A Christmas Meditation…

Guest Author December 20th, 2009

Before the angel Gabriel made his stupendous announcement to a virgin maiden in the town of Nazareth, there were farewells to be said in heaven.  The angels understood that their glorious Lord, the light of their life, was going on a long journey to another planet, and would be absent from them for more than thirty four earth years.  The first nine months the Sun of Righteousness, their Lord, would be eclipsed completely in a human mother’s womb.  Only His Father would see him there and miss the fellowship of His Son.  And they knew that the end of His sojourn on that planet was shrouded in terrible happenings.  But their Lord would be coming back, mission accomplished, having bought back from the enemy a vast family with His life blood, to join Him in heaven later.  And they marveled that their Lord deemed it all worth while. 

We know He did, for Hebrews 2:10-13 tells us that He did it  with joy for His beloved brethren!

The Lord Jesus, standing on the portico of heaven, takes off His kingly purple robe.

His gaze is directed to the small globe of the earth far below Him.  The Bible says that

“the fulness of Time had come,” (Gal. 4:4) I imagine the Father says to Him, “My Son, it is time to leave me and go down to the world we love.  You will be despised and rejected by the people you go to save.  You will be a Man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Only thru the door of death can you return to me.  Are you willing?”  And His Son replies simply,

“Lo, I go to do thy will, O God.  A body hast thou prepared for me.” With these words, the Lord of glory emptied Himself of His outward glories and privileges of deity.  He began to grow smaller and smaller and smaller…until He became that holy Seed which the Spirit of God took to earth to implant in the womb of Mary.  “And the angel said to her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee.  Therefore that holy Child that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35)

And Mary gave Him the name Jesus because He would save His people from their sins.

And her cousin Elizabeth rejoiced greatly, saying, “Through the tender mercy of our God the Dayspring from on High has visited us, to give Light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of Peace.”  (Luke 1:78-79.)

Erica Koehler 12/20/09

Who are you,really?

John Havener November 13th, 2009

(This is a handout that goes with the podcast by the same name…If you have received Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior from sin…this is who you really are!)
 

through faith in Jesus Christ!!!

1. I am a Child of GOD

 

Gal 3:26
for you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

1Jn 3:1-2
Look at how great a love the Father has given us, that we should be called God’s children. And we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know Him. (2) Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him as He is.

2. I am a chosen, dearly loved, fully forgiven Child !!!

 

Eph 1:4-5
for He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love (5) He predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will,

1Pe 2:9
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Eph 5:1-2
.

Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children. (2) And walk in love, as the Messiah also loved us and gave Himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

3. I am an heir of God and joint-heir with Jesus Christ!!!
 

Rom 8:16-17
The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, (17) and if children, also heirs–heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ–seeing that we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

Gal 4:6-7
And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!” (7) So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.

4. I am in God’s Kingdom, a citizen of Heaven!!!

 

Php 3:20
but our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Col 1:12-13
giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light. (13) He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves,

5. I am alive with Christ and have begun eternal life!!!

 

Col 2:13
And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive with Him and forgave us all our trespasses.

Joh 5:24
“I assure you: Anyone who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.

6. I am a new creation, God’s workmanship, with a new self created to be like Him!!!

 

Eph 2:10
For we are His creation–created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.

Eph 4:24
you put on the new man, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.

2Co 5:17
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.

7. I am a Temple of God and Christ lives in Me!!!

 

1Co 3:16-17
Don’t you know that you are God’s sanctuary and that the Spirit of God lives in you? (17) If anyone ruins God’s sanctuary, God will ruin him; for God’s sanctuary is holy, and that is what you are.

Col 1:27
God wanted to make known to those among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.1Jn 4:4 You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

8. I am a living part of the Body of Christ!!!

 

1Co 12:27
Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

1Co 6:15
Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never!

1Co 12:14-15
For the body does not consist of one member but of many. (15) If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.

9. I am light in the world and more than a conqueror through him who loved me!!!

 

Mat 5:14
“You are the light of the world.

