June 2013
In This Issue:
♦ Feel Like Giving Up? (Two Comforting Absolutes)
♦ Letters of Gratitude and Changed Lives
♦ Melody's New Song is Loved
♦ LDM's "Almost-Summer" Sales
A Note from Melody
Dear Friends,
I am sharing a timeless article by Keith's and my friend, the late David Wilkerson. It will encourage you, I promise!
Many are facing Gethsemane-like experiences. Swallowed by tragedy and hard times — it's often difficult to see the light.
David's compassion for the neediest of the lost and for those who despair within the church impacted us before we met.
Despair is real and not to be glossed over. David addresses it directly — but also ends with Two Comforting Absolutes that are imperative for every believer to fully embrace.
God Loves You Today,
Do You Feel Like Giving Up?
Find Two Comforting Absolutes!
by David Wilkerson (1931-2011)
Very few Christians think of quitting on their love for Jesus. But in despair they think of giving up on themselves.
Today, more and more Christians are at the breaking point.
You hear it so often: "I can't go on anymore. I just can't make it." "It's totally hopeless!" "Why even try?"
Some Ministers Today
Preach Only a Positive Message
To hear them tell it, everybody is getting miracles, everybody is getting instant answers to prayer. Everybody's feeling good, living good, and the whole world is bright and rosy.
I really wish all those good and healthy things for God's people, but that's not the way things are for a great number of very honest and sincere Christians.
Most Teachings Leave Us Unprepared for Pain
How sad to hear such shallow theology being pushed from pulpits today.
It's an insult to a lowly Jesus who became poor, who died a failure in the eyes of the world.
It is this kind of materialistic preaching that has so ill-prepared an entire generation of Christians to endure any kind of pain. They have not learned to be content with such things as they have — to be abased and not always abounding.
Serving God becomes a kind of Olympic race in which everyone must strive for gold medals.
Many of our Young People Just Give Up
No wonder our young people give up in defeat. They can't live up to the image created by religion of a happy-go-lucky, rich, successful, always positive-thinking Christian.
Their world is not that idealistic.
They look in a mirror reflecting a face covered with pimples. They live with heartbreaks, hour-by-hour crises, and horrible family problems. They look into the uncertain future, frightened and worried.
Positive thinking won't make their problems go away.
Confessing that these
problems don't really even exist doesn't change a thing.
"Apostles of the Positive" Should Not Exclude
the Gethsemane Experiences of Life
The cup of pain, the hour of isolation, and the night of confusion were all part of the Master's lifestyle. Our great achievements, our successes, ought to take place at Gethsemane, not Fort Knox!
Many have exchanged the humble sawdust trail for the gold dust trail. The Bible has become a catalog, with unlimited order blanks for life's goodies. Anything having to do with Job-like pain and suffering is considered negative.
God is good and one should always think on good and honest reports — but pain, poverty, and suffering have befallen some of the saintliest of God's people — just like righteous Job.
Marriages are Not Always Healed
 What do you say to that wife whose home is breaking up and she seems powerless to stop it?
She's been counseled by her pastor, advised by all her friends, and constantly exhorted to "stay on your knees and believe God for a miracle!"
So she fasts, and she prays. She bends over backwards, to the point of crawling on her knees to her husband. She exercises her faith with every ability she possesses. But in spite of all her honest efforts, he grows hard and bitter, demanding a divorce.
Not all marriages are healed through prayer or good intentions.
It takes two to make a marriage work, and even though prayer may bring down the power of Holy Ghost conviction upon a straying mate, that mate can resist all God's efforts and abort the solution.
So Many Young People are Sinking
 In my crusades, I talk to so many kids on the brink of suicide. The reason is simple enough. It's why I spend a lot of time lately talking about marriage, divorce, and the home.
An overwhelming majority of kids tell me their depression stems from problems at home. Their parents are fighting, or have already divorced. They are the casualities.
Satan Hates Our Families
Multitudes of husbands and wives are giving up on their marriages. A successful marriage counselor took me to lunch recently, and before the entree was served, he confessed his own marriage had been in jeopardy.
