There are a lot of problems in the church today that can easily be related to some past wrong that was committed to a Christian by another Christian.  John Bevere’s Book, The Bait of Satan, deals with this aspect of “offenses” in the church. The following is an excerpt from that book that describes it well.

“Love does not seek its own, but hurt people become more and more self-seeking and self-contained.  In this climate the love of God waxes cold.  A natural example of this is the two seas in the Holy Land.”

“The Sea of Galilee freely receives and gives out water.  It has an abundance of life, nurturing many different kinds of fish and plant life.  The water of the Sea of Galilee is carried by way of the Jordan River to the Dead Sea.  But the Dead Sea only takes water in and does not give it out.  There are no living plants or fish in it.  The living waters from the Sea of Galilee become dead when mixed with the hoarded waters of the Dead Sea.  Life cannot be sustained if held onto:  It must be given freely.”

“So an offended Christian is one who takes in life, but because of fear cannot release life.  As a result, even the life that does come in becomes stagnant within the wall or prison of offense.  The New Testament describes these walls as strongholds.”

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ”  (2 Cor 10:4-5)

We must pray and help these “offended” Christians release the flow of life through them if we want to see our churches Alive with God.

Ever find yourself in a situation like these?

I spilled spot remover on my dog.  He’s gone now.

I bought some powdered water, but I don’t know what to add.

I put instant coffee in a microwave oven and almost went back in time.

It doesn’t matter what temperature the room is; it’s always room-temperature.

If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the precipitate.

It’s a small world, but I wouldn’t want to have to paint it.

You can’t have everything…where would you put it?

I went to a restaurant that serves “breakfast at any time” So I ordered French toast during the Renaissance.

Right now I’m having amnesia and deja vu at the same time. I think I’ve forgotten this before.

I went to a general store. They wouldn’t let me buy anything specific.

I went down the street to the 24-hour grocery. When I got there, the guy was locking the front door. I said, “Hey, the sign says you’re open 24 hours” He said, “Yes, but not in a row”

Well, I trust that you are receiving all of God’s Blessings 24 hours in a row.

BE BLESED!!!!

Don Milner

Again, I would like to share something from one of John Bevere’s Books entitled Victory in the Wilderness.  It is a challenging book teaching about how to go through the “Dry” seasons of our lives and ministries.

“That is the way it is for us who follow in His steps.  Beyond denying self and crucifying the flesh awaits RESURRECTION LIFE.  Beyond the sufferings of the flesh is the glory of God!  “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” [Emp. added] (Romans 8:18)”

“God’s glory will be revealed in the Church prior to His return.  The magnitude of it will be so great that it will draw cities and nations to His salvation.  Never before has the earth seen such a demonstration of His power as will be manifested in the ones who have allowed God to purify them.  This revival, which will lead into the great harvest, will need no promotion by man.  It will be promoted by His power and glory!

May we all be in that place of Revival and Renewal.

Now a smile or two.

REAL STORIES OF THE NON-TECHNICALLY INCLINED

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1st Person:  “Do you know anything about this fax-machine?”

2nd Person:  “A little.  What’s wrong?”

1st Person:  “Well, I sent a fax, and the recipient called back to say all she received was a cover-sheet and a blank page.  I tried it again, and the same thing happened.”

2nd Person:  “How did you load the sheet?”

1st Person:  “It’s a pretty sensitive memo, and I didn’t want anyone else  to read it by accident, so I folded it so only the recipient could open it and read it.”

I recently saw a distraught young lady weeping beside her car. “Do  you need some help?” I asked.  She replied, “I knew I should have  replaced the battery in this  remote door unlocker.  Now I can’t get into my car.  Do you  think they (pointing to a distant convenience store) would  have a battery for this?”

“Hmmm, I dunno.  Do you have an alarm, too?” I asked.  “No, just  this remote’thingy,’”she answered, handing it and the car keys to me.  As  I took the key and manually unlocked the door, I replied, “Why don’t you  drive over there and check about the batteries…it’s a long walk.”

Tech Support:  “What does the screen say now.”

Person:            “It says, ‘Hit ENTER when ready’.”

