Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Cloud of Witnesses!

Hello Friends! It is that time of week to drop you all a note. First of all I am very happy that some of you have come responded that you would like to hear sermons delivered to you via Skype. This is wonderful, because if you have the capability to receive sermons this way, it is at no cost if it is computer to computer. If not, we can still do them, as we can call your cell phone for very little cost to us, and no cost to you. Also, there are many of our churches here in the USA that have archived sermons that you can listen to. I realize there is a problem if English is not a familiar language, because there are no pauses to be able to translate through. However, if this works for you, please go to any of these websites, and then you can link to others from there. www.themissionsite.com www.aalchurchma.org www.alclakeworth.com www.apostoliclutheran.org/
Please feel free to visit these sites often! You can contact me at anytime at jthree16@comcast.net or foreignmission@comcast.net

In the past couple weeks, I had a personal issue that was bothering me. I did not know how to handle this situation. I prayed about it, asking God to give me an answer. Well, a verse was given to me, and it was Hebrews 12:1 (KJV)
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
God’s wonderful Word has been given to us to help us in every time of need in our life. Not only in time of need, but also as our regular daily food. God is so good that He wants to feed us and care for us. This verse at this time to me said, John, you have a great cloud of witnesses all around you. You know many of the witnesses of Jesus Christ here on earth. Turn to them for help in this situation. I am so thankful that I did. Each Christian with whom I shared this situation with gave me a different yet caring answer. What a blessing to hear that first of all they cared, and secondly, that they were able to assure me that God is overall and will help me with even this situation. I prayed again after taking to them, and what do you know, God gave me a total peace and an answer to my situation. It was solved! Why am I surprised? I should not be, because He has been faithful to me to this point in life, this was just another incident that He can handle so easily! Oh that I would not be stubborn and always remember to turn to my Lord for help in all of life’s situations. Also Lord, allow me to turn to the cloud of witnesses that you have placed around me in the form of Your believers here on earth, to help me in time of need.
Our verse in Hebrews also says, let us lay aside every weight and sing that so easily beset us. This is such a precious opportunity. When we are surrounded by this cloud of Christians, we can ask for forgiveness for our sins. We can ask for forgiveness for our weights, our burdens, and our weaknesses. Christians who are the ambassadors for Christ here are earth, are more that happy to assure us that all of our sins, burdens, and all of our other bad ways, have been paid for and are forgiven by and through the Precious Name and shed Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ! 1 John 1:9 (KJV)
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Believe this by faith dear reader! Our Lord does not want us to carry burdens that He already has paid for! Believe all your sins forgiven in Jesus Name and shed Blood, and go forth by the power of God! What a joy it is to be a freely believing child of God, knowing that there is a spot reserved for us in heaven above, where all is joy and gladness, where we will forevermore to be with our Lord!

In Jesus Holy Name! Amen!