"You just can't take any good marriage for granted anymore," he said. "I'm convinced Satan is determined to break up my marriage and every good Christian marriage.
"It's a well-planned attack on the best of marriages. If Satan can get the strongest, most admired marriages broken up then weaker ones will be tempted to quit struggling and give up."
Our Secret Inner Struggles
The secret struggles in the Christian's personal life are just as critical. The inner battles of the average Christian today are staggering in intensity and proportion.
Multitudes are involved in situations too hard to comprehend.
"...while we are in this tent we groan,
being burdened.” (2 Cor. 5:4)
I doubt we could even count the great numbers of Christians who groan in secret because of the burdens they carry. Paul said:
"For we do not want you to
be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life."
(2 Cor. 1:8)
If you pulled back the facade
from every great preacher
and every admired personality
you would find moments of deep depression.
You would find the same infirmities you find in any normal Christian. We all have seasons of despair accompanied by feelings of failure.
At Times We All Think of Quitting
Why do we feel like giving up at times?
Mostly because we act like God has forsaken the earth. We don't doubt His existence or His reality. But our prayers seem to go unanswered.
We cry out for His help in such desperation, and He seems not to hear. We struggle along, making one mistake after another.
We make promises to do better, we get into the Bible, we cry and pray, and stay busy helping others and doing good. But we are so often left with an empty, unfulfilled sensation.
The promises of God haunt us. We hold onto those promises—in what we believe is honest, childlike faith—but time after time we fail to receive what we ask for.
Then in the Hour of Temptation
Down We Go!
Doubt creeps in and Satan whispers, "Nothing works. Faith in God doesn't produce results. In spite of your tears, prayers, and trust in God's Word—nothing really changes."
Days, weeks, and even years go by, and your prayers, hopes, and dreams are still unanswered and unfulfilled. You hear, "Just quit! Give up!"
 Every Christian on this planet reaches that crisis point at one time or another in life. And in that moment, the walls seem to be caving in, and the roof appears to be collapsing.
Just when everything seems to be coming apart, a voice deep within cries out, "Walk away from it all ... Pack it in! Escape! Why put up with it? Run away... you don't have to take it. Do something drastic!"
David was overwhelmed by the evil he saw in his heart, and cried out to God,
"Awake, why do You sleep?
Cast me not off... why do You hide?
Why do You forget?" (Psalm 44:23-24)
Are You Surprised By Shakings?
Dear Christian, does it amaze you that great men of old faced the same battles you and I face today?
"Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal
among you,which comes upon you for your testing,
as though some strange thing were happening to you;
But to the degreethat you share the sufferings of Christ,
keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation." (1 Peter 4:12-13)
How can we hold on and live one day at a time?
You can begin by forgetting all short cuts and magic cures. The Christian doesn't need a supposed demon of despair cast out, as if his going would make life easier. Nor will God come down and do our living for us.
The tempter will not be destroyed until that day God casts him into prison. Satan will always be here, deceiving, accusing, and trying to rob every believer of his faith.
The longer I live for Christ, the more difficult it is for me to accept easy, cure-all solutions. But in my own struggles, I've found great comfort and help in two wonderful absolutes.
Two Comforting Absolutes
The first Absolute
is God really Loves Me!
 God is not in the business of condemning His children — failures or not. He yearns over us as a loving father, wanting only to lift us out of our weaknesses.
I caught a glimpse of that love recently while walking in the woods around our ranch. Suddenly, there on the ground just ahead flopped a crippled little bird. I stooped to pick it up. It was then a familiar Scripture came flashing through my mind.
"Are not two sparrows sold for a cent?
And yet not one of them will fall to the ground
apart from your Father." (Matt. 10:29)
Have You Fallen?
God is with us, even when we fall. He does not abandon us on our way down. Our Lord never gives up on any of us!
 Have you also fallen? Do you relate to that crippled sparrow, flopping helplessly in the dust? Are you wounded, hurting, and feeling lost and lonely?
Do you ever think to yourself, "How can God put up with someone like me? How can He still love me when I've failed Him so badly?"
