Mind-Blowing Revelation

Mind-Blowing Revelation
by Bishop Keith A. Butler

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
1 Corinthians 2:9

There are things that you haven't seen yet. There are things you haven't heard yet. There are blessings coming your way that will cause you to say, "I didn't know it was possible for me to be blessed so much!" God has prepared all these things for those who love Him.

But wait a minute. Let's read the next verse: But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. Where is God's spirit? His spirit is inside of us. Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4b). He has revealed these things to us by His Spirit, for the Spirit searches all the deep things of God.

God has revelation that will blow your mind. He has provision that will blow your mind. He has power to manifest in your life that will blow your mind. He has set that aside for all those who love him.

Prayer for Today

Father,
I magnify your name. Thank you for your gift of the Holy Spirit which comforts, guides me into truth, and reveals the secret things of God. I anticipate your work in my life. In Jesus' name, Amen!

Selah: Think on These Things

• Isaiah 64:4
• 1 Peter 1:12

Bkg. Courtesy Of
Christian Backgrounds

Mind-Blowing Revelation

Mind-Blowing Revelation
by Bishop Keith A. Butler

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
1 Corinthians 2:9

There are things that you haven't seen yet. There are things you haven't heard yet. There are blessings coming your way that will cause you to say, "I didn't know it was possible for me to be blessed so much!" God has prepared all these things for those who love Him.

But wait a minute. Let's read the next verse: But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. Where is God's spirit? His spirit is inside of us. Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4b). He has revealed these things to us by His Spirit, for the Spirit searches all the deep things of God.

God has revelation that will blow your mind. He has provision that will blow your mind. He has power to manifest in your life that will blow your mind. He has set that aside for all those who love him.

Prayer for Today

Father,
I magnify your name. Thank you for your gift of the Holy Spirit which comforts, guides me into truth, and reveals the secret things of God. I anticipate your work in my life. In Jesus' name, Amen!

Selah: Think on These Things

• Isaiah 64:4
• 1 Peter 1:12

Bkg. Courtesy Of
Christian Backgrounds

Today's Bible Reading

Daily Bible Reading from BibleStudyTools.com December 11, 2010 - New International Version Ephesians 6:1-24 Children and Parents 1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 "Honor your father and mother"--which is the first commandment with a promise-- 3 "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." 4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. Slaves and Masters 5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6 Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, 8 because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. 9 And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him. The Armor of God 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. Final Greetings 21 Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. 22 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you. 23 Peace to the brothers, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love. Ezekiel 17:1-24 Two Eagles and a Vine 1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 "Son of man, set forth an allegory and tell the house of Israel a parable. 3 Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: A great eagle with powerful wings, long feathers and full plumage of varied colors came to Lebanon. Taking hold of the top of a cedar, 4 he broke off its topmost shoot and carried it away to a land of merchants, where he planted it in a city of traders. 5 " 'He took some of the seed of your land and put it in fertile soil. He planted it like a willow by abundant water, 6 and it sprouted and became a low, spreading vine. Its branches turned toward him, but its roots remained under it. So it became a vine and produced branches and put out leafy boughs. 7 " 'But there was another great eagle with powerful wings and full plumage. The vine now sent out its roots toward him from the plot where it was planted and stretched out its branches to him for water. 8 It had been planted in good soil by abundant water so that it would produce branches, bear fruit and become a splendid vine.' 9 "Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Will it thrive? Will it not be uprooted and stripped of its fruit so that it withers? All its new growth will wither. It will not take a strong arm or many people to pull it up by the roots. 10 Even if it is transplanted, will it thrive? Will it not wither completely when the east wind strikes it--wither away in the plot where it grew?' " 11 Then the word of the LORD came to me: 12 "Say to this rebellious house, 'Do you not know what these things mean?' Say to them: 'The king of Babylon went to Jerusalem and carried off her king and her nobles, bringing them back with him to Babylon. 13 Then he took a member of the royal family and made a treaty with him, putting him under oath. He also carried away the leading men of the land, 14 so that the kingdom would be brought low, unable to rise again, surviving only by keeping his treaty. 15 But the king rebelled against him by sending his envoys to Egypt to get horses and a large army. Will he succeed? Will he who does such things escape? Will he break the treaty and yet escape? 16 " 'As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, he shall die in Babylon, in the land of the king who put him on the throne, whose oath he despised and whose treaty he broke. 17 Pharaoh with his mighty army and great horde will be of no help to him in war, when ramps are built and siege works erected to destroy many lives. 18 He despised the oath by breaking the covenant. Because he had given his hand in pledge and yet did all these things, he shall not escape. 19 " 'Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: As surely as I live, I will bring down on his head my oath that he despised and my covenant that he broke. 20 I will spread my net for him, and he will be caught in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon and execute judgment upon him there because he was unfaithful to me. 21 All his fleeing troops will fall by the sword, and the survivors will be scattered to the winds. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken. 22 " 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will take a shoot from the very top of a cedar and plant it; I will break off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots and plant it on a high and lofty mountain. 23 On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches. 24 All the trees of the field will know that I the LORD bring down the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. " 'I the LORD have spoken, and I will do it.' " Isaiah 46:1-13 Gods of Babylon 1 Bel bows down, Nebo stoops low; their idols are borne by beasts of burden. The images that are carried about are burdensome, a burden for the weary. 2 They stoop and bow down together; unable to rescue the burden, they themselves go off into captivity. 3 "Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all you who remain of the house of Israel, you whom I have upheld since you were conceived, and have carried since your birth. 4 Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. 5 "To whom will you compare me or count me equal? To whom will you liken me that we may be compared? 6 Some pour out gold from their bags and weigh out silver on the scales; they hire a goldsmith to make it into a god, and they bow down and worship it.. 7 They lift it to their shoulders and carry it; they set it up in its place, and there it stands. From that spot it cannot move. Though one cries out to it, it does not answer; it cannot save him from his troubles. 8 "Remember this, fix it in mind, take it to heart, you rebels.. 9 Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. 10 I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. 11 From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do. 12 Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted, you who are far from righteousness. 13 I am bringing my righteousness near, it is not far away; and my salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation to Zion, my splendor to Israel. Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION�. NIV�. Copyright � 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. Find this and more at http://www.biblestudytools.com/.

