Only the Beginning - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Only the Beginning

Now Think On This

Steve Martin

“The end of something is better than its beginning, so the patient are better than the proud.” (Ecclesiastes 7:8, Complete Jewish Bible)

There are times the Lord will give me a word that I “hear” in my head, and I know He has something for me to share in writing. At other times I will ask Him for a word, and then He tells me. This time He gave me the words, “Only the beginning.”

Now I know that that is in the lyrics of the song Beginnings, sung by the band Chicago in the 1970’s. But I don’t think it has anything to do with that. I believe there is something else the Lord wants to speak at this time.

My sense is that there are some of us, myself included at times, who may think our “assignment”, whether it be on a job, in a particular situation we have been in for a period, or even near the completion of this life, is done. We get the feeling that it is over, the season has passed, and now it is time to move on. For some it may be we are wanting it over, out of discouragement or disappointment. We may really hope it is.

That may be true. That aspect of your life, or mine, may be done. But it does not mean that our long term purpose and plan of the Lord is over. It may be it is only the beginning of something new; the next challenge we are to face and be as a conqueror in and through it. We may be close to finishing the one assignment. We have gone through it in preparation for the next.

When I meditate on the ways of the Lord, and read of His actions in the many lives of the biblical characters, I find peace and hope that He fully knows the beginning and the end for each of us. As we put our trust in Him, we can be certain that what may have been seen as bad will prove in the end to be good.

The Word does say clearly, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.” (Romans 8:28-30, NASU)

When I consider the works of His hands, such as how a mountain stream begins as a small trickle and gathers momentum as it works its way down the slope, I am confident of this. Those things which may seem unimportant at first, due to lack of size or notice, will one day be the full, finished product the Maker had in mind all along.

Look at how many times a large corporation “started off in the garage” of its founder.

Whether you are hoping to finish something now in your life, and glad it is almost over, or just beginning something new, be reassured that the Lord has promised to be with you every step along the way. In good and in bad, in sickness and in health, our Bridegroom will remain steadfast to see us through. He has promised to be there, from the beginning to the end.

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

Founder

Love For His People, Inc.

P.S. I would be most grateful if you'd share this encouraging word with your family and friends. They might need it. You can easily use the social media icons below. Thanks! Steve

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Now Think On This - In the Year of our Lord 04.22.17 - #280 – “Only the Beginning” – Saturday, 1:40 pm

All previous editions of Now Think On This can be found on this Blog, and on the website: Now Think On This

Again, I would be most grateful if you'd share this encouraging word with your family and friends. You can easily use the social media icons below. Thanks! Steve

Hank Kunneman: "Movement and Great Change! Prophecy Over America, Israel, the Youth, European Union and More!" - The Elijah List

Hank Kunneman: "Movement and Great Change! Prophecy Over America, Israel, the Youth, European Union and More!"

The Elijah List  Mar 22, 2017

From the desk of Steve Shultz:

This word by Hank Kunneman is full...and I mean full of prophetic exhortation across the nations of the earth. This is one such word where you will need to read and then reread some more to absorb it all in.

I think we will all be able to grab a hold of this:

Do you hear the sound of the movement of the hosts? For God says, "I open your ears, for there is movement and it is the sound of My angels who move swiftly here and there. Why are they moving? Because they are bringing you into a new season where you will have hope restored and you will see that great victories will be your testimony. And you will suddenly see that the things which have been "held back" shall come quickly because I'm accelerating My purposes and My plans for you."

Now do me a favor...make sure and forward this to all of your friends and family across the nations...so they can read this most encouraging word. AND please tell them to SUBSCRIBE to the Elijah List and we will send them daily the most updated prophetic words straight to their inbox! (To Subscribe to the Elijah List go here.)

Enjoy! And thanks for forwarding this to your friends! They can subscribe here.

Steve Shultz, Founder and Publisher
The Elijah List & Breaking Christian News 
http://www.elijahlist.com

P.S. – Oh, and a Quick Note to our readers: To EXPLORE our more than 4,000 Christian Prophetic books, CDs, and gifts go to: elijahshopper.com.

