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Betty December 12th, 2009

HANUKKAH 2009:  This year’s eight-day Hanukkah season began yesterday, Friday December 11 at sundown. I have known so little about Hanukkah, but with just a little research this year have come to find deep meaning for us as Christians, as we stand with, & pray for our beloved Jewish friends. And we want to especially pray for those who are called to minister the love of Yeshua to the people of Israel..

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.Here is a summary… Hanukkah commemorates two interlaced miracles in Jewish history…

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1) In the 2nd century B.C., when the Greeks desecrated & occupied the Jewish temple in Jerusalem, an uprising by a Jewish resistance group known as the Maccabees succeeded in recapturing & rededicating the Holy Temple, preserving the Jewish heritage.

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2) The second miracle is the one still re-enacted at Hanukkah. Olive oil was needed to burn in the temple’s restored menorah, but only a single day’s supply remained. Yet when the candles were lit, they continued to burn for eight days, the time needed to prepare an additional supply of oil. During Hanukkah, a menorah filled with eight candles is lit, one candle per night, in remembrance of the miracle of the oil.

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The only place this Jewish holiday is actually mentioned in the Bible is John 10:22. Here, Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Feast of Hanukkah (lit., “dedication”). During Hanukkah, Christians can take time to appreciate those throughout Jewish history who risked their lives to defend the Torah — through which we have God’s Word — and ensure the survival of the Jewish people — through whom the Messiah came. During the Hanukkah season, Gentile Christians should appreciate all that has been preserved and handed down to them by way of the Jewish people.

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Appreciating their Jewish spiritual heritage and being willing to stand for truth as the Maccabees did are two ways Christians can be a light during this season of lights. Arriving around the winter solstice when it’s dark, both Christmas and Hanukkah have light as a significant theme. For Jews, light is connected to the miracle of the oil, in celebration of which they light the Hanukkiah (menorah, a nine-branched candelabrum), each of the eight nights and recite a special blessing. For Christians, the light theme speaks of Jesus coming to be the Light of the world.

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Hanukkah’s theme is of a miracle - God actively involved in the affairs of his people. Hanukkah reminds us that God is a God of miracles, not just of concept and religious ideals. He has broken through into human history and continues to do so today. All of us who know Yeshua can speak of God’s working in our lives.

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(ref from http://heartofwisdom.com/biblicalholidays/?p=382
http://womeninministry.ag.org/0911/0911_building_bridges_jewish.cfm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanukkah)

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I am posting a Youtube clip from one of my favorite ministries to Israel: Vision for Israel/Joseph’s Storehouse (TV show “Roots & Reflections”), Barry Segal. The clip also briefly features Bob Weiner, a beloved Bible teacher that many of us have been blessed by over the years… 

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 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YiXCPlcAQM

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• Bible Study , Jewish Roots
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Betty July 28th, 2009

Dan Helmintoller - early 80's

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Dan Helmintoller 1982 Relationship and the Power of God (click here)-             (Vintage Audio Teaching from Bethel - 1982)

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Greetings Bethelites and Friends!

 Sorry to have been out of the loop for a while on my blogging !  But Dan and I have been very busy, and I  have some things for you today that we hope will be a blessing to you.  We are excited to finally be getting some of my music recorded, and we hope to have a full-length CD to offer soon.  But for right now, we want to share these first 3 songs with everybody.  We only ask that you will pray for us, please, as we are  endeavoring to move forward at this time, back into full-time ministry.  .

We are also offering one of Dan’s sermons from the old days.  This one entitled, “Relationship and the Power of God,” we believe is from 1982 (we had already moved from the Bethel House to the building on Flowood Dr).  .

It’s funny to Dan and me - both of us have so much of our ministry “in the drawer !”   I have a gazillion “work” cassettes with songs on them, and we have many of Dan’s teaching tapes, also.  We really need you guys to pray for us that we can get all of these “Out Of The Drawer - Into The Planet !”   Ha !  Seriously, we NEED your prayers to help us to bring this vision to life.  God is so good to have given us such wonderful heart-friends and family in the Lord to help us to pray in this vision - Back to Bethel Ministries..

We are hoping to get started booking some meetings this fall, and we’ll keep you posted on that, as it unfolds.  We believe that Dan is well enough to travel now, praise God.  We did a meeting in Manchester, TN, recently, and Dan did fine.  God is good..

 Hope you are blessed.  And again, please feel free to download these to your computer.  This is the first time we have posted audio on the blog, and it looks like you will have to click the links on this page, and then again on a following page. 

