JOIN GENERAL OVERSEER SAM CLEMENTS AND HIS WIFE, LINDA, FOR A 10-DAY SPIRITUAL JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME THROUGH THE HOLY LAND! NOVEMBER 12-21, 2019 TOUR INCLUDES: • • • • Round-trip transportation from JFK Airport, New York Licensed Tour Guide, Air Conditioned Motor Coach, and site entrance fees Hotels Breakfast and dinner each day, with select lunches also included SUGGESTED SITES INCLUDE: • City of David • Western Wall Tunnel • Sea of Galilee • Nazareth – Mount Precipice • Hosanna Road • Western Wall (Kotel) • Temple Steps • Via Dolorosa • Garden Tomb and Gordon’s Calvary • Magdala • Nazareth – Mount Precipice • Dead Sea • Mount of Olives • Garden of Gethsemane • The Upper Room • Pool of Bethesda • Church of the Holy Sepulchre • …and more! TOUR FEATURES INCLUDE: • Tour Israel, the Land of the Bible, with Israel Government licensed, certified English-speaking guide, as well as General Overseer Sam N Clements and his wife Linda • Airfare, taxes, and fuel surcharges from John F Kennedy Airport to Ben Gurion Airport • Full days sightseeing, experiencing the Holy Land with sites and activities to cherish for a lifetime • Hotels based on double occupancy, Half Board (Breakfast and Dinner); Single Room Supplement available with limited quantity; pricing is subject to the availability upon final booking • Highlighted inclusions: Exemplary personal attention, assistance during recruitment phases, Israel Advantage Tours Signature Touch Service • Gratuities to Israel guide, Israel driver, hotel staff (reception, porterage, housekeeping, dining room), and scheduled out-of-hotel dining experiences at restaurants (IAT will manage distribution of gratuities) COST: JANUARY 6-26 • $3,900.00/person • Single Room Supplement per person (limited availability): $750 JANUARY 20 NIGHT OF PRAYER LIVE SIMULCAST pm EST Hurry! This tour is limited to the first 100 guests! WWW.COGOP.ORG/ISRAEL2019 WHITE WING MESSENGER WE BELIEVE in the Holy Trinity—one God, eternally existing in Three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit We believe in one God, the Father, creator of heaven and earth, of all things seen and unseen We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father All things were made through Him and for Him He is true God and true man He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and was born of the virgin, Mary He suffered, died, was buried, and on the third day He rose from the dead He ascended to the right hand of the Father, and He will return to judge the living and the dead His kingdom will have no end We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who eternally proceeds from the Father He is Teacher, Comforter, Helper, and Giver of spiritual gifts Through Him the saving and sanctifying works of Jesus Christ are applied to the life of believers He is the empowering presence of God in the life of the Christian and the church The Father has sent His Son to baptize with the Holy Spirit Speaking in tongues and bearing the fruit of the Spirit are New Testament signs of being filled with the Holy Spirit We believe that salvation is by grace through faith in the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the cross and that He died in our place The believer’s sins are forgiven by the shedding of His blood We believe that healing of mind, body, soul, and spirit is available to the believer through the blood of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit We believe in one baptism in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit We believe that the grace of God brings forgiveness and reconciliation to those who repent, as well as transformation in holiness, enabling them to live a Christ-like life Sanctification is both a definite work of grace and a lifelong process of change in the believer brought by the blood of Jesus, the Word of God, and the enabling power of the Holy Spirit We believe in one holy, universal church, composed of all true believers in Jesus Christ, offering fellowship and calling for service to men and women of all races, nations, cultures, and languages We believe in the spiritual and ultimate visible unity of the church We believe that the Bible—both Old and New Testaments—is the inspired Word of God The Bible is God’s revelation of Himself and His will to humankind, sufficient for instruction in salvation and daily Christian living The Bible is the Christian’s rule of faith and practice We believe that God will ultimately reconcile all things in heaven and earth in Christ Therefore, we look forward to new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells Executive Editor: Sam N Clements Publisher: Kathryn Creasy Editor: DeWayne Hamby Assistant Editor: Marsha Robinson Editorial Assistant: Roxanne Corbett Graphic Artist: Jonathan Lovvorn FEBRUARY 2019 • Volume 95, Number FEATURES #RelationshipGoals Ana Weathers 10 The Marriage Covenant Fred Fisher About the Church of God of Prophecy The Church of God of Prophecy is a vibrant, worldwide body of believers, united in worship, working hand-in-hand to share God’s love and a message of hope to the brokenhearted The organization has more than a million members and more than 10,000 ministers, worshiping in more than 10,000 churches or missions in 135 nations of the world Church of God of Prophecy Core Values Prayer • The Harvest Leadership Development • Stewardship OUR VISION The Church of God of Prophecy will be a Christ-exalting, holiness, Spirit-filled, allnations, disciple-making, church-planting Movement with a passion for Christian union OUR MISSION Empowered by the Holy Spirit, through prayer, we will plant churches and equip leaders to carry out the biblical mandate to make genuine disciples of all the peoples of the world, to the glory of Christ our Lord, Head of the church General Presbytery: Sam N Clements: General Overseer Tim Coalter: North America Clayton Endecott: Europe/CIS/Middle East Benjamin Feliz: Mexico/Central America, and Spanish-speaking Caribbean Clayton Martin: Caribbean/Atlantic Ocean Islands Stephen Masilela: Africa Tim McCaleb: Asia/Australia/Oceania Gabriel E Vidal: South America WRITERS If you are interested in contributing articles or news to the magazine, email editorial@cogop.org or visit www.whitewingmessenger.net for guidelines FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS, GROUP SUBSCRIPTIONS OR ADDRESS CHANGES wwm@cogop.org • (423) 559-5540 • PO Box 2910, Cleveland, TN 37320-2910 WHITE WING MESSENGER ONLINE Visit www.facebook.com/whitewingmessenger or www.whitewingmessenger.net Cover photo DepositPhotos.com 12 The Old Tree Stump Garry Lovette 14 Breakthrough DeWayne Hamby 18 Discovering Who You Are In Christ Dr Phillip E Davis, Sr 20 A Blessing Challenge Carl Corser 22 The Lord Is My Shepherd Michael Chambers DEPARTMENTS 24 Leadership Development & Discipleship 26 Children’s Ministries The Epidemic of Bullying 28 Global Missions New Church Plants Among The Nations UPDATES / EDITORIALS Facing Forward by Clayton Martin The Love of God Connections Church/White Wing/Culture 31 SEVEN: For Younger Readers Messages by DeWayne Hamby Voices of Compassion Visit us online—www.whitewingmessenger.net MEMBER The White Wing Messenger is a member of the Evangelical Press Association Clayton Martin General Presbyter Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean Islands THE LOVE OF GOD Let us ensure that we not take the love of God for granted In the rat-race of modern existence, we must be alert and intentional; make the effort to keep in mind the incarnated love of God Let us take some time to think about the love of God, praise Him for his great love and then assess ourselves to see if we are walking in the love of God by obeying the great commandment God is love and there is no doubt that He loves His creation In the Scripture it is clearly stated that, “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16) Jesus’ death on the