| Greetings to you and thank you for subscribing to our Praying Hearts Sanctuary Newsletter. It is exciting to be able to come to you via this medium to share scripture, poems, articles, and as is our tradition, a closing prayer. This month, I have explained how you can be a part of our prayer team. In Ang's article she lists the old and new links she has so diligently created and gives some other valuable information about our "Praying Hearts Sanctuary" web site. We also have two "New Years" articles from two members of our prayer team. The first is by Ng'erechi and is entitled, "A Few Encouraging Thoughts for the New Year" in which Ng'erechi looks at the prophet Jeremiah and his visit to a potter's shop. The second by Paul Francisco is entitled "Prayer in the New Year" where you can read about Paul's understanding of the conflicts which have come to the forefront of our minds since September 11th. I trust that reading the articles will strengthen you for the challenges you face in this New Year. Between the two articles I have tucked a poem entitled "I Thought I Knew" which was sent from a Christian counselor friend. There are scripture tidbits sprinkled throughout the newsletter and a closing prayer. ************************************************************************ HOW TO BE A PART OF OUR PRAYER TEAM MINISTRY By Grandytoon I would also like to encourage you to pray for our volunteer ministry in general terms and also invite you to consider joining us in prayer for the many who battle mental illness every day. The past couple of months have been very busy for our prayer team. We are grateful that many have happened upon our web site or have been told about our ministry and have sought our prayer support. It's exciting to be able to pray for dear souls around the world! If you would like to go a step further and join our prayer team, please email us at [email protected]. As a member of the prayer team, you will receive copies of the prayer requests, minus the email addresses. If you care to email the one requesting prayer you can email us and we will forward your message, minus your email address. Everything we do is on a volunteer basis and we try to protect everyone's anonymity as best as we can. As a member of the prayer team, you can pray for the need on the day you read the message then delete the request or you can keep the message in your email file for a certain amount of time, referring to that email as you see it and feel led to pray. You can also print off the prayer request to place with your other prayer requests, or whatever method works best for you. I believe that the Lord hears and answers our prayers based on our motives more so than on the number of days we repeat the prayers. ************************************************************************ OUR WEBSITE IS HTTP://GEOCITIES.COM/PRAYINGHEARTSSANCTUARY OUR EMAIL ADDRESS IS [email protected] I just wanted to take a moment to let you know of a few things you can find on our website at www.geocities.com/prayingheartssanctuary. The links page has been expanded to add a few more mental health sites. You can find links to support/information sites like the Mental Health Sanctuary, Psych Central, Depression Central, and Recovery Web. There area also links to The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI). For Borderline Personality Disorder and Bi- Polar Disorder, you can go to the Borderline Personality Disorder Sanctuary, Ang Can Fly�Because God Loves Me, Phoenix in Flight, and the Bi-Polar Disorder Sanctuary. And we can't leave out Christian Support and Information. Please visit Christians in Recovery, Billy Graham Ministries-Spiritual Help, The Llama 4 Christ, Christian Depression Pages, and In- Touch Ministries. A few more WebRings have been added to the WebRings Page. I won't go into all of them here because there are so many but if you have time and want to surf some informative websites, check those out. I promised all of you an article about how Christianity can aid in your recovery. Writing is a lot like playing a piano, if you don't practice it takes awhile to perfect your techniques. I haven't written in almost 10 years so I'm slow getting back into researching and writing quality articles. I will have it ready for you in just a few days. If you haven't read it yet, there is an article on "What does it mean to be a Christian." I encourage you to read it. Finally, a new link has been added to the main page. For those of you interested in Christian music, I've added a link to TheXStation.com. This is extreme music with the sounds of rock, rap, alternative, and metal but clearly send the message of Christ's love for us. I will try to be more diligent about updating the site and if you have any suggestions for links, articles, or angel graphics, please email me at [email protected]. I hope to see you there soon. Ang ************************************************************************ PSALM 119: 86 - 94 All your commands are trustworthy; help me, for men persecute me without cause. They almost wiped me from the earth, but I have not forsaken your precepts. Preserve my life according to your love, and I will obey the statutes of your mouth. Your word, O LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures. Your laws endure to this day, for all things serve you. If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life. Save me, for I am yours; I have sought out your