A word of encouragement to those who suffer...

This email came into the ministry today. If you are a Christian and you're suffering, be encouraged that God will carry you...

Dear Ray and Staff:

My wonderful husband, Mark, died 4 years ago this coming April 13 from Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Our twin girls were 5 when their daddy died. He suffered immeasurably, especially in the last 14 months of his life. Mark came to Christ 9 years before he died, and he used every day to further the process of sanctification. Not because Mark was so good, but because God is so good, and Mark sensed his time was short.

We took a Precept Bible Study on James just before our twins were born, and you can easily guess that the topic of those "various trials" we are promised was an ongoing conversation in our lives. Throughout the entire process of Mark's diagnosis in 2003, until his death in 2007, we laughed about how we were counting it all joy now. Not!

But there was joy in hearing and watching Mark witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the chaplain staff at UCSF Medical Center here in San Francisco. He recognized that many of those people are not Believers, and he invited them all in for praise and worship in his room. There was also joy when Mark witnessed to his primary oncologist at UCSF.

There was also joy when my cousin who lives in Idaho, inspired by the Holy Spirit, called his parents and brother who live up by Sacramento and asked them all to come down immediately to pray for Mark. They did. The response of Christians gave us great joy!

There is also great joy for me and the girls knowing very clearly where Mark is today. A few Sundays ago we were driving to church at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, and I asked the girls if they missed their daddy. One said "Yes!" The other said, "No, I don't miss him because I know we are going to see him again someday!" Yayyyy! It reminds me of the old hymn, "When We All Get To Heaven!"

Even though the process was horrible, and unbelievably hard, I can tell you today that without a doubt God is good even though the circumstances were and are not! It is always a great day to praise God in this house, and we do regularly because it reminds us that we believe and worship an awesome God who through his grace and love willingly sacrificed for us on the cross, who then rose again having conquered death for us that we may live eternally in heaven with Him.

My husband's death changed me. I know what it means to walk in the "valley of the shadow of death." I also know that He "restoreth my soul."

Best regards,
Virginia Dobel
San Francisco

A message from Ray Comfort about the New Zealand Quake

As many of you know, our home city of Christchurch, New Zealand, was hit with a massive earthquake Monday (2/21). My heart goes out to the many who have lost loved ones. Sue and I appreciate those of you (some atheists--who were kindly sympathetic) who have contacted us and assured us of their thoughts and prayers.

Our eldest son and his wife and child were visiting Christchurch when the earthquake struck. They are okay, and so are all of Sue's and my relatives, for which we thank God.

Many in the city had very frazzled nerves even before this quake. A 7.1 hit six months ago with no fatalities, and since then there have been more than 4,500 aftershocks. This one was much worse. None of my family know the Lord. May this make them realize the fragility of life.

Back in 1971, just before my conversion, a surfing buddy who was deeply into pornography got his girlfriend pregnant, was married at 16, and had the baby girl adopted.

At the age of 16, she searched out her natural parents, found them, and turned up at their doorstep, pregnant. My friend became a grandfather at 32 years old.

I tried to witness to him when I went back to New Zealand in 1992, but it didn't work out too well as it was in his surf shop, and customers kept coming in. Although he did say that he wanted to ask God about his younger brother, who had tragically committed suicide because he got into financial difficulty.

For some reason I thought about all this, this past Sunday, found his surf shop online, emailed him and was amazed to get a reply. He said that my god (he used a small "g") really scared him with the big earthquake they had six months ago (he used profanity to say how much it scared him). I then wrote back and said that I failed to tell him something when I last saw him, and added that Jesus said if you lust after a woman, you commit adultery with her. I said that Hell was real, and that God made a way for us to be forgiven and have everlasting life.

He responded "That is scary, you mean I have committed adultery about 140 times already today? Hell won’t be so bad – at least all my mates will be there and all the naughty girls. Just don’t tell me it will be onshore all day every day. That will really make me gnash my teeth. Heaven sounds really boring -- all the goody two shoes kids drinking tea and singing hymns all day. Is there surf there?"

I emailed back that there would be no friendship or any pleasure in Hell and talked about his misunderstanding of Heaven, hoping he would get back to me.

The following day, the earthquake struck. His shop was very close to the epicenter. I don't know what happened to him.

--
Note: The pic is of the church Ray open-air preached in front of for 12 years.

Enter to WIN 2 TICKETS to the Psalm 119 Conference (drawing closes Feb 28th)

Enter YOUR name to win 2 tickets to the Psalm 119 Conference in Lexington, South Carolina!

Event Details:

When: March 11-12

Where: Lake Murray Baptist Church Lexington,

Address: 1001 Highway 378 West
Lexington, SC 29072

Speakers: Todd Friel, Art Azurdia, Tim Challies, R.W. Glenn and Trevin Wax

Here's what to do to win:

There will be 1 winner that will receive 2 tickets for this give-away! Tickets are $69.00 per person. This give-away is worth $138.00. If you're in the South Carolina and can get to this event it will be well worth your time.

There are 2 Ways to enter your name in the drawing...

1. For 2 entries, post this give away on your website, blog, or social networking site like Twitter and Facebook.

2. For 1 entry, simply enter your name below (in the comment section) and a way for me to contact you if you win.

Contest ends Tuesday, March. 1, 2011 (at noon). Open to US residents only.

