Howard Lee Kent's Posts

Terror in Indiana

Posted by Howard Lee Kent on March 8, 2009 at 12:33pm

Some people might be tempted to think that what happened to Mark (in my last message) was an isolated incident or the product of an overactive imagination.Perhaps. But his experience resembles too many others. Take Bill, for example.Bill was a student at the Indiana University in the early 1970s when he became involved in a weekly "discussion" group with several friends searching for spiritual truth. At first, they talked about all sorts of things -- politics, philosophy, literature, whatever caught their interest. But as time went on, they found their attention turned more and more often to the "deeper mysteries" of life -- specifically UFOs.The five members of the group were all nondrinkers. They didn't do drugs. They weren't prone to hysteria or hallucinations, drug induced or otherwise. They were physically fit young men who were doing well in school.But as the group's interest in UFOs intensified, they began to openly seek contact with "other-worldly" beings. That's when strange things began to happen. That's when they began to see lights in the night sky. Later, according to Bill, they heard "rappings in the dark, hollow voices, heavy breathing, and the crushing footsteps of unseen entities."Initially, the five young men felt "honored" that they have been chosen for such experiences. They believed that because they were "rational and intelligent men," they could deal with anything that happened.They were wrong.The nocturnal rapping became violent pounding. One group member was struck hard in the face by an invisible hand. Another young man reported that he couldn't sleep because unseen forces shook and bounced his bed all night long. One of the students awakened in the middle of the night to find strange "dark-clad men" staring down at him.They all had the feeling they were being followed. Radios and TV sets switched on an off, even though nobody was close to them. Securely locked doors opened and then closed again.Bill began sleeping with the light on. He kept a gun under his pillow.One of his friends "invested heavily in weapons and began running with a group that offered sacrifices to Odin," the ancient Viking god of storms and death.Two others dropped out of school a month before they would have graduated with honors.Like Mark, their forays into the occult had not produced the results they desired.NEXT: A Hunger for the Supernatural

Into the Depths

Posted by Howard Lee Kent on March 4, 2009 at 10:18am

As we begin our search for answers to these questions, let me tell you about a person I read about named Mark.Like many of us, Mark had much too much to do. He was running as fast as he could, only to find that at the end of each day he was further behind. The stress became so bad he couldn't sleep more than a few hours at night. He lost his appetite. He felt a constant tightness in his chest and a burning sensation in his stomach.When he told a co-worker how he was feeling, the man suggested he try a form of Eastern meditation. His friend told him he had tried this kind of meditation himself, and it had calmed him down, given him a more positive outlook, and helped him to cope with day-to-day frustrations.It sounded great. Even though Mark seemed to remember somewhere in the back of his mind that this form of meditation involved "mystical" religious practices, that didn't really bother him. He was ready to try anything, and he figured that meditation had to be better than a daily dose of Prozac.Mark found that meditation was everything his co-worker said it would be. Almost immediately, he felt renewed and relaxed. He meditated as often as he could...even at work. He could close the door of his office, recite his mantra, and leave his worries behind. Even though Mark was a dedicated Christian, he wondered how he had ever managed to get through life without meditation.At his deepest, most peaceful moments, he felt he had made contact with benevolent spirits from beyond this world -- beings that were beautiful, loving, full of joy and peace.Mark practiced to the point where it was easy to slip into a dreamlike state. It was almost like a trance.And that's when he had the vision.On a quiet, still evening, all alone in his living room, Mark had an encounter with something evil. Something that had been waiting for him in the depths of his meditation experiences.Mark wasn't so sure it was just a vision. To him, the creature was suddenly in the room with him, mocking him and daring him to try to regain control of his life."I was aware," he said, "that I was falling into the grip of someone I didn't want to even touch me."Was it Satan?"If it wasn't, it came pretty darn close."Why did the "creature" choose that moment to reveal himself?"I have no idea. Maybe they figured I was so far gone that they had me, so they had nothing to lose by revealing themselves to me.""Themselves?""The ones who are behind it all, Satan and his demons."NEXT: Terror in Indiana

