Dreams and Visions of Advent

Dreams and Visions Acts 2.1-21 V.17 in the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions and your old men will dream dreams. You may think that I’m picking a strange section of scripture to begin Advent. This message is an overview, a preview, an introduction to our theme throughout December, The Dreams and Visions of Christmas/Advent. I’m not talking about “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas”, nor am I speaking about the “visions of sugarplums danced in their heads.” What is Advent? Over the month of December we are going to be looking at the dreams and the visions of the Christmas story. Before we get into that next week I want to talk to you this morning about dreams and visions according to God‘s Word. We are in a time where we have the whole counsel of God in the old and the New Testament’s. In the first book of the Bible and the last book of the Bible we have dreams and visions and all in between. Does God speak today through dreams and visions? I believe He does. But we need to test the spirits just like we read last week from I Thessalonians 5. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21 but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject every kind of evil. Dreams and visions cannot be completely understood immediately all the time. The LORD spoke to Habakkuk the prophet, Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.” Habakkuk 2.2-3 I do not believe that Dreams and Visions ought to sought after. As we are seeking God, seeking to be filled with His Spirit they do come from time to time. Having said that I have known some godly people that have said they had neither a dream or a vision. Yet whole works of God contain. It is indicated that since the Day of Pentecost they would be happening. * God spoke to Mary, Joseph and the Wisemen through visions and dreams. He also spoke through the prophets about Christ’s Coming. We will be talking about that during Advent. These were dreams and visions of information, warning and direction. We need that and we get that from God’s Word, the Logos. John 1.1 There is another word for word. It is rhema. It can come in two ways. From our reading the logos, a specific passage takes on special meaning. Someone speaks a Word of Wisdom, or a prophecy. From a dream, vision or prophecy. Helen Wilke. The rhema word can happen when you’re reading a particular passage of Scripture, perhaps one you have seen many times before, and you see it in a new light and see how it applies to your life personally. * We must test these. Psalm 105. 17  and He sent a man before them—     Joseph, sold as a slave. 18  They bruised his feet with shackles,     his neck was put in irons, 19  till what he foretold came to pass, till the Word of God proved him true. The Word of God is true. Wait. I John 4.1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. * Many times dreams and visions come when we are going about our lives. * We must be discerning but also not be closed to God speaking to us. * God often using His Written Word with A Vision or Dream He did so with Nehemiah and Haiti He did so with my coming here. Spanish speaking people moving into the area. Ron Posey’s word… three directly involved, others a hand in. Pastor Mauricio’s vision… Elisha’s vision, Belgium Block statement He did so with Joseph and Mary. Saturate yourself with His Word. Marinate in it. Dwell in it. Continue in it! God is speaking in these last days. We are in an epoch time. Things are happening that have never happened before. the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, Habakkuk 2.3 * We are in an appointed time. We are seeing things happen we have not seen until now in our lifetime. Through God’s Word, through Him speaking to us in unusual ways, we can be like the Men of Issachar, men understood the signs of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take. I Chronicles 12.32 The new potentially more contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus popped up in more European countries on Saturday, just days after being identified in South Africa, leaving governments around the world scrambling to stop the spread. Because of fears that the new variant has the potential to be more resistant to the protection offered by vaccines, there are growing concerns around the world that the pandemic and associated lockdown restrictions will persist for far longer than hoped. God is at work in our lives. I do not think we are understanding fully Christ in us. He resides in us by His Spirit. He is with us. He is in us. He is our Hope of Glory. * In these last days let’s be open to His Holy Spirit. * Let’s remember that He is able to do immeasurably more than we can ever ask or imagine. * Be discerning. Joseph got in trouble for telling his dreams, of course God used it. * Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Devoted To Prayer