"I Don't Understand It"

"I Don't Understand It"

"He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." 1 John 5:12

I hear so many people say that the Bible is hard to understand. Perhaps there is a small amount of validity to that because the words of the Bible are spirit and life. Being spirit they are not discerned by the natural man. But I also think people use this as an excuse when it comes to reading and applying the Bible to their lives.

Its words aren't that hard to understand. They can't be because Jesus said that we have to become like children to enter into the kingdom of heaven- children understand the "plain and simple". Since God's word is part of it, it has to be "basic" enough for a child to understand it. For example, what is so hard to understand about the verse above. It seems pretty "cut and dry", "black and white". It tells us that if we have the Son we have life, if we don't have the Son we don't have life. What is hard to understand when it says, "Do not steal, do not commit adultery"? How hard is it to comprehend when it says,"If you say you love God and hate your brother you are a liar"? Or what about, "Don't let the sun go down on your wrath; ask and receive; treat others the way you would want them to treat you; if your enemy is hungry feed him"?

The problem doesn't always lie with the "understanding" of what God's word says, it problem lies with the "doing" of what it says. Understanding that it says not to take revenge is pretty clear, but the ability to practice it may be harder when you have been done wrong. That is where our dependency on God comes in. We need His strength and grace to help us apply the teachings that we do understand.

We don't need to make excuses for not obeying the word of God by saying that we don't understand it. It is understandable and what we don't understand, God will help us to understand if we ask.

Have a great day. God's word is not hard to understand, but doing it is often what's hard.

For further reading:

Romans 12:20

Matthew 18:3

1 Corinthians 2:14

John 6:63

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell

and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from

About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.

Please feel free to

call (601) 833-5278 or

Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net

Visit us on the web: /www.mastersbusiness.org/">http://www.mastersbusiness.org/">www.mastersbusiness.org

You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.

You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact.

Please remember to give credit to

About the Master's Business Ministry.

Take time to visit our on-line Christian magazine and blogs.

http://livingstonesmagazine.homestead.com

The Focal Point of Unity

The Focal Point of Unity
by Bishop Keith A. Butler

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments.

Psalm 133:1-2

The word unity means oneness. Aaron was the high priest, and the oil that ran down his head to his feet was a sign of God's anointing. The anointing is God and His power on you to do what you cannot do. The anointing is burden-removing, yoke-destroying power. The anointing is the manifestation of God Himself, and He says, "Unity is like that precious ointment."

