This statement "blessed be Egypt, my people" in Isaiah 19:25, seemed kind of odd. I
always got the impression that Egypt was the very personification of evil and they could
never be saved. How arrogant that is. John 4:16 says:“For God so loved the world
(including the Egyptian people) that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever (you
 and me and everyone else) believes in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Yet it seemed I was being taught Egypt was doomed.

Verse 1---“The Lord rides on a swift cloud” into Egypt and all the idols are moved at His
coming. The Egyptian hearts shall melt in the middle of it all.” Everything they believed in
was destroyed before their very eyes. Then God said He would set the Egyptians against
each other. Their spirit shall fail. He would give them over “ into the hand of a cruel lord;
 and a fierce king shall rule over them.” (verse 4) Sounds like you reap what you sow.
As they had treated the Israelites, so God has treated them.

Verses 5-13 tells all that God was going to do to them. Verse 14 “The Lord has mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work
 thereof…” God even uses evil spirits to humble a once proud nation. They were brought
down low. Isaiah 45:7 “I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil
 The Lord does all these things.”

Verse 16: “In that day, shall Egypt be like unto women, and it shall be afraid and fear
because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of hosts, which He shakes over it.” What is
 going on? They were never afraid before. They were the ones who did all the shaking.
Verse 17 “And the land of Judah shall be a terror to Egypt.”

The story changes from one of fear and destruction to a beautiful future for Egypt just like
it is for us. Verse 19 “In that day shall there be an altar to the Lord IN THE MIDST OF THE
 LAND OF EGYPT”, and a pillar at the border thereof to the Lord.” God stands right in the
middle of sin to rescue those He loves right out of the hands of Satan. Satan has no power
over God’s plans. Verse 20 “And it shall be a sign and for a witness unto the Lord of hosts
in the land of Egypt: for they (the Egyptians) shall cry unto the Lord because of the
oppressors, and HE shall send them a savior And a great one, and He shall deliver them.”
Does this excite you as it did me when I first read and understood this chapter? No man is exempt from God’s love and mercy.

Verse 20 tells us that the Egyptians shall know the Lord in those days. They shall make sacrifices to God and make vows and do them.

What a merciful God. But He has to break them and us down first before He can rebuild us
in His image. Verse 22 “And the Lord shall smite Egypt: He shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the Lord, and He shall be entreated of them, and shall heal them.”

Let us back track a little. God’s chosen people weren’t any better than the Assyrians or the Egyptians. They too left the only true God and followed after idols. Read Isaiah 10:5-13.
The topic for this section is “Assyria, the Instrument of God”. God was angry with His
people. Verse 5 “O, Assyrian, the rod of my anger and the staff in their hand is my
indignation.” He used them to bring His people to their knees. Verse 12 “Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the LORD has performed His whole work upon Mount Zion and on
Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of
his high looks.”

Why would God punish someone who did the work He commanded him to do? Verse 13
tells us that the king of Assyria took credit for his own strength to bring about what God intended for him to do. God used him like He uses us. When we do His will, we are not
doing it under our own power. We have nothing at all that we can boast about. God gives us the gifts necessary to do what God wants done. He can also take them away and give to
someone else to accomplish the work if we don’t do it. We are not indispensable.

Now to the gem of the whole chapter. Verses 23-25 “In that day shall there be a highway
out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into
 Assyria, and the Egyptian shall serve with the Assyrian. In that day shall ISRAEL BE THE
 THIRD WITH EGYPT AND ASSYRIA, even a blessing in the midst of the land: Whom the
Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, “Blessed be Egypt, my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance. Proverbs 4:12 comes to mind: “And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him, and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

To sum this up: I get newsletters from Michael Youseff. He is Egyptian. One letter stated
 that he was going to Egypt to preach. Before he left he asked God to give him a very large number of souls.
He was pleased to report that God saved way beyond what he had asked for. God cannot be undone. The Egyptians were eager to hear the WORD. It made it more realistic to them
when a brother Egyptian told them about Jesus and the way to salvation.

Great are the wonderful works of the Almighty God. May God bless you.

I'm 80 years old now but feel much younger in spirit.  When I was in the hospital I didn't remember a thing from the time I told someone I was bleeding badly until I came to myself and discovered I was in a nursing home!  Some things are kind of jumbled.  Later I told my kids that no one came to visit me. They told me someone was there all the time even people from my church.  As I began to come back to myself one of my family posted a pic of me in my bed at the nursing home!!!  on facebook!  Bunch of people were there including my son from Michegan!

Pastor Roger.  It is so good to be back here!  It looks like I vanished into thin air.  In a sense I did.
From 2000 to 2006 I wrote over 100 articles.  Then I went into a deep slump.  Couldn't get up the energy to do anything. Not even put a dish away.  I hated it but couldn't do anything about it.

In March of 2010 (about a year ago)  I was admitted to the hospital and I didn't know a thing until I came to myself in a nursing home in May the same year. I had colonoscopy surgery.   Doc told my family I was between life and death.  God healed me!  He let me know He wasn't through with me yet.  I had more posting to do.

I am going to a great grand child's BD party shortly.  I will continue my amazing story probably tomorrow.  Those parties wear me out.  God bless you. 