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We love you guys and are praying for you !.  And we earnestly, earnestly covet your prayers for us…  We know that we cannot go into these new places without your partnership in prayer and support…

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We all thank You, Lord, for the Body of Christ and the multiplied power of agreement !  For Your glory, Lord !   In Jesus magnificent, exalted name,  AMEN !

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Psalm 1  (click here)

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About my songs… the 1st post is from Psalm 1. I have big plans for a Psalms project - lots of music written already… .http://www.freedigitalphotos.net

“PSALM 1″

Blessed is the man who walks not
In the counsel of the ungodly
Nor stands in the way of sinners
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful

But His delight is in the Law of the Lord
His delight is in the Law of the Lord

And on His Law he meditates, he meditates
On His Law he meditates

Day and night, day and night
Day and night, day and night

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http://www.freedigitalphotos.net ..

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Come Away With Me  (click here)

Hannah & Phillip Lehner's Beautiful Lakeside Wedding - June 2004

The 2nd post is from the Song of Solomon, and was written for Phillip and Hannah’s wedding in 2004 (daughter and son-in-law) - of course, with earthly marriage being a beautiful metaphor of our love-relationship with the Lord. This song is going to be a part of a musical with a “call and response,” such as we find in the Song of Solomon. The music, in this musical, has Scripture-based lyrics, and is all (so far) in minor keys, with a very Jewish, Middle-Eastern tone….

“COME AWAY WITH ME”

I had a dream
I dreamed I awoke in the night
And You were gone

I had a dream that I awoke in the night
And You were gone
So I searched for You in the city
I searched for You in the streets
Watchmen, have you seen the One I love

And then I turned, and You were there…

I have found the One Whom my soul loves
Let me hold You, let me hold You
I have found the One Whom my soul loves
My Beloved, I will never let You go

Come away with Me, (Come away with me)
Come away with Me, (Come away with me)
Come away with Me
And I will hold You
And never let You go

I have found the One Whom my soul loves
I have found You,
I will never let You go
I have found the One Whom my soul loves
My Beloved, I will never let You go

Come away with Me, (Come away with me)
Come away with Me, (Come away with me)
Come away with Me
Let me hold You
And never let You go

Come away with Me, (Come away with me)
Come away with Me, (Come away with me)
Come away with Me
My Beloved
I will never let You go

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In The Morning  (click here)

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net

                                                                                                                                The   The 3rd post - I wrote about 3 weeks ago, in an early morning time with the Lord…

“IN THE MORNING”

Good Morning to You, O Lord
I worship You today
With the rays of the rising sun
I want to bring You praise
In the morning, In the morning

Good Morning to You, My King
I come before Your throne today
I bring You my song of love
I bring You my sacrifice of praise
In the morning, I come to You in the morning

I sing to You, I worship You
I pray to You, I’m enchanted by You
In the morning, In the morning

I long to abide with You
In this marvelous, heavenly place
To walk by Your side today
To rest in the joy of Your embrace

I sing to You, I worship You
I pray to You, I’m enraptured by You

I want to stay in this secret rest, this hideaway
I want to stay in this place with You
The whole day through

As I’m here now with You in the morning

I long to abide with You
Here in this marvelous place
Right by Your side
In this marvelous, wonderful
Marvelous, heavenly place of love with You

In the morning, In the morning
I bring my love to You
In the morning, In the morning
I bring my prayer to You

In the morning

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Betty June 30th, 2009

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Greetings Bethelites and Friends !

Bethel House - Winter 1976

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Isn’t it wonderful that the Lord is reconnecting brothers and sisters of the Bethel Family? When our dear brother, Shelby Flynt, contacted Dan and me back in February ‘09, to share his and Shannon Stephen’s vision for a Facebook group, Dan and I were overjoyed with the thought of all of us coming back together again.  Time and distance had separated many of us over the years, although we remained “a band of brothers” in our hearts.  None of us Bethelites had any idea of how much joy was about to come to us through this technology!

This is so exciting ! ..Dan and I feel like Paul must have felt when he wrote to his beloved Philippians,…… ” I thank my God upon every remembrance of you!” (Phil 1:13) .Many of us have shared so much life together, and now we are making new friends through “The Bethelites Facebook Group” (which is open to everybody who loves “the Jesus Movement.”)

