.: *~*Prayer Requests for 12/18/2009:

Cross found on all donkeys' backs?

Some donkeys (often called Christian donkeys) have a narrow strip of dark hair that runs down their backs and each of their shoulders. These markings are in the shape of a cross. Like the color traits of other animals (such as zebras), we don’t know exactly why these donkeys have this cross. But, it does show the wonderful variety among God’s creatures.

There is legend that the crosses on these donkeys appeared after Jesus rode one into Jerusalem (read Matthew 21:1-11). There is no evidence that this is true. The dark stripe in the form of a cross was a trait in these donkeys long before Jesus lived. However, the fact that Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem is very important. It fulfilled a prophecy that was spoken 500 years before Jesus lived, and showed He was the Messiah (read Matthew 21:5 and Zechariah 9:9).

Dear Prayer Partners

Please remember the following needs and requests in prayer:

1} President Obama and his advisors

2} the men & women serving in our armed forces and their families

3} Bobby- a missionary in Haiti who was flown back to the states with a broken back

4} Holly- recently gave birth to a son

5} Hailey- has Hodgkin’s lymphoma and is unable to work due to it

6} Margo- recovering from a stroke

7} Dan- has Leukemia & an inoperable brain tumor, the tumors in his stomach and lung have been removed successfully

8} Christine- recently gave birth by an emergency C-section and her new son is in critical condition

9} Living Waters A/G looking for a youth pastor with a vision to reach the youth

10} Dennis- having problems breathing

11} The Holm Family- death of a loved one from cancer

12} The DeRien Family- death of a loved one

13} The Fraley family- death of a loved one

14} Eugene- is battling cancer

15} Schimmica- husband is having an affair

16} Kevin- has some serious dental problems and is recovering from emergency oral surgery

17} Faith- is hospitalized after a heart attack and partial amputation of right foot, has a serious infection in heart, lungs and kidneys and is back on dialysis

18} Chantella- is expecting her 1st baby in the spring

19} Julianne- having difficulty with her pregnancy

20} Marc- family problems

21} Tom- problems with weight control

22} Achan- has HIV, an infection in her lungs and gall bladder is shutting down

23} Rick- has bulging disc in his back

24} Noah- a toddler having complications from heart surgery, has a very high fever

25} Frank- fighting depression

26} Gloria- hospitalized after passing out at work

27} Chaplain Sam- recovering from eye surgery

28} Chaplain Jay- preparing for a missionary trip to Uganda next year

29} For all the unspoken and personal requests that people have

30} For us at Highway Mission Outreach that we will continue have the doors opened to share the gospel and the needed finances to carry out the ministry of the mission and as we plant The Cross-Roads Chapel

31} For Michael Frankland, Gill Ainsworth, Mark Ainsworth, Tracy Ainsworth, Tony Wood, Eileen Walsh, and Elaine - break down strongholds in their lives

Opening Our Hearts to God

Psa. 19:14 - May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable before You, O Jehovah, my rock and my Redeemer.

Acts 13:22-23 - And when He had deposed him, He raised up David for them as king, to whom also He testified and said, I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man according to My heart, who will do all My will. (23) From this man's seed, God, according to promise, brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus.

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Both of the above passages are related to David. Psalm 19:14
is a prayer of David, while Acts 13:22-23 is a description of
David. In David's prayer, there are the “words of my mouth”
and the “meditation of my heart,” or the thoughts of the
heart. He prayed that he would not only be kept in his words
outwardly, but also be acceptable to God in his thoughts
inwardly. The words of the mouth are an expression of the
thoughts of the heart. The heart is the root problem.

Whether or not one outwardly says the right words is not the basic problem. Whether or not one has an outward attitude in his speaking that is right is also not the basic problem. The
thoughts of the heart are the basic problem. The thoughts of
the heart constitute the root problem and cannot be overlooked. David did not merely pray, “God, may the words of my mouth be acceptable before You.” He added to the prayer, “May the meditation of my heart be acceptable before You.”

David's prayer was for the thoughts of his heart to be
acceptable before God. This is why Paul could later testify
that David was a man according to the Lord's heart. A person
who is according to God's heart allows God to touch his heart. If you will not allow God to touch your heart, it will be hard for you to be one who is according to His heart.

Many Christians ask, “Why is it wrong for me to do this? Why
is it wrong for me to say this? Why is it wrong for me to
express myself this way?” Brothers and sisters, whether or
not you are doing the right thing, saying the right thing, or
expressing yourself the right way is not the real problem.