       
________________________________________
Between March and now I lost a good bit of my memory.  Still having trouble remembering even the simplest things. Not even sure how to use this computer.
Here is my story but God was with me all the time.  PTL!

Woke up one morning and was bleeding profusely.  Was carted off to the hospital but didn't know a thing.  Didn't know my family was all there or that some from the high rise I am in came too.  I was hallucinating very badly.  Big vehicles were driving past me making a lot of noise.  I was screaming for someone to help me but I was just ignored.  I thought I heard some say something about a fire.  I panicked Screamed even louder.

I thought I was still in the hospital but was told I was in a nursing home. Took me a few days to take it all in. Don't even remember being taken there and I asked if there was a fire.  They looked so surprised and said "no".  Later I realized that the big vehicles were our food trucks coming by in the home.

Shortly I took the routine for granted. 

As I was getting more co-herent, I was told that the doctor told my family that I was between life and death.  They were quite concerned.  MY daughter Brenda wasn't.  She prayed and told the doctor that if I did die, I knew where I was going. and would be happy. If I didn't she knew God wasn't through with me yet.  Still had much work for me to do. 

Before this happened God let me know that I would be doing more writing---what and when I had no inkling.  Last month I told a new friend about the writing.  She wanted to read some.  I gave her "Angels all around me".  She showed it to
 bi -monthly free newspaper. They accepted it but need to do some editing.  It will be out either this month or next! (long past and was published.)  They also want me to send more items.

(back track)  Brenda also told me that when teh doctor was getting ready to operate, I was singing to him a song I wrote long ago!

Oh I forgot to mention what I was being operated on.  Colon cancer---polyps under that.  Ovaries had to be removed and I'm not sure of what else.  I don't think he left ianything in me.  More room for the Holy Spirit to live in me.

After all that I feel like a brand new person!  No pain but s little inconvenience.

I had the doctors and nurses and everyone laughing!  Laughter is like a good medicine!  PTL!  God healed me.  Had more tests but no sign of any more cancer.

I am almost done but I think I know why God let this happen.  The writing I did before was good because I was always inspired.  Couldn't write anything on my own.  MY big problem was that my ego got in teh way and I felt good because people commented on it and made my head even bigger.
I felt like I was someone for a change.  I had been ignored a lot. 

I don't even have to write another word.  Just post items I wrote on several sites and find new ones.  They are as timely now as they were then.


God let me know in no uncertain terms it is His project---not mine! The fact brought my ego down quite a bit.  NOw I witness to everyone who will listen! 

Believe it or not but I am happier than I was before.  Amazing what God can do to change attitudes and outlooks in our lives.  "It is no secret what God can do.  What He's done for others He'll do for you."  I am always singing.  Even my occupation therapist sang along with me.  God even blessed me with Christian therapists!!!  Isn't God great!

Sorry this was so long.  God bless you.

Thanks David749   I'm not your brother but an 80 year old sister!  I don't understand a lot of the technicalities of the Bible.  I can only write under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.  When I try to write under my own understanding it goes flat.

Just a few minutes ago I posted "Blessed be Egypt, my people" if you care to read it.

I will write more about my life when God says I should.  How and why I became a writer.

I wrote about 100 items from  2000-2006.  Then had a bad slump period until now.  God let me know I had to write again after I had colon cancer surgery which He healed (last March).  I was between life and death but He wasn't throughwith me yet.

I will post about that time in my life from last March until now.  God is so good.  God bless you

Bless you.

BLESSED BE EGYPT MY PEOPLE 

Before I wrote the following, I had no idea of all the fighting that is now going on in that area of the world.   I can only write under the inspiration of the  Holy Spirit.  Trying to write on my own understanding it goes flat and means nothing.  I don't even remember when I did wri rite that.
This statement "blessed be Egypt, my people" in Isaiah 19:25, seemed kind of odd. I
always got the impression that Egypt was the very personification of evil and they could
never be saved. How arrogant that is. John 4:16 says:“For God so loved the world
(including the Egyptian people) that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever (you
 and me and everyone else) believes in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Yet it seemed I was being taught Egypt was doomed.

Verse 1---“The Lord rides on a swift cloud” into Egypt and all the idols are moved at His
coming. The Egyptian hearts shall melt in the middle of it all.” Everything they believed in
was destroyed before their very eyes. Then God said He would set the Egyptians against
each other. Their spirit shall fail. He would give them over “ into the hand of a cruel lord;
 and a fierce king shall rule over them.” (verse 4) Sounds like you reap what you sow.
As they had treated the Israelites, so God has treated them.

Verses 5-13 tell all that God was going to do to them. Verse 14 “The Lord has mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work
 thereof…” God even uses evil spirits to humble a once proud nation. They were brought
down low. Isaiah 45:7 “I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil
 The Lord does all these things.”

Verse 16: “In that day, shall Egypt be like unto women, and it shall be afraid and fear
because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of hosts, which He shakes over it.” What is
 going on? They were never afraid before. They were the ones who did all the shaking.
Verse 17 “And the land of Judah shall be a terror to Egypt.”

