Standing Strong in Jesus Name

By Nathan Edwards

Don't you give up
Don't you quitYou keep walking
You keep trying
The Victory is ahead
and it will be alright in the end
Trust JESUS,
for he is Jehovah Jireh,
the Lord our Provider
he is El Shaddai,
the All Sufficient One
and Believe in good things to come

Never give up
Never lose hope
Always have Faith
It allows you to cope
Trying times will pass
as they always do
So put on a smile & live through your pain
Know it will pass & strength u will gain

"Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD." Psalm 27:14

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake...

Matthew 5:10 in the amplified version of the Bible says,  "Blessed and happy and enviably fortunate and spiritually prosperous (in the state in which the born-again child of God enjoys and finds satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of his outward conditions) are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake (for being and doing right), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!" This remarkably profound statement promises happiness, favor, spiritual maturity and closer relationship with God to those who refuse to bow down to sin. It teaches us that if we are professing with our mouths to love God, and deep within our hearts we desire to please Him, then we will be persecuted. We will be made fun of, ridiculed, rejected, put down, and belittled when we take our stand for righteousness. It shows us that when the test of persecution comes, and note that it will come, we are expected to go through it and come out victorious because we are standing for God.

In a Bible lesson at church, my Pastor used the example of the three Hebrew boys, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to illustrate this point. These three young men refused to bow down to serve sin and as a result were thrown into the fiery furness. Even in the fire, they refused to compromise and so the heat was turned up 7 times hotter. With God's unfailing protection, they endured this test and emerged without any broken bones.

Another case comes to mind on the same point. King Darius had set a decree in place that banned the worship of Gods other than himself (since he saw himself as a God). Daniel, a faithful servant of the Lord refused to follow this law and increased the amount of times he worshipped each day. As punishment for his 'menacing' crime, Daniel was thrown into the lions den. Again, our faithful God stepped in and shielded Daniel from the hungry beasts. In the morning, the king was in awe when he saw Daniel make his way out, alive and unharmed! 

These recorded events are there to fill us with hope. Students in a classroom are tested at different times to ensure learning had taken place. In the same way, the children of God are tested to ensure that we have learned all that God intended in the season we may be facing.

My dear friend, I know you are going through a time of persecution where the very people you love are making you out to be the enemy. Embrace this season of your life because you are "Blessed and happy and enviably fortunate and spiritually prosperous (in the state in which the born-again child of God enjoys and finds satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of his outward conditions)". Use this precious time to build your relationship with Our Father which art in Heaven. Know that this is not meant to harm you but to instill in you more of a Christ like character that will be evident to the world. As you have given yourself over to God, be strengthened and know that He will never let you go through anything alone. He is standing with you. Don't compromise. Don't carry the weight on your own. Allow Jesus to carry it for you as you exchange your burden for His. Remember, His thoughts towards you are always good and with this test, He wants you to draw even closer to Him. 

God Bless You All!

Light in the Darkness, by Nathan Edwards

Jesus

You are my protector, You are my strength, You are my deliverer, You are my redeemer,You are my Shield, You are my Strong Tower, You are my light in my darkness and my friend till the very end. You take me up and lay me back down, I know with you, I am and will be found. I seek you each day and seek your name,I am nothing without you or your Fame. Waking with you, you give me power, To make it another day and another hour. Learning your word is so smart, I love you, Lord, with all my heart. You gave up for me all your life,We could not stop all the strife. Every day I will always say, I long to return to you one day. Love me, Lord, and keep me strong, Without you I can never get alone. For even when I walk through the darkest valley, I shall fear no evil, for God, You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You are the light in the darkness.

When I go through deep waters, I know you will be with me. When I go through rivers of difficulty, I will not drown. When I walk through the fire, I will not be burned up; the flames will not consume me, For your word says oh God I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; Church there is One who cares immeasurably about you, And his name is JESUS, He is there with an outstretched arm to shower you with his unstoppable Love, his unshakable wonderful peace, His unfailing Grace, His indescribable Joy, Jesus you alone are worthy of all the Praise, Glory and Honour and there is no one else oh Lord who was, who is and is to come, You are forever more the same. Whatever you may be going through, whatever test, trial, pain, persecution, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth you will endure all things for those things are just for a while and God your Word says weeping may endure for a night, but JOY comes in the morning, and through your Love Jesus, we are more than conquerors in you because your Love never fails. Who will you turn to in your dark times? Man will fail you but God will never fail you God loves you. The scripture says it like this: For the Father himself loves you the devices of the enemy is to make you feel that no one cares, that you are on your own but church listen to me, there is one who cares there is one who infinitely knows everything about you and His name is JESUS! So shout forth the name of JESUS for he is the light in your darkness lift up your eyes unto the hills for your help comes from the Lord! Lift up your hands to give him all the praise and let him love you for he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords! He is Jehovah Jireh, the Lord our Provider, He is Jehovah Rapha, the Lord our Healer, He is El Shaddai, the All Sufficient One!

Saints of God Jesus rose and conquered death, the grave and all attacks, principalities and powers of the wicked enemy. He's the risen conqueror and as long as we have fellowship with him and believe in him by faith then we shall have the victory in every fiery trial. For Jesus is the light in our darkness....

And wherever you may go remember that

U are Blessed

U are Favoured by the Most High God
U are a Conqueror in Christ Jesus
U are the Head and not the Tail
U will succeed in all that you do
U can overcome every challenge/ obstacle
U will make your dreams a reality
& U will have the Victory in Jesus name

Through the difficult times, trust God...

It is said that just before a breakthrough comes the most difficult tests. Some may not have any experiences to confirm this statement, but I certainly do. I have been verbally and emotionally battered and abused for as long as I can remember that I saw myself becoming accustomed to the whole thing. Rejection, ridicule, hurt and pain were normal everyday feelings where happiness was only left for special occasions. But, nothing could attest to this statement like the present trial. As much as I would love to describe in detail the current situation, the words somehow can't surface just yet. All I know is that God is here. God is Almighty, All Knowing, the Beginning and the End. Yet, when we fall on our faces before Him, He is the one surrendering to hear our cries. Every whisper through the tears He holds in His gentleness. He leans into our brokenness and soothes us where no one else can. When everyone has left, when everything we held dear is taken from us, when every hope is diminished, Our Majestic God steps in and tells us that He can take our nothingness and turn it into something. I don’t know what you are going through. I don’t know if what I am learning could bring you comfort. I don’t know if words is what you need to hear or if you just want to be surrounded by God’s Holy Presence. But, I know that when God has something for us it is always good. I know that when God is about to bless us, the devil is mad. I know that the devil will try all the wicked devices in his book to try to cause us to fall away from God and thus miss out on or lose our blessing.Be encouraged. As I write these words I am encouraging myself. I know that the darkest hour is closest to dawn. Let us lift up each other in prayer through the circumstances of life and continue to stand. God will never fail us. He is going to give us the best. Seek His guidance in your situation and proceed as he leads. Do not try to please people, or even yourself. Please God now. And watch Him work miracles in your life.