cross is demonstration of the love of God, done for us while we were sinners Although we not deserve God’s love, yet he continues to love us God is faithful, his love is steadfast and unchanging, and we would well to give thanks to him for his love that endures forever When asked, which is the greatest commandment, Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40) We have been commanded to love God completely, totally; let all WWM F E B R U A R Y 19 aspects of our lives be based on love, that is action expressed in ways that gives credit to our God Scripture repeatedly instructs us to also love our neighbors Loving our neighbor means the same as loving everyone since we are all made in the image of God It is impossible for us to love the invisible God and hate people who we see It is as we love ourselves that we will be able to love others sincerely Jesus stated, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, good to those who hate you; and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the just and the unjust” (Matthew 5:43) In many cases it is easier to love those neighbors who are believers, those in the household of faith But, let us seek to maintain a lifestyle of love by growing in love of God and active love for all neighbors We should not just love our friends but even those who may be considered enemies May God help us all as we “… bow our knees to the Father that we may be rooted and grounded in love ” (Ephesians 3:14) for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” We are children of God and should seek to listen to and imitate our God and to walk in love Love is not just about words and feelings, it is crucial that we express our love by our actions Marvin Wilson in his book, Exploring Our Hebraic Heritage, said, “God’s love for us elicits a response of love In love, God is searching for us We, in return, seek to express our love by communing with God As in any lasting relationship of love or close friendship, every day one chooses anew to cling, to stay close, and not to stray.” Instead of taking God’s love for granted or going astray, let us rejoice in singing: “I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene and I wonder how he could love me a sinner condemned unclean O how marvelous! O how wonderful! And my song shall ever be: O how marvelous! O how wonderful! Is my savior’s love for me! (Charles H Gabriel 1856-1932) In Ephesians 5:1, 2, the admonition to those of us who are believers is, “Therefore be followers of God as dear children And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself W W W W H I T E W I N G M E S S E N G E R N E T CONNECTIONS CHURCH WHITE WING CULTURE AGNES THOMAS, A CHERISHED SUBSCRIBER BAHAMA LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE The Third International Biennial Leadership Conference, “Shape the Future Now by Connecting the Generations,” will be held June 27-28, 2019, in Nassau, Bahamas Hosted by Bishop Shelton Beneby, executive director Connecting the Generations International and senior pastor of Toronto New Covenant Cathedral in Canada, the conference will feature a variety of workshops on children, youth, parenting, community engagement, mentoring, and networking Registration fee is $100 for adults and $75 for youth (16-25 years) For more information or to register, email madgewright@ sympatico.ca or trustmanagementco@ gmail.com We enjoy receiving reports from our subscribers and this one sent to us by Dr Alecia Bryant about a very special subscriber and supporter, Sister Agnes Thomas of Port St Lucie, Florida: “Sister Agnes Thomas turned 100 years young in November After speaking to her on many occasions, she stated that she enjoys reading the White Wing Messenger So I started sending her my copies I decided to subscribe to the Messenger for her to get her own issues in the mail “Sister Thomas sung with the Excelsior Gospelettes in Miami, Florida, for many years She was an active member for decades Her pastors were Bishop J.R Smith, Bishop Arnold Demeritte, Bishop Charles I Macky, and Bishop H.E Dean of Miami No The Excelsior Gospelettes have performed at the Assembly five or six times “Sister Thomas is a true champion for mankind She has emboldened many people through the years She and her husband fed hundreds of the children in the Miami area for many decades She is a great, great grandmother and a prayer warrior for many Sister Thomas has been an asset to her family, church, and community She is dearly loved by many What an honor to know this queen!” Thank you, Sister Thomas, for your support and prayers! Send news and announcements to Connections@cogop.org TEENS CREDIT SOCIAL MEDIA, CONFESS DOWNSIDES Teens credit social media with helping them build stronger friendships and exposing them to a more diverse world, but they also express concern that these online platforms lead to drama and social pressure, according to a November 2018 survey from Pew Research Center The nationally representative survey of U.S teens ages 13 to 17 finds that 81 percent say social media makes them feel more connected to what’s going on in their friends’ lives, but 43 percent say they feel pressure to only post content that makes them look good to others Overall, 97 percent of teens use at least one of the seven major online platforms that were queried in the survey —Source: Pew Research Center, November 2018 WWM F E B R U A R Y 19 CALENDAR SHAUN MCKINLEY Prayer Ministries Coordinator PRAYING FOR RELATIONSHIPS Prayer Points February 2019 “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:9-11 NIV) Relationships fill our lives with love, support, and friendship Sometimes they challenge us to grow and mature, while at other times they bring struggle, difficulty, and heartache Although relationships vary for each of us, we are called to love as Christ does This may not come naturally in all situations, but through prayer we can build lasting and meaningful connections with fellow believers, our family, our coworkers, and friends Prayer can strengthen our bonds, heal relationships, give us direction, and enlighten the most challenging situation One of the most powerful ways to pray for our relationships is by using Scripture as a foundation By praying consistent, targeted prayers, we can develop relationships that grow in love, enable us to make wise choices, live with integrity, and reflect Christ PRAYER DIRECTIVES: • Give thanks to the Father for the relationships in your life, including your loved ones, friends, and church family Pray that He will help you grow in love, enable you to make wise choices, live with integrity, and reflect Christ (Philippians 1:9–11 NIV) • Ask God to help you deepen in your relationships with others (1 Peter 4:8) • Tell the Father about difficult relationships you are experiencing and ask that He help you be patient and to love genuinely (Ephesians 4:23) • Pray for God to give you wisdom and discernment concerning your relationships Ask that He reveal wrong perceptions or thoughts that need to change or be brought into alignment with His Word (Colossians 3:12–14) OF EVENTS For more information, visit www.cogop.org unless otherwise noted February 19, 2019 CM LIVE! Webinar Online March 9, 2019 CM One-day Training Intensive New Haven, CT March 19, 2019 CM LIVE! Webinar (Spanish) Online March 31-April 5, 2019 Biblical Preaching/Bilingual Tortola, BVI April 20, 2019 Resurrection Celebration Fields of the Wood Murphy, North Carolina April 30, 2019 CM LIVE! Webinar Online July 8-12, 2020 101st International Assembly Orlando, Florida • Ask God for compassion and wise words to address difficult circumstances in your relationships (Proverbs 15:1) • Tell the Father about broken relationships that need heeling and restoration Express heartfelt willingness to what is necessary to bring reconciliation and be willing to forgive (Ephesians 4:32) • Ask the Father to help you display the fruits of the Spirit in your daily