SAEED ABEDINI?

BEATEN,TORTURED, IMPRISONED, FOR HIS FAITH?

Saeed Abedini is in one of Iran's worst prisons being tortured and beaten on a daily basis. His only crime? Being a Christian convert from Islam. The brutal Iranian regime routinely tortures and imprisons Christians simply for spreading the Gospel of Christ. Saeed is an American citizen who traveled to his home country, Iran, to coordinate the building of a government approved orphanage in 2012. Soon after his arrival he was arrested, tried, and found guilty of 'spreading Christian doctrine' and preaching the Gospel of Christ Jesus. He was given an 8 year prison sentence, which by all accounts is a death sentence there.
Saeed has an American wife and 2 young children who desperately miss him. Please join me in prayer for Saeed and his family as they go through this most horrific experience. Let's agree with each other in prayer for this brave Christian man and his family. Let's Pray for him now....

Father God in heaven, thank You for all our blessings in Jesus Christ our Lord. Father, we ask that you strengthen, comfort, and protect Your servant, Saeed Abedini who is serving a prison sentence in Iran simply for serving You and spreading Your Word. Send angels to minister to him and comfort him until his release. Touch his captures with Your Holy Spirit and let them know that You are the Most High God over all the earth. Put it in their minds and hearts to release him immediately and send him home to his family. Comfort his wife and children with hope and strength and the Holy Spirit and let them know that You are there with them and You see their anguish and hear their cries for help. You can do all things Father God, please have Saeed released now, in the name of Jesus, Yeshua, our Lord and Savior, Amein

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY

"I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; The humble shall hear of it and be glad. And let us exalt His name together.
I sought the LORD and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD camps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them."   Psalm 34:1-7   (NKJV)

YOUR HEARTS DESIRE?

WHAT IS IT?

God says He will give us our hearts desire. What do you 'desire' in your heart? Most of us want the same basic things. A warm bed, good food, a nice place to live, money in the bank, and the love of family and friends. O.K. how will God give us these things? I don't know how He does it but He just causes things to happen. I found out that when I pray for joy, peace of mind, health, love, freedom, abundance, and prosperity these other 'desires' are a bi-product. Joy is had by a warm bed and good food, money in the bank, as is peace of mind. True freedom is had by having enough financial resources to do what you like, and go where you want, when you want and not be tied down to a job or bound by commitments. I don't know how many times I was frustrated to tears because I lived in lack and bound by a job that, well, basically enslaved me because my job dictated to me when I woke up in the morning, what clothes I was to wear, when I could eat, when I could use the bathroom and how much money I could have. I had to settle for less than what I really wanted. In truth, my hearts desire was not being met because I wasn't going to my "Source" who is my Father in heaven. I tried to get everything I wanted by my own power and I failed miserably.

I found out eventually that when I went to the Lord in prayer and meditation and started reading and applying His Word everything started to change in my life. Now I have a different life, full of purpose and joy and peace and abundance, not lack and insecurity, but of prosperity and happiness. I feel better now than ever, probably due to my freedom from the addiction to cigarettes and the stress and insecurity of a 'job'. Now I have a Protector, Provider, and Healer who knows no limits and is always there sticking closer to me than a brother. The people in my life who knew me before are probably amazed at the changes that have taken place in me. I tell them all the same thing, "It's a God thing." If you want to be truly joyful and happy in this life find out how you can serve God, your Father in heaven who loves you and wants a relationship with you. He wants you to have your hearts desire too, really, it's just a matter of getting to know Him because to know Him is to love Him. Do it by prayer and meditation. His Word is very powerful because it reveals His heart and His mind so we can know Him and choose whether or not we want to serve Him. You will have to serve somebody, why not the One who made you.

On the other side of the coin are those who don't really want all the good things in life but seek destruction, strife, and chaos, they hate, they murder, they take and do not give anything. They are selfish and proud and refuse to acknowledge the One who created them. Some of these same people bow down to false Gods and reject the true God and insist on following men who believe that they have the power to be "God". I really have a hard time understanding why these kind of people choose  to be this way. I guess this would be why God says that the 'enemy' blinds the eyes of the unbeliever. All hope is not lost for them though, they may still have a chance to be saved. In the letter Paul wrote to the Romans he says, "For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that He may have mercy on them all."  Romans 11:32        

GRACE, GRACE, AND MORE GRACE?

