How Does God Speak

HOW DOES GOD SPEAK?
I went to a Life in the Spirit Seminar the other night and the speaker was telling about a time when she had sold her house and had certain plans for the money but her ex-husband’s parents wanted her to do something else with it. She said when she brought the matter to prayer the Lord told her “Honor your father and your mother.” She told the Lord she didn’t think he understood — these were not her parents, these were in-laws. She had children and she had to provide for them and they needed a home, etc., etc. And the Lord said, “I love your children more than you do.” She heeded the voice and things have worked out well.
Time and time again when someone gives witness to a remarkable turnaround or rescue or healing they will say, “God said…” and I wish I could collar them and ask “exactly how” did God speak. “Did you hear an actual voice or was it just a feeling in your gut? Exactly how did Godtell you? ”
Long ago, in my early days in a prayer group, I was freed from my agoraphobia. I was ever so grateful and felt I had to witness to that wonderful healing but I hated, hated, hated speaking in public. I “just happened” to read in Sirach 4:31: “Do not let your hand be stretched out to receive and closed when it is time to give.” This really spoke to my heart and impelled me to speak up in the group and tell what God had done for me. So God ‘kinda’ spoke to me but that’s not what I understand when someone says “God told me…..”
Here was my opportunity. I had available a Godly woman, teaching about the workings of the Holy Spirit, saying that ‘God told her…’. I expected truth from her. So, of course, I asked, “Just how did God tell you? Did you hear a voice?” She explained that she had heard no voice, the words had just sort of come into her mind. This I completely understand as I have written previously about a similar experience of my own. But I would believe that God sometimes actually speaks in words to some people if I had never had a similar experience myself. There is just too much testimony to this from many trustworthy people, both in the bible and over the years of Christian history.
God called Samuel three times and Samuel thought it was Eli calling. On the third try, he said “Speak Lord I’m listening.”
In the New Testament God spoke to Peter while he was on the roof waiting for lunch. God said, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” (Acts 10:15)
In my copy of the “Notebooks” of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska the words of Jesus are in bold type. The text of her “Notebooks” is over 600 pages long and almost every page contains words in bold type. Jesus had a lot to explain to her about his mercy, and the portrait he wanted tohave painted depicting his mercy.
Consider Christ Otto who writes: “Three weeks ago I was doing my usual routine of prayer, Bible study, and quietly listening to God. Usually I begin the day with ‘Lord, what’s on your agenda today?’” he explained. “That day, my mind wandered a little, and I imagined hundreds of red envelopes in the mail room of the White House. On the back, a simple message stating that each envelope represented an innocent life lost. I took that idea, and sent it in an email to my 120 ministry supporters. They in turn, sent it to their friends.” The rest, as they say, is history. President Obama received thousands of red envelopes at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in February of this year.
How does one discern God’s will if there are no words and no visions? Wayne Jacobsen of Windblown Media which brought us the best seller, The Shack writes:
I have a running conversation with him about everything in my life and express my desire to follow his will at every turn. I immerse myself in the story of Scripture, learning how he thinks and acts. I have a steady diet of what God is showing others by what I read and listen to, and the conversations I have with others on this journey.
So how do I sort out his nudges from my own thoughts? Most nudges I get from his Spirit are simple ways of loving and serving people around me. I am not too worried about getting those wrong. There aren’t many downsides to serving others. But to have some measure of confidence to step out in a larger action he may be asking of me, I look for four things to to come into agreement:
1. An intuitive, growing conviction of his leading over time.
2. Affirmation in the truth and example of Scripture that this is how God works.
3. Confirmation from other brothers and sisters as I discuss it with them.
4. And the reality of unfolding circumstances.
When those voices are in synch, I have greater confidence that I am following him. But you know what? Sometimes all of these line up and I still get it wrong. That’s why people born of the Spirit rarely use language like, “God told me to…”, and will instead talk in terms of what they sense…..And while I’m willing to pay the consequences for being wrong, I also know he can weave my mistakes into his purposes.
How does God speak to us? He has spoken throughout the ages through his prophets. God spoke by sending his Word, when the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. He inspired the words of scripture and established a church to protect and interpret these words. He speaks through prophecy, dreams and visions. (Acts 2:17) He leads us through signs and coincidences. He speaks through the saints. He speaks through the testimony or ordinary people. He can speak through an actual voice, or an interior voice, or an inner feeling. The heavens themselves proclaim the glory of God. He even spoke to Balaam through an ass! (Numbers 22:28-30)
LISTEN.
~~~
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. — John 10:27.
If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. — Psalm 95.

http://www.musingsat85.com/myblog/ The writing of Dorothy Vining

Beware of the New Compassion

Beware the New Compassion
By Jennifer Hartline6/12/2009
Catholic Online
The new 'compassion' says that we must include and accept everyone, regardless of opinions, lifestyles, beliefs, actions or choices. I sense a growing weariness among Christians in the fierce cultural battles currently being waged, such as abortion and gay “marriage.” Does it seem like life would be so much easier if we stopped making a big deal about things and just let people do what they wanted? Live and let live, right? Isn’t that the compassionate attitude?

The accusation goes like this: if you dare to call something wrong or immoral, or if you insist that some things are inherently good and others are inherently evil and therefore should not be allowed, then you are being exclusive and insensitive, judgmental and without compassion. If you have the temerity to actually call something a sin, well, that’s the new capital offense. With regard to the most serious moral and social issues of our day, those with an anti-Christian agenda are trying to redefine compassion -- they equate compassion with tolerance and acceptance, and it just ain’t so. Beware the new “compassion.”

The new “compassion” says that we must include and accept everyone, regardless of their opinions or lifestyles, actions, beliefs or choices. We should simply agree to disagree, and stop being so critical. After all, doesn’t Jesus welcome everyone with open arms? It sounds good. It sounds kind and sympathetic. It sounds loving, even. It sounds pretty convincing. But I’m not convinced. Yes, Jesus surely did stretch His arms open wide and die for the salvation of all mankind, and absolutely no one was excluded from that sacrifice. It is for everyone who accepts it. Accepting the sacrifice means we accept the reason it was necessary in the first place: sin. Sin is a big deal! It’s deadly, serious stuff. So deadly that only God Himself could save us from it. Let’s not forget, though, that we are still accountable for the part we can do – we have to turn our backs on sin. We are supposed to “go and sin no more.” In a word, we have to repent. God calls us to repentance, as proof of His great compassion.

Imagine how hopeless we would all be if God had merely been sympathetic toward us instead of compassionate? We would still be lost if He had been tolerant and accepting. What if He had left us to be doomed to our eternal death without any hope? After all, the screw-up was ours. He was under no obligation to rescue us from our disobedience and pride. Yet, He is a loving Father, and His children were being devoured by the beast we shook hands with. He could not simply look on us with a sad sigh, accepting our sinfulness with tolerance. God is unchanging; holy and perfect. Sin can never stand in His presence, and He loves us far too much to ever tolerate anything that would keep us from Him. I am unutterably grateful that God is not tolerating and accepting! This is what makes our Father so amazing! Sin was killing us, and watering it down wasn’t the answer.

God dealt with sin not by making allowances for it, or making excuses for us. He didn’t lower His standards or adjust His expectations one iota. In His perfect justice He showed us compassion, and He met His own demands on our behalf. Christ died to set us all free from sin, but we will not be free if we remain slaves to it. “Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey – whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.” Romans 6:16-18 Our freedom comes through repentance. That’s the point – we can’t stay where we are, making allowances, making excuses for ourselves and others, trying to be tolerant. That’s not compassion. It’s a death sentence.