Rather, is your heart right when you are doing such a thing,
saying such a word, or expressing yourself in such a way?
What is the condition of your heart? What is the condition of
the root? Even if you are right in every outward thing, it is
still possible for your heart to be wrong. God is touching the condition of your heart and asking about it. He allows many winds and waves to beat upon His children for this very reason.

He uses these things to touch your heart and to expose the condition of your heart.

Thy Redeemer

By C.H. Spurgeon

"For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called" (Isaiah 54:5).

JESUS, the Redeemer, is altogether ours and ours for ever. All the offices of Christ are held on our behalf. He is king for us, priest for us, and prophet for us. Whenever we read a new title of the Redeemer, let us appropriate Him as ours under that name as much as under any other. The shepherd's staff, the father's rod, the captain's sword, the priest's mitre, the prince's sceptre, the prophet's mantle, all are ours.

Jesus hath no dignity which He will not employ for our exaltation, and no prerogative which He will not exercise for our defence. His fulness of Godhead is our unfailing, inexhaustible treasure-house. His manhood also, which he took upon him for us, is ours in all its perfection. To us our gracious Lord communicates the spotless virtue of a stainless character; to us he gives the meritorious efficacy of a devoted life; on us he bestows the reward procured by obedient submission and incessant service. He makes the unsullied garment of his life our covering beauty; the glittering virtues of his character our ornaments and jewels; and the superhuman meekness of his death our boast and glory. He bequeaths us his manger, from which to learn how God came down to man; and his Cross to teach us how man may go up to God. All His thoughts, emotions, actions, utterances, miracles, and intercessions, were for us.

He trod the road of sorrow on our behalf, and hath made over to us as his heavenly legacy the full results of all the labours of his life. He is now as much ours as heretofore; and he blushes not to acknowledge himself "our Lord Jesus Christ," though he is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords. Christ everywhere and every way is our Christ, for ever and ever most richly to enjoy. O my soul, by the power of the Holy Spirit, call him this morning, "thy Redeemer."

Prison Ministry:

On Monday evenings, I have the unique priveledge of visiting the Greenville Detention Center. Scripture, bible lessons, tracts, bibles, Daily Breads, bible studies, testimonies, and prayers are shared. Please keep these men in your continued prayers as we continue studying Paul's letter to the Romans: Jonathan, Lenita, David Anderson, Luke Elmore, Eric Hall, Leslie Mashburn, Keith Rollins, Billy, Jared Rhines, Quinton Brown, Jeremiah Hendrix, Chris Osbourne, Jermain Cheech, Quincy Massey, and Leo Clarence.

Thank you for your support and continued prayers for these new believers and this ministry!

In His vineyard,

We Shall Worship the Lord!

By John Piper

Do you delight more and more in the majesty and glory of God? Does your heart incline to worship God more consistently and intelligently and earnestly and intensely today than it did five years ago?

Is your love for your brothers and sisters in Christ abounding more and more so that you use your gifts more and more effectively to strengthen their faith and stir them up to love and good works?

And do you feel a greater burden for the lost? Are your prayers for unbelieving relatives and friends more consistent and earnest? Are your efforts to give a reason for the hope that is in you more bold, less ashamed? Are you becoming a world Christian with a zeal for the final mission thrust of the church to reach the hidden peoples?

If you can answer yes, we are making progress as a church. If not, we are failing in those areas. But at least we have goal and a definite Biblical theology behind it.

But it is not new. Listen to the way another pastor and teacher describes the meaning of membership in the church:

Membership, therefore, involves a personal obligation to promote the objects of the body as expressed in the covenant.

These objects are three:

1. The social, united worship of God...
2. The perpetuation and diffusion of the gospel...
3. The sanctification of its own members...

The church, thus comprehensive in its scope, looks upward to God, outward upon the needs of a lost world, and inward to the processes of sanctification in the souls of its own members; the neglect of any one of these grand objects of its organization imperils its whole design.

This is our philosophy of ministry. The quote is from Hezekiah Harvey, who was born in England in 1821 (The Church, 1879, reprint 1982, pp.35-36.). There is nothing modern or trendy about the priorities of our church. They have been around for two thousand years. They are tried and true, and it shouldn't bother us at all that they are not new.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

~Prayer Requests for 12/18/2009:

*~*Prayer Requests for 12/18/2009:

\\\ *** Please Read *** ///

Beginning January 15th, 2010, ownership of Lighthouse Prayer Line will be administered by Francois Putter (Bloemfontein for Jesus).

