Winter 2022/2023

WELCOME

Welcome to your Herald A place to proclaim what the Lord is doing in His church and in His body of believers This is the voice of our association, a chance to tell what we have seen and know to be true. We hope you feel at home here. Sit at the table with us and eat- there is something for everyone.

OR Ennis

Hopewell Loop, Atkins, AR 72823 1144- ashley ourherald@gmail com

CIAL BOARD

n- Dee Jay Shoulders nie Rd, Madison, TN 37115 0040- djpreachit@bellsouthnet

airman- Richard B Burks ad 171, Philadelphia, MS 39350 7210- rbb4543@yahoocom

y-Stacy Lisenbey 513, Plainview, AR 72857 8858- slisenbey@gmailcom

CERS

ador at Large- Richard Humphreys rook St, Percy, AR 71964 8703101677- rickhumphreys2@yahoocom

Youth Director-Dee Stone PO Box 57, Plainview, AR 72857 4792724755- wiredwithjesus@gmailcom

Missionary Secretary- Clifton Beecher 1887 Hack Brown Rd, Franklin, KY 42134 2707760902- clifbeecher@gmailcom

Ladies Auxiliary President- Karla Shoulders 707 Ronnie Rd, Madison, TN 37115 6158302697- theboyzmom1@bellsouthnet

Promotional Arm Director-Aaron Wojcik 132 Grindstone Dr, Gallatin, TN 37066 9312524212- aaronwojcik3@gmailcom

PRESBYTERS

Arkansas- Dennis Bledsoe 22660 130 Lot #28, Bryant, AR 72022 5013265411

California- Frank Ellis 10583 Oleander Ave, Fontana, CA 92337 9093821029

Kentucky- David Penrod PO Box 632, Bowling Green, KY 42102 2707812768

Missouri- Travis Hollingsworth 3235 W Madison St, Springfield, MO 65802 6158302697

EDITOR'S NOTE

The editor reserves the right to shorten, refuse and or hold any article, or part thereof that is deemed contrary to the spirit of the association The Editor and the AB of C receive all articles in good faith, all authors are responsible for the authenticity and veracity of material they submit for publication in Our Herald This magazine is published quarterly, the subscription price is $1500 per year Please contact the editor for any further information you may require

Mississippi- Antoine Stokes 1609 Robertson Rd, Louisville, MS 39339 6628033878

Tennessee- Jonathan Denton 202 Lake Terrace Dr, Hendersonville, TN 37075 6152935530

Our mission is to connect the body of Christ through fellowship, accountability, and shared resources to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world around us.

Have you ever tried to open a jar, I mean really tried, gave it your all, and nothing happened, not even a budge in the right direction? If you are like me, you are going to do all you can to get that jar open Usually, a tap or two on the counter does the trick, but sometimes I have to break down and ask for help.

Asking for help is often the last thing we want to do, but when it comes to our relationship with Jesus it is the first thing He wants us to do. Living a life of complete dependency on the Lord takes a breaking down of everything we think we are

We think we are well off because we work hard, but God knows He provides the opportunities, the skill sets, the health in our bodies, and the economy to make it possible This issue is coming out a little later than I had hoped. At first, I wasn't too concerned, because I have done a few by now and knew what to expect What I didn't expect was to be sick and miss the deadlines I set for myself. Not wanting to deal with the hassle of not feeling well, I had planned on willing my body to submit to my spirit That's Biblical right? Well my body didn't get the message and decided to be sick anyways. Turns out I needed to rest, pushing myself had made it worse and here I was a mere mortal in need of healing

It only took a few days of not being able to do what I had planned, to realize once again I am completely dependent on Jesus for every ounce of strength in my body and that every victory, no matter how large or small really does belong to Him, "For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring" (Acts 17:28)

There were so many questions in that moment, and yet an elder had the answer:

"And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof" (Revelation 5:5)

The Lion of the tribe of Judah, He can do it. Jesus is always the solution We hear of miracles in third-world countries happening because they are so dependent on what God can do. Here's the thing, so are we It is possible to live in a first-world country and be every bit as dependent on the goodness of God, living as though our next breath is a gift because it is. I'm grateful for the blessings in my life and I'm grateful that a few "fluish" days can bring me right back to total dependency on the One who is worthy.

In everything, always, more Jesus,

Please

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mail $15 check or money order to: Ashley Ennis 1620 S Hopewell Loop Atkins, AR 72823 Make Check payable to: ABofC

PASTOR DEE JAY SHOULDERS "ALL THINGS NEW"

2 Corinthians 5: 17

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: (creation) old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Isaiah 43:19

Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

If our great God took time In the beginning, to create such a masterpiece, and then He saw that it was good, how much more does He care for us. David said, "When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor" (Psalms 8:3-9).

The Apostle Paul said for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them He then said in Colossians 2: 13-15, "And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it."

Wow, our Savior took our list of sins and destroyed them by nailing them to the cross In this way, God took away Satan’s power to accuse you of sin, and God openly displayed to the whole world Christ’s triumph at the cross where your sins were all taken away.

My friends the Cross has the final word and Jesus has the power to make all things new. Every past mistake...any and all addictions. Generational Curses and family issues Jesus can turn it all around

I am saddened to see that the cross has been minimized and not held in high regard as it should be Remember we are talking about the blood of Jesus here And sometimes we blame the past or we blame our parents or grandparents or our bloodlines instead of us focusing on the power of a new bloodlineJesus makes all things new!

We are now heirs and joint heirs with Christ The term heirs of God emphasizes our relationship to God the Father. As His children, we have “ an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade, kept in heaven” The Greek term translated “heirs” in Romans 8:17 refers to “those who receive their allotted possession by right of sonship” In other words, because God has made us His children we have full rights to receive His inheritance, we are His beneficiaries. You say, " but Pastor it runs in my family" Ok, that may be true but when you get in Christ and Christ gets in you it gives you the right to say, "It may run in my family, but this is where it runs out I am a new creation in Christ Jesus and He has made all things new in my life." So I say to someone reading this today, let Jesus create in you a new thing and let the same hands that created a masterpiece in Genesis 1 begin to create a masterpiece in you this day.

