BLESSED Healthy Foods
April/May 2013
The LORD’s SUPPER
that help fight Cancer Arthritis Heart Disease Page 36
Get Organized
Miracles
Evangelism
Exclusive
Spring Fashion
Single Christian Woman Keeping Hope in Jesus
Ordinary People Living Extraordinary Lives through the LOVE and POWER of JESUS CHRIST
His mercies are new every day
CONTENTS APPRECIATING THE LORD‘S SUPPER Why does Jesus want us to remember the last supper? What was it‘s significance?
Page 12 MIRACLES: DO THEY STILL HAPPEN TODAY? Has the thought of miracles died within our generation or are we simply ignoring them
Page 17 IF GOD LOVES ME, THEN WHY DID HE CREATE HELL God did not intend for any one of us to spend eternity in hell
Page 20 SINGLE, CHRISTIAN WOMAN KEEPING HOPE IN JESUS There is a great misconception that a single, Christian woman is by all means, sad and unproductive in life, but this is definitely not the case
Page 25
GET ORGANIZED TIPS AND TRICKS TO SAVE YOU SPACE These great ideas will clear the clutter and create more space
Page 29 HEALTHY FOODS THAT HELP FIGHT CANCER, ARTHRITIS AND HEART DISEASE These foods will help improve your way of health by providing you with the important ingredients to combat these illnesses
Page 36 EVANGELISM UNDERSTANDING THIS VERY IMPORTANT ROLE Not everyone is called to be an Evangelist. This article will help you to understand the role of an Evangelist
Page 40 SPRING FASHION JUMP START YOUR WARDROBE We‘ve searched and found some great looks to help you get a jump start on your spring wardrobe
Page 42 MARRIAGE WHY WAITING ON GOD IS CRUCIAL From dating sites to blind dates; are we interfering with God‘s plan for our life?
Page 47
Special Thanks to……
God, the Father who without His vision, this issue would not be made possible Jesus, the Son who has guided and directed our paths to continue planting seeds of hope to those who are lost
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For centuries, many religions have repeated this ritual, but are we truly understanding and appreciating the significance of this moment that is held dear to Christians across the world? To truly appreciate the Lord‘s Supper, one must first understand why it was done and why Jesus commanded that it be done even until this day ‗Holy Communion‘ or ‗Lord‟s Supper‘ as some may reference it was an intimate act performed by Jesus to those who He was close to. As the hour approached for Jesus to be delivered up to the chief priests and scribes, He longed to share one last meal with His disciples. His desire was to leave with them a deep-seated, personal experience that would be brought to their memory with every meal they shared together from that time forward Breaking of the bread was symbolic of the suffering Jesus was to encounter on our behalf and signified „His Body‟ as a living sacrifice for our sins. The ‗Wine‘ was symbolic to the „Blood‟ Jesus would shed for the cleansing of our souls. Both when we take part is demonstrating that we appreciate as well as acknowledge the acts Jesus did for us so that we could once again be reconciled to His Father
Appreciating
The Lord’s Supper
“This do in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19) were the words Jesus spoke to His disciples during the last supper. Why does Jesus want us to remember the last supper? What was it‘s significance?
Father One thing is certain: the intimate fellowship Jesus had with His disciples at the table spilled out into the early church as ―love feasts‖. (Jude 12) These feasts are believers way of keeping the sacrifice of Jesus alive within our hearts and minds and serve as a commemoration of our allegiance to serve Him as a Lord and Savior However, there is another side to the Lord‘s Supper! Those that partake knowing they do not obey the words of Jesus and are not living according to His will are causing damnation to their souls and possibly those they love. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep (1 Corinthians 11: 37-30) Keeping this in mind, let‘s look at a few things we should know and understand to appreciate the Lord‘s SupperStory continued page 11
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Supper
before us.
