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HANDS UP Christians Creating the Future at Philip Morris
CHOICES
Philip Morris,
Evangelism Message-Sandra
Smalls
Found in
the Gospel according to Matthew 9:37, Jesus is speaking in this text
which reads, “Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest is truly
plenteous but the labourers are few;” Then when we go over to the
last chapter of Matthews Gospel to chapter 28:19-20 we find these
words spoken also by Jesus, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost; Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have
commanded you; and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of
the world.”
Someone may ask you the question, how can I get to the
Father? What is it that
I must do to gain access to the Father.” Is there a way that I too
can have a relationship with God?
When we go out into the highways and byways,
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ONE ACCORD
FATAL FEAR FIGHTERS
CHALLENGES
– Who Is Hands Up
PHILIP
MORRIS,
What's new in the Hands Up Newsletter?
Testimonies!! If
you know Jesus, you have a testimony.
The Hands Up meetings and events provides many opportunities
to share of God's Goodness.
Just last week, my husband received the report on his mother.
The doctor's told her she had lung cancer and could not
withstand surgery.
After further testing, the results?
NO CANCER! She
has an infection in her lungs, which required an antibiotic!
Thank You Jesus!
God is good all the time and He wants us to share our testimonies to
give others hope. Every
test is a testimony!
Hands Up is a place where we can come together and fellowship....a
place that gives us hope.
May God
bless you as you read this newsletter, and as you go about your day.
We ask that you share this newsletter with others so that it
may inspire and uplift our fellow men/women as they face challenges
in their life.
Remember - "What you believe doesn't change God. What you believe
changes you." We
look forward to seeing you at the next meeting!
Debbie
Betzares
THE
ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE:
The
Servant Team – Leaders:
Tom
Meadows, Ruth Johnson, Richard Hatcher, Delois Maddox, Ralph Brown,
Julia Candia and Jackie Hager
The
Twelve Disciples – Prayer Team
Tee
Williams, Karen Page, Deborah Whitener, Ivan Pope, Janet Taylor,
Juanita Langley, Margie Jasper, Deedre Dickerson, Pam Barden, Pam
Jeter , Sandra Smalls, and George Foreman.
Love Fund
Coordinator:
Mary Tinnell
Newsletter Staff:
Zynobia Gibson, Sandra
Smalls and Debbie Betzares |
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streets
and hedges seeking out those that are lost and do not know the Lord
in the pardon of their sins, we must go with urgency in our spirits.
Urgency in needing to tell a dying world that there is a
better way. We need to
tell them that they do not need to stay in darkness, they do not
have to continue to walk in darkness but they can come into the
marvelous light of the Lord.
Someone at your job, someone in the community, some neighbor
down the street, some family member is still asking the question
what must I do to be able to come into fellowship with the Father.
Let us look at the Gospel according to Saint John, chapter 10, which
will be the text for this study verses 1-10.
The pivotal verse is 9 which reads, “I am the door; by me if
any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and
find pasture,” Christ the Door
Our Lord used many common experiences as vehicles to
communicate great truths about God. It was no accident that Jesus
described himself as the Light of the World.
From day to day his
disciples could remind themselves that Jesus Christ was the light
that dispels the darkness which disturbs and threatens life and our
very existence.
In speaking of Jesus as the Logos, John the writer used terms
familiar both to Jews and Gentiles to describe Jesus Christ as being
the very mind of God, the language of God, the utterances of God,
the conversation of God by which the eternal God was communicating
with the minds and hearts of people. John selected a statement from
our Lord concerning the Living Bread from heaven as a means of
revealing that Jesus Christ alone satisfies the deepest hungers of
the human heart. John
also quotes Jesus telling a woman at a well that he was the Living
Water that quenches the thirst of the soul.
In this 10th chapter of John, the “Good Shepherd
chapter” John uses two major figures of speech from the lips of
Jesus to describe his mission and ministry.
Our Lord as the Good Shepherd who gathers his flock into one
fold.
