Charlie Brown Learns the True Meaning of Christmas

WHAT IS CHRISTMAS ALL ABOUT?  CHARLIE BROWN LEARNS THE TRUE MEANING OF THE SEASON.

Agony of God's Heart for His People by Leonard Ravenhill

"Agony of God's Heart for His People"

by Leonard Ravenhill

Prayer on the Square in Laurinburg, North Carolina

Scotland County Christians are reaching across racial and denominational barriers to try to save their shared community.

“Laurinburg and Scotland County have a lot of challenges,” said the Rev. Michael Edds, pastor of Cross Pointe Church. “We have one of the highest crime rates in the nation and the highest unemployment in the state. We have a lot of gangs, we have a lot of poverty, we have a lot of drugs. We’ve come to the conclusion that it’s not the government’s fault, it’s not the police or the sheriff’s department’s fault - it’s the churches’ fault.”  We have failed to pray and to take Christ to the streets of our community.  We have failed to live like Christians.

On Wednesday, Edds led the “Prayer on the Square,” a prayer group meeting on Wednesdays at noon at the corner of Church and Main streets in Laurinburg. Both meetings have attracted some 30 people, all of whom share a common goal: to combat Laurinburg’s culture of drugs and crime through prayer.  The group has been gathering going on five years.

“In the last 10 years there have been 51 murders,” said one of the intercessors. “In a county of 30,000, that’s a lot, and it’s young people. We want our community turned around. These kids are just going to hell with the drugs and the violence. There have been too many kids shot and the churches have got to step up and turn it around.”

The meetings address the common problems that plague Scotland County rather than religious or political differences.

“We’re committed to coming out here and praying for our community as a group of all races and all denominations,” Edds said. “We’re not going to fight about politics; we’re here to pray.”

“It’s not about what denomination, what color you are or what church you go to, it’s just a collective group of people,” a member of the group added. “God has really been blessing us to get together to change the city, but from a prayer standpoint first. God has some work that he wants us to do, and we’ve been a little slack on it.”

Many believe that it is time for them to step outside of the familiar walls of their own churches in order to make change in the community.

“It’s time for God’s people to stop playing church and start being the church,” said Laura Sanders. “We are, no matter what denomination, the body of Christ.”

“God did not save Daniel from the lion’s den, he saved him in it,” said Robert Currie. “He did not save the Hebrew children from the fiery furnace, he saved them in the fiery furnace. We have to take action. God parted the waters and the children of Israel walked across the dry land. God didn’t pick them up and float them across it. We have to put out an effort.”

The group is open to all who wish to join in, and will meet every Wednesday at noon at the park on the corner of Main and Church Streets,  across from First United Methodist Church.

“If it rains, shines, or snows, we’re going to be here every Wednesday,” said Edds.

Edds hopes that a shift away from the flawed and divisive behaviors sometimes practiced within the Christian community will in turn bring improvements in Scotland County at large.

“We’ve focused on what divides us, and denominational splits, and all of these silly issues,” he said. “It’s time that stuff ends. God said that if we’ll repent and turn from our wicked ways, He would hear us from heaven and heal our land. The healing of this county and this city and these communities is us praying and calling on God to come down. We’re praying for a great awakening in this town.”

Some know firsthand the difficulties of escaping a criminal lifestyle, and wish to help others by showing them how to live a Christian lifestyle.

“Everything that I prayed for, God has given to me, and he’s going to put me to work on the streets,” said Eddie Howard. “I used to be a street rambler - I must have been on drugs for 15 years or more and God saved me. I want to let them know that they can change their lives and things can turn around for the good.”

The group embraces a “love the sinner, hate the sin” philosophy, and prays that the lives of criminals can be changed to the benefit of all.

“We’re taking our community back,” said Edds. “Get saved or get busted is what we’re going to tell these gangs. It’s not us, it’s God that we’ve invited to take over the town and the county. We love people. We love the gangs, we love the drug dealers, we love all of these people - we love their souls, but they’re going to stop the crime because we’ve had enough.”

Group members say that meetings will continue until the community is satisfactorily transformed, but in the short term, progress is measured one person at a time.

“If all of this was just for one person to get saved, it was all worth it,” said Matthew Sanders.

Revealing God's Treasure - Mt. Sinai

"Mount Sinai - The Mount of God"

The real Mt. Sinai is located in Saudi Arabia. In this video you will view the blackened, burned peak, the split rock which Moses struck, and the altar upon which the golden calf was placed.  This is a first-hand visit to the actual location of the giving of the Ten Commandments!

