Not Anymore Here: Bye-bye!

Stroke Victim: My Love and Life Story

 Me, before the stroke.

Me, a year after the stroke.

Me, now attending church and happier, too. 

Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savor of his knowledge by us in every place. 2 Corinthians 2:14

 

Friends, I want to share you my own story of coping as a paralyzed stroke victim in a place where there is no medical help for poor patients like me to get better except for strong determination and acceptance of my destiny,  the encouragement of a very dear one despite the ups and downs of the love relationship, plus the support of family and friends.  Best of all, I have the most powerful God to back me up!

My story:
I was a stroke victim and paralyzed for more than 3 years now (more reason was stress due to studies and my blood pressure went up). Based on me , I am more or less 80%-85% well because I can walk now and do some light work at home, go to the grocery store on my own, etc. than when I started as a bed-ridden patient. I am half-body paralyzed, right side, with little movement in the arms and hands but not opening the fingers (I can close them though). I can talk with a slur but still understandable.

I was a college teacher before the stroke (but no insurance as my length of service did not warrant the pension payment due to teachers serving qualified years of service). How I wish to undergo a speech therapy (perhaps on aid through a foundation or groups ) so that I can work online as a teacher-tutor and earn something for my daily needs.

At 43, I am still single, and living with my sister's small children and a house help (she and her husband are not with us for financial reasons). We are not financially stable so that I am not able to get the regular medical treatment I need. My last medical treatment in the hospital was more than two years ago and the daily complete medicine intake plus physical therapy were 6 months only immediately after the stroke (again due to finances). The only medication I get now are anti-hb tablet (1 variety only) and multi-vitamins given by my uncle from USA plus some mixture of herbal medicine as tea, green tea and non-fat milk that I drink every morning. I eat meat sparingly, usually boiled or broiled chicken without the fat. In other words, I am on a healthy diet. One thing I do twice a week is hot-stone and shiatsu combined massage from a trained lady friend in reflexology. It's the only thing I can afford paying (in my country, services like this is affordable). I am a Christian and truly believe God would heal me soon.

I have a more than five years boyfriend overseas (our relationship goes beyond the stroke). He is poor and a true Christian also. Our only means of communication is chatting through the internet or calling by phone (and he cannot understand me except when I laugh and say I love you). We saw each other personally once - three years ago. I quarreled with him many times to free him. Yet, he still wants to marry me next year despite everything.

Honestly, a lot of my friends consider my life as worth telling. There is only one thing I could tell about all these. God is amidst all these. One day, He will finish my story and it must be good. Why? I believe I am favored by Him!

(c) August 2010, Luisa Mercado (mermalu, lifebeyond)

Which One Are You?

And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole. Luke 17:19

As I was reading my Bible this morning, I came across Luke 17:11-19. The LORD then stopped me and did not allow me to go any further till I settled what I needed to get right with Him. Conviction set in greatly that when I wrote want happened in my personal diary, what He had done and how I saw myself in that passage, I decided to share a bit with you, but not all as it is between Him and me. What I am sharing you now is just a few thoughts of the goodness, mercy, and grace of our LORD that we tend to overlook and take for granted.

If you read what I learned with your heart into it, you will be touched. What I saw were 10 lepers ALL cleansed, yet only one turned back to give Jesus the glory and thanks due Him. You see, all ten had to walk afar off from people due to their disease. They had to restraint themselves so as not to contaminate others. They lifted up and protrude their voices above normal tone to communicate with people. They did these for Jesus to hear them and He heard their plea of mercy.

But, after their faith had made them whole, who came back? Did all ten to thank Jesus for what He had so mercifully done for them? Did they made effort to glorify Him and shout the victory in Jesus for the great miracle that Christ the Lord had done for them? NO! Nine out of the ten left, went their good old merry way and took for granted what Jesus had just done for them. Don't you think after such a miracle, they all would of returned to give Jesus thanks and fall at His feet as one did?

So I ask you, which one are you? Are you 9 of the ten that the Lord has given everything? The you who constantly accept what He gives you, yet you NEVER return to Him to give Him the glory due Him? Do you give Him the thanks that He so faithfully deserves? Do you glory in yourself, your own lusts and indulgences and never give one iota thought of what God Almighty has done in your life? Do you get on your face to cry out to God and thank Him for the life He has given you by not throwing you in Hell yet? Do you even give Him one moment of your time in prayer each day, or do your bible studies on a regular basis? Or do you do so little that you think you are good and righteous enough to get by each day with reading and praying as little as you can, making yourself to be a spiritual giant for our God?