Tech Support:  “Well?”

Person:            “How do I know when it’s ready?”

My friend called his car insurance company to tell them to change  his address from Texas to Vermont.  The woman who took the call asked where Vermont was.  As he tried to explain, she interrupted and said,  “Look, I’m not stupid or anything, but what state is it in?”

Several years ago we had an intern who was none too swift. One day  he was typing and  turned to a secretary and said, “I’m almost out of typing  paper.

What do I do?”  “Just use copier machine paper,” she told him. With that, the intern took his last remaining blank piece of paper, put it on the  photocopier and proceeded to make five blank copies.

I was working the help desk.  One day one of the computer operators  called me and asked if anything “bad” would happen if she dropped coins into  the openings of  her PC.  I asked her if this was something she was  thinking of doing. She  said, “never mind” and hung up. So I got out my trusty  tool kit and paid her a visit.  I opened her CPU  case and sure enough, there was 40 cents.

One of our servers crashed.  I was watching our new system  administrator

trying to restore it.  He inserted a CD and needed to type a path  name to a directory named “i386.” He started to type it and paused, asking me,  “Where’s the key for that line thing?”  I asked what he was talking about,  and he said, “You know, that one that looks like an upside-down exclamation  mark.”

I replied, “You mean the letter “i”?” and  he said, “Yeah, that’s it!”

This person had a broken lamp which he wanted to discard.  Unfortunately, the power cord ran under his refrigerator, making it impossible to  move the lamp while the cord was attached.  He decided to cut the cord, since  the lamp was unusable anyway.  He didn’t remember to unplug it first. I found  him in the hallway rolling back and forth.

I was in a car dealership a while ago when a large motor home was  towed into the garage. The front of the vehicle was in dire need of repair  and the whole thing generally looked like an extra in “Twister.”  I asked the  manager what had happened.  He told me that the driver had set the cruise  control, then went in back to make a sandwich.

I called a company and asked to speak to Bob.  The person who  answered said, “Bob is on vacation.  Would you like to hold?”

Don’t worry, I won’t keep you on hold any longer.  HAVE A BLESSED DAY!!

Don Milner.

I Am Complete

“For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.”   Col 2:9-10

We were never designed by god to function independently of Him. God created Adam and Eve spiritually alive; their souls were in union with Him. Only in this way could not fulfill the purpose for which they were created.

Wherever I am in my process of maturity, if I am not operating by the power of the Holy Spirit, I can accomplish nothing. I am complete only in Christ.

God’s gracious provision and offer to all Christians is that they might have a full assurance that they are, RIGHT NOW, complete in Christ.

DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, I thank You for Your love and for making me aware that I was incomplete without You. I thank You that I am now complete in Christ. I choose to no longer seek my purpose in life in any way independent of You. I put no confidence in the flesh. I now declare my dependence upon You and seek to fulfill my purpose by asking You to fill me with Your Holy Spirit. I renounce every occasion when I have sought power or fulfillment from any source other than You. I choose to be strong in You, Lord, and in the strength of Your might. In Jesus’ precious name I pray. AMEN.

Neil T. Anderson. Living Free in Christ (p. 95-100). Kindle Edition.

Laugh of the Day:

The coast guard recently stopped a boat off the California coast that was loaded with marijuana. There was so much of the stuff that they were in a quandary as to how to dispose of it. Finally they located a company on the nearby shore that had a huge kiln with a tall chimney rising high into the sky and they made a deal with the owners to burn the hemp. For a time all went well, but suddenly a flock of birds flew right through the smoke pouring out of the top of the stack. As it turned out, these were terns that were native to the area and were endangered. So naturally, the environmentalists had to follow them to see what had happened.  And of course, they discovered that NO TERN WAS LEFT UNSTONED.

If you’re having one of those days where everything seems to go wrong, this is a true story that should help put everything in perspective.

Seems a couple got a brand new, top of the line, Jeep Grand Cherokee  last December and drove it to visit relatives in Michigan.  The guys decided to do that male bonding ritual of duck hunting.  So they load  up the Grand Cherokee with decoys, food, beer, guns, warm clothes, dog (Labrador Retriever) etc. and head off for the lake.

