Barbara
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My niece Barbara is coming to spend the week-end with me. She loves Metamora and is bringing her friend, Dawn. They are staying at The Metamora Inn and will tour the town and visit all the shops. Metamora officially opens in May and I am really looking forward to a great season.
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A PRESS CONFERENCE TO START OFF MAY SWEEPS

I LOVE IT. I have no idea who advices President Bush on his timing of news conferences, but I was astounded that one was scheduled tonight which just happens to be the first day of the May sweeps. Of course I am aware that Friday night would be a poor night because that is when lots of people cash their weekly checks and then go grocery shopping, or just plain shopping at Wal Mart's.


Of course he would never have one on Wednesday night because most of his support base would be at Bible Study or Prayer Meeting. He did not have a big surprise announcement to make to the Nation. I think, in my humble opinion, that it was a very good move on the President's part. Millions of people were watching and they needed to be reminded that we have a good and decent man in the White House. Pure and simple.

I would like to thank the Lord for blessing America in spite of us, not because of us. I am very grateful that we have George W. Bush as our President during this day and this hour.

That's my thinking about the Press Conference and I just wanted to write it down before I watch or listen to or read anyone else's thoughts.

Thanks for listening.

THIS WEEK'S NEWSPAPER ARTICLE

THE PRAYERS OF THE SAINTS
BY PAT GULLEY

Rev 8:4
And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. (KJV)

I am a member of the Body of Jesus Christ and I gladly add my agreement to the prayers of the saints as they ascend before the Throne of God and the Heavenly Mercy Seat where Jesus ever lives to make intercession for those of us who are walking, working. living, and loving on this earth in this day and this hour. Jesus told us that we were to love one another and made it a commandment.

John 13:34
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. (KJV)

The Apostle James told us that we were to pray for one another that we might be healed. In our love for one another we desire to see every born again believer fulfill the plan that the Lord has for their life and to prosper and be in health as their soul prospers.

James 5:16
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (KJV)

I am writing this article because I have a strong desire to see the Body of Jesus Christ walk in harmony with one another under the Headship of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is Lord of the Church and His Spirit is the unseen power that enables us to do and to be all that He desires us to be. The last prayer Jesus prayed before His Crucifixion was asking His Father to unite all believers in one faith and in unity of purpose and mission.

John 17:21
That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. (KJV)

Jesus still desires that His people show the world His Father's Love. And we must begin with that message in our love for each other. I was really disappointed when I first learned that not all Christians liked one another let alone loved each other. That revelation was taught to me when I first began my walk with Jesus. The Lord also let me know that I was not to worry about who liked me or who didn't like me; but that I was to obey Him and to pray in faith and love for every person as if they were my Mother, Father, Sister, or Brother.

JESUS DID NOT DIE IN VAIN. Again let me quote Bro. John from his first of three letters to the Churches. "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and everyone who loveth is born of God and knoweth God, he that loveth not knoweth not God for GOD IS LOVE." (1Jn 4:7-8)

BELOVED LET US LOVE ONE ANOTHER. AMEN.

GETTING READY TO TEACH BIBLE STUDY

I will spend today getting ready to teach Bible Study tonight at the Metamora Methodist Church just across the street from me. I get very excited at the opportunity I have to minister the Word of God to those who want to hear. I have been teaching the Bible for over 30 years and I think I receive more in giving that those who receive.
The LORD told Jeremiah that the main job of the Pastor/Teacher was to feed the flock of God with the Word of God that was easy to be understood.


Jer 3:15
15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.(KJV)

I am convinced that the hearing of the Word is of more value than anything else a person can receive. It brings with the hearing the faith to fulfill the Word taught. There is no seed or bulb or plant that can produce as much energy, power, health, and peace as the Word of God when sown in the heart of a Christian man or woman. They grow and develop in ways they never dreamed of. The Pastor knows that. The Teacher knows that. And God knows that.

So now you understand why I LOVE TEACHING THE WORD OF GOD.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOTHER

I would like to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY MOTHER WHO LIVES IN BRADENTON, FLORIDA.
She is very much a "birthday" person as she believes and has taught her three daughters that the day you were born is the most important day of your life. And she treated it as such. I pray she had a good birthday. I know my Dad did his best to make it a special day for her. They both are soooo cool.