Are you a good person?

Are You a Good Person?: http://youtu.be/TCSUKIhjevo

Love the Person, Fight the Enemy

Some people are in our lives for a season, while others are there until the end. When people hurt us, we feel so betrayed and rejected that we are sometimes overcome with grief. If we are connected to the Spirit of God, the first thing we do when we are faced with such situations is that we run to the throne room of God and lay our burdens down. Here, we recognize that there is no profit in loving those who love us back, but that the real challenge is loving those who hate us and despitefully use us. It is at the feet of Jesus we will recognize that we cannot look at the person with hate but we have to go after the thing that is driving them in the Spiritual realm. This is when we know without doubt that we have to help our loved ones to come to an understanding that Christ is Lord. We have to bring them to the revelation that it is evil that is dancing on the battlefield of their minds and causing them to act in such negative ways. It is here, in the Presence of God, that He reminds us that we are not fighting against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers and rulers of darkness and spiritual wickedness in high places. He tells us that everything that exalts itself against God shall be brought down to naught. We are therefore called to fight against the spiritual forces that are in operation in the lives of the people we love in order to help them to first see and then accept truth. 

We as Christians, as soldiers in the army of Christ, have to gird up ourselves as we get ready for battle. We have to put on the full armor of God and wage war against Satan and his troops as we march into the enemy’s camp and take back what the devil stole from us! We have to ensure that we are standing on the Word of God and all His promises for our lives. We have to be confident that what God says He will do, He will surely do it! We have to believe that we are valuable to God, that He has heard our prayers, that He has collected our tears, that He has seen and witnessed the persecutions we have endured - and that He is faithful to us. We have to claim the victory! We have to stay in our territory and watch God do His marvelous work to bring all things in our lives to His perfect order. 

God does not slumber nor sleep. Our connection to Him and with Him is quintessential. He is not going to sit by and allow the enemy to triumph over us. He is going to step in as our defender, and execute vengeance in every trial. Throw your doubts out the window and give it all over to Him. He is More Than Able to give you an expected end! 

Believe and Receive...

During the Tests, Trust God

Has there ever been a time in your life when you seem to have no understanding of why things are going the way they are? Well, honestly, I have. It's the time when you think you know what you want, and you do a good job putting up a front about it, but deep down you just have no idea how you are even going to get through the current situation. At these times, I am so strong some days and on other days I feel weak and down. I can't seem to cry - its as though I have cried out all the tears I had so many times before. I pray and I await a Word of Instruction from God, but sometimes it's as though I don't even hear His voice. Have you ever been there?
For me, I have been learning though that I have to be still. It is much harder than I thought. I am learning that I have to stay within the boundaries that I am limited to by my humanity and let God reign in His territory. I have to stop trying to do God's job and let Him control my destiny... These words are so easy to advise other people, but when it's you in the situation it appears so much harder to adhere to.
At this point in my life, I am facing a test. I am going through everyday uplifted in God's strength and peace. I am dealing with different things that I am now finding out had been wallowing on the inside of me for a while.
I guess what I am learning most of all, is that as we go through the most difficult periods in life, it doesn't do us any good to blame the people who appear against us, but to look within and see what God is doing in us as individuals. Each test is to take us to new places of self advancement and betterment. Embrace the tests...Let God mould you and shape you to the perfect specimen He envisioned you to be.

We have hope...

Life definitely has its ups and downs. It's like a never ending play in which we are all actors and actresses - vying for the leading parts. It doesn't matter what we look like or what our preferences are, we are placed on this journey simultaneously. For many, situations, trials, challenges, persecutions and circumstances bring hopelessness. For these, it's as though a big, black hole had opened up in the middle of the planet and caused them to fall in. They shout from the depths of their hearts crying out for help, but they see no one coming. The hundreds of friends on their social networks, their 'hanging' buddies, their relatives - no one seems to be there when they need them the most. They feel so low, so down, so alone, that death appears to be the most pleasant escape. But, not for us. As Christians, we know who our Father is. We know that life is not always going to be a bed of roses. We know that trials will come. We know that we can be broken down, tormented, persecuted, insulted, rejected, abused, let down, ridiculed and the list of negatives goes on and on. But we also know that we have hope. We know that in every situation our Father in Heaven hears or cries, sees our pain and attends unto our needs. We know that without a doubt we will be delivered, we will have the victory, and we will succeed! We know that we are never alone and nothing that shall rise against us will prosper, because God remains forever with us.
Still, with all this practical knowledge, we sometimes feel defeated. In the midst of life's many challenges, we sometimes faint in our faith, becoming weary in the circumstances. We sometimes allow the situations to control our thoughts and actions. We can even entertain defeat as a friend. But, my brothers and sisters in Christ, we are called for a purpose. No matter the situation that is in operation now, all things work for good to those who love God. God's plan is still on. We are still included in His plan. We may not be able to see what the end of it looks like, or understand how something so wrong could turn around to be so precise...Relinquish control over to Him. Give God the entire thing and let Him work it out on your behalf. After all, He is the one fighting our battles for us - we have only to 'dance on the battlefield'. He loves us and His thoughts towards us remain good all the time. In this season, He didn't change His mind about your victory - He is taking you there through the current test! Embrace it, be strengthened in it, and most of all, thank God for it!
Love you all in Jesus' Name!

Love and Bitterness

TheFreeDictionary.com meaning of Bitterness is 'resulting from or expressive of severe grief, anguish or disappointment'. It proceeds from strong animosity that has been bottled in for a while. It sneaks its way into our hearts when we believe that we are being treated unfairly, being hurt repeatedly, or have been victimized in some way or the other. 

Personally, I have been through episodes of drama in my life that caused my self esteem and self worth to diminish in a fleeting moment. I fed myself excuses for the actions against me in an attempt to deal with all that was happening. I hung my head in shame believing that I must be everyone's biggest joke. The depression I experienced only seemed to get worse as the days dragged on by. I begun to get so angry...angry at everyone and everything. More importantly, I begun to get angry at myself. 

Coming to Christ was the best thing I had ever done. SO many things begun to change. My very thinking began to take on a new direction. All the unforgiveness I harbored on the inside was slowly being released and I was becoming free. 

But, then it happened. God was doing such a marvelous work in my life. I couldn't understand His methods and I didn't have a clue what the result of the test would be, but I trusted God. I have been in a situation where I was being emotionally abused on what felt like a daily basis. Now, I have been separated from the problem and I have been experiencing the peace and joy of the Lord as I face each new day. I had been so hurt for so long that it just became apart of me. I carried it around with me wherever I went. I held on to the pain for so long that it caused bitterness to take root in me. Scripture says in Hebrews 12:15 'Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled'. Here, I understand that bitterness is like the root of a plant that is hidden under the surface. The more stable the root, the more healthy the fruit. So I began to look for the fruits of bitterness that is evidently in operation in my life. To my horror, there it was indeed... anger and wrath. 