Often, we can recognize His great love only when we have hit bottom. Don't panic. Deliverance will come.
God answers us by showing His love. And when we have learned how weak we are and have learned to trust His love and forgiveness — He will stoop down and gently help us back to the nest.
The Second Absolute
It is My Faith
That Pleases God the Most!
"Without faith it is impossible to please Him." (Heb. 11:6)
God wants so much to be trusted. That He counts trust as righteousness.
“Abraham believed God, and it was credited
to him as righteousness.” (Rom. 4:3)
 What do I do when temptation rolls over me like a flood? When my inadequacies overwhelm me and I see the reality of my weaknesses? Give up? Quit? Never!!
I bring to God all I've got left — my faith in Him! I may not understand why He seems to take such a long time to intervene, but I know He will.
He will keep His word to me.
Keeping My Faith
I am convinced Satan wants to rob me of only one thing — my faith. He really doesn't want my morals or good deeds or my dreams. He wants to destroy my faith and make me believe God has forsaken this earth.
A fall is never fatal to those who keep their faith intact.
In spite of despair and pressures that bog the mind and sap the strength, I believe God. I believe He is able to "...keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy." (Jude 24)
Amen.
(Reprinted by permission from David Wilkerson Crusades; excerpted from David Wilkerson's book, "Have You Felt Like Giving Up Lately?", Fleming H. Revell.)
 DAVID WILKERSON (1931-2011) was called to New York in 1958 to minister to gangs, prostitutes, and drug addicts, as told in the best-selling book, The Cross and the Switchblade. There he founded Teen Challenge to help the recovering.
In 1987, David Wilkerson returned to NYC to establish Times Square Church. As the founding pastor, he faithfully led this congregation, delivering powerful biblical messages that encouraged righteous living and complete reliance on God.
David Wilkerson had a strong burden to encourage and strengthen pastors throughout the world. From 1999 to 2008, he traveled around the globe holding conferences for Christian ministers.
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Melody's Breaking
MUSIC News!
On Friday Melody released a NEW song on her Facebook Page that she wrote a few years ago.
Today it is the #9
most listened to song in Los Angeles on ReverbNation.
It is a beautiful song about giving all we have to Jesus.
"Neverending Love"
by Melody Green:
Recorded and simply-Produced by new artist Rebecca Friedlander
LISTEN FOR FREE!
Just click below and sing it in your church this Sunday:)
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN
After listening you can share it with friends or post on your social media.
Connect Directly
with Melody
Melody shares on Facebook several times a week.
Her Page is loved for its inspiration, humor, challenge, relevant news, and beautiful art.
Melody shares about her family, travels, events and of course, her, um, many opinions.
Most "Public Figure" Pages are managed by agents. But Melody personally posts, updates, and answers questions.
(And that's why we love her!)
Join Melody on
FACEBOOK!
It's super easy! Click on each FB Page photo above (or on Logo below) then click the “like” button on each Page.
Our Almost-Summer SALES are below
Help Us Give Hope
Your Donations Make a Difference
Read the testimonies below. They are only a few of the ones we've received this year.
They keep our hearts going. But they don't keep our lights on...
We are encouraged God brought Terryann back to Him!
And for the guys in jail wanting Keith's music — and for LDM being discovered online again!
But we really need your help to keep LDM growing — there are so many people who need Jesus!
All gifts large or small are needed and used with integrity.
Your help provides for our necessary and reasonable monthly costs.
Click the donate button to give on our Secure Site, or use your PayPal, or for our address.
Thank You So Much!
Your Support & Prayers
Make these Testimonies
Your Legacy Too!
Just a few of our
2013 Letters...
Refreshed from Burnout!
This morning I knew I couldn't lead my weekly all-staff chapel. I've been feeling so much frustration and lethargy recently.
I asked someone else to lead chapel and stayed home to re-adjust spiritually. I found the LDM website online and landed on LDM's Malcolm Smith article.
What a gift from God! It spoke so much to me. I will share it with our staff. I've seen burnout in them too. Thanks for your ministry. God used it mightily this morning.
— Connie
Inmates Request Music!
