Freedom Fellowship was started some time ago, to provide resources for parolees, helping them to stay on track in their Christian journey.
Healing Shepherd Ministries has been focused on helping those who experience a need for healing in their lives, physical, emotional and spiritual.
As there is considerable overlap in the needs of both groups, we are as of today combining both web pages at www.healingshepherd.org, our main website. All resources will be transferred to this new combined site. Readers will be able to access us through email at healingshepherd2@gmail.com. We will be posting relevant material at the new combined site, starting today.
We pray that God continues the healing he has started in your life, and that he will help you to stand courageously against the temptations of life! Above all, remember that Jesus loves you more than you can imagine!
Blessings,
Pastor Gerry
Saturday, April 25, 2020
Sunday, April 19, 2020
Online Service - April 19, 2020
Good morning everyone! I pray you are doing great, despite social distancing and limitations on your normal activities!
However, if you are not well, please feel free to email us at freedomfellowshiponline@gmail.com. I promise that we will pray for you, and ask for the Lord's intervention in your life.
WORSHIP
Here are today's worship songs. Please feel free to just listen to them, or to sing along as you wish, wherever you may be.
Message Title: Let Revival Come!
Scripture: 1 Kings 17-18
Date: April 19, 2020
INTRODUCTION
It was summertime. The sun beat down mercilessly on a dry and thirsty land. Streams and pools of water had dried up, the crops had failed, and food was scarce. The population of Israel was hurting, badly. No doubt vulnerable people were dying then too, just like today.
Why was this happening? Wasn't this nation known as God's chosen people? Why had God seemingly turned his back on them? Why did it seem as though the nation was cursed by God, rather than blessed?
Today we are going to look at how God used a terrible time of hardship and turned it into blessing. There is hope for us as a nation, too.
BACKGROUND
Elijah the prophet was God's messenger to the Israelites during the reign of Ahab and Jezebel. Ahab was one of the worst kings the Israelites had had during their checkered history.
Greatly influenced by his Phoenician wife Jezebel, Ahab had spread the worship of Baal the sun-god throughout Israel. Baal worship was rampant in Israel's neighboring countries, and now this sick religion had spread its tentacles throughout Israel, God's chosen people.
Baal worship involved both men and women, and was centered around worshiping the sun, the God of fire. This was a fertility religion and promiscuity was a central part of worship. Possibly the worst part of these pagan practices, was that the people would sacrifice their children by burning them, as an offering to Baal (1).
No wonder that God forbade the Israelites to worship him like the surrounding nations did (2). Yet the Israelites had combined their worship of God, with the worship of Baal, creating a religion which was a travesty.
However, God does not give up on his people, despite the terrible things they were now doing.
So God sends Elijah to king Ahab, telling the king that God is going to impose a drought on Israel. This drought lasted three and a half years (3). The land suffered (4), and as a consequence in an agrarian society, people went hungry, there was famine in the land (5).
TIME FOR CHANGE
After the allotted time, God sends Elijah back to Ahab to announce that God was now going to cause the drought to finish - rain was coming. We see from this that God is a merciful God. The nation had not yet turned back to God, or away from Baal. Yet God said, I am going to send rain (6).
Then, having pronounced an end to the drought, God sends Elijah to call for national repentance.
Elijah calls the prophets of Baal to a show down on Mount Carmel. Elijah challenges them to an epic duel, to determine who is real - the God of their fathers, or Baal?
Elijah gets the prophets of Baal to build and altar and prepare a sacrifice, without lighting the fire. Elijah also, prepares an altar and a sacrifice. He, however, drenches the sacrifice and the altar with water, even filling a ditch around the altar with water. Now, God's prophet challenges the Baal worshipers to call on their God to send down fire from heaven. Nothing happens. They dance around the altar, cutting themselves, calling out for an answer from the sun-god. Nothing.
Then Elijah utters a short prayer. God responds immediately, sending fire from heaven onto the altar and the sacrifice. The fire consumes everything!
A CALL TO REPENTANCE
When the Israelites see how the God of their fathers responds, while the god called Baal is obviously just a figment of their imagination, they repent. "The Lord, He is the God, the Lord, He is God" (7).
