EDITORIAL

executive editors letter

To Our Friends,
practical solutions to
everyday problems Welcome to the “Tribute to Freedom” issue of
Saved Magazine. Sometimes it is easy to forget
PUBLISHER that there are people today fighting for the free-
dom we enjoy in this great country of ours. If you
Victor Morales have a loved one fighting for our country, or one
who has served our country in the past, or if you
EDITOR yourself have served in the military--our gratitude
Diana Morales and prayers are with you. The greatest freedom
was bought for us at a dear price over 2,000 years
ago, and it is available for you today. What do you
CONTRIBUTING need to be free from today? God’s greatest desire
WRITERS is to see Himself magnified greatly in your life.
Dr. Rodney Howard-Browne Can you trust Him this day?
Joyce Meyer
We pray that you are inspired, encouraged and
Staff Sgt. Jose Ramos lifted up this day. Remember, God has great
things in store for you. The best is yet to come!
ART DIRECTORS
Tony Geers Blessings,
Lesley Geers

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current issue on-line, log on to Victor and Diana Morales // Publishers
www.savedmagazine.org or call
(956) 328-6117

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Printed in the U.S.A.
Celebrate! Christian Revival Center
 contents
saved magazine | may/june 2009

6 The High Price of Freedom

God declared us free long before the
Constitution was signed. Today, many
are still paying a price for us to enjoy the
freedom we have in this great country.

The Power to Create

8 Wealth
The most important step you will ever
take toward building wealth.

Leadership Through
10 Compassion
Love never fails, and you can never fail
when you genuinely care for those
you have been entrusted to lead.

12 Marriage 101
A basic course from the Bible for a
successful marriage – God’s way.

14 God In the Midst of a

Soldier’s Battle
The riveting account of a soldier
wounded in battle, his unwavering
trust in the Lord, and a recovery that
has left many professionals amazed!

16 It’ll Cost You By Joyce Meyer

18
Climb on board the journey of
obtaining victory with great courage and
by making a firm decision to over
come any adversity that may come
your way—paying the price now to
reap the greatest benefits later.

Walking in the Perfect Will Developing Your

of God By Dr. Rodney Howard-Browne
26
Child’s Gifts
Have you ever asked yourself, “What is God’s Learn simple, yet long lasting
will for my life?” Dr. Rodney Howard-Browne parenting tips for developing your
removes any questions or doubts as to what this child’s gifts
really means, and gives you a straight biblical
answer to this question.

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 the high price of By Victor and Diana Morales

FREEDOM
free•dom –noun • the state of being free
or at liberty rather than in confinement or
under physical restraint. •exemption from
external control, interference, regulation, etc.
•the power to determine action without
restraint. •political or national independence.
•personal liberty, as opposed to bondage
or slavery. •exemption from the presence of
anything specified (usually fol. by from): i.e.
freedom from fear. •the absence of or release
from ties, obligations, etc.

Freedom has always had a price. Through-

out history, whenever anyone has fought
for freedom, there have been lives lost,
blood shed and a very high price paid.
Today, our country is fighting for the peace,
security, and freedom we currently enjoy
as Americans. Thomas Jefferson once said,
“My God!  How little do my countrymen
know what precious blessings they are in
possession of, and which no other people
on earth enjoy!”  Did you know that we
live in the most blessed country in the
world? The most impoverished American is
truly richer than most of the world’s popu-
lation, in every way possible.
War is never nice, yet Jesus talked about
war in the Bible as something inevitable:
“You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but
see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things
must happen, but the end is still to come”
(Matthew 24:6). In our own lives, we are in
some kind of “war” daily. Whether we are
fighting for our lives, our children, or our
marriages—there is always a sacrifice, some
kind of dying to self that we do each day.
We do all this with the hope of coming out
with a victory--a liberating victory that will
lead us toward a more peaceful life. There
are men and women giving their lives each
day for our own freedom. Let us remem-
ber to pray for them daily, thank the Lord
for their courage and strength, and never
forget that we are able to breathe the air
of freedom, to rejoice and laugh, and enjoy
our lives because someone has paid or is
paying a price.
Jesus demonstrated the greatest sacrifice
for freedom’s sake. He is the single most
important man that ever walked the earth.
His impact is still resounding throughout
the world. He gave His life, shed His blood
and paid the highest price so that we
might enjoy the ultimate freedom! John
8:32 says “Then you will know the truth, and
the truth will set you free.” They answered him,
“We are Abraham’s descendants and have
never been slaves of anyone. How can you say
that we shall be set free?” Jesus replied, “I tell
you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to
sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in
the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if
the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
Jesus paid the greatest price to see to it

