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. Living
Hope Fellowship Church Newsletter
Newsletter
Article Archives
1999
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January
Witnessing
by Viola Dover
There is a true story about someone
who waited until their cake was “done” before obeying
the leading of God to go pray for someone who was in the hospital.
That person died before she arrived to pray! The Bible Study
group was asked to give some examples of what they would do
if the Lord told them one had five minutes to live, they were
unsaved, and He wanted them to witness to that person. The
following example was given by Viola Dover.
***
If I saw a person standing on the street, and I knew he had
only five minutes to live, and felt I should talk to him about
salvation, the Lord would definitely have to lead me! I am
not what you call an “outgoing” person, but I would
be willing to do it.
I’d first
ask this person if they knew Jesus. You can usually tell if
they want to continue the conversation. Then I would say,
“Do you know he died for you on the cross?” I would
quote John 3:16, “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.”
If this person
wanted to be saved, I would ask him to let me lead him in
prayer, asking Jesus to come into his heart. If this person
said he once knew Jesus, but got with the wrong crowd or situation,
I would tell him he could repent. 1 John 1:9 says, “If
we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us
our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
We need not be
afraid to witness because Hebrews 13:5-6 teaches us that Jesus
will never leave nor forsake us, and that He is our helper.
We should not fear what man shall do to us.
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Unprofitable
Works, Or Works of Faith?
by Pastor Kevin Badgley
(08/02/92 & 11/29/92)
Christ has invested in us and given us talents, but many are
unprofitable servants. We must overcome the flesh so we can
profit the gospel of Jesus Christ. Profit in the dictionary
means to go forward. At the Red Sea, Moses used what he had,
the rod in his hand, and they went forward. Read the following
parable.
Matthew 25:14 says,
“For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into
a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered
unto them his goods.” He gave out talents according as
he saw they had ability and then he took his journey. Two
of the servants went to work. The other one hid his lord’s
money. After a long time the lord came and reckoned with them.
The Lord said to the two faithful servants, “. . . thou
hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler
over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”
However, Verse
24-25 says, “Then he which had received the one talent
came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man,
reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou
hast not strowed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent
in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.” In
Verse 26 his lord called him a wicked and slothful servant!
The lord took away what he had given him and cast the unprofitable
servant into outer darkness!
Why are we so afraid?
The devil seeks whom he may devour, but Luke 10:19 tells us
that Jesus has given us power over all the power of the enemy!
Romans 12:3 states that God has dealt to every man the measure
of faith [all that you have has been given to you] so use
that faith!
Faith without works
is dead, being alone, and by works is faith made perfect (see
James 2:17 & 22). We have opportunity to prove our faith
by works. The Lord doesn’t want us to hold back on any
of the price in our hearts and lives like Ananias and Sapphira.
We will be judged by our works. Let God mold you into the
image of Jesus Christ. Move toward God and be resurrected
in a new life in Christ.
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What
Are You Doing?
by Sharon Cromwell
Who wants to know? Who cares? God cares. People may not know
your name, but 1 Timothy 5:25 says, “Likewise also the
good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that
are otherwise cannot be hid.”!!!
Ezekiel saw God
raise an army from dry and disconnected bones. Christians
make up the body of Christ. If each person does their part
effectually, we will see God move miraculously. Effectual
means producing a result!
Time is short.
Matthew 25:13 says, “Watch therefore, for ye know neither
the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”
We want to be found
faithful and unashamed at Christ’s coming. Matthew 25:21
says, “His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and
faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things,
I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the
joy of thy lord.”
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February
The
Love of a Parent
by Lynetta Johnson
February is considered the month of love. On February 14 people
will be buying flowers, candy, cards, and sending love letters
and poems to the ones they love.
I want to talk
to you about a different kind of love, the love a parent has
for a child. How much do you really love your child? You buy
them clothes and make sure they have a warm place to sleep,
you feed them, you kiss them goodnight, and do all the things
a loving mother and father are supposed to do. However, are
you praying for them? Are you living your life according to
the Bible? Are you preparing your child to serve God?
If you are not
interceding to God for them, all your love and good thoughts
aren’t any good. You can raise your child to be respectful
and a morally good person, but unless they have Jesus Christ
as their Lord and Savior there is no hope of eternal life.
Do you explain
to your child the true meaning of Easter, or do you kind of
mix it with the Easter bunny? At Christmas, do you explain
the birth of Jesus, or do you mix that with Santa Claus? On
Halloween, do you explain that this is the devil’s day
and it is not to be celebrated, or do you take your child
“trick or treating?” Do you tell them it’s
ok as long as you dress as something nice, while others are
dressing as devils, witches, or other gruesome things? Do
you tell your child a little lie, but tell your child lying
is a sin?
If you do these
things how can you expect your child (when you really get
real with God) to believe that Jesus is real? “After
all, Mom and Dad told me there was an Easter bunny, and that
Santa was real. They lied to me about that, so they are lying
to me about Jesus.” Don’t lie to your child; tell
them the truth. They will respect you for it. Never, ever
give your child a reason to doubt you. These holidays can
still be fun without the lying. Are you having troubles with
your teenage child? Have you been in and out of church, doing
things you know the Bible says are wrong, and yet you are
still telling your child not to do them?
Problems arise
when raising children, but Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train
up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he
will not depart from it.” Are you training your child?
They may stray, but Christian parents have to keep praying
for their children, no matter how old they are.
Someone told me
to look at the way my child was behaving, and I would see
the way I acted toward God. Your child follows your example;
if you are rebellious toward God, your child will be rebellious
against you. You have to serve God His way, no matter how
hard, or ridiculous, or foolish it seems. As long as it is
in God you can’t go wrong.
There is a war
to be fought; this war is in the Spirit and in the natural.
If you do not prepare your child for this fight now, it may
be too late later. The Bible says in Genesis 6:3, “And
the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man,
for that he also is flesh. . . .” We are not promised
a tomorrow, so if God is calling you, don’t wait. These
changes have to start with you. You, the parent, must make
the decisions how you and they are going to live, until they
are old enough to make their own decisions.
On judgment day
you will stand before God, and He will ask if you served Him
with a whole heart. He will ask if you taught your child right,
telling them what He accepted and what he would not tolerate.
We think a lot of things are okay, but in God’s eyes
they are an abomination. Proverbs 16:25 says, “There
is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof
are the ways of death.” Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “For
my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my
ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the
earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts
than your thoughts.”
When you have a
problem with your children, pray, fast, and seek God for the
answers. Go to a church that teaches you the difference between
right and wrong. Don’t go to a sinner who has no hope.
If you love your
children, teach them about God. These are the things that
you need to give them. This is the kind of love they need.
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Our Love
by Pastor Kevin Badgley
(preached 02/09/97 p.m.)
1 John 4:7-8 says,
“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God;
and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”
John 3:16 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.”
There is a risk
involved in loving or caring for someone! If you just “tolerate”
people, there is no RISK of rejection, humiliation, mockery,
hatred, being talked about, or being smitten on the cheek,
from someone you love.
You can love someone
and they might mistreat you. Real love continues to love.
Love enough to fast and pray, so you will be able to cast
out devils. One fruit of the Spirit is love (Galatians 5:22-25).
The devil cannot match the love of God.
The Bible has this
to say about love in 1 John 4:16-18, “And we have known
and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and
he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness
in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this
world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth
out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not
made perfect in love.”
The greatest act
of love is self sacrifice. Jude 1:21 tells us to keep ourselves
in the love of God. You may have had your trust betrayed,
but forgive. You can have the mechanics of being a Christian,
and yet have trouble having love. God’s love draws ever
to Him. Jesus said in John 14:15, “If ye love me, keep
my commandments.”
If you love somebody,
prove your love. It may not be appreciated, and you may be
misunderstood, but Jesus was misunderstood. 1 John 4:17 says,
“. . . as he is, so are we in this world.” Some
people are “unlovely” but we can love them with
God’s love!
***
Have you broken God's heart? Has someone broken your heart?
Psalm 147:3 says,
"He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their
wounds."
Psalm 34:18 says,
"The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart;
and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit."
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A People of Mixture
by Gail Redman
I remember the zeal and fervent love that I had for my Lord
and Savior when I was baptized in the Holy Ghost. Nothing
in my heart condemned me. I felt so pure and clean, safe in
the arms of Jesus. What happens to that first love? We live
in a world corrupted by sin. Our movies, television, music,
government, schools, and churches are perverted with heathen
attitudes and values. A Christian cannot live in this fallen
world without being grieved or burdened by the atrocities
taking place before our very eyes.
Our churches are
supposed to be a haven and refuge from this decadence. However,
we have fallen so far that recognition of the clean and the
unclean has been lost. There is mixture in our midst!!! The
United States has erected a technological tower of Babel that
tells God we no longer need Him. This humanistic, perverted
tower will be judged and crumble.
What are some examples
of mixture? Santa Claus with our nativity scenes; Christians
electing immoral leaders; faith intermingled with fear and
unbelief; “Christian rock” music; Christians unable
to discern the corruption and uncleanness on “Christian”
television; clean and unclean thoughts and words proceeding
from the same mind and mouth. No wonder Paul cried out in
Romans 7:24, “O wretched man that I am!. . . .”
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March
Easter
by Alcey Beggs
Christians celebrate Easter as a Christian festival commemorating
the resurrection of Christ. However, some Easter practices
are pagan in origin, having nothing to do with Christianity.
Some scholars believe the word “Easter” itself probably
comes from EASTRE, the Anglo-Saxon name of a Teutonic goddess
of spring and fertility, to whom was dedicated a month corresponding
to April.
Traditions associated
with that festival are the Easter Rabbit (a symbol of fertility),
and in colored Easter eggs, originally painted with gay hues
to represent the sunlight of spring, and used in Easter-egg
rolling contests or given as gifts. The Britannica states
“Like the Easter egg, the Easter hare (rabbit) now are
an accepted part of the celebration of Easter. The hare is
associated with the moon in the legends of ancient Egypt and
other peoples. It is born with its eyes open and, like the
moon, it is the open-eyed watcher of the sky.”
A Greek myth tells
of the return of Persephone, daughter of Demeter and goddess
of the earth, from the underworld to the light of day; her
return symbolized to ancient Greeks the resurrection of life
in the spring after the desolation of winter.
The Phrygians believed
that their omnipotent deity went to sleep at the time of the
winter solstice and they performed ceremonies with music and
dancing at the spring equinox to awaken him.
The Easter Egg
also appears in pagan mythology where we read of the Sun-Bird
being hatched from the World-Egg. In some pagan customs, the
Heaven and the Earth were thought to have been formed from
two halves of an egg!