Bloemfontein for Jesus is an Interdenominational Christian Mission, started during October 2008 for the purpose to unite the Church of Christ through Cell Ministries, Bible Study Groups, Prayer Actions and Evangelical Outreaches to all nations around the world.

The idea to begin a Ministry like Bloemfontein for Jesus started way back in 1995 when I decided to finally give myself in full-time service to the Lord Jesus Christ.

The moment I was baptised, I started to pray to the Lord to give me a vision on what my personal purpose is on earth.

The Lord shown me that there are many people online who do not have any other way to learn about Him than to be actively involved in an Online Ministry.

I have told the Lord: “Lord, there are so many online ministries already active on the Net. I know that you are no Copycat. I know that you created me to have my own unique way to work with other people. Please show me exactly how you want me to work in Your kingdom.”

The Lord shown me in many things He want me to do. This is how Bloemfontein for Jesus started.

This ministry first started as an online ministry to represent the Naval Hill Prayer Mountain Ministry.

The Prayer Mountain is active for the past 7 years, but when I started Bloemfontein for Jesus, I decided to publish some photo’s of the Prayer Group at Naval Hill. You may visit http://bloemfontein4jesus.webs.com/ if you want to see more about us.

Bloemfontein for Jesus is not only an online Ministry. Although we concentrate on online ministries, we also have some cell-groups, Bible Study Groups and Prayer Actions where we have personal contact with fellow Christians.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Anyone who has questions with regard to this ministry, or the future of the Prayer house Ministry after it has been handed over to us, is welcome to send an E-Mail to bfn4j@telkomsa.net and I will answer any questions you have.

Francois Putter

BLOEMFONTEIN FOR JESUS
9 SAREL CILLIERS STREET
HILTON
BLOEMFONTEIN
9301
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA

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Join the ranks of today's centurions as they reconcile people to Jesus while releasing the Truth of His Word to a corrupt culture: www.BreakPoint.org

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***REQUEST***

If you are a regular reader/prayer partner, we would be honored for you to post your pic on our link for prayer partners at the top of the sidebar (right-hand side). If you do not have a pic, any icon/clipart can serve as a symbol of your devotion to those requesting prayer. In no way does your inclusion mean that you are endorsing this site or ALL of its content; it simply means you are approaching the throne of Jesus Christ with their pleas in mind. God bless you & thanks for your meaningful work!!

~Mark Seay (LighthousePrayerLine.org)

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"And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:9-10 - NKJV).

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Hi friend,

Please keep the following individuals in your prayers:

1) "God to bless my newborn grandson, Randy, Jr. He was born on Nov. 8, 2009 and is a beautiful healthy angel. I just want to Thank God for the miracle of his birth. And ask that God continues to keep him healthy and strong, today and always, and I will give God the Praise! Thank you!" -Donna;

2) Michele asks for our prayers: "I am 37 yrs old with a husband on disability trying to raise my 15 yr old and 10 yr old and my oldest son who is 20 and his 20 yr old wife with a 10mth old son. I struggle financialy every day. I pray a miracle will happen to me and my family. Please pray a miracle to happen to us.";

3) "I would like for everyone to pray that I, Melissa, will do well with my interview tomorrow so that I will be offered a position with the company that I am interviewing with. I have been facing tough financial times and I am a single mother of my son, David. The prayer that I have said is: May the Lord give me strength and wisdom to help me through this difficult and competetive process. It is only Him that can help me through my tough financial situation, and it is him that I have faith in." -Melissa;

4) Sharon writes: "My son is not sure about his sexuality. He is also hurting himself with objects! We have been going to drs and therapist which are only causing more problems. Please pray for my son and our family that Christ's love can penetrate the confusion.";

5) "Please pray for clear direction and guidance; as I have been struggling with homosexuality most of my life. I have accepted Christ and have been in and out of the lifestyle for years, but I am left confused and pulled in different directions." -Vikki;

6) "Please pray for my nephew. He has decided to try and live the gay lifestyle and when we have talked to him he tells us this is the only way he can find someone to love him. Pray the Lord will give us the right words to share with him." -Ann;

7) Mike & Kim asks for our prayers for David who is in the latter stages of cancer.;

8) "My 23 y.o. son, Jordan, goes back to court 12/15/09. He origionally had two charges, one has already been dropped. I am praying that the other will be dropped. I serve an almighty God, I know all things are possible. I am expecting great things." -Richell;