6 May/June 2009
that you and I would live in the greatest
liberty. He said, “I am the way and the truth
and the life. No one comes to the Father
except through me” (John 14:6). He makes
a way for you where there is no way. He is
the truth, the whole truth and nothing but
the truth. In Him, you will only find life—
and life very abundantly (John 10:10). If you
can trust Him, you will begin to enjoy the
best life you have ever had.
There were two thieves crucified on either
side of Jesus. One of them recognized
that He truly was the Son of God. He
recognized that the only shot of living in
freedom forever was through Jesus. The
other only mocked Him. Each of them had
a decision to make in a moment’s notice.
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Only one made the right decision saying,
“Jesus, remember me when you come into
your kingdom” (Luke 23:42).
God has a divine plan of freedom for you
today, to live life wonderfully and gratefully.
We also live in the greatest country where
freedom still rings. As you go about your
day, remember the words of Lee Green-
wood: “And I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free. And I won’t
forget the men who died, who gave that
right to me.” Don’t forget all those who
have given you the opportunity to live in
this amazing country. And especially, don’t
forget the One who paid the ultimate price
for your life—Who gave you the greatest
right to be free.
 “Your talent is God’s gift to you.
What you do with it is your gift
back to God! ”
THE POWER TO
Create
WEALTH
Did you know that God deposited “great-
ness” in you even before you were born?
Did you also know that God deposited
everything you would ever need to have
great success on the earth? Sometimes
you may not even feel that you possess
any kind of gift or ability. Maybe you were
raised with the idea that you would never
make it big in life, or maybe you have let
circumstances that surrounded you in
childhood dictate who or what you are
today. The Bible says in Psalm 139 that you
were “fearfully and wonderfully made.” In
the Hebrew language, this means that you
were made with great reverence, made to
be distinguished from anyone else, and
made marvelous. In other words, God
made you with very specific, very big plans
to do great things!
Many people stressfully talk about the
current economy, but most people don’t
know or understand God’s economy. We
tell people all the time, “If no one wants to
hire you, hire yourself!” Several years ago,
my husband, Victor and I were on a long
highway contemplating and complaining
8 May/June 2009
­--Author Unknown
By Diana Morales
about our profes-
sional and financial
situation at that time.
As we were driving, I
heard the Lord speak
these words to me in
my spirit, “Take out a
sheet of paper and
write down every-
thing you are each good at. The things
that you are good at are gifts that I have
given you and that you have possessed
your whole life. Take any one of these gifts
or a combination of them and take the
time to further develop them.” I shared this
with Victor and he told me to quickly find a
piece of paper. I began to write two lists—
one for me and one for him. While on that
highway, God began to give us a plan for
developing those gifts and bringing them
to fruition. We got so excited that we said
to each other, “We need to hire ourselves!
Why didn’t we ever take the time to see
what God Himself has deposited in us?”
People around you will always “suggest” to
you what you should be doing with your
life. You will not be satisfied until you are
doing what God has called you to do. Deu-
teronomy 8:18 says “But thou shalt remem-
ber the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth
thee power to get wealth, that he may estab-
lish his covenant which he sware unto thy
fathers, as it is this day.” This power comes
only from God. It is His ability, His strength,
and His gifts that will help you get wealth,
and establish you. I don’t know what you
have been called to do, but whatever it is,
dig deep within your soul to figure it out.
I know a young woman who, many years
ago, cleaned houses for a living. She was
quite the fashionista—with an amazing eye
for clothing and accessories. She used to
tell me how she loved anything having to
do with fashion—yet at that time she was
cleaning houses. A “good eye” for clothing
and fashion was one of her gifts. Today she
owns a successful clothing store. Part of
the wonder of life is seeing your own life
unfold itself into the beautiful tapestry God
created it to be.
“If a man is called to be a street sweeper,
he should sweep streets even as Michelan-
gelo painted, or Beethoven played music, or
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Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep
streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and
earth will pause to say, here lived a great street
sweeper who did his job well.”
Martin Luther King Jr.  
If cooking is your gift, then do everything
to develop that gift and be the best chef
ever. If sewing is your gift, then take some
classes and be the best seamstress/tailor
ever. If carpentry is your gift, then be the