PRAY BECAUSE PRAYER PRODUCES RESULTS

James 5:16
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.(kjv)

It is obvious to me that one of the responsibilities of a Christian is to PRAY. We are to pray for the many situations that arise in order that a just and righteous outcome will be accompolished. It is not our job to actually manipulate the outcome, but to simply pray that the Lord bring about the results.

Today I pray for John Bolton to be approved by the Senate as Ambassador to the United Nations. I also pray that the fillibuster be busted by the Senate Republicans where and when it comes to the President's nominations to the Federal Courts and in the future the Supreme Court.

JESUS IS LORD AND HE USES THE WORDS OF OUR PRAYERS TO ACT IN RESPONSE TO OUR PRAYERS AND TO FULFILL OUR FATHER'S WILL IN EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.

MICHAEL BARONE IN REAL CLEAR POLITICS

April 25, 2005
Faith in Our Future?
By Michael Barone

If you read the headlines, you run the risk of thinking we are headed toward a theocracy.

Alarmists note that George W. Bush invokes his religious faith in many speeches and that his positions on abortion, embryonic-stem-cell research and faith-based charities are informed by it. They decry the law Congress passed to provide federal judicial review in the Terri Schiavo case. Vocal American Catholics bewail the election of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as Pope Benedict XVI.

Blogger Andrew Sullivan called it "a full-scale assault" on liberal Catholics. One of his correspondents called the new pope "this headstrong, self-assured, anti-democratic and egotistical little man." We all look abroad at the violence done by Islamist fanatics and wonder, without any clear way of being sure, how far such doctrines have taken hold among the world's 1.2 billion Muslims. We note, more reassuringly but perhaps with some wariness, that most Iraqi voters seem to have followed the lead of the country's most powerful cleric, Ayatollah Ali Sistani.

But whether the United States is on its way to becoming a theocracy is actually a silly question. No religion is going to impose laws on an unwilling Congress or the people of this country. And we have long lived comfortably with a few trappings of religion in the public space, such as "In God We Trust" or "God save this honorable court."

The real question is whether strong religious belief is on the rise in America and the world. Fifty years ago, secular liberals were confident that education, urbanization and science would lead people to renounce religion. That seems to have happened, if you confine your gaze to Europe, Canada and American university faculty clubs.

But this movement has not been as benign as expected: The secular faiths of fascism and communism destroyed millions of lives before they were extinguished.

America has not moved in the expected direction. In fact, just the opposite. Economist Robert Fogel's "The Fourth Great Awakening" argues that we've been in the midst of a religious revival since the 1950s, in which, as in previous revivals, "the evangelical churches represented the leading edge of an ideological and political response to accumulated technological and social changes that undermined the received culture."

In the 2004 presidential exit poll, 74 percent of voters described themselves as churchgoers, 23 percent as said they were evangelical or born-again Protestants and 10 percent said they had no religion.

This is in line with longer trends. Roger Finke and Rodney Stark in "The Churching of America 1776-1990" used careful quantitative analysis to show that in America's free marketplace of ideas, the religions and sects that have grown are those that make serious demands on members. Those that accommodate to secular critics and make few demands decline in numbers. The Roman Catholic Church continues to grow in America; the Assemblies of God and the Mormon Church grow even faster. But mainline Protestant denominations, which spend much effort ordaining gay bishops or urging disinvestment in Israel, lose members.

Around the world, we see continuing secularism in Europe but healthy competition among faiths elsewhere. In Latin America, the competitors are Catholicism (even though shorn of liberation theology by John Paul II) and evangelical Protestantism. In Africa, competitors are Catholicism, Protestantism and Islam. In East Asia, Christianity has grown in Korea and, underground, in China. In South Asia, the competition for 500 years has been between Hinduism and Islam.

Who inherits the future? In free societies, each generation makes its own religious choices, but people tend to follow the faith of their parents. Secular Europe, with below-replacement birthrates among non-Muslims, could be headed for a Muslim future, as historian Niall Ferguson suggests.

