Go Fish Ministries, Inc. News Letter Dec. 1, 2008

Go Fish Ministries, Inc. News Letter Dec. 1, 2008


Jesus said: Follow me and I will make you fishers for the souls of others. Matthew 4:19

Sis. Kimberly Hartfield, B.S. Christian Community Consultant/Spiritual Peer Counselor Contact: gofishbooks@gmail.com



Counselors’ Corner



On Tithes and Temptations

Well, December is upon us with all of its commercialism. I have already spent too much as many of us do. I have trouble distinguishing between wants and true needs about this time every year and it’s hard to say no, even when funds are limited. With eight kids to buy for, one of their spouses, and one girl friend even just spending $25 - $50 each it quickly adds up to close to $500. And I know some people who spend that much on just one or two kids. And why do we spend too much? Because we love our children and we want to give them not only what they need but a few things they want, too. And God, in the same way, not only gives us what we need, but sometimes even gives us the desires of our hearts if we continue loving and serving that great God of ours.

It’s when we start giving ourselves the desires of our hearts that we run into trouble. It’s called greed and I’m guilty. I’ve bought myself a few things that I probably shouldn’t have (a purse and shoes, and a new bathroom sink to replace the plastic one in my mobile home that I hated.) But because I wasn’t as careful with my money as I should have been, I almost bounced my tithe check (which I should have given in cash to make sure that came out first). As a result, much of our needs are now dependent on my selling a few puppies before the holidays, which I trust God will help me to do, though I really don’t deserve God’s help, since I got myself into this mess.

But it’s just like my God to bail us out of our self-made messes. You know, God’s done this a few times before that I can recall. Just a glance through the scriptures show us just how merciful and gracious our God truly is. How many times, even in our own lives, has God reached down from the glories of heaven and humbly given us a helping hand just when we needed it. I remember one time, when I had exactly two thousand dollars to buy a car with, and found one for just that amount. I wrestled for two days on whether or not to pay my tithes, because I knew if I paid it, I wouldn’t have enough to buy that car I needed. I was determined that God would forgive me and let me buy the car, but when Sunday rolled around I just couldn’t do it and paid my tithe any way. I made up my mind that I would just have to look for another car for $1800 instead.

Well that very afternoon, the man called and said that they had found a problem with the transmission in the car, so he would deduct the $1200 cost to have it fixed and just wanted $800 for the car instead. Needless to say, I bought that car and drove it for several years before having any problems with it. And the best part of it was that the cost of the car left me $1000 dollars to buy my kids Christmas with that year that we would not have otherwise had. Now that was truly a blessing. And as my old pastor, Br. Richard Miley, used to say, “You just can’t out give God!” So I encourage all of you out there, don’t forget to give God what you owe in tithes, because you will always receive a bigger blessing than if you don’t. After all God has already given us the greatest blessing of all, the Christ Child of long ago, who still reigns today in our hearts and lives when we obey and honor God.

So learn from my mistakes, and my wrestlings if you can. Don’t spend too much on yourself or on others, which is easy to do this time of year, and pay God first so that you can receive all the blessings God has for you. Have a very Merry Christmas with your families. Let us all come together in love and grace for one another and may God heal all of the breaches our unforgiving hearts have made this year.

Remember my family in your prayers as this is our first Christmas without my father, and some of our breaches are not yet healed. I have asked for forgiveness for the harsh words I said to my family, but a few have not extended that grace as yet. I have made the choice to forgive them for their part in my father’s death, though they truly believe they did nothing wrong in taking away life sustaining nutrition and hydration. I can’t agree with that, but I know that they made their choices based on what they believed was right for my father. So I chose to forgive them even if they don’t think they need to be forgiven and even if they never ask for it, for my own sake. Forgiveness is sometimes more for the one doing the forgiving than for the one receiving it. And God’s word says that if we don’t forgive others their trespasses, neither will God forgive ours.