The story changes from one of fear and destruction to a beautiful future for Egypt just like
it is for us. Verse 19 “In that day shall there be an altar to the Lord IN THE MIDST OF THE
 LAND OF EGYPT”, and a pillar at the border thereof to the Lord.” God stands right in the
middle of sin to rescue those He loves right out of the hands of Satan. Satan has no power
over God’s plans. Verse 20 “And it shall be a sign and for a witness unto the Lord of hosts
in the land of Egypt: for they (the Egyptians) shall cry unto the Lord because of the
oppressors, and HE shall send them a savior And a great one, and He shall deliver them.”
Does this excite you as it did me when I first read and understood this chapter? No man is exempt from God’s love and mercy.

Verse 20 tells us that the Egyptians shall know the Lord in those days. They shall make sacrifices to God and make vows and do them.

What a merciful God. But He has to break them and us down first before He can rebuild us
in His image. Verse 22 “And the Lord shall smite Egypt: He shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the Lord, and He shall be entreated of them, and shall heal them.”

Let us back track a little. God’s chosen people weren’t any better than the Assyrians or the Egyptians. They too left the only true God and followed after idols. Read Isaiah 10:5-13.
The topic for this section is “Assyria, the Instrument of God”. God was angry with His
people. Verse 5 “O, Assyrian, the rod of my anger and the staff in their hand is my
indignation.” He used them to bring His people to their knees. Verse 12 “Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the LORD has performed His whole work upon Mount Zion and on
Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of
his high looks.”

Why would God punish someone who did the work He commanded him to do? Verse 13
tells us that the king of Assyria took credit for his own strength to bring about what God intended for him to do. God used him like He uses us. When we do His will, we are not doing it under our own power. We have nothing at all that we can boast about. God gives us the gifts necessary to do what God wants done. He can also take them away and give to someone else to accomplish the work if we don’t do it. We are not indispensable.

Now to the gem of the whole chapter. Verses 23-25 “In that day shall there be a highway
out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into
 Assyria, and the Egyptian shall serve with the Assyrian. In that day shall ISRAEL BE THE
 THIRD WITH EGYPT AND ASSYRIA, even a blessing in the midst of the land: Whom the
Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, “Blessed be Egypt, my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance. Proverbs 4:12 comes to mind: “And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him, and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

To sum this up: I get newsletters from Michael Youseff. He is Egyptian. One letter stated
 that he was going to Egypt to preach. Before he left he asked God to give him a very large number of souls.
He was pleased to report that God saved way beyond what he had asked for. God cannot be undone. The Egyptians were eager to hear the WORD. It made it more realistic to them when a brother Egyptian told them about Jesus and the way to salvation.

Great are the wonderful works of the Almighty God. May God bless you.

I see I went by "thesparrow before! Now it's "livingbyfaith"

I'm in pretty good shape now.  I can't jump over hurdles or anything like that!   lolol  Soon I want to go to "Silver Sneakers"  an exercise group for senior citizens.  My doctor will let them know what I can or can't do.

The Holy Spirit let me know I have to do more posting now.  I was going through all my note books to see what all I did write.  I found one book with "Mini-Sermons" I wrote long time ago when I used an old regular typewriter!  I was a waitress.   I witnessed to one of my customers.  When he was leaving he said "Thanks for the Mini-Sermons. Thus they were born.  Wrote what is needed to get saved. 
A 94 year old Jewish man read them.  I wrote 6 series.  At the end of that I had a place to sign if you accepted Jesus.  His driver told me that he did sign it!!!  PTL!  Shortly. after he died.

Now I believe God wants me to post them again.

Question How do I start a blog so I can put them all on there---with a place to put comments?  The rest of my life is cut out for me.  However long God will let me live.


God bless you.
  Never give up no matter what befalls you.