God does not deal with us according to our sins (8). If God did punish us for our sins, nothing would be left of us. We murder our unborn children - 862,000 abortions in the United States in 2017 (9), around 56 million abortions each year worldwide (10). How does this compare with the child sacrifice of Ball worship? No, we do not burn them alive with fire. Instead we dismember them while their hearts are still beating, and throw them out with the trash.
Thankfully God is a merciful God. And there will be an end to the current epidemic.
It is time that we as a nation, and world-wide, turn back to God in heartfelt repentance. We have the blood of millions of unborn babies on our hands, quite apart from having left God out of our society.
We as a nation, and as individuals, need to beg the Lord for forgiveness.
PRAYER
"Lord, we turn to you on behalf of our nation and for ourselves and beg for your forgiveness. As a Christian nation we have turned away from you and slaughtered our children on the altars of convenience. We have thrown the Bible out of our public places, our schools have taught our children perverted sexual practices and abolished prayer, and we have rebelled against you.
"Please forgive our many sins, and bring the rain of revival upon this land again. There has been a drought of the Holy Spirit, please return and draw your people back to you.
"Thank you Lord, for your unending and totally undeserved mercy. Help us turn back to you. In Jesus' name, amen".
NOTES
--------------------
1. "The Canaanites worshiped Baal as the sun god and as the storm God - he is usually depicted holding a lightning bolt - who defeated enemies and produced crtops. They also worshiped him as a fertility god who provided children. Baal worship was rooted in sensuality and involved ritualistic prostitution in the temples. At times, appeasing Baal required human sacrifice, usually the firstborn of the one making the sacrifice (Jeremiah 19:5). The priests of Baal appealed to their god in rites of wild abandon which included loud, ecstatic cries and self-inflicted injury (1 Kings 18:28)" - https://www.gotquestions.org/who-Baal.html
2. Deuteronomy 12:30
3. James 5:17
4. 1 Kings 17:7
5. 1 Kings 17:12
6. 1 Kings 18:1
7. 1 Kings 18:39
8. Psalms 103:10
9. https://www.guttmacher.org/gpr/2019/09/us-abortion-rate-continues-drop-once-again-state-abortion-restrictions-are-not-main
10. https://www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/induced-abortion-worldwide
However, if you are not well, please feel free to email us at freedomfellowshiponline@gmail.com. I promise that we will pray for you, and ask for the Lord's intervention in your life.
WORSHIP
Here are today's worship songs. Please feel free to just listen to them, or to sing along as you wish, wherever you may be.
The Blessing (Live) - Elevation Worship
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zp6aygmvzM4
God of Revival - Bethel Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFWF9rSAWF8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFWF9rSAWF8
Way Maker (Live from Passion 2020) - Passion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idJgysaRKXU Message Title: Let Revival Come!
Scripture: 1 Kings 17-18
Date: April 19, 2020
INTRODUCTION
It was summertime. The sun beat down mercilessly on a dry and thirsty land. Streams and pools of water had dried up, the crops had failed, and food was scarce. The population of Israel was hurting, badly. No doubt vulnerable people were dying then too, just like today.
Why was this happening? Wasn't this nation known as God's chosen people? Why had God seemingly turned his back on them? Why did it seem as though the nation was cursed by God, rather than blessed?
Today we are going to look at how God used a terrible time of hardship and turned it into blessing. There is hope for us as a nation, too.
BACKGROUND
Elijah the prophet was God's messenger to the Israelites during the reign of Ahab and Jezebel. Ahab was one of the worst kings the Israelites had had during their checkered history.
Greatly influenced by his Phoenician wife Jezebel, Ahab had spread the worship of Baal the sun-god throughout Israel. Baal worship was rampant in Israel's neighboring countries, and now this sick religion had spread its tentacles throughout Israel, God's chosen people.
Baal worship involved both men and women, and was centered around worshiping the sun, the God of fire. This was a fertility religion and promiscuity was a central part of worship. Possibly the worst part of these pagan practices, was that the people would sacrifice their children by burning them, as an offering to Baal (1).
No wonder that God forbade the Israelites to worship him like the surrounding nations did (2). Yet the Israelites had combined their worship of God, with the worship of Baal, creating a religion which was a travesty.
However, God does not give up on his people, despite the terrible things they were now doing.