As we walk with the Lord, we learn that each season of life is precious and has a beauty of its own.  For those of us who were privileged to be a part of the early days of Bethel in the 1970’s - we can testify of the almost electric atmosphere of that time, as the Holy Spirit was being poured out in downtown Jackson, MS, throughout our nation, and around the world.  For those of us in Central Mississippi, this season in God was a combining of two great waves of the Holy Spirit - “the Jesus Movement” and “the Charismatic Renewal.”

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In the coming days, we want to reflect on this era, to give thanks to the Lord, and to try to give honor where honor is due.  We were so blessed during this time with godly influences in music and teaching with ministries like Last Days (Keith and Melody Green), and Jesus People USA (JPUSA - Chicago), and great teachers from YWAM, such as Joy Dawson, and the early teachings of Bro. Kenneth Hagin.  Change was happening so fast!  Mighty streams were rushing through the Body of Christ and the world, bringing vibrancy and freshness.  Our Lord was truly doing “a new thing,”  and we Bethelites, like millions of others, were riding those great waves !

Bethel House - Fellowship Supper on the Porch - early '80's

It is really in our hearts to share the Bethel story, to testify of the goodness and kindness of the Lord.  There was nothing very special about us; we were simply a group of young people who committed our lives to the Lord Jesus, and many were called to actually live in community. But He was awesome !  And He is still awesome in power and mighty in deeds !

Today, none of us should want to “live in the past” or to over-romanticize “the good ol’ days.”  However, it is right to give thanks to the Lord for the great things that He has done for us, and to testify of His mighty works to the world.

Please pray as we get this testimony underway !  It is going to be so much fun.  ( I promise that I will get your permission before I share anyone’s stories !  Not to worry - LOL !) Some of it is pree..tty interesting, if you remember !  We have all shared tons of laughter and cried buckets of tears.  Together we have scaled some of the highest mountaintops, and descended into some of the lowest vales. But “Through it all,” as our brother Andrea Crouch taught us, “we have learned to trust in Jesus, we’ve learned to trust in God…”

In the past 30+ years since those early days, He has shown His faithfulness to us by giving us rich and happy lives, even in the midst of a world filled with sorrows. He has always answered us and heard our cries.  And even though we have all made many mistakes, still we have experienced His overriding goodness and kindness to us.

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Dan & Betty's Wedding - Pensacola Beach - Dec 20, 1975

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Yes, kids, it was the height of the Jesus Movement ! We got married on the beach in Pensacola, FL, and I had flowers in my hair! But let me back up a bit… let me start with my part in the adventure…

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Betty June 26th, 2009

Reaching The Golden Milestone - A Study Of Ultimate Destiny

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Greetings Bethelites and Friends !

Paul's Shipwreck on Malta - Ludolf Backhuysen 1690

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In our last chapter we left Paul in the midst of a life-threatening gale !  Earlier, in Paul’s Jerusalem jail cell, the Lord Jesus had actually appeared physically to Paul, to encourage him and to renew Paul’s calling to preach the Gospel in Rome (Acts 23).  In this prison encounter, God gave Paul fresh strength to prepare him for the upcoming trials and attacks on his life.  What we see in this famous painting is not necessarily just the opposition of the devil against an individual, but instead we see a no-holds-barred assault on the calling and destiny of this great man of God. .

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How we need to pray each day for the protection of our vision, and for the mantle of the Holy Spirit to be over us, truly like a shawl.  It is so important for each of us to realize that the fiery darts of the enemy are not just coming against us as individuals, although the devil hates each one of us.  But what he hates more is the “God” in us - in other words, satan hates the anointing for the assignment that God has given to each one of us, and the resulting blessing that we are to bring into this world.  Satan was once the daystar, but we are now the light-bearers.   And we have divine destiny to be world-changers and  history makers.  Glory to God !.

In Luke’s telling of this story in the book of Acts, he realizes that Paul’s calling to go to Rome to preach the Gospel was so key, that he devoted an entire third of the book of Acts to the saga.  Luke gives us exciting details in the final, climactic chapters, from Acts 19 through Acts 28, from Ephesus, (where Paul already had the call to go to Rome, by way of Jerusalem), to where Paul finally entered the city of Rome via the Appian Way.  But certainly his trip came differently than he expected - he had planned to go simply as a traveller, but wound up going a prisoner.

Michelangelo's Sculpture of The Apostle Paul in The Cathedral of Siena 1503-04

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One thing that we can learn from Paul is perseverance - how to get hold of the Lord and not let go.  Paul’s life teaches us how to not stop, but to always keep moving forward, no matter what comes, and no matter how much cold, stormy water we might have to tread for a while.  We can see from the example of Paul’s life that it is possible to hang on long enough to the Lord, and to His promises, that we, like Abraham and Sarah in their old age, will come into the fulfillment of every promise given to us from the Lord.