interactions with everyone (Galatians 5:22, 23) WWM F E B R U A R Y 19 W W W W H I T E W I N G M E S S E N G E R N E T TRUE LOVE What in the world are people talking about when they say true love? TV, movies, books, YouTube all portray love in so many ways With all those stories and songs about love, it can be confusing There are all kinds of love: love for your parents, love for your friends, love for a boyfriend or girlfriend, and some day, love for the person you marry In all those cases, there is a love that is real and true True love looks out for the best interests of the other person This applies to any kind of relationship This means thinking about what is best for the other person Many times, relationships are centered around selfish motives For example, someone might be interested in another person as a friend or more than a friend because it helps their popularity, or it makes them look good This isn’t true love True love puts its own best interests on the back shelf and is looking out for the needs and interests of the other person If we’re talking about boyfriends or girlfriends, true love is based on friendship A relationship based on whether they are good looking or whether they make your heart flip-flops, won’t last Any relationship should focus on getting to know the other person It’s one of the best ways to make sure your relationship will last, because it is based on something deeper than just physical attraction That’s not a good judge of love Attraction can fade, but a relationship built on a solid foundation of friendship will be much more likely to succeed doesn’t love God like you This will set you up for lots of heartache in the future “Don’t become partners with those who reject God How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong? That’s not partnership; that’s war Is light best friends with dark?” (2 Corinthians 6:14 MSG) The Bible gives us the best picture of what true love is If you want to really understand what true love is, you will find it by reading your Bible A good place to start is by reading Corinthians 13, which talks a lot about what love looks like “If I speak every language, but I don’t love, I’m just making noise If I can tell the future and understand every mysterious thing, and know everything; if I have unshakeable faith, so I can say to mountains, “Fall down!” and they do, but I don’t love, I am nothing at all If I give away everything I have and sacrifice my body, but don’t love, it doesn’t even matter Here’s what love is: patient, kind, not envious or boastful, not arrogant or rude It doesn’t insist on its own way; it’s not grouchy or bitter; it doesn’t laugh when people wrong but is so glad when it hears the truth Love puts up with everything, believes everything, hopes everything, endures everything Love never ends So, now there is faith, hope, and love, all three will last forever; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 1:1–8, 13) Pray: God, I thank You for giving me a picture of what true love is in Your Word I purpose in my heart to always put You first in my life Help me be an example of true love to others and to let Your love shine through me Amen The most important thing in a relationship is the other person’s feelings toward Jesus If the person you’re interested in doesn’t love Jesus like you do, run away from that relationship It is never a good decision to become involved with someone who WWM F E B R U A R Y 19 WWM F E B R U A R Y 19 W W W W H I T E W I N G M E S S E N G E R N E T Ana Weathers serves as the TNHarmony Teen Coordinator for the Tennessee State Women’s Ministry She also serves as the media director at Lakeside Church in Westmoreland as well as works with the youth and worship ministries Ana is currently a senior at Western Kentucky University and is working toward her Bachelor’s Degree in Advertising and Graphic Design with a focus on Communication and Interactive Design ANA WEATHERS | WESTMORELAND, TENNESSEE As a Communication major, words play a very large role in my career and in my personal life Sometimes, old conversations play over and over in my head I remember the incredibly life-giving words people have spoken to me, as well as the hurtful ones As much as I wish it didn’t, what people say sticks with me—no matter how positive or negative Throughout His ministry on earth, Jesus met, interacted, and spent time with people who were outcasts, sinners, tax collectors, Samaritans, unbelievers, and more The religious leaders were often angry and confused at Jesus’ actions; they could be found calling Him out on his choices and decisions to surround Himself with these people, feeding into the negative perceptions of them IT’S EASY TO ADD TO THE NEGATIVE STIGMA OF THOSE AROUND YOU, IT’S LEARNING TO SPEAK LIFE AND TELL PEOPLE WHO JESUS SAYS THEY ARE THAT IS THE CHALLENGE WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY EVERY DAY TO BE JESUS TO THOSE AROUND US BY SIMPLY TELLING PEOPLE WHO HE SAYS THEY ARE I remember memorizing John 3:16 as a child and have quoted it thousands upon thousands of times since then The weight and importance of this verse is not lost on me—it’s the entire basis of what we believe— but sometimes, I feel as though we get so caught up in this verse we miss the powerful words that follow in verse 17: “For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” Jesus had every right to point out the flaws, mistakes, and sins of those He encountered, and yet, His actions and responses were the opposite Rather than condemning and adding to the things people already knew about the tax collectors, Samaritans, and sinners, Jesus took the time to tell them who they really were— as He saw them TO THE SAMARITAN WOMAN AT THE WELL, HE CALLED HER FORGIVEN TO THE SICK AND DYING, HE CALLED THEM HEALED TO THOSE WHO DOUBTED, HE CALLED THEM BELIEVERS TO HIS DISCIPLES, HE CALLED THEM FISHERS OF MEN, LEADERS, TEACHERS, AND PASTORS TO YOU AND ME, HE CALLS US CHOSEN LOVED HIS Every day on my college campus I am surrounded by some of the most broken and lost people I’ve ever met, and I would venture to say that if you look around long enough, you’ll see the same surrounding you Bob Goff, in his book Everybody Always, describes this perfectly when he says, “People don’t grow where they are informed; they grow where they’re loved and accepted Talk about who people are becoming and who you see them turning into.” It’s easy to add to the negative stigma of those around you, it’s learning to speak life and tell people who Jesus says they are that is the challenge We have the opportunity every day to be Jesus to those around us by simply telling people who He says they are It could be something as simple as giving a compliment, helping on a project, or even lending a listening ear to someone who is struggling Seek out your opportunities to develop meaningful relationships with those around you The words we speak matter, and they make a difference WWM F E B R U A R Y 19 10 Covenant: a binding and solemn agreement to or keep from doing; a specified thing; a contract There are different forms of the marriage covenant Some couples make their own vows or covenant While others use the standard version However, the Scripture comes into play, regardless of the form we use It is still binding before God, when it is properly carried out As we gather before God, our family, our friends and witnesses to join a man and woman in marriage (or in holy matrimony), it is coming before God Let us analyze the covenant, step by step “Do you sincerely promise in the presence of God and these witnesses?” You are involving God and all your family and witnesses who are present “To take this woman whose hand you hold, whose heart you have won, to be your lawfully wedded wife?” You are saying that you love her from your heart Your heart is joined to her heart at this time We will share what we both have: your wealth, my wealth For some, this is