♥♥♥ Dream About Judgement!

The dream!

After living a “decent” life, my time on earth came to an end. The first thing I remember is sitting on a bench in the waiting room of what I thought to be a court house. The doors opened and I was instructed to come in and have a seat by the defense table. As I looked around, I saw the “prosecutor”, he was a villainous looking gent who snarled as he stared at me. He definitely was the most evil person I have ever seen. I sat down and looked to my left and there sat my lawyer, a kind gentle and looking man whose appearance seemed very familiar to me. The corner door flew open and there appeared the judge in full flowing robes. He commanded an awesome Presence, as HE moved across the room. I couldn’t take my eyes off Him, as he took HIS seat behind the bench and HE said, “Let us begin”.

The prosecutor rose and said, “my name is satan, I am here to show you why this man belongs in hell”. He proceeded to tell of lies that I told, things that I stole and in the past when I cheated others. Satan told of other horrible perversions that were once in my life and the more he spoke, the further down in my seat I sank. I was so embarrassed that I could not look at anyone, even my own lawyer, as the devil told of sins that even I had completely forgotten about. As upset as I was at satan for telling all these things about me, I was equally upset about my representative, who sat there silently not offering any form of defense at all. Couldn’t that at least equal out part of the harm I’ve done? Satan finished with a fury and said, “This man belongs in hell. He is guilty of all that I have charged and there is not a person here who can prove otherwise”.

When it was his turn, my Lawyer first asked if He might approach the bench. The judge allowed this over the strong objection of satan, and beckoned HIM to come forward. As HE got up and started walking, I was able to see HIM now in HIS full SPLENDOR and MAJESTY. Now I realized why HE seemed so familiar, this was JESUS representing me, my LORD and SAVIOR. HE stopped at the bench and softly said to the JUDGE, “Hi DAD” and then HE turned to address the court. “satan was correct in saying that this man had sinned, I won’t deny any of these allegations. “However, I died on the cross so that this person might have eternal life and he has accepted me as his SAVIOR, so he is MINE”. “MY LORD”, HE continued, “his name is written in the Book of Life and no one can snatch him from ME. Satan still does not understand yet, this man is not to be given justice but rather mercy”.

As JESUS sat down, HE quietly paused, looked at HIS FATHER and replied, “There is nothing else to be done, I’ve done it all.”

The JUDGE lifted HIS MIGHTY HAND and slammed the gavel down and the following words bellowed from HIS LIPS, -- “This man is free. The penalty for him has already been paid in full, case dismissed”.

As my LORD led me away, I could hear satan ranting and raving, “I won’t give up, I’ll win the next one”. I asked JESUS, as HE gave me instructions where to go next, “Have YOU ever lost a case?”, CHRIST lovingly smiled and said, “Everyone who has come to ME and asked ME to represent him, has received the same verdict as you, ….. “PAID IN FULL” “ .

WHO IS YOUR DEFENCE LAWYER ? My dear brothers and sisters in CHRIST. JESUS CHRIST is willing to become yours, if only you ask HIM and believe in HIM and give your life to HIM. For only HE can preserve your life.

★ The 5 Finger Prayer!

The “Five Finger Prayer” is a simple, yet effective, way to pray.

We were separated from God by sin (Romans 3:23). But because Jesus paid for our sin on the cross we now “have access by one Spirit to the Father,” (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:18). Those who receive Jesus as their Savior become “children of God” (John 1:12).

So even though God is “great and mighty in power” (Psalm 147:4), we are His children and He is always thinking of us, “How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!” If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand!” (Psalm 139:17-18)

He is always ready to bend His ear to hear our prayers and so we’re encouraged to “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

The Five Finger Prayer is a simple guide we can use when we pray.

1) Your Thumb is nearest to you

So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C.S. Lewis once said “sweet duty.”

While praying for our loved ones is easy the Bible also tells us to pray for our enemies who, in a negative way, are also near us.

“Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. (Matthew 5:44) And again, “Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate when people say unkind things about you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God wants you to do, and he will bless you for it.” (1 Peter 3:9)

2) The next finger is the Pointing Finger

The pointing finger reminds us of those who instruct so pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction. Keep them in your prayers. These men and women have great influence on society and we should pray that they display and teach godly principles in all they do.

3) The next finger is the Tallest Finger

Our tallest finger reminds us of those who are in charge. Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry. These people shape our nation and guide public opinion. They need God’s guidance.

When the king of Nineveh prayed to God he saved his nation from destruction (Jonah 3:6-10). We should pray that our decision makers repent and seek God’s will as they lead us.

4) The fourth finger is our Ring Finger

The ring finger is our weakest finger, as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain. They need your prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much for them.

The Bible tells us that all who believe in Christ are “one body” (1 Corinthians 12:12) and that we are to “bear one another burdens”. We should “pray for one another,” James 5:16 tells us that, because “the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

Praying for others is a way of serving those around us and serving is what gives us purpose to life. “If you love Me,” Jesus said, “feed My sheep.” Praying for those in need is one way to feed Christ’s sheep.

5) And lastly comes our Little Finger

The smallest finger of all. Which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others. As the Bible says, “The least shall be the greatest among you.” Your Pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself.

By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.

When praying for ourselves we should first confess our sins because sin breaks fellowship with God and we don’t want to be out of fellowship with Him. No matter how badly we’ve sin take heart and know that “He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

Then we should give thanks for all the blessings we have been given, “Offer to God thanksgiving, and pray your vows to the Most High” (Psalm 50:14)

And finally we lay out what is on our heart, the good and the bad, and we pray that God’s will be done in our life. The Father loves you very much and will always do what is best for you. Trust Him and He will lead you and cause all things to work together for the good of those who love Him. (Romans 8:28)

♥ Time!

A lady wrote the following …

“The MASTER” called my name one day because HE needed someone to go on an errand: I said “LORD, in my spare time, after spending time with my husband, working from 8 to 6, and trying to coordinate a program for my community, I will help YOU”.

HE said, “Well, where shall I find such a person? I thought I saw your name on MY list of available people”.

“I’m working on my Ph.D. and I’m needed by so many people and my husband is always wanting something done, and on top of that, my community expects me to help, so…”

HE said, “Well, seeing that you’re busy, I’ll let you go, but we will talk again, if you have some time”.

One evening, while studying for my comp exams, I received a call from the hospital, concerning my husband. He had been in a terrible accident and was in critical condition, I dropped everything and ran to his side, as I prayed, “LORD, don’t take him now, I can’t bear it”.

And then it hit me. When I desperately needed The LORD, I expected HIM to hear me. When HE needed me though, I had other “important things” to do even though I had offered HIM my help in the first place.

Immediately, I asked HIS forgiveness. My husband did recover but I never forgot the lesson I learned.

“HE has more than enough time for us, being THE KING, the least we could do is at least have just enough time FOR THE KING.”

★ GOD’s Love! The Only True Love!

GOD didn’t promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain, but HE did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears and light for the way.

Disappointments are like road humps, they slow you down a bit but you enjoy the smooth road afterwards. Don’t stay on the hump for too long. Move on!

When you feel down because you didn’t get what you want, just sit tight and be happy, because GOD is thinking of something better to give you.

When something happens to you, good or bad, consider what it means. There’s a purpose to life’s events, to teach you how to laugh more or not to cry too hard.

You can’t make someone love you, all you can do is be someone who can be loved, the rest is up to the person, to realize your worth.

The measure of love is when you love without measures. In life, there are very rare chances that you’ll meet the person you love and loves you in return. So once you have it, don’t ever let go, the chance might never come your way again.

It’s better to lose your pride to the one you love, than to lose the one you love because of pride. We spend so much time looking for the right person to love or finding fault with those we already love, when instead we should be perfecting the love we give.

When you truly care for someone, you don’t look for faults, you don’t look for answers, you don’t look for mistakes. Instead, you fight the mistakes, you accept the faults and you over look excuses.