1. It was a BITTER death. "He was broken." The very thoughts of His suffering, put Him into an agony. "Being in agony, He prayed more earnestly, and
‘Last Supper’ photo by Wolfgang M. Otto
He sweat, as it were, great drops of blood falling down to the ground!" Luke 22:44. He was full of sorrow. "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death!" Matthew 26:38 2. It was a LINGERING death. It was more for Christ to suffer one hour—than for us to have suffered forever. But His death was lengthened out. He hung three hours on the cross. He died many deaths before He could die one. 3. It was a PAINFUL death. His hands and feet were nailed, which parts, being full of sinews, and therefore very tender— His pain must be most acute and sharp. And to have the envenomed arrow of God's wrath shot to His heart—this was the direful catastrophe, and caused that outcry upon the cross, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me!" The justice of God was now inflamed and heightened to its full. "God spared not His Son," Romans 8:38. Nothing must be abated of the debt. Christ felt the pains of hell, though not locally, yet equivalently. In the Lord's Supper, we see this tragedy acted
4. It was a SHAMEFUL death. Christ was hung between two thieves, Matthew 27:38. It was as if He had been the principal malefactor. Well might the lamp of heaven withdraw its light and mask itself with darkness, as blushing to behold the Sun of righteousness in an eclipse. It is hard to say which was greater, the blood of the cross—or the shame of the cross, Hebrews 12:2 5. It was a CURSED death. Deuteronomy 21:23. This kind of death was deemed exceedingly execrable, yet the Lord Jesus underwent this, "Being made a curse for us," Galatians 3:13. He who was God blessed forever, Romans 9:5—was under a curse! 6. Also, consider the SWEETNESS of it to us. Christ's bruising—is our healing. "By His stripes, we are healed," Isaiah 53:5. Many call the crucifixion of Christ, the hinge on which our salvation turns. It is an antidote to expel all our fear. Does sin trouble? Christ has overcome it for us! Besides the two thieves crucified with Christ, there were two other invisible thieves crucified with Him—sin and the devil
‘Passion of the Christ’ photo by New Market Films
Story continued next page
With all this being outlined, Christians are compelled to appreciate the suffering Christ endured for us by…. Prizing Christ’s Body - Every crumb of this Bread of life is precious. "My flesh is food indeed," John 6:55 Prizing Christ‟s Blood – It cleanses, reconciles, quickens, softens and cools the heart The MAGNIFICENCE and ROYALTY of this supper. It is a heavenly banquet Let us show our thankfulness, by universal SUBJECTION to Christ. This is to make the Lord's Supper, in a spiritual sense—a feast of dedication, when we renew our vows and give ourselves up to God's service. "Truly I am Your servant," Psalm 116:16. "Lord, all I have is Yours. My head shall be Yours to study for You; my hands shall be Yours to work for You; my heart shall be Yours to adore You; my tongue shall be Yours to praise You!―
ExpressURway
‘Last Supper’ photo by Black Swan Ministries
The Fiery Furnace
The Creation
Miracles
Raising the Dead
Do They Still Happen Today?
God‘s Word depicts many instances of miracles beginning with the creation to the parting of the Red Sea and beyond, but what we hear today is that miracles don‘t happen the way they did back in Moses days or even when Jesus walked among us. So, has the thought of miracles died within our generation or are we simply ignoring them and dismissing them because we can‘t comprehend the impossible
Miracles; according to the dictionary is defined as ‘Act of God’: an event that appears to be contrary to the laws of nature and is regarded as an act of God! In other words, anything that contradicts the laws of nature is regarded as an act of God or from God which brings us to this point; ‗what is considered a miracle?‘ As humans we see miracles as acts of things impossible such as the parting of the Red Sea when God delivered the Israelites from Pharaoh. Is this what we are searching for in today‘s era? Lions behaving as kittens and fire having no affect on us? The miracles that took place in the days of old can still happen today, but are they? Many miracles are happening everyday, but we are not seeing them as being miracles because we have become blind to them or as one writer put it, refuse to recognize that it is a miracle Take for example this miracle; my sister accidently put our van in drive instead of reverse one day while her and my Dad were on their way home from playing golf. As my Dad was putting the golf clubs in the back of the van, he noticed that the van was moving forward. He immediately picked up the back of the van using the bumper to bring the van back from going over the cliff where they were parked. Where did my Dad get his strength from? My family‘s only reaction was that God gave him the strength. You decide; miracle or not? Many times God performs miracles in our lives, but we don‘t share it with each other. Many don‘t share it because they don‘t want people to think that they are lying because it seems impossible to grasp, but isn‘t that what miracles are; acts of the impossible becoming possible?
