Back to Beginning Back one Page. Forward one Page. To End

Transcription

1

2 LIFESigns VOLUME 5 I ISSUE 2 MAGAZINE Join the Air Force P.11 Repentance and salvation come in massive numbers, strongholds of darkness are exposed and expelled, and even the lost feel a restraint from sin as their conscience is stirred by the presence of Holy God. The Bible says when we cry out to God in our need, He causes the earth to shake and tremble and the foundations of the hills to shake. God promises a final shaking of all things. When All HELL Breaks Loose P.18 A realization of who Jesus really is in the mind only will not sustain a person through life s winding roads of difficulty. Yet a heart revelation of Jesus sustains a person to the very end. However, the Spirit World took note of Peter s confession. All Hell broke loose in Peter s life immediately after his revelation and confession. (Matthew 16:21) all When HELL BREAKS LOOSE

3 HeAlways ANSWERS Do we really believe in the power of prayer? The Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. It says that prayer of the righteous avails much. It also shows us how to pray. So why don t we pray? I believe that it comes down to our belief in who God is and His heart toward us. God is our Father and He loves us. He chose to love us before we where even born. He sent the best He had to pay for our sins. A God that loves like that and has done all that He has why would He not hear our prayers? He hears our prayers and is willing to answer. We might not always like the answer but He will always answer. Spend time in prayer today. by Allen Hickman LifeSigns MAGAZINE PUBLISHER TODD GOODWIN todd@revibemedia.com EDITORIAL GRACE BOOTH ruwriting@charter.net KAT DUFRENE kat@revibemedia.com NINA GOODWIN ninag@charter.net TODD GOODWIN todd@revibemedia.com GRAPHICS & ART DIRECTION TODD GOODWIN todd@revibemedia.com KAT DUFRENE kat@revibemedia.com ADVERTISING DAWN BECHTEL: Sales dawn@rlministry.org TODD GOODWIN: Design todd@rlministry.org HOW TO REACH US Resurrection Life Church or by Todd Goodwin RE:VIBE Media Group 795 Memorial Blvd Picayune, MS Phone ext 403 Online Article Submissions: proposal to media@rlministry.org LIFESIGNS Magazine is published quarterly. You may use articles or portions of articles up to no more than 50 lines without permission. Anything more you must have written permission. Entire contents 2011 by RLM Media, Revibe Media & Resurrection Life Church unless otherwise noted on specific articles. All rights reserved.

4 by Carey Robertson Prayer is the greatest privilege and least practiced activity of the Christian Life. We Christians, consciously or unconsciously, view prayer in several different ways. Some see prayer as an obligation, a sort of responsibility thrust upon us as a result of our becoming a believer. Others understand prayer as a last resort, when everything else fails to solve a problem. Still others involve themselves in prayer only in the exercise of some structured liturgy during a church service. Perhaps we should take a moment and define prayer at this point. Possibly the most generally accepted aspect of prayer is petition. Characteristic of this type of prayer is the presentation of a list of needs or desires we want God to provide for us. Lesser-understood dimensions of prayer are the following: 1. Praise and Worship = Thanksgiving and praise for who God is. 2. Communion = Intimate sharing 3. Adoration = Expressing fervent and devoted love 4. Confession = Acknowledging sin or sinfulness 5. Supplication = Seeking by humble entreaty on behalf of another 6. Meditation = Engaging in deep thought and contemplation of God. The disciples of Jesus struggled to discover a way in which to pray effectively (Luke 11:1-4, Matt 6:9-13). Jesus gave them the model we often refer to as the Lord s Prayer. Using the definitions above, see how many aspects of prayer you can detect in the model Jesus gave them. Let me give you a hint. Our Father =Adoration. There is an interesting parable Jesus taught in Luke 18:1-8 regarding prayer. In this parable He uses the technique of contrasts in order to teach some truths regarding our subject. The first contrast is men ought to pray and not lose heart (or faint). This is a contrast in principles (i.e. praying men don t faint and fainting men don t pray.) In prayer, the principle we are to understand is that there is strength available to endure rejection, disappointment, and delay when our requests are not immediately granted. Some folks believe it is a lack of faith to pray about a matter more than once. We need to carefully think that concept through. However, because Jesus prayed more than once in Gethsemane about His impending crucifixion, this parable clearly teaches us to be persistent in our prayers. It would serve us well to remember that God always answers the prayers of His children. He answers in three ways: 1. Yes 2. No 3. Not Now We usually understand His Not Now answer as Not Ever. Not Now means the timing is not right for a yes at this moment in time. Later is best. Second, there is a contrast of persons in this parable. There is a person described as an unrighteous judge whose heart was as cold as a marble bathroom on a winter morning. He is portrayed in Luke 18:2 as a man who did not fear God and did not respect anyone. He finally issues a decision favorable to the petitions of a widow who persistently appeared before Him. He did this not because her case was sound and just but because by her continually coming she wore him out. (Luke 18:5). Jesus contrasts this judge with the personhood of God in Luke 18:7-8 He says God is not like the unrighteous judge but shall bring about justice for his elect, who cry to him day and night and will not delay He will bring about justice for them speedily. Remember yes, no and not now? Third, there is a contrast of practice; faith or doubt Luke 18:8b. We have a choice between faith and doubt in relation to our prayers. Either God answers or He doesn t. I choose to believe He does answer; if not, why pray? In my opinion, the proper way to pray is in faith, with a mind-set that I will not dictate or try to manipulate God as to how or when He responds. His ways are above my ways; His wisdom surpasses my wisdom; He knows things I do not know. This I do know: I am His child; He loves me; He has my welfare foremost in His heart; He knows the future; therefore my faith, trust and confidence are in His providential care. We ought to pray always. A 24 hour 7 Day a week prayer initiative for more info check out

