Spring 2024 Our Herald

SPRING 2024

SPREADING THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

Glory to Glory

EDITOR

Ashley Ennis 1620 S. Hopewell Loop, Atkins, AR 72823 501.269.1144- ashley.ourherald@gmail.com

OFFICIAL BOARD

Chairman- Dee Jay Shoulders 707 Ronnie Rd., Madison, TN 37115 615.423.0040- djpreachit@bellsouth.net Vice-Chairman- Richard B. Burks 11900 Road 171, Philadelphia, MS 39350 601.656.7210- rbb4543@yahoo.com Secretary-Stacy Lisenbey PO Box 513, Plainview, AR 72857 479.393.8858- slisenbey@gmail.com

OFFICERS

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 and eat with us- there is something for everyone.

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.

Ambassador at Large- Richard Humphreys 179 Millbrook St, Percy, AR 71964 870.310.1677- rickhumphreys2@yahoo.com Youth Director-Dee Stone PO Box 57, Plainview, AR 72857 479.272.4755- wiredwithjesus@gmail.com Missionary Secretary- Clifton Beecher 1887 Hack Brown Rd, Franklin, KY 42134 270.776.0902- clif.beecher@gmail.com Ladies Auxiliary President- Ashley Perry 180 Honeysuckle Road, Franklin, KY 42134 270.776-2219- ashperry08@yahoo.com Promotional Arm Director-Aaron Wojcik 132 Grindstone Dr, Gallatin, TN 37066 931.252.4212- aaronwojcik3@gmail.com

PRESBYTERS

Arkansas- Dennis Bledsoe 22660 130 Lot #28, Bryant, AR 72022 501.326.5411 calvin.bledsoe@outlook.com Kentucky- Stephen Perry 180 Honeysuckle Road, Franklin, KY 42134 270.293.1131 sgperry1981@yahoo.com Missouri- Travis Hollingsworth 3235 W. Madison St, Springfield, MO 65802 417.818.3109 moprecher@yahoo.com Mississippi- Antoine Stokes 1609 Robertson Rd, Louisville, MS 39339 662.803.3878 stokesantoine@yahoo.com

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 A.B. 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 $15.00 per year. Please contact the editor for any further information you may require.

Tennessee- Jonathan Denton 202 Lake Terrace Dr, Hendersonville, TN 37075 615.293.5530 jtdenton21@gmail.com

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Jesus does something radical with His followers.

He asks us to follow Him, to give our lives to Him, to trust Him with everything, and through this process of submitting to His ways and His thoughts we become like Him. 2 Corinthians 3:18, tells us, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

Not only did Jesus form us in His own image, but He gets excited about the thought of us doing life like Him. In the book of Acts, it was Peter and John’s boldness that let the Sadducees know they had spent time with Jesus. When we spend time with someone we pick up on their mannerisms and how they think, and we start to do life like them. How does 2 Cor. 3:18 tell us we get changed into that same image? The change comes from the glory. By spending time in the presence of God, He imparts His mantle into our lives.

Isaiah had a vision of the Lord, one where He was “... sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple” (Isaiah 6:1-3). This is the robe of a High Priest. I often meditate on the image of Jesus walking into a room with the length of His train behind Him. The robe is the glorified hem that so many sought to touch. It is the hem that the woman with the issue of blood got a hold of by faith. It is the Holy Ghost filling our lives with power. It is the love of God filling our hearts with joy. It is the wisdom of God filling our minds with the fruit of the Spirit. When His train fills us, He makes us complete. The process of changing, the washing of regeneration, is a radical demonstration of His care. How many Christians will walk the earth and never know the power of standing in His glory? I came from a dry denomination and was planted by the Lord into a temple full of His Spirit, and I can testify that there is a difference. God always intended for us to have the power of His Spirit. How can we help those who haven’t been taught? How can Jesus use us to teach others about what we have experienced?

I am available to minister and may be reached at 501.269.1144.

Part of helping others is staying encouraged in the fight. I pray this is what the Herald does for the body of Christ. Men and women who testify to the goodness of God and give you a much needed Word.

Perhaps you have noticed when God is dealing with you on something, or trying to move you in a direction, His voice comes through many outlets. His voice is the sound of many waters. His will washes through our lives through our own personal walks, but also through the influence of others whom He puts in our lives to guide us. If you are fighting discouragement, I know there is a word in these pages that will lift your spirits. If you are looking to grow in God (which we all are), then your next steps could be found in the wisdom of so many like-minded brothers and sisters who have walked the path you are on and found God faithful.

We are all being changed through the glory.

I pray His glory shines so brightly around you that standing seems impossible (1 Kings 8:11). Let’s soak up His presence, embrace the changing, and lean on the Sprit of God to take us into the next season of glory.

In everything, always, more Jesus,

Ashley Ennis NEW SUBMISSIONS

Please send all new submission to: ashley.ourherald@gmail.com Spring 2023 Submission Deadline: May 12, 2024

SUBSCRIPTIONS

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

CHAIRMAN'S CORNER PASTOR DEE JAY SHOULDERS "TO COPE OR TO CONQUER" “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” ~Romans 8:37.

I want you to get a mindset that says from this day forward, I am not going to focus on just coping or just barely getting by, but I am going to believe that starting today, I am going to start conquering and overcoming and prevailing and walking in victory and not defeat. the Bible says how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. There seems to be many today, even in the church, who are being oppressed. With that said there are also many who seem to turn to coping mechanisms when God has showed us that we have some conquering mechanisms.

Have we just bought into the lie that we’ve got to live out the rest of our lives just coping with everything and just hoping to barely make it day by day until Jesus gets us out of here. The Word says ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free and if the Son make you free then you are free indeed which means you are unquestionably free. The lady with the issue of blood was not left to cope with her issue for the rest of her life—she was made WHOLE. The tormented man in the Bible “which had devils a long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs, when he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not. (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven off the devil into the

wilderness.) And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him. And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them. Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked. When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country. Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. They also which saw it told them by what means he that was possessed of the devils was healed.”

The word healed means cured. Jesus did not leave this man with 25% of his devils still around for him to cope with. When Jesus finished with this man he was healed, cured, and made whole.

He became ‘more than a conqueror’. Paul said…”In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.” He's saying the reality is this; we “are” more than conquerors…“present tense, active situation” in other words, Christians “keep on winning a glorious victory. In this article I will not be equipping us with coping mechanisms but with conquering mechanisms. Since faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word let me show you proof of some mighty conquering mechanisms.

“...there are also many who seem to turn to coping mechanisms when God has showed us that we have some conquering mechanisms.”

Here’s the first..No weapon formed against thee shall prosper. Here’s another...Upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And yet another...And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee.

The Word tells us the more they afflicted the children of Israel the more they multiplied and grew. Meaning…I am more than a conqueror regardless of the attacks of this world or the enemy. I am the head and not the tail above only and not beneath…I am more than a conqueror.

