Thursday, February 28, 2013 "There is Power in God"

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.   2 Timothy 1:7

There is power in the words of God.  Our obedience unlocks God's power.  There is power in the Blood of the Lamb.  There is power in prayer.  We will never know the power we have in our lives until we truly grasp and understand the love God has for us.  The grace of His mercy and forgiveness.  We are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.  In the New Covenant, righteousness is a gift (Rom 5:17, Eph 2:8).  It is not something that we can earn.  It is called the righteousness of God because Jesus kept the law and gave us His righteousness (Rom 10:3, Phil 3:9).  It is given by grace and received by faith.  Few Christians understand that righteousness is a gift from God.  Many Christians are still trying to obtain righteousness through their own performance.  Their sense of acceptance by God is based on their effort, but they always feel that they don’t measure up.  They feel spiritually dry, burnt-out, guilty with condemnation, etc.  But this is not how God sees you and I.   He sees us in Christ – and we are the righteousness of God in Christ.  Once we truly believe how our Father sees us, and once we start seeing ourselves in the same way, everything will change. I know the love He has for me and I want you to understand it too.  It will energize your faith.  And you will walk in the power of His Spirit, you will have new desires from God, and you will experience empowerment from Him.  Doesn't that sound like an amazing life?  It is yours to have by simply believing in God's love and His power.  My prayer is that these words meditate into your mind, heart and soul and that you begin your new deeper life with Him today, right now.  And it is His name, I pray these things.  Amen.

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. 1 Chronicles 29:11

Wednesday, February 27, 2013 "God is Love"

We really need to study the love God has for us and the power He has.  By His blood, we are healed and when we accept His free gift of grace we all enter into a blood covenant with Him.  He then tells us what is His is now ours and all that we have is now His.  Draw yourself close to Him, study His Word for there is power in the bible.  And go to Him with all your needs, thoughts, sins, requests, desires and talk with Him for He is your best confidant. My husband and I are truly blessed to have wonderful people in our life. People  we trust and share our lives with and vice versa. And I have to say most of what I hear people struggle with is God's love for them.  They do not doubt it for others, only for them. People have the mentality they are not worthy or good enough and it is all nonsense.  Lies from the enemy who rather you wallow in your self pity and failures and isolate yourself into oblivion.  There he can manipulate and torture you.  When you are at your lowest point, RUN not walk .... RUN to your nearest church.  Submerge yourself in His Word and meditate on the love God has for you. Surround yourself with solid God fearing believers who will pray with and over you and counsel you with scriptures.  Seek Godly support groups.  You are worthy of His love.  And when you truly understand the depth of His love, you will find peace in it.  You will be able to rest in it.  Listen, none of us are good enough on our own, that is why God sent His only Son to die for us so that we would be able to enter the kingdom of heaven.  His blood and His sacrifice on the cross made it possible. You can't earn it therefore don't even try.  He loves you as you are. The bible tells you "And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is". Ephesians 3:18.  It doesn't say for some of His people, it says for all of His people.  God is love. And you are loved.  And He wants you to Hold that love in your heart today and walk in His victory for He already paid the price for you...there is no need for you to do anything other than accept Him and His love. 

Give Your Heart to Jesus Today if You never Have...CLICK HERE!

Tuesday, February 26, 2013 "Be a Barnabas"

"Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love". 1 John 4:8

The name Barnabas means "Son of Encouragement" John 5:39 and I challenge you to be a "Barnabas" in someone's life today. The Lord has said to give someone a cup of cold water, in His name, He sees it as something important and valuable and you will not lose your reward . Matthew 10:42 Don't ever underestimate a kind word or a loving smile.  Our call as Christians is to love one another as Christ has loved us. This is how the world will know that we are His disciples.  John 13:35 As far as God is concerned, it is always about the matters of the heart so let your attitude reflect His goodness in your life.  Make your motives pure in heart and may your intentions be right and just because the goal in our responses is to bring glory to God.  Our true testimony will be in the way we live our life so let's live our life in Christ. Amen?!

Give Your Heart to Jesus Today. CLICK HERE!