5

6 As heart; because I come through the blood of Jesus; I begin my day I have a track to run on. Father, I thank you for the love of God that prevails in my because I am crucified with Christ and filled with the Spirit of the living God. I ask you to fill me now. I thank you for the desire that is in my heart to walk in the law of the Spirit of Life that is in Christ Jesus in obedience because the law of the Spirit of Life that is in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death receiving the Grace of God as an intercessor and as a soul winner, wearing the whole armor of God in Jesus name. As a result of this prayer my focus is no longer on me. You and I who are born again must dwell in the light. Once we have tasted and have an appreciation of the light, the contradictions are obvious and cause discomfort; rightly so? I would like to share with you an answered prayer. For quite some time I have noticed when praying with other people, words would come up out of my inner man calling for liberty. After going through the Cleansing Streams led by Bro. Carey, I recognized a light came on; my prayer has been answered. I have an appreciation in me; thanksgiving that the leadership of this RLM fellowship has emphasized and encouraged liberty of the individual to function in the Kingdom of God. About 5 years ago Bro. Allen asked Bro. Dan to put together a prayer team to hear God. A dozen people participating in regular times to pray together formed the healing team. In an all night prayer meeting the Lord gave us an assignment to form the Gatekeepers. The Gatekeepers then formed the Watchman on the Wall. The New Year began with the Watchman in place. We are being flooded with dreams, visions, and revelations. To put it another way, the perfect law of Liberty is coming into effect right before our eyes. The perfecting of communication between God and man is taking place and we are in it. This is not an exclusive club. Stay tuned and be aware, the Holy Spirit is one fine recruiter. There are no heroes here but we will honor our leadership to the point that they will be effective for the Glory of God. I can see it now: the RLM House of Prayer will become the instrument in the fulfilling of Jesus Prayer in the lives of many, THAT THEY BE ONE. Bro. Dan has preached to our team for almost six years that we should not be need oriented people but that we should have a testimony of an overcomer; that my God meets all my needs. So the simplicity here is recognizing and appreciating Almighty God s perfect plan of Redemption and learning to function in the perfect law of Liberty. The perfecting of communication, that is to say, learning to hear the voice of God and responding in obedience is the way we are going to get it done. Last year during the Week of Prayer and Fasting Mary Pitts came to our prayer booth in the sanctuary. She had been diagnosed with cancer. After praying for her she received healing in her body. Recently the last PET scan came back negative. Since then every time I see Mary she has a big smile on her face. She shared with me that she is so thankful that the Lord led her and her family to RLM. When you see a woman at church with a smile on her face that can t be wiped off you will know it is Mary Pitts. Look what the Lord has done! People who come to the healing room for prayer receive salvation as well as healing. About a month ago a couple brought their seven year old son, Warren, to the healing room for prayer because he was having his tonsils removed the next day. After we prayed for the operation I asked Warren if he had asked Jesus into his heart. He said, No! His mother said, Do you want to right now? He quickly answered, Yes. When he left the room he not only had been covered in prayer for the operation but he had also received Jesus as his Lord and Savior. His mother shared with me that her prayer was answered: Warren went into the operating room with no fear. What a difference prayer can make! For years the intercessors of RLM have prayed for a prayer room where intercession and prayer could be made without interference. The House of Prayer building is an answer to the intercessors prayers. People are being saved, set free, and healed in Picayune and Pearl River County. Prayer is being made night and day by Gatekeepers, Watchman, and faithful Intercessors who have answered the call to prayer. No matter the situation Jesus is ready to hear and answer. You can t tell me God doesn t heal today. Jesus is Lord over Picayune and Pearl River County! WHEN prayer becomes PERSONAL by Charles & Barbara Grantham