God commanded the blessing where unity operates. Staying in unity and in one accord is the most important thing that we do. Unity does not mean we all feel the same way or that we all have the same opinions. Unity means that we all decide that God's Word matters more than anything else. The Word is our common reference point. The Word settles all arguments. When we move from the Word to our feelings and our opinions, we have left the ground of the anointing and placed ourselves in position where satan gets to divide and conquer.

Unity requires work, and it requires a decision. The longer people are together, the more opportunities there will be for contempt and disagreement. Unity brings the anointing on the scene. Unity brings Jesus on the scene.

Prayer for Today

Father,
I give you glory for your anointing on my life. I praise you for this burden-removing power and for your Word. I ask that a Spirit of unity and the presence of Jesus be the witness of your grace in my life. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Selah: Think on These Things

• Genesis 13:8
• Jeremiah 32:39

"Stolen Crown - Part 2"

"Stolen Crown - Part 2"

"Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown." Revelation 3:11

"That no man take thy crown." Yesterday we addressed this warning not to let any man take (steal) our crown. We said there were two main ways that our crown could be "stolen" from us. The first we talked about was through hurt and offense. Many have turned away from the Lord because of something that someone else did to them and they are blaming God for it.

This morning I want to talk about the second way. Our crown can be taken from us through deception. "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils." (1 Timothy 4:1) The devil is a master deceiver- he was at the very beginning in the Garden of Eden and he still will be at the end; the Book of Revelation tells us that. He comes to us with lies that are wrapped up in beautiful packages. Those lies appeal to the flesh- they tell us what we want to hear. They sound like the answer, they sound like the truth, they seem to "make sense" but they are a mixture of what is true and what is false. Therefore, it makes the whole thing false. "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." (Galatians 5:9)

Beware of what you hear. It may sound right, but does it line up with God's word. Does scripture back it up? Just because it is a popular teaching, just because it is taught by well known respected people, just because everyone else is teaching it, just because it is the newest thing coming down the pike, doesn't mean that it is the truth. In the Book of Acts it is recorded that when Paul was in Thyatira that a young lady followed them proclaiming that they were sent from the most high God to show them the way of salvation. That sounded good, that was their mission, but the young lady was demon possessed and being influenced by demons. Am I saying that everything we hear is false and inspired by demons? Of course not, but I am saying that it doesn't matter how good or how popular the teaching sounds, it doesn't necessarily mean that it is the truth or that it is from God.

We have been given strict warnings in the scriptures, especially concerning the last days, to be on guard and not be deceived. "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." (2 Timothy 4:3,4) If ever there was a time when this was true it is now. So many don't know what they believe, why they believe what they believe, or they believe anything and everything. That is detrimental to our spiritual well being. It can steal our crown of life.

How do we keep that from happening? Jesus said that when we know the truth it will set us free - free from deception. And what is this truth that will set us free? "Thy word is truth".

Have a great day. Don't let anyone steal your crown of life by deceiving you into believing that what is false is the truth.

For further reading:

Acts 16:16-18

2 Timothy 4:1-4

John 8:32; 7:17

Matthew 24:24

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell

and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from

About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.

Please feel free to

call (601) 833-5278 or

Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net

Visit us on the web: /www.mastersbusiness.org/">http://www.mastersbusiness.org/">www.mastersbusiness.org

You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.

You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact.

Please remember to give credit to

About the Master's Business Ministry.

Take time to visit our on-line Christian magazine and blogs.

http://livingstonesmagazine.homestead.com

"Stolen Crown - part 1"

"Stolen Crown - part 1"

"Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown." Revelation 3:11

"That no man take thy crown". What is this crown that He is talking about? It is the eternal blessedness that will be given as a prize to the genuine servants of God and Christ- who have endured to the end, who have fought the good fight and finished the race; it is the reward of righteousness. Literally, it is the "crown of life".

Can it be taken from us? Evidently, or He would not have issued us this warning. Since it is possible and we are warned to protect it, just how can our crown be "stolen"? There are two main ways that I want to talk about. I will cover one this morning and the other in the morning (if the Lord is willing and He delays His coming).

We know that the thief is the one who comes to steal, kill and destroy. He is ultimately behind the scheme to steal our crowns. The word for "man" here- "let no man"- is translated: nobody, no one, nothing, not anything. So the warning is not to let anything or anyone take your crown- including those people who satan uses to try to do it.