Now, about the one that returned, he came running back all excited, happy and thrilled to the bone because after he had gotten healed by the Lord Jesus, he acknowledge His greatness and went out to proclaim the name of Jesus to others. I saw in this one cleansed leper that he witnessed to others about what Jesus had done for him. I am sure he led many others to Christ by testimony. He was once spotted by the blight of sin and disease, he is now clean. I myself personally believe this one who 'turned back' with a loud voice, glorified and thanked Jesus at HIS FEET; probably in tears and his heart full of joy, is in heaven now.

So again which one are you young man or woman? Are you the one who glories, thank and praise God every day for ALL He has done for you? Or are you one of the nine who has been given everything by the grace of our dear Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, yet ignore His goodness and mercy? Do you just live for yourself portraying as a just and righteous person who THINKS you walk with God, if saved? Or if you are not saved and born again, you may have that same attitude like many do, yet proclaim "saved" as they do.

In this great passage I can see our Lord Jesus Christ's great compassion as He healed the lepers. I saw His abounding grace as He decided to give to them all , even to the 9 who never returned to give Him glory, thanks and reverence. I saw the Lord Jesus' righteousness as He did not condemn those who did not return to give glory due to His holy name. I saw His mercy which He did not have to give, but He did because He knew they did not deserve it, yet He still gave to them His healing. I saw His goodness as the Lord Jesus immediately saw their desire and need to be made whole.

Though Jesus never had to do anything for them, yet, He chose to show them His unique goodness by allowing the bondage they were in to be released and cleansed. I also saw Jesus as He is the only one who can cleanse anyone who is under the chains of the self life. These lepers were under a chain of heaviness after which Jesus Christ lifted it off them. They were relieved and though the others may have been thankful in some little ways, they were not really like the one who returned. I felt this man who returned was convicted and he loved Jesus in a way that he was so excited when he thanked and glorified Him.

What about you friend? Do you want to have a walk with the Lord each day and have His blessings pouring down on you ? He can give you much. If you have never trusted Jesus as your personal Saviour, you will never be released from the bondage of your sins together with the chains of this old world. It's carnality will drag you down into an inferno of hellfire. You shall never see the face of the One who can save you from such a fiery, tormenting place.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and He will give you peace, happiness and joy. After salvation, you will still go through trials and bad times. Never listen to fake televangelists who say you will never go through any bad times anymore. They will just lead you astray. Listen to people who know better, even if they speak in biblical truth and hurt your ego. They do mean well and you will be directed to the truth.

Yes, as a Christian, we will all go through many trials, and will be tested by the world or by God Himself. We all go through things that are unpleasant, but that does not mean God is not with us. He is there with us through everything. We just need to keep our faith and trust in the Lord to help us through all things. He will help us in our walk each day with Him.

John 3:16, probably the greatest verse in the Bible on salvation, tells you that 'For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.' God is where you are, the distance between the floor and your knees. Your religion, works, penance, or keeping His commandments will not save you. Only trusting in Jesus as your personal Saviour can. You will be delivered from a hell, and saved by the blood of Christ to be with Him in heaven forever.

My prayer is that the Lord will convict those who read this, and will do a miracle in saving a dear soul from the pits of hell. He will give that person His grace and that person will make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ. He will be cleansed from the chains of sin and be renewed in soul, mind, spirit. He will call on the name of the LORD in humility and tears, and have a life that is committed in serving our risen Saviour. He will turn from all sins and live for Jesus Christ.

If you come to be saved, please drop us a line here on our blog. We love to hear how the Lord delivered you, how you are serving Him and all the blessings He is giving you.

God bless us!

(c) August 2010, Michael Carey

Focus: Lessons From Charles G. Finney

Mike and I saw this on  Biblebelievers.com and thought of sharing these lessons from Charles G. Finney with you as they are very profitable to every true believers of Christ especially to the pastors, ministers, evangelists and preachers.  Happy reading!

 

HOW TO PREACH WITHOUT RESULTS By Charles G. Finney

---

1. Let your supreme motive be to increase your own popularity -- then, of course, your preaching will be suited for that purpose, and not to convert souls to Christ.
   
