World Air Traffic

Boarding flight from JFK-NY to South Africa.

Waves

Read Scripture verses referencing waves - click here

Psalm 36:9

Reading a great little book by Art (Aaron) Katz, called: REALITY - The Hope of Glory.

He talks about the need for being constantly directed by the Holy Spirit and says: "So many of us are much more responsive to the Spirit when He bids us 'go' than when He calls us to a halt. We want to go, go, go. We want to do great exploits for the Lord, preferably before the eye of the admiring masses. To be dead and hid with Christ in God is not quite as easy to receive..."

Art gives a great example from scripture..."At Lystra, two Jewish men, Paul and Silas, took into their company the son of a Jewish mother and Greek father, Timothy (Acts 16:1-3). A small band of disciples was forming which would join Paul on his second missionary journey.

And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem. And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily. (Acts 16:4,5) (emphasis mine)

These men were doing the work of God in Asia Minor and were meeting with conspicuous success. The next four verses contain three significant manifestations of the Holy Spirit.

Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia [a province within Asia Minor]. After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.

And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, "Come over into Macedonia, and help us." (Acts 16:6-9)

Twice the Spirit checked the steps of these travelers, and then He directed them to the place of His choosing. "Forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia! This can't be. The Bible plainly says that we should go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, so I'm going! I'll determine where I'll go and how I'll get there. God himself has given me a blank check." This, almost needless to say, is a dangerous attitude. God has indeed given us a general invitation, but the specific fulfilling of it must be directed by the Holy Spirit each step of the way."

Art continues..."To be dead and hid with Christ in God is not quite as easy to receive, especially when you have been successful in establishing the churches in Asia Minor. If the Holy Spirit can shut your mouth in the very place of your greatest preaching achievements, I would say that He has possession of His vessel.

What kind of spirit would lead a band of God's men away from the continent of their proven success and point them toward a place where neither their names nor the name of their Lord had ever been heard? Many might say, "That's not the Spirit of God. That's the spirit of Satan trying to distract God's servant, take him away from the field of his greatest use, and send him to some remote place where he's going to be lost in obscurity. Macedonia? Never!"

Once again, one of the key questions of these end times is raised: how can we determine whether we are being spoken to by the Spirit of God or by the spirit of the evil one? We know that Satan is a vicious counterfeiter, and that his artful attempts to imitate the voice of God have often fooled the Lord's children. How could Paul and the others know that it was the Holy Spirit keeping them from preaching in the provinces of Asia and Bithynia, and directing them to Macedonia? They knew in the only way that men can: like Elijah before them, they were so familiar with the accents of the still small voice of God that they had not doubt Who was speaking to them.

A man who has that kind of intimacy with the Lord's voice is one who has been long processed at His hand, one who has known brokenness and the cuttings away of the flesh. It is only by going through these wilderness testings that a true and consistent sensitivity to the things of the Spirit emerges.

Correctly discerning the voice of God is literally a matter of life and death."

See also: artkatzministries.org & www.benisrael.org

Agony

The Message of Hosea - A Parable of Life

"It is the people you love who can hurt you most..., the ache of a parent-child estrangement, or, most wounding of all, the betrayal of a marriage." Derek Kinder

The Prophet Hosea was in an unequal marriage full of tensions and betrayals, not one which was secure or blissful. He was chosen or called for this agonizing odyssey by the LORD to portray His heart. One that deeply cares, which says: "How can I give you up...?" That of a Father who refuses to desert! Full of faithfulness!! A God in agony over the unfaithfulness of His children. The pain, struggling, and suffering - there are 11 references to 'agony' in the Bible (NIV). Click here to see

What is the purpose?

There is no pat answer, yet undoubtedly heartache brings opportunity. Pain causes questions, as we try and make sense of life. We are rarely as vulnerable, aware of our humanity, and weakness. Yet, at the same time we are in need of grace! In weakness His strength is made manifest.

Look at the agony of Christ on the cross...a struggle that preceded death, BUT which brought us LIFE! That was the fruit of His agony and suffering, life in abudance for eternity...if we allow Him. Jesus asked for the cup to pass him by, not to have to drink it, yet yielded to the Father's will. Will I allow Him...yield continously to the Father's purpose?

Please pray for me!

En - J O Y !!

Bride Can't Stop Laughing During Vows

Healing Rain

Back from 5 weeks in Africa!

What an incredible (and indelible) expression to me of the body which Paul speaks of in 1 Corinthians 12...especially verse 26a: "And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it;".

A tremendous (and unexpected) outpouring of love from so many, that I feel like David in saying: "As for the saints who are in the earth, They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight." Psalm 16:3

Eish!!!