Gayla's Magazine

Today's Prayer

Today is a new day filled with promise... the unknown beckons me to begin the day. Peace and the harmony of love walk beside me as we begin the journey of this 24 hours. What shall my hands find to do? Only what the Father wishes to be done. May His shining rays of direction give each of us the ability to follow in simple faith and trust. 

The Bishop's Broadcast begins.....

Today begins my husband's video broadcasts of  messages for your new year.  Just go to www.gregoryholley.com  for a uplifting mini word for your day! 

He is a great preacher who really gets down to the common man and helps encourage people on a real level.  I have never gone to sleep listening to him preach!! Often he is funny.... but  he brings balance to an often overwhelmed life.  Go receive something fresh for your day.....  

And the Word of the Lord came saying....

I have conversations in prayer with God, as I am sure you do to.  And in my life  there are Rhema Words that the Lord has spoken to my heart down thru the years.  Some are tucked away in various Bibles and they continue to bring strength in my life as they are timeless.   Here is one that I found anew  in an old Spiritual  Warfare  Bible and felt to share with you this morning. 

You are my instrument. I need you in the earth.  You are the flesh of Christ now. How can  I move unless I have the Body of Christ? You are more valuable that you realize.  You are more cherished than you know.  You are more loved and needed than you have ever known.  You are My instument to play through to the world.   

May you be His Instrument today.....

It's Offering Time

This weekend starts a new change in the way the tithes and offerings will be received at church.  The offering will be done by videos showing  our various ministries at home and abroad.  It will be refreshingly different, not to mention sharing with everyone about  all the areas of New Life.  It's sure to be a enjoyable way to fund God's work, and be a partner in all that is happening here.  

Have you planned your offering to bring to God's House tomorrow?  Please don't assume that 'someone else' will take care of the needs at hand.  If that  is so.... then will 'someone else' get your blessing too?  Ouch!  Don't let that happen!!  

Even if you are working..... you can still give to His Kingdom.  Mail it.... bring it to your church during the week,  give online.... just do it.   According to the Word of God - His promises are true for those who are faithful.  

This Pastor's Wife is amazed at those who progress in every area of their lives - because they are faithful to support God's House.  

It's Offering time.....what will you do?

The Coming of the Lord is Near

Read this!  Many pastors are sending out the very same call around the world all at the same time!!! This is written by Pastor Steve Owens in California.

When fall arrives we search for the rake. We admire the beauty of the changing colors of the trees. When winter approaches we pull out our coats, sweaters, jackets, and hats. Then we make sure there is an ample supply of firewood to keep us warm. With the approach of Christmas, most people begin to prepare. The stores change their decor' in preparation for the coming season. It is impossible to miss the changing seasons, and when seasons change, we change.

I find it amazing that Jesus gave us such important clues as to 'the season' of His return, yet so many pastors, preachers and churches have not changed with 'the season'. This is the season that we should be making our preparations for His return, but so many are not. Too many pastors are preoccupied with 'another message' that they think is more relevant. They preach about things that are more palatable to the people. Things that are more 'in tune' with their lives and 'in touch' with their situations. I have heard many preachers that reject the concept of 'the rapture' as a myth, a misinterpretation of scripture, or a conjured up notion by a group of radical alarmists.

How sad... that the most important event for the church is imminent, yet some of the very people who are promised its benefits are ignoring it, denying it, or avoiding the subject. We prepare for winter, but not the rapture? We talk about Christmas. but not the rapture? Pastors preach about prosperity, relationships, christian walk, faith, and other Biblical concepts, but not the rapture? 'How-To Seminars' teach church growth, leadership, finances, and ministerial enrichment, but when was the last prayer summit? When was the last end-times summit? When was the last time our leaders impressed upon us how close we are to the return of Jesus. How long has it been since our church leaders told our pastors that they have a responsibility to preach the message of Jesus' return? Pastor, how long has it been since you preached about the return of Jesus Christ for His Church? Church member, could you explain what the rapture is to an unsaved person? Could you help someone in your family prepare for the return of Jesus?

Jesus said, "But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." (Matthew 24:37)

In Noah's day they were preoccupied with having fun, selfish ambitions, and evil things continually; but the point here is, "They were not aware of what was happening until the flood came and swept all of them away. That is how it will be when the Son of Man comes again." (Matthew 24:39)

That's a good description of where the Church, as a whole, is today. Many are not paying any attention to the signs of the season. They are not aware of what is happening. It is alarming how many Christians don't know anything about the rapture. They are ignorant of its imminence, and oblivious to its importance. I am concerned about pastors who are preaching 'another message' that they believe is more relevant. I am praying for any preacher than finds any other thing of greater importance. The greatest event of the Church is near, even at the door. How many pastors have prepared their people for this monumental moment?

John the Baptist said, "'Prepare the way for the Lord! Make his paths straight!'" (Mark 1:3)

When I was a child, you could not go to church without hearing about the return of Jesus. We sang about it, they preached about it, people talked about it because they were looking for it. In this age of contemporary issues, politically correct speech, tolerant attitudes and guarded sermons due to the fear of offending someone, there is a changing season.

The world is changing, politics are changing, the world's financial system is changing, will you not know it? We prepare for fall when we see the leaves falling to the ground. We prepare for winter when we feel the temperature start dropping. Why would we wait to prepare for the return of Jesus? He told us the season. We can see it coming. We can feel it in the air.