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All of the opposing forces sent by the devil will have to fall away, eventually.  His tools are hindrances, usually by way of sorrows and disappointments.   Yet the promise to us is that “in a little while,” (in the perfect time, actually), all good things come to those who have waited patiently on the Lord for them.  Now thanks be unto God Who always causes us to triumph in Christ Jesus !

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Thank You, Heavenly Father, for giving us Your mighty strength in the inner man by the Holy Ghost !  We seek You and Your great strength, for truly it is only in the power of Your Spirit that we can go forward in victory in this world...

We bless Your great Name, Lord Jesus, and we proclaim that You are the Most High God, the Great and Mighty King of the Ages today !  We speak Your great name over our lives and destinies, and the lives and callings of all of our “Beloved Ones“…

Would You watch over and keep us today, Lord, in Your power?  Would You grant victory and deliverance to us in our pathways today?  Pour out Your Spirit upon us today, Lord, and cover us under Your wings, we pray...

In Jesus mighty name,   Amen..

• Acts , Bible Characters , N T Bible Characters , New Testament Books , Paul , Perseverance , Persevering In Prayer , Prayer , Ultimate Destiny
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Betty June 25th, 2009

Reaching The Golden Milestone - A Study Of Ultimate Destiny.

Greetings Bethelites and Friends !.

So glad to get back to writing after missing a number of days !  We have been studying the subject of calling and destiny, especially “the ultimate destiny” of the great Apostle Paul, who was an example for us of a man who pressed into all that God called him to do..

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Paul Shipwrecked on Malta - 19th Century Engraving by Gustave Dore

God has put great dreams in the hearts of all of his children, and yet many of us are dealing with broken hearts from the troubles and disappointments of life.  Dan and I sometimes have to contend with thoughts like, “Life has been too hard and we have made too many mistakes for our destinies to be fulfilled.” .

What we all often fail to consider is the awesome sovereignty of God that is over our lives.  I find so much comfort in realizing that our Lord is so much bigger than our capacity to mess things up ! .

Paul’s life is certainly a case study in overcoming obstacles and keeping hold of vision in the midst of challenging circumstances.  Let’s take, for example, Paul’s shipwreck on his way to Rome. .

“…the centurion commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves into the sea and get to land… and they found that the island was called Malta”  Acts 27.

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To back up a little bit - by this time, Paul had been preaching for about 20 years and he had recently written a letter to the Roman Christians, whom he had never seen (history is unclear who actually started the church in Rome). Paul wrote of how he had been trying to get to them for a long time, and that he had once again made plans to visit them, and even to travel all the way to Spain (Rom. 1 and Rom. 15).  But while on this journey, he felt directed to stop in Jerusalem, where in the middle of a riot, he was arrested by the Roman authorities.  In order to save his life,  he made his appeal to Ceasar.

So now he was finally underway to Rome, yet it was not exactly how he had planned it..

The city of Rome was the center of the vast and powerful Empire that stretched from Britain, throughout southern and central Europe, northern Africa, and deep into the middle East.  The population of the city at this time was estimated to be 1,500,000, and many of which were slaves.

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Paul had felt in his soul that there was a mighty work that God had for him to do there, yet apparently, time after time, Paul had been hindered from this part of his destiny.  And now, after all of these years of waiting, now that he was finally enroute - along comes “a perfect storm” that threatens to not only keep him from his destiny to preach the Gospel in Rome, but also to take his life completely. .

Tomorrow we will discuss how the Lord turned the circumstances for Paul, and that what was meant for his harm, actually worked for his good.  We will examine how God protected Paul and all of his companions from the storm, and how the people of Malta actually helped to fund Paul’s mission to Rome for the next two years.  We will see how the enemy’s plans for Paul played right into God’s hand ! .

We will also discuss the self-deception of our enemy, the devil, and how he really believes “his own press” that he can stop the plan of God.  But he CANNOT !  He may hinder and slow down progress, but that is the best that he can do.  Our wonderful brother, Paul, is such a great example of “outlasting the devil !”.

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Thank You, Heavenly Father, for Your care that is over each of our lives today.  We praise You, Lord, You are such a watchful Father, and You never allow anything to come into our lives that You do not “turn it” for us, for our good. .

You are so smart to lay traps for our enemy !  Help us today to trust You, in Your great plans for us.  We know that You are Light, and that there is no shadow of turning in You, no darkness at all.  We call on You today, Lord, and on Your great goodness.  Thank You for bringing us victory in all of the battles that we will face today, for Your glory !

