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Marturia

Public Journal
This is my testimony and witness of Jesus Christ and all that He is to me and what He means in my life. This is about the reality and goodness of God in our world. It is about His mercy, grace and love in my life and in this world. Archives | Subscribe to Alerts Alerts Subscribe to Alerts | Feeds
   
Thursday, May 15, 2008
10:12:54 PM EDT

"Potter isn't selling, he's buying!"

"Potter isn't selling, he's buying!"

In the famous old movie It's a Wonderful Life, George Bailey played by the fantastic Jimmy Stewert, delivers that line to the crowd of panic stricken members of the Bedford Falls Savings and Loan company. Potter, that self proclaimed paragon of virtue and community pride is not there trying to help the townsfolk. He is not trying to be a good citizen. Just as George Bailey is decrying, Potter is not selling anything, he is not helping anyone, he is trying his best to buy them all out of house and home and bring down that pain, that thorn in his flesh for these many years... the Bedford Falls Savings and Loan. He hated George Bailey's dad and he now hates George.

Why I am I relating this to you? I am not selling, I am not buying... I am warning! I am sounding an alarm. Oprah, that self proclaimed paragon of virtue is also not trying to help her fellow citizens and townsfolk. She is not working towards community pride. Oprah isn't selling... she is buying! She is buying the soul of anyone that will listen to her and get sucked into her new age, age old lies.

Is Oprah being real? Is she doing something that she really believes in? I would answer those two questions with a resounding yes. I think this is who Oprah really is. I also believe that she really believes that the bill of goods she is trying to get you and anyone else to fall for is something she believes in and stands for. Oprah loves who she is and she wants you to love who she is as well. She is the new age diva of all new age divas. She is the new age queen mum! She is smart and she is as sly and tricky as her father the devil.

Right now there are stories and videos of Oprah all over the internet. One has only to go to the web site: www.youtube.com and type the name 'Oprah' into the search window and look out! Many of these videos are properly named to expose exactly what she is: "The Church of Oprah." There are many other names for it as well.

Many that I e-mail with know of her inroads into the new age world. Many more also know and believe her to be the next best thing to sliced bread, StarBucks and even Jesus Christ. From the time Lady O first appeared in Chicago she started her meteoric rise from talk show host to media Goddess. One of the biggest ways this was achieved was through her nice girl next door charm to her friendly helping hands of the Angel Network. Oprah paid attention to the house bound housewife and the stay-at-home mom. She showed them that they were indeed good women, smart women and women that did a usually thankless job that really mattered. She talked and they listened. I thank Oprah for a lot that she did for women in the mid-west and all of America to finally women around the world. Oprah has done a lot that she should be honored and thanked for. She has really helped out many needful people. But the shape of things slowly started to change. Oprah's good deeds started to buy people. Oh, they didn't know and do not know that they were and are being bought.

Most people just love her Christmas give-aways. Then there are her famous "Oprah's favorite things" give-aways. She has given away cars and all other sorts of things. That has a tendency to buy people. Oprah turned people on to reading and before long they were all reading what Oprah deemed the important things for them to be reading. One of her fave authors dared to lie and betray Lady O. She was angry and for revenge she played prosecuting attorney, jury, judge and even forgiving victim.This really wrung up the points for Oprah's sainthood. These new age shows have been appearing more and more and the subject matter gets deeper and broader all the time. But pay attention to how she changes the subject matter right afetr a big step forward with her new age plunge. Right after a big new age show the next show will be about silly and funny harmless things. This is merely slight of hand. Keep them watching the one hand while she moves undetected with the other.

On Monday May 12th her show was about past life regression. It has gotten so bad that almost the entire audience opted to be hypnotized and joined in a whole audience past life regression. Only a few opted out. After a couple of the guests shared their experiences, Oprah's friend and frequent guest Dr. Oz talked about his recent past life regression and shared with the multi-million viewers that all that is needed is for us to learn how to shut down the clutter of our busy minds and allow our "reptile brain" to emerge so we can experience our past lives in a vivid manner. Of course all along the way there were brief little touchesof humor so that everyone remains disarmed over all of this blatant new age talk. Dr. Oz shared his humoerous thought that we need not be worried that if we keep an opened mined our brains will not fall out. My first thought to that was that I do not fear having my mind opened too far that my brain will fall out, but that it can be opened so fay that something I do not want in there may indeed enter in. Demons anyone?Coming out of a alcoholic and drug infested past I know first hand of things that are waiting out there in the dark unseen world waiting to gain access and control of your open and even expanded mind.

What makes this all sound so good to people is the mention of things like using these past life regression to settle emotional problems that may haunt us from unfruitful past lives. Also in this realm as we go tripping through these what could be called 'darkly fantastic escapades' are the "dead people" or "disembodied spirits" or "masters" that have information to tell us to help us on our way wherever we are going. Here Oprah injected that we should not allow lables to frighten us off. I find it interesting that these 'people' are there and telling us these wonderful little tidbits that seem to make one hungry for more. They are giving little bits and pieces of info that "no one would have any way to have this information so it must be true." It seems strange to me that this sets off no buzzers or rings no alarm bells or red flags that cause us to wonder about what is going on here. The psychologist that was on this panel seems to have problem that in every case he has handled every single person (when you hold enough past regression sessions) comes to remembering being both male and female at various times, has been a person of every ethinic group at one time or another, has been rich and poor, common and royal and everything inbetween. Doesn't that seem a bit too fairy tale-ish, too perfect? It instantly brings to my mind the Scripture that says having itching ears they gather together unto themselves people that will tell them what they want to hear.

