Happy Monday

Monday Comments
Myspace Comments
I will not be posting today at the well, but I wantedto say hi, to everyone

Buying a Cow

A farmen had been taken advantage of several times

by the local car dealer. One day, the car dealer

informed the farmer that he was coming over to purchase

a cow.

The farmer priced his cow as follows:

• Basic cow..............................................................$499.95
• Shipping and handling......................................................$35.75
• Extra Stomach..............................................79.25
• Two-tone exterior.....................................................$142.10
• Procuce storage compartment................................$126.50
• Heavy-duty straw chopper..............................................$189.60
• Four-spigot/high-output drain system........................................$149.20
• Automatic fly swatter.....................................................................................$88.50
• Genuine cowhide uphoistery.............................................................$179.90
• Deluxe dual horns........................................................................$59.25
• Automatic fertilizer attachment.........................................$339.40
• 4 x 4 traction drive assembly.............................................$884.16
• Pre-delivery wash and comb...................................................$69.80
• FARMER SUGGESTED LIST PRICE.................................$2843.36
• additional dealer adjustments...................................$300.00

TOTAL LIST PRICE (including options): $3143.36

My First Blog Award

My First Blog Award

I was unable to copy cut and past the picture

Thanks to Raye Ann at Heart of the Home for the One Lovely Blog Award.

Now I am asked to pass on this reward to other wonderful blogers who have blessed me

Angela at Beacoming me. net

Elaine at Peace for the journey

Pia at piasjournal

Amy at Gods work in progress

Paula at His way are not ours

Now it is your turn. Accept the award and post it on your blog. Do not forget to thank the person who gave it to you and a link back to their blog. Then pass the award on to other newly; discovered blogs that have blessed you. Remember to leave them a comment to let them know that you are giving them this award.

Wednesday Word of Prophecy

I would really appreciate your thoughts. It appears that all is getting quickly set for the Ezekiel 38 war NOW, with the big exception of peace in Israel. I can’t get over how quickly prophecy is moving fast-forward every single day, especially since the change in the oval office. To me, it seems more like the world is preparing for the Ezekiel 38 war rather than the Psalm 83 war, but I could be missing something.
I read on your web site that Psalm 83 doesn’t specifically say there will be a war with those countries, and you gave some other possibilities, but the surrounding countries are certainly just as much a threat to Israel as those listed for the Ezekiel 38 war.

Also, I’m wondering whether you still think a Psalm 83 war is imminent with several years in between the Ezekiel 38 war. The way things are moving, I can’t IMAGINE there are SEVERAL years left before the Ezekiel 38 war.

A. As we see preparations for Ezekiel 38 dominating the headlines, I think it tells us that Psalm 83 is even closer. Remember, Ezekiel 38 requires that Israel be living in a perceived state of peace. That won’t happen until Hamas, Hizbollah, Lebanon and Syria are no longer threats. And since Ezekiel didn’t mention them, it stands to reason that they’ll be neutralized first. I think that’s what’s being described in Psalm 83.

Since Psalm 83 doesn’t come right out and say Israel’s neighbors will be defeated in battle, it is possible that they could make the threat go away with a peace treaty of some kind. If so it would have to hold through Ezekiel’s battle and the Palestinians would have to agree to give back the area between Jerusalem and Jericho to provide the burial ground that Ezekiel 39:11 calls for.

There only has to be sufficient time between the two battles for Israel to become convinced that peace has finally arrived and they can relax. Because as you know, they’re described as a peaceful and unsuspecting people in Ezekiel 38:11.

Tuesday Together (In the Word)

Good morning, we are a group of ladies reading the Bible.

Reading The New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs.

This weeks reading Ephesians 2-6, Psalms 45-55 and Proverbs 13

My musing is from Ep.3:16

I Had always prayed on my knees, but when I became pregrant with my daughter, I was all stomach, and was unable to kneel down. I feared that God would not hear me pray. I came a cross the following poem about a group of Christians who were arguing about this.

One insisted that the only way to pray was on your knees.Another insisted that it had to be standing with bowed head. A third asserted that the only way to pray was to be seated in a chair looking up to God. One, who till then had been silent, told of an incident in which he accidentally fell head first into into a well. While he was hanging there upside down, he prayed a prayer which he said was the most effective he had ever prayed! So it isn't posture that is important.

....That according to the riches of His glory...Eph. 3:16RSV

God's glory is God's being, God's person. He himself is his own riches of glory. And when God wants to display his glory he shows you himself. He reveals what he is like.You are not going to some cold, distant being -- sitting up on some remote Mount Olympus somewhere, his eyelids in contemptuous indifference to your needs -- to ask for help. You are coming to a tender, concerned, loving Father, who is deeply involved with you, who wants you to grow, who is concerned about your welfare, and who will not leave you in some state of arrested development. That is what Paul sets before us sets before us in this prayer.

...he may grant you to be strengthened with might through his Spirit in the inner man,

The Spirit dwells in the inner man, although that is true. Rather, the idea here is that the Spirit might infuse his own strength into your inner man. Well, what is your inner man? You and I are of course familiar with this distinction between the outer man and the inner man. We take care of the outer man carefully. We dress it, we feed it, we comb it, we pat it, we primp it, we wash it, we dry it, we smear it with cream. We are always concerned with the outer man - the body and its needs. But we are also aware that there is an inner man.

The inner man is the spirit, the human spirit. And it is here that God begins the work of recovery -- not in the soul, in the spirit. Not in the realm of our feelings, in other words, but in what phychologist would call the realm of the subconscious, the deep-seated part of our life, the fundamental elements of our nature. You know that when you are really discouraged, really broken-hearted, and have given up the way your condition is often descriped as dispriited. That is an accurate term. You have become dis-spirited. Your fundamental nature is dissatified, discontent. It is not merely a question of temporary boredom. That would be in the realm of the soul. But this is something which touches the spirit, right at the very deepest level of human life.

This is where recovery must begin. And what the apostle tells us here is the capability of the Creator himself, our loving Father, to give us a fresh infusion of strength by his Spirit into our spirit into the inner man. In First Corinthians 12, speaking of believers, Paul says, "by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body (We have been made members of the body of Christ). and...made to drink of one Spirit," (1 Corinthians 12:13 RSV). That is what our human spirits are for -- They are to drink of the Spirit of God, so that the Spirit of God is able to refresh us and revitalize us. Just as taking a drink refreshes your body, so drinking of the Spirit refreshes your spirit, at the deepest level of your life.

Now, that is not the realm of feeling. Less not get hung up on this. In the process of spiritual recovery;, but always wanting an instantly good feeling. We seek some instant sense of relief. Well, relief will come, but it doesn't start there. It starts down at the level of the spirit, and may be nothing more than some conciousness of reassurance that things are going to work out eventually.