7

8 2 Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. (James 4: 2 & 3) To ask requires a humble position. To ask reveals neediness. James statement, You have not because you ask not, (James 4:2) seems so simple. Is that all we need to do? Ask! Still, we don t ask! Perhaps because of pride and stubbornness, we fail to ask. We may feel we can solve our own problems given enough time to figure them out. We then wait until emergency status before we bow our heads and knees, before we submit to our Lord s authorship, his mastermind, his omnipotence. We may not ask due to past asking that didn t seem to grant the results we desired. In times past, we may have asked amiss. We may have asked outside God s will for ourselves and those around us. When we didn t receive what we desired and without discernment, we assumed God didn t hear and He didn t answer. We stopped asking. Asking represents seeking. Asking requires a heart that yearns for more than self supplies. To ask means we are finally willing to face rejection. To omit asking means we haven t done all we could do or should do when going through difficulties and challenging circumstances. Our independence sends a message that we are not dependant upon Him. Our independence indicates our unwillingness to face Him and obey. The woman with the issue of blood pressed through a crowd to receive her healing and wholeness. She asked through her actions. (Luke 8:43) In another instance, a man cried with a LOUD voice, so loud it disturbed those around him. Those around Jesus told him to be quiet. But, he cried all the louder. Despite rejection from those around him, his desperate cry brought results. Jesus healed him. Jesus had not refused him. Jesus had not rebuked him. In spite of what others thought, this man received what he needed. Is anyone among you sick? Let him pray. Let him call (ask) for the elders of the church to pray, anointing him with oil in the Name of Jesus. And, the prayer of faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise him up. If he has committed any sins, they shall be forgiven. (James 6:13-15) How tragic to know that we lacked what we needed from God due to our own failureto ask. Jesus model prayer given to His disciples includes recognizing God s supremacy first, our need for His will and His kingdom to be present in our lives, our weaknesses and transgressions and our willingness to admit them and forgive others theirs, and it models asking for a daily supply and His help in keeping us from the Tempter. It begins and ends with adoration and acknowledging His power. (Matt. 6:8-13) Ask and it will be given to you; seek and ye will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. (Luke 11: 9) ASK!

9

10 A Dream REMEMBERED By Grace Booth In the fall of 2005, Hurricane Katrina came barreling across southern Mississippi where my husband Doug and I had relocated after retiring. Following two weeks of evacuating with Mimi, my 97- year-old mother, we returned to darkened streets with lifeless action, spots of shadowy light in sections as though flashlights had grown dim to weakening batteries. We wondered what we would find at home. As we approached the driveway, we saw the land covered with 40-foot pines crisscrossing themselves on the ground. Two had propped themselves on top of our roof. My husband drove around huge limbs to get the car closer to the house. He got out and counted over 60 trees downed on our two-acre property with another dozen damaged, their ability to revive uncertain. But the house was still standing. I wished I could shield my mother s eyes until we could get inside, but the impact of that first view of the tree-strewn property had already turned our joy in returning home into grief over the damage and destruction. At the back door my husband pushed large limbs aside so we could duck under them and make our way inside. Upon close examination of each room, we heaved a sign of relief and gratitude. We could see no sign of water damage anywhere in spite of the pine at the back door which pierced a two-inch hole in the shingles. Evidentially rain had ended before this last pine fell coming to rest on the roof. Its limbs flailed across the backside of the house just over the door, its long branches reaching across the middle of the house like a person s arms with fingernails trying to claw into the roof to stop the falling. Intense heat met us each time we went outdoors, but at least we had electricity and could keep cool as we worked inside. Doug surveyed the yard wondering where to begin clearing so many trees that the grass remained invisible under the debris, and I began to unload our suitcases and take stock of the debris left inside the refrigerator. I tried to keep my discouragement from affecting Mimi who lived with us. Instead of moping around, I began washing our clothes and planning regular meals. While we were evacuated, we purchased a small college sized refrigerator and I used that until the large installed model could be salvaged, praying I could fine one remedy for the stench. It never occurred to me to unload it before we left town. So many considerations had to be made so quickly when my husband made the decision we should leave the area. We knew that our subdivision operated on electricity. Our water supply depended upon it. Even if he and I could manage without running water, Doug didn t think we should subject Mimi to that sort of living conditions. Now, the work seemed beyond our abilities, an overwhelming task. I wondered if our area with so many roofs covered by blue tarps would ever return to normal again. A drive down into town brought even more despair seeing the extent of the damage to so many just forty miles north of New Orleans and the Mississippi Coast. I wanted to leave. I wanted to run. On top of Lookout Mountain in northern Alabama where we had evacuated, life continued as normal. Only the TV s constant barrage of damage below in New Orleans and the lower Coastal area relentlessly reminded us that tragedy had left indelible prints. Work to resume life as we had known it before the storm consumed us and weeks went by before we realized our 40th wedding anniversary would pass without notice. We had no money to celebrate, no spirit for it and no time to spend released from the pressure of the work at hand restoring our property to livable conditions. When a ministry team contacted us about sending a team to help clear the land, I plead with them to come as soon as they could. They came. They worked with furious passion and rid our two acres of one fourth of the downed trees in one day with a team of eight men. One man held his power saw like a candy sword, whipping it out and positioning it at various angles to precisely reduce the large limbs into submissive logs. More help arrived from family and friends and gradually within a few months, enough grass had been uncovered, we could see what had been green now brown from lack of sun. (continued on page 21)

