Eastgate Ministries

05/30/2026

Sunday Tidbit: Set Free From Addiction To Fortune Telling

One day, a lady friend unexpectedly showed up at my doorstep. “Can you please help me, Roy?” Her voice was filled with desperation, “Sit here, on the deck,” I said. Sitting across from her, I asked with genuine concern, “What’s troubling you?” She revealed a red bag containing Tarot cards and said, “I can’t go a single day without consulting them for guidance and insight.”

I felt a strong presence of evil radiating from the bag. Instinctively, I held my left palm up toward the bag to counteract the evil influence. “OK,” I said. “If you are ready, let’s go through a process of deliverance.” “OK,” she said. First, you need to repent of not trusting God and of placing your faith in another source. Weeping with godly sorrow and deep, heartfelt conviction, she asked God for forgiveness.

I then asked her to renounce the evil that held her captive, and she did. With a sigh of relief, the evil that had gripped her life was gone. She shared that, during a difficult time, out of desperation, she had sought help from an alternative source. Sadly, this has happened to so many. Instead of inquiring of the Lord and trusting in Him, they seek an alternative source for their future, guidance, and hope. I then asked her to reject the Tarot Cards and place her trust in Jesus. By recommitting her life to Jesus, she found the peace she had been seeking.

Jesus came to destroy the works of darkness, to open prison doors, and to set the captives free (Luke 4:18). Without hesitation, she handed me the red bag. Days later, she told me that the cluster headaches she had endured for so long were gone!

I took the Tarot cards and placed them inside the barbecue grill on the deck. After she left, I poured lighter fluid over the bag and set it on fire. The next morning, I opened the grill and found the bag burned, but the Tarot cards were not. “That’s odd,” I thought. Using a fork, I separated the cards, poured lighter fluid over each one, and set them on fire.

What I saw was unexpected. Flames shot into the air in brilliant colors. From the flames rose “familiar spirits” associated with the cards. When the Tarot card is used to reveal your fortune, you also receive the evil entity linked to the prophecy it reveals. The spirits that had worked to hold its viewers captive were now released from their evil assignments.

God strictly forbids consulting those who practice divination, astrology, and witchcraft. This includes familiar spirits and mediums who contact the deceased (Deuteronomy 18:9-14). Instead of seeking God's wisdom, direction, and understanding, these forbidden practices separate us from God and, as others have testified, can lead to destruction.

No matter how far a person has fallen or what sins they have committed, Christ is more than able to forgive and redeem lives. Jesus paid the price for our sins at Calvary. No addiction, power, or influence is greater than the name of Jesus (Ephesians 1:20-23).

In Christ and His redeeming love, Roy Roden
Eastgate Ministries: [email protected],

05/26/2026

Sanitary Pads for Pakistan

The following is the appeal for donations to purchase pads for girls in Pakistan. In many parts of Pakistan, basic hygiene products remain out of reach for many women. For struggling families, sanitary pads are often considered a luxury. Many girls suffer silently, missing school. Only 12 percent have access to sanitary products.

Please listen to the video message by Roy Roden on how you can help provide dignity, confidence, and hope to those beautiful children of God’s creation. For you convivence, I have also included the QR code.

To listen to this message on how you can help, please click on the link below.
https://vimeo.com/1195698932?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

God bless you – In His heart and love
Roy Roden, Eastgate Ministries
Email: [email protected]

This is "SANITARY PADS FOR PAKISTAN" by Roy Roden on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

05/24/2026

Sunday Tidbit: Encounter With A Satanic Priest

Responding to a knock at my door, I found a short Asian man standing there. “I am your neighbor. May I come in?” he asked. Somewhat skeptical, I said, “Sure, come on in.” After a brief introduction, he asked if he could read my palm, which is fortune-telling by reading the life lines of a person’s palm. Although I knew biblically that this was forbidden, as a backslidden Christian, I allowed it anyway. “You have a secret nobody knows,” he said. He was right.

“Why don’t you come to my apartment, where we can read your future?” He asked. Out of curiosity, I went with him. Seated across from me at a small table, he opened a deck of Tarot cards. With anticipation, I waited for the unveiling of my future. From the top of the deck, he flipped each card, explaining how each applied to my life. He then drew a black ace of spades and placed it on the table: it was upside down.