The first way I want to talk about this morning is through hurt and offense. I have seen people who were on fire for the Lord, active in their church, witnessing for Christ, following His teachings and example, turn from God and have nothing more to do with Him because someone in the church said something or did something to them. These people may have talked bad about them, they may have rejected them, they may have been hypocritical in front of them, they may have turned their back on them in their time of need and as a result this person got offended, got their feelings hurt, got angry and no longer attends church or follows the Lord. The have become bitter, resentful, pious and unforgiving. But sadly, they are "taking it out on God" as if He was the one who did it to them. They are blaming Him for what someone else did. They are taking it out on Him by not attending His house any more, by not following His commands, by living in unforgiveness, by no longer worshipping Him.

How to guard against our crown being taken from us? "And this know, that if the good man of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through." (Luke 12:39) First, don't be ignorant- know that offenses are going to come and the enemy is out to destroy you anyway he can. Second, when he does come, realize that it is him and not the person. Thirdly, since we have the responsibility to not allow our crown to be taken, go to God immediately with the offense (don't let it linger), submit the hurt to Him, ask for His strength and grace to "turn the other cheek" (or do whatever is needed), forgive that person, use your spiritual weapons to fight the real enemy behind it.

Are you that person that I am talking about? If so, then you need to return to the Lord. Please don't keep staying away from Him because of what someone else did. Go to Him and ask Him to restore you to fellowship with Him and the body of Christ. Repent for holding on to a grudge, anger, bitterness and unforgiveness. Ask for His forgiveness so that you can be forgiven as well. The bottom line is do whatever you have to do to make it right with God so that your crown of life is not taken from you. Nothing else matters, and nothing else is more important.

Have a great day. Don't let any one take your crown because of hurt or offense.

For further reading:

Matthew 10:22; 6:14,15

Ephesians 6:12,13

2 Timothy 4:7,8

1 Timothy 6:12

John 10:10

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell

and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from

About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.

Please feel free to

call (601) 833-5278 or

Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net

Visit us on the web: /www.mastersbusiness.org/">http://www.mastersbusiness.org/">www.mastersbusiness.org

You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.

You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact.

Please remember to give credit to

About the Master's Business Ministry.

Take time to visit our on-line Christian magazine and blogs.

http://livingstonesmagazine.homestead.com

The Whale

The Whale...

If you read a recent front page story of the SF Chronicle, you would have read about a female humpback whale who had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines. She was weighted down by hundreds of pounds of traps that caused her to struggle to stay afloat. She also had hundreds of yards of line rope wrapped around her body, her tail, her torso, a line tugging in her mouth.

A fisherman spotted her just east of the Farallon Islands (outside the Golden Gate) and radioed an environmental group for help.

Within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that she was so bad off, the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her.

They worked for hours with curved knives and eventually freed her.

When she was free, the divers say she swam in what seemed like joyous circles.

She then came back to each and every diver, one at a time, and nudged them, pushed them gently around. She was thanking them. Some said it was the most incredibly beautiful experience of their lives.

The guy who cut the rope out of her mouth said her eyes were following him the whole time, and he will never be the same.

May you, and all those you love, be so blessed and fortunate to be surrounded by people who will help you get untangled from the things that are binding you.

And, may you always know the joy of giving and receiving gratitude.

I pass this on to you, my friends, in the same spirit

The best part of this story is that it is true!

__._,_.___

The Best Part

The Best Part

by Russ Lawson

What is the best part? I was listening to a coffee commercial and the jingle said, "The best part of waking up is ?" Can you finish the jingle? Granted the "best part" has to be qualified in some way, such as, "the best part of waking up" or "the best part of the day." But if you had to finish the sentence, "The best part," how would you end it? Are some things better than others Yes, of course they are. We often make choices based upon what is better in our minds. The classic example of this is Joshua's challenge to the people of Israel in Joshua 24:15 where he says: "But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." We do make choices.

On the flip side of that thought, we often make the statement of consolation, "It could have been worse, you could have?" In other words, some choices, without a doubt, are better than others. Christ uses this reasoning in the Sermon of the Mount in Matthew 5:29 where he says: "So if your eye, even your good eye, causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell."(NLT) I don't believe he is giving us advice to do ourselves physical harm, but rather is making the point that we have the ability to choose and need to choose wisely.