I will randomly pick 1 name and the winner will be announced later in the day on Tuesday, March. 1, 2011.

Spread the word.

Blessings to you all.

I meditate on your precepts
and consider your ways.
I delight in your decrees;
I will not neglect your word.
Psalm 119:15,16

Special thanks to the gang at Wretched Radio who have made this give-away possible. You guys are blessing the body in tremendous ways. Keep standing up for truth in this relativistic generation.

Register NOW for the Psalm 119 Conference

The Psalm 119 Conference will be in Ft Worth

this Year - held at Sovereign Joy Community Church.

It's never too early to register for a good conference.

William Carey’s 11 commandments of missions

1. Set an infinite value on immortal souls.

2. Gain all the information you can about “the snares and delusions in which these heathens are held.”

3. Abstain from all English manners which might increase prejudice against the gospel.

4. Watch for all opportunities for doing good, even when you are tired and hot.

5. Make Christ crucified the great subject of your preaching.

6. Earn the people’s confidence by your friendship.


7. Build up the souls that are gathered.

8. Turn the work over to “the native brethren” as soon as possible.

9. Work with all your might to translate the Bible into their languages. Build schools to this end.

10. Stay alert in prayer, wrestling with God until he “famish these idols and cause the heathen to experience the blessedness that is in Christ.”

11. Give yourself totally to this glorious cause. Surrender your time, gifts, strength, families, the very clothes you wear.

Listed in Christian History, Issue 36, page 34.
Hat tip: Jason Delgado, Ray Ortlund

The one time I was tempted to be a trash digger...

Author Accuses Church of Selling Catholics Short

BELLFLOWER, Calif., Feb. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- According to best-selling author Ray Comfort, the Catholic church has "messed up" with the Ten Commandments on their new confessional iPhone app. Comfort, who emphasizes the Ten Commandments in his TV program and his books, maintains that the Catholic church has omitted one important Commandment. He challenges anyone to check out the Roman Catholic Bible in Exodus 20: "You will see that they have dropped the Second Commandment for their iPhone app, then split the last Commandment into two to keep the count at ten. The purpose of the Ten Commandments is to tell us what is right and what is wrong, so how will Catholics know right from wrong if one Commandment has been deleted?"

According to the Ten Commandments listed in Catholic.org, the Second Commandment is "You shall not make yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything in heaven above or on earth beneath or in the waters under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them..." Comfort asks, "How can sincere Catholics know that God Himself forbids the bowing down to any carved image of anything on earth or in heaven? This would include images of dead saints, angels, and images of Jesus and Mary. I think those who created the app should be held accountable and explain the omission."

For years Comfort's ministry has taught that the biblical purpose of the Commandments is similar to that of a mirror. "They reveal to us that we are sinners, that we are unclean, so that we will go to the water of God's mercy for forgiveness. Most people are trying to earn their way to Heaven, but the Commandments show us that we are all guilty. The only way we can be saved from a very real hell is by trusting in God's mercy which was extended at the cross. The Bible teaches that eternal life is a free gift of God, not something we earn by keeping the Ten Commandments."

Ray Comfort co-hosts "The Way of the Master" television program, with actor, Kirk Cameron. See www.LivingWaters.com for details of their ministry.

CONTACT: Trisha Ramos, 1-800-437-1893, email@livingwaters.com, for Ray Comfort

Church sign...

Hat tip: Jaylene and Yahoo news

Kirk Cameron 23 Years Later

FULLERTON, Calif., Feb. 2, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- In 1987 a popular young actor walked into First Evangelical Free Church in Fullerton and listened to Pastor Chuck Swindoll share the gospel of salvation. Kirk Cameron recalled, "I sat in the back with my arms folded...I didn't even believe in God." But he came away feeling guilty for his sins, and yet with hope because of the cross. About a month later, the 17 year-old Growing Pains star surrendered his life to Christ.

Now, 23 years later, Kirk Cameron is urging people to go to a special conference at the same church. "It's called 'Transformed' and it will truly transform your Christian life." Kirk will be opening the conference via video, and appearing in a humorous but thought-provoking roll-play, also on video.

Cameron's co-host of the award-winning "The Way of the Master" TV program, Ray Comfort, added, "When we had the conference in Georgia, more than 6,000 people showed up. In Dallas, Texas, there were 5,000. This really is a life-changing and powerful conference, because it expounds biblical truths that are rarely heard these days. People also need to know that in this bad economy they can afford to come -- Transformed is completely free."
www.youtube.com/user/thewayofthemaster#p/u/30/WTcp0Z7aPnI

Dr. Paige Patterson, President of the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary said, "If I could only attend one conference this year, this is the one that I would not have the courage to miss! Not for spiritual wimps, this conference will at once leave you shaken, shocked, invigorated, and blessed!" Speakers include Emeal (EZ) Zwayne (VP of Living Waters), Mark Spence (Dean of a 12,000-strong on-line Bible School), Ray Comfort, and TV host Todd Friel.

The conference will be at First Evangelical Free Church, 2801 Brea Blvd; Fullerton, CA, Saturday February 19th from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM. To register please go to transformed@livingwaters.com. Contact: Trisha Ramos, 800-437-1893