Just a Few of My Favorite Things: A Compilation of Great Newsletters, Testimonials and Poems

By Beverly Denise Thomas

Just a Few of my Favorite Things, is a wonderful compilation of some
of those letters which have been written down through the years.

Blind Spots
Adam never expected to be deceived by his wife. Eve was made with
one of his ribs.

Sometimes those closest to us can cause us the most grief.

Fear
Disobedience brings great bondages of fear.
Mens hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are
coming on the earth.

BenjaminYou Must Give Up Benjamin
Why did you even tell the man that you had another brother? Have you forgotten all
that I went through with the death of Joseph? Benjamin is my last son from Rachel
and I wont give him up!

My Old Man
Peters name at birth was Simon Bar-Jonah. The Lord, at different times, would refer
to him as Simon, while at others time He would call him Peter, why?

Follow This Star
About ten years ago, while traveling to another state, I emerged from my car and
gazed into the sky. The sky was so clear and gored with stars. Stars, stars and more
stars. The sky resembled an impeccable, precise painting of a glorious heaven.

Impossible
Still say your case is too hard? Abraham was just a man, like you and me. When the
impossible was presented to Abraham, he endured the test.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jun 21, 2011
• ISBN: 9781462024742

Beverly Denise Thomas

Reverend Beverly Denise Thomas, pastor and founder of A Passion For Christ Ministries in Chicago, Illinois, is on the brink of a marvelous work. The Gospel is spread through tapes, music and literature all over the city and abroad. Reverend Thomas as has taken three missionary journeys through South Africa, spreading the redemptive message of Jesus Christ. "The Light Still Shines," broadcast, now in its 2nd year (airs the first 3 Saturdays of the month) WJYS-62 at 5:00 a.m. Check you local listing for times in your area. Through such ministries as cater-the-word, we are reaching those who are unable to come out to our church. One of our greatest emphases is on the youth, through such programs as the Teen Forum. Here, our youth are able to come and receive strength from our leaders within the church as well as outside leaders who are invited to come and encourage our youth. Feel free to view our telecast, and visit www.apassionforchrist.net, where you can listen to sermons, view our recent telecast, read newsletters, and much, much more. We have a passion for souls. Visit our website at: www.apassionforchrist.net.

Book preview

Contents

A c k n o w l e d g m e n t s

I n t r o d u c t i o n:

Chapter 1 -

Blind Spots

Chapter 2 -

Waiting… It Seems So Long

Chapter 3 -

Fear

Chapter 4 -

Vashti

Chapter 5 -

Benjamin… You Must Give Up Benjamin

Chapter 6 -

My Old Man

Chapter 7 -

Put On the New Man

My Old Man, Part II

Poem -

I Can Have a New Life

Chapter 8 -

Follow This Star

Chapter 9 -

Impossible

Chapter 10 -

Look and Live!

Chapter 11 -

Thirty Pieces of Silver

Chapter 12 -

Separate, Separate, Separate

Chapter 13 -

Job, Why Do the Righteous Suffer?

Testimony -

June 2003

Chapter 14 -

Sudden Calamity

Chapter 15 -

Soar Eagle, Spread Your

Wings and Fly

About the Author

A c k n o w l e d g m e n t s

This book would not have been possible without God’s grace, love and wisdom. I thank our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for His blood which makes all things possible.

I would also like to thank my family at A Passion For Christ Ministries for their support and understanding. To my pastor, teacher and evangelist, Reverend Ernest Angley, of Ernest Angley’s Grace Cathedral, thank you for sharing your work with me and allowing me to use that work in my books.

I n t r o d u c t i o n:

Just a Few of my Favorite Things, a Compilation of Great Newsletters, Testimonials and Poems was written at different times during the life of our ministry.

The date(s) and name(s) mentioned here are written as they were at the time of the original writing. While some names and ages may have changed, they are mentioned here as they were when this work was originally completed.

There is a special prayer at the end of each chapter.

God bless you all and enjoy!

Yours with a Passion for Souls,

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Pastor, A Passion For Christ Ministries

Chapter 1 -

Blind Spots

October 2005

Greetings!

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world (I John 4:1).

