Newsletter - Full Gospel Mission

FULL GOSPEL MISSION

887 W. Spruce Ave., Ravenna, OH  44266

Rev. Barbara A. Davis, Pastor

 

October 21, 2012 PASTOR PEN: An old Paul Harvey story is about a man by the name of Ray Blankenship. One morning as Ray was preparing his breakfast he heard the terrified cries of a little girl. As he looked out his window he saw her being swept away in the rain-flooded drainage ditch beside his Andover, Ohio, home. Blankenship knew that farther downstream the ditch disappeared into a tunnel underneath a road and then emptied into the main storm drain. Ray dashed out the door and raced along the ditch, trying to get ahead of the sinking child. Then he jumped into the deep, churning water. Blankenship surfaced and was able to grab the child’s arm. Only a few feet away from the culvert Ray’s free hand felt something--possibly submerged tree limb— He clung desperately, but the tremendous force of the water tried to rip and tear him away from the child. “If only he could just hang on until help comes," he thought. But he did better than that. By the time fire-department rescuers arrived, Blankenship had pulled the girl to safety. Both were treated for shock. On April 12, 1989, Ray Blankenship was awarded the Coast Guard’s Silver Lifesaving Medal. The award is fitting, for this selfless person was at even greater risk to himself…, thinking solely on the need of others. Because Ray Blankenship could not swim. And now you know the rest of the story.  Learn this lesson: Hearing God speak Will Challenge Our Comfort Zone. Ray could have said, “I don’t want to get wet. I don’t want to ruin my breakfast. I don’t want to risk my life,”  BUT God’s voice was unmistakably clear! When Ray heard the terrified cries of the little girl and looked out and saw that little child drowning in the water there is no way that anyone could misunderstand what had to be done!  This is God changing hears into doers---"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only" James 1:22 (KJV) FALL FESTIVAL-- OCTOBER 27--Food drive at Center of Hope   Thank you bakers, and sellers (Susan, Renee, Barbie K., Mary)  of cookies, it was a success—a special thank you to David W.D.II for helping before school to set up the sale.  Also to Lucy and Eli for helping to sell cookies, Cookie on sale tonight for a special $3.00 price—I’ll see you there!!!! (P.S.  Thanks Charlie D for the coffee!) Thanks Cara!!!

PRAYER LIST: Axel Bradeck---illnesss   Devria St.Aubin---health           Hazen Ministries            ALL MILITARY---Zac&Shawn          Center of Hope      Miss Jenny B. and Dennis—recovery----strokes         RC & Esther—health       Rev. Mike Bonecutter       Dale and Sheila & Family—jobs/home     Anne C.          Rev.’s Opdyke & Rev. Beaver---both lost  spouse  Rev. Donnie Turner—health   Rev. Mack Turner—health       Sister Rachael & Church          Calvary Crusade     FGCC/Radio& Ministers       Sister Helen Ballew              Arthur Wilson—health  Will & Amber—baby health         Barb K—job          Jeff & Shelby---jobs/home    Rev. Charles & Sue Herron     Steve W—health/broke leg      Linda Weber Grieving families—especially as the Holiday approach   COME QUICKLY LORD

 

FOOD FOR THOUGH----Two friends were walking through the desert.  During some point of the journey, they had an argument. And the one friend slapped the other one in the face. The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand, today my best friend slapped me in the face.

 

      They kept on walking, until they found an Oasis, where they decide to take a bath. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and started to drown, but the friend saved him.  After he recovered from the near drowning, he wrote in stone:  'TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE'

      The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, “After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand, and now you write in Stone, Why?'  The friend replied, when someone hurts us, we should write it down in sand, where the winds of forgiveness can erase it away, but when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no winds can ever erase it.

LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND AND TO

CARVE YOUR BENEFITS IN STONE.