Jesus stated to His disciples; ―Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do‖ John 14:12.
Daniel in the Lions Den photo by www.marysrosaries.com
With this being said, are we performing the acts Jesus performed and doing greater acts? Speaking with a young woman from California, she stated to me that she was able to raise her grandmother from the grasp of death through the power of Jesus. Did I believe her or did I do as most individuals would do and simply state or think, that maybe she wasn‘t dead after all. However, I am in no position to say she was mistaken or lying, but must believe that she did. This is the mistake that most do in regards to miracles; we simply try to come up with a logical explanation to explain the act instead of praising God for His miracle We can through the power of the Holy Spirit do all things in Jesus name. There is nothing that He can‘t do through us, but we must first believe that He can and be available for His service and glory Another miracle I am witness to is a young woman who after each doctor has examined and x-rayed her hip have each stated that they can‘t explain how she is able to walk. Her xray's reveal that she has no bone or cartilage where her hip is supposed to join
where her hip is supposed to join, but she walks. Another miracle is a brother in my church who had cancer in his stomach and the doctors saw no chance of his recovery, but God removed the cancer and today he is cancer free Miracles are happening everyday. I can sit here and continue telling you stories of miracles in which I have encountered or been told, but if our belief is not set on things that are spiritual, but natural, we will continue to over look the miracles of God
Lazarus raised from the dead photo by www.layministryfumc.com
A lot of what we are looking for is not seen because of our belief. When we don‘t have an eye to see and an ear to hear of God‘s miracles, how can we experience them? Are we doubting the existence of miracles? In my conclusion, miracles are happening every day. When we wake in the morning, that‘s a miracle. When we are able to use our senses such as our eyes, ears, nose, hands and feet, that‘s a miracle. When we begin to recognize that our very existence is a miracle in itself, then we will begin to appreciate life and what God is doing and through our appreciation, God will begin to perform such miracles as raising the dead, giving sight to the blind, the healing of diseases and making the lame to walk Open your hearts to the Lord and let Him show you the true meaning of miracles
Hell Falling photo by downloads.open4group.com
If God Loves Me, Then Why Did He Create
HELL
I cannot tell you the countless times I have been asked this question; ―If God loves me, then why did He create hell?‖ God does love us and has proven this when He gave us His only begotten Son, Jesus to pay the price for our sins when He (The Son) willingly sacrificed His life on Calvary My answer is this; God did not intend for any one of us to spend eternity in hell, but to live with Him in glory. Hell originally was made for the rebellious fallen angels and Satan. It is NOT God‘s will that anyone should perish in their sins and go to Hell, but it is those who reject the love of God and refuse to obey His commandments who are literally asking to be sent there, but again, this is not where God wants us to go
Hell is a jail where the unsaved await trial and sentencing before being cast into the prison of the Lake of Fire. Please understand that if you are not a Believer—you are already condemned! ... ―He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is CONDEMNED ALREADY, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God‖ (John 3:18). Death is man‘s great enemy! All the wealth, fame and worldly enjoyments a person may experience in this lifetime CANNOT go with them beyond the grave. Once you're dead, it‘s over! It‘ll be too late to live for God when your lying in the grave
In Matthew 25:41 it states, then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, PREPARED FOR THE DEVIL AND HIS ANGELS Facts of Hell photo by www.biblerays.com
It will NOT be God‘s fault if men and women are stubborn and unwilling to REPENT of their unbelief. We are ALL without excuse for the wrong decisions we make in life—we CANNOT blame God. Perhaps other humans influenced us to make some wrong decisions but that‘s not God‘s fault either The Bible makes reference to the body being destroyed in Hell... ―And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy BOTH SOUL AND BODY in hell‖ (Matthew 10:28). Those in Hell will be cast into the Lake of Fire. The second death is a SEPARATION of your body, soul and spirit from God for ALL ETERNITY! How sad. If man will not accept the gift of eternal life from God, then he will receive the only other alternative—eternal punishment in the Lake of Fire and again, this was not the original plan...
