WHO'S IN CONTROL?

Imagine a guy (we'll call him Fred) puts on a shirt. Across the chest, in huge letters, it says, "Jesus is Lord!" Fred has just labeled himself a Christian.
Yet when it comes to the way Fred acts, Jesus is definitely not in charge. When Fred misses a shot in tennis, he goes ballistic. And he just can't remember to take out the garbage—even though he's been told a dozen times. When he's with his girlfriend, he's always pushing the physical limits.
Who's in control? Certainly not Jesus. For Fred, his feelings rule. He's pretty much out of control.
Fred's shirt is just that: a shirt. The statement is empty. He's labeled himself a "Christian," but he sure doesn't act like one.
Fred's way of looking at faith would have been unimaginable to believers in the early church. To them, faith was not just something a person believed; it was something that had to be lived.

It meant a radically different way of life. They had to put their feelings in second place and put Jesus first—right where a person called "Lord" belongs.
These early believers worked so hard at following Jesus' example that someone began calling them "Christians." And it wasn't a compliment, either. You can almost hear it said with a sneer and a laugh: "You people are just a bunch of little 'Christs.' A bunch of Christians." But what could be better than being named after the person you most want to be like?
With the name, however, comes the responsibility to live in a way Jesus would be proud of. And that means living a life of self-control. It's not easy, because sometimes your desires will fight his will. But you don't have to struggle alone.
God is at work in and through your life. Even in the middle of temptation, he opens a door to give you a way out. You do not have to fall. You can have self-control.
Think back to the last time you gave in to temptation. Walk through the experience step-by-step. Do you see where God has provided a way out? It's there. Keep looking until you see it, then watch for it next time—before you fall.

From the Word:
"Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."
Philippians 2:12-13

THE CHURCH LOSING THE GOSPEL

There is no tragedy in the world worse than this - The Church Losing The Gospel. We could have a hundred terrorist attacks, or earthquakes, or hurricanes, and it would still not outweigh the tragedy of this one thing - WE HAVE LOST THE GOSPEL. Nothing can compare to this disaster - nothing.

For when you lose the gospel, you lose salvation. People are are no longer becoming saved. (Remember, Paul said that the gospel is the "POWER OF GOD unto salvation"). And when people are no longer truly becoming saved, you also lose the church. For no true gospel = no true church.

Most of us do not even have "Day One" Christianity as it was in the Bible. We have lost the gospel and we don't even know it. We have invented a gospel of 'convenience', a gospel without the cross, a gospel without holiness or the power to live a Christian life. A gospel that shows no-one how to have a CLEAN CONSCIENCE or how to WALK IN LOVE. I want to say to you that such a gospel is NO GOSPEL AT ALL. And we should be ashamed of ourselves for preaching such a travesty.

 

A DARKEN DAY

As I sit here in this darken place I want a way to get out

I know I need help so I start to scream and shout

I scream so loud with all the breath that I have in me

I scream so loud that I faint and fall to my knees

It is here I look up and see  a bright but distant light

Then I hear a voice say I will help to make it right

So I start to climb the walls of this darken place

The closer I get to the light I start picking up the pace

My hand start to grow weary I fear that I might fall

When I hear that voice again saying let go of the wall

So I let go and find I am not falling but standing on the ground

But the light still draws closer it's almost all around

Even though I not moving the light stills draw near

I catch a glimpse of the darkness as it quickly disappears

As the light illuminates I see how far I fell

I realize I was on the path that leads straight to hell

But now I see the right path and that is where I'll stay

Never forgetting the fear I felt on the darken day

The fear of being alone with no one around

In the darken pit that was so deep underground

I still have fear but it is a fear of God that lives within me

My lord my Savior Jesus Christ has now set me free

I am so grateful he showed me that no mater how far I fall

To just let go and trust him and he'll be there through it all.
 

