Encourage One Another...

[angelwind]

Kathi Pelton: "BECOMING A BRIDGE TO THOSE IN NEED--SHARE ALL YOU HAVE WITH ONE ANOTHER"
By Kathi Pelton : Mar 14, 2007

"We must first learn to love one another face-to-face before we have the authority to stand as communities and nations face-to-face with other cultures and people groups to repair the breach."​

Revisiting Acts...
During this last month, I woke up a number of nights at exactly 2:44 a.m. As this began to happen night-after-night, I realized that the Lord was saying something to me. I began to seek Him regarding this and the Spirit of the Lord led me to the verse in Acts 2:44:
"And all the believers met together constantly and shared everything with each other"
As I read these words, they stirred a great desire in me to be with believers in a more personal way. Recently, I have been experiencing an overwhelming longing to truly share and be in the lives of believers who the Lord has placed in my life, and in the city where I live. A compassion for His people and for the loneliness that many feel today, even within the Churches, has compelled me to spend more time with those around me.
To Know and Be Known...
The words from Acts 2:44 which states that they shared everything with each other, caused me to think beyond the material aspects of selling possessions and sharing wealth (although this is very important). I began to think about how Jesus shared His life and journey with His disciples. God began to talk to me about sharing my life with those around me. Romans 12:15 says, "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn."
To journey together and share everything is to enter into both the times of rejoicing and the times of mourning with those around us. There is a deep longing in the Body of Christ to be known. I have taken these past few months to really sit and talk to a lot of people around me, and one of the first things that they will express is a deep desire to know the people around them, and to be known. To be known is to be cared for.
Jesus knew His disciples! He ate with them, slept alongside them, journeyed with them, loved them in their times of triumph, and in their times of defeat. He was very personal with them...as He is with us too! Therefore we, too, must be personally interacting with those who are around us.
Acts 2:46-47 states, "They worshiped together regularly at the Temple each day, met in small groups in homes for Communion, and shared their meals with great joy and thankfulness, praising God. The whole city was favorable to them, and each day God added to them all who were being saved."
Why were so many in the city being saved? Because God's people were acting like Jesus. They were being His hands and feet. They were being personal and sharing life together. They had great joy because they were known in a personal way, not only by God, but by one another. They were being a "city set on a hill," they were "light in the darkness," and they were LOVE to a world that hungered and thirsted to be known and loved.
Fences That Divide...
If we desire to be known in a personal way, then why do we have so much division in the Body of Christ? One reason is offenses. The enemy is very quick to use offense to divide the Body. When someone goes through a difficult time and no one is there to walk with them and mourn with them and sharing love in the midst of their pain, then it is easy for that person to become offended at the entire Body.
Recently, I had a short vision. In this vision I saw wooden fences that were surrounding believers. As I saw this, I heard the words, "O fences be removed!" I realized that the Lord was speaking of "offenses" through this picture. Then in the vision, I saw the fences that surrounded many believers be dismantled. Each piece of wood that had comprised these fences of offense, were laid in front of that person to became a bridge being built over the breaches and division in the Church. As I came out of this short vision, I began to declare over my own life, "O fences be removed!" I asked the Lord to take every plank of offense in my life and to use it as a bridge of restoration and repairing breaches.
"And those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins; you will raise up the age-old foundations; and you will be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of the streets in which to dwell." Isaiah 58:12
I encourage you to read through Isaiah 58. I feel as though this is a key chapter for seeing unity restored to the Body and for bringing in the harvest of those who are ready to come into salvation.
The New Sound...
"It was the sound of true love."
"If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal." 1 Corinthians 13:1
Two years ago, I was a part of a gathering of believers in Edmonton, Alberta, called "Rise Up." During one night of this gathering, hundreds of believers entered into the purest and most beautiful time of worship I have ever experienced. As I was in the midst of this worship service, I was absolutely in awe at the sounds I was hearing. It was the sound of desire from God's people to God, and from God, to His people. It was the sound of true love.
During this time of worship (where no previously known songs were being sung, but only spontaneous songs of desire were being released), one of our team members, Stacey Campbell, quietly moved up onto the stage and released a very tender prophecy about the sounds we were hearing. She began to describe the sounds of the nails being hammered into our Lord's hands and feet and she called it, "The sound of desire."
It is the sound of love that stirs a desire so deep that One would lay down His life for the ones that He loves. John 15:12-13 says, "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends."
How is it that hundreds of people that night in worship could release sounds that still impact me two years later? It was because they had come to "know" Jesus in such a personal way that their desire could not be held back. The more they spent time with Him, the more they loved Him, and that night was like a symphony of love. There were no noisy gongs or clanging cymbals, only pure love.
God is calling us to that kind of love for one another. And we grow in love as we spend time together and get to know one another personally. We can't do that with every person in the Body of Christ, but as we do it with a small group (Jesus chose twelve), then we will find that our ability to love will grow into a desire that will overflow everywhere we go with everyone we meet. It will enlarge our hearts and our capacity for love. We will understand how love can lay down its life for a friend.

