Food for thought

Food for thought 20th January 2010

When people cease to believe in God, they don't believe in nothing;
they believe in anything.
- G. K. Chesterton

Adventures in India

....Wednesday 9th December 09

One of the hardest days .... for me anyway.. Shirley

Although it looks quite colourful and cheery, I felt as though I would faint in this humid building as we sat facing a crowd of people, mainly women some children and a few men. I don't know what was affecting me most... the heat or the sense of sickness that permeated the air. It was strange, because outside I could see the most beautiful butterflies flying about and landing on the lovely bushes, and the flowers in the hands of the people were so pretty. It seemed like nature itself surrounding these people was contradicting their terrible plight, and glorifying the God of heaven anyway. We were told that every single person had AIDs. Apparently most of the men had died of it but had passed it on their wives and unborn babies.

The people were so happy to see us and welcomed us so warmly, they were so beautiful it was hard to believe they had AIDs

We sang and danced and I had a vision of heavenly rain coming down in the building. Then the atmosphere broke and I no longer felt faint, but the life of the Holy Spirit quickened us all. Florence gave an awesome testimony and Gudrun told them about the wonderful Kingdom of God, and they all prayed for Jesus to come into their hearts.

Then we handed out oranges and bread. I couldn't understand why a very old frail woman was handing me a coin. I thought she was wanting to buy another piece of bread. But she was wanting to give me her offering. I treasured this coin worth probably less than a penny and brought it back with me to England for safe keeping as it reminded me of the widow's mite.

One by one, as names were called, the people came up and received their monthly supply of medicines. These are obtained by Brother Raju for them.

These wonderful people put garlands round our necks and showered us with flowers. There were petals everywhere. As Anita wrote "It was amazing, they are going through all the pain and hardship, yet they were smiling and joyful at our being there. As we prayed for them some broke down and cried. It was very moving. Even Brother Raju shed a few tears. We stayed there for about 3 hours. There but for the grace of God go I"

We travelled back to the hotel. It was not a good journey for me. Somehow the river looked so dark and dirty and foreboding surrounded by the waste and the trees dedicated to other god's. There was something about it that made me feel I had seen a glimpse in the spirit into hell. I arrived back to the hotel trying to shake off this feeling. I enquired of the Lord what it was all about. I kept seeing babies being put in the water in my imagination, and I prayed .. Later Florence told me that they found many children in the river that had been sacrificed to the gods.

We travelled then to Anupama's sister's household (Anupama is Brother Raju's wife). They welcomed us warmly and gave us a wonderful dinner and we prayed for them all. We went back to the hotel and had an early night ready to face meeting the HIV positive/AIDs children tomorrow. As Anita writes "This I feel is going to be really hard"

See Gudrun's newsletter about India

Read the wonderful testimony
of how God used us to
pray for a dying man ...

What does revelation mean to you?

Catherine O'Halloran

I hear your laughter in the sparkling,
rippling streams as they gently caress the hillsides.
I see your perfect purity in the mountain snows.
I feel your tenderness in the myriad of ethereal snowflakes
and the gentle April sunshine.
Thank you lord that this year you revealed to me your majesty, grandeur and splendour on the mountains of Austria and Switzerland,
You, are a wonderful God.
My heart soared like an eagle in full flight
at your glorious beauty manifesting itself
before my tear-filled eyes.
You are a wonderful God.....

I see in the gentle spring rain your graces
pouring on us all from on high and
I thank you for your every good gift to us.
Your precious blood I see in the red rose
outside my window, it has many thorns
like those you wore for me,
but O, what beauty, my heart finds it difficult to contain the surge of joy as I gaze on Your creation.
You are a wonderful God.

I see Your anger at injustice in the
constant thundering of the winter sea.
In the clear star-filled frosty sky I see Your justice lord,
O, You are a wonderful God.

Thank you lord for the magnificence of the rainbow in which
I find the reminder of "your constant love"
I bow down before you my Lord and my God and pray
that the bud that is me will come to full bloom before your majesty
And send a perfume worthy to join the incense before your throne,
O, You are a beautiful God

I often hear you Lord saying "Come up into the mountains with me",
I apologise for being often busy like Martha,
Thank You for showing us this parable and for revealing Yourself so very often to me in the banquet which is the scriptures.
Thank you lord for giving eyes to my heart,
Eyes which can see your enchanting beauty.

I remember Lord the little toes and fingers
of my five babies, and am lost in admiration and joy beyond belief at what You have designed
I see Your smile Lord on their little happy faces.
I see your suffering broken body in their broken hearts Lord
Forgive us lord for what we do to You and each other,
You are a kind God and O, how I love You.

I hear you calling me to praise whilst I listen to my favourite Chopin.
Thank you lord for beautiful music which lifts the soul to You
I see you Lord in the love in the eyes of my friends
And I ask that You will give to me the grace to nail
to Your cross all self interest in my love for others,
So that your love in me will be supreme for dear Lord
I wish with all my heart that all my friends
may fall into your loving arms along with me.

In you dearest Lord my entire being finds total fulfillment,
You are a powerful God
I lay my life before You and if You require of me this minute
that I should die to prove my love for you,well,
Here I am lord.

You are everywhere Lord and I see You.

Catherine O'Halloran.

Inspirational Moments
by Catherine

email shirleyhowitt@yahoo.co.uk

The Word of the Lord Ministries Int'l

Katey Moreland

Just Joking

Note from Shirley: I am a great animal lover and hate cruelty of any description to them, so please don't be offended if you are a cat lover, I couldn't resist this joke.

How to Give a Cat a Pill

1. Pick cat up and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.

2. Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.

3. Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away.

4. Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten.

5. Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse from garden.

6. Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously.

7. Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered ornaments from hearth and set to one side for gluing later.

8. Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible from below armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force mouth open with pencil and blow down drinking straw.

9. Check the label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink beer to take taste away. Apply band-aid to spouse's forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.

10. Retrieve cat from neighbor's shed. Drink another beer then get another pill. Place cat in cupboard and close door onto neck to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic band.

11. Fetch screwdriver from garage and put door back on hinges. Drink large tumbler of whisky to take away pain. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus jab. Throw Tee shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.

12. Ring fire brigade to retrieve the cat from tree across the road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil-wrap.

13. Tie the cat's front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table, find heavy duty pruning gloves from shed, pry cat's mouth open with small spanner.

Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of fillet steak. Hold head vertically and pour a pint of water down throat to wash pill down.

14. Get spouse to drive you to the emergency room, sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Call at furniture shop on way home to order new table. Arrange for RSPCA to collect cat and ring local pet shop to see if they have any hamsters.

How to give a dog a pill:

1. Wrap it in bacon.

...

Written Agreement on the covenantal promises for our children ......

.Notes concerning the promises

Prescription: -

God's word to be spoken orally three times a day. Then once a day as preventative measure. If symptoms worsen - double the dose. Note:- There are no harmful side effects.

Joseph Prince

The bible has so much in it, that we are still delving deeper and deeper over the centuries to excavate even more beautiful jewels of truth. Joseph Prince has been given a great anointing for digging and finding wisdom that is setting people free and bring them into blessings. I recommend his teachings on the God Channel to anyone who wants to mature and grow in grace. I am always blessed with his teachings .

Daily Devotions Joseph Prince