2. Avoid preaching doctrines that are offensive to the carnal mind, lest they should say to you, as they did to Christ, "This is a hard saying, who can hear it?"
   
3. Make no distinct points, and do not disturb the consciences of your hearers, lest they become alarmed about their souls.
   
4. Avoid all illustrations, repetitions, and emphatic sentences that may compel your people to remember what you say.
   
5. Avoid all heat and earnestness in your delivery, lest you make the impression that you really believe what you say.
   
6. Address the emotions, and not the conscience, of your hearers.
   
7. Be careful not to testify from your own experiences of the power of the Gospel, lest you should produce the conviction upon your hearers that you have something which they need.
   
8. Do not awaken uncomfortable memories by reminding your listeners of their past sins.
   
9. Denounce sin in general, but make no reference to the specific sins of your present audience.
   
10. Do not make the impression that God commands your listeners here and now to obey the truth.  Do not let them think that you expect them to commit themselves right on the spot to give their hearts to God.
    
11. Leave the impression that they are expected to go away in their sins, and to consider the matter at their convenience.
    
12. Dwell much upon their inability to obey, and leave the impression that they must wait for God to change their natures.
    
13. Preach salvation by grace, but ignore the condemned and lost condition of the sinner, lest he should understand what you mean by grace, and feel his need of it.
    
14. Preach the Gospel as a remedy, but conceal or ignore the fatal disease of the sinner.
    
15. Do not speak of the spirituality of God's holy law (by which comes the knowledge of sin), lest the sinner should see his lost condition and flee from the wrath to come.
    
16. Make no appeals to the fears of sinners, but leave the impression that they have no reason to fear.
    
17. Preach Christ as an infinite amiable and good-natured being, but ignore those scathing rebukes of sinners and hypocrites which so often made his hearers tremble.
    
18. Admit, either obviously or casually, that all men have some moral goodness in them, lest sinners should understand that they need a radical change of heart, from sin to holiness.
    
19. Say so little of hell that your people will think that you do not believe in its existence yourself.
    
20. Make the impression that, if God is as good as you are, He could not send anyone to hell.
    
21. Make no disagreeable references to the teachings of self denial, cross bearing, and crucifixion to the world, lest you should convict and convert some of your church members.
    
22. Do not rebuke the worldly tendencies of the church, lest you should hurt their feelings, and finally convert some of them.
    
23. Do not rebuke extravagance in dress, lest you should make an uncomfortable impression on your vain and worldly church members.
    
24. Encourage lots of church socials, and attend them yourself.
    
25. Make it your great aim to be personally popular with all classes of your hearers.
    
26. Aim to make your hearers pleased with themselves and pleased with you, and be careful especially not to wound the feelings of anyone.
    
27. Especially avoid preaching to those who are present.  Preach about sinners, but not to them.  Say "they," and not "you," lest anyone should take your subject personally and apply it to their own life, securing the salvation of their soul.

Picture Perfect!

These are pictures I got from facebook (with owner's permission) that I thought are great!  They remind me of a Great and Loving GOD always.  Here they are:

and many others...

(c) July 2010, Luisa Mercado

Thinkers' Thoughts

THE PULPIT IS RESPONSIBLE: Brethren, our preaching will bear its legitimate fruits. If immorality prevails in the land, the fault is ours in a great degree. If there is a decay of conscience, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the public press lacks moral discrimination, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the church is degenerate and worldly, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the world loses its interest in religion, the pulpit is responsible for it. If Satan rules in our halls of legislation, the pulpit is responsible for it. If our politics become so corrupt that the very foundations of our government are ready to fall away, the pulpit is responsible for it. Let us not ignore this fact, my dear brethren; but let us lay it to heart, and be thoroughly awake to our responsibility in our responsibility in respect to the morals of this nation. --Charles G. Finney, December 4, 1873

It would be a godsend if the Church would suffer persecution today; she hasn't suffered it for hundreds of years. She is growing rich and lagging behind. Going back.” --The Need for Revivals, from "Billy Sunday: The Man and His Message" by William T. Ellis, Philadelphia: John C. Winston Co., 1914

“I've stood for more sneers and scoffs and insults and had my life threatened from one end of the land to the other by this God-forsaken gang of thugs and cutthroats because I have come out uncompromisingly against them.” --Billy Sunday

