Saturday Afternoon

Email from Beth Moore (Shared by Julia Forrest)

Dear Ones,

On June 27th and 28th I attended a conference in Atlanta called Deeper Still. I was one of three speakers the others being Kay Arthur and Priscilla Shirer. I looked forward to a special time of worship and having God convict me of my sins and lead me to areas in my life where I need to change. I have been to similar conferences for years, although none this large and with so many well-known speakers. There were over 20,000 women in attendance at the Phillips Arena in Atlanta – they said it was the largest crowd ever.

I had an idea of what to expect from the conference, but nothing prepared me for what actually happened. I feel led to share my experience with family and friends. This is important, so stay with me!

When Kay Arthur took the stage you could just tell that her spirit was heavy and there was a certain ‘heaviness’ in the atmosphere even before she started to speak. She said that she had been literally physically sick to have to bring us this message and right out the gate she said, ‘We are in grave danger.’ She said that God had revealed to her that a literal famine is coming to America.. Physical, not spiritual. She said that God is moving in judgment against our nation. I know I can’t describe this well enough, but the atmosphere was om inous.

Kay is a seasoned speaker and she had to BATTLE to get through her message. She stumbled over scriptures and had an extremely difficult time. At times I was almost expecting her to collapse. At one point she just had to stop and pray. There was no person, myself included, that I could see who did not have tears streaming down their faces. As you may know, Kay Arthur is normally a very confident, composed speaker, but she was literally in a spiritual battle and it was taking place right before my eyes. I have never seen anything like it.

She went on to give 7 things that Christians must do during this time and I am going to give those to you now:

1. Return to God. Jeremiah 4:3 – Break up the fallow ground – return to Me. Repent. Get on your face before God and ask him to break your heart with the things that break His heart.

2. Mourn. Jeremiah 9:17-18 and Ezekiel 9 – It is time to weep because our

nation’s sin is incredible.

3. Pray. Jeremiah 36:7 – Pray fervently, passionately for America.

4. Love God’s Word. Jeremiah 20 – You MUST love the Word of God and be in the Word of God. I was particularly convicted here because I know I have not been as deeply in His Word as I need to be. She said we must get serious about this.
5. Love others as Jesus loved them. Jeremiah 31:3 and John 13:34.

6. Introduce people to Jesus Christ. It’s time to get serious about this. This is no time for timidity. Jeremiah 31:31; Jeremiah 33:1-9, 15, 17.

7. Rest. If you will do these things, then rest in the fact that you have done God’s will. She said that it is going to be vitally important for us to get enough physical rest. She went on to say that God has not given us a spirit of fear and that if we are obedient to Him, we will be protected. She said to read Ezekiel 14 over and over until you understand it. This is what God will do if a country turns against Him. She said that this is going to be a calamity (she used the word calamity in such a way that you knew this is going to be no small thing for our country), and gave many more scripture references, but what I have given you are the main points that s he made.

I hope you know that I would not have sent this to you if I had not been profoundly affected by it and feel it is of great importance to share it. Thank you for taking the time to read this and I hope you will do with this information what you feel led by God to do.

Love in Christ Jesus, Beth

This has touched me so strongly I felt compelled that you have it . . . .
Thank you Julia

Saturday

An intelligent person aims at wise action,
but a fool starts off in many directions.
Proverbs 17:24 (TEV)

BAPTIST PRESS

October 29, 2008

MEXICO–Pastor still missing after Tijuana kidnap. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=29222

SOUTH DAKOTA–ELECTION 08: S.D. again at center of abortion debate. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=29223

WASHINGTON–Biotech firm hopeful for embryonic stem cell trials. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=29224

TENNESSEE–IN THEIR OWN WORDS: Obama & McCain on humanitarian crises. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=29225

PAKISTAN–Pakistan earthquake assessment underway. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=29226

VIRGINIA–How are Lottie Moon dollars used? http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=29227

TENNESSEE–FIRST-PERSON (John Revell): When Christians fail to vote. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=29228

October 30, 2008

CALIFORNIA–Prop 8 supporters raise $5 million in one week. http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=29229

TENNESSEE–Poll reports on pastors & ballot box. http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=29230

ALABAMA–Study: Missions education lifts stewardship. http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=29231