Hell is very real and being separated from God for all eternity is not a joke, but serious business. God means business when He stated in John 3:16; For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. If we don‘t believe in the only true Son of the Living God, then we are disobeying God‘s will and therefore will end up spending eternity in total darkness and separation from God Hell was not created for man, but for Satan and his rebellious angels. Make no mistake, if we refuse to acknowledge Jesus and continue to live life as we see fit, without the presence of God, we will join Satan for all eternity
Suicide is the eleventh most common cause of death in the United States. People may consider suicide when they are hopeless and can't see any other solution to their problems. Often it's related to serious depression, alcohol or substance abuse, or a major stressful event. People who have the highest risk of suicide are white men. But women and teens report more suicide attempts. If someone talks about suicide, you should take it seriously. Urge them to get help from their doctor or the emergency room, or call Precious Life Suicide Prevention at
830.372.5980
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Keeping Hope in Jesus
Single, Christian Woman
How does a single, Christian woman cope in today‘s society with the pressures of work, family, church and the desire to be loved by another?
Life as a single, Christian woman has it‘s challenges. Life can sometimes be very difficult especially when dealing with society, the church and the desire to be loved by another. With all these challenges, as a single, Christian woman, God‘s plan for our lives must be understood and accepted if we are to live within God‘s purpose Unlike married, Christian women; who have a support system within their homes with their spouse to discuss the cares of this life with; single, Christian women must rely on the power of prayer and meditation unto the Lord Society may view a single, Christian woman as living under a curse or see it as an indication that there is something wrong, but through Christ we can live a prosperous, blessed life and thrive in society There is a great misconception that a single, Christian woman is by all means, sad and unproductive in life, but this is definitely not the case. As a single, Christian woman, our thoughts should be to please the Lord and in doing so, God will provide for us and our life can be productive and joyous Being single has its perks. Married women have the cares of their husbands as well as the Lord while single women can fully concentrate on the cares of the Lord without distractions of a husband Although many women in the church are single; not all women desire to be single. God‘s gift of marriage is a wonderful thing when God blesses a woman with a husband. God specifically designs a man for a woman putting into thought all the things a husband will be needed for in her continual pursuit of His will. God is faithful and will provide for the single, Christian woman as she continues to wait on God and prove to be faithful in His service
This important time in her life is to learn more about the Lord and discover how to become complete in Him. She is able to grow into maturity and to involve herself in ministry to assist others
―But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart‖(Matt. 5:28) Although living the life as a single, Christian woman has its perks, it also has its challenges as the enemy will tap into her emotions to hinder her. One area of focus is the work place where many relationships have been founded Because of the constant interaction between men and women in the workplace, there is more we can do to protect ourselves from the wiles of the enemy. One such way to counteract the enemy‘s tactics is to be conscious of our surroundings. It should be no surprise that the enemy will use the opposite sex to entice us to yield to temptation. ―But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart‖ (Matthew 5:28) Knowing this, the single, Christian woman must keep her mind focused and not yield to the temptation of lustful