There is so much focus on what the enemy is doing but there needs to be a shift in our thinking to where we see what our great God is doing

The book of Eccl 3:1-9 says: “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?”

“There is a season, a period of time to go through, for everyone and everything. There are four seasons in a year. We cannot change them nor rearrange them They follow one another in succession You do the appropriate thing in the appropriate season. If you don’t, the results will not be satisfactory In fact, things done out of season usually get no results The seasons as we know them are spring, summer, fall, and winter. Each is distinct in its own time and for its own purpose Each season has its equal amount of time The seasons are brought about and determined by the sun and moon and their relationship with the earth There is nothing man can do to change the events, times, and purpose set forth by our Creator.

There is a time for every purpose A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up It takes place in a regular and orderly manner In the spring plant, in the summer and fall pluck (harvest) what has had a season to grow There is a time to build and a time to tear down A time to mend and a time to heal. We are in a time of war, but there is also a time of peace.

BRO. RICK HUMPHREYS "WHAT A TIME"

There was a time for you to be born; you had no say in the matter. You did not pick the time, day, or season, your Creator did it for you You were made for a purpose, the purpose of service for and to Him. We were brought forth to worship the One that created all things for His own purpose We were brought forth for such a time as this. A time when the world has lost direction, course, reason, and purpose A time when gross darkness covers the earth and light is needed to shine into the darkness. A time when wickedness is planned for the people of God and someone needs boldness to go before the King for permission to wage war against the enemy You were born in a time that is perilous In a time of persecution of the church. In a season of war. What do you do? REJOICE!!! Be exceedingly glad. Be not fearful, be of courage, be strong in the Lord and the power of His might!

You may be having a tough season right now; if so, this too shall pass Seasons come and seasons go. The Word abides forever. Time is limited. You cannot stop it or change it JUST ENJOY IT Time is given to us to enjoy Give God thanks IN all things Not because of them but in them and it makes things different How can you appreciate comfort without having experienced pain? How can you delight in health if you haven’t been through sickness? How do you know the thrill of victory without having suffered defeat? How can you glory in grace and mercy without having been born again? Why kick against the pricks of life-- they are handed to us all, for the purpose of perfection. “Learned He obedience through the things He suffered” (Ps 95:8-9) “Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and

M I N I S T R Y

KARLA SHOULDERS LADIES AUXILIARY PRESIDENT

Notes from Nature...

Looking around nature can teach us a lot! Salmon swim from the ocean upstream to the calmer waters in rivers and streams to lay their eggs. The two main reasons they do this are: 1) To protect their young from the strong currents and 2) To protect their young from large predators in the ocean Another interesting point is they try to get back to the same place they were born.

But why is returning to their birth site part of the process?

Consider the alternative: swimming upstream to just any old river could have some pitfalls. A random river might not have suitable sites for spawning, but a salmon’s birthplace is already a proven success for spawning. It may not have mates of the same species Or conditions might not favor that type of salmon For all these reasons, we can see why salmon navigate their way home.

Going with the flow

How easy is it to go along with the majority? Pretty easy, huh? It's easy to close your mouth and act like you may agree with this or that when you really may not. We think to ourselves, "What will happen if I say something or if I let them know I don't agree?" OR, we say to

ourselves, "It's easier and won't stir up anything if I just go along with everybody else." Consider the salmon, wouldn't it be easier for them if they just went along with the current? They could easily go along with the other fish and be driven by the same current. But, the reason they do what they do, matters more than what the other fish are doing. Yeah, they could just do what the other fish are doing, but they would be putting at risk those coming along after them

Matthew 7:13 says, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:" We see from this scripture that so many are just going along with the crowd. Very sad.

What the salmon is doing is risky As much as we want protection and safety from harm, we sometimes have to take a risk. Salmon spend a big part of their lives working hard for their babies that will come along after them We should have the same mindset for our friends, family, and those around us. Let's not forget those whose lives we can have an impact on.

WE KNOW THAT WE’RE LIVING IN THE LAST DAYS AND THAT TIME IS SHORT WE’VE GOT TO TAKE AS MANY AS WE CAN TO HEAVEN WITH US

John 9:4: "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work"

Matthew 9:37-38: "Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest."

Consider the salmon GET A DETERMINATION THAT YOU’RE GOING TO STAND FOR WHAT’S RIGHT AND NOT GO ALONG WITH THE CROWD.

REMEMBER- IT’S WHAT’S RIGHT, NOT WHO’S RIGHT

LIONS,FAITH, ANDTOILET PAPER,OHMY!

AARON WOJCIK PROMOTIONAL ARM DIRECTOR

The book of revelations calls Jesus the Lion of Judah Solomon describes a lion as “mighty among beasts, who retreats before nothing” (Proverbs 30:30). Disney tells us that the lion is the king of beasts and that they get to eat any of their subjects that they want (it’s ok it’s the circle of life)

Jesus triumphed over temptation and sin, over pain and suffering, over fear and death and even the devil himself. Jesus is the original Lion King who doesn’t run from anything There is nothing that He can’t handle Are you confident in who Jesus is? Are you able to believe that He is who He says He is? Let’s test it.

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing”

James 1:2-4 NLT

It’s pretty easy to look around at everything that is happening in our country and our world and feel like running or hiding, or at least running to the store and buying some extra toilet paper. Maybe if you ’ re honest, spreading

the gospel has slipped from the front of your thoughts and been replaced by thoughts of just how we ’ re going to survive the next week.

