February 15, 2012

Pete Pedersen is requesting prayers for his brother Fritz Pedersen. They have found a tumor on his left lung. He is having difficulty breathing. He may also need surgery on his heart. Pete and Leatata would appreciate your prayers on his behalf at this time.
Thank You
Mr. & Mrs. Pete Pedersen
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Prayer Update

February 11, 2012

Update concerning Louis Lawson:

Louis Lawson SR. is requesting prayer for the pain in his lower back, hips and down his right leg. He is having problems walking because the pain is so bad. He is having severe pain that is radiating down his right leg. He walks with a walker all the time now. They are doing another MRI and referring him to a surgeon to see about having his back fused. Please ask God to relieve the pain and heal the problem.
Thanks to all,
Louis and Mary Lawson

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Birth Announcement

February 10, 2011

Nathan and Tamela O’Malley are the happy parents of their new little daughter, Greta Elizabeth. Greta, who is their second daughter, was born Friday afternoon. She weighed in at 6 pounds. Parents and baby are doing fine.

These verses reflect the continuity between the physical nation of Israel today and the spiritual nation of Israel, which is founded on the corner stone, Christ, and the twelve apostles who will rule in the Kingdom of God.

Verse 3 of Revelation 12 describes another parallel of the Old and New Testament. This woman, both physical and spiritual Israel, has always been under attack by the adversary, the serpent called the Devil and Satan (vs. 9). Verses 4-5 of chapter 12 describe Satan’s attempt to abort God’s plan of salvation for mankind, which includes Christ’s victory in the resurrection and his ascending to the throne of the Father.

Because it was not time for Christ to establish his throne on earth, Satan continues to rule the earth. His relentless attack on the church continues throughout the New Testament and on down to this day. Satan’s persecution of the church drove the church into the outer regions of civilization during the middle ages (Rev. 12:6-13). At the end of verse 12 of Chapter 12 it is made clear that this persecution culminates in the end time just before Christ’s return “because he (Satan) knows that he hath but a short time” before Christ’s return. The persecution described in verse 13 is the fifth seal described in Revelation, Chapter 6, verses 9-11. Satan’s full fury known as the tribulation is yet to come upon this earth.

The fifth seal of Revelation 6:9-11 is a prophecy of this Great Tribulation to come. Revelation 12, verses 6-12, describes the history of Satan’s persecution of the New Testament Church beginning from Christ’s ascension to the Father’s throne. Christ fulfilled his mission of starting the spirit-led church. The persecution by Satan is not only directed at the woman, the New Testament Church, it is meant to take over all peoples of the earth; but it concentrates on the church and the descendants of Jacob, the Old Testament Church of God. Jeremiah 30:7 states, “Alas — for that day is great, so that none is like it; and it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.”

Revelation 12 ends with the woman, the true Christian church, being split into two groups: those virgins who have made themselves ready for Christ’s return and are taken to a place of safety, and the unprotected remnant of the Church that is not ready and must face the tribulation of Satan’s wrath in order to prepare them for the Kingdom of God.

Chapter 12 of the Book of Revelation focuses on the woman who is symbolic of the people of God throughout history and their battle with their adversary Satan the Devil. But there is also a second woman who is symbolic of another church. This woman is portrayed in Chapter 17.

This woman is called the “Great Harlot”. This harlot church is intimately involved with “many waters” interpreted as the governments and nations of this world. Through these involvements this church becomes known as the Universal Church. She deceives the people of the world with her false religion to the point they have no understanding of the truth of God (“Rev. 17:1-2). This church is wealthy with the wealth of the nations, and seduces the nations with her “spiritually provocative” pagan religion. This woman is called “Mystery Babylon” because she hides her true origins and suppresses the teaching of the truth of the Bible, typing it as a “mystery”. She gives birth to her daughter harlots that come out of her. These daughter churches maintain many of the mother harlot’s ways, but rebel and protest against her form of government (Rev. 17:1-5).

This harlot church is not content to just deceive the peoples of this world. This harlot church is obsessed with persecuting God’s saints. It sees God’s pure church as its enemy and is bent on killing or corrupting the followers of Christ. There was a period in history between 1200 A.D. to as late as the 1800’s that the harlot church carried out a murderous reign of terror against those who would not conform to her pagan doctrines. This sanctioned program of persecution, torture and terror was known as the inquisition. Thousands, and by some accounts millions, suffered because they refused the authority of this church.

