JUNE/JULY 2003 VOL 6 NUM 5
Dearest friends and family, This past week one of the dearest friends I've had on this earth passed into glorious eternity with Jesus. Heaven for her, memories for us. As I pondered our friendship and the lessons she taught me I felt there is a significant lesson for all of us. We had been going to the same church for a short time, when we both happened to attend a prayer meeting for some leadership ministries developing at the church. I don't think she had any interest in the purposes of the meeting but I think the Lord sent her to minister to me. I was young, and really hungry for more of Jesus, I desired to please Him in the area of serving my family, but didn't really know how. This dear sister really took to heart the scripture about "teaching the younger women to love their husbands and their children"(Titus 2 ). Well after the meeting was over we talked a little. She referred to a comment I had made earlier about a well known radio minister, who ministered on the family. I had quoted something he said. Well here is where she went out on a limb. She proceeded to tell me in such love that Dr. radio preacher was sharing a false gospel. even though it was 10 years ago I'm sure I probably got a little defensive, but asked her to continue. She shared that all of the popular "self-esteem" teaching was quite contrary to what Jesus taught. All of a sudden a lightbulb went off in my spirit! Well of course! Jesus teaches we are to deny self, crucify it, not esteem it! (Mt 16:24,Mk 8:34, Lk 9:23 )Well needless to say it changed our lives and allowed me to minister to my family, because I started to focus on Jesus and not ME, ME, ME. I learned how to become a servant to my husband and then my children, who then learned to become servants. That by the way is my parenting gospel in a nutshell. "Love Jesus with all your heart, walk like Him and your children will follow." What was Jesus always doing? Give. give, give. But not giving what makes the flesh happy, giving in His Spirit. His Spirit is truth, loving truth. My dear friend risked rejection that day when she shared the truth with me. She didn't think of herself however and instead began a friendship that would last a decade and change my life. I could have easily laughed her off, as probably many have done, Dr. so and so is famous worldwide after all. But I was hungry for more of Jesus so I soaked up the truth, like a wilted garden on a hot day, begging for water. She was a true friend, she gave me something eternal, not worrying about hurting my feelings or her own. She was empty of her "self" and full of Jesus. There is great freedom in that, can you even guess at how good that feels? To never get your feelings hurt again? Jesus is good, really, really good. I encourage you to be a true friend, one that will have eternal consequences. Many times when I write or Jim preaches we know we are criticized by many for being "too strong" "too bold" "too radical" "too truthful" "too out there" . But you know what when it is all said and done we can stand before Jesus and say, "I told them the truth Lord, I didn't candy coat it, or compromise it Lord, I told them the truth, just like you said Jesus, I loved them enough to tell them the truth." I am sure that as our dear friend approached the Father recently He saw in her the likeness of His Son and said those words we all long for, "yes good and faithful my servant, I recognize you as my own, come on in and spend eternity with me" Be a friend, there are thousand starving for truth in your own community, in your own family sometimes. Tell them the truth about Jesus, be that one that will change their life. Act like Jesus. He is not the babe in the manger that America has portrayed. He is the Lion of Judah, strong and bold yet full of love and compassion, He died for the truth, because He knew it would set the captives free.
RADIO TUES NIGHTS 6PM- WMRB 910 AM- We have had many different guests and topics lately, but the one that was so close to our hearts was when we discussed storms in the believers life. A recent revelation, when the disciples woke Jesus up on the boat during the storm, well first of all, they were going somewhere. Any time you are "moving for God" there will be a storm. Not because the enemy is mad, (let’s stop giving him so much ammunition, recognition, and POWER!) but because Jesus Himself is preparing us for the task at hand. Second, the first thing Jesus did was GET UP!, HE STOOD! Yes there will be storms in our life and the word tells us that God Himself creates the storm clouds(ZEC 10:1). You DO believe the Word Of God, don’t you? Anyway, stroll through Joseph’s life with him (Genesis 37-50), meditate on what God the Father allowed to happen to him, it was all preparation for a big work, and Joseph recognized it. It changed the course of an entire nation, of God’s people. They later went through a bigger storm, but it brought them all back to HIM. Recently after a storm one of my daughters said to us, "I just don’t understand it, but everytime that happens, I get closer to the Lord". That is His ultimate desire, closeness.
