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Proclaiming the

Good News

The Church of God 2005 Dewey Rd

Montvale, VA 24112 Vol.12 Issue 7

January/February 2019

Broken for the Master’s Use Bishop Billy Cox, Regional Overseer of DE/MD/VA

In an ever-changing world, we are faced with many circumstances that test our faith. During these times, we find that our faith will either be unshakable or shaken at its foundation. Who would have ever thought there would be so many to question God, Christ, and or Christianity? Not only is it in the world of a sinful and disobedient people but also in what is known as the Christian arena. Occasionally circumstances or surroundings can put us to the test. We may ask questions but we should never doubt that God is real and presently helping us. During the days of the Kings, Elijah was found to be one of the most faithful men who held to God’s unchanging hand. Yet, written in the scripture we find that Elijah had his moments of trials and temptations. One the greatest moments in his life was during a time when Israel had turned away from God to serve and worship false gods. In his steadfast confidence Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal. Though they tried and did whatever they thought to awaken their god, Baal never answered. However, Elijah prayed and God answered by fire. This was a moment of a mountain top experience. However, the story of Elijah seems to make us shake our heads as we continue to read his story. He was broken for the Master’s use. Word had arrived about the prophets of Baal to the wicked Jezebel. Her anger would not let her rest until she destroyed the prophets of God.

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She sent word to Elijah about his soon coming death and He fled. She had killed so many of the prophets of God and would stop at nothing to kill Elijah. This tried Elijah so much that he fled from her a day journey in the wilderness. Then sitting under a juniper tree “he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.” 1 Kings 19:4b

All the conditions that surrounded Elijah were constantly attacking his mind so greatly that he felt God was finished with him. Yet, it was in this moment that God miraculously fed him and he was able to go on the strength of the meat for forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God. Elijah was broken but his brokenness was not the end of his life or the end of his usefulness. He fled to the Mount Horeb and found a cave to dwell. It was in this cave that he heard the voice of God. Though God knew what was going on in the mind of Elijah, God questioned him, “What doest thou here, Elijah?” Elijah’s answer revealed all that was going on in his mind and spirit. Elijah felt dejected, defeated and hopeless. He had no desire to live but God was not done with Elijah. After some spectacular events such as wind, an earthquake, and a fire Elijah does not flee. It’s as if God is testing Elijah with some situations that would cause one to run and hide. Yet the still small voice causes Elijah to be moved. Sometimes we want the spectacular but what we need is a Word from God to move the mountain, bring deliverance, salvation and hope. After God questioned Elijah again He commissioned him to continue to do His bidding. His spirit was revived and Elijah quickly responded and did as the Lord had commanded. As we continue to read Elijah’s story, we see how God honored Elijah by bringing him up into glory by a whirlwind. What a testimony! There are times in our life that we are surrounded with all types of situations and yet we don’t flee or become troubled. However, when things are not going so well in our Christian walk we seem to struggle to find that place of strength in the Lord. I pray as you take the time to read what is written, not only in this article, but also in the word of God, that you will feel the urge to continue for the Master’s Use. Don’t allow brokenness to be an excuse to lie around to die. Hear the word of the Lord and Rise up and Shine!

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Welcome to the New Year! This year the urgency of restoration is pressing us forward. There are so many that need to be touched by God's love. The Christmas season has past, but not the message or the profound

change it brought. When Jesus lay as a babe in that manger, a star shined a light on the place he slept. As He continued to grow and toddle, the light continued to shine and draw wise men to Him. On the road to Damascus, the light made a transformation in Saul's life. Now in our time, we must be that same light. "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid." (Matthew.5:14) The New Year will bring a new set of opportunities to reach the lost. It will provide the opportunity to contact those that have become discouraged. Only if we submit to the Holy Ghost can we shine as we need to. The action of reaching is easily instituted but will not be effective until the Holy Ghost powers it. Let's allow ourselves to lead. Let's allow ourselves to work with His wisdom. Let's allow ourselves to be sensitive to the movement of God's plan. Enter into the gates of 2019 with a renewed desire to shine as never before. Remember the Fast day for each month. If you are unable to fast the 1st day of the month, please make every effort to fit it in at some point in the month. The eternity of someone may depend upon it! I would also like to thank everyone who contributed to the offerings and stockings given to Bishop Pimentel and Bishop Billy Cox. They were blessed by your thoughtfulness.

