Incredible Jerusalem Outreach - Messianic Rabbi Zev Porat

Incredible Jerusalem Outreach - Messianic Rabbi Zev Porat

Jackie DeShannon - What The World Needs Now Is Love

Born-again! I was raising my 3 sons alone and lived in a trailer, where most people would be afraid just to drive by, much less live in the woods! Our community had a menagerie of people who wanted their kids to have a small piece of land, play ball, ride their horses down to the lake and not be bothered.  We had happy and unhappy folks, escaped convicts and other specialized individuals. Sometimes at night I’d listen to guns go off, on only 2-4 acres! They sounded too close. Couples would fight and the wind would catch a scream and I knew it was time for me to call the deputy again. To be fair, some of the best people I’ve ever met lived out there [still do] and then, some of the most disturbed. I can remember 3 suicides happening all around me. Two houses down, a brother hanged himself. Two streets over, a well known man shot himself with a shotgun. And, again another man left his wife a widow using a shotgun. Guns were plentiful in our community. My mother lived next door and neither of us had a gun. Fearfully, she would tell me the seriousness of how gun accidents happen so easily. I listened to her and instead of buying a gun, I always had dogs. 

Today, I believe, they have their respectful place in self-defense.

I had a dear friend who lost her 7 year old daughter, because she was arguing with her older sister about a stick of bubblegum. Their parents had carelessly left their gun laying on the bed and the older girl took the gun, aimed and fired, killing the little girl. Words cannot describe the trauma, pain and heartbreak of the parents, the older girl and the rest of the family  suffered! Those were devastating times to everyone who lived in the neighborhood. 

One night everyone was in bed and I was getting ready to retire when I heard a creak in the floor that came from the kitchen. I lived in a doublewide that wasn’t built too well and when someone walked on the floor it always creaked. I stuck my head out into the hall to see the light from the refrigerator come on. After swallowing my heart a few times, I yelled; 

“I know you are there, and I demand, you leave right now, or I will call the cops!” Let me tell you, I can make some pretty stupid remarks and this one was added to the list!! In the first place, this was before cellphones. Not only that, but the home phone was located nearby the intruder! By then, my oldest son was by my side and knew what was going on and asked me if I wanted him to jump out the window, go to the neighbor and call the cops? I didn’t want him to go anywhere because I didn’t know what was outside either! Then, suddenly, I felt a surge of huge faith rise up inside of me and told him I was going to face what was going on! My son said, “not without me!” He got a baseball bat and together we walked down the hall. As I prayed I kept feeling a knot in my throat. When we got to the kitchen, no one. We went into the living room and a strange man was laying upon the carpet. I looked down at him sleeping and smelled whiskey. Only then, did I have an idea of what I was dealing with. I pushed him with my foot and told him to get up. He got up and sat in the chair. I had seen him walking around the area and he had a bad reputation. He was a Vietnam vet, who tried to blow up the local school and had chased some kids down the lake with a machete. I decided to give him a cup of tea. I was out of coffee. He then told me he got my place mixed up with his place. That was possible, considering his inebriated condition. Then, I started to tell him: 

“If you had walked into any other place around here your head would have been blown off! This is why I believe angels have brought you here, for you to hear what I have to say to you.”  My son asked me if I was going to be alright and I said yes and he retrieved my Bible for me. I told him how Jesus loved him so much that he went to the cross for him, so he could have forgiveness for his sins. I told him how this might be the last chance he would ever have to accept Jesus Christ as his Savior. We talked until 4:00 am. as I answered questions for him.  Sadly, he told me how he was separated from his wife and child and missed them very much. We prayed together for his marriage to be healed and for their lives to be a reflection of God’s mercy and strength. We were never bothered by him again, but there was talk of how he got back with his family.

God will use anyone who is willing to be used, for the Kingdom of God. Through obedience, our souls are healed. He sends angels and people to be used on these assignments. God’s eyes search for a willing heart that moves in love and faith to do His will. 

The Bible says, 

“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion to whom I have compassion.”  Paul further stated: “It does not therefore depend on man’s desire or effort but on God’s mercy.” Romans 9:15, 16

I did not know what I was dealing with that night and I fought against my fear with faith. The intruder could have had a gun, I could have had a gun. If I had a gun that night, I don’t think I would have used it.  But I see the incident as God’s mercy was covering the both of us. Although I was upset, I never accused him of breaking inside of my place and never called the cops [for which he was amazed]. This Vet needed to hear some good news and apparently he needed someone to listen to his heavy heart. He needed to be born again and definitely needed to be healed from his times at war that caused him to be so violent.  

