It is important to change your clocks so you will be at church on time. When I say church, I mean Sunday school and morning worship
Let me encourage you to be in Sunday school and worship this week at the church of your choice.
Well, it is that time once again to change your clocks. I wish we would stick to one time and not change it. I don't like change.
It is important to change your clocks so you will be at church on time. When I say church, I mean Sunday school and morning worship Let me encourage you to be in Sunday school and worship this week at the church of your choice.
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Hebrews 13:20-21
Now the God of peace, Who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to Whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. KJV A man was driving along the highway, and saw a rabbit hopping across the middle of the road. He swerved to avoid hitting the rabbit, but unfortunately the rabbit jumped in front of the car and was hit. The driver, being a sensitive man as well as an animal lover, pulled over to the side of the road, and got out to see what had become of the rabbit.
Much to his dismay, the rabbit was dead. The driver felt so awful, he began to cry. A woman driving down the highway saw the man crying on the side of the road and pulled over. She stepped out of her car and asked the man what was wrong. "I feel terrible," he explained, "I accidentally hit this rabbit and killed it." The woman told the man not to worry. She knew what to do. She went to her car trunk, and pulled something out. It appeared to be a spray can. She walked over to the limp, dead rabbit, and sprayed the contents of the can onto the rabbit. Miraculously the rabbit came to life, jumped up, waved it’s paw at the two humans and hopped down the road. A few yards away the rabbit stopped, turned around, waved and hopped down the road, another few yards, turned, waved and hopped another few yards. The man was astonished. He couldn’t figure out what substance could be in the woman’s spray can!! He ran over to the woman and demanded, "What is in your spray can? What did you spray on that rabbit?" The woman turned the can around so that the man could read the label. It said: "Hair spray. Restores life to dead hair. Adds permanent wave." Steven Strang, Founder of Charisma magazine When I first met Kenneth Copeland in 1979 to interview him for a Charisma magazine story, his understanding of faith changed my life. Copeland believes faith is something a believer can use like a carpenter uses a tool. I've used that concept many times in the years since to believe God to build this media ministry, so it was good to reconnect with him at his beautiful ministry headquarters near Fort Worth, Texas. In nearly 50 years of ministry, Copeland's aim has been to teach the church to walk in faith—or as his website elaborates, taking people from religion to reality, from milk to the meat of God's Word, becoming skillful in the Word of righteousness according to Hebrews 5:12-14. In Texas, our conversation turned to the current political environment and the state of our nation. I know Copeland is concerned about America. We've been at some of the same leaders' meetings with political candidates, and he's had speakers at his conventions share about important political issues of the day. I was interested to hear what he had to say about where America stands now. This word should encourage the church. At a time when many are saying America's best days are in the past and God is abandoning our country, Copeland is optimistic that God is "rebirthing America" and He has not abandoned us. The reason, he says, is that America is the only nation founded by men who loved God. Israel was founded because God loved Abraham, but America was founded by men who loved God "for the purpose of loving me"—words Copeland says God spoke to his spirit. "Do you think our Founding Fathers—George Washington, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and others—had any idea what this nation would look like in terms of its purpose and meaning?" he asked. "The answer is no. They had no frame of reference to know what was happening." Copeland said the Lord told him the Christian community has no idea what God is doing to rebirth this nation. As he's prayed recently, Copeland has come to believe strongly that in spite of how things look, this is not the end of the United States. It's the end of what he calls a "Babylon system" trying to take over the country for the past 115 years. A Babylon system, as he explains it, is any system in which man tries to meet his needs without God. President Obama's actions are shining a light on this Babylonian system, and the church is waking up and rallying. Copeland believes Christians must go back and confess the Word of God. This is one nation "under God," and we must get back to that, recalling the words of the late Smith Wigglesworth: "I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am only moved by what I believe." When people talk about