This beginning step is not your responsibility, it is God's. Doesn't that help? You don't have to start it. He does. All that is necessary is that you ask him for it. You ask, or someone else asks on your behalf -- one or the other. Paul prayed that these Ephesians might have this granted to them. And they could have prayed for themselves, if they had known what to pray for, because a prayer is nothing but a cry of helplessness: "God help me." When we ask on this level, God promises to give.

Remember what Jesus himself taught in that great passage on prayer in Luke 11, at the end of the story of the importunate friend: "What father among you, if his son asks for a fish;, will instead of a fish give him a serpent?"(Luke 11:11 RSV). Would any earthly father do that? Would he tantalize, torture his son that way? " Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?" (Luke 11: 12 RSV). What kind of a father would do anyghing like that? "No, of course not," Jesus says, "neither will God." If you then, who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more..." (Luke 11:13aRSV). Do you feel the force of his argument? ...how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" He is not talking about how to be indwelt by the Spirit, but about how to recover from losing heart. The way to start, is toask God to grant you that your spirit will receive a new infusion of strength, that you can drink again of the river of the Spirit of life which is in you, and that your spirit will be restored so that you begin to operate as God intended you to. You won't feel this, necessarly. We sharply feel what occurs in the soul, but only sort of deeply sense things taking place in our spirit. Paul prays that God may grant you to be strengthened with might through his Spirit into the inner man.

Thank you for your visit today. For more Tuesday Together in the Word see DeeDee over at I have no greater joy.

At the well Have you been Overlooked

Our study today at the well is Have You Been Overlooked?

1 Samuel 16:1-13

God had told Samuel to go to the home of Jessie, that one of his sons would be the next king of Israel.

Each of his sons passed in by and Samuel said, "God has not chosen one of them, are you sure there is not another one."

David had not been invited (he was overlooked.)

In studying this I saw something I had never seen before. David was not invited because he was ILLEGIMATED. Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.

I think David was a constant reminder to his father of what his mother had done, so, David found peace away from the family taking care of the sheep

His family may not have cared: but God knew:

Where he was, where he was going, and what he was going to do.

This excites me, God knew that David would become the greatest King that Israel would ever had. David so loved the Lord, that he danced before him with all his might. God promised him that he would have forever an son to set on his throne. That was fulfilled in Jesus. Now hold on. In the 1000 year reign of Jesus on the earth David will be setting on the throne ruling Israel. Jesus the nations with a rod of iron.....David ruling the 12 tribes of Israel.

My pastor has encouraged us to study the story of David.

Rahab - 2 bit hooker....saved the Israelites and her family....God knew

Noah - Average Guy....Beacame a ship builder.

Timothy - Mom was a Jew, Dad was Greek...halfbreed....God knew

Easter - Beauth queesn who stepped up one day....saved the Jewish race....God knew

Francis was born in New Your on March 24, 1820. In May of 1820, when she was only six weeks old, she caught a cold, and her eyes became inflamed. The regular physician in Putnam County, New Your, was out of town, and a man posing as a doctor gave her the wrong treatment. Within days, her eyesight was destroyed. Francis became blind for life. A few months later, her dad became ill and died. Her mon, widowed at 21 hired herself out as a maid while Grandmother took care of her. Before she was ten years old, she had memorized most of the New Testament and more than 5 books of the Old Testament. She got the opportunity to attend the New York Institute for the Blind. She went on to write some of the biggest hymns ever: To God be the Glory, I am thine O Lord, Pass me not, Rescue the perishing. Other people may have overlooked her BUT GOD KNEED WHERE SHE WAS.

The questions are: Have you been overlooked? Yes, more times that this I want to remember.

How did I feel? Hurt and I knew, I could do a better job, then the one chosen.

How did I react? I cried all the way home.

What can I do as a Titus 2 women, be sure I do not overlook the important things (or people) in my life. I have learned to give it to God, for the word says, "a Persons work will make room for them" I have learned to give it to God.

1st Super Sign

Wednesday

Word of

Prophecy

"Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as it twigs gets tender and
its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.
(Matt. 24:32-33)

The fig tree is one of the last trees to bud in the spring, so when it begins to get leaves people know that summer is right around the corner. There'll
be no more false starts, no more cold snaps. Summer is not certain and soon.
Jesus used this analogy to tell people who'll be on Earth at the time that when they see these things he described beginning in Matt. 24:15, they'll know that His coming really near.

Here we go

"But you, O mountains of Israel, will produce branches and fruit for my people Israel, for they will soon come home. I am concerned for you and will look on you with favor; you will be plowed and sown, and I will multiply the number of people upon you, even the whole house of Israel. The towns will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt. I will increase the number of men and animals upon you, and they will be fruitful and become numerous. I will settle people on you as in the past and will make you prosper more than before. Then you will know that I am the LORD. I will cause people, my people Israel, to walk upon you. They will possess you, and you will be their inheritance; you will never again deprive them of their children." (Ezekiel 36:8-13)

also read Isaiah 11:11Amos 9:14-15

The first super sign that we are in the time just before the rapture is
the birthing of Israel as a nation in 1948.

As far back as the wilderness wandering, the Lord had foretold of Israel's
diaspora (Deut.28:64-68) Because of their disobedience they would be driven from the land. After an extended period of time He would bring them back, not because they deserved it, but because He had given His word. Their return would be a sign to all the world.

read Ezekiel 36:24-32

The valley of dry bones

The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them,and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, "son of man, can these bones live?"

I said, "O Sovereign LORD, you alone know."

Then he said to me, "Prophecy to these bones and say to them, "Dry bones,
hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these
bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin, I will put breath in you, and you will come to life, then you will know that I am the
LORD." (Ezekiel 37:1-6)

Picture yourself standing in a large valley whose floor is strewn with bones.
They are bleached and dry. It looks like they've been dumped there some time ago left, as if who ever did it had no further use for them.