a lot of wealth For others, not so much, but the sharing principle remains Before this takes place, official records have been sought, filled out, and recorded, making it an official document of the state It will always be there on record that these two people were officially married by proper authority It will bear the signatures of the bride and groom, the minister and witnesses In years past, it was much harder to break the covenant than it is now, but in the eyes of God, it is more binding than the eyes of the law It is still a very serious and important decision to make I remember being involved in a wedding where both parties had personal things He had several records that he would take a cotton ball with alcohol and clean them He would wipe the needle She had expensive, monogrammed towels When they married, the records would be left out of their covers, and pushed in between papers and books, and were soon scratched and marred beyond repair Her monogrammed towels soon had grease or paint on them No thought was given to her feelings about them The principle of the “wealth” part of the covenant is to bring into this agreement a degree of respect for each other and the things and wealth they bring to the marriage WWM F E B R U A R Y 19 W W W W H I T E W I N G M E S S E N G E R N E T According to Wikipedia, “The term ‘journey of selfdiscovery’ refers to a travel, pilgrimage, or series of events whereby a person attempts to determine how they feel, personally, about spiritual issues or priorities, rather than following the opinions of family, friends, neighborhood, or peer pressure.” Similar is the case for discovering who you are in Christ When God chooses us, and we accept His invitation into the body of Christ, we go through a metamorphosis like a butterfly In the case of the butterfly, their life begins in the form of an egg The egg hatches and the result is a larvae or caterpillar The caterpillar feeds and grows until it finally spins itself into a shell or pupa During the pupa stage, the insect goes through several changes and finally emerges as a beautiful butterfly These processes are collectively referred to as a metamorphosis According to dictionary com, “metamorphosis is defined as any complete change in appearance, character, circumstance, etc There is a change of the form or nature of a thing or person into a completely different one, by natural or supernatural means.” Let’s compare the similarities of the butterfly to that of a Christian 18 WWM F E B R U A R Y 19 From my point of view, there are five phases of the Christian metamorphosis process The first phase is being born as a sinner The Holy Bible teaches that “sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” (Romans 5:12-14) The second phase of the metamorphosis process is salvation or a new birth Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3 This second phase or salvation is critical to the overall metamorphosis process Without a sincere commitment to accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, one can never complete the metamorphosis process Once a person accepts and commits to salvation, he/she begins to learn what it means to be saved They begin to understand what it means to put on the new man as the apostle Paul described in Ephesians 4:20-24: “That you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” W W W W H I T E W I N G M E S S E N G E R N E T Dr Phillip Davis is a third generation COGOP member He earned a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Christian Leadership from Christian Leadership University, is a certified “How to Hear God’s Voice” facilitator and also publishes a weekly blog entitled “5 Minutes With Jesus.” He is an ordained minister and serves as pastor of Covenant Faith Ministry in Holly Springs, North Carolina DR PHILLIP E DAVIS SR | HOLLY SPRINGS, NORTH CAROLINA The third phase in this process is sanctification Sanctification simply means that a person has reached the point in their salvation that they are set apart for God’s service, set apart as a vessel which contains and pours out the Spirit of God You no longer live! Christ lives in you and through you (see Thessalonians 5:23) The fourth phase of the metamorphosis process is to be empowered by the Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit empowers us: to make a difference in the world around us; to give life (John 7); to provide direction (John 14:26); to help us (Romans 8:23); to lead us (2 Corinthians 3:5); to make us effective (Acts 1:8); to use our gift (1 Corinthians 12:7); to be encouraged (Acts 9:31); to build our confidence (Romans 8:27); and to bring to mind those teachings of Jesus Christ and the early apostles (1 John 2) The fifth phase of the metamorphosis process occurs when we transition from this life to eternal life The apostle Paul says, “Dear brothers and sisters, our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God but we will all be transformed into bodies that will never die .” (1 Corinthians 15:51–55) All of us must come to discover that our being is no different than the early apostles They were set apart for service So are we! They were empowered for service We can be, too! The difference between them and us is they discovered who they were in Christ They accepted their role as a vessel to hold the Lord’s Spirit They accepted their role as a temple for God to live in They accepted their role as the mouthpiece of God What about us? Have you discovered who you are in Christ? As for me, I am a preacher and teacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ I am indwelled by the Holy Spirit wherein I have died to the flesh and have been set apart for the service of the Lord I fully recognize as did the apostle Paul that “I have been crucified with Christ It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation The old has passed away; behold, all things are new.” It has taken a while for me to figure this out but figure this out, I have Have you discovered who you are in Christ? A major part of the discovery process is to fully understand what it means to die In other words, God is living His life through you because the natural you no longer lives Upon salvation, sanctification and Holy Spirit empowerment, the natural you is supposed to be dead, so let it die; let it die for the glory of God to work through you For many people, this concept is a major hurdle to overcome You no longer live! Christ lives through you! To make this point very clear, let’s read these Scriptures again “I have been crucified with Christ It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20) Believers in Jesus Christ must come to realize and accept the fact that we are vessels to be used by God Second Corinthians 4:7 says, “We have this treasure,” i.e., God’s Holy Spirit living within our body such that the excellence of God’s power may work through us for His glory We are no longer our own person! The Bible makes this clear; “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price So glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19) This is who we are The sooner we discover who we are in Christ, the sooner we can get on with the work God has for us to Until we discover who we are in Christ, we tend to flounder or struggle with figuring out who we are and what it is that we are supposed to be doing as a new born child of God The “I” within us keeps getting in the way Remember, “I” have died! Replace the “I” with Christ and you’ll begin to discover who you really are in Christ For example, I suppose many of us think that I can all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13) Wrong! Replace the “I” with Christ and you’ll begin to discover who you are; i.e., Christ can all things through me We (you) can nothing because you are dead God’s Holy Spirit has indwelled your body He has taken over our body It is not “I” that gives sight to the blind It is Jesus doing it through