This new “compassion” is a cunning trick that says each of us can decide for ourselves what is right and wrong, but don’t be fooled. It is a lie from the pit of hell because it deceives us into tolerating sin and calling evil good. “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” Isaiah 5:20 We’re not doing anyone any favors by denying or “fudging” the reality of sin. God tells us quite specifically that certain things are sinful, whether we like it or not. And that’s precisely the problem – a lot of people don’t like it. The modern motto is that people should be able to live as they please without moral “imposition” from anyone else. I even hear Catholics saying the Church has no right to impose its beliefs or morality on anyone else. I strongly disagree – with the premise and the wording. The Church has every right, and more importantly, every obligation, to tell mankind of the danger of sin and the deadly consequences of indulging in it. That’s not “imposing morality.” It is the greatest demonstration of compassion. God desires that not one of His children be lost for eternity, and His people are charged with the mission of telling the world that each of us has a choice to make. “I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live…” Deut 30: 19

We must be motivated by the same love and compassion that compelled Christ to die for us. We cannot be afraid to call sin what it is. We will be scorned and called every name in the book for insisting that some things are wrong and sinful. We’ll be labeled judgmental, self-righteous and hateful. But consider this: do you leave your door unlocked and welcome the criminal who would rob your house and maybe even kill you? Satan is just such a thief. He comes to kill and destroy our souls and sin is his weapon. How, then, is it compassionate to welcome and tolerate the sin that threatens to kill? ----- Jennifer Hartline is a Catholic Army wife and stay-at-home mother of three precious kids who writes frequently on topics of Catholic faith and daily living. She is a contributing writer for Catholic Online.

Billy Graham's Prayer

Billy Graham's Prayer For Our Nation

THIS MAN SURE HAS A GOOD VIEW OF WHAT'S HAPPENING TO OUR COUNTRY!

'Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.. We have killed our unborn and called it choice.. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics.. We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and Set us free. Amen!'

Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program, 'The Rest of the Story,' and received a larger response to this program than any other he has ever aired. With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called 'One nation under God..'

To Sing, To Praise the Lord, is to Pray Twice

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBGChEkuC7E&feature=PlayList&p=B4478AE6332ACFE3&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=6

Spiritual Laws of Sowing and Reaping

DO NOT BE DECEIVED, GOD IS NOT MOCKED, FOR WHATEVER A MAN SOWS, THAT HE WILL ALSO REAP. - (Galatians 6:7

Spiritual Laws
God has decreed certain laws to govern the physical world, such as gravity, inertia, and relativity. These laws will not bend, break, or buckle. The same holds true in the spiritual world. Certain spiritual laws will always remain constant and consistent, such as the law of sowing and reaping. Absolutely no one is exempt from this law, not even King David.
The Bible tells us that as he was looking over the city from his palace one evening, he noticed a woman taking a bath. A quick inquiry confirmed that the woman was Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, a soldier serving in the king’s army. Inflamed with lust, David had her brought to the palace and committed adultery with her. Then David went on with his life . . until Bathsheba shared that she was pregnant (2 Samuel 11:1-5).
In an attempt to cover his tracks, David arranged for her husband to return from battle so he would sleep with his wife. When Uriah wouldn’t do it, David sent him back to the battlefront with a set of secret orders to engage the enemy and pull back from Uriah so the enemy could easily pick him off. Everything went according to plan. Uriah was killed and David married Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:6-27).
Everything seemed fine at first, but by sowing these sins, David would soon reap God’s rebuke. The Lord sent the prophet Nathan to confront and call David to repentance (2 Samuel 12:11).
David wasn’t exempt and neither are we. We need to put down whatever sins we’re entertaining in our private lives. If we don’t, we’re sure to suffer the consequences according to the spiritual law of sowing and reaping. " Think of what God's laws are of sowing and reaping."
How will you use David’s mistake to your advantage?

Living in the Light of Jesus

LIVING IN THE LIGHT OF JESUS"

A city set on a hill cannot be hidden." —Matthew 5:14

Once we commit our lives to Jesus and let our light shine publicly, there's no turning back. Our lives can no longer be hidden once we step out in faith as witnesses for Jesus on the job, in the neighborhood, in the public arena, etc.

When we come into the light to let the world know that we live in Jesus the Truth (Jn 3:21; 14:6), people are now watching us to see whether we will falter or stay faithful to Jesus. If we let our light shine before men, and then turn away from following Jesus and turn back to a worldly lifestyle, we are "unfit" to give glory to the kingdom of God.

The public credibility of the kingdom of God is at stake, and we are on display. We are vulnerable. We have put ourselves in a position where we desperately need the Holy Spirit day by day, moment by moment, to keep us "set aflame and burning bright. Satan will tempt us to take a "breather" by stepping out of the hot lights into the darkness (see Jn 3:19); however, stepping away from Jesus is the devil's trap. We must continually come to Jesus and never move away from Him. Jesus will always give us light. We must fix our eyes on Jesus the Light of the World. "Walk in light, as He is in the light."

Father, let the light of Your face shine on me that I may shine before men so that they may see my good works, and give praise to You.

"It is He Who anointed us and has sealed us, thereby depositing the first payment, the Spirit, in our hearts." —2 Cor 1:21-22

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MKDVx6oiKc&feature=PlayList&p=3EEFD09A373E82AE&index=0&playnext=1

Description of Heaven as seen by the Medjugorje Visionaries

Description of Heaven
All six of the Medjugorje visionaries have seen Heaven. They all have said that there are no words to describe the beauty of Heaven and if we knew what awaits us in Heaven, there are no difficulties or trials that we experience that won’t be worth eternal life in Heaven. The following description is of Heaven, through the words of the Medjugorje visionaries:
Vicka:
In describing Heaven in an interview with Fr. Livio for Radio Maria, Vicka explained that when they arrived at Heaven, there was a great big wooden door. She said that the door was closed, but when they arrived Our Lady opened it and they entered into Heaven. She said St. Peter was standing at the right of the door. Vicka said, “I immediately understood that it was him. With a key, rather small, with the beard, a little sturdy, with hair.”1
Fr. Bubalo asked Vicka to describe Heaven. She responded:
“…it can’t be described. That is something beyond description. It is filled with some sort of beautiful light…people…flowers…angels…All is filled with some indescribable joy. Your heart stands still when you look at it.”2
The following is taken from another interview with Vicka:
Question: “Vicka, tell us about Heaven
Vicka: “Heaven is a vast space, and it has a brilliant light which does not leave it. It is a life which we do not know here on earth. We saw people dressed in gray, pink, and yellow robes. They were walking, praying, and singing. Small angels were flying above them. The Blessed Mother showed us how happy these people are.
Question: How could you tell they were happy?
Vicka: “You can see it on their faces. But it is impossible to describe with words the great happiness I saw in Heaven…In Paradise, when the Blessed Mother passed, everybody responded to Her, and She to them. There was a recognition between them…They were standing there communicating with Her, like in a tunnel, only it wasn’t exactly like a tunnel, but a tunnel is the closest comparison. People were praying, they were singing, they were looking…People in Heaven know the absolute fullness of a created being.
Question: “How long were you there?
Vicka: “Maybe twenty minutes.
Question: “…Did the people talk to you?
Vicka: “It was very unusual. They were speaking, but I could not understand them…The people were in small groups. I was with Jakov and the Blessed Mother. We spoke to each other, but there was no communication with anyone else. About the people there, the Blessed Mother only said to us, ‘You see how people who are in Heaven are happy?’”3

.
Mirjana didn’t physically go to Heaven, but saw Heaven during an apparition. The following is her description of what she saw:
Mirjana: “I saw Heaven as if it were a movie. The first thing I noticed was the faces of the people there; they were radiating a type of inner light which showed how immensely happy they were.
Question: “Is Heaven an actual place?
Mirjana: “Yes. The trees, the meadows, the sky are totally different from anything we know on the earth. And the light is much more brilliant. Heaven is beautiful beyond any possible comparison with anything I know of on the earth.
Question: “Did the people you saw have bodies?
Mirjana: “Yes.
Question: “What ages were they?
Mirjana: “They were different from what we are like now. Perhaps they were all around 30 years of age…They were walking in a beautiful park. They have everything. They need or want nothing. They are totally full…They were dressed in the types of clothing that Jesus wore.”4
Mirjana was asked why Our Lady showed her Heaven. Mirjana answered:
“She told me many people on earth today do not believe Heaven exists. She said God has chosen us six visionaries to be instruments of His love and mercy. I have personally seen Heaven. It exists! I’ve seen it! Those who stay faithful to God to the end will see Heaven as a reward for their faithfulness.”5

.
Ivanka shared the following:
Question: “Did you see Heaven, hell, and Purgatory, Ivanka?
Ivanka: “I saw Purgatory and Heaven as a picture. I told the Blessed Mother I did not want to see hell.