best carpenter ever. Most of the greatest
names known today in any of these cat-
egories started out in their kitchens, spare
bedrooms or garages. God’s Word says in
Proverbs 12:14 “From the fruit of his lips a
man is filled with good things as surely as the
work of his hands rewards him.” Today, why
don’t you take out a piece of paper and
make a list.
 Leadership
Through
Compassion
By Victor Morales
“’I have compassion on the multitude,
because they have now continued with Me
three days and have nothing to eat. And if I
send them away hungry to their own houses,
they will faint on the way; for some of them
have come from afar.’ So he commanded the
multitude to sit down on the ground. And
He took the seven loaves and gave thanks,
broke them and gave them to His disciples to
set before them; and they set them before the
multitude. They also had a few small fish; and
having blessed them, He said to set them also
before them. So they ate and were filled, and
they took up seven large baskets of leftover
fragments. Now those who had eaten were
about four thousand” (Mark 8:2-3,6-9).
Jesus had a purpose when He walked
the earth, and that purpose was to help
people. Even if He had several places to
go and people to see, He somehow always
seemed to take care of people’s needs,
especially if the people seeking him were
persistently pressing upon Him. He never
regarded status, nor did he let anything
come between Him and those needing
help. As a matter of fact, when He looked
at the people, the Bible tells us that he sim-
ply had compassion on the multitude, and
that was enough for them to qualify as re-
cipients for His assistance. I’m sure He saw
all kinds of people, good and bad, happy
and sad, healthy and sick. There was no red
tape, no CEO signature, no chain of com-
mand, no picture session or recognition of
special groups to wade through before the
people received help. Jesus simply helped
people in the name of compassion. Talk
about a leader for the ages!
10 May/June 2009
Can you imagine Jesus having told his
disciple, Peter at that time, “Peter, find us
a great sketch artist. Oh, and make sure
we get the best scribe in the land to write
about this honorable act I’m about to do.”
No, as a matter of fact, on many occa-
sions, Jesus told his disciples and even the
people who received a miracle from him,
“Do not tell anyone what happened here
today.” The Bible instructs us, “Do not let
your right hand know what your left hand is
doing” (Matthew 6:3). Just help where you
can--this is God’s way. Do it in the name of
compassion.
What role does compassion play in our
modern day business structure or within
employer-employee relationships? Many
business leaders have found that without
compassion and kindness to employees,
customers, suppliers and even competitors,
short-term results cannot be maintained or
converted into long-term positive results.
In other words, we have to be kind and
compassionate to those placed in our path.
In the book, “Leadership Secrets from the
Bible,” the author, Lorin Wolfe explains
how Isaac Tigrett, founder of Hard Rock
Café, upheld compassion as a number one
priority or principle when he opened up his
first restaurant. He set out to hire society’s
outcasts who would not have fit well into
more traditional organizations. He elimi-
nated all staff meetings and called them
“family meetings”, instead. Tigrett said, “I
didn’t care about anything but the people.
Just cherish them, look after them, and be
sensitive to their lives.” His compassion paid
off in many ways. A few years later, he sold
his business for $100 million.
Famous business philosopher, Napoleon
Hill said in one of his quotes, “It is literally
true that you succeed best and quickest by
helping others to succeed.” All of us placed in
positions of trust or authority, will be tested
to make sure we are capable or humble
enough to lead those placed under our
care. In Biblical times, Moses would
sometimes throw himself on the ground
and plead for the lives and well-being of
his people. He would entreat God with
heavy crying and supplications in order to
divert God’s plan of destroying many of the
Israelites because of their disobedience.
Every one of those people was a treasure to
Moses. As modern leaders, we’ve also been
entrusted by God and by those placed
under our care. We are to cherish these
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people, and remember that without them,
we have no one to lead. In Biblical times
and in modern times, people have enthu-
siastically followed leaders who have cared
about them. Time and again, it has been
shown that true caring creates more em-
ployee loyalty, and ironically better results
in production, than cold exhortation or the
old “ruling with an iron fist”.
Robert Galvin, former CEO of Motorola, ad-
dressing his successor and son, Chris, said,
“My philosophy of business? Five words: to
love and to achieve. And the second will
never happen without the first.” So remem-
ber, love your employees and those placed
under your trust, just as if they were family.
They, in turn, will take care of you and your
organization.