11

12 JOIN THE AIR F Prayer comes highly recommended in Holy Scripture. Jesus taught that, MEN OUGHT ALWAYS TO PRAY AND FAINT NOT. After promising that God will avenge His own elect, which CRY DAY AND NIGHT UNTO HIM, He asked this troubling question, Nevertheless when the Son of Man comes, SHALL HE FIND FAITH ON THE EARTH? Is Jesus asking if He will find God s elect, His Holy Priesthood still crying day and night unto Him? The Apostle Paul told us to pray without ceasing. He taught that we are all soldiers and should put on the whole armor of God. Once we are dressed for war, we are to stand, or hold our ground. Stand where? Stand in the pulpit? Stand in the pew? Stand in praise? Stand on principles and promises? Stand in proclamation to the lost? No! As important as these things are they are vain unless we first stand and pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. In all of This final and greatest move of God, like all in the past, comes in response to the prayers of His people. our efforts to minister in different ways, it would be better to first learn about all the different types [manner of] prayer necessary to secure our success. Jesus told us to pray to the Father in the imperative (as absolutely and first of all necessary), Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.the victory we all are seeking is in the heavens. Prayer and prayer alone brings this triumph of Jesus to manifest in the earth. The ground Paul was telling us to hold is the victory Jesus gained and gave to us by His death, burial, and resurrection. Jesus told us to use what He has given us to occupy till He comes. Jesus has given us keys. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatever you bind (declare to be improper and unlawful) on earth must be what is already bound in heaven; and whatever you loose (declare to be lawful) on earth must be what is already loosed in heaven. The Bible and history alike clearly confirm that the Kingdom comes when God s people cry out to Him. The kingdom comes to the earth when the jurisdiction

13 ORCEBY DAN FINLEY of the lordship of Jesus is enforced against the god of this world (Satan), and the prince of the power of the air is cast down. We are the Air Force. We are to force a change in the air (spiritual atmosphere) that influences the lives of people and events in the earth. The word air comes from a Greek word that means to breathe unconsciously. The problems we see in the earth cannot be corrected until the air we are breathing is changed. We can teach, preach, minster, correct, work, praise, dance, decree, confess, and whatever else, but until the air changes, we are for the most part wasting our time. Any victories will be few and short-lived without the spiritual atmosphere necessary to gain and sustain all progress. Our warfare and weaponry are spiritual as opposed to physical works or instruments. The word for spirit and breath are the same in Old and New Testament. To inspire means to breathe in. What spirit is being breathed in? What is inspiring people? Is it the air or spirit of this world, or the Spirit of Heaven? In all of man s attempts to deal with air pollution in the earth, he remains ignorant of and helpless to clean the atmosphere that is actually poisoning him with every breath. Only the Saints of God can deal with the airborne toxins that cause death and darkness to continue their reign in the earth. When the air changes, revival, awakening, renewal, or whatever you like to call it, comes openly in the earth. Repentance and salvation come in massive numbers, strongholds of darkness are exposed and expelled, and even the lost feel a restraint from sin as their conscience is stirred by the presence of Holy God. The Bible says when we cry out to God in our need, He causes the earth to shake and tremble and the foundations of the hills to shake. God promises a final shaking of all things. Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. This earthquake will bring forth a tsunami that will reveal as vain all the structures of man and his sources of power. Following this shaking, there will be a wave of His glory for which the whole of creation groans. This final and greatest move of God, like all in the past, comes in response to the prayers of His people. So in order to see this happen and to be ready when it comes, join the Air Force.