Never abandon an old friend. You will never find one who can take his place. Friendship is like wine. It gets better as it grows older.

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

1.      Free your heart of hatred.

2.      Free your mind from worries.

3.      Live simply.

4.      Give more.

5.      Expect less.

No one can go back and make a brand new start.

Anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.

★ Mary’s Song!

When we encounter GOD’s blessings in our lives, our response is something to consider. We have all received gifts from GOD. The most significant gift ever given was JESUS.  Mary was a very humble and thankful person, who realized that her participation in CHRIST’s life on earth was a gift from GOD, as she valued them greatly (Luke 2:51).

But more than just valuing the experience, Mary responded to GOD’s blessings and gifts by worshipping. One example of this was when her relative, Elizabeth, was speaking blessings and honor to Mary about Mary’s blessings from GOD. Rather than saying “no, no, it’s not me”, or running into some other form of false humility. Mary realized that there was only one way to give the honor where it was due. She immediately began speaking the wonderful passage we now refer to as “Mary’s Song”. It follows:

And Mary said:

My soul glorifies The LORD and my spirit rejoices in GOD my Savior, for HE has been mindful of the humble state of HIS servant.

From now on all generations will call me blessed, for The MIGHTY ONE has done great things for me – HOLY is HIS NAME.

HIS mercy extends to those who fear HIM, from generation to generation.

HE has performed mighty deeds with HIS Arm; HE has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

HE has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.

HE has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away, empty.

HE has helped HIS servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and HIS descendants forever, even as HE said to our fathers. – Luke 1: 46 – 55

May we all respond to GOD”S blessings in our lives by doing what Mary did – directing all the honor back to GOD, through worship!

★ A Thought - Writing Your Psalm!

At times, we don’t realize that we are destined to be with CHRIST forever. The weakness of our faith and the pain of this life can drown out the truth of GOD’s great love in our life. HE ministers to us, meeting our needs, but often enough we move on, strengthened, only to forget the provision of GOD. GOD knows we need to be reminded of HIS Faithfulness to us.

That is why in the Scriptures, GOD makes many efforts to encourage us to write down GOD’s revelations to us. The Psalms are just such remembrances. They are also cries in deep need. The Psalms can be both because they are simply letters of life and the emotions of a real heart dealing with the world and with GOD. In Habakkuk, we are given the example of GOD’s instruction in this same way:

Then The LORD replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for  it; it will certainly come and will not delay – Habakkuk 2: 2-3

The encouragement to write down GOD’s grace in our lives serves not only as a encouragement of HIS Faithfulness, but as a roadmap, showing us the growth and change of our lives with GOD. Several Psalms explicitly state encouragement for us to venture to put our thankfulness into song. We need to follow the instruction of The Psalms (Psalms 33:3, Psalm 144:9) and the wisdom in Habakkuk by writing our own Psalms and laments to The LORD.

If your heart is heavy, express it to The LORD. If your heart is thankful, Praise HIM openly. Then as the clarity of the moment is pressing ob  you, write down God’s revelation to you. It will become your personal expression (whether Psalm or lament) and will be of great encouragement later on, in your journey. 

♥ Proof That JESUS Exists!

I found this interesting and have had the same question myself. I read the transcripts from Chuck Colson Daily – Russ – Break Point with Chuck Colson”

“Don’t talk to me about the authority of The BIBLE”, said one of my neighbors told me flatly. “Now, if other ancient writers could document the life of JESUS, then I might believe it. But you can’t expect me to believe a bunch of stories written by HIS friends.” What this man wanted was corroborating evidence, and I can understand why people ask for that. Most of us, when we hear something unusual, are a bit skeptical. We withhold judgment until the story is confirmed by a source we trust. In the Gospels, we have many eyewitness accounts of the life of CHRIST. But as former journalist Lee Strobel asks in his book, “The case for CHRIST”, “Are there writings outside the gospels, that affirm or support any of the essentials about JESUS?”For this answer, Strobel went to Edwin Yamauchi, former president of the Institute for Biblical Research. Let’s be honest, Strobel told him. “Is there really much corroboration of the events in JESUS’s life outside the BIBLE?”. “Absolutely”, Yamauchi replied. “We do have very very important references to JESUS in Josephus and Tacitus.