Being Devoted To Prayer Acts 2.42-47 Colossians 4.2 Luke 18.1-8 Revelation 16.15 Prayer= addresses to / conversations with God, places devoted to prayer/ synagogue and outside if there was no synagogue Prayer is conversation with the LORD God Almighty. Missionary and evangelist E. Stanley Jones wrote, “The first thing in prayer is to get God. If you get Him, everything else follows. Allow God to get at you, to invade you, to take possession of you. He then pours His very prayers through you. They are His prayers—God-inspired, and hence, God answered. “Prayer’s like the fastening of the cup to the wounded side of a pine tree to allow the resin to pour into it. You are now nestling up into the side of God—the wounded side, if you will—and you allow His grace to fill you up. You are taking in the very life of God.” Devoted= regular and continually, persist, constantly diligent, committed, dedicated, persevere Colossians 4.2 “devoted” to adhere to one, be his adherent, constant to one, to be steadfastly attentive unto, to give unremitting care to a thing, to continue all the time in a place, to persevere and not to faint, to show one's self courageous for, to be in constant readiness for one, wait on constantly So important being devoted to prayer is that Jesus ruthlessly cast out everyone who bought and sold in the temple, and said, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations…. But you have made it a ‘den of thieves’ ” (Mark 11:17). We need to be on our guard for those things that can enter our temples and take the place of prayer. The devil has an arsenal full of stuff… everything from bitterness to busyness. He told His disciples the parable of the widow, the friend at midnight and the unjust judge to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He calls us to faithful, persistent, importune, persevering prayer. Romans 12.12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. If you pray only when you have a great need in your life then you are not devoted to prayer. We are to pray always and not give up. What do we need to be devoted to prayer? * Faith Believing prayer makes a difference Believe God answers prayer. Believe that God is able to anything. Believing we receive answers Matthew 21.22 We are to pray from our hearts and have our hearts and mind in prayer. It is not just a recitation. It is communion with Almighty God. The early church depended upon it. They were devoted to it. Faith is believing what God says He will do. * Persistence the quality that allows someone to continue doing something or trying to do something even though it is difficult or opposed by other people. Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees. Praying for people who need the LORD. They may not feel they do. Praying for people who are addicted. This is very hard. Why we need a fresh move of God’s Spirit today. Lunch with the District Superintendent this week, spoke about the move of God in the 1970’s, how people were delivered from drug addiction instantly. Praying with faith can be so challenging. Not because we do not need it but because we are Laodecian times. Feeling we are rich and have need of nothing. Wealth management. Praying for one another. James 5.16 offered in faith Being devoted to prayer… * Importunity persistence, especially to the point of annoyance. Widow Luke 18.1-8 Friend at midnight Luke 11.5-8 Keep on asking, seeking, knocking Matthew 7.7-8 Inconveniencing ourselves and others. shameless audacity Grayson in Haiti, “Mommy,Mommy, Mommy…” Kimberly mimicking him. We do not inconvenience God but it may look like it. He Who watches over Israel neither slumbers or sleeps. We can call on Him any time and any place. Luke 11.9-10 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. * Perseverance Persistence: Firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition. Perseverance: Steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success. Both terms imply that strength and tenacity are needed. Praying always and not giving up. The widow The friend at midnight Jacob, “I will not let You go until You bless me.” Genesis 32.26 We are in demanding times. We need to be devoted to prayer, right up to the end. * It is a spiritual battle for most. Ephesians 6.10-18 Spirit led prayers, Spirit filled prayers are needed for us to be devoted to prayer. Romans 8.26-27 * We need the LORD to open our eyes to the needs all around us. * To be devoted to prayer we must abide in Christ * There is nothing like the joy of answered prayer! Let’s pray. We have a personal account of the genesis of "I Need Thee Every Hour": Hawks writes, "One day as a young wife and mother of 37 years of age, I was busy with my regular household tasks during a bright June morning [in 1872]. Suddenly, I became so filled with the sense of nearness to the Master that, wondering how one could live without Him, either in joy or pain, these words were ushered into my mind, the thought at once taking full possession of me -- 'I Need Thee Every Hour. . . .'"

