Publication of this workbook and the six accompanying DVD’s will be available to you on our website just as soon as we can get the workbook printed. I’ll be sure to let you know when that happens. The DVD’s are already done and ready for packaging.

Click this link and please, let me know what you think.

Clips from Session 6, the final session, were just recently published online.

You can watch highlights, FAQ’s, and Testimonies from all  six sessions on the Provision House website. Click here to watch.

Final touches are being put on the Workbook, Leader’s Guide, and Encourager’s Manual. I expect to complete these by end January/early February.

Watch for a flurry of announcements coming soon regarding live seminars, a Resources page on the website, and more.

Until then, I request your earnest prayer for a) Rapid completion of the printed materials and, b) Urgently needed donations to enable us to package, promote, and distribute this desperately needed biblical curriculum.

This was a project that took over two-years to complete. There are thousands of suffering Christians who have been crying out to God for a biblical solution that would give true and lasting freedom addiction. And now–they have one!

You can be a part of something special. You can make a difference by making a donation today.

Thank you for caring.

I am putting the finishing touches on the Workbook, Leader’s guide, and the Encourager’s Manual. After that, the entire Breaking the Chains Seminar on DVD will be ready for packaging, promotion, and distribution. So watch for upcoming announcements of an official release date.

Once again, from the bottom of my heart, I thank those of you who have prayerfully and financially supported this ministry project from the beginning. This is the work you have done for your Master. Without you, this would never have been possible.

You can begin to feel some sense of satisfaction from what you’ve accomplished, for I am certain the Lord is pleased with what you have done for His glory.

We still need your help, however, in whatever way you can. Your prayers and support have made a tremendous difference. That, I am sure of.

Want to read an interesting perspective on how Christmas has been expelled from the U.S. marketplace? Click here to read Ravi’s take on  the “secularist who lives under the illusion that values are cradled in a vacuum”.

Here is a snippet:

Some years ago, I walked into the Forbidden City in Beijing. It was a cold and grey January. I paused as I saw deep inside its walls a shop with the banner still fluttering, “Merry Christmas.” That which was happily displayed in the Forbidden City is now all but forbidden in our cities. A Chinese professor once remarked to me, “You Christians need to thank God for Communism, because we left the souls of our people empty, making room for the gospel.” 

Maybe someday we will thank the rabid secularists as well, when Merry Christmas will no longer be forbidden in our cities. Exhausted and disappointed in self-worship, we may turn to God again and hear his story afresh. 

Which leaves me with this one, emphatic, sacred wish for you–Merry Christmas!

Well, now that’s all changed. I’ve received my first official comment on a blog post made November 11th last month. The comment was made on November 20th.

There’s only one problem: it’s in Polish.

If you want to see it (and translate it online at Google Translate, for example), click here.

I am so grateful that at least one person reads my blog — even if he’s in Poland.

All video clips on the website are in High Definition. Additionally, I’ve worked hard to produce a compelling audio track. So crank it up or put on some headphones – and enjoy.

Session 6, the final session, is already in editing and will be completed before year-end. Shortly thereafter, the workbook will be published. It is at that time that the curriculum will be available for sale on our website.

They had been able to miraculously smuggle a Bible into the camp, and in that Bible they had read that in all things there were to give thanks, and that God can use anything for good.

Corrie’s sister Betsy decided that this meant thanking God for the fleas.

This was too much for Corrie, who said she could do no such thing. Betsy insisted, so Corrie gave in and prayed to God, thanking Him even for the fleas.

Over the next several months a wonderful, but curious, thing happened. They found that the guards never entered their barracks.

This meant that the women were not assaulted.

It also meant that they were able to do the unthinkable, which was to hold open Bible studies and prayer meetings in the heart of a Nazi concentration camp.

Through this, countless numbers of women came to faith in Christ.

Only at the end did they discover why the guards had left them alone and would not enter into their barracks.

It was because of the fleas.

