Here’s a free link to copy The Great Commission and SOLDIER'S PRAYER.

A Soldier's Prayer

Sovereign  Lord,  my  Commander  in  battle,  guide  my  steps as I serve my country and fellow troops.
Our   mighty   fortress  of  power  and  strength.   Keep  me  safe with  a  hedge  of     protection.
Life's   most   important   decision   is  to   know   You,   as   my   personal   Lord   and   Savior. 
Discernment  from Your Holy Spirit is what I rely on, to understand the strategies of my enemy.
I   pray for  peace  in  the  midst  of  each  storm,   placing  my  dependence  on  You,   Oh  Lord. 
Equip     me     with    the   gift    of    forgiveness,   even   when   it's   beyond   my   own   understanding.
Remind me that I'm Your vessel, covered with Your armor, to be a  living  testament  to Your  faithfulness.

In  the  precious  name  of  Jesus  

"The Great Commission" is a symbol of appreciation for our servicemen and women. Its life-lesson instructs every viewer to help others. The river displays a reflection of Jesus to portray the likeness of Christ shown though this Chaplain. Inspired by Pastor Mark Riser, the Chaplain models Christ as he humbly washes the feet of a soldier. The event on the left is an actual baptism that followed the salvation of some of troops in Iraq. To the right is a salute to our fallen heroes. Jesus' name can be found in the mortar on the archway. Five unintentional faces were found (in the distant rocks and on the soldier's uniform). 

Ask yourself if you are spiritually painting an everlasting picture of the Lord. “The Great Commission” reminds us that every believer in Christ is called to be disciple. What does a genuine disciple look like? They're a soldier in the Lord's army, dedicated to the bone for "careful" study and application of Scripture. To be "careful" is to be watchful, not fearful, but guarding against mistakes by paying strict and close attention to details. A disciple is a reflection of Christ from a constant growth; a transformation of his or her heart, head and habits. 

Remember, beloved! Be on guard (prepared) for every spiritual battle: Soldier,  Stand your ground. Fight this spiritual battle with The Whole Armor of God.  Put on a sturdy belt of truth, the breastplate of God’s righteousness, and shoes of peace that comes from the Good News.  Use faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan. Put on salvation as your helmet. And take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.  (Ephesians 6: 11-19)  

Jesus' last words, "Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you." (Matthew 28:19-20) God equips every believer with supernatural abilities to fulfill the great commission. You don't have to go on a mission trip or have a seminary degree to share the Good News of Christ. You don't have to wash someone's feet to serve them. Grow where you are planted. Spend time with the Lord in prayer and Bible study each day and ask Him to use you to share the gospel with those in your little corner of the world. Let His will become your passion! 

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"Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD" (Psalm 33:12)

"Rise Up, Oh Nation, and Follow Me"
Jesus’ name and the cross can be found around the rocks  

This powerful composition illustrates a message of hope and healing for those who turn from a life of sin to pursue God. Jesus is represented in prayerful thought over our country. The bleeding heart blossoms are symbolic of the sorrow felt by Christ. The white horse waits to be called on by Jesus, which symbolizes His return. Doesn't it make you wonder, how much longer will He tarry? 

The subtitle comes from II Chronicles 7:14, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways:  THEN  I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”  

Please give these questions some serious thought and see if helps you to MOVE FROM containing a wealth of knowledge and inspiration, and MOVE TO activating that knowledge to transformation;

        1)  Could our economical recession and emotional depression  be a result of our own rejection of God? 

        2)  It's a different time and place, but are we not a picture of the idol worshipping, rebellious Israelites who were delivered out of Egyptian slavery to return to their Promised Land?

        3)  Is God withholding His blessings from us as we also continue to mumble and complain and disobey Him?   

Let's challenge one another to MOVE from the deceit of self-satisfaction, and let's readjust our FOCUS by trusting, obeying and SEEKING GOD. Let's activate the knowledge of truth that is found in the scriptures. Let's humble ourselves and confess our sins. Let's submit to God and resist evil (James 4:7): THEN God will heal our broken hearts; our unhealthy relationships; and our land. 

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YouTube - Charles Billingsley Lord Have Mercy
Before Revival, There Must Be Repentance - Part 1

"For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God." (Romans 3:23) This is not just a word for the non-believer. It's a word for every believer, also. Sin is not just something we do. Sinful is something we all are.