“I'm against sin. I'll kick it as long as I've got a foot, and I'll fight it as long as I've got a fist. I'll butt it as long as I've got a head. I'll bite it as long as I've got a tooth. And when I'm old and fistless and footless and toothless, I'll gum it till I go home to Glory and it goes home to perdition!" --Billy Sunday

On Focus: Missionary Biography

 

Samuel Porter Jones

(October 16, 1847 - October 15, 1906)

Samuel Porter Jones was one of the most celebrated revivalists of his day, at the close of the 19th century. Famous for his wry wit and masterful story-telling, he is credited as a principal influence on Will Rogers. Jones is particularly connected with the history of The Union Gospel Tabernacle, later named Ryman Auditorium. Riverboat captain, Thomas Green Ryman, was converted after hearing Jones on May 10, 1885 at a meeting which he and friends attended with the intention of heckling the preacher. According to the legend, Ryman decided on that day to build a tabernacle in which to hold revival meetings in Nashville, Tennessee (the building was home to the Grand Ole Opry for many years), and he soon approached Jones with the idea.

Early Life 

Sam Jones was born on October 16, 1847 in Oak Bowery, Alabama, the son of lawyer and real estate entrepreneur John Jones and homemaker Queenie Jones, the grandson of Methodist preacher Samuel Gamble Jones, and nephew of four additional Methodist ministers. In 1857, when Sam was ten years old, the family moved to Cartersville, Georgia, where John Jones’ parents had made their home. Jones ended up living there for most of his life. Sam had hoped to attend college, but he purportedly suffered from an unspecified medical condition (his eyes or his stomach, depending on circumstance) and began drinking heavily. Eventually, despite his Methodist heritage which included seven Methodist ministers, Jones decided to become a lawyer. He was admitted to the Georgia bar in 1868. At the age of twenty-one, Sam trekked to Kentucky to claim his bride to be, Laura McElwain (whom he had befriended during the Civil War). Though his reputation as a drunkard had preceded him to Kentucky, and Laura’s father refused to attend the wedding, Laura’s mother convinced her to keep her promise to Sam Jones—the two were wed and became lifetime companions.

Sam Jones did not stay a lawyer for long and, in spite of his hopes that marriage would save him from himself, he continued to drink heavily and destroyed his career. By 1872 Jones was stoking furnaces and driving freight wagons for a living. The death of his infant daughter sobered him for a time, before he fell off the wagon yet again. Then, in 1872, Jones was called to his father's deathbed where his father pleaded with him to quit drinking—Sam promised he would. A week later Samuel P. Jones walked down the aisle of his grandfather’s church, made his confession to God, and became a Christian. 

Sam Jones was known for preaching hard against sin and hypocrisy. He preached once at a Church dedication in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and in the middle of the service he stopped his message and asked the congregation how much they paid the Pastor. They were unwilling to tell him, but when the appallingly low sum was finally revealed, the congregation was so embarrassed that the next day he was given a substantial raise.
 

On October 15, 1906, Jones was returning home from a revival in Oklahoma City on the Rock Island Train. While the train was stopped in Perry, Arkansas, Sam suddenly collapsed and died. It is estimated that over 30,000 people came to view him as he lay in state in the rotunda of the Capital in Atlanta. Rev. Samuel P. Jones is now buried at Oak Hill cemetery in Cartersville, Georgia, where a stone monument marks the grave of Sam and his wife Laura.

At the time of Jones’ death, the sanctuary of what was then named Cartersville Methodist Episcopal Church was in the process of being completed. After a unanimous vote, the congregation officially changed the name of the church to Sam Jones Memorial Methodist Church (now known as Sam Jones Memorial United Methodist Church), which is still in existence today.

Evangelistic Career

  

Jones was accepted by the North Georgia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and began his ministry with the Van Wert circuit, a group of five churches spread over four counties. Before long his talent for preaching had him doing revivals in large cities before thousands of attendees. He was asked to speak not only for religious organizations but for the likes of state legislatures and President Theodore Roosevelt.

(c) Wikipedia

Tracts That Speak More Than Words

This is a reprint:

Sometime in 2004, I read this tract that made a tremendous impact in my life. I pray that as you read it, you, too, would be touched by God in the most powerful way. Your life would never be the same...

                                                                       Luisa

Here is another one:

Yea, Hath God Said...