Bone of my bones

Adam never expected to be deceived by his wife, Eve. She was made with one of his ribs. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh (Genesis 2:21-24). The Lord loved Adam so much that he provided a help meet for him. He wanted Adam to be complete. What love the Father has for His own.

Forbidden fruit

Both Adam and Eve were warned of eating the forbidden fruit. And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:8-9). And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die (Genesis 2:15-17).

The first Adam

Adam was created in the image and likeness of God. He had a mind that could reason with God. Adam had abundant fellowship with God but he never expected such deception from his wife, Eve. He had girded his mind against all that God had warned him of. Adam was so close to God that God allowed him to name the animals, to have dominion over them. How wonderful; how much joy that must have brought God to know that His man, loved and honored Him. It was truly a marvelous time, but then things changed.

No defense against Eve

Adam had no defense against Eve. She was his love. God had given her to him. He did not expect such deception, such disobedience to God’s word from someone who had come from his very side. Eve was Adam’s blind spot. Eve was so close to Adam that he couldn’t see how it would even be possible for Eve to deceive him. The devil was able to get Eve’s attention, making her weak. She became a blind spot to Adam. She was so close to him, yet he couldn’t recognize the enemy using her.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour (I Peter 5:8). Adam had been deceived by his precious Eve.

We may eat

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die (Genesis 3:1-3).

Although God had given strict instructions about not eating, not touching the tree, the serpent found a way to discredit the word of Lord God Almighty. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil (Genesis 3:4-5).

Pleasant to the eyes

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat (Genesis 3:6). Blind Spots. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour (I Peter 5:8).

Why art thou wroth?

Because of Adam’s blindness, he and Eve were both driven from the Garden; and now the mind of their oldest son carried that blindness as well. When we fail to be sober to this hour, we will fail others as well, some of them our very own. Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door (Genesis 4:6, 7). The blindness continued and Cain slew his brother, Abel. Abel had a perfect heart of obedience. Cain was full of jealousy and hatred, committing murder. He ran for the rest of his life from those who would kill him.

Where did he come from?

The reason for many car accidents today is the inability to see the blind spot that may occur during driving. I am sure you have heard, Where did he come from? I didn’t see him until he came from my blind spot to the other side. Blind spots often occur when a driver is unable to see another vehicle on his or her side. The mirror must be positioned in such a way as to see all objects in your mirror. Even with all this, it may be necessary to physically turn all the way around to see that which may not be obvious. So much confidence is placed in our own abilities; in the fact that is the reason there are mirrors on each side of the car and one positioned in the rear, but if they are not positioned correctly, we still won’t be able to see correctly. We will be blindsided.

It is estimated that virtually all cars have "blind spots," places where it’s difficult to see cars close behind, to the left or right.

Blinded by loved ones

We can’t allow anything to block our view. We must see clearly in this last and final hour. We must know what or who our blind spots are. Matthew 10:34-36 says Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.

We must be rooted and grounded in the Lord. The enemy will use those very ones, close to us, to distract us from our mission. Through God’s Holy Word, we are told that this is a separating time and that no matter how close people are to us, we must separate our spirits from the wrong spirit. While we can’t control others, we must walk with God, no matter the cost. In this hour, we are either walking with God or walking away from Him. There is no middle ground. We will go one way or the other. Complete separation from the world is not an option, but a requirement. That requirement means there will be no compromise (for family members, friends, etc.) or there will be no chance of making the rapture.

A called out people

We are a called out people, called to go beyond salvation, water baptism and baby dedication. We must trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths (Proverbs 3:5, 6).

We must be totally separated into God, or we will be separated into the devil; totally separated into righteousness or to sin; totally separated into God’s holy chosen people or to the world. We must separate into the plan of God or He will push us out of His way.

Lot and his two daughters

What a heart wrenching time it was for Lot and his two daughters, which left the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. God had sent two angels to destroy the cities because of the gravity of their wickedness, yet He spared the lives of Lot, his wife and two daughters.

And the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the Lord (Genesis 18:20-22).

We will destroy this place

The great warning came forth to Lot. And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it. And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law (Genesis 19:12-14).

Lot was unprepared

Lot was unprepared for his wife to deceive him; he was unprepared for his life-long companion to go back on God.