This will be an overall picture of what is happening in the world today. In my many years (I am 80 now) I have seen the changes that have come about.  In the very busyness of merely living everyday lives, the changes kind of crept in and the world followed, including me.  And you, too.  Think about it.
The story of the “dry bones” came to mind.  When I first heard the song about “Them bones, them bones, them dry bones” I thought it was just a fun song.  Didn’t know it was a story in the Bible. It was a good story of how the bones were connected.  Read Ezekiel37:1-14 to get the whole intriguing story.  It’s about the people of Israel.  I will explain more about it but in a modern way.
I will start when the Pilgrims first came to the new land because they wanted religious freedom.  Everything was based on the Bible, the Word of God.  Laws were made according to it.  The Ten Commandments were a must to follow.  The Bible was a learning tool for reading and writing.  Most people believed in the God of the Bible.  There were always some who didn’t. 
People prayed as a family.  They turned to God and the Bible when they needed guidance.  It was not a perfect time any more than it is now.  Each generation had it’s own problems to contend with.
It had its own dangers.  I wasn’t there so I can’t pretend to know just how it really was.  Would I have been a survivor in that wilderness that needed tamed?  Would you? 
Isaiah 5:20-21Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!  Woe for unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight.”  A group of people who hated God, decided it was unconstitutional to mix church and state.  Then it was a woman’s privilege to decide if she wanted to keep her baby; conceived in sin, or get rid of the hindrance.  The fetus is not a baby yet, just a piece of matter is their argument.
No prayer in school or public places allowed. “Human rights “was invented to take away the rights of those who wish to follow God’s laws.  The God-ordained family is being broken down.  Two men or two women can adopt an innocent  baby and it is called a family. How far will that child go to call evil good?  I think you get the picture.  We are in the Valley of Dry Bones.  “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will feel no evil: for you are with me, your rod and your staff, they comfort me.  (Psalm 23:4)  Before now , I was only able to see the surface meaning. When I was dying I didn’t have to have any fear.  I see it in a different light now.
We are walking in the valley of the shadow of death as we walk about doing our daily business.
Death (of souls) is all around us.  It is becoming more and more apparent with all the murders committed everywhere.  No place is safe day or night.  Jesus is still giving us the peace he has promised.  He never lets us alone to fight the battles, visible and invisible.
The Valley of the shadow of death is also the valley of the dry bones.  With all the spirituality in the world today (not God’s) and people saying they can float in the air and other occult practices, they wouldn’t be too doubtful about Ezekiel being spirited away.  But I can imagine that when the bones began to come to life, they might get a little scared.  Verse 3 “And He said unto me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered and said: “O, Lord God, You know”.  He had no doubts that God could do anything.  He is the Creater.  IN verse 4 he was told to  prophesy to the bones, saying “O you dry bones, hear the Word of the Lord.”  Wouldn’t we feel silly if we were told to talk to s bunch of old dry bones?  Ezekiel spoke and spoke to the them. 
If a preacher of today dares to preach God’s Word as it is given to him, he would be doing the same.
Our bodies may be sitting in a church but our spirits could be dried out.  The Valley of the Dry Bones are the churches that “preach” a dead sermon to a group of dead people.  They only go because it’s the thing to do.  It makes them look good.  While their spirits are totally dead.   
One Church I had been in the sermon was only about 5 minutes long. People complained because it was too long.  The new thing is we can’t offend any one.  Don’t talk about sin; people will leave.
We need their money to keep the church open and also to feed our own pocket books.  Many churches are becoming like “a den of thieves” Matthew 21:13 “MY House shall be called the house of prayer; but you have made it a den of thieves”. In verse 12, Jesus, in his anger, cast out all who desecrated the House of God. Jesus is the same, to day, yesterday and tomorrow.  Is there any reason to think he wouldn’t do the same today?  It’s ripe to be overthrown.  How long will God keep His anger.
After Ezekiel prophesied to the bones, telling them to listen to what God had to say.  With His own voice, God spoke to them saying, “Behold I will cause breathe to enter into you, and you shall live. And I will bring flesh upon you and cover you with skin, and put breathe in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord.”
Although this relates to a backslid Israel’s restoration with God, it can apply to God’s people everywhere.  John 3:16 “For God so loved the whole world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  God’s breath entered into us when we accepted this wonderful promise.  We were dead in sin and just like those dry bones.  With the acceptance we received everlasting life.  The blood of Jesus became our covering.
Verse 7: “So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.  Everything fell in place as God said.  “But there was no breath in them.” Verse 9 “Then said He unto me, “Prophesy unto Me: “Prophesy unto the wind, thus says the Lord God: come from the four winds, o Breathe, and breathe upon these slain that they may live.”
The Holy Spirit is the wind that gives breathe.  It is a refreshing wind as I have experienced one day. It was a cold day, rainm snow and ice blowing strong in all directions at about 60 miles per hour.  Instead of looking for warmth and protection from the wind, I was exhilarated by it.  To add to the excitement, I looked toward the river and saw pure white seagulls flying around in all directions away from and into the wind.  If I would have had wings I would have joined them!  It was something I will never forget.
 I got the full force of what the Holy Spirit does in our life.  The gulls seamed to be enjoying their “play”. When the Holy Spirit blows into our face, He is refreshing us.  When He blows behind us, He is helping us to keep going even when we feel we can’t take another step.  He gives us life all around us.
In versed 11 & 12 , the bones (newly constructed house of Israel) say they are dried up and don’t know it.
Ezekiel prophesized again as God told him to do.  “Thus says the Lord God, “Behold, O My people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.”   Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives. And of recovering sight to the blind, to set at liberty, they that are bruised.”
Although we may think we are alive and well, without Jesus we are already in our graves and only He can get us out of them.  We are the poor who don’t receive the richness of God’s love and mercy.  Why are so many people unhappy most of the time? They don’t know Jesus.Until Jesus delivers us,we are still captives of Satan. We are blind to the truth of God until Jesus restores our sight.
At last we are liberated from the bruises received by the evil one. Our dry bones become alive.  We become fully dressed in the robes of righteousness.  We breathe the fresh air of the Holy  Spirit---no more pollution.
THE VALLEY OF THE DRY BONES is no longer a threat.  Praise the Holy Name of Jesus!  God bless you.
 

John 14:26 “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

Before you can remember something, you have to have heard or read it somewhere before. It may have been in your mind for a long time but it was pushed way back when other things filled your mind. Just one word may let you pull the thought out of your memory bank. It will seem like just yesterday that it was fresh.

What do we have to remember? We weren’t with the disciples but Jesus told them: “Whatsoever I have said unto you.” How can we remember what Jesus said? We weren’t there. We go to the scriptures in the Bible. Before we can remember anything in the Bible, we have to have read it first-maybe several times before it sinks it. Often we didn’t understand it at first because we weren’t ready for it yet. So the more you read the Bible, even when you don’t understand it, the more memories are stored in your mind. When you need that very thing, the Holy Spirit will remind you.

