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Table of ContentsLinda's Letter* For Christmas * Give the "Gift of Giving" to Honor a Loved One! Names of God Bible Study El Elyon / El 'Elyon More about Safe Computing What Is "Phishing"? |
The Sheep Gate The Watchmaker Living on Purpose At the Setting of the Sun Are You Redeeming the Time? Sign I Still Possess Today's Gospel Fight to the End Sway One's Opinion We Can Do No Great Things Airline Rage The Divorce Zero to 200 The Lawn Mower Totally Worthless Thoughts... |
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Greetings, dear friends! How many times in your life have you cried out in despair, "What am I going to do?!"? Sometimes the storms of life batter us relentlessly; they seem endless, successively crashing against us until we feel like we cannot take any more. In those times of desperation, Psalm 62 offers three valuable lessons. 2He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress — I will never be greatly shaken. 5My soul, wait in silence for God alone, for my expectation is from Him. 6He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress. I will not be shaken. 7With God is my salvation and my honor. The rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Psalm 62:1-2, 5-7 (WEB)
Secondly, we must wait in silence. It's especially important to guard our speech during these times of testing. The words we speak about ourselves or others can be used by God to edify and strengthen us, or by the Enemy to attack us. When we silence our minds and tongues, we give God an opportunity to speak His words of hope and direction to our hearts. But silent waiting is not an easy thing to do. It requires patience, trust, courage, and the constant calming self-assurance that God will indeed keep His promises. Thirdly, we must keep in mind the motivation for this waiting: God's intervention and our learning to give our problems and anxieties over to Him. Our focus is to be on God, not on our troubles and not on other people. We must learn to filter out — by our words, our actions, and our attitudes — whatever is pulling our attention away from our primary focus: Almighty God. When the storms of life batter you, make sure your feet are planted on the solid Rock of Jesus Christ. Do not despair. Instead of asking, "What am I going to do?", silence your concerns and ask, "What is God doing?" Be assured — He is doing something! And He promises that it's always good! who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 (WEB) "I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow. James 1:17 (WEB)  This month, November, hosts one of my favorite holidays in America — Thanksgiving Day — and the 'official' start of the Christmas season. It's a time when almost everyone, regardless of religion or creed, gathers with family and friends for fellowship and to give thanks for God's blessings throughout the year. But for the Christian, it's also a time to thank God for the most precious gift ever given: God's own dear Son, Jesus the Christ. I pray that God Most High [El Elyon] would grant a safe journey to everyone traveling during this holiday, and that His Sh'khinah glory would dwell within your walls and your hearts. Be blessed in Jesus' name, and remember: The Christian life is not what we do for God, but what God does for us!
Your sister & servant in Christ,  My Redeemer Lives Christian Ministry Because of the volume of e-mail I receive, it is impossible for me to respond to every person who writes. If you have an opinion or question, please understand that I will not offer personal advice or debate theological issues. You are welcome to send your opinions, corrections and questions, but I can't guarantee I'll be able to respond. If you're looking for some good Bible study sources, I suggest Bible.org - Trustworthy Bible Study Resources, Blue Letter Bible Study Resources, Precept Ministries International, and Shepherd Serve all of which offer hundreds of pages of well-organized teaching articles and Bible studies. |
Last year, 4 of my partner ministries and I were blessed to share the love of Christ and celebrate Christmas with more than 300 poor children and orphans. By God's great grace, the children and some of their families enjoyed a Christmas meal and other treats, many of the children received a small toy, and approximately 50 children in India and Kenya received new clothes. Hallelu YAH!   ... ... Christmas 2005 Top: Manyando Youth Action Community School (MYACS), Zambia; Bottom: Living Water Group Centre, Kenya; Nishantham Memorial Children's Home, India; Redemption Ministries & Welfare Society, India This year, we're praying to help 7 ministries in 4 countries share Christmas with more than 650 poor children, street children, and orphans. I'm excited to invite you to participate by giving the "gift of givig" in honor of a loved one!