14 KIDS PAGE Word Search Q. What does a teddy bear put in his house? A. Fur-niture! Q.What season is it when you are on a trampoline? A.Spring time. Q. Why did the jelly wobble? A. Because it saw the milk shake! CrossWord Puzzle BLUEBELLS BUTTERCUPS CROCUS DAFFODILS FORGET ME NOTS HYACINTH IRIS LADY S SLIPPER LILY NARCISSUS PHLOX POPPY SNOWDROPS TULIPS VIOLETS Q. Where do cows go on holiday? A. Moo York Q. What did the water say to the boat? A. Nothing, it just waved. Q. Why don t skeletons fight each other? A. They don t have the guts. RAIN ROBIN APRIL TULIPS FLOWERS SPRING SHOWERS PUDDLES UMBRELLA BUTTERFLIES Jokes and puzzles are from kaboose.com and kidjokes.informationresourcenetwork.com

15

16

17

18 When all HELL BREAKSLOOSE by Todd Goodwin A father had just settled into his recliner on Sunday afternoon, looking forward to reading his Sunday newspaper, when his five-year-old son Bobby came scampering into the room. Daddy! Daddy! said the boy, Can you play with me? The father tried to be gentle in his response when he told his son, Bobby, Daddy wants to read his paper for a little while. But if you come back in twenty minutes, we can play together. Though mildly annoyed at being put off, Bobby rumbled out of the room, leaving his father alone to read his paper. But five-year-olds have a poor sense of time, so it was only a few short minutes when Bobby was back. Daddy, can we play now? Not now, Bobby, said the father. Don t bother me until I m finished with my paper. Bobby stomped his way out of the room to wait, but before his father could even get to the sports pages, Bobby returned. He shoved his head up under the paper and said, Please Daddy, can we play now? The father, now convinced that he would never get a moment s peace without giving in, looked on the floor and noticed that there was a full-page map of the world included in his newspaper. He reached for his wife s sewing scissors and proceeded to cut the map into about twenty pieces. Leading his son to the kitchen table, he told Bobby to put together this puzzle of the world as the first of their afternoon games. When you finish the puzzle, then I ll play with you, the father promised. He knew it would take his son a long time to put the puzzle together, and that would give him plenty of time to read his paper. Not five minutes had passed when Bobby burst back into the room. Daddy, I m through with the puzzle! What can we play next? What? You finished already? Asked the father. He got up from his chair and went into the kitchen to look. Sure enough, the puzzle was complete, with every piece in its proper place. Bobby..., how did you ever do this so fast? Where did you learn how to do this? asked the father in amazement. It was easy, Daddy. said Bobby. You see, on the back of the map of the world was a picture of a person. I decided to put the person together first. When I did that, the whole world seemed to fit right into place. Many times our lives are like that puzzle. All cut up, messed up and confused. Hell unleashes every attack that it can to destroy us and we don t know if we can make sense of our lives. But just like Bobby we must see the person of Jesus Christ through out all of life s difficulties and then things just seem to fall into place. Matthew 16:13-20 talks about what happened when the Apostle Peter received the revelation of who Jesus really was. Here are a few things we can learn from Peter s experience PETER S CONFESSION There was no hesitancy in his reply. Why? Because the revelation was not given by man nor was it spur of the moment. This was something Peter had spent time thinking about. It was a revelation by the power of the Holy Spirit. It wasn t just an intellectual realization, not just a head knowledge of who Jesus was. This was more than just knowing the Bible. This was God revealing Himself to Peter. A realization of who Jesus really is in the mind will not sustain a person through life s winding roads of difficulty. Yet a heart revelation of Jesus sustains a person to the very end. However, the Spirit World took note of Peter s confession. All Hell broke loose in Peter s life immediately after his revelation and confession. (Matthew 16:21-23 NIV) From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. {22} Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. Never, Lord! he said. This shall never happen to you! {23} Jesus turned and said to Peter, Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men. Note the fierce attack of the enemy on Peter s life at Jesus arrest and trial. (Matthew 26: 57,58,69-75). Notice how the other disciples were not attacked like Peter was. At Jesus trial Peter was attacked by Hell and it was trying to get him to deny Jesus and recant the confession that he made back in Matthew 16:16. And when Peter did deny Jesus this enabled Hell to unleash its tactics of guilt, condemnation and deception. Peter not only made a confession of who Jesus was but he began