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? Gen 3:1

Quite the words said by the devil back in Genesis chapter 3 eh? He made Eve doubt about what God said and about what the Lord told her to do and not to do. What about today in this world? Why are so many people confused and in doubt about the Word of God? There is more  doubt and confusion than ever before as no one knows which Bible is the Word of God. Through proper Biblical training by Godly preachers who love God will you ever know. You won't know nor understand if you accept the other versions as the word of God.  By doing so, a person is in doubt all the time as you see a new version and without any Biblical discernment and a true personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you will throw away the true enjoyment of that immense thrill of knowing our Saviour on a personal level. 

Why is it so many people are constantly arguing about different versions?  Why are so-called scholars so adamant in rejecting the KJB as the true Words of God and place so much emphasis on other versions?  Because they are taught to do so and in so doing they have become mockers of God by refusing to accept the KJB as the true Word of God.  They make their knowledge a god and accept their intellect, understanding and training wherever they got their training a god also. They make themselves a god because of their superiority over others who may be weak in their defense of God's Word, the KJB, as they give-in to these so-called bible scholars. But, Satan is at his best doing this movement because he loves it when people are confused and are in doubt when it comes to not knowing, and some never knowing God's true Word. 

Other versions, simply put, are tools of the Devil to weaken a Christian in his or her faith, to destroy their testimony in front of others, and to disfuse their faith in God Himself. Other versions have a copyright and the KJB has no copyright. Wonder why? Through much prayer and asking wisdom from the Lord will He give it to those who love Him and seek Him. In turn God Himself will show and answer  those prayers that His Word the KJB is His Bible.  Nothing anyone else can say to refute that, with the exception of the naysayer and doubter who will try to challenge and dispute which only as fool would do who is full of pride. It is a fool who argues and disputes against the Word of God when he refuses to believe that God has a Bible as history has been shown over and over again through it.  Proper training teachesthat the KJB is God's Word and not the other corrupt versions which are all based on Westcott and Hort's beliefs and manuscripts.

So to end this, prayer is needed and humiliation in front of God Himself as He will tell and answer you in prayer which is His Bible and He will answer you. Only a fool would try to make you doubt and argue with you if you tell him/her that the Lord answered your prayer and told you the KJB is His Holy Word. No one should, but doubters and liars will try to make you believe it was not God that told you in answered prayer, but the theologians and superiority of man will puff themselves up with pride and try to persuade you that you did not actually have answered prayer but only a word from the devil. Deceivers, liars, doubters, who dishonor God Himself with their pious and prideful deceptions to try to make you give in to them and their beliefs.

Never listen to them as they as filled with the darkness of the Devil, otherwise they would not try to bicker and argue with you. The Devil is the Father of lies and he leads man and women to lie for him and try to deceive others as well. The Devil hates God, Christians, and anything to do with the Bible that God Himself wrote. The Devil will slander God's Word through other people who have no true wisdom or knowledge just to pry the Holy Bible out of a true Christians hands to lessen His relationship with God Almighty. Satan will even make it look good to mankind that other things are acceptable and it is alright to live lifestyles that is worldly and carnal, i.e. adultery, lying, cheating, stealing, killing, abortion, sodomy, other gods, religion, works to go to heaven and not salvation, covetousness, lewdness, pornography, pride, fornication,drinking, drugs of all kinds, backsliding Christians, false witnesses, mockers of sin, mockers of God Himself, and the list goes on and on and on. God hates all these things and all are abominations to Him.

Are they to you? Or are they an outlet for you? Are you in a fantasy world caught up in the luxuries and lusts of this world and does it look desirable to you with all the filth that you can't perceive anymore right from wrong? Good from bad? Evil from love? Love what is evil and hate that which is good?

DO YOU? Are you saved? Have you ever been under great conviction in tears,and repented and then got saved by Jesus Christ? If you have no conviction then you cannot be saved my friend and dear soul. Salvation is only a call away.

But God commendeth His love for us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

(c) May 2010, Michael Carey

Children Make Us Feel Good

...Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Mark 10:14

Children are truly blessings from God!

Cute Nephews and Nieces Then

Cute Nephews and Nieces Now

Remembering The Great Men of God

This blog is designed to tell the whole world the goodness of God, not just in our lives, but in the lives of people who have taught us faithfulness.  Therefore, whatever we (Mike and Luisa) write, they are inspired to give honor to Him for He had first done much for us. 