Monday, February 25, 2013

And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Luke 12:15

You are blessed when you are at the end of your rope.  The Lord can help us when we come to the end of ourselves.  After running and running trying to do life on our own, we eventually burn out.  For we chase after things, goals, degrees, wealth, love and in the end, it is still not enough.  Only the love of God can complete you.  He is your gift.  And when you accept Him into your life and place Him in the center of your life, you are blessed. I have seen it over and over with people that place everything in front of God and they make excuses. It is all idolatry and eventually it is revealed.  Be very careful of this for idolatry is a silent spiritual killer and the very thing you hold on to the tightest (and what comes before God) is the very thing that will be taken away from you.  We must have established order in our lives...balance of life.  There should a balance of studying God's Word, serving God, church, fellowship, work and play.  The bible is not just a book of don't's. It is our life line to God and if we follow His direction, we will live prosperous lives filled with promise and joy.  His peace will transform us and guide us.  If you choose to do it on your own and avoid God's presence in your life, than you will eventually come to a dead end.  May not be today, may not even be in the next year, but your choices will catch up to you. You cannot take that fancy car with you when you're gone.  Your five bedroom home will not comfort you as you lie in your hospital bed. We must consume our life with God and not possessions of this world.  They are temporal.  Make sense?  I say this all in love because I went down the path of self destruction and the lesson I learned was I wasted precious time.  And I don't want to see you or anyone else waste anymore time of worthless things.  So today I pray for those that are touched by these words for they struggle with life on their own, that they come to the end of themselves and take the hand to God for He is reaching down to you and is waiting.  Be blessed in Him today and allow all else to follow.... "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you". Matthew 6:33

Give Your Heart to God Today. CLICK HERE!

Sunday, February 24, 2013

How can you truly know if your life has been transformed by the power of God?  One way is by your responses to life's situations.  I used to be a hot head that would spew out whatever I felt and I used to be proud of my "brutal honesty". I wore it proudly like I was admirable for being so truthful.  As I have matured in Christ, I have come to know that although speaking truth is the only way, words can still hurt others.  Words can either uplift or tear down and we are to use tact in our honesty.  I used to react in anger immediately but now I work on breathing and praying and asking the Lord to please help me before I react.  I am far from perfect and have failed several times at this attempt but there have also been victories and I will continue to pray for God's grace in all situations so that He is glorified, not my ego.  It is not always easy to be humble but our responses to persons, places and/or things must be.  My husband's suggestion is to ask yourself before speaking or reacting to something, "how is this glorifying God?" and that can usually guide you into whether or not your response is correct.  We are to be like Him in all ways and He is humble, truthful, loyal, kind, patient, controlled, grateful, and mature in the Spirit and that is the only way I desire to be.  So as I walk this life trying to grow in His image, I will stumble, but I will not fall for the Word tells me He will not let the righteous fall. "though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand". Psalm 37:24 

Lord, I thank you for loving me so much you will 

never let me stay where I am. I thank you for teaching me 

and guiding me into all your truths and ways and 

may my life glorify you in all I do.  And it is in your name I pray. 

Give Your Heart to Jesus. CLICK HERE!

Saturday, February 23, 2013

"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them". John 3:36

You can't be neutral for Jesus.  You are either for Him or against Him.  He gives you and I the gift of free will and it is up to us to accept Him.  His desire of course is to dwell in heaven with all His children but He allows us to make that choice.  But make no mistake about it that once we pass away, it is too late.  We will forever be separated from God and will live the rest of our life in hell in torment.  It sounds so harsh and no one likes to say that or even talk about that but heaven is real and so is hell.   And this pains the Lord but He will not force Himself in.  If we desire Him, He will come.  If we choose to live our own life, He will let us.   But if we repent of our sins and accept Jesus as Lord, we will have eternal life in heaven with God.  I don't know about you, but I would never take that chance.  The wrath and judgement remains on us until we receive Christ as our Lord and Savior. But as a Christian, that is passed over us. And as the foreshadowing of the Old Testament story tells us where the angel of death passed over all the door stops with the lamb's blood, the wrath of God's judgement, punishable by hell, is passed over all Christians today because of the blood of Jesus. (full story in Exodus 12:21-30). God loves you and wants you to know He is real and He is waiting for you to receive Him. 