In the United States, as pointed out by Phillip Longman in "The Empty Cradle" and Ben Wattenberg in "Fewer," birth rates are above replacement level largely because of immigrants. But, as Longman notes, religious people have more children than seculars. Those who believe in "family values" are more likely to have families.

This doesn't mean we're headed to a theocracy: America is too diverse and freedom-loving for that. But it does mean that we're probably not headed to the predominantly secular society that liberals predicted half a century ago and that Europe has now embraced.

© Copyright 2005 US News & World Report
Distributed by Creators Syndicate

SUNDAY MORNING

I was very blessed to be able to attend to church services this morning. I went to the Metamora United Methodist Church at 8:00 and then my son and husband took me to the Greensburg Assembly of God, New Beginnings, at 10:00. Both services were great but extremely different. The Methodist Church is more traditional and its songs are age-old hymns that I sang as a child.
The Assembly of God is very contemporary and has the discernable presence of the Holy Spirit leading and directing the service. Jesus is Head of both churches and I know it is a matter of choice on which type of service a person is comfortable with but I am comfortable with both and plan on attending both as long as I have someone who will drive me to Greensburg, which is 35 miles from Metamora.
I will remind you that the Methodist Church is just across the street from my home and I can walk to it in a minute or less. Plus, they let me teach Wednesday Night Bible Study which I happen to love to do.
I am an anointed Pastor/Teacher in and to the Body of Jesus Christ and the one thing I LOVE TO DO IS TO TEACH THE WORD OF GOD TO THOSE WHO WANT TO HEAR.
I retired from being a Pastor in 1996 after 21 years but the one thing a preacher can never retire from is preaching.
It has been a very good Sunday.

RAINY DAYS

It is a good thing I like rainy days. Plus it is supposed to snow tomorrow. I like that too. I just pray that it doesn't kill the beautiful blossoms on the red bud trees. Or any other buds or blossoms for that part. But it is April in Indiana.

T.G.I.F.

It has been a long and very exhausting week. There are some days that make you want to cry and there are other days that make you laugh. Friday is always a day that makes me laugh. T.G.I.F. THANK GOD IT' FRIDAY.
I used to love it because school was over for the week, but now I love it because Congress is over for the week. I am pleased to be an American citizen but that does not mean that I am always pleased by how the leaders of our Government act. My prayer for the Republicans is that God gives them a BACKBONE. What is the use of voting and winning the election when we end up losing the war of the nominees because those on the left do not know how to act as the minority in congress. In my humble opinion, the only reason things appeared to go smoothly during the 60 years the Democrats were in charge of the House and usually the Senate is because the Republicans knew they were in the back seat. They still behave as if they are supposed to please the media and the rest of the left's elite. I learned a long time ago that today's hero can be tomorrow's goat. My sincere belief that the Lord God Almighty works in the affairs of men to fulfill His good pleasure gives me hope for this country and this generation. May God's Kingdom 'over'come, and may God's will be done in earth as it is in Heaven. And what may look like the dark side to you is the same side that gives light to those who will walk in it.

STILL TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS IN IRAQ
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PERFECT PEACE FOR IMPERFECT PEOPLE: THIS WEEK'S NEWSPAPER ARTICLE

PERFECT PEACE FOR IMPERFECT PEOPLE
BY PAT GULLEY

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (KJV)

The night before Jesus was crucified, He had a long heart to heart talk with His disciples. He tried to prepare them for what would take place the next three days but they were not really able to perceive what He was saying. I believe that the natural mind cannot receive the things of God. (1Co 2:14) That is why we cannot use logic and reason to get our friends and loved ones saved. You can only receive your salvation by faith in the finished work of Jesus. (Eph 2:8) It is only after being born again, that you can begin to understand the plan the Lord has for your life. There has only been one perfect person, Jesus Christ, and the rest of us, saved and unsaved alike, are far from perfect.
I am so impressed with the ways of the Lord. The more I learn and know about Him the more I stand in awe of His ability to deal with imperfect people. After the Last Supper He talked to the 11 Disciples on their way to the Garden of Gethsemane and made them several promises. (Jn 14,15,16) The one about leaving them His PEACE is truly wonderful. HIS PEACE...NOT THE WORLD'S PEACE. The peace the world offers is so temporary. The peace the world promises is futile and is subject to failure.