9) Julie asks for our prayers: "My son is in need of your prayers. He has been employed with a car wash company for 7 years, . In the winter time business slows down, they get paid by commission, first come first serve, so he competes with 5 other men for a vehicle. His wife works as a cashier, she is pd hourly, but she is sent home when business slows down. They dont' get paid if there not there. So this means no money coming in, It cost much more to live in the winter, the cost of heat, cars need more gas etc. So, he came up with an idea to earn more money to make ends meet. He purchased a plow to attach to his truck so he could remove snow. HIs boss said it would be fine, Today, it snowed he was going to take the day off, as discussed, but his other boss, told him NO, even though it had been approved by his boss My son said he seems to always pick at him, so he wrote down what he wanted to get off of his chest, He read it to me & has made some very good points, he said he plans to read it to him, since this man don't like to hear anyone out, He don't want to loose his job. He said he has been praying on this & will pray before he reads it to him. I'm praying and I know I can count on you to pray for him too. There such good hard working caring people who love the Lord. Thank You so very much for being here for me today, We all appreciate your prayers, I pray God will open up his bosses eyes & his heart. God Bless you richly."

10) "Please pray for my mother. God knows what she needs. Thank you." -Sharon;

11) Mechelle asks to be remembered in our prayers. She writes, "I am praying for fertility. My husband and I have been trying to conceive for close to 4 years. I just really believe that God will bless us with a child. I read all the infertility stuff its depressing. I just pray that God will open up my womb, and bless us."

12) "Please pray for the man I love so much and I to come back together as a happy loving respectful caring couple. I miss him dearly and he has seem to run off course. Please help me pray for us to reconnect and reunite very soon." -Brittney;

13) "My name is Pastor Raja Sekhar. I am blessed with wife and three Children. I
have been ministering to the people with the Word of God for 20 years. My ministry has taken place in remote and tribal areas in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, and Orissa in India. I call on you in the name of Jesus Christ please remember my ministry in your precious prayers, and kindly remember my co-pastors and children homes in different areas of remote villages and tribal hill places that has taken place among the poor, and needy tribal people.";

14) "That my job situation improves and that I will have peace of mind." -Linda;

15) AN asks for our prayers: "I offer this prayer for the lonely person seeking God to rescue them. Please, dear Lord, be with this person this instant. Enfold this person in the arms of all your angels, and let them know Your Love immediately, infinitely, and with perfect Faith. Let all the Prayer Warriors bring this person into their hearts, minds, and prayers, and send this person so much positive energy that s/he can almost feel its warmth filling his/her heart. I ask these things in the name of Love, and in the name of Christ, in this holiest of seasons, when no one should feel alone. Amen.";

16) "I would like to request for prayers for a good Christmas with my family. Each year my Christmas has been a anxious one worried about my son who wants to be drinking during the Holidays. If it is not that then it is drama with other family members. I would like prayers for a peaceful and joyfull Christmas with my family. I also ask for prayers for my son, healing for his addictions. Sometimes I wish for a miracle that once and for all he will see the light and change his way of life which includes going back to church. Thank you so much for your prayers." -Jennifer;

17) Tom and Kate ask to be remembered in our prayers: "All the power of god into Tom/Kate in the form of fearlessness/energy/to only need my own hearts approval gods approval/my own hearts.";

18) "My husband and I are going through a possible divorce. I do not want the divorce. I pray everyday about it. Today, I would like to pray that God dwell within me and my home. That He gives me guidance on how to be a better steward of my home, and a more patient mother and wife. I ask that God radiate within me and help me to make those changes that will make me a more attractive partner for my husband. I also, ask that God make the necessary changes within my husband that will allow him to be the husband, father, and home leader that God wants." -Rene; and lastly . . .

19) "Please prayer for salvation for daughters Christina (20yrs) and Nicole (17yrs) and that they may have sister love toward each other. Also for healing for sisters Terry, Mona and Yvonne, they have many aliments (high blood pressure, arthtis, blood disease and other) and brother Mark for healing with drugs and alcohol and salvation for all. As for me, I've given my heart to Christ and faithful tithe. Please pray for financial blessings. Thank you so much and God Bless You!" -NN

**God bless you for caring enough to pray!!!**

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"For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).

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*~*Spotlight Site*~*

http://fitformyking.com/

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Revelations Misunderstood:

http://www.rpi.edu/~sofkam/ISUNY/rev_1097.html

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Suffering Afflictions and Going the Second Mile
By Oswald Chambers

"I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoeve rslaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also" (Matthew 5:39).