Josephus was a first century Jewish Historian who, because of his collaboration with the Romans, was hated by his fellow Jews. In the Testimonium Flavianum, Josephus writes of JESUS’life, miracles, death and resurrection. Josephus wrote, “On the third day, after HIS crucifixion, JESUS appeared to them, restored to life”. As Yamauchi explained, “Josephus corroborates important information about JESUS: that HE was the martyred leader of the Church in Jerusalem…who established a wide and lasting following, despite the fact that HE had been crucified.”

Tacitus, the most important Roman Historian of the first century, was aan un-sympathetic witness to the spread of Christianity. So his testimony is especially credible. Tacitus wrote that an “immense multitude” held so strongly to their beliefs that they were willing to die rather than recant.

And the Jewish Talmud, Yamauchi notes, finished in AD 500, also mentions JESUS. Although it calls HIM a “false MESSIAH”, the fact that it mentions HIM at all, is a corroboration of HIS life in Ancient Israel. Finally, we have the writings of the apostolic fathers, the earliest Christian writers after the New Testament. Among them was Ignatius, who went to his execution, claiming that JESUS rose from the dead, and that those who believe in HIM, would be raised too. Yamauchi said.

Put together the writings of Josephus, the Roman historians, Jewish writings, and the apostolic fathers, “and you’ve got persuasive evidence that corroborates all the essentials found in the Biographies of JESUS”.

And he added, “Even if you were to throw away every last copy of the Gospels, you’d still have a picture of JESUS, that’s extremely compelling in fact, it’s a portrait of the unique SON of GOD”.

In this Information Age, it’s hard sometimes to separate truth from falsehood. So it’s not surprising that people like my neighbor are skeptical. We need to make sure people like this understand that there’s plenty of corroborating evidence of what the gospels have to say. Evidence that points to the fact that JESUS is exactly who HE said HE is: THE SON OF GOD and our SAVIOR.

★ Hebrew Names of G-D!

Here listed below are a few Hebrew names that describe our Awesome Almighty Sovereign and Holy G-D.

1.      YHWH – YEHOVAH – JEHOVAH

2.      EL ELYON – G-D MOST HIGH SOVEREIGN

3.      ELOHIM – My STRONG CREATOR

4.      YEHOVAH (YHWH) – THE SELF EXISTANT ONE, THE I AM.

5.      EL SHADDAI – My SUPPLIER, G-D ALMIGHTY THE ALL SUFFICIENT

6.      YEHOVAH ADONAI – My MASTER and LORD

7.      YEHOVAH YIREH – My PROVIDER

8.      YEHOVAH ROPHE – My HEALER

9.      YEHOVAH NISSI – My BANNER and VICTORY

10.  YEHOVAH MEKADDISHKEM – My SANCTIFIER

11.  YEHOVAH TSIDKENU – My RIGHTEOUSNESS

12.  YEHOVAH SHALOM – My PEACE

13.  YEHOVAH ROI - My SHEPHERD

14.  YEHOVAH SHAMMAH – My ABIDING PRESENCE

15.  EMMANUEL – G-D is with us

16.  EL – THE STRONG ONE

17.  ABBA – LOVING HEAVENLY FATHER, DADDY

18.  EL RA-EE – THE G-D WHO SEES

19.  YEHOVAH TSUBAOTH – LORD OF HOSTS

20.  EL OLAM – THE EVERLASTING ONE

21.  MELECH - KING

22.  ELOHE YISRAEL – G-D, THE G-D OF ISRAEL

23.   YEHOVAH ROPHEKA – THE LORD your HEALER


24.  YEHOVAH  ELKANNA - The JEALOUS GOD


25.  YEHOVAH EZER - The LORD,  my HELP


26.  YEHOVAH AVINU - The LORD,  our FATHER


27.  YEHOVAH HASHOPET - The LORD, our JUDGE


28.  YEHOVAH  ORI - The LORD,  my LIGHT


29.  YEHOVAH EL GIBBOR - MIGHTY GOD


30.  YEHOVAH IMMEKA - THE LORD is with you


31.  YEHOVAH EL NOSAE - THE GOD that forgave


32.  YEHOVAH CHEREV - The LORD our SWORD

★ Why Jews Spell "God" G-d?