All of this is to be tolerated but there is no place in any of this for Jesus Christ! At least for the one true Jesus Christ of the Bible, the risen Son of the Living God. These people believe that all is God and we are all God. God is in everything and everything is in God. This makes the chair God, the tree isGod, you are God and I am God and no one can tell you any different. And there you have the bottom line of all of this. They are right! You cannot tell them that they are wrong because that would be wrong. All ways are right! NO THEY ARE NOT! Well, by saying that little sentence, I am not one of them! Just recently Oprah and all her audience were talking about all of this new age stuff and it was all going nicely... until... until one Christian woman dared to stand up and spoke up for Jesus Christ. Oprah came right out and said to this woman...you cannot expect me or anyone to believe that Jesus is the one and only way to God. There are as many ways to God as there are people. All paths go to the same place, to the same God. No matter what you call God or I call God and anyone calls God...they are all the same God! The majority of the people in the audience appauded Oprah and agreed with her. What they do not know is that in doing so that rejected God who was trying to reach them through this one Christian woman that speaking up for Him against any and all ridicule that day. This woman was not hateful nor being nasty. She was merely standing up for Jesus Christ in a very God pleasing Christ like manner. This is what we all must do. Do not hate Oprah! Do not e-mail her or write to her with hate mail. That will just set you at odds with God and you will have to repent.

I have shared all of this with you for one purpose. Pray for Oprah, Dr. Oz, and all those that are listening to Oprah and are believing the lies. Pray for them! Pray for the people that are laying down their faith in Christ and are walking after the father of lies....Lucifer, Satan, the old dragon, the devil, etc. Remember that he appears to these people as an agent of light. They start out believeing, then once they fully believe the lie, they then receive the lie. When the lie is fully received, it takes root and they no longer care for the facade, for the false face, they become full blown new agers, Christ haters. I receive e-mails from people that have family members that have walked away from the real Jesus to follow after another Jesus and another gospel. They believe that good is bad and bad is the real good.

Slyvia Brown is another one that has led people astray. I watched a Christian minister that stood up and asked Sylvia Brown to confirm his calling to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He called her a prophet of God. He had ministered Jesus Christ for many years and then threw it all away in one ignorant move by opting to turn to the devils people for confirmation of something. Friends, do not be nasty and hateful to friends or family over these things, but do not stand by and watch them go off to hell by believing in another Jesus and another gospel. Speak the truth to them in love but speak it nonetheless. Read your Bible and study it. Pray for your friends and relatives.These are the last days and we are experiencing just what The Bible tells us would happen in the last days. Tell the truth. Spread the light. Stand up for Jesus Christ.

We have Jesus and the Holy Spirit of God, we have the Word of God which is the two-edged sword of the Spirit. Get into the Word and learn how to pray the Word. Jesus is our Lord and King and He is our example. Jesus stood up in the Holy Spirit of God and He spoke the Word of God right into the face of Satan when he came against Jesus. Satan attacked and Jesus would say... "It is written..." and He spoke the appropriate Scripture for the situation....in total faith believing. As the Word says...Be angry and sin not. You can stand in righteous anger. I am angry when the father of lies and his daughter Oprah steal the hearts of people away from God. That angers me, but instead of sinning over it by yelling at Oprah and writing her nasty e-mail and letters, I am praying about this and will pray until something gives and until God calls me to stop. Lets snatch people back out of the fire.

In closing this, please open your Bible to Jude and read verses 17- 25. Keep reading those verses. get them stuck in your heart and mind. Even if we have to save them with fear, pulling them out of the fire, and hating their spotted sin stained garments. Lets do it all unto Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior...Halleluajah! Anyone that desires to dispute what the Word of God says will surely do so. All we can do is warn them of the truth and what happens to those who disobey. God desires that all come to the knowledge and saving grace of His Son Jesus Christ and if you are a a believer, that should be your desire as well. I have known those that profess Christ yet they very easily desire to cast people off to hell, these people are not Christians for the love of Christ is not within them. When we see sinners out doing their level best to ride the next wave of sin off to hell it should break our hearts as it does our heavenly Father. When people call celebrities names and comment that they should just kill themselves and get it over with or wish someone else would murder them and "take them out of their misery...and ours" that is simply listening to the father of lies and further spreading his hatred. Oprah, Sylvia Brown and these many others that are taking people down with themselves are wrong and are to be pitied... and prayed for that God would show them mercy and reveal Himself unto them. We would want to see our own family members come to Christ and avoid hell at all costs. Don't these others deserve that as well? We were all once as they are now...sinners, living our lives selfishly for ourselves and not considering the cost or considering our Savior that died to set us all free. One only has to read the Word of God: Deuteronomy 18:9-14 where we are instructed of the warning against heathen practices. These Scriptures clearly calls these new age occultic practices an abomination unto the Lord. There is to be no one that communicates with the dead through any manner and no one that uses any heathen means to fortell the future. If we are mean hearted and hate filled Christians then we are indeed not Christians because we are denying the love of Christ that has been shed abroad in our hearts. We become no more than a heathen ourselves and need to repent and come to Christ for forgievness and reconcialliation. If we wouls stop reading favorite Bible verses and get on to reading the entire Word of God we will easily come across Scripture that time and time again tells us to walk in the Spirit of God and not fullfill the lusts of the flesh and to walk grounded in the love of Christ that He has for all people. We need a revival of the love, mercy and grace of God in America and the world so we can truly live the will of God for our lives.

Love and prayers...

