Saturday, December 31, 2011

Will We See The Savior?



“Sovereign Lord … you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation …” -- Luke 2:29-30

The religion page of a local newspaper carried a story called “Divine Encounters.” It was an account about three women who had what they called life-changing moments when they experienced God in a special way. One of the women talked about a time when she had lost all hope because she was full of pain and despair. She had decided to end her life. At that moment she saw Jesus standing in front of her, and she heard him say, “I love you. I love you so much that I died for you. And I want you to live for me.” It was the beginning of a new direction in her life. It would be easy to dismiss her story as a product of her imagination. Most of us have never seen the Savior standing in front of us. But whether it is through physical eyes or through eyes of faith, our Savior wants us to see him.

Simeon, after years of waiting, could finally say, “My eyes have seen your salvation.”

And later on, Peter wrote, “We were eyewitnesses of his majesty” (2 Peter 1:16).

Have you seen your Savior? Ask God for eyes of faith to see his impact on your life. You don’t have to see him physically, but it’s possible to see his work in your life so that you know, beyond doubt, that he is there. Ask God today to open your eyes so you can see Jesus.

“Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus.” Please give us a glimpse of your presence and reassure us that you are with us always. For your name’s sake, Amen.

Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the LORD does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit. – Psalm 32:1-2


Wednesday, December 21, 2011

"I had a vision of the Lord Jesus........!"

After my nightly prayers, I lay in bed, and before I close my eyes to go to sleep, I always say, "I Love You Jesus", and I always hear that inner small voice respond, "I love you too, Emma"! I did the same last night as I do ever other night, and no sooner I closed my eyes, I saw Jesus standing before me. Jesus was illuminated with a dazzling sparking white light! Jesus was clothed and dressed in whiter than white, as he stood there smiling at me with his arms wide opened reaching out to me! The next thing I knew I saw myself in his arms, which were wrapped around me as he was holding me close to Him and hugging me, as His love overflowed in my most innermost being. I too was dressed in a white gown. His white light was so brilliant on His person which engulfed and surrounded us both, I felt like we were one being...The vision must of lasted 5-10 seconds! I opened my eyes with tears flowing down my face as I was totally overwhelmed at what I had just seen occur. Then I heard within, that still small voice; I am coming to take my bride home! I have prepared a place for you and for all those whom love my appearing! Occupy just a little longer, and do not despair! I will come!


Come Lord Jesus, we are waiting, longing and loving your appearing!


Saturday, December 10, 2011

I saw a vision and have a message for someone



Mathew 9:20-22 Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak.She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.”
Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.

The Lord was very clear to me this morning…He said to give these scripture verses because someone needs this kind of faith today. The message for you today is:


The Lord wants you to stretch your faith…reach out…stretch your hand out and reach. Touch the Lord with your faith in His ability to help and heal you. No matter what the need is…no matter what you are going through….humble yourself….even if you have to bow low…even if you must crawl…extend your hand out to the Lord and……touch the hem of His Holy garment.

I’m seeing a vision right now:

I see you on the ground…tired and dirty from what you are going through. After your faith and trust in Jesus carried you to His hem and you touch it…I see Jesus pulling you to your feet. You are limp like a doll…but He hugs you and strength begins to come back into your spirit man. You stand before Jesus and you look into His eyes and the tears begin to flow down your checks. I see your mouth moving. You are giving Him thanks. I can hear Him saying something back to you. He is saying…”tell others what I have done for you”.

Whoever this message is for…….this is Holy Ground today. I feel the awesome presence of God. Someone has really been going through some things. You are going to be Ok. This is a day to really stretch your faith like you never have before. This is a time to trust all that you know about our powerful God. He can do it for you…He can bring you through this. This is a turning point in your walk with the Lord.


Remember to give Him all the praise, glory and honor due Him for what He’s about to do for you. Expect a miracle!