the economy and how bad things are, Copeland states flatly: "Who cares?" In 1 Peter 5:6-10, the Holy Spirit tells us to roll all your cares onto Him. It's one of God's marvelous promises. What about this politician or that politician and how awful the state of our nation will become if they are elected? "Who cares?" Copeland says. "We roll that care over on the Lord. Mark 11: 22 says, 'Have faith in God.' No matter what, have faith in God! This nation belongs to God, and no one will take it down. People might say it's going down or it's God's judgment, but it's not going down." Many of the bad things we see, such as the tragedies of 9/11, are the result of seedtime and harvest. Judgment is not until the end, and judgment is always brought by God for mercy. So what should Christians do? We vote and plant our ballot as a seed. Then we pray. God's choice will be elected. Our culture tends to look at things from a secular point of view—without understanding or even considering the spiritual aspect. Since we are bombarded with that viewpoint in the media and with the people we interact with, it's easy to only look at things in the natural. But remember, the most important aspect is the spiritual aspect. God has a plan and purpose that is higher than ours. So as the body of Christ, we must confess the Word, believe the Word and know that God is in control. People who live by faith keep going. It may seem rough, but then haven't things always been rough? We keep going. We keep believing God. He's in control and He is not done with America. [Editor's comment: Steve Strang is the founder of Charisma and CEO of Charisma Media. This excellent article was written by Steve Strang. It is so good, so timely, and the right word for the hour in which we live, that I, as editor of Hugh's News felt compelled to share it with you. I pray that you will be enlightened, encouraged, and energized to keep your faith in God and His Holy Word, the Bible. I loved what Smith Wigglesworth wrote: "I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am only moved by what I believe." What we believe must be rooted and grounded in God's Holy Word, the Bible. The Bible is the Book for me.] The Scripture for Today Is Recorded in The Book Of Daniel, Chapter 8, About The Time Of The END3/9/2016 Daniel 8:15-27
15 Gabriel Interprets the Vision Then it happened, when I, Daniel, had seen the vision and was seeking the meaning, that suddenly there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. 16 And I heard a man's voice between the banks of the Ulai, who called, and said,"Gabriel, make this man understand the vision." 17 So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and fell on my face; but he said to me, "Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end." 18 Now, as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he touched me, and stood me upright. 19 And he said, "Look, I am making known to you what shall happen in the latter time of the indignation; for at the appointed time the end shall be. 20 The ram which you saw, having the two horns — they are the kings of Media and Persia. 21 And the male goat is the kingdom of Greece. The large horn that is between its eyes is the first king. 22 As for the broken horn and the four that stood up in its place, four kingdoms shall arise out of that nation, but not with its power. 23 "And in the latter time of their kingdom, When the transgressors have reached their fullness, A king shall arise, Having fierce features, Who understands sinister schemes. 24 His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; He shall destroy fearfully, And shall prosper and thrive; He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people. 25 "Through his cunning He shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule; And he shall exalt himself in his heart. He shall destroy many in their prosperity. He shall even rise against the Prince of princes; But he shall be broken without human means. 26 "And the vision of the evenings and mornings Which was told is true; Therefore seal up the vision, For it refers to many days in the future." 27 And I, Daniel, fainted and was sick for days; afterward I arose and went about the king's business. I was astonished by the vision, but no one understood it. NKJV We are very excited to announce the release of the March 2016 edition of Encourage magazine. Its purpose is to encourage all ministers and lay leaders whether in local congregations or other expressions of denominational leadership.
In this issue of Encourage you will find articles by several well-known speakers and authors including Presiding Bishop Doug Beacham, Lee Grady, John Chasteen, Dr. Adrian Hinkle, and Randell Drake. We pray that this edition of Encourage will be a support to you as a leader. To connect to the online digital magazine click on the word above--Encourage. The airline had a policy that required the first officer to stand at the door while the passengers exited, smile, and give them a -- "Thanks for flying our airline today."