Question: “What did Heaven look like?
Ivanka: “It is a place that is very, very beautiful. Most beautiful…Everyone I saw was filled with a happiness I can’t explain – and I can’t forget.
Question: “Do you long for that happiness yourself?
Ivanka: “I know some of that happiness when I am with the Blessed Mother, and when I pray.
Question: “Can you tell us more about Heaven?
Ivanka: “God made us for Heaven. If you pray, you will know that.”6

Marija states:
Question: “Were you taken to Heaven or were you shown a vision of Heaven?
Marija: “I had a vision of Heaven, but Jakov and Vicka were actually taken there.
Question: “When you saw the vision, were you in the rectory room? Or where?
Marija: “It was in the house of Jakov…It was like you watch a movie on screen or looking out a window. I saw a vision. I wasn’t actually there like the other visionaries…I have never seen such a picture before; no one can even begin to imagine how it looks…the people were around the flowers. They were all the same age. No one in Heaven is older than the age of Christ. People in Heaven were full of joy and all of them are giving thanks for the gifts given to them of God. Every day they realize how much love God has for them…There was a multitude of people.”7

Ivan, when asked about Heaven, stated:

“Heaven is worth any cost! Jesus showed us that, with His death on the Cross. His death was not the end. He rose from the dead, glorified to put an end to death forever for God’s children. People in Heaven are happy. They live in the fullness of God.”8

Jakov was the other visionary, along with Vicka, that was physically taken up to Heaven. He was only 11-years-old at the time. The following are from a series of interviews:
Question: “Will you tell us about Heaven.
Jakov: “When you get there, then you will see how it is.
Question: “You have said that the reason the Blessed Mother took you there was to show you what it would be like for those who remain faithful to God – would you tell us anymore?
Jakov: “If I thought about it too much – I would die of loneliness.”9
Question: “Tell us your understanding of Heaven.
Jakov: “I have been there. It is difficult for me to talk about it.
Question: “Is it difficult to live on earth once you have been in Heaven?
Jakov: “That is an understatement.
Question: “Jakov, you said that if you thought about Heaven too much, you would die of loneliness. How do you handle the memories of Heaven, hell, and Purgatory?
Jakov: “The Blessed Mother asks us to be careful of the problem of the tyranny of memories.
Question: “What does that mean?
Jakov: “She asks us to trust God’s love to make all things well. She asks us to surrender the past to Her maternal care and to remember only in the light of God’s love.”10

Description of Purgatory as seen by the Visionaries of Medjugorje.

Description of Purgatory




After the Medjugorje visionaries’ experiences with Purgatory, the responsibility of praying for the souls in Purgatory was placed very strongly in their hearts. Our Lady showed them how much the souls in Purgatory suffer and how much they depend upon our prayers. The following is their description of Purgatory.
Vicka was deeply upset by what she experienced in Purgatory. Seeing the sufferings of the souls in Purgatory that were abandoned, who had no one to pray for them, caused her great anguish. Vicka went to Our Lady and asked Her if she could help the poor souls in some way. Our Lady spoke to Vicka about the seriousness of what she was asking. Our Lady told Vicka before she would accept her request, she was to go to her spiritual director and confessor, Fr. Janko Bubalo, and talked to him about it. Fr. Bubalo asked Vicka to pray and fast for three days so that she might have the strength and perseverance to accept whatever suffering or sacrifice she might be given to help the poor suffering souls in Purgatory. After praying and fasting for three days, Fr. Bubalo gave Vicka permission to sacrifice for the suffering souls. Almost immediately after Vicka spoke to Our Lady about this, she was strickened down with a brain tumor, suffering greatly with severe pain, lapsing into deep comas that would last for hours. Vicka accepted this sickness and suffering with great joy, knowing that she was helping the souls in Purgatory that were suffering so greatly and in need of our prayers to get to Heaven. Documentation, multiple medical exams, x-rays, etc. showed unequivocal evidence of an inoperable brain cyst. Nothing could be done. Vicka did not even want to go to the doctors. At one point, doctors wanted her to go to the hospital in Zagreb for further testing and to see if something could be done. Vicka did not want to go and only went when Jakov asked Our Lady if she should go. Our Lady said:

November 15, 1982
“It is necessary to send Vicka to Zagreb.”

This amounted to more testing and more irrefutable evidence of a medical condition that could not be cured, a brain cyst in a part of her brain that would kill her if they tried to remove it.
The suffering she fasted for and asked for was so debilitating that Our Lady eventually told her a date she would be miraculously cured from the miraculous affliction for souls in Purgatory. Our Lady gave the exact date of her healing 6 months before it was to occur.1 Click here for Vicka’s healing. After reading Vicka’s description of Purgatory, you will understand why she sacrificed and went through immense, terrible suffering for souls in Purgatory. The harshness of her suffering was so severe that Our Lady took away the pain from Her for a 40 day period. This period, however, was a more difficult suffering for Vicka, as she had no apparitions for the entire period. It seems Our Lady knew the severity of how Vicka’s suffering needed a reprieve. But after the forty day period, Vicka missed the apparitions so much, she prayed and yearned to accept the miraculous affliction’s pain back with the apparitions. The following comes from the book Words From Heaven, which describes when Our Lady gave Vicka this choice.
Undated
“For several years the visionary, Vicka, had been suffering from an inoperable brain cyst which caused her terrible headaches. During the course of her illness, Our Lady continued to appear to her and once, on her way to the hospital in Zagreb, Our Lady offered her two choices, saying
‘I will give you health with no apparitions or I will give you your cross with apparitions.’
“Because she had been suffering so tremendously she chose health but later regretted it. After forty days of not having apparitions, Our Lady appeared to her and gave her the offer once again. She joyfully took her cross back.”2
Vicka says it is a joy to suffer for these souls in Purgatory.
“Purgatory is an endless space of ashy color. It was quite dark. I could feel people strangling and suffering there. The Blessed Mother told us we should be praying for souls stranded in Purgatory. She said only our prayers and sacrifices can release them from that place…The people there are helpless. They are really suffering. We can be like Jesus a little bit if we just do some voluntary penance for the souls on Purgatory, especially for the ones who are abandoned by their families on earth…I am aware of their suffering. I know some of their torment. I know how desperately they need our prayers. They are so lonely that it is almost sickening to remember those moments I was there. It is really a great joy to do penance for the poor souls because I know how much it helps them…And many of our family members who have died desperately need our prayers. The Blessed Mother says we must pray courageously for them so that they might go to Heaven. They are powerless to help themselves.

Mirjana’s description of Purgatory:
“There are several levels in Purgatory. The more you pray on earth, the higher your level in Purgatory will be…The lowest level is the closest to hell, where the suffering is the most intense. The highest level is closest to Heaven, and there the suffering is the least. What level you are on depends on the state of purity of your soul. The lower the level the people are on in Purgatory, the less they are able to pray and the more they suffer. The higher the level a person is in Purgatory, the easier it is for him to pray, the more he enjoys praying and the less he suffers…The Blessed Mother has asked us to pray for the souls in Purgatory. They are helpless to pray for themselves. Through prayer, we on earth can do much to help them. The Blessed Mother told me that when souls leave Purgatory and go to Heaven most go on Christmas Day.”4
“Many people were there. They were suffering immensely…They were normal people, all kinds. There was much physical suffering…I could see the people shivering, thrashing, and writhing in pain…I saw this place for a short time…The Blessed Mother was with me (during the vision). She explained to me that She wanted me to see Purgatory. She said so many people on earth today do not even know about Purgatory…I could not hear them. I only saw them. The Blessed Mother said so many people who die are quite abandoned by their loved ones. They cannot help themselves in Purgatory. They are totally dependent on the prayers and sacrifices of the generous people on earth who remember them. Our Blessed Mother hopes Her own children will help the souls in Purgatory by prayer and fasting and various penance for the poor souls to make restitution for them…Those who have died no longer have free will as they had on earth. They no longer have a body. It is no longer possible for them to make up for the things that they did when they had their body that hurt and harmed themselves and others. On July 24, 1982, the Blessed Mother said:‘We go to Heaven in full conscious of the separation of the body and soul. It is false to teach people that we are reborn many times and that we pass to different bodies. One is born only once. The body, drawn from the earth, decomposes after death. It never comes back to life again. Man receives a transfigured body. Whoever has done very much evil during his life can go straight to Heaven if he confesses, is truly sorry for what he has done, and receives Communion at the end of his life.’ Our Lady said that the souls in Purgatory can see their loved ones during those moments when we pray for them by name.”5

Ivanka was asked why did the Blessed Mother show her Heaven and Purgatory:

Ivanka: “She wants to remind Her children of the results of their choices here on earth.