In what looks like an animator's dream, the bones slowly begin to rise and join themselves together from the feet up to the skeletons, each bone in its proper place. Tendons appear and begin to snake along the bones attaching themselves to make the bones move. As each one connects you hear the
clicking sounds of the tendons conducting tests, making the bones move
on command. Muscles and flesh begin to cover them and finally skin spreads out along limbs and around torsos, enclosing the muscle and flesh and giving the bodies a finished, though lifeless, form. (Ezekiel 37:7-8)

Read (Ezekiel 37:9-10)

Tuesday Together The Overflowing Life

Welcome to TUESDAYS TOGETHER (in the WORD).
The Scriptures often refer to the word "riches." Paul frequently makes mention of the "riches of Christ. In one place he says his greatest joy was to declare "the unsearchable riches of Christ." The gospels make frequent mention of "treasures." Jesus talked about "laying up treasures in heaven."
We have within our bodies, Paul says in Second Corinthians, "a treasure in
earthen vessels, that it may be evident that the power is not from us but from God." That inner treasure is what makes the Christian life rich, zestful, and worth living. "A well of living water," as Jesus put it, "springing up within." That is what will refresh our spirits."
"I want you to know how strenuously I am exerting myself for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." (Colossians 2:1)
The apostle's purpose for writing is stated very clearly there. He specifically wants to enrich their lives, encourage their hearts, and enable love to spread throughout the congregation. But do not overlook the process! There is an unfortunate chapter division here that separates verse 1 from the closing verse of chapter 1. These two verses actually belong together. In verse 29 of chapter 1, Paul says, "To this end I labor [or, I toil], struggling with all His energy, which so powerfully works in me. And I want you to know how strenuously I am exerting myself for you..." Notice how he calls attention to the effort and toil he was putting into this matter of bringing the Colossian Christians into vitality, excitement, and a sense of adventure.
You may ask, how could a man who is chained to a Roman guard day and night, in the city of Rome, a thousand miles from Colossae, so toil as to help the Colossians? Paul does not tell us here but elsewhere we are given ample information as to his method. Earlier in this letter he talked about laboring continuously in prayer for them. That is one way he toils for them---through frequent prayer.
I want to stress again the tremendous importance of praying for one another. You can do all the right things to help someone, but if his attitude is wrong nothing you do will serve to assist him. What can change that? It is your praying for him! Prayer can change the heart and mind, the inner attitude. It is a powerful force to transform an atmosphere and make something acceptable when otherwise it would appear to be dull and uninteresting. Paul prayed ("agonized" is the word) for these Colossian Christians over and over again, even though he had not personally met most of them. Also, it is evident from his letters that he was alert to every word of information about them. When Epaphras brought news to the apostle in Rome about the church at Colossae, Paul questioned him and extracted from him all the information he could in order that he might know how to pray for the Colossians. That is an indication of his special concern for them.

Notice that Paul's immediate goal is to encourage the hearts of the Colossians and to unite them in love. I confess I am rebuked by that, because too often I find myself ready to jump on someone and try to straighten him out on the spot. It is a great lesson to see how Paul seeks to lift their spirits first and to cause them to appreciate one another. It indicates that building a relationship with individuals is the true way to go about helping them. Have you ever tried to help someone, only to find your efforts fell on deaf ears? The apostle indicates the right way to help is to find something encouraging to say first. None of us like to be corrected by a negative approach. We first need a word of encouragement, as the apostle so beautifully demonstrates here.
Then, when the apostle has lifted their spirits, they will be able, he suggests, to experience the excitement of understanding the mystery, which is "Christ in you, the hope of glory." Occasionally I meet people who seem to be turned onconstantly by Scripture. They discover a new, fresh verse every morning. But others find the Bible dull and boring. That is probably because they have not fully understood what it is saying. When you grasp what the word of God is saying on how to handle life it becomes exciting. It puts zest into living. It gives you the sense that you are not alone, that you don't have to handle your problems by yourself, or that you don't have to lean heavily on human advice, though God often provides help in that way. The main thing is, are you reckoning upon the wisdom of your Lord? He put you in a certain situation and he will work it out as you turn to his Word. Out of that Word come wisdom and understanding. I ran across a quote last week that puts this well:
Why is it that the older one grows, the more topsy-turvy the wisdom of Christ appears, and yet the more it appears to be wisdom? He seems to be looking at life upside-down. He tells us that the poor have security, the mourners will be happy, the sexually deprived will be fulfilled. It seems, by the wisdom of this world, as if he got everything the wrong way around. But live a little bit, and one discovers that this is not necessarily the case at all. If the world is inverted, then the only way to see it clearly is upside-down.
This is why the Scriptures are different than any other book. They say things that are difficult and seemingly impractical, and yet are the very essence of realism, wisdom and sanity. For instance, in Romans 12 the apostle Paul says, "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them." Have you ever tried that in traffic? It looks like an impractical solution, but if you try it you discover you have touched on something you did not know was there. You will have a different attitude to irritations. You will be relaxed and calmer, and not get upset so easily. You can get through the commute hour a lot easier. That is the wisdom Paul is talking about. It is not to stuff your mind with theological ideas, but to discover the secret of how to handle things, how to stay sane and sober, joyful and thankful, in the midst of the pressures and difficulties of life.
A second reason for Paul's concern is that he is very much aware of how easy it is to miss these hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge in Christ by being misled by false teaching. In these verses we have the first clear hint of what was threatening the Colossian Christians.
"I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is." (Colossians 4-5)
"Fine-sounding arguments" reveal Paul's concern lest they be easily deceived. This is one of the major problems all Christians must face. The word for "deceived," literally translated, is "to reason beside something." If the target is the truth, there is something alongside it that looks very much like the truth, and one begins to focus upon that, rather than the truth. That is one of the favorite weapons of the devil. To be deceived is to think you know that something is right, but it is really wrong. Truth and error look almost the same, but one is a counterfeit. In these days when we have so many counterfeit and imitation things around we are used to be being deceived and do not feel alarmed about it any more. Plastic looks like metal. Flowers are made of silk. We are daily touching things that are but imitations of the real thing. But imitations have obvious limitations. If you start regarding them as real you are in trouble. That is what Paul is worried about. A quotation from J. I. Packer puts this very well:
Sad experience shows that bad theology infects the heart with misbelief and unbelief, the spiritual equivalents of multiple sclerosis! Many who ran well have been progressively paralyzed through ingesting bad theology, and the danger remains. Theological expertise can feed intellectual pride, turning one into a person who cares more for knowing true notions than for knowing the true God, and that is disastrous.
This is also true of personal ambition, the lust for power, love of fame, and pride of race or position. All these things are like narcotics. We run after them and we are encouraged by the world to do so. But they are substitutes, counterfeits of the real thing. What Paul desires is that all may discover the real life. This struggle is, in essence, a struggle between two gods: the great god, Self, and the true God of man, Jesus. We hear much today of self-realization, self-actualization, self-development, self-discovery, self-esteem, and self-love. Self is really a disguised god! It sounds right to us. We do not want to hate ourselves. Yet there is a "self" that is very wrong.
There is a note of encouragement here in these words. Paul says there are two things about the Colossians that delight him and encourage him to believe that it will be difficult to deceive them by the false teaching in their midst. Here are his words:
"For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is." (Colossians 2:5)
Two things help against being deceived: first, a well ordered, disciplined life. The spirit of our age says, do whatever you feel like doing, respond to whatever you like. Deny yourself nothing. Paul, however, delights that the Colossians are orderly and disciplined. They make themselves do right whether they feel like doing it or not. A disciplined life will always be hard to deceive. I have always wanted to be able to play the piano, or some musical instrument. I envy people who are able to sit at a piano and play it, seemingly without effort. But I cannot do that, because I have never disciplined myself to study and practice music. Thus, I have no freedom in this area. Almost any discipline will help us resist error and Paul compliments the Colossians on their orderly life, for it makes them resistant to deceit.
Second, the apostle delights to see how firm is their faith in Christ. They understood clearly that it was Christ who held them, not they who held Christ. When they strayed, he would send someone to them to point it out to them, or stop them by some circumstance that would make it difficult for error to take root among them. A strong faith in the presence of Jesus is a powerful bulwark against being misled.Paul closes with an admonition which I consider to be one of the greatest passages in the New Testament:
"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." (Colossians 2:6-7)
I would urge you to memorize those verses. Here is a guide to an exciting, zestful life: "Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him." Obey him, follow him, converse with him, draw upon his grace, lean on him, look to him for comfort. That is how to "continue to live in him."
Three things have happened to you, says Paul. You have been "rooted" in Christ. (These are all passive participles, meaning these things have been done to you.) Like a deeply-rooted tree, you have been planted in Christ and those strong roots will hold you. Secondly, you have been "built up" in him. Not only are the roots going deep, but you are growing up as well. You are increasing in faith and experience. And, thirdly, you have been "strengthened" in the faith. You have tested it, put it to work in your home, in your neighborhood. You have had to face problems which were tests, and your faith was strengthened by them.
As those three things take place, we are to add one more: we are to be "overflowing with thankfulness." Be grateful to God for everything he has given you, no matter what it is. Have you learned yet to be thankful in everything? That means you do not grumble, complain and criticize. You cannot have it both ways. To be thankful means to find something in every situation for which you can genuinely be grateful.
The great Bible commentator, Dr. Matthew Henry, once was robbed as he walked along a highway Afterwards he told his friends there were four things for which he gave thanks. First, he was grateful that he had never been robbed before. After many years of life this was the first time he had been robbed and for that he was grateful. Secondly, he said, "Though they took all my money, I am glad they did not get very much." That was something to be thankful for. Thirdly, he said, "Though they took my money, they did not take my life, and I am grateful for that." And finally, he suggested, "I am thankful that it was I who was robbed, and not I who robbed." There was a man who had learned how to be "overflowing with thankfulness!"
Have you ever learned to talk to yourself and ask yourself questions? If you read the Psalms you will often find you are listening to a man talking to himself. "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why are thou so disquieted within me?" The psalmist is standing at the mirror shaving, feeling blue, and asking himself, "What's the matter with you? Why are you like this?" That is a good thing to do.
When you ask yourself questions about yourself you must also ask, why didn't worse things happen? Look beyond what has occurred and realize it could have been much worse. Then discover all the things which God has supplied and which you have been taking for granted: his care, his love, the shelter of your home, the fact that you have a little money in the bank, the fact that your children love you, or your parents love you (whatever fits your situation), and begin to give thanks for those. If you do, something will happen: you will find yourself turned on about everything. You will find life filled with zest, vitality and excitement.
For more devotions see Dee Dee at I have no greater joy.