In this modern age it is difficult to see how this harlot church could carry out such persecution. However, it is prophesied to happen again. The history of the inquisition explains the church’s willingness to use brutal, inexplicable tactics to gain its ends:

In Europe during the Middle Ages the Universal Church had tremendous influence over the kings and rulers of Europe. They had authority to convene what would be known as Ecclesiastic Courts. These courts were in essence church courts separate from government courts. These courts could try people for crimes against the faith of the Universal Church. Once convicted in these church courts the “guilty” were turned over to the civil or government authorities to be tortured then burned at the stake, beheaded, or hung and quartered under the supervision of the bishops of the Universal Church. The harlot church prosecuted all those who were perceived as threats to their authority. This included some of God’s people.

Today God promises his faithful people protection during the coming tribulation brought on by this Harlot Church to those who persevere and keep his commandments (Rev. 3:7-12). These are those who refuse to drink from her “golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication” (verse 4 of chapter 17).

Christ is vivid in his description of the two women of the book of Revelation. One has its origins in God’s chosen nation Israel and is founded on Christ. The other is intimately involved with the economy, politics, and leaders of this world, teaching the false doctrines of demons and all unholy traditions.

God’s people must follow Christ’s admonition to “come out of her my people”.

Prayer Update

January 20, 2012

Update concerning Crystal Altom:

After a doctors appointment this week, Crystal found out she may have a collapsed lung. She was sent for further testing, but hasn’t gotten back the test results yet, and is suffering from bouts of chest pain. The doctors are also wanting her to consider having more surgery on her sinuses. Please pray for her healing.
Thank you,
The Altoms

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Prayer Request

January 13, 2012

Please pray for Carson Fultz. He had a heart attack on January 11th. Carson had 3 stints put in his heart on the morning of Jan 12th, he was doing well and that he would be moving out of ICU and hoped to be going home Friday, Jan 13th. The family is not sure to what extent his heart was damaged but they did ask for prayers to heal the damaged part.

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Prayer Update

January 10, 2012

Update concerning Harold York:

Harold has been home for 20 days. He is progressing slowly. Each day I see a little more action from him. He now can shower by himself. He has been looking forward to that. His appetite never wavered. That has always been good, as you all know. We miss everyone. His home therapy will come to an end next Thurs. the Jan. 12th. Then we will be on our own. His eyes are worse than they were before the fall. The Dr. says we just have to wait and see. The bump above the left eye is still causing some pain that spreads across the whole head. The Occipital Lodes are still not functioning. We hope that will be showing a change but only God can take care of that. Thanks to everyone for the continuing prayers.
“THE YORKS”

The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is
to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone
with the heavens, nature and God.

Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and
that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple
beauty of nature. I firmly believe that nature brings solace
in all trouble.
                                                          - Anne Frank

Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, it empties today
of its strength.
                                                           - Corrie Ten Boom

These are Christ’s own words. In the years ahead the world will be facing a time so dangerous mankind will be helpless against the powers that are to be unleashed. We do not know when the events of the Tribulation will overtake the earth; but we can know and watch the trends in the world that culminate in the Tribulation. These trends reflect the troubles that have plagued mankind throughout history. They are, by and large, a result of mankind’s sin – his utter refusal to keep God’s laws. These constant evils traced throughout history are never defeated; and only at times, held at bay so as not to destroy mankind.

In Matthew 24 Christ lists these mostly man-caused evils for all to see. They are described in Matthew 24:4-7as religious deception – that is teaching a false religion but using Christ’s name – wars and kingdoms fighting kingdoms, famines, pestilences, and even what we call natural disasters – earthquakes. Christ makes it clear that he was describing only the beginning of mankind’s troubles, and he was not describing the end to man’s rule or sorrows at that time. (Matt. 24:8)

Christ also makes it clear, as quoted in verse 21, that in this prophecy he is describing a time when these cataclysmic events will culminate in the Tribulation. In Matthew 24 the Tribulation is only given a brief description. Christ, through the apostles’ writings, fills in some of the picture of mankind’s unsolvable ills. However, before the death of the last apostle, Christ revealed these prophecies with much greater detail in the Book of Revelation. In the Book of Revelation Christ interpreted the prophecies of Matthew 24 and the parallel prophecies in Luke 21 and Mark 13.

