ETERNAL INK
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The articles contained within this publication remain the copyrights of
the authors. Any permission to reproduce any article, in any format, must be
granted by the author.
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Editor- David Davis <davidh@...>
Poetry Editor- Robyn Wynn < dwynn@...>
Contributing Editors- Mary Ellen Grisham < fantasy@... >
Michael Powers < Thunder27@... >
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1) From The Editors Desk
2) Poetry
3) Devotions
4) Other Subscription Opportunities
5) Thoughts To Ponder
6) The News Desk
7) Closing Words
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1) From The Editors Desk
Hello Everyone,
Well, it's the first Friday of the month and you know what that
means. Another
edition of Eternal Ink coming your way.
I have some wonderful news to share with you. Over the past month,
EI has grown
by leaps and bounds. We are now hovering around, if not over, the
350 subscriber
mark.
Welcome to all of our new subscribers. You'll find that EI is,
indeed, a family
connected through the miracle of cyberspace.
As of our next issue, EI will be going to a twice monthly
publication schedule. This
will only mean more features and increased work for the editorial
staff ;))))
Their will also be a new section for letters to the Editor. That
will be your
opportunity to tell us what you want to see, how we can better serve
you and
what you like/dislike about the publication. Just address your
letters to me
and you may see your letter in print.
With our growth comes increased responsibility. That's why we'll be
adding new
departments and new writers/editors in the coming months.
Enough of my writing. Now what you subscribed for: without further
ado, I present
the latest edition of Eternal Ink.
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2) Poetry
NOTE: I had read this poem once and accidentally deleted it. One of our
editors
forwarded it to me again not knowing that the name of this magazine was
taken from
the poem.
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Eternal Ink
I dreamed I was in heaven
Where an angel kept God's book.
He was writing so intently
I just had to take a look.
It was not, at first, his writing
That made me stop and think
But the fluid in the bottle
That was marked eternal ink.
This ink was most amazing,
Dark black upon his blotter
But as it touched the parchment
It became as clear as water.
The angel kept on writing,
But as quickly as a wink
The words were disappearing
With that strange eternal ink.
The angel took no notice,
But kept writing on and on.
He turned each page and filled it
Till all its space was gone.
I thought he wrote to no avail,
His efforts were so vain
For he wrote a thousand pages
That he'd never read again.
And as I watched and wondered that
This awesome sight was mine,
I actually saw a word stay black
As it dried upon the line.
The angel wrote and I thought I saw
A look of satisfaction.
At last he had some print to show
For all his earnest action.
A line or two dried dark and stayed
As black as black can be,
But strangely the next paragraph
Became invisible to see.
The book was getting fuller,
The angel's records true,
But most of it was blank, with
Just a few words coming through.
I knew there was some reason,
But as hard as I could think,
I couldn't grasp the significance
Of that eternal ink.
The mystery burned within me,
And I finally dared to ask
The angel to explain to me
Of his amazing task.
And what I heard was frightful
As the angel turned his head.
He looked directly at me,
And this is what he said...
I know you stand and wonder
At what my writing's worth
But God has told me to record
The lives of those on earth.
The book that I am filling
Is an accurate account
Of every word and action
And to what they do amount.
And since you have been watching
I must tell you what is true;
The details of my journal
Are the strict accounts of YOU.
The Lord asked me to watch you
As each day you worked and played.
I saw you as you went to church,
I saw you as you prayed.
But I was told to document
Your life through all the week.
I wrote when you were proud and bold,
I wrote when you were meek.
I recorded all your attitudes
Whether they were good or bad.
I was sorry that I had to write
The things that make God sad.
So now I'll tell the wonder
Of this eternal ink,
For the reason for its mystery
Should make you stop and think.
This ink that God created
To help me keep my journal
Will only keep a record of
Things that are eternal.
So much of life is wasted
On things that matter not
So instead of my erasing,
Smudging ink and ugly blot.
I just keep writing faithfully
And let the ink do all the rest
For it is able to decide
What's useless and what's best.
And God ordained that as I write
Of all you do and say
Your deeds that count for nothing
Will just disappear away.
When books are opened someday,
As sure as heaven is true;
The Lord's eternal ink will tell
What mattered most to you.
If you just lived to please yourself
The pages will be bare,
And God will issue no reward
For you when you get there.
In fact, you'll be embarrassed,
You will hang your head in shame
Because you did not give yourself
In love to Jesus' Name.
Yet maybe there will be a few
Recorded lines that stayed
That showed the times you truly cared,
Sincerely loved and prayed.
But you will always wonder
As you enter heaven's door
How much more glad you would have been
If only you'd done more.
For I record as God sees,
I don't stop to even think
Because the truth is written
With God's eternal ink.
When I heard the angel's story
I fell down and wept and cried
For as yet I still was dreaming
I hadn't really died.