There are many men and women today whose peace of mind rested in the promises of Big Business and now they are left holding empty retirement plans and useless stocks. If you are counting on your 401K's or C.D.'s being sufficient to see you through your later years, I suggest you get a back-up plan. I like the plan offered by God myself.

Eccl 11:1
Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. (KJV)

The Lord has a "saving plan" that guarantees your needs will be met as long as you have needs. But you need to be saved to be a participant. The Righteous have never been forsaken, nor his seed gone begging for bread. (Ps 37:25). The New Testament promises that God will supply all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Ph 4:19)
That is where the PEACE that Jesus left us comes into play. If we take Him at His WORD then His Peace will take us all the way home. His Peace will also provide for our peace of mind when everyone else is losing theirs. The more we dwell on the hard times and the miserable things happening in this earth today, the more tempted we will be to forsake the Peace that is produced in out hearts by the Holy Spirit. (Gal 5:23)
There are those who have spent a lifetime in giving to others by casting their bread, i.e. money, time, prayers, on the waters. I don't care how many days, weeks, months, or years it takes, it will come back to you at the very time you need it.
The PRINCE OF PEACE PROMISED US HIS PEACE. I believe Him. Do you?
I would hate to be serving a God whose promises died before I did.

SAINTS PRAY

Heb 4:16
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.(KJV)

I am extremely glad that Jesus has given us an open door in order for us to blodly enter the Throne of God and pray for mercy and grace in our time of need. I believe we are in a time of need now and I gladly add my agreement to the prayers of the saints for God's Kingdom to come and His will to be done in earth this day and this hour.


Rev 8:4
And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. (KJV)


Heavenly Father I ask for you to bestow your mercy and grace on the ministry of the New Leader of the Catholic Churchl. I pray for you to be magnified and your Son to be glorified and your Holy Spirit to be manifest in this generation of believers so that those who are not believers may see and know you for who you are and for the LOVE that you truly have for all humankind. In Jesus' Name...AMEN

A METAMORA PATTER POEM

WHAT DO YOU SEE WHEN YOU LOOK AT ME?

WHAT DO YOU SEE
WHEN YOU LOOK AT ME?
PLEASE TELL ME
I'D LIKE TO KNOW.

THERE'S SO MANY SIDES OF ME
THAT I
NEVER KNOW
JUST WHICH ONE I SHOW.

DO YOU SEE LOVE SENT FROM ABOVE?
OR DO YOU SEE A LONELY MAN?
DO YOU SEE HATE AND BITTERNESS
OR A WOMAN AFRAID TO STAND?

WHAT DO YOU SEE
WHEN YOU LOOK AT ME?
BUT DON'T TELL ME
IF IT MAKES ME SAD.

FOR WHEN YOU'RE
A MIRROR
THERE'S NOTHING DEARER
THAN THE THINGS
THAT MAKE YOU GLAD.

AUTHOR PAT GULLEY
WRITTEN 1973

KENNETH COPELAND LOVE LETTER

"He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him."
(1 John 2:10)

Whenever you find yourself stumbling into failure or sin, check your love life. Sit down with the Lord and ask Him to show you if you're in strife with anyone or if you've taken offense. If you have, the devil can come in and trip you up.

As a preacher, I've seen that happen countless times. I'll be preaching about something and some believer will get upset with me about it. He'll decide I'm wrong and go off in a huff--and first thing you know, he's in trouble.

Mark 4:17 tells us the devil uses those kinds of offenses to steal the Word from our hearts. He causes us to get crosswise with each other. Then he's able to pull the plug right out of us and drain the Word like water from a bucket.

Don't ever let that happen to you. If you hear a preacher or another believer saying something that rubs you the wrong way and you catch yourself getting offended say, "Oh no you don't. You're not stealing the Word out of me, you lying devil." Then get right down on your knees and repent before God.

Search the Word and listen to the Spirit within you and find out what you should do. If you still feel what that person said to you was wrong, pray for him.