II Timothy 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” This includes the Old Testament. II Peter 1:19-21 “We have also a more sure word of prophesy---Knowing this first that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (Strong Concordance 5012---prophesy---to speak by inspiration {in prediction---foretell a future event} or simple discourse---communication of ideas or information---Webster’s dictionary.)

The Holy Spirit can either give a prophesy of something that will happen in the future (as told to the prophets of old. The Holy Spirit wasn’t living in them yet.) or give understanding of the scripture to someone who can interpret the matter on hand; whether it is a doctrine, reproof, correction,or instruction in righteousness. These are all guidelines to a holy life.

John 14:16 & 17 “And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it sees him not, neither knows him: but you know him, for he dwells with you, and shall be in you.”

I John 2:27 “But the anointing which you have received of him abides in you, and you need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teaches you all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it has taught you, you shall abide in him.”

Even when someone does give an interpretation of a scripture, and some do need
help in understanding, don’t just take his word as truth without checking it with the scriptures. Don’t take my word either. Being the imperfect creatures we are, we can make a mistake when we let our own ideas take the lead. But believe me; the Holy Spirit will let you know when you are wrong if you are open to his correction. I keep learning. That is what we are all to be doing instead of becoming stagnant, thinking we know it all. I told my daughter-in-law after I had been a Christian for awhile, that the more I learn the less I know. I thought I had all the answers. No one ever has all the answers at once. We keep learning as we go. She got angry and said she thought I was more spiritual than that. I just let it go.

John 16:12 “I have yet many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now.” Jesus taught them in parables of things they were familiar with. Same with Nahum 2:3 “The chariots would rage in the streets, they shall jostle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like lightening.”

Our chariots are automobiles that run like lightening. Road rage is running rampant; some even running into others who get in the way. What is the big rush? We live in the “instant this or that; no patience to wait. Nahum would think you were crazy if you talked about this. No way could he understand such a precept.

The writers of the Bible (old and new testaments) had a difficult time getting all the facts that they were told to write on scripts but they were persistent. If I had to write this in the same way, I might have given up and say forget it! It takes me about an hour for each page I write, what with looking up the scriptures etc. Imagine how long it took them to write whole books.

No wonder Jesus told the Apostles they couldn’t bear it. What did they know about typewriters then word processors and now computers? So it takes me one or two hours to write, yet in about 2 seconds it can be sent all over the world and translated into another language at times. With all this technology, many prophecies become understandable now. We may not know exactly how they will come about but we are aware they could be possible.

John 16:13 “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into ALL truth; for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear; that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.”

With television, we see events while they are happening. I was born before T.V. I was 18 when I saw my first one---all of 7” and in black and white. We now sit in the comforts of our home and watch an actual war going on.  Nothing is kept from us.

In conclusion should we be amazed when the Holy Spirit shows us things that are to come? May God help us to be ready for the return of Jesus. It may be sooner than we think. We have to live our life as if he is on his way this very minute; that God, the Father has told him it is time.

God bless us as we try to understand and accept His WORD as truth without interference by man. Revelation 22:18-20 “For I testify unto every man that hears the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of this book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. He which testifies these things says, “Surely, I come quickly. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Hearing a lot of sermons, I may think they were great but in such a short time I forget what it was about. On rare occasions I hear one that really impresses me and I don’t forget it. Today I heard such a one. It planted a small seed in my mind which led to this article I am writing. One idea led to another until the Holy Spirit led me to this topic.

I don’t try to copy the whole sermon but something he said struck me like lightening. It was about there being only two types of religion---one of works and one of grace. Many churches today think that by doing good works and lots of them, they will get to heaven. Grace is too high of a concept to grasp.

It is man’s ego and desire to be in control of his own life. He may say he believes in God as long as God doesn’t interfere in his own plans. God is only there to pray to when he gets into a jam he made for himself.

The meaning of grace (Hebrew) is “to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior, to bestow”. In Greek, it means “the divine influence on the heart, and it’s reflection in the heart”. Both are great meanings. This grace can and does change lives when we accept God’s gift. Some may take offense in the thought that they are inferior to any one. They elevate themselves high in their own eyes. This is why pride is mentioned so much all throughout the Bible; old and new Testaments.

One meaning of pride is another amazing thing. In Greek it says “to envelop with smoke or to inflate with self-conceit. Also “the verb: to make a smoke; that is to slowly consume without flame.” When we think only of ourselves and how wonderful we are,
we become slowly burnt up by our own importance that nothing can penetrate through that smoke. God can’t even get through to us. We just won’t let Him in.

Grace is God bestowing us with gifts He wants us to use for His glory, not our own. He is all kindness to give us all these gifts. None are worthy to receive them.
In Matthew 8:8, the centurion humbly realized just how inferior and unworthy he was that Jesus should even enter his home to heal his sick servant. When Jesus said he would come and heal the servant, “the centurion answered and said: Lord I am not worthy that you should come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.” He had no doubt at all that this could happen. Verse 10 “When Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said to them that followed, Verily, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel”.