The Apostles Teaching

The Apostles’ Teaching Acts 2.42-47 Revelation 2.1-7, 13.8-10 We are looking at the things the church in its infancy were devoted to. In His addresses/letters to the seven churches in Asia the LORD commended the good as well as rebuke that which was wrong. The Ephesian Church had forsaken their first love. - Revelation 2.1-7 first= in time and place and rank. In the beginning, out of their love for Christ they their priorities in good order- correct order- their motive and actions were on target. We know they were strong witnesses- they held to the truth. the Word of the LORD spread widely and grew in power. Acts 19.20 What happened?! that Christ told them this! Simply could have been their heart was not as affectionate for Him as in the beginning. The beginnings of love… joy, thrill, just wanting to be around the person What were the early days of  our church like? No building, Main Street Memorial Building, Smith Street What brought us together in 1945 by the efforts of the Bellmore and Patchogue Churches. You had on the south shore Patchogue Bellmore and East Rockaway that was it as far as the Church of the Nazarene was concerned. These folks had concern for the lost and started this church from that heart. They were devoted. Sunday then was a full day of meetings. They held our services the beginnings of at 3 PM in the afternoon, every Sunday. Wonderful! 76 years later, what has happened? 3 Spanish Speaking Churches have begun, one Haitian Church and the rebuilding of a church down in Haiti, joining in with Peniel in Columbia Our congregation has survived and thrived in a Pandemic. Spiritually. What is holding us together today? The Apostles Teaching The Fellowship The Breaking of Bread Prayer What happened in Ephesus? Perhaps other issues became more important than witnessing- spreading the Word. It could be that they had become bitter and angry- perhaps they had gotten caught up in getting rich quick schemes? Paul wrote to Timothy about those who think godliness is a means to financial gain (I Timothy 6.5) Did they lose the fellowship? Did they stop breaking bread together? Did they stop praying? Maybe they were doing all of them but without passion. Maybe they had let some of them slip out of being “devoted to” The height from which they fell - Love is the highest place a church can come to. You cannot improve on love! They lost their first love.. Perhaps God's Word and prayer wasn't as important as it once was- maybe they stopped teaching about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit- we have all seen that happen. * When a loss of first love happens the Apostles Teaching, the Word of God loses it authority in a life. Acts 6. 3 Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the Word. We are in a time now that “calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.” Revelation 13.10b Difficult times are coming in the end for the people of God. We are told here of extreme terror. Some places in the world have seen that. Coptic Christians in Egypt… time will tell what is happening in Afghanistan with the church. If China invades Taiwan the church there will suffer greatly. Like In the times of the prophets. Jeremiah Elijah under Ahab. There is a need today to patiently persevere in the Word. Pastors need to be faithful to the Word. God’s people need to be devoted to the Word * What was the Apostles Teaching? It was the Word. What was the Word? It is the Logos. John 1.1 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. With great power the apostles continue to testify to the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus and much grace was with them all. Acts 4.33 The apostles teaching was Jesus Christ, the Son of God, crucified and risen and coming again! I Corinthians 2.2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. The early church was devoted to this. Devoted= regular and continually, persist, constantly diligent, committed, dedicated, persevere We are in a time now that “calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.” Revelation 13.10b Patient Endurance= steadfastness, constancy in the face of the greatest trials Deliberate and loyal Faithfulness= conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or belief respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervour born of faith and joined with it Revelation 10.9a He who has an ear let him hear… The Spirit is speaking to the church today, right now. The time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. There is also a time of persecution coming to the Christians here in the United States. We have seen it around the world. We need to be prepared for it here. The best preparation we can make is found here in the scripture this morning. Be devoted to the Apostles Teaching. Read your Bible. Hebrews 10.25 Let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing but let us encourage each other and all the more as we see the Day approaching. Jesus said, “If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. John 8.31 Study God’s Word by yourself. Meditate on it. Remain in His Word. Abide in it. Continue in it. Listen to the online Bible Studies. If you are not up at 6:30am, listen later. Be a Berean! Acts 17.11 Now the Berean were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Jesus gave them a solution Remember- Repent- do the things you did at first. Be a lover of God and His Word. Be devoted to the Apostles Teaching.