Give Your Heart to Jesus Today. CLICK HERE!

Friday, February 22, 2013

Thank God for......

What You Have

Trust God for........

What You Need

Thursday, February 21, 2013 Keys to a Successful Godly Life

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2

Jesus wants to be the master of your life.  That is the number one key to a successful Godly life.  He should be the center of your everything.  If you are married, He needs to be in the center of your union.  If you are single, your only desire should be an evenly yoked relationship.  Anything you wish to purse in life, via career, relationship....should be sought in prayer first. You want all your moves to be God ideas, not man ideas.  I pray about everything and I take my days one at a time.  Let God lead you.  I don't need to plan out my next week's calendar.  The old self felt good when it was full of activities and plans but now I live for God and where and want He plans me to do.  Listen to the Holy Spirit. If I want something and do not feel led by the Spirit, I don't do it.  Be accountable to one another.  It helps to have an accountability partner in Christ.  A spouse, best friend, counselor...someone you trust and love and can get solid faith based advice from.  Someone whose wisdom is aligned with God's Word.  Minister and support one another. It is so important that we be there for our brothers and sisters in Christ.  We need to stop being so self absorbed and caught up in our own problems or lives not to help another.  Balance is key. We need time to rest to refuel ourselves, our souls so we can be filled with the Spirit to lead the charge for Christ.  Financial wisdom is important to God.  He wants us to be good stewards of our blessings.  We must work, tithe, budget and give to the right place.  But above all, we must love others as He loves us.  We must forgive as He forgives.  Be an image of God so that others will see His face through you.  And lastly, be a fisherman for God.  Preach the gospel to one another.  Share Jesus with the sick, the poor, the lost, the lonely, whoever comes in your path.  The best testimony to another is the way we live our life so let's lead by example and let's rejoice and give thanks in all things for God is good and worthy to be praised.   Have a wonderful day in Him. 

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. 1 Corinthians 11:2

Give Your Heart to Jesus Today. CLICK HERE!

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 

1 Corinthians 13:7

Sadness, despair and fear must flee in the presence of hope.  The enemy does not know what to do when you and I walk in peace.  We must arm ourselves and guard ourselves from all entities that are not of God.  If you are suffering, please do not justify it, overcome it with prayer.  Yes we all will face trials in our walk with Christ. He allows such times for personal growth and strength but His love endures.  And although we will walk through the valley of darkness, we will not stay there.  Never ever give up. Never think this is it, this is my life. The Lord came to conquer and chose us as His soldiers so you are worthy and you are special.  He calls upon you to do His mighty work therefore be strong and courageous in faith and belief.  If you are struggling with depression or any mental illness, believe He heals.  Know in your heart "He is at your right hand and let your heart be glad and let your tongue rejoice.  The Lord wants us to live in hope for he will never abandon us". Acts 2:25-27  Walk in victory for Jesus Christ is Lord and He loves you and created you with value and purpose. And above all, "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them,because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world". 1 John 4:4

Give Your Heart to Jesus Today. CLICK HERE!

Tuesday, February 19, 2013 What is Your Testimony?

" ..equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever.  Amen". Hebrews 13:21

 There is great and mighty work to be done here on earth and He needs us to accomplish it. We must be well versed in His Word to help others. We must be ready to share the gospel at any time, any where.  Know your testimony; practice it.  Practice how you would share the gospel. My husband asked several of our brothers and sisters last night at our bible study, "what would you say to someone that did not know Jesus and was asking you. How would you explain Him?" and everyone was so on "point". We need to be ready for we never know when and where God will call us. But we must always know that if He should call us, He will equip us. I think things through in my head too because you just never know who will cross our path. We may be the only witness they ever hear. That is a sobering thought and I do not want the Lord to ask me about a lost opportunity on my judgement day. He expects me to be bold and on fire for Him.  Did you know that God wants us to get stirred up and excited to do great things for Him? When we get stirred up and when we have faith that God will use us in some way for the sake of others, then we’ll begin to pay attention to the leading of God’s Holy Spirit. Then we’ll begin to take risks born out of a heart motivated by God’s love. 

Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Call to me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things you do not know.”

Give Your Heart to Jesus Today. CLICK HERE!

Monday, February 18, 2013 "Use Me Lord"

"Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you."     John 15:16

Brokenness is God's requirement for maximum usefulness.  Never tell yourself you are not worthy of being used by God.  He uses the broken and bruised more than anyone else because we have testimonies to tell and people to help.  Our trials often times are not even about us but for those we will help because of them.  Many people are used as vessels to do and complete God's work.  He requires many.  Have you ever noticed the people that have endured the most pain and tragedy seem to have the most uplifting attitudes? (the young Christian girl, Bethany Hamilton, who lost her one arm to a shark attack while surfing comes to my mind). This young girl was a professional surfer and lost her arm and has continued to compete and be vocal and a movie was even made of her, "Soul Surfer".  She bears a powerful testimony for God for what she endured.  She was "chosen by God" because she had the public platform to do such.  God also uses successful public figures because of their vast audience. Look at Mark Burnett who is the most successful producer and creator of reality television.  People curse him for the "reality tv phenomenon" yet God used it for a bigger television project known as The Bible, an epic 10 hour series that is coming to the History Channel on 3-3-13.  His success was used for a greater purpose for God called him to make a movie depicting Him.  We are all soldiers for God and He uses each and every one of us.  I used to sing the lyrics to a song, "Use Me", and I believe the Lord honored that prayer and uses me.  It is an honor, a privilege and a duty of ours.  Whatever mess you were in let it be used for God's message.  You are not a loser.  God made your life deliberate.  Where you are in your life has been ordained by God for His value and purpose.  Seek the Lord for what He would have you do with your brokenness.  Use your bruises to heal another.  Don't allow your pride to stop you from sharing your story with another.  My husband and I say it all the time that we have been through so much that we can honestly relate to so many other hurting.  And if it isn't us being used, God will use another, like my sister.  She has endured health issues such as infertility and breast cancer...and uses it to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.  You are worthy, you are loved and you are special.  You were born with a value and a purpose.  God does not make mistakes.  Don't miss out on your calling because of your self pity or fear.  Let God use you in a mighty way today. Amen?! 

Give your Heart to Jesus Today so He Can Use You! CLICK HERE!

Sunday, February 17, 2013 "Command Ye Me"

Thus says the Lord,

The Holy One of Israel, and his Maker:

“Ask Me of things to come concerning My sons;

And concerning the work of My hands, you command Me. 

Isaiah 45:11

 "Command ye me". (KJV) Ask and I will give. The God that sits upon the throne is saying to us "Command me".  The same God that healed and forgave the unforgivable, is saying to us, "Command me".  God will command his blessings to come upon us . God said that He will command them upon us.  There is no such thing as luck or random acts of chance. God is deliberate.  And He wants us to go to Him and ask so that He can give. Matthew 7:7 I am honored to be used to spread His message because He wants to bless His children.  So many do not believe in asking God for themselves; others do not think they are worthy.  God is shouting from heaven to you, "You are worthy; command ye me". Praise God in the highest. Blessings are from God. Leviticus 25:21  tells us, "Then I will command my blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years". (KJV) Deuteronomy 28:8 says, "The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee". (KJV) We do not need to live in shame. We do not need to play the martyr and lose out on the blessings of God in your life. He wants you to live a life of fullness and abundance. Nowhere does the bible say to live small and feeble lives asking of nothing.  Humility is a wonderful trait to have but don't mistake the two. Call upon the power of the Lord. He wants you to, He commands you to. 

Give Your Heart to Jesus. CLICK HERE!