You might feel like you are in the valley of the shadow of death but you can still take heart and fear no evil…for He is with you. God didn’t just step in and keep the three Hebrews boys in the fire—he eventually got them out of the fire.

Ole Daniel might be sleeping with the lions tonight but hang on, tomorrow he is coming out of that lion’s den and he is going to be promoted. And for you my friends, weeping may endure for the night, but hang on, joy is coming in the morning. You will conquer this situation through the blood of Jesus and through the Name that is above every other name and through the power of the Holy Ghost. The word does not say in some of these things or in a few of these things but it says, “yea in all these things we are more than conquerors” and gain an overwhelming victory through Him who loved us [so much that He died for us].

There were two kids riding in the back seat of a car. They started screaming when a bee flew through the window. The father reached back and grabbed the bee in his hand, and it stung him. Then he released the bee, and the kids started screaming again.

The father said, “There is nothing to be afraid of. The bee has no stinger. Look and see. It’s in my hand.” Jesus is saying to all who will hear, “Fear not. I have disarmed the devil. Look at my hands, my feet, and my side.” I say to us all—Let’s live as a conqueror and not just as someone who is coping with every situation of life.

SCRIPTURES TO CONQUER WITH No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.

Isaiah 54:17

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Matthew 16:18

And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee.

Jeremiah 1:19

Ambassador-At-Large BRO. RICK HUMPHREYS "LET CHANGE COME"

All that is seen is the brightness of the glory of the sun. The moon is nothing but a ball of dust reflecting the light (the glory) of the sun, it must stay in view of the sun in order to have any glory (any light).

Ps 19:1-6 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.”

What is seen of all men in the earth cannot be an accident or a mere consequential happening. The sun, the moon, and stars all shine light and all hang on nothing and stay in position just like this earth does. When we look up we see the glory of God. We see the splendor of His creativity. We see His ability to speak things that don’t exist into existence. We see His ability to turn darkness into light and light into darkness. The largest day star (the sun) sends brilliance of light wheresoever it shines. The moon reflects the sunlight at night to give light in a dark place that man can see even though it is not as well as in the day he can still move about.

The moon stays in view of the sun at all times unless the earth gets between it and the sun. When that happens, we have an eclipse and the moon goes dark. The glory of the moon is changed due to interference from outside sources. The sun has its glory and the moon has its glory from the sun.

Nothing changes the glory of the sun, but the glory of the moon can change and everyone can see the change when it takes place, because it is on display to the whole world. The stars have their own glory, their own light source. They are visible in the darkness only. When the sun comes into view, the glory from it hides the glory of the night lights.

The apostle Paul tells us in 1 Cor 15:39-48, “All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly”.

We are born into this world in darkness just like it was in the beginning, for we are all born in sin because of the fall from grace by Adam and Eve. We must be called out of darkness and into the marvelous light of the Son of God. The light of man (a star) must be put out by the Day Star (Jesus Christ) that the glory of God can be revealed in this earthen vessel.

Repentance of sin and receiving the Holy Ghost puts this heavenly treasure in an earthen vessel. Once this happens, this allows this vessel to become a light in a dark place (this earth) in this time.

Men become reflective vessels (the church, the moon) of the Son of God in this earth. Man is changed from the glory of the flesh (sin) to the glory of God (righteousness) by the cleansing of the blood of the Lamb of God and the washing of the Word. Man becomes white and reflective so he can shine the righteousness of God to a lost and dying world. As we present our bodies a “living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service and be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor 3:18 ). We as dull stars, become bright shining lights by reflecting the Son of God in this earth as the church (the moon), the mother of all living. Once we repent, we are changed from death to the glory of life by the transformation of the Word taking control of our lives.

Rom 13:11-14, “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.

Walk in the light as He is in the light”.

Let the brightness of Christ light up your life and the world around you. Let the worshipers arise and the sons and the daughters sing and Christ be glorified! May the glory of the world around you be transformed to the glory of God in it’s purist form by the presence of THE ALMIGHTY SON OF GOD causing the things of this world to grow strangely dim.

“We as dull stars, become bright shining lights by reflecting the Son of God in this earth as the church...”

JESUS YOU CAN BRO. DOUGLAS FARMER Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!

It’s so awesome to know that no matter what I pray for, Jesus, You can do it. There is no limit to what You can do anytime, anywhere, or for anyone. Jesus, it’s so awesome knowing You are the creator of everything that exists in heaven and earth.

Jesus, it’s even more awesome knowing I’ve been Born Again.

I’m Yours and Your Spirit lives inside me. Jesus, You are the same yesterday today and forever.

You never change even though everything in this world is changing all the time, You don’t change.

You spoke to the darkness and said “Let there be light” and it was.

Jesus, You can do anything and Your Spirit lives inside me.

Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!

You can do anything.

Nothing is impossible, Jesus, since I’ve been Born Again and Holy Ghost filled, I have the authority to ask anything in Your Name and You said it would happen. Jesus. I have faith, but I pray for more faith.

Jesus, You can do anything anywhere for anyone.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

WOMEN+ MINISTRY SIS. KARLA SHOULDERS

How in the world can we have peace when things in life are upside down?

True peace only comes when we put our complete trust and faith in the plan that God has for us. Let’s face it, life today can bring lots of ups and downs and uncertainties. Things might totally change course from one day to the next and often we may not be prepared for what we might be faced with.

From financial issues, to careers, sickness, bringing up children, aging parents and so on, we can find ourselves leaning solely on what we know instead of who we know.

We often can’t see how we can have peace in the middle of trials but it can happen and things that don’t make sense on paper can be a blank slate for God to work with, but that’s only if we trust Him!

We do our part and trust Him to do the rest.

God doesn’t need our help but he does need our obedience. When we have true faith and trust in God, obedience follows.

John 16:33 says, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world. “ He knows what we can’t see! We decide, do we try to do it ourselves or do we put our faith and trust in God and let Him usher in that peace that passes all understanding, regardless of what we’re facing?

“True peace only comes when we put our complete trust and faith in the plan that God has for us.”

SCRIPTURES TO MEDITATE ON PEACE These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

JOHN 16:33

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

ROMANS 15:13

I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.

PSALM 4:8

For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

1 CORINTHIANS 14:33

Paul warned us, “Don't think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.”

Romans 12:3 (NLT)

UNMASKED

BRO. AARON WOJCIK PROMOTIONAL ARM DIRECTOR

What do you do when you struggle with the same problem that someone you’re leading struggles with?

Well, that’s easy. You simply act like you’re not struggling with anything, especially what they’re struggling with and you tell them exactly what to do. You know what to say, even though you haven’t really managed to succeed in following your own advice. You even have empathy for their situation, because you know how they feel. But at the end of the day, even if you were able to help them, you feel defeated and ashamed.