Remember, taking offense never comes from God. He says we're to be rooted and grounded in love. So reject those feelings of offense. Give yourself to that person in love and in prayer. You'll be able to walk right on through that situation without ever stumbling at all.



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Scripture Study: 1 John 2:1-11

4 GENERATIONS OF FIRST BORN DAUGHTERS. I WISH MY MOTHER COULD BE IN THIS WITH US AS SHE IS THE 5TH GENERATION OF FIRST BORN DAUGHTERS. BUT SHE IS IN FLORIDA . HOPE TO SEE HER HOME SOON. WILL TAKE ANOTHER PICTURE THEN.
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ANOTHER SUNDAY

I am glad for another Sunday. I truly enjoy attending Church. As you know, I am a member of the Metamora United Methodist Church and have been for half of my 64 years. I took a picture of the Church yesterday and then put in on my pictures but am having problems with my HELLO. For some reason I lost my "library" and do not have a clue as to what to do to find my pictures and my scans. Guess I will have to download Picasa again. Is there anyone out there who could help me? Would appreciate it very much. Just tried downloading and they keep telling me I already have an account. But I still cannot find my pics. Now I know how I will be spending Sunday afternoon. lol

Anyway, I am still glad it is Sunday. It is just past midnight and I can't wait to get up in the morning, get ready for Church, walk across the street, walk up the steps of the Church, pick up a bulletin, greet whoever is there, and listen to the organ and the piano and the singers and the prayer requests and the sermon. Our lady Pastor does a great job teaching from the Bible. I do love the Lord and the Lord's Word and the Lord's people. It will be nice when the tourists start coming to Church this Season. Hope to see you there. We start at 8:00am

Grandma Patter loves Baby Kirsten and her Grandma Colleen
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ABOUT THOSE WHO MAKE THE LAWS

ABOUT THOSE WHO MAKE THE LAWS

2 Sam 23:3
The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. (KJV)

There are people today who rule over men by making the rules that human beings must live by. They are called POLITICIANS. Now it is true that not all politicians make laws, but it is true that all lawmakers are politicians. They are called legislators. In the United States Senate, they are called senators, and in the House of Representatives they are called representatives. The 50 states also have state legislators. I am more and more aware of man-made laws because many of them are beginning to contradict the LAW OF GOD.

I believe the United States of America is a gift from God to the Christians of all nations who yearn to be free. There are those who want the freedom to worship and serve their Lord as their Lord leads them. Our forefathers made the exodus to America just as the Jews made the exodus from Egypt to Canaan thousands of years ago.


Exod 1:8-12
(8) Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.
(9) And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we:
(10) Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.
(11) Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.
(12) But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel. (KJV)

I believe that the leaders of America are really starting to fear Christians. I am notjust talking about politicians because many of them are Christians themselves and they see their work as an opportunity to do something positive for the good of the people. I have always thought that freedom for one meant freedom for all. I was content to sit by and watch as legislators and judges made rules and then ruled on the rules in ways that I found appalling. But I believed that if I wanted freedom for me and mine to live as we chose (as long as those choices did not harm or interfere with others) then I would willingly accept that right for others to make choices that I did not agree with.

I will use "smoking cigarettes" as an example. I liked, even loved to smoke cigarettes. I always thought I could and would quit any time I chose, but I had not yet made that choice. When I did make the choice to quit, I never tried to make everyone else quit. (I did not want to become one of those converted preachers that had been told by the Lord not to watch television so they got rid of their T.V. and then they told everyone else that they had to do the same.) No, I believe that others have their free will and if they want to smoke those cancer sticks, or watch T.V. (which I do watch T.V. and love to do so)then they have a legitimate right to do so. I totally think it is outrageous that the government would think that it is their right to make that choice for me or for anyone else. And I think it is ridiculous that the government is even thinking about making laws about people being too fat and want to put a tax on the food they they decide will be harmful to our health. But that is another blog for another day. Just wanted to get that off my mind. Thanks for listening.

Just what does it take?

Just what does it take for people to see what is happening around them? I pray for the eyes of those who sit in Washington D.C. be opened and for them to act on behalf of the Nation and not on behalf of either political party. There is going to be a day of accountability and each one will have to answer for his or her choices.
It should never be considered a small thing when making rules for others to live by.