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Prayer is talking with God.  It is how we get to know Him.  If we are not praying and seeking God and drawing ourselves towards Him then how can we expect His presence in our life?  He longs to have a relationship with us, therefore it is up to us to accept. Praying to the Lord can be saying anything you want, as often as you want, anytime you want. There is no need for "scripted" prayer, repetitious prayer, set times or set places. Just us coming to Him.  But as I grow and mature in Him, I've learned some things we should do during our prayer life out of honor and respect. And that is when we pray we should first praise our Holy Father for all that He is and thank Him for all that He has done. "Enter His gates with thanksgiving, And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him; bless His name". Psalm 100:4  We should then repent of our sins and ask Him to forgive us of our sinful ways so that we can be holy in His presence. Psalm 66:18 "If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened".  Then we are to bring our petition to Him.  I am not of those people that think it is forbidden to pray for yourself. The bible says in Matthew 7:7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you".  He doesn't say to only ask for others and it will only be given for others.  I ask the Lord in every prayer for strength, favor, blessings, joy, peace. I lift up my loved ones each and every day. I thank Him every night for all He has done for His blessings and mercies are new every day. I boldly pray! I audaciously pray!  I know the power of our Almighty God for "there is nothing impossible for Him". Luke 1:37 I pray with expectancy. "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours". Mark 11:24  Prayer brings hope. Prayer removes all distractions. It is my favorite time of the day. If your prayer life has suffered and you don't feel like you are spending enough time with God, make the change today. Carve out time each and every morning. If you say there is not enough time, set the alarm for 30 minutes sooner. We set it for other reasons, we can set it for God. There is no better way to start your day than with God our Father. 

"You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God". James 4:2

Give your heart to God TODAY! CLICK HERE!

Friday, February 15, 2013 Trust in God

Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. Psalm 146:3

Trust the Lord with all your heart.  He will never let you down. In life we will all be disappointed by those around us, even the closest to us.  It does not mean they do not love us, it simply means all human beings are fallible. We will be that "someone" that lets another down at some point by something we say or do. Others will be betrayed. Look at what Jesus went through. When He lived as a man here on earth, He trusted very few. He guarded His heart against men for He knew their hearts. I get so saddened by those that will place their trust in their employers(ees), spouses, children, friends, themselves and yet when you talk with them about Jesus, they act so suspicious and non trusting. How can anyone survive this life without a Savior? I love my husband and my husband loves me but I trust God more. When God tells me to trust my husband, I do because of my faith in God, not man. That is no reflection of my commitment to my marriage, it simply means that no one is superior to my God. Idolatry is a silent spiritual killer because it happens so subtly we are not even aware. But I stay alert and aware and I keep the Lord at the center of my life. I love Him more than anyone or anything and I place my trust in His will for my life. I ask Him to make those divine connections for me with other people. Placing your trust in the Lord above yourself is not a sign of weakness. In fact it will be the most intelligent decision you ever make and the strength you will gain will far surpass anything you could have achieved on your own. Don't believe the lies anymore..that you have the power to heal yourself, change yourself, luck, chances, and all that positive energy garbage the world tries to feed you. It is not a coincidence that Psalm 118:8 is in the direct center of the bible between the books/chapters/pages. The Lord wants us to live wisely and in victory therefore it is written....it is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. Amen.

Give Your Heart to Jesus Today!

Thursday, February 14, 2013 Happy Valentine's Day

We have to learn to stop speaking death into our lives by the words we speak.  I believe when we pray to our Lord God Almighty, we are to thank Him for our answered prayer and assume it. Audacious prayers. Right believing is right living. I do not speak negative things in my home. I do not use the words fear, broke, poor, lonely, afraid, I wish, if only, I regret, if only God would etc...I could on and on but you get the idea. I breathe and speak nothing but victorious things into my life and the life of my loved ones. The bible says we can "declare" this is our year of favor therefore I do. (Isaiah 61:2) I thank the Lord and pray with expectancy. (Psalm 5:3) Now please do not misunderstand my boldness for being disrespectful for when I approach the throne, I approach with humility and honor but I talk to my Lord as though things are, not as though they are not. I live to stay in His will but if I am asking for a healing, I believe it to receive it. I speak life, not death. I cast out anything that is not of God in my life and you should too. Ask for deliverance from any fears, phobias, troubles you are having. Speak them into the lake of fire where they belong and break the chains of all bondage in your life. The Lord wants His children to live righteous lives filled with joy, favor, victory and peace.  God did not send His only Son to die on the cross so that we would live in despair and captivity. Therefore live each day concentrating on God's love for you. Meditate on His grace He gave you and the salvation He promised you.  And with it being the day of celebrating love, let us not forget the greatest love of all...the love and sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