Where did this strong faith come from? Man does not receive it under his own power. It is a special gift from God. He did not give it to him because he was better than anyone else. The man used that gift. He probably never wondered where it came from or how great a gift it was. Just his declaration of his belief will be remembered by those who followed Jesus. Jesus made sure they did. Only one man of faith in all of Israel???

He was also given the gift of leadership. He could command someone to do something and they did it. I could tell someone to do something and they would just ignore me. I do not have the gift of leadership.

The greatest gift God has given anyone is the gift of Salvation. The other gifts are added as God sees fit. We get a touch of these gifts even when young. We all have a tendency to be able to do something special that others may not be able to do; no matter how little or big it is. He knows those who will use them and also those who will waste them. Yet he gives everyone a chance to do something special for Him. But using them for the world and without salvation is useless.

Ephesians 2:8-10 “For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourself: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man shall boast, for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.”

We can’t boast about anything we accomplish. God alone makes us able to perform the job He planned for us to do from the beginning of time. We use these talents individually if only telling others, maybe only one on one, what God has done for us through His Son Jesus Christ. They should see in our life that we are different and want to know more about this wonder worker. Although a preacher stands in a pulpit in front of a few or many, he is no better than the individual nor any more worthy. He is just a man doing the work God gave him to do.

In Corinthians 12:1-11, Paul tells the congregation about the spiritual gifts God gives to His people that will benefit all. Some churches get so wrapped up about these gifts along with all the programs they think is necessary to please God that they forget the very core of “Church” at all and that is to make Jesus the Lord of their life. To give up their own rule and kingdom of self. Busy, busy, busy; too busy to stay with the basics (the roots) and they add their own ideas of what God wants. They may “talk” basics but their heart is not really in them. How many people are not getting “saved” because they think that they will get to heaven by their good works and many programs and much busyness.

In Luke 3:9, John tells everyone who would listen “Bring forth therefore fruits of repentance, and begin not to say to yourselves, we have Abraham to our father…And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees; every root therefore which brings not forth good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire.” The good fruit is the souls that accept the gospel of Jesus Christ and abide by it.

He was mostly talking to the Jews who thought their relationship with Abraham would save them. John dispelled that idea when he said in the same verse “for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.” This is not just for the Jews but any one who believes in Jesus. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him, should not perish but have everlasting life.” We will be in the presence of the glory of God forever. And the Lamb is the light. Revelation 21:23

This is the core and full plan of God for our lives. Nothing else matters. God is all. God bless you as you think about this.

    PTL!  I don't think much of America now.  Then I wonder if I'm being unpatriotic. I was 11 years old to 14 during WW !!  I did all the patriotic things.  What did I know about war? 

I started life as a Catholic.  Got into different cults and mind over matter things.  Just enough to know what they are about and how easy to fall into them when you don't know the Bible.

I did get saved but still wasn't sure what salvation was all about.  Had my doubts but God kept getting me out of all this stuff.  So I do believe I was saved.  I just got enough of the false teachings to know how easily people can fall into their  traps.  I did post "Take One Baby step" on this site if it can still be found. on 12/10/05.  And "Mind Control"  and "Which Spirits are you controlled by"  I have written about 100 articles  since 2000-2003 then my dry spell.  Wrote a few off and off in that time.

I jumped from church to church.  I was not getting fed the truth.  Many were people pleasers.

I finally just found one that teaches the truth.  Just a young man but  with much power behind his voice. If he thinks you don't get it, he repeats it.  Have only been going for 5 weeks now but I go home knowing I've been feed strong meat.  I go home and lay on my bed and feel God's love and presence and much peace like I never had before.

MY grand son goes there so his mother and I visited too.  Their theme for the year is "Crossing the river"  That hit me.  To get there I have to cross a river.  In the end of this month they are moving to a much larger building.  They have to cross to go there.  For confirmation that it was the right move, the next day two preachers talked about crossing the river!
I had gone to that church a few times many years ago when I lived only a few steps to their building.  Don't remember much about it.

Now I found out they had moved many times from a small store front to the new place they are going now.  It kept growing.  Lot of young people go there.  Very modestly dressed and very polite.
The young boys and men are the same. 

I've been criticized for changing churches so often.  When I find one that is preaching the truth that is where I'll stay.

I have so much on my mind about the way this world is going.  Even wrote some prophetic articles which I didn't quite understand much.  Now it it getting clearer to me.  I posted "Blessed Be Egypt MY people" on here too.  It didn't make sense to me at the time but I had to write it as the Holy Spirit led me.

Getting tired now.  You will see a lot of me.   God bless you.  Keep writing like you do.

Your sister in Christ, Joan

 ;)Don't ever go back to see what you have done or where you have been online.   I've been doing that all day to get my records straight of what I have written.  I tried so many sites to get back on.
My name has been changed, so has my passwords and email addresses.  I've done everything they told me to do but I can't reply or post anything.

This is the first one who accepted me as I am!   Some sites have closed.  One man died but life goes on!

I used to go by "livingbyfaith".  Now I am "forgiven"

I believe God wants me to get busy posting.  Time is running out.