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In Jesus name,   Amen.

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• Acts , Bible Characters , N T Bible Characters , New Testament Books , Paul , Perseverance , Persevering In Prayer , Prayer , The Sovereignty of God , Ultimate Destiny
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Betty June 17th, 2009

Reaching The Golden Milestone - A Study Of Ultimate Destiny.

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Greetings Bethelites and Friends !

Example of Memorial Column - Phocas (All That Remains of the Golden Milestone is the Base) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:RomaForoRomanoColonnaFoca.JPG

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We’ve been studying recently about the subject of destiny, or more particularly, ultimate destiny.  In our last post we discussed the idea of the Golden Milestone (Milliariaum Aureum), a gilded, memorial column erected in 20 B. C. near the Temple of Saturn in the Forum in the city of Rome, which was a reference point from which all distances in Ancient Rome were measured.  Obviously, there is nothing in the historical record of Paul’s particular interest in this monument.  I just think that it is an intriguing idea - a parable, of sorts, that illustrates the point - God’s highest calling on Paul’s life was to preach the Gospel to the entire world, and for this to happen, He had to get Paul to the place where he could be the most effective with his gifts and talents.  And in Paul’s case, the need was geographic; Paul needed to plant his feet, physically, where all of the roads began, so that the Gospel could spread out like spokes from the center of a wagon-wheel, or like rays beaming out from the center of the sun..

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The Lord Placed Paul In Rome, "The Hub" Of The World

The Romans built the best roads in the world for a thousand years.  Milestones were placed every 1000 paces along the roads, and each one was referenced to the Golden Milestone and gave the distance to this central landmark, as well as the distance to surrounding cities. At the height of the Empire, it was commonly said, “All roads lead to Rome,” particularly in reference to the Golden Milestone.

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The Romans built about 53,000 miles of roads which carried their civilization through their trade and military expansion.  The thousands of miles of roads were also the key method for carrying communications throughout the Empire. This great system of roads built by the Romans has only been surpassed now, in the modern era..

I suppose there is no evidence that Paul ever actually stood at this place, at the memorial column of the Golden Milestone.  But certainly, he might have !  Many scholars believe that Paul was released from his 2-year house arrest where he had preached daily, and wrote letters to the Ephesians, the Phillipians, and the Colossians, as well as to Philemon, and possibly to the Hebrews.  There are differing views on this subject, but there is good evidence from sources as early as the second century, that he was released and that he went on to evangelize further into the Empire, travelling perhaps into Spain, before being imprisoned again in Rome, where he ultimately gave his life for the Lord.

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Following his release, one can only imagine Paul’s joy as he walked through the streets of the great city.  It is almost impossible to believe that he would not go into the Forum, which was considered to be like a city square, the very heart of the city’s activities in government.  The Forum was also the marketplace, the business center of the city, and was considered throughout antiquity to be the heart of the city of Rome, and even the very center of the Republic and the Empire.

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So perhaps the Apostle Paul actually stood at this very place, (1) in the central city of the Empire, (2)  in the Forum, at the central place of the central city, (3) at the Golden Milestone, at the very center of the Forum.  Perhaps he stood gazing up at this shining, golden column, and perhaps he turned around, faced the Roman people, and proclaimed the eternal Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ from this very spot of earth.  Can you then imagine his words being carried out every spoke of that wagon wheel, to the farthest reaches of the known world? And today, his words are still being carried, through our Bibles, to the uttermost  places on the planet!   Our God is awesome in strategy ! .Can cccc

Certainly, the city of Rome, itself, was the center of the world in Paul’s day, and he went through tremendous opposition from Satan in getting there.  In the next part of this study we will examine some of these hindrances, and will hopefully gain some comfort, to see that we are not alone in our struggles to press into the callings of the Lord on our lives.  If a great man of faith like Paul, the Apostle, had such resistance, then maybe we’re OK, and not some kind of terrible failures when we go through trials.  This is life and spiritual warfare.  But greater is He Who is in us, than he that is in the world !.

May the Lord bring each one of us through the opposition that we encounter into the full place of our divine destinies !  May each one of us reach that center place in our lives where we can be most effective for our Lord and His divine purpose - for each individual,  his own “Golden Milestone” ! .. H

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Thank You, Dear Father, for Your saving grace that You gave to us so abundantly through our Lord Jesus, the Christ, the Son of the Living God !.