 

JOKE: Members of the Methodist women's church circle in one Wisconsin town some years ago were disturbed because a widowed church member and her three small daughters were staying away from services. Finding the reason to be a lack of suitable clothes, the ladies' group corrected the situation in a generous manner.
When the little girls still failed to appear at Sunday school, some of the ladies called to inquire about their absence.
The mother thanked them sweetly for the clothing and explained, "The girls looked so nice, I sent them to the Presbyterian church!"

LWF - Making Your Own Idol

Making Your Own Idol

BIBLE MEDITATION: “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.” Exodus 20:3

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
What is an idol? A man takes his own ideas and puts them into the work of his hands, and then he begins to worship it. What he is really worshiping is himself.

You may say, “Well, I’m not guilty of idolatry.” Let’s just see...is there anything that you love more than God? Anything you fear more than God? Anything you serve more than God? Anything you trust more than God? Am I getting hot?

You say, “Well, I give God a place in my life.” God doesn’t want a place in your life. Then, you say, “Well, I give God prominence in my life.” God despises prominence in your life. God demands preeminence in your life. He will take nothing less.

ACTION POINT:
Is there anyone or anything in your life that takes precedence over God? Confess it and repent of it. Now, put on the throne the rightful Master—the Lord Jesus!

Devotions taken from the messages of Adrian Rogers.

© 2011 Love Worth Finding Ministries | PO Box 38300 - Memphis, TN 38183-0300

LWF - Inclining Our Ears to Hear

Inclining Our Ears to Hear

BIBLE MEDITATION: “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” James 1:22

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Several years ago, the investment firm of E. F. Hutton had a slogan: “When E. F. Hutton talks, people listen.” If only people had this respect and reverence for God and His Word! That is the kind of ear we ought to have for the matchless Word of the living God.

If you do not incline your ear, you might miss something! It has been said that God will not only hold us accountable for what we hear but also for what we would have heard if we had listened.

ACTION POINT:
Do you take notes when your pastor teaches? Maybe it’s time you started. It’s a great tool for those teachable moments during the week with your friends and family.

 Devotions taken from the messages of Adrian Rogers.

© 2011 Love Worth Finding Ministries | PO Box 38300 - Memphis, TN 38183-0300

Bible Quote Jeremiah 29:10

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.    Jeremiah 29:10

Bible Reading Revelation 17:1-18

Revelation 17:1-18

The Woman on the Beast

 ¹ One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters. ² With her the kings of the earth committed adultery and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries." ³ Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. ⁴ The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. ⁵ This title was written on her forehead: MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. ⁶ I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished. ⁷ Then the angel said to me: "Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns. ⁸ The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and yet will come. ⁹ "This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. ¹⁰ They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for a little while. ¹¹ The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction. ¹² "The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast. ¹³ They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast. ¹⁴ They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings--and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers." ¹⁵ Then the angel said to me, "The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages. ¹⁶ The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. ¹⁷ For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to give the beast their power to rule, until God's words are fulfilled. ¹⁸ The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth."

Bible Reading Revelation 10:1-11

Revelation 10:1-11

The Angel and the Little Scroll

 ¹ Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. ² He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, ³ and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. ⁴ And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, "Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down." ⁵ Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. ⁶ And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, "There will be no more delay! ⁷ But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets." ⁸ Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me once more: "Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land." ⁹ So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, "Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey." ¹⁰ I took the little scroll from the angel's hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. ¹¹ Then I was told, "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings."

LWF - A "Know-So" or a "Hope-So" Salvation?

A "Know-So" or a "Hope-So" Salvation?

BIBLE MEDITATION: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
If you think you’re going to get to heaven by your good works, I guarantee you will always wonder if you’ve done enough. You will not have a “know-so” salvation. You will have a “hope-so” salvation. Rather than standing up straight in confidence like an exclamation point, you will be bent over and wondering like a question mark. That is, until you understand that it’s all by grace.

Suppose everybody who wanted to be saved had to run around the block. Some can’t run. What if you had to read a chapter in the Bible to be saved? Some can’t read. But there is one thing that can make the promise sure, and that is grace.