So God sends Elijah to king Ahab, telling the king that God is going to impose a drought on Israel. This drought lasted three and a half years (3). The land suffered (4), and as a consequence in an agrarian society, people went hungry, there was famine in the land (5).
TIME FOR CHANGE
After the allotted time, God sends Elijah back to Ahab to announce that God was now going to cause the drought to finish - rain was coming. We see from this that God is a merciful God. The nation had not yet turned back to God, or away from Baal. Yet God said, I am going to send rain (6).
Then, having pronounced an end to the drought, God sends Elijah to call for national repentance.
Elijah calls the prophets of Baal to a show down on Mount Carmel. Elijah challenges them to an epic duel, to determine who is real - the God of their fathers, or Baal?
Elijah gets the prophets of Baal to build and altar and prepare a sacrifice, without lighting the fire. Elijah also, prepares an altar and a sacrifice. He, however, drenches the sacrifice and the altar with water, even filling a ditch around the altar with water. Now, God's prophet challenges the Baal worshipers to call on their God to send down fire from heaven. Nothing happens. They dance around the altar, cutting themselves, calling out for an answer from the sun-god. Nothing.
Then Elijah utters a short prayer. God responds immediately, sending fire from heaven onto the altar and the sacrifice. The fire consumes everything!
A CALL TO REPENTANCE
When the Israelites see how the God of their fathers responds, while the god called Baal is obviously just a figment of their imagination, they repent. "The Lord, He is the God, the Lord, He is God" (7).
God does not deal with us according to our sins (8). If God did punish us for our sins, nothing would be left of us. We murder our unborn children - 862,000 abortions in the United States in 2017 (9), around 56 million abortions each year worldwide (10). How does this compare with the child sacrifice of Ball worship? No, we do not burn them alive with fire. Instead we dismember them while their hearts are still beating, and throw them out with the trash.
Thankfully God is a merciful God. And there will be an end to the current epidemic.
It is time that we as a nation, and world-wide, turn back to God in heartfelt repentance. We have the blood of millions of unborn babies on our hands, quite apart from having left God out of our society.
We as a nation, and as individuals, need to beg the Lord for forgiveness.
PRAYER
"Lord, we turn to you on behalf of our nation and for ourselves and beg for your forgiveness. As a Christian nation we have turned away from you and slaughtered our children on the altars of convenience. We have thrown the Bible out of our public places, our schools have taught our children perverted sexual practices and abolished prayer, and we have rebelled against you.
"Please forgive our many sins, and bring the rain of revival upon this land again. There has been a drought of the Holy Spirit, please return and draw your people back to you.
"Thank you Lord, for your unending and totally undeserved mercy. Help us turn back to you. In Jesus' name, amen".
NOTES
--------------------
1. "The Canaanites worshiped Baal as the sun god and as the storm God - he is usually depicted holding a lightning bolt - who defeated enemies and produced crtops. They also worshiped him as a fertility god who provided children. Baal worship was rooted in sensuality and involved ritualistic prostitution in the temples. At times, appeasing Baal required human sacrifice, usually the firstborn of the one making the sacrifice (Jeremiah 19:5). The priests of Baal appealed to their god in rites of wild abandon which included loud, ecstatic cries and self-inflicted injury (1 Kings 18:28)" - https://www.gotquestions.org/who-Baal.html
2. Deuteronomy 12:30
3. James 5:17
4. 1 Kings 17:7
5. 1 Kings 17:12
6. 1 Kings 18:1
7. 1 Kings 18:39
8. Psalms 103:10
9. https://www.guttmacher.org/gpr/2019/09/us-abortion-rate-continues-drop-once-again-state-abortion-restrictions-are-not-main
10. https://www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/induced-abortion-worldwide
Wednesday, April 15, 2020
Slaying our giants! - 1 Samuel 17
It is summer. The creek in the valley has slowed to a trickle. Tension fills the air. The Israelite soldiers fearfully gaze across the valley, at the opposing army. Suddenly they see the object of their fear, the giant Goliath, striding out to taunt them. Goliath is 9 1/2 foot tall, probably 4 foot taller than the rest. He challenges the Israelites to send out their strongest warrior to fight him, one on one.The Israelite soldiers tremble with fear. David, a shepherd boy, has a divine appointment that day. He has experienced God's intervention before. He knows God wants him to do battle with the giant.