MARRIAGE 101
In 20 years of marriage, the biggest regret
I have is not having had more time in
the day to do all the things I would have
enjoyed doing with my wife. I once went
to a job interview, and the interviewer
asked me, “Who is your best friend?” I didn’t
hesitate or pause when I said, “My wife”.
He then asked, “Why ‘your wife’”? “Well,” I
said, “When I’ve been down, my wife has
been there to lift me up. When money’s
been scarce, she’s been content with what
she has. When I’ve been sick, she’s always
made the perfect tea. When I’ve been
scared, she’s been the perfect inspiration,
and when I’ve felt insignificant and alone,
she’s made me feel like I’m the greatest
person in the world.”
Many people have come and gone in my
life, but the only one that is still with me
through thick and thin, better or worse,
richer or poorer, is no one else but my God-
given wife. Even during my worst times,
she has remained constant. Is our marriage
perfect? Far from it, but we are perfect for
each other, as far as God’s Word is con-
cerned. The Bible tells us, “Wives, submit
unto your own husbands as unto the Lord.
For the husband is the head of the wife, even
as Christ is the head of the church: and he is
the savior of the body. Therefore as the church
is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to
their own husbands in everything. Husbands,
love your wives, even as Christ also loved the
church and gave himself for it. So ought men
to love their wives as their own bodies. He
that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no
man ever hated his own flesh; but nourisheth
and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church”
(Ephesians 5:22-25, 28-29).
12 May/June 2009
“SUCCESS IN MARRIAGE
does not come merely through
finding the right mate, but
through being the right mate.”
-Barnett R. Brickner
By Victor Morales
More marriages might survive if the partners
realized that sometimes the better comes after
the worse.  -Doug Larson
This is the foundation for any marriage.
God created us in His image, and He cre-
ated us for each other. In this scripture, you
find out why the church (like a wife) follows
after Jesus (like a husband). Paul sums it
up like this, “Christ first loved the church”. In
other words, a husband is to first love his
wife. Christ treats his church as his own
body, and the church, in turn, submits to
the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. Can
you imagine it any other way? Can you
imagine Jesus abusing the church, or vice-
versa, the church not wanting anything
to do with submitting itself to the Lord?
In other words, he instructs us why the
church follows after Jesus Christ, and will
not follow after anyone else. The reason is
that Jesus first gave himself to his church
by willingly sacrificing his life for it.
Marriage works the same way. If either
party is abusing of the other, it can’t work.
Husbands, we are to give ourselves to our
wives completely. It’s never 50-50. It’s all
or nothing at all. When we are married, we
are to give ourselves to one another 100%.
In marriage, if we follow the foundation
found in the Bible, wives should submit
themselves to their own husbands as unto
the Lord, and the husbands ought to love
their wives. Husbands, if you don’t show
proper care and concern for your wife, she
will not be able to care for you the way
she was intended to. One of the great-
est things that a husband can do is take
care of what God has given him, by being
supportive, encouraging and remember-
ing to water your wife with gestures and
acts of love. There is no one else out there
better for you, but the wife that you made
a promise to. The grass is never greener
on the other side--and if it looks greener,
it is probably Astroturf! Take care of what
you have and your wife will continue to
grow to be the woman of God that she was
intended to be.
Wives, submit yourself to your husband,
respecting him as a man. One of the worst
things a wife can do to her husband is lose
respect for his authority as head of the
household, and to counter every decision
he makes. According to the Bible, in a
marriage, it is the husband’s responsibil-
ity. Wives, if you fully put your husband
in the hands of the Lord, and ask God to
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guide him, in time you will see him steering
your family in the right course. My wife
has always told me that she understands
that God has called her to pray for me as
the head of our household. Regardless of
how long you have been married, if you
employ these basics from the Bible, you
will see your marriage take a course for the
better—God’s way.
Victor and Diana Morales
with Victor Morales
Ministries International
have been called to bring
encouragement, hope and
revival through Jesus Christ
to the lives of the people in
the Rio Grande Valley. They
are Pastors, Evangelists