ACTION POINT:
Who can you share this Good News with today? Think of at least one person, and ask God to give you a bold love and a divine opportunity to do just that. We also invite you to download and read “Blessed Assurance” free-of-charge for more insights on the eternal security of the believer.

 Devotions taken from the messages of Adrian Rogers.

© 2011 Love Worth Finding Ministries | PO Box 38300 - Memphis, TN 38183-0300

Bible Quote Ephesians 2:8

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.    Ephesians 2:8

Bible Reading Revelation 11:1-19

Revelation 11:1-19

The Two Witnesses

 ¹ I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, "Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there. ² But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. ³ And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth." ⁴ These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. ⁵ If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. ⁶ These men have power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want. ⁷ Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. ⁸ Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. ⁹ For three and a half days men from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. ¹⁰ The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth. ¹¹ But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. ¹² Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on. ¹³ At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. ¹⁴ The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon.

The Seventh Trumpet

 ¹⁵ The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever." ¹⁶ And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, ¹⁷ saying: "We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. ¹⁸ The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great-- and for destroying those who destroy the earth." ¹⁹ Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a great hailstorm.

Bible Quote Proverbs 3:26

For the Lord will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught.    Proverbs 3:26

LWF - The Sun of Righteousness

The Sun of Righteousness

BIBLE MEDITATION: “But unto you that fear My name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in His wings. . .” Malachi 4:2a

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Since Jesus is the S-O-N of God, He is also the S-U-N of righteousness. Let me tell you something about the sunrise. The sunrise never comes ahead of time, and it is never late. Isn’t that right? The sunrise operates according to the power of God and the authority of God. You can’t hurry it up, and you can’t stop it!

It is the same with the Second Coming of Jesus. He is coming at a time known only to God. You can’t hurry it up and you can’t stop it.

One day the Lord Jesus Christ shall come with trumpet sound. He will pull back the shade of the night and pin it with a star. Then He’ll open the door of the glorious morning of His millennial reign and flood the world with light.

ACTION POINT:
Tomorrow morning, get up with the sunrise and praise God that His timing is perfect—and that He is coming again!

 Devotions taken from the messages of Adrian Rogers.

© 2011 Love Worth Finding Ministries | PO Box 38300 - Memphis, TN 38183-0300

Bible Reading Revelation 14:1-20

Revelation 14:1-20

The Lamb and the 144,000

 ¹ Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. ² And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. ³ And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. ⁴ These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. ⁵ No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.

The Three Angels

 ⁶ Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth--to every nation, tribe, language and people. ⁷ He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water." ⁸ A second angel followed and said, "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries." ⁹ A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: "If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, ¹⁰ he, too, will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. ¹¹ And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name." ¹² This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus. ¹³ Then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them."

The Harvest of the Earth

 ¹⁴ I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one "like a son of man" with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. ¹⁵ Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, "Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." ¹⁶ So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested. ¹⁷ Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. ¹⁸ Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, "Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth's vine, because its grapes are ripe." ¹⁹ The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God's wrath. ²⁰ They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses' bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.

A Good Thing - Gratitude

Theme: Gratitude

Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him– Colossians 3:17

When we consider all that Jesus Christ has done for us (how long has it been since you considered this?), we see that Paul’s instruction is but our reasonable service.
Anyone would recognize the need to thank someone who had given his life to save their own. But when Jesus pays the eternal penalty for our sins before a holy God, a simple and single “Thank you” will never suffice.

Jesus gave up the infinite wealth of heaven and became poor for us, so that we who are poor could find the infinite wealth of heaven. Nothing that he could then ask of us would be too much or too demanding. Whatever you say, whatever you do, Paul says, let it be under the authority—and for the glory—of Jesus Christ.

Let your life, let your words be your expression of gratitude to Jesus. Show the heart-deep appreciation and measureless love that you have for your Savior in the decisions you make, the topics you talk about, and the schedule you keep.