ABM

2018 -

2019

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New Year, New You. This slogan is used in all sorts of marketing campaigns at this time of

year. Gyms encourage you to join and become a stronger, healthier version of yourself. Colleges and learning apps urge us to expand our minds and gain more opportunities by purchasing their services. And vehicle dealerships just know we would be happier and more put together if we would just buy the model they’re selling. This sentiment has penetrated the public consciousness. Most American’s make at least one New Year’s resolution. These include but are not limited to: saving money, getting healthy/losing weight, spending time with family, doing more exciting things, reading/learning, performing good deeds, etc. Those are all good goals, but 80% of people will have given up on their New Year’s goals by February. Only 8-9.2% will have actually achieved their goal by the end of the year. Of course, we each want to grow closer to God this year, both as individuals and as the body of Christ. However, the statistics above show us that having a good goal is not enough to insure we attain it. So what do we need?

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In Ephesians 5:25b-27, Paul gave specific instructions

for how the Church would achieve perfection: “…Christ

also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he

might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water

by the word, That he might present it to himself a

glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such

thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

Christ’s sacrifice enabled us to approach God, which

comes with both blessings and responsibilities. One of

those responsibilities is to be ‘washed by the water of

the word.’ We do need to read our Bibles, but even more

importantly, we need to apply what the Bible says to our

lives each and every day. Only then, will we be able to

“grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even

Christ.”

Please be in prayer for and making plans to attend BTI

this year in Cleveland, Tennessee, May 26th through

June 8th. Tuition is $75.00, but you are eligible for

$15.00 discount if you send in your application by May

1, 2018. Our theme scripture is taken from Philippians

3:16, "Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained,

let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same

thing." The Cleveland BTI school will be offering a

Spanish term for the first time this year. My

understanding is that the Spanish term will be only for

the second week of BTI, June 2-8th. If you are

considering (not necessarily decided, but at least

considering) going to BTI, please text (540-309-9622)

or email (sis.chelsey@gmail.com) for more information.

Yours for Christ and His Church,

Sis. Chelsey

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I hope in this new year God’s face will shine down on you. No matter our current situation, God tells us in Romans 8:28, that if we love him and if we are

in his will, all things will work to our good. I am thankful to be serving an All-Powerful God, The Resurrected Savior and to have the Holy Ghost to lead us into all truth. May we reflect back on 2018 to see all that the Lord has done for us. Not reflecting on the bad but on how God brought us through each situation, how He has walked beside us, healed us, made provisions for us, etc. As we reflect back, may it give us the hope and inspiration for the future. In the book, Illustration Unlimited, there is a story called, Hope The Motivator. “An examination was being held in little Emma’s class at school and the question was asked: Upon what do hibernating animals subsist during the winter?” Emma thought for a few minutes and then wrote: “All winter long, hibernating animals subsist on the hope of a coming spring!” I’m not one for cold, wintery days. After Christmas I am ready for spring, so I’m like the hibernating animal in hopes of the coming spring. I have daffodils planted in my front yard. Near the end of December when I look out my window I see green sprouting out of the ground. It puts a sense of refreshing in me. Then, in January, I see more green bursting forth.

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By February, when we usually see more snow, I

see the beautiful yellow flowers blooming while

everything else seems dead. This is a reminder to me

that it will not always be cold and trees and plants will

not always be cold and trees and plants will not always

be lifeless but warmth and beauty lies ahead.

Everybody needs that sense of hope. We, as

children of God, have that Blessed Hope. May we take

the time to share the gospel with someone along our

path or maybe God may ask us to go out of our normal

path to help someone. Stop and take the time. I did not

realize when I planted those flowers how much they

would impact my outlook and give me hope of

something better. We may never know how sharing our

hope through Jesus Christ with another may change their

day or maybe even their life.

Please remember March missions is just ahead.

Last year we raised $7,803.50. Our goal is always to

reach a little higher. Also our WMB Regional

Convention Mission Offering will be soon approaching.

Fight a good fight; Keep the Faith.