THIS WEEK'S NEWSPAPER ARTICLE

IT'S IMPORTANT WHO YOU HANG WITH
BY PAT GULLEY

Gal 2:20
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (KJV)

It is important whom you hang with. When Jesus Christ was nailed to the Cross and hung there from 9:00 in the morning until 3:00 in the afternoon, you and I were hanging there also because it was our sins that were laid upon Him.

Isa 53:4-6
(4) Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
(5) But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
(6)All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (KJV)

The Apostle Paul was proud of who he hung with. He said, "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live." Paul was not ashamed of hanging with Jesus and Jesus is not ashamed to call us His brothers and sisters because He willingly laid down His life for each of us.
Heb 2:11
For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, (KJV)
A fundamental principle of the Christian Doctrine is the fact that Jesus not only died for us, but He also lives for us and with us. He did not leave us to fulfill His commission alone. He sent the Holy Spirit to indwell us and to empower us to be and to do all that He needs us to be and to do. We are to be the light in the darkest corners of the earth. We are to be the witnesses that others see and can understand that it is by the Grace of God that we are saved and redeemed. We are to be His eyes and ears and His hands and feet.
We can hang out with Jesus and not worry about the day ahead let alone the days ahead. He is our friend that sticks closer than a brother and He is always on our side if we are on His side.
There is a song that I like to sing called, "Abraham's Blessings are Mine." Bro Paul wrote to the Church at Galatia and told them that the blessings of Abraham were on all born again believers
Gal 3:13-14
(13) Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
(14) That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. (KJV)

Jesus hung on the tree so He could hang out with us. Like I said before, it is very important whom you hang out with. By the way, who are you hanging with?

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS

Thank you for your prayers for my Mother, Viola. She is recovering from colon surgery in Blake Hospital in Bradenton, Florida. I really appreciate your compassion and concern for my family. God Bless You all. (You know who you are, and so does the LORD)

PEACE THAT PASSES UNDERSTANDING

I am so grateful to be a born-again Christian. The trials, storms, and natural disasters come to all human beings, but the Lord Jesus left His PEACE WITH HIS PEOPLE.

John 14:27
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
(KJV)

It is not the peace that the world offers, because that is not peace at all. But the peace the Lord gives us is ever-present and ever- sufficient. The opportunity to be worried about things is rampant in this day and hour, but if I cast all my cares, worries, and what-if's on the Lord, He keeps my mind in perfect peace. WHO CARES? GOD CARES. And because He does care, He has made provision for all needs to be met in all circumstances.

PRAISE THE LORD

PRAY FOR THE PASTORS

I think it is very important for the Church members to pray for the Pastors and Teachers in the Church. There seems to be a lot of compromising on the part of Pastors who think that they are helping their flock when in fact they are hindering the growth of their members.

I believe Pastors make mistakes just as parents do. They want their charges to think kindly of them when they really need them to tell them the truth. I do not mean the so-called truth that makes them feel better about themselves but the Truth that sets them free. People who attend Church do so for a reason. Maybe they don't always know what that reason is, but the Lord knows. And the Lord is the one who tends to the flock through his anointed vessels.


Eph 4:11-16
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
(KJV)

So as I have said before, PRAY FOR THE PASTORS AND TEACHERS. It will bless them and encourage them to know that you want the will of our Heavenly Father done on this earth and in this present day and hour.

TWO WEEKS AFTER EASTER SUNDAY

I love the fact that Jesus hung around for forty days after His RESURRECTION and appeared to His Disciples and many others before His ASCENSION to sit at His Father's right hand. (Where He still sits today, by the way praying for and HEADING up the Church.)


Acts 1:3
To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: (KJV)

We have several testimonies of these appearances. Paul writes about this in his letter to the Corinthians.

1 Cor 15:3-8
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
(KJV)

And I see Him by faith. That means I am blessed because Jesus told Thomas that whoever would believe in Him not having seen Him in the flesh will be blessed.

PRAISE THE LORD I AM BLESSED.