By

Roberta Brown

A TEST OF INTEGRITY

An aging king woke up one day to the realization that should he drop dead, there would be no male in the royal family to take his place.
 
 He was the last male in the royal family in a culture where only a male could succeed to the throne - and he was aging.
 
 He decided that if he could not give birth to a male, he would adopt a son who then could take his place but he insisted that such an adopted son must be extraordinary in every sense of the word.

 So he launched a competition in his kingdom, open to all boys, no matter what their background. Ten boys made it to the very top.

There was little to separate these boys in terms of intelligence and physical attributes and capabilities.

 The king said to them, 'I have one last test and whoever comes top will become my adopted son and heir to my throne.' Then he said, 'This kingdom depends solely on agriculture.

 So the king must know how to cultivate plants. So here is a seed of corn for each of you.
 
 Take it home and plant and nurture it for three weeks. At the end of three weeks, we shall see who has done the best job of cultivating the seed.  That person will be my heir-apparent. '
 
 The boys took their seeds and hurried home. They each got a flower pot and planted the seed as soon as they got home.
 
 There was much excitement in the kingdom as the people waited with bated breath to see who was destined to be their next king.

 In one home, the boy and his parents were almost heartbroken when after days of intense care, the seed failed to sprout.
 
 He did not know what had gone wrong with his. He had selected the soil carefully, he had applied the right quantity and type of fertilizer, he had been very dutiful in watering it at the right
>intervals, he had even prayed over it day and night and yet his seed had turned out
 to be unproductive.

 Some of his friends advised him to go and buy a seed from the market and plant that.
 
 'After all,' they said, 'how can anyone tell one seed of corn from another?' But his parents who had always taught him the value of integrity reminded him that if the king wanted them to plant any corn, he would have asked them to go for their own seed. 'If you take anything different from what the king gave you that would be dishonesty.

 Maybe we are not destined for the throne.  If so, let it be but don't be found to have deceived
 the king,' they told him.
 
 The d-day came and the boys returned to the palace each of them proudly exhibiting a very fine corn seedling.

 It was obvious that the other nine boys had had great success with their seeds.
 
 The king began making his way down the line of eager boys and asked each of them, 'Is this what came out of the seed I gave you?'
 And each boy responded, 'Yes, your majesty.' And the king would nod and move down the line.
 
 The king finally got to the last boy in the line-up.

 The boy was shaking with fear. He knew that the king was going to have him thrown into prison for wasting his seed.
 
 'What did you do with the seed I gave you?' the king asked.
 
 'I planted it and cared for it diligently, your majesty, but alas it failed to sprout.' the boy said tearfully as the crowd booed him.
 
 But the king raised his hands and signaled for silence. Then he said, 'My people behold your next king.' The people were confused. 'Why that one?' many asked.

 'How can he be the right choice?' The king took his place on his throne with the boy by his side and said, 'I gave these boys boiled seeds. This test was not for cultivating corn.

 It was the test of character; a test of integrity. It was the ultimate test.
 
 If a king must have one quality, it must be that he should be above dishonesty.
 
 Only this boy passed the test. A boiled seed cannot sprout.' Never!!

 We live in a society that has become obsessed with success and many show
success at any cost. We say the end justifies the means. It is the tragedy
 of life.

 You see, failure often is an invitation to God to show that he is all
 powerful and does not need help to make us great or to bless us.
 
You know, sometimes God looks for people who will trust him completely no
 matter what so he could show the world that it is not by might or by power
but by his spirit.

 God sometimes ordains failure. But many seek to circumvent divinely ordained failure by resorting to dubious means.

 When a civil servant builds a big house and sends his five children to expensive schools when he does not have a second source of income, is that not a case of a boiled seed sprouting?

 When a minister of state is able to sustain a lavish mistress and at the
same time put up houses from his income as minister, is that not a case of
 a boiled seed coming to life?