"Movement and Great Change! Prophecy Over America, Israel, the Youth, European Union and More!"

Hank Kunneman, Omaha, NE

A Refreshing of Hope! You Will Celebrate!

"There is a sound going forth right now," the Spirit of God says, "listen to the sound that is going forth from the instruments, for this sound is restoring hope to a people that have been hopeless. The sound of the instruments is breaking satanic bondages; mindsets that have been upon the people of the earth, and there is a refreshing that is coming, a refreshing of hope," says the Spirit of God.

The Spirit of God says, "You who have been heavy burdened, afraid, depressed, your head has hung down. The Spirit of God says to you: you are entering into a season of change and this is My promise for you this day. And this is not just a promise that you will only hold for but a moment, but this is the sound, this is the anointing, this is My decree that shall carry you and you will see great change."

God says, "As the Ark of Noah was lifted up high above the waters, high above the mountains of the earth, so I will lift you, My people, this year; and I will lift My Church and I will restore hope to those who have felt as though they were to give up." God says, "Watch, when you suddenly understand that all of the warfare of this last season, this last year, was to bring you to this time now where you will celebrate."

My Angels Are Stirring Things for a New Season

I Am not just shifting things for you America, but I'm shifting the hemisphere!

Do you hear the sound of the movement of the hosts? For God says, "I open your ears, for there is movement and it is the sound of My angels who move swiftly here and there. Why are they moving? Because they are bringing you into a new season where you will have hope restored and you will see that great victories will be your testimony. And you will suddenly see that the things which have been "held back" shall come quickly because I'm accelerating My purposes and My plans for you."

God says, "Let this be your hope! Was there not a man at the pool of Bethesda who had been in that condition and I saw him in that condition for a long time?Some of you have been in this condition where you have felt like you couldn't take it anymore, and you've said, 'When should those prayers be answered?'"

God says, "I visited that man, I stirred the waters, and so there is a stirring that is taking place over your home, over your family, over your life; it is My stirring, it is My doing, it is My movement. Why? To raise you up! To restore hope, to give back your life to you, the life that I promised that I would give you abundantly, this shall be your promise!"

I Am the Guardian to This Nation and to Israel

"I have walked," says the Spirit of God, "across the earth and I have visited every nation, and I have looked and I have measured the hunger of those who thirst for the living God. And as I have walked to and fro throughout this earth, I have walked throughout you, America, and through your states, and I have walked through Israel, for I am the Guardian to this nation, America, and I am the Guardian to Israel.

"And now I have come as I have walked among the earth and walked among America and Israel, and I now come to deal and to judge, yes I said to judge. I'm coming to judge those which oppose Me; which oppose My plan, which oppose My Church and which oppose My people. As I walk among the earth to judge those who have set themselves to be enemies against the things I have spoken to you, they shall surely reap it. I have said to you, I will make America great again. This has been My saying and this now is My doing." (Photo via Pixabay)

"I will deal with those who stand to oppose and they will understand as the Scripture declares, 'shatter the teeth of the wicked,' and so they will lose their voice, they will lose their influence, for this that I bring is not just a 4-year plan, but there is a 12-year plan to restore hope to this nation, to restore honor to this nation, and to bring you, America, into the greatest season.

"For you remember the days of an Industrial Revolution? It shall be said throughout your history books that this season, this time, shall be known as the Great Revolution, and a new energy source is coming."

The Energy of the Youth Shall Fuel this Next Move of My Spirit

"Oh yes, it is coming by technology, but let Me speak to you of a new energy source – it's the energy of the young, and they shall be what powers this Great Revolution."

God says, "I want you to understand now, there are two specific moments that I have chosen. It's My choosing, for who is man that they would say, 'What are you doing, God?' For I have chosen across the earth to bring a line of demarcation, a line that I'm establishing, an uplifting of My Church and a breaking of the strongholds that have afflicted My people long enough." And God says, "There shall be a divine transfer of grace, of hope, and of blessing—even now."

Israel's Enemies Restrained! Healing Balm!