This Thanksgiving, give thanks to God for every good and perfect gift (James 1:17), but also thank Him for how He will use all things for good in the lives of those who trust Him (Romans 8:28).

In this time of declining home values and rising unemployment; in a time when many are facing physical and emotional challenges; there can be little doubt that such a trusting prayer of gratitude will be challenging to consider.

But when you feel that challenge, take a moment, and remember the fleas of Ravensbruck.

And thank God anyway.

from Church and Culture, by James Emery White

Sources: Corrie ten Boom, The Hiding Place.

2. Find a nice patch of grass. It doesn’t have to be big. You don’t need a regulation 100 yards. Half the people in your family, if they ran 100 yards, they’d wind up in the hospital for a month.

3. The game must be played before dinner. Nobody wants to play football after Thanksgiving. Nobody wants to wear pants after Thanksgiving.

4. All family on the field! Everyone plays. Mom, Dad, Grandpa, Grandma, Cousin Jake, and Regis the one-eyed Jack Russell terrier. Don’t laugh. Regis is the best receiver you’ve got.

5. The following things are prohibited from Thanksgiving touch football: spikes, eye black, sticky gloves, Jets jerseys, running with a lit cigar, Norv Turner.

6. A Nerf ball is okay but you should own a leather football. A leather football is one of the things every home must have.

7. No footballs with wings or propellers or tails or streamers. Here’s a good rule: If the football would make Dick Butkus throw up, don’t use it.

8. It’s two-hand touch. One-hand touch is for lazy people who buy turkey sandwiches out of vending machines.

9. Two completions is a first down. Not as simple as it sounds—just ask the 2011 Indianapolis Colts.

10. No taunting, trash-talking, or back-handed compliments. That’s what Thanksgiving dinner is for.

11. Unless you live in California, Hawaii or Florida or some fancy place like that, the ground is probably going to be squishy with cold mud, and someone in your family is going to fall down face-first and ruin his or her Thanksgiving outfit. This is not cause for alarm. This is the highlight of the game.

12. It’s okay to play with kids but don’t baby them. Just because your 7-year-old niece is playing quarterback doesn’t mean you can’t intercept her screen pass and run it back for a touchdown. She’s got to learn sometime not to throw into triple coverage.

13. The count is five “Mississippi.” And it’s a full four syllables—not a rushed “MISS-IPPI” and knocking grandpa to the ground.

14. But if you are old enough to have grandchildren, and you sack the quarterback, and do an elaborate sack dance, you will be worshipped forever.

15. Keep the Tebowing to a minimum. The fad is already old.

16. No, you don’t get to be “permanent QB.” Not if you want anybody to like you.

17. No show-off football lingo. No screaming “trips left” or “zone blitz.” Uncle Dale doesn’t want to play the “nickel package.” He wants to get this stupid game over with and stand in the kitchen eating stuffing with his hands.

18. But there’s always one control freak who wants to diagram elaborate plays. Just listen to whatever they say, and forget it immediately.

19. There are only two plays you need for touch football: “Everybody Go Out” and “Everybody Go Deep.”

20. No, that running play never works. Ever.

21. Don’t throw the ball too hard. This is the mistake a lot of touch football QBs make. They see an opening, and they chuck it 99 mph like John Elway, and peg Aunt Frances in the neck.

22. A little pass interference never hurt anyone. Don’t be a wimp.

23. If you throw six interceptions in a row, let someone else play quarterback, or sign with the Washington Redskins.

24. Three-minute halftime. Don’t kill the momentum. Anything longer, and aging muscles seize up. Remember: if Daddy sits, Daddy is d-o-n-e.

25. If you’re playing on a city street, please don’t dent the blue Honda, or I will find you.

26. If you’re a random guest at Thanksgiving, it’s your job to be good at touch football. Lie and say you “played a little” at Alabama and pray you don’t completely embarrass yourself.