 Or a President of millions of poverty stricken people can build up world class private secondary school and university, within a short time, able to sustain numerous wives/concubines and fathered and educated about 45 children, own vast farm lands all over the country, travel round the world at an average of one trip per month, while the people of his country remain the poorest in the world! That is a case of boiled seed yielding hundred folds

 We should stop cheering rogues in WORLD!.

 I believe that we have all been given lives to lead according to God's plan and if we are living faithfully, we should all have different results.

 The Bible says the race is not for the swift and the battle is not for the strong. So how come, that in the WORLD the swift wins the race and the strong the battle?

 It is because we are refusing to remain faithful to God and refusing to allow God to be God in all things and in our affairs.

Boiled seed does not sprout. Never!!!

 Next time you see a successful person, find out what kind of seed he was given and ask him, 'how come your boiled seed has sprouted.

  
 God Bless You. 

And Please Remember Boiled seed does not sprout. Never!!!

THE CROSS IN MY POCKET

I carry a cross in my pocket,
a simple reminder to me
of the fact that I am a Christian
no matter where I may be.





This little cross is not magic
nor is it a good luck charm.
It isn't meant to protect me
from every physical harm. 





It's not for identification,
for all the world to see.
It's simply an understanding
between my Savior and me. 





When I put my hand in my pocket
to bring out a coin or key,
the Cross is there to remind me
of the price He paid for
 me. 





It reminds me too, to be thankful,
for my blessings day by day,
and to strive to serve Him better
in all that I do and say. 





It's also a daily reminder 
of the peace and comfort I share
with all who know my Master
and give themselves to His care.





So, I carry a cross in my pocket,
reminding no one but me,
that Jesus Christ is Lord of my life,
if only I'll let Him be.


    By Verna Thomas
 

YOU PROMISED ME

The Sign on the marquee of our Church reads:  Whatever angers you controls you....................

Let's Selah (pause and think about it) on that statement....................................................

Whatever angers you controls you?...................................What are you angry at Beloved?

What is causing you to get over into the flesh and into the enemies' camp?

Helen and I have both had challenges last week .........Yes, Helen and I have challenges.

And from those challenges that we faced...........Comes this brief but important teaching:

It is important to have a working knowledge of the Scriptures..............
I said.........KNOW HOW TO WORK YOUR Believer's Instructions Before Leaving Earth.
Two......... LEARN HOW TO USE YOUR Word Excellence Anointing Power Oil Name.
And most of all: 
Remember Circumstances And Situations Happen to cause us to Love Like God.

Beloved.............Sister Helen and I are challenging you this week to spend some time..........
We are challenging you to spend some time in meditating this week.................................

God has put in our spirit several challenges that the Body of Christ is facing:

1.   God's Promise vs. World's Truth?
2.  Spirit's Willing vs. Flesh's Able?
3. Jesus as Savior vs. Jesus as Lord?
4. Your Church using Christ as a Career Opportunity vs. Christian Lifestyle?

Accountability+Responsibility+Accessibility= AUTHORITY

---

 

Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.

– Psalm 112:1,7

The man who makes a habit of delighting in God's Word will have a heart that's fixed! He can make it through disastrous situations without losing his balance. His mind's made up before he ever gets to the disaster. He's victorious before he ever gets there. A person like that is hard to whip! 

The sad thing is that most believers wait until the disaster hits before they start trying to establish themselves on the Word. They wait until their back is against the wall. Then, suddenly, they get real spiritual and start fasting and praying...and all too often they find they've started too late. 

That's like a guy who finds out a burglar is in his house and then starts looking for the barbells, so he can build up enough muscle to throw the burglar out. He ain't gonna make it! If he'd been working out instead of watching television every night, he'd have been ready. But as it is, he's headed for a painful defeat. 

Be ready before the devil breaks into your house. Get your heart fixed. Turn off the television. Turn off the distractions of the world and turn on the Word. The time to start establishing yourself on it is right now!