Marija, through several interviews, describes Purgatory:

“Purgatory is a large place.. It is foggy. It is ash gray. It is misty. You cannot see people there. It is as if they are immersed in deep clouds. You can feel that the people in the mist are traveling, hitting each other. They can pray for us but not for themselves. They are desperately in need of our prayers. The Blessed Mother asks us to pray for the poor souls in Purgatory, because during their life here, one moment they thought there was no God, then they recognized Him, then they went to Purgatory where they saw there is a God, and now they need our prayers. With our prayers we can send them to Heaven. The biggest suffering that souls in Purgatory have is that they see there is a God, but they did not accept Him here on earth. Now they long so much to come close to God. Now they suffer so intensely, because they recognize how much they have hurt God, how many chances they had on earth, and how many times they disregarded God

Ivan speaks very little about his experiences in seeing Heaven, hell, and Purgatory. When asked about Purgatory, he shared the following:

“The Blessed Mother told me that those who go to Purgatory are those who prayed and believed only occasionally – that they were filled with doubt, that they were not certain that God exists. They did not know how to pray while on earth, or if they did know how, they did not pray…Souls in Purgatory suffer. If no one prays for them, they suffer even more.”8

Description of Hell as seen by four of the Medjugorje Visionaries

MEDJUGORJE

Description of hell
Only four of the six visionaries saw hell. Our Lady gave Mirjana and Ivanka the choice whether or not to see hell and they chose against it. Ivan and Marija both saw a vision of hell and all that Ivan will state is that he prefers not to discuss it. Vicka and Jakov were physically taken to hell by Our Lady. The following, through several interviews of the visionaries, is a detailed description of hell.

Vicka: “We saw many people in hell. Many are there already, and many more will go there when they die…The Blessed Mother says that those people who are in hell are there because they chose to go there. They wanted to go to hell…We all know that there are persons on this earth who simply don’t admit that God exists, even though He helps them, gives them life and sun and rain and food. He always tries to nudge them onto the path of holiness. They just say they don’t believe, and they deny Him. They deny Him, even when it is time to die. And they continue to deny Him, after they are dead. It is their choice. It is their will that they go to hell. They choose hell.
Question: “Describe hell as you remember it.
Vicka: “In the center of this place is a great fire, like an ocean of raging flames. We could see people before they went into the fire, and then we could see them coming out of the fire. Before they go into the fire, they look like normal people. The more they are against God’s will, the deeper they enter into the fire, and the deeper they go, the more they rage against Him. When they come out of the fire, they don’t have human shape anymore; they are more like grotesque animals, but unlike anything on earth. It’s as if they were never human beings before…They were horrible. Ugly. Angry. And each was different; no two looked alike…When they came out, they were raging and smashing everything around and hissing and gnashing and screeching.
Question: “Has seeing hell changed how you pray?
Vicka: “”Oh, yes! Now I pray for the conversion of sinners! I know what awaits them if they refuse to convert.”

Vicka: “People turn away from God by choices they make. In this way they choose to enter the fire of hell where they burn away all connection to God. That’s why they can never get back to God. It takes God’s mercy to get back to Him. In hell, they no longer have access to God’s mercy…They choose to destroy their beauty and goodness. They choose to be ugly and horrible. People do this all the time. Each choice that is against God, God’s Commandments, God’s Will, singes God’s image in us…They become one with hell even while they have their body. At death they go on as they were when they had a body.”2
The following is what Marija has shared about hell:

Question: “Marija, have you ever seen hell?
Marija: “Yes, it’s a large space with a big sea of fire in the middle. There are many people there. I particularly noticed a beautiful young girl. But when she came near the fire, she was no longer beautiful. She came out of the fire like an animal; she was no longer human. The Blessed Mother told me that God gives us all choices. Everyone responds to these choices. Everyone can choose if he wants to go to hell or not. Anyone who goes to hell chooses hell.
Question: “Marija, how and why does a soul choose hell for himself for all eternity?
Marija: “In the moment of death, God gives us the light to see ourselves as we really are. God gives freedom of choice to everybody during his life on earth. The one who lives in sin on earth can see what he has done and recognize himself as he really is. When he sees himself and his life, the only possible place for him is hell. He chooses hell, because that is what he is. That is where he fits. It is his own wish. God does not make the choice. God condemns no one. We condemn ourselves. Every individual has free choice. God gave us freedom.
Question: “Marija, what about people who grow up spiritually deceived, people who have been told that God does not exist, that there is no God?
Marija: “People, as they grow up, can think. Everyone knows and can recognize what is good and what is bad by the time they grow up. God gives us freedom of choice. We can choose good or bad. Everybody chooses here in this life whether he goes to Heaven or hell.
Question: “How do we choose Heaven or hell or Purgatory for ourselves?
Marija: “At the moment of death, God gives everyone the grace to see his whole life, to see what he has done, to recognize the results of his choices on earth. And each person, when he sees himself in the divine light of reality, chooses for himself where he belongs. Every individual chooses for himself what he personally deserves for all eternity.

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Question: “Jakov, did you see hell? Jakov: “Yes. Question: “Can you tell us about it? Jakov: “Very seldom do I talk about hell…I choose not to think about hell. The self-chosen suffering there is beyond your ability to comprehend.Question: “Does it cause you pain? Jakov: “More than you can understand…Because no one needs to go to hell. It is the ultimate waste. Question: “What can people do to keep from going to hell? Jakov: “Believe in God, no matter what happens in a lifetime.

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COMMENT: I decided to post this article today because most of us don't want to think about Hell, much less speak about it. Many people today do not believe that Hell exist. But wether you believe it or not,- it does not change the fact that it does exist. God in his love, wisdom, and mercy gave us His Commandants which are Life to those who embrace them. He also gave us free will to choose the path we wish to follow. We have the choice of Fire or Water, Heaven or Hell. Eternal life, or Eternal death. It is good for us to reflect upon this Truth while there is still time for us to repent and change our ways. Our Lady has said many times in her messages in Medjugorje, "Choose life" and Decide for God.

I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh

And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh
- (Joel 2:28
The prophecy above was delivered by the prophet Joel sometime around 800 B.C. It’s a prophecy packed with a promise that was almost unthinkable at the time: God would pour out His Spirit on all flesh-men and women, young and old.
This was amazing because, up until that time, God’s Spirit had only come upon certain people for certain situations, such as Moses’ elders (Numbers 11:25) and Samson (Judges 14:19). It had been like that for many centuries until God’s Spirit was poured out upon the early church:

Suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:2-4

Bystanders couldn’t figure out what was happening and assumed that the first disciples were drunk.- Peter stood up and set the record straight:
"But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ’And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. . . . I will pour out My Spirit in those days . . . .’" (Acts 2:16-18

Joel’s prophecy had been fulfilled and continues to be fulfilled as we who comprise the Christian church are filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). True to His Word, God has poured out His Spirit on all flesh-men and women, young and old, Jew and Gentile. Anyone from anywhere can experience the blessing of God’s Spirit if he or she is in Christ (Galatians 3:28).
Have you experienced the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy in your life?
If not, ask the Lord to pour out His Spirit upon you.

O Holy Spirit of greatest power, Come down upon us and subdue us; From Thy glorious mansion in the heavens, Thy light effulgent shed on us.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeP8R68p8uo&feature=related

Living in the Word of God

Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.
- (Proverbs 4:23

The book of Proverbs places a strong emphasis on the human heart. This is reflected in the fact that the word ’heart’ appears 81 times amid the 31 chapters in this book. The reason for this is revealed in the verse above, which admonishes us to guard our hearts because the issues of life spring from them. I appreciate how this reads in a more contemporary translation:
More than any other part of your body, your heart dictates what you do. For this reason, Solomon said to guard it. Guard it against what? Against its own natural tendency to move away from the standard of God’s Word.
