December 27, 2022 ~ Devotions: "The Light of the World"

We always wanted a place with a nice front porch!
Who knows, it may be coming soon!

 And so, I continue. . . . 

That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving and tell of all thy wondrous works.  Psalms 26:7 KJV

Philippians 2:14-15 ~ 14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; KJV  

What happens to us when we start moaning and groaning about our "current situation"?  For me I can say I begin to moan and groan about a lot of other things as well.  It's almost like once the "snowball" starts rolling we can see all kinds of things to complain about. Our jobs, our friends, our circumstances, our environment, our government, our leaders, world leaders, in excusable cruelty, death, an out of sorts husband or wife, a friend that has betrayed you . . . you name it, we can complain about it. But what Paul is trying to tell us here is - these "things" are in the Christians' life by GOD's design and plan. WHAT? God wants us to live in a world full of corruption and evil; He wants me to have cancer, broken home, death of a loved one, meanness to me and my family, this unexpected and unexplained move Tom and I are going through! It's terrible for both of us at 79 and 72 with a busted-up shoulder and a wounded hip who wants to move; believe me it isn't us; 30 days get out. . .no homes to rent or buy for ANY reasonable amount! God wanted this for US? We are His missionaries; the Preacher and his wife, what in the world!

That's right; what in the world! We always and repeatedly say, when God brings you to it, He will bring you through it. Paul is reminding us that how we handle these situations in our Christian lives is so very important. We are to maintain our faith in God as His "shining lights." We could complain, moan, groan, and carry on. Or we can trust God and His guiding hand. His love for us and care for us is so much more than the "world" can do for us. And that is the main point of today's ramblings.  I don't know your situation, but I do know that when we give it all completely to God, He will give peace, comfort, and direction. He will help us to keep our "shining light" for Jesus. Our testimony is so important as Christians. Tom said just yesterday, he would rather be basically sleeping on the streets than to harm his testimony for God. We have trusted him all our years as Christians, and this is NOT the first BIG bump in the road we have faced, and He always brings us through. We know a good woman who always says, "I am God's most favoured!"  No, she isn't. We continually disagree with that statement. It is like a mother saying she loves one child over another. God is God! He loves us all equally - and we can trust Him to continue loving us, providing for us, guiding us, protecting us, and continually caring for us.

What big hurdle are you facing Christian? Will the world see Christ in you as you travel this path God has chosen for you? Or will they see a complainer, groaner, murmurer, disputer? No, this is not what we wanted to do at Christmas. It is the time of year we devote all of our energy to honor our Lord's birth, celebrate His arrival so many years ago, and His soon coming again!  We still did that, and in between we packed. And God has sent help along the way! We will move our things to storage for a while and live in a couple of places where people have opened their doors. It will be like traveling to a meeting with a few bags for a hotel. That is God's design. We told you about Sister Cora Kern (please continue to pray for her) basically at 90, going home from a nursing home with a healing broken hip, and we will be there to help her for as long as the Lord sees it necessary. A home for us will open up, but it will be a home with no strings attached! We praise the Lord for His goodness over these years and our lives, and we look forward to a continued journey for Him. How about YOU?

Tom and Linda Milam

"HE IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD!"

1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.

 The Light of the World is Jesus

The whole world was lost in the darkness of sin,
The Light of the world is Jesus!
Like sunshine at noonday, His glory shone in.
The Light of the world is Jesus! 

Come to the light, 'tis shining for thee;
Sweetly the light has dawned upon me.
Once I was blind, but now I can see:
The Light of the world is Jesus!

If you don't know Him, come to Him today! 

Philippians 2:16 

 Philippians 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

December 6, 2022 ~ Devotions: "The Light of the World"

 And so, I continue. . . . . 

That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving and tell of all thy wondrous works.  Psalms 26:7 KJV

Psalms 36:7-9 ~ How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. 8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.  9 For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light. KJV

David surely knew how to praise the Lord, and I am grateful that his praises have forever been recorded in the Book I love so much. His heart thoughts came through loud and clear today as I read again of his love and devotion to God. O how it thrills my soul and makes me realize I have a lot of praising yet to do! Psalm 36 A wonderful display of the goodness of our loving God. David begins lamenting about the plight he is in, but it is done in such a way that God is getting all the praise and glory. As David expounds on the "lovingkindess" of God, and the fact that He is the great provider of life and will sustain us and keep us in our need; David is just coming out of a hard place. But he reveals in his psalm that God's sustenance and light only seals the fact that He Loves us! How can we do anything less, than to love Him with all our hearts, minds, and souls. Even in our darkest hours, He is there. In our victories, He is there, in our lonely hours, He is there. We can be thankful for the fact, as Christians, He has promised He will never leave us nor forsake us!  