Delight Yourself in the Lordand He will give you the desires of your heart.Ps 37:4 I looked up the meaning of these words and was thrilled by what I learned. Delight = desiring, delighting in, having pleasure in "if you are willing,""if it pleases the." "you wish for," "delight in," "a willing mind." So if I am having pleasure in, if it pleases me, and I am of a willing mind,He will give me the desires of my heart. It all depends on my a lookingforward to being in HIS presence. Making love with HIM. But the meek shall inherit theearth and shall Delight themselves in the abundance of peace.Ps. 37:11 Who are the meek? Those who are gentle, gentleness. Abundance = multiply, great, much, abundantly,pleanty. Peace = at ease, quietness, prosperity, quiet, prosper, wealthy. So if we are looking forward, longing with great anticipationto spend time with HIM, and we are of a gentle nature we willbe multiplied, and live a life of ease in quietness experienceinggreat abundance. Now I can handle that

Delight

See my post Monday.

What does it mean to delight

Yourself in the Lord?

America in Prophecy

Wednesday
Word of
Propheacy





. A popular Canadian prophecy teacher who lectures all over the world once said, "that Americans are the only ones who wonder why they’re not mentioned in the Bible. He thought it was due to our arrogance." I think it’s more along the lines of your comments. America has been a great country, and is currently the only world empire in the sense that we influence the decisions of other countries, sometimes even imposing our will on them.

But the 200 years of our existence is only a small fraction of the 2600 years of Gentile Dominion. In the context of Nebuchadnezzar’s statue, we’re but one of the remnants of the 4th Kingdom, Rome, filling a small portion of the time between its first life as the legs of iron and it’s second as the ten toes of iron mixed with clay.

You see Rome was never really conquered in the classical sense. It fell as a result of its own decay before transforming itself into the Holy Roman Empire that ruled for nearly 1000 more years. Since then various of its components have had their time in the sun first Spain, then England, and now the US which is a part of Rome by virtue of being a former colony of England’s.
But soon the revived Roman Empire, a ten nation confederacy represented by the ten toes, will once again be pre-eminent and America’s dominance will end just like all the other gentile empires before us.

The good news is that a fifth Kingdom, one that will never be destroyed or given to others will arise and will crush all those who came before it. This kingdom will be set up by God and will endure forever. Being a believer, even though you currently reside in the US, you’re a citizen of this kingdom and like the rest of us are anxiously awaiting the return of our conquering King.

At The Well Walk the Walk

Walking the Walk

Creating wholesome entertainment in Hollywood isn't easy. Neither is following in the footsteps of one of the most beloved, and recognizable father figures in TV history. But that is exactly what director Michael Landon Jr. has done. Michael Landon Jr, says, "My father wore several hats; I got to see him as a writer, director, producer and actor. And it was definitely the directing part that interested me the most."

landon had the kind of childhood so many kids dream about. "I grew up on the set of Bonanza, he says."
"They were magical times for me. "I mean, my dad was playing a cowboy! Riding horses, shooting guns, getting bad guys. "I have amazing memories of walking in his footsteps, he walked the walk and if any one challenged him, he had the grit to face up to what he believed."

Gen 5:22-25 And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch WALKED with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. One day Enoch was WALKING with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.