PRAYER ON THE SQUARE IN LAURINBURG, NORTH CAROLINA

"PRAYER ON THE SQUARE"

 The Laurinburg Exchange 

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Deputy Sharonica Smith, Matthew Sanders, and Eddie Howard hold hands during Wednesday s prayer session.

Scotland County Christians are reaching across racial and denominational barriers to try to save their shared community.

“Laurinburg and Scotland County have a lot of challenges,” said the Rev. Michael Edds, pastor of East Laurinburg Pentecostal Holiness Church. “We have a high crime rate and the highest unemployment in the state. We have a lot of gangs, we have a lot of poverty, we have a lot of drugs. We’ve come to the conclusion that it’s not the government’s fault, it’s not the police or the sheriff’s department’s fault - it’s the churches’ fault.”

On Wednesday, Edds led the second installment of “Prayer on the Square,” a prayer group meeting on Wednesdays at noon at the corner of Church and Main streets in Laurinburg. Both meetings have attracted some 30 people, all of whom share a common goal: to combat Laurinburg’s culture of drugs and crime through prayer.

“In the last 10 years there have been 51 murders,” said Ruthann Ammons. “In a county of 30,000, that’s a lot, and it’s young people. We want our community turned around. These kids are just going to hell with the drugs and the violence. There have been too many kids shot and the churches have got to step up and turn it around.”

The meetings address the common problems that plague Scotland County rather than religious or political differences.

“We’re committed to coming out here and praying for our community as a group of all races and all denominations,” Edds said. “We’re not going to fight any politics; we’re here to pray.”

“It’s not about what denomination, what color you are or what church you go to, it’s just a collective group of people,” Steph Smith added. “God has really been blessing us to get together to change the city, but from a prayer standpoint first. God has some work that he wants us to do, and we’ve been a little slack on it.”

Many believe that it is time for them to step outside of the familiar walls of their own churches in order to make change in the community.

“It’s time for God’s people to stop playing church and start being the church,” said Laura Sanders. “We are, no matter what denomination, the body of Christ.”

“God did not save Daniel from the lion’s den, he saved him in it,” said Robert Currie. “He did not save the Hebrew children from the fiery furnace, he saved them in the fiery furnace. We have to take action. God parted the waters and the children of Israel walked across the dry land. God didn’t pick them up and float them across it. We have to put out an effort.”

The group is open to all who wish to join in, and will meet every Wednesday at noon at the park on the James lot across from First United Methodist Church.

“If it rains, shines, or snows, we’re going to be here every Wednesday,” said Edds.

Edds hopes that a shift away from the flawed and divisive behaviors sometimes practiced within the Christian community will in turn bring improvements in Scotland County at large.

“We’ve focused on what divides us, and denominational splits, and all of these silly issues,” he said. “It’s time that stuff ends. God said that if we’ll repent and turn from our wicked ways, He would hear us from heaven and heal our land. The healing of this county and this city and these communities is us praying and calling on God to come down. We’re praying for a great awakening in this town.”

Some know firsthand the difficulties of escaping a criminal lifestyle, and wish to help others by showing them how to live a Christian lifestyle.

“Everything that I prayed for, God has given to me, and he’s going to put me to work on the streets,” said Eddie Howard. “I used to be a street rambler - I must have been on drugs for 15 years or more and God saved me. I want to let them know that they can change their lives and things can turn around for the good.”

The group embraces a “love the sinner, hate the sin” philosophy, and prays that the lives of criminals can be changed to the benefit of all.

“We’re taking our community back,” said Edds. “Get saved or get busted is what we’re going to tell these gangs. It’s not us, it’s God that we’ve invited to take over the town and the county. We love people. We love the gangs, we love the drug dealers, we love all of these people - we love their souls, but they’re going to stop the crime because we’ve had enough.”

Group members say that meetings will continue until the community is satisfactorily transformed, but in the short term, progress is measured one person at a time.

“If all of this was just for one person to get saved, it was all worth it,” said Matthew Sanders.

"An Appalachian Dawn - Christians Took Their Town Back!"