Bless the Lord O my soul. He is my guiding light, He is My provider, He is my comfort, He is my Love, He is my friend, He is my God, and I love Him so much. He is everything and all things and always will be. So, in these hard times Tom and I face in these next 3 weeks, we know He has the solution and for every issue of life and in particular for us, our mission home in Florida. We are trusting in Him for all things in our lives and know He is in control. I know when I get my reminder of this post one year from today - I'll be able to testify of the Goodness of God! 

Please pray with us.

The Light of the World is Jesus

The whole world was lost in the darkness of sin,
The Light of the world is Jesus!
Like sunshine at noonday, His glory shone in.
The Light of the world is Jesus!

Come to the light, 'tis shining for thee;
Sweetly the light has dawned upon me.
Once I was blind, but now I can see:
The Light of the world is Jesus!

If you don't know Him, come to Him today!

Tom & Linda Milam

Missionaries to America 

and around the world

May we be faithful to be your 

Philippians 2:16 Missionaries.

Philippians 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

Lord, help us to be worthy of Your sacrifice, securing our souls with the Light of Your life and sacrifice.  May Your light shine in and through us as our reasonable service to You. Save the lost, encourage the saints please.  And help us to be wise, studied up, aware, and faithful to You, giving YOU all of our best with an open loving heart for the ministry and people. Help us Lord, to be wise in our homelife and all that is going on with that. Thank You in advance, Lord, for working out our situation for a home in FL. I pray for those who pray for us and are a help to us in this time of need. May we be used by You and obedient in all ways. We know You are our Great Provider, and we can't thank You enough. We thank You Lord for Your wonderful mercy in Tom's eyes and ask that You would heal him completely or at least allow the drug to work. We love You Lord and thank You for first loving us. Amen.  

November 20, 2022, ~ Devotions: "The Grace of Giving"

Jesus GAVE His All!

And So, I Continue . . . . . .

That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving and tell of all thy wondrous works.  Psalms 26:7 KJV

Luke 6:35-36~ 35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. 36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.  KJV

This whole chapter was dedicated on how to give, and in these two verses Jesus focuses on giving not just to those who love us, but also to those who might hate us, curse us, despise us, or persecute us. I didn't say that ~ I just shared what JESUS said. And He must have thought it important enough to have it recorded in His Word. His compassion and love for people is what brought Him to earth, and before He departed to Heaven, and he must have thought it was important enough for Him to teach on giving and prepare us all for how we should live as Christians when He left. 

We have made it a practice in our home to help folks that we can help. We believe that every person in our path is a person we can reach with the Gospel, and Jesus confirms that here. Many times, they are a needy people, who just need a bite to eat or a tire on a car.  We do not normally give money to anyone except through and by the Church. But we will take them to the store to buy groceries or to the gas pump to fill their car up.  We will buy those diapers or pay for a prescription, but the money goes to the Church.  We have kept people in hotels, and or given them a bed to sleep in in our own home. I don't say this bragging; this is the Lord guiding us daily to the ones who needs Him the most. 

Godly giving is one that separates it from the common sorts of charity or giving. I mentioned in previous posts, that, people who are unsaved, are sometimes good people who give to charities - especially this time of the year.  Giving in a good way, but not for long term effects. We are looking for a soul's destination affect. We want people to remember Jesus through our acts for Him. We could not do any of these things without His provision, and His provision many times comes from people like you, who believe in our mission work and give to us in financial, material, and prayer support.  We want only to be your emissary, going where you cannot go, but you can send us. When we do anything to help others, you will gain the blessings and rewards as well as us. We should make every effort to reach everyone. Jesus loved us ALL! ". . . for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. 

My husband has gathered up an old drunk in his arms and led him to Jesus and if you knew his history you would understand why that was a miracle. We have reached that harlot who doesn't know where to turn, the teenager hurting from a bad home life, the drug addicts crying out for help, the sick, elderly, stranger in the grocery store, angry people who don't even know why they are angry.  And many are changed after we share the Gospel, and they surrender their souls to God. This is what Jesus is talking about! YES, give of your wealth, but sometimes it is even more.  And if you cannot give of yourself personally, help others who can and trust God to do His work through you. 

This is Thanksgiving week, but we believe we get to have Thanksgiving week every week of the year.  We are truly blessed to be used of God because of YOU and your giving to our ministry! Thank you to all the churches and people who believe in the work God has given us to do. Pray that He will continue to use us. GIVE even when it hurts! That is TRULY, "Grace Giving."

Lord, please help us to be wise, studied up, aware, and faithful to You, giving YOU all of our best with an open loving heart for the ministry and people. Amen.