The Mystery of God

The Mystery of God Revelation 10.1-7 Psalm 92.1-2, 59.16-17 Call to Worship  Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. 2 He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3 and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. 4 And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.” 5 Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. 6 And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, “There will be no more delay! 7 But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as He announced to His servants the prophets.” God moves in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform, He sets his footsteps on the sea, and rides upon the storm. There are mysteries in life and there are mysteries in the Bible. In the Word of God… · The ultimate conversion of the Jewish people is called a mystery (Romans 11:25) 25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. They are close. They are spiritually blind. They will come. God promised it. He never fails. · The church is called a mystery (Ephesians 3:3-11) The Gentiles coming in 2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. The fullness of the Gentiles is called a mystery (Romans 11:25) One day the last Gentile will come. At that time God will turn His attention to Israel for their salvation and all Israel will be saved. · The living presence of Jesus in the believer is called the mystery of God (Colossians 1:27-2:3) I Timothy 3. 16 Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh,     was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels,     was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world,     was taken up in glory. God in us. We becoming godly. Change in our hearts and minds. It is all about Him and what He has done. · The Gospel itself is called the mystery of Christ (Colossians 4:3) 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. That is a good prayer for us to pray for those suffering for the Gospel, for all of us. SunRay this week. * There are mysteries around the Second Coming. I Corinthians 15. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” 55 “Where, O death, is your victory?     Where, O death, is your sting?” The mysteries of life… When I Don’t Understand When I don’t understand, There is One Who does, Fills me with His presence, Til I am lost in His love. When I don’t understand, He gives me Grace each day, Places His Hand upon me, Leads me in His way. When I don’t understand, I trust in His Word, Looking to His promises Made by my LORD. God gives us somethings to know, others we do not know. Sometimes life doesn’t make sense. We need to have the Eternal Perspective. In Life… * Why do the innocent suffer? * Why are people who seem to have faith not healed. * Why does Christ wait for His Return? * Why do lose people at a young age? * If God knows who is going to heaven why do we just get there? * Why does God not answer me? * Why does He stand afar off in times of trouble? * Why can’t we just simple get along on earth? * Why do the wicked prosper? We need that heavenly perspective. I believe that many times we are disappointed because we have set our affections on things below rather than think above. I Corinthians 13. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. Matthew 11.6 Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of Me. -Jesus to John the Baptist. Right now we are to reflect His Glory to a lost world. The glory of God was in the temple. The lamp stand was a symbol of light. Living holy lives is a way of bringing His Kingdom to earth. Sometimes there are no answers that seem to satisfy… Christ will come. O LORD haste the Day when this faith shall be sight. Jesus cried out “My God my God why have You abandoned Me? “It was the last blow for the Man of sorrows. Live by faith. -Fenelon

What Jesus is Saying To America and What He is Saying to the Church in America

What The LORD Is Saying To America And The Church In America Today Revelation 3.14-22 II Timothy 4.1 Proverbs 14.34 Godliness makes a nation great, but sin is a disgrace to any people. Honoring the Memory of those we lost this week in Afghanistan: -Navy Corpsman Max Soviak. Age 22 -Kareem Nikoui. Marine Corps. Age 20 -Rylee McCollum. Marine Corps. Age 20. He was expecting a baby in 3 weeks and wanted to be a history teacher when he completed his service. -David Espinoza. Marine Corps. Age 20 -Jared Schmitz. Marine Corps. Age 20 -Hunter Lopez. Marine Corps. Age 22. He was planning on following in both his parents footsteps and become a sheriff on his return from deployment. -Ryan Knauss. US Army. Age 23 -SSGT Taylor Hoover. Marine Corps. -Daegan Page. Marine Corps. Age 23 These men were among the heroes killed in Afghanistan this week. Most of them were infants when this war began, and this is how it ended. Please Pray for the families of these brave, fallen men. And pray for Afghanistan and the Church there, which is the 2nd fastest growing church in the world. This