This verse reveals the humiliation of being a Christian. In the natural realm, if a person does not hit back, it is because he is a coward. But in the spiritual realm, it is the very evidence of the Son of God in him if he does not hit back. When you are insulted, you must not only not resent it, but you must make it an opportunity to exhibit the Son of God in your life. And you cannot imitate the nature of Jesus— it is either in you or it is not. A personal insult becomes an opportunity for a saint to reveal the incredible sweetness of the Lord Jesus.

The teaching of the Sermon on the Mount is not, "Do your duty," but is, in effect, "Do what is not your duty." It is not your duty to go the second mile, or to turn the other cheek, but Jesus said that if we are His disciples, we will always do these things. We will not say, "Oh well, I just can't do any more, and I've been so misrepresented and misunder-stood." Every time I insist on having my own rights, I hurt the Son of God, while in fact I can prevent Jesus from being hurt if I will take the blow myself. That is the real meaning of filling "up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ. . ." ( Colossians 1:24 ). A disciple realizes that it is his Lord's honor that is at stake in his life, not his own honor. Never look for righteousness in the other person, but never cease to be righteous yourself.

We are always looking for justice, yet the essence of the teaching of the Sermon on the Mount is— Never look for justice, but never cease to give it.

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Grace Being with Our Spirit
By Living Stream Ministry

Phil. 4:23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. 2 Tim. 4:22 The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you. John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

When Paul says, "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit," he means that the supply and enjoyment of the Triune God by and through the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ should be with us. When we have such a supply, we enjoy and experience the Triune God all day long. The spirit here is our regenerated spirit indwelt by the Spirit of Christ. It is in this spirit of ours that we enjoy Christ and experience Him as Paul did. Many Christians today have missed the mark of the regenerated spirit. They speak much about the Holy Spirit, but not of the human spirit. Because of this neglect of the regenerated human spirit, there is very little experience of Christ or enjoyment of the all-inclusive grace.

If we would enjoy the grace which is with our spirit, we need to exercise our spirit. The way to exercise the spirit is to pray, pray-read the Word, and call on the name of the Lord Jesus. Whenever we call on the Lord Jesus or pray to God the Father, we automatically exercise our spirit. ...when we call on the Lord, pray in a proper way, and pray-read the Word, we truly exercise our spirit. Exercising our spirit in this way is the secret to enjoying the grace which is with our spirit. Oh, we all need more exercise of the spirit to enjoy the Lord!

We know that man has three parts: the spirit, the soul, and the body. Bodily exercise is necessary and profitable. When I exercise physically, I sleep better at night. It is hardly necessary to speak of the exercise of the soul, especially of the mind, since this is emphasized so much in the schools. But there is a great need to emphasize the need to exercise the spirit. The church is a spiritual gymnasium where we can exercise our spirit. The more we exercise the spirit, the more we shall be healthy and strong in our entire being. Our physical body will be healthy, our mind will be sober and keen, and our spirit will be energized. Again I say, the exercise of the spirit is the secret, the unique way, to participate in the very grace which is the Triune God as the all-inclusive Spirit. As we enjoy Him, we become healthy and strong in our spirit and in our whole being.

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Communicating God’s Truth
LighthousePrayerLine.org

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20 NIV

Sadly, a lot of people will make a statement like, “That may be true for you but not for me.” Genuine truth is not relative. Nor is it a part-time phenomenon. In other words, if something is true, then it’s always true. Therefore, the rock-solid principles that God has communicated to you should, in turn, be shared with others.

We see this admonition repeatedly in Scripture. In Matthew 28:18-20, the Lord gives us what is known as the Great Commission. This is a charge for all of us who believe: we are to go out and spread the truth about Jesus Christ, teaching others what we have been taught.

Likewise, in 2 Timothy 2:2, Paul instructs Timothy not only to tell others what he has learned, but also to encourage those men to tell even more people. In 2 Corinthians 5:20, Paul even states that we, as believers, are “ambassadors for Christ.” In other words, we are His emissaries to the world.

We are to take what we know and make it known to those we encounter. For what purpose? The passage makes it clear that our mission is to help others be reconciled to God.

How can we ever doubt the urgency of this message? We have a truth to tell, and we must share it!

This week, take the time to write out your faith story, including all the key details. Review this testimony so you’ll feel comfortable and confident sharing it with little or no warning. Then, pray for opportunities to share your faith. This shouldn’t be scary; just tell your story, and trust the results to God.