And we thank You, Lord Jesus, for Your great “Victory Parade” when You spoiled the principalities and powers of darkness on Your great day of triumph -  the Victory of Calvary - when it was all finished !  Praise to You, Lord, the Great Finisher ! !.

You have called us and put dreams and visions in our hearts, and our destinies belong to You !  We want to bring You glory, Lord - Your kingdom come, Your will be done !.

We enforce Your great victory today - our Victory Banner is Your name, Lord Jesus !  We proclaim it !

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The Forum - The Heart of the City of Rome (kidipede - www.historyforkids.org/.../forum.htm)

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• Acts , Bible Characters , N T Bible Characters , New Testament Books , Paul , Perseverance , Persevering In Prayer , Ultimate Destiny
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Betty June 13th, 2009

Reaching The Golden Milestone - A Study Of Ultimate Destiny.

Greetings Bethelites and Friends!

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“All Roads Lead To Rome” - The Golden Milestone -  “This Gospel Shall Be Preached In All The World” Matt 24:14

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Have you ever heard the phrase, “All roads lead to Rome”? Ever wonder what it meant?  In my recent study of the beloved Apostle Paul and his passionate quest to reach the city of Rome, I have discovered some really interesting history about a particular memorial column in the Roman Forum; it was called The Milliariaum Aureum, or The Golden Milestone, and was considered to be the very center of the Roman Empire.  It was about 8 feet tall, made of bronze and covered in gold. The following is from Wikipedia:

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The Milliarium Aureum (or Golden Milestone) was a gilded bronze monument erected by the Emperor Augustus Caesar near the temple of Saturn in the central Forum of Ancient Rome. All roads were considered to begin from this monument and all distances in the Roman Empire were measured relative to that point. On it were listed all the major cities in the empire and distances to them… the phrase “all roads lead to Rome“^[1] is a reference to the Millarium Aurem, as the specific point to which all roads were said to lead. Today, only the base of the milestone still exists.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milliarium_Aureum.

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(So that we can all get an idea of what “a memorial column” looks like, I am posting this photo of  the column of Phocas, a much taller column in the Forum.  Many such monuments exist, even today - the Washington Monument, for example.).

Roman Forum with a Memorial Column (Phocas)

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All of the major Imperial highways radiated from The Golden Milestone, including the Appian Way, Rome’s most important road, upon which Paul made his entrance into the city in Acts 28…

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Appian Way near Quittro Miglia	Remains of Appian Way near Rome, Italy. Photo by Paul Vlaar

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After a bit of a history lesson today, I hope that tomorrow we can seek the Lord for more understanding in the story of Paul’s ultimate destiny of taking the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to the whole world, and the significance of God calling Him to Rome in his final years…

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Father, would You guard our hearts today and keep us in Your ways?  Protect us, Lord; would You watch over each and every dream and vision that You have placed in our hearts, and strengthen us to not lose hope.  Help us not to give up on any part of our destiny.  You are able to do what You have promised !  We glorify You, today, in Jesus name…

and that like Paul, we can get to the Golden Milestone in our lives …
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• Acts , Bible Characters , N T Bible Characters , New Testament Books , Paul , Perseverance , Persevering In Prayer , Prayer , Ultimate Destiny
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Betty June 12th, 2009

Reaching The Golden Milestone - A Study Of Ultimate Destiny.

Greetings Bethelites and Friends:

..................The Forum - The Central Hub for the People of Rome

For many months now I have  been doing a lot of meditating on the life of Paul the Apostle and his determination to get to Rome to preach the Gospel there.  I suppose I am pondering this subject in light of the leap of faith that Dan and I have just made (in our 50’s), to come to Nashville, and the tremendous opposition that we have encountered in doing so..

Dan and I have had so many years of blessing, co-laboring with wonderful, beloved friends.  God has given us a wonderful life, together; and we have felt joy and contentment  in trying to find the center of His will and His timing, for our lives. We are learning more and more, how each season of life is precious, even the hardest ones.   .

And yet, even in the midst of trying to serve Him as best we could, and “to bloom where we were planted,” there has been something deep calling to us within our hearts - a sense of destiny yet to be fulfilled.  Since the earliest days of our ministry, Dan and I have felt a calling to travel, ministering in music and preaching, and to get my music recorded.

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{ How many dreams and visions has He placed within all of our hearts - many secret things that some have never even shared with others… a sense of Ultimate Destiny…}

God has proved His faithfulness to Dan and me in innumerable ways, on our journey, even in the midst of so many failures on our end of things.  But isn’t it wonderful that He is greater than our failings, and our capacity to mess things up !  He is so full of mercy and lovingkindness. .