An airline pilot on this particular flight plowed his plane into the runway really hard like a jackhammer. In light of his bad landing, he had difficulty looking the passengers in the eye, all the time he thought that a passenger would have a smart comment. However, it seemed that all the passengers were too shell shocked to say anything. Finally, everyone had gotten off except for this senior lady walking with a cane. She said, "Sonny, mind if I ask you a question?" "Why no Ma'am," said the pilot, "What is it," and she asked, "Did we land or were we shot down?" One of the Church of God's most iconic leaders, Dr. T.L. Lowery, was memorialized by family and church leaders on Thursday, March 3, in the second of two Remembrance of Life services following his death on February 21, 2016. Hundreds gathered at the North Cleveland Church of God, a church Lowery served as senior pastor from 1969 to 1974. During his tenure there, he grew and built the church into one of the most dynamic congregations of its time. A first service was held earlier this week on Monday, February 29, at the National Church of God in Fort Washington, Maryland. Like North Cleveland, National was a church Lowery served as senior pastor (1981-1996), growing and building it into an influential and powerful ministry. The two services mirrored one another with many of the speakers traveling to both locations to speak on behalf of a portion of Dr. Lowery's life. The church choirs performed at both locations, as did spiritual daughter Judy Jacobs Tuttle. Rev. Steve Brock also sang songs of worship and celebration at both locations. George Henderson, a representative from the National Church's Pastor's Council, greeted both services. The three grandchildren—Aimee, Stephanie and John—spoke on behalf of the family, while two former Church of God General Overseers—Dennis McGuire and Lamar Vest—also spoke to the gathering. Several well-known ministers felt compelled to attend the funeral of the "apostolic statesman." Evangelist Kenneth Copeland prayed a prayer of anointing and "passing of the mantle" on Steve Lowery. "I knew by the spirit of God that I was supposed to be here," Copeland stated. "The healing anointing of T.L. Lowery is in this building," he said followed by a prayer of healing proclamation. Randy White, pastor of Without Walls International testified of the years of mentorship working directly with T.L. Lowery. Evangelist Perry Stone, speaking on behalf of Lowery's effect on world evangelism said, "Everywhere he preached, he imparted," Stone said of Lowery. Stone reminded everyone that because of the establishment of the T.L. Lowery Global Foundation, "there will always be a generation that will know the anointing and ministry of T.L. Lowery." Bishop T.D. Jakes, pastor of Potter's House in Dallas, Texas, sent condolences through a video message. Current General Overseer Mark L. Williams addressed the gathering at both Washington National and North Cleveland on behalf of the Church of God. "T.L. Lowery walked across the history of the Church of God as one that was sent forth," Williams said. "Because of his ministry, hundreds of thousands were swept into the Church of God." Rev. Stephen Lowery, the only child of T.L. and Mildred Lowery, concluded the services at both locations and testified of a lifetime of influences from his father. "Many in this room have known my dad as pastor, evangelist, church leader or businessman," Stephen Lowery shared. "But in every situation, he was always T.L. Lowery and always a man of God." Dr. Lowery is to be laid to rest next to his beloved Mildred in a private family ceremony. Mildred Lowery passed away nearly one year ago on March 8, 2015. T.L. Lowery was born on January 12, 1929 and spent over 70 of his 87 years ministering the gospel throughout the world. By the time he was 25 years old, he had pastored four congregations, but in 1954, he launched into full-time evangelistic work, where for the next 15 years he crisscrossed the United States proclaiming the gospel to thousands, preaching from a tent that held up to 10,000 people. Following his pastorate at North Cleveland, he was elected to the Church of God Executive Committee where he served for the next eight years as an assistant general overseer. In 1981, following a 40-day fast, Lowery accepted the pastorate of the National Church of God and, like North Cleveland, grew and built the church into a congregation of thousands. He was elected for a second stint on the Executive Committee in 1996 and he served until 2004, rising to first assistant general overseer. The final 12 years of his earthly ministry were spent mentoring the next generation of ministers as he conducted crusades and hosted events through the establishment of the T.L. Lowery Global Foundation. More information on the life of T.L Lowery and other aspects of his ministry can be found by visiting tllowery.org. [Editor's Comment: I had the privilege to meet Dr. T. L. Lowery in person and talk with him. I remember a camp meeting he preached at the Georgia Conference Camp Meeting in Franklin Spring, Georgia, when John Ingham was our conference superintendent. The gymtorium was packed to his this great evangelist and pastor preach, and the altars were filled when he gave the invitations. My life was enriched by his anointed preaching.] \ Nancy Reagan, one of the most high-profile and influential first ladies of the 20th century, has died. She was 94. The cause of death was congestive heart failure, according to her rep Joanne Drake, a spokeswoman with the Reagan Library. Photo Gallery: Nancy Reagan's Life From Hollywood to the White House "Mrs. Reagan will be buried at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, next to her husband, Ronald Wilson Reagan, who died on June 5, 2004," Drake wrote in a statement. Former U.S. First Lady Nancy Reagan Dead at 94 Prior to the funeral service, there will be an opportunity for members of the public to pay their respects at the Library. "It is a very sad day," former Ronald Reagan Chief of Staff Ken Duberstein told NBC News. "Every time she was in the room, he was better, and every time he was in the room she was better. She brought a sense of class and dignity and elegance that everybody admired." Her step-son Michael Reagan posted on Facebook: "She is once again with the man she loved. God Bless." Related: Condolences Pour in for 'Tower of Strength' First Lady "We remain grateful for Nancy Reagan's life, thankful for her guidance, and prayerful that she and her beloved husband are together again," President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama said in a statement. I stayed up all night to see where the sun went. Then it dawned on me.