Listen, God said for me to stand over in the place to speak to Israel for just a moment..."Israel, I have given unto you a friend, and yet Hell fears what I have given to you by the way of the ones who are seated in the House called White, and Hell is afraid! Why? Because of the deal, the handshaking with Iran, the deal – it shall be broken!

"I Am going to restore hope, to give back your life to you!"

"There is coming a restrain of the enemies of Israel," and God says, "When the hand of the Eagle joins the hand of the one in Israel, a great restraint shall come to Israel against the enemies that would raise their heads." God says, "Not so! Their land shall not be divided, for I shall withhold the plans of the enemy, for it shall suddenly shift and change!"

"And it was from Israel that the Savior came and the Savior was given, and now it shall be as they have despised you, Israel, that you shall bring that which shall save mankind from disease as there is coming an announcement of a breakthrough in medical science regarding diseases of this day; and it shall come out of you, Israel, a healing balm."

"I Have Shifted the Northern Hemisphere, and Shaking the European Union!"

"Do you hear the sound? Do you hear the sound of My chariot moving across the earth? Do you hear the sound of My hosts bringing you into a transfer from the Lord, your God? Do you hear the sound of the north wind blowing across the northern hemisphere of this earth?"

The Spirit of God says, "Do you remember when men looked to the earth and they said, 'Oh, the revivals, the moves of God! The Bible Belt, the South.' When they look at the hemisphere of the earth they say, 'Oh, that's where the supernatural move of God has taken place.' Then they say, 'But the north is filled with liberalism, secular humanism, religious spirits! Where is the move of God in the Northern Hemisphere?'"

"I am not just shifting things for you, America, but I'm shifting the hemisphere." God says, "I gave you a sign, for remember in the days when Israel was divided? Ten to the north ruled by Ahab and Jezebel, and two to the south, Judah?"

God says, "Was it not in the time that Jezebel who ruled the north fell, and Ahab and his kingdom fire fell? The kingdom was then united and there was a sound of the abundance of rain, and there was a hand that appeared, the cloud the size of a man's hand. Why? Something was shifting from the south to the north to make it one.

"This I speak, watch Europe. Watch Europe, watch the United Kingdom, for more will be cut off from the union and a shaking shall take place, and men shall seek to pull out their Scriptures and their theology and say, 'We do not understand; this does not meet end-time theology.'" (Photo via Flickr)

God says, "It's My theology, I'm messing with the nations, and so I'll mess again with the union of Europe, and I will raise up the United Kingdom, and watch what I'm about to do through this president in America. I will bring the land of the Eagle to a table of diplomacy with the Bear, Russia, and with China the Dragon."

God says, "I will break the cold war that has been over the last few years and I will bring a spirit of diplomacy, and I will do this for My harvest because the earth is being shaken and the Northern Hemisphere is about to receive a great awakening. Let the north wind blow and bring a habitation of God." (To Subscribe to the Elijah List go here.)

Hank Kunneman
One Voice Ministries
Email: hankandbrenda@ovm.org
Website: www.hankandbrenda.org

Hank Kunneman is senior pastor of Lord of Hosts Church, a thriving church in Omaha, Nebraska, and founder of One Voice Ministries. As an uncompromising voice that God is using to stir up the Body of Christ, he is known for a strong prophetic anointing as he preaches. He travels and ministers extensively as he and his wife, Brenda, preach together at conferences, churches, and national television programs throughout the United States and overseas. Together, the Kunneman's also host their own nationally and internationally televised weekly program, New Level with Hank and Brenda, airing on Daystar Television Network, Victory Television Network, and Faith Broadcasting Network. Their church services are also watched world-wide via live stream at hankandbrenda.org. Pastor Hank has also authored several books including Prophesy with the Wind of God in Your Mouth, My Heart Cries Abba Father, The Revealer of Secrets, Don't Leave God Alone, and Barrier Breakers.

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Listen to This if You're Feeling Lonely and Depressed - BARRETT JOHNSON CHARISMA MAGAZINE

Listen to This if You're Feeling Lonely and Depressed

 3/22/2016 BARRETT JOHNSON  charisma magazine

Here's someone who understands besides Jesus. (Charisma archives)

Serving in Family Ministry while still being in the throes of raising our own family can be challenging. How much detail do we share about our own lives? How can we coach others when we have very real (and common) struggles in our home? How do any of us live up to the happy and perfect lives we tend to share with others on social media?