thoughts involving a male co-worker and again, be cautious of her surroundings as to not involve herself in work place gossip. Also, if confronted with the work place, ‗Ladies Man‘ who is smooth-talking, nicely dressed and sweet smelling, politely send him on his way. Entertaining this predator could lead to falling into temptation Another tool the enemy will use is that of confession. By establishing your faith verbally, you will divide your co-workers into two groups: those who respect your position and those that do not. The enemy will use those who don't. And again, this should be of no surprise and you should not take offense of it. ―For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation." (Romans 10:10) The tool of not being singled out is one of the biggest hurdles single, Christian women could encounter within the work place. If your boss or co-worker asks you to participate in an act that is contrary to the word of God, you must stand your ground and not worry about the consequences. God sees all and knows all and will not forsake you in standing up for Him and His principles. ―And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell‖ (Matthew 10:28) Family and Friends can also play a major role in the life of a single, Christian woman. Not all family members and friends are believers and may reject your lifestyle. Don‘t be dismayed or broken-hearted, for Jesus himself stated; ―A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house‖ (Mark 6:4) Single, Christian women must remain steadfast in their walk with the Lord no matter
matter how our family and friends may feel about our walk. Remember, we must ―work out your own salvation with fear and trembling‖ (Philippians 2:12)
Do you ever just sit and look out of the window? Have you ever thought about the fact that both a window and a mirror are both made from glass, but have very different functions? Windows are used to look through so you can see other things, but mirrors are only for looking at yourself Guess what, God wants us to be more like a window. If you spent more time looking out for others rather than just looking out for yourself, you‘d be happier. Imagine living in a house with all mirrors and no windows. You would not be able to see the sun, trees, clouds, rain, people walking by or anything else. Also, it would be dark because no light could shine through The same thing happens when we think only of ourselves. However as Christian single women, we have received the light of Christ and we should let our lights so shine in the world that they may know our Father in heaven. My prayer and encouragement for you, the Christian single woman, is "May your eyes be more like a window that can see the world‘s needs around you and less like a mirror that only lets you see yourself.―
Story continued next page
If you learn nothing else during your singleness, than to develop a relationship with Christ and to love Him with your whole heart, then every moment of your singleness would be worth it! Just as you have grown physically and are no longer a child, endeavor to grow your spiritual woman within Accept….Adopt…..Grow…..Learn all that God has for your life. Your life may not be working out how you might have envisioned it, but be encouraged my Christian single sister. Remember, God‘s ways are not only different from our, they are better and more fulfilling and His future is brings hope
Get Organized
This ideas was taken from Better Homes and Gardens by taking an old dresser, removing the drawers and replacing with small baskets
Hang in There Bathrooms are notoriously space-challenged, but any wall offers triple the storage when you think vertical. Tier woven Nesting Baskets by looping twine through the corners; knot the top and suspend from a hook to keep toiletries and towels within ready reach. Could also do in the kids room... a place for little toys
Good DIY storage idea for your bathroom. Add two hooks and a wire basket beside your sink for storing your blow dryer and curling irons
Love the idea behind this multifunctional chair that doubles as a library
Great idea for hanging your pans with hooks under the cabinet which leaves more space for your pots and lids
Keep only movies, games, music, and books that you use and that realistically fit on your shelves. Labeled photo boxes are stylish and the perfect size for stashing on shelves in an entertainment center
Fight Cancer
According to research, these 4 foods can help fight against cancer. One of the easiest things for a person touched by cancer to address is their diet. Remember that ´good nourishment´ is a crucial weapon in the fight against cancer and any illness. Good cancer nutrition can be vital in increasing your personal odds of survival. Also, remember that natural compounds are likely to do you a lot more good than synthetic pills! So here are a few additions to your cancer diet 1: Oily Fish Vitamin A is an important vitamin in the fight against cancer. Oily fish is the best provider, with herring, mackerel and salmon top of the list. Fish oil will also give you long chain Omega-3 as well which has been linked to reduced levels of prostate, breast and colon cancer. You´ll also get a little vitamin D, a proven cancer-fighter too 2: Carrots Along with apricots, peppers and pumpkins, they provide cancer carotenoids like beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A, when required by the body. 1 cup of carrot juice, 2 sweet potatoes, 16 dried apricots and 4 cups of red cherries will each provide 25mgs. Don´t eat them all at once - people have been known to turn a little orange! A great juice to make yourself involves carrots and apples (for quercitin) and beetroot (for anthocyanins). A real cancer fighting drink! 