HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED THAT A PROMISE COULD BE A SHIELD? AND IT CAN BRING YOU TO THE LIGHT. A GOOD PROMISE
IS BETTER THAN MONEY IN THE BANK. JESUS, OUR SAVIOR, HAS PROMISED TO COME BACK AND RECEIVE US UNTO HIMSELF. AN EXCELLENT PROMISE CAN KEEP YOU IN TIMES OF TROUBLE. IS THERE A PROMISE THAT HAS YOU IN DOUBT? READ ON!

1After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. (Genesis 15:1.)

This promise to Abraham was a WORD of Protection. GOD ensures Abraham that HE will be his shield. He also lets him know that with this protection there is an exceeding GREAT REWARD.

About ten years ago, there was a little blue book called "Precious Promises." This little book was very popular in the Christian circle. It was carried around in purses and in shirt pockets. Whenever a person had a problem, the Christian would reach into his or her personal pocket, and pull out this little book and find a promise that would give hope in the circumstance that they were facing.

Abraham wasn't blessed with a friend who could turn to a ‘Precious Promise' whenever he needed an uplift. No. He had to rely on the spoken ‘WORD of GOD' to sustain him during his times of oppression, or depression.

Most of us know the story of Abraham and Sarah, and how they were barren until Sarah was ninety years old; then bare a son Isaac. Through Isaac, came the twelve tribes of Israel, and from the Tribe of Juda, was born Our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.

Have you ever had someone tell you something and promise you that it will happen? ; you half way believe them; and this half belief is enough to cause you to expectantly wait on that Broken Promise.

A promise is only as good as its guarantor. If the guarantor is a habitual liar, the promise is no good. GOD, Our Father, was the guarantor of this promise to Abraham…HIS WORD is GOOD.

GOD promised Abraham that his seed would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. It is an awesome THING to this writer that through Abraham, all of the major religions were formed from ONE SEED.
The Jewish Religion came through Isaac.
The Moslem Religion came through Ishmael.
The Christian Religion came through Jesus Christ.

What promise have you hidden because it's too embarrassing to pull it out and recount how GOD told you He was going to do something. What promise have you running every time you see a friend that you told about that promise?

A ‘Promise' is a seed. In order to see fruit of that seed, you must bury it in good ground. You must never forget that you have a future date with that seed, as a fruit bearing tree. The "Seed Promise" is watered daily, with the WORD of Faith; Light is allowed to penetrate the soil to bring forth the wanted tree. Abraham was good ground for the seed of GOD. He received the "Word of Promise" and walked in it until its fruition.

A PROMISE from GOD, is like a light at the end of the tunnel. Inside of the tunnel is fear filled and very dark, but, there is a tiny dot at the end of the tunnel. That tiny light doesn't even look like a real light, but it keeps you walking toward it. Upon arriving at the end, you understand that the seemingly small light is really one of those flood lights which was purposefully turned into the dark tunnel for your guidance.

The Promises of GOD flood our dark fearful souls with the wondrous Light of His WORD. It is as a shield of protection and with it comes exceeding great rewards.
The reward of knowing our LORD and SAVIOR.
The reward of JOY, PEACE and COMFORT.
The rewards of seeing others come into the Glorious Light.
The rewards of seeing our Children's children come into the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

In Psalms 91, the Psalmist writes: "...his truth shall be my shield and buckler"; In Ephesians 6:16 . . . taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked."; Ps.18:35 says, "Thou hast given me the shield of thy salvation . . . "
He has promised us so many times in the scripture that He would shield us and protect us from the enemy. The enemy may hit us, but, the shield will absorb the worst part of the blow.

It is our most sincere prayer that you remove your promise from your personal pockets and intentionally plant it in fertile ground. Be patient. GOD allowed Abraham to see Ishmael, Isaac and the foreshadowing of Jesus Christ. These were the flood lights at the end of the long dark, and fear filled tunnel for him.

"Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our Debtors." ( Matthew 6:13).
In the December Issue of Health and Nutrition Magazine, Dr. Weil has written an article on ‘forgiveness'. We know that we're supposed to forgive, but many times it is more familiar to brood over a situation and a person who has offended you. Dr. Weil reminds us of a few good points regarding self healing and the art of forgiveness. There is good evidence that FORGIVENESS:
Powerful force in healing of body and mind.
Helps remove emotional obstacles to health and healing.
People who are taught to forgive feel less angry, depressed, anxious and become happier, and self confident.
In one study, grudge holders who even imagined forgiveness had significantly lower blood pressure.
Some find it easier to forgive, and it may be family, personality or temperament related.

HOW? A few tips: Time; Thought; Distance;and Effort.
Change your relationship to the injustice.
Release the bad feelings that the incident has to hurt you.
Forgiveness is a way to heal YOU rather than the people or situation responsible.
Empathize with the offender and try to imagine what it would feel like to be forgiven.
Manage the impact of anger and resentment on yourself.
More information Dr.Weil self healing.com.