WALKING
with God
................In His ways...Jos 22:5
................Uprightly....Pr 2:7
................In newness of life Rom.6:4
................Not after the flesh, but after the Spirit...Rom 8:1
................In love, following Christ...Eph 5:2
................In the light, as God is....1 John 1:7

We have the testimony that Enoch WALKED the WALK. The account of Noah we learn that Noah was a righteous man among the people of his time, and he Walked with God.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The discussion questions are:

Why is the "way we live" so Important?

Why does Paul tell Titus to first teach the older women to
"be reverent in the way they live" before they can train younger women?

Think about your own life, do you have mentors you can LOOK to....
watching them live their live reverently, AND, are there others,(children,
younger women in the church, friends of your children) who are watching
you live out your life?

Is there a difference between what you SAY and how you LIVE?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The way we live is important, because others are watching us, and we may be the only Bible
they will ever read. I do not want anyone to miss the blessings of God, because I was not
WALKING the WALK.

We guide by our life, if we do not Walk the Walk we become a stumbling block to those
we are trying to teach.

The main mentors that I had growing up have all gone to heaven, however I do have mentors
my own age that I look to for guidance and knowledge in my WALK.

I know my greatest critic is Mark, he calls me on the carpet if I do not WALK the WALK.
He knows me from a son's view, and the training I have given him. My greatest joy is watching
him WALK the WALK. The other day he and I got into a discussion on prophecy. A few days later
he called me and said "I was talking to a neighbor and explaining how the things that are happening
in our world was a fulfilling prophecy, and he had no knowledge of this information."
I could hear the tickle in his voice as he shared this with me. He was passing on the information
that I had shared with him, thus helping someone else along the way.

I try to do as I say...but some times I tell my children do as I say not as I do. I say this in a joking way and
they do not think much about it. However I know that I do not WALK a perfect WALK,
"and if I think I do I am deceiving my self, and the truth is not in me."
That is what the apostel James said.

Wednesday Word of Prophecy - ( 1 )

Wednesday
Word of
Prophecy



How Soon the Rapture?



Jesus' disciples on the Mount of Olives when He told them of the coming destruction of the temple shortly before His passion and crucifixion, asked Him, “When will these things happen, and what will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the world?” (Matthew 24:3). Jesus answered them with a list of signs that would mark the time of His coming, but stated, “Of that day and hour no man knows, not even the angels of Heaven nor even the Son, but the Father only.” (Matthew 24:20). But though no man knows the exact time, Jesus did indicate that those living at the time would know when it is near. There are other clues scattered about the Holy Scriptures which, when all put together, can give us a pretty good idea of when it will happen.
Number one sign: The fig tree. When it buds and brings forth leaves, Jesus said you know summer is near at hand. “Likewise, when you see all these things begin to come to pass, know that it is near, even at the door.” (Matthew 24:33] The fig tree is a symbol of Israel. The number one sign of all these signs is the regathering of Israel as a nation. Virtually the entirety of end time prophecy concerns Israel as a nation, in the land God gave them. From 70 AD when Titus overran Jerusalem and the Jews were dispersed across all the known world until 1948, there was no nation of Israel. Thus during that interval none of these prophecies could have been fulfilled. Now with Israel back in the land, we are seeing increasingly rapid fulfillment of these signs Jesus gave. Everything hinges on Israel as a nation back in the land God gave them.

Birth pangs:

Jesus likened the signs of the approaching end to birth pains. They start subtly at first, and increase in frequency and intensity as the hour to give birth approaches, becoming most intense and most frequent just before the mother gives birth to her baby. Like birth pains, so shall these signs of the end increase in frequency and intensity as the end approaches.

The days of Noah and Lot:

As it was in the days of Noah so shall it be when the Son of man returns. (Matthew 24:37) “In the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, building and planting, and paid no heed to what was coming until the flood came and took them all away. (Matthew 37-39, Luke 17:26-27). Two things characterized the days of Noah and Lot, (1) an overflow of violence and wickedness (Genesis 6:11-12), and (2) everything was business as usual right up until disaster overtook the people affected (Luke 27:27-30). In both cases those involved were warned beforehand, and chose to ignore the warnings. So will it be with the world when Jesus returns.
Violence. Just 20 years ago it was rare that you heard of multiple murders. Then there was Columbine, some 20 or more students murdered in cold blood by a pair of crazies. Then there was the massacre at a university in Virginia, over 30 students murdered by a fellow student gone mad, who even locked the doors shut so no one could get out. Today, such mass killings have become so commonplace they don't even make front page news any more. Not to mention the massacres that take place routinely in some third world countries, and women raped and killed just because they disagree with those ruling them. The world is rapidly becoming as it was in the days of Noah.

Wickedness and immorality:

In the past few years, morals have been thrown to the wind. Homosexual conduct, condemned by God, is now glorified and defended by the world. And so is promiscuous sex of any kind. Gays march in the streets, proud of their sin, and demanding not just their rights, but that they be made a special privileged class. Greed is pandemic. Trafficking and use of illicit drugs is on the rise, and with it crimes committed by addicts to support their habit, and violence and killing among those who are selling the stuff. Senseless murders have become common place. Good is being called evil, and evil is being called good. The world is heading in the same direction as Sodom and Gomorrah in their day.

False messiahs and false prophets:

Many will come in that day saying, “I am Christ,” and will deceive many (Matthew 24:4-5). We just recently recently elected a president whom some people in the world are calling a “messiah”, and I have not heard him disclaim it. And it appears he is leading this country straight down the road to socialism and ruin. One day soon one will come in his own name, claiming to be the Christ, and the world will follow him and proclaim him God, but he will be the devil incarnate instead.

Wars and rumors of wars:

It has been said that there have been more wars in the 20th century alone than in all of history past. There is warfare going on between tribes and ethnic groups today, and there will be more wars with increasing intensity as the end approaches.

Earthquakes:

While there have been earthquakes all down through history, there has been a steady increase in the frequency and intensity of quakes in recent years. A magnitude 9 quake in Indonesia in 2004 generated a huge tsunami with waves up to 100 feet high which flooded coastlands as far away as the east coast of Africa. Between the quake and the tsunami over 230,000 people died. It was the longest quake in history, lasting nearly 10 minutes. (Wikipedia-Indian Ocean Earthquake) Earthquakes in China, Pakistan, Italy and elsewhere have also killed thousands and caused widespread destruction in recent years.

Famines:

While there has been no famine in the US as yet, there are famines in other parts of the world, and it would only take a few bad harvests before there would be famine here.
Pestilences-AIDS is rampant in many parts of the world, and there is no known cure for it. An outbreak of swine flu in Mexico at this moment has disease control experts worried that it could turn into a worldwide pandemic. This virus is said to be like none ever seen before, a hybrid of bird, swine and human flu, all rolled into one virus. Some are saying it was deliberate and the virus was genetically engineered, not natural.