is heartbreaking 💔 With Hurricane Ida making landfall with 150mph gusts, with citizens and the church in Afghanistan, with inflation at a 25 year high, with the Variant spreading and conflicting info with that, with all the kids on Long Island having to wear masks as they start school, both private and public, with small businesses stressed… and with the 20th year since 9-11 took place, we need the LORD! We need to hear what He is saying today… The advice theologian Karl Barth gave to ministers of the Word, was to preach using the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other. That is what I am attempting to do this morning. God speaks through current events. He does this through His Word and His Spirit. * What is He saying to America Today? Proverbs 14.34 Godliness makes a nation great, but sin is a disgrace to any people. II Chronicles 7.14 God is calling America to return to its Judeo Christian Roots. We never were a perfect nation. We had a moral compass, an ethical mind. We were told about what was right and what was wrong. Mayflower Compact Covenant Communities Endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights… George Washington praying in Valley Forge In God we trust on our coins One nation under God in our pledge of allegiance to our flag. Being a very blessed nation so we have an annual day to give thanks to Almighty God We grieve over the young men killed in Afghanistan this week. We grieve over the Afghanis killed. If God does not intervene then there will be more of these attacks. We are being told there may be planes loaded with people blown out of the sky with surface to air missiles. There also could be a hostage situation. God is inviting us, urging us to pray. Our leaders need to humble themselves and pray and ask us to do the same. Our problem here is this country and it’s freedoms were designed to be in harmony with morality, with the Judeo Christian ethic… when that is removed all sorts of evil comes in. Absolute freedom leads to absolute evil. On the same course, if the LORD does not stop it, it appears that many will be martyred for their faith in Jesus in Afghanistan. This will begin soon. They are our brothers and our sisters. God is saying to America, “Repent and return!” * What is God saying to the Church in America? Revelation 3.14-22 II Timothy 4.1 The Spirit speaks expressly that in the last days (latter times) many will depart from the faith and give heed to seducing spirits. We are seeing a departure from the faith in America. Some will say, “Well our attendance is coming back up.” Really? Stop judging by mere appearances! I am seeing God working more in churches where it is not bouncing back. If you look at things with your natural eyes He will confound you! This has little if anything to do with that. People can depart from the faith and still attend church. So will not. Some will. As we commemorate the 20th Anniversary of 9-11 in less than 2 weeks… Regarding the Events of 9/11: The September 13th Interview of Anne Graham Lotz by Jane Clayson on CBS' Early Show... "Where Is God?"                                                                            Thursday, Sept. 13, 2001 - 12:00 AM ET NEW YORK -- Anne Graham Lotz is the second daughter of Billy Graham. She has stepped in her father's footsteps and formed a ministry that is based in Raleigh, N.C. She calls herself a Bible teacher. She is not an ordained minister. Her father has called her "the best preacher in the family."  She spoke with the Early Show's Jane Clayson on Sept. 13, 2001 to offer some comfort to the families of the terror victims. Jane Clayson: We've turned to your father, the reverend Billy Graham, so often in times of national crisis. What are his thoughts about what happened on Tuesday?                                                                          Anne Graham Lotz: I turned to him also. In fact, I called him last night after you all called to arrange for this. He's reacting like a lot of Christians around the country, we're all praying. I think about those people you just showed. I wasn't sure I'd be in control when you came on because it just provoked such emotion to see these people carrying pictures of their loved ones and knowing they don't know if they're alive or dead. And at a time like that, I know the families and the friends of the victims can hardly even pray for themselves. They don't know what to say or how to pray. I want to say to them - families and friends of the victims, that there are thousands of people in this country who are carrying you in prayer right now.                                                                                  