James was writing to people who were serving Jesus and their neighbors among real persecution He was telling them to face trouble with joy Now, most of us aren’t praying and asking God to send us trouble, but maybe we should. James said it’s in the hard times that we learn to trust in our Lion King It’s in these troubled times that our endurance grows Notice that James doesn’t say that our faith grows through trials Faith is tested through trials, not produced by trials. Hard times reveal what kind of faith we have, not so that God will know, but so that we will know ourselves

If trials do not produce faith, what does? Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Supernaturally, faith is built in us as we hear, understand, and trust in God’s Word. God’s Word tells of a savior who is like a Lion that doesn’t retreat from anything. There is nothing we will face in this world that we can’t overcome THROUGH Jesus Christ The trick is learning to rely on that Lion instead of worrying about how we will take care of ourselves. Do you fear tomorrow? Do you fear losing your freedom? Do you worry whether or not there will be enough food - or toilet paper? While these fears may be valid, they also reveal where we trust God the least. Also, if you’ll notice, when your thoughts are consumed by things you can’t control anyway, you ’ re spending less time doing the things God has called us to do Do rumors of a layoff at work cause your heart to skip a beat and your brain to immediately think of how you can pick up a second job. Or do you see it as an opportunity to speak peace to your coworkers and share your faith in a God who will provide for you even if you don’t know how that’s going to happen? Do you rush home with a car loaded full of doomsday provision as you pass by the homeless man holding a sign asking for some food? What do your actions tell your neighbors and coworkers about God? What are your children learning?

AreyouconfidentinwhoJesusis?Areyouableto believethatHeiswhoHesaysHeis?Let’stestit.

LET'S TALK...

JOY KING

It’s proven that the best response happens when people feel comfortable It’s within those first 7 to 10 minutes a person walks onto your campus or into your doors that they decide if they’re going to return or not. So why is this important? We’ll, that is why. The idea of focusing on others matters We plan church for that first time guest We don’t plan for those of us who are regular Although, obviously yes.. we are about every person that’s in the room. We try to plan church for those that come into the doors for the very first time Why? because we may only have one chance So we try to make that a priority So with this filter in place and with this in mind it changes everything about how we plan and how we flow the elements of planning and that’s what brings a level of comfort People read when things aren’t planned and when there’s confusion that brings a level of discomfort. So we want to do everything to bring down every barrier to make sure that person can come again and feel like they experience and encounter God in a new way

The Why

The very nature of God is organized In Genesis Chapter 1 we see this exampled. In the scriptures where it talks about creation. God did things in order. He was organized. He was creative He had a plan Communication happened in those scriptures

Even when he was talking to Adam and Eve ‘Do this’ ‘Don’t do that’ We watch that through the book of Genesis. That’s the main reason that ‘ we ’ want to example a service agenda. It eliminates questions and it gives everyone a map to follow Our media, our audio, our lighting department, our singers, band and worship leader, our Pastors, and anyone who is participating in our service communicate this map to follow. If these departments don’t have an agenda or a map to follow, what are we non-verbally communicating to the audience? It’s causing a level of discomfort which was mentioned above. It sets a negative tone from the beginning. What does it say about how we value their time? A lot of people sitting in our services run organized lives They have busy schedules They live structured lives They know what it’s like to have structure and they know and recognize when it’s not there. So this should be a priority for our departments and churches Be on the same page each week flowing a service that creates a level of comfort nonverbally for everyone

How do we flow a service?

First, we should always leave room for flexibility in a service.. that’s just understood. We talk about how the service is going to flow We make Sundays great because details matter Flow matters Transitions matter. We communicate these things. We can’t assume when something is on paper that every person is going to understand We talk our transitions out loud We discuss them with each other We talk about how to do those and what’s going to happen

Transitions are one of the toughest and the roughest things in many services because perhaps they’re never discussed Let me encourage you to take that on Be comfortable with transitions Don’t be so traditional by default. For example, our prayer moments. They may always happen in ‘this’ spot or they may always happen in ‘this’ way What if it didn’t?

What if we wanted to get creative with that and move it a little bit or have 2 options or 3 plans to flex between. How does that happen? When does that happen? We want to talk about that Keeping it flexible, doing it in a different way keeps the service fresh It keeps people engaged in a new way where they are not always predicting whats going to happen next. We discuss where our singers will be standing each week and what mic they’ll be using No matter their position we tell them to be confident Why? because confidence communicates a whole lot non verbally. If people on stage are looking like they don’t know what to do it creates a discomfort level Which ties back into our intro that talks about making sure that we have eliminated every distraction so we can completely focus on the heart, the message of the song, the worship moment, whatever is happening so the Word of God can flow freely

Building A Service

So what is the order of service and building a service? The flow elements The creative part of building a worship journey. Working towards a destination and what we actually put on an agenda. Look at what needs to be done and/or said for that service Make sure everyone knows what’s happening and when Do we have announcements? Where will we place our giving? How many songs will we have today? Make sure each aspect of the service is lined up and everyone knows what the map looks like for the day Don’t be afraid to step out of your normal and mix things up. Try something new.

So what does worship really look like to you? I pray that we challenge ourselves every day to view worship in a broader way, beginning with steps of faith that reflect our trust and His goodness.

Smaller Does Not Mean Less Effective

We’ve all had those times where you ’ ve planned and you have some key people or key elements that aren’t able to be there. So let’s talk a little bit about being intentional with fewer in services When you are forced to have less, I want to encourage you to make the most of it. Don’t feel pressured to imitate your bigger services. Work with what you have. Create a different feeling when you are served a plate of less You can’t create a full team experience when you only have a third or less of your team Be intentional with your decisions. Learn to embrace them and be ok with it. Smaller does not mean less effective Being smaller doesn’t mean that you can’t do it well Sometimes that's done just as effectively as a full team at a bigger service

Building Worship Sets

We generally will take one song and build the whole service around that We’ll place it where we feel like it needs to be If we feel God has been tugging on a particular song all week we’ll place that one song and build everything else backwards. This is key versus just taking a song from a hat. We try to create the flow and spaces for moments to happen We always keep transitions in mind when building a set Be mindful of what works and what doesn’t

I don’t know about you but ending the service can be one of the most stressful things that we do as a leader in music We can make or break everything that was just preached or taught up to that point. If you have ever heard Bishop TF Tenney speak you may have heard him say ‘ The most important part of the service to God is the worship service because He created us to do that,’ We give God the worship We’ve assembled ourselves together as a body of believers to come and lift His name and glorify Him Then in return, He responds to worship and things begin to happen Be it miracles and needs to be met or sometimes just being in the presence of God and being in the assurance that he’s close The most important part of the service to us is the Word of God. It says in the Bible ‘How can a man be saved without a preacher?’ We hear from the man of God and we receive that word that's delivered.