The sea roaring and men's hearts failing them for fear:

Hurricanes have become more frequent and more intense in recent years. Just a few years ago there were three category 5 hurricanes in a single season, two of them making landfall in very close to the same area, along the Gulf coast. Katrina hit New Orleans causing tremendous damage, with even more when levees failed, flooding much of the city. Rita hit further west only a short time later, again causing extensive damage. Tornadoes have been on the rise too. In just the first quarter of 2009 there have been more tornadoes and tornado outbreaks than in a normal year.

The kicker: Jesus told His disciples, This generation (the generation that sees the beginnings of these signs) will not pass until all is fulfilled. In other words, the generation born when these signs began will still be alive when everything prophesied has come to pass. All this is prophesied in Jesus' Olivet discourse with His disciples, found in Matthew 24 and Luke 17, shortly before He was crucified.

But this is not all. There are other clues as to the timing of the rapture elsewhere in the Bible.
1 Thessalonians 5:9 tells us God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord, Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 tells us the antichrist cannot be revealed until there be a falling away (the literal meaning of the Greek actually speaks of a departure, a moving away-the rapture of the saints) first. Verses 7 and 8 speak of a restrainer Who must be taken out of the way before the antichrist can be revealed. Would this not be the Holy Spirit, living in the saints, restraining evil? When the church is removed in the rapture, this restrainer will be taken out of the way leaving the way clear for the antichrist to reveal himself, not before.

The book of the Revelation is divided into three parts. Jesus instructs John to “write the things you have seen, the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter” (Revelation 1:19). The things you have seen—the vision of the seven candlesticks, the vision of Jesus and His appearance, and holding seven stars and a sharp two edged sword going out of His mouth. The things which are—the seven churches John was instructed to send letters to. The things which are to come—all John saw after he was caught up to heaven in Revelation 4:1.

In the message to the church of Philadelphia, a picture of the believing church of today (Revelation 3:7-12) Jesus promises them, “Because you have kept the word of My patience, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is to come upon all the world, to try those who dwell on the earth.” (V 10). This “hour” can be none other than the great tribulation, and Jesus has promised those who have faith in Him that He will keep them (us) from that hour.

In Revelation 4:1 John sees a door opened in heaven and hears a voice telling him, “Come up here, and I will show you the things that must be hereafter.” Immediately John is in the spirit and sees the throne of God and 24 elders seated around the throne. These 24 elders speak of Israel and the church, 12 of them representing the 12 tribes of Israel, and 12 representing the 12 apostles of Jesus. There is no further mention of the church on earth until we see them coming with Jesus on white horses at the battle of Armageddon, strongly suggesting that the church is no longer present on earth during this interval.

Revelation 11:7-10 tells of the killing of the two witnesses who have brought plagues upon the earth for the past three and a half years, and states that all the world will see their dead bodies lying in the street for three and a half days. Just 50 years ago this would have been impossible. Now with satellite TV anything can be broadcast from anywhere in the world and picked up and the images transmitted worldwide in just a matter of seconds.

In Revelation chapter 13 we have the vision of the antichrist and his system, in which there will be one world government and one monetary system, the latter requiring one to receive a mark in his hand or on his forehead, without which no one will be able to buy or sell. There has been within just the past six months or so an exponential speedup of movement toward a one world government and a one world monetary system, and the technology is already in place to make the mark of the beast enforceable—RFID chips and electronic funds transfer. All that is needed is for someone to design the infrastructure to put the two together, and with the technology already at hand it would take only a short time to do that. Without the mark (or RFID chip, as the case may be) on your person the machinery won't work, and there will be no way to carry out any kind of monetary transaction.

In Daniel 12:4 the angel speaking to Daniel after telling him to seal up the book till the time of the end, tells him in that day many will run to an fro, and knowledge will increase. Just 200 years ago the fastest means of travel was horseback, top speed maybe 40 miles per hour, and that only for a relatively short time. Computers, telephones, television and many other things we depend on today weren't even dreamed of just 100 years ago. Commercial airliners can whisk people around the world in hours on trips that would have taken months just a century or two ago, and astronauts are whirling around the globe every 90 minutes at some 17,000 miles an hour. And the prophecies Daniel was told to seal up until the time of the end are now being understood.

From all of the above it appears certain that we are in the hour prophesied by Daniel, Jesus and others. It is the end of the age of grace, the end of time for the church on earth. It appears that everything is setting up for the political and monetary system that will be in force during the great tribulation, and everything could be put in place very quickly. With modern construction techniques, even the tribulation temple could be built probably in a matter of months.

When Jesus gave the sign of the fig tree, he stated that the generation seeing the start of all these things, the regathering of Israel, will not pass away until all He prophesied is fulfilled. It has been 61 years since Israel was re-established as a nation in modern times. The great tribulation will run for seven years. If 70 years is the lifetime of a generation, and all must be fulfilled in that time frame, and it has already been 61 years, that leaves only two years to the start of the great tribulation. The rapture is imminent. There is no other prophetic event that has to precede the rapture, though some may, such as the war of Psalm 83 and/or Ezekiel 38-39. And since it is apparent that the rapture must precede the tribulation, how much sooner must our exit be?

Just a quick disclaimer here. I am not trying to set a date for the rapture. Only a fool would do that. Jesus said no man knows the day nor the hour, and neither do I. But He did say we would know when the time was at hand, and based on the Scriptures and current events and trends I believe that time is here.

Jesus warned us to be ready. To those who are not watching, He will come as a thief in the night to steal away his jewels, the church. Those of us who are His are not of the darkness and will not be caught by surprise, we will know when the time is at hand.

If you have received Jesus into your life as your Lord and Savior, you are ready. When that day comes, you will be among the missing on Earth, gone to be with Jesus where He is. If you have procrastinated or refused to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, that day will catch you as a thief, and you will be left behind in a world of total chaos, to go through the great tribulation. It will be a time of strong delusion and many will be deceived into irreversible damnation. While it will be possible to be saved during the tribulation it will probably be at the cost of your life. Even so, better to be saved, get your head chopped off and spend eternity with Jesus, than to keep your life for a time, and in the end burn in the lake of fire for eternity.

The Gospel in a nutshell:
All have sinned, and the punishment for sin is death and eternal torment in hell.
Jesus took your hell for you on the cross, in your place, to keep you out of hell.
You must receive Him to receive His salvation. Just invite Him into your life, and walk with Him.
Bible verse to think about: “Therefore be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh.” (Matthew 24:44.)