It's hard. Every day. But God is always faithful in the midst of our struggle. He promises to walk through it all with us.

To illustrate this point, I stole the following from Jenifer's Facebook this morning. She shares her heart and then shares a powerfully moving podcast from Sally Clarkson. You should totally check it out

Jenifer's Post

I don't know what I would have done without Sally Clarkson in my life.

If you are a mama buy and READ every one of her books. She blazed the trail in the "keeping it real" department.

That's the number one comment Barrett and I get over and over again: "You are so real!" I will never be a slick, got it all together, perfect communicator/speaker. But I can be REAL. I can be TRUE to my God who has never left me.

Here was scripture in my devotion time today:

Here is a trustworthy saying:
"If we died with him,
We will also live with him.
If we endure,
We will also reign with him.
If we disown him,
He will also disown us;
If we are faithless,
He will remain faithful,
For he cannot disown himself."

-2 Timothy 2 11-13 (NIV)

Thank you Jesus for using very clumsy but real me.

Because I grow weary. The little girl I'm raising wears me out. She's not my genetic code. She is "fearfully and wonderfully made" and is going to be a strong woman of God. (I imagine she will be a wife and a mother of many. She is such a nurturing soul.) But parenting her is the hardest thing I've EVER done. I get questioned about my parenting of her even though I managed to raise 4 almost all grown, healthy, educated, God-fearing adults.

Adoption is different. There are many issues I've never dealt with before. Yesterday instead of being upset with her and trying to guide her the right way, I just wept and wept and wept. I couldn't find the words to tell her that she was making bad decisions. I'm so weary.

PLEASE LISTEN to this podcast by Sally Clarkson. I cried this morning thinking of how awesome it would have been to hear Sally's voice on podcasts back when I was raising my first four kids. Instead I "listened to her voice" as I daily read a devotion book she wrote for homeschool moms many years ago.

Listen if you are lonely. (She explains perfectly how it feels to be lonely in leadership.)

Listen if your kid says "mom you always taught us we would be aliens, I just never thought we would feel that way in our church." (But please don't ask my kids which has one said this. It was when they were younger.)

Listen if you feel like nobody gets you.

Listen if you struggle with one or more of your kids.

Listen to be edified and lifted up by my FAVORITE "Titus 2 woman." 

sallyclarkson.com/will-i-ever-fit-in-probably-not-a-new-podcast/

Adapted from infoforfamilies.com, a ministry founded by Barrett and Jenifer Johnson. After serving in the local church for 25 years, Barrett and Jenifer launched INFO for Families as a ministry designed to encourage people through speaking, personal coaching and resource development. Barrett served for 15 years in youth ministry before serving for eight years as the Family Minister at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Atlanta, one of the largest churches in the South. He has degrees from Texas A&M University and Southwestern Seminary, but he and Jenifer have received their best education through the no-holds-barred nature of everyday family life.

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3 Things to Not Say to Someone in Depression - ROSILIND JUKIC CHARISMA NEWS

Say this instead to someone fighting depression. (iStockPhoto)

3 Things to Not Say to Someone in Depression

1/24/2016 ROSILIND JUKIC   CHARISMA NEWS

Sometimes it's hard to be a Christian.

Christianity is a balancing act of being an example of Christ's life in us and honesty. It's not easy to balance these two things, because it's not sincere to act like we don't have real problems, but it is not a good testimony when the world doesn't see joy in our lives.

I believe Christians battle depression just as unbelievers do. The problem is when a Christian gives in to depression and stops trying to find God's strength to rise above it.

There are Christians who don't believe that Christians should fall into depression, and when they find a brother or sister in depression they pass judgement on them.

But last week in our Good Morning Girls' study we found Job in a depression. In the seventh chapter he says this, "Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul."

During the day he was in unbelievable pain and at night he couldn't sleep because of his nightmares. He had lost all his children, all his wealth, and now his health is gone. How wouldn't someone in a situation like his not fall into depression?