Now it’s a little known fact that when duck hunting in cold climates  like that, it’s common to drive the truck out onto the ice.  It’s  also a little known fact that, to break a hole in the ice for the  decoys (and a place for the ducks to land),  a stick of dynamite is  commonly used.  (We are talking Michigan.)

Now this particular stick of dynamite had a short fuse, estimated at  20 seconds or so.  Normally you put the dynamite on the ice, light  the fuse, and run away.  But with only 20 seconds they didn’t want to do that, because they might slip while running.  So one guy lights  the fuse and throws the stick of dynamite out onto the ice.  So far,  so good.

Next thing you know, however, their well-trained Labrador Retriever  decides this must be another game of  “fetch the stick.”  He dashes out onto the ice and, just as he’s done many times before, picks up the stick in his mouth (not understanding that this time it’s lit  dynamite), and starts running back to the group of guys.

The guys start yelling at the dog but, as he’s played fetch so many  times before, he just keeps bringing the stick back to his master.  One of the guys thinks fast, loads his shotgun, and shoots at the  dog.

Since the gun is loaded with bird shot the dog isn’t hurt much, but he is confused.  The guy shoots again.  The dog gets scared, looks for a safe hiding place, and runs, stick in his mouth, under the new Grand Cherokee.

The Jeep is now at the bottom of the lake.  The insurance company  won’t pay up because it was destroyed due to an illegal use of explosives.

The first payment of $475 was due December 15. Only 59 more to go…

QUESTION:   Do you feel sorry for anyone but the dog?

Be BLESSED on this Friday when it’s too hot to go Ice Fishing.

Don Milner

I Have Been Redeemed and Forgiven of ALL my sins.

“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:13-14

In my early years of ministry, I had no idea how evil and utterly black is the domain of darkness  Because I was blessed with good parents and a rich country heritage, I was not subjected to the incredible evil I now confront almost daily.

The historical and orthodox teaching of the Church is that God paid a ransom price, the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ at the cross, to buy sinners from the slave market of sin (see 1 Peter 1:18-19)

When spiritually imprisoned people are set free, they become zealous for good works.

Suppose you were a prostitute, and the king had declared that all prostitutes were forgiven. You saw the decree and the seal on it. That would be great news wouldn’t it? You probably would rejoice, but would that news alone change your perspective of yourself? You would probably still perceive yourself as a prostitute. Would it change your behavior? Possibly not. You would just not have to sneak around and practice your trade in secret anymore. But what if the king’s decree said that you were not only forgiven, but that the king had made you his bride? If you had become the queen, would that change your perspective of yourself? Would it change your behavior? Of course it would! Why in the world would you live like a prostitute if you were the queen?

DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, thank You for rescuing me from the domain of darkness. Because of Your great grace, I announce that I am no longer a child of darkness but a child of light, and I choose to walk in the light and ask that You would enable me to do so. I renounce the lie that I am just a product of my past, and I announce the truth that I am a product of Christ’s work on the cross. I ask You to reveal to me anything in my life that would keep me in bondage to my past or to the lies of Satan. I ask for the grace to renounce all former activities of darkness and the lies of Satan. I now commit myself to You for all eternity. In Jesus’ precious name and through His shed blood I pray. AMEN.

Neil T. Anderson. Living Free in Christ (pp. 89-93). Kindle Edition.

   Don’t you love the modern convenience of those digital answering machines?  You can leave a message without spending 30 minutes finding out everything about the other person.  I especially like the creative ones like those below:

 ”Hi. I am probably home. I’m just avoiding someone I don’t like. Leave me a message, and if I don’t call back, it’s you.”

 ”Hi, this is George. I’m sorry I can’t answer the phone right now. Leave a message, and then wait by your phone until I call you back.”

 ”If you are a burglar, then we’re probably at home cleaning our weapons right now and can’t come to the phone. Otherwise, we probably aren’t home and it’s safe to leave us a message..”

 ”You’re growing tired. Your eyelids are getting heavy. You feel very sleepy now. You are gradually losing your willpower and your ability to resist suggestions. When you hear the tone you will feel helplessly compelled to leave your name,

number, and a message.”