The custom of substituting the word "God" with G-d in English is based on the traditional practice in Jewish law of giving God's Hebrew name a high degree of respect and reverence. When written or printed, God's Hebrew name (and many of the stand in names used to refer to God) cannot be erased or destroyed.

There is no prohibition in Jewish law against writing out or erasing the word "God" in English. However, many Jews have afforded the word "God" with the same level of respect as the Hebrew equivalents. Because of this, many Jews substitute "God with G-d so that they can erase or dispose of the writing without showing disrespect to God. Some Jews also use G!d in the same way, utilizing the exclamation point to convey their enthusiasm for Judaism and God.

Hebrew Names for God

Over the centuries the Hebrew name for God has accumulated many layers of tradition in Judaism.

• The Ancient Name of God: The Hebrew name for God, YHWH (in Hebrew spelled yud-hay-vav-hay), is never pronounced out loud in Judaism. When it appears in Jewish scripture or liturgy, the reader substitutes the Hebrew word "adonai" which means "my lord" or often just "the Lord." Any book that contains this name written in Hebrew is treated with reverence. The name is never destroyed, erased, or effaced and any books or writings containing the name cannot be thrown away according to Jewish law. They are stored in a genizah (special gathering place in a synagogue) until they can be given a proper burial in a Jewish cemetery.
• Adonai: Among many traditional Jews even the word "adonai" is not spoken outside of prayer services. Because "adonai" is so closely linked to the name of God, over time it has been accorded more and more reverence as well. Outside of prayer services, traditional Jews will replace "adonai" with "HaShem" meaning "the Name" or some other way of referring to God without using "adonai."
• Other Names to Refer to God: Because YHWH and adonai are not used casually, literally dozens of different ways to refer to God have developed in Judaism. Each name is linked to different conceptions of God's nature and aspects of the divine. For example, God can be referred to in Hebrew as "the Merciful One," "Master of the Universe," "the Creator," and "our King," amongst many other names.

 The BIBLE says we are not supposed to use the name of THE LORD in vain. Yet in this day and age we not only use that NAME in our conversations so casually and while swearing. For every time we use THIS HOLY NAME without respect, we have to give an account for it and will be judged. Let us begin to give the NAME of G-D reverence and utmost respect.

♥ Faith Works!

By Ron Rhodes

It was a Wednesday afternoon. Shrouded in a dense fog, a large steamer edged slowly forward off the coast of Newfoundland, its foghorn crying out somber notes of warning. The captain, nearing exhaustion from lack of sleep, was startled by a gentle tap on his shoulder. He fumed and found himself face to face with an old man in his late seventies.

The old man said, “Captain, I have come to tell you that I must be in Quebec on Saturday afternoon.”

The captain pondered for a moment, and then snorted, “Impossible!”

“Very well,” the old man responded, “if your ship can’t take me, God will find some other means to take me. I have never broken an engagement in 57 years.”

Lifting his weary hands in a gesture of despair, the captain replied, “I would help if I could—but I am helpless.”

Undaunted, the old man suggested, “Let’s go down to the chart room and pray.” The captain raised his eyebrows in utter disbelief, looking at the old man as if he had just escaped from a lunatic asylum.

“Do you know how dense the fog is?” the captain demanded.

The old man responded, “No. My eye is not on the thickness of the fog but on the living God who controls every circumstance of my life.”

Against his better judgment, the captain accompanied the old man to the chart room and knelt with him in prayer. With simple words a child might use, the old man prayed, “O Lord, if it is consistent with Thy will, please remove this fog in five minutes. Thou knowest the engagement Thou didst make for me in Quebec on Saturday. I believe it is Thy will.”