And I said: O angel tell the Lord
That soon as I awake
I'll live my life for Jesus-
I'll do all for His dear sake.
I'll give in full surrender;
I'll do all He wants me to;
I'll turn my back on self and sin
And whatever isn't true.
And though the way seems long and rough
I promise to endure.
I'm determined to pursue the things
That are holy, clean and pure.
With Jesus as my helper,
I will win lost souls to Thee,
For I know that they will live with Christ for all eternity.
And that's what really matters
When my life on earth is gone
That I will stand before the Lord
And hear Him say, well done.
For is it really worth it
As my life lies at the brink?
And I realize that God keeps books
With His eternal ink.
Should all my life be focused
On things that turn to dust?
From this point on I'll serve the Lord;
I can, I will, I must!
I will NOT send blank pages
Up to God's majestic throne
For where that record's going now
Is my eternal home.
I'm giving all to Jesus
I now have seen the link
For I saw an angel write my life
With God's eternal ink.
by Craig F. Pitts
submitted by: Michael Powers <Thunder27@...>
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I'VE DREAMED MANY DREAMS
I've dreamed many dreams that never came true.
I've seen them vanish at dawn.
But I've realized enough of my dreams, Thank God,
To make me want to dream on.
I've prayed many prayers, when no answers came,
Though I waited patient and long,
But answers came to enough of my prayers
To make me keep praying on.
I've trusted many a friend that failed
And left me to weep alone,
But I've found enough of my friends true blue
To make me keep trusting on.
I've sown many seeds that fell by the way
For the birds to feed upon,
But I have held enough golden sheaves in my hands
To make me keep sowing on.
I've drained the cup of disappointment and pain
And gone many days without song,
But I've sipped enough nectar from the roses of life
To make me want to live on.
Author: Unknown
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3) Devotions
God is going to change things for you.
"Believe ye that I am able to do this?" MATTHEW 9:28
God can solve your problem, just by changing four elements. First,
He can remove time! What took years before, will now take only
moments. Listen: For He will finish the work, and cut it short (Rom
9:28). God can speed up the natural process of your healing. He
can even accelerate your harvest, so that you'll be sowing with one
hand and reaping with the other (Amos 9:13). How wonderful!
Second, He can remove lack! God told Israel to borrow the silver
and gold of Egypt when they left (Ex 3:22), because the enemy
owed them 400 years of back pay with interest. Note: Those who
obeyed God broke the spirit of lack and got back everything the
enemy had stolen from previous generations. What has satan
stolen from you? God wants to give it back to you!
Third, He can remove the enemy! Listen, the Egyptians whom ye
have seen today, ye shall see them again no more for ever (Ex
14:13). Note: God removes the enemy's power by increasing yours!
greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world (1 Jn 4:4).
Satan could take Jesus to the pinnacle of the Temple, but he
couldn't push Him off and he can't push you over the edge either!
Fourth, He can remove doubt! If God could make an axe head float,
a donkey talk, and a corpse live after four days, then you don't have
a problem that He can't solve. The question is: Believe ye that I am
able to do this?
(c) Bob Gass Ministries 1999 (used by permission)
To unsubscribe, send an empty email to
wft-unsubscribe@... (source: Word For Today)
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HEARING THE WORD John: Chapter 21 (NIV)
A fish fry by the Sea of Galilee!--how exciting for the disciples who
had fished all night and caught nothing until the resurrected Jesus blessed
their efforts. Their net then held 153 large fish, and Jesus hosted a
breakfast of bread and fish for his weary disciples. Always Jesus taught
and served those He called to serve His kingdom.
Better still, Jesus always gives each follower just what he needs to
serve Him in the best way. After breakfast, Peter is given the greatest
opportunity of all--the chance to renew his fellowship with Jesus, after he
had previously denied Him three times. Peter is given the blessing of being
able to Love Jesus above all else: "Do you love me more than these?" asks
Jesus. Peter, desiring with all his heart to be worthy, replies, "Yes,
Lord...you know I love you."
Twice more Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him. While Peter is hurt by
the same repeated question, we sense that Jesus is motivating Peter to
analyze his commitment and make his best effort. All three times Jesus
directs Peter to do loving service for Jesus' Kingdom if he loves His Lord:
"Feed my lambs," says Jesus. And, "Take care of my sheep." Finally, "Feed
my sheep." Peter is directed to care for and teach God's people.
Learning to love with agape love is a process of growth. After years
of simple loving service for His Lord, Peter truly loved Jesus because by
then Peter had experienced Christ's way of life. What better keys to the
Kingdom than loving Jesus and loving service for the Lord?
(c) 1999 Mary-Ellen Grisham
fantasy@...