Wayne



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Friday, May 2, 2008
10:21:14 PM EDT

Cover all your bases

Cover all your bases

Mark 12:30, 31

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second commandment is this: Love your neighbor as you love yourself. There are no commands more important than these.

Mark 12:30 Love your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. In other words throw your whole self into loving God.

Love God with all of your:

1) Heart - emotions (thoughts, feelings)

2) Soul - spirit (breath, vitality, life)

3) Mind - intellect (deep thought, faculty, disposition, imagination, understanding)

4) Strength - body (force (-fulness), ability, might, power)

When you look these up in the Strong's Greek/Hebrew Dictionary you will see that these things are integrated into each other. Their definitions overlap some. They go together, each one affects the others.

Mark 12:31 Love your neighbors as you love yourself. If we all do that there would be no gossip, no theft, jealousy, hatred, murder, etc. We would each only wish and do our neighbors well.

The word love in the above verses (love for God and your neighbor) is the word agapao (ag - ap - ah' - o) to love (much), in a social and moral sense. Compare to: phileo (fil - eh' - o) to be a friend, fond of, have affection for (denoting persoanl attachment), while agapao is wider, embracing the judgement and deliberate assent of the will as a matter of principle, duty and priority, the two stand related. Phileo is of the heart and agapao is of the head.

We love our neighbors as ourself because we love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. It is an act of our decision to do so because we love God and desire to obey Him and His Word. If we love God we will love our neighbor. If we call this commandment into question we would then have to call our complete love of God into question as well. We cannot separate the two.

These two commands cover all the bases. Love God with all that you are and love your neighbor as you love yourself. No one is left out of that kind of love. If we truly love God with our whole being how can we not love our neighbor who is created in His image just as we ourselves are?

In John 14:15 Jesus say: If ye love me, keep my commandments. then He says a similar thing in John 15:14: Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

 



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Monday, October 29, 2007
10:38:31 PM EDT
Feeling Hopeful
Hearing Worship and Faith - Randy Travis

The Titanic's Last Hero

I have recently heard about a book that tells of the night the Titanic sank. It is entitled: 'The Titanic's Last Hero', By Moody Adams. It is now out of print and there are people that are looking into getting permission to reprint this book with such an excellent testimony to the power of Christ in a man's life. As the Titanic sank the Rev. John Harper gave away his life jacket telling people that, "I am going up, not down!" There were witnesses that he walked around near the life boats telling the men to let women and children and unsaved people on the life boats because the unsaved were unprepared to die and be ushered into eternity. He walked around among the throng of people offering them their last chance at salvation.

Through testimony of survivors that were interviewed by the press, Rev. Harper was the one that told the band to play "Nearer My God, To Thee" in an effort to stop people from panic. There was testimony that Rev. Harper preached Christ's salvation to people on deck and stood praying the "sinners prayer" for anyone that wanted to seek forgiveness from Jesus Christ. Once in the water the Rev. Harper floated in and out of the people asking everyone he met if their souls were right with Christ and if they didn't make it out alive did they know where they were going to spend their eternity? One man especially drfited past the reverend and he heard him shout towards him...."Is your soul right with Christ?" The man said "no" and asked how that could happen. Reverend Harper explained as the man drifted away. Soon by devine appointment the same man drifted his way past the reverend again and Harper asked the same question. He replied, "No...please tell me how." The Reverend led this man to the Lord as the last thing he did in this life. He slowly drifted under the waves.

When reporters were asking asking questions of the survivors a man stepped forward to tell them about Reverend John Harper and how he spent his last hours on earth. They asked him how he knew this and the man told the reporter that he was the last man that Harper led to Christ before he disappeared under the waves.

What a great contrast in two men. The Reverend John Harper, a minister of Gospel of Christ gave his life willingly to see others reborn into God's eternal Kingdom. Rev. Harper was told by a close friend before he left the great liner in Ireland, that he had bad feelings about this voyage. Before the friend got off the ship and urged Reverend Harper to do the same. He even went as far as offering him passage on another luxury liner that would soon be leaving for America. He told the reverend that he would be more than happy to pay for the expenses of the other ship. Revereand Harper refused the kindness of his friend and told him that as a Christian and a minister of the Gospel, he must be about God's business and that what would or would not befall him would all be in God's more than capable hands.

The man who contrasted Reverend Harper was a important represenative of the Titanic's White Star Line. This was a man by the name of Mr. Ismay. It has been said that he was an arrogant man that usually got what he wanted. He wanted fame and money. When the Titanic's Captain Smith had received news about icebergs that would be crossing their shipping lane he ordered that the ship be slowed down for safety reasons. Mr. Ismay pulled rank and ordered the liner to proceed at near full speed. Mr. Imay wanted to make the headlines that his ship beat all time and speed records for the day. He did get his headlines saying that the "unsinkable ship" had indeed sank. The press also learned that Mr. Ismay snuck his way onto a lifeboat therebye taking a seat that could have saved the life of a woman or child, possibly both. He spent the rest of his years living down the fact that he was a coward. Thanks to the man who told Reverend Harper's story and the man that researched and wrote this book, the heroic story of a man of God was not lost but told to the glory of God.

The Word of God tells us that there is always a remnant of believers. There are always some that will not bow the knee to anyone but God nor kiss (worship) anyone but God. Rev. Harper chose to follow Christ and live after His devine example. While Mr. Ismay chose to bow the knee to the god of self preservation.