Luke 23:32-43

32 Two others also, who were criminals, were being led away to be put to death with Him. 33 When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. 34 But Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves. 35 And the people stood by, looking on. And even the rulers were sneering at Him, saying, "He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One." 36 The soldiers also mocked Him, coming up to Him, offering Him sour wine, 37 and saying, "If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!" 38 Now there was also an inscription above Him, "THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS." 39 One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, "Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!" 40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, "Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 "And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong." 42 And he was saying, "Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!" 43 And He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise."

Give Your Heart to Jesus Today. CLICK HERE!

Wednesday, February 13, 2013 Show Me the Way

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. Psalm 119:105

Show me the way Lord, so that I may walk with You.  My heart's desire is to live the rest of my life living in God's will.  I no longer desire to control it for myself. I surrendered it all to Him so that I could live a simple and uncomplicated life. And that goes for my relationships to my finances. I desire very little so that I am as free as I can be spiritually, physically, mentally and financially. As I reflect on my birthday today, I find myself at rest and at peace. I know my purpose and I am beginning to see God's vision for the life of my husband and I and it is quite exciting. Do you know the true purpose for your life? Have you asked the Lord to reveal His calling on your life? Are you using the gifts He has given you to glorify Him? If you have not already done so, I urge you to do it today. It will be the most marvelous experience for you as you journey with God through His plan for you. It brings me such contentment and blessed assurance to be in His perfect will. When you desire the Lord, His desires will become yours. You will want what He wants for you because you will know His plan is far better than anything you could ever imagine for yourself. So live for Him and all else will come together. Ask Him to show you His path, let Him light the way.  And may you find all the joy and happiness you need in Him. Have a blessed day.

Jeremiah 29:11

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

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Tuesday, February 12, 2013 God Loves Righteousness

Do you ever look around and feel as though the wicked seem to be living "the good ole life" while you struggle?  We all know the bible verses that tell us the world hates us because  we are children of God but have you ever studied further on how exactly God feels about those that choose themselves over Him?  As I was doing my morning devotions I decided to read both Psalm 11 and Proverbs 11 and the words spoke to me. The righteous will be bestowed with His goodness and favor and we should not envy the wicked for what they judge as success will surely be their demise. The verses go on to say how the Lord detests and despises the dishonest, the wicked, the proud, the unfaithful, the godless, the gossip, the ruthless, the perverse. Those that look for ways to lie and cheat others for the sake of themselves will be ruined.  What we value here on earth will determine where we will spend our eternity. For some, this life is as good as it is going to get, while for others, this is the worst it will be.  I used to get upset at work when I didn't feel as though I was being rewarded like some but the Lord told me they despised me for Who I stood for and not to expect anything from them and it really gave me a peace and actual gratitude.  The Lord does not want us to throw what is holy to dogs therefore keep your eyes on Him and meditate on what is righteous.  We are righteous children of God and we are blessed and highly favored. That is the truth and what matters most. There is no future in riches, in possessions or even in hopes for in the end, they will account for nothing. All that will be matter is our heart. And Who we believed in.  We cannot earn our way to heaven, we cannot buy our way to heaven, we cannot bribe our way nor can being a really good person get us into heaven.  Believing in the one true God that sent His only Son to die for us so that we could be saved is the only entry to heaven. John 14:6 You may want to think otherwise so you can justify your worldly living but in the end, you will be proven wrong and once the day of judgement comes, it will be too late.  If you are in a burning building and a fireman offers you a hand to save you, you are not going to hesitate taking his hand. Well the Lord is your fireman and you are headed for a lake of fire, my friend, and without His hand, you will surely die. So I encourage you to seek His truth, seek His face and seek His life for through His death brings you life. He loves you, He values you and He wants you.  Take His hand today.  