Since it is necessary to dig files to support some of our writings, we were also able to read biographies of the great men of God. These encourage us to come-up with a twice-a-month presentation of the different biographies (Mike's work is to research for short write-ups of these people including their pictures.  He will also decide who to feature every two weeks.  Luisa will copy-paste the work including copyrights of the writers). 

Friends,  here is our first feature:

George Whitefield

1714 – 1770

He was born into situation that didn't reflect Wesley's privilege, yet he evangelized many among the social elite of England. He was afflicted with a squint so severe that no one know exactly where (or at whom) he was looking, yet he drew vast outdoor crowds who never took their eyes off him. Benjamin Franklin, who heard him preach many times in Pennsylvania, declared that he had a "voice like an organ."

George Whitefield was born in Gloucester, England; his remains are buried in Newburyport, Massachusetts. He voyaged to the New World seven times (a one-way trip took two months) and was equally at home on both sides of the Atlantic.

Having languished in spiritual emptiness and disquiet for several years, Whitefield’s "birth" was aided by the spiritual midwifery of a godly bishop who directed him to John 7:37: "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me [i.e. Jesus]." Whitefield exclaimed aloud, "I thirst!" – and recalled that when Jesus uttered these words his struggle was almost over. He realized too that for the first time in his life he had implicitly renounced any claim upon God’s favour and explicitly acknowledged his helplessness. Immediately he was granted assurance of his new nature in Christ and his new standing before God.

The young Anglican preacher was transparent to the message that had altered him. The day the twenty-two year old was ordained his sermon won over the hungry even as it antagonized the hardened. On this occasion his opponents complained that his preaching had driven fifteen people mad. "I hope their madness lasts until next Sunday," replied the bishop who had sponsored him.

In 1738 he stumbled into a development that was to characterize the Evangelical Awakening. Standing in the pulpit of the crowded-out church in Bermondsey, he was haunted by the fact that a thousand-plus stood outside, and haunted doubly because of the reason they were there: they gave off an odour that no one could deny and few would endure. He told his friend John Wesley of his plan to begin "field-preaching." Wesley thought the scheme insane (until he had to admit its effectiveness). It was also illegal since the Conventicle Act permitted outdoor preaching only at public hangings!

Before long, however, a scheduled execution brought it about. Whitefield’s heart had been broken by the coalminers at Kingswood, Bristol – men as violent as they were vulgar. Once the date for the hanging had been set the miners began anticipating the celebrations surrounding the entertainment. When the murder "cheated" them of their amusement by committing suicide, the miners dug up the corpse and partied around it.

They and their families were 100 percent illiterate, stuck in a degradation that defies description. Whitefield walked among them, in full clerical attire, and began speaking to them from Matthew 5: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Thoroughly despised and contemptuously shunned, these people found in Whitefield someone who loved them and therefore did not fear them. Grimy with caked-on dirt and coated in coal dust as they were, Whitefield wrote of them in his diary that as he preached he saw "the white gutters made by their tears down their black cheeks."

Immediately church authorities arranged for all Anglican pulpits to be closed to him. He was undaunted. The next Sunday ten thousand people joined themselves to the Kingswood miners. Opposition intensified. When Whitefield attempted to visit prisoners in Newgate jail, the Corporation of Bristol suddenly "remembered" to appoint a prison chaplain! Nonetheless, disadvantaged people returned his love for them. After hearing Whitefield preach time after time poverty-stricken miners collected money to build a school for their children: the impoverished were not to be exploited by the socially privileged!

Yet more than the high-born opposed Whitefield. At Moorfields one lout climbed a tree overlooking the preacher and urinated at him. Ever the master at turning opposition into gospel-advantage, Whitefield rhetorically asked the crowd, "Am I wrong when I say that man is half devil and half beast?" – and then commended anew that gospel whereby anyone at all may become a child of God.

In the New World Whitefield preached form Georgia to New England, always raising money for the orphanage he had established in Savannah. New York, Boston, Philadelphia, the Carolinas, Harvard University: all were beneficiaries of his ministry as he was anything but "the generality of preachers who talk of an unknown and unfelt Christ."

Before he died the "threefold cord not quickly broken" (Whitefield, plus John and Charles Wesley) was reknit. He and the Wesleys had agonized and grown apart over Whitefield’s adherence to the doctrine of predestination. When they were joyfully reconciled he wrote in his diary, "Prejudices, jealousies and suspicion make the soul miserable."