Mat 16:16-18
Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (17) And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. (18) And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Rom 8:37-39
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (38) For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, (39) nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

10. I am born again and a part of God’s eternal family!!!

 

1Pe 1:22-23
By obedience to the truth, having purified yourselves for sincere love of the brothers, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, (23) since you have been born again–not of perishable seed but of imperishable–through the living and enduring word of God.

Eph 2:19
You Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens with everyone else who belongs to the family of God.

Eph 3:14-17
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father (15) from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. (16) I pray that He may grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, (17) and that the Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith.

These truths are who you really are as a born again Christian…Repeat them out loud, especially the Scriptures that energize you and trust the Holy Spirit to make them effective in you!!!

 

 

　
　

　

　

 

 

Pure, Portable Water with Berkey Filters

Guest Author October 30th, 2009

(Your absolute top priority in most survival scenarios is pure water…)

The Berkey line of water filters is one of the most trusted and time-tested water filtration systems. The simplicity and transportability of this system makes it ideal for everyday use or emergency situations. The best source for additional information is: http://www.pleasanthillgrain.com/berkey_light_big_berkey_water_filter_british_berkefeld_portable_purifier.aspx ***DO NOT PURCHASE YOUR BERKEY FROM THIS PLACE, JUST GET INFO. SEE BELOW

The Berkey systems are basically divided into two types, the plastic and the stainless steel. Without a doubt, we would recommend the stainless steel for its durability, as the plastic Berkey may have a tendancy to fall over if it is getting empty. The stainless versions come in five sizes. For large families or for those who need large amounts of water, it is recommended to get either of the two largest sizes. The Imperial Berkey is the second to largest and is the most ideal size when weighing the benefits of cost, capacity, and actual size. After a disaster, you may need to depend on your Berkey for all your water needs. You can filter pond water with this system. MAKE SURE you get the black filters as the black filters filter out the HIGHEST percentage of microorganisms.

Berkey also manufactures shower filters and additional fluoride filters. BEWARE; there are look-a-likes and fakes on many websites including E-bay. Be sure that you are receiving a genuine product.
The pleasanthillgrain.com site is a reliable source for information, but our recommendation for purchase is to contact a Berkey representative that we have made many orders through. The number is (435) 835-8283

*** Web sites will tell you they will give you a free water bottle(s) and shipping. But when you compare this persons prices (even with a water bottle and shipping) this person with give you the most significant savings overall. I have checked every avenue for purchasing Berkeys. For example this person sells Imperial Berkeys and multiple filters for $100 LESS than anyone else.

A thought-provoking prophecy from Berlin

Guest Author October 6th, 2009

That gave me the Spirit of the Lord,
and I heard these words spoken aloud to me …
===================================

And this is it what He told me: “Like America has defended, loved and
promoted the state of Israel and has supported the Jews – just like that
will that nation hate, condemn and curse that state and the Jews, worse
than it has been since in history.

Lo and behold this is what the Lord says: “My people and My children
must be hated by all peoples. All of them must turn their faces from them.
I will make them do that because I am a jealous God and I am zealous
about my people and want to fight for My Israel and My children and want
to be their Lord and God.

Don’t be amazed about the worldwide hatred and dislike against My Israel,
against the Jews and the Christians alike. This is condoned and allowed by
Me, says the Lord. All atheists will huddle against the faithful and will
hatch a plot against them. They will do whatever they can, to force My
children to their knees. But all these efforts will be futile, they will only
achieve that the chaff will separate from the corn, the truthful from the
false and will achieve My works of cleansing and healing.

My true people and children will not bend their knees on such pressure,
and that will infuriate the peoples of the world even more. They will behave
like savages inebriated, not shying away from doing the most abominable.
Unholiness galore will reign amongst them. Continue Reading »

It wont work unless…

John Havener September 20th, 2009

I feel compelled at this time to speak to my fellow Christians  about the present political and social situation because I believe we are at a critical juncture or crossroad and that if we take the wrong path at this time it would be counterproductive at best, and lead to a horrific persecution at worst. Over the past months millions of Americans have become deeply concerned about the direction of our country and the changes that are being introduced by the Democrat-control Congress. Many seriously fear loss of freedoms, feel that their heritage is being trashed, and that an imposition of a Marxist style tyranny might be forthcoming. Many absolutely refuse to stand idly by while our country and culture goes down this perceived path. Conservative TV, talk radio, “Tea Parties,” town hall meetings and other phenomenon are keeping things hot and in the forefront of people’s minds. I frankly am in deep sympathy with many of the objectives of these groups and personalities… And yet, I’m very concerned. Again, we may be at a very important fork the road.