However, before giving the greater detail, Christ said these prophecies will “shortly take place” (Rev. 1:1). As people of our modern age, we tend to think this statement gives a measure of time, but this is wrong. It is not a measure of time in the sense of days or months. It is a description of the suddenness of destruction that will come because the prophesied end time events will have built such a huge momentum they will suddenly overpower the earth and bring on the most destructive “tsunami” to ever hit the globe.

“And unless those days be shortened, no flesh would be saved” (Matt. 24:22). This scripture goes on to state that the elect will be saved during this time of worldwide upheaval. To be one of the elect it is necessary to be preserved by keeping God’s commandments during this time of unprecedented disaster. These times will “test all those that dwell on the earth” (Rev.3:10).

What Christ warned about in Revelation will also test the Church. To persevere in keeping God’s ways and to live by every word of God, we must be led by the spirit of God. Nothing but God’s spirit can give us the powerful and unwavering Faith we will need to see us through the terrible times ahead. Therefore, we must use the weapons and tools God gives us NOW as we watch the world race toward the Tribulation. Through Bible study, prayer, fasting, sermons, and fellowship we can grow in His spirit. With His spirit powerfully working in our minds, we can overcome the time of testing that will bring the world to its knees. Right now we must be asking God for the help of His spirit to be prepared. If we are doing what we need to be doing, God will pour out more of His spirit to us as those days draw near.

We all need to keep in mind the very simple statement that Christ said, “See, I have told you beforehand” (Matt 24:25).

Recently I gave a sermon and discussed the prophecies of Matthew 24 and how they are explained by the seals of Revelation 6. I have set the following scriptures in a chart that reflects those connections.

Updates-

December 19, 2011

Update concerning Louis Lawson, Jr.:

The X-rays taken after Louis Jr.’s accident shows the ‘S’ curve in the neck is gone and his hips are at two different levels. This is causing pain and muscle spasms from the neck to lower back He is now seeing a chiropractor to get things back in place. The chiropractor is also doing acupuncture for the stiff muscles, soreness and pain. Please continue prayers for God to relieve the pain, get the bones back where they belong and heal him completely. We pray for God to restore him to good health as he was before. (The chiropractor said it was a ‘hard hit’. I guess so as they are saying the damage is over $5000 to the car. It is not so visible on the rear end of the car, it is along the sides all way to the front and under the back end and in trunk.)
Thank you for the continued prayers for our son Louis.

Louis and Mary Lawson

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December 19, 2011

Update concerning Mary Lawson:

Thanks for the prayers. God has answered them. The Cardiologist said I had a “false positive reading’ but that actually my heart is ‘Strong as a horse and there is almost no blockage’. They said actually, “for a woman your age, you have almost nothing in the veins. Less than normal”. They advised I continue with the meds. I didn’t, I quit them all! Why take heart meds if the heart is OK? God has answered my prayers! They said there is something else going on and on occasion it affects the heart. That is in God’s hands and we can now put all of it out of mind. Thanks for the prayers.

Louis and Mary Lawson

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December 15, 2011

Update concerning Mr. York and his fall:

Mr. York had been in the hospital after a fall that he had had. They did x-rays to see how the bone in his arm was knitting together and healing. The last x-ray showed that the fracture has completely healed. He had been working very hard with the physical therapist so he could go home. He was able to go home on December 23rd. He is very weak but continuing to work hard with the physical therapist. One item of concern is that he is seeing visions and it is very upsetting to Mr. York. It is not known how long that will continue on. Hopefully the part of the brain that was injured will become healed and he’ll be the same as always. He is very happy to be home. The York’s very much appreciate the prayers and cards. They are very thankful to God to see His healing hand.
Please continue to pray for Mr. York’s complete healing.

Thank you,

Harold and Penny York

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November 17, 2011

Dear Brethren,

It is rather late on Wednesday evening as I write. I wanted to inform you that my
mother died earlier today, peacefully in my home. I was able to be by her side when she died.

Thank you for your prayers. My mother was a wonderful mother who was married to my father for nearly 60 years. I am thankful to God that I had such a loving and giving mother. I will miss her deeply. I will have more to say this Sabbath.

There will be no public funeral service. My brother will be flying in for Thanksgiving and he and I will spend the day together.

Thank you once again for your prayers…please do not send flowers.