Scripture Reading: Job 22:21-30

GOING ALL THE WAY WITH JESUS

All The Way(written by Dewitt Jones)


All the way, I’m going all the way (3x),
I’m going all the way with the Lord.


I’ve made my choice, I’m going all the way (3x),
I’m going all the way with the lord.


I’ve made my decision, I’m going all the way (3x),
I’m going all the way with the Lord.


No turning back, I’m going all the way (3x),
I’m going all the way with the Lord.

 It's time to make a decision: Are you going all the way?

We are not a 9 to 5 Ministry?

We are not a help-in-time-of-need only Ministry?

We are not a non-participating ministry?

We are not a me-only, me-first ministry?

We are a 24/7 Ministry.

We are a full-gospel Ministry.

We require your presence and participation in this ministry.

We are a J-O-Y (Jesus-Others-You) Ministry.

Are you prepared to go all the way?

It's time to get off the sidelines.

It's time to stop making excuses.

It's time to open your heart.

It's time for you to shine.

We love you. We need each other to survive.

We need to hear what's in your spirit.

We need you to go all the way...............with the Lord.

ARTHUR & HELEN

GOD'S SEED PRODUCES GOD...................

(The instant that you accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour of your life, a transformation took place; God sowed His Spirit and Word into your heart like a seed and you were spiritually born again by the incorruptible seed of the Word of God.......And like apples always produce apples and grapes always produce grapes.......God's seed inside you produces: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance!)

ONE OF GOD'S PROMISES

Prayer:

Father, in the name of Jesus, I pray and confess that the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Pastor Tarrent and Pastor Dr Ralph F. Wilson…the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge. I pray that as Your Spirit rests upon these two Pastor, He will make them of quick understanding because You, Lord, have anointed and qualified them to preach the Gospel to the meek, the poor, the wealthy, the afflicted. You have sent them to bind up and heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the physical and spiritual captives and the opening of the prison and of the eyes to those who are bound.

I pray and believe that no weapon that is formed against them shall prosper and that any tongue that rises against them in judgment shall be shown to be in the wrong. I pray that You prosper them abundantly, Lord-physically, spiritually and financially.

Lord, I pray and believe that, each and everyday, freedom of utterance is given to them, that they will open their mouth boldly and courageously as they ought to get the Gospel to the people. Thank You, Lord, for the added strength which comes superhumanly that You have given them.

I hereby confess that I shall stand behind them and undergird them in prayer. I shall say only that good thing that will edify Pastor Tarrent and Pastor. I will not allow myself to judge them, but will continue to intercede for them and speak and pray blessings upon them in the name of Jesus. Thank You, Jesus, for the answers. Hallelujah!

---

Thank you June, I receive every word as I begin to teach. Go with me in your Bible to the book of Acts. Chapter 2 and Verses 38  and 39. I will be reading from the New Century Version: Peter said to them, "Change your hearts and lives and be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away. It is for everyone the Lord our God calls to himself."

What does this promise speak to you? 

I have been summoned to teach this morning from  Jeremiah 29 and 11: I say this because I know what I am planning for you, "says the Lord." I have good plans for you; not to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future.  v12 Then you will call my name. You will come to me and pray to me, and I will listen to you. v13 You will search for me with all your heart, you will find me! v14 I will let you find me says the Lord.

I have to teach this quickly. What does this promise speak to you?

Your Loving Heavenly Father reveals your purpose each and every day. When you call, come and pray. Call, Come and Pray and I will listen to you is a promise. Search for me with your heart (spirit). You find Your Heavenly Father within your spirit on the inside of you. Stop looking for places where He is not to be found. Your Father promises to let you find Him.

NEW ADDRESS

I wanted to let everyone know that I have moved, and to give you my
new address.

I have moved from Beggars' Alley located on Poverty Lane at the corner of Bleak and Busted Circle. As of today, I have a brand new home. 