Something Strange Is Going Here

Posted by Howard Lee Kent on March 1, 2009 at 11:00am

"Reach out in the darkness, and you might find a friend."That's what the old song says to do.And that's what millions of people are trying to do.They're reaching into the darkness of the supernatural realm hoping to find "a friend." They're looking for angels. Seeking to contact the dead. Having encounters with beings who claim to be 35,000-year-old spirits. Engaging in automatic writing and other forms of "spirit communication." Conversing with beings who claim to have come from distant galaxies to give us a helping hand.Maybe you remember the scene from the movie E.T. where Elliott's ball rolls into a backyard shed. The little boy is just about to go in to retrieve it when it rolls back out. Intrigued -- and a bit frightened -- he rolls it into the shed a second time...and again it comes bouncing back out. Now Elliott's really scared, because he knows there's someone -- or perhaps something -- in there.Today, all over the world, people are rolling balls into the darkness to see if anyone is out there.And someone is rolling them back.Someone. But who?Are we making contact with friendly beings who want to help us? Or is the answer far more sinister?NEXT: Into the Depths

Powered by God

Posted by Howard Lee Kent on August 7, 2008 at 5:30pm

Powered by GodAhwahnee resident finishes work on Christian graphic novelBy Elizabeth Gabriel(Updated: Friday, August 01, 2008, 6:13 PM) email this storycloseInformation you provide is used exclusively to let the recipient know who forwarded the article.The article is protected by copyright and should not be printed or distributed for anything except personal use.Howard Kent of Ahwahnee has written a graphic novel with a Christian theme.Lakewood looks like a nice enough place to live. A dog cavorts on a lawn, balloons float up from the Dayspring Church carnival and two people greet a stranger and invite him to join the fun.But despite the bright colors and sunny skies, there is something sinister happening in the idyllic town.In "The Overcomers," a graphic novel by writer Howard Kent of Ahwahnee and artist Christina Cheek of the Ozarks, four twentysomethings become the Christian soldiers battling the the forces of evil in the guise of a group called Americans for Religious Freedom (ARF)."The story is all about overcoming life's hardships," Kent said.Each of the "good" characters has a strength and a corresponding flaw. Steve has wisdom but a sharp tongue, Marlene has love but little discretion, Marc has great strength but a temper and Eve has spiritual discernment but reluctance to use it.Then there is Doug of ARF, Eve's ex. He is demon-possessed and wants to possess Eve again -- not for himself but for his masters.Graphic novels are not comic books. And "The Overcomers" is certainly not a comic. Book 1 comes out in September, published by Living Word Publications of Michigan. Kent said it will have a full-color cover with black and white interior pages. That helps keep the cost down to $6.99, but it may be available in a full-color version for a higher price. For a preview, go to www.livingwordpublications.info.The drawings are in a heroic style typical of the genre. The men are muscular, the women are beautiful and Doug, the bad guy, wears a dark overcoat and fedora that hides most of his features.Kent said the story, which he has been working on and revising since 1988, is a jumping-off place for discussion and is aimed at people in the 13+ age group. The dilemmas the characters face are bigger than any the typical teen will ever confront."The characters all have pasts they have to deal with," Kent said, "just like us. I want readers to think about choices. I want to give people ideas, tools to use."Kent, 38, is concierge at the Apple Tree Inn. He also is ordained, with a specialty in family ministry. He said he is a big sci-fi fan and loved comics as a kid."This ('The Overcomers') is sort of a combination of "Touched by an Angel," "The X Files" and superheroes," Kent said.But the heroes of Lakewood get their power from God.Each of the four has the same dream one night.God speaks to them, saying "My child, I have found you to be trustworthy and true. You and others have been made worthy of being Overcomers. My missions for you will come as walks of faith. ... Be bold, be strong and be courageous. Have no fear and do not compromise, for the weapons of your warfare are mighty. You are a warrior of light and a soldier of the cross. ... I am with you always."The four consult with their pastor, who advises them to pray over their direction.Kent said while the story is told through a Christian paradigm, it is not preachy."It doesn't force God or the Bible on people," he said. "It urges you to live your life the best you can."Kent said in the real world, heroism isn't all about physically overcoming a demon-possessed bad guy. Heroism can be walking up to someone you see crying in the supermarket and offering comfort or a kind word."That's God tapping you on the shoulder," he said.The characters all get their strengths through faith, Kent said, and that's where he believes his strength comes from."You're stronger when you ask for help," he said."I have always been a defender. I always prayed to be big and strong. I said, 'God, here I am, use me.'"And that seems to be the central message of "The Overcomers." The heroes are good on their own, but when they give themselves over, they become great.