God has been telling me in my dreams, though His Word, and through others that BEFORE REVIVAL, THERE MUST BE REPENTANCE. I've prayed for revival for many years – revival in my marriage, revival in my art-ministry, as well as other areas that concern me. I thought I was pretty thorough in acknowledging my sin regularly, so that nothing could hinder my communication with the Lord, but God spoke to the very root of my problem this morning.  (12-8-08)

Why do I constantly sin, battling with anxious thoughts. letting uneasiness from relationships to finances control me instead of applying Phil. 4:6? Why does my 30 year relationship with my husband and the success of my art-ministry immobilize me with FEAR at times when I know this is a weapon that the enemy uses against me instead of applying Proverbs 3:5-6? My enemy is not my husband or any other human being! My enemy is Satan who is constantly hiding in the bushes, scheming up ways to distract me while I'm walking with Jesus. If my armor is not secure and the devil catches me off-guard, the wounds can penetrate so deep that I feel the breath that keeps me alive has been knocked out of me. I can feel a blanket of FEAR cover my spirit with paralysis like a prisoner being held in contempt. This is exactly where Satan knows I’m vulnerable. He doesn’t want my relationship with the Lord, my relationship with my loved ones, my art-ministry, or any other connections that I have, to grow or succeed. 

I can just imagine God and the devil having a conversation over me like they did with Job. How disappointed my Father must be as He sees me fretting with anxious thoughts. A few years ago I came to realize I had suffered with a spirit of rejection since childhood, and was then delivered of it, praise our wonderful God! So, why do I still struggle with ungodly responses when I feel rejected or attacked? In agreement with Jennifer Rothschild, I can also say, “My greatest challenge is…..How will I respond?”

Jesus told His disciples, “Yea, of little faith”. This is a word He is speaking to me right now. How can I LET GO AND LET GOD have complete control over every area of my life? Rest in the Lord; do not fret; cease from anger; apply Psalm 37. Do not fret (or give in) to evildoers. If I do, I then become an evildoer, as well. Just because we are saved from eternal hell, our salvation does not keep us from sin. We, too, are sinful creatures and evildoers when we rebel (going against what God instructs us to do). Our biggest problem in or out of a crisis is when we get our focus off God, and on ourselves. When I catch myself feeling anxious or fearful, I begin inventorying my recent days. My biggest distraction tends to be busyness, trying to knock out my To Do List. The multi-tasker that I am, I have to be very careful not to treat God as an item on my list. 

God used Revive Our Hearts this morning to speak this message loud and clear! Please pray for us and my ministry that my “responses” will not hinder the work of the Lord. You don't want to miss the teaching of Nancy Leigh DeMoss. Look in her archives on 12-8-08 ROH Radio Psalm 37 Fret Not. Psalm 37 is the very words I painted in the opened Bible of the following painting, "Born To Serve". How many times I've read, prayed, and believed this, applied it to my life, as well as shared it with others, but never fully understanding what Nancy shared today about fretting and responding in anger.

Before Revival, There Must Be Repentance - Part 2

We must want deliverance, not just relief. If we're crying out to God to deliver us from our pain and misery without repenting of our sins, we may feel a short period of relief, but we will soon fall back into sin and oppression. God wants our hearts bent toward Him. He will not accept part of us, He wants all of us. 

While waking last week, on a frosty morning of December 5th, I was asking the Lord what this meant for me, "BEFORE REVIVAL, THERE MUST BE REPENTANCE." I asked God to search my heart and see what wicked thought, word, or deed that I had not repented. Have I been asking God to revive areas in my life before repenting something. With every intention to pray and meditate about this today, I went to put on my paint clothes (2 sweat-shirts and pants). Never in my whole life have I put EVERYTHING on backwards, but as I started walking I noticed both shirts and my sweat-pants, everything was on backwards. This created mixed emotions as I had to laugh, while at the same time - nearly cry while asking the Lord if He is confirming that I have more than my clothes on backwards.    

How easy it is to point out the corruption in others, but hide the fact (from others and from ourselves) that we are also corrupt. I'm speaking to myself when I ask, "Have you repented, or are you finding fault with others without repenting yourself? Are you ignoring the goodness, which God is showing towards you without realizing that God is using these loving ways to lead you to repentance?" Romans 2: 2-10.