A Bridge Over Troubled Waters...
God is asking us to tear down the fences of offense and division between believers. Let us use these planks that the enemy has meant for evil and use them to build a bridge over the troubled waters in the Church. Then the Church will be known by her love! Just as the believers in the Book of Acts had favor in their city because of their love for one another, so will the believers in your city.
It is time for us to share everything with one another. It is time for us to share our lives, our time, our compassion, and our love with those around us. It is time to rejoice with those who are rejoicing and mourn with those who are mourning.
If we can do this as individuals, then God will entrust us to do this with cities and nations. We must first learn to love one another face-to-face before we have the authority to stand as communities and nations face-to-face with other cultures and people groups to repair the breach. Maybe if we can do it with one another, our children will begin to do it with nations. Remember, do not despise the day of small beginnings! It is in the small things that we learn to be faithful with the big things.
Today, you can begin to build that bridge over the troubled waters in your Church, in your city, and in your nation. Just begin with the one nearest you!
In Christ's Love,​

Kathi Pelton
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Operation Prayer Watch[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]

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This is very good...

 

[angelwind]

A Christian brother starting sending these links recently to me.. oh but the stories are absolutely amazing!!

This one is about an Indonesian Muslim teenager let down by family, friends and society, became a Christian the night Jesus appeared to her in a vision. That special night was Lailatul Qadar when Muslims individualize their prayers to Allah. From the moment she saw Jesus, His peace filled her heart and stayed with her even as persecution began.

She was later able to go on and forgive her family members... This is a healing you don't want to miss!!

A really beautiful and encouraging video.. goes for 42 minutes.. on You Tube!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g9WuKmL1Hk

Thanks peacechild...I have just discovered the wonders of YouTube.

 

[2scoops]

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect himself from the elements, and to store his few possessions.
>
>Then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened - everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger. "God, how
>could you do this to me?" he cried.
>
>Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke
>signal," they replied.
>
>It's easy to get discouraged sometimes when things appear to be going badly. But we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering. Remember, next time your
>little hut is burning to the ground, it just may be a smoke signal that summons the grace of God.
>
>For all the negative things we have to say to ourselves, God has a positive answer for it.
>
>You say, "It's impossible."
>God says: "All thing are possible". (Luke 18:27)
>
>You say, "I'm too tired."
>God says: "I will give you rest". (Matt 11:28-20)
>
>You say, "Nobody really loves me."
>God says: "I love you". (John 3:16 - John 13:34)
>
>You say, "I can't go on."
>God says: "My grace is sufficient." (II Cor. 12:9 - Psalm 91 :15)
>
>You say, "I can't figure things out."
>God says: "I will direct your steps." (Proverbs 3:5-6)
>
>You say, "I can't do it."
>God says: "You can do all things in Me." (Phil 4:13)
>
>You say, "It's not worth it."
>God says: "It will be worth it." (Romans 8:28)
>
>You say, "I can't forgive myself."
>God says: "I forgive you." (I John 1:9 - Romans 8:1)
>
>You say, "I can't manage."
>God says: "I will supply all your needs." (Phil 4:19)
>
>You say, "I'm afraid."
>God says: "I have not given you a spirit of fear." (II Tim. 1:7)
>
>You say, "I'm always worried and frustrated."
>God says: "Cast all your cares on ME (I Peter 5:7)
>
>You say, "I don't have enough faith."
>God says: "I've given everyone a measure of faith." (Romans 12:3)
>
>You say, "I'm not smart enough."
>God says: "I give you wisdom." (I Cor. 1:30)
>
>You say, "I feel all alone."
>God says: "I will never leave you or forsake you." (Heb. 13:5)
>
>Pass this on, you never know whose life may be in need of this today. There are some weeks (and days) that we ALL feel our huts are burning !