You show how much you really believe the gospel and truly trust in Christ’s sacrifice, Paul says, by the way you respond to Him in your daily life. What does your life say? Is it a vibrant, vocal expression of joy and fulfillment and gratitude to the Savior who gave himself to set you free?

To explore more Bible-based resources visit our website, that "your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ"
and
follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Listen to the Baptist Bible Hour (BBH) broadcast on OnePlace.com

LWF - Thankful in Trials

Thankful in Trials

BIBLE MEDITATION: “Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon His name, make known His deeds among the people.” 1 Chronicles 16:8

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
If you are a child of God, you ought to be able to thank God every moment of every day no matter what happens to you.

Have you ever stopped to thank God for the water that you drink? Did you know that in some countries in the world, the majority of the population doesn’t have reasonably pure drinking water? Millions of people die annually just from water-related diseases.

If you wear a hearing aid, do you ever thank God for that? Some people wish they had a hearing aid.

If you are a student in the midst of final exams, do you thank God that you have an exam to take? There are many who wish they could afford college.

Do you thank God for your next breath?

ACTION POINT:
Take whatever it is that looks like a trial in your life today and thank God for it! Thank Him every time the thought enters your mind to grumble or complain.

 Devotions taken from the messages of Adrian Rogers.

© 2011 Love Worth Finding Ministries | PO Box 38300 - Memphis, TN 38183-0300

Bible Quote 1 Samuel 16:7 & Proverbs 3-31-32

For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.    1 Samuel 16:7

 
Do not envy the oppressor,
And choose none of his ways;
For the perverse person is an abomination to the LORD,
But His secret counsel is with the upright. Proverbs 3:31-32

A Good Thing - Call to Worship

Theme: Call to Worship

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men– Luke 2:14

At first glance, this is one of the strangest scenes in the Bible.

Angels appear to shepherds, in the middle of nowhere. Heavenly messengers announce the advent of the Messiah, proclaim a cosmic call to worship, and declare peace on earth — not in the halls of Caesar or the temple of the Jews, but in a grass field and to a ragtag group of socially ignored, insignificant, unnamed sheep herders.

This would be like the President of the United States giving his victory speech to a handful of farmhands in a corn field. Only this is infinitely more striking. The people of God had been waiting for thousands of years for the promised Christ, who would be called the wonderful Prince of peace.

But what a beautiful reality is here displayed. God in the highest is coming down to take on flesh, and so angels from heaven are heralding it to shepherds. The inexpressible condescension of the Lord is not only announced—it is illustrated.
Jesus Christ came down from heaven to save the socially ignored, the sinful, and the insignificant. He did not just publicize good will toward men: He showed good will, even to the smallest men.

The audience matched the message. The hearers represented the good news.
No wonder, then, that the message included a call for the sinful and the lowly to give glory to God in the highest! The highest is come to the lowest; praise is only appropriate.

 Taken from 'A Good Thing' from crosswalks.com

Bible Reading Revelation 12:1-17

Revelation 12:1-17

The Woman and the Dragon

 ¹ A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. ² She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. ³ Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads. ⁴ His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born. ⁵ She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. ⁶ The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days. ⁷ And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. ⁸ But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. ⁹ The great dragon was hurled down--that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. ¹⁰ Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. ¹¹ They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. ¹² Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short." ¹³ When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. ¹⁴ The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent's reach. ¹⁵ Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. ¹⁶ But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. ¹⁷ Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring--those who obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

LWF - One Plus One Equals One

BIBLE MEDITATION: “Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” Matthew 19:6

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Do you know what’s wrong with many marriages? Husbands treat their wives like a new car. When it’s new, he shows it off; and then when it gets old and the paint fades a little bit, he trades her in for a new model.

Are you a married man? Then you are to satisfy her needs and share your life with her. That means all that you are and all that you have is for her! God’s arithmetic is one plus one equals one! There’s no part of our lives that we do not share.

Are you the strong, independent type? Then you’re not like Jesus, who shared unconditionally and sacrificially with you.