“This is not good,” he said as fear filled the room. With my heart racing, I mustered the courage to ask, “What is it? What does this card mean?” “This is the death card,” he said. “The death card?” I asked. “Yes,” he replied. “When the ace is upside down, it means you will die!” “How will I die?” I asked. Rising from the table, he walked to the center of the room.

Stopping about 10 feet away, he turned to face me. Fire appeared, engulfing him in flames. He then disappeared, and where he once stood, I appeared. Like looking in a full-length mirror, I saw myself looking back at me. Did this vision reveal my future – death by fire? This is how my father died at the age of 33. Secretly, I had always feared this would happen to me at the same age. I had heard of those who were preyed upon by people exploiting their weaknesses; mine was that of irrational fear. The vision quickly faded, and he returned to the table.

Is this going to happen to me? “Yes,” he said, “That is, unless things change.” Fear now held me hostage. Could he really change the course of my demise by fire? I must have been thinking aloud. He then informed me, “I am a high priest of Satan.” This startled me. His statement turned the light switch on! I was in the presence of a Satanic priest who obviously had power. The choice between light and darkness, between freedom and bo***ge, loomed before me.

All my life, I ran from God. Seeking fulfillment, I trudged on, always hoping, never retreating. Now, as a victim seeking destiny, I fell into an evil trap. He used my fear to entice me, and then he sprang the bait. Although married, he suggested that the answer to my deliverance from certain death was to have a sexual relationship with him. He didn’t need to say any more. “No thanks,” I said. And with that proposition, I walked out the door.

I walked home in the dark, but not alone. An evil spirit, like a dark cloud, hung over me. As I lay in bed, the presence of evil settled over the house. My home had become the dwelling place of a Satanic spirit. I knew only the power of God could deliver me from this evil influence.

I knew what I would do. The next morning, I attended “The Baptist Church on the Hill.” After the sermon, the pastor invited anyone who wanted to receive Jesus Christ to come forward. I rose from my seat and walked to the front. It was the longest walk of my life. There at the Altar, I received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I wept like a baby.

My life was brand new. My hardened heart, now soft as butter, was transformed by God’s love. My guilt and shame rolled away by God’s grace. In their place was the presence of divine peace and joy. The evil Spirit that plagued me was gone. I thus gave thanks unto God,

“Who has delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the Kingdom of His dear Son” (Colossians 1:13).

When I arrived home, my neighbor was standing in the parking lot. With his arms crossed, it seemed he was waiting for me. I approached him and said, “You have no power over me! I just received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.” He then said that people like me are killed. I just smiled and walked off.

On Easter Sunday, 1976, I received the gift of the Holy Spirit. As John the Baptist proclaimed, He (the Lord) will baptize you with the Spirit and with FIRE (Luke 3:16). The vision of me standing in the midst of the fire, strangely enough, came to pass. I was not destined to die as my Father did, but to live being filled with the flaming fire of the Holy Spirit.

I wish to say to those of you who believe in generational illness, Jesus broke the curse at Calvary. When Jesus said upon the Cross, “It is finished,” He drew the line between the old to bring in the new. Just because something happened to someone else doesn’t mean it is going to happen to you! Friends, claim your freedom today. Remember the words of Jesus who said,

“For this purpose, the Son of God was revealed to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8).

In His love and heart – Roy Roden
Eastgate Ministries: email [email protected]

05/21/2026

Sometimes is not the laying on of hands and prayer that we need, but the expression of Gods love from someone who cares that carry the Father’s heart. Gods love never fails. Without love we are simply presenting religious activity void of the anointing.

05/17/2026

God doesn’t anoint our traditions, religion, doctrine or theology. He anoints that which He is building-His people, a house for a habitation for His glory.

05/16/2026

Sunday Tidbit: Is This Really You, Lord?

It was an ordinary workday. That is, until a stray question popped into my mind, “What would you do if you saw a naked lady?” Surprised, I responded, “Well, that can’t be Jesus!” But the same question, like a boomerang, came back again, “What would you do if you saw a naked lady?” “Now, why would I be asked a question like that?” I wondered.