John Wesley preached at the memorial service which was held for Whitefield in England. "He had nothing gloomy in his nature," said John, "being singularly cheerful, as well as charitable and tender hearted." It was true. When a Quaker had chided Whitefield for wearing full Anglican vestments Whitefield had replied good-naturedly, "Friend, you allow me my vestments and I shall allow you your peculiar hat."

When their disagreement had been sharpest concerning predestination Wesley was asked if he expected to behold Whitefield on the final Day. "I fear not," John had replied, "for George will be so much nearer the throne of grace." It was in the memorial sermon that John spoke most succinctly of his friend: "Can anything but love beget love?"

   

                                                          Victor Shepherd

God Does Cry You Know, But Do You?

The Prideful Man

 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if [there be any] wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23,24

I have that one verse for you all. I am  pondering what does God think when I say I love Him? Yet, I have little or no more feeling towards the ONE who created and given me the miracle of breath for life? What about when I sin and never search myself to find out what I did and why I did it?  Should I not examine myself and see what is in my heart for GOD Almighty instead of being worldly and ignoring the ONE who is weeping for me because I don't acknowledge HIM and His sovereignty, grace, and mercy? 

The Lord weeps not just for me, but also for you and the rest of the world, especially the Christians who ignore the Lord Jesus because of their blatant denial of Him due to there ignorance and superficial pride.  We do not realize that as sinners (read 1 Timothy 1:15), we need our Lord Jesus Christ more than we realize it.  We need to lower ourselves more than anyone does, submit, surrender and humble ourselves more than ever to God now because Satan has a hold of this dark, dingy, desolate world.  Therefore, it is not enough to know we are saved from Hell nor we are saved from Satan's paws when he reaches out to grab all the lost and even make Christians backslide for his purpose. There is more.

Friend, let me ask you several questions and answer them honestly.  Do you search yourself and see what sins you may be hiding in secret? Do you have secret faults that you hide from others and yourself?  (Well, we all have secrets we don't admit, right?) Furthermore, have you searched your heart and allow the Lord to see the deeper side of your soul you hide much from others?  (We can hide nothing from our great God in heaven.) Do you allow God to see your deep innermost thoughts and ask Him to reveal them to you?  Do you get convicted and humiliated so that you can repent and ask His forgiveness?   Or, do you backslide and  intentionally harden your heart to what He is trying to convict you on?  Are you asking Him to see what wicked and vile sins are in you so that you can repent them and get right with Him?  Or, again, are you rebelling against Him?  Have you strayed from His arms when He is always ready to take you back?

A tear is shed by our Lord Jesus every time one of His children rejects His teachings, denies His Holy Word, led astray by the world, lives in rebellion and is liberal-minded, sins yet never repents of it, plus so much more that I am sure many of you can think of. A tear is shed every time we sin against a Holy God.  He can, at any time, wipe us off the face of the earth without even a wink! A tear is shed by our Lord God when we backbite, gossip, commit adultery, fornication, lie, cheat, steal, covet, blaspheme, lust, have other gods, etc. The list is endless.

Search yourself and your thoughts.  Ask God to forgive you.   Only after you have been convicted by Him, have repented in tears, and have turn away from sins never to go back to them, will He make you clean and spotlessly white. You can only be given His righteousness after you are born again and saved. 

DO YOU CRY FOR THE SINS YOU COMMIT AGAINST GOD ?  Or, do you think you have none? Do you look in the mirror, cry and ask God why He allows you to even live another day?  Do you watch your reflection and ask Him to convict you? Do you ask His forgiveness after all you do against HIM? Do you hate the sins in your life enough to cry out to GOD, ask Him to show you more of your sins so that you can confess them all and ask for HIS mercy?  We all deserve hell.  None of us deserve to go to heaven.  God has every right to send us all to eternity of misery because of our sinfulness, rebellious hearts and severe attitudes.  

Have you asked the Lord to search your heart and thoughts?  Does He bring to the surface your secret sins and be convicted so that you  can confess?  Admit your sin-guilt, and hate your sins with a passion if you fear  Him, and even at one time if you disobey Him?  Yet, the big problem is, we have no fear of GOD.

To fear GOD is to be obey Him.  It is to be afraid of the consequences when we decide sinning.  We must avoid sin because we respect, revere, and fear the Almighty. We are not to fear men nor what they can do to us  because of  our  relationship with the living God.  We must fear GOD.