The Babylonians
believed an old fable about an egg of wondrous size which
was supposed to have fallen from heaven into the Euphrates
river. From this marvelous egg - according to the ancient
story - the goddess Astarte (Easter) was hatched. And so the
egg came to symbolize the goddess Easter.
"According
to the belief held in many places, it was unlucky not to wear
some new article of clothing or personal adornment on Easter;
the modern custom, seemingly entirely worldly, of appearing
in a new costume on Easter Sunday may go back to this belief,
or perhaps may spring from the universal feeling that the
Eastertide is the time of casting off the old and the beginning
of the new.”
What do you think
about this information that was taken from encyclopedias and
other reference material? Should we combine these “traditions”
of men with the ordinances of God?
Many people have
mixed fairy tales and traditions of men with the truth of
God’s word. Mark 7 says, “(7) Howbeit in vain do
they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of
men. (9) And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment
of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. (13) Making the
word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye
have delivered: and many such like things do ye.”
Psalm 106:34-36
says, “They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom
the LORD commanded them: But were mingled among the heathen,
and learned their works. And they served their idols: which
were a snare unto them.”
2 Corinthians 6:17
says, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye
separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing;
and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and
ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”
John 8:32 says,
“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make
you free.
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Souled Out
by Denise Treat
If you are "souled" out to God this is what is waiting
on you - eternal life and no more pain, sorrow, sickness,
or death. There are streets of gold, walls of jasper, gates
of pearl, and the crystal river, but most of all Jesus will
be there.
If you are "souled"
out to the devil here is what is waiting on you — death,
hell, and the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone.
That fire shall not be quenched; it is where the worm dieth
not. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth — and
yes, this is forever too.
Do you get the
picture? YOU belong to someone, YOUR SOUL belongs to someone.
John 3:16 tells
us that God gave his only begotten Son to die so we could
have eternal life. God wants us, but he isn't going to make
us accept Him; He gave us a choice.
1 John 5:12 says,
“He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not
the Son of God hath not life.”
The choice is clear,
crystal clear. Deuteronomy 30:19 says, “I call heaven
and earth to record this day against you, that I have set
before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore
choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.”
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Traditions
(preached 1/17/99)
by Pastor Kevin Badgley
In 2 Timothy 3:10 Paul said, “But thou hast fully known
my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering,
charity, patience,” Paul said that they knew his manner
of life. Traditions, manners of life, and habits are all very
kin in meaning. Habits that have been formed over a period
of time form a tradition. Many people hear the word tradition
and think of something a hundred years old or longer, but
that’s not always the case.
A tradition can
be formed after you start repeating something, and it becomes
a habit. A little bit of habit, can take your whole life down
a straight road without letting it veer.
When you are born
again (saved) your life is destined to change, and you leave
sin alone! God called you to salvation; he also calls you
to be sanctified. He never quits calling. There are many habits,
manners of life, and traditions in the lives of individuals
and families, in churches, in whole regions, in nations, and
in cultures that can actually keep you away from the things
of God!
A habit is something
that you might do on a daily basis. Every morning you may
get up and have a cup of coffee. That is your daily routine,
your habit. Maybe there are things that you do in your family
every year, perhaps something you do around the holidays or
someone’s birthday. Then it is not a habit anymore, but
a tradition. How you live day to day, Paul describes as “a
manner of life” — a way of living.
You can lose your
salvation by falling back into tradition. As you press toward
the mark, it is accounted unto you for righteousness, and
God looks to you as perfect, and he will receive you unto
himself (See Philippians 3:12-14).
Sanctification
(being set apart from the world) unto God is a process. Romans
10:13 says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of
the Lord shall be saved.” That is immediate; however,
we are supposed to read the Word, obey it, and become set
apart (see John 17:17). Daily tradition, daily habits, and
daily manners of life must be changed! You cannot continue
in sin after you’ve been born again. However, there are
still habits, weights, and many things that can get between
us and God. These things fight against the power of God in
our lives and we’ve got to drop them. Paul was specific
in Hebrews 12:1 when he said that we have to lay aside every
weight and the sin that so easily besets us.
Eating is a necessary
habit; nevertheless, it is a “tradition” among men,
and sometimes God sets it apart for a time of fasting. This
is profitable for people who believe Him to make their hearts
right with Him. Some devils cannot be cast out unless someone
breaks their normal routine, and goes into their closet and
prays, and seeks the Lord without eating (see Mark 9:29).
As we break our own traditions, habits, and normal manner
of life, and quit doing what we always want to do, we go into
the deeper things of God. 2 Corinthians 9:6 says, “But
this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly;
and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”
Mark 7:6 tells
us that people honor God with their lips, but their heart
is far from him. You will find that your tradition and manner
of life generally follow your heart pattern. Mark 7:7 says,
“Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines
the commandments of men.” There are people in the church
whose worship, praise, hallelujahs, shouting, crying, and
altar nosing is doing them no good at all because they refuse
to let go of their daily routine.
Manmade religion
teaches commandments of men as if they were doctrines spoken
by God; they are of none effect. Mark 7:8 says, “For
laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition
of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such
like things ye do.” I Thessalonians 5:17 says, “Pray
without ceasing.”
Many people lay
aside the commandments of God that they might keep their tradition.
God speaks to some in the middle of the night and tells them
to get up and pray. One says, “I’m a night owl.”
Someone else says, I’m a day person. Would you lay that
aside? Some would say, No way! This is my normal habit. God
may want to talk to both parties at 5:00 in the morning. It
is too early for the early people, and too late for the late
people. He will come to you at an hour that you aren’t
even aware of! (See Matthew 24:50). Jesus went so far as to
say in Luke 9:23, “. . . If any man will come after me,
let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow
me.”
Galatians 6:7 says,
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a
man soweth, that shall he also reap.” If your heart is
not right when you stand before God at the judgement, you
will be condemned to hell. Mark 7:13 says, “Making the
word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye
have delivered: and many such like things do ye.” You
might be able to mouth, but are you prayed up, prayed through,
and prayed into the things of God? Tradition in the church
is made up of laziness, selfishness, and worldliness and it
gets nowhere with God. We need discipline. A sign of believers
is not just signs following, but first, with people breaking
with their own personal tradition.
If you don’t
put God first, don’t expect your family to be saved;
don’t expect a holy household, and don’t expect
a great ministry because you will never have it. All of God’s
promises are conditional. In Luke 16:14 the church people
made fun of and fought Jesus. In Verse 15 Jesus said, “.
. . Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God
knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among
men is abomination in the sight of God.” God doesn’t
force anybody to press into God and break their own tradition.
You may feel it is your right to keep it, but if you do, you
are going to lose what God has for you. Jesus says in Matthew
6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his
righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
Folks, we can’t live a normal life and expect a supernatural
move of God.
We all like to
quote in Psalm 37:4, “Delight thyself also in the LORD;
and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” What
are the qualifications for delighting yourself in the Lord?
You can read it in Isaiah 58:13-14. “. . . and shalt
honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own
pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight
thyself in the LORD. . . .” Some people are in a head
long rush to find their own pleasure, and they will speak
their own words in the name of the Lord. Search your heart,
get rid of tradition and self; and then you will be delighting
yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your
heart. Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above
all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
Right now God is calling and dealing with people. Let go of
your traditions and let God have his way in you.
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April
Communion
by Danny Beggs
In Matthew 24:42 Jesus said, "Watch therefore: for ye
know not what hour your Lord doth come." Jesus is speaking
here about the church, the Christians. The Bible says we're
a peculiar people, but I think sometimes we are a presumptuous
people. If Jesus came right now to you would he find you covered
with the blood of Jesus, or would he find you covered with
sin?
The Bible says
we're to be instant in season because we don't know when Jesus
is going to appear. We don't know what season he's going to
call us or when the rapture is going to be. If we are not
instant in season, we're not going to go.
We're not promised
tomorrow, yet we're a presumptuous people. We always say there's
tomorrow or we'll say there's always next Communion, or next
month. We're not promised a tomorrow, or that we're going
to be at church next month for communion! Your church may
not even be here! Some individuals may not even be there.
We're supposed to be instant in season; we're to be ready.
You have today;
you have an altar, and you have the blood of Jesus so there
is no reason everybody who's a Christian couldn't be ready
today. Right now you have a chance to pray if you do have
something that's not under the blood of Jesus! Don’t
be presumptuous and say, “There's always tomorrow, or
next month.” Don’t say, “We can get it under
the blood tomorrow.”
Some people live
from Communion to Communion, but they never take Communion
because they are never ready for it. What if Jesus came today?
Some of you aren't ready for Communion right now because you
feel convicted. If it's because of sin, there is a remedy,
a cure! His name is Jesus Christ, and you can make an altar
right now where you are.
There's no reason
for anyone to walk any further today without being ready to
go if the Lord calls. There is no reason why you can't come
in prayer to God if you do have something that is not under
the blood. There is no reason, except maybe your pride or
your presumption that you will have another chance. Don’t
let that keep you from coming to God, and getting everything
under the blood, and obeying the commandment of Jesus Christ
by partaking of Communion with him.
It's only by God's
grace that we have another day. It's only by God's grace if
we do have another Communion. We're supposed to be strong
in Christ, and ready for Him! How can we be an example to
the sinner if we can't even come to Communion because we have
so much sin in our lives? God wants to clean His church up,
and either you will be cleaned up or swept out the door! God
is going to clean the church up, and if you don't get everything
under the blood, it will be shouted from the rooftop. God's
calling you; now's the time.
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The King James Version Bible
by Alcey Beggs
The King James Version Bible has been a source of controversy
for many years. The following is only a small history of the
events leading up to the Bible we have today and recount of
the many men who risked their very lives to spread the Word
of God.
In 1374 A.D., John
Wycliffe from Lutterworthen, England, translated the English
Bible by hand from Latin. It took ten months to copy one (1)
Bible. He then gave copies to his preacher boys (poor preachers)
and sent them out to preach the gospel to the ordinary man
in a language he could understand. One-hundred and seventy
(170) copies of this Bible are still in existence.
His preachers were
persecuted and slain, but the power of God’s Word was
so strong that for forty-four years they were afraid to touch
the body of John Wycliffe. Forty-four years after his death
they took his bones, burned them, and threw them into the
River Avon, which flows into the River Severn, which flows
into the Bristol Channel, which flows into the oceans. Instead
of closing the door on the influence of the Bible translated
into English, they symbolically spread the Word throughout
the world!