Believing In The Resurrection

Posted by Howard Lee Kent on July 25, 2008 at 7:42pm

Hello everybody! It has been a long time since I have talked with you and stuff. LOL! I have missed you dear members and want to say that I am back. You have no doubt heard of my Graphic Novel: The Overcomers. It ships out in September and was wonderfully designed by the one and only Christina Cheek of Silver Dagger Studios. God has really given her a remarkable talent and in my opinion, the best. Living Word Publications has graciously picked us up and is run by the man in the business, Pastor Martin Oakley. I thank God for their wonderful efforts and can be ordered at livingwordpublications.info.What I really want to talk about is our belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christians say that salvation depends on belief in Jesus. For example, Paul told the Philippian jailer, " 'Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved' " (Acts 16:31). I agree with Paul's statement, but I would also like to qualify it. Simply believing that Jesus was a good Man who lived on earth two thousand years ago isn't enough.Simply believing in the fact of His death on the cross isn't enough. Genuine Christian belief is a commitment to Jesus that makes a difference in one's outlook and in how one lives. It's the same with other Christian beliefs. I believe in the Ten Commandments, but do they make a difference in how I relate to God and others? I believe in the inspiration of the Bible, but do the Bible's teachings change the way I live?My answer is THEY SHOULD! So consider this, what does Jesus' resurrection mean to you? It better be everything because it means absolutely everything. God Bless.

Does God care when you suffer?

Posted by Howard Lee Kent on March 14, 2008 at 2:34pm

Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later. Romans 8:18------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The problem of suffering :On my shelf is a little books that asks a big question. It is titled Does God Care When We Suffer? and was written by Randy Becton. Randy is a good friend and a cancer survivor who has spent much of his life ministering to people with terminal illnesses. Randy writes:Of the hard "why" questions, "why is there suffering?" may be the hardest. This is probably because it not attacks us personally, but also because whenever the question is raised, the question of God's part in suffering follows close behind… We are desperate for the meaning behind all this. We seek some someone to blame or deliver us, and that always leads to our view of God.Doesn't God care when we suffer? Of course he does. Then why doesn't he do something about it? He did. Becton sums it up this way:The answer is the cross of Jesus Christ.… From now on all human suffering must be understood in the light of his suffering; it is the source of meaning, hope, and new life for sufferers. When someone cries out, "He doesn't care. He's immune to pain," they are brought to the foot of the cross to see for themselves.… The cross and resurrection hold the key to the mystery of suffering.

How has God protected us in the past?

Posted by Howard Lee Kent on March 13, 2008 at 3:59pm

Before the mountains were created, before you made the earth and the world, you are God, without beginning or end.You turn people back to dust, saying, "Return to dust!"Psalm 90:3-4 NLT--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Our help in ages past :O God, our help in ages past,Our hope for years to come,Our shelter from the stormy blast,And our eternal home!O God, Our Help in Ages Past, ISAAC WATTS (1674-1748)In 1714, the people of England were anxious. Queen Anne lay dying, and she had no son or daughter to succeed her. Who would be the new monarch, and what changes would that make? Isaac Watts had reason to worry. His father had been imprisoned under the previous regime because his views did not please the ruling family. As a young child, Isaac has been carried by his mother to visit his father in jail. But Queen Anne had brought a new tolerance, and freedom for the elder Watts. Now that she was dying, what would happen?Isaac Watts turned to Psalm 90 on this occasion and penned what may be the greatest of his more than six hundred hymns. In essence, it is a poem about time. God stands above human time, and in Him all our anxieties can be laid to rest. The greatness of our eternal God was a favorite theme of Watts. When the events of the day bring worry, the God of all ages remains our eternal home.

Have you ever sought advice under false pretenses?