(John 10:3-4, 14:6-27)
All of the sheep, be they Jewish sheep or Gentile sheep,
belong in the same flock.
The Good Shepherd guards his sheep from every destructive
force and guides them into good pasture.
In
the midst of these references to our Lord’s ministry as the Good
Shepherd, we find also that He is the Door to the sheepfold.
This figure of speech or metaphor was familiar to those who
lived in the Middle East.
The sheepfold was an enclosure in which the sheep were
brought together at night for protection from their natural enemies.
The shepherds took their sheep out to pasture during the day
and brought them to the sheepfold at night for safety and rest.
A shepherd or gatekeeper would literally make his bed in the
doorway to the sheepfold.
An enemy could not enter without crossing his body.
A sheep could not stray during the night without crossing
over the gatekeepers body.
There are times people will try other ways to gain access to God
other than going through the doorway of |
Christ.
I would like for you to look at several considerations
concerning this matter of our having to come through Christ in order
to get to the Father. The first consideration posed is Christ is the
Door of entrance to God the Father. This statement found in chapter
10 verse 9 of John’s Gospel, “ I am the door; if any enters by me,
he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” This
statement was likely prompted shortly after Jesus healed a blind
man. The man being
excited about gaining his sight, spoke favorable words about Jesus
and this maddened the Pharisees. The man was treated badly by them
and was cast out of the synagogue.
By casting the man out, they (Pharisees) were declaring
themselves to be the entrance to God or passageway to God.
But, Jesus stopped them in their tracks when he boldly
affirmed that he, rather than any religious institutions of that
day, was the way to the Father.
And yes he continues to be the only way to the Father even
today.
My next consideration posed is, Christ is the Door to real
security. “ I am the
door; if anyone enters by me he will be saved, and will go in and
out and find pasture.
All of us are security seekers.
Whether it is the baby dragging his blanket everywhere he
goes, or the businessman or woman with his or her stock portfolio,
the student seeking a college education, nations seek security
through the gathering of more and more armaments and alliances.
Oft times we are looking in all of the wrong places for
lasting security, one that will not wither and fade away.
We must come to understand that our security is in the realm
of the spiritual. Jesus
Christ wants to be with us in every crisis we experience in our
lives.
Finally, my last consideration is,
Christ is the Door for
any and every person.
He is not a respecter of persons.
A door swings both in and out. It swings back and forth.
Christ is the door out of the confusion and chaos that sin
and carelessness brings into lives.
If you want to find your way out, then come to Jesus Christ
who is the door.
Christ is the door in.
No one likes to be an outsider. Jesus Christ is the door into the
family of God. He is the way into abundant life and peace. Christ is
the door through. We don’t know what tomorrow holds.
For some of us it will be joy, but for others it will be
sorrow. For some it will be prosperity, while others it may be
poverty. For some it
will be health, some it will surely be illness.
Jesus Christ wants to help us go through whatever life brings
no matter what our lot will be.
The door is open for you to enter today.
Come to Jesus and do it now.
Make him Master, let him be Savior, Teacher and Guide in your
life. He is waiting for you; He is waiting with open arms to receive
you right now. Why don’t you make him Lord, and you will find him to
be your entrance to life that is full and complete.
Amen.
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Sidebar Articles
Fellowship Breakfast -
Sandra Smalls
The HUD
Fellowship Breakfast was held on Saturday, June 2, 2001 at the
Holiday Inn, Bells Road.
Although we were gathered in a banquet room of a hotel, the
Spirit of the Lord did truly move in that place.
From the opening statements made by Tom Meadows to the
closing prayer that was lifted up, everyone was engaged in a
worshipful spirit. The
Prayer Breakfast was spiritually and physically fulfilling.
We were joined in fellowship by fellow Christians from
different churches and the leader of the Christian Organization from
Capital One. She
delivered a powerful testimony of how this group came into existence
and how it has been an inspiration in her life.
We participated in lifting up praises to God through the
singing of songs, the receiving of the read word of God and a
powerful message from an energetic and anointed speaker.