If you have been through anything like me and have noticed the fruits of bitterness including anger, wrath, slander, and malice, please know that there is hope. I cried before God when I recognized this ugliness was within me. But, I was reminded that God is a loving God who makes a way when there seems to be no other way. When I thought that I was so horrible in His sight, He made me to understand that LOVE dispels bitterness. Because we have Christ in us, we do not have to show hate to those who hate us, but do what the Bible commands and love them. Yes, they have caused us unimaginable hurt that caused our hearts to be torn into bits and pieces, but we have to win the war with love. 

God loves us. He calls us to be like Him in that we can have a heart like His. His heart is filled with love for people. If we hate those who hate us, what profit is there in that? We ought to love them so that Christ in us can be apparent to them. We have to win them over with love.

So, don't let this bitterness continue to flourish in your life. Seek now to curse that 'tree' that is springing up as you lovingly draw nearer to God. May God Bless You All.

All Loving God

Jesus Culture's newest album, Unstoppable Love features a song named after its title. One line stands out foremost in my mind...."All the while You're shouting, My Love You're Worth It All". God is so unfathomable! His love is so indescribable. His majesty is so powerful. His glory is so unavoidable. God's Word, from cover to cover, describes in grave detail His amazing love for us. Sometimes we face situations, trials and challenges where we feel trapped into responding negatively. The outcomes are nothing we are proud of. We feel broken on the inside but walk around with a puffed up attitude as a way of telling the world that we are justified in the things we did. However, God's love for us covers our multitude of sins, washing us and cleansing us and wrapping us in His undying, unending love. Some of us have been through things that leave us feeling worthless, unloved, ridiculed, ashamed, timid, and rejected. I myself have gone through several situations where I have been treated with disdain and contempt. I sank so low into depression and wallowed in self pity and even self hate. But, it was then that I felt the arms of God wrap me in His embrace, shielding me from it all. It was in those circumstances I recognized that God's love was nothing compared to our love. His love has no limits, and goes so deep that we could never be capable of loving like that because we are not love itself.
God created us and He sees the worth of His creation. He is satisfied with us and doesn't blame us for the things we have done, but reaches out with love to bring us back to that place of originality. While we are there finding faults in ourselves, God is there shouting out that we are worth all His love, all His attention, all His thoughts, all His time, all His affection, all His blessing... And it was because of all this love He has for us that He died on the cross for us..
God is real. He is alive. He hears and He sees. He is ready to help. Most of all, He wants us to know that above all else, He LOVES us.

The Apple of His Eyes...

We are the apple of God's eye. It doesn't matter how many times we fail or how often we are on our faces before Him begging for forgiveness. Jesus remains ever in love with us and is always working things out for us. He sees the enemy and knows the plan of attack against our lives. So, He stands as a mighty centurion in battle ready to wage war on His inferior opponents. He is fighting for us, even when we turn around and realize that there is no one there for us. When we look in the mirror and see nothing, worthlessness, and insignificance, He is looking down and seeing a person of value, worth and significance. He thinks about us all day long, and continues those thoughts while we sleep. He is working the trials and circumstances out on our behalf.
Let us then not put our trust in man, but look up towards the hill where our help comes from. Let us look up and see that we can hope in and trust the God who continues to stand with us in everything we do. We may not always make the right decisions, but it doesn't mean He will leave us because of our choices. He loves us too much to let our actions create a dividing space between us.
Thank You Jesus.

Pastor Joseph Prince - God of the small things too

JOHN 21:9, 12
Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread… Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast.”

Like many parents, Wendy and I pray for our daughter Jessica every night before she sleeps. When Jessica was two years old, we decided to pray that her diapers would not overflow during the night. Her diapers not overflowing might be a small thing, but we knew that it would give our little girl a comfortable sleep every night. And after we started praying for this, we noticed that her diapers did not overflow.

That incident made me realize that our God is not just interested in the big things that affect us. He bothers and cares about the minor things that affect us too. There is nothing too insignificant for Him. So don’t be like some religious people who have this idea that God only wants us to bring the big issues to Him, and that He doesn’t want us to bother Him with small issues.

Nothing could be further from the truth. God cares about everything that you experience, from the small ulcer in your mouth to your concerns about the world’s economy. Even when you tell Him about the inconvenience that might arise if the bus is late, He takes note of that too. In fact, when you come to Him often about anything and everything in your daily life, you compliment Him because you are telling Him that He is your Daddy God who watches over you.

Jesus represented the Father’s heart and will when He was on earth. (John 5:19) He cared when His disciples were out at sea the whole night, cold and shivering. He cared when they caught nothing that night. (John 21:3) He cared that they would not have fish to sell. So He gave them a huge catch early the next morning. (John 21:5–6) He knew that they were cold and hungry, so He prepared breakfast for them, served over a fire of coals to keep them warm.

Jesus showed us that God is our loving heavenly Father who cares about the big and small things that happen every day in our lives. Nothing escapes God’s eyes because He loves you!

Holy Spirit, right here, right now..

I heard a phrase that set me up for a new way of thinking - Holy Spirit Contemporary. What do you make of this? For me, I began to understand that we are a generation who are not interested in entertaining the church, or who doesn't care about playing church  - but we are actually a generation who is ready to DO for God what ever He will have us to do. Men of old were so sensitive to the presence of the Holy Spirit that they moved according to His nudging. But we, this new generation, are being trained in the church to act when God gives His command. We don't need a full worship team singing songs of praise in the background for us to do what God says. We have to act wherever we are, whenever He calls us to. We don't need to shout out prayers on the streets to get people to come to God, but in our homes, workplaces, social gatherings etc., as long as God says so, we can pray for someone who is hurting, in physical pain, mourning, distressed or going through any kind of trial as the Spirit leads. We have to recognize that the Anointed One, the Christ, is in us, and He is ready to work mightily through us. So, I'm ready to change my mindset and to get out there and do God's will. I pray that we can be vessels that God can work through. I pray that we can become sensitive to the presence of the Holy Spirit especially when we are not in church so that we can be used to help the lost in some way.  I pray that everything we touch shall be blessed. I pray for deliverance from the things that are holding us back from reaching to new levels with The Lord, all in Jesus' Name, Amen.

Thank God the seasons change...

It felt as though it was one thing after another. The pain and the hurt was building up so much inside of me, that even when I told God about it, I couldn't stop until it burst out of me. God saw. And He had pity on me. I learnt today that things won't be the same way forever. When it seems like a thousand years of the same difficult situation, to God its only a day! God loves His children, and He is pained when we are unhappy. He wants to work out that thing in our lives for us, but we sometimes keep going back and try to handle it alone. It wouldn't work. Give God the control. God is ready to fight our battles for us, but we are stepping in the way of our own victory. Its time to move on. Stop looking back. Let God lead us into the future.