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Meaning of the word "Shalom"



Most know that the Hebrew word shalom is understood around the world to mean "peace." However, "peace" is only one small part of the meaning of shalom. "Shalom" is used to both greet people and to bid them farewell, and it means much more than "peace, hello or goodbye"....

According to Strong's Concordance 7965 Shalom also means completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord. Shalom comes from the root verb shalom meaning to be complete, perfect and full. In modern Hebrew the obviously related word Shelem means to pay for, and Shulam means to be fully paid.

Yeshua is called Sar shalom, Prince of Peace, which perfectly describes the ministry and personality of our Messiah (Isaiah 9:6).

In other words, the word shalom is a mighty blessing!

Proverbs 18:21 tells us there is life or death in the power of the tongue. Therefore, whenever you employ the word "shalom" you are speaking into someone's life all the wonderful things that shalom means!

In the meantime:

Numbers 6:24-26: YAHWEH bless you and keep you. YAHWEH make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. YAHWEH lift up His face upon you and give you SHALOM. In the name of SAR SHALOM - the Prince of Peace.


The Lord’s Prayer For Today



My Father who lives in Heaven, may Your Name always be kept Holy and revered in my life, may your Kindgom, Will, Plans and Purposes be accomplished in my life today as it always is in Heaven.

Give me today my daily bread, finances, health, joy, and shalom and forgive me of all my sins, financial debts, wrong thinking and times of doubt that I questioned You, as I have forgiven all those around me that has ever done me wrong or misunderstood me.

Do not lead me into any hard testing and trials beyond my ability to withstand them, but protect me and keep me safe as Your child from the evil one and his authority, for Your Kingdom existed forever and Your Power and Glory reigns Supreme for all eternity.

I am in agreement to Your Will and let it be so in my life today.


Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Obituary




Our church was saddened to learn this week of the death of one of our most valued members, Someone Else.

Someone's passing creates a vacancy that will be difficult to fill. Else has been with us for many years and for every one of those years, Someone did far more than a normal person's share of the work. Whenever there was a job to do, a class to teach, or a meeting to attend, one name was on everyone's list, "Let Someone Else do it." Whenever leadership was mentioned, this wonderful person was looked to for inspiration as well as results; "Someone Else can work with that group."

It was common knowledge that Someone Else was among the most liberal givers in our church. Whenever there was a financial need, everyone just assumed Someone Else would make up the difference.

Someone Else was a wonderful person; sometimes appearing superhuman. Were the truth known, everybody expected too much of Someone Else. Now Someone Else is gone! We wonder what we are going to do.

Someone Else left a wonderful example to follow, but who is going to follow it? Who is going to do the things Someone Else did?

When you are asked to help this coming year, remember -- we can't depend on Someone Else anymore.

Friday, December 2, 2011

The Purest Blood

The day is over, you are driving home. You tune in your radio.You hear a little blurb about a little village in India where some villagers have died suddenly, strangely, of a flu that has never been seen before. Its not influenza, but three of four people are dead, and its kind of interesting, and they are sending some doctors over there to investigate it.
You don’t think much about it, but on Sunday, coming home from church, you hear another radio spot. Only they say its not three villagers, its 30,000 villagers in the back hills of this particular area of India, and it’s on TV that night. CNN runs a little blurb. People are heading there from the disease center in Atlanta because this disease strain has never been seen before.

By Monday morning when you get up, its the lead story. For its not just India. Its Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran and before you know it, you’re hearing this story everywhere and they have coined it now as “the mystery flu.” The President has made some comment that he and everyone are praying and hoping that all will go well over there. But everyone is wondering, “How are we going to contain it?” That’s when the President of France makes an announcement that shocks Europe. He is closing their borders. No flights from India, Pakistan, or any of the countries where this thing has been seen.

And that’s why that night you are watching a little bit of CNN before going to bed. Your jaw hits your chest when a weeping woman is translated from a French news program into English. There’s a man lying in a hospital in Paris dying of the mystery flu. It has come to Europe. Panic strikes. As best they can tell, once you get it you have it for a week before you know it. Then you have four days of unbelievable symptoms. And then you die.