Life is a matter of making one choice after another isn't it, from the time we wake in the morning to the time we go to sleep at night we make decisions or choices. If you had to choose what would be your best part? According to the Jingle I mentioned earlier, "The best part of waking up is Folgers (coffee) in your cup." That may be very good, but I agree with Joshua about what is better, serving the Lord!

as seen in Russ Lawson's "Messages From the Heart" at http://www.mfth.net

From firstIMPRESSIONS Vol. 10.45

Living A Life of Service

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Living a Life of Service by Rick Warren

God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us to do good works, which God planned in advance for us to live our lives doing. Ephesians 2:10 (NCV) "God did not put you on earth to live for yourself. He created you to be like Christ." There are three things you can do with your life: You can waste it, you can spend it, or you can invest it. The best use of your life is to invest your life in something that will outlast it. The worst thing you can do is to live simply for today and to live for yourself. God did not put you on earth to live for yourself. He created you to be like Christ. We know that Christ came to earth to do two things according to Mark 10:45: "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45 NIV) As we seek to grow and become more like Christ, we need to learn how to live a life of service. This will help us create a lasting spiritual legacy. Today I want you to take time to meditate on the following verses about God's call to service in our lives. Pray over them and ask God to reveal new ways you can give yourself in service to those around you. "Give yourselves completely to God - every part of you ... you want to be tools in the hands of God, to be used for his good purposes." (Romans 6:13b LB) "My life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus - the work of telling others the good news about God's wonderful kindness and love." (Acts 20:24 NLT) "Only those who give away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the good news will ever know what it means to really live." (Mark 8:35 LB) You will never enjoy life fully - the way God intended for you to live it - until you learn it's not about you. So go, and live a life of service.

The New Missionary

The New Missionary

A new missionary recruit went to Venezuela for the first time. He was struggling with the language and didn't understand a whole lot of what was going on. Intending to visit one of the local churches, he got lost, but he eventually got back on track and found the place. Having arrived late, the church was already packed. The only pew left was the one on the front row.

So as not to make a fool of himself, he decided to pick someone out of the crowd to imitate. He chose to follow the man sitting next to him on the front pew. As they sang, the man clapped his hands, so the missionary recruit clapped too. When the man stood up to pray, the missionary recruit stood up too. When the man sat down, he sat down.

When the man held the cup and bread for the Lord's Supper, he held the cup and bread. During the preaching, the recruit didn't understand a thing. He just sat there and tried to look just like that man in the front pew. Then he perceived that the preacher was giving announcements. People clapped, so he looked to see if the man was clapping. He was, and so the recruit clapped too.

Then the preacher said some words that he didn't understand and he saw the man next to him stand up. So he stood up too. Suddenly a hush fell over the entire congregation. A few people gasped. He looked around and saw that nobody else was standing. So he sat down.

After the service ended, the preacher stood at the door shaking the hands of those who were leaving. When the missionary recruit stretched out his hand to greet the preacher, the preacher said, in English, "I take it you don't speak Spanish."

The missionary recruit replied, "No, I don't. It's that obvious?"

"Well, yes," said the preacher. "I announced that the Acosta family had a newborn baby boy, and would the proud father please stand up."

from firstIMPRESSIONS Vol. 10.44

---

God's Voice

God's Voice

Not long ago I heard a story about a young man and an old preacher. The young man had lost his job and didn't know which way to turn. So he went to see the old preacher.

Pacing about the preacher's study, the young man ranted about his problem. Finally he clenched his fist and shouted, "I've begged God to say something to help me, preacher, why doesn't God answer?"

The old preacher, who sat across the room, spoke something in reply, something so hushed it was indistinguishable. The young man stepped across the room. "What did you say?" he asked. The preacher repeated himself, but again in a tone as soft as a whisper. So the young man moved closer until he was leaning on the preacher's chair.

"Sorry," he said. "I still didn't hear you." With their heads bent together, the old preacher spoke once more. "God sometimes whispers," he said, "So we will move closer to hear him." This time the young man heard and he understood.

We all want God's voice to thunder through the air with the answer to our problem. But God's is the still; small voice... the gentle whisper. Perhaps there's a reason.

Nothing draws human focus quite like a whisper. God's whisper means I must stop my ranting and move close to Him, until my head is bent together with His. And then, as I listen, I will find my answer. Better still, I find myself closer to God. And there is no better place to be... Amen?

From firstIMPRESSIONS Vol. 10.44

God's Voice

God's Voice

Not long ago I heard a story about a young man and an old preacher. The young man had lost his job and didn't know which way to turn. So he went to see the old preacher.

Pacing about the preacher's study, the young man ranted about his problem. Finally he clenched his fist and shouted, "I've begged God to say something to help me, preacher, why doesn't God answer?"