Posted by Howard Lee Kent on March 13, 2008 at 3:30pm

Ten days later, the Lord gave his reply to Jeremiah. So he called for Johanan son of Kareah and the army officers, and for all the people, from the least to the greatest. He said to them, "You sent me to the Lord, the God of Israel, with your request, and this is his reply: 'Stay here in this land. If you do, I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you. For I am sorry for all the punishment I have had to bring upon you.'" Acariah son of Hoshaiah and Johanan son of Kereah and all the other proud men said to Jeremiah, "You lie! The Lord our God hasn't forbidden us to go to Egypt!Jeremiah 42:7-10; 43:2 NLT ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------False pretenses :Johanan and his army officials asked the prophet Jeremiah for guidance from God, but they had no intention of following it. Although they wanted God's protection, they were not willing to obey him. We learn from this experience that God protects those who obey him, but removes his presence from those who rebel against him.When God delivered David from all his enemies—including King Saul—David praised God for his deliverance. David gave God credit in 2 Samuel 22:3 for protecting him from his enemies.My God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the strength of my salvation, and my stronghold, my high tower, my savior, the one who saves me from violence.Although God will not save us from troubles, he will protect us in the midst of them. In Psalm 91:4, the psalm writer encourages us to put out faith in God's protection.He will shield you with his wings. He will shelter you with his feathers. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

Have you ever been rescued because God gave you foresight?

Posted by Howard Lee Kent on March 11, 2008 at 1:17pm

The wise look ahead to see what is coming, but fools deceive themselves.Proverbs 14:8 NLT----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Victorious foresightWouldn't it be great to see into the future? To have the ability to bypass future mistakes? In a way, Christians have this ability. God has given us a precious gift—the gift of sight.This "sight" is not like the false sight of fortune-tellers or magicians. It is the spiritual ability to see who is in the future, instead of merely what is in the future. So, we no longer blindly grope around in this life as those who are lost. Christ is our future and our hope.Just as a successful marathon runner knows the location of the finish line before setting goals for the race, we identify Christ as our finish line. This great knowledge allows us to set daily goals for wise living. In the end each day of our lives may be lived victoriously if we remember our final outcome. The Christian's race is already won through Christ's victory on the cross. And when we cross the finish line of life, we will be in Christ's presence.WISE WAYS The next time you feel fear or persecution regarding your faith, remember that Christ has already won the victory!Lord, help me to look ahead to you so that I may live victoriously.

How have our spiritual ancestors suffered?

Posted by Howard Lee Kent on March 10, 2008 at 1:52pm

Another beast…ordered the people of the world to make a great statue of the first beast, who was fatally wounded and then came back to life. He was permitted to give life to this statue so that it could speak. Then the statue commanded that anyone refusing to worship it must die.Revelation 13:11, 14-15 NLT-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Great PersecutionWhen Diocletian became emperor of the Roman Empire in 284, Christians were encouraged because of rumors that his wife and daughter were believers. And, in fact, during the first nineteen years of his reign, Christians lived in relative peace and prosperity.Gradually, life became more difficult for Christians. Deciding that religious unity would strengthen his empire, Diocletian published three edicts to guarantee the supremacy of the Roman state religion.On February 23, 303, the day of the Roman feat Terminalia, an edict was posted that ordered all copies of Scripture to be burned, all churches destroyed, their property confiscated, and Christian worship forbidden. The Great Persecution had begun.In early 304 another edict insisted that everyone in the Roman Empire sacrifice to the Roman gods. Every Christian was in jeopardy. Finally, the years of the Great Persecution ended with an edict of toleration by Constantine in 313. It granted religion liberty to Christians and pagans alike."…we decree still further in regard to the Christians, that their places, in which they were formerly accustomed to assemble…shall be restored to the said Christians, without demanding money or any other equivalent, with no delay or hesitation… For by this means… the divine favor toward us which we have already experienced in many matters will continue sure through all time."

How have you experienced God's protection?

Posted by Howard Lee Kent on March 9, 2008 at 1:59pm

He will rescue you again and again so that no evil can touch you.Job 5:19 NLTAbout this promise......From terrorist attacks to the abduction of children in broad daylight, random acts of violence seem to fill the news reports day and night. Is anyone really safe anymore? Scripture reveals God to be concerned about and committed to our safety. But to more fully understand the concept of safety, we must recognize who we are—eternal beings wrapped in mortal bodies. While God is concerned about what happens to our body, he is much more concerned about what happens with our soul. Once we have confessed faith in Jesus and the Holy Spirit comes to live within us, he is at work protecting our soul from beings snatched away by Satan. God is concerned about the safety of our physical body, and we probably experience his hand of protection more than we realize. But ultimately, physical protection will come only when we are given our new body in eternity.