In summary, those that made their way out at the early
morning hour to share in praise, worship and prayers were truly
blessed of the Lord.
We do give God all of the honor and praises for He is truly
worthy to be praised.
Hands Ups
2nd Off Site Meeting
– Zynobia Gibson
On June
23, 2001 at 6:00 p.m., Hands Up held it's 2nd off site
program at Shekinah Christian Fellowship Church, in Powhatan, VA.
The program/fellowship was truly a blessed experience.
Ralph Brown, pastor of Shekinah Christian Fellowship Church
and his parishioners opened their doors and arms to over 60 fellow
Christians, and made us feel welcome.
We were blessed with music selections from The Visionaries
and New Testament.
The Praise Dancers from Guildfield Baptist Church mesmerized
the congregation with an splendid dance routine/mini skit.
The Holy Spirit moved us, through several testimonies that
encouraged everyone in the room.
Our minds and souls were inspired, taught and encouraged in
the Word, by Teresa Jackson and Ralph Brown.
Everyone in the room was filled with joy and praise for we
truly were armed and on fire for the Lord.
If you have not been able to attend on of our off site
meetings, I encourage you to attend the next one and hope to see you
at the next on-site meeting.
Check the calendar - God Bless
HATYILYTILYAJLY Has anybody told you I love you,
today I love you and
Jesus Loves
you
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UNFOLDING THE ROSE:
A young, new preacher was walking with an older, more seasoned
preacher in the garden one day and feeling a bit insecure about what
God had for him to do, he was inquiring of the older preacher. The
older preacher walked up to a rosebush and handed the young preacher
a rosebud and told him to open it without tearing off any petals.
The young preacher looked in disbelief at the older preacher and was
trying to figure out what a rosebud could possibly have to do with
his wanting to know the WILL OF GOD for his life and for his
ministry. Because of his high respect for the older preacher, he
proceeded to TRY to unfold the rose, while keeping every petal
intact...It wasn't long before he realized how impossible it was to
do so.
Noticing the younger preacher's inability to unfold the rosebud
while keeping it intact, the older preacher began to recite the
following poem...
UNFOLDING THE ROSE
It is only a tiny rosebud.
A flower of God's design;
But I cannot unfold the petals.
With these clumsy hands of mine.
The secret of unfolding flowers.
Is not known to such as I.
GOD opens this flower so sweetly, when in my hands they die.
If I cannot unfold a rosebud, this flower of God's design,
Then how can I have the wisdom?
To unfold this life of mine?
So I'll trust in Him for leading, Each moment of my day.
I will look to him for His guidance Each step of the pilgrim way.
The pathway that lies before me, only my Heavenly Father knows.
I'll trust Him to unfold the moments,
Just as He unfolds the rose.
WHEN YOU ARE DOWN TO NOTHING ... GOD IS UP TO SOMETHING” Father, in the Name of Jesus, bless the one reading this in a special way. Open supernatural doors in their life today. Save and set free! Give them a double portion of your Spirit as we take back everything that the devil has stolen: Emotional Health, Physical Health, Finances, Relationships, Children, Jobs, Homes, and Marriages.
I cancel every plot, plan and scheme the enemy
has devised against them,
in the MATCHLESS
NAME OF JESUS.
And I declare:
NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST THEM WILL PROSPER.
I speak LIFE into every dead situation. And, I thank you that
nothing is over until YOU say it’s over! I speak prophetically into
their lives and to their situations:
Their household is blessed; Their health is blessed;
Their marriage is blessed; Their finances are blessed;
Their jobs are blessed; Their children are blessed;
Their grandchildren are blessed; Their
parents are blessed;
Their siblings are blessed; Their ministries are
blessed; and,
Their decisions are blessed; Husbands are on the way;
Wives are on the way; Mortgages are paid and canceled;
Their hearts desires are on the way;
according to YOUR perfect will and plan for their lives.
IN JESUS’ NAME! |
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The
Miracle at Higuey
Tom
Meadows
I had the privilege to go to the Dominican Republic in the summer of
1984 to build a church for the Lord in a small town named Higuey.