I was thinking of the parallel of the Titanic and the United States when I heard this discussed on TV. The USA has boasted about itself as being unstoppable or "unsinkable" as was said of the Titanic (which was proven to be said by a man that worked in engineering on the aboard the ship). Many say that we are the greatest nation, the strongest, the best, the richest, etc. We even stand up and say we are the godliest. We were running full speed ahead and would not slow down over the warnings of danger. The USA has smacked right into the iceburg of sin. And like the iceberg, sin sits there with a little bit showing and over three quarters hidden underneath where no one can readily see it. Our leaders, like Mr. Ismay take the cowards way out and try to hide in a spot of safety not caring for the people who are left to their care. And like Rev. Harper, God has a remnant out and about trying to warns and save as many as they can. These men and women never retire and minister Christ and His salvation until the day they die and go home to be with the Lord Jesus Christ.

In Branson, MO. There is a replica of the HMS Titanic built to almost full size. The Captain of the Tiyanic is played by a Christian actor. As people tour the ship Captain Smith tells the story of the Titanic and the people involved. When you "board" the ship you get a 'ticket' in the various classes in the various names that were aboard. At the end of the tour you get to find out the fate of your passenger. He tells the story of Reverend John Harper, the last hero of the Titanic. At the end of the tour he relates his own test-imony to his love for his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We all need to take some time and decide which of these two men we would desire to be like. One that loved people with the love of Christ and died to set men free in example of His Savior. Or- we can live like the other and live for the god of self and not care about anyone but ourself.



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Saturday, October 6, 2007
9:23:51 PM EDT

Speaking of Jesus!

Isaiah 53 This chapter speaks of Jesus.
 
Verse 2) He was a tender plant, something new, new growth, and as a root out of a dry ground. A root is where the rest of the plant will sprout from. It is the start, the beginning. Jesus was and is the root of His body, the church. Out of a dry ground-- dry means wilderness, barren, etc. Not just the physical land but it was spiritually barren in God.
 
Jesus had no form or comeliness, no physical beauty that we should desire Him. People are the same today. People want and desire what is beautiful, glamorous, and glitzy...on the outside. No one seems to care about what is inside. Just feel good, look good, glitz and glamor.
 
V.3) He is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. We esteemed Him not. He came as a real man that was acquainted with real life and living. He lived the daily hard life of those struggling to make a living.
 
V.s 4&5) He carried the weight of our griefs and sorrows and was wounded and beaten for our sin, our trespass, rebellion, wickedness, unrighteousness and fault: the correction of our peace (shalom), welfare, health, prosperity, favor, rest, safety, wellness, happiness, friendliness, were upon Him. By His hurt, wounds and bruises we are mended, cured, repaired, and thoroughly made whole.
 
V.6) Like a herd of sheep we as a group have gone astray and individually we have done our own thing, and on Jesus was lain all of the evil, wickedness, fault, sin, etc., of each and every one ever!
 
V.7) They came against Him and attacked Him but He didn't accuse them, curse them, or speak in His own defense.
 
V.8) He was taken from prison, to court, to execution: He was punished for all of mankind's sins.
 
V.9) He made His burying place with the guilty and with the rich in His death (He was executed as guilty and was placed in the tomb of a wealthy man). He had never committed violence or ever lied. He was innocent, holy, and totally righteous.
 
V.10) This was God’s desire and plan...He made His (Jesus’) soul an offering for sin. He was not pleased (happy) to bruise His Son, not pleased in the act of it....but pleased that it would do what it was to accomplish. The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in Christ’s hand.
 
V.11) He (God the Father) saw to it that the suffering of Jesus was satisfactory: By this shall Jesus justify many for He shall bear their iniquities.
 
V.12) He is given a place with the great and the strong because He (Jesus) gave Himself, gave up His life willingly and was willingly numbered or counted as a sinner by bearing the sin of many and stepped in on behalf of all sinners.
 
Do you actually see the magnitude of what took place here? Sinless God came to man in the flesh and took to himself all of the dirt, filth, and grossness of all of mankind’s sin for all time and took the punishment...the wrath, the payday of our earned wages of sin. He laid down His life so each one of us could pick it up and put it on! He took our sin and death to give us His righteousness and life! That is the utmost love, mercy, and grace wrapped up in one special and amazing place...Jesus...the Christ, the Messiah, Redeemer, Savior, Son of God, who knew what He faced and what had to be done...yet willingly laid down His life bearing all of our sin and it’s evil baggage...coming to life again, so we could share it all with Him! That should give us all something to be joyful, and to shout about!
Everlasting Light Ministries (Is. 60:19)
w.t.stokes
 
A further note on Isaiah 53:7;
Why didn't Jesus open His mouth in His defense? Because he willingly went to the cross! He could not answer and say He was guilty as charged because that would have been a lie and therefore a sin. He could not say that he was innocent and not guilty because His mission was to come and die (wrongly accused) in sacrifice for us on the tree. Jesus could have given a brilliant self defense and been set free, but that was not His plan or goal. How it all came down was in answer to prophecy of how the Messiah would be accused, found guilty, and be executed! He remained obedient unto His heavenly Father even unto death. Just as we do in Him....Jesus overcame by the blood of the Lamb (His own blood), by the Word of His testimony (His spoken Word), and He loved not His own life even unto the death. He did this first opening the way for us to do the same (Revelation 12:11).
 
"Amazing love, how can it be...that my King would die for me?"


What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly,
and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
Micah 6:8


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Friday, September 7, 2007
10:23:20 PM EDT

What's buzzin' cousin?

What's buzzin' cousin? or...

Bee world in a flap over mysterious epidemic

I do not know if you have heard the news going around lately about honey bees or not. Very few media outlets are touching this subject. It is just starting to hit the media though they have known about this for some time. Several ministries that I watch have been reporting this disasterous news.