Hold On, God is in Control!

A life in Christ doesn't equal a life without trials... We all have difficult moments that we go through as Christians in our homes, our family lives, our marriages, our jobs, our health.. Some of these situations weigh on us so heavily that sometimes we feel lost, like we are in a place where we can see the darkness and we are running around looking for an escape. Sometimes, its as though everything is turned upside down and we are trying to hold on to the ounce of hope we have left just to make it through another moment. Sometimes, even death seems better...
But, God shows us a wonderful lesson in the book of Job - Never give up on God! In the story of Job, we meet a man who faced numerous trials, persecutions, circumstances and situations, but he just held on to God. It didn't matter that he lost his possessions, his friends or his family - He still had God. His wife was among the people who told him to curse God and die instead of living a life that to the people looking on, appeared so defeated. But, Job was not a man who was living in the flesh. He had developed a relationship with God that he held in high esteem. This relationship allowed him to know in the Spirit that all that was taking place had a great purpose and one of victory!
It is obvious that Job saw thick darkness surrounding him that may have drained his hope. But, he never gave up. He continuously spoke words over his life declaring the Word of God which breathed life into his situation. As it progressively grew worse, somehow Job knew that God was in control and he embraced it all. In the end, Job was rewarded double for his trouble becoming one of the wealthiest men of his time.
So, what does it teach us? Things may get so bad, we may loose everything and everyone who ever mattered to us, but in God, we have hope. God does not leave us or forsake us. He is our present help in times of trouble. He sees our difficulties, and catches the tears we cry. He is a mighty and awesome God who is able to deliver us out of all our afflictions. We ought not to faint...but strengthen ourselves in Him, who gives us life and gives it more abundantly. There is no one like Jesus. Cry out from the depths of your heart. With the simplicity of a child, speak to Him. Believe He is right there when you go in prayer and know He is hearing you. Believe that His way is the best way and know that all things work for good to those who love God.
Be Blessed - and, relax, God is in control!

Accept Godly Correction

It's been quite a couple of weeks, and things have been difficult. I found myself in a place where lack of knowledge led me down a strange path, and all I could see was darkness for a while. Somehow, I had received counsel from people who were carrying contrary spirits, even though I didn't want to. Everything within me wanted to dispute what I had heard, and I wanted to rebuke the words. But, to my ultimate dismay, I found myself wallowing in the doubt that the advice brought me. Hours went by and I was literally tortured in my mind. When I acted on the evil, I recognized how much in the flesh I had drifted. I was disappointed and down right disgusted with myself. The only thing I could do at a time like that, was to bring myself at the feet of Jesus, where His mercy and forgiveness was bountiful.
The scripture says in 1 Corinthians 11: 32 (AMP), But when we (fall short and) are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined and chastened, so that we may not (finally) be condemned (to eternal punishment along) with the world.
This is so comforting. There are so many moments in a day that we fall short of God's glory upon our lives. Because God is a loving Father to us, He doesn't condemn us to Hell for our failings, but we are disciplined. Think back to when you were a kid... there were many times you did things you were not supposed to do, and you were corrected by your parents/guardians so that you could learn and hopefully never repeat your offense again. In the same way, God disciplines us for our own betterment. He seeks to correct our evil ways so that we can become better individuals, friends, men, women, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, etc.. He seeks to put us on the path of righteousness so that we will continually be on the journey that leads to Heaven where we can enjoy eternity with Him.
God knows that the world is heading to their ultimate destruction if they do not repent. He knows what Hell is like, since He created it for Satan and his demons. He doesn't intend for us to go there. Therefore, let us not take offense when we are scolded and rebuked, disciplined and chastened by God through the leadership of the church but let us arise and recognize that the correction comes from God Himself, since He doesn't want us to end up in Hell for our short comings...
People, God is a loving God and all He does is love us every moment of every day. He knows when we fall - His eyes are fixed upon us - and, like Pastor Joyce Meyer says, when we fall, we have to keep our eyes focused on Him so that we can get up again!
Let us go to God continually with repentance in our hearts for all our shortcomings daily, receive our correction wholeheartedly, apply the Word of God to our lives and watch the Glory of God rest upon our lives....
Jesus loves you all and desires to dwell in Heaven with you forever...

Act of Worship - Women

9Also [I desire] that women should adorn themselves modestly and appropriately and sensibly in seemly apparel, not with [elaborate] hair arrangement or gold or pearls or expensive clothing,

10 But by doing good deeds (deeds in themselves good and for the good and advantage of those contacted by them), as befits women who profess reverential fear for and devotion to God.

1 Timothy 2:9-10

Women of God, here we see what God wants of us as we seek to please Him in our daily lives. We are separated from the world, and chosen to live a new life of Holiness before the Lord. We are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that we should show forth the glory of Him who called us (1 Peter 2:9 ). We are therefore representing our King, our Heavenly Father to the rest of the world. We cannot be conformed to the things of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds, (Romans 12:2), daily. In doing so, the things in us that resembled the world will begin to fade - our carnal speech, behavior, walk, dress, traditions, etc. 

God is calling us women here to not place too much emphasis on outward adornment and beautification, but to spend ample time ensuring that our spirit is contrite and peaceful before him. Esther is the perfect example of a Godly woman. In the book of Esther, it is written that when the time came for Esther to approach her husband, King Xerxes, she didn't place great emphasis on how she looked in the mirror. Instead, she went before the Lord in prayer and fasting for days. As she entered into the king's presence, he looked at her and said immediately, that anything she wanted, he would grant. 

While Esther spent time with God, her spirit was made peaceful in the midst of turmoil. She didn't go to the king to quarrel about why he was about to have the Jews killed. She didn't go with vengeance in her heart, or go to her girlfriends to bash her husband for his decision. She went to God. He listened. She gave Him her all, pouring out her heart to Him. He reached out to her need. As she stepped out in the King's quarters, he was awed by her beauty, radiating from within her - her gentleness made her appear much more than pearls, diamonds, and rubies.

This, ladies, is what God wants form us. He doesn't want us to be heard and not seen - too many times we find ourselves fighting our husbands to be heard. God is our voice and if we listen, we will have the right words to say at the right time...

Let us rise up and do God's bidding. After all, we are here to please God and not men...