"AN APPALACHIAN DAWN" - THE REMARKABLE REVIVAL IN KENTUCKY "Manchester, City of Hope," Kentucky Population 2,200by Ben Mutti          Isolated in the heartland of Appalachia, the city of Manchester, Kentucky, appeared to be the unlikeliest place for societal breakthrough to occur. Located in Clay County, any attempt to “change” the dysfunctional way of life was considered futile. With the decline of the coal and salt industry, and their best years seemingly behind them, a 1964 CBS news report gave Manchester the dubious distinction “Depressed City, USA.” Forty years later, Clay County still could not escape from its “backward” stereotype, being listed as the sixth poorest county in the United States.          And that was not all! In 2001, the Drug Enforcement Agency included Manchester in a region listed as the “Painkiller Capital of America.” This notorious nickname did not bode well for a county that actually had more people residing in prison than people residing in the county seat.          While Clay County's outcast image has always been a hard pill for the area to swallow, its outlaw image has always been widely renowned. In a TV exposé by the HistoryChannel on Clay's family feuds, it was reported that four local clans killed more than ten times the number of family members than those killed in the infamous Hatfield and McCoy rivalry. This prevailing mountain man mentality, along with a sectarian church mindset, furthered the notion that Clay County resembled the O.K. Corral. The community was devoid of all hope.          That is until May 2, 2004, when 63 churches and 3,500 people united together as community catalysts to march against drugs. Like troops advancing upon a city, these civic pilgrims for progress joined together under the direction of church leaders who publicly repented before GOD for their lack of civic involvement. Their slogan was, "Get Saved or Get Busted!" Suddenly, a pulse could be felt; hope had been resuscitated. Many felt this climactic prayer event helped break the vice-like grip of drug addiction that had tormented daily life.            The following year, Manchester became the only area in the region where painkiller prescriptions actually decreased. Beyond that, drug arrests would increase by a staggering 300 percent. Where favoritism, fraud, and extortion were once the law of the land, government corruption would soon be uncovered. Within three years, public officials, including the mayor, the city supervisor, the assistant police chief, the 911 Director, the fire chief, the circuit court judge, a handful of city councilmen, county commissioners and county clerks, would all be exposed and jailed for racketeering, distributing drugs, and voter fraud.          As newfound stakeholders in society, churches and citizens partnered together with law enforcement to root out this crime and corruption. In fact, a court watch program was initiated by the churches, and with the help of their Congressman, a local Jesus-based rehabilitation center was completed in 2008.       As a result, a profound optimism had instantly been injected into everyday life. Local drug dealers soon began surrendering their lives to Jesus and getting delivered from drug addiction. This fresh adrenaline also caused high-ranking officials like the new mayor and the sheriff to begin advancing the kingdom cause of Christ in their respective spheres of influence.       According to Sheriff Kevin Johnson, the church partnership with the police was “the best thing to happen to Clay County.” Furthermore, this uncommon collaboration, “Operation: Unite,” has become the model for the entire state.          Consequently, in 2007, the city council voted to change the name of the city to “Manchester: City of Hope.” As a result, this obscure community has become a regional influence, receiving desperate calls from 49 different states, and five foreign nations, all soliciting Clay Countians for guidance in their battle against drugs.           Not only are students now being drug tested in school, Bible elective courses are also being offered in high school. Meanwhile, Clay County was chosen as having the model-reading program for children in the state in 2008, significant for a region traditionally plagued with high illiteracy rates.          Remarkably, in the Fall of 2009, with bated - breath, the city announced that a recycling company would be coming to Manchester, bringing a breathtaking 1,400 new jobs; this despite the rest of the nation stumbling through a global recession.          Last, but not least, located near the Kingdom Come National Park, Clay County now possesses one of the largest Rocky Mountain Elk populations in the country; and with turkey, bear, and deer populations making a comeback, a new campground and new bike trail accent a tourist industry on the upswing. Manchester city water was even chosen in 2008 as having the best tasting water in a statewide competition. In fact, the local water treatment plant is now selling “Hope Water” as a commercial product.          With this unusual avalanche of events, there is no question that Manchester’s cup of blessing is running over. What seemed like a mountain that was insurmountable is now becoming possible with GOD. Ironically, a community once considered "behind the times" has now become a compelling story for our times.

  

The COMING STORM

When a sleeping child must be awakened, a loving parent takes
him by the shoulders and gently shakes him. If the child doesn't
wake up immediately, the shaking becomes a bit firmer. The
parent insists, because he knows the child will suffer if he doesn't
wake up on time.

That is precisely what God is doing right now-both to America
and to the world. At first, He shook us very tenderly but now His
shaking has become violent, because He has not succeeded in
awakening us.

The Lord began to literally shake the earth with earthquakes in
the late 1980s. A quake in Armenia wiped out almost that entire
province. A quake in Japan measuring 6.9 nearly destroyed an
entire city. Then came the horrible quake in San Francisco, with
more following almost daily in that area. Quakes hit the West
Coast constantly, from northern California to San Diego and
down into Mexico.