In 1407, a law
was passed in England forbidding an English Bible to be printed.
In 1519 six workmen and one woman were publicly executed for
teaching their children the Lord’s prayer in English.
A Greek translation
was produced and in December 1526, William Tynsdale, a Cambridge
graduate, translated the New Testament from Greek into English.
He was hounded and persecuted by the English authorities and
left the country. He smuggled his work from the continent
into England in sacks of flour. The Bible soon spread over
all of England. The Bishop of London tried to frustrate Tynsdale’s
efforts at every turn. He hired a merchant by the name of
Augustine Pakistan to buy all the Bibles that could be found.
Pakistan was a friend of Tynsdale’s, and when he found
a Bible, he would buy it for four times the price, therefore
allowing Tynsdale to publish three more.
In 1535, Tynsdale
was captured, and during his imprisonment continued to translate
the Old Testament from Greek into English. In October 1536,
William Tynsdale was burned at the stake. His captors also
wanted him to die by strangulation, so they tied a wire around
his neck and through the stake, strangulating him before his
death by fire. The last words he spoke were, “Lord, open
the eyes of the King of England.”
John Rogers finished
the translation begun by Tynsdale and sent it to the Arch
Bishop of Canterbury in 1539. Strangely, the King of England
approved the translation called “The Great Bible”
and ordered it to be placed in every church. If any person
could not read, it was to be read to him. The Bishop of London
approved the publication on the cover page.
In 1604, fifty
to sixty great intellectuals, who were proficient in Greek
and Hebrew, were chosen from Oxford, Westminster, and Cambridge
to translate the Bible into English. Committees were formed
and each was given a part of the Bible to translate. Each
of these translations were read before the committee, and
a decision was made on them. Richard Bancroft, Arch Bishop
of Canterbury, made fifteen changes himself.
Even after the
translation and changes, the King James Version is still ninety
percent (90%) the same as William Tynsdale’s translation.
In 1611, the whole Bible was translated into English, approved
by the king, and accepted worldwide.
The men who translated
and helped bring about the King James Version Bible loved
the Word of God, and desired a translation of the Bible for
common men who were kept in darkness. Some were killed for
their work. The Authorized King James Version translators
let us know which words they added in translating (to give
full meaning of the original text) by placing them in italics.
The devil knows
it brings confusion when people try to read out of several
different versions of the Bible. A watered down version will
not be in full power of the truth. 1 Corinthians 1:10 says,
“Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there
be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined
together in the same mind and in the same judgment.”
Read Philippians 1:27 and 1 Peter 3:8 which give us the same
type of advice!
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Drinking
by Pastor Kevin Badgley
(preached 09/24/93)
Can a Christian drink? May a Christian drink? If he can or
may, how much can he drink? What is he supposed to drink?
1 Corinthians 5:
11 and 13, “ (11) But now I have written unto you not
to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a
fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a
drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
(13) . . . Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked
person.”
Some say, “Well
I’m not a drunkard, I just drink. I drink to be sociable.”
That means that you don’t have enough power to deal with
souls to get them to come to Jesus. When you “socially
drink,” you become a partaker of other men’s sins
(see 1 Timothy 5:22). We are not to be yoked with unbelievers
according to 2 Corinthians 6:14.
1 Corinthians 10:21
says, “Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup
of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and
of the table of devils.” You can’t drink of salvation
and the drunkenness of this world. You can’t do both!
You’ll be found a liar and a hypocrite if you are a drinker
as a Christian. You can drink of the water of life freely
if you’ll come to the Lord, and then you can drink the
new wine of the Holy Ghost as God gives it.
The Bible declares
in Proverbs 20:1, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is
raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.”
That covers wine, champagne, whiskey, and all the different
kinds of liquors and beer. It says wine is a mocker and strong
drink is raging; in other words it’ll make you mad.
The Bible also
declares in Proverbs 23:31-32, “Look not thou upon the
wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup,
when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a
serpent, and stingeth like an adder.” That serpent is
the spirit of alcoholism, the spirit of drink, a spirit that
will turn you into a pervert if you get drunk enough. Families
are destroyed by drunkenness, drunk drivers, children born
with birth defects, etc. The devil opens the door for you
to do something wrong by drinking itself, and he opens the
door for someone else to do something with you. You will go
to hell for it.
Proverbs 31:5 says,
“Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the
judgment of any of the afflicted.” People today forget
the law and pervert judgment because they’re drunk on
the devil’s wine. The Bible declares there's a last day
drunkenness. There is a lying spirit in the earth that tells
people you can sin and do anything, and you don’t have
to worry about God’s judgment. That’s a lie from
hell!
Some say, “Jesus
drank wine. He made wine!” Jesus made new wine. When
you make fresh wine like at the marriage feast of Canaan there
is no sin involved because it’s grape juice. Deuteronomy
32:14 calls it the pure blood of the grape. That’s what
we use for communion.
When you get saved
the Spirit of God makes you new. Drinking is part of the old
ways of the world (see Luke 5:36-38). The Spirit of God comes
into a new vessel. The new wine must be put in new bottles
and both are preserved. If the Spirit of God dwells in you,
and you start pouring old wine back into a new bottle, you
are in deep trouble fast. The hand of God can set you free.
Matthew 26:27-28
says, “And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave
it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood
of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission
of sins.” We see Christ at the Last Supper, raising up
the cup, blessing it before the disciples and telling them
to drink. You can read an account of Satan’s counterfeit
in Daniel 5:2-27. At Satan’s tables you see him propose
toasts to this thing and to that thing. If you know better,
and you are doing it anyway, you will be weighed in the balances
and found wanting like Belshazzar! That man died that night
and went to hell!
You might die in
a drunken stupor yourself. You might desire to commit suicide;
many things can come to you. You are not in full control,
and your mind will be affected by drinking. We’re supposed
to have the mind of Christ. Ephesians 5:18 says, “And
be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with
the Spirit;” I admonish you by the Word of God that drinking
is sin. Don’t harden your heart against God’s Word.
Come out from among the world and be separate. Drink of the
Spirit of God!
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May
Mother's
Love
by Pastor Kevin Badgley
(preached 05/10/98)
In 1 Kings 3:16-28 you will find a true story of a mother’s
love. Verse 16-22 says, “Then came there two women, that
were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him. And the
one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house;
and I was delivered of a child with her in the house. And
it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered,
that this woman was delivered also: and we were together;
there was no stranger with us in the house, save we two in
the house. And this woman's child died in the night; because
she overlaid it. And she arose at midnight, and took my son
from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in
her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom. And when I
rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was
dead: but when I had considered it in the morning, behold,
it was not my son, which I did bear. And the other woman said,
Nay; but the living is my son, and the dead is thy son. And
this said, No; but the dead is thy son, and the living is
my son. Thus they spake before the king.”
What could the
king do about it? The king said to bring him a sword and for
them to divide the child, and give one half of the child to
each of the women (see verse 24-25)!
Verse 26 says,
“Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto
the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said,
O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay
it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine,
but divide it.” In his God-given wisdom, Solomon said
to give the living child to the woman who said not to slay
it, knowing she was the real mother. The bowels of the real
mother yearned for her son. She had a mother’s love;
a mother will protect her young. A good mother will also correct
her children (see Proverbs 2:13-14). This mother in 1 Kings
was willing to give up her son so he could live. Church, we
have to give up something so souls can live. God gave up Jesus
so we could live.
John 15:13 says,
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down
his life for his friends.” The blind, sick, and burdened
all need deliverance and are waiting for this kind of love.
Jesus is the resurrection and the life. We have to give our
all and lay down our lives for others.
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Mary, the Servant of God
by Alcey Beggs
Luke 1:26-34 tells us that the angel Gabriel was sent from
God to Nazareth, to a virgin named Mary, who was espoused
to a man whose name was Joseph. The angel told her to fear
not because she had found favour with God. Luke 1:31-35 says,
“And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring
forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great,
and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God
shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he
shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom
there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How
shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered
and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and
the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore
also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be
called the Son of God.”
Mary, the mother
of Jesus has been touted in the Catholic religion as being
divine, conceived by the hands of God, just like Jesus. They
worship her as an intercessor, just like Jesus. However, Mary
was a servant of God, and she submitted herself to God’s
will. Luke 1:38 says “And Mary said, Behold the handmaid
of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the
angel departed from her.”
Luke 1:47-48 says,
“And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he
hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden”. Mary
needed a Saviour too, and she confessed it. Mary had to perform
a sacrifice for her uncleanness (Luke 2:21) as God commanded
(Leviticus 12:7-8 and 15:29-30) when the circumcision was
done on the eighth day after Jesus’ birth. The sacrifices
were an offering for her sin and for the issue of her uncleanness.
If she was divine, then why would she need to be cleansed
of her sin and uncleanness?
Mary knew Jesus
was not only the Saviour of the world, but her saviour as
well. During the years she raised Him from infancy, she had
convincing evidence of this when the shepherds proclaimed
what they had seen and heard (Luke 2:10-19), when Simeon proclaimed
he had seen the Lord’s Christ (Luke 2:25-35), and when
the wise men sought Him out as a young child (Matthew 2:9-11).
She pondered these things in her heart, and knew before his
birth that he was to be her Saviour too.
Jesus called her
woman (John 2:14) when He was dying on the cross for ALL.
Luke 19:26-27 says, “When Jesus therefore saw his mother,
and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto
his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple,
Behold thy mother!”
Jesus did not support
any worship of Mary, but of God the Father. He said in Luke
11:27-28, "And it came to pass, as he spake these things,
a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said
unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps
which thou hast sucked. But he said, Yea rather, blessed are
they that hear the word of God, and keep it.”
God says in Isaiah
48:11, “. . . and I will not give my glory unto another.”
Then, in Exodus 20:3-6 it says, “Thou shalt have no other
gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image,
or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that
is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the
earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve
them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the
iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and
fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy
unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.”
Obey God, come
out of the vain religions, and serve God, the only one who
ever gave His son that you might be made whole.
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Backsliding
by Denise Treat
Backsliding is so easy; there are no requirements. One doesn't
backslide in a single day. Before the outward appearance of
backsliding, one is backslid in heart. Others may be blamed,
but the final choice is made by the backslider who chooses
not to serve God!
When Jesus was
on the earth, there were backsliders. John 6:66 says, “From
that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more
with him.” Read about Demas in 2 Timothy 4:10.
Why do people backslide?
I’m going to give you at least three of those reasons:
(1) inconsistency, (2) indifference, and (3) insensitivity.