So I plead with all of you, don’t let the year end with an unforgiving heart. Be gracious to someone you truly love and forgive them for your own sake, as well as theirs. And don’t leave Christ out of Christmas or you’ll wind up with just an Xmas instead-- a season with no true joy. May God bless each and every one of you this Christmas!



Matthew 1-2

The Family Tree of Yeshua, the Christ

1[1-17] This is the book of the family tree of Yeshua the Christ , who was the descendent of David, who was the descendent of Abraham. Abraham had Isaac; and Isaac had Jacob; and Jacob had Judah and his siblings; And Judah had Perez and Zerah by Tamar; and Perez had Hezron; and Hezron had Aram; And Aram had Aminadab; and Aminadab had Nahshon; and Nahshon had Salmon; And Salmon had Boaz by Rahab; and Boaz had Obed by Ruth; and Obed had Jesse; And Jesse had David, the ruler of Israel; and David had Solomon by the widow of Urias; And Solomon had Rehoboam; and Rehoboam had Abijah; and Abijah had Asa; And Asa had Jehoshaphat; and Jehoshaphat had Joram; and Joram had Uzziah; And Uzziah had Jotham; and Jotham had Ahaz; and Ahaz had Hezekiah; And Hezekiah had Manasseh; and Manasseh had Amon; and Amon had Josiah; And Josiah had Jechoniah and his siblings, about the time they were taken captive and carried away to Babylon: And after they were brought there, Jechoniah had Shealtiel; and Shealtiel had Zerubbabel; And Zerubbabel had Abiud; and Abiud had Eliakim; and Eliakim had Azor; And Azor had Zadoc; and Zadoc had Achim; and Achim had Eliud; And Eliud had Eleazar; and Eleazar had Matthan; and Matthan had Jacob; And Jacob had Joseph, the husband of Mary, who gave birth to Yeshua, who is called the Christ. So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations; and from David until the Babylonian captivity were fourteen generations; and from the Babylonian captivity until Christ were fourteen generations.



The Conception and Birth of Jesus

[18-25] Now this is how the birth of Yeshua, the Christ happened: When Mary, the mother of the Christ, was engaged to Joseph, she became pregnant with the Child of the Holy Spirit before they were married. Then Joseph, her future husband being a good person, and not willing to make a public example out of her, was thinking about secretly breaking the engagement . But while he thought about it, the messenger of God appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, descendent of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife because her baby was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a child, and you’re to call the Child’s name Yeshua because this child will save God’s people from their sins. Now all this happened, so that what was spoken of by the great preacher of God would happen, who said, A young girl who has never had sexual relations will become pregnant, and will have a child, and they’ll call the Child’s name Immanuel, which means, God is with us. Then Joseph, being awakened from sleep, did as the messenger of God had told him, and took Mary in marriage, but didn’t have sexual relations with her until after she had given birth to her first child: and Joseph called the Child’s name YESHUA, which means God saves.



The Astronomers and Herod

2[1-10] Now when Yeshua was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days when Herod ruled, three astronomers came from the east to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the ONE that was born to be Ruler of the Jews? We’ve seen a new star in the east, and have come to worship the new Ruler.” So when Herod, who was then ruling, heard this, he was very uneasy, and all the people of Jerusalem, as well. So he gathered all the leading priests and the religious leaders together, and asked them where the Christ was to have been born. And they told him, In Bethlehem of Judea because the Word says by the great preacher, And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, aren’t the least among the royalty of Judah because a Governor will come from you, to rule My people Israel. Then Herod, who had called the astronomers in secret, cautiously asked them about what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search carefully for the young Child; and when you’ve found the Child, come and tell me, so that I can come and show my respect also." So when they had heard what Herod said, they left; and the star, which they saw in the east, moved in front of them, till it came and stood over the place where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they were greatly overjoyed.



The Astronomers with Yeshua

[11-12] And when they had come into the house, they saw Mary with the young Child and bowed down, and worshipped the Child: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented to them gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh . And being warned of God in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back another way to their own country.