Sister Deborah Cox

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The great commission of the

Church is to evangelize the world.

We are to share true life with

them, but how can we give them

something we don’t first have

ourselves? Would you agree with

me that we need revival? To see a

move of God in the lives of others, we first need a move of

God in our own lives. We need revival!

I would like to encourage us all to pray for revival.

Having an evangelist come to our local church and preach for a

week does not necessarily constitute a revival. True revival will

only come because of the “Power in Prayer.” Pastors, why not

have a prayer revival? Why not think outside the box? You

could meet in homes for prayer or simply set aside certain

times to pray for revival. As individuals, we could begin to

pray for revival in our own lives. Regardless of how we do it,

what matters most is that we pray for revival!

James 5:16b says, “The effectual fervent prayer of a

righteous man availeth much.” The scriptures go on to talk

about how Elijah prayed that it wouldn’t rain, and it rained not

for three and a half years. He then prayed for rain, and the

heavens were opened. The result was that “the earth brought

forth her fruit” (v.18). That is also what the effectual, fervent

prayers of The Church of God will do today. There is still

power in prayer. Church, let us pray this kind of prayer and

expect the rain to come. Let’s get ready to see the fruit of our

labors.

It is my prayer that this year will be the greatest year of

revival we have ever had. Will you pray that way with me?

Let’s use the powerful tool of prayer that God has given us.

Let’s pray for a revival that will first affect us. The effect of

this will be that the world around us will be evangelized as we

fulfill our commission.

Evangelism

Joseph Hill

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Heritage - Calling Mighty Men Our Heritage has been filled in the past, presently and I am expecting in the future with many "mighty men". In 2 Samuel 23:8-39, we find a record of King David's mighty men. These men were his personal army and guard. They were men who had stuck with David from the days he was a fugitive from King Saul staying by his side until the end of their lives. One of those mighty men was Eleazar the

son of Dodo, the man whose "hand cleaved (stuck) unto the sword". In his life, we see the intensity of a "mighty man's" zeal, the energy with which he gripped his weapon. Although the men of Israel deserted him and though he became weary "his hand cleaved unto the sword" and "the Lord wrought a great victory that day." I have read that in battles where swords were swung in life and death struggles that it was occasionally observed that once the conflict ended that an individual could not release their grip on their sword. The "mighty man" grasps his sword, the Truth of God's Word and retains his hold. No matter what happens to him in battle, he never lets go of his weapon for an instance. I encourage you present and future "mighty men", get a hold of the whole counsel of God and never relax your grip! What will happen to you? You will not be able to turn it loose! I have in mind some of these heroes who grasped hold of the Word of God and retained that hold the rest of their lives. That they swung the sword unto their last breath is an encouragement to those around them. My father-in-law comes to mind swinging the sword until the end. If we bravely cleave to the sword with God's strength and power those around us will take courage and in 2nd Samuel, they will return to the battlefield. In this new year we must continue to hold fast the sword remembering our wonderful Heritage of "mighty men" also keeping the vision and purpose of The Church of God by promoting the work of the CPMA. Let's be 100% in this region our District Conventions! God Bless you as you work for Him, Julie Baldwin

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“Enemies on the Run”

Put on the WHOLE armour of God.

As we read in Ephesians chapter 6, we will find that Paul felt knew that it was of the utmost importance for the child of God to put on the WHOLE armor of God. So much so that he mentions it twice in verses 11 & 13, “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” We are able to see why in verse 12, as he lays out what lies before us. It is no secret that the devil wishes to destroy us. It has been said that whatever God loves, the Devil hates, or has a counterfeit for it. Jesus warned the disciples in Luke 21:8 that there would be those that would come and say they were the Christ. Matthew 24:24 He said, some would come “and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” This is why it is so important for us to make sure that we on the WHOLE armor of God. The devil would love nothing more than to slip some deceit past a weak spot in our armor. But if we are maintaining our armor through prayer, fasting, and reading Gods word, his fiery darts will harmlessly bounce off. The devil has no authority over the child of God! Maintain your armor, keep it on; and through this we see victory after victory as we put the enemy on the run.

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I wanted to take some time to boost our Regional Youth Events.

