What Are You Singing?
by Vicki Campbell 

This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.   (Matthew 15:8)

When I was growing up, church and church activities were my favorite places to be. I especially liked the music and knew most of the songs by heart that they sang out of the dark green All-American Church Hymnal. In fact, I still have an old copy sitting on my bookshelf.

I especially liked the Sunday nights when we sang favorites. This was a time when you raised your hand if you had a favorite song you wanted sung, and if they called on you, the congregation would sing your song. When they picked me, the song I chose most often was Just a Closer Walk with Thee. Some people chose the same song every time, so it got to be a game with me, hoping and praying that so-and-so wouldn’t get picked because I didn’t like the song I knew they were going to choose.

Besides the Favorites nights, once or twice a year, we would have a Singspiration where we would all get together for two or three hours and have special music as well as singing the congregational songs. What memories!

Recently, God reminded me of a time when I must have been in my early teens. As I was standing there in the pew next to my friends singing out of the hymnal, the Holy Spirit spoke to me. He asked me if I even knew what I was singing. The truth was, I didn’t. I k Read the rest of this entry »

From Prison To Freedom

by Vicki Campbell

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. (John 8:36)

They say that when an elephant is captured in the wild, they tie its leg to a huge banyon tree in order to train it. Of course, the elephant will do everything within its power to free itself. However, in time, and after much effort, he finally realizes that when he pulls on that leg, he isn’t going anywhere. Once he has tamed down and become accustomed to his “prison,” the owner can then untie his leg and take him where he wants to go. Then, when he needs to confine him, all he has to do is tie his leg to a stake, and the elephant will stay put. 

The elephant has the strength and ability to easily pull up that stake and go wherever he wanted, but because of his conditioning, he believes that when he feels the tug of the rope around that leg, he is helpless to move and doesn’t even try to get free.

Then, I’m sure you’ve heard the story about the trained fleas. The fleas are captured and put into a jar with the lid tightened. Like the elephants, the fleas keep trying to jump out. Before long they figure out when they jump to the top, they will end up with a headache from banging their heads on the lid. The fleas soon learn their limitations and know just how high they can jump in their new home.

Once they’ve become accustomed to this, you can take the lid off of the jar. The fleas are now free to leave and go visit the nearest cat or dog, but they won’t. Even though they’ve gained their freedom, they still jump around in the jar just like the lid was still in pla Read the rest of this entry »

A Mother’s Love

Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies . . . Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.   (Proverbs 31:10, 28)

A mother’s love is a mere glimpse of God’s sacrificial and unending love for us. It is truly a gift from God, and I am blessed to have been raised by a godly mother who loved me very much and taught me about Jesus.

Walk with me a moment down Memory Lane. Mom married Dad when she was only 15 and had me (the first of six) when she was 17. She and Dad will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary in September.

Mom has always been very shy and backward. She doesn’t like being noticed and gets really embarrassed if she is the center of attention, like at the golden wedding anniversary party we threw for her and Dad. She is most comfortable sitting on the back pew at church. Mom has a beautiful voice and would sit in her rocking chair and sing all of her kids to sleep throughout the years, but she wouldn’t dream of getting up in church and singing a “special.”

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Hindrances To Divine Healing
by Author & Evangelist Bill Campbell

When I was born again back in the early 80s, I began to question the Lord about the church.  Not a particular church, but the overall church of our Lord.  I began to see people who were sick, broken down and financially in ruin.  I could not understand why the people in the church looked no different that the people who were not born-again.  I saw individuals who had developed cancer just like the cancer of those who did not serve Him.  I saw that most of the church was financially in dept and living from day to day just barely making ends meet.  I saw that most of the church had no peace.  And again, I saw many struggling with high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and many other infirmities that should not be in the church.  I cried out many times asking God why these things are prevalent in the body of Christ. 

Could it be that we are much like the people in Jesus home town.  When Jesus left the place where He was brought up, his heart was filled with discouragement.  All those in His home town who were crippled died with their infirmity.  All those who were blind died with their blindness.  How horrible Jesus must have felt when He discovered that all he could do there was heal a few colds & flues, maybe a few fevers.  Unbelief was so strong that even Jesus could not heal their diseases.

 3     Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. 4     But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. 5     And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them (Mark 6:3-5).

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Woman Receives Lung Transplant

This story begins in the foothills of a little mountain town called Ravenna Kentucky about 35 miles east of Richmond.  The church, New Vision Full Gospel, is located in the middle of a residential area.  Pastor Buford Powell, with just a small 10 or15 person congregation, told the Lord he would take all the people that other churches did not want.  A mighty revival under the leadership of Pastor Shaun Campbell came to this little church in October of 2007 and the church grew to over 150 with 79 people giving their lives to the Lord!.  Drug dealers and whiskey moonshiners were saved and gave their lives to Jesus.

Pastor Shaun asked me to come during that great outpouring to help him with the masses of people who needed not only to be saved, but healed of all sorts of sicknesses and diseases.  Many were healed during that wonderful time in which the Lord poured out his goodness upon his people.

