The Battle Still Rages On

There are two Kingdoms, Darkness and Light.
These two Kingdoms are at war and they have been for thousands of years.
The outcome is already determined, the victory already ours, yet the battle still rages on.
Why is this?
Well I think God gives us a pretty good picture of this proclaimed victory that still requires a battle, in the story of the children of Israel and the Exodus out of Egypt
In Exo 4:21 it says “And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.”

The Lord purposely hardened Pharaoh’s heart.
Why did He do that?
To make things harder on poor Moses? He didn’t even want to go in the first place.
Why didn’t God just make Pharaoh let the Children of Israel go? He can do it He’s God, right? I mean, shouldn’t He at least be softening Pharaoh’s heart?

The LORD gives His reason in Exo 14: 4 (As if He even needs to. He’s GOD. He can do what He wants. But He’s good and He loves us and wants us to know Him)
“And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so.”

The Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart because He had a plan. Not to make Moses and Aaron’s lives more difficult. He hardened Pharaoh’s heart that He might receive honor and that the Egyptians might know that He is the LORD.

Moses and Aaron were asked to fight the battle with Pharaoh for God’s glory. Yet in themselves they did not fight. God fought for them, they simply obeyed.

This is the same kind of battle God is calling us to fight. The battle that has already been won. The battle to bring glory and honor to the name of our King; that all the earth may know that He is LORD, for He is worthy to be praised.

In order to fight this wonderful, impossible-without-God, battle we must be willing to leave all that we have, Just as Moses left his home in Midian, and fallow the commands of the LORD.
We must obey the commands of God when He tells us to “throw down our rod”; even if we’re not sure that He will let us pick it up again.
We have to be willing to step out in faith and stretch out our hand, believing that God truly will part the red sea.

And just like He did with Moses, Aaron, and the children of Israel, He will be faithful to deliver us from the hands of the enemy.
Not only will He deliver us, but if we believe, He will fill us with His Spirit. So that we might be used (like Moses and Aaron) as tools in the great plan to set the captives free from the bondage of the enemy.
He will dwell in and trough us and enable us to go forth, and by the power of His Spirit living through us, set the captives free.

“Thy Kingdom Come. Thy will be done, in earth as it is in Heaven.”~Mat 6:10
It’s already done in heaven. Let us fight to see it done here on earth.
For the Kingdom and His Glory!

Sweet Conviction

Sweet conviction, Oh what bliss!
My Jesus set me free
T'is such joy to feel His rod
Gently probing me

I will not listen to the lie
That t'is unkind of cruel
T'would be much worse to stumble on
Without His gentle rule

His guiding hand ever upon
to comfort probe and keep
T'would be sorry, without a shepherd
To be a wayward sheep.

So do not tremble, dread or fear
My Lord is at the helm
He knows the things that must be done
To reach the heavenly realm

So gently will He guide you
Through valleys of death and life
and you will reach that sweeter land
no more to harbor strife

But e'er to dance before your King
"All glory honor and praise"
Will be the song we are will sing
And worship all our days


Inspired by the session "Pain" given by Eric Ludy

The Call of God - Steve Gallagher

This was prayed for us!

Roomies!!

Hello! I am posting for Kourtney who has been ever so busy these past few weeks.

This is her roomie Amy.

Hopefully she will have time to post soon.

-Kayla

Hi All!

Hi Everyone!

I am nearing the end of my second amazing week here at Ellerslie!
There are so many amazing things that God has been teaching me this last two weeks, but it would take longer than I have to go into that.
I will say that He has been showing me more of His wonderful nature, which in turn draws me closer to Him.
I don't know how often I will be able to post. But I will try to update you all as much as possible.

The Staff here are great! They are truly living lives pored out for Christ.
The students are wonderful too! They all have a hunger and fire for Christ that is truly inspiring!

Well I have to run!
Hope to talk at you soon!!

Kourtney

Hello All!

I am so sorry that I haven't been vary faithful about posting :/

Just one more week until I leave for Ellerslie! I think we're leaving on Sunday the 30th. Check in is at 1:00 on Monday. I am SO excited!!! I can't wait! And yet, I dread leaving home for so long.

I have allot of thank you's for a lot of wonderful people who gave me wonderful gifts/donations that are WAY overdue. So here they are.
A HUGE Thank you to:
Dale, Tam, Dallas and Rachel Scribner and their church, The Powell Holiness Church
Dana Hargus
Susanne Woolley
Dorthy Pilkington
Dan, Alisha, Ashton, Landon, Mason and Samson LaFrance
Tom and Laurie Krawczyk and family
Gordon and Sandy Gerber
Frank Harrison
Jim and Peggy Theile
Pam Sawyer and family
Eric, Dianne, Annie, Even and Andrew Peterson
Dan and Danita Fenn and family
Jeanene and Kaleigh Taylor
Jerry and Debbie Christian
Terry and Loretta Abney
Elzie "Papa" and Joann "Meme" Priest (my Dad's parents)
Joe and Loretta Priest
David Gray and Nancy Gates (who don't even know me, but heard about what I am doing from a friend and decided to help out anyway!)
Uncle Melvin and Aunt Kim Priest and family
Melvin and Deborah Priest
Aunt Judy, Cassie and Jessica
Stacy, Rebecka and Stacie Jewel
Sharon "Nanny" Buckmaster (my Mom's mom)
Bonita Blackburn
Uncle Max and Aunt Carolyn Graham
Denver and Della Ferguson

Thank you all SO much!
I hope one day you'll know just how much I appreciate all of you and how blessed I am by your support!

P.S. Sorry if I misspelled any of your names!

Why I'm Going

The lady talking in this video is Danita Estrella of Danita's Children, the orphanage that I will be working at the end of this Summer.

Doesn't this just melt your heart and make you want to be there helping save these children from a life of bondage, a life without Jesus Christ our Savior?