It is located three hours west of the Capitol City of Santo
Domingo. I was awe
struck to think a poor boy from North Carolina could wind up on a
mission field for the King of Kings.
Since I
grew up very poor, I thought I knew what poverty was but the Lord
humbled me on this trip and showed me that I was rich.
The people I met were rich in spiritual things and poor in
worldly possessions; while I was rich in worldly possessions but
poor in spiritual things.
While working in the community building what would turn out
to be the most beautiful structure in the town, I became friends
with Manuel Sierra, Elpedios
Columey, and Juan Victor de la Rosa.
These three young men lived in the area and were very poor.
It was not my place to hire help but my heart said hire them
out of my pocket. Our
work team consisted of 24 members.
The men of the group agreed to help pay the three men.
At this point in time an average citizen there made less that
$400 a year. Each
night while we worked for two weeks, we held town meeting worship
services, sometimes right the middle of the street.
At the
end of the construction period for us, we had a concrete shell in
place with a roof on it.
The local construction missionary would have local help
finish the outside with stucco, which is the norm for the humid
area. On our last night
there, the three young men came forward and ask Jesus into their
heart. If that wasn’t
the greatest thing, the Lord still had the most revealing
manifestation of His love for people that I had ever seen in my
life. Let me
regress for one moment.
The pastor of the local congregation was Simon Shal Nelson.
Pastor Simon had a beautiful wife and three girls.
The pastor had no means of transportation, so the Lord as
I’ve learned always provides for his servant needs.
The Work & Witness team of 24 took up a collection right
there and raised enough money to buy Pastor Simon a motorbike,
helmet and insurance so he could visit his people.
I think we raised about a $1000 in cash from what we had
planned to spend on ourselves. I had no idea how miraculous that one
thing would become. We
had one day left before going to Santo Domingo to shop before we
flew back to the United States, but there was a local Haitian
village that we had promised we would build them a chapel in three
days if they would tear down their old structure.
There was one more day’s worth of work on the building so
five guys and I decided to stay over and finish the building and
forget the shopping.
Our mindset was we came to build and not play.
The five of us were left behind.
With nothing to do I was invited over to Manuel house to
visit with him, his expecting wife, Elpedios, and Juan Victor.
Manuel lived about four houses from the church.
I decided I would take each of the guys a Spanish version of
the Bible and $10 (25 pesos) for a gift to say I loved them.
Twenty-five pesos represented over a week’s pay in the good
times. To make this even
more impossible I could only barely |
speak
Spanish, so the Lord made me use my brain.
I started reading scripture in my English Bible and I asked
them to read in their Spanish Bible.
Manuel’s expecting wife was his common law wife and I was
trying to explain to them that the practice of living with someone
outside of marriage is contrary to what God expects.
Since they had just become Christians I wanted them to know
that their local customs did not conform to God’s commandments.
In this
country most houses have rooms divided by walls that do not go to
the ceiling, as we know.
There are open ceilings for ventilation.
As the reading of the scriptures and the limited conversation
in broken English and Spanish continued, the most unbelievable
happened. A young girl
of about 18 came out of an adjacent room.
It was Manuel’s sister Nicolsala.
She began to speak and even with my limited Spanish, I
understood her to say that she wanted to be saved.
I really became panicky and prayed Lord I need help, I cannot
do this without your help.
Within two minutes, I heard the sound of a motorbike coming
down the street outside.
It stopped and in a few seconds Pastor Simon was knocking at
the door. Simon
understood English and Spanish and in the middle of the living room
floor Nicosala accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord.
I wept like a baby and I still do.
I went
back to Higuey in the summer of 1985 to visit.
This year I was the Team Leader of a group that was building
a church in San Pedro de Marcoris.
You see He had done a miracle in my life, I came to realize
that it is my availability and not my ability that He can use.
As we went down the street, I saw the completed church, which
was beautiful, but then I saw the most beautiful thing.