  For every gift of $5, you may select one of our beautiful E-cards on the left (suitable for printing and framing) which we'll send on your behalf to any email address worldwide. On the right is a sample of how your E-card will display in the recipient's email. Below the picture are the words: "To: [Recipient's name] We can do no great things, only small things with great love! A gift has been given in your honor [or "in your name in memory of..."] to the children of My Redeemer Lives Christian Ministry. From: [Your name]"For every $10 gift, we'll send on your behalf a beautiful Hallmark greeting card by post to any valid address in the United States or Canada. Click here to go to the Gift order page and share your heart with a loved one. Whether you can personally help or not, would you please post this request (and the attached pictures and stories) at your church, and where allowed, at your school or workplace, too? Also, we ask for your prayers for the holiday and the coming year. All of our pastors, teachers, and ministry leaders pray that you will enjoy a great Christmas celebration and that God will bless your new year exceedingly abundantly above all you could ask or imagine! His purpose was you; His motivation was love! All gifts are tax-deductible. Back to top |
 This Christmas, don't forget our U.S. military personnel stationed overseas. Send a free printed postcard to show your appreciation for their service to our country. [Program sponsored by Xerox] Back to top |
"I have held many things in my hands, and have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God's hands, that I still possess." Martin Luther Back to top |
 El Elyon / El 'Elyon "Let them praise the name of the LORD: for His Name alone is excellent; His glory [is] above the earth and heaven." Psalm 148:13 (KJV) Editor's Note: As there is considerable variance among Bible scholars as to former customs, usage, and translations of the numerous names of God in the Bible, the neutrality and factual accuracy of this article may be disputed. These articles are a summation of those ideas and conclusions on which most scholars agree. The name "Elyon" is sometimes translated as "'Elyon" (with an accent mark before the "E"). For the purpose of clarity only — and not to dispute which representation is correct — I have arbitrarily chosen to use "Elyon" (without the accent mark). The word "Elyon" (pronounced 'El-y  n) is an adjective and derives from the Hebrew root 'lh, meaning to "go up" or "ascend". It is used to describe the height of objects (II Kings 15:35, 18:17; Ezekiel 41:7), the prominence of persons (Psalm 89:27), and the prominence of Israel as a nation (Deuteronomy 26:19, 28:1). In each case in which the adjective occurs, it denotes that which is highest or uppermost.When applied to God, the name "Elyon" stresses His strength, extreme sovereignty, and highest supremacy. When the two names "El" and "Elyon" are combined, the resultant name can be literally translated as "the extremely exalted, sovereign, high God", as in Psalm 57:2: "I cry out to God Most High [El Elyon], to God [Elohim] who accomplishes my requests for me." The Name "Elyon" Standing Alone The single name "Elyon" appears in the Scriptures 34 times — many in poetic passages, especially in the Psalms. It appears in Moses' final song in Deuteronomy 32:8: "When the Most High [Elyon] gave to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the children of men, He set the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel." Further passages in the Old Testament that use the single name "Elyon":
The compound name "El Elyon" (translated "God Most High" or "Most High God") occurs 12 times in the Old Testament. It first occurs 4 times in Genesis 14:18–22: "Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was priest of God Most High [El Elyon]. He blessed him, and said, 'Blessed be Abram of God Most High [El Elyon], possessor of heaven and earth, and blessed be God Most High [El Elyon], who has delivered your enemies into your hand.' Abram gave him a tenth of all. Abram said to the king of Sodom, 'I have lifted up my hand to Yahweh, God Most High [El Elyon], possessor of heaven and earth,'." Further passages in the Old Testament that use the compound name "El Elyon":
 Click here for a print-friendly copy of this Bible study The names by which God has revealed Himself represent His power, actions, and reputation. Almighty God cannot be conjured or treated as an object, since He is the Master of the universe and subject to no one. In Scripture we are strictly forewarned not to invoke the name of God for selfish or manipulative purposes (Exodus 20:7). The material provided here is for educational purposes only and is not an endorsement of any form of occultism or Kabbalah. Sources for this study include: Blue Letter Bible Study Resources Judaism 101 Lambert Dolphin's Library "Names of God" by Nathan Stone Wikipedia — the Free Encyclopedia To view all of the "Names of God" studies to date, go to www.myredeemerlives.com/biblestudies/namesofgodstudy.html. Back to top |