The captain, a nominal Christian at best, thought it wise to humor the old man and recite a short prayer. But before he was able to utter a single word, he felt a tap on his shoulder. The old man requested, “Don’t pray, because you do not believe. And as I believe God has already answered, there is no need for you to pray.” The captain’s mouth dropped open.

Then the old man explained, “Captain, I have known the Lord for 57 years and there has never been a single day that I have failed to gain an audience with the King. Get up, captain, and open the door, and you will find the fog is gone.” The captain did as he was requested, and was astonished to find that the fog had indeed disappeared.

The captain later testified that this encounter with the aged George Mueller completely revolutionized his Christian life. He had seen with his own eyes that Mueller’s God was the true and living God of the Bible. He had seen incredible power flow from a frail old man—a power rooted in simple childlike faith in God.

The late Pastor Ray Stedman once delivered a sermon in which he said, “Faith has an apparent ridiculousness about it. You are not acting by faith if you are doing what everyone around you is doing. Faith always appears to defy the circumstances. It constitutes a risk and a venture.”

That is the kind of faith George Mueller demonstrated decade after decade in his long and fruitful life. During the final year of his earthly sojourn, he wrote that his faith had been increasing over the years little by little, but he emphatically insisted that there was nothing unique about him or his faith. He believed that a life of trust was open to virtually all of God’s children if only they would endure when trials came, instead of giving up.

George Mueller (1805–1895)

One of the early members of the Brethren, he founded five orphans’ homes in Bristol, England, with shelter for 2,000 children. During his lifetime he cared for almost 10,000 orphans and received $1.5 million [multi-millions of today’s dollars] by faith alone. Before his death he estimated he had received 50,000 specific answers to prayer.

♥ Bought By Blood!

The Paid Price

There once was a man named George Thomas, pastor in a small New England town. One Easter Sunday morning he came to the Church carrying a rusty, bent, old bird cage, and set it by the pulpit. Eyebrows were raised and, as if in response, Pastor Thomas began to speak.

“I was walking through town yesterday when I saw a young boy coming toward me swinging this bird cage. On the bottom of the cage were three little wild birds, shivering with cold and fright.

I stopped the lad and asked, “What do you have there, son?”

“Just some old birds,” came the reply.

“What are you going to do with them?” I asked.

“Take ‘em home and have fun with ‘em,” he answered. “I’m gonna tease ‘em and pull out their feathers to make ‘em fight. I’m gonna have a real good time.”

“But you’ll get tired of those birds sooner or later. What will you do then?”

“Oh, I got some cats,” said the little boy. “They like birds. I’ll take ‘em to them.”

The pastor was silent for a moment. “How much do you want for those birds, son?”

“Huh?? !!! Why, you don’t want them birds, mister.

They’re just plain old field birds. They don’t sing. They ain’t even pretty!”

“How much?” the pastor asked again.

The boy sized up the pastor as if he were crazy and said, “$10?”

The pastor reached in his pocket and took out a ten dollar bill. He placed it in the boy’s hand. In a flash, the boy was gone. The pastor picked up the cage and gently carried it to the end of the alley where there was a tree and a grassy spot. Setting the cage down, he opened the door, and by softly tapping the bars persuaded the birds out, setting them free. Well, that explained the empty bird cage on the pulpit, and then the pastor began to tell this story:

One day Satan and Jesus were having a conversation. Satan had just come from the Garden of Eden, and he was gloating and boasting. “Yes, sir, I just caught a world full of people down there. Set me a trap, used bait I knew they couldn’t resist. Got ‘em all!”

“What are you going to do with them?” Jesus asked.

Satan replied, “Oh, I’m gonna have fun! I’m gonna teach them how to marry and divorce each other, how to hate and abuse each other, how to drink and smoke and curse. I’m gonna teach them how to invent guns and bombs and kill each other. I’m really gonna have fun!”

“And what will you do when you are done with them?” Jesus asked..

“Oh, I’ll kill ‘em,” Satan glared proudly.