I saw Nicolsala.
The church was running two hundred children in Sunday School.
I also saw my three friends (Manuel, Elpedios, and Juan
Victor)
I have
since taken three other teams to the Dominican Republic to build
churches in La Romana, Los Egos, Guazuma, Deci-ocho, Santo Domingo,
and Shabonariva. I also
worked on a team in Paraguay, South America building a church called
Angel de la Guarda (Guardian Angel) in Ciudad del Este. (City of the
East)
MISSIONS WORK AROUND THE
WORLD
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Update
on "THE LIGHT"
FROM DARKNESS
INTO LIGHT
Ronnie Waddell
Park 500
We are experiencing the move of
God over our lives through prayer and the Word. The power has been
at work in our lives. We have seen the change in attitudes of our
hearts more than once. It has convicted some of sin that they might
have merely shrugged off before.
We have been given courage to witness to strangers and
encourage friends to hold on to their faith.
It has given us the hope and strength to persevere in tough
times, and it has given us joy and laughter in the good times. The Light Ministry has left us
richer: we met a bigger, better God than the one we had been
worshiping. A God whose grace knew no bounds, whose wisdom was
sufficient for the biggest problems that we can up against. A God
powerful enough to change the worst sinner. A God who could use each
one of us just as we are. I pray for the fruit of the Spirit
and the fragrance of Christ Jesus to permeate the members of the
Hand Up Ministry and The Light Ministry lives and mine. May we
always have a hunger and thirst for righteousness. May our heart be
that of God, longing to rescuer the lost souls.
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Calendar of Meetings
Sept 6, 2001
Sept 13, 2001
Place – MC/???
Place – OC/A2E1
Time : - 12:00
Time: - 12:00
Sept 20, 2001
Sept 27, 2001
Place: -MC/???
Place - OC/A2E1
Time:
12:00
time: - 12:00
Oct 4, 2001
Oct 11, 2001
Place – MC/???
Place – OC/A2E1
Time : - 12:00
Time: - 12:00
Oct 18, 2001
Oct 25, 2001
Place: -MC/???
Place - OC/A2E1
Time:
12:00
time: - 12:00
Nov 1, 2001
Nov 8, 2001
Place – MC/???
Place - OC/A2E1
Time : - 12:00
Time: 12:00
Nov 15, 2001
Nov 22, 2001
Place – MC/???
Place – OC/A2E1
Time : - 12:00
HOLIDAY
Nov 29, 2001
Dec 6, 2001
Place: -MC/???
Place - OC/A2E1
Time:
12:00
time: - 12:00
Dec 13,, 2001
Dec 20, 2001
Place – MC/???
Place - OC/A2E1
Time : - 12:00
Time: 12:00
Reminder:
The
Newsletter staff is always looking for roving reporters, writers and
publishers. Anyone
interested in serving God through this publication, please contact
Zynobia
Gibson 274-3446, Debbie
Betzarus 274-5154
or Sandra
Smalls 274-3353.
If you
would like a copy of this newsletter, contact Tom Meadows and give
him your home and/or e-mail address.
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Giving
Him the Glory
This section will feature testimonies on how
AWESOME our God is.
We hope you enjoy and are blessed by the sharing of our brother.
Never be afraid to share your blessings with others, you
never know you who it may help including yourself.
DISCIPLINE OF THE FATHER - (LOVE)
Ronnie Waddell
We all had an earthly father, some of us call him Dad, Pop, Daddy or
Stepfather or some other like name. I called mine Daddy. I think he
was the greatest man I have ever known. He could do anything. But
there was a time when I hated him and what he stood for and made fun
of his faith. After spending a day in the hospital with him, dying
of bone cancer, I had the time to tell him how much I loved him and
to share my own faith with him. He squeezed my hand and smiled, then
motioned for me to sit down on the bed. As I set, he looked at me
through tear-filled eyes and said, “Yes, son, I always loved you and
that is why I disciplined you the way I did”.