At the end of a service, people make lifechanging decisions We don’t always nail the service but we should take this part of the day very serious because it’s that time where everyone in the room is called to make a decision and respond to Gods word. A couple of things that have helped us in this area is to communicate with your Pastor or whoever is speaking Ask them how they would like to close the service. What theme or appeal would they like the message to follow? Ask them to summarize their message so you can grasp the full understanding of what it is there going to say Keep in mind the title alone may not be how they really want to turn it at the end. So don’t grab the title by itself and take that as the home run for the ending. This goes for earlier points in the message as well Don’t just latch on to a certain line or keyword and make it your theme. These are just points in the message, not what the message is actually about Be a student of the word of God that's going forth and listen to what is being spoken. Listening and hearing are different Listen in to what it is and pay attention to what they’re saying.

Another point is to stay with the familiar We’ve all been in altar moments and we ’ ve learned the hard way. There may be a perfect song that we did eight years ago and it would be a great fit but if we decide to do it we would ruin the moment because the team doesn’t remember it So choose the most familiar for the team and ultimately decide what’s most effective for that moment.

We also keep a text thread going with a few worship team members that discuss possibilities during the sermon. They may have a wonderful idea that you didn’t think about and it fits perfectly We have teams for a reason. Use those people you trust for moments like this.

Where Do I Start?

You may be saying ‘where do I start? There’s a few things here that I’d like to try ’ Just ask yourself what is the one thing, if it got better would make the biggest difference in our church? and that’s where you start So look at that one thing and elaborate on that and watch yourself grow.

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

ANOTHER GOSPEL? ANOTHER JESUS? PASTOR CLIFTON BEECHER MISSIONS SECRETARY

2 Corinthians 11:4 KJV

For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

2 Corinthians 11:4

Amplified

For [you seem willing to allow it] if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted You tolerate all this beautifully [welcoming the deception].

The Bible tells us that in the last days, messages will be proclaimed in our churches, our homes, and in great assemblies, but they will not all be from God. And they will sound, hear and sometimes feel like the right gospel but beware; they are false gospels to deceive those that are not where they need to be spiritually in their walk with God.

Revelation 16:13 KJV

And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet

The unclean spirits coming out of the mouth represent a message or a doctrine, and here we see they are coming out of the three powers represented as the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. These three unclean spirits giving messages are competing with the three angels’ messages recorded in Revelation 14:6–12

to know the spirit behind these But we canto know these spirits are in constant tune with the Spirit walking and flowing in the Spirit.

16:14 KJV

are the spirits of devils, working which go forth unto the kings of the of the whole world, to gather them e of that great day of God Almighty

ps receive a spirit. However, the ceive the spirit that is breathed out th of the beast power, breathed out outh of the false prophet, and ut of the mouth of the dragon. Any many will be deceived. Many are right now, being deceived

There is a lot of wishy-washy, watered-down gospel that’s declaring itself to be the gospel of Jesus Christ but it is nothing other than a false, flimsy and weak gospel that does not in any way conform to the word of God.

Revelation 13:13-17 KJV

And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Satan has tried to destroy God’s plan and promises since he began his plot with Eve in the Garden of Eden. Over the centuries, he has kept on trying to destroy God’s Plan.

O SING UNTO THE LORD A NEW SONG PASTOR GARY MINK

It’s All In Him

The Mighty God is Jesus. The Prince of Peace is he; The Everlasting Father; The King eternally; The Wonderful in Wisdom; By whom all things were made

The fullness of the godhead In Jesus is displayed

Chorus: It’s all in him, it’s all in him

The fullness of the godhead is all in him

It’s all in him, it’s all in him

The Mighty God is Jesus And it’s all in him

Emmanuel God with us, Jehovah, Lord of Hosts

The Omnipresent Spirit who fills the universe

The Advocate, the High Priest, the Lamb for sinners slain, The Author of redemption, O glory to his name!

This song is a serious declaration of belief. “Don’t sing it unless you mean it.” Certainly, it stands as a sure statement in song made by the congregation and each individual among them in affirmation of the concept of a Bible revelation held in common. It can be no less than a public proclamation, not so much of what you believe, but of who you are and who you will continue to be “It’s All In Him” is one of the major doctrinal anthems of Oneness Pentecostalism. Praise the blessed and holy name of Jesus!

We can only be saddened by the fact that we know almost nothing of the song ’ s origin and only sketchy details about George R. Farrow – the man who wrote it We do not know if he was a pastor But in this essay, please allow me the liberty to refer to this dear brother as “Elder Farrow.”

However, let us closely observe what we know about him It may be more than is at first apparent Of this can be sure: Elder Farrow held an incredibly robust conviction of the fact that Jesus is God and there is none else – it’s ALL in Jesus The Scriptures clearly

state, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another is psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” (Col. 3:16)

Elder Farrow’s song is surely a praise song. But remember it is first a teaching song The overarching point of the song quotes Colossians 2:9 – “For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” He took the first verse piece meal from Isaiah 9:6: “Mighty God,” “Prince of Peace,” “Everlasting Father” and “Wonderful.” That is teaching! We need more of it. Looking further, “Emmanuel, God with us ” – from Isa 7:14 and Matt 1:23; “Jehovah Lord of Hosts” – Isa 44:6 and Rev. 1:11; “The Omnipresent Spirit” – 2 Cor. 3:17; “The Advocate” – 1John 2:1; “High Priest” – Heb 9:11; “Lamb for sinners slain” –Rev 13:8; “Author of redemption” – Heb 12:2.