(1) INCONSISTENCY:
Things in which you were once consistent toward God and spiritual
matters no longer seem vital or necessary. Bible reading is
neglected. Prayer is no longer a priority in your life. Many
excuses can be found. You used to pay tithes and give offerings.
You are not putting God first as financial needs loom before
you. You no longer give to God's work. Inconsistency in prayer,
Bible reading, church attendance, and financial matters are
results from backsliding that has already begun in the heart.
(2) INDIFFERENCE:
Inconsistency leads to indifference. The Bible gives examples
of those who became indifferent in their relationships with
God. This attitude caused them to lose fellowship with God.
Cain's indifference led to jealousy, hatred, and murder. No
record is given of his repentance. Samson became indifferent
toward the godly advice of his parents. He not only lost his
hair, but his strength and his eyes. He became a slave for
the remainder of his life. Saul’s careless indifference
to the things of God caused God’s Spirit to depart from
him. Read 1 Samuel, Chapters 15-18. Indifference will separate
you from God.
(3) INSENSITIVITY:
1 Timothy 4:2 tells us that some people have their conscience
seared with a hot iron. A hardened conscience has little,
if any, feeling toward God or spiritual things. Read 2 Timothy
3:1-5. If you become insensitive to sin, it will gradually
overcome the conviction from the Lord and you will backslide.
Psalm 97:10 tells us to hate evil. If you become hardhearted
toward the Holy Ghost, you will justify your sin (but that
doesn’t justify you before God). You will reject God's
will, replacing it with your plans, desires, and ambitions.
It's hard to hear God’s voice when you don't care!
You need not backslide.
God has made provision for you to live an overcoming, Christian
life. Discipline yourself according to God’s Word. Get
the victory over the devil! Read 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 and
fight the good fight of faith!
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To The Backslider
by Sharon Cromwell
You’ll find out that I’m not one
To soft soap any thing.
Backslider, please listen.
I want these words to ring.
Now is the day
of salvation and
The Bible does not lie.
Please don’t wait any longer
The pay of sin is: you die.
God has laid before
us life
Or death as a choice.
If you will, do it now.
Repent. Lift up your voice!
Some are praying
and fasting
For life you to choose.
Don’t resist God when he calls
Or forever your soul you will lose.
You’re not
promised tomorrow.
He’ll not always strive with men.
It’s up to you what you do, but
He’ll help you get rid of sin.
Draw nigh to God
and He’ll draw
Nigh to you He has told us.
Life is through God’s Son,
His name is Christ Jesus.
Just pray as if
you were talking,
He’s listening as you do,
If your prayer is of sorrow for sin.
Jesus died for you.
Read your old Bible,
and as you pray
The path will be made clear.
Follow him and obey;
It will save you many a tear.
Angels and loved
ones will rejoice
As Christ removes your darkness and your sin.
God promised joy in the morning!
To all who victory win!!!
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June
A Father and
the Little Ones
by Pastor Kevin Badgley
Our heavenly Father cares about us. The Bible says that God
is love. Earthly fathers should be loving, but are also perceived
as authority figures. Another perception of earthly fathers
pertains to the hard work they do to make a living for the
family. God set forth the commandments, and one of them specifically
tells us to honor our father and mother. We honor God when
we obey His commands.
When we get saved,
we become the sheep of the Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ. A
new disciple is a baby in the Lord, but he can grow. Whether
it be a baby in the natural, or a new born Christian, we must
take care of it, having compassion as Jesus did. Matthew 18:10
says, “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little
ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always
behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.”
Matthew 23:11 says,
“But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.”
Are YOU willing to clean up after the “kids?” Some
use the excuse, “They’re not MY kids;” remember,
babies don’t know any better than to dirty their diapers!
A baby Christian’s soul is in your hands. Don’t
abuse or neglect them!
We are not supposed
to be lazy or shirk our responsibility to those growing up
in the faith. Ecclesiastes 9:10 says, “Whatsoever thy
hand findeth to do, do it with thy might. . . .”
Authority requires
responsibility! We need to be like the Centurion in Matthew
8:9, “For I am a man under authority, having soldiers
under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to
another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this,
and he doeth it.” He knew how to take orders, therefore
he knew how to give orders.
Luke 16:10 says,
“He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful
also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust
also in much.” If we are faithful with these little ones,
as our Heavenly Father is toward us, we will watch them grow
in His grace, and see them avail much in the kingdom of God.
Praise the Lord!
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A Father's Love
by Alcey Beggs
As Father’s Day approaches, we need to consider our Father
— God. If you are saved and bought by the blood of Jesus,
then God is your Father. If you have not accepted Jesus as
your Lord and Saviour, then Satan is your father.
God chose to give
us the greatest gift, His son Jesus Christ, by whom we might
be saved. John 3:16 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”.
There are many
characteristics of God the Father listed in the Bible. God
is merciful, gracious, slow to anger: Exodus 34:6, “.
. . The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and
abundant in goodness and truth.” However, He is quick
to judge the unrighteous (Deuteronomy 32:36). He is holy (Psalms
22:3), just (Isaiah 45:21), impartial (Acts 10:34), faithful
(Deuteronomy 7:9), true (Jeremiah 10:10, John 17:3), loving
(John 3:16, Romans 5:5, Romans 8:39), good (Psalm 52:1, Romans
2:4), jealous (Exodus 20:5, Exodus 34:14, Deuteronomy 4:24,
), immutable (Hebrews 6:17-18), omniscient (Psalms 33:13,
Proverbs 15:3), omnipresent (I Kings 8:27, 2 Chronicles 2:6,
Psalms 139:7-10), omnipotent (Revelation 19:6), eternal (Deuteronomy
33:27), supreme judge (2 Timothy 4:1), the LORD God Almighty
(Revelation 4:8, Revelation 11:17, Revelation 15:3), and the
Creator (Isaiah 40:28, Isaiah 43:15).
God’s love
is infinite (Romans 8:39), but He says His Spirit will not
always strive with man (Genesis 6:3), so seek Him while he
may be found, and call upon Him while He is near (Isaiah 55:6).
Ask the Lord into your heart. Ask Him to wash you and cleanse
you in His holy, precious blood that He shed on Calvary for
you. Let the Love of God be shed abroad in your heart and
in your life. Then you will begin to learn more about God
the Father, His love, His will, and His longsuffering, and
you can share this with others. Matthew 6:33 says, “But
seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and
all these things shall be added unto you.”
PRAISE GOD FOR
HIS LOVE TO US!!
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No Safe La La Land
by Sharon Cromwell
Many want to be in an environment that is trouble free, having
no strife, stress, or problems. That sounds good to me! It
is not an evil desire; however, let’s be realistic. Job
14:1 says, “Man that is born of a woman is of few days,
and full of trouble.”
Then we read in
Psalm 144:14-15, “. . . that there be no complaining
in our streets. Happy is that people, that is in such a case:
yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.”
Do you have a lot
of turmoil in your life? We are supposed to pray without ceasing
according to 1 Thessalonians 5:17. Don’t go the route
of (1) unbelief or (2) unreality (make-believe).
Unbelief will make
you doubt God, steals your peace, and brings fear. Without
faith we cannot please God (Hebrews 11:6). Psalm 62:8 tells
us, “Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your
heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.”
Do not trade reality
for make-believe just so you can get “relief” from
trouble or pain! When you resort to the world of make-believe,
you cannot make reasonable decisions. How can you have faith,
except you feel and know that you are accountable for what
you do? You cannot trust something that is not “there”
or “so.”
You must face truth,
no matter how hard, because only the truth will set you free.
How can you face the trouble? Jesus said in Psalm 37:5, “Commit
thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him. . . .” Life
has many responsibilities, and sometimes they get heavy, but
Psalm 37:25 says, “I have been young, and now am old;
yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging
bread.”
If you choose to
go to the “La La Land” of make-believe, where is
the road back to reality? You may convince yourself that your
trouble didn’t really happen, or that your pain is not
real, or that the devil does not exist. In that same mind
frame, the good things and happiness are also only pretended.
Don’t even stick a thought or a toe into that place.
Philippians 4:13
says, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth
me.” Psalm 127:2 says, “It is vain for you to rise
up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for
so he giveth his beloved sleep.” Read also Psalm 4:8.
Pray to the place
you know God will take care of you. Confess and forsake sin,
and you will have confidence in God (1 John 3:19-22). Our
safety is in Jesus Christ. Hebrews 6:19 tells us we have hope,
and it is as an anchor of the soul, sure and stedfast. That
is a REAL promise from the Lord. Jesus is our anchor, our
refuge, and our Saviour in the storm, the wilderness, and
in the whole world. He is big enough to help us handle our
problems.
Psalm 9:9 says,
“The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a
refuge in times of trouble.” Psalm 57:1 says, “.
. . O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee:
yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until
these calamities be overpast.”
Isaiah 25:4 says,
“For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength
to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow
from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a
storm against the wall.”
Ephesians 3:20-21
tells us that God is able to do exceeding abundantly above
all that we ask or think, so seek God, live for God, and rest
in him. Jesus said in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with
you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give
I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it
be afraid.” Let’s believe God!
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July
Our School
by Alcey Beggs
Starting in August 1999, we will have a Christian School in
our church. A program called The School of Tomorrow will serve
children from kindergarten through twelfth grade, with the
option to continue their education with some college preparative
courses.
We believe at Living
Hope Fellowship that many problems we see in our society today
are due to the breakdown of the American Family, which is
due to the breakdown of the Church, which has not taught Godly
values. The School of Tomorrow incorporates the Word of God
within its curriculum, along with the character traits of
Jesus, teaching godly values as well as supplying an excellent
individualized learning program for the student. Exodus 18:20
says: “And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws,
and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the
work that they must do.”
It is our prayer
to expand this program as a part of our growing youth ministry,
and to save souls of children of this area, their households,
the community, and to spread revival in the land.
Proverbs 22:6 says:
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he
is old, he will not depart from it.”
FUND RAISERS
Our work has already
begun. After several meetings, viewing other schools, and
lots of prayer, we decided to ask God to give us His final
decision. On April 22, 1999, we fleeced God. We asked God
for $3,500.00 (enough to sign the contract with The School
of Tomorrow) by May 15, 1999. On May 2, 1999, we had $3,500.00
toward our school!
We have had a Yard
Sale/Food Sale (leaving us all very tired and sunburned) which
went very well. A Pancake Breakfast was also held, which was
also very tiring, but fun. It went well also.
By May 9, 1999,
we had a GRAND TOTAL of $7,000.00 toward our school. What
a Mighty God we serve!! Several other fund raisers are in
the making. We believe God for all the finances we will need
to run the school.