 

[LilBoo]

Dear Father God i ask you in Jesus name to give courage and strengh to my brothers and sisters here, nothing is impossible if we believe. I ask for peace, health and protection for them. Bless them with your peace and love father God, in Jesus name amen...

 

[ChowdersMom]

and to 2scoops and LilBoo.

 

[2scoops]

THE TOUCH OF GOD ---<
by Max Lucado

In Scripture the leper is symbolic of the ultimate outcast: infected by
a condition he did not seek, rejected by those he knew, avoided by
people he did not know, condemned to a future he could not bear. And in
the memory of each outcast must have been the day he was forced to face
the truth: life would never be the same.

The banishing of a leper seems harsh, unnecessary. The Ancient East
hasn’t been the only culture to isolate their wounded, however. We may
not build colonies or cover our mouths in their presence, but we
certainly build walls and duck our eyes. And a person needn’t have
leprosy to feel quarantined.

One of my sadder memories involves my fourth-grade friend Jerry._* _ He
and a half-dozen of us were an ever-present, inseparable fixture on the
playground. One day I called his house to see if we could play. The
phone was answered by a cursing, drunken voice telling me Jerry could
not come over that day or any day. I told my friends what had happened.
One of them explained that Jerry’s father was an alcoholic. I don’t
know if I knew what the word meant, but I learned quickly. Jerry, the
second baseman; Jerry, the kid with the red bike; Jerry, my friend on
the corner was now “Jerry, the son of a drunk.” Kids can be hard, and
for some reason we were hard on Jerry. He was infected. Like the leper,
he suffered from a condition he didn’t create. Like the leper, he was
put outside the village.

The divorced know this feeling. So do the handicapped. The unemployed
have felt it, as have the less educated. Some shun unmarried moms. We
keep our distance from the depressed and avoid the terminally ill. We
have neighborhoods for immigrants, convalescent homes for the elderly,
schools for the simple, centers for the addicted, and prisons for the
criminals.

The rest simply try to get away from it all. Only God knows how many
Jerrys are in voluntary exile—individuals living quiet, lonely lives
infected by their fear of rejection and their memories of the last time
they tried. They choose not to be touched at all rather than risk being
hurt again.

Some of you have the master touch of the Physician himself. You use
your hands to pray over the sick and minister to the weak. If you
aren’t touching them personally, your hands are writing letters,
dialing phones, baking pies. You have learned the power of a touch.

But others of us tend to forget. Our hearts are good; it’s just that
our memories are bad. We forget how significant one touch can be. We
fear saying the wrong thing or using the wrong tone or acting the wrong
way. So rather than do it incorrectly, we do nothing at all.

Aren’t we glad Jesus didn’t make the same mistake? If your fear of
doing the wrong thing prevents you from doing anything, keep in mind
the perspective of the lepers of the world. They aren’t picky. They
aren’t finicky. They’re just lonely. They are yearning for a godly
touch.

Jesus touched the untouchables of the world. Will you do the same?

 

[2scoops]

~When we worry~​

You've been on my mind and heart. I see you struggling and planning, worrying and sweating, crying and running, at a furious pace. You're trying to move that mountain by yourself again, huh?

God asks that we cast all our cares on Him because He cares. Think about what your worrying says to God when you refuse to give things over to Him.

When you worry about money, you're telling Him He is unable to provide for His children. Although He has riches beyond belief in Heaven, He is too stingy to share them with you.

When you worry no one understands you, you're telling Him although He has been with you since before you were formed in the womb, and has carved you into the palm of His hand, He doesn't know you. When you worry whether you will have enough food, you're telling Him that although He rained down bread from Heaven in the desert to feed His children, you are the one He's forgotten.

When you worry your enemies will have victory over you, you're telling God although He has give you spiritual battle gear to defend yourself, despite His track record of being a giant slayer, Red Sea divider, lion's mouth closer and a furnace cooler, He can't handle your co-worker, your neighbor or a former friend.

