Ladies Meeting at Vicki and Joey Burns Home

We all had such a wonderful time at our ladies meeting this past Tuesday evening. We had a yummy meal and great fellowship in the Lord. A Big Thank You to our hosts the Burns for opening their beautiful home to all of us ladies.

Was Lost....

A Sower

In Memory of 9/11

Holy! Holy! Holy!

I get so excited when I stumble upon beautiful art depicting scenes from the Bible. When I saw this I had to enlarge it to truly take in the magnitude and vastness of all the Angels in it. I feel so led sometimes to certain images to share here on the blog. This reminded me of a couple of verses in the Bible..

"And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, LORD God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come."

Revelation 4:8

"They rest not day or night," now that really got me to thinking. They never tire. Could it be that something new is being revealed to them about GOD each time they go around?

"And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;"
Revelation 5:11

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Church of God Women (Past, Present & Future)

Women have been a vital part of the ongoing ministry of the Church of God since its humble beginnings in the rugged Unicoi Mountains. Their ministries now reach around the world with a multiplicity of emphases and focuses…including prayer, Bible study, local and world missions, covenant team ministry (providing assistance to mission states and regions), benevolence, prison outreach, ministry to both young girls and senior adults, fund-raising, printed resource materials, and social issues that affect women.

One of the ways the Church of God celebrates and honors women's contributions to the ministry is by annually celebrating International Women’s DISCIPLESHIP Heritage Day October 6. However, it may be celebrated at any convenient time.

The anniversary of Women’s Discipleship provides an excellent opportunity to honor the dedicated, courageous women who pioneered many wonderful ministries. It is a time to reflect upon what God has done and how He continues to use women in the expansion of the Kingdom.

Typically, with the approval of the pastor, programs, banquets, etc., are planned that recognize the ministry of outstanding women in the congregation.

960 Hours

The Temptation of Jesus

The temptation of Jesus reflected the Bible's concept of temptation - which is always basic, not complex. The word used, in both Testaments, relates more to testing a person's moral character than his bodily desires. Our culture reads into the word an excess of lust, greed, and ambition that are derivatives, not the essence, of character. That's why Jesus could have "been tempted in every way, just as we are" (Hebrews 4:15). All the temptations we face can be summarized in the three Jesus confronted and overcame: to put our earthly before our spiritual needs; to misinterpret Scripture for personal purposes; and to compromise scriptural truth for an apparent gain.

The temptations of Jesus also prove that Satan had no choice but to attempt Christ's subversion. The Devil knew Jesus was the original, and he the created being. Neither combatant mistook the creature for the original AUTHORITY in the universe. The fact that Satan tempted Jesus, not vice versa, proves who was in charge and who wanted to be. Jesus held in trust from God all the spiritual truth the Devil wanted and intended to take by deceit or force, but no question existed but that Jesus, not Satan, possessed it.

Each came as the representative of his cause: Satan the enemy and Jesus the champion of humanity. Satan intended to keep humanity chained to its ego by binding Jesus to his. Jesus intended to destroy the Devil's power over human ego by submitting His to God's will, however much it cost or however long it took.

The personal, face-to-face confrontation was essential since Jesus determined to put Satan on the way to ultimate destruction. Allowing him to go personally unbeaten, while working to ameliorate the disasters he caused, would let Satan create greater evil than an exhausted virtue could ever solve. To ultimately destroy the Devil's work, Jesus first defeated him-which means Jesus offered Satan no sympathy whatever, and made no effort whatever to convert him.

The temptation of Jesus proved that God gave Satan every possible advantage in the conflict. First, the environment of lonely desolation, where Jesus had to personally resolve a single question: would He fulfill His role as God's Son according to God's will? God had fulsomely acknowledged Christ as His Son when He emerged from His baptism, then ordered the testing of His Son's commitment.

Second, God allowed Satan the offensive during those 960 hours. To earn the right later to crush the Devil with God's truth, Jesus exposed Himself to every possible Satanic attack - relentlessly, by day and by night forty straight days and nights. Third, God reduced Jesus to physical and mental exhaustion, and most open to Satan's blandishments. The exhaustion gave the Devil his most propitious opportunity. If Satan didn't convert it, he never would another, for this conflict determined whether Jesus or Satan won the WAR between them.

The temptation of Jesus focused on Satan's determined effort to keep Jesus from the cross. He didn't want Him to die, whatever interpreters think. He desperately sought to keep Him from the cross, for he knew Christ's death destroyed evil, death, and Satan himself. The proof of his desperation was his willingness to compromise with Jesus by letting Him rule in morality and virtue so long as He didn't rule in blood-bought righteousness.

The temptations of Jesus were all answered by the Master's resort to Scripture. The reason is obvious: Satan has no answer to God's Word. He would have loved to debate philosophy with Jesus or why God could say He loved Jesus, but still let Him suffer, or why God could claim to be sovereign and let good people suffer-all the arguments skeptics employ to justify their refusal to obey God. But Jesus declined. The Master gives us the perfect response to any temptation: shield life with God's Word and shoot it like a cannon at the tempter!

The temptation of Jesus ceased, but only "until an opportune time" (Luke 4:13). Obviously, Satan returned throughout Christ's ministry: through demon-possessed people (Mark 1:21-24); the leadership (Mark 2:6-7); His own family (Mark 3:31-35, John 7:5); His own disciples (Mark 8:31-32); and finally in the colossal struggle in Gethsemane (John 14:30-31). No matter how badly mauled Satan is, or however strongly he's opposed, he won't admit defeat and insists he can yet find a way to defeat us. Constant vigilance is also the price of our spiritual freedom.

The Great Commission

A Letter from a Dear Friend.

The following is a letter I received today from a wonderful friend I got to know a while back. At the time she was the secretary for the Clay County Chamber of Commerce. Many of you may already know Jo Ann.

Most of you know that my dad was diagnosed about 6 wks. ago with mesotheleoma lung cancer & doesn't have long to live. Well I had to make an emergency trip to Clay City Friday morning and then to St. Joseph Hospital, because my mother was taken to the hospital Thursday night. My mother has been diagnosed with acute leukemia and doesn't have long to live either. She will be sent home on Tuesday to live the rest of the short days that she has in her own home. I am requesting prayer for my parents and for my family. We three children are losing both of our parents at one time, to different cancers and we are devastated, to say the least....I can hardly function but I put on a brave face and try to keep them laughing and keep their mind from what will be happening to them both in a short time. They are not used to being apart, they have been married for over 60 years, and with daddy in the hosp. first & now mom, it is taking an emotional toll on both of them. Please pray for us and put us on your prayer lists at church.....may God bless each of you....their names are Glenn & Wanda Brewer for those of you who do not know...thank you so much for being my friends, I love each of you...... ♥ Jo Brewer Abner♥

Beverly Rogers(Ungodly Advice, Careless Actions, Unholy Alliances, & Godly Consequences) 9-1-10