GEORGIA–Baptists enhance missions learning options. http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=29232

GEORGIA–FIRST-PERSON (Jim Burton): Salad bar discipleship. http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=29233

ARKANSAS–Ark. Baptists focus on children, youth. http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=29234

TENNESSEE–RESOURCE: 7 ‘words of worship.’ http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=29235

CALIFORNIA–FIRST-PERSON (David Jeremiah): Where in the world are you? http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=29236

October 31, 2008

TENNESSEE–ELECTION 08: Calif. Prop 8 headlines a host of initiatives nationwide. http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=29237

WASHINGTON–FCC may impede churches’ wireless microphones. http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=29238

WASHINGTON–FCC bans some wireless microphones. http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=29239

ECUADOR–Former ranchers nurture Andean churches. http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=29240

ECUADOR–Cows, sheep & pigs help their outreach. http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=29241

ECUADOR–Airwaves reach hearts in Ecuadorean villages. http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=29242

ECUADOR–Barn rejuvenated in Andean village. http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=29243

TEXAS–GuideStone adds property & casualty ins. http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=29244

LOUISIANA–FIRST-PERSON (Kelly Boggs): Lay those experts end-to-end! http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=29245

KENTUCKY–FIRST-PERSON (Russell D. Moore): ‘Judgment house’ evangelism. http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=29246

Sadie Russell Pevey
(July 17, 1923 – October 30, 2008)
Died at 12:02 p.m. on Thursday, October 30, 2008 at Willis Knighten Pierremont Health Center in Shreveport, LA. Age 85 years. Mrs. Pevey was a current resident of Shreveport, LA, previously of Grand Prairie, TX, Baton Rouge, LA and Roseland, LA. She was a lifelong member of the Church of Christ. She formerly worked as Recording Secretary for the Board of the Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana. She is survived by her 2 daughters, Eileen Pevey Vennum, Grand Prairie, TX and Carolyn Francis Pevey and her husband, Thomas J. Jones, Montgomery, AL; 4 sons, Joseph E. Pevey, Jr., Prairieville, LA, Cary R. Pevey, Holden, LA, Richard W. Pevey, Shreveport, LA and Jonathan B. Pevey, Brownsville, TX; 2 brothers, Cara “CB” Russell, Denham Springs, LA and Cleo Russell, Ponchatoula, LA; 9 grandchildren; 9 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph E. Pevey, Sr.; father, Boliver Ray Russell; mother, Allene Lambert Russell; sister, Belle Russell Lanier; 2 brothers, Royce Russell and Dale G. Russell. Visitation at McKneely Funeral Home, Amite, from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Sunday and at Big Creek Church of Christ, Russelltown, on Monday from 12 Noon until religious services at 1 p.m. Monday. Interment Big Creek Cemetery, Russelltown, LA.

NAMING THE SHEEP

The following story comes from Julie Helms in Christian Reader, “Lite Fare”:

My husband and I, with our two daughters, operate a small sheep farm. One day a non-farming friend asked, “How can you bear to slaughter those cute little lambs?”

My husband explained, “We don’t want to get emotionally attached to the ones we plan to eat, so we don’t give them names.”

Not satisfied, the friend probed, “What about your kids?”

Her husband quickly replied, “Oh, we name them!”

While very few of us are personally familiar with sheep and shepherds, the relationship between the two is one of the most powerful images in the Bible used to describe the relationship between Christ and his followers. The loving care shown by shepherds to their flock, and the willingness of sheep to utterly depend on what the shepherd can provide offer a glimpse of our personal relationship with the good shepherd. While it may seem to be a small thing, our name plays a significant role in that relationship.

“He who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” (John 10:2-3)

“He calls his own sheep by name.” Though there are many disciples of Christ around the world, we are not just “one of the masses”, not just a number. We are intimately known and loved by the good shepherd. He knows us by name. It tells us not only that he cares about us, but that he plans for his relationship with us to be a lasting one.

May the fact that your shepherd knows your name give you comfort this day.

Have a great day!

Alan Smith
Helen Street Church of Christ
Fayetteville, North Carolina

REMINDER:
Don’t forget to set your clocks back tonight or you’ll be late for church.

Make something of this beautiful day from the Lord.
Anna Lee