3: Red and Yellow Peppers The top source of vitamin C - even better than oranges. Vitamin C strengthens your immune cells and neutralizes toxins. Linus Pauling thought cancer patients should consume 2 to 10 gms per day. A large red pepper is 250 mgs. 200 gms raw broccoli 175 mgs. 150 gms papaya 90 mgs. An orange 65 mgs. Berries and cherries are great sources 4: Sunflower Seeds High in zinc and vitamin E. Zinc helps vitamin C do its work and accelerates healing time. It is important to a healthy prostate. You need 15 to 25 mgs per day. Five tablespoons of sunflower seeds give you 10 mgs. Best are oysters, 3 are enough. Milk can block zinc absorption. Sunflower seeds will also provide a little selenium
Reverse Heart Disease
Get the Plaque Out of Your Arteries Trim the fat and overhaul your diet. Under the Reversal Diet, only 10% of your diet comes from fat; 15-20% comes from protein; and 70-75% comes from complex carbohydrates. Your body can start to heal once you stop doing what's causing the problem in the first place; if you stop consuming the food that contributed to the blockages in your arteries, your body will have a better chance of rebooting and recovering. Incorporate heart-healthy foods into your diet that contain protective and preventive nutrients. A plant-based diet of 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Fruits Vegetables Whole grains Legumes Soy products
all in their natural, unrefined forms not only helps to reverse heart disease, but also possesses anticancer and anti-aging properties
1. Cherries Any type of cherry will supply the antioxidants and anthocyanins that reduce inflammation; however, tart cherries and cherry juice seem to provide the greatest amount of relief. Make sure you eat about 1/2 lb. of cherries daily or drink two glasses of cherry juice per day during an acute attack
Reverse Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis, or RA, is an autoimmune disease that attacks the body's joints causing pain, inflammation and destruction of the cartilage and bone. Certain foods play a role in both aggravating and relieving arthritis symptoms. By eliminating various foods that trigger RA and including foods with medicinal effects, you may be able to reverse some of the effects and damage from this disease
2. Ginger Eastern medical practitioners have used ginger for centuries to reduce pain and inflammation in the joints, according to "The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook." Fresh ginger is best and is highest in medicinal chemical compounds that increase the immune system's reaction, they add. Sip on freshly brewed ginger tea by cooking a 1inch piece of fresh ginger in a cup of water for 15 minutes. Remove the ginger and allow the tea to cool. Add honey or stevia to sweeten. Ginger is soothing to the stomach as well as effective in reducing overall bodily soreness. Ginger can thin the blood, so speak to your practitioner if you take blood-thinning medicines before using ginger for medicinal purposes
3. Pineapples Pineapples contain an enzyme called bromelain, which is known for its ability to reduce inflammation and relieve the pain and stiffness associated with rheumatoid and other forms of arthritis, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Fresh pineapple and freshly squeezed pineapple juice are the best sources of this important enzyme. Canned or bottles products have lost most of their potency due to heating during processing. If you are unable to eat pineapple or drink the juice, you can buy bromelain supplements in capsules at most health food stores. Take the capsules between meals for best results for the treatment of inflammation. Because bromelain can thin the blood, speak to your doctor if you take blood-thinners before starting a regimen using bromelain
Evangelism
All elders are not pastors and teachers; some will be evangelists. An evangelist is a person who specializes in preaching the gospel. He will go out from the Church into the world, to preach the gospel and draw people in. At the same time he will lead and train others in evangelism. Philip is one person in the New Testament who exercised this ministry. Luke describes him as "the evangelist" (Acts 21:8) There are three criteria for selecting a person for this ministry. First, he must be a Christian who is demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit in his life. He will also have a good understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ. An evangelist must be able to answer the questions that are raised by enquirers. Finally he must have demonstrated that he is able to proclaim the gospel successfully. The main sign that a person is being called to be an evangelist is that many people are being won for Christ by his/her testimony An evangelist will be an outgoing person who feels at home in the hurly burly of the market place and the public square. He will take the gospel into any place where people are meeting; into the taverns and onto the streets. The true evangelist is always aggressive; not waiting for sinners to come to him, but going to any place where they gather. His greatest joy is to see a large crowd listening to the gospel message