Indianapolis-based Roche Diagnostics say they found a virus that might be playing a role in the disappearance of billions, yes, billions of honey bees are dying. As of June 2007, about 38 states in the USA have been affected by what is being called CCD or Colony Collapse Disorder.

Many people think this is ignorant and are saying who cares if bees disappear or not. Remember that it is our honey bees that are doing the pollinating of our fruit and vegetable crops. No pollination...no fruit or no veggies.

Researchers have discovered a little known pathogen that was present only in colonies where collapse has been found. This virus that was found in 2004 may be threatening the bees immune systems very similar to the way AIDS does with people. Roughly half of the colonies in the USA have been wiped out from.

This task of finding a way to stop this disease has been compared to the old, "finding a needle in haystack." I found it rather funny that the bees start dying off in record numbers and the Genome Sequencer technology costs about $500,000 per machine to work on a cure. Roche estimates that genome sequencing has a worldwide market value at around $800 million a year. Are people really concrened with finding an answer to this horrendous problem or are they out to make a big profit?

Steve Doty a beekeeper in Fortville, IN. says that experts in beekeeping are keeping an eye on the findings of these studies being done. He says that this virus is the last on a list of culprits. People are thinking it may be related to cell phones or towers or insecticides or maybe pesticides. Few of Indiana's bees have been affected, said Doty who is president of the Indiana Beekeepers Association.

Greg Hunt, an entomologist at Perdue University, said he thinks there are most likely multiple causes for the colony collapse disorder, and research is in the early stages.

It has been noted that in 2006, for unknown reasons, honeybees began to leave hives or their colonies and have not returned. Honeybees are essential to more than 90% of our food crops.

Personally, I choose to belive the Bible and God's prophets that have been warning of these type of things coming upon the earth. The Bible clearly speaks about famine and pestilence. Pestilence is plague, disease and pests. Pestilence can very easily bring famine. Especially if there are too few bees to pollinate our crops. This is not a time to live in fear and dread, but a time to look up for our redemption draws nigh.

Open your Bibles to I Thessalonians 5. Read that whole chapter. The Word says that we are not in darkness. We are the children of light, children of the day. Lets watch and be self controlled. Lets put on the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet of hope and salvation. God has not appointed us unto wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ...who died for us so whether we are awake or asleep we will live together with HIm. We are also not to fear or faint but be of a sound mind and not doubt but stand in faith in Christ Jesus. We cannot fear everything that we hear and stand in faith in Christ at the same time. That is doublemindedness. A doubleminded person is unstable in all they do.

Now grab onto verse 11...Wherefore comfort or encourage yourselves together and build each other up. We shouldn't walk around sad faced and droopy eyed, worried and fretting until we are sick over what is going on in the world today. We are to lift each other up in the very hope of Christ. Verse 14-24 says we need to warn some that are not living right, comfort the timid, support the weak and be patient towards all men (all means all, not just who we choose or like), follow after what is good for yourself and for all men (there is that all again), rejoice all the time, always maintain an attitude of prayer, give thanks in everything, don't smother out the Holy Spirit, do not disrespect inspired words and teachings, prove all things, hold tightly to what is good, stay away even from what appears to be evil... The One that has called you is faithful and He will bring it to pass.

I encourage all of you to keep on keeping on in Christ...no matter how difficult it may look or feel. Keep the eyes of your faith steadied upon Jesus...the Author and Finisher of our faith! Hallelujah!

Love and prayers in Christ...

Wayne



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Friday, August 17, 2007
9:07:22 PM EDT

The heartbreak of sin!

On August 15, 2007 I read something in my local newspaper that really bothered me.

You see, parents teach their children so many things while their children are growing. Many times you hear of kids doing something stupid or outrageous and the first thing out of many parents mouths is: "Where did they get that at?"

You know, our kids learn from us when we are deliberately teaching them things AND when we are just doing doing stupid and outrageous things in front of them.

Many parents end up adopting the outlook of "Do as I say, not as I do!" That really doesn't work does it? Just look around and we can see that it doesn't.

Everyday in our newspaper there is a column called LET IT OUT. A person can e-mail or phone in something they want to say on any subject but they must not get nasty, etc.

The other day this was written in the paper:

"Mom, you taught me how to be popular, hold my wine glass, how to dress and pick up men. I wish you had taught me morals."

What a shame! Today in America most folks have a heart attack over anyone mentioning reading the Bible in school. There are many scholars that agree that the Bible should be taught in school again. many of these professionals do not agree with it as the Word of God but they agree that the Bible is an excellent text book. It is great literature, poetry, morals and many things written in the Bible are things that are spoken in the world at large. Without a biblical education many folks do not understand many sayings, words of wisdom and such.

As a Christian and a minister of the Gospel of Christ I love the Word of God as the Word of God, but what is wrong on its teachings of not killing, not stealing, being your brothers keeper and many more such wonderful things?

Ithank God for His So Christ Jesus and my salvation which He provided for me. I also thank God for His Word, the Holy Bible that changed my life from drug abuser, alcohol abuser and much more, into a person that tries to help other people and sees value in all people.

Folks, teach you children the right way to live their lives. You will never be sorry that you imparted time, wisdom, love and morals into your children.

Love and prayers in Christ!

 



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Sunday, July 22, 2007
11:08:25 PM EDT

A vision!

Many years ago I was driving home from church when I had a vision. I was wide awake and driving along the road. My wife and two children were with me. It was in 1977.

We were talking some back and forth and I suddenly grew silent. I had thought that time had passed yet actually it didn't. My wife didn't notice anything wrong at all.