Jeremiah 17:9 tells us that the heart is desperately wicked (literally, fraudulent) above all things. If you’re not grounded in the Word, your heart can deceive you by telling you that you’re right when you’re actually wrong.
Christians who have made poor choices with their lives’choices that were so blatantly wrong when compared to God’s Word.
’But we were in love. It felt so right inside. My heart was telling me to pick up the phone and invite her over.’ That’s what the heart will do when we aren’t on guard against its tendency to tell us that we’re right when we’re wrong.
The only way you’ll know you’re wrong is by consistently being in God’s Word and submitting to it as the standard for what’s wrong and what’s right. When you allow the Scriptures to have preeminent authority over your life, you’re also guarding your most pivotal part’your heart.
What are you to guard your heart against? How will you do this?
When has your heart told you that you were right when you were actually wrong?

Pray to the Holy Spirit, ask him to sent you His Spirit of Truth.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2j5Ve0_rTg

The poor widow gave all she had.

"I want you to observe that this poor widow contributed more than all the others who donated to the treasury. They gave from their surplus wealth, but she gave from her want, all that she had to live on." —Mark 12:43-44

Who makes the greatest contributions to the building of God's kingdom on earth as it is in heaven? It's not the official religious leaders who give from their surplus, but the little people — the widows and the poor — who give their all to the Lord. When little poor people give their small all, Jesus multiplies that all to feed the masses and renew the face of the earth.

"God chose those whom the world considers absurd to shame the wise; He singled out the weak of this world to shame the strong. He chose the world's lowborn and despised, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who were something" (1 Cor 1:27-28). The Lord continues to choose the small to the present day. He still chooses teenage girls from villages like Nazareth to change the world. He still takes broken, blind men like Tobit and turns all things to the good for those who love Him (Rm 8:28).

Like Job, you may be crushed by tragedies. If you give your all to the Lord, you will bear much fruit for the Kingdom (Jn 12:24). Jesus made Himself small by emptying Himself in the Incarnation, and He gave His all by dying on the cross. Let us follow in His footsteps.

Father, I love You with all my heart, all my soul, all my mind, and all my strength.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for me.

St. Norbert was once known for his pleasure-seeking lifestyle. He was touched by the Living God, gave all that he had to the poor, and led a life of penance.

Come Holy Spirit and teach me Your ways.

Pope Benedict echoes the Messages of Medjugorje

By Stephen K. Ryan
Yesterday, Pope Benedict XVI surprisingly echoes the "Messages" of Medjugorje in a short speech to the faithful.
After the Solemnity of Pentecost Mass that he presided over yesterday in St. Peter's Basilica, the Holy Father appeared at the widow of his study to pray the Regina Coeli (or “Queen of Heaven,” an ancient Latin Marian Hymn) with faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square. He also had some interesting words to say about the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Pope Benedict XVI spoke of “Our Lady's” special role as the intercessor and a powerful reinforcement from the Holy Spirit. He said "Let us, in Mary's school, learn to recognise the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, to listen to His inspiration and humbly to follow it".
But echoes of Medjugorje in Pope Benedict XVI homily?
We think so.
First, it is important to understand the Holy Father is quite familiar with Medjugorje and the alleged apparitions of the Virgin Mary that have taken place there. Some even claim this Pope has been instrumental in allowing the fruits of Medjugorje to continue to grow. During the late 90s, as Cardinal Schonbornof Austria was visiting Cardinal Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI0 in Rome, he told Cardinal Ratzinger: “If one day you close down Medjugorje, I'll have to close down my Seminary in Vienna because the great majority of my seminarians received their calling through Medjugorje.” Cardinal Ratzinger replied immediately: "We have no plan to close down Medjugorje!"
We find it significant that the Pope spoke of "Mary's School" and he talked about her "Teachings" and in this context it seemed that many of his points came straight from the "messages" of Medjugorje.
The Pope first spoke of the importance of prayer to our spiritual life. In fact he says "she teaches us this"
The Pope calls for "for the Church to be less preoccupied with activities and more dedicated to prayer." "Mary Most Holy, the Mother of the Church and Bride of the Holy Spirit, teaches us this, Explaining the importance of this celebration, the Pope noted that "what air is for biological life, the Holy Spirit is for the spiritual life." He continued, "As there is air pollution, that poisons the environment and living things, there is also pollution of the heart and the spirit that mortifies and poisons spiritual existence." The Holy Father encouraged his listeners to not be complacent "about that which corrupts the spirit."
Now from the "Messages" from Medjugorje, messages given to the world by the Queen of Peace on the importance of prayer to our spiritual life. These words, her "teachings" if you will, seem to echo the words of the Pope:
Please, do not let my heart weep with tears of blood because of the souls who are lost in sin. Therefore, dear children, pray, pray, pray! ... I invite you to surrender to God. In this season I specially want you to renounce all the things to which you are attached but which are hurting your spiritual life. Therefore, little children, decide completely for God, and do not allow Satan to come into your life through those things that hurt both you and your spiritual life...Pray for the Holy Spirit to inspire you with the spirit of prayer, so you will pray more. I, your Mother, tell you that you are praying little.
The Holy Father in his speech yesterday, then talked about the importance of Listening to God in silence
"If we do not want Pentecost to be reduced to a mere ritual or to a suggestive commemoration," he said, in order that it can become a "real event of salvation," we must "predispose ourselves to God's gift in religious openness" through a "humble and silent listening to God's Word."
Messages from Medjugorje on Listening to God in silence :
Therefore, from today, decide to consecrate a time in the day only for an encounter with God in silence. In that way you will be able, with God, to witness my presence here.
The Pope on Humans acting as if they our their own Creators:
Today, the Pope asserted, "human beings seem to claim themselves as gods and want to transform the world excluding, putting aside or simply rejecting the Creator of the universe."
"Man no longer wants to be the image of God," he said, "but the image of himself; he declares himself autonomous, free, adult."
"Obviously that reveals an inauthentic relationship with God, the consequence of a false image that has been constructed of him," the Pontiff affirmed.
The Messages from Medjugorje on humans acting as if they our their own Creators:Dear children! I invite you to reflect about your future. You are creating a new world without God, only with your own strength and that is why you are unsatisfied and without joy in the heart. Civilization progress has been made , but without God, as if they were their own creators."
The Pope on Fear and Love:
Speaking of the story of the first Pentecost, in which the Apostles were given the courage to preach the Gospel, the Holy Father noted that "the Holy Spirit overcomes fear."
After Pentecost, the Apostles "had no fear, because they felt that they were in stronger hands," he said.
Benedict XVI continued: "Where the Spirit of God enters, he chases out fear; he makes us know and feel that we are in the hands of an Omnipotence of love: whatever happens, his infinite love will not abandon us.
Message from Medjugorje on Love and Fear:
Love and don't be afraid, my children, because there is no fear in love. If your hearts are open to the Father and if they are full of love toward him, then why any fear of what is to come? Those who are afraid are the ones who do not love because they are waiting for punishments and because they know how empty and hard they are. Children, I am leading you to love, to the dear Father. I am leading you to eternal life. Eternal life is my Son. Receive him and you have received love. ”
The Pope's speech about the importance of "Our Lady's" teachings for our spiritual health seemed to us very heartfelt, and we sense that the "Queen of Peace" was somewhere in his thoughts. We also wonder if the Pope indeed believes Medjugorje is in fact "Mary's School".

Fr. Danko's Commentary on Our Lady's Message of May 25, 2009

Fr. Danko's commentary on Our Lady's May 25, 2009 message to the world as provided by the Information Center in Medjugorje.

PRAY FOR THE COMING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT" Dear children! In this time, I call you all to pray for the coming of the Holy Spirit upon every baptized creature, so that the Holy Spirit may renew you all and lead you on the way of witnessing your faith – you and all those who are far from God and His love. I am with you and intercede for you before the Most High. Thank you for having responded to my call." Message of May 25, 2009

Before his Ascension Jesus told his disciples not to leave Jerusalem , but to wait for the promise given by his Father that they would receive the strength of the Holy Spirit and would be His witnesses not only in Jerusalem , but to the ends of the earth. After he said this, he was taken up to his Father (cf. Acts 1:4-9). The disciples and apostles were preparing for this coming through prayer. They were not alone. Mary, the Mother of Jesus, was with them. Among those present she was the only one who had the fullness of the Holy Spirit that had come upon her at the conception of Jesus. She must have encouraged the disciples to abandon fear and to take practice of fervent prayer.

