Is HE Strong Enough? (fwd)

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This landed in my mailbox this morning -- thought I'd share it with y'all.

Richard Masoner
richardm@cd.com
--
Forwarded message:
Date: Mon, 17 Mar 1997 11:22:29 -0500
From: Mike Brigmond <mbrigmon@tdts.com>
Reply-To: mbrigmon@tdts.com
Organization: Techdata IBM vSE
Subject: Is HE Strong Enough?

Is he Strong Enough?
	Before Jesus so graciously saved me, I was like Paul said of himself,
of all sinners I am chief.  From the time I was born until this day I
have carried with me the name of my parents and the name they gave me.=20
It is my name, what I am called, that defines me in the sight of all
that know me, have known me, or have yet to meet me.  From birth
until I reached my nineteenth birthday, I by definition, when you used
my name it was used in association with every kind of sin imaginable,
every!  In high school you could mention me in conversation and images
would be conjured up that defined who I was. My name was associated and
could be defined by sinful, evil, dark, and corrupt acts.  Let me state
right now, so could yours.  That will keep you from feeling to self
righteous.  It was literally on my 19th birthday, at a Florida camp
meeting, that Jesus Christ got ahold of and into my heart.  I received
the Holy Ghost when I was 12, but was quickly placed in my toybox as I
grew into adolescents and forgot who had saved me. Really at twelve,
save for a select few, who really understands what they are saved
from.  =20
	Back to 19.  It was that defining moment that changed me, changed my
life, and changed the definition of my name.  Jesus took something so
vile, so dirty, corrupt, full of sin, and down right evil and turned it
into something beautiful, at least I think so.=20
Those who know me now would never associate my name with what I used to
be, you could tell them what I had done, but that would not change their
view, I would hope not anyway.  I was called Michael many years before
Jesus called me to an alter.  I left that alter still called Michael,
but now with new meaning.  Jesus reached into the devils crib and stole
one of his favorite toys!  I know this because he has whimpered and
whined and cried about it every since.  He has fought to get me back
continually.  Satan wants to put that old label on my life again, he
wants to rewrite a rewritten definition.  But he can=92t, I won=92t let
him! =20
	Now to my point.  Jesus is in the business of taking what once was
called evil and turning it into something good.  That=92s what He does!=20
Think about it, he took you.  He didn=92t change your name in some attemp=
t
to hide you from your previous owner.  On the contrary; He changed you,
left your name intact so all that knew you would know the
wondrous works of God.  You have become a testimony of what God can do.=20
We must allow him to take the evil things and change them to good so
that first, He can receive proper credit and second, (this might cross
your theology) so He can rub it in Satan=92s face.  =93See you old snake,
this once was yours now it is mine. HANDS OFF!=94  This must be allowed i=
n
everything, if not then we deny His power , we deny that he has the=20
ability, we basically state you can do some things but we think this is
too much for you to make the changes you want to make.  Remember what
Jeremiah said in Chapter 18, =93Arise, and go down to the potter's house,
and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the
potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.  And the
vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he
made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make
[it].  Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,  O house of Israel,
cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay
[is] in the potter's hand, so [are] ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.=94
He shapes and make the vessels as it seems good to the potter to make
[it].  Even the ones that are marred while in His hands, but that is
another topic all together.=20


	Here is where you will begin to love me or hate me.  This is the time
of the year that we celebrate the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of
Jesus Christ.  This time of the Passover is also commonly called Easter
which by commentary is originally a Saxon word (Eostre), denoting a
goddess of the Saxons, in honour of whom sacrifices were offered about
the time of the Passover. Hence the name came to be given to the
festival of the Resurrection of Christ, which occurred at the time of
the Passover.  There it is as simply as it could be put. A pagan holiday
of sacrifices to unreal gods.  Not much like my life or yours before
Jesus saved you, right.  Is God=92s power limited to only taking
possession of certain things or can He take anything he wants to and
make it what He wants to.  There are those who have told me that to call
that day Easter would be the same as calling my daughter a slut. Sorry
for the bluntness but we need to get this.  Jesus can take what ever He
wants to and make it what he wants to.  Water to wine, Tax money in a
fishes mouth, A citizen out of a madman full of devils.  Can He not take
a day once known for its evil and claim its name to make it mean
something else.  Ask anyone around you, at work, at play, at school, in
the mall, at the store, at a gas pump.  Easter to them, most of them,
will mean Jesus risen.  There are those who would take that day and
that meaning and GIVE it back to Satan only because the name Easter once
meant something evil.  Did not your name mean something evil at one time
in your life.  Now though, you have no problem with your name appearing
in the Lamb=92s book of life but do have a problem with calling the
Resurrection day Easter.  What is celebrated on that day?  Are
sacrifices made around the world in honor to a Saxon god.  Does anyone
even know a Saxon?  Can not we take victory in the fact that Jesus
captured that day and said =93No more!  This is my day, it no longer mean=
s
evil, but now it is good.=94 Is not everyday the Lord=92s day.  This is t=
he
day that the Lord has made. REJOICE and be glad in it.  I will agree if
we participate in what use to take place then judgment is surely our
reward.  Who are we to take a day the Lord has made and call it evil.=20
Not I.  Everyday evil deeds are done, every Monday the whore houses are
open for business.  But do we label that day evil when also that same
day a baby is born, a bible study is taught, someone receives grace, God
fills someone with the Holy Ghost.  I conclude if God has the power to
change us without having to change our name then God can take ownership
of days that were once evil and make them good.  Jesus only changed the
names of two apostles Simon to Peter because of a revelation and Saul to
Paul that he might minister to those he once killed.  Jesus has the
power to liberate, set free, and deliver.  Will you be the one who would
tell Him he cannot do so in all things.

God Bless

Michael Brigmond

http://www.tritton.com/aya