THE POPE WAS LOVED BY MANY

The Pope, John Paul II was love by many and respected by more. He was hated by some and feared by others. Jesus told us that the world would hate his Children, but would love its own. We will see that played out more and more as the days and weeks go by.

I just wanted to say I was moved by the outpouring of love for this man many called Pope or Papa or Father. He was my brother in Christ Jesus and I am proud to be his sister.

The Funeral of this man was a very good thing. King Solomon writes that it is good to go to a funeral.

Eccl 7:2
It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.(KJV)

I believe the reason the Theory of Evolution is so readily accepted by so many is so that they will not have to consider where they go when they die. If they think they come from animals then it matters not where they go.

But according to the Preacher of Ecclesiastes,every man will consider his end when he is at a funeral, or even watches one on T.V. I have a suggestion. Since God is the Creator of all Creation, every person should prepare to meet their Maker.

There is peace in the knowledge that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and as the Lamb that was slain for the sins of mankind, He has a Book that contains all the names of those who have received Him and His Blood as payment for their sins and for their Reservation in Heaven. Is your name in the Lamb's Book of Life?

If you believe that Jesus died on the Cross at Calvary, was buried, was raised from the dead on the third day, and ascended in to Heaved and is seated at the Father's right hand, then confess Him as your Lord and Savior and invite Him into your heart. That is what He is waiting for, your invitation. He will love to be your Redeemer.

REPEAT AFTER ME: "I BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS LORD. I RECEIVE JESUS AS MY LORD".

Now tell somebody that you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior and find a Church that teaches the simple truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Thank God for your new birth and for your new life.

JESUS IS LORD.

SPRING HOUSE CLEANING

This is the time of year that I do my spring house cleaning.....or rather I have my spring house cleaning done for me. I am so blessed to have granddaughters who know how to work and are not afraid to work. I remember when I was a kid that Spring house cleaning was a big, big, deal. Mom and Dad heated our house with coal and the soot would be all over everything. Mom even had us cleaning wallpaper. That was a job and a half. And I was just a kid. Imagine how hard the grown-ups had to work. Every few years they would put on new wall paper. I loved the smell of paste. I still associate Spring with those days, but it is not the big deal it was back then.

But I do remember and I still like to spruce up my house in the Spring. Maybe I should go buy some new furniture......or a new rug .....or how about just bringing in a boquet of flowers?

LET BOTH GROW TOGETHER

THIS IS MY COLUMN IN THE LOCAL PAPER THIS WEEK


LET BOTH GROW TOGETHER
BY PAT GULLEY

Matt 13:30
Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. (KJV)

Matthew records several Parables that Jesus taught concerning the Kingdom of Heaven. The one we will look at today is the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares. I find it extremely interesting that the Parable of the man planting wheat in a field is likened to the kingdom of heaven. How did the enemy enter into the field and sow weeds among the good seed? This surely cannot be referring to "Heaven" as we have come to understand it. I doubt Satan will be harassing us after we go to Heaven. The Disciples also wondered about this teaching and after the crowd left and they were alone with Jesus, they asked Him to explain the parable of the tares in the field.

In his explanation, Jesus explicitly says that the Son of man sows the good seed, the field is the world, the good seed are the children of the kingdom; and the tares are the children of the wicked one. (Mt 13:36-43) This is important to know, as we are the children of the kingdom if we are born again through the Blood of Jesus. I would also like to note that this teaching is not referring to the Church as an institution. I have heard some preachers say that this refers to our Churches and that the Devil likes to plant spies among us. They say the tares are sent to choke out the Word and the Works of Jesus. This may be true up to a point, but Jesus tells us that the field is the "WORLD." We "Children of the kingdom" do not live in the Church, but we do live in the world.

Jesus tells us how we are to deal with the tares that are sown among us. We are to "LET BOTH GROW TOGETHER." I used to wonder how it was possible to discern between wheat and a tare until one day I was driving in the country and noticed the wheat fields were ripe and ready for harvest. I looked at them and suddenly I understood what Jesus meant about waiting until the harvest to separate the wheat from the tares. The wheat was a bright golden brown, and the tares were an angry ugly green (taller than the wheat and having big, big heads) WOW. Anybody could tell the difference at harvest. Then I realized that the farmer could tell the difference when both were still green. His trained eye knew what to look for as the field was still maturing. But the reapers could not come in and destroy the tares because the wheat would also be destroyed.