And we're praying for you with hearts filled with compassion and grief and just interceding on your behalf, asking the God of all peace and the God of all comfort to come down in a special way into your life and meet your needs at this time. My father and mother are also praying like that. Jane Clayson: The pain is incomprehensible for so many of these people. At a time like this it is so easy to lose faith. How do you keep faith, Mrs. Lotz at a time like this? Anne Graham Lotz: I think it is almost easier to have faith because we have nothing else in some ways. I've watched as this nation has turned to prayer. We've seen prayer vigils. And in our city, we have prayer vigils. And so I think it is a time to turn to God.... Our nation has been hit and devastated by this day of terror and now I believe it is our choice as a nation as to whether we're going to implode and just disintegrate emotionally and spiritually or whether we'll make the choice to be stronger. I think right now, we have the opportunity to come through this spiritually stronger than we've been in the past because we turn to God. Jane Clayson: I've heard people say, those who are religious, those who are not, if God is good, how could God less this happen? To that, you say? Anne Graham Lotz: I say God is also angry when he sees something like this.  I would say also for several years now Americans in a sense have shaken their fist at God and said, God, we want you out of our schools, our government, our business, we want you out of our marketplace. And God, who is a gentleman, has just quietly backed out of our national and political life, our public life. Removing his hand of blessing and protection. We need to turn to God first of all and say, God, we're sorry we have treated you this way and we invite you now to come into our national life. We put our trust in you. We have our trust in God on our coins, we need to practice it. Jane Clayson: So many people have called this an act of war. Has he expressed anything about what a proper response for an attack like this should be? Anne Graham Lotz: No. I've tried to be very careful. I don't ever answer for my father. But I believe in the next few days you're going to be seeing him and hearing from him and perhaps he will express some of those things. Jane Clayson: As a spiritual adviser, how would you define the feelings right now? Anne Graham Lotz: I was watching television the first day and interviewed a construction worker that who had been an eyewitness through all of this in a building next to the World Trade Center. He said, I've seen planes hit this building, people falling out of the sky. He said, my heart is in my throat. I feel like I would say the same thing. You almost don't have thoughts to articulate. Your heart is in your throat. You can hardly stand it. You're numb. For myself, I fall back on my faith in God and the foundation, speaking of those buildings, as an illustration of America, our foundation is our faith in God and the structure we build on that foundation is what enables us to endure something like this. ...I believe God also knows what it is like to lose a loved one, gave his only son on a cross. He knows what it is like to see a loved one die a horrific death. He's emotionally involved in our pain and he has the answers to us and he can bring comfort beyond human understanding. Jane Clayson: There's such a feeling of helplessness among so many. They don't know what to do beyond giving blood, beyond writing a check to help those in need. What would be your recommendation as a spiritual adviser? Anne Graham Lotz: I thought Governor Keating said it right when you asked him. He said pray.  I believe we need to pray.  As Christians, we need to pray for people who can't pray for themselves right now. I believe we need to call out to God and ask him to forgive our sins and heal our land.  God is greater than sometimes we think of him and he can solve this, give us answer, give us wisdom, lead us through this in a way that makes us stronger as a nation but we have to turn to him. Jane Clayson: This event has changed us forever.  I know you believe that.  Going forward, as a nation, what do you say about that? Anne Graham Lotz: Well, I pray that God will use this event to change us forever in a positive way. And that will strengthen our faith in him. I thought of all those people who have died in this tragedy.  It doesn't matter right now what political affiliation they had or what denomination they belong to or what religion or what the color of their skin was or their stock portfolio. What matters is their relationship with God. I would like to see Americans begin to focus on some of the primary things and some of the things that are more important than just, you know, entertainment and pleasure and making more money. _______________________________________ Jesus is knocking on the door of the church in America today. If He is allowed in He will change us. He will change families, schools, government. Be hot. Hold onto what you have. Watch out That no one deceives you. Watch out that you stay alert. Stand firm! I Corinthians 15.58 Therefore, my dear brothers , stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the LORD, because you know that your labor in the LORD is not in vain.