We just finished up Youth Retreat in November, and

Youth Camp was held in July. While these functions may

seem a way off, I want to encourage you to start thinking of

ways to boost and raise money to help get the youth of your churches and communities to these functions.

If the Lord tarries, we have to raise the tuition for

these functions in order to keep ourselves in the green, and

not place a financial burden on the Region.

So, again I want to encourage you to work with your churches to raise money to help offset the cost for those that

may not have not have the ability to pay the tuition.

As you work and give, please do not forget the

awesome spiritual impact that these functions have on individuals. In fact, if it had not been for the ministry of

Youth Camp, I most likely would not be the one writing this

letter. Our youths’ lives will be changed by the examples,

efforts, and, sacrifices that each of us make to edify the Kingdom and Church.

Thank you for all you do and all that you are going to

do to be a blessing in following Christ. “Give, and it shall be

given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken

together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom.

For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” Luke 6:38

Your Servant in Christ

Eric Hogan

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New year, New…Sunday

School?!

2019 is officially upon us!

The beginning of a new

year always lends itself to

the talk of resolutions. New

year, new you! Most of society starts off the year working

hard to achieve a goal. Whether it’s to shed a few extra

pounds, start a new hobby, or get a promotion at work. As

Christians we don’t have to wait for January first to start

working hard for the Lord! But it’s as good of a time to start

as any! What do you want to achieve for Him in this coming

year?

Sunday School is a vital tool in shaping an individual

spiritually. If correctly implemented it can lead a lost soul to

the Lord, it can provide a deeper understanding, and new

knowledge of the word. But if it is not utilized it benefits no

one. II Corinthians 4:3 says “But if our gospel be hid, it is

hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath

blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of

the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God,

should shine unto them.”

The Sunday School department must be a working one! It

must have hands reaching out and pulling people in. The

beauty of the Sunday School department is that it’s not only

the work of the superintendents and teachers but each of us

count as one. Each of us play a role. Whether we invite new

pupils, share a comment during class, or are a fervent prayer

warrior, each of us effect the success of Sunday School. We

must be the change we want to see! So, with the new year

let’s get excited about Sunday School again!

God bless you, Sis. Candace Sheets

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Marion, VA

Sis. Marsha Pinnick announced our Oct. World Mission total of $2220.01. Everyone is so thankful we are able to give to missions. We also pray for all the ones on the mission fields. We had a very busy December. We had a float in the Christmas Parade this year. It has been years since we have had a float. Tracts and candy were handed out, as they walked beside of the float. Our children, teens, and adults worked hard on the Christmas play. The play was held on Dec. 16 at 6 p.m. It was a beautiful play. The singing was just amazing. I have heard so many good comments about the singing being just beautiful. Some were impressed about how Sis. Candace Sheet got everything together for the play. God uses us to do His will and I am sure Sis. Candace waits on the Lord’s will in all that she does for the Him. Refreshments were served after the Christmas Play. Many of the couples are looking forward to couples Retreat the end of January. This is held Jan. 25 thru Jan. 27. Please pray for us here at Marion, as each one of us prays for you and the church’s needs. God Bless You!

Betty Patrick

Church Reporter

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Psalms 71:16-18 I will go in the strength of the Lord God: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only. O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. Now also when I am old and grey headed, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to eve3ry one that is to come. Those of us who have made it to this oldest generation, can look back on a lifetime of experiences. We might say these have been training for the next thing God has for us to do for His Glory. There may be a soul for us to rescue or someone to pull back from the edge or, as in verse 18, simply to show His strength and power to every generation. Remember, as in verse 16, it is not our strength and power but HIS. Warren and Marsha Pinnick Regional Field Secretaries to the Seniors DE/MD/VA

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The Trumpet is the official Publication of The Church of God in Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia

General Overseer …………………. Bishop Oscar Pimentel Regional Overseer …………………….. Bishop Billy Cox

Assistant Editor ……………………. Bethany Davis

Contact Information for Regional Headquarters of The Church of God Billy Cox

2005 Dewey Rd Montvale, VA 24112 Cell – (540) 947-5168

bdsecox@hotmail.com

This paper is printed bi-monthly. The

next edition will be the January/February issue. If you would like to

submit a sermon, poem, photograph or article the

deadline will be March 1st.

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