David clambers down to the creek, and selects five smooth stones, as ammunition for his sling. He was adept at using the sling, it was part of his skillset. He climbs up the opposing hill, till he stands before his enemy, Goliath. David takes a stone, places it in the sling, then throws it with all his might at the giant. God guides the stone to exactly the right spot, the forehead, and the giant is knocked senseless. David pulls the giant's sword, and slays Goliath!
Quite a story.
We all have giants in our lives. Maybe it is the fight against addiction. Maybe it is some other issue like anger or anxiety. Or something else.
It is Gods will that we overcome our enemy (1). This will take courage, our giant is not just going to play dead (2). It will take standing against the enemy's attack (3).
But as with David, God stands ready to fight alongside us (4). There is a partnership principle in our relationship with God. When we draw near to God, he draws near to us (5). David said God teaches his hands to war (6). We are responsible to fight. But it is God who gives us the victory (7).
Whatever our giant, we can overcome it, with God at our side. We were created to be slayers of giants! Both physical and spiritual.
Continue reading this blog to learn about how to deal with the issues in your life!
Keep on fighting the good fight!
Notes
1. Revelation 3:12
2. 1 Peter 5:8
3. Ephesians 6:13
4. Exodus 14:14, Deuteronomy 1:30
5. James 4:8
6. Psalm 18:34, 144:1
7. 1 Corinthians 15:57
Monday, April 13, 2020
You can conquer! - 1 Samuel 14:6
The Philistines assembled to squelch a perceived threat from the Israelites. The Israelite king Saul and prince Jonathan commanded three thousand warriors. Only Saul and Jonathan had swords. The Philistines assembled an enormous force: thirty thousand chariots, six thousand cavalry, and warriors numbering "like the sand on the seashore". Overwhelming odds!
The Israelites hunker down on one side of a pass, the Philistines camp on the other side. The sides of the pass are steep.
Meanwhile, Prince Jonathan is a believer. He trusts God. He knows Israel is God's chosen people. Jonathan decides to step out in faith. He tells his armorbearer God is not worried by the huge size of the enemy. He will ask God to show his will by a very specific sign.
Jonathan takes a step of faith. He immediately springs into action. He and the armorbearer clamber up the opposite side of the pass. They reach the top, and now directly face the enemy. It is at this moment that God responds! He clearly answers Jonathan's prayer. Jonathan commences battle. One man against millions. He strikes down twenty warriors. But how can he destroy a whole army?
God answers Jonathan's step of faith by going to battle on his behalf. A tremor of fear goes through the enemy's ranks. The ground quakes. The Philistine warriors start fighting each other. The Israeli lookouts see the Philistine army melting away. Saul mobilizes the troops and they pursue the Philistines. God gives the Israelites an amazing victory.
We too face huge enemies. Today we face the coronavirus and many other enemies too. Like addiction, emotional issues like anger or fear. Depression and hopelessness. These enemies may seem impossible for us to conquer. But we can be sure it is God's will that we overcome these overwhelming enemies.
It takes a step of faith. Like prince Jonathan, we must recognize that God wants us to vanquish the enemy. We can't do it on our own, but God plus us are a majority! With God nothing is impossible (1). We trust God and he gives us the victory (2). The battle is the Lord's (3).
So whatever the battles we face, God is ready to give us the victory! All it takes, is a Jonathan taking a step of faith!
Will you be that Jonathan?
Notes
1. Luke 1:37
2. 1 Cor 15:57
3. 1 Sam 17:47
Sunday, April 12, 2020
Resurrection Day!
Happy Resurrection Day! Most of us are self-distancing and taking precautions against coronavirus. Many of us are afraid of the future. We may have lost our job and are fearful of bankruptcy. We may be afraid of becoming ill, and dying.
There are a host of issues we could name here.
But today is Resurrection Day! This day we celebrate hope for the future!
3 days before
Let’s go back 2000 years
3 days ago twelve men sat around a table, and observed Passover. Part of the meal was roast lamb, symbolizing Jesus our Passover (1). After the meal, they went to the garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus was arrested. The disciples scattered. After a mock trial, Jesus, who was innocent, was scourged and then condemned to crucifixion.
At 3pm, Jesus cried out “It is finished” and died (2)
Disciples took down Jesus body from the cross, wrapped it in burial cloth, and laid it in a nearby tomb.