You are a hypocrite.

I have described some of you so well, because I’m describing myself. It’s not easy to write this, but I’m able to do it because I have learned a valuable principle of discipleship. God never meant for us to point to ourselves as the example of perfection. He wants us to point to Him. We’ve all heard (or said), “I know what’s

Be honest with yourself. You can’t save anybody, not even yourself. Believing this and practicing it are two different things. Israel constantly struggled with idolatry. It’s easy to read about their struggle and pass judgment. How could they deny the power of the one true God? We may not be hammering out golden calves in our garage, but we are susceptible to the same weakness.

When we first truly believed the gospel, it opened up a new world of freedom to us. We stopped trying to do the right thing to be approved by God and just started getting to know the real God who loved us first. But that’s difficult to maintain for us humans. We quickly found it harder and harder to believe that He truly delighted in us - no matter what. So we set to work trying to do better. No matter how hard you try, you seem to just fall short while everyone else seems to be getting it right. That’s when we started to learn to put on the mask. We wear it when we want to impress God and others. We posture and position ourselves, manipulating the version of ourselves that others see.

This results in us spending all of our time maintaining this version of ourselves that we want others to see and we never grow. We can’t allow God to work in our lives because we can’t give up our death grip on the life we’ve made. By cultivating this special version of ourselves, we also create our own version of God. Not the true God who desperately loves you and wants you to come to him just as you are so He can be the one to change you. This is a God we’ve created who is setting back shaking his head in disapproval at our inability to get it right. We’ve made an idol. A false God.

right, but I’m not doing it, so I don’t say anything to anyone else because I don’t want to be a hypocrite.” True, being a hypocrite is not a good thing, but do we really believe that perfection can be achieved this side of Glory?

“Who but a fool would make his own god--an idol that cannot help him one bit?” Isaiah 44:10 (NLT) The blacksmith stands at his forge to make a sharp tool, pounding and shaping it with all his might. His work makes him hungry and weak. It makes him thirsty and faint. Isaiah 44:12 (NLT)

Serving this false God will leave us exhausted and hopeless. We can be surrounded by people, but because we’re not truly known by anyone we feel completely alone. We’re not supposed to feel this way. We’re Christians. Were filled with God’s Spirit. We’re not supposed to have these struggles. What would our

You don’t have to have it all together before God can use you to help others, because you never really will have it all together. We are called to help people along this journey, and we can do this without shame and with full openness once we destroy the false idols in our life that we built up and trust in the one true God - the one who loves you as you are and promises to change you from the inside out!

peers think? What would the people we’re leading think? What would my spouse or my children think? We’ve convinced ourselves that it’s more noble to keep silent about our struggles until we silently overcome them by ourselves. We tell ourselves that we just need to find a little more time to pray and read the Bible.

That will fix the problem. That’s what we

“TO BE A CHRISTIAN MEANS TO FORGIVE THE INEXCUSABLE BECAUSE GOD HAS FORGIVEN THE INEXCUSABLE IN YOU.” C.S. LEWIS

tell others right? But it’s not working for us.

There is hope. The answer is to humble yourself and admit that what you’re doing isn’t working and never will. You need Jesus, not the god that you’ve made.

Study the Word and pray. Allow God to show you again how he really feels about the REAL you!

The second step may be the hardest. You need to become known by someone. Find someone you trust to take your mask off and

unpack

everything

that’s

been

hidden away inside of you. It will break the shame that’s binding you. It will allow you to become humble as God intended.

There is a side benefit to doing this as well.

You will become a more effective disciple maker, because instead of trying to maneuver through the tricky minefield of “do what I say, but not as I secretly do” you can now point to the one who can help you both.

Go take a moment to talk to God about this. Then go find someone to talk to!

“SPEND SOME TIME, MAYBE A WEEK OR A DAY ON EACH OF THE FOLLOWING ATTRIBUTES OR PERFECTIONS OF GOD AND ON HOW THEY AFFECT YOUR PRAYER LIFE: HIS SELF-SUFFICIENCY, OMNISCIENCE, SOVEREIGNTY, GOODNESS, OMNIPOTENCE, OMNIPRESENCE, IMMUTABILITY, WISDOM, HOLINESS, LOVE, GRACE, RIGHTEOUSNESS, JUSTICE, AND MERCY.” A.W. TOWZER

When my husband and I became pastors, our vision was to raise up the next generation of leaders. We want the ones who come next to be far greater than us. For us to accomplish that goal, we had to take the focus from ourselves and place our focus into serving and teaching the ones coming up behind us.

SIS. ASHLEY PERRY NATIONAL WOMEN’S MINISTRY PRESIDENT

Influence- the capacity to have an effect on

the

character,

development,

or

behavior of someone or something, or the effect itself.

Have you ever had someone in your life that greatly influenced you? I mean the kind of influence that when you look at your life you know it will never be the same because of that person.

I’m sure many of us have that person. I’ll always be thankful for the Godly women in my life that have influenced me in great ways.

But as I look at life now, I feel we have our focus off when it comes to the general view of influence. Many of us have walked through life looking for someone to influence us, to notice us, to help us walk throughout life and move beyond our struggles. We all need those people in our lives from time to time. That is the true beauty of the body of Christ, we don’t have to walk alone no matter the season we are experiencing.

However, there should come a place in life where we see God wants us to change our focus and be the influencer instead just the influenced.

I Thessalonians 5:11(ESV) says, “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up.”

God’s design is for us to go from glory to glory and for us to influence others to help them go from glory to glory. We are called to influence and encourage others as they are continually changed into what God designed them to be.

Let me say that again- you have the influence of other people’s lives to help them achieve what they were created to be.

Last year, when I was voted in as the Ladies President, I began to pray about what the future looked like with this ministry. I tossed several different names around in my mind and in the end, with the help of people I trust, we decided on “EmpowHER.” I felt that name was fitting because of the desire to raise younger women to be all that God created them to be. But also, because there is a pastor’s wife, ministers’ wives, and women of God who need us to empower them to continue.

Luke 1:45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfil his promise to her.

God has given us promises and I know that God will finish all that He set out to do. With every woman of God empowering each other, we will win every battle and every season of life.

There is power in unity. There is power in EMPOWERING each other to walk into all the promises that God has spoken.

The scripture is worth quoting again: I Thessalonians 5:11(ESV) “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up.” You are not just one to be influenced, but you too are called to influence others.

“... you have the influence of other people’s lives to help them achieve what they were created to be.”

2 Corinthians 3:18 glory means a good opinion resulting in honor, praise, dignity, and worship. We are being moved into a position and place that Sis. Lori Stevens glorifies God and bring honor to him. Philippians 3:15 says Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise SECRETARY OF ABOFC NATIONAL minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. The WOMEN’S MINISTRY Amplified Bible explains it as “All of us who are mature [pursuing spiritual perfection].”