When you worry your chilren have decided to follow the world instead of your example, you're telling God He doesn't keep His promises. Despite the fact you have raised them in the way they should go, they'll stray because basically, He lied.

When you worry because the doctors have told you children are impossible, a cure is impossible, healing is impossible, you're telling Him this world controls your fate. You're saying prayer time with Him is merely something to pass the time. You're saying although He raised the dead, made a virgin conceive, opened the womb of a woman well past eighty, healed a 12 year issue of blood, made the blind see and the lame walk, He can't help you.

When you worry you won't be able to do enough to earn forgiveness, you're telling Him "that's ok Lord, no need for Your Son to die, I can earn my own forgiveness." Let's just act like Jesus never died, and tell Him never mind, He doesn't need to go to the cross.

When you worry no one will love you, that you'll be lonely for the rest of your life, you're telling him that His love is insufficient. He couldn't possibly love you enough to ward away loneliness. You're saying although He has promised life more abundantly, He was lying. Despite the fact He started off saying that is not good that we be alone, He's changed His mind.

When you worry and refuse to give the problem over to Him, you're telling Him although He could create the world He can't handle what's going in your world, so you will. You are saying He won't work things out, obstacles cannot be overcome, mountains cannot be climbed, healing cannot occur, what is lost will not be found, joy does not come in the morning, He is not the God of a second chance, the promised land has been swallowed up by the desert, you have discovered the height, depth and width of His love and found it to fall short of your needs.

Think about all you're saying to the One who loves you the most and who has all the power. Really think about it. Then open your hands and release what you've been holding. Bow down on your knees and ask forgiveness for doubting Him. Walk away with a peaceful heart noting the footsteps going before you making the crooked places straight. He will provide food in the wilderness and cause water to spring forth in the desert.

Stand in a stream with waters around your ankles. The waters that pass by you at that moment will never be there again. So it is with the past. Let it go!

~Why worry when you can pray!​

 

[peacechild4]

THE TOUCH OF GOD ---<
by Max Lucado

In Scripture the leper is symbolic of the ultimate outcast: infected by
a condition he did not seek, rejected by those he knew, avoided by
people he did not know, condemned to a future he could not bear. And in
the memory of each outcast must have been the day he was forced to face
the truth: life would never be the same.

The banishing of a leper seems harsh, unnecessary. The Ancient East
hasn’t been the only culture to isolate their wounded, however. We may
not build colonies or cover our mouths in their presence, but we
certainly build walls and duck our eyes. And a person needn’t have
leprosy to feel quarantined.

One of my sadder memories involves my fourth-grade friend Jerry._* _ He
and a half-dozen of us were an ever-present, inseparable fixture on the
playground. One day I called his house to see if we could play. The
phone was answered by a cursing, drunken voice telling me Jerry could
not come over that day or any day. I told my friends what had happened.
One of them explained that Jerry’s father was an alcoholic. I don’t
know if I knew what the word meant, but I learned quickly. Jerry, the
second baseman; Jerry, the kid with the red bike; Jerry, my friend on
the corner was now “Jerry, the son of a drunk.” Kids can be hard, and
for some reason we were hard on Jerry. He was infected. Like the leper,
he suffered from a condition he didn’t create. Like the leper, he was
put outside the village.

The divorced know this feeling. So do the handicapped. The unemployed
have felt it, as have the less educated. Some shun unmarried moms. We
keep our distance from the depressed and avoid the terminally ill. We
have neighborhoods for immigrants, convalescent homes for the elderly,
schools for the simple, centers for the addicted, and prisons for the
criminals.

The rest simply try to get away from it all. Only God knows how many
Jerrys are in voluntary exile—individuals living quiet, lonely lives
infected by their fear of rejection and their memories of the last time
they tried. They choose not to be touched at all rather than risk being
hurt again.

Some of you have the master touch of the Physician himself. You use
your hands to pray over the sick and minister to the weak. If you
aren’t touching them personally, your hands are writing letters,
dialing phones, baking pies. You have learned the power of a touch.

But others of us tend to forget. Our hearts are good; it’s just that
our memories are bad. We forget how significant one touch can be. We
fear saying the wrong thing or using the wrong tone or acting the wrong
way. So rather than do it incorrectly, we do nothing at all.