The Relationship of Body and Soul Part Two

When God Does Not Make Sense III John 1 The elder, To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth. 2 Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3 It gave me great joy when some brothers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. There are Always Things That Are Hard to Understand. When things do not go well… God is up to something. In times when life doesn’t make sense we just have to trust Him… Until the Word of God proves us true Psalm 78. 16 He called down famine on the land     and destroyed all their supplies of food; 17 and he sent a man before them—     Joseph, sold as a slave. 18 They bruised his feet with shackles,     his neck was put in irons, 19 till what he foretold came to pass,     till the Word of the LORD proved him true. 20 The king sent and released him,     the ruler of peoples set him free. 21 He made him master of his household,     ruler over all he possessed, 22 to instruct his princes as he pleased     and teach his elders wisdom. He doesn’t write “I know.” He writes “I pray.” II Timothy 4.20 I left Trophimus sick in Miletus. People we prayed for to be healed and it seemed like a miracle was happening and then they died. A person that has disregarded God and His Word living long and seemingly pain free while others who lived for God die early. Isaiah 57.1 The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; the devout are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. People we think should be delivered… people we are wanting to rescue… I would have pulled Joseph out. Out of that pit. Out of that prison. Out of that pain. I would have cheated nations out of the one God would use to deliver them from famine.   I would have pulled David out. Out of Saul’s spear-throwing presence. Out of the caves he hid away in. Out of the pain of rejection. I would have cheated Israel out of a God-hearted king.   I would have pulled Esther out. Out of being snatched from her only family. Out of being placed in a position she never asked for. Out of the path of a vicious, power-hungry foe. I would have cheated a people out of the woman God would use to save their very lives.   I would have pulled Jesus off. Off of the cross. Off of the road that led to suffering and pain. Off of the path that would mean nakedness and beatings, nails and thorns. I would have cheated the entire world out of a Savior. Out of salvation. Out of an eternity filled with no more suffering and no more pain.   And oh friend. I want to pull you out. I want to change your path. I want to stop your pain. But right now I know I would be wrong. I would be out of line. I would be cheating you and cheating the world out of so much good. Because God knows. He knows the good this pain will produce. He knows the beauty this hardship will grow. He’s watching over you and keeping you even in the midst of this. He’s promising you that you can trust Him. Even when it all feels like more than you can bear.   So instead of trying to pull you out, I’m lifting you up. I’m kneeling before the Father and I’m asking Him to give you strength. To give you hope. I’m asking Him to protect you and to move you when the time is right. I'm asking Him to help you stay prayerful and discerning. I'm asking Him how I can best love you, and be a help to you. I’m believing He’s going to use your life in powerful and beautiful ways. Ways that will leave your heart grateful and humbly thankful for this road you’ve been on.” - Kimberly Henderson Proverbs 31 Ministries Top 5 Emotions That Drain Your Health by Michelle M. Pearson All month we are presenting articles in our series: “The High Five’s of Health!” One of the easiest ways to quickly gauge the health of the body is to measure the pH of saliva and urine. pH readings, while not diagnostic, are a simple way to measure the status of the body’s environment. In other words, it is a way to anticipate what might or might not grow in the garden as a result of previous choices. What does pH have to do with our “high five” emotions of the day? We call pH “your potential for health”. Emotions, or make that strong negative emotions, are the #1 thing that depletes your resources and destroys one’s potential for health. And some emotions are way more destructive than others! Stressful emotions place an increased demand on important resources and are capable of utilizing the body’s whole storage of available resources in a matter of hours, perhaps minutes. This demand leaves even the body’s most basic functions at risk or in peril. (Check out our article about Zinc and the anger connection!) No matter where you fit right now on the health or disease scale, the following five things are among the HIGH FIVE patterns of response that must be replaced by new mindsets and actions if you desire to live a long, strong, fruitful life: #1     UNFORGIVENESS – The most powerful form of destructive emotion that we are capable of. Unforgiveness eats away at the body, literally, like cancer, from the inside out. It’s only antidote is forgiveness, the complete release of debt toward us.  #2     BITTERNESS – Often rooted in unforgivness, bitterness rots the bones. In addition, the body’s chemical reaction to hardness of heart, bitter buried emotions, and walled off boundaries has proven to contribute to (if not cause) arterial disease, heart disease, and other vascular illness. Heart, brain, and reproductive related. Selah. #3     RESENTFULNESS – Resentfulness takes root from pride and covetousness when one’s heart believes they are owed or due something from another that has not been delivered. It keeps one’s heart and mind on the past, thereby robbing all joy and zest for life, all peace that produces health and healthy happy hormones. Resentment is also a sibling of ungratefulness. #4     GRIEF – Grief is often thought to be unavoidable and a natural response to loss. While this may be true of temporary sadness, grief on the other hand, is an entirely destructive, consuming scourge. We were NEVER intended to experience grief. Because of sin entering in and separation from God, the first grief also entered in. Up until the time of Christ, no one was immune from grief’s