The old preacher, who sat across the room, spoke something in reply, something so hushed it was indistinguishable. The young man stepped across the room. "What did you say?" he asked. The preacher repeated himself, but again in a tone as soft as a whisper. So the young man moved closer until he was leaning on the preacher's chair.

"Sorry," he said. "I still didn't hear you." With their heads bent together, the old preacher spoke once more. "God sometimes whispers," he said, "So we will move closer to hear him." This time the young man heard and he understood.

We all want God's voice to thunder through the air with the answer to our problem. But God's is the still; small voice... the gentle whisper. Perhaps there's a reason.

Nothing draws human focus quite like a whisper. God's whisper means I must stop my ranting and move close to Him, until my head is bent together with His. And then, as I listen, I will find my answer. Better still, I find myself closer to God. And there is no better place to be... Amen?

From firstIMPRESSIONS Vol. 10.44

Delight In God's Word

DELIGHT IN GOD'S WORD

"But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate
day and night." Psalms 1:2

Discover what delights a man, and you begin to know much about the man.

What delights you? Are you that blessed man who delights in the law of the
Lord?

We will spend much time with the object of our love. A young man in love
will spend long hours with his beloved. A loving mother will give herself
day and night to her children. A boy who loves fishing will dash off to the
pond the moment he finishes his chores.

If you delight in God's Word, you will meditate on it day and night.

South African evangelist Keith Daniel tells of when he first became a
Christian. A minister told him to first read the Gospel of John and then
read the rest of the New Testament. Keith went home that night and began to
read.

And read.

And read.

As the first rays of the morning sun trickled through his window, he
stopped reading because he needed to leave for work. He brought his Bible
to work and read in the New Testament during every break.

Have you had times when you couldn't get enough of God's Word? You hungered
and thirsted and longed for it.

Christian, delight in God's Word as you would in something you love dearly!
You will "be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth
forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and
whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."

God's Word will bring forth lovely and pleasant fruit in your life. His
Word will strengthen you and build you. When days are dark and you feel
withered and weakened, you can run to the Word and receive encouragement
for your soul. You will prosper, because God's Word is watering your soul.

Can you say with David, "I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as
much as in all riches"?

Mindful Praise

Mindful Praise
by Bishop Keith A. Butler

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

Hebrews 13:15

The key word here is sacrifice. Praise is a sacrifice when you say, "I don't feel like it and the situation sure doesn't seem to dictate it, but I choose to praise God anyway! I choose to identify my blessings!"

You may say, "Yes, but you don't know what I'm going through!" There are still things for which you can be grateful. If you started listing things that are a blessing in your life, you could come up with quite a few blessings right now despite the hell you may be living in.

I love to hear people say, "Today was a beautiful day! I was able to smell God's air and feel some of His rain fall on my head! I ate today! Praise God!"

You need to unwind yourself through praise, because stress affects every area of your life-your work, your relationships, your job-everything! When you are stressed, you can say all the confessions you want, but nothing's going to work until you get unwound. Then your faith can work. As you practice the sacrifice of praise, your muscles will relax and your stress will be released so that you have complete mental and physical health. Practicing praise must become a way of life, a continual pattern throughout the day.

You need to identify a time and a place where you can take some mindfulness praise moments in the middle of your day. Write this down on your "To Do List." Put a reminder on your computer or cell phone. Meditate on the Word. Offer Him a sacrifice of praise. Give Him thanks for all His works in your life. Glorify Him for loving you. In short time, you will be reaping the benefits of focusing your mind and heart on Him.

Prayer for Today

Father,
I offer you a sacrifice of praise. I thank you for life. I magnify your name for the gift of revelation of who you are and how you have blessed me. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Selah: Think on These Things

• Ezra 3:11
• Psalm 69:30

Don't Look Back

DON'T LOOK BACK

"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do,
forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those
things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of

God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14

If any of you have competed in running events before, you know that there
is more than just being able to run fast that enables you to win the race.
One very important thing is that a runner must keep his eye on the finish
line. Looking behind him will slow him down.

So it is also with the Christian life. We need to keep our eyes on the
finish line. If we look behind us, we will get slowed down. Looking back is
incredibly dangerous. Jesus even pointed this out when He said, "Remember
Lot's wife?" Lot's wife, despite warnings, had looked back on Sodom and was
turned into a pillar of salt.