Aren’t we glad Jesus didn’t make the same mistake? If your fear of
doing the wrong thing prevents you from doing anything, keep in mind
the perspective of the lepers of the world. They aren’t picky. They
aren’t finicky. They’re just lonely. They are yearning for a godly
touch.

Jesus touched the untouchables of the world. Will you do the same?

Thank you this is beautiful... God bless you brother!!

This is the day that the Lord has made.. I will rejoice and be glad in it!! \0/

 

[peacechild4]

Dear Father God i ask you in Jesus name to give courage and strengh to my brothers and sisters here, nothing is impossible if we believe. I ask for peace, health and protection for them. Bless them with your peace and love father God, in Jesus name amen...

Amen

Thank you sister!!

 

[ChowdersMom]

[Deleted]

 

[peacechild4]

I am really really glad Jesus is the same, yesterday, today and forever and that there is no limit to what is possible for us who believe on what He says!!

Matthew 8:13
Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that very hour.

Mark 9:23
" 'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."


If God be your partner, make your plans large.

-- Dwight L. Moody​

 

[peacechild4]

Hebrews 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
​

Do Not Worry

From Matthew 6​

25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.​

 

[peacechild4]

THE POWER OF BLESSING

By Mary Jo Clouse

Many years ago when my daughter, Karen, was a little girl, we had a problem. Every summer Karen would get a bee sting just before we went on vacation so she could not wear her shoes due to the swelling. Every summer we would say, “Next week is vacation, and she will get a bee sting and not be able to wear her shoes.” Sure enough, that was exactly what happened.
After three years of having our negative words fulfilled, my husband, George, and I heard a sermon on angels. The minister who preached it said that each one of us has a guardian angel. About the same time George’s aunt told us: “You are putting a curse on Karen with your mouth. You need to speak positively about your child.”
We repented and asked God to forgive us for putting “word curses” on her. From that point on, George and I changed what we were saying. We blessed Karen with our words and spoke encouragement to her. As we prayed for her and spoke positive things over her, our words dispersed ministering angels to look out for her, and she never had another bee sting.
In addition to receiving bee stings, Karen had had her arm broken two or three times prior to our speaking blessings over her. But after we began to bless her, she never again had a broken bone.
We still use the same principle of blessing we did when Karen was little, although she is grown now and has four children of her own. And there is power in it!
Most of us have never had a father’s blessing, yet, as the Scriptures show, there is power in receiving one. When George and I minister together I often ask him to come up and pronounce a father’s blessing over everyone there who has never been blessed by his or her earthly father. It is amazing to hear the testimonies later of how God reversed the curse when the blessing was released on them.
George begins with the “Father’s Blessing” from Gen. 49:25: “By the God of your father who will help you, and by the Almighty who will bless you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb” (NKJV).
Then we add our own words of blessing taken from Deut. 28:1-14: “Blessings of health in your physical body. Blessings of long life as you continue to serve the Lord your God. Blessings of peace and happiness for you and your entire family. You will be blessed as you come in and as you go out. And all that your hand touches will prosper. I proclaim this father’s blessing on you this day in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost.”
A few years ago before the start of a new year, I asked God to give us a key to blessing others. A friend of mine gave me a book called The Prayer of Jabez. I began praying this prayer daily for me and my household.
It comes from verses nine and ten of 1 Chronicles 4, which contains a powerful message: “Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, ‘Because I bore him in pain.’ And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, ‘Oh, that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, and that I may not cause pain!’ So God granted him what He requested.”
Jabez chose not to accept the fact that his name meant pain. He asked God His Father to reverse the curse that His mother had put on him when she named him, and God answered his prayer.
God is not a respecter of persons. What he did for Jabez he will do for anyone who asks. Why not resolve to pray a prayer of blessing over you and your family every day? Think about what your home would be like if you caused no pain to anyone in your family the entire year!
And while you are asking God to bless you, make a habit of speaking blessings over others, too, as George and I have learned to do. You may be surprised by the power of your words to bring life (see Prov. 18:21).

Hello,
Permission is granted to reprint the article by Mary Jo Clouse, "The Power of Blessing" which appeared in the March 19, 2007 issue of SpiritLed Woman PowerUp, with the understanding that there is no fee charged and the article will be used as is, with the addition of the following reprint permission line:

"Reprinted with permission from SpiritLed Woman, March 19, 2007. Copyright Strang Communications Co., USA. All rights reserved. ​

 

[lovehigherthanthelaw]

I want to start a thread to encourage each other!!