deathly grasp. But… after the resurrection of Christ, who carried our griefs and sorrows, and paid the price for reconciliation to a life free from grief, we no longer have to bear grief or the gripping killer dis-eases it has attached to it. (This is such a huge topic, we will write a separate article at another date to minister life and help in this area. Until then, be comforted in knowing God did not leave you without grace to keep you and He will send love and hope to your heart again.) And finally, in our Top Five Emotions That Drain Your Health: # 5   LYING –  OK So technically, lying is not an emotion, it is an action of your mind, will, AND emotions. But, it must be included in our Top 5 today because, after unforgiveness, it is perhaps the second most detrimental soulish action that literally destroys the physical body. To lie, in any measure, is to voluntarily separate yourself from Truth and Light. Only in Truth and Light can you receive health and healing. To lie is to deliberately reject the very power that heals. It is the nature of your enemy, who comes to steal, kill, and destroy… and to lie is to willfully participate in and connect yourself to that nature. Did you know that the physical body cannot lie? It’s goal is not health or disease, but it is to survive your choices. Choices that are lies or fool the body, result in dys-function and dis-ease. Choices that are in Truth, produce strength and health. Psalm 92. 12  The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,     they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; 13  planted in the house of the Lord,     they will flourish in the courts of our God. 14  They will still bear fruit in old age,     they will stay fresh and green, In overwhelming times we can be overwhelmed by the goodness of God. Out of the greatest pain comes the greatest blessings. Out of the greatest messes comes the greatest works of God!

The Relationship Between Soul and Body Health

III John 1 The elder, To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth. 2 Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3 It gave me great joy when some brothers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. Questions: Does being a Christian make us healthier than others? Are Christians, if they have faith, always get healed? What about people we have prayed for to be healed and they die? The Main Thing is our Spiritual Health Our bodies will die. Our spirits will live on forever. Jesus said, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10.28 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Mark 8.36 John 4. 31 Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” 33 Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?” 34 “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of Him Who sent Me and to finish His work. 35 Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36 Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37 Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. 38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.” John 6. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval. 33 For the Bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. (Bethlehem = House of Bread) 35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty.” 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit. There is a Connection Between Our Bodies and Souls When It Comes To Health John makes the connection Proverbs speaks of it: A cheerful heart is good like medicine. Proverbs 17.22 A heart at peace give life to the body. Proverbs 14.30 Envy rots the bones. Bitterness will hurt the body, causing chemicals to flow in the bloodstream. According to Newsday this morning, Long Island alcohol treatment and recovery centers said they've seen a big increase in people seeking help, both those who previously had problems with alcohol and relapsed, and people who never had serious issues with alcohol So many people in pain today. Turning to addictive things temporarily anesthetizes the torture in their souls. Only Jesus can heal our brokenness. Generally a Life Lived for God Produces Healthier Bodies. This is true with things life cigarettes and stress and excessive use of alcohol. Because we live in a fallen world sometimes people who never smoked die of lung cancer. We need “ocean time” What is ocean time? On my birthday I went to the beach as per my request. I swim for several hours with my grandchildren. Timmy, 12 years old, and I talked. We talked about life. We laughed at the girls getting knocked over by the waves as we were beyond the place where they were breaking. He invited his cousins Tristan and Grayson to join us in the laughter. In those moments I forgot what time it was all of the stresses that I had spoken to my daughter Theresa about just moments before. We were like birds flying in the air. We were bodies floating in the ocean. All of the technology emails texts phones TVs etc. were not available to us. We were in the moment completely body soul and spirit. We all need ocean time. The occasional desire to run away from everything is an indication that we are desperate for this time. Jesus had this time. His ocean time was the time that He spent in the mountains and in the boats on the sea of Galilee. Wherever you find a place where you can be in God‘s presence, detached from disturbing annoyances and interruptions, and will you can embrace nature that is your Ocean Place. Go there often. It is there that your soul is renew your spirit is strengthen and you come into the place of being quiet before God. Look at the birds. How precious to me are Your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. Psalm 139.17-18 Generally a Life Lived Disregarding God Produces Death Ultimately but not immediately. Eventually but not always evident. Sowing and reaping. Galatians 6.8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Jeremiah 17.7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,     whose confidence is in him. 8  They will be like a tree planted by the water     that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes;     its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought     and never fails to bear fruit.”