One of the ways Christians look back is by looking back at their sinful
lives before they were Christians. Satan tries to trip us up with our
sinful past. Satan tried to convince me once that with all my sins in the
past that I was not worthy enough to go to heaven. But you see, the devil
likes to mix a little truth with his lies. None of us are worthy to enter
heaven. It's Christ's worthiness that matters.

Second Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a
new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become
new." Our sinful past is gone. We are new creatures. When we repented and
believed the gospel, God totally wiped out our past sins. He remembers them
no more. If God doesn't remember our past sins, why do we look back on them?

Another way Christians look back is by looking back at our so-called
accomplishments before we got saved. A few years ago I was flipping through
my senior yearbook. During my senior year in high school, I had excelled in
various areas. This yearbook chronicled all those accomplishments. At the
back of the yearbook, several of my friends had written various notes. One
of these notes caught my eye. A young woman had ended her note with the
Bible reference, "Philippians 3:8-9."

At the beginning of Philippians 3, Paul chronicles several of his
accomplishments, but when he gets to verse 8 he says, "...and I count all
things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my
Lord..." In fact, Paul goes on to say that he counted those accomplishments
but dung that he may win Christ.

All the things that I accomplished in high school get me nowhere in my walk
with Christ. I count them but dung so that I might win Christ. If our past
accomplishments have nothing to do with our current walk with Christ, why
do we look back on them?

Christians, forget what lies behind you. The finish line is in front of
you. The prize is waiting. Don't look back.

"The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace." Numbers 6:24-26

The History of "Halloween".

The History of "Halloween".

Dear Aalie,
As our children get ready to go "Trick-or-Treating" let us
learn a little about the day "Halloween." Therefore Test China,
we will depart from our usual message to take a look at a
pagan holiday, that changed because of Christianity, and
thus became a Holy Day that is still observed in some
Denominations still today!

Therefore we will look at a ancient pagan ritual, that is still
practiced today. It's original name was "Samhain," however
we know it as "Halloween."

"Samhain" began at sundown on October 31st and extended
into the following day. According to the Celtic pagan religion,
known as Druidism, the spirits of those who had died roamed
the earth on "Samhain" evening. This night was much feared by
the Celtic people, and they sought to ward off the spirits with
offerings of food and drink.

The dark side of this event was the fact that the Celts built
bonfires, at so called sacred sights, and sometimes preformed
rituals involving HUMAN and/or Animal Sacrifices, to honor Druid
gods. Samhain was abandoned only when the people converted
to Christianity during the very early middle ages.

Now during that period of time the Church often incorporated
modified versions of ancient pagan rituals in order to win
converts. For example, Pope Gregory IV successfully replaced
"Samhain" with All Saints Day, which fell on November 1, thus
the evening of October 31 became known as All Hallows' Even,
which was later shortened to Halloween. All Souls Day, as it is
known as today, is a Holy Day in the Roman Catholic, and
Anglican Churches, honoring those who have passed away.

Some aspects of this ancient pagan tradition thought to be
incompatible with Christianity, were linked with folk beliefs
about evil spirits. In British folklore, small magical fairies
became associated with Halloween mischief. The jack-o-lantern,
originally carved from a turnip, originated in medieval Scotland.
A small candle would be put into the turnip, that had a scary face
carved on it. This was to be lit at night and displayed to scare off
evil spirits which they feared roamed about that night.

Between the 15th & 17th Centuries, Europe was seized by a
hysterical fear of witches, who were thought to ride flying brooms
and to assume the form of black cats. Thus the images of witches
and black cats soon joined other European superstitions as
symbols of Halloween.

In the 19th & early 20th Centuries, young people often
observed Halloween by perpetrating minor acts of vandalism,
such as overturning sheds or breaking windows. Beginning in
the 1930's, Halloween mischief gradually transformed into the
modern ritual of trick-or-treating, though some still choose to
perform acts of vandalism on Halloween still today.

A final note, Aalie, is the fact that Halloween is the high
holy day of the satanic church. So it still bears a very dark
side indeed, even today!