us! It is not “I” who is setting the captives free It is Jesus doing it through us It is not “I” who is healing the sick It is Jesus doing it through us It is not “I” who is doing greater works It is Jesus who is doing it through us “I” have been crucified with Christ It is no longer “I” who lives, but Christ who lives in me And the life “I” now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me Discover who you are in Christ You are an heir according to the promise of God You have been joined to the Lord and become one spirit with Him Allow the Lord who began a good work in you to bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ Discover who you are in Christ! You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, set apart for His exclusive use, that we may proclaim the excellencies of GOD who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light This is who we are in Christ WWM F E B R U A R Y 19 19 20 WWM F E B R U A R Y 19 W W W W H I T E W I N G M E S S E N G E R N E T Carl Corser is an ordained bishop, serves as president of the Gideons Cleveland North Camp, board of directors and chaplain of the Peach State Tractor Club, and owner of Corser Enterprises CARL CORSER | CLEVELAND, TENNESSEE Do you remember the old song, “Make Me A Blessing”? The words are still relevant Make me a blessing, Make me a blessing; Out of my life, May Jesus shine; Make me a blessing, Oh, Savior I pray, Make me a blessing To someone today How many days have passed since you made a difference in someone’s life through being a blessing to them? That song used to be quite popular and sang often in our worship services Have you really thought about everything involved in being a blessing to someone every day? Being a blessing is being: B - BENEVOLENT L - LOVING E - ENCOURAGING S - SINCERE S - SUPPORTIVE I - INSIGHTFUL N - NURTURING G - GIVING Scripture states that it is more blessed to give than to receive Blessing others is very rewarding Could it be that being a blessing to others is even more rewarding? Is there a deeper commitment of spirit involved? I can say bless you all day long and people who hear these words feel better, but God making us a blessing or being a blessing by his Holy Spirit’s direction has a much deeper meaning I must possess a benevolent spirit to truly and honestly be a blessing to others Being a blessing to others is acting upon a benevolent attitude; one of good will, full of kindness Being a blessing is loving them in their current state of being Loving them is not always an easy task, but in God’s love we are able to be a loving person, being a blessing Once we have the individual’s attention, we need to continually be encouraging them They need to be transformed and renewed in their spirit to be able to move away from their current state of mind towards the mind of Christ They need to know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that we are truly sincere in our being a blessing to them Our sincerity will build their trust and confidence in the fact that help has finally arrived By this point in the blessing relationship, we need to be supportive of them in all ways Some areas they will be more able to find for themselves than others Our supportive actions will be needed in the areas that they are weak The next part requires knowledge, wisdom and understanding obtained through the Holy Spirit With God’s help, I need to be insightful in when, where and how I am being a blessing A word fitly spoken or an act of kindness timely done can make a huge difference in their progress As the process progresses, we need to be nurturing them along their pathway to success The old adage, “Two steps forward and one step backwards” may be true, but through our nurturing, they are still making progress Until their process is complete and they are capable and willing to be a blessing to others, we must keep on giving, giving, and giving God is your source and ability You will never be able to give all of yourself away by being a blessing to others if you will allow God to refill you often through His Spirit To truly be a blessing to others, we must be all of these to the individual to whom we are being a blessing Being a successful blessing to others makes others successful in their walk with God Oh, how rewarding it is to see the individual you have poured yourself into become a successful Christian, being a blessing to others around them Try it Practice makes perfect Let’s show the next generation how it’s done To all of us, young and old alike, we need to just be a blessing to others, always WWM F E B R U A R Y 19 21 Psalm 23 is universally loved because of its comforting message When you read into the Hebrew wording, the message really comes alive “Yahweh— the Almighty who keeps covenant with Israel—is my very own shepherd I shall never be in need or lack because of this relationship.” That is an awesome thought The omnipotent, allpowerful God who created the universe and keeps it in order is the same One who constantly leads me, like a shepherd leads his sleep He guides me from place to place, making sure I have food and water He protects me and provides shelter He knows me by name and takes delight in me David showed perfect insight when he (speaking for all of us) used the word sheep They are not very bright animals; they’re afraid of everything and yet can be quite stubborn despite repeated training Taking that into consideration, is it not amazing that the Lord God who inhabits the Holiest Place in Heaven cares so deeply for you in every way like an earthly shepherd cares for his sheep? Shepherds raise and nurture the sheep They give medicine to them Morning and evening each individual animal is checked by the shepherd Jesus is our Good Shepherd; He knows His sheep, and they know His voice (John 10:14, 27) When some enemy prowls nearby, when a storm rages fierce, a shepherd stands between it and the flock When the enemy hunts for you, desiring to sift you like wheat, when the terrors of sin surround you, Yahweh God stands there to protect you You will never be in need because of His protection and care He is Jehovah-Jireh, your provider He is your Shepherd! “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.” David makes an interesting point here He says the Good Shepherd makes him sit still Have you ever found yourself so busy that you ended up being of no good use to anyone? That is when you need to be still and know God That is when God “makes” you sit, and makes you enjoy the beauty and pleasures all around You may not realize that it is time to pause, but He does And what better place to make you rest than in the midst of a lush, green field! With God, it is always “only the best!” Former Presidents of the United States have commented while in office that they give no thought to their personal safety They know that the Secret Service is there to protect them Those highly trained men and women are very dedicated to their task So much so, that the person being guarded literally lives and moves in a shield of safety Yet the entire Secret Service cannot protect or give assurance to you for your safety as much as “the name of the Lord” can (Proverbs l8:10) He is Jehovah-Shalom, the God who gives peace He is your Shepherd! “He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” The caption from a cartoon reads, “There’s no reason for it—that’s just our company policy.” Life is full of such examples, but God is not like that The two parts of this verse are connected and the basis for them is the phrase “for His name’s sake.” To “restore” means to bring back to the point of departure or deviation When we go away from God, our Good Shepherd comes looking for us He W W W W H I T E W I N G M E S S E N G E R N E T Michael Chambers lives in Cleveland, Tennessee, and serves as the pastoral assistant at Victory Faith Church Bible expository, preaching, teaching, and writing are the driving forces