precepts. ************************************************************************ A FEW ENCOURAGING THOUGHTS FOR A NEW YEAR By Ng'erechi : Let's look at the prophet Jeremiah, Chapter 18, and his visit to a potter's shop (as found in the Old Testament book of Jeremiah) For fun, let's call him Jerry. Jerry lived and preached around 600 B.C. (from about 645 to 585 B.C.), at the time his people, the Jews, were collapsing as a nation state under the heavy hand of the Babylonians (Iraqis). Jerry himself was a poet, melancholic by temperament and even more so due to several unfavorable circumstances: 1. He was part of a failed clan of priests, as his ancestor, the corrupt Eli, had been defrocked and thrown out of his religious job for general profanity, theft and the sexual scandals of his sons. So, Jerry had a profession by family tradition, but no job. 2. God called him to proclaim a very unpopular and even treasonous message, that the Jews would survive best if they stopped resisting the Babylonians and surrendered. Again and again, this kind of talk landed Jerry in jail, eating the most meager grub. Yet even the Jewish kings would call him to clandestine rendezvous' to find out if perchance God might have a more optimistic word. Time and again, Jerry had to deliver the same unthinkable line. But off to the potter's shop: Jeremiah 18, Jerry finds the artisan at his potter's wheel, working a lump of clay, but something goes wrong. The potter does not get upset. He simply takes the lump, kneads it thoroughly and works with it once more. Perhaps several similar failures occur, but finally the patient trial and error of the potter gets the lump of clay to respond as desired, and some kind of pot or vase or clay lamp is ready for baking in the kiln. What has happened? I am not sure, but I know potters run into any one of several problems: 1. The clay may have had bubbles of air in it. To put an item of clay in the kiln for firing would have heated the air in those bubbles or pockets and caused an explosion, destroying that item and likely some others that are also in the kiln. From time to time, some of us also have such bubbles in us, and our good and faithful Creator knows good and well that we could blow up, self-destruct and drag others down with us. He lays us aside, and at some moment takes us in hand again and works us over kindly, patiently and works out the bubbles "in His hands". It is sort of painful for us, but is the only way for us to be beautiful and/or useful down the road. 2. The lump of clay may have had some impurities such as sand or some other non-clay particles. Such an item though fired and baked could never have served as a vase for real flowers. Though baked, streaks of sand in the clay would filter water, and real flowers in such a vase would have wilted as the water slowly leaked out. A puddle of water soiling an exquisite doily would remain under the vase. Again our kind and understanding Creator and Potter would rather we not leak and mess up things for ourselves and others, so He gives us second, third or more chances. One way or another, He works with us until the irritating and embarrassing grits and impurities are gone. Again, painful for us, a seemingly long and wearying process, but Potter God wants the best for us and for us to be at our best. 3. Other times, the lump of clay gets off center on the potter's wheel --just like us. To put it simply, we get off base, weird, or eccentric. But our faithful Potter God and Friend do not give up on us. He's always willing to work with us, give us another chance and continues to work us over, hoping to bring us to where we can be beautiful and useful. 4. To get the glaze just right, the colors he wants in the finished product, a potter will fire some pieces 3 or 4 times. How painful it is for us to go through trial by fire that often! Today, I saw a gorgeous old-fashioned clay lamp done by a potter friend, fired 3 times! As a messenger from God, Jeremiah himself, sometimes got so provoked, depressed, distressed and wiped out. Being despised by family, neighbors, and abused by government officials because his message for his people was not a popular one. You can read his complaints, SCREAMING at God in Jeremiah 15 and 20. However, God told him if he would come back to Him, God the Potter would make him stronger yet, resistant, worthwhile, and useful. This is GOSPEL, GOOD NEWS. There is none of the fatalistic, "that's tough, such is life, can't do anything about it" kind of useless talk. The lesson at the potter's house is that we have HOPE! Again and again, God comes back again and again to work us over while wisely shaping us for usefulness and beauty. *********************************************************************** I THOUGHT I KNEW I did not know His love before, the way I know it now. I could not see my need for Him, my pride would not allow. I had it all, without a care, the "Self-sufficient" lie. My path was smooth, my sea was still, not a cloud was in my sky. I thought I knew His love for me, I thought I'd seen His grace, I thought I did not need to grow, I thought I'd found my place. But then the way grew rough and dark, the storm clouds quickly rolled; The waves began to rock my ship, my anchor would not hold. The ship that I had built myself was made of foolish pride. It fell apart and left me bare, with nowhere else to hide. I had no strength or faith to face the trials that lay ahead, And