BENEFACTORS
Our school is in
need of financial support. Maybe you don’t live in our
area, but would like to support this ministry. A benefactor
would give a donation (maybe once a year, or once only). Pray,
and see how God deals with you.
This could be in
a monetary form, but we are also in need of equipment. Computers
are needed for the students and the office, a commercial quality
copier, material to build desks are needed, and eventually
we will build a school building. ALL donations are tax deductible.
SPONSORSHIP
There are many
children within our area whose families cannot afford to send
them to a private school. Although it is our wish to serve
every child that we possibly can, at this time funding is
not available for private schools other than the tuition charges.
Sponsorships would be monthly donations toward a child’s
tuition. Our School Board will pick the child, and we will
give updates monthly on the child’s progress to the sponsor.
However, names will not be revealed due to privacy.
Any support you
are willing to give, after prayerful consideration, will be
deeply appreciated. Most of all, we covet your prayers.
HOW CAN I HELP?
There are many
ways that you can help further God’s work. Our school
is in need of donations. This could be a one-time donation,
as a benefactor, or as a sponsor (please see details above).
If you are interested in any (or all) of these, please mail
your donation or inquiries to:
Living Hope Fellowship
Christian School
P.O. Box 111
Grand Chain, IL 62941
or E-mail us at:
livinghope@hughes.net,lhfchurch@hotmail
(Living Hope Fellowship
is an Illinois not-for-profit corporation. LHF is fully accountable,
and is tax exempt under the (501) (c) (3) of the Internal
Tax Revenue Service.)
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Out Of The Abundance Of The Heart
by Dianna Miller
(Definitions are included for clarification.)
Discouraged - To be disheartened; not having courage.
Depressed - To be pressed down; low in spirits; gloomy; sad.
Melancholy - A tendency to be sad and depressed all the time;
gloomy.
Self-centered - To be concerned only with one's own affairs,
feelings, and interests; that the welfare of others becomes
of less concern. To be selfish.
Self-willed - A persistent carrying out of one's own wishes,
even when it conflicts with others; stubborn.
Stubborn - Refusing to yield or to obey; determined to have
one's own way; being hard to handle or deal with.
While we are in
this flesh, walking on this earth, we are going to experience
these traits in our lives, but it does not mean we have to
keep them. Jesus wants us to overcome the flesh. How do we
do that? Once we recognize these traits are there, we need
to pray and ask God to help us overcome them (our flesh).
These traits are not from God, therefore they do not belong
in us. It takes discipline and determination.
Discipline - Training
that develops self control; being submissive to higher authority.
Determination - The act of coming to a decision; having resolution
or being settled to do or establish something.
You have to decide
what is more important: to serve flesh and allow it and the
works of the devil to take you to hell, OR to submit yourself
to God, obey His Word, pray, fast, seek Him, and go to heaven.
Isaiah 28:12 says: "To whom he said, This is the rest
wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the
refreshing: yet they would not hear."
Isaiah 30:15 says:
"For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel;
In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and
in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not."
God has promised us peace, rest, and a refreshing. He promises
us salvation, quietness, and confidence towards Him; yet we
would rather wallow in the mire, or in other words, stay in
the pig pen like the “prodigal son.”
In God is joy and
peace even through hard times, yet we would rather feel sorry
for ourselves all the time. This is being self-centered. This
is what the devil would like us to do. This is not of God.
Deuteronomy 28:47-48
says: "Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with
joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance
of all things; Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which
the Lord shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst,
and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall
put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed
thee." If you refuse to serve the Lord with joyfulness
and gladness of heart, then the Lord will cause you to serve
our enemy, the devil. If you think you have trouble now...!
When you get frustrated
or angry at yourself or at someone else, especially your spouse,
go pray. If you find yourself getting discouraged, go pray.
If you find yourself getting depressed and melancholy, go
pray. Sometimes you just have to make yourself do it; and
as Pastor Kevin, my pastor, has said many times, "Sometimes
you have to praise the Lord through clenched teeth."
However, if you want the victory and if you want joy back
in your heart, it's worth it. Try it. Start praising the Lord
even when you don't feel like it, and see what happens. This
is how to overcome the flesh. It takes determination on our
part. Then when God sees that you are determined, He will
bless you. Then you can honestly say, "He brought me
up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and
set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings."
Psalms 40:2.
Let's come out
of the mire and believe God. Eventually, even the prodigal
son came to himself and decided to return to his father. Let's
do the same thing. God loves you.
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Soldier
by Pastor Kevin Badgley
(preached 02/01/98 a.m.)
Exodus 15:3 says, “The LORD is a man of war: the LORD
is his name.” We that are saved are soldiers of the cross,
and Jesus is the Captain of our salvation. The Christian’s
armor is listed in Ephesians 6:10-18. Jesus, our Captain,
came down from heaven and Hebrews 5:8-9 says, “Though
he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which
he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author
of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.”
We war in the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 10:4 says, “For the weapons of our warfare
are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down
of strong holds.” Joshua and Caleb sent men to spy out
the land, and two out of the twelve sent were true soldiers.
The other 10 were cowards, and said they were not able to
take the land. Joshua and Caleb said in Numbers 14:9, “Only
rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people
of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed
from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.” There
is no place for cowards in God’s army.
Jesus has already
been on the battlefield as a warrior (see Hebrews 2:18 &
Hebrews 4:15). He calls us to be warriors, soldiers. You may
not think you are able, but if you discipline yourself during
the training, it makes you able. Some observe the Judases
and the Sauls who have failed, but don’t go there! David
was called when he was young; first he was a warrior, and
then a king.
If there is no
discipline, it shows up. You have to take the pressure in
little things to be able to handle the big things (see Luke
16:10 )! A soldier does not turn to the right or the left;
there is no compromising! Serve well in the army of the King,
that there be no mockery. Though some will be wounded in service,
he still wants us to fight, and do his work.
There are ranks
in the army of God. Don’t stay a private; there need
to be officers, some generals, some sons of God; so get higher
in the Lord! A soldier loves God enough to lay down his life
to die for others (see John 15:13). Our heavenly Father is
a mighty man. Are we with him as valiant men? Act 1:8 says
we shall receive power after the Holy Ghost is come upon us.
We cannot be defeated going God’s way, but people are
fat, lazy, unbelieving, and have a great lack of discipline.
We must find out what GOD wants us to do, and do it.
In God’s army
there is no retirement, but don’t forget the benefits!
You must be totally dependent on God (2 Timothy 2:3-5). Paul
said in he fought a good fight and kept the faith, and that
a crown of righteousness was laid up for him (see 2 Timothy
4:7-8). Satan’s ranks are specially designed to destroy
country and church, but we can overcome him. God has not changed,
and He has a remnant. A holy boldness from God comes upon
you when you know God is with you. You can witness, and fight
in the Lord’s battles. The fearful and the unbelieving
shall not inherit the kingdom of God (see Revelation 21:8).
The biggest war
is between your ears, in your mind. Let’s overcome, having
the mind of Christ. There is a glorious dignity in being blood
bought saints and warriors in God’s army. He delivers
us from the enemy. Fear, doubt, and complaining have no place
here, so let’s overcome in Christ!
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Our Forefathers Used to Pray!
by Sharon Cromwell
In the early days of America, the Continental Congress pronounced
days of fasting, and prayer, and thanksgiving during the War
of Independence! Doesn’t it sound fantastic for someone
to declare that everyone should fast and pray, and the government
is behind it?
In the Civil War,
President Lincoln appointed a National Fast Day and urged
Americans to confess their national sins and pray for forgiveness.
General Patton
turned to prayer when weather consisting of continuous rain
and fog hindered them from winning the battle. At Patton’s
request, his chief chaplain devised a short prayer asking
God for fair weather so they could win the battle. Patton
directed 250,000 copies to be made, which were given to the
men in the Third Army. Almost a week of clear weather gave
the Allied planes good flying weather, which led to victory!
2 Chronicles 7:14
says, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall
humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from
their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will
forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
In Nineveh the
king considered Jonah’s warning from God and commanded
the people to fast and pray. Because they listened and repented,
God turned his wrath away from them.
Our nation was
founded on Biblical principles. We have had some godly forefathers;
however, we are yet another generation. We must call upon
God right now for our nation in this present time. Isaiah
55:6 says, “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call
ye upon him while he is near.” Acts 17:27 warns, “That
they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after
him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of
us.”
Psalm 85:4-7 says,
“Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger
toward us to cease. Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt
thou draw out thine anger to all generations? Wilt thou not
revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee? Show
us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.”
True repentance
is the key to getting mercy from God. 1 John 1:9 says, “If
we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us
our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
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August
Get Out of the
Circle
by Gail Redman
Have you ever noticed that most people have a circle drawn
around themselves and most decisions that they make revolve
around their own lives and lusts? Christians even do many
things to look good and impress others.
We fall so short
of walking our day to day lives as a living epistle of the
love of Christ! Many Christians are so consumed with their
own problems and messes that they are oblivious to the needs
of others. If we would start pouring out of ourselves to others,
we might be amazed at how small our problems become!
Christ’s ministry
consistently reached out to supply the needs of those around
him. His sacrifice of love caused the sick to be healed, devils
to be cast out, and the dead to be raised. It is time for
the church to wake out of lethargy and redeem wasted hours
spent in frivolity.
When we get serious
with God and desire the will of the Father, then the works
the church has been called to do will be manifest.
Examine your heart.
Have you drawn a circle around yourself and do you live with
the attitude, “It’s my four and no more?” The
Bible warns of perilous times of last days where men will
be lovers of their own selves. 2 Timothy 3:1-2 says, “This
know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters,
proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy.”
Be bold. Step out
of your circle of comfort, and take the good news of Jesus
Christ to a lost world of sinners. Ask God to let you feel
the pain of others and see the needs around you. We will never
reach the lost for Christ if we remain in the circle of me,
me, me. By the grace of God, may we be set free of all self-centeredness!
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Other Gods, (Part 1)
by Pastor Kevin Badgley
(preached 10/11/98)
In Luke 9:41 Jesus called his generation faithless and perverse.
A perverse generation is one that is perverted, turned aside
from right and good, to the wrong and twisted.
If luxuries become
your main focus, they become your god. Luke 16:15 tells us
that “. . . Ye are they which justify yourselves before
men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly
esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.”
Some things that are acceptable to men are hated by God. Some
even call evil good and good evil. Some people cannot discern
the difference between perverted preaching and right preaching.
If sin is not openly condemned how will people know what it
is?