With Love,
Steven LeBlanc
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November 11, 2011

Update concerning Xander, Jody and Cindy Smith’s grandson:

He has been diagnosed with Multicystic Dyplastic Kidney Disease. Most children only have it in one kidney and can lead a normal life. Xander has it in both. He has lost about 50% functioning in them. He will be checked every three months unless something changes. At some point in the future he will have to either have a kidney transplant or go on dialisis. He still lives in pain off and on and often doesn’t feel very good.
We know God can heal him and feel it is a miracle he is alive as this is something he was born with and most children die within hours of birth if both kidneys are affected.
Thank you for all the beautiful cards sent to the family. Xander enjoys looking at his cards and it has been encouraging to Danielle and Tyson to see so much love and support.
Jody & Cindy Smith

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With Sadness

Dear Brethren,

It is with shock and much sorrow that I inform you that Charles Laing of North Carolina recently died.   I received a phone call from his sister today. Charles died in his sleep.  At this time I do not have information regarding his burial or any other details.

Charles was a good friend to many of us and he will be deeply missed.  He helped many people in our church, and in his neighborhood where he lived.  Charles feared God and lived an upright life. 

He came from a large family… many who attend Churches of God.  Please pray for the comfort of his siblings.

With Sadness,
Steven LeBlanc

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October 31, 2011

Crystal Altom was recently admitted into the hospital. Crystal is not responding to the steroid treatments she has been receiving in the hospital. She is still on oxygen at night. Please keep praying for Crystal and the entire family. It is a very stressful time for them all.

 Thank you,

October 7, 2011
The Lawson’s would like you to pray for Mary.   She is having a problem with her heart.   After the FOT she will will be having some tests.  At that time they will decide what else they may have to do.   Please pray that God will be with her and that God will open the blockage that she is suffering in her heart. 

Louis and Mary Lawson

An Update on October 31, 2011:

The Lawson’s called to report the results of her heart cath.  There were six small places with blockage, but they were small enough that nothing needed to be done at this time.  Something else is causing the heart problem.  We do not know what it is right now.  Mary is to watch her diet, and she will go back in three months to see how she is doing.

Thank you for all the prayers!

Louis and Mary Lawson

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October 7, 2011

Request for Lucille Evans husband:

We received a call from the primary doctor’s office this afternoon regarding a sonar test that my husband Ernie took. He has an aneurysm in the abdomen area that needs fixing “as soon as possible.”

 We are now waiting for a call from the surgeon’s office as to how they want to proceed.

 Please prayer on his behalf. I wish to thank everyone for their prayers and I will send an update when I know more.

 Thank you,

 Lucille Evans 

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October 7, 2011

Hello:

Leonard Watson called this evening and asked for prayers for his wife Shirley. She fell coming up the porch yesterday and broke her arm. She is in a lot of pain right now. Please pray for relief from the pain.

Thank You

The Watson’s

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October 1, 2011

Jody and Cindy Smith’s grandson, Xander has been having some tests ran.  They have found a cyst  in one kidney and a mass in the other kidney. Both kidneys have irreversible damage.  They are tryng to figure out what is wrong.  He is having some pain and discomfort.  He is two years old.  Please pray for God to intervene on his behalf.

 Thank you,

Jody and Cindy Smith

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September 30, 2011

Nancy Vernon requested prayers for her husband Don. As you know he has had neck pain from injuries in the past years and he is also dealing with a bone spur in his neck which has been putting pressure in his neck for some time. The past 3 or 4 days he has been in really severe pain. They have tried everything to alleviate the pain but nothing seems to be helping. Please pray for the pain to calm down.

Thank You

Nancy Vernon

–As an update, Don’s pain subsided a little within a few hours of prayers being requested.  Please continue to pray for him as this is an ongoing pain.

This account of Christ’s teaching is not just about persistence. It ties the parable about persistence in prayer to the faith of the one who is praying. It teaches us that we should have the faith that God will always answer our prayers, and therefore we should “always pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1). Being human though we ask ourselves, does God always hear and answer our prayers?

The whole point of the parable in Luke 18 is that God always answers the prayers of a Christian, his own elect (vs. 7). As God’s own elect we need to understand and recognize God’s answers to prayer. God only answers our prayers in a way that increases our faith, and for this to happen, we must understand His answers.

In answering our prayers God uses three basic approaches. The first is the one humans would choose for God to use every time. It is the immediate “yes”. In this situation we pray for God to deliver us from a trial and he does it speedily, in a moment. In a moment, that very day, the financial crisis fades away; or the car battery immediately returns to life so we can get home. Humanly, that is how we like prayers to be answered. As humans we like things settled, wrapped up in a nice neat package with God’s obvious “yes”; however, we know that will not always be the case.