In this vision I was standing up on what appeared to be a very large stage. I looked out in front of me and towards the right and left sides and as far as the eye could see, I was looking at a sea of people that disappeared off into the far horizon.

Instantly standing there in front of me was a man. He was a brilliant white/gold color that was almost blinding. The man was wearing a pure radiant white robe with a very wide golden sash that covered from the waist to almost breastplate high. His hair was so white that is had a glow to it. I knew instantly that it was Christ Jesus my Lord and Savior. There was an almost blindingly bright light radiating from Him.

The great sea of people standing there before Him were speaking to one another. After what seemed like a long time, the Lord held up both of His hands. All of the people stopped talking and quit making any type of noise at all. It was perfectly silent.

With His hands raised up I could see the scars on Jesus' hands (about an inch or so down from His wrists). Then He spoke. His voice was loud and thundering. It shook the air, but He was not yelling, He was just speaking. All that He spoke was just two words. He looked at the great mass of people and looked from His left over towards His right and back to the center again and said: "No Excuse!"

He didn't repeat it. He only said it that one time.

Suddenly there came such a loud cry and wail from the great crowd. There were many that were crying for joy because they were redeemed by the blood of Jesus that He shed for remission of sins. The others cried because they knew that there was no appeal. There was no retrial. All was lost and there was NO EXCUSE!

Right then I thought of loved ones among my family and friends that were not saved. Not only were they going to hell for the righteous punishment for their unrepented of and unforgiven sins, but the thought filled my mind that not only were they lost for all eternity...but...all of us that were deemed righteous in Christ Jesus would spend eternity in heaven with Him...AND we would never give thought to our lost loved ones ever again.

There will be no tears in heaven. The Lord showed me that if we were to miss our loved ones we would be miserable for them and we would hurt and our hearts would ache for them. It will be just as if they were never born. We will not mourn them or miss them. Those that go to hell for the punishment that they earned from the wages of their sin...will be remembered no more. All traces of them from our memories will be gone.

Then just that quick I was driving the car and realized that it was instant...no time had passed at all. But I was shaken to the core.

I share this with you because we are so close to the day of this vision's being carried out in our lives. There will be wayward loved ones that will perish. They will receive justice and just punishment. But I believe that the Holy Spirit brought this back to mind that I could share it with you and warn you all to do what you can to reach your loved ones. One day Jesus will utter the words "NO EXCUSE!"

No more will ever be said about it. They will all be lost and forgotten. Do what you can to reach them while it is still today! The day is coming and fast approaching when it will all be said and done. In Jesus' name...let us reach out while we still can.

I will never forget the look upon those faces of those that were found righteous in Christ and those that were found to be wanting and were lost forever never to be mourned...never to be remembered again.

Love and prayers in Christ Jesus, our soon coming Lord and Savior...

Wayne



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Wednesday, July 11, 2007
10:09:08 PM EDT

Christianity

This is what I read in my local newspaper today.

Reported in the Indianapolis Star newspaper - July 11, 2007Pope OK's document saying other faiths not true churches

Lorenzago di Cadore, Italy -- Pope Benedict XVI reasserted the primacy of the Roman Catholic Church, approvong a document released Tuesday that says other Christian communities are either defective or not true churches and that Catholicism provides the only true path to salvation.

The statement brought swift criticism from Protestant leaders. "It makes us question whether we are indeed praying together for Christian unity," said the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, a fellowship of 75 million Protestants in more than 100 countries.

It was the second time in a week that Benedict has corrected what he says are erroneous interpretations of the Second Vatican Council, the 1962-65 meetings that modernized the church. On saturday, benedict revived the old Latin Mass.

My response....

What can one say about this kind of slander and lies? The whole system of the Catholic Church is based on wrong assumption. Peter is not the "rock" upon which the church was to be built. Jesus asked His disciples who they believed Him to be. Peter spoke up and said that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God. To which Jesus replied that no man had revealed this to him but that it came from the Father. Then Jesus said that upon this rock He would build His church.  What was the rock that Jesus spoke of?

Jesus didn't speak of Himself for then He would have said I will build My church upon the rock that is Myself. No, Jesus said upon THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH! This "rock" was the truth that Jesus was THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD! That is the foundational rock upon which the church of Christ is built. So, the rock is Christ and His truth that He is the rock. He is the Light, the Truth and the Way. He is the Rock foundation of the church. He is the Cornerstone that the builders rejected. He is the Capstone.

Before the Pope lays down the lies and slander that he did indeed lay down, he needs to first examine the lies upon which the Catholic Church is built. These lies are many. The Pope is not infallible and he is not the special agent of God here on earth to mediate between man and God.

What the Pope has said is wrong. To say the things he has said shows that he is causing division within the body of Christ. I pray that he repents and asks God to forgive him for slandering and telling lies about millions that are Christians that he has just are not.

Romans 16:17 Now I beseech you brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. 18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

The words of the Pope will surely deceive the hearts of the simple that believe he cannot err. Pray that he sees the errors of his ways and repents for his sins.

Love an dprayers in Christ...

Wayne



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Saturday, June 16, 2007
11:11:04 PM EDT

Why are so many people turning to New Age (old age lies)?

Why are so many people turning to occultism and New Age philosophy on such a grand scale today?

The answer is quite simple and is an indictment against the church at large. Psychics and so many others New Age practitioners are popular for two reasons.

1) They accept people as they are. They do not scold them or berate them in any fashion. They come across as loving, caring and so tolerent of all people and practicioners (except Christianity)

.2) They speak something into people's lives. They offer them the hope they so badly need and want.