Out of personal hatred for President Abraham Lincoln, a man tried to assassinate him. He found himself in prison under the sentence of death. His execution date was drawing near. In the meantime President Lincoln decided to show him mercy and signed his pardon. The prison officers took the news to the prisoner but he replied, "I don't believe it". Then higher officers came and explained to him that the pardon was genuine. The prisoner replied with the same words. Finally the highest officer (the governor of the prison) went to the prisoner personally, but the man stubbornly replied, "I don't believe it, I don't believe it". When the news was conveyed to the President, the reply came back, "The pardon is cancelled". On the appointed day the man was executed. He had rejected the goodness of the President with disbelief. 

Am I rejecting the goodness of God, who is willing to pardon me when I repent and ask for His forgiveness? Sometimes God sends us bitter experiences to urge us to repent, yet He would rather have us to repent without them. "Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control" (Psalm 32:9). When we neglect to turn to God, bitter experiences like "the bit and the bridle" become necessary. 

The children of Israel were so wayward that God had to bring many afflictions upon them to make them repent......"you have not returned to Me, says the Lord" (Amos 4:6-11). God weeps over us if we refuse to repent and give Him full control of our lives. Our distresses distress Him. Our suffering becomes His sorrow. God's sorrow becomes very real to us in the New Testament when we see the Lord Jesus weeping over Jerusalem. ..."He wept over it" (Luke 19:41). Our heart should melt when we realize that Jesus also weeps over us. 

The curtain has been lifted and God allows us to see things that others have never seen in the Old Testament days. The loving God, our Creator and our Savior, weeps over us when we are prideful, resentful, unforgiving, self-righteous, angry, anxious, or manipulative (sinful in any form or degree) yet remain in denial, failing to repent. 

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, will you join me and repent today? Will you ask God to reveal any wicked way in you and give your heart (completely) to Him?

When fear controls our lives, we are being controlled by our enemy, Satan. Fear is opposite of faith and it is a sin. When sin or unbelief sets in, a turning away from God occurs. What are you not believing God for that you need to give to Him. He wants total control of every area of our lives. We must TRUST GOD and not fear. FRET NOT!  Do you trust Him with your relationships, your future, your government, your health, and your finances? Do you trust Him in the storms and realize while in the storm that, "It's Not About Me!" It is for you, but it is not about you. It's all about God and His good plans for our lives. It is to search our hearts and see what sins are controlling us and keeping us in bondage like the prisoner awaiting his death sentence. 

Let's take a daily inventory while in prayer, asking God to reveal any sin that needs to be dealt with. God wants to pardon us. He wants to provide a victorious life, free from the consequence of sin. He wants to have the two way line of communication open between Him and us, but because He is a holy God, He can not and will not be in the presence of sin.

"Prove by the way you live (by your fruits) that you have repented of your sins and have turned to God." (Matthew 3:8)

"Born To Serve"

Who or what do you serve? Everyone on this earth serves somebody or something, whether it's a human king, an organization, your work, a hobby, or the God and Creator of the universe. Think about what matters to you more than anything, then ask God if what matters most is in line with His reason for creating you. This biographical painting is a representation of Time Well Spent. A child's earthly father will be their first impression of what God the Father is like. A dedicated parent teaches their children that the Bible is our Instruction Manual for life. This father is teaching his son 3 Key Phrases;

 What Do You Do With The Word Of God?

1.  Learn It          2.  Love It          3.  Live It

“Born to Serve” instills a message of hope and encouragement that every child on earth is created to serve God. The Bible teaches us that we are all created for God’s pleasure. Nothing is more important to God than our TIME with Him. The same goes for our children. The most valuable legacy we can give them is the TIME we invest in their lives. No amount of money can buy this kind of love. No matter whether our parents did their job right, we are responsible to our children to do our job as God created us to do. Christianity is not following religious rules and routines, but it’s an intimate relationship with Christ. Children learn from watching these good things naturally happen when we allow Christ to live His life through us. God used every Bible Story ever told, every lesson ever taught, and every prayer ever prayed to mold and mature this precious son into a faithful and much loved Pastor.

Seven Stages to the Story:

1) Pastor Larry Harmon’s father, Harry, taught him these 3 Key Phrases when he was about 7-years-old.
2) The window to the left resembles Andy and Opy from the Andy Griffith Show, their favorite TV program still today.
3- 4) The photos on the bookcase are past and present family pictures.
5) The painting on the wall is a rendition of “The Good Shepherd” reaching out, risking his own life, to save the lost. (Find Jesus' name and the Mount of the Holy Cross here.)
6) The right window represents him as a man of faith taking the Good News of Jesus Christ as far as India .
7) The desk-lamp reminds us of Psalm 119:105 “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” It symbolizes the pastor as “The Good and Faithful Servant”.