ACTION POINT:
This week, make it a priority to give something sacrificially to your wife. It may be your time. It may be a possession. It may be a word of encouragement that she needs.

 Devotions taken from the messages of Adrian Rogers.

© 2011 Love Worth Finding Ministries | PO Box 38300 - Memphis, TN 38183-0300

Bible Quote Luke 14:11

For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.    Luke 14:11

Decision Making

Theme: Decision Making

We have no might against this great company…neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee– 2 Chronicles 20:12

This is what great leadership looks like! King Jehoshaphat knew that the enemy forces facing his own people were far more powerful than his small army; as he reviewed his options, he also realized there was no human scheme or strategy that could save them.

Rather than blustering or bluffing his way forward, however, he admitted to his own people, and to God, his inadequacy and led them together in this prayer for help.

“We do not have the strength to face this challenge on our own,” they confessed. Have you come to this point in your life, in your struggle? Not where you give up, but where you give up trying to solve and fix and overcome in your own strength, by your own willpower.

“Neither know we what to do.”Have your reached your wit’s end? Have you come to the limit of your own ingenuity or cleverness? Have you reached the point where there really is no light left at the end of the tunnel, no hope of figuring out your own way out?

Then this is the perfect place to say to God, “My eyes are on you, now.” What do you want me to do? Where do you want me to be? Where should I lead my family, my children, my church?

It is when you reach the end of your own rope, and put all your weight on God’s, that you will discover His strength and wisdom to help and to guide and to save.

Taken from 'A Good Thing' from crosswalks.com

Bible Reading Revelation 16:1-21

Revelation 16:1-21

The Seven Bowls of God's Wrath

 ¹ Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go, pour out the seven bowls of God's wrath on the earth." ² The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly and painful sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. ³ The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead man, and every living thing in the sea died. ⁴ The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. ⁵ Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say: "You are just in these judgments, you who are and who were, the Holy One, because you have so judged; ⁶ for they have shed the blood of your saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve." ⁷ And I heard the altar respond: "Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments." ⁸ The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was given power to scorch people with fire. ⁹ They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him. ¹⁰ The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness. Men gnawed their tongues in agony ¹¹ and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done. ¹² The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. ¹³ Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. ¹⁴ They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty.  ¹⁵ "Behold, I come like a thief ! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed." ¹⁶ Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. ¹⁷ The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, "It is done!" ¹⁸ Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since man has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. ¹⁹ The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. ²⁰ Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. ²¹ From the sky huge hailstones of about a hundred pounds each fell upon men. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.

Newsletter - Full Gospel Mission

FULL GOSPEL MISSION

887 W. Spruce Ave., Ravenna, OH  44266

Rev. Barbara A. Davis, Pastor

 

October 14, 2012 PASTOR PEN: A special column this week from a Pastor to his congregation (this month is Pastor Appreciation month) ---10 things your pastor wishes you knew: by Jared K. Henry-Nazarene Pastor   1.  Your pastor has feelings. No seriously, they really do (2) Your pastor needs encouragement. Don't expect a pastor to ask for it, just give it. (3) Your pastor is probably under-paid. . If we do not honor God's spokesperson to the local church; God will not honor the church. (4) Your pastor is under constant spiritual attack. Yeah, they deal with temptation too. (5) Your pastor's spouse has the hardest job in the church. I can't leave this one out. (6) Not everything is the pastor's fault. This is hard to believe, I know. (7) Your pastor wishes he was Superman, but he is lucky to pull off Lois Lane some days. (8) Your pastor is on call 24/7; try to be sympathetic when it comes to his time. Be considerate (9) Quit being so sensitive about EVERYTHING! This is a hard truth to swallow, but your pastor is not sitting around all week thinking of ways to offend you in the sermon on Sunday (10) Don't make your pastor stand alone. If your pastor has really been called of God there will be times he must make a stand for truth. When he does that, your responsibility is to be a supporter of biblical truth. Stand with him. I might be able to add to this list later, but I hope this might give insight to some lay person on how they can better be an Aaron or Hur for their Moses (Exodus 17:10-13). And to any of my current or past congregation members who might think I am talking about them... you bet I am. :-)Top of Form Bottom of Form   RMH Cookie Sale October 19th FALL FESTIVAL OCTOBER 27