Before the coming of the Holy Spirit the apostles and disciples were timid, fearful. When the Holy Spirit came upon them, they changed. From timid disciples they were transformed into fearless witnesses of Christ. They witnessed what they had seen and heard when they were with Jesus. The flame of love and truth lit inside them encouraged them to immediately start announcing the Joyful News. In her message of 25 May 2009 Our Lady calls us also to pray for the coming of the Holy Spirit upon every baptized creature. We have become the children of God through baptism and have entered into communion with Jesus and his act of redemption.

Our Lady calls us to pray because prayer is a means that opens our hearts so that the Spirit of God can operate in it. Opening up to the Holy Spirit leads to a renewal of spiritual life encouraging us to bear witness to our faith. We, Christians, have been called to be carriers of the message of God in this world, of the Word of God and to spread the acts of the love of God. Mary, our mother and intercessor, the teacher of prayer to the Holy Spirit helps us to do this. Together with Mary we pray that the Spirit of the Truth and Love operates in us and around us, that it teaches us and makes us stronger in order for us to live a new life doing the will of God. Fr.Danko Perutina -Medugorje 26/05/2009

Medjugorje: Our Lady's June 2nd message to Mirjana

Dear children!

My love seeks your complete and unconditional love, which will not leave you the same as you are, instead it will change you and teach you to trust in my Son. My children, with my love I am saving you and making you true witnesses of the goodness of my Son. Therefore, my children, do not be afraid to witness love in the name of my Son. Thank you. June 2, 2009

Baptized in the Holy Spirit--Pray and Ask and it shall be given to You.

BAPTIZED IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
by Harold Cohen, S.J.
Prior to His ascension Jesus told His apostles, "Before many days you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit." He added, "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses" (Acts 1:5-8). The Apostles prayed for the coming of the Holy Spirit with Mary, the mother of Jesus, aand a group of about one hundred and twenty. On Pentecost they were "baptized with the Holy Spirit" and were transformed into new creatures, bold witnesses for Christ.
Pentecost comes to each of us in the Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. In Baptism we receive the Holy Spirit and become God�s children and members of the body of Christ. In Confirmation we receive a new fullness of the Spirit and are empowered to serve the Church and bear witness to Jesus.
Often we do not allow the Spirit we have received to be as active in us as He wants to be. To use an analogy, He is like chocolate syrup poured into a glass of milk--it goes to the bottom of the glass until stirred up. But when it is stirred up, it permeates the milk and transforms it into something new. We can learn how to "stir up" the Spirit--and how to receive more of Him--from Jesus in the Gospels:
"If anyone thirst, let him come to Me, let him drink who believes in Me. As the scripture has said, �Out of His heart shall flow rivers of living water.� Now He said this about the Spirit which those who believed in Him were to receive" (John 7:37-39). "If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" (Luke 11:13)
The Lord teaches us that first we must thirst for God; we must desire more and more of His Spirit. Then we must believe that Jesus is faithful to His promises and will indeed give us His Holy Spirit. Finally, we must ask God for the Holy Spirit. We must pray with perseverance, asking, seeking, knocking, believing that "everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened" (Luke 11:10). We can follow the example of the early Church by praying for the Spirit in union with Mary and the apostles as they did at the first Pentecost (see Acts 1:12-14).
What can we expect when we are "Baptized with the Holy Spirit" ? We can expect an immediate or gradual experience of deeper union with God, our loving Father and with Jesus, our Lord and Friend; a fresh appreciation of Scripture; a greater love for others and a desire for Christian fellowship; the fuller presence in our lives of the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience and more (see Galatians 5:22-23); the receptions of one or more of the Charismatic gifts of the Spirit such as discernment, service, prophecy, praying in tongues, healing (see 1 Corinthians 12-14). This gift of a new fullness of the Holy Spirit is, I believe, the grace of our age.

"Ask and it will be given to you!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiRq0yh8_t0&feature=PlayList&p=7F57990C8F6522C7&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=42

What is the Holy Spirit Saying

WHAT IS THE SPIRIT SAYING?

Ralph Martin recalls a meeting with John Paul II Because of my role in lay renewal movements I have had many opportunities to be with the Pope over the years and it has always been a source of inspiration and strength. I recall in the mid - 1990s, a very special moment after a morning Mass celebrated by the Pope in his private chapel. I had the opportunity to give him a copy of a new book I had written, The Catholic Church at the End of the Age: What is the Spirit Saying? The Pope took it, looked at the cover and said "I've already read it." And then he asked me:"What is the Spirit saying to the Church today?" I knew he didn't want the whole 300 page answer and I felt that the Spirit gave me one word to say in response to his question. "Holy Father I think what the Spirit is saying to the Church today is 'Jesus.'" He took my hand and simply said in response, "Jesus." It wasn't a question or even a statement, but seemed to be a prayer an affirmation, a cry a hope. And then I simply said in response, "Jesus." And then he said again, "Jesus." And for a few minutes we stood there together holding hands, saying the holy name of Jesus together in adoration, in thanksgiving, in communion, in proclamation, in intercession. Thanks be to God for the ministry of Pope John Paul II. May we continue to plumb the depths of the direction in which he has pointed us!
This account appeared in the March/April 2003 edition of Good News

Today is the great feast day of Pentecost:- Come, Holy Spirit

THE GREATEST PENTECOST" - All were filled with the Holy Spirit." —Acts 2:4

Today is Pentecost. It is not merely a reminder of a past event, but a continuation of the Spirit renewing the face of the earth (Ps 104:30). Today's Pentecost will not be a shadow of the first Pentecost, rather the first Pentecost is a shadow of today's Pentecost. God's grace is abounding all the more (see Rm 5:20). The Spirit is not diminishing His work in our world, but increasing it. It will not be only thousands who come to Jesus today (see Acts 2:41), but millions. The waters of the Spirit become deeper as they flow further around the world and into history.

Totally surrender your life to Jesus. Renounce Satan and all His works. Repent of sin. Ask for the Spirit. Ask Spirit-filled believers to lay hands on you. Receive the Spirit. As you receive prayers for the Spirit, express your love for the Lord by praising Him in your native language and in other languages. Go out and tell others about your love for Jesus. Pentecost begins by taking little steps of repentance, prayer, praise, and evangelization. If you obey the Lord, you won't stifle the Spirit. Pentecost is now. The greatest Pentecost is now. Come, Holy Spirit!

Father, give me the gifts to praise You in tongues, to prophesy, and to evangelize.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbsheBwT7YY

The 1975 Rome Prophecies

Pope Jonh Paul with Ralph Martin

Prophecies Given At St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome, Italy
During the Closing Eucharistic Celebrations (Pentecost Monday 1975)
of the International Conference of the
Catholic Charismatic Renewal


"Because I love you I want to show you what I am doing in the world today. I want to prepare you for what is to come. Days of darkness are coming on the world, days of tribulation… Buildings that are now standing will not be standing. Supports that are there for my people will not be there. I want you to be prepared, My people, to know only me and to cleave to me and to have me in a way deeper than ever before. I will lead you into the desert…. I will strip you of everything that you are depending on now, so you depend just on me. A time of darkness is coming on the world, but a time of glory is coming for my church, a time of glory is coming for my people. I will pour out on you all the gifts of My Spirit. I will prepare you for spiritual combat; I will prepare you for a time of evangelism that the world has never seen. And when you have nothing but Me, you will have everything: land, fields, homes and brothers and sisters and love and joy and peace more than ever before. Be ready, my people, I want to prepare you…"
"I speak to you of the dawn of a 'new age' for My church. I speak to you of a day that has not been seen before...Prepare yourselves for the action that I begin now, because things that you see around you will change; the combat that you must enter now is different; it is new. You need wisdom from Me that you do not yet have."