We also know that Elder Farrow composed an article concerning the new birth that appeared in the Apostolic Herald in August of 1930. Arthur L. Clanton and Charles E Clanton quote a portion of that article in their history of Oneness organizations, “United We Stand.” Elder Farrow says, “First we wish to state that being born of water and of the Spirit, and being baptized in water and with the Spirit, mean one and the same thing. For if being baptized in water and the Spirit, as in Acts 2:38, is not the birth that Jesus referred to in the third chapter of St. John, then we will search the New Testament in vain for the description of an experience which is that”

And that’s just two verses! For two other verses the song teaches, it preaches, the Scriptures to us It is indeed a glorious song. Praise God for Elder George Royal Farrow.

George Royal Farrow

THE POWER HOUSE

PASTOR FRANK ELLIS

A few nights ago I had a dream In the dream I was in a very large church building Service time had ended. Quite a few had formed smaller groups for Bible study and prayer. I began to look for a certain person I had gone up to the balcony area, seen a door at the end of the balcony and walked through the door. I was immediately in a nuclear power plant. The power plant was below the church I continued my search for this person in the power plant with wonder of what had happened.

I woke up and pondered on this for several days I was eating lunch with my wife when it hit me what the dream meant. I smiled big and chuckled a little. My wife ask what was so funny. I said, "I get it The church built upon the Solid Rock Christ Jesus is really built upon a vast Power Supply."

Mt 28:18: And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Jesus is more powerful than all the nuclear power plants in the world combined He has all Power. When Pilate told Jesus about his power during the trial Jesus had and answer for him John 19:11 Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above:

We are in the same vein, we have no power except it is given from above In Mark 9:17-27 we read of a child with a demon. The father said he brought the child to the disciples for deliverance and they could not provide the remedy needed Jesus spoke to the demon to come out and not enter again. The work was done. Mark 9:28-29 The disciples asked Jesus why they could not do this miracle? Jesus replied this one comes out only with fasting and prayer How serious are we

about having the power of the POWERHOUSE? I have been in church for many years Mostly I have been in Pentecostal Apostolic churches. I have seen the power of God on lives not only in church but also out of church I have watched people dance in the Spirit around babies asleep on the floor and never step on a child. I have heard of those who in the Spirit fell against red hot wood stoves and not be burned I have watched as eyeglasses were flung across the sanctuary and not be broken. I had the privilege of watching a shorter leg grow out to match the length of the longer leg We truly have an amazing powerful God I remember driving to work one morning with nowhere to move to as another car pulled into the lane I was in beside me It was a four-lane freeway in each direction God widened that lane to allow both of us to be in it without a collision for a short time until one of us got ahead of the other. I had to praise God the rest of the way to work He is a protecting God when the time is called for.

I have worked in two different nuclear power plants and quite a few natural gas power plants. I can honestly say you need a solid foundation to allow for the vibrations that the generators, turbines, and steam generators are going to do as they produce power Paul tells us that we in Eph 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone; Eph 2:21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: Eph 2:22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit

Tap into God’s power plant. Again Paul said in 1st Timothy 5:1 and 2nd Timothy 4:1 I charge thee I understand that Paul was giving an order to Timothy here, I also will say I like to think of electricity when I read and hear this statement Many times I have used jumper cables to get another vehicle and sometimes my own vehicle started. To accomplish this I had to tap into the good battery and allow a charge to flow to the low-on-electricity battery

The Lion of Judah

הדוהי

Even though the Lion of Judah is referenced sparingly throughout the Bible, it is a powerful image that commands attention. Here's a quick study to help you dig deeper...

Revelation 5:1-5

"And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof "

TheBlessingonJudah

Praise Favor Victory Honor Authority Peace Unity Redemption

"Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before thee Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk "

Genesis49:8-12

The Message Version

You,Judah,yourbrotherswillpraiseyou: Yourfingersonyourenemies’throat, whileyourbrothershonoryou You’realion’scub,Judah, homefreshfromthekill,myson Lookathim,crouchedlikealion,kingofbeasts; whodaresmesswithhim?

"And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God "

Revelation 19:13

ThesceptershallnotleaveJudah; he’llkeepafirmgriponthecommandstaff Untiltheultimaterulercomes andthenationsobeyhim

He’lltieuphisdonkeytothegrapevine, hispurebredprizetoasturdybranch Hewillwashhisshirtinwine andhiscloakinthebloodofgrapes, Hiseyeswillbedarkerthanwine, histeethwhiterthanmilk

Understanding Counsel

KMightnowledgeFear of the Lord

Characteristics of a Lion

Bold Strong

"The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion." Proverbs 28:1

"A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;" Proverb 30:30

Ferocious

"Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?" Amos 3:7-8

Provider

"The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin " Nahum 2:12

Micah 5:2-4

But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth

Matthew 2:1-2

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him

And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.

WE CALL HIM JESUS

Karen Sanders

“The Lion of Judah will break every chain and give to us victory again and again.” (H.Q. Wilson)

I grew up singing that song, and understanding that the Lion of Judah is a direct connection to Jesus Christ, the Root of David I have seen Jesus portrayed as a Mighty Lion (Revelation 5:5) and a gentle Lamb (John 1:36) In both instances, He is the example for my life.

