"YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD"

Matthew 5:14-19

14“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

YOU CAN help by praying for the missionaries and checking out Agape Flights web site to find out more about this important ministry. You can see the missionaries’ current needs and you can read the stories about other missionary families-
YOU CAN see how God is working in the lives of our Christian brothers and sisters...their victories and struggles plus updates straight from missionaries in the field, many from the earthquake regions of Haiti.
Agape Flights Blog
Is another way to connect with the ministry.
Agape Flights has been providing continual service for their member missionaries for 30 years...stay posted even via FACEBOOK for events.
So stay in touch via Agape Flights !

Join in any Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. for a Devotional ...where the Agape staff, volunteers, missionaries and the public pray for the ministry, share concerns and needs and Praise Jesus in the reception area of the hangar.

Thanks Pastor Chad for your leadership in the devotional...

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (r). Copyright(c)

And by His Stripes we are healed

ISAIAH 53 3-5





He was despised and rejected by men,


A man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.


Like one from whom men hide their faces


He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.





Surely He took up our infirmities


and carried our sorrows,


yet we considered Him stricken by God,


smitten by Him, and afflicted.


But he was pierced for our transgressions,


He was crushed for our iniquities;


the punishment that brought us peace was


upon Him,


And by His wounds we are healed.


NIV





(I like the King James verse on the last line)


And by His stripes we are healed.


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Inspirational Song written 25 years ago called "I Remember," the words in Isaiah above have been read many times prior to the song...I hope you can hear the melody in your head as I do.

I REMEMBER (c) Mike Pignotti 1986


I remember when You first,
Called me Your friend
Watch the devil run from my,
Run from my mind.

Feeling of constant companion You filled up my heart soul and mind are all Yours.

On the cross at Calvary
Died for every man
With Your grace and
Love You saved
All from deadly sin.

Under gentile forces through demons drive, over any mountain Your power will arise.

Walk me in Your footsteps
show me where to go…
Sharpen up my conscience
for You I want to grow.

Thank You for healing praise upon Your name, Father Son and Spirit we shall know.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For you I want to GROW ...is how Mike wrote the song...but when I get a hold of it...I love the song...I always sing "For YOU I want to glow."
Happy 25th Mike...and I pray that God will keep inspiring you with gifts that you are able to share- through your music and the inspirational words you write.

I also thank God for the time I have been able to spend at Agape Flights mid-week...Every Wednesday at 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. for the devotional time...

If you would like to join Agape Flights devotional time it is open to the public
Join the volunteers, the staff and Agape's missionaries that are based in Venice...
To refresh your week with the word of God
Led by a different leader each week- pray with us for our Country, for our missionaries, for each other.

It is casual...folding chairs, non-denominational and right inside the door at the hangar!

Agape Flights is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit, Christian ministry that provides ongoing and critical support services to close to 400 missionary families that work in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas. Agape provides coordination and support getting supplies and services to the island nations in the Caribbean for the missionaries via air support on “Bandit,” from Agape’s hangar and home base at the Venice Florida Airport.

YOU CAN help by praying for the missionaries and checking out Agape Flights web site to find out more about this important ministry. You can see the missionaries’ current needs and you can read the stories about other missionary families-

YOU CAN see how God is working in the lives of our Christian brothers and sisters...their victories and struggles plus updates straight from missionaries in the field, many from the earthquake regions of Haiti.

Agape Flights Blog

Another way to connect with the ministry.

Agape Flights has been providing continual service for their member missionaries for 30 years...stay posted even via FACEBOOK for events.

So stay in touch via Agape Flights !

His faithfulness continues through all generations!

“SHOUT FOR JOY,” came to my mind when Ella, a 1st grader walked into the hangar at AGAPE FLIGHTS, on the last day of the year to give water and money to help the people of HAITI.




SHOUT FOR JOY

SHOUT FOR JOY TO THE LORD
SHOUT FOR JOY TO THE LORD
ALL THE EARTH

SERVE THE LORD WITH GLADNESS
COME BEFORE HIM WITH JOYFUL SONG

SHOUT FOR JOY TO THE LORD
SHOUT FOR JOY TO THE LORD
AHH…

SHOUT FOR JOY TO THE LORD
KNOW THAT THE LORD IS GOD
KNOW THAT THE LORD IS GOD

IT IS HE WHO MADE US AND WE ARE HIS
WE ARE HIS PEOPLE
THE SHEEP OF HIS PASTURE

KNOW THAT THE LORD IS GOD
KNOW THAT THE LORD IS GOD

ENTER HIS GATES WITH THANKSGIVING
AND HIS COURTS WITH PRAISE

THE LORD IS GOOD,
ENDURES FOREVER
FAITHFULNESS THROUGH ALL GENERATIONS

SHOUT FOR JOY TO THE LORD
SHOUT FOR JOY TO THE LORD
SHOUT FOR JOY TO THE LORD!

Michael Pignotti adopted the words from Psalm 100 over 20 years ago, for singing and worshiping the Lord. “SHOUT FOR JOY”



*Note…AGAPE FLIGHTS now buys the water in route in order to save space for other critical needs going to the missionaries. But the case of water from Ella… Steve Koch (Pilot and one of the Board of Directors) said, “what we can do is fill up a cooler with the water bottles and deliver the water ice cold when we get to Haiti …for Ella.”
Psalm 100, The Holy Bible NIV
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are his; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.

Thanks For Sharing Your Hope Ella...

THANKS ELLA,

The year 2010 just closed; a year like no other at AGAPE FLIGHTS, or for you I trust. As a volunteer watching the ministry at AGAPE FLIGHTS I thank God for both the high points and the low points of this past year…Agape was truly a testimony to me as I witnessed them as they walked by faith and trusted God for ALL things.