Diversions are
things that attract. They are made to draw someone from one
point to another, and there are many things that can divert
our attention. We are too busy (diverted) to pay attention
to God. To pervert means to corrupt, to misdirect, to divert.
Some diversions are perversions.
David said in Psalm
139:24, “And see if there be any wicked way in me, and
lead me in the way everlasting.” Numbers 32:23 says,
“. . . be sure your sin will find you out.” The
devil will try to get you diverted, distracted, and preoccupied.
Idols divert us
from God. An idol replaces God — all or partially. We
are commanded to serve God with ALL of our hearts. Covetousness
is idolatry. This takes place when you use THINGS to satisfy
yourself in place of God. You must get rid of idols before
you will do any thing for God.
When you put your
trust in something, it can become a god to you. Idols can
become a drug to you. They can be anything to satisfy you
and cause you to look to as a comforter, healer, deliverer,
or keeper.
Ezekiel 14:4 speaks
about people setting up idols in the heart, and about the
stumblingblock of iniquity! We lean to our self will, and
comfort ourselves with counterfeits till God answers. There
are things we won’t give up until we seek God deeper!
Hebrews 12:1 says,
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so
great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight,
and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run
with patience the race that is set before us.” An idol
is a stumblingblock and a landmark that says, “Go here,
this far, and no further.”
There is no Bible
doctrine that says we must cope. Instead, we must overcome.
We have become “idol” dependent. God said in Exodus
20:3, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”
Our God is a jealous God. “Normal” does not cast
out devils. Get rid of diversions, stumblingblocks, and idolatry
in your life. Satan will see you sifted as wheat, like he
tried to do with Peter. Get right with God.
The Bible says,
"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the
world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is
not in him." 1 John 2:15
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A Blind Woman Sees
by Sharon Cromwell
Frances Jane Crosby, the famous poet and song writer, was
completely blind at five years old. During the first half
of her life, Fanny taught the blind, spending some of her
time as an instructor in the New York’s Institute for
the Blind. She was a writer of popular ballads before she
wrote hymns.
It is noted that
she was a welcome guest of Grover Cleveland at the White House,
where he would take dictation from her, setting aside his
work momentarily.
At age forty-four
she started writing hymns, and then wrote over 8,000 of them.
In mid-life she wrote one of her first and best hymns, “Pass
Me Not, O Gentle Saviour.”
“Aunt Fanny”
visited revivals and missions to analyze the influence of
her hymns. At the same time, she collected information and
ideas for new ones. After all, she had a contract to produce
three hymns a week for just one publisher!
In 1869, on a hot
summer night, this little blind woman rode in a hack to a
Bowery mission. Realizing who she was, they asked her to speak.
After talking, she worked among the lowest derelicts of New
York. This experience inspired Fanny to write the great hymn,
“Rescue The Perishing.” This song speaks of snatching
the dying and the perishing from sin and the grave. It also
speaks of weeping over the sinner, lifting up those who have
fallen, telling them about Jesus’ power to save. The
song lets us know that Jesus will forgive if they will believe,
and that we should plead for them in prayer earnestly.
One day in 1874
Fanny prayed for money; she needed five dollars and some change!
Done praying, she was walking back and forth in her room when
a stranger came to visit her. As the stranger left, five dollars
and change was left in her hand after the handshake. This
led her, after prayer of thanks, to write “All The Way
My Saviour Leads Me.”
(Fanny Crosby lived from 1820 to 1915.)
We can learn a lesson from these facts. If we let Jesus lead
our lives, (1) we can win others to him, (2) our “blind
eyes” can see, and (3) God will miraculously supply our
needs.
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The Cry of the Poor
by Sharon Cromwell
God anointed Jesus to preach the gospel to the poor (See Luke
4:18). Proverbs 21:13 says, “Whoso stoppeth his ears
at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall
not be heard.” God wants us to be molded into the image
of His Son Jesus. Therefore, pride and selfishness must be
put away from us. 1 Corinthians Chapter 13 tells us what true
charity is.
2 Corinthians 5:20
says, “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though
God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead,
be ye reconciled to God.” As disciples and ambassadors
of Jesus, it is our duty to win the lost and to help the poor.
In Mark 8:1-9 Jesus had compassion and supernaturally fed
a multitude who went without food to listen to him preach.
There were seven baskets left over AFTER they ate their fill!
Matthew 25:44-46
says, “Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord,
when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or
naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you,
Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye
did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting
punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”
It is important
that we follow Jesus in attitude, compassion, and in deed.
1 John 3:17-19 says, “But whoso hath this world's good,
and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels
of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue;
but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of
the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.” James
2:16 backs this up: “And one of you say unto them, Depart
in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give
them not those things which are needful to the body; what
doth it profit?”
Psalm 41:1 says,
“Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will
deliver him in time of trouble.” If you want to be blessed,
help the poor. Proverbs 28:27 says, “He that giveth unto
the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall
have many a curse.”
I heard a preacher
say that when he got saved, his pocketbook got saved! In 1
Timothy 6 we are told that godliness with contentment is great
gain. We are to be content with having food and raiment. The
rich are warned of temptations, snares, and lusts that can
destroy them. Verse 10-11 says, “For the love of money
is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they
have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through
with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things;
and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience,
meekness.”
Look what Luke
18:25 says: “For it is easier for a camel to go through
a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom
of God.” Jesus made himself poor for our sakes. 2 Corinthians
8:9 says, “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor,
that ye through his poverty might be rich.”
You may say, “Why
should I give MY “STUFF” (or money, or anything)
to anybody else?” I worked for it; they didn’t.
Who gave it to you? Who gives you life, the necessities of
life, and all that you have?
Some may say, “They
don’t deserve it!” Job 11:6 says, “And that
he would show thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double
to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee
less than thine iniquity deserveth.” Romans 3:23 says,
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of
God.”
If you will study
out Ecclesiastes 9:11 and Deuteronomy Chapter 28, you will
find that some are poor because of time and chance, and some
are actually cursed. Read the Bible! Romans 5:8 says, “But
God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were
yet sinners, Christ died for us.” That includes ALL of
us, rich and poor.
Do you pray for
the poor, the hungry, and the needy? Have you asked God what
He wants you to do about it, or are you afraid if you sincerely
ask him that He will require more than you are presently willing
to give? Will he have to deal with you some more? Will you
obey him, and put legs under your prayers? Have you seen the
needy, felt convicted to help, and overrode that conviction?
Did you repent? Have you said, “I have nothing to give?”
Money, goods, time, and labor all count. If you are willing,
God will open the door for you to give. Read 2 Corinthians
8:12).
Matthew 5:7 says,
“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”
John 13:35 says, “By this shall all men know that ye
are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
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September
Are You Prepared?
by Gail Redman
A scripture taken from Amos 4:12 says, prepare to meet thy
God." We need to search our hearts and see if we are
prepared to stand before the King of Kings. Are we a prepared
bride without spot and wrinkle eagerly looking for the soon
coming of Jesus? Or have the cares of this world, the folly
and vanity that distracts us from intimate time alone with
Jesus, so consumed our time and thoughts that our personal
relationship with Jesus takes a back seat role.
Many have fallen
away (backsliders) and some have heard the gospel but never
entered into a born again, personal relationship with Jesus.
There are those in our midst Sunday after Sunday with no zeal,
cold and indifferent to movings of the Holy Spirit. Others
experience that refreshing from above only to be back in the
world several weeks later. We will be without excuse on the
day of judgment.
Power has been
given us from above to live a life of separation from this
fallen world. Do not be a church hopper, never submitting
yourself to the authority of God through his appointed leaders.
Joshua 24:15 says,
“. . . choose you this day whom ye will serve. . . "
Each one of us has a choice as to whether we serve God or
the world. We cannot blame our circumstances or anyone else
for the decision that we make. The most important decision
we will ever make regards the choice that we make concerning
accepting or rejecting the gospel of Jesus Christ. Do not
be among that group told, "And then will I profess unto
them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
(Matthew 7:23)
God is good! However,
God revealed to us in Genesis 6:3, ". . . My spirit shall
not always strive with man. . . ." Our days are numbered.
Do not be lulled into the deception that there will always
be another time or day.
Today is the day
of salvation!
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Other Gods, (Part 2)
by Pastor Kevin Badgley
In part #1 of Other Gods we said that Jesus called his generation
faithless and perverse. A perverse generation is one that
is turned aside from right and good, to the wrong and twisted.
We also know that the things which are highly esteemed among
men are abomination to God.
1 Peter 5:8 tells
us, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the
devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may
devour.” The carnal mind is not obedient, nor subject
to God (see Romans 8:7); therefore, we must put on the mind
of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 2:16 and Galatians 3:27). We
have been brought out of bondage and we are to have no other
gods before GOD. Some try to do as the people in 2 Kings 17:33,
who feared the Lord AND served their own gods! Matthew 6:24
says, “No man can serve two masters. . . .”
If you can’t
let go of something, it is a god to you.
WHAT IS A GOD?
1. For some it is a time of frolic, lightness, foolishness.
They don’t have to make a decision of right or wrong.
It turns to mischievous madness.
2. A god is one
you yield to and obey in your physical body. Smoking is one.
If a man is bound, he doesn’t trust in God Almighty.
Read Romans 6:16, which says, “Know ye not, that to whom
ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are
to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience
unto righteousness?”
3. A god is one
who has most of your attention most of the time. Isaiah 26:3
says, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind
is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”
4. The god of this
world will suck the life right out of you. Some make up their
own gods from cars, houses — things. God Almighty gives
life and more abundantly (even though in the prayer closet
it feels like you are dying).
5. A god is the
one you give the best and most excuses for. If you press some
long enough, you will find out that God didn’t answer
them so they picked up another little god! Jeremiah 7:8-19
mentions some specifics about walking after other gods. God’s
people said they were delivered to do these things!
6. What is the
first thing you do or think about when you get mad or upset?
That could be your god.
7. Some bow down
to the refrigerator.
8. A god is the
one you sacrifice the most often to. Consider all the monthly
payments.
9. A god is one
you will believe in to deliver you and give you victory without
crucifixion. (It won’t push holiness.) There is no Gethsemane,
Calvary, and resurrection with this god. Matthew 7:13-14 tells
us that strait is the gate that leads to life. Jesus is the
truth, the life, and the way, yet people refuse Him. Almighty
God is not going to make it easier. You have to slim down
to get in, laying aside the sin and the weights.
10. A god is one
you get mad at when it is preached on! This can be anything
you put before God.
11. A god is the
first one you go to when you are depressed, angry, or angry
with God.