PRAYER LIST: Axel Bradeck---illnesss            Devria St.Aubin---health            Hazen Ministries            ALL MILITARY---Zac&Shawn          Center of Hope      Miss Jenny B. and Dennis—recovery----strokes         RC & Esther—health       Rev. Mike Bonecutter       Dale and Sheila & Family—jobs/home     Anne C.          Rev.’s Opdyke & Rev. Beaver---both lost  spouse  Rev. Donnie Turner—health   Rev. Mack Turner—health   Sister Rachael     Calvary Crusade     THE LOST FGCC/Radio& Ministers       Sister Helen Ballew              Arthur Wilson—health  Will & Amber—baby health      Barb K—job       Jeff & Shelby---jobs/home    Rev. Charles & Sue Herron     Steve W—health/broke leg      Linda Weber Grieving families—especially as the Holiday approach   COME QUICKLY LORD

 

I have a prayer request. There's a lady I've known forever. She's very sick. On top of that, she's being abused by those to whom she has given everything..... Lies about her abound, and seem to come from all sides. Just breaks my heart. Seems there's nothing I can do alone but maybe, if we join in and lift her up together, we can heal her. She's well over 230 years old, but way too young to die. Her name is 'America'... And I love her and have always been proud of her. Take time to say a prayer for her - even if it is a short, simple prayer like, “Lord, please heal our land. Amen.” Thanks 

JOKE:   Wrong Patient A man goes into a drugstore and asks the pharmacist if he can give him something for the hiccups. The pharmacist promptly reaches out and slaps the man's face. "What did you do that for?" the man asks. "Well, you don't have the hiccups anymore, do you?" The man says, "No, but my wife out in the car still does!"

The Chaplain Edward Hale, while chaplain of the U.S. Senate, was asked, "Do you pray for the senators?" He quickly replied, "No. After getting to know the senators, I pray for the people." 

THANK YOU BREAKFAST WORKERS—GOD BLESS!!!!!

Bible Trivia Oct 14, 2012

--TODAY'S NOT SO TRIVIAL TRIVIA QUESTION:

Q. According to Acts 13, what was Simion called?

Answer below.

********************
--TODAY'S BIT OF WISDOM/REFLECTION:

God hath given to man a short time here upon earth, and yet upon this short time eternity depends.

-Jeremy Taylor

------------------------------ --FEATURED FUNNY: A couple moved to the country when they retired. One mild winter, they had a bit of a problem with rodents in the garage. So they bought one of those little sub-sonic mouse repellants, the kind you plug in and they emit some kind of sound that drives off mice. The husband was showing it to their neighbor and explaining that it was an animal repellant. He told her that it worked on every thing from mice to elephants. "Really!?" she said, "Mice to elephants, eh." sounding a bit skeptical. "Yes," he replied, seriously. "We've had it here for a couple of weeks now and we haven't had a single elephant in the garage the whole time!" ******************** --ANSWER TO TRIVIA QUESTION: Q. According to Acts 13, what was Simion called? A. Niger. Acts 13:1 Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger...

t.

Bible Quote Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.    Hebrews 4:12

Bible Quote 2 Timothy 1:7

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.    2 Timothy 1:7

True Beauty

True Beauty

BIBLE MEDITATION: “. . . even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” 1 Peter 3:4b

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Are you a woman struggling with the way you look? We all know that women want to be beautiful, especially to their husbands and boyfriends, but so often women think that beauty is found at a cosmetics counter, on a dress rack, or in a jewelry box. Those things are corruptible, and what’s in vogue today is out of fashion when next year’s supermodels hit the runway.