"For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober."
(1 Thessalonians 5:2-6)

It is not too late to make the change to fit the season! Pastor, church-goer,

Christian, the season of Christ's return is here. We need to prepare ourselves, our families, our church, and ourselves for the changing season.
Author
Pastor Steve Owens

The Most Awesome Day in the World

The rapture of the Church is at hand...... are YOU ready?

All prophecy has been fulfilled.... the world is now covered with the Gospel via the Internet.

The most Awesome Day in all of mankind is about to happen.

What do you need to do to prepare to hear the Trumpet, when Jesus will come to receive his own? To be sure you go with Him when Trumpet sounds?

GIVE YOUR HEART TO JESUS, ASK FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF YOUR SINS,  BE BAPTIZED, FIND A SOLID BIBLE CHURCH TO ATTEND, SINCERELY BEGIN TO SERVE THE LORD, FOLLOW THE LEADERSHIP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND OBEY THE WORD OF GOD.

Everything in this world seems to be designed to distract, hinder, side track, and even stop believers from watching and waiting for this Day. 

But it will surely come..... it will surely come.

Are YOU ready?

The Night Vision

During the night the Lord woke me and gave me a vision.

I saw a record player with all the detailed parts, the turntable and the little knob in the middle turning.... and turning.  Then the long stem that was an accessory that used to be put into place to drop down another record when several records would be loaded to play.  And the details on the long stem, the intricate parts that would cause the next record to slip down into place, the threaded piece that was fit just right, at the right time to drop.

The understanding  of what I was seeing ....was how long it took a creator to create this whole system.  The hours and hours to think about it, the hours and hours to come up with a workable design, then the hours and hours to actually make patterns of each piece, and then the hours and hours to actually manufactor it all. From the tiny knob in the middle of the turntable that had to fit just right, but be removeable... to the accessory piece that was also removable but would be a perfect fit to work properly.  It took someone probably years of their life to invent it, create it, produce it.  All for the joy of hearing music on big round disks.

Then I saw a cd disk.... then a MP3.... then an IPod.

And the understanding that came was did the record player creator actually waste his years of life?  Because all of his labor and effort is now useless.  Unusable... unwanted. Through time and transformations, no one now has the meticulous record players anymore. So did his life count? Was it a complete loss?  Is there lamenting and regrets for having spent a life on an invention that is obsolete and useless now.

I went back to sleep with these thoughts running through my mind. Is it worth it to spend one entire life on a project that will only be outdated and unused by the next generation?

But by morning my perspective was completed. 

Yes....Yes.... Yes... because if we are to build block upon block to build up humanity, it takes the former foundation to help create new thoughts and ideas for the next generation to dream up.  There would be no completion of the Ipod ideas and creation, if there had been no record players to start with.

So the early efforts were not a waste by former generations , but rather had to be created to become the foundation upon which greater ideas would be formed. 

Do you feel like your efforts have been in vain?  All your work lost?  That is impossible, for you cannot know what will be the end results of your generations. 

Take heart.... God is fully in charge.  Your heart will sing again the music of completed prayers.  Turn your records..... into Ipods.

My thoughts today

When ambition is lost to destiny...
and dreams lay down at the cross and say...
'not my will...'
the defining moment comes
and His Presence unfolds
in perfected Will
and submitted hearts
become the hands and feet of Jesus
in a hurting world.

The lessons of Christ in my heart and soul..
1. His Kingdom is an internal Kingdom - not an external one.
2.  A leader is a man or a woman into whose keeping God has placed his honor.
3.  Limitation is needed for Increase.

And the Word of the Lord came saying....

Gayla come walk on the water with me,  the voice of the Lord calls over the deep.  Hearing my voice and obeying was Peter’s righteousness.  Shall it be yours?  I call and you answer. I speak and the listening ear must decide to obey or disobey.  You think you know the plans I have for you.  Yet the hour comes when you will think not.  Yet the future times that depend on the actions of today lay as hinges upon the door causing it to open for you. 

Seek and find – two action words that require you to obey.  How shall the avenue of continuing way be found unless you seek.  And how shall you find unless you look.  Those who hear and set will do just that – motionless activity.  They are busy waiting on the waters to part for them.  

I could have had the Israelites walk on the water, yet I chose for them the waters to part.  And for Peter is was to get out of the boat to follow me on the glassy seas.  And for you?

That which you don’t know comes to bless you. And that which makes haste runs right over the prize I have laid out carefully for you.  Do the waters in your life have a voice? Do they dictate how the Creator shall use them? I gathered the waters together. I caused them to part. I turned them to blood.  I walk upon them and cause the sons of man to do so.  That which looks like effortless values is as such to me.  For I created them, and shall use them as I wish.  Can you hold water in your hand? Is it somehow contained by your own clay?  Do you feel as if you can control it? Only by containers and moorings can man hope to control the waters of the deep. 

So say I unto you – the waters that cover your depths shall be melted away and the cities shall contain the areas now outlined with banks.  And the voice of man shall call out but in vain, for he wears not the Blessing of the Deep.

Do not despair upon this hour, have I not told you in advance so that your heart is steadied and your hope steadfast. I am reaching for man, yet in his haste he has forgotten me.  To one it brings blessing, to another it brings a curse.  Come stand with me on this day.  Know that you are safe in Me.  The elements themselves call out for justice to come…….

The Big Picture

You really have no idea how the big picture of your entire life looks.  All you can see is the tiny portion of life that you are currently living.  But God sees your whole eternal being and wants to make you a portrait of inspiring beauty.

Never look at the temporary – relax in the fact God is painting a picture with your life that is far bigger than your mind can conceive.