Depression, in these circumstances, is a normal thing. What isn't normal is when we surrender to it.

And Job didn't surrender. He fought. He prayed. And in the end the Lord rewarded him.

How should we respond when a brother or sister is in a depression?

Here are three things you shouldn't say to someone in depression

1. "Get over it." I am convinced that if it were possible to just "get over" depression, most people would immediately get up and get out of it. The problem is that it's not that easy, and that is why so many people are taking dangerous psychosomatic drugs. Because they can't get over it. And it's an insult to them to insinuate that their pain isn't legitimate.

2. "You are in a depression because you've sinned." This is, in fact, what Job's friends were saying to him. But we see in the end that God told Eliphaz in chapter 42, "My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has." Despite Job's depression, he remained righteous while his friends spoke wrongly of him and to him.

Even when it is clear that the depression is because of sin, we should always wait until the proper time to confront it because saying the right thing at the wrong time can close the door on an opportunity to help lead someone to a place of repentance.

3. "You don't have faith, and that is why you're depressed." There is a tendency in some circles to embrace the errant theology that if you are not rich, happy and successful you don't have faith; because these things indicate God's blessing.

I don't know, but I have seen a lot of unbelievers who live blasphemous lives and are rich, happy and successful, while many very dedicated Christians are poor, unsuccessful by the world's standards and are sometimes not very happy.

We see in the seventh chapter that Eliphaz had this belief system: Bad things = God's judgment, good things = God's blessing.

If only life were that simple!

But it's not.

When we face difficult circumstances our faith reminds us that God hasn't abandoned us, and He never will. Our faith reminds us that God will always turn things around for our good.

That is true faith!

So, what should we say to someone who is depressed?

1. "I am praying for you." Prayer is a powerful tool and these three words can mean everything! Our prayers can do one hundred times more for someone in a depression than anything we could ever say. And it is a comfort to them to know that you take their situation seriously enough to pray for them.

2. "Call me if you need someone to talk to." I am an external processor. Actually, there have been many times that I've solved my own problems just by talking about them out loud. One of the greatest comforts is knowing that we have someone we can talk to....who won't judge us.

We see that there were times when even Job realized that he had exaggerated or gone too far with what he said. And rather than his friends looking past that — knowing that he didn't always mean everything he said (such as in Job 6:26), they used his words against him. They were not trustworthy friends.

3. "God is with you, even if you don't feel Him right now." We all probably know this to be true, but there are some times when we need to be reminded that God hasn't abandoned us.

Have you ever had times when your brain knew that God was there, but your heart doubted it because you couldn't feel Him? Not in prayer, not in worship, not even when you read your Bible. It was like the heavens had turned to brass and God had turned His back on you.

But He hadn't turned His back on you. The heavens were not brass. This is why we don't listen to our hearts, but instead make a conscious choice to believe what His Word says. And a true friend will comfort us with those promises!

Depression isn't God's will, just as it wasn't God's will for Job to remain in his difficult circumstances. But sometimes depression is a normal reaction to hard times, and how we respond to a person in depression is very important!

Rosilind Jukic, a Pacific Northwest native, is a missionary living in Croatia and married to her Bosnian hero. Together they live with their two active boys where she enjoys fruity candles, good coffee and a hot cup of herbal tea on a blustery fall evening. Her passion for writing led her to author her best-selling book The Missional Handbook. At A Little R & R she encourages women to find contentment in what God created them to be. You can also find her at Missional Call where she shares her passion for local and global missions. You can follow her on Facebook, Twitter,Pinterest and Google +.

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When the Enemy Speaks, Fight With the Word - KATHY DEGRAW, CHARISMA MAGAZINE

The best way to fight the enemy is with God's Word. (Lightstock )

When the Enemy Speaks, Fight With the Word

10/30/2015 KATHY DEGRAW  charisma magazine

Join us on our new podcast each weekday for an interesting story, well told, from Charisma News. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.

---

Can the enemy speak to us? The fact is, most of us have already heard the enemy in our mind.