and Publishers of Saved
Magazine.
 God In the
Midst of a
Soldier’s Battle
By Staff Sgt. Jose Ramos
Pictured: Staff Sgt. Jose Ramos in Afghanistan
On March 9, 2006, the sun had already
hit its blistering pinnacle in Musaquala,
Afghanistan. I was enjoying my midday
brunch before preparing for my afternoon
tasks. I was not scheduled to be on patrol
that day, but a convoy was shorthanded
and I volunteered to help on that routine
convoy patrol. Little did I know the events
that would follow in the next few hours
would change my life forever. At about 1
p.m. local time, our hummer vehicle was
ambushed by enemy fire. My platoon and
I were somewhat secure in our vehicle, but
there was a sliver of open space about 1½
inches wide where I was sitting. Through
that seemingly insignificant crevice, two
bullets pierced through my arm at the
same time. It was now approximately 1:13
p.m local time. We had seen no helicopters
in that area that whole day, but suddenly
one happened to be flying over us en route
to pick up a wounded K-9. Within 30 min-
utes, we had air support.
I just lay there in a daze. All I could think
of was, “If they end up sending me home, I
want to go home complete—with no miss-
ing limbs.” I was transported to a M.A.S.H.
(Mobile Army Surgical Hospital), and I heard
the doctor saying to me, “Pick up your
arm.” I said, “It is up!” I couldn’t really feel my
arm, and all kinds of thoughts were racing
through my head. I asked, “What time is
it?” Someone responded, “It’s 3:45 p.m.” I
thought that if I was about to die, I at least
wanted to know my time of death. I have
no recollection of the 2½ days that fol-
lowed. I finally woke up and called my wife
back home to explain what had happened
14 May/June 2009
to me.
I was eventually transferred to Brooks Army
Medical Center at Ft. Sam Houston in San
Antonio, Texas. The doctors advised me
that I had two severed nerves along with
a severed main artery. I had no control
of my arm. I was mad at the world! I was
especially mad at myself because I had let
this happen to me after 20 years in military
service. The prognosis from the doctors
regarding the use of my arm was very dim.
They advised me that it would take at least
18 months to possibly regain 40% use of
my arm.
My mind began to shoot back to 10 years
prior, in 1996, when my daughter was
diagnosed with a very serious kidney
problem. I surrendered my life to the Lord
during that time—yet with my current situ-
ation looming over me, I could not think
or see straight, let alone believe God the
way I needed to. Right about this time, my
uncle brought me the Serenity Prayer by
Reinhold Niebuhr. These words reverber-
ated through my entire being. My mind
was filled with the promises that God had
made to me 10 years prior—promises to
bring me out and through any challenge. I
began to retort back to the doctors, “I will
prove you wrong!” Within myself all I could
think of was, “Actually, GOD will prove you
wrong.”
My “faith fight” response made me push
myself to double my therapy to twice a day
for 2-3 hours. I even made my wife park my
truck right in front of the window where I
would do therapy, as a point of contact. I
would tell my therapist, “When I get out
of here, I’m driving myself out in that truck
parked out there.” All he could say was,
“You’re crazy! How do you think you’re go-
ing to do that?”
Well…six and a half weeks, 13 surgeries,
and six months of therapy later, I had done
in the Lord what nobody expected me
to do. I had full use of my arm within six
months! The protocol for therapy was 13
months. I spent the last seven of those
months going to my Case Manager each
week just to tell him, “Hi! I’m alive and do-
ing great!” I’d sign a sheet proving I showed
up and then I’d leave again.
I don’t know what you are going through
today, but God can do greater things than
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you can imagine! God’s Word is true when
it says that God is “…able to do exceedingly
abundantly above all that we ask or think,
according to the power that works in us” (Eph.
3:20).
A respected Sergeant Major of the Army
once presented me with a Military Excel-
lence Coin. He posed a question and made
a statement to me that still remains in my
heart to this day. He said, “Do you under-
stand that 98% of Americans enjoy the free-
dom that only 2% of Americans are willing
to die for? You are one of those 2%.”
Editor’s Note: Staff Sgt. Jose Ramos, a resident of the Rio
Grande Valley, received 26 Military Excellence Coins in
the 13-month period at Ft. Sam Houston. Most notably,
he received a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star. After 22
years of dutiful military service to our country, he retired
from the U.S. Army in 2008. We thank God for men and
women like Staff Sgt. Ramos. Without them, we could
not enjoy the freedom we have today.
 IT’LL COST YOU!
By Joyce Meyer