Isaiah prophesies that God will one day rise up and shake the
whole earth: "Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty . . . and
turneth it upside down. . . . All joy is darkened, the mirth of the
land is gone. . . . When thus it shall be in the midst of the land
among the people, there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree"
(Isaiah 24:1, 11, 13). God is going to shake the earth as if it were
an olive tree-till every bit of fruit falls.

Ezekiel says that when God's fury arises, He will shake all that
can be shaken: "All the men that are upon the face of the earth,
shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown
down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to
the ground. . . . And I will be known in the eyes of many nations,
and they shall know that I am the Lord" (Ezekiel 38:20 and 23).

The writer of Hebrews says: "Yet once more I shake not the earth
only, but also heaven. . . . That [only] those things which cannot
be shaken may remain" (Hebrews 12:26-27).

God is going to shake everything in sight so that He is revealed
as the only unshakable power!

"CHURCH TAKING BACK THE NEIGHBORHOOD"

"CHURCH TAKING BACK THE NEIGHBORHOOD"

Seventeen men, women, and teens from East Laurinburg Pentecostal Holiness Church met on Saturday, March 17, 2012 with a big task at hand.  They were committed to cleaning up litter on one mile of Old Lumberton Road beginning at Sanford Road and crossing over the tracks clear up to the stop light at Church Street. 

The area has been an eye sore for some time with beer bottles, trash, dirty diapers, paper and a variety of other debris strewn along the road.  The filth was ruining the beauty of the community.  The group picked up 830 gallons of trash!  It looks like a new neighborhood.  Merchants and residents of the area came out an thanked the group for their efforts.  

To hold litterers accountable, hidden cameras will be installed in strategic areas along the route to catch polluters in action.  The pictures will be turned over to police for prosecution.  At the end of the clean up, Pastor Michael Edds treated the groups to a great meal at Burger King.  Many enjoyed the french fries and green ketchup!!

Additionally, a neighborhood watch is being reactivated by several residents in the area to bring a halt to the speeding, loud music coming from vehicles, drugs, crime and trashing of a good community.   The group will have the neighborhood under video and picture surveillance. The evidence of violations will be promptly turn over to police.   License plate numbers will also be sent to the police.  

Many residents have grown tired of the loud music coming from cars at all hours of the night and speeding.  At 1:30 am on Saturday, March 17, two vehicles were drag racing down Ward Street.  The drivers were reported to the police.  Those breaking the law, disturbing the peace and polluting the neighborhood will be held accountable.  The community IS taking the neighborhood back.

There are over 150 churches in Laurinburg.  There are many businesses and community groups also. This beautiful city is being buried under litter! If all would make a similar commitment to cleaning up their neighborhoods of trash, crime and noise that the East Laurinburg Pentecostal Holiness Church and the neighborhood there is doing, Laurinburg will clean and safe again.

A YOUNG MAN'S LETTER FROM HELL

                  

A YOUNG MAN'S LETTER FROM HELL

The following is a dramatic presentation. It was written by a fictitious High School Student named Josh, to a friend named Zack.

Although Zack had every opportunity to tell Josh about Jesus… he didn’t.

They were best friends. They played soccer together. They went to classes together. They partied together. They shared their lives with each other.

But there is one thing Zack held back from Josh… his personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

The rest of the story is simple and sad...

A few too many beers… A tragic drive home… A crash… a death, a funeral… A Letter

Here is that letter... A letter from Hell.

Dear Zack,

I died today. It’s a lot different than I expected. You see, I always thought that dying would bring me to a world that is foggy and hazy. But this place is crystal clear… It’s even more real than my life on Earth.

I can think. I can talk. I can even feel.

Right after the wreck I could feel my spirit leaving my body. It was the weirdest thing, Zack. I thought I heard you screaming out to me, man. Must have been just imagining things.

At first I was just standing in line, getting registered I guess. They asked me for my name…and began to look in this thing they called the Book of Life.

I guess they couldn’t find it though because this huge angel standing next to me grabbed me by the arm and started dragging me away. I was terrified. I had no idea what was going on. I asked the angel where he was taking me, but he didn’t answer. So I asked him again…

Finally, he told me that only those, whose names were written in the Book of Life, could enter into Heaven and the rest would be condemned to Hell forever.

Man I was scared. The angel threw me into some kind of holding cell. Where I’ve been sitting and thinking for a long long time. Do you want to know what I’ve been thinking about?

I’ve been thinking about YOU.