What did Jesus mean by saying “It is finished”?
What did Jesus mean by saying “It is finished”?
“It is finished” referred to many things Jesus came to do. He came to preach good news, he came to heal the sick and set people in spiritual bondage, free.
The biggest thing he meant, though, is that as his final act, he was now dying on our behalf.
Why is it that Jesus had to die for us?
It is because since Adam and Eve, mankind has sinned, broken God’s laws. All of us have sinned. I have and you have. Our collective sin and guilt allowed Satan to bring suffering and death on this planet. This would include the current coronavirus pandemic.
By Jesus dying on our behalf, if we wish to receive it, our guilt can now be removed. He paid the price for us. The wages of sin is death (3) - Jesus had to die.
Resurrection Day
Sunday morning some women went to the tomb where Jesus had been buried. They found that the stone blocking entrance to the tomb had been rolled away.
The tomb was empty!
Resurrection day reminds us that Jesus did not stay in the tomb. He was resurrected to new life!
Not only did he die so we could be forgiven, he now lives to walk with us on this journey
Psalm 139:5 says “You are all around me, in front of me and behind me. You have put your hand upon me”. So in this time of fear and uncertainty, Jesus is the Rock we can depend upon. We are not on our own in the face of impending calamity. Whatever we go through, whether it is loss of a job, fear of financial disgrace, if we are sick and even if we die, Jesus is with us. He told us “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (5)
Conclusion
Conclusion
So Resurrection Day is a day of hope.
We are not on our own as we face the challenges of life, no matter how insurmountable they may seem. Our hurts, hangups and addictions have an answer.
Jesus is not still hanging on the cross, or buried in the tomb. Jesus is alive and truly with us. He welcomes all who want this relationship with him, to turn to him.
Do you want to start this relationship with him today? Please pray the following prayer together with me.
“Lord Jesus, thank you for dying in my place so my sins can be forgiven.
“Please remove my guilt from me and give me a fresh start.
“I surrender my life to you and ask you to come in and transform me from the inside out.
“Thank you for hearing and responding to this prayer.
“In Jesus’ name, amen”
If you prayed this prayer today, please let us know by emailing us at healingshepherd@yahoo.com or by commenting below. We will send you literature to help you on your personal journey with the One who is the true shepherd of your soul.
Prayer:
“Lord we come to you this morning on Resurrection Day.
“We celebrate the fact that you were raised from the dead, walked out of the tomb, and have been transforming lives ever since.
“We pray that you would be with each one of us and walk through our individual storms with us.
“Please cause the coronavirus epidemic to come to an end, and keep your people safe from the pestilence that walks at noonday.
“We ask that we as a nation would have a change of heart and turn to you.
“And we pray for your blessing upon us this day.
“Thank you for your incredible love for us. In Jesus name, amen.”
--------------------
NOTES
1. 1 Cor 5:7
2. John 19:30
3. 1 John 3:4
4. Acts 1:3, 1 Corinthians 15:6
5. Heb 13:5
Do you want to start this relationship with him today? Please pray the following prayer together with me.
“Lord Jesus, thank you for dying in my place so my sins can be forgiven.
“Please remove my guilt from me and give me a fresh start.
“I surrender my life to you and ask you to come in and transform me from the inside out.
“Thank you for hearing and responding to this prayer.
“In Jesus’ name, amen”
If you prayed this prayer today, please let us know by emailing us at healingshepherd@yahoo.com or by commenting below. We will send you literature to help you on your personal journey with the One who is the true shepherd of your soul.
Prayer:
“Lord we come to you this morning on Resurrection Day.
“We celebrate the fact that you were raised from the dead, walked out of the tomb, and have been transforming lives ever since.
“We pray that you would be with each one of us and walk through our individual storms with us.
“Please cause the coronavirus epidemic to come to an end, and keep your people safe from the pestilence that walks at noonday.
“We ask that we as a nation would have a change of heart and turn to you.
“And we pray for your blessing upon us this day.
“Thank you for your incredible love for us. In Jesus name, amen.”
--------------------
NOTES
1. 1 Cor 5:7
2. John 19:30
3. 1 John 3:4
4. Acts 1:3, 1 Corinthians 15:6
5. Heb 13:5
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