I concluded the source had to be Satan, so I prepared for battle. When the thought returned, rising from within, I silently challenged my opponent. “Satan, in the name of Jesus, I command you to cease this assignment!” My spirit delivered a deadly blow to the invasive intruder. In a decisive victory, I finished the rest of my shift in peace.

After work, I began the long country drive home. Then the unexpected happened. To my utter amazement, in the car’s headlights, standing by the side of the road, was a naked lady. Her expression revealed her desperation for a ride. Dazed and somewhat confused, I continued driving. The scene was unreal. I asked myself, “Did I really see this?”

Perplexed, I turned the car around to investigate. Like a mirage, she had vanished. I turned around again, and there she stood, slightly bent over, her hands clasped in front of her to cover herself. I stopped, and she quickly jumped in. Sitting beside me was a young lady. The unbelievable had now become very real. It appeared she had been r***d.

I asked her, “How are you?” Shaken but somewhat relieved, she said, “I am running from three men who are after me!” Suddenly, a car accelerated toward us from behind. Its headlights glared in my rearview mirror. Tailing my bumper, they followed us. Great! I thought, “Not only do I have a naked lady in my car, but now there are three men chasing us!” Eventually, the car passed us at high speed and disappeared into the dark night.

The question came to mind, “Now what do I do?” I decided to take her home so she could shower and get cleaned up. It then dawned on me that my wife might not appreciate my heroic rescue of bringing home a naked lady! “Where do you live?” I asked. “In Stockton,” she replied. I promptly turned the car around and headed into the city.

I shared my testimony with her, explaining how I grew up in a dysfunctional family. My father, an alcoholic, passed away when I was eleven. The following year, my mother married a man who turned out to be abusive. At eighteen, I left home, enlisted in the Marine Corps, and served on the battlefield in Vietnam. When I returned home, I was psychologically and emotionally pretty messed up. I joyfully shared the time I came to know Jesus Christ and the goodness of God. With sincerity, I revealed how God healed my heart and changed my life by the power of His love. My unsuspecting passenger listened in silence.

Without further incident, we arrived at her home. To my dismay, she lived in a small rented storage unit. I waited in the car while she lifted the metal storage door. On the concrete floor, her baby lay, wrapped in a blanket. My heart ached with compassion. I debated whether to offer further assistance. In my moment of indecision, she turned and, with a grateful smile, waved goodbye. Released from any further intervention, I left and went home.

Months later, a stranger came to our church. He didn’t stay for the service, but shared with me the story of a man who picked up a naked woman in distress. He also told how, through his act of kindness and his testimony to the life-changing power of God’s love, she accepted Jesus. He didn’t offer any details, and I didn’t ask. Just as quickly as he came, he left. Thinking back, I wonder if this visitor was perhaps an angel?

The Holy Spirit is our teacher. Sometimes we learn lessons through bizarre situations. God authored this encounter. In preparation, He imparted a thought to my mind to prepare me for the unexpected. Since that day, I have learned many ways God communicates. As such, life is always an adventure, the Christian life, the way life is meant to be.

In His heart with love, Roy Roden
Eastgate Ministries. email [email protected]

05/10/2026

Sunday Tidbit: Battling Cancer, Oppression, and Unbelief

The last tidbit I shared was when the doctor informed me that I had lymphoma. Thoughts such as “What will happen now? What about chemotherapy, which can have a devastating effect on our blood cells?” How much has this cancer spread? Stress, fear, anxiety, and self-pity tried to steer my thoughts and feelings, and thus my behavior and reactions. Like a ton of bricks, the weight of these “life and death” implications tried to settle upon me.

I realized that the diagnosis brought spiritual warfare, the battle for the mind. Nothing has power over you except what you agree to. Though the diagnosis may be true, I knew the answer: His name is Jesus. In Matthew 11:29, Jesus invites us to exchange our heavy, exhausting burdens for His divine nature and ways. In doing so, He will give us rest – His rest, the harbor where we are sheltered from the storm. For a renewed determination,

Worship places us in the presence of Jesus. As David said, “In your presence there is fullness of joy” (Psalms 16:11). Worship is not an event but a way of life. With His name on my lips, I continue my daily life of singing my praise and prayers unto Him. Whether driving, shopping, in my office, or walking, I let worship happen. The lightness of His presence lifted me up. So, with lightness of heart and abundant joy, I shared with my wife that this diagnosis is only a bump in the road, and we will address treatment when the time comes. She agreed.

