Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:

I greet you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is my sincere Prayer that you are being Blessed even as you read this email.

One day, three men talking. They were from three different denominations. One was a Methodist, one was a Baptist, and the other was Pentecostal. The M
ethodist said to the Baptist "I live holy," and the Baptist asked him "How would you prove that?" He said "We have a method of praising God, a method of worshiping God, a method of selecting who will pastor as an itinerant elder, a local elder, and who will serve as steward and stewardess, even who will be a trustee."

The Baptist said "Well, I don't agree with what you are saying, we live holy as well. First of all, John the Baptist established the doctrine within our first churches, and he was a prophet and he baptized the Lord Jesus Christ, and he established the first ministerial staff (followers) before the apostles, and he continued to cry in the wilderness 'Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.' And he heard the voice of God say 'This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.' Can't get no holier than that."

The Pentecostal said "Now, wait a minute, we live holy as well. Remember Jesus said to His apostles 'Remain in Jerusalem until you be endued with the power from on high.' And when the apostles were one accord, the Holy Ghost came in as a mighty rushing wind. And the disciples of Christ began to speak in unknown tongues. We don't believe in wearing makeup, we don't believe in the fancy braiding of the hair. We speak in tongues, we believe of the gifts of the Spirit, we believe in apostles, prophets, pastors, evangelists, and teachers. So we feel that we are holier than thou."

Along came a man that once was a drunk, drug addict, and dealt with prostitutes. He had been close enough to hear the conversation, and he said "I may not know much about holiness, but I do know this, without Jesus, there can be no change. And I speak as one that served satan by drinking, drugging, and having promiscuous sex with prostitutes. It was not a method of salvation that saved me, but the Grace of God. It was not the baptism of water that gave me the power to overcome the works of the flesh, I was not delivered on the day of Pentecost, I was delivered on the day that I confessed my sins, realizing that God is faithful to forgive my sins and cleanse me from unrighteousness. No, I don't know much about holiness, but I know in order to serve God, we have to love one another, and what I have just heard from the three of you, the love of God is not shown, the unity is not shown, and the Holy Spirit, which is the witness of the testimony of Jesus (The
Gospel), is not there.

Only God can declare holiness, it is not a method, it is not a denomination, it is not how you dress, but it is living according to God's Word.

I see the three of you pointing at each other, judging each other, which is not of God. How can you make the statement I am holier than thou?

A STRANGE BUT TRUE STORY FROM
BRAZIL
(Give him a place He will shield you)

A girl was going on outing with her two
friends and their three boyfriends, in a
small car.
Then the Mum said to the daughter,
"may God protect you and let Him
move with you"

The daughter laughed in disguise and
replied: "Mum the car is full maybe if
God moves in the boot, let him try
there ."

They then drove and went away. Then
a terrible accident happened, the car
was destroyed beyond recognition, all
who were in died and some of them
were only recognised by checking on
the clothes they wore.
Suprisingly, when the police opened
the boot of a car, they found two trays
of eggs which not even one was
damaged, in that crashed car.

NOTE: If the daughter had invited God
and given him a place in the car, he
would have saved them and no one of
them would be hurt or damaged as he
protected the Eggs in the boot where
he was given a place.

MORAL LESSON:
wherever you're going, whether in
good or bad, call his name and walk
with Him. He will shield you from
everything.

If you're ready to move with God and
you believe he will shield you.

Great lesson for the Christian. Prayer, as well as the other weapons, is a very powerful tool that relieves us in times of stormy blasts; oh how I need you LORD.

Thoughts for Today

We are valuable to God. How could he have expressed his love for us any more than to send his only Son to die so that we might have life?

Focusing on these scriptures-and others like them-can remind you who you are in Christ Jesus ...

You are forgiven. 1 John 1:9

You have been made right in God's sight. Romans 5:1

You are righteous. 2 Corinthians 5:21, Romans 3:26

You are loved. 1 John 3:1, John 4:10

You are a member of God's family. Ephesians 2:19

You are known by God. Matthew 10:30

You are God's child. Romans 8:14

You are an overcomer. 1 John 5:3-5

You are his masterpiece-designed for a purpose. Ephesians 2:10

Consider this ...

Have other people said or done things that make it hard for you to see yourself as God sees you? You can't do anything right. ... You are ugly. ... You are stupid. ... You will never amount to anything. Or maybe you won't forgive yourself for past failures or sins.

Bring all the self-doubt and self-condemnation to Jesus. Receive his forgiveness ... and then walk tall. Meditate on scriptures like these that tell you how important you are to God. How much he loves you. How complete forgiveness in Jesus really is. And what great plans he has for you.

Thanks a million for sharing. Please keep it up, and may God keep blessing you.

Nice story...keep it up.

God formed every creature on this planet with a special area of expertise. Some animals run, some hop, some swim, some burrow, and some fly. Each has a particular role to play based on the way they were shaped by God. The same is true with humans. Each of us is uniquely designed, or "shaped," to do certain things.

Before architects design any new building they first ask, "What will be its purpose? How will it be used?" The intended function always determines the form of the building.