My new address is:

Living Well Drive in the Abundance Subdivision, located at the corner of Blessings Street and thankful Peak.  You get there by taking the Praising Him Interstate, which runs North, South, East and West.  No Longer will I allow myself to travel on Begging Peter to pay off Paul Route, because it's located at a dead-end intersection called:
I Don't Have that crosses Borrowers' Junction.

I  no longer hang out at Failures' Place near Excuses Avenue, next to Procrastination Mall. I've moved on to an upscale community called Higher Heights with unlimited potential and opportunities for me to Succeed--look at me!!

Please know that each day that HE awakens me, I am thankful to be a product of my new environment. All of my clothes are MASTER TAILOR-MADE. I am dressed in life's finest. Let me introduce you to all of my new neighbors:

CONCEIVE IT, BELIEVE IT, ACT ON IT, HAVE FAITH, BE PERSISTENT, AND ALWAYS BE PREPARED TO ACHIEVE.

Life is good because: GOD IS GOOD!!!!! HAVE YOU MOVED TOO????  If not I pray that you will be moving soon!!!!!!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY PRAYER

O God, when I have food help me to remember the hungry. When I have work help me to remember the jobless. When I have a home help me to remember those who have no home at all. When I am without pain help me to remember those who suffer And Lord, help me to destroy my complacency; stir up my compassion, and my concern so I can help others. I want to be a doer of the Word and not a hearer only. Help me by word and by deed to meet the needs of others and those who cry out for what we take for granted.  I ask this in Jesus name. Amen. .............
HAPPY THANKSGIVING WITH LOVE FROM ARTHUR & HELEN HENRY

THANKSGIVING

T is for, Thanksgiving...Enter his gates with

thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to

 him and praise his name.  Psalm 100:4

H is for, Hope... does not disappoint us, because

 God's love has been poured into our hearts through

 the Holy Spirit which has been given to us.  Romans 5:5

  A is for, And my God will meet all your needs

 according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

     Philippians 4:19

   N is for, Never... will I leave you; never will

I forsake you.  Hebrews 13:5b

  K is for, Keep...me safe, O god, for in you I take refuge. 

 Psalm 16:1

  S is for, Submit...yourselves, then, to God. resist

 the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7

   G is for, Gratitude...Let the word of Christ dwell in

 you richly as you teach and admonish one another with

 all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and

spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 

 Colossians 3:16

   I is for, I ...will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving,

 and will call upon the name of the Lord.  Psalm 116:17

  V is for, Verily, Verily, I say unto you. He that entereth

 not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some

 other way, the same is a thief and a robber. John 10:1

  I is for, It... is good to give thanks to the Lord,
to sing praises to your name, O Most High;

Psalm 92:1

  N is for, No...good thing will he withhold from them

 that walk up rightly. Psalm 84:11 b

  G is for, Give....and it shall be given unto you;

 good measure, pressed down, and shaken together

and running over.  Luke 6:38 a

RECIPE FOR THANKSGIVING

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day.  And while you walk, smile.
    It is the ultimate anti-depressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.  Talk to God about
    what is going on in your life.  

3. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement,
  "My purpose is to__________ today.  I am thankful for______________".

4. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that
    is manufactured in plants.

5. Drink green tea and plenty of water.  Eat blueberries,wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli,

  kale, almonds & walnuts.

6. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

7. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, issues of the past, negative thoughts or 
things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

8. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a
    college kid with a maxed out charge card.

9. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

10. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

11. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

12.  You are not so important that you have to win every argument.
      Agree to disagree.

13. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

14. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what 
their journey is all about.

15. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

16. Frame every so-called disaster/crisis with these words:
      'In five years, will this really matter?'

17. Forgive everyone for everything.

18. What other people think of you is unimportant. Truth is, they're probably not 

thinking of you at all. 