My Daddy was a dirt farmer in Tennessee until he lost all the
fingers on his right hand in a farming accident. Then we moved to
the city and he became a janitor, he was poorly educated but never
giving up and always helping others. We never played together much
because he was always working. But he did love me, we would go for
walks on the farm (hand in hand) on Sunday afternoons. He taught me
how to whistle, to blow bubbles with bubble gum, how to whittle, to
drive a car, how to help others and to love everyone- rich or poor,
red, yellow, brown, black or white. But most importantly, how to
love the Lord and place my trust in Him.
I can remember him standing beside the piano in the little country
Church as the Sunday School Superintendent. He would lead us in the
service, then the singing of hymns and then he would say a prayer of
thanksgiving, praise, obedience, and love to God.
Speaking of obedience, when it came to discipline, my Daddy
could swing a pretty good switch. Do you remember the saying, “This
is going to hurt me more than it does you!” You know, I never really
believed that until I had children of my own. But it does hurt to
discipline your children.
Like wise, God’s discipline is evidence that we are his children and
He loves us. Discipline is a basis for encouragement; guidance and
perseverance for us to be more like our Savior Christ Jesus. As it
states in Hebrews 12:2-11, let us accept the discipline from our
Father (Abba) for our spiritual development as His children and know
the Father loves us.
My Daddy was 66 years old when he passed away. I thank God for
giving me the opportunity to show him and tell him that I loved him. |
Do you need to ask someone for forgiveness? Do you need to tell them
and show them that you love them? Do you need to tell them about
Jesus? Let me encourage
you to do it today, before it’s too late.
MIRACLE
AT SWIFT CREEK
Randy
Battle - 7/12/01
Play - I
Just Gotta Sing
Yesterday, I had a matinee show down at Swift Creek.
This was a matinee that none of us will forget.
At the curtain call when we began to take our bows a lady who
had been escorted to the front row grabbed me and would not let me
go. I was struck with
surprise at first, as were the rest of the cast and the director.
She pulled me close to her and whispered in my ear that I had
sung her mother's favorite hymn, “Peace In The Valley”.
I was like “Ok, I’m glad you enjoyed it” and proceeded to
exit off stage. I had
the strangest feeling come over me about this lady and had to go
back out to meet her. I
caught her outside waiting for her neighbor to come out of the
restroom and when she saw me it was like she saw Jesus or something.
She immediately hugged me and began to tell me her story:
She was declared legally blind in Jan. of this year.
This was her first time out of the house since her diagnosis
and her neighbor in Philadelphia was the one who convinced her to
travel here to VA on the Tour Bus they came in on.
She said as I began to sing “Peace In The Valley”, my face
became as clear as the day to her.
She had not seen a face since her blindness.
She said she had to blink a couple of times to make sure she
wasn’t hallucinating.
She wasn’t. As the show
went on she began to look up at the rest of the cast and all of our
faces became clear to her.
As some of you may know the show ends with “Amazing Grace”
The last line we sing is “Was Blind But Now I See”.
She began to cry as she thanked God for his miraculous
blessing. Well, I was
in total shock and amazement and the tears began to fall from my
face as well as the faces of rest of the cast and director.
She said she was going to see her doctor when she returned to
Philadelphia and would write us with an update.
God is truly an Awesome Wonder!
Truly, if we never get another compliment on or about the show, this
one takes care of the whole 6-Week Run.
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MISSION STATEMENT
Is to provide PM employees with a support
group, which has a Spiritual based belief, where they can come
together and be built up in the Spirit; to support the ideals of
‘Creating The Future’.
Is to give PM employees nothing short of the
best, work habit instructions, and Spiritual encouragement; with our
promise to support the goals of the Company.
Exercises the highest level of Spiritual belief
in all of our dealings and actions with each other as well as to
exercise ethics and integrity in all of our business dealings.
Is dedicated to serve and to provide PM
employees with a Spiritual based belief support system at all time.
To position ourselves, not as an employee,
but as a partner with PM in ‘Creating The Greatest Future’.
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