"You need the power of my Holy Spirit in a way that you have not possessed it; you need an understanding of My will and of the ways that I work that you do not yet have. Open your eyes, open your hearts to prepare yourselves for Me and for the day that I have now begun. My church will be different; My people will be different; difficulties and trials will come upon you. The comfort that you know now will be far from you, but the comfort that you will have is the comfort of My Holy Spirit. They will send for you, to take your life, but I will support you. Come to Me. Band yourselves together, around Me. Prepare, for I proclaim a new day, a day of victory and of triumph for your God. Behold, It is begun."
"...I will renew my Church. I will renew my people. I will make My people one. I am calling you to turn away from the pleasure of the world. I am calling you to turn away from seeking the approval of the world in your lives. I want to transform your lives...I have word for My church. I am sounding My call. I am forming a mighty army...My power is upon them. They will follow My chosen shepherd(s)..."
"Be the shepherds I have called you to be...I am renewing My church. I will free the world."
"Know that I, your God, brought Peter and Paul to Rome to witness to My glory. I have chosen you also and have brought you to Rome to bear witness to My glory, confirmed now by your shepherd. Go forth to the healing of the nations. Know that I am with you; and though you may pass through tribulation and trial, I will be with you even to the end. I am preparing a place for you in glory. Look to Me and I will deliver you from the power of the evil one. Behold I am with you now, all days, even till the end of time.
"...You have know the truth these days. You have experienced the truth these days. It is clear to you at this moment what the truth is. It is the truth of My kingdom, My kingdom that will prevail...I want you to take that truth, to rest in that truth, to believe in that truth, not to compromise it, not to lose it in confusions, not to be timid about it, but to stand simply, in love, firmly rooted in the truth as foundation stones upon which My church can have new life and new power." ( Prophecy recieved by Ralph Martin)

The Holy Spirit is preparing our Hearts

The Holy Spirit has been warning me." —Acts 20:23

We are halfway through the Pentecost Novena. By this time in the novena, the Holy Spirit has been quite active. The Holy Spirit has been working on preparing our hearts for Pentecost. The Spirit has been consoling us, instructing us (Jn 14:26), leading us to the truth (Jn 16:13), and warning us about repentance and other changes we must make (Acts 20:23).

As the novena continues, the Spirit will be helping us pray, for we know not how to pray as we ought (Rm 8:26). The Spirit will fight against our sinful flesh (Gal 5:17), prompting us to repent more deeply and giving us a greater desire to be holy. The Holy Spirit will give us a greater thirst for Jesus (Jn 7:37-39).

Then Jesus will pour out the Spirit in ever greater abundance on us, for "He does not ration His gift of the Spirit" (Jn 3:34). In turn, the Spirit will lead us to the Father, inspiring us to "cry out, 'Abba!' (that is, 'Father')" (Rm 8:15).

Then the Father will pour out His love "in our hearts through the Holy Spirit" (Rm 5:5) and Jesus will Baptize us anew in the Holy Spirit (Mk 1:8). As Pentecost approaches, we should be so immersed in Trinitarian love that we will literally be "filled with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:4).

In five days, the Holy Spirit will be poured out anew at Pentecost. The Holy Spirit is warning you (Acts 20:23) to prepare for an outpouring beyond anything you can ask for or imagine (Eph 3:20). "Follow the Spirit's lead" (Gal 5:25).

Prayer: Father, I set my heart on the gifts of the Spirit (1 Cor 14:1).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2j5Ve0_rTg

Our Lady's Medjugorje message of May 25, 2009--Pray for the coming of the Holy Spirit.

Message of May 25, 2009
Dear children! In this time, I call you all to pray for the coming of the Holy Spirit upon every baptized creature, so that the Holy Spirit may renew you all and lead you on the way of witnessing your faith – you and all those who are far from God and His love. I am with you and intercede for you before the Most High. Thank you for having responded to my call.

*A Reflection (by Sr. Isabel)*
There is a time and a season for everything. This is the time and the season during which we pray for a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Our Lady invites us to pray for the coming of the Holy Spirit anew in the life of every baptized person. We received the Holy Spirit at our baptism and were strengthened in the Holy Spirit at our Confirmation. But, every day we need new strength and new wisdom of the Holy Spirit. With Pentecost on Sunday, we have time to pray fervently for the gifts of the Holy Spirit that we need to be the witnesses of our faith in our daily lives. We probably won't be called to any heroic kind of witness such as martyrdom, but we are called daily to live our lives in such a way that we radiate the Holy Spirit. Our Lady is the Spouse of the Holy Spirit and the Help of all Christians. If we ask her, she will intercede for us and assist us in responding to the Holy Spirit each day..

Within a few days you will be Baptized in the Holy Spirit.

No sooner had He said this than He was lifted up before their eyes in a cloud which took Him from their sight." —Acts 1:9

When the Holy Spirit is mentioned, the evil spirit tries to change the subject. Jesus promised: "Within a few days you will be Baptized with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 1:5).

The apostles responded by asking: "Lord, are You going to restore the rule to Israel now?" When the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the people responded: "They have had too much new wine!" (Acts 2:13)

When Jesus mentioned the Holy Spirit for the final time, He ascended into heaven (Acts 1:8-9). This may have been Jesus' way of indelibly impressing on us His last reference to the Spirit. When someone ascends into heaven, we have the tendency to remember their final words. Thus, the disciples took to heart Jesus' last reference to the Spirit. They waited and prayed for the coming of the Spirit.

The Holy Day celebration of Jesus' ascension serves to help us fix our eyes on Jesus. When we, with the eyes of faith, see Him ascend, we keep our attention on the Holy Spirit and receive the Spirit in power (see 2 Kgs 2:9-10; Sir 48:11-12). When we are baptized in, immersed in, preoccupied with Jesus, we don't change the subject; we let the Spirit change us.

Prayer: Father, may I refuse to take my eyes off of the ascended Jesus. May I soon receive the Spirit in a new way.

Promise: "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes down on you." —Acts 1:8

Praise You, risen and ascended Jesus, for sending Your Spirit. Come, Holy Spirit! Alleluia!

Prayers to the Holy Spirit:- Come, Sweet Holy Spirit

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

On my knees before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses, I offer myself, soul and body to You, Eternal Spirit of God. I adore the brightness of Your purity, the unerring keenness of Your justice, and the might of Your love. You are the Strength and Light of my soul. In You I live and move and am. I desire never to grieve You by unfaithfulness to grace and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against You. Mercifully guard my every thought and grant that I may always watch for Your light, and listen to Your voice, and follow Your gracious inspirations. I cling to You and give myself to You and ask You, by Your compassion to watch over me in my weakness. Holding the pierced Feet of Jesus and looking at His Five Wounds, and trusting in His Precious Blood and adoring His opened Side and stricken Heart, I implore You, Adorable Spirit, Helper of my infirmity, to keep me in Your grace that I may never sin against You. Give me grace, O Holy Spirit, Spirit of the Father and the Son to say to You always and everywhere, "Speak Lord for Your servant heareth." Amen.

PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
O Lord Jesus Christ Who, before ascending into heaven did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish Your work in the souls of Your Apostles and Disciples, deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me that He may perfect in my soul, the work of Your grace and Your love. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom that I may despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal, the Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind with the light of Your divine truth, the Spirit of Counsel that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining heaven, the Spirit of Fortitude that I may bear my cross with You and that I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation, the Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God and know myself and grow perfect in the science of the Saints, the Spirit of Piety that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable, and the Spirit of Fear that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may dread in any way to displease Him. Mark me, dear Lord, with the sign of Your true disciples and animate me in all things with Your Spirit. Amen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vlrn7mVqrw&feature=PlayList&p=C4222DE1B1CDF1D3&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=13

Ray of Light: Father John Randall said, When the Holy Spirit is in the Church, he makes Jesus come alive in the Church.

RAY OF LIGHT: Father John F. Randall’s goal of illuminating the importance of the Holy Spirit in Catholics’ lives inspired him to write the book “No Spirit, No Church.” Father Randall said “When the Holy Spirit is in the Church, he makes Jesus come alive in the Church.”