With love and prayers,

LKMilam

May we be faithful to be your Philippians 2:16 Missionaries. 

Philippians 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

Tom and Linda Milam

Missionaries to America

and around the world

William Carey - A Missionary Who Transformed a Nation

 William Carey

A Missionary Who Transformed a Nation ~ S. Allen 

When Englishman William Carey (1761–1834) arrived in India in 1793, it marked a major milestone in the history of Christian missions and in the history of India. Carey established the Serampore Mission—the first modern Protestant mission in the non-English-speaking world—near Calcutta on January 10, 1800. From this base, he labored for nearly a quarter century to spread the gospel throughout the land. In the end his triumph was spectacular. Through his unfailing love for the people of India and his relentless campaign against “the spiritual forces of evil” (Eph. 6:12), India was literally transformed. Asian historian Hugh Tinker summarizes Carey’s impact on India this way: “And so in Serampore, on the banks of the river Hooghly, the principal elements of modern South Asia—the press, the university, social consciousness—all came to light.”
Who was William Carey? He was exactly the kind of man that the Lord seems to delight in using to accomplish great things; in other words, the kind of person that most of us would least expect. He was raised in a small, rural English town where he received almost no formal education. His chief source of income came through his work as a cobbler (a shoemaker). He had an awkward, homely appearance, having lost almost all his hair in childhood. Upon his arrival in India and throughout his years there, he was harassed by British colonists, deserted by his mission-sending agency, and opposed by younger missionary recruits who were sent to help him. Despite these setbacks, he became perhaps the most influential person in the largest outpost of the British Empire.

Prepare for the Battle ~ Linda K. Milam

Prepare for the Battle ~ Linda K. Milam
Original Blog posted on March 27, 2011 and updated on 4/30/18

Prepare For A Battle

Used with Permission
https://unsplash.com/photos/j_Ch0mwBNds

The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.   

1 Samuel 17:37

 

And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands.  1 Samuel 17:47

 

My husband is always saying, and I have heard many others say, "Christians are either going into battle, in the midst of a battle, or coming out of a battle!"  This last week we attended one of the most Holy Spirit Lead Revivals we have been to in a long time.  Pastor Greg Booher of Faith Baptist Church in Fort Pierce, preached every service reminding us of the magnitude of lies that Christians have been inundated with by the devil himself, the master liar ~ regarding Revival in The Christians Life!  Most Christians have been made to believe that we can't have REVIVAL as the old saints saw years ago, A LIE!

 

Tom and I have challenged each other, that this Pastors HEARTS messages will not go unheard, unheeded, or non-life changing for us and our ministries.  We desire the Lord to work and use us in our lives.  Time is so short and we see signs all around us of the end days.  (If this confuses you as to what are the end days, please write us via email and let us talk with you and using the Word of God, remove your confusion.)  We pray every day for the next lost soul we meet, that we might be used to share the Gospel and insure them of their home in heaven.  But it is a battle.

 

We are at WAR with the devil himself.  We look at the atrocities of war every day on the news, the loss of life, limb and liberty and we are horrified.  The enemy would do all, say all and be all to convince us that we are at wrong.  A Lie!  But the most horrific lie of all is the one the devil uses to keep Christians from fulfilling their commission, spreading the Gospel, and leading the lost to Christ.  If we find ourselves slipping, or becoming “comfortable” just going to church once or twice a month, not reading our Bibles, praying, and living a Christ like life in our everyday life, we might need to check out where we have come since the precious day the Lord made us one of his own, insuring our salvation!  We have to revive our own hearts and spirits before we can reach others!

 

Just before I close, I want you to think just a moment; think about heroes of the Bible, such as David, we might be tempted to think that they were born with the ability to jump into the work of the Lord. But that’s not true. Throughout Scripture, you and I can clearly see the principle of preparation at work in the lives of God’s people. Look at the life of David. Before he battled Goliath, David had fought many smaller battles as a shepherd on the humble hillsides of Bethlehem. Alone with God in obscure, isolated places, David honed his battle skills killing the creatures that threatened his sheep; and these times of preparation were essential to becoming a giant slayer.

 

How about you? Are you prepared for the giants that are coming your way? Have you “honed” your spiritual skills?  The reason many people feel overcome by towering challenges is because they have failed to prepare in the smaller places. Become consistent in the routine, smaller battles that come your way. Your confidence in God will grow and you will become increasingly adept at waging spiritual warfare. Start today. Prepare for great victories by faithfully fighting the smaller battles of life; and when it’s time to face the giants, you will be ready to win.  God prepared me for the work I am in with my husband for over 35 years.  Believe me, when I say, I would not have been ready not even 10 years ago to do what we do today, if I had not surrendered my life wholly to him!  