only small things with great love! |
Don't Get Scammed on the Internet! Last month, I wrote about the widespread problem of SPAM and how we can protect one another's email identities. Now, I want to address an even worse problem that snags tens of thousands of internet users and steals several hundred million Dollars every year. While the Internet has brought many benefits, it has also become a haven for criminals and a medium by which they can scam and steal from innocent people. And just because you don't have much money doesn't make you immune to their attacks. Whether $10 or $10 million, they're happy to take it! With continuous system upgrades and safer operating systems, it's getting harder for spammers and scammers to use their old tricks to gain access to your computer; they're now turning their attention to 'social engineering' tricks. These are new and inventive ways to trick you into divulging personal information, such as credit/debit card numbers, bank accounts, passwords, PINs, etc. It's called "Phishing" and a lot of people are losing a lot of money. You've probably already seen one or more of these phishing emails. Here's how they work:
In addition to harvesting unprotected email addresses, hackers gain access to your PC through your PC's "ports". There are thousands of "ports", like little gates, that let information in and out. Some of the legitimate information moving through the ports includes emails, accessing a website, submitting a form on a website, and downloading programs (includes games and music). However, a lot of information flows to and from your PC without you even knowing about it. Most of it is legitimate, such as checking for Windows updates, anti-virus software checking for the latest virus updates, etc. However, some of what's going on behind-the-scenes poses a grave threat to your PC and your privacy, in the form of:
At a minimum, you should install or enable the following programs:
And last but not least, make sure your Windows software is up-to-date! It's easy to do and free. Just go to http://windowsupdate.com. In next month's newsletter, I'll tell you how to spot spyware and scams. Until then, happy computing! Back to top |
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Perhaps the most frightening verse in all of Scripture to me is Luke 12:48 where Jesus said, "Unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required." It is frightening because it is hard to imagine anyone being given more spiritual resources than most of today's Christians. Think about it. For most of the history of the Christian church there was very little access to Scripture. There was precious little teaching of salvation by faith in Christ alone and good Christian books other than the Bible were rare indeed. Today we have Christian media available practically everywhere and more Bible helps than we could read in 1,000 lifetimes. In light of that fact, what will God require of us? Don't be so proud of what you have accomplished until you realize that the real test, is what you have done, compared to what you could have done with all of the resources God has given you. Viewing things from that perspective will make you want to redeem the time. President of LifeChanging Seminars Host of "Redeeming the Time" Radio Broadcasts Copyright © 2003 LifeChanging Seminars Back to top |
 Creatively fresh and unique, the songs of The Secret Place are simple, intimate expressions of spontaneous prophetic worship |
A couple had been debating the purchase of a new auto for weeks. He wanted a new truck. She wanted a fast little sports-like car so she could zip through traffic around town. He probably would have settled on any beat-up old truck, but everything she liked was way out of their price range. "Look!" she said. "I want something that goes from 0 to 200 in 4 seconds or less. And my birthday is coming up. You could surprise me." So, for her birthday, he bought her a brand new bathroom scale. Services will be at Downing Funeral Home on Monday the 12th. |
"We know little about the gospel today. Our secular, materialistic society has contaminated our faith and confused our standards. The humanistic mind set that surrounds us has perverted our whole way of thinking. What is seemingly acceptable for the saved today was often an abomination for the unsaved yesterday. We are more a church in a malaise than a church on the move." Founder & President, ICN Ministries "Taking the message of repentance and revival to Israel, the Church, and the Nations" Back to top |