Waiting with Open Arms

We are familiar with the story of the prodigal son. Luke 15:11-32 tells the story of how a young man asked his father for his inheritance and once it was granted to him he went into the world, leaving his father and family behind. In his time away, friends came and left and when his money and riches were all gone, he found himself living with pigs...This caused him to reflect on all he had left behind and caused him to long for it again. It was then that the young man decided to return home.
His father saw him coming and dropped everything to greet his long lost son. His brother was enraged at how easily he was welcomed back and even more so of all the festivities that took place on his behalf.
For a long time I wondered why the brother was made out to be the wrong one. I put myself in his position and thought that if I had been the one who stayed with the family, labored and toiled with them through good times and bad, through sickness and health, death and life, then why was he the wrong one when he had been nothing but obedient?
But, God in all His might and wisdom teaches us what He wants us to learn from the parables and stories in His Word.
The story appears to be centered on the prodigal son and to some extent his brother. But, the father is the major character. The story is really about God's amazing love and forgiveness towards us. He uses the example of an earthly father who welcomes his disobedient, lost son home after the world had eat him up and spat him out. He was loving enough to grant him his inheritance when he asked, much like how God blesses us when He grants us our needs and desires. The earthly father when he saw his son coming saw his countenance as one that is lost, guilty, outcast and lowly even though he came from a rich home and wealthy family. When we leave the Kingdom of God, we take the blessings He has already given to us, for instance, our cars, houses, monetary lump sums, that we think will last forever, and walk away thinking that these are all the things we need to live a successful and victorious life. But, the prodigal son saw that he had friends only when he had riches and was willing to spend on them. But when he didn't have any more, he also had no one to lean on. The world is harsh. Satan dangles pleasures before our eyes enticing us to walk away from Jesus. Those who choose that road, often find that these pleasures are temporary and that the wages of sin is death. We may not physically die right away, but spiritually we are buried 6ft under! But like the earthly father in this story whose arms and heart genuinely welcomed his son again, so to God is waiting for us with arms open wide. He washes us from the filth that covered us, removes the rags we wear and clothes us, takes us out of the pig pen and places us in mansions, and takes us from bankruptcy to riches in glory!
God does not turn away from us because we walked away. He opens his heart and lets us in again because we have been wounded and distressed and need to find rest and peace.
The brother of the prodigal son couldn't see things like this. He was jealous and focused on the natural things where he missed the spiritual breakthrough taking place in his family. His father's prayers for his lost son's return had been answered. His son's salvation was now sure in Christ. He was a shepherd who could not rest easy until all his sheep were safe in the flock again.
Jesus is the ultimate shepherd, and we are His sheep. His arms are open wide before us, waiting for us to return to Him. Let us run into his presence with brokenness for who He is...

When I don't have Words to speak....

Father, can you unlock the door to Your throne room and let me enter in? 

Will You allow me to sit at your feet and lay my head upon Your lap? 

Will You stroke my hair and wipe the tears as they stream down my cheek? 

Will You expand my comfort zone by breaking the barriers I have constructed around myself? 

I have no words in the moment, and my spirit is melancholy. 

My pain drips from every pore of my being, yet Your glory comforts me. 

With unspoken communication, You understand everything I am trying to say 

And with the warmth and gentleness of Your smile I know I am going to be alright. 

Where men have failed Lord, You continue to stand strong..

Who or What is your number 1 priority?

It is easy for us to get caught up with the things of this life, our children, our jobs, our spouses, relationships, dreams, hopes, music and so many others. We have even become slaves to religious practices that teach us to worship everything except God Himself. We have fallen face down to habits and hobbies that we spend most of our time on. When we take time to analyze everything, we spend hours thinking about the person who is stressing us out, or the person who is abusing us in any way. We focus all our efforts on the problem and neglect God. The child or relative on drugs or alcohol, the financial difficulty or lack, job instabilities, sicknesses, the internet, music, movies and more...all these things are taking first priority in our lives. We meditate upon it, night and day while fainting in our faith. The more we sing songs in our minds and hearts that lift up people, emotions and things, we do nothing to build closeness in our relationship with God.
God is calling us now to get back to that place with Him. The scriptures show us that NONE of these things that constantly take up all of our time IS ABOVE GOD - no husband, wife, child, job, amount of money, song, person, hobby etc, is higher than God. He created all of it. None of these things should be our number one priority when we know God should be. Hebrews 1: 3 tells us that God formed the world - it wasn't formed by the things we see in it. Psa 33:6 tells us by the Word were all things made. John 1:1 tells us that the Word was and is God. John 1:3 shows us that absolutely nothing was made without Him. Gen 1:16 tells us that He created the sun and moon, while vs. 21 - 25 explains that the animals of the land, sea and air as well as plants were created by Him. Furthermore, Gen 1:26 shows us how God created us - mankind. We do not have to worship each other or the things that we see in our world, because God is clearly the maker of it all. Why would we worship creation itself when the one who created all of it has His hands open before us, waiting for sweet fellowship with us? Let us examine ourselves and come back to that place with God. Let us search within us and see the things we have placed above all else in our lives. Let us be honest and ask God to help us to make Him our number one priority....

Facing the Giants

The story of David and Goliath is outlined in 1Samuel 17. It tells of an adolescent David challenging the feared giant of the Philistine army, Goliath. To the story reader, it appears that with just a sling shot and a stone David was able to annihilate his enemy. But, when applied to life as we know it today, this story metaphorically symbolizes the giants we face everyday. On a daily basis we deal with strongholds such as pride and lusts and situations that overwhelm us like financial difficulties, marital stress, demands on the job, family instability and or dysfunction, different types of abuse, alcohol and drug misuse and so many other things. But we can always draw from the Word of God which is expertly designed to bring us comfort in this time. Relating to the story, King Saul was so impressed when David decided to go up against the giant because he was confident that his God was with him, that the king took off his battle gear and put it on David as he sent him on the field. But, the king was fearful for this young teenage boy, like we are when we face the giants of life. Fearless David on the other hand went forth in boldness knowing that anyone fighting against the people of God was heading for defeat. So, David threw off the battle clothes that was weighing him down and leaned on the armor of God that he was already clothed in and slew his enemy. Therefore, if we follow pattern, we will stand up to our giants, not letting them intimidate us as we declare our victory over them. We too, like David, have to become fearless and bold against them in the Spirit. A man of war only wins battles by using strategies that the enemies do not expect. Goliath did not expect any Israelite to stand up against him, just like the devil does not expect us to stand up in our darkest moments and declare our victory. Like Goliath, the devil has no defenses prepared for us because he thinks he will automatically win.
David's secret to his victory was that he was allowing God to prepare him while he was building a relationship with our Father, daily. Every time he attended to the sheep I believe he was not alone, but was enjoying the sweet fellowship of Christ. Daily, he was able to see God in the things he did. He fought against lions and bears who tried to take away his sheep, not knowing that God was preparing him for the battle with Goliath. When the time came, David had no doubt that the same God who stood with him to protect his sheep was indeed with him in that very moment.
So, in this season of our lives when we are called to face giants, let us clothe ourselves with Spiritual armor, the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, your feet shod with the gospel of peace, your shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God! We cannot fight against the enemy with physical armor. These just weigh us down. Let us prepare ourselves with the armor designed to win in the fight against the evil ones. When we come in the name of the Lord, no enemy, no job, no person, no financial lack, no habit, no sickness or disease, no enemy, nothing can stand before us and have success.
Success is for us...let us arise and claim it in the name of Jesus!