Another spiritual battle emerged. That of unbelief. When the doctor informed us that there were no signs of cancer, he said, “Most likely you will never have cancer or the need for treatment.” He also suggests that we schedule a follow-up appointment. I attributed this reverse thinking to “double-mindedness,” seeing things from a medical view rather than from a God-given miracle. This is understandable for a doctor, but not for God-fearing Christians.

Out of heartfelt concern, others asked whether I planned to follow up with my dermatologist. This may reflect their love and care for me, but it is an expression of unbelief. It is as if to say, “We believe in God and in miracles, but just in case…!” This line of human wisdom only serves to diminish, even discount, the miracle of God. Jesus didn’t say to the blind man whose eyes He had healed, “Now follow up with your eye doctor just in case you start to go blind again.”

If I have a checkup, it will be to testify to God’s healing grace. Jesus asked those who were healed to go and give a testimony of God’s goodness. Testimonies not only bring glory to God but also solidify our healing and build others' faith to receive their healing. God honors faith.

A friend of mine in Pakistan, Pastor Zeesham, used my testimony to create a PowerPoint presentation. He displayed it on the big screen and held a healing service. I asked him whether people were healed, and he said, “Yes, there were many.” He has now scheduled a regional healing service for May 17. This is faith in action that will multiply God’s healing power.

Regardless of what we are going through or of a doctor's diagnosis, Jesus remains Lord and on the throne. Jesus tells us not to let our hearts be troubled or afraid. He promises peace to those who trust in Him (John 14:27).

We don’t have to wait until we are in heaven to be in His presence, for He is with us now! His presence renews our strength and imparts His wisdom, counsel, divine nature, and healing virtue. Rise up and worship the Lord, for there in His presence we can rely upon His strength, rather than our own ability to face life’s spiritual and natural challenges. Because of His grace, I feel stronger, with more spiritual vitality and energy. Isaiah 40:31 comes to mind,

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run, and not be weary: and they shall walk and not faint.”

To God be the glory! In His heart and love - Roy Roden

05/02/2026

Sunday Tidbit: The doctor said, “Roy, you have cancer!”

Last November, I showed my dermatologist a lump on the front of my shoulder. He removed it and sent it to the lab. A week later, he called to tell me, “Roy, you have cancer! The tumor is a metastatic B-cell lymphoma.” Metastasis occurs when a cancer cell breaks off from the primary tumor and spreads to other parts of your body. I was stunned! We hear about others having cancer, but you never think it will happen to you!

I was assigned a cancer specialist. He explained the treatments and their side effects, especially chemotherapy. He suggested a bone marrow biopsy to check for cancer cells. A PET scan was then scheduled. Given the time he spent on this information, he obviously expected the test to reveal the location of other cancer cells, especially the primary site.

The initial battle was not cancer but oppression. Thoughts such as “How did this happen?” “How much has it spread?” and “What about the promises I have received from the Lord?” Fear, uncertainty, and anxiety threaten to overwhelm me like a storm. I then heard the Lord say, “It will not be cancer that takes you home, but My timing as I willed for you.”

I know my strength lies in worship. I love to sing to the Lord, sharing my concerns, prayers, and requests with Him. As I put Christ before me and kept the diagnosis in the background, the joy of the Lord and peace returned. With increased worship came greater joy and a merry heart. So much so that I began to sing to my wife, to those who called, the bank teller, and others. From the laughter I heard, there was an impartation of joy.

In December, I attended a New Year’s conference. Present were Randy and Dawn Cutter, who pastor a church in Florida. I shared the diagnosis with them and asked for prayer. Randy laid a hand on my head, and wham. The power of God went through me like a bolt of lightning. If anything was not of Jesus, it had to flee in seven different ways (Deut. 28:7).

