substitute teacher for 5 years. I had been told my entire life that I wouldn't amount to anything. But to God be the glory, He proved them wrong through my life.
The Lord called me to preach and on May 5th 1987, I've
been preaching the King James Bible ever
since! So never let anyone tell you you "can't" do something...you CAN if you have Jesus Christ in
your heart as your personal savior.
CLOSING…
And as we say goodbye to 2014 and welcome
2015, we close with this special poem below. Hope you are blessed beyond
measure.
Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above.
Before our Father's throne
We pour our ardent prayers;
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one
Our comforts and our cares.
We share each other's woes,
Our mutual burdens bear;
And often for each other flows
The sympathizing tear.
When we asunder part,
It gives us inward pain;
But we shall still be joined in heart,
And hope to meet again.
This glorious hope revives
Our courage by the way;
While each in expectation lives,
And longs to see the day.
From sorrow, toil and pain,
And sin, we shall be free,
And perfect love and friendship reign
Through all eternity.
God bless you all and know that you are always
in our prayers. Thank you.
Justus, Debbie & the Team, Kenya, USA**
‘Holding forth the word of life; that I
may rejoice in the day of Christ,
And as we say goodbye to 2014 and welcome
2015, we close with this special poem below. Hope you are blessed beyond
measure.
BLEST BE THE TIE
THAT BINDS- Author John
Faw-cett,
Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above.
Before our Father's throne
We pour our ardent prayers;
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one
Our comforts and our cares.
We share each other's woes,
Our mutual burdens bear;
And often for each other flows
The sympathizing tear.
When we asunder part,
It gives us inward pain;
But we shall still be joined in heart,
And hope to meet again.
This glorious hope revives
Our courage by the way;
While each in expectation lives,
And longs to see the day.
From sorrow, toil and pain,
And sin, we shall be free,
And perfect love and friendship reign
Through all eternity.
Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above.
Before our Father's throne
We pour our ardent prayers;
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one
Our comforts and our cares.
We share each other's woes,
Our mutual burdens bear;
And often for each other flows
The sympathizing tear.
When we asunder part,
It gives us inward pain;
But we shall still be joined in heart,
And hope to meet again.
This glorious hope revives
Our courage by the way;
While each in expectation lives,
And longs to see the day.
From sorrow, toil and pain,
And sin, we shall be free,
And perfect love and friendship reign
Through all eternity.
FINAL WORD
**If
you would love us to pray with you, please do not hesitate to contact us through:
Justus at: blessedjustus@gmail.com,
and Jerry or Debbie at debbie.senese@gmail.com
If you have taken this step and made that
all important decision to accept
Jesus Christ as the Blessed Controller of your life, please contact us via email with name and physical address.
And if you need to talk to us by phone, please let’s know so we may PM you our
phone numbers. Would you like us to send you some material concerning the next
steps in your walk with the Lord? If so,
please let us know.
Finally, you can read the Good News Magazine
on our blog, http://thegoodnewsmagazine.blogspot.com
God bless you all and know that you are always in our prayers. Thank you.
Our 13th Edition will be out on 1st
February 2015.
Justus, Debbie & the Team, Kenya, USA**
Justus, Debbie & the Team, Kenya, USA**
‘Holding forth the word of life; that I
may rejoice in the day of Christ,
that I have not run in vain, neither laboured
in vain.’ - Phil. 2:16