CLICK HERE to give your heart to JESUS!

Monday, February 11, 2013 God is so good....

"God is so good to me. God is so good".  Lyrics from one the songs we sang at church yesterday. God is so good.  In fact I don't think the word good is sufficient enough to describe our Father.  

He is ever true, ever present, never changing, omnipotent, amazing, sovereign, faithful, true, merciful, mighty, holy, wonderful, everlasting, light, life, righteous, love, wise, eternal,  able,alive, powerful, protective, providing and always with us.  

Jeremiah 10:10

10 But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God, the eternal King...

Sunday, February 10, 2013 Love like God

1 John 4:8

^{8 "}Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love".

Let's love one another as God loves us. Let's uplift and encourage one another like God does for us.  Let's stop tearing down one another's hopes and dreams with our words.  Words can hurt, they can scar, they can damage relationships beyond repair. We need to use wisdom when we speak.  We need to have our words powered by the spirit of the Lord, not powered by our own agenda. Let's stop being so selfish with one another and let's be selfless.  You may be one of few people that someone comes in contact with therefore they need loving words from God, not discouraging looks and mumbles.  I try so hard to be happy and cheery when I go out in public to give glory and honor to God. I try to do something nice when I am out, like allow someone in front of me in line, share a coupon, share a smile....something. It may sound corny, but it actually feeds my spirit and makes me feel good. And I know God is pleased for we are all His children. Let's try to be more like Jesus.  Let's be the image He created us to be. And let's glorify God in everything we do and allow out hearts to soften and open so that we can be beacons of light for one another in this cold, dark world... and let's be loving and kind so that they will know when they met us, they met a true believer and child in Christ. Amen?!

Give Your Heart to Jesus Today. CLICK HERE!

Saturday, February 9, 2013

To equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ. 

Ephesians 4:12

When we serve, are we being selfless or self serving?  Are our motives of pure intent or are we looking to gain something from it?  I pose the question because so many churches are in severe demand of help in their various ministries.  And yet so many keep their heads down without the hand going up. Why is that?  Should we all be made to feel guilty if we are not serving?  Is it a true biblical command to serve and if so, where does it lie in priority in God's eyes?  Should we serve where we are gifted or should we challenge ourselves?  I know when I volunteered almost three years ago to help in the children's ministry, I had no idea what to expect. I knew I loved kids so I thought, why not? Teacher, I was not. Well what started out as an aide position soon became a leader position and before long, I was head teacher of the Pre K class of 4-5 year old kids. I grew as an individual and as a woman of God. I fell in love with the most precious little tots who grew up before my eyes and I too, fell in love with their Moms, whom some are genuine friends to me still.  But it was not easy in the beginning. In fact I struggled with it.  I felt inadequate, overwhelmed and there were so many Sundays I wanted to quit. But I knew where there was adversary, there was growth so I did not give up.  I knew I was changing inwardly and I knew I was making an impact with the kids.  And once I prayed myself through it, it became one of the best experiences of my life.  My husband became a permanent fixture as one of my aides and we shared a love for these children that no one could have expected.  When they graduated off to Kindergarten this past fall, I  knew in my heart, I too was going to move on.  Saying goodbye to all my mini friends after spending every Sunday together, sharing and learning about God, was sad but rewarding. For I knew I fulfilled the Lord's will for my life in that area of service.  As I pray now for where the Lord would have me serve next, I pose the same questions to myself? Where do I need to be, want to be? But even more importantly, where would God have me be? So as I seek God in my next chapter of service, I encourage you as well to do what it is He would have you do.  For we know when we are led by God, it will be exceed far beyond what we could ever have imagined. Happy weekend!  

Give your Heart to Jesus Today. CLICK HERE!