The only thing that will make you more beautiful, day after day, is what you nurture within yourself - serenity.

The ornament of a meek and a quiet spirit is worth far more than even the most expensive jewel you can wear around your neck.

ACTION POINT:
Stand in front of the mirror today. Imagine Jesus by your side, and ask Him to create in you a gentle and quiet spirit of love.

 Devotions taken from the messages of Adrian Rogers.

© 2011 Love Worth Finding Ministries | PO Box 38300 - Memphis, TN 38183-0300

Bible Reading Revelation 7:1-17

Revelation 7:1-17

144,000 Sealed

 ¹ After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. ² Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: ³ "Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God." ⁴ Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel. ⁵ From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben 12,000, from the tribe of Gad 12,000, ⁶ from the tribe of Asher 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000, from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000, ⁷ from the tribe of Simeon 12,000, from the tribe of Levi 12,000, from the tribe of Issachar 12,000, ⁸ from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000, from the tribe of Joseph 12,000, from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.

The Great Multitude in White Robes

 ⁹ After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰ And they cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." ¹¹ All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, ¹² saying: "Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!" ¹³ Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes--who are they, and where did they come from?" ¹⁴ I answered, "Sir, you know." And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. ¹⁵ Therefore, "they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. ¹⁶ Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. ¹⁷ For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

Bible Quote John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.    John 3:16

God’s Plan for the Man

God’s Plan for the Man

BIBLE MEDITATION: “And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.” Genesis 2:15

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
God gave women a nurturing instinct, but God gave men a different gift and task—to dress the garden. God equipped men with a hard exterior to be the providers and protectors, and because of this, men want to be admired by women. I want to be admired by my wife. I get more blessing when she admires me and says, “You are wonderful,” and she gets a blessing when I am romantic, loving, and tender toward her.

1 Peter 3:7 says, “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with [your wives] according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.”

ACTION POINT:
How can you show your wife a little tender loving care today? Now that you’ve thought of something, go do it!

 Devotions taken from the messages of Adrian Rogers.

© 2011 Love Worth Finding Ministries | PO Box 38300 - Memphis, TN 38183-0300

Bible Reading Revelation 8:1-13

Revelation 8:1-13

The Seventh Seal and the Golden Censer

 ¹ When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. ² And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. ³ Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. ⁴ The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel's hand. ⁵ Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

The Trumpets

 ⁶ Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them. ⁷ The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up. ⁸ The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, ⁹ a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. ¹⁰ The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water-- ¹¹ the name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter. ¹² The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night. ¹³ As I watched, I heard an eagle that was flying in midair call out in a loud voice: "Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!"

Newsletter - Full Gospel Mission

FULL GOSPEL MISSION

887 W. Spruce Ave., Ravenna, OH  44266

Rev. Barbara A. Davis, Pastor

 

September 30, 2012 PASTOR PEN: Submitted by Cara Sabo---A MERE SPIDER’S WEB.   The following reflection is from an unknown author and is intended as an encouragement when facing challenging times in your life.   During World War II, a US marine was separated from his unit on a Pacific island. The fighting had been intense, and in the smoke and the crossfire he had lost touch with his comrades.  Alone in the jungle, he could hear enemy soldiers coming in his direction. Scrambling for cover, he found his way up a high ridge to several small caves in the rock. Quickly he crawled inside one of the caves. Although safe for the moment, he realized that once the enemy soldiers looking for him swept up the ridge, they would quickly search all the caves and he would be killed.  As he waited, he prayed, "Lord, if it be your will, please protect me. Whatever your will though, I love you and trust you. Amen." After praying, he lay quietly listening to the enemy begin to draw close. He thought, "Well, I guess the Lord isn't going to help me out of this one." Then he saw a spider begin to build a web over the front of his cave. As he watched, listening to the enemy searching for him all the while, the spider layered strand after strand of web across the opening of the cave. "Hah, he thought, "What I need is a brick wall and what the Lord has sent me is a spider web. God does have a sense of humor." As the enemy drew closer he watched from the darkness of his hideout and could see them searching one cave after another. As they came to his, he got ready to make his last stand.  To his amazement, however, after glancing in the direction of his cave, they moved on. Suddenly, he realized that with the spider web over the entrance, his cave looked as if no one had entered for quite a while. "Lord, forgive me," prayed the young man. "I had forgotten that in you a spider's web is stronger than a brick wall."  Remember that whatever is happening in your life, with God, a mere spider's web can become a brick wall of protection.