I love to make scripture practical to life. As a mother of five, and now blessed with 10 grandchildren, during the Christmas season I am particularly impressed by the relationship of Mary, the mother of Jesus, to her son. In her mother’s heart, she knew that he was a special child, destined for greatness Throughout his life we see in the scripture that she studied the events of his life as she “pondered and treasured” a mother’s memories of the things he did. (Luke 2:19)

Mary’s son grew “ in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man ” (Luke 2:52) We see Mary, the mother of the Lamb of God, with her adult son in John 2:1-7. This picture of the relationship of Mary and Jesus as mother and son has had a lasting impact in my life In their exchange, recorded as the first miracle of Jesus, we are told that Jesus attended a wedding with his mother and some of the disciples. When the servants reported to Mary that the guests were out of wine, she went to her son

It is at this point that we see the conversation between mother and son. In their exchange I am moved by Mary’s faith in Jesus, and in the promises that God made to her, even before his birth I see in this passage a mother and son who disagree, but who share a common knowledge They both knew his parentage, and His power. When learning of the lack of wine, he simply responded: “Mother, my time has not yet come ” In that moment we see the results of Mary’s role as parent, the training she had given her son, and her faith in God’s word In the face of Jesus’ refusal to act, Mary directs the servants: “Whatever he tells you to do, just do it.” In this response of mother to son, I see how her lifetime of faith results in action

“Whatever He tells you to do, just do it.”

Mary’s words remind me of another promise of God to His people: “My sheep hear my voice, and a stranger they will not follow.” The Lamb of God takes away the sin of the world. When we know Jesus as the Lamb of God, we know his quiet compassion and gentle spirit When we know Jesus the Lion of Judah, we know him as our victorious King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Our Savior was sacrificed as a Lamb and reigns as a King It is our mission to deliver this kingdom message of a Loving Lamb and Victorious King to a lost world

In our work with schools and teachers, we see people who have devoted their lives to training generations of children We see children in our society who have many needs, physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Our goal is to teach these children, their families, and even some of their teachers that when they accept Jesus into their heart and commit to following Him all the days of their lives, He will break chains off their lives and lead them as a victorious king leads his people. We teach them that the plan of God for them is that they would have good things in their life, and that they can trust Jesus to do miracles for them

just like Mary trusted Him to do that first miracle, because He has not changed

Just this month, I have prayed for teachers with hurting hearts, teachers with difficult personal challenges who choose to spend their days pouring words of faith into the children in their classes Teachers call me with list of needs from their students One teacher sent me the name of a single mother with 5 children and no food, sleeping on a cold floor; a child with a sick parent, needing prayer for healing in their family; parents needing food for their children; and senior citizens with no transportation asking for any food we could get to them. Meeting these needs and others, we are blessed by the way that God moves daily to help us provide the many needs

Every day, as I work Celebrating Teachers, Mary’s words ring in my heart “Whatever He tells you to do, just do it.” Just last week I noticed one fifth grade boy from the public school in our after-school ministry had two hands filled with the simple snacks we had offered them. “May I take these to my home?” He asked in a timid voice. I have learned from the teachers that in many cases this means there is not food at home, and so these children gather for their other siblings My heart hurts when I receive these calls and requests. “Whatever He tells you to do, just do it.”

In December, we will provide Christmas gifts to hundreds of children in local communities who would have nothing This month we will also send a semi to Mexico filled with desks, clothing, toys and new books for over 6,000 children to help missionaries, teachers and administrators meet the needs of families and children in their schools and churches

In addition, we are providing Christmas gifts and food distributions to children and families through churches in our local communities We are working with our Celebrating Teachers partners, to impact our nation and the nations of the world with the message of the gospel, “Doing all that we can do, so they can be all that they can be”

When we listen, the Lamb of God speaks to us in a still voice, knowing that we will do what He tells us to do. “Go…Share…Feed…Teach…” In the mission of Celebrating Teachers, we are committed to see church growth as we connect the local church family to the nations educational systems. We are seeing church families growing as we bring the schools to the churches in our nation and abroad We GO into this mission field we SHARE the kingdom message in the Word of God, we FEED the children, teachers, and families natural and spiritual food and we TEACH the people that we serve a GOOD god, who has a GOOD PLAN for their lives to give them HOPE and a FUTURE (Jeremiah 29:11) We work by example to teach the people that the God we serve is Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace He is the Good Shepherd, t Lion of Judah, and we call H

W E R & A U T H O R I T Y

Lori Stevens

2 Corinthians 10:3-6

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

This passage of scripture gives us some instruction about our weapons and authority received from Christ Jesus. We have been saved and baptized in the water and in the Spirit We are made new creatures and given a new identity in Christ. But so often, we still walk around unsure, lacking in understanding of the power and authority to which we have access because of the Name we now bear and the Spirit of God in us We must understand that through submission to the Spirit of God, we can access authority over any thing that comes against us We can see in James 4:7 this message is clear. 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. We submit to God and the devil must flee. He cannot stay when we are fully submitted to God He has no power or authority.

I was reading a story about a man name Don Krow who had been saved and was beginning in ministry He and some others were called to a home to pray over a young teen girl. When they arrived, the young lady was demonstrating full demon possession She was speaking in deep voice, tearing and attacking at people, Just plain scary. Some of the others with him left out of fear. The demon told him, “You’re going to hell!” Don said “No, I’m not” The demon yelled it again He recalled that at first he felt like he could not do

anything but remembered that he had his Bible He opened it up and it fell open on Philippians chapter two

He looked down and read verse 8-11, "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" The demon began to scream, “Don’t say that! I can’t stand that! Don’t say that!” and the girl covered her ears Don knew in that moment that the Word was powerful and he began to read scriptures over the girl. We have that same powerful Word we can speak When we speak the Word of God over our situations, God moves We are not powerless in the face of the enemy We are not powerless in the face of sickness, disease, or any other situation. We have access to the God

Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" This tells me that His word is powerful for those that read it and for those that speak it. Jesus was given all power and through him we have power over the enemy

Jesus spoke these words in Matthew 18:18-20, "Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" When we speak His

Word in faith we have the same power and authority he gave to his disciples.

Jesus, himself sent out his disciples with power and authority He sent them with the same Spirit he gives us today. Our prayers and our words are powerful when we speak His name and speak his Word

Matthew 10:8 8, "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give" Jesus told the disciples to do these things We are of the same Kingdom they were. We have the same Jesus that saved us. We have the same authority given to us We need to step up and be bold in the Kingdom authority We carry His Name and His Spirit in us. We need to get hold of this fact and live it boldly.