This girl said she recognized me from the vegetarian club, but I'd never met herbivore. I am reading a book about antigravity. I can't put it down. I did a theatrical performance about puns. It was a play on words. They told me I had type A blood, but it was a Type O. Why were the Indians here first? They had reservations. [Editor's Comment: We want to thank the Rev. Dr. Ronald Q. Moore, of Easley, SC, for these puns. Psalm 145:3-7
Great is Jehovah! Greatly praise Him! His greatness is beyond discovery! 4 Let each generation tell its children what glorious things He does. 5 I will meditate about Your glory, splendor, majesty, and miracles. 6 Your awe-inspiring deeds shall be on every tongue; I will proclaim Your greatness. 7 Everyone will tell about how good You are and sing about your righteousness. TLB It's the Door
Have you ever walked into another room with some purpose in mind, only to completely forget what that purpose was? Turns out, doors themselves are to blame for these strange memory lapses. Psychologists at the University of Notre Dame have discovered that passing through a doorway triggers what's known as an Event Boundary in the mind, separating one set of thoughts and memories from the next. Your brain files away the thoughts you had in the previous room and prepares a blank slate for the new locale. Remember: It is not you, it is the door! I am doing so much better after triple bypass heart surgery this past Tuesday. I hope to go home Monday or Tuesday of this coming week.
Special thanks to everyone for their prayers for me and my family. Continue to pray for us. And thank God for Hugh's News getting the word out across the IPHC. Rev H Larry Jones I tried to catch some fog. I midst.
When chemists die, they barium. Jokes about German sausage are the wurst. A soldier who survived mustard gas and pepper spray is now a seasoned veteran. I know a guy who's addicted to brake fluid. He says he can stop anytime. How does Moses make his tea? Hebrews it. Ah, there's more to come in latter editions of Hugh's News. We want to thank the Rev. Dr. Ronald Q. Moore for these delightful puns. These are ones you and I can use. Psalm 121
God the Help of Those Who Seek Him A Song of Ascents. I will lift up my eyes to the hills -- From whence comes my help? 2 My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. 3 He will not allow your foot to be moved; He Who keeps you will not slumber. 4 Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade at your right hand. 6 The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night. 7 The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. 8 The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore. NKJV A man asks a farmer near a field, “Sorry sir, would you mind if I crossed your field instead of going around it?