The lit cottage is a model of the church; the books are Pastor’s Charles H. Spurgeon Collection and other favorites; the opened Bible is the pastor and his wife, Kaye’s, life verse from Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” (To DELIGHT IN is to give great joy or pleasure; to rejoice in.)

Something More...

How do we teach our children and others to obey God? Not in a legalist way by just doing good works and following the Ten Commandments. Christianity is not following religious rules and routines, but it’s an intimate relationship with Christ. Children learn from watching these good things naturally happen when we allow Christ to live His life through us. TIME is a precious thing that we must be willing to spend wisely.

Once a pastor is called into full-time ministry, he finds himself being a Shepherd to the lost and the hurting; a Teacher; a Comforter; a Listener; a Counselor; a Servant; an Administrator; a Friend to many; and a Role-Model as Husband and Father. Pastor Larry’s parents had no idea the many lives that would be affected by the seeds they planted in their son 40 years ago. They just obeyed God and joyfully did what they were told to do. Because of their faithfulness and the influence of the Harmon heritage, God has given me a hunger to know and experience Him. My life and Art-Ministry have very much been impacted by the example of these great men and women of God. The childhood memories from Larry’s spiritual training have painted many beautiful pictures that have change a multitude of lives. These men’s lives have been an open Bible for all to see Christ and His love and concern for us.

Harry said, “When Larry was a teenager, he was so shy it took everything he had to talk in front of just 2 or 3 people. When Larry told us he was being called into ministry, we were so concerned because of his fear of talking in front of others.” There was no doubt he was being called when his parents heard him preach his first sermon. They agreed there was no way Larry could stand in front of a congregation to deliver a message in his own strength. It was definitely a calling on his life to do only what the grace of God could provide. With 20 years of dedicated service at this same church that began with 180 members, Pastor Larry will soon begin two morning worship services because of an over-crowded Sanctuary that comfortably seats over 1700 people. He admits he still battles this fear every Sunday before church begins, but it’s probably a gift, at the same time, that God uses to keep Pastor Larry dependant on and close to Him. 

Intended to honor a very humble man who is greatly admired by his congregation, “Born to Serve” is an invitation for the Holy Spirit to use his life story to lead others to a new level of understanding. May it be an inspiring visual reminder for all of us to be the person God created us to be! Wherever you find your dreams leading you, know that anything is possible when you put God first. He will make a way when there seems to be no way and He will use your experiences to be an encouragement to others along the way. What God will do through one, He can and WILL do through any Surrendered Instrument of God.                                                  

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"Raising Faith "

“God Bless America” is the message in the rubble. Jesus’ name is painted into the wings of the eagle. Girgenti was recently at a speaking engagement and it was brought to her attention that there is a heart in the center of Jesus’ name. Ironically, it appears to be a broken heart.

One of the firemen looks to be Jesus, representing the Christian man living and giving his life for his fellow man. You can also find a hammer, a crown of thorns, and 3 nails in the rubble. On the tops of the structures are crosses. The rubble was painted under the fire fighter’s feet, symbolic of going forward, rebuilding, and getting this behind us. The subtitle comes from Psalm 144:1-2, Blessed be the Lord my skill in battle. He is my goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, my deliverer, and my shield.

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More About the Family...

One of the deepest passions that we have on this earth is to love and be loved. Spend time with your family and give your love away. This is something that you'll never regret. I strongly encourage you to prepare for the legacy that you will one day leave behind. It's like looking at a tombstone. It's not the person's birth or diseased dates that are important. It's the dash in between those dates that matter. What did they do with the dash (the time while they were alive.) 

When you're on your death-bed, it won't be the things that your bought with money that you give any thought to. It will be the memories you made and the time you spent with your loved ones. Prepare for your legacy, while you still can. Make some life-long memories and keep yourself from regrets when it's too late. 

Our future is shaped by today's decisions, so our (good or bad) choices will produce something that we'll deal with later on. Have you ever heard a father or mother say, “I wish I hadn’t spent so much time with my kids,” or “I wish I’d never been a godly example for my children?” Regrets are quite the opposite. They always come from lack of quality time spent together; unspoken words of affection and encouragement; or negative things said or done that caused years of heartache.  