Note: Remember what Jesus did for those who offended Him from the cross? He loudly proclaimed…"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." He forgave us, surely we can forgive one another.
TER

FRIDAY'S WORD: redemption; re*demp*tion; (noun) ; from some form of bondage on the basis of the payment of a price by a redeemer; redemptive is a concept basic to the biblical view of salvation. In the Old Testament the redemptive activity was more physical than spiritual; In the N.T., redemption is strictly a devine activity which is effected by and through Jesus Christ.

IN THE MIRROR:
In looking at a number of Black Americans this month, such as; John Brown(radical abolitionist); Booker T. Washington(leader&educator)Louis Armstrong(musician); Mahalia Jackson(gosple singer); George Washington Carver(scientist); Joe Louis(second black heavyweight boxing champion in history); Phillis Wheatly(writer); Martin Luther King Jr.(civil rights leader); and innumerous others; I began to consider a saying that I believe goes far back in History.

"The Will To Prepare, Is Greater Than The Will To Win!"
It's obvious they possessed much more than just a ‘will to win' but a constant preparation for the known, and unknown battles that certainly stood beween them, and their goals in life.

It's been my prayer to come back this New Year with something that no-one could fail to contemplate, consider, and even employ into their everyday life, and life-style. I found it interesting just to see how many multiple forms the word,"Will"
actually comprises.

Keeping in mind our little quotation at the top, let's look at what ‘Webster's' and ‘Franklin's' can help us to understand about a very simple, but at the same time,a most powerful word in the human language. Many of you are already thinking of the term, "will-power," but we're going to try and go a little bit deeper than that today.

‘Will' when used as a verb: ‘wish.' As an auxiliary verb, it expresses (1)desire, or willingness; (2)customary action; (3)simple future time; (4)capability; (5)determination; (6)probability; (7)inevitability,or (8)a command.

When used as a ‘noun,'we have:(a)desire often with determination;(b)act, process, or experience of willing; (c)control over one's actions,or emotions; (d) a legal document disposing of property after death.

Don't get tired yet, because this is something we need to burn into our consciousness. Franklin's offers still more. We'll pick up the pace a little now. Read on:‘determined by choice,' ‘decree,' ‘intend,' ‘choose,' ‘to be inclined to act in a certain way or have a particular thing,' ‘the aspect of mind involved in choosing or deciding,' ‘the power of controlling one's actions, impulses, or emotions,' and the capacity for keeping one's actions.'

Did you guess by now, I was going to sneak up on you and hit you with a ‘spiritual sucker- punch?' Well I guess you were right! Our Cover Page did say something about ‘Prayer' didn't it?!?

Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane, (Matt.26:39) and He prays to the Father, "not as I WILL, but as thou WILT."He has power, and He certainly had authority which was more than proven in His itinerate ministry of three years, and yet He set forth a pattern; that if every believer, and follower would invoke, they would have the same knowing Jesus had; an irrevokable trust in theWILL of the Father!

Now let's disect it. We've taken into meticulous account how much mankind has, and continues to accomplish due to a God given attribute simply known as a "Will." Christian friend, and loved one; God didn't give us such a powerful component living on the very inside of us to live OUTSIDE the will of God, but that we might have at our descretion, and readiness , the power,potential, and ability tolive INSIDE the will of God.

Everyday someone, somewhere thinks to themselves there's no need to pray what they may see as a senseless prayer, but I can tell you with all the candor within me, that when I learned to esteem this prayer is when I really felt that I had a true relationship with God that would suffice me now, and into all Eternity.

In closing this message, I want to say to you that I searched the heart of God for every word I was privileged to impart to you,and am going to ask you that now that you've heard, what are you going to do about it? How are you going to overrule a Sovereign God, and carelessly by-pass, "A PRAYERTHATNEVER FAILS."
S.L.C.

2 CUPS OF SUGAR
2   TBLSP CORN MEAL (NOT MIX PLAIN CORN MEAL)
5   LARGE EGGS LIGHTLY BEATEN
2/3   CUP OF EVAPORATED USE SMALL CAN (I LIKE CARNATION)
1/4   CUP OF HERSHEY'S COCOA
1/2   CUP OF BUTTER (THAT'S 1 STICK), MELTED AND COOLED.
1   TSP VANILLA EXTRACT
9 INCH PASTRY SHELL; USE ONLY PET RITZ.

COMBINE SUGAR, CORNMEAL, AND COCOA IN A LARGE BOWL. (STIR UNTIL DRY INGREDIENTS ARE ALL BLENDED.)
ADD EGGS AND EVAPORATED MILK, STIRRING UNTIL BLENDED.
STIR IN BUTTER AND VANILLA EXTRACT.
POUR INTO PIE SHELL.
BAKE AT 350 f FOR 45 MINUTES OR UNTIL SET. COOL ON WIRE RACK 10 OR 15 MINUTES.
COVER AND CHILL
YIELDS (8) SERVINGS PER SERVING

"THE BEST PIE I HAVE EVER EATEN. I HAVE SEARCHED FOR YEARS FOR THIS RECIPE, AND FINALLY FOUND IT ONE WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS. IT WAS MORE POPULAR THAN THE TURKEY AND DRESSING." ENJOY!