19 to live it, and Satan and all of Hell couldn t stand it so they unleashed an all out effort to bring Peter down. That s why all Hell broke loose in Peter s life. OUR CONFESSION The confession of our mouth, confessing that Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, is not enough. We must confess Him as the LORD of our lives. First there must be a believing in the heart before the mouth can make a true confession. (Mat 12:33-37 NIV) With our mouth we make known what s in our hearts. (Mat 10:32-33 NIV) Satan and Hell cannot read our minds. (1 Cor 2:8 NIV) If Satan and Hell could read our minds they would have known the mind of Jesus and would not have crucified Him. That s why it s so important to confess. Not just one time but a lifestyle. (James 2:19 NIV) When we make a confession with our mouth and our lives then Hell knows where we stand, just as it did when Peter made his confession. Hell immediately takes action against us. Hell may come against us but it cannot prevail. It can t win unless we let it. (Mat 16:18 NIV) It s the confession of our lives that makes the difference. Satan and Hell knows our hearts by how we live our lives. We can confess Jesus as Lord all day long and Hell takes note but doesn t really move into action until we begin to submit our lives to the Lordship of Jesus. It s when we act on that confession that all Hell breaks loose to try and keep us from truly living what we confess. Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors. Actions speak louder than words. Words are worthless without actions to give them value. (1 John 3:18 NIV) Actions (deeds) should not be the primary force or motivation behind serving Jesus, but a heart of love should be our motivation. Actions come as a result of a changed heart. Clean hearts. Clean lives. There is a spiritual transformation that takes place when we accept Jesus as our everything. There is no condemnation for those who are in Jesus. There should be no pressure on us to do good deeds; they should come naturally and automatically. Hell will break loose! Count on it. Satan hates you more than anything God has created. And he wants to destroy you and your relationship with God. This should not scare us but simply make us more resolute to Love God and hate sin. We should have such an intense hatred for the kindgom of darkness that it permeates every part of our everyday life. It should be part of why we live holy. A type of Holy Revenge. Difficulty is a part of life; learn to deal with it God s way. Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors. GOD S CONFESSION (1 John 4:4 NIV) You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. Yes, all Hell will break loose in your life when you start truly living for God but that doesn t mean you are defeated. Remember what God has confessed to us about Him being greater than the Satan. When God says it you know you can take it to the bank. Remember whose side you are on. You are on the winning side. God has defeated Satan. If Satan can get you to think that you are already defeated then he has won half the battle. We have been called out of darkness and into the light and we are now called the sons and daughters of God. And God lives within us and Satan knows this and knows that with God in us that makes us a formidable foe. The devil should be the one that s running scared not us. God is with us so who can be against us. Basically that means that if God is for us what does it matter who is against us because they re no match for God. (Rom 8:31 NIV) What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? WE HAVE OVERCOME (1 John 5:3-5 NIV, Rev 12:11 NIV) We are victorious people in Christ Jesus. So no matter what Hell throws at you throw it back in Satan s face and tell him, Not this time, buddy! We are overcomers in Jesus, more than conquerors, because we place our trust in Him and not in what Hell throws at us. Whose report will you believe? God s or Satan s? It s your choice. I will believe the report of God. Those who endure till the end will be saved (Matt 10:22). What good it is to start a race if you never finish it? We are running a race and we are to run to win and not to defeat ourselves even before the race starts. Remember who wins in the end. The great Houdini, being a master magician and a great locksmith, once bragged that there wasn t a jail cell in the world he couldn t escape from, provided he could go into the cell dressed in his street clothes and work in complete privacy. A small town in England had built a new jail, which they believed was escape-proof, so they invited Houdini to come and try to break out. Houdini accepted the challenge. They put him in the cell and closed the door. He was left alone. He took off his belt and took from it a tough, flexible steel rod. He went to work on the lock. He worked longer than it had ever taken him before and he still couldn t get the lock open! As time passed, he was becoming exhausted. He was stumped! Finally, after two solid hours of work, Houdini collapsed from exhaustion. He fell against the door to the cell, and when he did the door swung open! It had been unlocked all the time. Many of us live our Christian lives that way. We struggle and work so hard because all Hell breaks loose in our lives; and we try so hard to overcome the devil and sin; and all the while God has taken care of the devil and his demons. We simply have to trust Him.