in his life MICHAEL CHAMBERS | CLEVELAND, TENNESSEE takes us back to the place where sin first deceived us, but He doesn’t stop there Jesus puts us back on the path of right living—and continues to lead us Why? Because like an earthly shepherd, Jesus cares for each and every one of His lambs He is Jehovah-Tsidkenu, the Lord who makes us righteous He is your Shepherd! “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” After telling that the Good Shepherd leads beside still waters and abundant, green fields, David brings in a change of tone Now he admits that there are times of deep, dark fear and terror But during these travels thru the abyss (which can be as terrifying as death itself) Yahweh God—David’s very own Divine Shepherd—is right there alongside him We all have friends who will go with us thru trials, to a point However, when even the closest of friends cannot go with us, the Lord is still there Though He is the Almighty Lord, He brings along His shepherd staff and His walking cane The staff, to protect me and steer along the right direction, and the walking stick to steady my footsteps With Him beside me, and the rod and the staff on each side, I know l shall reach the end of each and every valley of shadows! When out in the plains and grassy fields, there are other sheep who need the Shepherd’s attention But when I come to the valleys, the place of trials, the grammatical tense changes from the third person (“He”) to second person (“You; Thou”) Just Jesus and me, going where no other will go Each fear or earth trial that comes to me—and Jesus He is there right beside me When the shadows hide His presence, He is still there! Job lost the awareness of God’s presence, but he was ever on God’s mind And God was there listening to everything Job said He is Jehovah-Shammah, the Lord who is there He is your Shepherd! “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.” “In the presence of mine enemies” is a wonderful thought You see, the Good Shepherd not only leads and protects, He gives honor and victory During the time of David, it was a common practice for a victorious king to host a feast for his generals and other guests Prior to the meal, the defeated king and his warlords were brought in and chained to the walk and pillars There, in the presence of their enemies, the champions feasted! The Lord knows who your enemies are and He has already defeated them! But there is more He is carefully arranging a wonderfully spread table for you while they helplessly look on No matter what the devil tries to to you, God will increasingly bless you as long as you are part of His flock For an example, look at Job Every single thing he had, the devil took Yet, everything the devil took, God restored double! The second part of this verse takes us deeper into the love of God: “Thou anointest my head with oil.” These words raise us from the position of “guests” (from the first part of the verse) to being kings and priests Only priests and kings were anointed with the scented oil We know that the world may see us merely as sheep, but God sees us as more To Him we are mighty warriors and special priests, and the anointing is His unique sign, the Divine seal of approval He is Jehovah-Nissi, the Lord your banner He is Your Shepherd! “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” The twenty-third Psalm pictures the Lord in many aspects, but it also pictures Him in many places According to verses one through three, He leads; in verses four and five, He is going alongside Now, in the final words, we discover a spiritual truth: God’s great love actively pursues us The literal translation? Right into His very palace! The presence of our Good Shepherd goes ahead, walks beside, and follows us closely It’s no wonder Satan complained to God in Job 1:10 about the Divine hedge! How secure is this ring of protection? The word “surely” means ‘’without a doubt.’ As a shepherd himself, David knew the ways and workings of God From his own experiences, David could remember the good times and the dangerous perils Like one of his own sheep, he could recall when he had followed the Lord and when he had wandered off on his own David also remembered that he would follow after the sheep and securely put them into the fold at evening Amazed at the wonderful grace of God following him throughout his life, he wrote that he himself would one day enter the safety of the Lord’s house, a welcome guest throughout eternity He is JehovahMekaddishkem, He is the Lord who satisfies He is your Shepherd WWM F E B R U A R Y 19 23 Kathryn Creasy Executive Director of Leadership Development and Discipleship 24 WWM F E B R U A R Y 19 W W W W H I T E W I N G M E S S E N G E R N E T As members of the Church of God of Prophecy, our view is usually on our local church, our district, our state or region, our nation Viewed from that perspective we sometimes fail to see the very BIG global picture The Church of God of Prophecy is in 130 nations of the world and has more than 10,400 local congregations with more than 940,500 members With this awareness comes the realization that for the Church of God of Prophecy to have greater impact we must identify, develop, and engage more individuals in the process of leadership development To accomplish this our Leadership Development and Discipleship staff is working together to fulfill the following BIG commitments We will work together to develop leaders by providing applicable and accessible content, tools, and resources We believe that content, tools, and resources are necessary to clarify and strengthen our commonality in faith and doctrine Excellent content supported by appropriate tools and resources will enable our leaders to minister with knowledge (facts and information gained), with understanding (ability to use knowledge to develop guiding principles), and with wisdom (ability to apply knowledge and understanding in ways that enable them to take right actions) Therefore, we are committed to evaluating and updating current content as well as providing additional content to meet current needs in leadership development We will develop and implement a global strategy for recruiting and retaining young adult leaders We recognize that the membership and ministry of the Church of God of Prophecy in many nations is aging To sustain ministry at every level and in every nation we must engage young leaders Even though God still calls young men and women into lifelong ministry many are hesitant to accept this call We want to work together as a team and with every level of leadership to emphasize the call of God, to engage young men and women in leadership development, to provide opportunities for young men and women to serve alongside, and finally to open the doors for lifelong ministry to them We will create alignment within Leadership Development and Discipleship ministries While the target audience of each ministry within Leadership Development and Discipleship differs, our goal is the same—engaging and developing leaders who are equipped to make disciples Therefore, we will work together to achieve common goals and support one another as we develop and implement unique ministry strategies We will create a culture of accountability among leaders Accountability is the willingness to be answerable for actions, for results One of our goals as we develop leaders is to provide applicable content and then provide a strategy for holding participants accountable for application Accountability will be ingrained in the fiber of training content through evaluation, application activities, and posttraining assignments as well as support We will improve relationships among our leadership at every level and on every continent Leadership Development and Discipleship ministries wants to connect with our leaders To this we have implemented a bi-monthly newsletter in Spanish, French, and English as well as a weekly Facebook Live (currently