So what is “ultimate destiny“? .Does everybody have one?  If yes, do most people achieve it? How do we press through the difficulties and disappointments of life to fulfill our destinies, all the way to the highest measures?  How can we attain to that place of “finishing well“?

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There is a very sad quote (that I believe is from Oliver Wendell Holmes) that says,.

“Most men go to their graves with their music still in them…”.

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Of course this is not just a reference to musicians or artists, but is instead, a figurative term for unfulfilled dreams and visions, for uncompleted callings, untapped giftings, and unused talents..

How wonderful, to have the Bible, the inspired written record of the lives of so many great saints of God.  I love to study their lives and to ask the questions, “How did you do it?  What was the process?  What steps did you take to be such an overcomer and history-maker?“

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As we examine the life of the great Apostle Paul, a man who carefully followed the supernatural directives of the Holy Spirit, we find that there was something significant about his dogged determination to preach the Gospel in the city of Rome..

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Acts 19:21  When these things were accomplished, Paul purposed in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”

Acts 23:11  But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.”

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What was Paul’s ultimate destiny?  In other words, what did Paul’s life and ministry  ultimately accomplish? Space would not permit a detailed account of his life’s work, to be sure, for volumes could be written on this subject. But for the short version -

• Paul was tireless in his efforts in evangelism to proclaim the Lord Jesus as the Resurrected Christ, bringing multitudes to faith in the Lord Jesus

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• Paul and his team of co-laborers planted churches, and were so faithful to oversee them

• God used Paul to really open the way for us Gentiles to come into the New Testament Church, alongside the Jewish believers.

• A number of Paul’s letters to churches and individuals became a part of the inspired Word of God for all the peoples of the world, for all the coming ages

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.Paul preached the Gospel message for over two decades in more than 10,000 hard-travelled miles of missionary journeys throughout the Mediterranean Basin. And from the beginning of the Church Age until the present, Paul’s ministry continues to go forth through his writings in the Word of God, to every island nation; to remote jungles in Africa; to Asian nations, European nations, and to the Americas - even 2000 years after his death !.

After his conversion, Paul was faithful to the Lord in each season of his life - in the quiet years of study, and in the tumultuous years of preaching and establishing churches.  And perhaps his greatest legacy of all, is in giving to the peoples of the world - to the uttermost locations - some of the most beautiful writings in the eternal Word of God. .

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Tomorrow we will study how preaching in Rome was a symbol of the Gospel being preached to all the world (the mandate in Acts 1:8). .And we will also learn of “The Golden Milestone”, a gilded bronze monument erected near the temple of Saturn in the central Forum of Ancient Rome, from which all roads were considered to begin.  Truly, Rome was the center of the Empire,  and it is where God was calling Paul, after he had completed his testimony in Jerusalem.  From here Paul would preach the Gospel which would go throughout the Empire, and ultimately, to the uttermost parts of the earth....

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Acts 1:8 “to the uttermost”  -  Luke and Paul understood the point of view, that to a Roman citizen - Rome was the center of the world..

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Forum

.We rejoice in You in this new day, O Lord !   Help us to set our minds upon You, and to fix our gaze upon You today, Lord..

This is the day that You have made - it is Your day !  It belongs to You, and we belong to You, Lord..

We celebrate You today, Lord, and Your coming into this world.  We say, Hosanna, Son of David !  Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord !.

Let Your kingdom come into our lives and this world today, Lord !.We give You our callings and our destinies, O Lord, and we say,

Let Your wonderful, good will be done here today, Lord - in our lives and in the lives of all of our Beloved Ones !  For Your Glory !  In Jesus name…  AMEN !.

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• Acts , Bible Characters , N T Bible Characters , New Testament Books , Paul , Perseverance , Persevering In Prayer , Ultimate Destiny
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Betty June 9th, 2009

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Greetings Bethelites and Friends !.

What a blessing for us all to be “in Christ” today !   We are so safe in Him, in His marvelous keeping power, and we have such a wonderful family:.

The People of God, from all cultures, kingdoms, and ages ! .

It will take “an eternity” for us to get to know each one of our sisters and brothers!  What an awesome thought, that we will get to have “face-time” with John Wesley and Andrew Murray, with Mother Teresa and Michelangelo!