 ”You have reached the CPX-2000 Voice Blackmail System. Your voice patterns are now being digitally encoded and stored for later use. Once this is done, our computers will be able to use the sound of YOUR voice for literally thousands of illegal and immoral purposes. There is no charge for this initial consultation. However our staff of professional extortionists will contact you in the near future to further explain the benefits of our service, and to arrange for your schedule of payment. Remember to speak clearly at the sound of the tone. Thank you.”

 ”Hi. Now you say something.”

 ”Hi! John’s answering machine is broken. This is his refrigerator. Please speak very slowly, and I’ll stick your message to myself with one of these magnets.”

 ”Hello, this is Sally’s microwave. Her answering machine just eloped  with her tape deck, so I’m stuck with taking her calls. Say, if you want anything cooked while you leave your message, just hold it up to the phone.”

 ”Hello, you are talking to a machine. I am capable of receiving messages. My owners do not need siding, windows, or a hot tub, and their carpets are clean. They give to charity through the office and don’t need their picture taken. If you’re

still with me, leave your name and number and they will get back to you.”

 ”This is not an answering machine – this is a telepathic thought-recording device. After the tone, think about your name, your reason for calling, and a number where I can reach you, and I’ll think about returning your call.”

(in a bored, deep voice) “Heaven, God speaking….”

 ”Greetings, you have reached the Sixth Sense Detective Agency. We know who you are and what you want, so at the sound of the tone, please hang up

  My sixth sense says you’ve had enough of this today, so just be Blessed !

Don Milner

I Have Direct Access to God through the Holy Spirit

“He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.” Eph 2:`7-18

There is only one way to approach God – through Jesus Christ (John 14:6) Jesus is the door, He is the access through which we have the right to come to the throne of Grace.

I would not want to approach God on any other basis that through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

By what right do we approach the throne of God? Through the shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ and by His grace alone. Because of Jesus, our Great High Priest, we have confidence to enter the most holy place. We stand there in His righteousness. The writer of Hebrews says, “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith . . . Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful” (Heb 10:22-23). On the basis of Christ’s finished work on the cross for us, we can pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, You are the holy and sovereign Lord of the universe, and I acknowledge Your authority. I come before Your presence by way of the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. I acknowledge that I have no other right to be in Your presence. I honor You as the Lord of my life, place my trust in You and commit myself to obey You. Because of Your love, I no longer fear punishment. Instead, I seek Your presence as the only place of safety and security. I renounce the lies of Satan that You do not love me or that I don’t have any right to be in Your presence. So I come to You in freedom and in confidence with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith. In Jesus’ precious name I pray. Amen

From God’s Little Instruction Book.

“The Bridge you burn now may be the one you later have to cross.”

“If possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.”    Rom 12:18

An American and a Japanese were sitting on the plane on the way to LA when the American turned to the Japanese and asked :”What kind of -ese are you?”

The Japanese confused,replied,”Sorry but I don’t understand what you mean.”

The American repeated,”What kind of -ese are you?”

Again,the Japanese was onfused over the question. The American,now irritated,then yell “What kind of -ese are you…Are you a Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, etc……”The Japanese then replied, Oh, I am a Japanese.”

A while later the Japanese turned to the American and asked what kind of ‘-key’ was he.

The American, frustrated, yelled,”What do you mean what kind of ‘-key’ am I? ”

The Japanese said, “Are you a monkey, donkey or a Yankee?”

A little girl says, “Grandpa, can I sit on your lap?

“Why sure you can,” her grandfather replied.

As she is sitting on grand dad’s lap she says, “Grandpa, can you make a sound like a frog?”

“A sound like a frog?  Well, sure Grandpa can make a sound like a frog.”

The girl says, “Grandpa, will you please please MAKE a sound like a frog?”

Perplexed, her grand dad says, “Sweet heart, why do you want me to make a sound like a frog?”

And the little girl says, “‘Cause Grandma said that when you croak, we’re going to Florida!”

Don’t croak today………. just be Blessed…….

Don Milner