(c)April 2010, Michael Carey

Church Affiliation: A Crucial Choice

But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 1 Timothy 3:15

Mike and I go to different churches.  He attends the Amazing Grace Baptist Church in Nova Scotia, Canada while I go to Bethany Baptist Church in Cantilan, Philippines,  It is quite a long distance apart.  In fact, we are half-a-globe away!  Yet, we do fervently believe we have attended churches that belong to the true and living God.  In other words, we are one in worship, united in Christ, one in the Holy Spirit, and someday we will go to heaven together with other believers.

As I was reading the Amazing Grace Baptist Church tract, I began assessing my church if it qualifies.  I was very happy it did!  Praise God! It is not because I want to fit in to Mike's choices, but that the criteria are based on the word of God, the Authorized Bible.  It must be otherwise it is not God's true church! 

Friends, here are the criteria (Choosing a Church by the Amazing Grace Baptist Church, Bridgetown, NS, Canada).  Assess your church (i.e. pastors and leaders, too) in relation to YOU attending the services:

1.    They clearly teach how to know for sure that I am going to heaven when I die. (1 John 5:13)

2.    I can easily apply the preaching to my everyday life. (Colossians 1:9,10)

3.    All teaching is from the words of God, not man's words. (1 Corithians 2:4,5)

4.    A life of holiness and conformity to scripture is taught and shown by example. (2 Corinthians 7:1)

5.    There is a demonstration of love and compassion among the Christians. (1 John 3:14)

6.    There is an intangible Holy Spirit that ministers to my heart. (Romans 8:16)

7.    There is an abundance of sound teaching and Bible doctrine to feed me spiritually. (Acts 20:28)

8.    They believe the same Authorized Bible that I can read in English (we have vernacular version based on Authorized Bible) is God's final authority in all matters. (1 Corinthians 14:9)

9.   People are routinely given an invitation to come to Christ and submit their will to God. (Matthew 11:28)

10.  Sinners are regularly warned of eternal suffering in Hell for all who reject Jesus Christ as their Saviour. (Ezekiel 33:8)

Friend, be honest with yourself.  Assess whether the Bible clearly states what your practices in the church are.  If they do not follow what the Bible teaches, then you know you are taught differently, too.  Then, you know exactly where YOU might go when you leave this world.  What really matters most is how each of us will stand before God when the time will come.  Make your choice now before it is too late.  

(c) April 2010, Luisa Mercado

A Picture and A Thought...

Blessed [is] the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful... And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. (Psalm 1:1,3)

This Is Yours

We found this inspiring art image from facebook  website.  Because you deserve it, we are sharing it with you:

My Thoughts

You want revival, but is it well with your soul? If you want the glory of God Almighty you better descend to HIM before you ascend. You want the anointing and unction of the Holy Spirit? You better get in deep travailing prayer. If you think of yourself to be something, you'll grieve and quench the Holy Spirit that He won't come and work in you to bring the Lord glory.

No tears, no conviction, no repentance, no saving grace from Jesus Christ our Lord. The glory of the Lord won't flow in you like a river, if you won't allow Him to humiliate you and be surrendered to His will. If you want your heart fully blessed you better keep your eyes on Lord Jehovah our God. No trust in the Lord? How you expect Him to supply all your needs? Get right with God, and IF you're willing to trust, surrender, obey, humble yourself and give in to Him wholly. He will hear your hearts' soul cry.

No tears, no conviction, no repentance, no prayers, NO revival. Want to get nearer to God? Then go to Him. What are you waiting for? Run in His arms and He will pull you in to His bosom. You pull away, He'll still be there waiting for you to come back, my friend. If you want God to be thou your vision, you better visualize Him in you heart, soul, and mind, and allow Him to come and accept Him, otherwise you will have nothing but darkness forever.

(c) April 2010, Michael Carey

Be Still

When God looks at us with mercy on His face,

How can we forget about His saving grace?

His eyes penetrate ours and what do we do?

Turn away cause we feel sufficient just to be saved anew.

We don't like the idea of meeting Him face to face,

'Cause we have fear, are ashamed, so we need to be disgraced.

Are you being still to hear, and know the Lord is on your side?

Have you stumbled making much noise so you can't with Him abide?

Don't make the terrible and a disturbing wrong choice,

But be still and listen for our sweet Saviour's voice.

(c) April 2010, Michael Carey