20 1. The fattest knight at King Arthur s round table was Sir Cumference. He acquired his size from too much pi. 2. I thought I saw an eye doctor on an Alaskan island, but it turned out to be an optical Aleutian. 3. She was only a whiskey maker, but he loved her still. 4. A rubber band pistol was confiscated from algebra class, because it was a weapon of math disruption. 5. No matter how much you push the envelope, it ll still be stationery. 6. A dog gave birth to puppies near the road and was cited for littering. 7. A grenade thrown into a kitchen in France would result in Linoleum Blownapart. 8. Two silk worms had a race. They ended up in a tie. 9. A hole has been found in the nudist camp wall. The police are looking into it. 10. Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana. 11. Atheism is a non-prophet organization. 12. Two hats were hanging on a hat rack in the hallway. One hat said to the other: You stay here; I ll go on a head. 13. I wondered why the baseball kept getting bigger. Then it hit me. Puns for the intellectual mind 14. A sign on the lawn at a drug rehab center said: Keep off the Grass. 15. The midget fortune-teller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large. 16. The soldier who survived mustard gas and pepper spray is now a seasoned veteran. 17. A backward poet writes inverse. 18. In a democracy it s your vote that counts. In feudalism it s your count that votes. 19. When cannibals ate a missionary, they got a taste of religion. 20. If you jumped off the bridge in Paris, you d be in Seine. 21. A vulture boards an airplane, carrying two dead raccoon The stewardess looks at him and says, I m sorry, sir, only one carrion allowed per passenger. 22.Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly, so they lit a fire in the craft. Unsurprisingly it sank, proving once again that you can t have your kayak and heat it too. 23. Two hydrogen atoms meet. One says, I ve lost my electron. The other says Are you sure? The first replies, Yes, I m positive. 24. Did you hear about the Buddhist who refused Novocain during a root canal? His goal: transcend dental medication. 25. There was the person who sent ten puns to friends, with the hope that at least one of the puns would make them laugh. No pun in ten did. 1. Law of Mechanical Repair - After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch & you ll have to pee. 2. Law of Gravity - Any tool, nut, bolt, screw, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner. 3. Law of Probability - The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act. 4. Law of Random Numbers - If you dial a wrong number, you never get a busy signal & someone always answers 5. Law of the Alibi - If you tell the boss you were late for work because you had a flat tire, the very next morning you will have a flat tire. 6. Variation Law - If you change lines (or traffic lanes), the one you were in will always move faster than the one you are in now (works every time). 7. Law of the Bath - When the body is fully immersed in water, the telephone rings. 8. Law of Close Encounters - The probability of meeting someone you know increases dramatically when you are with someone you don t want to be seen with. 9. Law of the Result - When you try to prove to someone that a machine won t work, it will. Laws of another Kind 10. Law of Biomechanics - The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach. 11. Law of the Theater & Sports Arena - At any event, the people whose seats are furthest from the aisle, always arrive last. They are the ones who will leave their seats several times to go for food, drinks, or the toilet & who leave early before the end of the performance or the game is over. The folks in the aisle seats come early, never move once, have long gangly legs or big bellies & stay to the bitter end of the performance. The aisle people also are very surly folk. 12. The Coffee Law - As soon as you sit down to a cup of hot coffee, your boss will ask you to do something, which will last until the coffee is cold. 13. Murphy s Law of Lockers - If there are only 2 people in a locker room, they will have adjacent lockers. 14. Law of Physical Surfaces - The chances of an open-faced jelly sandwich landing face down on a floor are directly correlated to the newness & cost of the carpet or rug. 15. Law of Logical Argument - Anything is possible if you don t know what you are talking about. 16. Brown s Law of Physical Appearance - If the clothes fit, they re ugly. 17. Oliver s Law of Public Speaking - A closed mouth gathers no feet. 18. Wilson s Law of Commercial Marketing Strategy - As soon as you find a product that you really like, they will stop making it. 19. Doctors Law - If you don t feel well, make an appointment to go to the doctor, by the time you get there you ll feel better. But if you don t make an appointment, you ll stay sick.