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t have some kind of silent battle going on inside of them. As a believer, it is only through Christ that we are set free from the echos of our past and as we study and grow, the healing becomes stronger. This doesn’t mean a believer is without trials or tests, but the difference is how The Holy Spirit takes you through the whole ordeal, proving His love. He continues to give you the grace you need, through each crisis. 

No matter what you have done in the past, no matter what you have gone through or are wrestling with, no matter who you are, no matter where you have come from, or the circumstances in your life; when you call out to Jesus Christ for help and humbly confess your sins and ask for forgiveness, he is faithful and will take all your sins away. His Holy Spirit will guide you and see you through the rest of the way.

If you are ready, pray:

Precious Father,

I believe that Jesus Christ is your son. I believe He was sacrificed upon the cross for my sins. I believe He was resurrected on the third day and seen by well over 600 people as He spoke to them. I believe! I ask you Father, to take my sins away from me, [confess them] _____________ Forgive me Father. Be my strength, help me to follow through on my repentance. I want to be born again, I need you! i need a new life in Christ. In Jesus I ask, amen.

If you have humbly prayed this prayer from your heart, you have been born again and ushered into the Body of Christ. The Bible says you are a new creation and that old things are all past away and all things become new. Find a good Bible believing Church, buy a good Bible, learn how to study for your self, join a group that teaches the word and begin to make new Christian friends. They will hold you up in prayer, teach you how to be the overcomer you will strive to be and give you a new understanding to your new life. Welcome to the family!

    

If a frog & a toad can do it, so can you!

Nature films can have me on the edge of my seat! The other night I anxiously watched an exotic mother frog of only 2 cm. long [no bigger than a postage stamp] with striking colors of blue, green, red and yellow markings on its body, begin to climb a tall tree in hunt of tropical plants that held water. She was carrying one of her polliwogs upon her back and needed to find a safe place. Her intuition led her to a beautiful oblong shaped plant whose bottom held a small pool of water.  As she jumped into the water, her offspring wiggled into the pool. Content he was safe, the mother turned around to slowly work her way back down the tree to get another polliwog. This would go on until all her polliwogs had their own safe place to grow. Because they did not have food, she would lay an unfertilized egg in each pool for them to eat and grow. Her responsibility was not lifted until they were finally able to leap out of the pool. Only then, was she able to rest. 

I was amazed as I continued to watch a toad the same size as the frog. If you have never noticed toads aren’t good at jumping. This little guy was carefully working himself over a rock and suddenly saw the top of the head of a carnivorous Komodo Dragon 10 ft long and weighing 330 lbs emerge. Without a seconds thought, the toad leaped into a free fall! He fell hitting the rocks below, falling through branches and leaves, until he was finally able to grab hold of a small branch without any leaves. Due to the suctions on the bottom of his feet, he was able to pull himself upon the branch. Only then did his big eyes roll up to where he had seen the dragon. 

Now transfixed, I watched another toad the same small size working it’s way on a rock and what did he see beginning to come his way? But a large hairy tarantula that loved to feast on toads! Oh, what to do? No problem! The toad quickly folded itself up into a small tight ball and rolled and bounced over the rocks all the way down the rocky hill. Better to be bruised than eaten!

I was struck how every single critter had a way of escape when they became threatened. Each of them were so tiny. Without hesitation the mother frog worked towards getting her offspring out of danger and the toads followed through their inward plan of escape when threatened. 

Can it be possible we are to learn more by the creatures God created, who seem to have more faith than we do? Although very small, they did not waver when threatened. Though the toads had to have felt the fear, they did not allow themselves to become paralyzed in it. Though the mother frog had to be tired of her seemingly never-ending chore, she was obedient; right to the end. 

Come to think about it, God created the animals before us and said it was good.  Does it not teach us to use the faith we have when testings come? One of the greatest proofs of our faith is obedience, but in one single minute we can cancel out everything we believe in, by the words we speak. Life and death is in the power of the tongue. We pray in faith, but speak against the very prayer we prayed. By our words we take it all back. 