For the Word of God says..

Proverbs 16:24
Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.​

​

Amen. i love encouragement from the body of Christ!​

God bless you​

Blessings to all! ​

There is LOVE & Forgiveness at the feet of JESUS.​

​

 

[peacechild4]

He Is God~
He is the First and Last,
The Beginning and the End!
He is the keeper of Creation and the Creator of all!
He is the Architect of the universe and the Manager of all times.
He always was, He always is, and He always will be ...
unmoved, Unchanged, Undefeated, and never Undone!
He was bruised and brought healing!
He was pierced and eased pain!
He was persecuted and brought freedom!
He was dead and brought life!
He is risen and brings power!
He reigns and brings Peace!
The world can't understand him,
The armies can't defeat Him,
The schools can't explain Him, and The leaders can't ignore Him.
Herod couldn't kill Him, The Pharisees couldn't confuse Him, and The people couldn't hold Him!
Nero couldn't crush Him, Hitler couldn't silence Him,
The New Age can't replace Him, and "Oprah" can't explain Him away!
He is light, love, longevity, and Lord.
He is goodness, Kindness, Gentleness, and God.
He is Holy, Righteous, mighty, powerful, and pure.
His ways are right,
His word is eternal,
His will is unchanging, and His mind is on me.
He is my Savior,
He is my guide, and He is my peace!
He is my Joy,
He is my comfort,
He is my Lord, and He rules my life!
I serve Him because His bond is love,
His burden is light, and His goal for me is abundant life.
I follow Him because He is the wisdom of the wise,
the power of the powerful,
the ancient of days, the ruler of rulers, the leader of leaders, the overseer of the overcomers, and is to come. And if that seems impressive to you, try this for size.
His goal is a relationship with ME!
He will never leave me,
never forsake me,
never mislead me,
never forget me,
never overlook me and
never cancel my appointment in His appointment book!
When I fall, He lifts me up!
When I fail, He forgives!
When I am weak, He is strong!
When I am lost, He is the way!
When I am afraid, He is my courage!
When I stumble, He steadies me!
When I am hurt, He heals me!
When I am broken, He mends me!
When I am blind, He leads me!
When I am hungry, He feeds me!
When I face trials, He is with me!
When I face persecution, He shields me!
When I face problems, He comforts me!
When I face loss, He provides for me!
When I face Death, He carries me Home!
He is everything for everybody everywhere, every time, and every way.
He is God, He is faithful. I am His, and He is mine!
My Father in heaven can whip the father of this world.
So, if you're wondering why I feel so secure, understand this...
He said it and that settles it.
God is in control, I am on His side,
and that means all is well with my soul.
Everyday is a blessing for GOD Is!

 

[mourningdove~]

Amen.​

.​

 

[angelwind]

Amen!!!!

 

[peacechild4]

By David Silver

The Hebrew word SHALOM is understood around the world to mean peace. But peace is only one small part of the meaning of the word SHALOM. Here in Israel, even though we don't have much in the way of peace, we use the word SHALOM on a daily basis. We use it to greet people with, and we use it to bid farewell to people. However, SHALOM means much more than peace, hello or goodbye.

Strong's Concordance 7965 - Hebrew Shalom ..... A word study in the New King James version for SHALOM says: Completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord.

Shalom comes from the root verb Shalom meaning to be complete, perfect and full. In modern Hebrew the obviously related word Shelem means to pay for, and Shulam means to be fully paid.

Sar SHALOM (Prince of Peace) is one of the descriptive names the Bible uses to indicate the ministry and personality of the Messiah: Isaiah 9:6 - The Son of God is completely perfect in all things.
So in essence, when you speak out the word SHALOM - you are not only proclaiming peace, but all the above meanings of the word over that person - that's a mighty blessing!!!
Remember what the word of God says - "there is life or death in the power of the tongue".


We recently heard someone on a Christian TV program say: "No wonder the Jewish people are so blessed, because every time they say Shalom to one another, they are also allowing the full meaning (see above) of SHALOM to be pronounced over them. He humorously proceeded to say that this greeting word would be much more beneficial to the American people if they greeted each other with SHALOM instead of their usual "Hi" or "Howdy" greeting. As Josie and I adapted to life in Israel, we adapted to the SHALOM habit over the "Hi" habit....As Messianic Jews, we are called to bless you and we take that very seriously, by praying for you and by greeting you with SHALOM. Therefore, from now on, when we or someone says SHALOM to you, you should receive it as a tremendous blessing. And bless them back with a hearty SHALOM!"

