Glimpse From The Lighthouse Issue # 23

Dear Friends in Christ, 
     Hello everyone! My sincere apologies... I can hardly believe I actually took this long to do a newsletter! I'm so sorry! Anyway I hope you're all doing well and enjoying the beginnings of winter! 
     I will try to do the next newsletter much sooner. :) But I need your help!! You can send me practically anything... as long as it has some sort of spiritual application. :) Poems, songs, Bible verses you want to share, book reviews, recipes, prayer requests, praises..... Thanks so much to everyone who contributed to this newsletter. :) 
     I think the next one will be slightly seasonally themed... I'll do some sort of study or something having to do with Jesus' birth/Christmas, I THINK. If I get around to doing another one before Christmas. :) So if you have anything that would go along with that, that you want to contribute, FEEL FREE! :) 
     Then for the first newsletter in January, I had an idea. I want you to send me the name of your favorite hymn, your favorite quotation from it, and why it is meaningful to you. :) Please do this! I'd like to get 10 back. And that should be relatively easy, seeing I send this newsletter to 83 people. =) 
     Thanks everyone! Have a wonderful week and may God abundantly bless you!!!! 
 Love, 
   your friend in Christ, 

                             ~Heather~

~*Glimpse From The Lighthouse*~
December 8,2008                    Number 23

Theme Verse~

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation
hath appeared to all men, teaching us that,
denying ungodliness and worldly lusts,
we should live soberly, righteously, godly,
in this present world,
looking for that blessed hope, and the
glorious appearing of the great God
and our Saviour Jesus Christ,
Who gave Himself for us, that He might
purify us and redeem unto Himself
a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Titus 2:11-14

Study:

~Overcomers~

     What exactly is an overcomer? Why should we be overcomers? Was Jesus one? What did He overcome? What should we overcome, as His followers? What are the rewards God has for overcomers? 

     Definition: "Overcomer: 1. To get the better of in a stuggle or conflict. 2. To prevail over (opposition, temptations, etc.). 3. To overpower or overwhelm in body or mind. 4. To gain the victory." (From Random House Dictionary) So, an overcomer would be someone who prevails or gains the victory over something! 

     Why should we be overcomers? For one, Jesus was one, and He is our Example! Rev. 3:21 says "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne." Also, 1 John 5:4 states: "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world..." If we are born of God, which we hopefully are!, then we will be overcomers! 

     What did Jesus overcome, and what should we as Christians overcome? John 16:33 says "... I have overcome the world." Revelation also tells us that He will overcome Satan and the antichrist. He has overcome sin, sorrow, suffering, and death, by His death. So, what do we need to overcome? 1 John 5:4 says we will overcome the world. Also, Rev. 12:11 says we will overcome Satan. We need to overcome the sin, hate, bitterness, and other evil things in our own hearts, and then we will have the victory over Satan and over the world. With Jesus' help, this is perfectly possible! We can all be overcomers with Him! 

     Last question: What are the rewards that Jesus has for overcomers: Revelation tells us of many wonderful things Jesus has planned for the overcomers. :) 

Revelation 3:5 "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels." Revelation 21:7 "He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son." 

Revelation 2:7 "To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God." 

Revelation 21:7 "He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son." 

May we all be overcomers in the end!! :) 

Prayer Requests: 
NOTE: I'm really really really sorry I haven't done a newsletter in about 2 months!!!!!!!! Some of these prayer requests are a little old. I'm including them anyway.... but if they no longer apply, I'm sorry! =/ Here goes. 
1. Brenna wanted me to put her on the list because she was leaving for college and was a little nervous... that was awhile ago, but we could still pray for her! =) Thanks! 
2. Angela requested prayer for Mary Lou and Annie that they would start coming back to church and be baptized, and that she could be a blessing to them. 

Praises: 
1. Korah is thankful she survived chicken pox although she was almost 19 when she got it. =)
2. And Korah is thankful her keyboard still works after kind of getting hot candle wax inside. :)
3. Sara's brother, his wife, and their son have been going to church and they love it! Praise God!
4. Sara's family has started talking to her sister Brenda again, and she is about to have a baby. :) 

Poem: 

"The Battle" 

As we go about our lives from day to day, 
A battle's raging over you and me. 
Two forces strive to gain our loyalty.
And who wins it is up to us to say.

By the little choices that we make we may
Determine who will win us ultimately. 
On Satan's side is sin and misery.
On Jesus' side, the everlasting day. 

The battle has been fought, the victory won. 
The blood has been shed and the price is paid. 
All that's left is for you to choose your side.
The devil wants you on his losing one. 
But Jesus says: "Choose Me, you'll be repaid.
You are My child; it was for you I died." 



God bless!!!! Talk to you later. :)