You see, I have to catch the 4:23 train.” The farmer says, “Sure, go right ahead. And if my bull sees you, you’ll even catch the 4:11 one.” Asbury Theological Seminary Series: The Study of World Christian Revitalization Movements in Pentecostal & Charismatic Studies, Emeth Press Forthcoming-Summer 2016 From the foreword by Vinson Synan: Dr. Tony G. Moon’s From Plowboy to Pentecostal Bishop: The Life of J.H. King appears at an opportune juncture in the history of Pentecostal historiography. In recent years, scholars from around the world have “discovered” Bishop King and his seminal work as an early Pentecostal leader who was theologically highly educated for his time, place, and social location. Now, with Dr. Moon’s excellent and complete biography of his life, the stature of “the Pentecostal aristocrat” as a theologian, journalist, educator, and churchman will only grow and expand as newer generations get to know the man who defined what it meant to be a Pentecostal Bishop in the early days of the movement. From Dr. A.D. (Doug) Beacham, Jr., Presiding Bishop and General Superintendent International Pentecostal Holiness Church: The life and ministry of Bishop Joseph H. King comes alive in this thoroughly researched and chronicled biography. Dr. Tony Moon has admirably brought to real life the often 'starchy' view of this Pentecostal leader. As one who has always admired Bishop King and his family, I joyfully commend this book to your library. This is a must read for ministers and laity in the International Pentecostal Holiness Church and beyond! From D. William Faupel: Tony Moon keeps three perspectives in view as he writes: first and foremost, the life of a key early Pentecostal figure and his role in shaping the Pentecostal movement; secondly, the emergence and development of the Pentecostal movement from its Wesleyan Methodist roots to taking its place as a significant theological tradition within the spectrum of Christianity; and finally, the development of the Pentecostal-Holiness Church within the larger theological tradition. It is a monumental achievement; a must read for anyone interested in Pentecostalism, especially the Wesleyan Holiness wing. IPHC Children's Ministries Resources Welcome to HOPE! For those of us who are called to children’s ministry, there’s typically not a shortage of desire to influence the lives of kids. We sincerely love God, love kids, love their parents, and are grateful for the opportunities to share, teach, and come alongside them. However, there are times when we may experience a shortage of resources, ideas, or help. That’s where HOPE comes in! As the Children’s Ministry of the IPHC, we have three goals this year: Connect, Train, and Resource. To find out more, click on a HOPE Magazine link below to discover fresh ideas on how to connect to families and children around you! Here is the link to download the PDF Here is the link to the website Here is the link to ISSUU Ellen Moore IPHC Children’s Ministry Consultant [Editor's Comment: I have known Ellen Eby Moore since she was a young child. I know and love her Godly parents, Jim and Peggy Eby. They have been dear friends since I met them when I was president of Southwestern College. Ellen married Phillip Moore, the youngest son of Dr. Ronald and Doris Moore. I have visited with the Eby's in London, and with Phillip and Ellen when Phillip was the director and administrator of our international school in London. At that time I was a member of the World Missions Board of the IPHC. Ellen has prepared herself both academically as well as in the classroom of a large church in Houston. Her love for children and her passion to see that they receive the best Christian education is well known and has been recognized by the leadership of our denomination. We are blessed and honored to have Ellen as a consultant and I pray that this new magazine called Hope will be a tremendous blessing to you and your church. We must give our children the best of the best in quality Christian education. I hope you will take advantage of the resources you will find in Hope. It is my prayer that God will continue to bless the extensive ministries of Ellen Eby Moore,] When I was in elementary or grammar school, you could read the Bible and pray.
My third grade home room teacher Mrs. Mary Livingston encouraged us to memorize chapters in the Bible. I was so eager to do that I could memorize Scriptures rapidly. When we had memorized a chapter she would allow us to stand and quote the chapter. If we quoted it correctly, she would give us a half dollar. That was a lot of money for me. So, I took the challenge, learn the Psalm and got my fifty cents. Well, the first Psalm I learned, as I recall, was the First Psalm, a Psalm written by King David. Let me print it out for you to read, and if you are eager to memorize it, I am ready to listen. Psalm 1:1-6 1:1 The Way of the Righteous and the End of the Ungodly Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. 3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. 4 The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish. NKJV A Sign From God
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I am guilty of going through the motions and failing to realize how much Jesus suffered and paid the price for our sins. However, since it is now the Lenten season, I am trying to prepare myself spiritually for Good Friday and Easter (I also remember Passover) and being more aware of the sacrifice of Christ. As I was driving the other day, I spotted another church marquee with a wonderful saying. Although I usually prefer seeing funny sayings this poignant message really touched me: 1 cross 3 Nails 4 Given Now that’s my kind of math! Blessings, Greg Morgan |