Since that time in 2007, I have been invited back on a regular basis, to preach the gospel and lay hands on the sick!  Pastor Buford Powell along with his wife Lisa are ministers of great faith!  It is a pleasure each time I come to see the miracles that God will do. Read the rest of this entry »

Resurrection Power

While meditating on what I should write about this month, I felt that the topic, “Resurrection Power” would be a good subject for the Easter celebration, so I began jotting down some thought-provoking notes that I could use in this devotional.  Then, the Lord started showing me all of the “threes” associated with Jesus, especially in association with his death and resurrection. The number “3” represents resurrection power. Of course, I was already aware of the most obvious ones, but the more I began digging, the more fascinated I became with my findings. I’m not claiming this to be an exhaustive list — you may know of others. Nevertheless, these facts all point to the truth of the supernatural resurrection power of our Lord Jesus.  

Jesus is 1/3 of the Trinity — the Godhead — three in one: God, the Father; Jesus, the son; and the Holy Spirit, who is with us today.  Jesus was 30 years old when he began his ministry. His ministry began immediately following Satan’s three temptations in the wilderness. His earthly ministry lasted three years. Then, He was crucified when he was 33 years old.  Jesus prophesied of his own death and resurrection in John 2:19 saying, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up,” speaking of his body. He also spoke of his own death and resurrection in Matthew 12, “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”  During the last supper, Jesus prophesied that Peter would deny him three times before the cock crowed.. Scholars say the cock is known to crow during the 3rd watch of the night, which is between 12:00 midnight and 3:00 am. With this in mind, Peter denied knowing Jesus three times during the 3rd watch of the night, and the cock probably crowed about 3:00 am.

After Jesus’ resurrection, Peter would have to re-affirm his devotion for Jesus three times when Jesus asked him three times, “Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?”
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One Sunday Evening

Scheduled to sing a special song in the evening service at church, I was meditating on what I should say to the congregation as a prelude to the song, “I’ve Been to the Potter’s House.”

The Lord reminded me of a phone call I once received in the office. This man was questioning his salvation, telling me that he had done some pretty bad things before he was saved and that he had a hard time believing God would really forgive him. This man was also handicapped, with a permanent disability due to his neck being broken.

As we talked, I assured him that there wasn’t anything he could have done that would have been so bad for God not to forgive him if he had repented and asked His forgiveness. I reminded him of King David and how he had committed adultery with Bathsheba, plus had her husband killed. Yet, God forgave him when he truly repented and turned back to Him. 

Then, I reminded him of Saul (before God changed his name to Paul). I described how he was responsible for persecuting the Christians, even having them killed. Yet, God not only forgave him, but also used him as a great apostle to the Gentiles, and who also wrote about half of the books in the New Testament. 

With God’s help, I reassured this man that God had truly forgiven him for all that he’d done, but he needed to forgive himself. I also encouraged him that God had a purpose for him. Yes, this inspirational story was what God wanted me to share before singing:

Tossed about by life’s battles

All my hope was sinking fast

The sinful life that I was living

I knew that I just could not last

Then I went down to the potter’s house

And placed this vessel into His hands

On His wheel of grace and mercy

He made me over again.

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Let Jesus In

Many times before I read the Bible, I ask the Holy Spirit to show me something new. You see, I’ve been in church since I was a little girl, so I’ve heard the stories of Jesus over and over again in Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, Church Camp, as well as in the regular church services and revival meetings, plus all of the teachings I get by radio, TV, tapes, CDs, etc. Besides all of this hearing of the Word, I’ve also read these stories many, many times. Needless to say, if I’m not seeking God to show me something, it’s easy to miss a blessing in His Word because I’m not expecting anything new in what is already familiar to me.

About a week ago, I was reading in Luke, chapter 5, where Jesus told Peter to cast out his nets for a haul of fish. The Holy Spirit, my teacher, was faithful in bringing these scriptures to life. (You can read this whole story in the first eleven verses of Luke 5.)

One morning, by the Sea of Galilee, people were pressing in around Jesus to hear the Word of God. He knew he couldn’t be very effective with all of the people crowded around, and that only those closest to him would benefit from his teaching. When he saw two ships docked, Jesus took the initiative to climb aboard the one belonging to Simon (Peter) and asked him if he would take the ship out just a little so that he could speak to all of the people. Simon obliged, and Jesus was able to teach all of the people.

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How Bad Do You Want It?

This wasn’t the first time we had counseled and prayed with Natalie (name has been changed for privacy) about her problem. It was the third, or maybe even the fourth time, and it didn’t appear that we’d made any progress. Something had to change, and quickly!

We met Natalie at a home prayer meeting many years ago. She was a lovely Christian woman who loved the Lord and even taught Children’s Sunday School. One night she seemed especially disturbed and asked if she could talk to us privately after the meeting, but we weren’t prepared for what she revealed.

Natalie confided that she had been having an affair, and it was with a married man. She wanted out, but didn’t seem to be able to break it off. We were shocked because it seemed totally out of character for her. Yet, we knew how deceiving the devil can be when he catches us in a vulnerable position. We counseled and prayed with her, and it appeared that a great burden had been lifted as hope and relief rose up in her.

When we saw Natalie again a couple of weeks later, discouragement and shame were written all over her face. She told us that she had broken it off with him, but that he wouldn’t leave her alone. He continually called and even did such things as leaving notes on her car windshield and flowers on her doorstep. Feeling so lonely and desiring to have someone love her, she would inevitable give in. Again, we counseled with her and prayed with her. She left believing that she had the victory over her sin.

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