I pray that the people God placed in Agape’s path last year were also blessed and will continue serving Christ with us in the year ahead. Because of the LOVE shown through prayer, donations of time and generous gifts for the people in Haiti, Dominican Republic and the Bahamas the work and HOPE continues. In spite of the many setbacks faced by all of us we can “Shout For Joy to The LORD,” and not lose HOPE.

The January Earthquake in Haiti may long be remembered well after the year 2010. Outlandish death tolls in Haiti still shock even most seasoned relief workers. The devastation ended up highlighting the political unrest, the high unemployment, the orphans and just the plain fact that Haiti is a country that is hanging on by a thread. BUT DON’T LOSE HOPE!

The flooding from Hurricane Tomas would hardly be worth a mention with all the other woes that Haiti has endured… except the storm caused flooding that triggered a deadly cholera outbreak that spun fear further than the eyes can see. Families that have lost everything near and dear to them…friends, furniture, and finances still in shambles ELEVEN months after the quake struck. And still MANY are living in tents. BUT DON'T LOSE HOPE…Ella didn’t!

In walks Ella…a first grader that walked into the reception area at AGAPE FLIGHTS hangar at the Venice Airport with her mother. Why because of HOPE! Because she wanted to share her money and give some water to the people in Haiti. “SHOUT FOR JOY TO THE LORD!”

Thanks Ella!


*Note…AGAPE FLIGHTS now buys the water in route in order to save space for other critical needs going to the missionaries. But the case of water from Ella… Steve Koch (Pilot and one of the Board of Directors) said, “what we can do is fill up a cooler with the water bottles and deliver the water to Haiti ice cold for Ella."

Comments and or corrections appreciated.

The Greatest Gift of ALL...

Cindy left a comment on The Prayer Notes blog click for the post "In hope, rejoicing...In Tribulation, enduring...In...":

Dear Barb: Technology is great..We are able to communicate overseas with each other via Internet and better yet skype…In real time with family & friends.Communication is critical to us here on the field in the DR. We depend on it to coordinate flight schedules and immediate missionary needs to the Agape home base in Venice.

Thanks be to God for Agape Flights and all of you there that work so diligently to "juggle" flight schedules & deal with mechanical difficulties to meet missionary needs personally and for the people who depend on them.

As Christmas approached I witness first-hand how God has blessed us through Agape. The joy that each parcel brings, no matter how big or small, is received with such excitement by our members.

Its not about the box - its about love. Feeling love, knowing love that comes wrapped in a present.Hum...I meditate on "tiny present" "love”…I think of us learning Spanish…hum…Translate that for me to English -please? Ok let's translate Love: Love came down on Christmas in the form of a "tiny baby" Jesus Christ - the greatest gift of all!
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THANKS CINDY...your words could not just be left in an obscure comment box!

Tom and Cindy have been supporters of Agape Flights for the last ten years as volunteers and now they are Agape Flight's Field Directors in the Dominican Republic as a full time mission…and a big step…they are learning Spanish!

For further information about Tom and Cindy’s ministry serving missionaries click on AGAPE FLIGHT's Blog for the posting from earlier this year.
If you would like to send encouragement to Cindy and Tom you can through AGAPE Flights.com or directly to their email address- Tomdrnl@yahoo.com

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Agape Flights is not just a ministry in Haiti and the Dominican Republic...we minister to each other right here on the West Coast of Florida...Venice, Tampa, Bradenton, Sarasota, Englewood, Arcadia with our sharing and caring. Pass THE GOOD NEWS of JESUS CHRIST this Christmas Season...and may GOD BLESS the NEW YEAR!

The True Light That Gives Light to Every Man was coming into the World

John 1:1-9

New International Version of the Holy Bible

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

He was with God in the beginning.

Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made.

In Him was life, and that life was the Light of men.

The Light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John.

He came as a witness to testify concerning that Light, so that through Him all men might believe.

He himself was not the Light; he came only as a witness to the Light.

The true Light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and through the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him.

He was in the world, and through the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him.

He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him.

Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God-

Children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.

We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John testifies concerning Him.

He cries out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.

From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another.

For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made Him known.

Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask Him who He was.

He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Chris."

Thank Heaven and Glory to God...

AGAPE FLIGHTS RESPONDS TO HAITI’S ESCALTING CHOLERA OUTBREAK

The medical missionaries are running short of needed medical supplies...

And you ask...How can you help?

The first flight of supplies left Agape's hangar Today...Thursday morning, November 11.

Agape Flights new aircraft “Bandit,” the Embraer 110 is in the trusted hands of the missionary pilots, staff and board members. Agape’s “Bandit” is in her 1st few months of service and is able to carry 40 percent more cargo than the former Agape airplane. Bandit has been lighting up the skies, carrying hopes and prayers to the missionary families that count on Agape for critical supplies during this 30th Anniversary Year of Agape Flights important mission.

Heart warming and heart wrenching stories directly from the field ...

For information on cholera in Haiti, as reported by our missionaries, please visit: Dr. James at Holistic Health Ministries.

Quote from Dr. James website...

"Yesterday, I was called early to the Ebenezer Community Health Center to help with 10 year old Willy who was near death from cholera dehydration. Willy is the first case of cholera the health center had received. More and more cases of cholera have been moving north. Willy had only been sick 12 hours and was severely dehydrated in shock. Their neighbor, a 22 year old young man, had died from diarrhea during the night. Thanks to God, prayer, and the Ebenezer Clinic’s Christian medical team, who have been educated, prepared, and mobilized for this latest challenge, we were able to find a vein, start IV fluids, and in a few hours Willy's life was saved."
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A Volunteer’s Perspective- HELP YOURSELF by HELPING OTHERS!

For more information on helping those that are helping others refer to Agape Flights.