CHANGED

We all started in sin. Romans 3:23 tells us, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” We all need Savior from the moment we enter the world.

We were born in sin. We were separated from God and unable to reach him on our own. We were flawed and missing the one thing we needed. Jesus came that we may have life. He came to seek and save the lost. He gave us a way of escape. We can run to him in repentance and find his love carries mercy and grace. We can be changed from the sinful man we were into a new creature: saved and reborn.

2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. When we come to God in repentance and begin the journey of a new life in Christ we are changed. We then can submit to God and continue to be changed. We are moving closer to God and allowing him to mold and change us just like a potter does the clay. He is asking us to allow him to change our hearts and our minds.

He removes the imperfections and replaces them with his goodness and fruit. He may start with a broken vessel, but he remakes us in his image. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

We are maturing and pursuing a spiritual perfection. We are to become more like Christ and reflect him in our lives. We are to be his light to this world. We are no longer our own belonging to sin but we are now new and belong to Christ. We have been changed into his image, bearing his likeness, covered in his blood and made new. We are new creatures that no longer bear a flawed sinful nature, but rather bear the likeness of Christ.

We need to understand and believe that this is true. We are not who we once were. We are God’s and His alone.

“We are not who we once were.

We are God’s and His alone.”

Allow him to mature you and perfect His will in you. He will perform that which he has promised.

He will bring forth what he sees in us and his glory will shine in us.

PASTOR FRANK ELLIS: A MAN OF GOD

Lori Stevens Frank Ellis was born April 3, 1951 to James and Virginia Ellis in Detroit Michigan. He passed from this earth January 9, 2024. He lived a life that reflected the love of God and the power of God to do all things. I am the oldest of the four children born to him and his wife Judy whom he married in 1971. They were married 36 years until her death in 2008. He has 9 grandchildren. He married Anita in 2021 and loved her till his death.

He faithfully attended church and supported his home church. He played the banjo, sang and ministered. He loved his family and loved them well.

I grew up hearing him preach the word. Not only did he preach about Jesus, he lived his daily life in the service of Jesus. He was a man of integrity that lived what he spoke about over a pulpit. He didn’t just tell about Jesus, he knew Jesus. I can recall many times that he reached out to God in prayer over circumstances and walked in faith when it was all he had. Frank was licensed with the AB of C since the early seventies. He ministered most of his adult life. He pastored in Fontana, California from 1989 until 2009. He continued to preach and share the gospel. He served as the secretary of the AB of C as well from 2010 to 2016.

I was privileged to know him, not only as my dad, but as a man of God. I can recall many times when things were tough, and dad relied on God. I always knew dad prayed and trusted God. There was a point when I was kid, that the steel mill he worked for shut down and the several hundred employees lost their jobs.

He went for a few months looking for work. He would ride his bike around town applying to jobs and collecting tin cans off the side of the road to redeem for cash. When the bank account was empty and things looked the worst, he continued to pray and trust God to supply. He never stopped his tithing, and he believed God would answer. He lived the verse,” I have never seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” He claimed the promises of God. God sent a check in the mail for that day’s needs and then another large one that provided until a job was obtained. God never failed. He relied on God through a cancer diagnosis and recovery, loss of his wife, and through every heartache that came in this life. He was a rock of faith whenever we needed one. We always knew dad would pray when we asked. Frank Ellis walked in love. He loved and showed love to those he knew needed love.

He spoke kindness and showed kindness when others had given up on someone. He never quit loving them. He often gave without any fanfare or recognition. I was privileged to see him give even when no one ever knew it was him. He was an example of a man who lived in relationship with Jesus. He went through the loss of Judy with grace and forgiveness. He sent a letter to

When he was finally waking up, still on the ventilator, he started signing to me. I grabbed a small notebook and pen. He wrote Psalm 118:24. He lived each day in thanks to God. A month later, when the doctors gave up any hope of recovery and made the decision to remove the pump, his words were, “I’ll see you on the other side.”

He stood on God’s promises.

the man who had fallen asleep and hit them to let him know that God loved him and he was forgiven. He wanted the man to know that Jesus loves him and he was still here because God wanted him to know he was loved.Frank prayed for his family and everyone he knew. He would go on prayer walks that were several miles every day. He would pray on those walks.

He saw God answer a lot of those prayers. He was known for his smile and for playing the banjo. He had played from the age of 12 and was quite good. He played in church and with several groups for fun. He had even had an opportunity to play professionally but chose to follow God’s plan instead. He wrote several songs that he would sing. Once of my favorites was called Serious Side. I love the message of this song. The chorus said,” When you feel his joy, there’s a smile that you can’t hide. When you feel his peace, there’s contentment down inside.

When you feel his gentleness, you know how much he still cares. When you feel his love, his love you will share.” That was the message Frank lived by.

His favorite verse was Psalm 118:24. This is the day which the Lord hath made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. He would quote that verse on joyous days and sad days, good days and hard days. He went through some major health issues the last year of his life. In June 2023, he went into the hospital and while there suffered a heart attack and a small stroke. He was revived but on a ventilator. He was life-flighted to Centennial Hospital in Nashville and placed on a temporary heart pump.

He left that hospital on July 9th with the understanding that he wasn’t going to make it but a day or two. Yet, God gave him another six months in this life. He continued to say, Psalm 118:24. Each day is a gift. Each breath is a gift. We can rejoice everyday in the goodness of God. I am thankful for the example of my dad. I am thankful for the example to praise God every day regardless of the circumstances. He left a legacy to his family and those who knew him. God is good and worthy of praise. God is life and strength. God is what we need. And I know beyond a shadow of doubt, He received the reward he believed in and preached about: to be in the presence of his Savior for eternity.

PASTOR HERB ELLIS

TRANSFORMED In 2 Corinthians 3:16-18, the apostle Paul unveils a profound spiritual truth - the transformative journey from glory to glory. This passage beautifully takes us through the process of growing during our Christian walk, it brings us on the journey we take from our spiritual infancy to maturity. As followers of Christ, our goal is not just to start the race but to finish strong, echoing Paul's triumphant declaration: "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7).

Paul uses the metaphor of a mirror here to illustrate to us the ongoing transformation we should be experiencing. In verse 18, he explains that as we behold the glory of the Lord, we are changed into the same image.

The Word of God is the mirror, it reflects the divine image and reveals to us areas in our lives that need to change. Our walk with God requires a continuous gaze into this mirror, thus allowing God's Word to shape and mold us into the likeness of Christ.

This transformation in our lives is not instantaneous; it's a gradual process. The Spirit of the Lord works within us, peeling away layers of our old sinful self, revealing the glory of Christ within us, much like peeling an orange removes the bitter rind and reveals that sweet fruit. To be successful in this process we must surrender to and willingly cooperate with the Holy Ghost.