We are living in evil times...

The AMP version of the Bible outlines these two verses in James chapter 1, which says,

14 But every person is tempted when he is drawn away, enticed and baited by his own evil desire (lust, passions).

15 Then the evil desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully matured, brings forth death.

God doesn't tempt man to lure them into sin. When we are tempted it is because there are evil ways within us that keep nagging at us... If we continue to dwell upon it, we will premeditate upon it enough to act upon it. When we fulfill the act of sin, it is only a short while after until we see the consequences of the sin, being death.

For example, when we have a disagreement in our homes, we could sit and ponder about the things someone said to us and how much it hurt us. We could then allow our minds to go to a place where we want to return the favor and spit words back at the person. The bible says that we are not to let the sun go down on our wrath..but when we get too angry we go to sleep thinking about what happened. The devil sees the entrance we have created and as such, he comes in a drops more evil thoughts to have us dazed, confused and swimming in sin. After a while, we explode with anger causing the situation to worsen. Sometimes it means that our spouses walk away, our children leave feeling worthless, our neighbors become our enemies, we lose our jobs, etc. This will be the consequences of our sin... The final result is death in the situation and not life. Too often we sit and focus on the problem...allowing the situation to become magnified in our minds. We need to trust God to fight our battles for us, while we look for solutions...

Our Lord only thinks good thoughts towards us..let us renew our minds daily to rebuke the devil bodily and cause him to flee!

Marriage

Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready (Rev 19:7). In this scripture, it is clearly telling us that the church is the bride who is getting ready for the marriage ceremony with the groom, Jesus Christ. As evidenced throughout the Bible, God holds marriage as a sacred union. That relationship between man and the church is ultimately the most significant of all. In the same way, God loves the earthly marriage between a man and his wife. But, do we really value our marriages today? Do we take the time to treat our spouses with the same love and attention we did when we were first married? For me, I am guilty of not doing my best. 
I could remember a time when I would show affection and love in everything I did... in household tasks, in financial situations and especially towards my hubby. However, after 8 years of marriage, the romance has halted somewhat, and the affection a distant memory! But, through prayer, and spending time with God, He has taught me that I can do much better, instead of waiting for my husband to do things differently! 
So, I started off to change MY ways in the home. I often tell my husband that he is no longer romantic and doesn't show love the way he used to, but then I recognised the change begins with me. So let us be the change as we seek to better ourselves in our marriages....

The earthly minded cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.

Adam was the first man created by God. He was a physical body, a shell, a vessel, empty and lifeless until the breath of life was breathed into him, making him a living soul. Since he was made from the earth, the Amplified Bible tells us in 1 Cor. 15, that he was earthly minded. The second Adam the scripture says, is Christ. He was not created from the earth, He made the Earth! He is from heaven, and thus remains heaven-minded. As we read on, we are taught that flesh and blood is a perishable 

commodity, and thus if something could perish, it cannot enjoy an everlasting inheritance! 

The living soul within us is from God, and thus cannot die. Therefore, our soul, this imperishable part of us, is the part of us that can inherit the kingdom of God. We have to now seek to align ourselves with God to gain entry into His mighty Kingdom. 

The flesh seeks after worldly pleasures that are temporal. However, when we can renew our minds daily in the Word of God, we begin to think with more wisdom. We then go after things in the Spirit and watch for the manifestations of these things in the natural world we live in, for this is our inheritance.

Wives, submit yourselves to your husband..

Ephe 5:22 says, 'Wives, be subject (be submissive and adapt yourselves) to your own husbands as [a service] to the Lord'. This is such a powerful statement to me. I was raised to be an independent woman, who in no way was ever supposed to cater to the every desire of a man, unless it pleased me. Even more so, when I found Christ, I did not believe this verse applied to me because although I was a Christian, my husband was not. How wrong was I!As I began to seek God more, I recognized that I had fallen victim to another one of society's tricks which caused my ultimate enslavement. It didn't please God for me to be selfish, and to be above my husband in the authoritative way I had grown accustomed to. To my surprise, God wanted me to be the person for my husband that will love him enough to encourage him, and become a help meet to him. I was startled by this, but again thought to myself, that I would do this when my dear husband got saved.... Again, wrong! My own stubbornness kept me from seeing the truth behind what God intended for me, and my marriage.It took a conversation with a church sister of mine for me to recognize that in this scripture, God was talking to all wives who had ears to hear. He was telling us that we as the women in our households, need to submit ourselves to our husbands, being that help meet to him, who will be there to encourage and support him in all his endeavors....and then it hit me - whether he is saved or unsaved!I felt so guilty at that point... for so long I had been pointing fingers at him when things didn't go my way. I thought to myself often that I am the saved one, so therefore, I know better. All this time, I was the one pushing my husband away because I had built up walls of resentment, unforgiveness and even bitterness that separated us from each other. I was not submitting myself to my husband. I was denying myself this service unto the Lord, which only had benefits for me. I was walking away from the abundance of blessing that was getting ready to be poured out of the heavens for my life, because I was living in disobedience.But, I thank God. I thank God for His Word, and for revelation and wisdom to do better now. I am thankful that I can now rely upon God to change my very mindset from the pre conditioned ways of thinking, to newness that reflects His saving grace. I am thankful that everyday I have a new opportunity to learn how to be a submissive wife... a ministry that will only develop over time as I continue to seek the Lord. Wives, submitting to our husbands is not lowering our self worth in any way. We are not doing that to be slaves to the men we are married to. We are doing a service unto God. We are taking our stands as righteous women of God who live everyday to please Our Father which art in Heaven. We are teaching our daughters how to live, grow and develop with Christ like character that pleases God. We are learning everyday, and for that, we will be blessed.May God bless you all and may your marriages be filled with love, peace, joy, compassion and romance... God is love. When we love, it pleases God.

My Husband, My Friend...

You are more than I could have asked for
Your eyes pierce deep into my soul
uncovering the darkest parts of me
Your are masculine, strong, bold and fearless
Yet gentle, loving and sensual
When you hold me in your arms
I melt at your touch
The world seems empty and distant
Because I am lost in your embrace
You appear before me as excellent, stately, 
A king of royalty
My life is complete because you are with me
God has blessed me
And too often i couldn't see
Mistakes are now a thing of the past
With you by my side
God is ready to make us new
Take my hand my prince 
Sweep me into your loving arms
Walk with me into our future
You have been and will always be
My friend, confidant, company
I love you.

Love Song

My all I give to You

Oh Lord You're all I need

You captivate me

With Your presence every day

You are so faithful

So loving 

So tender and charming

You lift me up and pull me out

You leave me in complete awe

I kneel in all surrender God

Before your throne of mercy

I am nothing Lord 

I need You more 

Hold me close 

Wrap me in your love 

Drown me in Your compassion

Consume me in Your flames of fire

Lead me where You want me

My all I give to You

Oh lord You're all I need.