“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Mt. 18:19, 20

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mark 11:24

“If you have faith when you pray, you will be given whatever you ask for." Mt. 21:22

What are you agreeing to in faith?  All of life is a test and can be compared to facing a Komodo Dragon at times! This is when we get stronger, if we allow God’s Holy Spirit to work in our lives. Can you believe this? Every obstacle in our lives begins to develop muscle for you to either climb over that wall, dig a burrow under it, find a way around it,  or leap over it!  That is what the equipping of The Holy Spirit does in your life!

If I pray for rain, I will take an umbrella expecting and knowing God heard my prayers. My answer may not come in the next hour, day or weeks or even two or three years, but I know by faith, it is on the way! The toads knew they could get away by acting upon their leap of faith. I believe the mother frog was moving by faith in love and nothing could stop her from taking care of all her offspring. She knew eventually her chore would end, but she also knew in the meantime, she had to push through above all else. 

Let’s pray:

Precious Father,

Thank you for always speaking to us in so many ways. Thank you for ministering your truth deep inside of our hearts. Thank you for the great design of your creation and how your hand has a plan for every living creature on earth. You are so Great Father! Stir our hearts Father, to have more respect and delight in what you have given to us, those things we cannot see; yet are still working upon your behalf for your glory and for our good. You are even in charge of the atom! You work in all things Father. You do not waste a single thing on your earth. Teach us to expand our faith and be the godly stewards we are all called to be while we are here. We ask that you would give us a tiny pebble of the greatness of your love.  We confess and believe your son Jesus Christ is truly the Lamb of God. We believe Jesus is Lord. Thank you Father for protecting us, for guiding us and giving us another day, We choose to give you all our love and honor you in our minds, our hearts, our souls and in our strength. We pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.   

  

Loves gives and keeps giving

My oldest son was ready to set the world on fire when I walked him to the school bus for the first time. He loved everyone, and was full of enthusiasm, yet so small!  But I was not ready for him to leave my protection! I cried as I walked all the way home. When I waited for him at the bus stop, he jumped off the bus and told me that his teacher got lost at school, he ended up finding her in the cafeteria. I was later to discover he was the one who got lost. Then, the school bus driver had forgotten to let him off our stop and he had a longer ride than normal on that first day. He had fallen asleep on the bus. So young, he started learning right away that things do not always go the way we plan.

When that final day came for him to leave home to go to college many states away, I was terribly grieved, for I knew how cruel the world could be. Long and lanky, he had won a scholarship from being an outstanding long distance runner. Once again, I choked on my words as I reluctantly let him go. And, when the day came he joined the USMC, my heart felt it went through a wringer.  Although he has been through many trials, to this day, nothing is allowed to crush his passion in life. 

Within each major step in all our lives, I had to give the whole situation to God by faith and I prayed!  

Real love is not love, until you give it away. Love endures. Love always thinks about others first. Love is compassionate and empathizes as you take the time to pray and help others. True love schools us to see the good in others, and see them as they could be in Christ.  God loved us before we even knew him, while we were knee deep in sin and yet, He chose to send His only son for us to experience His incredible love of forgiveness.  I cannot imagine sending any of my sons to die for the world. On the other hand, against my will; everyone of my sons were sent to war and in harms way; for us! True love will always be a sacrifice and through this sacrifice we develop the patience we need because His Holy Spirit lives within us.  Every single fruit we grow in our lives is through God’s love and it is by His son we are set free.

“This is my commandment. That ye love one another; as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:12, 13 kjv

Prayer:

Precious Father,

Thank you for continually teaching us about about your love. Thank you for realigning  our thoughts to get our priorities back into your will and your way. Thank you for adjusting our hearts once again, how important giving is in our lives and how it  connects to your love. Father we fully accept the sacrifice of your son Jesus. We cannot say we understand it all, but we choose to believe your ways are so much higher than ours and all for our good. We know you never start something that you do not finish. We ask that you would continue to remold our hearts, our minds and souls into the transformation of your will, not ours. We can walk in faith, because of Your great love.. Open our eyes to see how powerful the giving of love is in our lives. In Jesus we ask. Amen.

Bill & Gloria Gaither - The Blood Bought Church [Live]

Bill & Gloria Gaither - The Blood Bought Church [Live]