For 8 years I’ve led a group of volunteers in a local jail sharing the gospel 3 nights a week.
In Dec. I played some of Keith’s songs, and the DVD story "Your Love Broke Through."
The inmates' reaction was amazing. They really enjoyed the honesty that was very evident in Keith’s music.
For the first time in 8 years they asked for a copy to play on the kitchen CD player! So I just ordered more!
—John
First Time Reader: Healed from Wounds of Hypocrisy
I have just read No Compromise for the first time.
As someone who has been hurt by the hypocrisy of the church this book has helped me on my path of healing and helped confirm to me my own faith.
I see there can be no compromise on the promise of God, and I will hold on to that.
—MJ
Keith's Music Stirs First Love!
I recently (last August) realized I had drifted from my first love...and repented and am seeking a closer walk with Jesus.
The first thing I did—pull out the Keith Green cds/lps that I couldn't listen to because they were too convicting while I was loving the world!
This says a LOT about Keith's ministry. I can't listen to him at all if I'm not walking fully and closely with the Lord.
—Anne
Just Read Book for 5th Time!
I just finished reading No Compromise for maybe the fifth time. Keith's story moves me so deeply in the spirit.
Thank you for being faithful and writing this incredible book and for sharing Keith's story.
Thank you for sharing about your healing process. My brother who was my best friend passed away in January from brain cancer.
I once sent him the song "Grace by Which I Stand," and he had to call me up and tell me what an incredible song that was!
His favorite was "Make My Life a Prayer," which I know you wrote!
—Jonathan
Found Keith's Story Online — Heart Returned to First Love!
I have been on a rough road for the past 11 years and have drifted from Him... it's been so difficult and I have been trying half-heartily to come back.
I was looking for a live-stream church online… Keith’s name popped in my head... I plugged it in and found “The Life Story of Keith Green.”
My heart was melted... God's love broke through... when that song began in the video... LITERALLY... oh my... I have returned to my First Love.
I thank the Lord for your steadfastness, your love for God, your respect for your husband's heart, and for this site.
GOD STILL USES YOU
AND KEITH!!!
—Terryann
Keith Green
The Ultimate
Collection
CD and DVD COMBO
The DVD
Your Love Broke Through: The Life Story of Keith Green
Filled with home movies — of family, community, early to late LDM, and a journey to faith. Stories are told by Melody and others who knew Keith best.
This 1-hour, made-for-TV documentary shows a life of faith and action — an inspiration to live out your life for Jesus.
The CD
20 Iconic Songs, including:
* Make My Life a Prayer
* Oh Lord, You're Beautiful
* My Eyes are Dry
* Asleep in the Light
* There is a Redeemer
Retail Price: $19.95
LDM Price: $17.95
SALE Price: $15.95
"Make My Life A Prayer"
Journals of Keith Green
Glimpses of God from the Ministry and Personal Journals
of Keith Green
This rare, out-of-print book
has a large collection of Keith's touching Personal Journal
entries from ages 15 to 28.
Also 98 short Devotionals from Keith's Concert Messages, tied to powerful song lyrics.
Retail Price: (out-of-print)
LDM Price: $14.95
(Quantities Limited)
Keith Green
"Life Collection"
SAVE! Get Both the Book & CD/DVD Set
"Make My Life A Prayer" Book and The Ultimate Collection CD/DVD
Retail Price: $34.90
LDM Price: $32.90
SALE $28.90 for Set!
3 Keith Green
Teaching DVDs
Keith taught many times a week. Concerts and music took a back seat — in time comparison!
This great SALE gives you a chance to see Keith's heart for God in new ways.
Keith made important things understandable in his dramatic and funny way.
Watch and be Inspired!
3 Great DVD Messages
►Devotion or Devotions?
►The Man Behind the Message
►What's Wrong with the Gospel?
ENJOY 6+ Hours
of Keith's Powerful
(often humorous) Teachings
Retail Price: $57.00
LDM Sale: $29.95
(Quantities Limited)
We hope you enjoyed
this Update.
If you have a friend who needs to be encouraged,
Just forward it to them.
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