How has God revealed Himself in you?

Posted by Howard Lee Kent on March 8, 2008 at 4:00pm

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.Genesis 1:1 NLTThe master creatorGenesis 1:1 and the entire creation story reveals God's creativity. He is the Master Creator who delights in diversity and variety.Creativity is a gift God gives to people by the power of his Holy Spirit. Exodus 31:1-4 described a person who used his artistic skills and craftsmanship to make beautiful things for God's glory.The Lord also said to Moses, "Look, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, intelligence, and skill in all kinds of crafts. He is able to create beautiful objects from gold, silver, and bronze.Hebrews 11:3 proclaims God as the ultimate source of all creativity.By faith we understood that the entire universe was formed at God's command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------The "great raveled knot," as the famous English psychologist Sir Charles Sherrington called the brain, is about the size of a grapefruit and weighs approximately three pounds. It is composed of some twelve to fourteen billion cells.…It is the almost limitless number of cells-plus-interconnections that makes the human brain an intellectual instrument of unparalleled supremacy.JOHN P McNEEL, The Brain of Man

When was the last time you really looked deep into the night sky?

Posted by Howard Lee Kent on March 8, 2008 at 4:00pm

The heavens tell of the glory of God. The skies display his marvelous craftsmanship.Psalm 19:1 NLTExplore the wonderThe story is told of a remarkable rabbi named Abraham Heschel. Several years before his death he suffered a massive heart attack, and he was sure he would die. His best friend sat by his side. Rabbi Heschel whispered to his friend, "Sam, I feel only gratitude for my life, for every moment I have lived. I am ready to go. I have seen so many miracles during my lifetime."Exhausted, the old rabbi leaned back in his bed to catch his breath. After a long pause, he said, "Sam, never once in my life did I ask God for success or wisdom or power or fame. I asked for wonder, and he gave it to me."Everything about God and creation screams out thoughts of wonder and amazement. Any person who can stand before it and yawn is either dead and buried or might as well be. With God, boredom is not an option. King David cried out to God in song, "I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—the moon and the stars you have set in place…the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that swims the ocean currents. O Lord, our Lord, the majesty of your name fills the earth!" (Psalm 8:3; 8-9)I'm one who believes there are no atheists in the world, only stubborn insubordinates. God's creation is his greatest evangelist. How sad that we so seldom stop to acknowledge its wonder.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Saint Augustine taught that God created the world out of nothing. Creation was something like the magician pulling a rabbit out of hat. Except God didn't have a rabbit and He didn't have a hat.R C SPROUL

Isn't it incredible that God created us with the ability to praise Him?

Posted by Howard Lee Kent on March 6, 2008 at 3:21pm

But happy are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God.Psalm 146:5 NLTI'll praise my makerI'll praise my Maker while I've breath;And when my voice is lost in death.Praise shall employ my nobler pow'rs;My days of praise shall ne'er be past,While life, and thought, and being last,Or immortality endures.Happy the man whose hopes relyOn Israel's God! He made the sky,And earth, and sea, with all their train;His truth for ever stands secure;He saves the oppressed, He feeds the poor,And none shall find His promise vain.I'll Praise My Maker While I've Breath (v1,2), ISAAC WATTS (1674-1748)In Westminster Abbey stands a statue of Isaac Watts with a pen in his hand. Not far from Watts, John Wesley is also honored. This hymn has connections to both men.As John Wesley lay dying, he surprised his friends gathered around his bedside by singing in a clear voice this hymn of Isaac Watts: "I'll praise my Maker while I've breath, and when my voice is lost in death, praise shall employ my nobler powers."The next day he tried to sing the hymn again, but he could not. Two or three times he began, but could only say the words "I'll praise." That was all he could get out of his mouth. Then, with those words on his lips, he was ushered into glory.

How Much Do You Trust Your Heavenly Father?