We will all go
through situations
in life. Many times,
we think the phrase
“I’m going through
something” is bad
news, but if we view
it properly, we real-
ize going through
is good—it means
we’re not stuck! We
may be facing difficulties, but at least we
are moving forward.

You may have heard the name Wilma

Rudolph. Perhaps you know of her as an
outstanding female athlete whose story
was told in the television movie Wilma and
whose image appeared on a United States
postage stamp. Indeed, this phenomenal
runner, coach, and sports commenta-
tor gained remarkable recognition and
acclaim, but do you have any idea what it
cost her to achieve her goals and live her
dreams?
She was born prematurely, the twentieth
of twenty-two children in a poor fam-
ily reeling from the impact of the Great
Depression. In addition to suffering scarlet
fever and double pneumonia as an infant,
she was afflicted with polio from birth and
had to be driven fifty miles twice a week to
a hospital for African-Americans, where she
received treatment.
In addition, her mother had to rub her legs
four times each day for years. At one point,
the doctors told her she would never walk,
but eventually she proved them wrong and
walked with a brace until she was nine years
old. By the time she was twelve, she could
finally walk normally, and within four short
years, at age sixteen, she won her first Olympic
medal. Four years later, at the 1960 Olympics
in Rome, she earned gold medals in three
events and became an international superstar.
The little girl who was told she would never
walk ended up learning to run better and
faster than any other woman in the world.
But she did not do it without pain, without
sacrifice, without discipline, or without pay-
ing a price. She wanted to see her desires
fulfilled and she did—because she never
gave up.
To be people who never give up, we must
learn to press past both natural obstacles,
as Wilma Rudolph did, and unseen forces
such as anger, unforgiveness, guilt, shame
and fear. We need to learn to overcome
these issues in our life so we can press
through anything that is holding us back
and go on to be everything God intends for
us to be. Press in, press on, press through,
and pay the price now so you can reach
your goals and your full potential later.
The Bible even tells us that we will suffer
and encounter trials, so we must learn
to deal with them in ways that help us
overcome them instead of letting them
overcome us. We need to be balanced
in our approach to growth and adversity
because growth is not an automatic result
of difficulty. Hardships do not necessarily