“This transformation in our lives is not instantaneous; it's a gradual process.

The Spirit of the Lord works within us, peeling away layers of our old sinful self, revealing the glory of Christ within us, much like peeling an orange removes the bitter rind and reveals that sweet fruit.”

Our Christian walk begins with the revelation of Christ, much like a seed breaking through the soil into the light. In verse 16, Paul speaks of the veil being lifted when we turn to the Lord. This is the initial encounter we have with the transformative power of the Lord; it is an awakening that propels us into a new dimension (spiritual). As babes in Christ, we eagerly begin to embrace the basic principles of faith, we thus begin laying the foundation for a lifelong Christian journey.

As we yield to His guidance, we move from glory to glory, shedding away the layers of our old selves and embracing the radiant glory of Christ.

The journey from glory to glory is synonymous with spiritual maturity. Just as a child matures physically, believers are called to grow in spiritual stature. Paul's exhortation to the Corinthians echoes through the ages, urging us to press on toward maturity (Philippians 3:14).

A newborn believer should to continue to learn, overcome the challenges life brings, and develop a deeper relationship with God.

In the end of this journey our goal is to join the Apostle Paul in proclaiming we too have Finished the Course: In 2 Timothy 4:7, Paul testifies to having fought a good fight, finished the course, and kept the faith. This triumphant proclamation reflects a life of perseverance and unwavering commitment to God. The culmination of our walk is not just in starting well but in finishing well. It's about maintaining faithfulness, even in the face of adversity, and staying true to the course laid out by God. As we reflect on 2 Corinthians 3:16-18, we find ourselves encouraged and inspired. The transformative journey from glory to glory is not a solitary endeavor; it's a partnership with the Holy Ghost. From our initial encounter with Christ to the daily unveiling of His glory in our lives, the process of transformation shapes us into mature Christians. Let’s keep the faith and run on to the prize that is set before us.

I LOVE YOU Sis. Mary Lou Forrest

Sometimes I’m very proud of you You’re the apple of my eye And then you’ll go and spoil it all by making up a lie I’ll ask you something personal Like friends sometimes do And you’ll mumble scattered words that simply can’t be true I know the truth is in there Hidden deep inside

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

2 CORINTHIANS 3:18

And soon you’ll come and tell me you didn’t mean to lie We’ll hug and cry and share a kiss As friends usually do No matter what good or bad I really do love you

OVERCOMING THROUGH A third place that ashes were used in the Bible with Moises and the plagues that he FASTING isbrought upon Egypt. In Exodus 9:8,9 we read: PASTOR PHILIP TOLMAN

When the practice of Lent was started in the 2nd century, this day marked the start of what was known as a time of personal overcoming.

Originally the Christians that observed Lent could only eat one meal a day and they were prohibited from eating meat and fish for the whole 40 days.

How things have changed! But let us return to the principals. As I mentioned, evangelical churches do not have an Ash Wednesday but what the ash represents is very biblical. The first thing that it represents is a brokenness for the sins that we have committed. In Nehemiah 9:1,2 reads: Now in the twenty and fourth day this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and ashes upon them. And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.

Also, in the third chapter of Jonah, the people of Nineveh put on sackcloth and ashes to show their repentance. All the city fasted including the animals.

A second meaning for ashes in the Bible is a sign of extreme sorrow. In 2 Samuel chapter 1, when the young man came to David to announce the death of king Saul, he came with his clothes ripped and ashes on his head. Later on in 2 Samuel 13 we have the story of Tamar and Amnon. When Tamar was thrown out of Amnon´s house she tore her multicolored dress and put ashes on her head. Once again, a sign of sorrow.

Now days we don’t use the ashes but we just live in our pajamas and we don’t brush our hair.

“Fasting is not optional for anyone that wants to live from Glory to Glory.”

So the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Take for yourselves handfuls of ashes from a furnace, and let Moses scatter it toward the heavens in the sight of Pharaoh. And it will become fine dust in all the land of Egypt, and it will cause boils that break out in sores on man and beast throughout all the land of Egypt. It was a sign of judgement over the country of Egypt.

A 4th representation of ashes is found in the book of Numbers 19:9 where a heifer was burned to ashes along with cedar, hyssop, and scarlet. This was used to make the purification water to be used when someone touched a dead person. We are not told really how this worked but it was an important part of the purification process. Then a man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer and store them outside the camp in a clean place; and they shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for the water of purification; it is for purifying from sin. Once again in the New Testament there is no Holy water.

“...we also need to put ashes in our lives all year long...”

The reason that I have mentioned all this is to bring us to the original meaning of Ash Wednesday and the celebration of Lent. Just as some churches celebrate Ash Wednesday, we also need to put ashes in our lives all year long and not only one day. Lent is a remembrance of the days of Jesus’s fasting in the desert, and just as Jesus took time to fast, we need to make a habit of doing the same.

When the disciples asked Jesus why they couldn’t cast out the evil spirit from the child, Jesus answered them saying: However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

On another occasion the Pharisees asked Jesus why his disciples did not fast since fasting was an important part of the Jewish culture. His answer was: And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. The bridegroom is no longer with us, and we will fast, there is no other option.

Finally, he writes about 4 benefits that are received through fasting:

Isaiah 58 talks about fasting but the fast it talks about is not just leaving off eating potato chips. It is talking about the true way of fasting. Do you want more of Jesus in your life? Do you want to have authority over the kind that only goes out through prayer and fasting? There is no such thing as fasting from the T.V. or from Facebook.

Fasting only has to do with what you eat. It is one of many disciplines that we need to have as overcoming Christians. Is 58:5 ask the question: Is it a fast that I have chosen, A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Would you call this a fast, And an acceptable day to the Lord?

No, it is not, but then Isaiah goes on to give us the purposes of a real fast in verses 6-8.

This is not something to make light of. It is an important part of the Christian life, and it is not easy to fast. Age has nothing to do with it as we find Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel who was over 100 years old and she still served the Lord with fastings and prayers night and day.

1. First, he writes about the spiritual benefits which are 4: “Is this not the fast that I have chosen: 2. To loose the bonds of wickedness, 3. To undo the heavy burdens, 4. To let the oppressed go free, 5. And that you break every yoke?

Then he goes on to mention the physical purposes of fasting. When you fast, you save money by not eating and that money has a purpose: 1. Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, 2. And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; 3. When you see the naked, that you cover him, 4. And not hide yourself from your own flesh?

(Or family)

1. Then your light shall break forth like the morning, 2. Your healing shall spring forth speedily, 3. And your righteousness shall go before you; 4. The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.

In closing we find that anyone who fasts does not have to announce that they are fasting.