Zack, You’re a Christian.
You told me so yourself. I mean we talked about it three different times today.

Kelly brought it up and you laughed it off. Coach Adams brought it up and you changed the subject.

I mean, it came up right before the wreck. Well the question I can’t get out of my mind is this, Zack. Why haven’t you ever told me about how to become a Christian?

You say you are my friend, but if you really were you would have told me about this Jesus and told me how to escape this terrible place that I’m headed for.


I can feel my heart pounding in my chest, the angels who have been chosen to cast me into hell are coming down the hallway. I can hear their footsteps.

I have heard of this Hell. They call it the Lake of Fire.

I can’t stand it, Zack. I am terrified. No! The angels are at the door. Oh no, no! They’re coming in and they’re pointing at me. They’re grabbing me and carrying me out of the room.

I already can smell the burning sulfur and brimstone. I can see the edge of the cliff where Hell burns.

This is it. I am without hope.

We’re coming closer, closer, closer. My heart is bursting with fear. They’re holding me over the flames. I am damned forever.

This is it. They are throwing me in. Fire, Pain, HELL.

Why Zack? Why didn’t you ever tell me about Jesus?

Your friend,
Josh

P.S. Wish you were here.

SWEARIN' JACK WALLER - HERO OF THE FAITH

SWEARIN' JACK WALLER - HERO OF THE FAITH

John Waller was one of the most powerful preachers in 18th Century Virginia.
He led one of the greatest revivals in the history of that state. However, before his
conversion, his capability in profanity earned him the title of "Swearin' Jack." He could out swear
and outfight any man in his day. He had a deep hatred for the Methodist
circuit riding his preachers and delighted in harassing them. After becoming a
Christian, his abilities, energy and talents focused into preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and
pointing out the errors of the dominant religious system of the time. This
attracted the attention of the religious and civil authorities. In colonial Virginia, only
those who were ordained by the state church (the Anglican Church) were permitted to preach.
All other preaching was prohibited by law and disobedience to this law was punishable by
imprisonment, beatings and stiff fines. God called John to preach His
Word. As a result, he spent a total of one hundred and thirteen days in four different
county jails for preaching. Waller also endured severe physical abuse.

John Waller gave the following account of one such attack that took place in Caroline County, Virginia, during a worship service in a home: While he was singing, the priest of the parish attacked him and would keep shoving  the end of his horse whip in John's mouth, laying his whip across the hymn book, etc. After he finished singing, Waller proceeded to pray. Suddenly, he was violently jerked off of the stage by the magistrate and the parish priest. Catching him by the back part of his neck, they violently beat his head against the ground. Afterwards, he was mercilessly beaten with twenty lashes with a horse whip.
The parish priest came up, cursed at him, and then warned him not to preach anymore.
When Brother Waller was released, he went back singing and praising God, and then
mounted the stage and preached with a great deal of liberty. Covered with  his own blood, he boldly proclaimed the Word of God.

Another time while he was preaching, a huge fellow pulled him down and dragged him about by his hair. A second, as stout as the first, ran to rescue Waller. One took hold of one hand and the other of the other hand so that between friend and foe, poor Waller was about to lose both arms. The hurt remained with him for many weeks. On November 8, 1793, he moved to the state of South Carolina. John Waller's daughter had married Elder Abraham Marshall, a Baptist evangelist and son of the well-known preacher and church planter, Daniel Marshall. Some speculate that she was Waller's favorite daughter and he desired to be near them. Also, good land could be purchased cheaply there, and he felt that his labors had come to an end in Virginia. Waller's work in his new home was blessed as he helped to establish two churches, but his ministry never had the impact of his ministry in Virginia. He preached thirty-five years, baptized more than two thousand persons, assisted in ordaining twenty-seven ministers and in constituting eighteen churches. The revivals that he led in Virginia had great  reforming impact on the very culture of that state. His last sermon, at
the funeral of a young man, was taken from Zechariah 2:4,
"Run, speak to this young man." He addressed the young in feeble, touching strains, saying that it was his last sermon. He spoke until his strength failed and then tottered to a bed from which he was carried to his house. He died July 4, 1802, in his sixty-second year. John Waller represents the men and women who paid a dear price for religious liberty. He carried the scars of his scourging to his grave, which is located in the Waller- Hackett family burial ground in Abbeville County, near Greenwood, South Carolina. My friend B.J. Isaacs and I found this abandoned cemetery in the woods. We walked over to the forgotten grave of this mighty soldier of the Cross and gave thanks to God for the life and ministry of a great hero of the faith.