References: ( Encarta Reference Library 2008, and the
Encyclopedia Britannica 2006. )

All My Love & Prayers,
Pastor Allen

at: http://www.godsminute.com
Apostle Paul Ministries, P O Box 55996, Hayward, CA 94545

Nine Steps Toward Stress Removal

Nine Steps Toward Stress Removal
by Bishop Keith A. Butler

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Thessalonians 5:23

Look at what God will do for you-you will live a long, healthy life-if you take the following steps to remove stress found in First Thessalonians 5:15-22:

"See that none render evil for evil unto any man." Forget about getting even. "Follow that which is good, both among yourselves and to all men." Do the right thing if everybody else does the wrong thing. "Rejoice evermore." Do what you have to do in order to throw that stress off you. Boast and rejoice. "Pray without ceasing." Don't give up in prayer. "In everything give thanks." You don't have to give thanks because the bill collector is chasing you, but you can give thanks while he's chasing you. Giving thanks in everything is God's will for you, and if you're in the middle of God's will, then you have God's power working for you. "Quench not the spirit." In other words, don't stifle what you know you should be doing because of the things that are happening that you may not understand. "Despise not prophesying [preaching]." Don't get mad at the preacher because he preached something that you didn't like. The preacher's job is to hear from God and to preach what God said you need. "Prove all things and hold fast to that which is good." Everything that looks good and sounds plausible right now may not be good in the end. Test it, try it, and weigh it to see if it's good. "Abstain from all appearance of evil." Stay away from everything that looks as if it can get you in trouble.

Prayer for Today

Father,
You are so faithful to give me direction. Thank you for giving me everything I need to live a holy, blessed, stress-free life. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Selah: Think on These Things

• Romans 15:13
• Philippians 4:9

�For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged
sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it
judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is
hidden from God�s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the
eyes of him to whom we must give account� (Hebrews 4:12,13).

Making Big Requests

October 18, 2010
Making Big Requests
JOHN 14:12-15

Jesus Christ issued a bold statement when He said, "If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it" (John 14:14). Since it is against the nature of our Triune God to break a promise (Titus 1:2), we know that the Lord will fulfill that pledge.

So when we make a big request and nothing happens, the problem isn't with God. Believers are called to live a righteous life. The Lord won't overlook spiritual laziness to give us what we want. He has two requirements for answering petitions:

• Approach God in complete dependence on Christ's merits. The Savior's blood paid for our right to enter the Father's holy presence. His sacrifice at Calvary took away our sins and clothed us in righteousness, which allows us to stand unashamed before the throne. We don't earn favor through works or get prayers answered because we are super-spiritual. God responds because His Son sits at His right hand, interceding for us.
• Approach God in holiness--that is, separated from all known sin. God said that He would not hear those who "regard wickedness" in their hearts (Ps. 66:18). If He were to answer prayer when we are willfully living in sin, then He would be sanctioning our transgression. Therefore, believers must turn away from their wrongdoing before making big requests.

God is always faithful. He is willing to give you what you need and to bless you richly besides. But this is no something-for-nothing offer. The Lord demands righteous living from His followers. Those who live according to God's will can trust Him for anything they ask in His Son's name.

Unbelief Hinders Your Healing Connection to God

Unbelief Hinders Your Healing Connection to God
by Bishop Keith A. Butler

Mark 6:5 - And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his
hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. (KJV)

When Jesus preached in His hometown, the people there did not believe
His words. As a result, most of them remained sick.

This is how they responded to Jesus. Where did you get this wisdom? ,
they asked. And where did these mighty works come from?

They said,
Aren't you a carpenter? Don't we know your mama and daddy? Don't we
know your sisters and brothers? And they got upset with Jesus.

And Jesus said,

A prophet is not without honor but in his own country and among
his own kinfolk. And in his own house, and he could there do no mighty
works.

It didn't say that he didn't want to. It didn't say that He wouldn't. It
said He couldn't.

Their unbelief caused them not to benefit from the power of God that was
present. The power of God for healing was available, and only a few
people tapped into it, although Jesus was there for the whole town.

And the few people who did receive it believed it only for minor illnesses,
such as headaches. Although there was cancer healing power available,
and tumor healing power available, and for every kind of sickness and
disease power was available, they didn't get it because their unbelief
stopped them.

Your unbelief will stop the power of God. Even though the power of God
is all around you, your unbelief will stop the healing power of God. I'm
telling you, this world is permeated with God's healing power. When you
breathe the air, there's healing power in it. All around you from the
head to the toe, you can't turn around and not run into available
healing power. If you believe it, you can receive it.

Healing power doesn't manifest because there's a need for healing,
because God's power to heal is always present. Your healing manifests
when you apply your faith. Jesus said, If you can believe, all things
are possible to him that believeth.

It is God's will for you to be healed. Believe it.

And receive your healing right where you are.

Scripture References: Mark 6:1-5; 9:23