Where have I been if anyone has missed me.
What I am going to say is if anyone has had the "black"  period like I did, there is hope and a pleasant future   I got where all I wanted to do was sleep.  I stayed in my room and didn't want to see anyone.  Then I heard about sleep apnea.  I checked with my doctor.  He sent me to a sleep lab.  Was all wired up then went to bed with all that stuff.
The guy who was testing came running back in my room.  I pulled the tube out of my nose and the main plug and all the wires attached to my head. 

I tried to witness to him while he was putting the wires on me.   He believed that being a good person would do it.  I told him no and why not.

MY diagnosis ---I was in a deep depression.  The second time he was afraid I was going to die.
I said it was all right with me.  I knew where I was going.

I went home and had an oxygen machine for company mostly when I slept.  I couldn't use the cpap
 
I get claustrophobia.  Had tubes up my nose-quite uncomfortable.

Was feeling a little better after 2 months and wanted to walk up town ( a steep hill)  Tested it with a thing hooked on my finger.  A week later the doctor's office called and said I didn't need it any more!  PTL.   2 weeks later I had a slight heart attack.  Back in the hospital for a few days.

I learned a lot from these incidents.  Before all this I thought I was in control of my life and didn't need any help.  God showed me differently.  While the room was spinning in and out and going around in circles, I managed to get to my door to see if any one was around.

God sent two people to take care of the details of getting me to the hospital.  I tell them they are my angels.  Barb walked me to the front room while Janet called the ambulance.  Then Janet found a male nurse who was in the building.  He took my BP until they carried me out to the ambulance.
I wanted them to call my kids but they didn't listen to me.  Something shot way high on my way to the hospital.  Even waiting for my kids to show up, I could have been dead.  God still wanted me around.  Have much work to do yet.

I was put on all kinds of meds.  In a short time I was taken off cholseterol meds.  It was good.  One of my blood thinners and BP meds.  They are good.

This week I was moving furniture around and doing a thorough cleaning for the high rise inspection in a couple weeks!  I got tired and achy but who wouldn't?   lol


From 2003-2006 I was in a depression.  My thinking ability was bad.  Could hardly remember much of anything.  Just lately I began to get my thought processes to work better.  PTL!  Doing crossword puzzles is helping a lot.

   God had it all planned!  I was always a very negative person.  These were the experiences that made me grow up!  This lost time was clearing out all the negative things in my life.  I can look back now and see that I really had a great life.  I did a lot of interesting things.  I just made up my mind not to enjoy them much!

I'm meeting people from my past.  They remind me of the good things and people who helped me when things were bad!  Was never alone.  God was with me even though I didn't know him yet.   

You can wake up now!  All I have to say for now.  God bless you all.  It's great to be back here.

   You are confusing me.  All that tech stuff.  I'm 78 and been online since 2000.  When I think I know what I'm doing things change or I have to get a new puter.  I'm hard on them!

If you are confused I used to write with the name "livingbyfaith" .  When I tried to get on I forgot my old password so came on with a new id and password'


 

Even when we are worried about a bad situation, our head knows that God takes care of all our needs. Do we believe in our hearts that He will actually do it? We may have doubts especially when it seems to be taking forever for Him to show His hand. It feels like almost an eternity. When He does finally step in, we are amazed that He was just in time! We are also amazed at how He accomplished it.

When we try to help Him and push things ahead a bit, we surely can mess His plans up. While He works His plans, He is always teaching us patience and building up our faith. How much faith and patience do we have when we feel our whole world is crumbling around us? God does test us in the middle of our devastating situations. Nothing is too hard for God.

Genesis 18:14-15a When the Lord told Sarah she would have a child when she was past child-bearing age, she laughed. It seemed to her like a funny impossible thing. The Lord spoke to Abraham and said: Is ANY THING too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee….” If God could cause Sarah to have a child when she was too old, why couldn’t He perform miraculous feats for us? God is the same yesterday, today and always. He can still do the impossible.

I am going to tell you my experiences when God rescued me just in time. This related to about 4 times I had to move and didn’t know what to do. Money was a major issue. This all came to my mind when a woman told another lady that our High Rise where I live will be sold in about a year.

At an earlier meeting we were told it would happen. The company owning it was bankrupt. She also told us if we think some things are bad now, it will be worse when someone else takes over. This place was originally for Senior Citizens and was pretty safe. Then questionable and younger people began to move in.

Another meeting, we had a speaker who dealt with drug problems and such. Our little town used to be pretty safe. He told us not to believe it. There was a lot of drug activity in the town and also in our High Rise. He told us to keep our doors locked at all times. He also said the drug lords are moving into small towns and everywhere.

Psalm 91 is my favorite scripture “He that dwells in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Verse 5 “Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor the arrow that flies by day.” Read it all. This kept me going when I lived in a really bad area, rampant with crime. There were two murders only a half block from me in two different directions. I slept soundly through it all; not even aware anything bad was going on. God was protected me.

I lived through more then that in other places so I know God will take care of me. What concerns me most is the money side of it. I won’t want to stay here if the place is sold and it gets bad. I can’t afford to stay anywhere else. I am then reminded of the times God found me reasonable places to live when I wasn’t even planning to move. He moved me unexpectedly and always just in time. I have to stand on the strength of those times and know God will do for me what He did before.