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Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work." John 4:34 Famed martial arts expert Bruce Lee was asked by an advanced student if Lee would teach him everything he knew about martial arts. In response, Lee held up two cups, both filled with water: "This cup represents all I know, and the second cup represents all you know," Lee said. "If you want to fill your cup with my knowledge, you must first empty your cup of your knowledge." Many Christians struggle with finding their purpose in life because they are filled with their own ideas about what they should be doing. If we had asked Jesus Christ what His purpose in life was, He would not have hesitated to answer: "To do the will of My Father and complete His work on earth." And to do that, Christ emptied himself (Philippians 2:7) of His own plans and desires and humbled Himself before the Father: "Not My will, but Yours, be done" (Luke 22:42). If you want to know your purpose, follow Jesus' example: Humble yourself before the Father, empty yourself of your own plans and purposes, and ask Him to fill you with a knowledge of His will for your life. Better to draw the target first and aim for it than to draw a target around wherever you happen to hit. Today's Turning Point Copyright © 2006 Turning Point Ministries Back to top |
 Check out "The Watchmaker" by Kids 4 Truth. It's great! If the link doesn't work, copy this URL into your browser: www.kids4truth.com/watchmaker/watch.html Back to top |
It isn't the things you do, dear, It's the things you leave undone That gives you a bit of heartache At the setting of the sun. The tender word forgotten, The letter you did not write, The flowers you did not send, dear, Are your haunting ghosts at night. Those little acts of kindness So easily out of mind, Those chances to be angels, Which we all might find. For life is too short, dear, And sorrow is too great, To suffer our slow compassion, That tarries until late. And it isn't the thing you do,dear, It's the thing you leave undone, Which gives you a bit of a heartache, At the setting of the sun. Author: Melwave |
that it's pointing in the right direction. [Are you going in the right direction? Click here to find out.] Back to top |
John 4-5 The sheep gate where lambs were bought for sacrifice was located at the northeast area of the Temple court in Jerusalem. Nearby the sheep market (is) a pool, which is called . . . Bethesda, having five porches (John 5:2). At this pool lay a great multitude of impotent (sick, invalid, and physically disabled) folk (5:3). It was believed that the first to enter the pool of water after an angel stirred it up would be cured (5:4). Jesus, the Great Physician, approached this crowd of helpless sufferers, but no one recognized Him. In this crowd of helpless people was a certain man . . . which had an infirmity thirty and eight years (5:5). What possibility was there that anyone would care if he were ever healed? When this man expressed his hopelessness, Jesus looked beyond the man's problem and asked him to do something about it, saying: Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked (5:7-9). Like this man, you and I once were spiritually helpless. We should be eternally grateful that Jesus did not pass us by but asked us if we wanted to be made whole. Jesus cares for even the most hopeless sinner and desires that all recognize Him as Savior and Lord. They may be intellectual leaders such as Nicodemus, or like the pitiful Samaritan woman at the well, or any other lost person. The sheep gate illustrates Jesus, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world (John 1:29). The pool called Bethesda means house of mercy or grace. It is only through the compassion of Christ that any lost sinner, without exception, can find mercy and grace by accepting His sacrifice on the cross for our sins. The Apostle Paul reminds us that we once were children of wrath, but we have been cleansed from our sins and given a new nature with the privilege to put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 2:3; 4:24). Back to top |
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As a man takes his seat on an airplane, he is surprised to find a parrot strapped in next to him. After taking off, the flight attendant comes around to serve the passengers on the plane. The man asks the flight attendant for a coffee and the parrot squawks: "And get me a coke...now!" The flight attendant, flustered by the parrot's attitude, brings back a coke for the parrot. However, she forgets the coffee for the man. As the man points this out, the parrot drains his glass and screams, "Get me another coke or I'll really create a scene!" Quite upset, the attendant comes back shaking, with another coke, but still no coffee. Irritated at her forgetfulness, the man decides to try the parrot's approach. "I've asked you twice for a coffee. Go and get it right now, or I'll create a scene that will make his look like a Victorian tea party!" The next moment, both the man and the parrot are grabbed by two burly security guards and thrown out the emergency exit. Hurtling towards earth, the parrot turns to the man and says, "You're pretty cheeky for a guy who can't fly!" |