1 John 4:4 4, "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." Let us no longer allow the enemy to distract us and lie to us Let us not allow his lies or deceptions to keep us from living fully submitted to the God who created us and saved us. Let us boldly go forth in His Name and demonstrate the power and authority we have received We are ambassadors to this lost and broken world. They need to know we have something to offer. Not just signs and wonders but life-saving, lifechanging salvation that wrecks the devil’s plans and gives them new life. Speak as one with authority. Know the Word of God. Use the Word of God While the enemy may go around as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, we know the Lion of Judah. He is all-powerful and His Word stands. We are His and part of His Kingdom The enemy must flee We do not need to live defeated, filled with fear, or repeatedly beaten down. We are children of the most High God. When we obey his Word, we can find that His power and authority are ours to wield

THE LION OF JUDAH

y Lou Forrest

A Lamb was born One starry night To save the world Would be His plight His love for all Of Earth's mankind Salvation and eternal life Then to the cross He humbly went To bring us freedom He was sent No sin would enter At Heaven's gate

The Lion of Judah Sealed our fate

He alone will open The scroll and seals His purchase with blood The prophecy fulfilled

ORIGINAL SONGS

SOMEBODY TELL HELL

Dean and Marcia Chapman

Verse 1:

A long long time ago

There was a man named Jesus Christ

He never knew no wrong All he did was perfect and right But then one day they cursed him and sentenced him to die So on an old rugged cross He laid down his life

Well now the devil thought it was over and darkness now had won Jesus had been crucified The son of God was done but the story does not end there They laid him in an old borrowed tomb And after three days of preaching in the heart of the earth He got up for me and you

Chorus:

Somebody tell hell I’m getting back up Somebody tell the devil what he did was not enough Ole satan tried to turn me around turn me up and trip me up and hold me down Somebody tell hell I’m getting back up

Verse 2:

Now I’ve had some battles in my life

Satans tried to take me out He’s broken me down with struggles And Leiden me with doubt There’s been a lot of deep valleys and plenty of mountains to climb And when I thought I’d reach the top I’d fall back down each time But thank God it doesn’t end there cause I was never alone

The word of God says when I am weak that’s when he is made strong The devil thought he had me and some people counted me out But when I got down on my knees I came up with a brand new shout

Lyrics written by: Dean Chapman

Take Your Place

Caleb and Kelsey Lisenbey

Isaiah 12:4-6

Verse: I cry aloud shout for joy oh Zion Great in this place holy one be lifted high

Pre-Chorus: We’ve come to magnify Come to glorify your great name

Chorus: There is no one greater There is no one stronger Almighty and righteous is he

Who can part the waters Who can move the mountains Almighty and Bridge: No one could

Tips

for writing your own songs from Sis. Kelsey...

Always be true to yourself, your style, and your lyrics Let your song be a reflection of who you are

Start with a catchy melody and build your story around it.

Don't be afraid to be creative and think outside the box. Let the purpose of the song be clear to the listener

You are an original, so let your work be original as well.

When you start writing, begin with the piano, then sing what comes to your heart Voice record everything so you don't forget what you sang!

Do you have original songs you have written and would like to share? Please email them to ashley.ourherald@gmail.com.

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saw my work” Be not an unbeliever in what God has already ordained for us to walk in and unto. He has promised, just for a little season of enduring Just for a little time of passing He has promised provision and protection.

There is a time, a purpose, and a season Jesus was born just at the right time (fullness). He was born for the purpose of taking away the penalty of man ’ s sin. The season was the newness of life He died and rose from the grave to sit on the throne of power in heavenly places. He has promised all men the same end that believe in Him and His works for them He has promised peace and joy in place of a season of agony He has promised no tears, for just a season and short time of grief and bitterness. Fullness of pleasure in His presence for ever in exchange for weeping that just endures for a night. Come on, you were born for such a time as this! He is ‘the shade on your right hand’ He has your back He gave you life He is your life He has ‘got you’! You live in the palm of His hand. You don’t know how many days are yours, neither do I. But, enjoy them all to the full, because each one is brand new to be lived to the full for Him til He sends the angels to get us! Seasons come and they go. Time has come, but it will cease The Purpose of God was to bring you into existence, into His kingdom, to spend eternity with Him and the gates of hell cannot not prevent that. FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS

perfect and complete, needing nothing. It is possible to navigate our world without fear or worry It is possible to allow even our trials to be a testimony to the people around us, but it does require us to put our faith completely in Jesus, our Lion King We don’t need to fear tomorrow God is the God of today and tomorrow and He has a plan He’s in control He’s the King and nothing scares Him. Give him control of your life

Hakuna Matata It means no worries Relax, God will let you know what to do. If you feel like your faith needs a tuneup, then that’s ok God will supply all of your needs Your Father desperately wants to spend more time with you anyway!

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Please don’t read this and feel judgment. Even as James writes to the persecuted church telling them to count it joy when they face trouble, he encourages them to let their faith grow. It’s a process and the important thing is not what we did today, but what we do tomorrow When our endurance is fully developed, we’ll be

to get the vehicle started. Are we also jumper cables when we lay hands on others for healing or imparting God’s wonderful gift? Many a time we run low on God’s Spirit and need a boost of His Holy Charging. Tap into God’s power for your life Allow God’s power to flow through you I was at a fellowship meeting in the 1990s. The Pastor there in Perris, CA asked the ministers to form a line for prayer A lady came and stood in front of me and asked to pray about her family’s finances I purposely held my hand about six inches from her forehead, closed my eyes and started praying not only for finances, but health and for her to follow God’s will for her life When I opened my eyes she was not standing there. I looked and behold she had fallen on the floor and was praising God I learned later from her in-laws that God had indeed blessed her family with finances and she was still praising God for a miracle that did not seem possible. I truly thank God for what he is still doing He is not a God of just the past He is my God of the present and the God of the future. He truly is Power and the Power of the Church, the Christian, and this world As scripture has declared He has ALL POWER Allow His Power to flow through you. You will be amazed and others will be amazed at what God is doing.