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4) Other Subscription Opportunities
Daniel's Info-Zene is a general interest information ezene. It is a tasteful
weekly publication - just look in our recipe section. Words of Wisdom,
Internet Tips, Health Issues, Web Pages, Business Communications and a LOT
MORE are covered. mailto:ddeane@...?subject=subscribe-daninfo
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Valuable Tips -The place for useful information and great shopping!
Need a new pair of sneakers? Holiday gifts? Flowers? Books? Computer
hardware or software? Toys? Drugstore items, including prescriptions? Weight
management tips? All this and more plus useful information at Valuable Tips.
http://www.valuabletips.com Subscribe to Valuable Tips Newsletter
mailto:newsletter@...?Subject=subscribe
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5) Thoughts To Ponder
From: CK Daily's <ckbannister@...>
"We exist temporarily through what we take, but we live forever through
what we give."
-- Douglas M. Lawson
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From: CK Daily's <ckbannister@...>
"Contentment isn't getting what you want, it's wanting what you've got!"
David Ring
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6) The News Desk
KEYS OF THE KINGDOM
There are Keys to the Kingdom and you all hold them. Every One of you
have a Key. Every One of you carry Keys that only open certain doors. The
Keys of the Kingdom are being released into your hands. The Keys of the
Kingdom are being released into your Authorities, Dominions, and
Jurisdictions! The Keys of the Kingdom are laid within your palm for usage.
So it is time to TURN your Keys!! Open your hand and find, by the direction
of My Spirit, those Keys that I have laid for you. The Keys laid one at a
time to open particular doors; doors that will bring forth the Works and
the Acts of My Kingdom for your life. The Keys are among you! The Keys are
in your possession! But now, by My Spirit you will take one after another
into your hand for the use of OPENING! No longer will My doors remain
closed, for they are being opened for those who choose to use the Keys.
So turn your hand and turn your mind and focus to the truth that the
Kingdom is at hand. The doors will open and My children must look to their
Keys. They must look into the Spirit for Me to lay in their fingers the Key
that opens this door and the Key that opens that door. The Key that opens
New Dimensions of authority and dominion, hence to walk by My Spirit in a
way they have not fully experienced until this hour. But it is coming upon
My Church, I have desired that the Heavenly things be brought to the earth.
Kingdom Works, Kingdom Abilities, Kingdom Powers and Kingdom Jurisdictions
are now being laid back into the hands of My young ones and back into the
hands of those who have matured in Me.
Just say, "Father what is it you would have me to open? Give me Wisdom and
Direction to what Key for what door." It's just a key, just a door away!
It's an opening from one room to another. I'm putting you right before
these doors, one at a time. I'm going to let you hear the sound of these
Keys, the Keys in your hand, but you must listen and obey to turn the lock
and open the door!!! Behold I stand at the door and knock. Come and open
the door from within. I have hidden the keys in your heart. Look they are
now in your hands !!!
Pastor Rene Munoz
EGYPT: THE START OF HOUSE CHURCHES
"Egypt appears around 700 times in the Bible. Today, the Bible is appearing
with increasing frequency in Egypt," writes the German Bible League, which
distributes Bibles in Egypt, among other places, and trains local
Christians. "In Egypt, it is illegal for more than 5 people to meet in a
house, but over the last year, 36,000 people met in 1,267 Bible groups. In
1998 alone, 71 house churches were started by local Christians working with
the Bible League." Source: German Bible League, fax (+49)-791-857035,
e-mail BibelLiga.D@...
PRAY FOR NIGERIA
Nigerian President Olesegun Obasanjo (a Christian) has taken steps recently
that, if fully implemented, will change the nature of the Nigerian
militarys ties to the state. His administration has recently announced
drastic cuts in the military, efforts to limit the militarys involvement
in the oil sector and the establishment of a "truth commission" that will
begin investigations on abuses committed during the militarys long reign
in Nigeria. The question is how far the military will let him go. At stake
is stability in central Africas most populous nation, which is also a
major source of the worlds oil.
Note: All articles in the news desk are courtesy of IRN. IRN NEWS DIGEST
http://www.revivalnet.net
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7) Closing Words
For those that have been with us since the beginning, you can see a
change in Eternal Ink. No longer are we using, solely, original material. We
are depending on previously used, although suitable, material.
Put in a nutshell, we want to get back to our roots of using original
material. That's where you, the reader, comes in. If you'd like to see
something you've written in print... send it to one of the four editors
above.
Now that we're going to publish once every two weeks, we need your
material more than ever.
Eternal Ink has applied for an ISSN # from the Library of Congress.
Other opportunities are opening up constantly. This ministry, thanks to your
prayers and Gods guidance, is expanding at an extraordinary pace.
If anybody would like to subscribe to EI, have them send a blank
email to: eternal_ink-subscribe@...
Our archives can be viewed at:
http://associate.com/Web_news/eternal_ink
Until next month....
May God Richly Bless You,
David