so I simply prayed to Him and bowed my weary head. His loving arms enveloped me, and then He helped me stand. He said, "You still must face this storm, but I will hold your hand." So through the dark and lonely night He guided me through pain. I could not see the light of day or when the storm might wane. Yet through the aches and endless tears, my faith began to grow. I could not see it at the time, but my light began to glow. I saw God's love in brand new light, His grace and mercy, too. For only when all self was gone could Jesus' love shine through. It was not easy in the storm, I sometimes wondered, Why?" At times I thought, "I can't go on." I'd hurt, and doubt, and cry. But Jesus never left my side; He guided me each day. Through pain and strife, through fire and flood, He helped me all the way. And now I see as never before how great His love can be. How in my weakness He is strong, how Jesus cares for me! He worked it all out for my good, although the way was rough. He only sent what I could bear, and then He cried, "Enough!" He raised His hand and said, "Be still!" He made the storm clouds cease. He opened up the gates of joy and flooded me with peace. I saw His face now clearer still; I felt His presence strong, I found anew His faithfulness, He never did me wrong. Now I know more storms will come, but only for my good, For pain and tears have helped me grow as naught else ever could. I still have so much more to learn as Jesus works in me; If in the storm I'll love Him more, that's where I want to be! ************************************************************************ PRAYER IN THE NEW YEAR By Paul Francisco ([email protected]) Remember the preparations, the fear, and the turmoil at the approach of the year 2000? Many mistakenly thought was the start of the 21st Century and a new millennium. Some of us still have a bit of the excess food we stored then. 2001 (the real start) rolled around quite peacefully. But as the year 2002 approached, thoughts of storing food, water, batteries, etc. again abounded. Some real fear had been stirred up. "The end of civilization" had been expressed as we faced the results of "terrorist's" last September Eleventh destructive activities. How real were and are the things feared? Further destructive invasions of America's peace and plenty are certainly possible. The lax ways many "security people" demonstrated at airports in November of 2001 illustrated lingering feelings of "it can't happen again here (or is extremely unlikely)." This problem hopefully has been solved by new Federal laws and regulations providing greater general security measures in many important activities of life and business. Our Nation's leaders, along with those of other countries, have called military response to the attacks on the Trade Towers and the Pentagon "a war against terrorism." Less political and more realistic opinion knows this is a conflict of the two major world religions, starting in the seventh century with the Islamic invasion of the Near East Christian civilization (including Palestine). Islamic religion and government replaced Christian worship and government. Between the eleventh and fourteenth centuries thousands of "Christian Crusaders" from Europe invaded Palestine and Jerusalem. Though successful for a while, eventually the Christians again failed to permanently claim the Promised Land and Jerusalem for Christ. Their troops were defeated and driven out or destroyed by great Islamic military leaders and superior numbers of soldiers who, incidentally, were "radical" in their faith. Islam is not a religion of only peace. It is primarily one of submission to Allah's will. "Fundamental" Islamic believers do interpret it as also meaning death to those who resist converting to Islam. Only after submission to Allah is there peace (when the various tribes have not been obliterating each other.) It is a religion with the whole world officially targeted for Conversion to Islamic beliefs; remarkably similar to the Christian Great Commission, "Go ye into all the world". Conversion to their respective religions is the primary aim of each. Both religions teach peaceful existence and moral living among their own believers. Both have roots in Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, though Mohammed corrupted Biblical history and adulterated it to suit his own personal beliefs and goals. The general doctrinal difference between Islam and Christianity regarding converts is whether Conversion is "by the sword of Allah" (a threat of loss of freedom or life) or through preaching the love of God as seen in the Lord Jesus Christ. In the Muslim (Moslem) religion anyone submitting and confessing to belief in Allah becomes a Muslim, subject to all Islamic practices. There are both "radical" Muslims today stressing Islamic rules, and more "accommodating" (not "radical" or "fundamental") ones. This is true also of Christians. Also as in Christianity, there are "social" Muslims practicing peaceful living, and those "fundamentalist" sects which are "under the law" of their religion. The West calls these latter "Radical Islamic Fundamentalists". And finally, as in Christianity, multitudes of "believers" never read their sacred literature and don't know its contents. It is most interesting that "Radical Fundamentalism" is a term regularly applied to strict Bible believers ("Fundamentalists or Scripturalists") in America today. The term "Radical