Years ago, I was senior pastor of a church in Pensacola, Florida. The Pro-life movement was heating up and I wanted to rally our people to help save the unborn. Christians from many churches and para-church ministries were protesting at our local abortion clinics. At one point there may have been 5000 people in the streets representing a wide spectrum of the body of Christ in our area. Hopefully, some that were contemplating abortion turned aside to other, better choices. As time went on, a small minority of radical pro-lifers began to shout horrible and hateful things not only to the abortionists, but also to those entering the clinic seeking an abortion. Due to these people, who were a very small minority, the atmosphere got very rough and poisonous. As a pastoral leader, I could no longer encourage my people to be a part of this effort which started so nobly. I pulled our people off the protest lines and away from the clinics. I was criticized for doing this, but not too long afterward a gunman murdered an abortion Doctor. Another abortionist would be gunned down in the not-too-distant future. These crimes greatly shocked our community, negatively affected the pro-life movement in the nation, and almost killed the Prolife effort in our area. I came to the conclusion during this era that has stuck with me and I believe will serve Christians well in the future: the work of Christ must be done in the spirit (attitude) of Christ. Scripture says “the wrath of a man does not work the will of God.” I understand that there is such a thing as righteous indignation and bold confrontation of wickedness and evil, but great care has to be exercised by Christians in general and pastoral leaders in particular to discern what spirit is activating an individual, group, or movement. The work of Christ must be done in the spirit of Christ! I was grieved at the recent Washington Tea Party to see some of the signs that were so slanderous, hateful, and flat-out ugly regarding our president. I do not support most of his policies, and I pray fervently for his true conversion, but I can say as a veteran minister of our Lord that some of the signs were not of Christ! If an unbeliever were carrying that sign it would be one thing, no believer should manifest hatred and contempt toward another human being.

Jesus once said, “Beware of the leaven of Herod.” Herod, of course, was the political leader of Galilee where Jesus did most of his Ministry. There was a group called the Herodians who felt like the best course of action for the Jewish people in the area was to accommodate and even compromise with Herod and his policies. Jesus warned that this type of political association (without the proper spiritual foundation) would be sinful and destructive. Every Christian needs to realize that there are definite limits to political involvement and to what politics can accomplish. Without an adequate spiritual foundation, it can be vanity and a chasing after the wind. John Adams, the second president of our country, said that our Constitution was totally inadequate for the government of irreligious people. I believe in our Constitution! But it cannot do the job alone with a population that is living in defiance to the God of the Bible. What is needed, and what we must have if we are to safeguard our freedoms and our heritage, is a genuine spiritual revolution. I am not talking about taking up arms or an Islamic style take-over the government like happened in Iran. I am talking is something beyond renewal, beyond revival as we’ve known it; a spiritual revolution that affects the masses and eventually changes institutions through true conversion to Jesus Christ and commitment to His way of life, individually and corporately.

Socially and culturally, England was a mess at the turn of the 19th century. Urbanization, cheap gin, many social problems, an ineffective Christianity, and other things had brought England into a terrible state. Across the channel, the French Revolution had turned into a massive bloodbath and ideological craziness. Would England go the same way? It might have, but God sent a spiritual revolution through the work of the Spirit in the Ministry of the Wesleys and George Whitfield. Thousands of other unknown Christians would pray and work to bring about a revolution of the most Glorious kind. No bloodshed. Wonderful social changes. Millions eventually would be truly converted to Christ and change the fabric of English society and culture. What an example for us to ardently pray for and to work for as God begins to move. We’re living in a very dynamic time of American history, with many strong crosscurrents, and many compelling voices beckoning us to move our country into a better place. Which path will you, will we take? Without a spiritual revolution, it will not work.

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