Britain closes its borders, but its too late. South Hampton, Liverpool, North Hampton and it’s Tuesday morning when the President of the United States makes the following announcement. “Due to a national security risk, all flights to and from Europe and Asia have been canceled. If your loved ones are overseas, I’m sorry. They cannot come back until we find a cure for this thing.” Within four days our nation has been plunged into an unbelievable fear. People are talking about “What if it comes to this country”? And preachers on Tuesday are saying “It’s the scourge of God.”

It’s Wednesday night and you are at a church prayer meeting when somebody runs if from the parking lot and yells, “Turn on a radio, turn on a radio!” And while the church listens to a little transistor radio with a microphone stuck up to it, the announcement is made. Two women are lying in a Long Island hospital dying from the mystery flu. Within hours it seems, this thing just sweeps across the country.

People are working around the clock trying to find an antidote. Nothing is working. California, Oregon, Arizona, Florida, Massachusetts. It’s as though it’s just sweeping in from the borders. And then all of a sudden the news comes out. The code has been broken. A cure can be found. A vaccine can be made. It’s going to take the blood of somebody who hasn’t been infected and so, sure enough, all through the Midwest, through all those channels of emergency broadcasting, everyone is asked to do one simple thing. Go to your downtown hospital and have your blood type taken. That’s all we ask of you. When you hear the sirens go off in your neighborhood, please make your way quickly, quietly and safely, to the hospitals.

Sure enough, when you and your family get down there late on that Friday night, there is a long line and they’ve got nurses and doctors coming out and pricking fingers and taking blood and putting labels on it. Your spouse and your kids are out there, and they take your blood type and they say, “wait here in the parking lot and if we call your name you can be dismissed and go home.” You stand around, scared, with your neighbors, wondering what in the world is going on and if this is the end of the World.

Suddenly a young man comes running out of the hospital screaming. He’s yelling a name and waving a clipboard. What? He yells it again! And your son tugs on your jacket and says,” Daddy, that’s me.”

Before you know it, they have grabbed your boy. “Wait a minute. Hold on!” And they say, Its okay, his blood is clean. His blood is pure. We want to make sure he doesn’t have the disease. We think he has got the right type. Five tense minutes later, out come the doctors and nurses crying and hugging one another-some are even laughing. It’s the first time you have seen anybody laugh in a week, and an old doctor walks up to you and says, “Thank you sir. Your son’s blood type is perfect. It’s clean, it is pure, and we can make the vaccine.”

As the word begins to spread all across that parking lot full of folks, people are screaming and praying and laughing and crying. But then the gray-haired doctor pulls you and your wife aside and says, “May we see you for a moment? We didn’t realize that the donor would be a minor and we need…..we need you to sign a consent form.”

You begin to sign and then you see that the number of pints of blood to be taken is empty. “H-h-h-ow many pints?” And that is when the old doctor’s smile fades and he says, “We had no idea it would be a little child. We weren’t prepared. We need it all!”

“But-but. . . .I don’t understand. He’s my only son!”

“We are talking about the world here. Please sign. We-We need it all!”

“But can’t you give him a transfusion?” “If we had clean blood we would. Please, will you please sign?”

In numb silence you do. Then they say, “would you like to have a moment with him before we begin?” Could you walk back? Could you walk back to that room where he sits on a table saying, “Daddy? Mommy? What’s going on?” Could you take his hands and say, “Son, your mommy and I love you and we would never ever let anything happen to you that didn’t just have to be. Do you understand that?”

And when that old doctor comes back in and says, “I’m sorry, we’ve got to get started. People all over the world are dying.” Could you leave? Could you walk out while he is saying, “Dad? Mom? Dad? Why. . . .why have you forsaken me?”

And then next week, when they have the ceremony to honor your son, and some folks sleep through it, and some folks don’t even bother to come because they have better things to do, and some folks come with just a pretentious smile and just pretend to care. Would you want to jump up and say, “EXCUSE ME! MY SON DIED FOR YOU! MY ONLY SON! DON’T YOU EVEN CARE? DOES IT MEAN NOTHING TO YOU?”