MY RENEWABLE SOURCE

I’m so glad to really be a part of the family of God I’m so glad to really be a citizen of the Kingdom of God. This citizenship gives me a renewable source of spiritual wisdom faith and strength that will continue throughout this life and into eternity This world is seeking renewable forms of energy but they fail to realize understand or even acknowledge the ultimate source of all energy this world contains It’s like the world is seeking and worshiping renewable energy but refuse to admit there is a creator that’s in control of it all. I never really knew the creator until I accepted His invitation and obeyed His word and I died to this world and got born again. When I became a citizen of the Kingdom of God, my mind was transformed and my understanding was opened by the Holy Ghost that now lives inside me That Holy Ghost is my renewable source for everything I need. My renewable source will take me though this life and death in the flesh and even out of the grave like it did for Jesus Obey God’s word and receive that renewable source that will take you through this life.

GOD IS GOOD

DOUGLAS FARMER

CLEAR BLUE SKY

It’s amazingly to just sit and enjoy looking at a clear blue sky A clear blue sky can represent different things to different people. That clear blue sky can create good or bad feelings depending on what you ’ re really looking for I look for good things and I see them everywhere all the time even in a clear blue sky. I live in the same world that everyone else does, that can read or hear this though of mine I have not always had the attitude and outlook I’m describing. Before I was born again I acted differently and I thought differently because I was different, I was a part of this world. Before I was Born Again I may have seen that clear blue sky with emptiness or sadness because my heart had a lot of that But I can now look at a clear blue sky with Joy and amazement knowing God created that beautiful sky for me to enjoy. When I look at a clear blue sky I can see no obstructions to my prayers reaching heaven. That clear blue sky even creates the feeling of a closeness to heaven, that really comes from inside I never enjoyed this feeling until I got born again and filled with God’s Spirit The Holy Ghost. When God is on the inside everything is so different on the outside, Everything we see everything we hear everything we say everything we do and even everything we think is different. With God in control and leading and guiding us we can just enjoy life so much better

COMING HOME

ELIZABETH SPENCER

LETTERS FROM AMADAUS

Dearest Solvo,

As you may already be realizing, returning home after a spiritual respite can be rather disappointing While you have been so consistently, and without any great interruptions, seeking our Father's truth, you have experienced a reprieve from "real life " Now, I do not say real life as if to discount the life you lived here, or even to imply a separation of the two I use it only for lack of a better term For even here, in your spiritual haven, you were living "real life," simply a different kind of life than what you will experience now I make this clarification for your benefit dear friend, because many enjoy the belief that the spiritual world is altogether separate from this, the physical world we inhabit I do not share such sentiments, in fact, I believe them rather folly

We, afterall, are ourselves spiritual beings held only in physical containers of clay. So in separating the two worlds, we succeed only in allowing excuses for the physical man, that is our flesh Truly,the greater the separation betweenthe physical and spiritual, the easier it is to live solely for this physical world that is immediately around us.

For in creating two worlds we must choose which world we inhabit at any given moment We are not the Father that we may be omnipresent, we must be content to live in one place; so if indeed, the two places are separate, then we must live in one or the other And most unfortunately, if we must choose between the two, we will often find ourselves living in the world we see, the one that physically surrounds us. We would only venture into the separate spiritual world for fleeting moments, as if it were a time away from our current circumstances We would allow ourselves only the briefest encounters with that other world, before coming back to ourselves in the natural

This, you see, is the folly of separation That the physical world might be favored over the spiritual one. However, if you can grasp the fact that the spiritual world is not only a part of the physical world, but even the most important part, then you can live accordingly No longer would you seek after ephemeral moments of sweet encounter, but instead live in constant harmony with our Maker The two worlds would become one

The spiritual inhabiting the physical, though unseen with earthly eyes it is doubtless visible to our spiritual ones In truth, to become more spiritually aware, not only when it is convenient or else deemed the proper time and place, at all times is absolutely imperative How else can one possibly be effective in our Father's Kingdom when looking only to their physical selves? Knowing ourselves first as spiritual beings, contained in a temporary body, wandering through a world that is not our

home, we instantly become far more effective in the life to come And what is this life when compared to the next? For nothing here in the natural can begin to compare with the importance, or permanence, of the spiritual. Heed them no mind those who would say that the spiritually minded are of no earthly good. Those, dear boy, are the fanciful words of men who answer first to their stomachs and only once they are satisfied turn towards the Father Surely, to be more spiritually minded you will succeed only in doing more earthly good For only the bread of life brings true satisfaction And we, dearest Solvo, not only feast on the bread of life, but are also charged in bringing it to the hungry masses. How then can we share this spiritual truth if we live mostly for the physical? We cannot Only by living for the spiritual world can we be effective in this physical one So please, for the love of our Maker, become more spiritually minded with the passing of each day

I end with this, let not the physical world and all its noise drown out the voice of your Maker Live constantly with the spiritual in mind, that you might not answer to the physical world first Satisfy first the spiritual man within, the physical can wait, for only when the spiritual is satisfied can the flesh be maintained And be always of good cheer, there is coming a day when the physical world shall altogether pass away and the faithful shall blissfully remain in our Father's house forever.

Your Friend, Amadeus

Satisfy first the spiritual man within, the physical can wait, for only when the spiritual is satisfied can the flesh be maintained. And be always of good cheer, there is coming a day when the physical world shall altogether pass away and the faithful shall blissfully remain in our Father's house forever.

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"It is not the critic who counts , not the one who points out how the strong man stumbled , or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who's actually in the arena , whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes up short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms , the great devotion and spends himself in a worthy cause; who best knows at the end the triumph of high achievement , and who at the worst , if he fails , at least fails while daring greatly; so that this place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."

~President Theodore Roosevelt

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