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!