27. If you find yourself surrounded by middle-aged men in blue jeans and a quarterback who keeps getting picked off, you’re not with your family. You’ve accidentally walked into a Brett Favre Wrangler spot.

28. Punting is okay, but it’s hard. You know that weird fact about how hippopotamuses kill more people than lions or tigers? Well, punts are the hippopotamuses of touch football. Botched punts break more windows and hit more cars than any other play in the game. You can look it up. Be careful.

29. Goes without saying, but if it snows, it’s a classic.

30. Take it easy. You don’t want any injuries that can’t be treated with a bag of frozen peas.

31. If you win your game and stand undefeated, please let LSU know you’re available to play in the BCS championship.

32. When you think about it, there’s really only one rule for Thanksgiving touch football: Take your shoes off before going in the house, or Mom is going to kill you.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Source: The Wall Street Journal Online

“Whoa, partner! You better explain that”, some of you are thinking.

I do–in Session 2 of The Breaking the Chains Seminar on DVD, to be completed next week. Video previews will also be posted next week. I’ll let you know when you can watch them on the website.

Until then, remember that living free in Christ is life at its very, very best!

Paul

The video previews are on the second page, so be sure to click the “Next page” button at the bottom right to slide over to page two of the videos. As usual, if you are a frequent visitor to our website, you may need to press the F5 button to refresh your screen so you can see all our new content.

Session 2 is on the way. Until then, enjoy!

But With Open Eyes has armed a cadre of Mobile Messengers who deliver the gospel and bibles via motorcycles all across the African continent.

Please be in earnest prayer as their mission is a dangerous one. Consider supporting them. I am!

The Session 2 FAQ’s will be posted on the website next, followed by the Session 2 Highlights clip. Then, after a year and a half of working on this project, there will be only two more videos to finish editing and the DVD’s will be done–finally! It’s been a long, tough road, but I still believe it will be worth it to see potentially thousands find true and lasting freedom in Christ. My heartfelt gratitude goes out to everyone who has so generously supported this ministry through prayer and donations.

Click here to go directly to the Videos webpage. And don’t forget to press F5 on your keyboard to refresh the page. This is sometimes necessary and very common.

Enjoy!

I will be happy to receive your comments on the video clip either by email or on the blog page. Let me know what you think. And please, please, please, click on the Facebook Like button and/or share it by using one or more of the multiple options using this button  under the post.

Existing donors will receive a complimentary DVD of the entire session by mail within the week.

Session 2, Freedom from Addiction, is next. Watch for it to be released soon.

Enjoy!

Paul

“As contrasted to our contemporary views of spiritual self-actualization, the final and ultimate goal in the process of growth to spiritual maturity is not focused on the individual’s spirituality and relationship to God. The final and ultimate goal in the process is the mutual and corporate growth of the whole Body. The individual’s spiritual self-actualization is not the end in view, but rather a means toward a much grander end, the growth of the Body into Him Who is the Head.” – John R. Lillis, Ph.D., Dean and Executive Officer, Bethel Seminary, San Diego, commenting on Ephesians 4:11-16.

Curious? Listen to Dr. Lillis expand on this by clicking below (about 2-1/2 minutes).

Dr. Lillis Excerpt

This should motivate us to reflect on the state of our spiritual formation. Are we growing spiritually or merely intellectually? Have our Christian lives become sterile, antiseptic, even dull and boring? Could it be that our spiritual growth is not being pursued according to the Ephesians 4 formula?

I think what may really be in question here is the difference between edification and sanctification. This idea will be discussed further in Session 6 of the Breaking the Chains Seminar on DVD.

My Uncle Tony, a superhero, was kind enough to make a cameo appearance in this FAQ clip. See if you can identify him.

Let me know what you think about this one–it’s a little different. I can still make changes before the final DVD is produced.

Next up is the Session 4 highlight clip. Until then, remember that without your prayer and support, none of this would have been possible. Thank you.

Paul