- by Jeff Walling



Thursday, December 1, 2011

REACHING OUT ( A Vision )



Today I was praying and I saw several men and women in vision. They had one thing in common, they were all reaching out. Each one was reaching out for someone or something that was missing. One man was reaching for his wife, but she was gone, another woman was reaching for her husband but he was dead, another woman was reaching for her child, but the child was gone, another man was reaching out for his mother but she was dead. Every one of them was reaching, reaching, and only gaining emptiness. The Lord told me that they were reaching in vain because all that they thought could comfort them was gone, and He wanted to comfort them, but instead of reaching out to Him, they continued to reach out to only memories of those things they imagined were comforting. The Lord told me that if His people would reach out to Him that He would delight in comforting them in every circumstance. He said that when people reach out to Him, they are filled with His comforts to such a degree that they are able to give those comforts to others.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,  who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.   2-Corinthians 1:3-4


The Story of Christmas



The story of Christmas dates back over 2000 years. During this era, Rome was a great empire ruled by Caesar Augustus and Israel was governed by King Herod.

The Story of Mary and Joseph
In the small village of Galilee in Nazareth, Israel, lived Mary a young virgin who was engaged to be married to Joesph, a Jewish carpenter. An angel visited Mary in her dream who told her she had been chosen to bear a Son of God and his name was to be Jesus. And thus, it happened that when Mary was still engaged to Joseph, she miraculously became pregnant through the Holy Spirit. When Mary told Joseph, naturally he felt betrayed, but an angel visited him in his dream and verified what Mary had told him to be true. He thus took Mary to be his wife despite a possible public disgrace.

Mary and Joseph leave Nazareth for Bethlehem
At that time, Caesar Augustus declared that a census should be taken of every person in the entire Roman empire. And, everybody had to go to the place to which they belonged to register. As Joseph, was of the line of David, he and Mary had to go to Bethlehem to register. Joseph and Mary left Nazareth for Bethlehem. Mary who was with child, and close to the birth, rode on a donkey while Joseph walked beside her. They traveled for many days and only rested at night.When they reached Bethlehem it was night. They looked for a place to rest but there were no empty rooms when they reached the inn. As they were being turned away Joseph mentioned that his wife was with child and close to birth. The inn keeper took pity on them and told them of some caves in the nearby hills where shepherds would stay with their cows and sheep.

Jesus is Born
So Joseph and Mary went up into the hills and found the caves. In one cave was a stable room. Joseph cleaned it and made beds of fresh hay. He found a feeding trough which he cleaned and filled with hay to use as a crib. The next night Mary gave birth to a son and they named him Jesus, as the angel had said.

The Shepherds
When the child was born a shining star appeared over Bethlehem that could be seen for miles around. In the fields nearby were shepherds who were tending their flocks of sheep. An angel appeared to them surrounded by bright light. The shepherds were frightened and tried to run.

"Fear Not," said the angel, "For I bring you tidings of great joy. For unto you is born this day in Bethlehem - a Saviour who is Christ the Lord."

"And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger."

Suddenly the sky was filled with angels, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men."

After the angels departed the shepherds set out for Bethlehem. When they reached the cave they found the stable and inside was the child wrapped in swaddling clothes. The shepherds left, praising the lord and soon spread the news about this miraculous child who was to be the Savior of the world.

The Three Kings
As the star shined over Bethlehem, three kings of the east saw it. They knew it was a sign and they set off to follow the star. There was Caspar - the young king of Tarsus, Melchior – the king of Arabia who was a long bearded old man, and Balthazar - the king from Ethiopia. They traveled on camels for many days over mountains, through deserts and plains always following the shining star.

When they finally arrived in Bethlehem they found the child in the manger. The three kings bowed to the child and offered gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They stayed the night in the cave and returned the next day to their lands to spread the news.

Merry Christmas