THANK YOU JESUS!

How many Christians fully understand what God's grace towards us really means? When He sent Jesus down here as a sacrifice for the sin of the world He demonstrated His love and His kingdom. When Jesus took our beating and died for our sin and shed His blood to cleanse us from all unrighteousness He did it "once" for "all" of us and the only requirement to receive His forgiveness and grace is to simply "believe."
God's perfect grace is poured out on all of us who receive Jesus as Lord and King. It means that we who believe are set apart from the unbelievers and are grafted in to the remnant of God's chosen people, Israel. Here's what Paul told the Believers and the Jews in his letter to the Romans: "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile."   Romans 1:16 
By His grace we are all saved! Not according to our good deeds or obedience to the 'law' because we all fall short when it comes to obedience. Thank God for His mercy and grace! Because with out that we'd all be "toast." Even the Pope would not make the cut because He was born into the same sinful nature as all of us. When we understand that the love of our God and Father is unconditional, it sets us free from guilt and condemnation! Glory to God! Now we can be ourselves and know that we our forgiven for all our sin past, present, and future. Now that's the real "Good News" the "Gospel" message that needs to be preached to the world because anything less would not be such good news. Like if the message was: Stop sinning or you will go to hell! Or, if you don't go to church and pay your tithe God will not let you into the His kingdom. Or, yes, you will go to heaven but first you must be obedient to all the law as written by Moses then you will be saved. Who would make in to heaven if we had to be perfect first? I believe God loves us so much that He made a way for us to be saved from ourselves and hell and that way is JESUS! If we are in Him we are a new creation and the old self died when we first believed, our spirits were born again but our sinful fleshly bodies were not and we are in a constant struggle with our flesh because of Adam. Here's some more of Paul's letter to the Romans:  "Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. For just as through the disobedience of one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of one man the many will made righteous."  Romans 5:18-19
Wow! Now that should make a person want to get up and shout, Praise God! If you have not yet received Jesus as your Lord and Savior do it now! Just say this short prayer: Jesus, thank you for shedding Your blood and dying for me on the cross. I believe with my heart and I confess with my mouth that You are Lord and I want You to come into my heart and I make You my Lord and Savior. Thank You Jesus, for saving me! I am saved!..
 Now find some where to be baptized and begin your walk with the Lord. It truly is awesome to have a friend like Jesus who sticks to us closer than a brother. Who forgives us all our sins and from Him we can gain the wisdom and power from the promised Holy Spirit.  

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place."       2 Chronicles 7:14-16

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Thank You Father God for all my blessings. Help me to be a great blessing to all my family and friends and even to those who don't know me. Help me to bring glory and honor to Your name and have the joy and peace that comes with serving You. Thank You for forgiving me for all my sins and for the comfort and security that you give to Your people. I love You Father God and I love Your Word. Help me to understand it better and share it with all those who thirst and hunger after it. Thank You for being my Provider, my Protector and my Healer...And thank You Father for sending Your Son to die for my sin so that I will have everlasting life with You in heaven. In the name of Jesus, Yeshua, our Lord and Savior. Amein

"However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those that love Him."   1 Corinthians 2:9  

GOD'S MERCY?

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY

"What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses,

"I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion."   Exodus 33:19   N.I.V.

It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy."  Romans 9:14-16

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Thank You Father God, for Your mercy and grace that You have for us Your children. Thank You for blessing us with Your Word and giving us Your Holy Spirit to help us understand what you say. Thank You Father for all my blessings and answered prayer and help me to live a better life and bring glory and honor to Your name. Thank You for being my Protector, Healer, and my Provider. You are awesome Father God! I'm so blessed that You are drawing me closer and closer to You and Jesus my Savior and King. Thank You for my children and grandchildren and keep us safe and happy in these last days. In the name of Jesus, Yeshua, our Lord, I "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they will prosper that love you."  Psalm 122:6 NKJV