Why are we that make up the body of Christ not so popular in this world?

1) We do not accept people as they are. We scold people and berate them all over the place until they are sick of us. What we do does not come across as loving or caring.

2) We speak nothing into their lives but shame and disapproval. We offer them no hope, just condemnation and finger pointing.

This sounds harsh but it is the truth. Now of course I am not saying that this is how we all treat all people. But yet this does happen in far too many churches around our country. We read in Matthew 11:18,19 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, he hath a devil. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. Bur wisdom is justified of her children.

The church is full of criticism, belittling, pointing out everyone's faults and the like. Like I have written recently... Fish are not cleaned before they are caught. Yet so many think that this is the way it is. Did you ever notice that Jesus, when picking His disciples, pointed out certain men and said to come and follow Him and He would make them fishers of men. These men were not all instantly living perfect holy lives before man and God. Jesus called them then He taught them. He talked to the disciples, He walked with them, ate with them, laughed with them and all the time He was reeling them in for the catch. Jesus did not beat down, scream at, or turn His back on a young man that was filled with demons. He showed love and compassion by setting the young man free.

Fishermen spend time fishing. They bait their hook and move that bait around a little bit. They are luring the fish in. It is an interaction between the fisher and the fish. He doesn't throw in his line and catch the fish and then throw it back because it is not already cleaned. We must not be afraid of getting our hands dirty or maybe even our reputations.

We are not better than, or above our Lord. We are not better than or above the people that do not yet know Christ as their Lord and Savior. Jesus went out and spoke to the people. He went out and spoke to (dare I say it?) sinners! Read about Jesus and His reaction to the woman caught in adultery. He never called her names, He never pointed a righteous finger of indignation at her (though He could have), Jesus did not shout at her, stare at her , etc. Jesus said that He did not accuse her and told her to go and sin no more. She loved Him mush because she was forgiven much (Luke 7:47). We read about the woman at the well that Jesus talked to. He told her about her sin but didn't yell at her, didn't call her names and did not ignore her. Jesus wasn't and still is not, like that. He loves people. He hates sin but He loves the person and wants all people to be set free from the wages of sin, which is death (Romans 6:23).

When people come into churches and they are wearing what we deem to be wrong clothes and such, we don't like it. If a prostitute were to feel convicted of sin and walk in many churches in America on Sunday morning, the pastor would be approached by his board members not to mention other pharisees within the church. The charges would be not having appropriate clothes, make-up, and all sorts of other possible problems. Especially not wanting "That kind of person in our church, after all there are children present!" Let's imagine that for a moment. Imagine all of our children seeingus caring and loving the lost the way the Bible says that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ did! Wow! We may even learn something about Jesus' kind of unconditional love in the process.

Sinners know that people like them will accept them. They also know that far too many Christians will not. Not only do we need to meet number

1) - Accepting people as they are, and not scold and berate them, but we need number 2 as well. We need to speak God and hope into sinner's lives. No... we never condone or accept their sin. We just need to love them with the love of Christ and "catch" them. Once we love them into the kingdom of God and they belong to Him He will convict hearts about what needs to go out of their lives. In my old hometown we lived one door over and upstairs from a bar. That place was always full. They all knew that no one pointed any fingers at them or judged them in there. They knew they were all equals. They did not feel that way about the churches. Why? Because we can usually barely wait to smack sinners across their face with their sin and thump them with our Bibles. You know what? The majority of sinners know they sin. They don't need that pointed out. They need real love and someone to walk with them in the right direction they need to go. Joel 2:28-32 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out My Spirit. And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, an dthe moon into blood, before the great an dterrible day of the Lord come. And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call. That says God will pour out His Spirit upon all flesh and that whosoever calls upon His name will be saved. None of us were clean before we accepted Christ...not one of us!

Jesus loved us enough that He died for us while we were yet sinners (Romans 5:6-11). As agents of Jesus Christ, being His hands and feet on this earth, we are to give His mercy, grace and love to those that we have contact with. We need to be ready to answer people when they ask us questions about God. We are called to be a witness and a testimony unto Christ Jesus. A witness is seen. They must see our faith in action. A testimony is what people hear. What we say and do must testify to Christ in our lives. This is not just the job of the pastor and Bible teachers. This is the job or ministry of all believers. But a holier than thou attitude turns people off and they will never listen to us when we try to share freedom from captivity through Jesus Christ.

We must accept people in God's mercy, grace and love...in His unconditional love. We must also speak love, mercy and grace into their lives along with hope. We must get back to that. Yes, we are our brother's keeper and that doesn't just mean our brothers and sisters in Christ. It means those in the brotherhood of man. The New Agers and those that practice any form of occultism act more Christian towards the lost than we do. This should not be that way. If we are Christ's... if we really belong to Him then we must love all people. We are to love people in Christ's love. Shine the light of Christ on and in their lives. Too many Christians are name callers. We call people whores, fags, no good drunks, stinking hillbillies and on and on the list can go. We should not do this if Jesus would not do it. I am pretty sure that the Jesus I know would not call people nasty names and make fun of people. He endured the religious people calling Him names because He loved sinners enough to go sit with them, eat a meal with them and show them He really cared. Jesus loved people into His kingdom.

People are taken in by psychics and others of such practices because they come across as the ones who really care. It appears that they speak life and wholeness into people's lives but they don't. We know Christ and have within us what it takes to speak love, mercy, grace, life, and hope into the lives of the lost. We need to have Christ's compassion for all people. Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Yes, there are people that are hurting and killing people. Yes, they need to be stopped. But we must remember that they are under the influence of Satan and his minions.