12. A god occupies
most of your mental and physical time. God told some to go
back and let the gods they trusted in deliver them, knowing
those gods could not deliver.
SO. . .
Is getting your prayer answered as significant as these other
gods? Jesus said in John 14:15, “If ye love me, keep
my commandments.” If we do this, we will have a proper
perspective of the love of other things. Sanctify some time
every day to God. God must come FIRST, before other “things.”
Deuteronomy 6:5
says, “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all
thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”
*****
Acts 17:27 says, “That they should seek the Lord, if
haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be
not far from every one of us:”
*****
1 John 2:15 says, “Love not the world, neither the things
that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love
of the Father is not in him.”
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October
All Hallows
Eve
by Alcey Beggs
On October 31, millions of Christians join in a festivity
called “All Hallows Eve” or “Halloween.”
Many do not know it’s origination and allow their children
to participate, giving respect to Satan without even knowing.
All Hallow’s
Eve came from the ancient Druids who believed that on that
night, called “Samhain,” that Saman, the lord of
the dead, called forth hosts of evil spirits.
The Druids went
house to house, taking victims for a human sacrifice. In exchange
for a victim, they left a Jack-O-Lantern with a lighted candle
made of human fat, which was supposed to protect the home
from death demons. This is the action that “trick-or-treat”
emulates. A suitable worship and offering had to be given
to these spirits or they would cast spells, cause havoc, steal
infants, destroy crops, kill farm animals and create terror
as they haunted the living. If the demands were not met, then
a symbolic hex was drawn on the front door. One of the basic
tenets in witchcraft is to control the will of another by
use of fear.
Satan loves Halloween
because it glamorizes the powers of darkness, drawing little
kids into his camp. The “trick” of the devil is
that many believe that witches, devils, and demons are just
make believe and appear only on Halloween. That is what he
wants you to believe. If you think he is not real, you won’t
fight him. Children who are murdered and mutilated on Halloween
are no accident, they are planned sacrifices to Satan from
his followers.
Our God does not
require a human sacrifice, He gave His only Son for the supreme
sacrifice. He tells us not to participate in the way of the
heathen.
2 Corinthians 6:15-18
says, “And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what
part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement
hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of
the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and
walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my
people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate,
saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will
receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be
my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”
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Are You Trying To Impress God?
by Gail Redman
Have you ever wondered how many people in this world are trying
to gain God’s approval by works? There are religions
that base their entire doctrine on works versus salvation
by grace through faith in Christ Jesus. I am in awe over the
sacrifice made for my sins at the cross of Calvary. There
is nothing about my goodness or righteousness that impresses
God. The only thing that impresses God is seeing the blood
of Jesus covering my sins.
Have you ever fallen
short of God’s glory, felt condemnation, and then try
to work your way back in good standing with God? Aren’t
you glad that God only requires that we confess our sins,
turn from our wicked ways, and by faith let the blood of Christ
cleanse us? What if we had to be perfect for a month, fast
for forty days and nights, and then just maybe, we would meet
God’s approval?
I believe that
when we are born again there is a desire in us to please God.
One way that we try to accomplish this is by works. A Christian
might get mad at God because a prayer has not been answered
in the manner they expected. Then they present God with a
list of all the things they have done to further the kingdom
of God. This list or getting mad does not impress or move
God.
We need to know
what impresses God. Hebrews 11:6 tells us, “But without
faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to
God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of
them that diligently seek him.” How can we know if someone
loves God? In John 14:15 Jesus tells us, “If ye love
me, keep my commandments.”
Have you obeyed
God every way that you know how? If so, the Bible commands
us to stand (see Ephesians 6:13). We need to cease from our
own works, quit operating in unbelief, and enter into the
rest of God (see Hebrews 3:18-4:11).
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Sweet Temptation
by Pastor Kevin Badgley
(preached 11/24/91)
Many people condone
things that are not right according to God’s Word. They
say, Well, I’m weak, but God understands. God understands
when a man is tried and tempted, but it is not an excuse to
say, Well, the flesh is weak, but I’m not saved in the
flesh, I’m saved in the Spirit. Hebrews 12:14 says, “Follow
peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall
see the Lord:”
We shall be judged
according to the deeds done in this body. Look at what the
Bible says about temptation and failure when we sin (1 Corinthians
10:13) “There hath no temptation taken you but such as
is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer
you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the
temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able
to bear it.”
Everybody has temptations,
trials, and troubles. There is no sin in the fact that you
are tempted, but the sin comes when you yield to that thing
and you actually commit the act that is being brought against
you by the devil. God has promised the born again Christian
that he will be tempted, but God is faithful, and will not
allow his children to be tempted above and beyond the capacity
to resist it. I’ll say that again. God Almighty has never
allowed any one to be tempted beyond what that person could
stand; they could say no if they want to, down deep in their
heart.
Where does that
place the blame then? According to the scripture, God made
a way for you to escape it, but you said, “NO” and
didn’t take the way He provided. There are times when
the enemy comes and tempts a child of God, and they have felt
a brief moment of relief, or perhaps an open door to take
another route, a way to get out of the situation. This could
have been in the mind, or heart, or in the natural when they
were placed in a serious predicament.
Some think that
there’s a quota to backsliding, and God is on a point
system. They think you have to commit a certain amount of
sins or one big sin before He will cast you out of his presence.
Some think He will not break fellowship with you just because
you happen to say a curse word, or because you go back on
a promise.
When you yield
to temptation, you sin, and you are backslid. In James 1:14-15
it says these words, “But every man is tempted, when
he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust
hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is
finished, bringeth forth death.” That death is the separation
of you from God, and you are in a backslidden state.
Many say they have
failed and cannot live for God because they stumbled and fell.
Proverbs 24:16 says, “For a just man falleth seven times,
and riseth up again. . . .” If we do stumble and fall,
1 John 2:1 says that we have an advocate with the Father.
We have One who is faithful and just to forgive us and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness. His name is Jesus. Hallelujah!
The same One that saved you is the same One that can pick
you back up, brush you off, and say, Now, come on, let’s
go on for God.
However, beloved,
when one continuously goes again and again doing the same
sin, that one has a problem with the devil. The devil is using
something that you like for him to use. Some temptations are
not pleasant. However, some are, and flesh craves many of
these things. People fall because, for the moment, it seems
to be overwhelming, but it is not. You must resist the devil.
James 4:7 says, “Submit yourselves therefore to God.
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” You’re
not supposed to premeditate sin. Read what David said in Psalm
19:13. It is a presumption to say, Well, I’ll sin, but
I’ll ask God to forgive me, and He will. You are already
admitting you are going to sin, and are not giving God any
assurance that you won’t do it again. Why would He forgive
you this time, if he knows deep down in your heart that you’re
not free from it and you’re not wanting to be free from
it?
We have prayed
and cast the devil off of people who were tormented by the
devil. When delivered from the thing, they began again to
seek it. It is as if the thing was a part of their life as
much as an arm or a leg. They have not fully understood what
it means to yield everything over to Jesus, body, soul, spirit,
and mind.
Matthew 26:41 says,
“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the
spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Some
distort this scripture to fit their situation.
Every time you
resist the devil and he flees, you get stronger in God, and
you are able to resist the enemy again. The next time he will
not be so strong. When the Spirit of the Lord draws a man
to God, He continues to deal with that man. However, that
draw will become weaker if a man builds a callous in his soul
against the things of God.
Consequently, the
draw of the enemy will become weaker as we resist the devil
and the ways of the world. You begin to build a shield against
that thing that used to easily beset you. Hebrews 12:1 declares
that we should, “. . . lay aside every weight, and the
sin which doth so easily beset us. . . .” How does it
beset you? Sin tempts you. When you yield and commit sin,
then it brings forth death. Unfortunately, many people believe
they can sin and still make it to heaven. Name the sin that
goes to heaven with you! Perhaps you would say lying, stealing,
committing adultery, wicked thoughts, wandering eyes, lewdness,
perversion, smoking, drinking, or swearing. Think about these
things. Seducing spirits of religion say that we can get by
with it, but you can’t. It’s a lie out of the pit
to comfort men in their sins. God wants you to be without
spot or wrinkle.
When we are tempted,
God has made a way for us to escape! It is not more than we
can resist, praise the Lord! You may say, BUT before, I couldn’t
resist. I tried, but it forced me. Then you were bound and
you needed deliverance. You need the fullness of God in your
life. When you are living for God, He gives you the victory
over all the power of the devil (see Luke 10:19). Walk in
the presence of the Lord, and when the devil comes to steal,
kill, and destroy out of your life the things God has given
to you, say, “No!” Resist the devil! Immediately
get into the Word of God, pray, and think on the things that
God has commanded us to do. God has given us the victory!
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November
Harvest
Helpers
by Sharon Cromwell
Genesis 8:22 says, “While the earth remaineth, seedtime
and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and
day and night shall not cease.”
Jesus said in John
12:24-25, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn
of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but
if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his
life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world
shall keep it unto life eternal.” Romans 12:1-3 explains
that we must be a living sacrifice.
A small acorn has
potential to grow into a mighty oak tree with MANY acorns.
When the fruit is mature, it bears more seeds.
Jesus said in Matthew
9:37-38, “Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest
truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore
the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers
into his harvest.” Jesus died for souls to be saved,
and 2 Peter 3:9 says the Lord is, “. . . not willing
that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
John 4:35 warns
that harvest time is ready: “Say not ye, There are yet
four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you,
Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white
already to harvest.”
Psalm 126:5-6 says,
“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth
forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless
come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”
The sheaves are people whom we have brought to Jesus or have
helped along the way.
It is important
how we sow our seed, and we must sow much seed if we want
a plentiful harvest. 2 Corinthians 9:6 says, “But this
I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly;
and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”
Galatians 6:7-8
says, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever
a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth
to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that
soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”
All Christians
are supposed to help in this harvest, but God gives the increase
(see 1 Corinthians 3:6-9). Galatians 6:9 says, “And let
us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall
reap, if we faint not. The Bible tells us that the day of
the Lord will come as a thief in the night, and to watch and
pray because we don’t know when Jesus is coming.
ALL are admonished
to watch for His coming. Sow the good seed of the Word, tend
it, and watch other Christians grow up in Christ!
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Thanksgiving
by Alcey Beggs
Now is the season for families and friends to gather together
to celebrate Thanksgiving. The stores have been full of Christmas
merchandise for weeks, and it seems already that Thanksgiving
has been pushed aside. This is a shame, because it is truly
the holiday where our emphasis is not on ourselves, the glitter,
presents, or fireworks. It is a time to reflect and thank
God for everything, and we all do have something to be thankful
for!