Who You are to Me

Oh Lord Im so glad I found You

Theres none like You

You fill me with courage, 

You lift me on wings of hope

Out of darkness, You captivated me 

With the marvelous warmth of your light

Jesus, You are everything

My second chance of living

You are my One and Only God

Who is like You Lord

Everyday, my heart chooses You again

In your presence I could feel Your breath cover my existence

Holy are You, 

You fill me with your blessed assurance

As I stand on your grace

I am renewed..

The Faithfulness of God

When I first became a Christian and decided to follow Christ with all my might, I began to go in prayer before the Lord for my husband to realize the truth...That Jesus is indeed God, in the hope that he would run into the open arms of God.  At around the same time, I was reading the Bible one day and came across the scripture in Corinthians that says, 'Me and my household shall be saved.' I started to declare those words into my soul, into my atmosphere, and my home..However, its been years now and the wording of the prayer has changed, but not the plea itself. Later, someone shared with me a testimony of their own family members coming to Christ, quoting the same scripture. They explained to me, that when God says 'household', he meant our entire families...extended, blended, etc. That revelation opened me up to a whole new level of faith as I believed for all of my family members that are rooted in Hinduism and Islam, to get the revelation that Jesus Christ is Lord of ALL.
Last week, my grandmother's sister passed away. The wounds of it all are still so fresh that I am literally pained as I write this. We are a close family and we cherish frequent family gatherings. This time, we held each other, and cried together. In the time of her illness, we would pray for her. We would intercede before God in prayer and fasting for her to be miraculously healed. But, God had a different plan. In the time prior to her being in the hospital, The Lord sent someone to her home to take her (Muslim) and her husband (Hindu) to church (Christian). It was in a church in Valencia, Trinidad, that the Pastors heard from God that her time on Earth was quickly coming to an end. They told her about the Lord and got her to say the sinner's prayer. She even got baptized! But, it was also the time and place where her husband received a touch from God. Other family members who were present in the hospital and at home where we grouped together to pray were beginning to see a new thing, a new way to pray, a new way to worship, a new God from whom they had been blinded for so long. Now she's gone, and I believe she's the first family member who was a Christian and died - therefore, giving us comfort that she is definitely in heaven giving Jesus honor and praise, moment after moment. I am not sure sure if the rest of them called upon the name of the Lord Jesus before they passed, but I know she did.
Today, I am once again in awe of the Lord and His faithfulness. He hears the prayers of the righteous, and He delivers us out of all our afflictions. He heard my little voice as I cried out and heard me pray a prayer of such limited understanding for my unsaved family to know Him before death. And, He answered. It fills me with so much hope that soon my husband too will be delivered and set free and will rise up as a mighty man of God. I stand on the promises of God that me and my household shall be saved.
I pray that every loved one that you are petitioning before God be saved, delivered and completely set free in the name of Jesus Christ. I claim their salvation for them now and plead the blood of Jesus over their lives, in Jesus Name, Amen.
HE IS FAITHFUL. ALL HIS PROMISES ARE SURE.

Loving Jesus Forever

by Nathan Edwards
Humble Servant of the Lord Jesus Christ
Member of Miracle Revival Ministry

There are no Words that can adequately describe the Greatness of My God
My lungs have not yet developed the ability 
to release a breath with enough agility 
to breathe out the greatness of his love

My voice may be restrained my human limits, 
to sing the praises that he deserves
Oh My God, My sweet Jesus
His grace is remarkable
Mercies are immeasurable
Strength is Impenetrable
He is Honourable
Accountable
Favourable
He unsearchable yet knowable
Indescribable yet personal
He is beyond comprehension
Further than imagination
Constant through every generation
King of every Nation

But if there are words for him
then I dont have them
My words are few
to try to capture the One True Living God 

But I use words as an expression
An expression of Worship to the Saviour
A Saviour who is worthy and deserving of my praise

Jesus has won my heart
captured my mind
He has defeated the enemy
conquered me in my sin
welcomed me into his presence
He has made himself the object of my sight
Crowned me with grace in the morning
Drowned in his Mercies at night 

So if there are words for him, then I dont have them
But what I do have is good news
Words are what we use to point to the truth
That God sent his son Jesus Christ as, The Word
Living proof
He is the Image of the invisible God
The First Born of all creation
He is before all things
and over all things, he reigns
Holy is his name

So Praise him for his life
The humble Son of God becoming the perfect sacrifice
Praise him for his death
that he willingly stood in our place
that he endured the pain
defeated the enemy 
and on the third day rose in Victory

he is everything that is promised
so lift your voice and sing praises unto him
For One day he will return as King
and we will be united with the Saviour for Eternity

So its not just words I proclaim
but my words point at the Word
and the Word has a name
Hope has a name
Love has a name
Peace has a name
Joy has a name
and that name is JESUS CHRIST
Praise his name Forever
God Bless you all !!!! 

The Empty Bottle (Spoken Word), by Sanjeev Rampersad

Building the Temple of God.

David is described as a man after God's own heart. One of his greatest desires was to build a sanctuary for God so that the people could come in and Worship. But, we learn that David was a man of war in his time, and as such, God needed someone who was pure to construct this sacred place. Later on, God used Solomon, David's son, to execute the building of the temple. 
Today, we are the temple. Our bodies are the sanctuary that houses the God of All. Solomon ensured that the outside of the temple was beautiful... but the real magnificence was evident on the inside (1 Kings 6). We take so much time and put in so much effort to adorn ourselves on the outside. We wear make up, step out in the latest trends and walk in the best shoes. God wants that for us. In this way, we are presenting ourselves beautiful to the world, giving God the glory. But, what's on the inside?
The bible says that we are not to conform ourselves to the things of this world, but to be conformed to the things of God, by renewing our minds in Him, daily (Rom 12:2). When we can put away our carnal thoughts and behaviors and submit ourselves to God, we are transformed, and transitioned from the world systems into the Kingdom of Light. We become new, having pleasant behaviors and mindsets that are in alignment with God. On the inside we are beautiful vessels that encourage the Father to dwell. 
However, for me, its more easily said than done. I struggle with the flesh daily. I sometimes get thoughts that according to God's standard, are sinful. I react to some situations instead of responding. I quarrel when I want to be heard. And believe me, the list goes on. But, I have learned that although I am imperfect, I am serving a PERFECT God. The more I bear my heart before Him, admitting my failures and faults, the more He forgives me and lavishes His love upon me. The more I present all of myself to Him, the more He rids me of the carnality that is my nature and makes me a more wholesome dwelling place for His remarkable, excellent Spirit. The more I think of all He continues to be in my life, the more I am in love with Him...
Everyday God works with me to ensure that my body, (His temple) is constructed the way He wants it. Everyday He is uprooting the fleshly lusts and desires and causing me to be a resemblance of Him. Everyday, I want more of Him. 
"Lord prepare me, to be a sanctuary, pure and Holy, tried and true..with thanksgiving, I'll be a living, sanctuary for You".
God doesn't have favorites so please, do not think that the things He is doing in my life, He won't do it in yours. Open your heart to Him and let Him reign in your life today. Love you all, in Jesus' Name.