"While women weep, as they do now, I'll fight; while children go hungry, as they do now I'll fight; while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I'll fight; while there is a drunkard left, while there is a poor lost girl upon the streets, while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I'll fight — I'll fight to the very end!" William Booth (1829–1912) Founder and 1st General of The Salvation Army Back to top |
When our lawn mower broke and wouldn't run, my wife kept hinting to me that I should get it fixed. But, somehow I always had something else to take care of first — the truck, the car, fishing — always something more important to me. Finally, she thought of a clever way to make her point. When I arrived home one day, I found her seated in the tall grass, busily snipping away with a tiny pair of sewing scissors. I watched silently for a short time and then went into the house. I was gone only a few minutes. When I came out again, I handed her a toothbrush. "When you finish cutting the grass," I said, "you might as well sweep the sidewalk." The doctors say I will walk again, but I will always have a limp. |
We can sway one's opinion; change their point of view, but only when the heart is changed can the old become the New! Back to top |
If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging. The best way to forget all your troubles is to wear tight shoes. I think it's not grandchildren that make a man feel old... It's the thought that he's married to a grandmother. Do you think sheep know when you're pulling the wool over their eyes? If you can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear, what can you make with it? Why don't sheep shrink when it rains? Why is it that the first thing we try to do after killing a pig is to "cure" it? Would a small pig be called a hamlet? I gave up jogging for my health when my thighs kept rubbing together and setting my pantyhose on fire. My life has a superb cast, but I can't figure out the plot. When you give a personal lesson in meanness to an animal or a person, don't be surprised if they learn their lesson. Skinny people irritate me! Especially when they say things like, "You know, sometimes I just forget to eat." Now I've forgotten my address, my mother's maiden name, and my keys. But I've never forgotten to eat. You have to be a special kind of stupid to forget to eat! The quickest way to double your money is to fold it over and put it back in your pocket. If you start thinking you're a person of some influence, try ordering somebody else's dog around. I read this article that said the typical symptoms of stress are: eating too much, impulse buying, and driving too fast. Are they kidding? That's my idea of a perfect day! If men can run the world, why can't they stop wearing neckties? How intelligent is it to start the day by tying a noose around your neck? Never, ever, miss a good opportunity to shut up. Back to top |
 FREE Gospels of John and other tools to share with people you encounter — in the workplace, at the coffee shop, in school, on the bus, or on the street. Back to top |
An elderly man in Phoenix calls his son in New York and says, "I hate to ruin your day, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing; forty-five years of misery is enough." "Pop, what are you talking about?" the son screams. "We can't stand the sight of each other any longer," the old man says. "We're sick of each other, and I'm sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Chicago and tell her," and he hangs up. Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone. "They're not getting divorced if I have anything to do about it!" she shouts. "I'll take care of this." She calls Phoenix immediately and screams at the old man, "You are not getting divorced. Don't do a single thing until I get there. I'm calling my brother back, and we'll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don't do a thing! Do you hear me?" and she hangs up. The old man hangs up the phone and turns to his wife and says, "Okay, they're coming for Thanksgiving...now what do we tell them for Christmas?" |
or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be the glory in the assembly and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21 (WEB) Back to top |
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Scripture taken from:
King James Version (KJV), Copyright © 1990 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
New King James Version (NKJV), Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
World English Bible (WEB), 2001 MT-based public domain update of 1901 American Standard Version (ASV)
Copyright © 2006. My Redeemer Lives Christian Ministry™. All rights reserved.