Rev. 12:11 “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and the Word their testimony…”
As I sit here beside Pastor Jerry in the hospital, sometimes I forget how many days we have been here. I asked the Lord what did I have to say to you, New Life for the Nations, to encourage you as your Pastor.
First let me tell you that we are not discouraged or defeated. We will overcome these circumstances by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. Jesus has taken all of our sicknesses and diseases and by His stripes we are healed. We have accepted this for Pastor Jerry’s healing and stand upon it.
Isaiah 53:4-5 “Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses)and carried our sorrows and pains (of punishment), yet we ignorantly considered Him stricken, smitten, and afflicted by God (as if with leprosy). But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement (needful to obtain) peace and well-being for us was upon Him and with the stripes (that wounded) Him we are healed and made whole.”
We can feel your prayers and know you are standing on the Word with us.
Secondly, keep doing what you are doing until we return. Keep preaching, worshipping God, reading the Word, praying for one another, and giving your tithes and offerings to support the work of New LIFE.
Keep being faithful to support the vision of New Life.
Remember, you are the church. Be the church.
“Dare to Believe” is the challenge we all face. Do I believe what the Word says about my circumstances? Many people read about healing, prosperity, favor, wisdom, and all the other promises. It is another thing to stand on them in face of the adversary. I want to share three definitions of the word, dare.
1. “have courage for something” It takes courage to believe the Word. Sometimes those around you do not believe and really do not think you can believe. You can’t find courage to stand on the Word in your own strength. God gives us the promise and when we trust Him, He gives us the courage to stand. Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
2. “have audacity to do something” This means to have the courage to do something that angers or outrages somebody. Anytime you begin to believe God, the devil gets mad. John 10:10 “The thief (the devil) comes but to steal, kill, and destroy,” but you resist him with the Word and he will flee from you (James 4:7).
3. “challenge someone” When you dare someone to do something, you challenge them. We dare you to believe the Word. It will change your circumstances.
*”No matter that the doubters tell you; no matter what the devil says; no matter what anybody, anybody else does. You just keep trusting Jesus; you’ll see and it won’t be long, that God is right and the doubters are wrong!’
“Oh, I dare to believe that miracles happen. That mountains still move and demons still flee. For the God that we serve,He is much more than able. So don’t be afraid, just stand up and say, “I dare to believe!” *Ray Boltz
“What does the Bible say about Christian mothers?”
Answer: Being a mother is a very important role that the Lord chooses to give to many women. A Christian mother is told to love her children (Titus 2:4-5), in part so that she does not bring reproach on the Lord and on the Savior whose name she bears.
Children are a gift from the Lord (Psalm 127:3-5).
In Titus 2:4; the Greek word philoteknos appears in reference to mothers loving their children. This word represents a special kind of “mother love.” The idea that flows out of this word is that of caring for our children, nurturing them, affectionately embracing them, meeting their needs, and tenderly befriending each one as a unique gift from the hand of God.
Several things are commanded of Christian mothers in God’s Word:
Availability – morning, noon, and night (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)
Involvement – interacting, discussing, thinking, and processing life together (Ephesians 6:4)
Teaching – the Scriptures and a biblical worldview (Psalm 78:5-6; Deuteronomy 4:10; Ephesians 6:4)
Training – helping a child to develop skills and discover his/her strengths (Proverbs 22:6) and spiritual gifts (Romans 12:3-8 and 1 Corinthians 12)
Discipline – teaching the fear of the Lord, drawing the line consistently, lovingly, firmly (Ephesians 6:4; Hebrews 12:5-11; Proverbs 13:24; 19:18; 22:15; 23:13-14; 29:15-17)
Nurture – providing an environment of constant verbal support, freedom to fail, acceptance, affection, unconditional love (Titus 2:4; 2 Timothy 1:7; Ephesians 4:29-32; 5:1-2; Galatians 5:22; 1 Peter 3:8-9)
Modeling with Integrity – living what you say, being a model from which a child can learn by “catching” the essence of godly living (Deuteronomy 4:9, 15, 23; Proverbs 10:9; 11:3; Psalm 37:18, 37).
The Bible never states that every woman should be a mother. However, it does say that those whom the Lord blesses to be mothers should take the responsibility seriously. Mothers have a unique and crucial role in the lives of their children. Motherhood is not a chore or unpleasant task. Just as a mother bears a child during pregnancy, and just as a mother feeds and cares for a child during infancy, so mothers also play an ongoing role in the lives of their children, whether they are adolescents, teenagers, young adults, or even adults with children of their own. While the role of motherhood must change and develop, the love, care, nurture, and encouragement a mother gives should never cease.
What has stolen your song?
I believe that God has given us all a song. It is put in our hearts, that place that only God can touch. We all know that life is tough and the road can be rough at times.
I sense in my spirit that many people are tired of fighting the good fight of faith. They are struggling to fight because they have lost their song, their joy.
One of the most popular passages in the Bible is Nehemiah 8:10: “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Why is joy important? Because the “joy of the Lord is your strength!” Did you know that joy produces strength and strength is what is needed to fight this good fight of faith.
David in the Bible found himself in the wilderness of Judah but he did not lose his song. He wrote in Psalms 63:3-4 “Because Your loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. So will I bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name”
What has caused you to lose your song, your praise? It is time to take it back!
Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord!
Let’s unite in prayer and intercession for our nation during this critical time. The following is a guideline for prayer.
GOVERNMENT–“I urge, then, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone–for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” I Timothy 2:1-2
CHURCH–“May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me.” John 17:23
MILITARY–“Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you whereever you go.” Joshua 1:9 “You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.” Psalm 91:5-6
FAMILY–“If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” Mark 3:25
EDUCATION–“And if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search of it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.” Proverb 2:3-5 “Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I believe in your commands.” Psalm 119:66
MEDIA–“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.” Phil. 4:8
BUSINESS–“Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men.” Proverbs 22:29 “You must have accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.:” Deut. 25:15
PEACE OF JERUSALEM–“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; may they prosper who love You. Peace be within your walls; prosperity within your palaces. For the sake of my brethern and companions, I will now say, ‘Peace be within you.'” Psalm 122:6-8
” He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called THE WORD OF GOD.” Rev. 19:13
Today we are focusing on the power and importance of the Word Of God. The Word of God is the only thing on this earth that is eternal. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Word will not pass away.” The Bible is the Word of God and it declarres that “His Word endures forever”.
The Scripture verse I quoted makes the direct connection between The Word and Jesus, Himself. “He honors His word above His Name.” This concludes the trust we can have in what God has said. God’s “feeling” has no affect on His Word. As a matter of fact, I believe God only “feels” what His Word says. If the Word says it, that is what He feels about it.
On the other hand, we humans can separate truth from feelings with little effort. We can know the truth(the right thing to do) and use our opposing feelings to chose a different course of action. This is why it is so important that our lives are controlled by the Word of God and not by our emotions(how we feel about something).
“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.”
|