19. GOD heals everything  - but you have to ask Him first.

20. However good or bad a situation is, it will change. Change is the ONLY constant in the universe

21. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick.
      God will. Stay connected!

22. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

23. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements:
      "I am thankful for__________.  Today I accomplished_________."

24. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

25. When you are feeling down, start listing your many blessings.
      You'll be smiling before you know it.

10 RULES FOR THANKSGIVING DINNER AT OUR HOUSE

1.  Don't get in line asking questions about the food.  "Who made the 
potato salad?  Is it egg in there?  Are the greens fresh?  Is the meat
 in the greens turkey or pork?  Who made the macaroni and cheese? What 
kind of pie is that?  Who made it?  
  
  2.  If you can't walk , please sit down until someone makes your plate for you. 

Dinner time is not the time for you to be independent.  

Nibble on them pecans and walnuts to hold you over until someone makes you a plate.
  
  3.  If you have kids under the age of twelve, we will escort them
 to the basement and bring their food down to them.  They 
are not gonna tear our house up this year. 
  
  4.  There is going to be one prayer for Thanksgiving dinner! 

JUST ONE AND IT WILL BE IN JESUS' NAME.
  
  5.  Finish everything on your plate before you go up for seconds!
  
  6.  BRING YOUR OWN TUPPERWARE!! Please Don't let me catch you 

fixing yourself a plate in our good Tupperware knowing  that we will never see 
it again!
  
  7.  What you came with is what you should leave with!! Do not leave 
our house with anything that doesn't belong to you.
 
  8.  Do not leave your kids so you can go hopping from house to house.
 This is not a DAYCARE CENTER! 
  
  9.  BOOK YOUR HOTEL ROOM BEFORE YOU COME INTO TOWN!! There will be no
 sleeping over at our house! You are to come and eat dinner and go home 
or to your hotel room. EVERYBODY LEAVES BY 9:00 pm. 

10.  Last but not least! Anyone coming over for Thanksgiving Dinner 

will be required to attend our Church on Sunday,

AN OPEN INVITATION TO JOIN US

About us, and About you.........

"God doesn't have any favourites"
Romans 2:12

No matter what you've been told about God before, you must understand that God values you. "His" Word  will bring you closer to Him, it will show you the way to God, and will show you self-worth, value, and confidence about yourself and who you are in Christ.

This is from God, to you. When you're feeling hurt and upset, or you are angry or confused about God, "His" Word  will teach you who you really are:
PRINCESS/PRINCE

WARRIOR/CONQUEROR

DAUGHTER/SON

Draw close to God

Do you want to draw closer to God? Ever felt like you've tried to get close to God but it doesn't seem to make any difference? Ask God if He is leading you to become, "His".................?

---

THE PARROT

A young man named John received a parrot as a gift. The parrot had a bad

attitude and an even worse vocabulary. Every word out of the bird's mouth

was rude, obnoxious, and laced with profanity. 

John tried and tried to change the bird's attitude by consistently saying

only polite words, playing soft music, and anything else he could think of

to "clean up" the bird's vocabulary. 

Finally, John was fed up, and he yelled at the parrot. The parrot yelled

back. John shook the parrot, and the parrot got angrier and even ruder.

John, in desperation, threw up his hand, grabbed the bird, and put him in

the freezer. For a few minutes the parrot squawked and kicked and

screamed. 

Then suddenly there was total quiet. Not a peep was heard for over a

minute. Fearing that he'd hurt the parrot, John quickly opened the door to

the freezer. 

The parrot calmly stepped out onto John's outstretched arms and said, "I

believe I may have offended you with my rude language and actions. I'm

sincerely remorseful for my inappropriate transgressions and I fully

intend to do everything I can to correct my rude and unforgivable behavior."

John was stunned at the change in the bird's attitude. As he was about to

ask the parrot what had made such a dramatic change in his behavior, the

bird continued, "May I ask what the turkey did?"

HAPPY EARLY THANKSGIVING