We need to speak and pray God's Word over the lost. We need to hold their hands when they need it. We need to cry with them when they cry. Do you know that many people out in the world today really and honestly do not know any other way than the way they are living? We do not have all the answers my friends. We look at people and judge them by what we see and hear others say about them. We judge the books by their covers. We do not always know the hurt, the ache, the deep pain, lonliness and all the scars that they may be living in. When we take time without judging them we will get to see the real person underneath that usually isn't much different than we are. They need what we need...mercy, grace and love. I believe with all my heart after hearing what the Lord impressed upon me today, that if we would just really try to do what Jesus would do (instead of just wearing bracelets with WWJD) we would close down about all of these New Age occultists and psychics. They are wolves dressed in sheep's clothing. Matthew 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. In other words we need to know what the enemy of souls is up to. We need to know what he doing. We are not to be ignorant of the enemies devises or he will get an advantage over us (II Corinthians 2:11).

So what are we to do?

1) We are to love people and accept them as they are. We are not to yell or shout at them, nor put them down. We shouldn't be so all fired up to tell them how evil and bad they are. We need to love them and care about them. We are to be Jesus to them. Show them compassion. The Holy Spirit convicts people of sin, not us. We cannot push, shove, headbut or scare people into God's kingdom.

2) Lets speak life into their lives. Speak the Word of God into their lives (lovingly, do not beat people up with the Word). Pray the Word of God over their lives. Speak words that offer hope to them. The Word of God is full of hope for the lost. Instead of pointing fingers at them, lets point prayers at them.

In Jesus name lets snatch these people out of the hands of Satan and into God's eternal kingdom. Read Jude 17-23, this is an exhortation to Christians. Praise God! Lets make a difference in this world for Jesus. Lets see that the lost have what we have in Christ. We need to be like sign posts that point the right way for people to go.

Many years ago (more years ago than I really care to remember) I was asked to lead a testimony service at our church. Pastor Harry asked me before service if I would be okay with coming up front and leading that time of testimony. It was fine with me. Well, in between people giving a word of testimony for the Lord I was having to share parts of my testimony. So by the time we were done I had pretty much covered my story of drug and alcohol abuse and addiction, along with other things the Lord delivered me from.

After the service one older gentleman came up to me and thanked me for telling my story. Then he said something that blew my mind. He looked me right in the eyes and said... "Brother Wayne, I thank God that I never sinned as bad as you did!" I didn't even take any time to think up what I should say. The words just came to me straight from the Holy Spirit. I looked at my brother in Christ and told him..."Brother, the Word of God says that we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Since you did sin...you did sin as bad as I did!" He looked at me and had tears in his eyes. He said... "Brother Wayne, you are right." And then he thanked me for opening his eyes and his heart to the truth. My friends, for some reason we want to rate sin. We want their (whoever they are) sin to be worse than ours so we not only feel better, but so we can feel superior. If you have ever sinned...and the Word of God says you and I have, then the lost are no different that we are. All people fall short of God's expectations and desires for us. We all miss the mark. We all need Christ as our Savior and Lord, our Redeemer and Deliverer. Read Romans 12:9 - 21. This speaks about how we are to treat those that are in Christ and those that are not. Hallelujah!

Love an dprayers in Christ.

Wayne

Everlasting Light Ministries



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Thursday, May 10, 2007
10:56:36 PM EDT

Stretcher Bearers

My pastor had preached a message about "stretcher bearers" and right after that preached a message about the altar. The main point was about ministering at the altar. Of course we go to the altar for ourselves, to minister to others, and to minister unto God.

In Exodus 28 the Word really spoke to my heart about something. In verse 12... and Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord upon his two shoulders for a memorial (a rememberance).

The shoulders! Shoulders carry burdens. He carried the names of the children of Israel before the Lord. Verse 29 echoes this same thing.

As priests of God we need to take the names of God's people before His as a rememberance when we go to that holy place. Praise God. It is expected of us. It is our jobs as priests. And yes, if you are Christ's you are a priest ( I Peter 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual scarifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ).

This made me think to turn to Romans 12 (read all). Our reasonable service. Now tie this in with being a stretcher bearer...one who bears or carries a stretcher. In Luke 5:18-20 it tells us about a sick man whose freinds tried to bring him before Jesus. When they couldn't get him in they went up to the roof and removed tiles and lowered down to where Jesus was. Their faith moved Jesus to heal the man. They were stretcher bearers...they helped their friend. They did this physically but they did it spiritually and emotionaly. They were there for him. Then in John 5:1-9 we read about the man that was infirm for 38 years. Jesus saw him there and spoke to him. He turned to Jesus and said he had no one to help him get into the water. Jesus had compassion on him and healed the man. 38 years he went unhealed because he had no stretcher bearer. No one ministered unto him to help him.

As priests before God we are to bear the names of people up before God in prayer...but we are called to be stretcher bearers as well. It is good to pray the prayer of faith for people in need but the Word says in James 2: 17, 20, 22,26 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. But wilt thou know, o vain man, that faith without works is ? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith withou works is dead also. So then we can pray the prayer of faith for people but our faith with works (or actions, deeds) is dead. Fulfill the duty of priest and be a stretcher bearer as well.

A stretcher bearer somehow lifts someone up and helps them come before Christ to receive what they need. What would be being a stretcher bearer today? Maybe giving someone a ride to church or helping steady them as they walk into church. It may be reading the Word of God to them, sitting with them, weeping with them, etc. Go to God and ask Him to reveal to you what it is that someone around you needs help...help to carry the through in some manner. Be available! Hallelujah!

wts



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