21 (continued from page 10) I promised myself that we would find a make-up date, a sort of rain date to somehow celebrate a marriage worth marking and had been marked with memorable moments over the years. More years passed and our celebration each fall continued to be postponed. Money remained tight and time and energy to travel just didn t present itself as an option. Finally, our forty-fifth wedding anniversary arrived. As I saw the date approaching I was determined to reserve some sort of happy activity for the day. I went on line and found a two-hour cruise on a paddlewheel that offered a live Jazz combo, good gumbo and a moonlight excursion. We would board the boat and cruise the Mississippi River out of the port of New Orleans. After conferring with Doug, I reserved our spot. I said, Lord, you know it would be nice if we could go to Gatlinburg for our anniversary celebration where we spent our honeymoon so many years ago. Without giving the idea another thought, I went on about my weekly routines, working on my church activities and thinking about how nice the evening s cruise would be. A week later, my brother-in-law called. Would you and Doug like to go with us to Gatlinburg next week? he asked. Would we! Yes, as a matter of fact we would! We have the rooms already booked and since other family members can t go, we decided to ask you two if you are available, he continued. I walked around expecting any moment that my dream would awaken me and I would discover that I hadn t really received that call at all. Not only would we be taking a short cruise, but our daughter and son-in-law gave us a generous gift card to a favored restaurant after my husband fixed their TV. God s gifts multiplied and now we would be celebrating with a grand night out, dining at a fine restaurant, cruising another night in historic New Orleans where we grew up, met and married before traveling to our honeymoon s destination all within two weeks. God had granted a heart s desire and had thrown in a handful of lagniappe. My hope once deferred now became a dream remembered. We packed with anticipation of retracing many familiar trails through trees covered with colors of gold, crimson and tangerine and the scent of burnished leaves crumbling beneath of feet. We might be slower in our walks in the cool night air, but the memories of our first love would warm us as we walked hand in hand celebrating a marriage God had blessed and remembered. The by Gail Miller HEALING R O O M March of 2009 brought to me the news that most all women fear that of a diagnosis of breast cancer. The news brought me to my knees. The battle was on and I declared war on this disease. Immediately the Lord brought me to Mark 11:23 whereby Jesus implores all to have faith in God and speak to the mountain, having no doubt and believing that what we say we will have. However, this is not a war to fight alone; we need our family and the body of Christ at a time such as this. My husband spoke healing over me, which comforted me greatly. Dawn Bechtel then pointed me to the Healing Room where people can go on Thursday nights for prayer and counseling concerning their problems. Barbara Grantham was my first contact. As we talked, she counseled me to slow down and make no hasty decisions. This was valuable advice since the doctors wanted to do things instantly, giving no room for prayer and God s leadership. My relief was great on this fact alone. Dixie Renault would teach on the scriptures and the light that she shed on the healing part of Calvary brought me into a new intimacy with Christ that I had never experienced. Charles Grantham had a vision of the night whereby he delivered to me a warning from God that I was not to accept the package. This warning was a basic premise that I stood on. Cancer is absolutely a package deal. It comes with a spirit of fear, dread, and a dark horror that settles upon the one who receives the kind of diagnosis that I received. Voices come from every which way friends, relatives, doctors, and TV shows selling books with the latest cures for anything you have! Hilda Lenoir would pray for me, and burdens of great fear and concern would lift off of me that I could physically feel. As long as I stayed within the fellowship of this group, I had strength. I read the Bible constantly. When I did, all the voices would pass except the voice of the King and His Kingdom. I found my healing there. After surgery and radiation, all reports were good. I now share my testimony by working with the Healing Room. Jesus Christ, the Anointed One, works powerfully within our midst. He brings peace and strength to all who call out to Him. Healing is for today. My advice to all who need healing is to call out to the Lord. He WILL hear you and answer you. Fight the good fight of faith. Stand with the body of believers during these times. Speak to the mountain; tell it to go and it will. I thank God continually for RLM and for the Healing Room. I thank Him for my healing and for those who will be healed by the power of hearing my testimony. I finish with a word of scripture: And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives to the end. Revelation 12:11

22

23 PRAYER ministries * Prayer Chain: Call in prayer request and then the request is given to a chain of people who stop immediately and pray * Pastor s Prayer Shield: A team of people who pray constistently for our Pastor and staff Pastors * Wednesday morning Youth Prayer: 7:00 am - 7:30 am (Youth Pastor and youth come together for prayer for the schools.) * Wednesday monring Staff Prayer: 7:30 am - 8:30 am (Join the staff as we gather together and pray ) * The Healing Room: Thursday night intercessors gather to pray for the sick from 6:00-8:30 pm (walk-in) * Saturday Night Prayer: Saturday from 6:00 pm to 7:00 (a time of corporate prayer for our church, city, country,etc...) * Watchmen on the Wall: a team of people who are strategically placed in the county to cover every inch in prayer.

24