FAMILY FRUIT- For some time we have been sharing with you about the growth of our children, the precious times they have with the Lord. Well we finally have some of it to share with you. Recently we were blessed to record some worship time with April, you can now get a glimpse of what we have in the "upper room" here at home. You can hear it at www.pennyraine.com/april and read the songs. We are providing these CD’s free for the asking as the Lord allows. We have a small quantity ready to send out but I have no idea how many requests we’ll get, so please be patient but know that yes we want you to have one. That is the whole purpose here, to bless and share what the Lord has given us. Here is a little bit of the intro page...........songs of love birthed out of intimacy with Jesus, songs between a Savior and His loved one, songs to a Savior, Songs from a Savior, many times the Lord uses April to sing a prayer for someone else, intercession that touches His heart, is she singing your song? your prayer? as much as we are singing to Him, He is singing to us, of love, pure acceptance of a willing heart, a right sacrifice, pure and innocent worship to Him, He is reaching out to you, will you take His hand? And April’s dedication, .....................I just want to thank the Lord and the people who encouraged me in this project. These songs came straight from my Father's heart. He is so good to me. He has held my hand through many storms in my life. When I am down He is there to lift me up. When He gives me a new song my faith just rises like steam that is hot. There is no possible way on earth that I could write these songs. Jesus put the words in my mouth and I sang them before I knew what I was doing. Sometimes He spoke to me so fast that I could not write them down. Many times I had to ask the Lord to repeat what He just said, because His words flowed into me like a river. I just wanted to say that it is impossible without Him, He wrote the songs not me. They came from knowing Him in such an intimate way. Daily I spend time with Him, cause I yearn to be with Him, cause He is everything to me. I could not live without Him. He is my reason in life. Having such an intimate relationship with Him is not a burden, it is not a sacrifice anymore to spend time with Him. It is a longing that is in me, you know I just can't wait to be with Him. And being with Him everyday is like Heaven on Earth. Not spending time with Him is like divorcing Him. He longs to be with you, He waits for that time of day that you come into His arms like a little child. He doesn't want it to be a burden for you. He wants you to not be able to wait for that time of day when you lay everything else aside and there is nothing else on your mind but Him. Anyway I could go on and on about Him. He is good. I hope God blesses you through this and you hear His voice not just mine in this CD. God Bless You, April RaineA CHOSEN GENERATION-
Born for such a time as this. Our children are certainly not the only ones who hear God audibly. There is a whole generation out that has the calling of Samuel. With encouragement and leading they recognize the voice of the Lord. They can worship and intercede with a passion that touches the heart of Jesus. They can change this country. I spoke with a dear sister yesterday that has an army as big as ours, and also has every bit the evangelists heart. She is an immigrant to America and shared with us how the Lord put her here. She said how in her heart she was born for a third world country, to a people who desperately needed salvation. And yet the Lord not only put her in America, He put her in the bible belt! For such a time as this. Instead of training up our warriors, those young Davids and Samuels, we are sitting them down to watch Veggie Tales!!! Lord help us!!! I encourage you, I admonish you, I boldly challenge you, consider the possibility that JESUS IS BIG, and that He can operate through your children!!! Have a Hannah heart, train them up for eternal things.E-MAIL NEWS-For all possible please subscribe to our e-mail newsletter edition so that I can be more efficient, I will also still mail to you by request, but this way you don’t miss any in-betweens. e-mail me at
pennyraine@lorettotel.net or go to subscribe .JAILS, PRISON- SAME OLD STORY!!! Isn’t that wonderful when we can say that about salvation, healings and deliverance!!! We saw probably 50 people born again, I say that only to inspire you, it has nothing to do with us, it is all from HIM. We have seen lots of healings lately, Jesus is sooo good. And lots of divine appointments, amazing what happens when you get out of the way, lay down your own ambitions and just simply let HIM have HIS WAY. The Lord has placed us in the Harvest Field much of the time, and yet it has little to do with us, there is great freedom in submissiveness, learning to just simply obey. A new thing however is the increased unity, nobody cares anymore about color/race or denonmination, it's all about HIM!
HOMEMEETINGS, OUTREACH CENTERS, COWBOYS FOR CHRIST- We will be ministering this Friday night at a tent revival in Athens Alabama, join us! It will be on the corner of Hines St. and Browns Ferry. For more info you can contact Brother Albert Malone at (256) 431-7787, or (256) 233-8679. Pray that Jesus opens the door and brings in a flood of His presence!
THANKS TO ALL, We thank you greatly for all the prayers of support, and the gifts that keep us going, we have added a donation page to our directory site if that makes things easier for y’all, for on-line donations
give , through y’all Jesus continues to provide payday and we continue to "show up for work", He is the best boss there is. In His Love, The Raine Family