When fasting is joined together with other disciplines in the Christian life, it shows. Just as some one that works out in the gym 4 times a week and also eats properly, gets enough sleep and lives in peace, they don’t have to tell you what they do, it shows. Isaiah tells us what other Christian disciplines we have to join to our fast and the result will be seen. Verses 9-11 say: The 4 disciplines: 1. If you take away the yoke from your midst, 2. The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, 3. If you extend your soul to the hungry 4. And satisfy the afflicted soul, And the results: 1- Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday.

2- The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, 3- And strengthen your bones; 4- You shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

Fasting is not optional for anyone that wants to live from Glory to Glory.

PRAYER

PRAYER

GLORY TO GLORY PRAYER MEETING

ABOFC PRAYER MEETING Please take some time each day to fast and pray over licensed ministers & their families that are listed below.

Day 1

Day 7

Donny Bailey William Alan Baize Ben Baldridge Bill Baldridge Thomas Baldridge

Ashley Ennis -Editor of Our Herald Dallas Farmer Allen Feezor Byron Foster Bruce Furgerson

Day 2

Day 8

Tim Barnett Clifton Beecher Joel Beecher Dennis Bledsoe -Arkansas Presbyter Darrell Boyd

Linda Furgerson Ashton Green Brian Glenn Jared Glover Joseph Hale

Day 3

Day 9

Eric G. Burgett Angie Burks Richard B. Burks -Vice-Chairman Herman Burney Gerald D. Butler

John Hattabaugh Curtis Hester Travis Hollingsworth- Missouri Presbyter Richard Humphreys- Ambassador-At-Large Pat Humphreys- Women’s Ministry Vice-President Michael Hurst

Day 4 Larry Chastain Carmelita Chavez Danny Ray Coleman Janie Coleman Shelia Couch

Day 10 Patrick English Hurst John Hurst Sr. Christi Johnston Lillie Zane Jones Billy Dewayne Kelsey

Day 5 Jonathan Cypert Glen Davis Todd Decker Jonathan Denton -Tennessee Presbyter Ron Denton

Day 11 Joy King Eric Kirkendall Quitman Lambert Jeff and Karen Lanning Christina Link

Day 6 David Dickens Tommy Drumright Herb S. Ellis Richard Ellis Patrick Austin Elmore

Day 12 Michael Link Caleb Lisenbey Stacy Lisenbey - National Secretary Jeremy Lowe Nathan Lowe

Day 13

Day 19

Bryan Madison Charles Mahan J.J. Marais Brian Massie Elizabeth Mauldin

Michael Antoine Stokes -Mississippi Presbyter Tony Stratton Dee Stone -National Youth Director Daniel L. Taylor Marvin Thomas Jr.

Day 14

Day 20

Harold Mauldin Billy Wayne McElwee Jason McEvans Gary Mink Steven Moore

James Tipton Devin Tubbs Timothy K. Virnig Jim Whitley Gloria Wilson Aaron Wojcik -Promotional Arms Director

Day 15 Ronald Owens Steven Payton Lon A. Pennington Stephen Perry – Kentucky Presbyter Ashley Perry- Women’s Ministry President Bishop A.E. Pitts

Day 21 National Pastor Johny B. Davis (India) Jamey F. Davis (India) Jack Stephens (West Africa) Mary Mitchell (Mexico) John Hira (Bangladesh) Matthew and Kiara Huddleston (Mexico)

DAY 16 Jeffery Primm Ronnie Pruitt Samuel Pruitt Jacob Pryor Gail Reeve Day 17 Matthew Rowland Isaias Sanchez Karen Sanders Dee Jay Shoulders -Chairman Karla Shoulders Day 18 Samuel E. Smith David Speers Steven Starcher James L. Stevens Lori Stevens-Women’s Ministry Secretary-Treasurer

Day 22 Leonid Kisel (Russia) Vitaly Kisel (Russia) Jeff and Karen Lanning (Missionary Sponsor) Albert Miller (National Pastor) Philip Tolman (Mexico) T. Stephen Tolman (Mexico)

The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

NUMBERS 6:24-26

THE them go by passively. If I believe that I will be at night I will take action to avoid the PROMISES robbed robbery. If I believe that taking medicine will make me better, I will take the medicine. Just as OF GOD PASTOR STEPHEN TOLMAN

“For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me, Silvanus, and Timothy—was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.” 2 Cor 1:19-20 [NKJV] “For the Son of God—Jesus the Anointed whom we (Silvanus,[a] Timothy, and I) have preached to you—was not both ‘yes’ and then ‘no.’ With Him the answer is always ‘yes.’ In Jesus we hear a resounding ‘yes’ to all of God’s many promises.

This is the reason we say ‘Amen’ to and through Jesus when giving glory to God.” 2 Cor 1:19-20 [Voice Version] There are many opinions of how many promises the Bible has. Most commentaries mention that there are 7487 promises of God towards humanity in the Bible. If we take one promise a day, we would take over 20 years just go over all the promises of God once. I’m going to only concentrate on 7 promises which God has given us.

If I Believe in God, I Will Have Eternal Life.

John 3:16-18 says…”For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” [KJV] In order to live the promises of God I must first believe in Him. Believing is active and never passive. I will act on my beliefs and not just let

I believe in natural things and act on them, if I truly believe in God, I will act on that belief.

When I believe in God, I will confess my sins. I confess them in repentance to God and He takes away all condemnation and gives me eternal life.

1 John 1: 9: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Manuel was a hitman for criminal organizations.

He was greatly feared and had many murders which he had committed. I met him as I was working as a chaplain in a local prison. Week after week he would hear the gospel message and the word of God began to change his heart.

One day he came to me and said “How can I ever get right with God?” I told him, “You must believe in God and act on it.” He immediately fell to his knees and began crying out for God to forgive him. As he cried out to God he began to confess so many things which even I did not know he had done. When he had finished praying after a long time, even though he had tears on his face, you could see he was a changed man. After he got out of prison, he gave away houses, cars, and everything he had earned illicitly. He spent the rest of his life preaching the gospel to the worst of the worst And bringing people like him to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

The Mercies of God Never End Lam. 3: 22-23: “Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for his mercies never end.

They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness!” [CSB] Every day is a new start in Jesus Christ. Even though I may feel weak, miserable, failed, defeated, and far from God… every day is a new opportunity to see the mercy and love of God in my life. Too often we feel that we have failed so miserably that God will never give us another opportunity. Nothing could be further from the

truth. Every day is a new opportunity to see the mercy and love of God in my life. He is always great in mercy.

Ex 34: 6-7: “And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin…”[NKJV] We must rest in the knowledge that God is merciful Always merciful.

God Walks With Us Deut 31: 8: “And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” [NKJV] Moses said this to Joshua, but it applies to us today. God will never leave us or forsake us.