Priest’s new book offers insight on Holy Spirit’s gifts
Posted May 21, 2009
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BY LAURA KILGUS, Staff Writer
PROVIDENCE, R. I. - Rhode Island Catholic Magazine

A new book written by Father John F. Randall offers theological and practical examination of the gift of the Holy Spirit in the Church, and aims to help people see the importance of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
Father Randall, pastor emeritus at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Providence, explained that the title of his book, “No Spirit, No Church,” comes from his early experience hearing the phrase "the poor and forgotten Holy Spirit."
"We knew the Father and Jesus fairly well, but we were not that well acquainted with the Holy Spirit," Father Randall wrote in the preface. "In 1962, Blessed Pope John XXIII called the second Vatican Council on, as he said ‘an inspiration of the Holy Spirit.' He wanted to open the windows and let a fresh wind of the Holy Spirit blow through the Church."
Father Randall said that the pope had delegated Western theologians to develop a first draft of “the Constitution on the Church.”
"When the Council opened, bishops from the East, who always had a living devotion to the Holy Spirit, read the draft and were horrified — there was little not mention of the Holy Spirit in it," said Father Randall "They said, 'No Spirit, no church!’ and rejected the document. Subsequently, the Council fathers came up with the new version giving the Holy Spirit his due — the beautiful ‘Dogmatic Constitution on the Church: Lumen Gentium.’”
Father Randall explained that “Lumen Gentium” paved the way for a "mass infusion" of the Holy Spirit into the life of the Catholic Church.
“Lumen Gentium” states that, “When the work which the Father gave the Son to do on earth was accomplished, the Holy Spirit was sent on the day of Pentecost in order that he might continually sanctify the Church, and thus, all those who believe would have access through Christ in one Spirit to the Father.”
Father Randall began writing his book on the vigil of Pentecost three years ago, in 2006. He was recovering from hip replacement surgery and was watching EWTN when he saw Pope Benedict XVI in St. Peter's Square with 400,000 young people from different Holy Spirit movements.
“I thought to myself, ‘Wow, the Holy Spirit is at the heart of the Church.’"
Father Randall explained that his spirit "had fallen to the cellar," the next day, on Pentecost Sunday, when he did not hear or see a single reference to the Holy Spirit.
"My sister Mary, a Sister of St. Joseph, asked me, 'What are you going to do about it?’" Father Randall recalled. "I've seen what the Spirit can do and what happens when he is present and I have seen what happens when he is not present."
Father Randall says that his goal was not to write a book, but to give the Holy Spirit his due in the Church.
Ralph Martin, president of Renewal Ministries and the host of the weekly television program, “The Choices We Face,” said that he is grateful that Father Randall put a “lifetime of experience and wisdom into his new book.”
“It is truly a gift for the Church,” Martin said.
Father Randall expressed how pleased he was with how the book came out, released just in time for Pentecost — and as the well-known priest added — "in God's timing."
"The Holy Spirit makes things blossom and bloom," Father Randall said. "Where it is not, things die and wither. What the Holy Spirit does in the Church is the same thing he did to Mary. He implanted the Son of God into her womb so that Jesus come alive in her. When the Holy Spirit is in the Church, he makes Jesus come alive in the Church."
“No Spirit, No Church,” is available at all local Catholic bookstores in Rhode Island, as well as at the La Salette Shrine in North Attleboro, Mass.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbsheBwT7YY

Medjugorje: Our Lady calls us to prepare for the coming of the Holy Spirit.

This call to conversion, to mend our ways, to freshen ourselves, to wash ourselves clean, to prepare for and allow the Holy Spirit to enter our lives once more, is echoed throughout Our Lady’s messages from Medjugorje.

Dear children! Today I invite you to open yourselves to God by means of prayer so the Holy Spirit may begin to work miracles in you and through you. I am with you and I intercede before God for each one of you because, dear children, each one of you is important in my plan of salvation. I invite you to be carriers of good and peace. God can give you peace only if you convert and pray. Therefore, my dear little children, pray, pray, pray and do that which the Holy Spirit inspires you. Thank you for having responded to my call. May 25, 1993

Dear children! Today I call you, through prayer and sacrifice, to prepare yourselves for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Little children, this is a time of grace and so, again, I call you to decide for God the Creator. Allow Him to transform and change you. May your heart be prepared to listen to, and live, everything which the Holy Spirit has in His plan for each of you. Little children, allow the Holy Spirit to lead you on the way of truth and salvation towards eternal life. Thank you for having responded to my call. May 25, 1998

Dear children! I rejoice with you and in this time of grace I call you to spiritual renewal. Pray, little children, that the Holy Spirit may come to dwell in you in fullness, so that you may be able to witness in joy to all those who are far from faith. Especially, little children, pray for the gifts of the Holy Spirit so that in the spirit of love, every day and in each situation, you may be closer to your fellow-man; and that in wisdom and love you may overcome every difficulty. I am with you and I intercede for each of you before Jesus. Thank you for having responded to my call. May 25, 2000

Dear children! Also today I call you to prayer. Renew your personal prayer, and in a special way pray to the Holy Spirit to help you pray with the heart. I intercede for all of you, little children, and call all of you to conversion. If you convert, all those around you will also be renewed and prayer will be a joy for them. Thank you for having responded to my call. May 25, 2003

http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=BR&hl=pt&v=o4Z8XbWmhfc

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit, including the Charismatic Gifts.

http://www.theworkofgod.org/LIBRARY/Joseph/H_Spirit4.htm

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Lord, sent forth your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.

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Because you are God's children, God has sent forth the Spirit of his son into our hearts, crying, Abba! Father!

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When we have the Holy Spirit, then we have everything.

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Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well beloved spouse.

Father John Randall's New Book, No Spirit, No Church is Now Available

Father John Randall's new book, No Spirit, No Church is now available.
His book can be purchased at The Body of Christ Prayer Meeting that is held every Thursday evening at 7 pm at Saint Charles Church, 178 Dexter Street, Providence, Rhode Island. If you'd like to order a book please send $10.00 to The Spirit and The Word, P.O. Box 114006, North Providence, Rhode Island, 02911
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***Fr. Randall's Book will now be available at any Catholic Book Store in Rhode Island and also at Gabriel's Trumpet in Coventry, R.I. and at LaSallette Shrine in North Attleboro, MA ***
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A Few Comments: Fr. John Randall tells it like it is, no Spirit, no Church! It is a journal of his ministry of fifty-five years, focusing on the dying of a seminary and the rising to new life of two parishes in the inner city.
My heart was set on fire by this account, and it will enkindle your heart as well. - Father George Kosicki, C.B.S.
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I'm really grateful that Fr. Randall has put a lifetime of experience and wisdom into his new book. This is truly a gift for the Church. - Ralph Martin
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Fr. Randall has stood beside me for the past forty years as a fellow disciple of Jesus, working for the renewal of priestly and parish life. This book is his account of that journey. - Fr. Bob Bedard, C.C.-Founder of the Companions of the Cross
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2j5Ve0_rTg

Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to prove the world wrong.

"When He comes, He will prove the world wrong." —John 16:8 It's much better that Jesus' physical body is in heaven rather than here on earth. After Jesus ascended, He sent the Holy Spirit to prove the world wrong (Jn 16:7-8).

Pope John Paul II has written in his encyclical letter on the Holy Spirit that the Spirit proves the world wrong by taking us to the cross (Dominum et Vivifacantem, Pope John Paul II, 27, 36). There the Spirit shows us the connection between our worldly ways and Jesus' suffering and death. Then we are crucified to the world and the world to us (Gal 6:14). We no longer are amused by the world's distractions from and disregard of Jesus' lordship.

By the Holy Spirit, we are turned off to the world, make a clean break with it, and no longer sinfully compromise with it. We now fully accept that Jesus has called us out of the world (Jn 15:19). Once we are out of the world, we can go to the world. We do not participate in its ways but offer those trapped in the world the opportunity to be saved by Jesus, convicted by the Spirit, and thereby rescued from the world. The world with its seductions is passing away but the man who does God's will endures forever.

Father, may I love the world so much as to get out of it so I can offer it salvation in Your Son. "After a brief interval he led them out and said, 'Men, what must I do to be saved?' Their answer was, 'Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, and all your household.' " —Acts 16:30-31-"Come Holy Spirit"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9PgWK98p5c&feature=related