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Romans 12:5  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

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In Heaven we will have heart-fellowship with all of the saints of God, just as we think of those who are our closet friends and family members, in this world today. It is going to be a blast, with the added bonus that we will no longer have to contend with a fallen nature, either in ourselves or others.  What a relief that will be !  .

Because of this great hope of Heaven, and spending all eternity there in the wonderful, light-filled presence of the Lord and all of His people, we can hang on a little while longer, down here on this fallen planet, for the remainder of our “tour of duty” here.  IT WILL BE ALL RIGHT - we’ve just really got to try to get this job done ! And it does help, with the perseverance factor, when we remind ourselves that the circumstances here - no matter how tough they may get - are only temporary.  So we can actually shine !

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We are simply passing through this place, helping our Father in His great plan of restoration.  Talk about remodeling a house !  He is bringing all things back under His rule, in Christ ! And He is not tired or troubled by the task.  He is not impatient, either, and everything is on track, just as He has planned.  He is “the great Arch” - He actually “over-arches” everything - THE GREAT AND SOVEREIGN GOD, Who is over all things !  Think of a gigantic version of the St. Louis Gateway Arch over the entire planet.  That’s Him….

My point, other than to give Him glory - is that WE DON’T HAVE TO BE AFRAID IN THIS WORLD.  It’s really going to be all right !  He is our “Dad”, our loving, kind Father.  It is true, He is a great and “terrible” God to His enemies! Things will turn out badly for all of them - the devils and the human God-haters who will one day join the devils in their judgment pit.  We need to be so grateful that we will never have to face that side of His nature (His wrath), that part of Him that will not tolerate evil and darkness.  Thank You, Lord, for our Savior !  .

I love thinking and talking about Heaven ! Both of my beautiful parents are there, and many other Beloved Ones who have meant so much to me in my life…  How rich and full their lives are at this moment, enjoying  His presence, and one another, as they wait for us all to get finished with our work here, and get home ! !.

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Isaiah 60 .¹ARISE [from the depression and prostration in which circumstances have kept you--rise ....................to a new life]! Shine (be radiant with the glory of the Lord), for your light has come, …………………..and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you!.

²For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and dense darkness [all] peoples, but the Lord shall arise upon you [O Jerusalem], and His glory shall be seen on you.   (Amplified)

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Isaiah 60 ¹ “Arise, Jerusalem! Let your light shine for all to see.
…………………For the glory of the Lord rises to shine on you..

² Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth,
but the glory of the Lord rises and appears over you.  (New Living).

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• Acts , Courage , Eternity , Heaven , Isaiah , Old Testament Books , Perseverance , The Sovereignty of God
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Betty June 8th, 2009

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Greetings Everybody !.

Dan and I want to ask you guys to really be praying for us as we are trying “to get this plane off the ground !”   We have been working very hard to streamline our studio system to be more effective for our new situation here in Nashville. And the plan right now is to really make a push to get some of my songs recorded.

What we are setting up here in the house is called “a songwriter’s studio,” which is tailored to recording an individual songwriter, doing demos to shop to companies, as well as recording independent projects for the artist. .

Dan is doing great, still gaining strength, although he still has a long way to go.  But we thank the Lord each day for his forward progress, and we are trusting for a full recovery.  We are taking each day as it comes, trying to “follow the cloud,” and meditating on Scriptures like Romans 4:.

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¹⁸For Abraham, human reason for hope being gone, hoped in faith that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been promised, So numberless shall your descendants be.^.

¹⁹He did not weaken in faith when he considered the [utter] impotence of his own body, which was as good as dead because he was about a hundred years old, or [when he considered] the barrenness of Sarah’s [deadened] womb.^.

²⁰No unbelief or distrust made him waver (doubtingly question) concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God,.

²¹Fully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to keep His word and to do what He had promised..

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Our plan at the moment is to start with some songs that are recorded minimally, i.e., just guitar and vocal, or piano and vocal - simple production, then we will post them on MySpace, just to get something out there, to get me started.   .

As we are beginning to see the fulfillment of our dreams for my music to be recorded, we are also praying for each one of you, for the fulfilling of destiny.  Let us all pray for one another, for each and every one of our lives, and for those we love, our Beloved Ones - our children, grandchildren, our sisters, brothers, fathers, mothers, our friends and co-workers - all in our “circle of fellowship !”  In Jesus name !  We say,.

“Let Your kingdom come in our lives, Lord !  Let Your will be done in us - for Your glory !  Help us to come to know You more intimately, and help us to be effective in making You and Your goodness and love known in this world !”

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In Jesus name,  AMEN !.

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• Betty's Recording 2009 , News
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