Don't give up on them!

Last night I saw a testimony online that shook the very core of my insides.  The clip was entitled, "Atheist died, went to Hell, Came back". In his testimony, Mr. Reagan disclosed that he used to 'cut and shoot' people, was very angry, was a womanizer and had a heart that was stone cold. He said when he was nine years old he was given a lamb that he took home. He watched as his father beat the lamb to death, blood spilling everywhere. He cried and cried and vowed from that day onward that he was never going to be hurt again, but he would do the hurting! Since then, he lived life being a slave to sin. He robbed, he killed, he watched as people were raped. He was shot, had been stabbed, cursed and fornicated. He was sinking deeper and deeper into an unsatisfactory life. He had a wife and kids, but was quickly losing them to the lifestyle he preferred. One night he remembered so clearly, that as he was going into a store with his 5 year old son, a man exiting the store at the same time pushed the door as he did it. He became so angry that he began beating the man in front of the child. The man, who appeared equally violent, got up and reached for something. He began to stab Mr. Reagan about the body. As the testimony continues, Mr. Reagan recalls that he knew he had been in an ambulance which somehow appeared to have caught on fire. He saw himself falling into an open crater volcano, where people were burning, begging him to go back and not come to a place like that. He says he didn't want to experience what they were experience and was fighting desperately to get back. When he awoke, he found himself on a hospital bed with his wife by his side. He didn't forget the voices of the people wailing in the fire. This he said, caused him to turn his life around.
Wow! Tears came to my eyes. Jesus had been with him. Jesus saved him. He was fortunate to visit hell to recognize it is not the place he wanted to be. God had a plan for him even though he had been rejecting Him for so long. Today, he is a Pastor of his own church and has preached in all continents around the globe.
How foolish I have been. My unsaved loved one seems to be a servant of evil. The more I pray, the more things got worst. As strong as I like to believe I am standing on the Word of God and on His promises for my household, I get weary and I faint. But, many are the afflictions of the righteous, and God delivers us out of them all. God saw my weariness and He saw my sadness that my loved one is living such a defeated life. And so, I come across a video like this one; One where a man who loved sin so much, who did everything pleasing to self and to the enemy, who was blind to spiritual things, ran into the arms of the Living God. What a mighty God we serve! My hope was renewed in the moment it wavered. 
Sometimes dear friends, it takes time for people to finally choose Jesus. But, it also takes time to build up a powerful testimony. Our loved ones, like we once did, would have to go through some things that when they are able to see truth, they will know without a doubt that it was only God who saved them. All glory will go to Him only. He deserves all that we are and so much more. Have Faith today. Believe that you and your household shall be saved. Believe God at His Word. Believe that man, woman, or child whose salvation you are praying for, has already been saved. God has heard our petitions and He is faithful to answer. Believe and Receive in Jesus Name! 

Love One Another, As I Have Loved You

What a scripture! It is commanded in John 13:34, 'love one another as I have loved you'. It appears to be one of the simplest verses in the Bible and yet one of the most complex. I myself have lived a life out of Christ for so long where hate became a part of my normal reality. I hated. I hated people for hurting me, for judging me, or for simply not doing the things that I expected them to do. But then Jesus found me. He took me out of utter darkness and illuminated my life with His brilliant light. This was my first experience with love. Since then, the number of experiences have indeed multiplied so much so that I am able to love me, and love others today. However, as much as I want to say that loving people is very easy for me at this point in my Christian walk, I cannot. I hear preaching of how my life is supposed to portray the gospel to the world since they are not opening the Bible to read it for themselves. I am supposed to live in such a righteous way that the people who are slaves to sin would be ministered to because of my uprightness in Christ. I am so far from that. Just this week I was facing a situation in my home where I was hurt and downright upset that certain scenes seem to be reoccurring in my life. I didn't immediately run to my secret place where I could meet with God to deal with the matter. Instead, I decided to handle things my own way. I said what I wanted to say, and then I gave the silent treatment. The day after I was still dropping words here and there, and then retreating into the silence.

But God sees us in our afflictions and delivers us out of them all. God corrected my behavior through a message He prepared. My Pastor was preaching with so much fire on the topic of putting the old man and the old ways to death with Christ so that we can be resurrected with Him. Here, I learned that I had old ways in me that were not dead yet. This means there is evidence of the old man being alive in me still. If God is calling me to love, unconditionally, wholeheartedly, without exception, then it means in the midst of all circumstances I am called to show forth a daily attitude of love. 

Sometimes, we struggle with walking right, daily. By this I mean that we can think that today covers us for tomorrow failing to see how the study and prayer we put in today is only sufficient for today. We have to be able to renew ourselves in God everyday by spending time with Him. When we are able to do this, responding the way He expects us to will become easier in the trials we face in our lives. 

In the end, we recognize that He is love and thus fills us with His love. His love does not discriminate or is available only as a result of good works. Therefore, if we are showing forth Christ's love in us, we are called to love in the same way. We are called to love even those who hurt us, without exception, and not depending on how much times they do it. We are simply called to Love...

Weakness Produces Power

Today was one of those days where I had to make a decision - I was either going to react or respond to the situation at hand. I had to remind myself that I am a new creation and that my decision shouldn't please me, but it should please The Lord. In God's Word, it says that we are weak, but are made strong with Him (2 Cor 13:4) and that God's strength is perfected in our weakness (2 Cor 12:9). It is therefore in our infirmities, our distresses, our persecutions, trials, reproaches and necessities that we are weak... Here is when God can come in and produce power through these weaknesses so that we can have strength. The Bible tells us that we have to glory when the situations come...when we are laughed at, called names, ridiculed, or persecuted for righteousness sake, because to the world we appear to be weak, but we are actually being used by God to produce power.

Today, I was being persecuted and truthfully, I didn't glory since all I felt at the time was hurt and even some anger. But, I had to constantly remind myself of the scriptures on which I base my life. Attending a bible study tonight, the Spirit of God was teaching on this same topic. How awesome is our God who sees the situations we face and step in to help us. God takes pity on us. He saw me in my weakness today and tonight He was teaching me that the thoughts I had of throwing in the towel and retreating into myself was not His intention for me. 

Dear people of God, we carry within us the Excellent Spirit of God that is going to cause us to stand out and get noticed weather we want to or not. This means that people of the world are going to see us and not like us for where God has placed us. They are not going to question where we came from, but they know they are uncomfortable when we sit in the position of the head and not the tail. 

When you are placed in such situations of weakness, remember to glory in them, for it is through them that power ( the same power that raised Christ from the dead ) is produced!