Don't miss it!

Tuesdau Together in The Word

The scripture that gives me hope, and makes me rejoice is:

Titus 2 at the well Being busy at home

Being busy at home

I started not to meet you ladies at the well today. I am in a time of my life where
I am not as busy as I was when I was a young mother of 2. My weeks were busy
with ball practices and games, boy scouts. You name it and Mark was in it. Lisa
was a very sick little girl and the challenges I faced with her, well I do not want to
rehash that. I worked out side the home and had a husband who could not keep
his pants on.

Lisa was placed in a home when she was 5 1/2 years old and this was almost more
than I could bare. She went to heaven when she was 26. Mark has married and he
has 2 little girls, and 2 bonus sons.

As I said above I was not going to post, because from my observations most of you
are young enough to be my children. I was talking to Mark today about this post
and how I had nothing to give. He was shocked and said, "If any one has something
to contribute it is you."

SO HERE IS HOW MY WEEK GOES:

I have been in business for over 20 years, this takes up about half of my time.
Sunday nights I go to a prophecy class at church. Wednesday I go to a teaching on
the major doctrines of the Bible. On Thursday nights I go to another prophecy class.
I guess you can see I am very interrested in end time events and I keep up with
the news and how it fits with Bible prophecy. I also write a teaching each week
on subjects pretaining to end times.

I just found out that one of my grandsons is having a baby. The timing is not good
as he is waiting orders for his second deployment.

My grandchildren range in ages from 22 - 15. So we have the weekly events to attend
with them.

I getting tired just writing this.

Mark wanted me to speak of my giving.

Most of my adult life I did not have anything,
many times the only thing I had to eat was a peanut butter sandwichs.I was always
faithful in giving and church attendance and teaching Sunday School and ast. pastoring a church. I can testify that my morning has turned into rejoicing. For the
many years that I had nothing, God has blessed me with plenty (there is a great story
to God'sfaithfulness here). WhatMark wanted me to share is this I give my salary
away. I find a needy family and I support them untill they can get their feet on the
ground. Larry and I are now helping a friend who has found out he has cancer. We
are looking for a car for him to drive himself to the hospital. When he is too weak
we drive him. He has a family but they will not help him.

I have a sister who is disable, and I talk with her each day, sometimes for hours.
I am mentoring a young lady who is reaping for the thing she has done.

I find the computer very challenging, and most of the time it takes me twice as long
to write a post. I am saying this because in addition to the above things I do, I also
spend hours with this new found buddy. My spelling is bad and I have not learned
how to edit my post. Sweet Laurie emailed me the directions on how to edit, but
when I tried it, it just would not work for me. I have spent hours trying to learn
how to post a UTUBE on my blog. I guess I need to go take a computer class.

At The Will -- Getting to know You

Getting To Know You

Good Morning, it is so nice to see each of you today. I am thrilled to be learning more about you. That said, " Lets get started. " My Turn.

I grew up in the country, nearest town was 7 miles away. I am the first for 4 daughters. No brothers. I got married at 16 (I married the devil (really not enought
time to share this here,) I am however writting about my life on Walk with me
Wednesday.) Mark was born when I was 19, three years later I had Lisa.

Lisa was born with many problems. She cried the first year of her life, we were told they could not find the problem. When she is a year old, come back and we will do further test. That was a very hard year.


One year later, she was back in Childrens Hospital.

The day I was to go to receive the news about my little baby's condition. I also received the news that my husband and my mother were having an affair. I was given
the proof and it could not be denied. This shows how the devil works trying to destroy my life. On the way to receive the worse news a parent could receive, I got
a speeding ticket. THE NEWS, LISA'S BRAIN HAD STOPPED DEVELOPING WHEN SHE WAS 3 MONTHS, SHE WILL ALWAYS BE THREE MONTH's.

This started a 26 year struggle for her and a living hell for me.

I never missed a church service from as long as I can remember. This church was where I meet my future husband. He never missed. It seemed like a match. However
for me there was something missing. I became very ill and cried all the time. One Sunday a cousin of mine came to see me and said " If you will go to church tonight
the Lord will heal you." That night I was healed by the wonderful power of God, and my burdens rolled away and I had a love for Jesus that I had not experienced before.
For me this was the beginning of the most wonderful love relationship I have ever
experienced.

I was so in love with my Lord, that I spent hours in prayer and Bible study. The strength I gained from this relationship has substained me through the many life
destroying trials I was to go through. I was called into a teaching misistry.

This call and my fervent desire to please my Lord, brough much persecution from
upon me from my family.

Seeing the hand of satan on my family, I would walk and pray with my hand on my stomach asking God, "That if my son was going to grow up and not serve his to please take him before he was born." I can testify that God has answered my prayer. This however came through much trial and testing.

Lisa was a different story and I saw the hand of God move in our life in many ways
during her 26 years she was on this earth.

I did get a divorce and now was faced with new trials. The church I went to taught that you could not get a divorce......so.....I was. I started reading the Bible with different eyes, and came to believe as I still do that this church was very much in error.

5 years later I remarried and moved to the largest city in our state.

From a little girl I had wanted to live in the city. I also would watch planes flying over head and say I want to fly. My greates joy was to have a career and fly from city to ciry . Larry was a man of the many talents. He had his own business and was very wise in the things of life. He opened up to a new and wonderful world for me. He was
devoted to God. We meet at church and 9 months later we were married.

My dreams of travel were coming true. I opened my own travel agency, and my desire to fly was fulfilled and is still being fulfilled.
So many wonderful stories to tell about this marriage, however all was not perfect, he came from a background of devil worship and the mafhi He was glad I was a strong christian because I would need to be, together we were a team, and have seen many victories inour life.

He has one son living in Flordia, who is still mixed up in this dark religion. Every time Larry is in contact with him we have a satanic attack on our life.


This story is not all doom and gloom..I hope you can see the hand of God in my life.

Lisa is safely at home with Jesus.
Mark has become a wise son that has suprised me with his wisdom.
My desires to see the world, have my own business, have a devoted companion, who
will love Jesus as I do have come true and are still being fulfilled even as I write.

What satan ment for harm, Jesus has turned for my good.

I have found this board to be an outlet for me to speak. I would like to make lots of
friends, to share with. I am challenged at how to work this new internet and do not
know how to down load pictures or much of anything else. Please bare with me as
I learn.

Rowing Your Boat

Rowing Your Boat

Two blondes were driving along a road by a wheat field

when they saw a blonde in the middle of the field

rowing a row boat.

.

The driver blonde turned to her friend and said "You know -

it's blondes like that that give us a bad name!"

.

To this, the other blonde replies "I know it,

and if I knew how to swim, I'd go out there and drown her."