I had my PET scan on April 8th. Two weeks later, the time finally came to receive the results. Sitting at his desk, the doctor glanced at the computer. Turning sideways, he said to my wife and me, “We now have your test results; no signs of cancer were found in your body.” With great relief, we whispered, “Thank you, Jesus!”

This indeed is a miracle. Jesus still heals today. One might say, “Well, perhaps the cancer went into remission! But cancer goes into remission after it has received cancer treatment, which I never received.” Another might suggest this is a localized tumor. Well, that’s true, but the tumor was metastatic, meaning it came from a primary source, most likely a lymph gland, which is why the cancer is called lymphoma. All I know is this is for God’s glory.

No matter what issues you are dealing with, be encouraged, for there is nothing too big for the Lord. Live a life of worship, offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise, which brings you into His presence, where there is fullness of joy (Psalms 16:11). It is here in His presence that healing virtue flows from the Lamb, for by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:56).

In the Father’s heart and His love, Roy Roden

05/01/2026

Jesus said, “I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, He shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture (John 10:9, a sermon all by itself).

The Church is not the door; Jesus is who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man can come to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6).

Neither is the Church a denomination or a building, but the redeemed people of God. The Father's sons and daughters of the household of faith are also known as the bride of Christ.

Roy Roden: Revealing the Father's heart in the power of His love ❤️ 💕

04/26/2026

Sunday Tidbit: Message of the Bird Man

God speaks in many ways, even though the sound of birds. I was attending a ministry conference when I learned this valuable lesson. I sat at a round table with four other men. Curiously, the man to my right was dressed like a beggar, as if homeless. I had been told earlier that they call him “The Birdman.” Someone pays for his registration to attend these meetings. All of this seemed odd to me, so I dismissed it.

During the break, I went for a walk. In the middle of a large green lawn stood the bird man. He was chirping like a bird. “That’s very unusual,” I thought. Before I could go any further with my assessment, the Lord clearly said to me, “Don’t criticize this man; he is my messenger.” Listening intently, I heard the joyful chirping sound of praise. Reflecting on something that happened to me most recently, I understand the message.

I was listening to birds chirping when the Lord opened my ears. I heard that each bird had its own song. They were singing in their own language, giving thanks to the Lord. Each had a distinct voice, yet their song revealed their praise. The bird man was offering a joyful sound unto the Lord, which is also the call of every believer (Psalms 149:2,5).

God has given each person the gift of song, a unique sound that lives in the heart and soul of every believer. It longs to be released, to fly on the wings of praise. I love to worship the Lord intentionally every day. For every good thing, and even when it rains, I sing praises to Him from a heart of love and thanksgiving. I even sing my prayers, requests, and problems to the Lord. Every song, no matter what it sounds like, is honored by God. Often, from the Father’s heart, a song comes in return, confirming our love relationship and sonship (1 Corinthians 14:5).

The inspiration to sing comes from my life in Christ! His love, goodness, and the Spirit's daily ministry have deepened my love and adoration for Him. Worship brings us into His presence, where we experience His joy (Psalms 16:11). The joy of the Lord is like fine wine, making my heart merry. Proverbs 17:22 tells us that a merry heart is like medicine; it lifts the spirit, brings healing, and promotes emotional health. It is also God’s means of filling us with His Spirit.

Today, I often sing a new song to someone. The verses are always different, as is the tempo. My friend and I often go to a bakery. Singing to the person taking my order brightens their day. The room lights up, and everyone smiles. I recently sang to a lady who called me from the doctor’s office. She laughed and thanked me, telling me to never stop singing.

I am reminded of the 1952 classic musical “Singing in the Rain.” In the movie, Gene Kelly, walking down a busy street in the rain, sings, “I’m singing in the rain, Oh what a glorious feeling, I am happy again…” This love story also carries a message. Here is the YouTube link to enjoy the musical song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swloMVFALXw

What better way to live life than to sing with a merry heart because of the love we have for Christ and His love for us? But beware, if you see me, I might just sing a new song to you!

In His heart and love – Roy Roden

301K likes, 7.3K comments. "Singin' in the Rain (Full Song/Dance - '52) - Gene Kelly - Musical Romantic Comedies - 1950s Movies"