Right" is also applied to them. American Liberals call everything "Radical" in Christianity that is not politically correct or seems out of step with a pallid set of non-boat-rocking beliefs! The "terrorists" are very religious people who believe they are carrying out Allah's will in destroying non-believers who represent "the Great Satan" to them. Islam is historically a combination of a modified Old Testament Judaism (with a nod to Christ as a great prophet) and an old religion of the desert god Allah. In the seventh century A.D. Mohammed (Muhammad) studied Judaism and Christianity through people who could read, in his search for a religion that would unify the scattered and warring Arabian tribes. He was not satisfied with the way either religion was practiced. So he combined the Old Testament faith of One God with a desert religion of Allah, and claimed him as that God. Allah is in no way related to Jehovah: it is not another name for the one true God. Later, Arabian tribal leaders seized upon Mohammed's teachings and sent out their thousands of energetic fighters in several Jihads which swept through and eventually conquered the whole Middle East, Egypt, all of Northern Africa, and Spain. Webster's New World Dictionary defines "Jihad" as "a war by Muslims against unbelievers or enemies of Islam, carried out as a religious duty." The extent of the Moslem conquests illustrates their missionary beliefs. A rising prosperous Europe halted Moslem expansion then, but now Islam has unbelievable oil wealth with which to play soldier and conqueror or destroy. But internal opposition to the destruction of the Western "Infidels" has been aroused by the extensive Islamic immigration into America. This is the Land, which will educate and train their children. Is this the hand of God in preserving America? This is much summary history to think about. It is presented so Christians can understand that the U.S. is not involved in an ordinary war against common political terrorists. It is presently a religious and political conflict between a largely humanistic and not really Christian America and her allies, against a certain dedicated and sincere Islamic "fundamentalist" party, not necessarily in minority. The Twin Trade Towers sad event, therefore, was not a result of jealousy over America's prosperity. Bin Laden and his followers want the peoples of the western world converted to Islam or dead. Islam must be internationally supreme. He is most sincere in this religious duty. Bin Laden struck at our prosperity and pride in an effort to unseat America as the world's prosperous "policeman" because, in his eyes, we are satanic heretics who are defaming Allah and destroying his people here and there in the world. Spiritually however, Islam is the true heresy, leading only to death and hell, being ignorant of real Salvation. On America's part, we most sincerely beseech protection from a God Whom many citizens do not really know or else have rejected. The official policy of National public education has been the teaching of a Godless theory of evolution as scientific fact. This denies there is a creative God Whom we should love and worship. Several generations of children have been indoctrinated with this satanic error and Satan's works follow them: spiritual doubt or ignorance, sinful life styles, etc. as described in Romans 1:18-32. Only through Christ, Whom God sent, do we learn final truths about life, spirituality, truth, morality, true worship and real prayer. In the New Year praying Christians must recognize that the spiritual and political warfare with Islam is ongoing, as it has been for centuries. It is sometimes hot and sometimes rather cold and inactive. Basically, it is a matter of an old copycat religion in a continuing struggle with the only true religion (which has been badly practiced and evangelized at times.) Modern civilization with its scientific advancements has now placed powerful and destructive weapons in the hands of energetic Islamic strict believers, and they will wield them, as they are able. This is a religious imperative to them; a fulfillment of their religious beliefs. As a religious effort to please Allah, the so-called Islamic "terrorism" promises great heavenly rewards to those who die for Allah. Christians have a potentially powerful spiritual weapon in correct prayer of Worship and Supplication to our one true God, through Jesus Christ. But we cannot simply ask our Heavenly Father to "Bless America". "God bless America" is essentially meaningless unless America is in a position to be blessed! This is a crucial Biblical truth totally unappreciated by politicians and careless religionists. The "rules" for prayer on behalf of a nation have been laid down in the Bible and must be constantly repeated, preached and applied: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then (-not until then!-) will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:14). Note that this was God at first addressing the Jews, but now also Christians ("My people"). So, humility, prayer (worship) and supplication (asking), confession of all sins and the forsaking of them, are mandatory if Christians wish to take a positive role in this spiritual conflict. This may help deliver America from further spiritual deterioration and further destruction (these latter two often go hand in hand.) The final outcome of our present National struggle, and the future of America, will not depend upon our military prowess or even necessarily upon Christian prayers, but upon the sovereign will of God. He already knows the future. Let us fully recognize this as we pray properly and trust Him to deliver us from evil. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man (people) avails much (James 5:16). Christians should review Philippians 4:5-7 carefully and daily. We may have the promised personal peace that passes understanding in spite of any and all possible dangers when we are right with God and dedicated to serving Him in carrying out His will. Our New Year's prayers will be more meaningful when we listen to the Holy Spirit and pray intelligently and sincerely as He moves us with His truths. The conversion of any followers of Islam to Christianity and true Salvation is certainly also an acceptable prayer and effort. Of the 15 million Moslems currently living in the U.S., several or many may be neighbors of ours now. They may be troubled by the activities of the "terrorists" and may welcome recognition and friendship. There is often little love or mutual appreciation between radical and conservative Moslems. Our neighbors may listen, at least politely, to why Christians have peace and feel secure. Who knows what the Holy Ghost might do after that? Who can guess how many are already predestined for Salvation? In God's Word, the first chapter of Ephesians tells the saints in Ephesus and also the "faithful in Christ Jesus" (the rest of us saints, v. 1) that God "chose us in (Jesus) before the foundation of the world" (v. 4) and predestined us to adoption by God through Jesus Christ (v. 5). Salvation is God's responsibility not ours, though He may use us as His instruments to speak the Gospel message. Pray about it, certainly. God bless us this New Year. ************************************************************************ Psalm 89 I will sing of the Lord's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself. You said, "I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant, 'I will establish your line forever and make your throne firm through all generations.'" Selah The heavens praise your wonders, O LORD, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones. For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD? Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings? In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared; he is more awesome than all who surround him. O LORD God Almighty, who is like you? You are mighty, O LORD, and your faithfulness surrounds you. You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, you still them. You crushed Rahab like one of the slain; with your strong arm you scattered your enemies. The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth; you founded the world and all that is in it. You created the north and the south; Tabor and Hermon sing for joy at your name. Your arm is endued with power; your hand is strong, your right hand exalted. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you. Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O LORD. They rejoice in your name all day long; they exult in your righteousness. For you are their glory and strength, and by your favor you exalt our horn. Indeed, our shield belongs to the LORD, our king to the Holy One of Israel. Once you spoke in a vision, to your faithful people you said: "I have bestowed strength on a warrior; I have exalted a young man from among the people. I have found David my servant; with my sacred oil I have anointed him. My hand will sustain him; surely my arm will strengthen him. No enemy will subject him to tribute; no wicked man will oppress him. I will crush his foes before him and strike down his adversaries. My faithful love will be with him, and through my name his horn will be exalted. I will set his hand over the sea, his right hand over the rivers. He will call out to me, 'You are my Father, my God, the Rock my Savior.' I will also appoint him my firstborn, the most exalted of the kings of the earth. I will maintain my love to him forever, and my covenant with him will never fail. I will establish his line forever, his throne as long as the heavens endure. ************************************************************************ CLOSING PRAYER Our precious Lord and Heavenly King, I am so grateful for Your goodness and strength during the past year. I humbly thank You for guiding our paths, for helping us to know You more abundantly, for intervening on behalf of each of us when we were unable to take care of ourselves, and for health and strength when we felt that health and strength were slipping from us. I come to You, oh Great Physician, asking You for continued strength and wisdom to deal with the issues that face us this New Year. You know the paths that will be taken and You know what we need to successfully walk in them. You know the trials that we will encounter and the fears we will have as we encounter them. Help us to trust in You completely to guide us through the difficult moments. Help us to feel Your Beautiful and Holy Presence with us every day and in all situations. I pray this in the Name of Your Son and our Lord, Jesus, Amen. ************************************************************************ |
| Praying Hearts Sanctuary |
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| Newsletter |
| January 2002 |
| Volume II Number 1 |
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