A deep love for the lost will motivate all his actions. He will often weep for those who refuse to accept the gospel. His love will be obvious to all who hear his words. Signs and wonders will often accompany his preaching, as a visible demonstration of God‘s love for those who are in bondage to the devil
“The main sign that a person is being called to be an evangelist is that many people are being won for Christ by his/her testimony� Yet there will be a toughness about the character of an evangelist. He will not be intimidated by brawling crowds or antiChristian authorities. His zeal for the gospel is such that he will not be deterred, even if the authorities forbid the proclamation of the gospel. (Acts 5:27,28,40-42). He will often act in a prophetic way when confronting rulers who obstruct the gospel. A good example of this is Stephen, who under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, gave a stern warning to the Jewish authorities who had arrested him for preaching (Acts 7) An evangelist will not be frightened to confront sin, and will boldly warn of its consequences. In contrast, pastors who are gentler by nature, usually preach a softer gospel. This kind of gospel tends to produce soft Christians, who are not truly converted. The great evangelists of the past always preached the wrath of God towards sin before speaking of His mercy in Christ The church has not been very good at accommodating evangelists. Those who have found a place in the church have usually been forced to become pastors. In this role they may win many converts, but they do not have the pastoral abilities needed to disciple them Story continued on page 46
Spring Fashion
Kohl’s
Crafted in a geometric openweave, this flattering frock skims the hips in the easiest of silhouettes – the shift
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Jump Start Dillard’s
From the Gibson & Latimer Neon Strike collection, this women's maxi dress features pink floral print, halter neckline with keyhole detail, sleeveless silhouette belt at waist
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Wal-mart
This lovely Miss Tina women's flutter sleeve dress is perfect for a day at the office
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your
Cato’s
Cap sleeve twist knit dress - this cool toned dress with a fun twist detail!
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Fashion Wardrobe Nordstrom
JCPenny’s
Macy’s
C21
Trim-Fit Sports Shirt A bright, vintageinspired madras plaid lends casually preppy style to a cool woven shirt topped with a narrow button-down collar
IZOD A cotton blazer is one way to keep your cool when things get steamy. The plaid is preppy as heck, but it has personality to spare. After all, man cannot live in navy alone
Perry Ellis Linen Popover Shirt Casually cool, this linen shirt from Perry Ellis is sure to become a weekend favorite
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Spring Fashion
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Fashion Wardrobe Zoot Suits
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Versace Collection
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Sears
Evangelists who pastor churches tend to use the methods of evangelism. They care for their people by preaching at them, because this is the gift they have. In depth ministry is often done at the front of the church after an "altar call". This kind of ministry tends to produce thrillseeking Christians, who are dependent on their pastors. The result is big churches with immature people
“Not every Christian is called to be an evangelist, but all are commanded to be witnesses� Evangelists should be freed from their pastoral duties, and sent out into the world. This is where preaching with sign and wonders belongs. They should be freed to develop the full potential of their ministry. And every Church should have at least one evangelist who can go out into the world and preach the gospel, and teach others to do the same Not every Christian is called to be an evangelist, but all are commanded to be witnesses. Every believer must be prepared to give an answer to anyone who asks him to give the reason for the hope that he has. As a Christian goes about his daily life, he should bear witness to Jesus, at every opportunity. Every believer must be a witness!