16 May/June 2009
produce growth or strength in us—it’s just
not that simple. Some people shrink back
or fall apart when difficulties arise. They
don’t always realize that there is a cost that
comes with victory.
We grow when we determine to think and
behave in godly ways in the midst of adver-
sity—when we do what we know is right,
even when it is difficult, uncomfortable, or
inconvenient. We grow spiritually, and we
are strengthened. We may have to do what
is right for a long time before we feel it is
paying off, but if we stay faithful and refuse
to give up, good results will come. Once we
get through the adversities and challenges
we face, we emerge as better people than
we were when we went into them.
I want to share a verse with you that has
given me courage and comfort through
To advertise in Saved Magazine, please call (956) 328-6117
many battles in my life. I believe it will also
encourage you. Habakkuk 3:19 says, The
Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery,
and my invincible army; He makes my feet
like hinds’ feet and will make me to walk [not
to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make
[spiritual] progress upon my high places
[of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]! (The
Amplified Bible).
Determine that you will go all the way
through every difficulty you might ever
face in life, recognizing that it will cost you
something. Make the decision now to keep
going forward, no matter how difficult it is. I
can guarantee you’ll be glad you did.
Author/teacher Joyce Meyer has been helping people overcome life’s
problems through biblical keys to practical Christian living since 1976. Her
radio and television programs are broadcast throughout the United States
and much of the world. For additional information, you may contact Joyce
Meyer Ministries at P.O. Box 655, Fenton, Missouri 63026 or visit
www.joycemeyer.org.
 WALKING IN THE PERFECT
WILL OF GOD
God burned this message in my spirit
several years ago. It changed my life and
I greatly desire for you to learn its truths,
too. Let us begin by looking at Psalm 127:
“Except the Lord build the house, they labour
in vain that build it: except the Lord keep
the city, the watchman waketh but in vain”
(Psalm 127:1). This doesn’t mean that you
can’t build a house, but the Bible tells us
that unless the Lord builds or blesses it,
they labor in vain that build the house.
God’s will for us is that we walk in His will! It’s
one thing to say, “Lord, I know that your
Word is your will.” It’s another thing to
consecrate your life and say, “God, I’m not
going to go my own way.” Everyone wants
to go his own way, irrespective of what
God has to say about the matter. They
shake their finger at Almighty God and later
wonder why they have come up against a
brick wall in their life and why everything
goes wrong for them. They’re on a collision
course with the will of God for their life!
The Bible contains more than 30,000
promises and each of those promises has
a condition. If you keep the condition,
you will get the blessing. If you do not
keep the condition, a cursing will come on
you—not from God, but from the enemy.
Many people are binding the devil when
they themselves need to be bound! “Oh,
brother,” they complain, “my finances are in
a mess because the devil attacked them.”
No, it wasn’t the devil. He doesn’t have
access to your checkbook or your charge
18 May/June 2009
By Dr. Rodney Howard-Browne
cards. Go look in the mirror and you’ll see
the devil who did it! Several years ago, a
man had a heart attack while I was preach-
ing. I ran into the congregation, laid hands
on him, and God touched him. The next
day, I visited him at his home, as I was
pastoring that congregation. He sat there
in his living room, lit up another cigarette,
and said, “The devil’s getting hold of my
lungs.” I replied, “Brother, listen—don’t at-
tack the devil. With what you’re doing, you
don’t even need the devil!”
Too many people whine, “Well it’s because
of this one. If that person hadn’t done that,
then I wouldn’t have done this.” As long
as you blame the devil or other people for
everything bad that happens to you, you’re
never going to look at yourself and see if
you’re to blame. God’s will for you and me
is that we do His will. People say, “If I do
the will of God, I’ll lose out.” Yes, it may look
like you’re making a sacrifice, but actually it
does not cost to serve God; it pays to serve
Him.
When you lay certain things down to serve
God, you take up the cross of victory. You
take up the crown of righteousness. Jesus
asked in Mark 8:36, “For what shall it profit a
man, if he shall gain the whole world, and los
his own soul?” What is your priority? When
your priority is God first, number one, come
what may, it doesn’t matter what your in-
laws or outlaws say. God, God, God, God,
God is the authority in your life. “Except the
Lord build the house…”
All rights reserved. Used by
permission. Source: Walking
In The Perfect Will of God by
Rodney M. Howard-Browne
Drs. Rodney and Adonica
Howard-Browne with Revival
Ministries International are
currently on a nationwide
crusade to bring REVIVAL
to America with their Great
Awakening Tour. To attend
one of these life-changing
events and find a city near
you, log on to revival.com.
 saved magazine
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Where do you want to
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The Vision…
The Valley…
The VICTORY!
With God ALL things are possible!
Matthew 19:26
If you have never given your life to the Lord or received Jesus into your heart—this is
a prayer you can pray and receive His free gift of salvation. God’s Word says that If you
confess with your mouth that “Jesus is Lord” and you believe with your heart He rose
from the dead—you will be saved. (Romans 10:9-10) This is the only way to get to
heaven. If you want to experience this hope to live forever with God, pray this prayer:

Dear Lord Jesus, come into my heart. Take away my stony heart, and give me a heart of flesh.
I repent of my sins and receive your free gift of salvation for my life. I turn my back on the
world’s way of living and turn my life over to you. Thank you, Jesus for coming into my heart
today.