Have you ever stopped to consider that some of the thoughts that have been stirring around in your mind were from the enemy? Think about the years you heard in your mind things that were not edifying, encouraging or exhorting. Thoughts such as:

• "You will never amount to anything."
• "Why don't you take that knife and cut yourself?"
• "Why don't you run your car into a tree or off that road?"
• "Your spouse doesn't love you."
• "They are talking about you."
• "Nobody will ever love you."

We have all heard these thoughts in our mind. They have rolled around in our mind and unfortunately some of these thoughts have taken us captive and we have believed them. The thoughts are produced from lying spirits that attack us, our thought process, our feelings and our emotions. They attack the very core of our soul. We find ourselves thinking suicidal thoughts, getting depressed, worrying if our spouse really does love us or if they are cheating on us. Can you relate to any of these?

When these thoughts are rolling around in our mind and we start believing them. They become part of us and who we think we are or we perceive them as reality of what is going to happen to us. These thoughts can become torment as we keep thinking about them, but there is something we can do about our situation.

"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:4-5).  We need to take our thoughts captive and bind our minds to the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16 and Phil. 2:6). 

It can be difficult to conquer our past. We do conquer our past through the Lord Jesus Christ, however now we have to conquer the behavior patterns and habits of automatically allowing our thoughts to go in the wrong direction. The enemy knows this and he sends tormenting and lying spirits forth to attack us. 

Jesus recognized the voice of the enemy. Satan spoke to Jesus in the desert. If Satan spoke to Jesus won't he surely speak to us? In Matthew, Satan tempted Jesus and spoke to Him several times (Matthew 4:3-11). Jesus heard from Satan and kept quoting the Scriptures to Satan. We need to do that! As a thought comes in our mind, we need to speak out loud the Scriptures against these thoughts. As we take hold of the Word of God, believe it and speak it, nothing is impossible for us to accomplish. 

When I was being attacked with mind-binding thoughts years ago, the Lord spoke to me and said, "Kathy, if your mind is full, stuffed and crammed full of the Scriptures, there will be no room for the doubts and lies of the enemy to come in and take a foothold." That was an awesome word from the Lord! When the lies began to attack, I immediately started quoting Scripture. Jesus modeled this for us by immediately taking hold of the Word and if we are supposed to be like Jesus, and we are, than we need to follow in His footsteps.

We are in a battle and the battle begins in the mind. We need to immediately give no place to the devil (Eph. 4:27) and use the Word of God as our great weapon against the enemy. We need to be building ourselves up in the Word of God. We can't quote Scripture if we don't know the Scripture. Feed yourself, feed your spirit man, and give yourself an arsenal of equipment by filling yourself up with the Word of God.

The first way to conquer the lies the enemy is telling you is to acknowledge how he speaks to you. If you can recognize how the enemy speaks to you, then you have just exposed him. When we expose the enemy, we begin to take our authority over the enemy. Exposing the enemy is the beginning of ending the spiritual warfare he is trying to afflict on us. If you can't recognize when the enemy is speaking to you, spend time seeking the face of God. Discern and self-examine with God's help.

When the enemy tries to give you direction don't listen to it, don't take it in, rebuke it (which means take authority over it) and cast it away. Instantly, purge it from your mind, as it is a distraction and assignment from the enemy.

In order to be able to discern more clearly ask yourself the following questions:

• "How does God speak to me?"
• "Where am I when God speaks to me?" 
• "How does the enemy speak to me?"
• "Can I hear God's voice?"
• "Do I know the difference?"

We need to take authority over our thoughts and change the way we think. We need to take our thought and ask ourselves does this line up with God's Word. When you discover it is not lining up with God's word, dismiss it and move on. The battlefield is in our mind and we need to get the power back into our mind that God gave us, because His Word says, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind," (2 Tim. 1:7).

Kathy DeGraw is the founder of DeGraw Ministries a prophetic healing ministry releasing the love and power of God. She travels hosting conferences, teaching schools and evangelistic love tours. Kathy enjoys writing and is the author of several books including Flesh, Satan or God—Who Are You Hearing From? (from which a portion of this article was adapted). Connect with Kathy at www.degrawministries.org.

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