in English) Children’s Ministries and Youth Ministries provide regular communication through newsletters, blogs, webinars, and Facebook posts The number and diversity of our communication with you, our constituents, will continue to increase Leadership Development and Discipleship ministries is focusing our ministry efforts on these five BIG commitments Please join us If you would like to learn more about how you can participate in leadership development opportunities visit our website cogop.org/ldd/ WWM F E B R U A R Y 19 25 —Amber Easton-Payne Cleveland, Tennessee He climbed into my car with a swollen eye that was starting to become a vibrant blue and purple, as tears silently slipped past the cheeks of his downward turned face Enough was enough! I left my car right in the school pick-up line and like a warrior ready for battle marched my son immediately back into the school and into the principal’s office “Please son, tell the principal exactly what happened in line This has to stop!” Over that year, I watched as my outgoing, fearless, and kind 10-year-old turned into a reclusive, nervous child who lashed out emotionally at everyone close to him We consistently noticed bruises and marks on him and asked where they came from We received the same response each time, “I don’t know.” He began to call home from school telling the nurse he was sick and asking if we could pick him up He started having severe stomach pains, which after extensive testing, the doctor could only attribute to nerves Finally, one day when he came home with large bruises and cuts all over his arm it became all too much for him to handle on his own and he admitted what we suspected He was being bullied! Despite wanting to help him, we were at a loss as to what we could really Although we reported it to his teacher, the bullying continued Sadly, my son’s experience is not an isolated one Bullying is an epidemic infecting our world! According to statics, one-in-four students admit to being bullied Every seven seconds a child is bullied and 85 percent of the time there is no intervention One-in-three students will face cyberbullying An estimated 160,000 students skip school every day for fear of being attacked or bullied Five and a half million kids drop out of school or transfer schools every year due to a bullying situation Suicide is the second leading cause of death for children under 16 and can often be directly attributed to bullying Over 75 percent of school violence has been linked to harassment and bullying These are not just statics These are our children, our kids at church, our kids in our neighborhood, and our future full of purpose and destiny They are real lives, 26 WWM F E B R U A R Y 19 real deaths and not just news blurbs to which we repost and send our prayers to over social media We must act immediately, but the problem seems overwhelming Where we begin? STEP ONE: BE INFORMED Bullying is not just being unkind to someone Bullying is any repetitive, aggressive behavior intended on harming another person There are several types of bullying: verbal, physical, social, psychological, and cyber bullying We all know children sometimes argue with friends, often saying and doing things they don’t mean The difference between childish drama and bullying is that bullying happens REPEATEDLY, with PURPOSEFUL INTENT, and is about GAINING POWER over another STEP TWO: BE AWARE OF THE SIGNS Every child is different, and any child can have an “off” day or week We must look for a pattern of behavior that is not typical for the child The most common signs that a child is being bullied include: • Unexplained physical marks, cuts, bruises, and scrapes • Unexplained loss or damage of school supplies, clothing, lunches, money, favorite toys • Changes in appetite • Loss of sleep or frequent nightmares • Frequent sick days and or frequent visits to the school nurse’s office • Begins bullying siblings or younger kids • Suddenly withdrawn, sullen, or anxious and isolates themselves • Waits to get home before using the bathroom • A sudden drop off in grades • Afraid to be left alone; suddenly wants an adult with them at all times and becomes clingy • Appears nervous or agitated when receiving a text, instant message, direct message, or has unexplained anger or depression after going on-line W W W W H I T E W I N G M E S S E N G E R N E T Shaun McKinley Director of Children’s Ministries STEP THREE: BE INVOLVED When our son was bullied, we received a lot of wellmeaning advice from others We heard everything from “get him some better friends” to “get him some boxing lessons and teach him to fight back.” None of these suggestions were helpful It appears they thought this was somehow my son’s problem We must understand that bullying is never the victim’s fault! The number one thing you can to help is DON’T judge the child, LISTEN instead! Sometimes we think we are helping by attempting to “correct” reasons why someone might bully them, such as their quirky personality or clothing This leaves them feeling ashamed of something that they have no real control over and often leads to them becoming silent in their suffering Kids are uniquely and wonderfully made There are no deserving reasons for them to be bullied Listen to their story with compassion and instead of telling them to “stand up for themselves,” give them the tools to help them it! Make a plan of action with your child that includes the following: Speak Up Let your child know it’s okay to outright tell a bully to STOP! Tell the Bully firmly that if they don’t stop, they will be reported Most schools have a “No Tolerance Policy.” Take Notes Help your child keep a “Bully Journal.” Write down the times and places that the bullying occurred Try to write details Include pictures of any injures, damaged property, cyber bullying messages, etc Keep it up to date Make an Escape Plan No matter where your child is being bullied, if you are not near, get another adult on board that your child can immediately go to as a way to escape the bullying Have No Fear If the bully refuses to stop, go directly to the principal, superintendent, youth group leader, activity leader, or adult in charge Share your Bully Journal as proof Hold that adult accountable to resolve the problem Insist on a report as to the actions of consequence or, if needed, a mediation session with the bully’s parents/guardians Copy, Delete, Report, Block In the case of Cyberbullying, you must take control of your child’s accounts Take screen shots of the comments or texts for your Bully Journal, then immediately report the offenders Most social media sites have a place in which you can report cyberbullying Delete all abusive comments or pictures online Block everyone responsible Have your child take a “media time-out” for their own protection Be Bold for Safety’s Sake If it’s a case of continued physical violence or a serious abusive threat, don’t be afraid to go to your local authorities Be bold and protect your child before the unthinkable occurs Start an Anti-Bullying Organization or Club There are some fantastic anti-bullying programs that can not only teach kids that character and kindness count, but also act as a safe way to bring light to any bullying problems within your community In most cases, teacher, parents, and students work together to change the atmosphere of a school No Fault Don’t let your child beat themselves up! Whatever the consequences the bully receives, remind your child, it was the bully’s choice to behave in the way they did They must deal with the consequences of their actions Don’t let anyone make them feel guilty for speaking up! Consequences often correct bad behavior Forgive the Bully When all is said and done, encourage your child to forgive their bully Help them to understand that everyone has a reason why the act out Some bully others because they don’t know how to deal with their own problems or emotions That doesn’t