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VBS 2010: SeaQuest

Diving for God's Treasures!

http://polar.rbpstore.org/2010/

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Many Staged Miracles
By Jill Carattini

They told me to give it three weeks. "Your eyes and your brain are getting reacquainted again," he said. "Your eyesight will fluctuate for the next few days." But less than a week after eye surgery, I was tired of fluctuating. At times my vision was so crisp that it was almost too much for me—like I was somehow seeing more than I should. But this clarity came and went; I was sometimes far-sighted, sometimes near-sighted, sometimes neither very well. Perfect sight was not as immediate as I anticipated.

My experience of Christ is not so far from this. I was given the charge of retelling my story—my journey to faith and sight—the same week I was having trouble seeing. The reflective task of peering into my life, looking at patterns and history with the hope of illumination seemed ironic as I squinted to see my computer screen. But it served as a helpful metaphor. My vision of Christ has been far from immediate. It has been much closer to a fluctuating timeline of beholding and squinting. My experience has been something like the blind man's from Bethsaida. "Do you see anything?" Jesus asked after placing his hands on his eyes. The man looked up and said, "I see people; they look like trees walking around" (Mark 8:23-24). Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. "Then his eyes were opened; his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly" (8:25).

For those of us who want to relate to Jesus as the God of immediacy, two-staged miracles are cumbersome. I don't want fluctuating vision. I am leery of winding roads and long journeys. I want to live knowing that he is the one who makes all things new—now. And he is. But Christ also makes us ready to handle it. God is working that we might be able to stand in the very midst of the one who makes all things new—and apparently we are not always ready.

Seeing apparently takes time. Though undoubtedly, we are slow learners, all too often satisfied with walking trees. "Do you have eyes but fail to see?" It is a question Jesus placed before everyone he encountered. The blind man knew enough not to settle with people looking like evergreens. What he saw with his eyes was something he knew was less than eyes could see. Though partial sight was itself a miracle, the one who touched him—and he himself—had in mind something more.

How interesting, then, that Jesus's two-staged miracle takes place following an exchange with the Pharisees who were looking for a miraculous sign that Jesus wasn't giving, as well as an exchange with the disciples who were in the presence of light itself and yet somehow kept failing to see. Mark seems to be telling us that seeing takes time, that learning to see is a process, but also, that Christ is ever-patient with those who do not see. In our best attempts to consider God, wrote Augustine, we are essentially asking the everlasting Light to "lighten our darkness." Perhaps the miracle of sight is less like a light switch and more like a series of lights God strings together until we can finally see.

Vision, not unlike redemption, is at times a process by which Christ must dazzle gradually. Other times we may find ourselves moved nearly to blindness as we encounter more than we have eyes yet to see. But God is at work in the process, even when we are seeing walking tress. "Do you see anything?" Jesus asks as often we need him, while holding near the well-lit miracle that one day we shall see him face to face.

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Faithful With Much

At a Wednesday evening church meeting a very wealthy man rose to give his testimony.

"I'm a millionaire," he said, "and I attribute it all to the rich blessings of God in my life. I can still remember the turning point in my faith, like it was yesterday:

I had just earned my first dollar and I went to a church meeting that night. The speaker was a missionary who told about his work. I knew that I only had a dollar bill and had to either give it all to God's work or nothing at all. So at that moment I decided to give my whole dollar to God. I believe that God blessed that decision, and that is why I am a rich man today."

As he finished it was clear that everyone had been moved by this man's story. But, as he took his seat, a little old lady sitting in the same pew leaned over and said: "*Wonderful story*!* I dare you to do it again*!"

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"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you" (Philippians 4:8-9 - NKJ).

Be sure to send in your prayer request for the next mailing.

You are in my thoughts and prayers! May the Lord continue to bless you with knowledge of Himself.

In Christ's Love,

Mark Seay
Lighthouse Prayer Line
105 Quincy Drive
Greer, SC 29650
LighthousePrayerLine.org

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body" (Corinthians 6:19-20).

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Anyone who is to find Christ must first find the church. How could anyone know where Christ is and what faith is in him unless he knew where his believers are? ~Martin Luther

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We hope you have found today's newsletter encouraging to your walk with Jesus Christ. Please send all prayer requests and praise reports to us by using the "comments" hyperlink, which can be found at the end of each blog/article. God is Good!!!

A Candle Loses Nothing by Lighting Another Candle. Please Keep This Candle Going!

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(¯`*•.(¯`*•.God is Good - ALL of the Time!!!.•*´¯).•*´¯)
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REMEMBER: We are Transformed by Beholding JESUS!!!

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"If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O LORD, who could stand?" (Psalm
130:3).

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