Escape into Egypt

[13-15] And when they had left, the messenger of YAHWEH appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Get up, and take the young Child and Mary, and run away into Egypt, and stay there until I bring word because Herod will try to kill the young Child.” And when they got up, he took them by night, and escaped into Egypt, staying there until the death of Herod, so that the Words which was spoken of God by the great preacher would happen, which says, “Out of Egypt I’ve called my Child .”



Herod Kills the children

[16-18] Then Herod, who saw that he had been tricked by the astronomers, was very angry, and sent soldiers to kill all the male children two years old and under in Bethlehem, and the surrounding areas, according to the time which the Astronomers had told him of it. Then what was spoken of by Jeremiah, the great preacher, happened, who said, “In Rama a voice of great grief was heard, with screaming and crying, Rachel crying for her children, who wouldn’t be comforted, because they were dead.”



The Nazarene

[19-23] But when Herod was dead, a messenger of God appeared to Joseph in a dream, while in Egypt, saying, Get up and take the young Child and Mary, and go back to the land of Israel because the ones who wanted to kill the young Child are dead now. So Joseph got up, and took them back into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus ruled in Judea in place of his father Herod, they were afraid to go there: So, being warned of God in another dream, they turned aside into the country of Galilee: And they came and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that it would happen which was spoken by the great preachers, “The Child will be called a Nazarene .”



Luke 1-2

1 [1-4] Because many have taken it upon themselves to write an account of the things which are believed by us without a doubt, Just as they were given to us by those, who from the beginning, were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the New Word; It seemed good to me also, having had a clear understanding of this from the very beginning, to write to you an account, in the order it happened, Theophilus, that you might know, without a doubt, the things that you’ve been taught.

[5-10] In the days of Herod, the ruler of Judea, there was a priest named Zachariah, of the line of Abijah: and whose wife, Elisabeth, was of the line of Aaron. And they were both good in the sight of God, following all the laws of God without fault. But they didn’t have a child, because Elisabeth hadn’t been able to get pregnant, and they were both very old now. And then, while Zachariah kept the duty of the priest's office to God when it was his turn, As for the way of life of the priest's office, he was to burn incense when he went into the place of worship of God. And a large crowd of people were praying outside at this time.

[11-17] And a messenger of God appeared to him standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zachariah saw the angel, he was uneasy, and afraid. But the messenger said, “Don’t be afraid, Zachariah because your prayer has been heard; and your wife Elisabeth will carry a child for you, and you’ll call the child’s name John. And you’ll have great joy and happiness; and many will celebrate at his birth. And the child will be great in the sight of God, and won’t drink wine, nor alcohol of any kind; and will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before he is born. And many of the children of Israel will turn back to YAHWEH their God. And he will go ahead of the Christ in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to the children, and the disobedient ones to the wisdom of being good; to get the people ready for the Christ.”

[18-25] And Zachariah said to the angel, “How will I know? I am very old, and my wife is very old, too.” And the angel answered, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God; and have been sent to speak to you, and to tell you this good news. Because you didn’t believe my words, which will happen when the time is right, you’ll be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that this happens.” And the people waited for Zachariah, and wondered why he stayed so long in the place of worship. And when he came out, he couldn’t speak to them: but they realized that he had seen a vision in the place of worship because he motioned to them, but still couldn’t speak to them. And then, when he had finished his duties, he went home. And after that, his wife Elisabeth became pregnant and kept herself hidden five months, saying, "God has looked on me and done this to me in order to take away my disrespect among the people."

[26] And when Elisabeth was in her sixth month, the messenger Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, to a young girl, named Mary, who had never had sexual relations before, and who was engaged to someone named Joseph, of the house of David. And the messenger came to her, saying, “Hello, you who are greatly favored, God is with you: and you’re the most blessed among all women.” And when she saw the angel, she was uneasy at this greeting, and wondered what kind of Greeting it was.