The problem is that we leave God, it is not that God leaves us. For this reason, I should not fear anything which comes before me. I can walk in confidence, I can walk in peace and I can walk in the knowledge that God is always with me. Isa. 43:1b: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior…”[NKJV] Sometimes it feels like we’re going to be swamped. Sometimes it feels like we’re going to drown. Sometimes it feels like life is so hot it’s going to burn us. We are not alone because God always walks with us. The safest place to be is in the will of God. I have been in the middle of a prison riot and no harm came upon me. Countless times I have had guns pulled on me and even had one which jammed when they pulled the trigger, and no harm came upon me. I have been stranded in the desert, I’ve had to pray for food, I’ve had to go into new areas where I did not know anybody and preached the Word of God. Every time God was with me and never left me and

always brought me through. We must always realize that we are never alone. god never leaves us nor abandons us but always walks with us wherever we go.

When We Walk with God, He Blesses Us and Everything We Do Deut 28:1, “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth.

And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God: Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country.

Blessed shall be the [a]fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.” [NKJV] When I live a life where I obey God and put into practice all that he tells me to do, then His blessings don’t just come to me, they overcome me, and they reach me. I cannot outrun the blessings of God. It doesn’t matter if I can see where, it doesn’t matter if I can see when, it doesn’t matter if I know how things are going to turn out, God will always bless me. There is no need I have which is too great for God to be able to bless me and provide. Phil 4:19, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”[NKJV] We must notice that His provision and His blessing is according to His riches in glory and not according to my abilities. As He blesses me, I must bless others. This blessing comes upon me when I am a giver and I am a tither. Mal 3: 10, “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.” [NKJV]

It is very clear as I give, I receive. God wants to bless me and He will bless me, but He blesses those who are givers in an even greater way.

God Will Always Give Us Perfect Peace Isa 26: 3: “You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.”[NKJV] We can have peace when we trust in God and persevere in him.

Trust is to have that complete confidence. We don’t have to worry because God has everything in control. Persevering is all about being constant and consistent in Him. I’m not a Christian one day and a worldly person the next day. Through thick and thin I will always serve Jesus.

This type of peace can only come through Jesus. It is not a natural worldly peace, but it’s a divine heavenly peace. Jesus said in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.

Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” [NKJV] Notice here that Jesus is not talking about world peace, He’s talking about personal peace. No matter what circumstance I am in and no matter what problems I must confront, I can always have personal peace.

World peace will only come when Jesus rules and reigns. That will happen when He comes again.

Power Through the Holy Ghost Acts 1: 8: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” [NKJV] The first power the Holy Ghost gives me is to be a witness. I must constantly proclaim what Jesus has done in me, starting with my home [my Jerusalem, my hometown where I live], and then going on into my state, my country, and into the rest of the world. When I repent of my sins and I am baptized, the Holy Ghost will come over me.

Acts 2: 38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the [k]remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” [NKJV] This promise is for all who come to Jesus and give their lives to Him. Too often we think we must work hard to deserve it. The promise does not come because we deserve it. It comes because God has promised. With the power of the Holy Ghost signs will follow us. Jesus said in Mark 16: 17, “And these signs will follow those who [d]believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they[e] will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” [NKJV] God Will Give Us the Victory 1 Cor 15:57: “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” [NKJV] 2 Cr 3: 18: “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”[NKJV] The victory does not come from me, it does not come from my hard work, and it does not come because I deserve it. The victory only comes through Jesus Christ our Lord. He is the only one who can take us from glory to glory. The world wants us to believe that we go from defeat to defeat and that we go from failure to failure; but in Jesus Christ we go from victory to victory and from glory to glory. To have a victory we must have a battle, to have a glorious mountaintop experience we must go through the valley. The end result is that we will always come out on top when we are in Christ Jesus. He makes us more than conquerors. We do not have to live defeated.

God wants us to live a victorious life and He has promised it for us. To live in this victory, I must be born again in Christ Jesus. These are only 7 of the many promises which God has for His people. We are a people of promise, sons and daughters of the only true God. We can live in His promises day by day, if we believe and act on the faith which Jesus has given us.

DON’T GIVE UP PASTOR RON DENTON

Romans 4:20-21 “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.”

The Apostle Paul is speaking concerning Abraham’s faith in God for what seemed to be the impossible for Abraham and Sarah regarding a promised child and his future blessings. Paul is saying here that Abraham staggered not. He was not moved or agitated; he steadily and firmly believed the promise.

God’s responsibility is to fulfill what He has promised in His Word. Our responsibility is to believe and trust that He will.

His Power our Faith: Power is the supernatural ability that God gives us to do His will. Acts 1:8 “ You shall receive power(dunamas- ability) after which the Holy Ghost has come upon you.” Faith is the means by which that power is given to us to make use of. God’s power is only made visible by our faith.

There is a parallel between the Exodus generation of the Old Testament and believers today. The Old Testament generation had God’s promises, but they failed to claim them because they didn’t mix these promises with faith.

Hebrews 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. God’s promises are only profitable if they are implemented by faith.

That was true then and it’s true today. God waits to reveal Himself-His love and His power until we take the first step of faith.

What is Faith?

In the New Testament the Greek word for Faith is ‘pisteuo’ which means to “to put trust in, to be committed to, to be persuaded of, to place confidence in, and rely upon.”

Faith is not the assurance that Christ is who He professed to be, but also trust that He will do all that He promises to do. Faith is not only believing His promises intellectually, it is also trusting our lives in Him. Real faith is not feeling, not seeing, not understanding and not knowing but still choosing to trust and rely upon Him. It is being convinced that no matter what we see happening in our lives, no matter what we understand to be true, and no matter how we feel, God will be faithful to His Word and will perform His promises to us in His timing and in His way.

Our faith is never stronger than when what we are experiencing in our spirits totally contradicts what our senses are telling us.

Faith is trusting that God loves us even then, and believing that He will work out every detail of our lives for His glory.

Faith is a Choice: Faith comes in the form of a constant choice and it’s a choice that we can never stop making no matter how hard the situation. It’s a choice to follow God and do what He asks, regardless of how we feel, what we think, or what we want. Just as God’s loves us unconditionally, we must trust Him unconditionally.

Faith is a choice not a feeling choice. We choose to believe God in the midst of huge obstacles, barriers, and roadblocks.

Faith is trusting God even when we’ve been stripped of our position, our finances, our reputation, our comfort, our family and even our last ounce of understanding. It’s getting to the place where we can say and mean, “ I won’t let any of these things move me.”

Job 13:15, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” The real test of faith comes when we can trust God in the depths of the trial, even before the victory is realized and even before the promises are revealed.

Faith is the key that opens the door to our spiritual victory and what will enable us to walk triumphantly.

We need faith in order to choose God’s will. We need faith in order to trust God’s power to implement His will. And we need faith in order to become overcomers to do His will.

Don’t Give Up! There is such an atmosphere of hopelessness today, even among Christians. Many are becoming discouraged, depressed, and despondent because of the stress of life, even to the point where they have stopped praying and believing and are giving up.

