Volume III October 2006

The ‘WOW’ Newsletter

As I read all the news headlines on the internet and hear all the news broadcast on the television and cable networks I sit in awe at all the things going on, all around me. I read, hear and I have been involved in the local events: the gossip, burglaries, thefts and or other major crimes; then, I hear and read all the national and international news of the same old ‘garbage’ I have read about locally; but, on a much grandeur scale.

In my sixty-plus years of life on this planet, there has always been - before my time and during my time now and I must say, it will continue after my time has vanished - wars and rumors of wars, strife, conflict and discord between man and their fellow man. It is promised by God to be this way; and, it has and it is and it will continue to come to pass!

The month of September, the starting of the new school year everywhere in the United States, the changing of the seasons and the start of the leaves changing, brought with it, to me and to my wife, a loss again of goods, paid for with earnings from the sweat of our brows. Again, for the sixth time, since we have been husband and wife, we have had some or most of our belongings stolen from us, with a loss this time, of a sum close to $5000.00. Just ‘things’, things of value and importance to us, but to no one else; no, not even the burglars who took them. The need for them was not the usages, sentimental value or the memories they brought and gave us, but—well, only they and God know the reason why they took them.

Marie, my wife, told me a day or two after we found out that the goods were stolen; that what has helped her to get through this time, was her praying for the souls who stole her memories. God has made man with such a resilience; that, if man only knew, he is able to bounce back with forgiveness of the actions against them by other man. Man, the majority of man today, does not want the ability to forgive; but, the ability to get even or to get ahead in this war with other man, to prove to others that they are right and everyone else is wrong; when, as God so says so plainly in His words, we are to love one another as we love ourselves and to forgive man their trespasses and to leave the vengeance to Him, to God alone. We are to forgive, love and to turn the other cheek and allow them to take our coat also, if they will.

In God’s true children everywhere, His words are their life and the being of their soul. May I ask, are you one of God’s children? Can you pray for the souls of those who have betrayed you, stolen from you, lied to you, cheated you and caused you grief in one fashion or the other and forgive them???

"And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to the Father which is in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard of their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask Him. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Matthew 6: 5-15.

October, to sports fanatics: all summer games ceasing and coming to a summer simmer; baseball winding down, balls flying out of the parks; golf playing in the breeze and winding down their tournament play and football kicking off with basketball warming up and bouncing around. October, to the teaching profession: end of the first six weeks, report card preparations, the failing or passing of their charge and their own failure or success. October, to the masses: the beginning of the re-freshening breeze that brings on the cool to cold pre-winter weather, the changing of the colors of the leaves in certain parts of the world and the start of the ‘Fall Festivals’ with all their colors and pumpkins and gourds and haystacks and sugar cane, to the witches, ghost and goblins and the tricks and treats of those whom desire to do such things. Halloween, all saints eve; the celebrating of the dead.

Christians - Halloween, ghosts, witches, celebrating the dead and goblins: should we celebrate this with the rest of the masses? God says for us to come out from among them and be ye separate. How are we supposed join in all the fun and fanfare of this worldly celebration? Do we join? Do we be separate?

The only constant I can think of are the scriptures of Apostle Paul in Philippians 2: 5-16, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain."

Halloween, all saints eve, it is up to you as an individual as to the custom you wish to celebrate and to live. Christians and non-Christians alike have in their own inner peace and beliefs as to the course in which they elect to choose to live with God, by God or in God. You as an individual, seeking your own salvation with fear and trembling, are you going to be dropped kicked out of football, bounced right of the basketball court, hit right out of the park in baseball, failed your teachings by your teacher or failed as the teacher??? Your salvation. Your choice. Your heaven. Your hell. "Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the circumstances, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." Philippians 3: 2 and 3.

As we enjoy the cool breeze and fresh winds blowing upon our faces and upon our mortal bodies, let us rejoice in this October month in ways befitting a child of the King: alive, throwing, bouncing, kicking, teaching and being taught in the ways of Christ Jesus. ‘Fall Festivals’ or Halloween; pumpkins, gourds and hay stacks or witches, ghost and goblins; all saints eve, celebrating the dead or seeking the living and kicking, Christ Jesus: seek out your own salvation with the fear and trembling knowing that your decision of life can lead to you being celebrated on all saints eve, as one of the dead being celebrated; or, you can be one of us who just celebrate life in the now; and later, in the hereafter to come!!!! God desires our love, honesty and obedience. Truthfulness to ourselves will lead to truthfulness to God. Knowing this is the beginning of wisdom that God is God to all man, with no substitutes called by any other name.

As we close this October ‘WOW’ newsletter, let us close by saying that these mortal bodies must die to the sinful flesh and give up all desires to live in the world by the world and for the world. We do not segregate ourselves from the world; but, the actions and deeds of the world we abstain from following. Let the world’s population have its Halloween, ghosts and goblins and live the only life they will ever know. For ever so far way, or sooner than later, the Lord Jesus Christ comes and takes His church, from and out of this world; we, as Christians wait and stand upon God’s promises.

Let us all, with the knowledge of this world and with the knowledge of God instilled in our mortal bodies, souls and minds go out and partake in this world's practices destined for Hell, or let us all be ever so mindful of the words of God and live our life befitting the Kingdom of God in Heaven. You may have your joy in this temporal mode on earth while enjoying all the worldly pleasures or you may stand apart and have knowledge that your joy will be everlasting and everlasting with God in His eternal heaven with joy unfaltering and never-ending.

As you have been learning from the world, of the world and by all of the worldly teachers, all the lessons of the world without the teachings of God being taught to you, do you think you will pass to heaven in your life’s final exam or will you fail to hell? This test is taken everyday, every hour and every minute of our waking mortal body’s breath. How is your progress report? Are you still in good shape to pass? Have you failed a pop quiz lately? How do you feel about your finals coming to pass? Are there certain areas of your life you need help with? Call for the Master Teacher, the Superintendent, the Principal or the Lead Teacher for help, Jesus Christ, God is His name and His instructions are simple. Live Godly and forsake the pleasures of the world. Stand out, stand up and stand by His Words. Come out from among them and be ye separate. Did you pass? Are you failing?

Words of a witness, always seeking guidance, always asking the Teacher and always studying the Word in one form or another. We can all pass, it is the Teacher’s desire for us all, that we do. Let us all start October with this cool re-freshening breeze blowing across our mortal bodies, directing us with love toward the direction of heaven’s kingdom gate and let us all knock of God’s door seeking entrance to a new home with no end to this final game. Repent.

With love,

Pastor Eddie
Words of a Witness Ministries

Newsletter Index

Home Page Testimonial Ministry Download Catalog

About The Ministry Guestbook/Feedback

If you would like to support our mission with a
donation, and help our ministry to grow, you may do so below.
Bless You For Your Generosity

Click here to visit the Southeast Texas Witness's Fellowship website