Posted by Howard Lee Kent on January 25, 2008 at 4:00pm

If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you.… Those who obey my commandments are the ones who love them. And because they love me, my Father will love them, and I will love them. And I will reveal myself to each one of them.

Matthew 21:28-32 NLT

An expression of trust

Parents set up rules for their children: Clean up your room, don't go anywhere with a stranger; be home by 11 p.m. The purpose, of course, is for the children's benefit and protection; loving parents are not trying to make their children miserable by given them rules to follow. And parents hope that their children will understand rules as expressions of love and concern; they hope their children's obedience will be motivated more by love than by fear of punishment. Our obedience to Christ should likewise be an expression of our trust in his care for us.

Could Be As Consistent As Noah?

Posted by Howard Lee Kent on January 24, 2008 at 5:51pm

So Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him..

Genesis 6:22 NLT

A man of consistent obedience

Imagine someone who doesn't pay employees cheap wages event though he enjoys a fancy house and swanky cars. Someone who doesn't indulge in movies full of sultry sex scenes. If you know such a person, you may have found someone seeking consistent obedience to God and his Word.

Noah went against the grain of his generation. As Genesis 6:9 says, "Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless man on earth at the time. He consistently followed God's will and enjoyed a close relationship to him." He stood out from others of his time whose thoughts and actions were "consistently and totally evil." (Genesis 6:5)

Apparently folks had never seen rain fall out of the sky (Gen. 2:5), but Noah obeyed God's instructions: hammering, sawing, and building for 120 years (Gen. 6:3). Noah warned people of God's judgment (2 Pet. 2:5), but even if he had never said a word, his pounding hammer rang a warning of wrath to come. Later, the truth of those words echoed as the ark floated above a world of corpses.

After Noah's family of eight emerged into a washed-out world, he held a thanksgiving service. If God was pained by a world of ungrateful human beings (Gen. 6:6), he must have been consoled by a grateful Noah (Gen. 8:20).

Sadly, the father who was buoyed atop a world of water got drunk on land (Gen. 9:20-27). It only takes one indiscretion to mar a life of righteousness.

A bow with arrows was a principal weapon in ancient warfare. After the world was washed away in Noah's time, God set a (rain) bow in the sky to remind us that we would never again destroy the world by water. Our God is consistently faithful.

How Long Will It Last?

Posted by Howard Lee Kent on January 24, 2008 at 5:37pm

Hello Overcomers,

When you get the chance, Read Psalm 90.

The speedometer seemed to be stalled at 55. Minutes stretched as if to give the feeling of timelessness. Only the squeal of under-inflated tires on a curve roused the driver's thoughts and alerted him to a broken-down school bus on the side of the road. For a few unmeasured moments a trail of memories followed. His mind drifted back to school, college, marriage, and the business.

Suddenly a mileage marker cruised by, bringing him back to the present. His eyes shifted to the broken yellow lines right of center, and his ears counted the rythem of concrete cracks until billboards began to appear along the freeway. One by one they shouted at him and slid by into the silence of the rearview mirror. Slogans by the dozen appealed to his material instincts, and to something less than his better judgement. Then came a sign that simply said in black and white letters: HOW LONG WILL IT LAST? His eyes reached back for another look -- but it was gone. Then a series of signs began to appear in a pattern of the old Burma Shave slogans: DESIRES -- AND FIRES -- WILL SOON BURN OUT -- BUT THOSE WHO DO -- THE WILL OF GOD -- WILL LAST -- FOREVER! The wheels dropped off the pavement. Stones beat up against the floor. Beads of sweat began to form on the drivers forehead. How long was this ride going to last?

Yet, he is not alone on the road of life. All of us find ourselves caught at times in the numbness that comes from living solely for material values.

O Lord, keep us awake!

So here's a thought from a pastor of mine: A truly wise man gears his earthly GOALS to heavenly GAINS.

Love you, guys and gals...HK

Your Last Nickel

Posted by Howard Lee Kent on January 11, 2008 at 8:54pm

Happy New Year Overcomers!!!!

Read 1 Kings 17:8-16.....

This scripture reading tells the story of Elijah being sent to a widow who was about to use up her last handful of flour. She thought it would be the last meal she and her starving child would eat before dying of malnutrition. But poor as she was, she was rich in faith; for when God's prophet asked her to prepare a little cake for him, she didn't hesitate. Because she put the Lord first, He rewarded her faith by supernaturally multiplying the meal and the oil so that she had enough.