MARRIAGE Why Waiting on God is God designed us to pair up with the other sex. God made Adam, and Genesis tells us that Adam was lonely so God made Eve, his partner. Understanding God's purpose for marriage is of the utmost importance, because to marry and miss it is to enter into a life full of frustration and disappointment -- setting the stage for great marital unrest. Most of us tend to marry with very romanticized ideas of what marriage is going to be
With great excitement we anticipate the relationship that will finally meet our romantic and emotional needs. God's primary intention for marriage however, is not what most of us imagine it to be. He has not designed marriage as a place where we can finally try to get our needs met. He has created it as something much better -something far more grand than that. God intends to use marriage to accomplish a very important goal -- one that is His primary goal for all Christians. God's primary purpose for marriage is to use it to help shape us into the image of His Son. If we miss out on this we are doomed to a life of anxiety and frustration
“God uses marriage to direct us towards Himself” Yes, marriage is God's arrangement for lifetime companionship and the arena for our sexual expression, but like with all that He has created, God uses marriage to direct us towards Himself. The challenges offered in marriage He capitalizes on to help shape and mold us into the image of Jesus. To evaluate our personal success in a marriage we must not then look to see if our needs are being met, but we must ask ourselves, "Am I demonstrating the image and character of Jesus Christ?." We determine our success by how much we are becoming like Christ -- loving and honoring our spouse according to the specific roles God has laid out for us in the Scriptures. Far wiser than us, God knows that as we grow into the image of Jesus our greatest needs are met Sadly, most of us have been under that false notion that God means for our mate to meet all of our romantic and emotional needs. We marry, fully intending to have our spouse be all that we ever wanted in a mate. Shortly after the wedding though, we begin
to think that our new partner has a lot of changing to do. In fact, it appears they are far from being able to fully meet our needs. Instead of being fully committed to our idea of what a marriage is all about, they entered in with their own ideas of what marriage is to be -- along with their own list of needs they expect us to meet Some couples let their hormones drive them into marriage, which was probably why the divorce rate was so high. A couple would date, and then want to have sex or ―make love,‖ but knowing that God did not approve of sex outside of marriage, the couple solved this by getting married. The only problem was that so many couples were getting married without really knowing each other and without waiting on God
God has a purpose for our lives and within that purpose our lives can be complete, but without waiting on His divine guidance, we will fall into snares I remember hearing the Saints of old state that if a man and a woman wanted to date; they must have a chaperone from the church, preferably a mother from the church to ensure that no hanky-panky go on between the two. I am here to tell you that God doesn‘t require chaperones for His people And, these dating services that are becoming more and more popular. I‘ve heard many people say that God can use any vehicle to bring you His mate. As this is true, I still don‘t think that God needs our help in selecting our mate and sure isn‘t leaving it up to man-operated dating sites to help Him either! Be encouraged that God will send you your mate. Meanwhile, use your time wisely. There‘s a lot of fringe benefits to being
single that you should enjoy now that you might not be able to enjoy when you are married
God, knowing this, puts these two together with the intent that overcoming their differences will help make them more like His Son. He wants neither one to try to get their "needs" met in the other. He put them in the relationship to learn to be givers not takers. God knows that that is our greatest inner need Sadly, many marriages have failed. More would last a lifetime, if both men and women would put God first in their lives, and live the married life as God intended it to be
One thing we must keep in mind; God created marriage and not man. God saw that man (Adam) was alone in the garden and made female (Eve). It was God who said; ―Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” Genesis 2:24 We must understand the true meaning of marriage from God‘s perspective and not lean to our own thoughts "Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.― Hebrews 13:4 Men and women are different in their unique expressions of self-centered love for each other. A woman frequently marries looking for fulfillment in her relationship with her husband. Her husband, on the other hand, marries looking for fulfillment outside the marriage in his job or in a hobby. In a normal marriage we find a wife trying to get her needs met in her husband and a husband wanting his wife to be with him while he gets his needs met outside the home. Wives tend to want relationship. Husbands tend to want companionship.
“We are not God, we can’t change people and to enter into a marriage thinking that we are going to change the other is doomed for failure” As Christians, we must be careful not to hurry into marriage because of our need to belong. Jesus warned us in 2 Corinthians 6:14: ―Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?‖ Many couples have ended up in divorce court because of trying to change the other. We are not God, we can‘t change people and to enter into a marriage thinking that we are going to change the other is doomed for failure If you want to know whom God wants you to marry, study God's Word. There are many places in Scripture where God gives us guidelines for the kind of person we should "yoke" our lives to. Rather than treating the will of God like a magic eight ball and hoping to hear a "yes," "no," or "reply hazy try again," listen to God's voice by reading what He has already spoken and stay prayed up so God can commune with our heart