PRAYER LIST: Axel Bradeck---illnesss            Devria St.Aubin---health            Hazen Ministries            ALL MILITARY---Zac&Shawn          Center of Hope      Miss Jenny B. and Dennis—recovery----strokes         RC & Esther—health       Rev. Mike Bonecutter       Dale &Sheila & Family—jobs/home     Anne C.-cancer          Rev.’s Opdyke & Rev. Beaver---both lost  spouse  Rev. Donnie Turner—health   Rev. Mack Turner—health   Sister Rachael     Calvary Crusade     THE LOST FGCC/Radio& Ministers       Sister Helen Ballew              Arthur Wilson—health  Will & Amber—baby health      Barb K—job       Jeff & Shelby---jobs/home    Rev. Charles & Sue Herron     Steve W—health/broke leg      Linda Weber Grieving families—especially as the Holiday approach   COME QUICKLY LORD

In honor of Last week’s PA day --Good News and Bad News For a Pastor

Good News: You baptized seven people today in the river. Bad News: You lost two of them in the swift current.

Good News: The Elder Board accepted your job description the way you wrote it. Bad News: They were so inspired by it, they also formed a search committee to find somebody capable of filling the position.

Good News: Your women's softball team finally won a game. Bad News: They beat your men's softball team.

Good News: The trustees finally voted to add more church parking. Bad News: They are going to blacktop the front lawn of your parsonage.

Good News: Church attendance rose dramatically the last three weeks. Bad News: You were on vacation.

Good News: Your deacons want to send you to the Holy Land. Bad News: They are stalling until the next war.

Good News: Your biggest critic just left your church. Bad News: He has been appointed the Head Bishop of your denomination.

Good News: The youth in your church come to your house for a surprise visit. Bad News: It's in the middle of the night and they are armed with toilet paper and shaving cream to "decorate" your house.

FUNDRAISER BREAKFAST OCT 13 8:30 AM --------- FELLOWSHIP AT BRO WHALEYS 6 P.M.

Prayer

Prayer
I prayed to the God of heaven– Nehemiah 2:4

There are numerous points of interest to this prayer.

First, notice the context of it. It is not a quiet bedroom, or a crowded church pew, or a scenic nature spot — Nehemiah prays to God in the middle of a conversation with his king!

Nehemiah knew he needed to choose his words, and requests, well and so He fires a prayer to heaven even as he converses with his employer and ruler…and God answers it! Remember this next time you think you are too busy to ask God for help, or direction, or protection.

Notice to whom Nehemiah prays. He prays to the God! While living in a pagan land, surrounded by idolatry and hedonism, Nehemiah clings tenaciously to the one true and living God. Likewise, countless counterfeits are offered for true religion today, many of them just reworking age-old Eastern paganism.

But remember this lesson from Nehemiah: there are millions of gods to which you can pray, but only one God Who answers.

And this God is the God of heaven. He not only answers prayer, but has the strength to fulfill needs, move hearts, change circumstances, and forgive sins. Only the God of heaven, who rules sovereignly over earth, is worth praying to.

Last, and just as important, we notice that Nehemiah says it was I who prayed. He did not rely on his parents, or prophets, or anyone else’s religion. He personally pursued the God from whom he hoped to receive answers.

Have you prayed to the God of heaven today? You are never too busy to pray, and He is never too busy to hear and answer.

Taken from A Good Thing - Daily Devotionals from Baptist Bible Hour