God healed me this
year of a fibroid tumor, and blessed me by allowing me to
work in our school. What are you thankful for?
Above all other
things that God has given us and blessed us with, I give Him
thanks for His precious son, who shed His blood on Calvary
that I might be saved. We each have many things to be thankful
for.
Following are a
few scriptures that give ways to offer thanksgiving unto God.
Offer unto God
thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High. Palms 50:14
Be careful for
nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Philippians
4:6
Continue in prayer,
and watch in the same with thanksgiving. Colossians 4:2
Rooted and built
up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught,
abounding therein with thanksgiving. Colossians 2:7
Being enriched
in everything to all bountifulness, which causeth through
us thanksgiving to God. 2 Corinthians 9:11
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Thank You Lord!
by Pastor Kevin Badgley
2 Timothy 3:2 says, “For men shall be lovers of their
own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient
to parents, unthankful, unholy.”
Romans 1:21 says,
“Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him
not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their
imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”
Everything you
have is given to you, even your next breath. Whom are you
thankful to? Whom do you love? If you love Jesus, give him
honor.
Psalm 103:1-3 says,
“Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me,
bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget
not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities;
who healeth all thy diseases.” Be thankful for Jesus,
God’s gift to us (see Ephesians 2:8-9).
Psalm 92:1 says,
“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and
to sing praises unto thy name, O most High.” Pray and
believe God. Then pray with thanks from the heart that can
be felt. Unthankfulness is sin.
Hebrews 13:15 says,
“By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise
to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving
thanks to his name.” If you become unthankful, you lose
your humility and contact with the Lord. Even sedate people
get happy about SOME things, like extra cash, etc. Get happy
and be thankful to God. Thanks is our pay back to God.
Psalm 105:1 says,
“O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make
known his deeds among the people.”
ASK, WAIT, THANKS:
this is the order of prayer. Ask God, wait for the answer,
and then thank God for it. Be thankful all year long. Psalm
100:1-5 says, “Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all
ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence
with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that
hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and
the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving,
and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and
bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting;
and his truth endureth to all generations.”
Bless His holy
name! Being thankful is the realization that God has given
you something. We take for granted the little things. 1 Timothy
4:4-5 says, “For every creature of God is good, and nothing
to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it
is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.”
It is comely for
the upright to praise Him. Jesus died on the cross for us.
Remember it and be thankful at all times.
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December
Really
Ready
by Unknown
Dan sat by the fireplace going over his checklist, just to
be sure he hadn't forgotten anything. It was almost 11:00
o'clock on December 31, 1999, and the most talked about day
of the century was on the horizon.
Normally New Year's
Eve would be a party night for Dan, but he was not taking
any chances with the possibility of traffic system computers
failing. He had finally gotten his wife and kids to go to
bed, after several reassurances that everything would be OK
in the morning.
After double-checking
his list he felt very confident that he was prepared for the
worst . . . one hundred gallons of water (check), a month’s
supply of food (check), 2 generators with 100 gallons of gas
(check), 2 flashlights (check), batteries (check), $1,000
(check).
Though he tried
to stay up for the big moment, he was just too exhausted and
fell asleep in his chair. All of a sudden a very loud horn
started blaring, startling Dan out of his sleep. Oh, no! That
must be the city's emergency sirens. Had Russia's nuclear
missiles launched liked many had feared? The darkness was
so thick that even the city's lights must be on the blink.
He reached for his flashlight, but “click,” and
. . . nothing! He had just put the batteries in there minutes
ago!
Through the darkness
and the piercing sound of the horn, he could hear crowds of
people. Some seemed to be celebrating, and some seemed to
be crying for dear life.
As he felt his
way to the window and looked up, it finally hit him. It wasn't
the city's horn he was hearing. It was Gabriel's horn, and
there in the sky was the Lord. He was coming back for his
children just like he had promised. Dan could only watch and
cry. Through all of his preparing for the worst in this life,
he had not prepared for the best after this life.
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Words of Influence
by Sharon Cromwell
The writing of the hymn, “Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus,”
by George Duffield, Jr. (1818-1888), has been attributed to
three things: a revival, a corn-shelling machine, and a fatal
accident.
Mr. Tyng was a
29 year old minister. After a great revival, Tyng had been
working in his study. For relaxation he went to the barn to
watch a corn-shelling machine. His sleeve got caught in a
cog, tearing his arm out of his shoulder. At his bedside,
Tyng’s dad heard his dying words, “Tell them to
stand up for Jesus.”
Tyng’s dad,
also a minister, took his next sermon from Ephesians 6:14,
which says, “Stand therefore, having your loins girt
about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness.”
He then read a poem. The verses of that poem were printed
for the Sunday School, one of which ended up in a periodical.
Then it was put in hymnals and put to a tune that was written
30 years previously.
Six years after
writing the poem that was based on his son’s last words,
Rev. Duffield heard his poem/hymn sung by soldiers.
The influence of
this story and song still persists today. The song impels
us to put on the gospel armor, tells us to have strength and
courage, and inspires us to stand and do battle so that we
will overcome and obtain eternal life!
Have you thought
what your dying words might be? Would they contain fear or
faith and encouragement to others?
What about your
words while you yet live? Matthew 12:36-37 says, “But
I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak,
they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For
by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou
shalt be condemned.”
James 3:2 tells
us, “. . . If any man offend not in word, the same is
a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.”
Hebrews 4:12 says,
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper
than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder
of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a
discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Yet, if we obey it, we will have eternal life. Praise God!
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The Joy
by Pastor Kevin Badgley
(preached 12/18/92)
There is joy in a Christian who is walking in God’s presence.
We look around and see people so down and out, even those
who are supposed to be saved and ready for the kingdom of
God! Many are driven with sadness and the bondage of depression.
Joy and faith work
hand in hand! When you’ve got joy, your faith is strengthened
and you believe God for greater things. However, when you’re
depressed and down, you don’t have the victory in your
life, and this makes you a bad witness. A child of God is
supposed to exemplify Jesus Christ, but if you look like you’ve
been eating green persimmons and drinking pickle juice, people
will say, I don’t need this Jesus you say you have!
Psalm 51:2 says,
“Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me
from my sin.” What is the sin? It can be unbelief, fear,
depression, or a thing that’s come against you and is
easily besetting you. Psalm 51:10 says, “Create in me
a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”
Christians need to pray and seek the face of God!
Any sin will take
away your joy. Psalm 51:12 says, “Restore unto me the
joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.”
David wanted the joy of salvation restored to him. When you
have salvation in Christ and you are walking close to him
you have joy. You may not be chuckling or laughing as you
walk down the street, but inside your heart and on your countenance
there is joy. When bitterness, or wretchedness, or persecution
comes your way you don’t falter or go into a cursing
fit. You just believe God. You renounce the devil in whatever
fashion he comes against you, and you are victorious because
you’ve kept your joy. Nehemiah 8:10 says, “. . .
for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
Christ gives deliverance
and his healing power along with your salvation. You’ve
gone from death unto life, and you are going to be happy.
You have the joy of the Lord, because you know that every
sin is under the blood of Jesus. Without the joy of the Lord,
your strength and faith are not knit up in God, and you are
just able to grind out another hour in the day.
Without strength
in God you cannot resist the devil. He will not flee from
you, because you have no power to resist him. Many times people
want a kick, a joy, or a fix from things and pleasures of
this world because they’ve lost their joy and peace from
God. First David asked for restoration of the joy, and then
he told God he would teach other transgressors.
What could you
do for God if you got the joy of the Lord back in your life?
Keep your salvation fresh and new in God, and go on to greater
glories in God, by keeping the joy of the Lord in your life
afire!
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Charitable Giving
by Sharon Cromwell
The world has put out the attitude that “charity”
is a thing to be refused because you should have too much
pride to accept it, as in someone giving you something for
nothing or nearly nothing. Someone who has true charity does
not give proudly, nor scornfully. The receiver should not
feel ashamed or degraded. Both the giver and the receiver
should act gracefully, humbly, and thankfully. Christians
are admonished to obey Ephesians 5:21 which says, “Submitting
yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” This includes
giving and receiving in submission to God.
You will find out
what the Bible says about charity in 1 Corinthians, Chapter
13 . Charity is kind, vaunteth NOT(show off, gloat, or brag),
and is not puffed up. Therefore charitable giving is not done
with pride. We give gifts because we love, or we appreciate,
sometimes out of duty, to repay, to return a favor, etc. Some
give a gift to obtain a favor (bribe), but the Bible says
that charity thinketh no evil.
Charity never faileth.
You may think that your charitable giving does no good, but
a work of charity will accomplish SOME good. It will NOT get
you to heaven by itself, because that requires the blood of
Jesus covering your sins. However, God’s love will work
to break a bondage and to meet a need when nothing else works.
Fasting and praying for others is one example of charitable
giving. 1 John 3:16 says, “Hereby perceive we the love
of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought
to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
1 Corinthians 13:13
says, “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three;
but the greatest of these is charity.” Without faith
it is impossible to please God.Yet we are told that charity
is greater than faith! Think about it!!!
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF 1 CORINTHIANS 13
If you don’t
have charity you are become as: ________ _____, or a ________
______, and are _______. Charity never _______. Even if you
do many good or great things, and you don’t have charity,
it _________ you nothing.
While checking
your Christmas WANT list, check this CHARITY CHECKLIST to
see if any of these need to be on it!
1. _____________
2. _____________
3. _____________
4. _____________
5. _____________
6. _____________
7. _____________
8. _____________
9. _____________
10. _____________
11. _____________
12. _____________
13 _____________
14. _____________
15. _____________
16. _____________
ANSWERS
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
OF 1 CORINTHIANS 13
If you don’t
have charity you are become as: SOUNDING BRASS, or a TINKLING
CYMBAL, and are NOTHING. Charity never FAILETH. Even if you
do many good or great things, and you don’t have charity,
it PROFITETH you nothing.
16 QUALITIES:
1. suffereth long
2. kind
3. envieth not
4. vaunteth not itself
5. is not puffed up
6. doth not behave itself unseemly
7. seeketh not her own
8. not easily provoked
9. thinketh no evil
10. rejoiceth not in iniquity
11. rejoiceth in the truth
12. Beareth all things
13. believeth all things
14. hopeth all things
15. endureth all things
16. not childish
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Webmaster: Lynetta Johnson
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Living Hope Fellowship, Inc
E-mail
livinghope@hughes.net
Phone
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