.

Today is Funnie Friday for more fun go to Kim at

Homesteaders Heart.

Happy Friday!!

Footsteps of a Prodigal

This is a new blog I am starting. More later. Just trying out my button.

Tuesday Together In The Word

DeeDees

In the letter of 1Peter we find Peter having much to say about suffering. He shows how it can be a way of serving the Lord, of sharing the faith and of being tested. The letter was written to Christians scattered all over the Northern part of Asia Minor. In this part of the Roman Empire many Christians had already suffered unfair treatment from people who did not believe in Jesus.

And they could expect to suffer even more.

.

Peter was quick to offer encouragement. His letter reminds the readers that some of the Lord's

followers may have to go through times of hard testing. But this should make them glad, Peter declares, because it will stregthen their faith and bring them honor on the day when Jesus Christ returns (1:6,7).

.

Peter reminds them that Christ suffered here on earth, and when his followers suffer for doing right they are sharing his sufferings (2.18-25; 4.12-19). In fact, Christians should expect to suffer for their faith (3.8-4,19).

.

____________________________________________________

Sunday night in our service our pastor talked about the swine flu that

was spreading all over the world. He was teaching on Prophecy

in the Bible, and this disease was just the beginning of things to come.

He then said, "And it is going to get worse, things are going to get

very bad before the Rapture takes place."

God does not do anything instantly, he usually does them over a

period of time, and we become so use to them that it just seems

normal.

I don't know about you but I do not like to suffer, and I find no joy

in looking forward to what is coming on the earth.

But as Jesus said, "These things must needs be to confirm

scripture.

____________________________________________________

.

Because of who God is and because of what God has done by raising Jesus Christ from death, Christians can have hope in the future. Just as Christ suffered before he received honor from God, so will Christians be tested by suffering before they receive honor when the Lord returns. Peter uses poetic language to reming his readers of what Christ had sone:

.

Christ died once for our sins.

An innocent person died

for those who are guilty.

Christ did this

to bring you to God,

When his body

was put to death

and His Spirit

was made alive.

(3.18)

Called To Mentor

April 27th, 2009

.

A call to Mentor

.

Great subject but what is a mentor? Mentoring is when someone who has "been

there, done that" takes someone who is "getting there, doing that" under

their wings. Let me repeat that. Mentoring is when someone who has

"been there, done that"

takes someone who is "getting there, doing that" under their wings.

I define mentoring this way for two reasons. First, mentoring isn't as much about age as it is about experience. As Barnabas mentored Paul, the two men very well could have been similar in age but Barnabas had the experience with a relationship with God that Paul didn't have. Second, often when we think about being a mentor, people are very quick to discredit themselves because they haven't "lived a good enough life."

In reality though, it is often the people who have made the most mistakes that have

the most to offer in a mentoring relationship. Again, Paul is a great example of this seeing that before he became a Christian, he killed Christians for a living. If Paul

can be a mentor, pretty much anyone can.

I had the most wonderful mentor growing into adulthood. I have been thinking alot about her

in preparing for this class. She mentored me during one of the most horrible time of my

teenage years. I would go see her, and she always had a word that would encourage me.

.

Now That Is A Good Mentor

.

I took a class via computer and telephone. The home office for the class was New Your City. During this class I had a mentor who before me had taken the class and was to offer me guidence and answer my questions.

I received a call from her, she was very short and said, "I my name is Judy and if you have any questions call me. Her is my number". That was the last I heard from her and she was so abrupt that I did not call her.

.

Now That Is A Bad Mentor

.

I was asked to be a mentor for the next class. I was determined to show the teachers of the

class what a mentor should be like.

I received a reputation for being one of the best big sisters (mentor). Everyone wanted me to be their big sister. Students for this glass were from all over the US and Europe. I made life time friends.

I had this little sister from Reno, Na. She was loved by everyone encluding me. She was one of the most giving person I have ever meet. She would call NY for counceling paying $400.00

for a thirty minute session. Money was not a problem for her. She was high up in Reno

governmant. She would call NY for a session and they would tell her one thing. She would call another day and they told her something different.

She would call me so confused and up set at herself for paying all of this money when I was giving her better advice.

I received a call from her one day asking "If I would fly to Reno and spend several days with her,

she would pay for everything."

I was so excited, I was going to Reno, and see this wonderful sister that I love so dearly.

.

She meet me at the airport, and off we were going to have a wonder few day of fun.

.
I THOUGHT

.

We were driving to California. We stopped at the grocery store and she bought a large bunch of grapes. I did not think anything of it.

.

The first thing I wanted to do was put my toes in the Pacific Ocean. I saw she had the grapes.

"What are the grapes for, I asked."

"You never go to the gods with out offering a peace offering, she said."

.

OH! WHAT HAVE I GOT MYSELF INTO?

.

She explained and taught me how to offer the grapes to the gods of the ocean.

She broke off a group of grapes and sent praise to the god.

She then offered them to me for me to send praise to the god.

.

I swalled hard, took the grapes and said. "IN THE NAME OF JESUS, AND

IN THE POWER OF HIS BLOOD I OFFER THESE GRAPES AS A PRAISE

OFFERING."

We took turns and continued this ritual untill all the grapes were gone.

.

We walked back to the hotel in silence. Her to her room, me to mine.

.

Two hours later we went down to dinner. She asked, "me too explain to her

just what I was doing on the beach. She had heard of Jesus and knew he was

a teacher but that was all she knew."

.

I explained the plan of Salvation. She was amazed and said, "She had never read the

Bible."

.

She then shocked me. "I am a witch of the highest order, we do not believe in this

Jesus. We believe in mother earth, and the god of the ocean, and the god of trees

I know there is recarnation, beacause I have lived before. I believe you and I were

catholic sisters in Ireland in another life."

.

I looked in her eyes, and with the power of the Holy Spirit said to her, "that she needed to repent,

and turn from satan." She said, "And if I do not what will happen to me?"

I simply stated, "You will not go to heaven!"

.

There is much more to this story but for time sake I will stop with that.

I will add however she did not repent on this trip.

.

I came home, and when Larry picked me up at the airport. I told him. "You are looking

at a modern day Paul."

.

He wanted to know if I was afraid with my encounter with the witch. I was able to honestly

say, "No I was not afraid." I am glad she had the gospel preached to her. It may be her

only chance.

.

Having a mentor and being a mentor is very important in my life.

The challenge to us today is to prayerfully consider the two questions of.

.

How can we mentor in ways that are pleasing to God?

How can we be sure the word of God is not maligned in the way we mentor and learn?

For more wonderful examples of mentoring come join with us

AT THE WELL