[30-37] And the messenger said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, because you’ve been especially chosen by God. And you’ll become pregnant, and have a child, and will call the Child’s name Yeshua, who will be great, and will be called the Child of the Most High God: and YAHWEH GOD will give the throne of the lineage of David to the Child, who is the rightful Heir: And the Child will reign over the lineage of Jacob forever; and there will be no end to the reign of the Christ. Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I haven’t had sexual relations with anyone yet?” And the messenger answered to her, “The Holy Spirit will visit you, and the power of God will make it possible for you: so that the Holy One which you’ll give birth to will be called the Child of God. And your cousin Elisabeth, who couldn’t have a child, has also conceived a child, even in her old age: and this is her sixth month. Nothing is impossible for God. So Mary said, “I am God’s helper; so let it happen to me just as you said.” And the angel left her.

[39-45] And then Mary got up, and quickly went into the countryside, into a city of Judah, going to the house of Zachariah, and greeted Elisabeth. And then, when Elisabeth heard Mary’s Greeting, the baby jumped in her womb; and suddenly Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit: And she spoke loudly, saying, “You’re most blessed among women, and blessed is the Child inside you. And how is it that the mother of my Christ would come to me? As soon as I heard the sound of your voice, the baby jumped for joy inside me. And you’re blessed because you believed, because everything you were told by God will certainly happen.

[46] And Mary said, “My soul greatly blesses YAHWEH GOD, and My Spirit celebrates in God my Savior, because God has considered my low place, and from now on, every generation will say that I am blessed, because the Most Powerful has done great things to me! Holy is the Name of YAHWEH! God’s mercy is on those who Honor and respect God, from generation to generation. The God, who has shown mighty strength, has confused the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. The God, who has put the powerful down from their places, has lifted up those in low places. The God, who has filled the hungry with good things, has sent the rich away empty handed. The ONE who has helped Israel, in remembrance of the mercy of God, as God told our ancestors, Abraham, and the descendants of Abraham forever.” And Mary stayed with Elisabeth about three months, and then came back home.

[57-66] Now the time for Elisabeth to give birth came; and she had a son. And her neighbors and her cousins heard how God had shown great mercy to her; and they celebrated with her. And then, on the eighth day, when they came to circumcise the Child; and they called him Zachariah, after his father, Elisabeth said, “No; he will be called John.” And they said to her, “None of your kin is called by that name.” So they made signs to Zachariah, to see what he wanted him called. And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, “His name is John.” And everyone was amazed. Then Zachariah was suddenly able to speak, and praised God. And everyone that lived around them was amazed: and told all these stories throughout all the countryside of Judea. And all those who heard them kept them in their hearts, saying, “What a child this will be!” And God’s hand was with him.

[67-80] And the child’s father, Zachariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and praised God, saying, “Blessed is YAHWEH, the God of Israel, who has visited and saved the people, and has brought back the way of being saved for us from the lineage of David, God’s helper; As God spoke by the mouth of the great holy preachers, which have been coming since the beginning of the world: that we would be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us, to give us the mercy promised to our ancestors, and to remember the holy promised agreement of God; The promise which God swore to our ancestor Abraham, that we would be taken out of the hand of our enemies so that we can serve God without fear, in faithfulness and goodness before God, all the days of our life. And you, child, will be called the great preacher of the Highest because you’ll go before the face of the Christ to get the way ready; To teach God’s people how to be saved by the forgiveness of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God; by which the Dawn of Heaven has visited us, to give light to those who live in darkness and are about to die, and to show us the way of peace.” And the child grew, becoming strong in spirit, and lived in the countryside till the day he was made known to Israel.

2[1-5] And then in those days, that there went out an order from Caesar Augustus, that everyone would be taxed. (And this tax was first collected when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to be taxed, each family to their home town. And Joseph went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the lineage of David :) To be taxed with Mary, who he was engaged to, being great with child.