If you prayed this prayer for the first time, we would love to give you a free gift. Please
call us at 686-9925 or e-mail us at info@savedmagazine.org and tell us, “I just prayed the
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 2009
Saturday June 13, 2009
1PM - 9PM
Isla Blanca Park,
South Padre Island, Texas
www.IslandOfPraise.com IslandOfPraise.blogspot.com

Business
Empowerment
Luncheon
for Leaders, Employers & Employees

Learn God’s Scriptural

Answers for Success

Last Wednesday of the Month

12 noon - 1 pm

Celebrate! Christian Revival Center

(see ad on page 4 for location info.)

For more information, please call

(956) 686-9925

Hosted by Victor Morales Ministries International


“If you raise your children to feel that they
can accomplish any goal or task they decide
upon, you will have succeeded as a parent
and you will have given your children the
greatest of all blessings.” -Brian Tracy
Did you know that as parents, we will one
day have to give an account for how we
raised our children, and how we helped
nurture and develop the best in them? In
the Amplified Bible, Proverbs 22:6 says,
“Train up a child in the way he should go [and
in keeping with his individual gift or bent],
and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
We have the powerful ability to either help
bring out greatness in our children, or stifle
the gifts that God has put on their lives.
This scripture basically states that when
we notice certain gifts that our children
possess, we are to help them along by en-
couraging and helping further those gifts.
Genesis 1:26 says that God made us—and
that includes our kids—in His image! He
has absolute greatness, power and might.
Our kids were also born with greatness,
regardless of their character or any setback
or handicap that they may possess.
In most families, no two children possess
the exact same gifts. In the same way that
we possess completely different finger-
prints and DNA, we possess completely
different gifts and abilities. Sometimes
we hear of parents telling one child, “Why
aren’t you more like your brother (or
sister)?” Did you know that is the quickest
way to break a child’s spirit? Whether our
children are young or adult, we must seek
the wisdom of God to recognize each indi-
vidual gift, and take care of nurturing it.
We also know of other parents that tell
26 May/June 2009
DEVELOPING YOUR
CHILD’S GIFTS
By Diana Morales
“Children are likely to live up
to what you believe in them.”
-Lady Bird Johnson
us that they want their kids to become
what they did not become. Our primary
job as parents is to train them up in “the
way”. What way? God’s way: His plan, His
purpose and His will for your child. What
is the outcome when we follow God’s
instructions? The Bible says in Psalm 128:3
that if you, as a parent walk in the ways
of the Lord, your children will be like olive
plants all around your table. What does this
mean? First of all, the word “olive” in this
scripture means “illuminating oil”. God liter-
ally desires for your child to illuminate the
lives of others. Historically, olive trees have
always symbolized abundance, glory and
peace. Amazingly, there are still olive trees
in the regions of Galilee and surrounding
areas, that are over 3,000 years old—all of
which are still producing fruit!
As parents, our words and actions will make
or break our kids’ futures. You have no
idea how God may want to use them—so
trust that God has a plan and purpose for
each of their gifts. Jeremiah 29:11 says “For
I know the plans I have for you,” declares the
LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm
you, plans to give you hope and a future.” He
has great plans for your children’s future!
This should bring peace to your life. If
you trust Him, He promises you that, 1)
like an olive plant, your children will have
long fruitful lives; 2) they will be filled with
abundance, glory and peace; and 3) they
will be an illuminating light to everyone
around them until their old age. Today, I
pray that the Lord guide you as you help
guide your children into their very bright
and hopeful future. Your eternal rewards
will be priceless!