We must take our eyes off of the temporal situations and focus on God’s eternal plan. That’s our hope, that’s our destiny and that’s our future.

The Apostle Paul said in I Corinthians 11: 23-27: I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often.

From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one.Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness— But Paul also said… “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” 2Timothy 4:7

The goal of our faith is the salvation of our souls. 1Peter 1:9 receiving the end of your faith--the salvation of your souls. This happens at the end of our faith not at the beginning. When God talks about “saving our souls,” He’s not referring to the new birth. He’s talking about the sanctification process, the cleansing, the renewing, and transforming of those who already believe, which occurs at the end of our faith.

Hebrews 10:35-38, “Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: "For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him." But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.”

Perseverance (endurance) is one of the most important characteristics of faith. The word endurance means to “hold up under” suffering. To be patient. It means not to be overtaken by but rather to overcome.

“Where we are going is far GREATER than where we have been.”

GLORY TO GLORY SIS. KAREN SANDERS Glory to Glory…Victory to Victory…Measure of Success…Each of these phrases many of us have heard so many times. In a recent study I found an interesting definition of the term “glory.” In a strict sense, is said to mean “honor.” A second meaning, and my favorite, is “the radiance of God’s presence.” Experiencing and exuding this Glory implies a brightness in a person’s life, not unlike the Glory of God that was seen in the life of Christ.

When studying the phrase “Glory to Glory,” we fail to give thought to the little preposition in the middle…”to.” In our mission to help teachers educate students with a biblical worldview we are called to focus on the “to.” It is in that journey that we see the mighty Handiwork of God transforming the lives of students and teachers if we pause and FOCUS. (Full Of Compassion, Understanding Servanthood).

Recently I was leading a women’s bible study when the curriculum called for a time of 30 minutes dedicated to prayer. Many of the women in this group are new to the things of God, and new to the church environment. In the weeks before we completed a study of prayer.

Then came the 30 minutes…It was amazing to watch the various postures of prayer taken by these women. Some began journaling. Some were on their knees. Some sat quietly while others walked the floor in prayer. Some opened with praise, and some began to pray for and share words with others. There was such a sweet spirit and anointing in the room, as women learned to FOCUS on Jesus. The Holy Spirit moved them, and when the 30 minutes was over, the unified response was…” the time went so quickly!”

Those “quick” minutes with Jesus, when we take the time to FOCUS on Him, are the moments that get us through the “to.” In our journey, each day we have a choice, to honor God and experience the brightness of His presence, or to fight a mental war and battle principalities, fears, vain imaginations, and the feeling of defeat.

For some, that period in between as they move from glory to glory is a period of sadness; for some, grief, for some, financial burdens, for some, loneliness, for some, family turmoil, for others, emotional pain and for many, physical pain. In every challenge, we can honor God and declare His glory. In Psalm 16:11 The Psalmist David presents a beautiful and encouraging, picture of the journey from glory to glory, as the believer chooses joy, even in the middle of battle: “You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. At your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” - Psalm 16:11 Every day, as we choose to move from experiencing the brightness of His glory to another level experiencing the brightness of His glory, we move through life with the fullness of joy. Keeping our heart, eyes and mind on Jesus is a choice with a promise of developing an eternal perspective. This perspective is filled with the promise of God’s presence, and it is our choice. Jesus is present all the time. It is our choice to acknowledge His presence and walk in His love.

My husband’s aunt was a gifted pianist and vocalist. I grew up singing songs she taught us from scripture, as a part of a youth choir that she led. One of the songs that I still sing often Is about the divine glory of the Father. The words echo the promise that living a life walking in the brightness of God’s glory. This walk brings a change in the person I am, and the person I want to become, showing others love, joy, peace, and eternal perspective from and FOCUS on the Glory of God. The words share promise of a life committed to Jesus, molded into the image of our Father’s love.

From Glory to Glory, He’s changing me, Changing me, Changing me.

His likeness and image to perfect in me.

The love of God shown to the world.

He’s changing, changing me, From the earthly things to the heavenly.

His likeness and image to perfect in me, The love of God shown to the world.

An important part of the vision of Celebrating Teachers is empowering teachers to recognize the Glory of God and equipping them to share that knowledge with generations of students.

In 2024 our mission is partnering with local churches to reach their community through the school systems. Since January 2024, we are blessed to have added two new church and school partnerships from Tennessee to the Celebrating Teachers Network. THE WAY CHURCH in Goodlettsville, has “adopted” Millersville Elementary School, and FIRST APOSTOLIC CHURCH in Nashville has “adopted” Maplewood High School. We have been blessed to meet with Pastors Jonathan and Brandi Denton and Pastors Dee Jay and Karla Shoulders developing programs to meet the needs of the schools, teachers, students, and families in Nashville and Goodlettsville.

Celebrating Teachers teams work with area churches to develop food banks and outreach programs for their communities. We are ministering to children daily in the new Victory Bilingual Academy in Tulsa, Oklahoma where children enjoy academic excellence, biblical teaching, and physical activity in a bilingual environment. Celebrating Teachers team members are working diligently to bring the Kingdom message to local communities, and we need your help. Through community connections, we are working to impact generations with the Kingdom message.

It is the vision of Celebrating Teachers to equip teachers and educate students in our nation and the nations of the world. In addition to our local outreach programs, we are preparing for international missions trips this summer to Mexico and Honduras, providing educational and medical resources to the teachers and families they serve. To join our team as a Church, School, Missionary, Family or Partner in local or international missions, contact us for more information at 918-902-2740 or KarenSanders1@yahoo.com.

Celebrating Teachers is a (501)©3 nonprofit organization. Tax-deductible donations may be made online at www.celebratingteachers.us or Celebrating Teachers, Inc. P.O. Box 1943 Owasso, Oklahoma 74055

The Helen Jane Scholarship

The Helen Jane Scholarship is a scholarship of up to $500 a semester. This scholarship is awarded in the Fall and Spring semesters and is available for a student enrolled in a two-year, four-year, or technical college.

Students must be: (1) the child or grandchild of an ABofC licensed minister or (2) a member of a church whose pastor (or church) is affiliated with the ABofC.

The scholarship is non-renewable, but students may reapply every semester.

Applicants must complete the scholarship application and have one letter of recommendation from a current/past employer, teacher, school administrator, or minister/youth minister/church leader (non-relative) who can attest to the applicant’s strength of character.

The Helen Jane Scholarship was established in honor of Sis. Helen Jane Mink to help students who feel led to expand the kingdom of God through their work and ministry.

To receive an application packet for the Fall 2024 semester email: ashley.ourherald@gmail.com

by June 01, 2024 Awards will be chosen by a committee no later than June 15, 2024.

FOR OF HIM, AND THROUGH HIM, AND TO HIM, ARE ALL THINGS: TO WHOM BE GLORY FOR EVER. Romans 11:36