 

We will leave Florida again, on April 14^th, and Tom is scheduled to be in 14 churches and ministries all up and down the Appalachian Mountain Range preaching the Gospel, encouraging and  lifting up the saints, and leading the lost to Christ, and I will be by his side.  Our last trip took us over 10,000 miles in 4 months.  God wants to use you to reach the lost the same as us.  But you need to get ready and BE ready at all times.  I must share this story to emphasize again the importance of being ready.  

 

Just this week,  my husband shared with me a conversation he had with a couple of other preachers.  Tom told them that he never goes to a meeting not prepared to preach.  He is always ready to step up and into a pulpit at a moment’s notice.  He believes this is what God would have him do.  One of the other preachers was shocked; “Why, when you aren't on the schedule?” was the question?  Tom answered, “I am always ready and prepared to be used in any way for the Lord, and I am a Preacher of the Gospel. Why wouldn’t I be ready to preach, if He needed me?”  I appreciate that.  It is not a brag on Tom, but rather a brag on God.  God has instilled a great desire in Tom's heart to preach the Gospel, he is compelled to be ready to serve at a moments notice. Are we ready for anything God would have us to do?  Where are our talents; in music, preaching, teaching, praying or something else? No matter what your talent is, be PREPARED to be used of God.

 

Pastor Booher talked this week about training ~ if you’ve ever done any weight training; you know that you can’t start out with the heavy weights. You must start small and light. A day by day building up of muscles/Christ like life, must occur for us to be used as God would use us.  Watch for how God gives you opportunity to lift spiritual weights by practicing principles taught in God’s Word. The more you do it, the stronger you will become. 

 

I do pray this has been of some help to you, I know God spoke to my heart as I wrote.  May the Lord bless you this day – and use us all to His honor and Glory.

God Bless,

Linda K. Milam

Read 1 Samuel 17:41-51

Hebrews 11:1 ~ LKMilam

Originally posted on FB on October 28th 2017 ~ LKMilam

 

Christian today I want to share with you A little of my heart and I ask you:

Are you nearly overwhelmed with the burdens of this world? Are you sick in body? Have you lost your job just weeks before Christmas? Have you been deserted by the one you love the most? Are you looking for answers but there seem to be NONE? You are faithful to God. You attend church every time the doors open. You tithe.... You give offerings above your tithe. Why, you are also a giver to Faith Promise Missions! You read your Bible and talk to God Every day, multiple times a day, not just at mealtimes!

So why are all these “things” in your life tearing you apart? Why are you facing a life threatening disease or a life as a single parent, or a lost job. Catastrophic things that are changing your world as you know it. Why? It is not because you have been “bad” no matter what a lot of folks think. We are all sinners saved by grace. And as long as the Lord tarries His return and we continue to live on this mud ball we call earth, we will endure problems. The difference between the Christian and the non-Christian, Is FAITH. Don’t give up, don’t give in. God Is good, He Cares and is still with you. YOU do right when no one else is.

Paul Chappell’s devotion today (inserted below) was such a help to me personally. My husband and I are the children of a holy God! We are missionaries serving God full time to the best of our abilities. Yet we are no different than you. We still pay light bills, phone bills, buy groceries, gas, clothing, etc. We are facing age, illness, heartbreak, rejection, hurt just like you. Reading Pastor Chappell’s message today reminded me that God is in it all!! Keep looking up Christian, He is coming soon. And for the non-Christian, please be saved today. HELL is real. If you want assurance of a home in Heaven one day, message me or H Tom Milam. We will be glad to help you know! LKMilam

“Saturday, Oct 28, 2017
“Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.” Psalm 61:1–4

The idea that a Christian will only receive good things from God and coast through life on a bed of blessings sounds good and draws large crowds and television audiences. But it is not the reality of life presented in Scripture. David, who was known as a man after God’s own heart, spent years running for his life. He was the number one target on Saul’s list, singled out for death not because he had done wrong, but because of Saul’s jealousy. Yet even on days when it seemed that everyone on Earth had turned against him, David clung to his faith in God.

Faith is not a barrier that prevents trouble from coming; it is a shield that keeps those troubles from conquering us. (I loved that sentence! LKMilam)

In the moments that challenge us the most, we sometimes feel that we must be strong. But victory is not found in our strength; it is only found in the power of God. Even the apostle Paul, to whom we look as a great example of the Christian life, knew what it was like to be pushed to the edge. He wrote, “For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears” (2 Corinthians 7:5).

We sometimes think that if our faith were stronger we wouldn’t worry at all. But David was overwhelmed and Paul was troubled. We must understand that faith is not the absence of fear, but the continuance of trust and obedience. ~Paul Chappell

 

Tom & Linda Milam

Missionaries to America

Phil. 2:16