[6-14] And so it was that while they were there, it was time for her to give birth. And she had her firstborn child in a stable, and wrapped it in long strips of cloth, and laid it in the animal’s food trough; because there was no room for them in the inn. And in this country, there were Animal keepers staying in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night. And the messenger of God came to them, and the light of God shone all around them: and they were very afraid. And the angel said, “Don’t be afraid because I bring you good news of great joy, which will be for all people. There has been born today in the city of David, a Savior for you, who is the Christ of God. And this will be a sign to you; You’ll find the baby wrapped in long strips of cloth, lying in the animal’s food trough, in a stable.” And suddenly, a crowd of the heavenly hosts was with the angel, praising God, and saying, “Praise to God, the Most High, who wants peace on earth, and goodness for all people.”

[15-20] And then, as the angels went away from them back into heaven, the animal keepers said one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem, now, and see for ourselves this thing that has happened, which God has sent the angel to tell us.” And quickly they came, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the baby lying in the animal’s food trough. And when they had seen it, they told everyone what they had been told about this child. And all those who heard the story were amazed at the things which they were told by the animal keepers. But Mary remembered all this, and thought about them, keeping them in her heart. And the animal keepers came back, worshipping and praising God for everything that they had seen and heard, as it was told them.

[21-24] And when eight days had ended, the time came for the circumcising of the Child, who was named Yeshua, which was the name given ahead of time by the messenger before Mary had become pregnant. And when the days of her rest had ended for the law of Moses, they went to Jerusalem to present the Child to God; (As the Word of God says, Every firstborn male will be called holy to God;) And to offer a sacrifice for what is said in God’s word, A pair of doves, or a pair of young pigeons.

[25-35] And there was someone in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; who was good and dedicated, waiting for the comfort of Israel: and who had been blessed with the Holy Spirit. And it was revealed by the Holy Spirit, that he wouldn’t see death, until he had seen the Christ of God. And being led by the Spirit into the place of worship, when the parents brought the Child Yeshua in, to do the way of life of God’s word, he picked the Child up, and blessed God, saying, “God, now let Your worker go in peace, for Your word, because my eyes have seen Your saving grace, which you’ve prepared even before Your people were created; A light to give light to the other peoples, and the light of Your people Israel.” And Joseph and Mary were amazed at all the things he said. And Simeon blessed them, saying to Mary, the Child’s mother, “This Child is set apart for the rising and fall of many people in Israel; and for a sign which will be badly talked about; (Yes, your own soul will be pierced through, too,) so that the secret thoughts of many hearts will be seen by all.”

[36-40] And there was another person named Anna, a great preacher, the daughter of Phanuel, of the family of Aser: who was of a great age, and had only lived with a husband for seven years from the time she was married; And she was a widow, about eighty-four years old, who never left from the place of worship, but served God by willingly going without food and praying night and day. And she coming in at that instant gave thanks in this way to God, and spoke of God to all those who wanted to be saved in Jerusalem. And when they had performed everything for God’s Word, they came back to Galilee, to their own home town of Nazareth. And the Child became strong in body, mind, and spirit: and the grace of God was on Yeshua.



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Notes and Prayer Requests

• My husband, Rocky, (we are separated) has had two major surgeries recently and is still recuperating. He is soon to have another surgery to undo the colonostomy that he had. Please pray for the healing of his body and spirit.

• I have just finished up my research class at Carey. I got an A, Halleluiah, praise God! I’ll be doing my internship in Nov. and Dec. and then taking my last two classes in the spring, God Willing! Please remember me as I finish up this last year in my program. Thanks be to God Almighty!!!!!!!!!!!!

• Pray for our country, and our new president, and that God’s will be done in these next four years. Though we can’t stop the coming tide, we can brace ourselves in prayer and hope. God bless the USA!

• If anyone has Christian based writings they’d like to contribute to this newsletter, you may email it to me to review and publish in upcoming Newsletters. Come on, I know I’m not the only writer out there!

• I’m now selling Avon and have a link at www.youravon.com/khartfield if anyone needs their products. I also have a link on my face book as well.