Before God created you, he decided what role he wanted you to play on earth. He planned exactly how he wanted you to serve him, and then he shaped you for those tasks. You are the way you are because you were made for a specific ministry.

The Bible says, "We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works" (Ephesians 2:10 NIV). Our English word "poem" comes from this Greek word translated "workmanship." You're God's handcrafted work of art. You're not an assembly-line product, mass- produced without thought. You're a custom designed, one-of-a-kind, original masterpiece.

God deliberately shaped and formed you to serve him in a way that makes your ministry unique. He carefully mixed the DNA recipe that created you. David praised God for this incredible personal attention to detail God gave in designing each of us: "You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous" (Psalm 139:13-14 NLT).

Not only did God shape you before your birth, he planned every day of your life to support his shaping process. David continues, "Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed" (Psalm 139:16 NLT).

This means that NOTHING that happens in your life is insignificant. God uses all of it to mold you for your ministry to others and shape you for your service to him.

God never wastes anything. He would not give you abilities, interests, talents, gifts, personality, and life experiences unless he intended to use them for his glory.

Thoughts for Today

We live in a world of change. Some changes are good ? some aren't. But we all need the security of someone or something we can count on to always be the same. There is only one place we can find that kind of security: Jesus.

Jesus will always love us. (John 15:9)

Jesus will never leave us nor forsake us. (Deuteronomy 31:

He is our anchor. (Hebrews 6:19-20)

No matter what is happening around us. No matter what others may have done to us. No matter what uncertainties the future holds ? we can ALWAYS know that Jesus is with us ? that he loves us ? that he is our anchor in any storm.

Consider this...

Are you experiencing fear of the future ? rejection from someone you care about ? loneliness ? unexpected changes in your life? Read the scriptures mentioned above and others like them. You can trust in Jesus and his Word. No matter what comes your way, if you will trust in him, you won't have to face it alone. You can count on Jesus.

MUST READ STORY :
story of the day

There once was a man who had nothing for his family to eat. He had an old shotgun and three bullets. So, he decided that he would go out and kill something for dinner.
As he went down the road, he saw a rabbit and he shot at the rabbit and missed it. Then he saw a squirrel and fired a shot at the squirrel and missed it. As he went further, he saw a wild turkey
in the tree and he had only one bullet left, but a voice came to him and said "pray first, aim high and stay focused ."
However, at the same time, he saw a deer which was a better kill. He brought the gun down and aimed at the deer. But, then he saw a rattle snake between his legs about to bite him, so he naturally brought the gun down further to shoot the rattle snake.
Still, the voice said again to him, "I said 'pray, aim high and stay focused."
So, the man decided to listen to the voice. He prayed a short prayer, "ooh, father in heaven help me, in Jesus name, Amen".
Then aimed the gun high up in the tree and shot the wild turkey. The bullet bounced off the turkey and killed the deer. The handle fell off the gun and hit the snake in the head and killed it.
And, when the gun had gone off, it knocked him into a pond. When he stood to look around, he had fish in all his pockets, a dead deer and a turkey to eat.
The snake (Satan) was dead simply because the man listened to God.

MORAL LESSON:
Pray first before you do anything, aim and shoot high in your goals, and stay focused on God.

Pass this message, in order that someone else might be blessed.

NOTE:
Never let others discourage you concerning your past. The past is exactly that- " the past." Live every day one day at a time. And remember that only God knows our future and that he will not put you through anymore than you can bear.

N.B:
Do not look to man for your blessings but look to the Lord. He can open doors for you that only He is able to do. Doors that you will not slip through but doors that only He has prepared in advance for you in your favor. Wait, and be still, be patient: keep God first and everything else will follow.

@Op thanks brother

sammy329: MUST READ STORY :
story of the day

There once was a man who had nothing for his family to eat. He had an old shotgun and three bullets. So, he decided that he would go out and kill something for dinner.
As he went down the road, he saw a rabbit and he shot at the rabbit and missed it. Then he saw a squirrel and fired a shot at the squirrel and missed it. As he went further, he saw a wild turkey
in the tree and he had only one bullet left, but a voice came to him and said "pray first, aim high and stay focused ."
However, at the same time, he saw a deer which was a better kill. He brought the gun down and aimed at the deer. But, then he saw a rattle snake between his legs about to bite him, so he naturally brought the gun down further to shoot the rattle snake.
Still, the voice said again to him, "I said 'pray, aim high and stay focused."
So, the man decided to listen to the voice. He prayed a short prayer, "ooh, father in heaven help me, in Jesus name, Amen".
Then aimed the gun high up in the tree and shot the wild turkey. The bullet bounced off the turkey and killed the deer. The handle fell off the gun and hit the snake in the head and killed it.
And, when the gun had gone off, it knocked him into a pond. When he stood to look around, he had fish in all his pockets, a dead deer and a turkey to eat.
The snake (Satan) was dead simply because the man listened to God.

MORAL LESSON:
Pray first before you do anything, aim and shoot high in your goals, and stay focused on God.

Pass this message, in order that someone else might be blessed.