Numbers 6:24-26: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His face upon you and give you SHALOM. In the name of SAR SHALOM - the Prince of Peace.

 

[peacechild4]

Be encouraged.. God loves you.. and He will move heaven and earth to save you and help you.. He will come to You where you are.. no matter where you are.. and how hard your life is..

​

The Garbage Dump People

The below story is one of the most fascinating I have ever heard. It comes from a reliable Christian friend. I first heard it last year but was able to document the details only a few days ago. It demonstrates the power of God's love to penetrate even the most closed cultures when His people are willing to lay down all for the Savior and take up His cross. It also demonstrates the outpouring of God's Spirit in these last days.

A missionary couple had been laboring in a certain Muslim country that I will not name for purposes of protection. They had become terribly discouraged in their attempts to share the gospel with the Muslims there, and they were about to quit and go home. However, they first decided to take a few days to fast and pray, asking the Lord for direction and guidance.

To their surprise, during this period of seeking, the Lord gave them this simple instruction, "Go to the garbage dump people." (In my humble experience, whenever God really speaks to us it is usually very succinct -- short, to the point, with few words, very direct. I am always wary of long dissertations purportedly from God.)
The garbage dump people lived on the outskirts of this large Muslim city, the last people group anyone would normally ever want to visit. There are thousands of people there who literally live in the garbage dump. They have no other place to live. They actually comprise a city built on top of all the garbage. "Homes" are typically cardboard boxes. (My friend has photos.) People live off of what they find in the garbage. The stench is described as terrible.

The missionary couple hesitated, humanly not really wanting to go, but they decided that if the Lord was speaking to them they had better obey. (Good idea.)

They soon began an outreach to the garbage dump people. God's anointing was obviously on the effort because after only a short time they had 30-40 people gathering around them for a Bible study in the garbage dump. In less than a year, 800-900 people were gathering every time the missionaries went in to peach and teach, which was three times a week. They soon began to see God's wisdom in this unique ministry. The garbage dump was a totally protected place because no one, including the authorities, wanted to go in there to interfere with what they were doing.
One day, their numbers having reached into the hundreds, they were talking with one of the oldest men of the garbage dump city. They told him that somehow they were going to have to find some shelter so that the assembled people would have some cover from the elements. The old man said, "When I was just a child, many years ago, some of the old people at that time said that there was a cave, and far down into the cave there is a meeting place. I remember being taken in there as a young boy. I think I could take you there again." They agreed to come back and go with the old man.

The missionaries soon returned with friends and flashlights. The old man led them to a back part of the garbage dump with a lot of rock formations. He then took them to the opening of a very large cave. They all entered the cave and walked and walked, for about 45 minutes. Finally, at the end, there was a turn, and then to their astonishment they saw an enormous, incredibly well-preserved theater! It was like one of those in the Roman times we have seen in pictures. It was in immaculate condition, obviously preserved from ancient times by the unusual climate. They discovered there was seating for about 5,000 people!

The missionaries began to use that underground theater as the meeting place and as the church. God began to fill the place with garbage dump people. It was not long before every seat in the whole theater was filled, and it was not unusual for lines of Muslims waiting to give testimonies of salvation to go down both sides of the theater, to the left and the right, all the way to the back. These were all Muslims who had come to faith in Jesus Christ, many of them after a supernatural experience, with Jesus appearing to them in dreams and visions, a phenomenon in Muslim countries we have heard about from other reliable sources. Services sometimes go on for hours.

All this happened because the Father's love through the Holy Spirit stirred in the hearts of two people -- a committed missionary couple -- who said, "yes," and who were willing to lay down their lives, personal ambitions, ego and pride for Jesus, and preach in a filthy, stinking Muslim garbage dump.

I marvel at God's wisdom and how He loves and remembers the lowly.

To Him be all the glory, honor and praise!​

 

[ChowdersMom]

The Garbage Dump People​

Wow. What an amazing story, Peacechild. Thank you.