“How much do you want for them?” Jesus asked.

“Oh, you don’t want those people. They ain’t no good. Why, you’ll take them and they’ll just hate you. They’ll spit on you, curse you and kill you. You don’t want those people!!”

“How much? He asked again.

Satan looked at Jesus and sneered, “All your blood, tears and your life.”

Jesus said, “DONE!” Then He paid the price.

The pastor picked up the cage and walked from the pulpit.

♥ Table Cloth!

The brand new pastor and his wife, newly assigned to their first ministry, to reopen a church in suburban Brooklyn, arrived in early October excited about their opportunities.

When they saw their church, it was very run down and needed much work. They set a goal to have everything done in time to have their first service on Christmas Eve. They worked hard, repairing pews, plastering walls, painting, etc. and on Dec 18 were ahead of schedule and just about finished. On Dec 19 a terrible tempest - a driving rainstorm - hit the area and lasted for two days. On the 21st, the pastor went over to the church. His heart sank when he saw that the roof had leaked, causing a large area of plaster about 20 feet by 8 feet to fall off the front wall of the sanctuary just behind the pulpit, beginning about head high. The pastor cleaned up the mess on the floor, and not knowing what else to do but postpone the Christmas Eve service, headed home.

On the way he noticed that a local business was having a flea market type sale for charity so he stopped in. One of the items was a beautiful, handmade, ivory colored, crocheted tablecloth with exquisite work, fine colors and a Cross embroidered right in the center. It was just the right size to cover up the hole in the front wall. He bought it and headed back to the church. By this time it had started to snow. An older woman running from the opposite direction was trying to catch the bus. She missed it. The pastor invited her to wait in the warm church for the next bus 45 minutes later. She sat in a pew and paid no attention to the pastor while he got a ladder, hangers, etc., to put up the tablecloth as a wall tapestry.

The pastor could hardly believe how beautiful it looked and it covered up the entire problem area. Then he noticed the woman walking down the center aisle. Her face was like a sheet. "Pastor," she asked, "where did you get that tablecloth?" The pastor explained. The woman asked him to check the lower right corner to see if the initials, EBG were crocheted into it there. They were. These were the initials of the woman, and she had made this tablecloth 35 years before, in Austria. The woman could hardly believe it as the pastor told how he had just gotten the Tablecloth. The woman explained that before the war she and her husband were well-to-do people in Austria. When the Nazis came, she was forced to leave. Her husband was going to follow her the next week. She was captured, sent to prison and never saw her husband or her home again. The pastor wanted to give her the tablecloth; but she made the pastor keep it for the church.

The pastor insisted on driving her home, that was the least he could do. She lived on the other side of Staten Island and was only in Brooklyn for the day for a housecleaning job. What a wonderful service they had on Christmas Eve. The church was almost full. The music and the spirit were great. At the end of the service, the pastor and his wife greeted everyone at the door and many said that they would return. One older man, whom the pastor recognized from the neighborhood, continued to sit in one of the pews and stare, and the pastor wondered why he wasn’t leaving. The man asked him where he got the tablecloth on the front wall because it was identical to one that his wife had made years ago when they lived in Austria before the war and how could there be two tablecloths so much alike? He told the pastor how the Nazis came, how he forced his wife to flee for her safety, and he was supposed to follow her, but he was arrested and put in a prison. He never saw his wife or his home again all the 35 years in between. The pastor asked him if he would allow him to take him for a little ride. They drove to Staten Island and to the same house where the pastor had taken the woman three days earlier. He helped the man climb the three flights of stairs to the woman’s apartment, knocked on the door and he saw the greatest Christmas reunion he could ever imagine. 

True Story - submitted by Pastor Rob Reid Who says God does not work in mysterious ways. 

I asked the LORD to bless you as I prayed for you today. To guide you and protect you as you go along your way…

HIS love is always with you,

HIS promises are true,

And when we give HIM all our cares

You know HE will see us through

So when the road you’re travelling on seems difficult at best,

Just remember I’m praying here and GOD will do the rest.