I was told a similar story about a seminary student and his wife who many years ago had come to the end of their resources. They arrived at church one Sunday with only a nickle between them - just enough for a loaf of day-old bread. The conscientious young man had a hard time parting with his last coin. But the moment he dropped it in the offering plate his heart was glad, for he knew God would provide. After the service a fellow Christian, who wasn't aware of his struggle, grasped his hand, spoke a word of encouragement, and gave him a 5-dollar bill! "Why did you do that?" asked the grateful student. The man replied, "The Lord seemed to whisper in my heart that you were in need. So please take the money as coming from Him!" How the young couple rejoiced that God had supplied their need and honored their trust in Him!

Never give to God expecting compound interest for your faithfulness. That would be the wrong motive - the motive of covetousness. Instead, with a heart full of love, give regularly and sacrificially to the Lord!

A pastor friend of mine used to say, "God looks not so much at the face of your check as at the balance on the stub."

God bless Overcomers.........HK

Who Rules the World?

Posted by Howard Lee Kent on December 31, 2007 at 5:01pm

Hello Overcomers.....

When you get the chance, read Isaiah 40:18-31.........

In his book "Life Sentence", Charles Colson tells of strolling among the ruins where the Roman senate once met. Recalling his feelings, he wrote: "As I stood snapping photgraphs, my mind flashed back to the Roosevelt Room in the White House, a few steps across a narrow hallway from the President's oval office. At 8 o'clock each morning a dozen of us, the President's senior aides, had gathered around the antique mahogany table; it's polished surface reflected the serious, intense expressions of men who believed the destiny of mankind was in their hands."

Colson continues, " 'The decisions we must make today,' Henry Kissinger would often say, 'will affect the whole future course of human history.' We believed it. Just as the Roman senators dressed in their flowing togas believed it nearly 2000 years ago. Yet here sat their once majestic forum in dusty piles of stone and rubble. Would even this much be left of the Roosevelt Room, I wondered, in two centuries, let alone two millenia from now?"

The prophet Isaiah anticipated that question long before it was asked. Speaking to Israel when they were being threatened by powerful enemies, he looked beyond the movements of men and of nations to the great drama of God's eternal plan. "It is He who sitteth upon the circle of the earth," he wrote, "who bringeth the princes to nothing." We need to remember that. As leaders and lawmakers shape our society and determine our destiny, how reassuring to know that it is God who rules the world, and He will have the final word!

Just remember: The highway of history are strewn with the wreckage of nations that forgot God.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!!!!

HK

The Power Of Redeeming Love

Posted by Howard Lee Kent on December 2, 2007 at 8:30pm

Happy December Overcomers!!!! I was reading Jeremiah 8:18-22 and 9:1-3 and learned something...

The prophet Jeremiah spoke of weeping for his countrymen day and night because of God's judgement, which had already fallen upon them, and which still awaited them. Though they had rejected and persecuted the prophets and was not listening to Jeremiah, he was brokenhearted for them. His response was an expression of God's redeeming love in his own life.

My pastor told me of a man who had been the superintendent of a city rescue mission for 40 years was asked why he had spent his life working with dirty, unkempt, profane, drunken derelicts. He said, "All I'm doing is giving back to others a little of the love God has shown me." As a young man, he himself had been a drunkard who went into a mission for a bowl of chili. There he heard the preacher say that Christ could save sinners, and he stumbled forward to accept the Lord Jesus as his Savior. Though his brain was addled with drink, he felt a weight lifted from his shoulders, and that day he became a changed person. A little later, seeking God's will for his life, he felt the Lord calling him back to the gutter and reach the people still wallowing there. The power of redeeming love enabled him to carry on his depressing task for 40 years.

Christian friend, if you are only nice to nice people, if you love only those who are lovely, and if you treat the hateful the way they treat you, God's redeeming love is not flowing out from your life. If you can, I encourage you to reflect upon His goodness and grace. Then ask God to make His love a moving power in your life.

Remember: Love in return for love is natural; love in return for hate is supernatural.

This has been an Overcomer's moment.......Love you guys!!

HLK