During my bad times, I was so disgusted,I walked off my job, packed up the little I had and moved to an unknown place with very little money and no job prospect. I wasn’t even saved yet but God still kept His eyes on me. He knew where I would be today and I would write about my bad and sometimes scary experiences.

I was fired from my job because I had to be away one day but was too early to report off. She was looking for an excuse to do so. She didn’t like me because I was a Yankee. She gave me my final pay. It was just enough to rent a motel room for a week and get a few non-perishable foods. I felt my life was over. I would die or become a bag lady.

I remembered a couple who used to try to get me and my husband (I left him because of his drinking) to go to church with them. I called them. They moved me into the motel, took me out to eat and then to their home. They talked to me about salvation. I never heard it before. Sunday morning at altar call, I went up front and accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour.

There was a little grocery and junk store near where I lived. I bought food on charge. Not knowing why but I told her I would pay her as soon as I found another job. I told her but I didn’t believe it. She said there was an eighty year old woman up on the hill that needed someone to stay with her. She was afraid by herself.

This was Wednesday. I went up and was moved into her place by Friday just in time. No job for nine months but I did have a roof over my head and plenty to eat. And my first Bible (Gideon) to keep me constant company. I only had to drive her places she had to go. She was hard to get along with so I stayed in my room most of the time reading the Bible. I had nine months (a new birth!) to realy get to know it.

She bought me some clothes for mine weren’t very presentable but was all I had. This was my first experience I had with God taking over. I did eventually get other jobs.

The second time, I came back to my home area. My last job in the south was at a restaurant in Woolworth’s in North Carolina. I called the same company in Pittsburgh to see if they would hire me. When I got settled I could start working.

I found a place closer to where I would be working. I would only have to take one bus to get to work. It was a good distance. One day as I waited for a bus, a woman asked me if I knew anyone who needed an apartment. After I thought about it, I decided to look at it. It was roomy and the rent was in my range so I took it. God stepped in again and led the woman to ask me.

Five years later I talked to another woman as we waited for a bus. She mentioned where she lived. I asked her just where it was for I lived on that avenue also. I told her the address. She knew it was a garage apartment. She said the place was burnt down about five years ago. That was the time I moved!!! Again God moved me just in time.

It was here where I got raped when I was fifty five years old. I didn’t plan on moving again but I was a bit uncomfortable living there even though my attacker killed himself after he had done the deed. That is another story I have told in “Bless Them Who Curse You”. A woman who took me to church said she didn’t like me to stay there. The front was surrounded by high hedges and anyone could lurk there.

Her daughter had a little cottage for rent, also affordable. I moved there. It was O.K for awhile. In this place I just had to walk a couple blocks to get the bus. They decided to take that section of the route off. I would have to walk 1 ½ miles to get to the regular bus stop. It would be very dangerous when I worked late at night.

When I lived in the 6 room house, I had written Mini-Sermons in 1987 & ’88. I got 200 copies made at a little print shop close to my residence. I passed them out where I worked as a waitress. The people who ran the shop got to know me pretty well. I told her about the possibility of losing the bus route soon and I would have to walk the long distance to get a bus.

She told me she would have an apartment available in about a month or two. It was a big six room apartment above the shop. She had to give the tenant a month to get out. He was selling drugs from there. I moved in there before the buses were taken off in part of the old route. For the fourth time, God was just in time! Isn’t He amazing! He keeps His promises. I retired and moved to the High Rise. The rent was cheaper.

If you are in a bind and are at the end of your rope, remember God will rescue you JUST IN TIME! It will be better than you can ever imagine. I have heard testimony after testimony in my church how God had performed a miracle for them JUST IN TIME. His eye is on the sparrow. Are we any less? Trust Him. He won’t let you down.
God bless you.
 

My daughter Sandy and husband Dale, each got cut 20 hours  from their job.  40 hours a week didn't leave them enough to pay all their monthly bills.
Although it cut me a bit short, I lent her some money to help as much as I could.

For about a week she was so worried and didn't know what to do.  I kept telling her how God always came through for me when I needed money.  It is easy to worry anyway.

My daughter Brenda works at a dental clinic.  IN charge of firing and hiring people plus other jobs.  Just at the right time, a person quit!  Brenda hired her.  Sandy is a good worker and very reliable.  That almost gave her the 20 hours she lost.  She would still have a problem to get caught up.

She worked with a woman at her other job and just mentioned her problem.  The woman is a Christian.  She took a nice sum out of her savings account
and lent it to Sandy!  It had bothered her all night and God told her to lend her the money!  Amazing how God works and always just on time.

As for me, although I lent her some money it did catch me short.  I forgot about a couple bills I wasn't expecting. They had to be paid.
 Which left me completely broke so I thought. 

I maxed out 4 credit cards.  I was able to consolidate them for a smaller payment and the interest was cut in half.  The payments were to come out directly from my checking account on the 11th.  That date passed and it still wasn't taken out.  I thought I had to pay it on my own.  Called the bank.  A sigh of relief.  The first payment isn't due until the 11th of July and not June!  PTL.  I was able to pay all my bills with a lot left over!.

God is so good.  He helped both of us.  He doesn't half do anything!  Thank you LOrd