NOTE:
Never let others discourage you concerning your past. The past is exactly that- " the past." Live every day one day at a time. And remember that only God knows our future and that he will not put you through anymore than you can bear.

N.B:
Do not look to man for your blessings but look to the Lord. He can open doors for you that only He is able to do. Doors that you will not slip through but doors that only He has prepared in advance for you in your favor. Wait, and be still, be patient: keep God first and everything else will follow.

Through it all I have learned to trust in Jesus...
Our daily tasks are not easy but praying before the start of everything gives meaning to the day ahead

John 8:10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?" 11 She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

Romans 8:33 Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

Revelation 12:10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. NKJV – all passages

There are two extremes in the church when it comes to dealing with the sins of members. One is the legalistic approach that judges everyone by their actions, and condemns all who fall short of perfection. The other denies the reality of sin, refuses to talk about Hell, and denies divine judgment. Neither one conforms to the truth of Scripture, but it is the former we will look at here, for this is a prime tactic of the devil.

Understand that I am not saying that we should never be made aware of sin in our lives. Rebuke in love that leads to repentance is the Biblical standard. What we will consider here is condemnation, criticism meant to inflict shame, guilt and hurt.

The word “satan” means accuser, or adversary, and that's one of the chief roles the devil fills (I deliberately do not use capital letters for his name). Not only does he accuse us before God, he accuses us personally, and through the mouths of others. Whenever we hear terms like “worthless” or “trash” or “filth” in describing us and our behavior, the spirit behind the words is usually evil. When we hear questions like, “How can you call yourself a Christian when you do this?”, or a statement like“You were never really saved, or you wouldn't act like that”, we can be sure that we're not hearing from God. Yes, God convicts us of sin, but He doesn't use it as a club to beat us over the head.

The Bible is very clear; once we belong to, and are “in”, Yeshua, we no longer face being condemned. God doesn't look at our works any more; He looks at the finished work of Yeshua in our lives. Not only do we not have to accept judgment from satan, we don't have to accept it from other people, either. Many people who wear the label “Christian”, both pastors and lay people, are really wolves in sheep's clothing, wearing a cloak of religion to disguise the foul spirit of legalism inside. Any church or group that bases its faith on “thou shalt not” instead of “thou shalt love” is not worthy of the name of Christ.

Don't get me wrong; love is no excuse for license. Sin is still sin, but our judgment falls on the sin itself, not the person committing it. Yes, the church as a body is charged with judging the sin of its members (1 Corinthians 5:12-13), but with the admonition to forgive and comfort one who repents (2 Corinthians 2:6-. Even judgment by the body has this restriction, as given by Yeshua himself, that the one without sin should “cast the first stone” (John 8:7). Those who have sin in their own lives have no business judging it in others (Matthew 7:1-3).

Don't accept condemnation, either from the devil himself, or from his surrogates. Affirm your status in Yeshua as saved and forgiven, and quote Romans 8:1 often. If you attend a church that has a religious, condemning spirit, leave it, and look for another. It doesn't matter that you've been there for all or most of your life, or that your family lives there; come out from among them (2 Corinthians 6:17). If you have friends who constantly direct these kinds of judgments at you, they aren't really friends. Associate with, have fellowship with, those who walk in the Light. The children of Light should have no fellowship with the children of darkness (2 Corinthians 6:14).

By the same token, don't be one of those guilty of harboring a critical spirit. Colossians 4:6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. Salt symbolizes the Holy Spirit; let Him direct your speech, and your thoughts. Refrain from criticizing the behavior of others, to them or to others. Pray for those caught up in sin, and ask for wisdom in witnessing to them, but don't heap condemnation on them.

The fruits of condemnation are guilt and shame. Both of these are ungodly emotions, encouraged by the devil. Guilt says, “I'm not worthy of forgiveness”, even though God in Yeshua has already forgiven us. It is a sin as surely as murder or rape. We should confess it as sin, but not stop there; we should ask the Lord to grant us the grace to release it to Him. We can carry a load of guilt for much of our lives, going all the way back to our childhoods; we need to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal these sometimes-hidden areas to us, so we can be both forgiven and healed.

Shame says, “Because of all the things I've done, I'm the scum of the earth. I am ugly on the inside, and not worthy of being loved”. That runs contrary to God's image of us; He says that we are beautiful, and He loves us enough to die for us. Why would Yeshua die for garbage, that will always be garbage? Like the Shulamite maid describing her lover, to Him we are “altogether lovely” (Song of Solomon 5:16). Yahweh, the Lord, also says “Don't call what I've cleaned, unclean (Acts 10:15). We are washed by the blood of Yeshua, and when we do sin, and confess, He both forgives us and cleanses us (1 John 1:9).

Are we not children of the Most High? If we can answer “yes” we are not condemned, not ever. We should affirm every day our status as forgiven, washed, loved, and worthy. We must rebuke and reject every accusation of the enemy, and always remind him, and those who serve him, that we are already, and always, justified, not guilty, by the blood of the Lamb. Walk in freedom! Refuse the chains!

Very good article indeed. God bless you.