THE INFLUENCE OF MOTHERS WHO PRAY

 

THE INFLUENCE OF MOTHERS WHO PRAY Monica of Hippo (332–387 AD) was the mother of St. Augustine, one of the most influential Christian leaders of the early Christian church. But Augustine didn't become a Christian until 387, shortly before his mother died. Monica had made it her life's work to pray for Augustine to be saved. She was devastated by her son’s early wayward lifestyle and his adherence to the Manichaean religion. Monica wept for her son and was encouraged by a bishop who told her that "a son of so many tears could not perish." When we think of the influence that St. Augustine has had on the Christian Church ever since, it is impossible to calculate what Monica's prayers have accomplished in this world. St. Augustine of Hippo (354–430 AD) was a foundational theologian and philosopher, renowned for shaping Western Christianity through his writings on original sin, grace, and free will. As the Bishop of Hippo, he authored influential works like Confessions and The City of God.

 

QUOTES BY BILLY GRAHAM

 

QUOTES BY BILLY GRAHAM God’s business now is to mold you into the image of Christ so that you will love like He loves, have peace like He has, joy like He has, gentleness like He has. The regeneration of the individual is much more needed than the revolution of society. Every time I read the Bible, any part of the Bible, I don’t care where I open up, it speaks to me. It’s a living book. God has promised to supply all of our needs, but He’s never promised to supply all of our greeds. If Christianity is important at all, it is all-important. If it is anything at all, it is everything. It is either the most vital thing in your life, or it isn’t worth bothering with. The whole Bible is a love story. It’s a love story between God and man. God loves you! God welcomes our prayers. He is much more concerned about our hearts than our eloquence. Quotes by Billy Graham

 

MARK OF THE BEAST

 

MARK OF THE BEAST Study of Revelation continued REVELATION 13.11 I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke like a dragon. 13.12 He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. He makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. 13.13 He performs great signs, even making fire come down out of the sky to the earth in the sight of people. 13.14 He deceives my own people who dwell on the earth because of the signs he was granted to do in front of the beast; saying to those who dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast who had the head wound and lived. 13.15 It was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, that it should both speak, and cause as many as wouldn’t worship the image of the beast to be killed. 13.16 He causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slave, to be given marks on their right hands, or on their foreheads; 13.17 and that no one would be able to buy or to sell, unless he has that mark, the name of the beast or the number of his name. 13.18 Here is wisdom. He who has understanding, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is six hundred sixty-six. -WEB Bible The False Prophet will deceive all the inhabitants of earth. He will put up an image of the Antichrist, which everyone will be required to worship. If anyone refuses to worship the image, they will be killed. Also, everyone will be required to get a mark on their right hand or their forehead. The number of this mark is 666, which is the number of the Antichrist. People will not be able to buy or sell unless they have the mark of the beast. All those who take the mark of the Beast and worship him will be destroyed when Christ returns. The “Mark of the Beast” is a well-known phrase, even in secular society. People don’t know what it means, but there’s a certain apprehension whenever that phrase is mentioned. We don’t know what the mark will be, but it’s possible it will be some kind of digital chip implant. The technology already exists, and is even in use in companies that promote it. This study of Revelation continues on Thursdays. IMAGE CREDIT: Worship of the image of the Antichrist, AI image by ChatGPT and Dall-E3.

 

DAYS OF HEAVEN UPON EARTH

 

DAYS OF HEAVEN UPON EARTH My children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you. Galatians 4:19 It’s a blessed moment when we are born again; when a new heart is created in us after God’s image. But it’s an even more blessed moment when Christ Himself is born in this new heart! It’s as if Christmas happens within us, and we become, in a real sense, living reflections of Christ. This is the deepest and holiest meaning of Christianity. It is expressed in Paul’s prayer for the Galatians: "My little children, for whom I labor again in birth until Christ is formed in you." There will come an even more glorious time when we will be transformed into His likeness—spirit, soul, and body—in the resurrection! Let us live, under this inspiring thought, as incarnations of Christ—living His life, not ours. Let our lives show the beauty of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Let the world see Christ in us, as He would have lived had He been here. by A.B. Simpson

 

LET THE EARTH BE GLAD

 

LET THE EARTH BE GLAD By Joni Eareckson Tada Founder, Joni and Friends Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness. Psalm 96:11-13 Have you ever driven through Kansas when the wheat was high? On a windy afternoon the wind ripples across the pale-gold grain as though it were an ocean, blowing and tossing the wheat and making the trees lining the field sway, their leaves shimmering in the sun. In today’s Scripture, we read, “Let the earth be glad… Let the fields be jubilant… let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. Let all creation rejoice before the Lord.” Yes, Satan has invaded our Father’s world with his own dark plan, but we can still see countless glimpses of God’s beautiful handiwork. And we can still sense those moments when the earth itself sings for gladness, remembering its Creator. By the way, friend, you are part of that creation. In fact, the very centerpiece. And when you lift your voice and heart in praise to God, there is a rightness about it that rolls back the designs of the evil one. Creator and Savior, bring my heart back into alignment today as I praise and thank You. I have felt out of tune, out of sync, and even out of sorts today, but I know that Your Holy Spirit will restore me, bringing me back into harmony. I want to praise You, along with Your creation, Your mighty angels, and our loved ones in Jesus. Taken from A Spectacle of Glory by Joni Eareckson Tada; Copyright © 2016, Zondervan Used with permission