Tuesday 11/13/12 Hated

Dear Father in Heaven:  It is a beautiful morning after the nice rain You sent us overnight.  Thank You for it.  Thank You for the food that we brought in yesterday for the food pantry and thank You for sending several new families that we could help.  Lord, please keep Your healing hand on those on this line and in our flock who have been ill.  Please watch over Patsy, Burt, Barbara, Dolores, Sterling, Luella, Vicki, Josh, and Lord, please keep Your hand upon Beth, Craig, Emily, Curtis, and the baby in Beth's womb.  Touch Sharon, who was in for food yesterday and her son who was injured in a cycle accident years ago.  Lord, please, please be with our President and his family and all of our leaders.  Lord, our nation is so unworthy, but we ask in the name of Jesus that You will touch people worldwide and touch them in America so they turn to You.  Lord, please keep us working for You so we can get the word out for You, even if it means we will be hated.  In Jesus' Name, I give praise and pray.  Amen.

Brothers and sisters, it is beautiful here at the Southern Location, perfect, just perfect.  I went to our local food store where I was able to get a great buy on some canned goods.  (Last week we got our big order in.)  The corn and green beans were on sale, and each time I hit 25 dollars I could get a turkey for 59 cents per pound.  I made a bunch of trips in and out of the store.  Some folks saved and saved to help us purchase turkeys, and I am trying my best to get the best deals.  We also had some folks gift us with the "free" turkey slips that had to be used by Thanksgiving.  We also received a "free" turkey slip with each 400 points or 400 dollars we spent at the food store.  With all we purchase at that store and our big order last week, we received 14 free turkeys.  THANK YOU, JESUS!!  Remember, we have our big distribution day in December.  We do this as many food pantries give out turkeys at Thanksgiving.

Want to help at the food pantry?  Here are four ways ... You can pray and pray for us.  You can help by either purchasing some food and dropping it off, or by sending some dollars.  You may come and join us on Saturday, December 1st between 9 and noon when we sort and pack food.  And of course you are welcome to come on December 15th between 9 and noon to help load out cars.  I would estimate at this point we will have between 70 and 80 cars pull up our driveway that day for food.  We need prayer warriors, people who will go to cars coming in and pray with the people who come for food.  We need loaders, and we need those who keep the loaders' baskets filled.  This is a very, very rewarding day, folks.  At the end of the message today, I will list our address and phone numbers.  Also, dear brothers and sisters, maybe you are a family in need.  Please just let me know, WE WILL HELP YOU!!!

Now let me move on to tell you it is okay to be HATED!!

John 15:18 - "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.  19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own.  As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you."  (NIV)

Yes, folks, back in the day when Jesus walked this earth, people hated His disciples, and today we who are true disciples of Jesus are also hated.  And brothers and sisters, I know we all would like to be loved by everyone, and as Christians if you are TRULY a Christian then you love everyone.  If you are hating someone for whatever the reason might be, then you need to address yourself and ask yourself this question. Am I truly a Christian, do I really walk in the footsteps of Jesus?

I believe that one of the biggest reasons that Mitt Romney was not elected president was because he loves Jesus and he told people just that.  I don't care what religion Governor Romney is, he confessed to loving Jesus, and that if done in faith makes him a Christian, and by working telling others about Jesus makes one a disciple and makes them hated by the world.  At one time it really bothered me if I knew someone who hated me, but now that I understand "The Word", it does not trouble me at all.  I truly want to be a disciple of Jesus.  Years ago I picked up my net, and myself, off the street, and came to Christ.  Do I still sin?  Do I still mess up?  Yes, but I have been forgiven, and I will go forth in the name of Jesus.  I pray you will do the same.  If people hate you and the only reason if your love for Jesus and you speaking out for Him, then don't sweat it, folks (nice old term there), JESUS HAS YOUR BACK, so to speak.  Jesus tells us, "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first."

Think about this, folks, those who are working the fields of harvest, really working them, you have been chosen to do this as one out of the world, you are no longer part of the world, you are indeed part of the body of Christ and you belong to Him.  Please, brothers and sisters, enjoy being hated by some, but know this, Jesus loves you, other true Christians love you, and yes, I love you also.

Dear Lord, please save us this day and help us to work harder and harder for You, and Lord, the more people hate us in Your name, please let us work harder for You.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Now go forth and share your blessings.  Love ya, Pastor Dan.  Information follows ...

Pastor Daniel W. Lehman
Carry The Light Ministries
16 Dewalt Drive
Mechanicsburg, PA  17050
Phone - 717 691 8200
Pastor's cell - 717 991 0754