excuse what they have done, but it can help your child feel some compassion toward them and offer forgiveness A Last Word on Love My son’s story does not have a perfect ending We moved from the area before any great amount of progress was made However, the issue continued to tug at my heart and now I am currently involved with a nationwide anti-bullying program I recognize that we live in a sinful and often selfish world Not everyone is going to instruct their children to “love their neighbor” or to abide by the Golden Rule We must be pro-active by teaching our children in word and deed, to love without prejudice, be kind without preconditions, and to be courageous enough to stand up for themselves and for others Our children don’t have to be victims to this world’s bullies! They can be the change, not just hope that things change WWM F E B R U A R Y 19 27 Dr Cathy Payne Coordinator of Global Missions Over the past few weeks and months we have watched news commentaries concerning the missionminded young man who was compelled to hazard his life to share the love and the Gospel of Christ with an unreached tribe in South Asia Eyewitness accounts and news reports indicate that he was killed by arrows shot by members of the tribe even before he landed on the island but not before he was able to complete the assignment to which he believed he had been called While observers may possibly debate this opportunity to share the message of God’s love and hope, the young man’s resolve and commitment to doing everything possible to complete the will of God in His life is the living example of a courageous determination Perhaps only God knows the long-term full impact of what may arise in years to come as a result of his obedience—even in death While reading testimonies and personal reflections from those who knew this young man well, I am reminded of the men and women among our church family who serve in their areas of ministry with the same resolve and commitment While few of them labor in fields as difficult to approach as the remote Asian Island to which he was led, many of our folks hazard their lives for the opportunity to expand the knowledge of the Gospel of Christ among indigenous people groups 28 WWM F E B R U A R Y 19 This past week we received an update on the growing ministry in Suriname Brother Earl Higgins, our national bishop, travels into Suriname monthly While there, he works to develop indigenous leaders among our current church work that is now in operation and meeting in an available shed Their requests for prayer have included the hope of an opportunity to locate additional land in this nation to construct a Mission House and Sanctuary This same team of ministry leads our work in Guyana Last summer they hosted a mission team numbering fifteen Brazilians from the YWAM Project AMAZON REACH at our Amerindian church in Mora As a recent follow-up to that mission team, the windows and doors have now been installed at that building site At present, work continues on the “pews project” For the future, we will use the Mora church as a base to share the Gospel with other Amerindian communities in the region Already we have planted a new mission at Moracabai, an Amerindian Reservation up the Mahaicony River Guyana celebrated a national family day that included ministry from Pastors Townsend and Marshall as well as the Church of God of Prophecy Mission Team from the United Kingdom and Barbados The team ministered among people in a government shelter, and elderly home, and conducted a three-night tent crusade at the Mission House base W W W W H I T E W I N G M E S S E N G E R N E T t Additionally, the work in Gambia continues to progress This past summer, Pastor Chris Uti and our local church movement celebrated the completion and dedication of our new church sanctuary construction Just a few weeks ago they completed the molding of thousands of new blocks from sand that will be the foundation for the new children’s chapel and the base of the national parsonage The ground beams are in place, the pillars rods are standing, and the necessary supplies to progress have been purchased The next stage of the work will be to cast the floor and start laying the blocks Each phase forward is a testimony of the faithfulness of God through the planting of this new national church The Word supports this daily exercise in God’s faithfulness in our everyday lives, “This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:21–23) Pastor Chris testifies of God’s faithfulness use among our fellowship Last year, we reported on the amazing response and progress in completing the work and legalities for our family to now own their national building for conventions, conferences, etc., and celebrated with them during their first National Convention on site Over the past year, there has been an active effort to plant a new local church at this site to use the building more frequently In December 2018, those plans came to focus as a new church fellowship was opened and set in order as the Ngwenya National Headquarters Church The prayer of our people there is to God be all the glory as the ministry continues to grow! S Please continue to pray for our ministries and ministers in national and international settings as we continue to proclaim the Gospel to the nations We become more acutely aware each day of the escalation of threats and violence worldwide against the Gospel of Christ and those who lead in Christian ministries ti We celebrated a new church plant recently in Swaziland Our family in Swaziland had been praying and believing over the past few years for a new construction to supply a national church forum for WWM F E B R U A R Y 19 29 PLEASE JOIN HERITAGE MINISTRIES ASSOCIATION The Heritage Ministries Association assists in maintaining and improving Fields of the Wood, First Assembly House, Shearer Schoolhouse site, the Holy Ghost marker, and the Archives We are in the midst of renewing and renovating Fields of the Woods! There are several projects needing to be completed, and we are asking you to partner with us in this endeavor BECOME A FOW RENEW PARTNER: • Give a one-time donation online at FOWRenew.org • Mail a check marked “FOW Renew” to the address below BECOME A FOW SUSTAINING PARTNER BY PLEDGING A RECURRING CONTRIBUTION: • Visit FOWRenew.org and check the “Make this gift recurring” box • Mail your monthly contribution marked “FOW Renew” to the address below 100% of these tax-deductible donations will go directly to the renovation projects at the park 2019 MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS BASIC MEMBERSHIP - $10.00 Donor will receive: • Heritage Ministries Association Membership Card SILVER MEMBERSHIP - $25.00 Donor will receive: • Heritage Ministries Association Membership Card • 20% Discount on purchases at Fields of the Wood Gift Shop and White Wing Bookstore in Cleveland, TN • FOW souvenir GOLD MEMBERSHIP - $50.00 Donor will receive: • Heritage Ministries Association Membership Card • 20% Discount on purchases at Fields of the Wood Gift Shop and White Wing Bookstore in Cleveland, TN • FOW Souvenir Note Book THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO JOIN: • Join online at www.cogopheritage.com • Join in person at Fields of the Wood • Mail your membership fee to the International Offices: Church of God of Prophecy Heritage Ministries P.O Box 2910 Cleveland, TN 37312-2910 • If you are a member of a Church of God of Prophecy congregation, you may join through your local Heritage Ministries Director HERITAGE MEMBERSHIP IS CONGRUENT WITH THE CALENDAR YEAR MEMBERSHIP CARD ARE PERSONALIZED AND THEREFORE MUST INDICATE THE NAME OF THE MEMBER Discovering Holiness explores practical steps to responding to the work of God in our lives and experiencing the transformational power of God’s love through sanctification Also works great as a small group study ... 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