The most valuable gift to leave a loved one is a hand written love letter. It doesn’t cost a cent and it will be cherished forever. Some of my clients have been at death's door, preparing for each child to inherit a piece of art that speaks most of their relationship, along with their own hand-written letter. Whether you use a piece or art to express your love or not, and whether you write it down on paper or not, let your loved ones know how special they are to you. Don't take your life and these precious years for granite. Express your affection and share the wisdom God has given you through His Word. I promise, you will not regret it!

Joyce Girgenti (Artist)

1-9-09 Nancy Leigh DeMoss says, "You and I cannot become the women (or men) God made us to be apart from daily, consistent time getting to know Him through His Word. There are no shortcuts to spiritual growth, there are no shortcuts to figuring out the problems in your marriage, with your teenager, with your work environment.... There are no counselors or books or tapes or radio programs that can be a substitute for you getting into the Word and letting God’s Word speak to you. We cannot grow spiritually without the Word of God.

I’m listening all the time to women pouring out their hearts about issues in their lives, their struggles, their problems, their pressures, their burdens. Some of these are very, very hard situations, and some of them are just everyday life. My heart goes out to these women. I sympathize. I want to help, and I pray that through the ministry of Revive Our Hearts, we are helping to encourage women in their walk with the Lord. But I know that when it comes down to it, if those women are not in the Word of God for themselves, they are never going to get the answers they really need. They’re never going to have the relationship with God that they want and long for and need just living life on this planet. They’re not going to grow spiritually." 

We are blessed to have Christian  radio and TV programs, books, and the church  to teach us God's Word and how we should apply it, daily. But unless we spend time alone, reading the Bible and meditation on what God is telling us, personally, we will never be fully fed. We'll always be hungry for something that's missing, not knowing why we feel so incomplete. Why sadness and even depression seems to torment and even overwhelm us. All the answers to life are written in God's love letter. His Words are alive and active for every believer who is willing to spend TIME with Him.  The tools are to be used along with our personal daily devotional time.

"Dad's First Tractor"

My mother was visiting during Easter break in 1991. I invited her to help me plan the setting for a barnyard scene. Dad helped build this barn when he was a little boy... back in the Good Ole’ Days! To my surprise, Mom had a small black and white photograph of Dad on his first tractor in her wallet. 

A few years later, before I started professionally painting, I felt a deep drawing in my heart that led me to go spend some time with Mother. It just so happened to be the weekend of my birthday, so I asked Dad if we could do something that I always wanted to do as a child. I wanted to have a Wiener-Roast. I had the feeling that this was to be my last memory with my mother, but at the time I was just enjoying the moment. That night, in front of the barn, my family gathered around the campfire and we laughed until we cried. Mom acted as if she hadn’t been sick in years.

Mom then passed the day after my birthday. The following year I wrote a Poem and put this piece in print in honor of my father and in memory of my mother.

The following birthdays were a little difficult and I couldn't help but grieve. I was thankful for the special memory that God gave us and that Mom is in Heaven, but her loss was the hardest thing that I'd ever had to bear.  

Seven years to the day of her passing, an old gentleman approached me at the Pink Palace Art Exhibit in Memphis . I had never seen this man before, but he said with a sweet spirit and warm smile, “Today was a wonderful day wasn’t it?” At the time my heart was heavy and sad and thinking about the loss of my mother. Then it hit me…He was referring to the day Mom went to be with Jesus. It was a day to celebrate and to mourn no more. Then he finished by saying, “And by the way, HAPPY BIRTHDAY !”

Mom had not received Christ until just a few months before her passing. I had prayed for years that my mother and father would make that commitment before it was too late.  I remember this seventh year as a spiritual marker where God took a heavy and grieving heart and blessed me with the words through this man (or possibly this angel) to comfort me and to show me that God works everything for good. This was the greatest gift that I ever received for my birthday. 

Ten years after loosing Mom  in 2002, my father was stricken with a cancer that was to leave him with only 2 months to live. Dad now joins my mother in Heaven as we said goodbye to him on Valentines’ Day of 2003. Thanks to the good Lord, he used the last year of his life to get his heart where it needed to be to receive Him. There is no greater gift and no greater heritage that you can give to your children as the peace of knowing that you will live Eternity in Heaven.

If you have not asked Jesus into your heart, don’t wait! If you feel Him knocking at your hearts door, you have to be the one to open it. I told Dad last year that I couldn’t bear the thought of loosing him- not knowing if he had things right with the Lord. Don’t take any chances. Give your loved one the gift of knowing that you are a born-again Christian and that when your life has expired on this earth you, too, will take your place in the loving arms of Jesus to hear him say, “WELL DONE, MY GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT.”

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