The lesson I learned from this Parable is to make sure the "Children of the Kingdom" were taught the Bible and were fed and watered by the Word of God. As a parent and as a Pastor, I knew that I was to "Let both grow together" until every one in the Church, or on the bus, or at work, or at school, could tell what was a tare and what was wheat. Jesus teaches us the same thing when He tells us that "a tree is known by its fruit" and that you can tell what is in a person's heart by what comes out of their mouth. (Mt 12:33-34) Read the Bible with your family. Go to Church together. Grow together. It's almost harvest time for this generation. Be ready because God knows the wheat from the tares.

Got this from Lucianne.com......it is the AP Pulitzer winner.....US MARINES PRAYING FOR A FALLEN COMRADE....
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WITH THESE NIFTY SUNGLASSES I CAN READ GRANDMA'S BLOG.
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THE MORE THINGS CHANGE

Metamora Patter

Have you ever noticed that most of the "Old Sayings" are full of truth? I am talking right now about the one that says, "The more things change, the more they stay the same." I must admit that when I was younger I used to think that "change" was needed for an exciting life. For example, as a young bride, I used to re-arrange the furniture in my living room every 6 months at least. I read an article that told me that I would keep my husband's interest in my and our home if I never let it become stagnant. I guess that meant that if it never changed.

Well, those days are over. nOW We CANwalk into our living room 'in the dark' and know just exactly where to sit down, and to even be able to reach for the remote control and turn the T.V. on. I realized years ago that the more I changed things, the more they stayed the same.

But now I find that we like knowing that there are some things that never change....for example the furniture in our living room. We are even comfortable in knowing what the days have in store for us. I love routine. It is like the bed of the River that lets the River know where it is supposed to flow. And if I were the engine on a train, I would appreciate the people who laid the track before me.

I am just saying that I believe the Lord likes stability in the Universe. The sun comes up in the east every single day and sets in the west. It would really be confusion if there were certain things you could never depend on. Praise the Lord for change, but thank God that the more things change, the more they stay the same.

SUNDAY MORNING IN METAMORA

It is the first day of a new week, and the first Sunday of the month of April. Please join with other members of faith in Jesus Christ and attend a worship and praise service. You will be a blessing to others and in turn will be a blessing to the Lord. I know a lot of people attend Church Services for their own benefit, but I believe that one can never, ever lose by giving of one's self in the Name of Jesus Christ.

I love the sound of the Church bells as they ring out loud and clear that the time to praise the Lord in fellowship draws near.

THIS IS THE LORD'S DAY......MAYBE THAT IT IS WHY THEY CALL IT SONDAY.

SEE YOU IN CHURCH

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

Metamora Patter

Today is the 22nd wedding anniversary of daughter Colleen and her husband Jeff. It also is the 6th wedding anniversary of daughter Lora and her husband David.

I thank the Lord for the two wonderful men He sent to our family. The BIBLE teaches that "marriage is good.

Heb 13:4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: (KJV)

It also says that it is not good for a man to live alone.


Gen 2:18
18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. (KJV)


And there is even a Scripture that says that a man who finds a wife finds a good thing.


Prov 18:22
22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.
(KJV)

And last but not least, the 31st Proverb tells us that a virtuous wife will do her husband good and not evil all the days of his life.


Prov 31:10-12
10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
(KJV)

Today is a good day to be reminded of "Good Godly Marriages".

PRAISE THE LORD FOR HIS MERCY AND GRACE ENDURES FOREVER.....EVEN IN MARRIAGE.

PLAY BALL
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PLAY BALL

My Grandson Ed plays baseball for Franklin County High School. Today is the first game of the season. It is his Junior year. Where does the time go? He is the catcher on the varsity team and is very good, or so I've been told. Haven't been to a game for a couple years but will get to go this year as my health is very much improved. PRAISE THE LORD.

THANK GOD FOR SON-IN-LAWS
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