To be realistic, we know that immediate answers seldom come, and we know in our hearts why. If God answered every prayer with an immediate “yes”, there would be no need for faith. One of the most basic purposes of prayer is to build faith, lasting faith, and that means being resolute in prayer. The parable of the persistent woman in Luke 18 teaches that if our prayer is not answered quickly, we must exercise faith by continuing to seek God’s answer. This scenario describes God’s second approach.

God’s second approach to answering is “when the time is right for you.” God doesn’t have preprogrammed or boilerplate answers to prayer. God has specific answers to our specific prayers that are perfectly prepared for us as individuals. God knows our strengths, our weaknesses, our needs, and our hearts. And there are no two individuals exactly alike. God’s answer to an individual’s prayer is perfectly crafted for that person alone. Only God has that wisdom. He knows the right answer and timing that will build faith and develop righteous character. Therefore, comparing ourselves and the answers we receive to answers our fellow Christians receive is wrong. While hearing about a fellow Christian’s answered prayer is inspiring and it can teach us lessons about God’s blessings, it does not necessarily apply to our situation or to us.

If we are not ready to receive God’s perfect answer to our prayer, isn’t it God’s wisdom to delay the answer until we are ready. God knows when and where the answer will have the desired effect of strengthening our faith. That may mean that God will continue to work with us to prepare us for the answer. Preparing for the answer equates to God working with us through more prayer and experience until one day we realize we have come to the answer of the original prayer. Such a situation will increase faith if we stop to consider the perfect path God has brought us down in answering the prayer.

There is a third basic answer to prayer that we need to recognize. That answer is “no”. The “no” may be immediate and clear. Or it may not come until you and God have explored the entire subject over a period of time through prayer. That means God hears and listens to your reasoning concerning the matter during the time that you persist in prayer. It is not wrong to try to convince God that your view on the matter is correct.

“Put me in remembrance; let us contend together; state your case, that you may be acquitted.” (Isaiah 43:26)

But when the final decision is made, we need to recognize and accept the answer, even when it is “no”. Paul discusses his own experience with such a situation in 2nd Corinthians 12:7.

God always hears and answers the prayers of His people. We should never doubt that He will answer, and therefore we must always continue in prayer. However, as Christians and His children, we need to build faith by recognizing God’s answers to our prayers; and that His answers are specifically and perfectly crafted for us.

I have read stories about some of my ancestors.  They came to America in the early 1600’s, arriving in a boat from Holland.  They were not wealthy by any means, and their first home in the new world was most likely in a root cellar, dug into the ground.  That sounds so foreign to how we live, but those people were willing to put themselves through great deprivation and hardship to attain the wonderful opportunities they hoped were waiting for them.  It is my understanding they found what they were looking for, and they became a reasonably successful family. 

America, unlike most nations, was founded by people like my ancestors who were not only looking for opportunity but were also fleeing oppression and religious persecution.  The nation was given stability by those wise enough to establish her laws upon Biblical principles, and was given strength by God’s favor.  Many of our citizens who have served this country are quick to recognize that today. Though she was not perfect, America excelled because she acknowledged God’s protection – our national motto clearly states, “In God we trust.”  And many still proudly proclaim “One nation under God” as they recite their national Pledge of Allegiance.  Many proclaim this, but too many are forgetting their humble beginnings as they allow a different spirit of greed, perverseness, and rebellion to sweep over our land.

With Thanksgiving coming along in just a few days, maybe it’s time we give thought to how much living in America has done for us.  This is a land designed to have long arms that can embrace the many who are seeking a better life. Aren’t we all living proof of her generosity, no matter how we arrived on her shores?  I say that, believing America was planned by our creator to give comfort and blessings to those He knew would be longing for freedom and opportunity and who would be willing to work hard for it.  The nation has shed vast quantities of blood in order to secure those privileges for all her citizens. 

Thanksgiving is a time set aside by our own people to turn inward and reflect upon the blessings we have received.  It’s a pause we need in our busy lives that begs the question – To whom and for what are we thankful?  We should all try to answer that, and as we do, it wouldn’t hurt to take a look at those pictures I mentioned earlier.  They are amazing and also very sobering. You can find them at http://extras.denverpost.com/archive/captured.asp.  I hope you will take a moment to look at them. It just might change your outlook for the coming year.