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, ... 1 Corinthians 12:4-11

Just wanted to share with you all that today marks one year my husband and I began our new ministry, Proclaim the Kingdom of God. (proclaimthekingdom.webs.com) I look forward to see where the Lord leads us next. 

Friday, February 8, 2013

"so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it". Isaiah 55:11

I have to share that my heart aches for those that rely on themselves to get through life. I see the life affirmations on their Facebook and Twitter posts. The "positive" thinking, the sending "good energy your way" vibe. It is all lies of the enemy.  I meditated on this bible verse today because I get sad when I think of all the past co-workers I shared Jesus with and today it seems as though it made zero impression. But my Lord comforts me with these words that my "sharing word" will not return void. No, we may never know or see the fruits of our labor blossom in our lifetime but they will. My husband led a young man; "Mr. A.", who he met at the park last summer, to the Lord and put him in a good solid teaching church with a congregation his age and he knew he was doing well.  Here it is now 2013 and we were out somewhere last week and my husband met another young man; "Mr. B.", who looked familiar and after exchanging pleasantries they knew exactly who each other were.  Here "Mr. B." is friends with "Mr. A." and because my husband shared the gospel with "Mr. A." and the Lord came into his heart and saved his life, "Mr. A." shared the good news with his friend, "Mr. B." and "Mr. B." came to Christ and was later baptized.  And he also attends the same church my husband suggested to his young friend and he is very involved.  So through the power of God and His divine appointment, my husband witnessed the fruit of his labor.  Isn't that amazing?  I guess I share this story with you to remind myself not to give up sharing the story of Jesus. For He has been the love of my life and the center of my life for 20 years.  He is the source of my strength and the best decision I have ever made.  He is worth every rejection I may experience because I know my words will not return empty to Him.  Therefore I will continue to pray for the lost and for all the people I once knew. I vow to keep sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ for I  know that good seeds will be sown and that someday my words will bear a mighty harvest, all in the name of the Lord. Amen to that!

GIVE YOUR HEART TO JESUS TODAY. CLICK HERE..

Thursday, February 7, 2013 Victors in Christ Jesus

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

When we truly seek the Lord and rest in His presence, we lack for nothing.  He will grant us enormous peace and understanding that gives us blessed assurance. Assurance in knowing that He will provide in every way. Like my husband and I always say if the Lord grants our heart's desires through answered prayer, we win; if He grants us His heart's desires for us through answered prayers, we win. We are in a win win with the Lord. We are victors no matter what, when we walk with Him and nothing in this world can boast that. Our jobs are not guaranteed, our relationships are not solid proof, finances can change, possessions can be lost, nothing is guaranteed to last and/or bring us victory other than our true love and heart for Jesus. And no one nor nothing can satisfy us like He can. "He is the way, the truth and the life" John 14:6. 

And it is my heart felt prayer for you to truly know the Lord.  To truly know that He died on the cross for you so that your sins would be forgiven.  To truly know that He took all of your inequities and afflictions onto Himself so you could live a victorious life free of condemnation.  I pray that His grace is sufficient for you and that He is all you seek.  Share Him with your loved ones, family and friends alike...share Him at work and everywhere you go.  Glorify Him with each and every breath and step you take. And may the power of our Living God transform your life into the image that He created you for. And may you rest in pure peace and joy knowing you are a child of God.

Click Here! Give your Heart to Jesus Today...

Wednesday, February 6, 2013 "I am Waiting Lord, Are You There?"

See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me. 

Isaiah 49:16

Sometimes God says, "No" and other times He may simply say, "Not yet" for His timing is perfect.   And how we respond in the time of waiting is important. Our waiting period builds spiritual character and the Lord will also use this period to prepare us so that our character will match the calling. So understand when you think you are waiting on God, many times He is waiting on us. For He is maturing us so that we will be ready to receive whatever it is He is going to give us. Isn't that amazing and encouraging? The Lord wants us to come to a place of rest when we are feeling restless . We just feel like we want to help God along but we have to trust Him more than ourselves for we know nothing. But it can be hard for some because they feel that God forgot about them. I know someone very close to me who has turned away from God because their heart's desire of meeting someone and getting married never happened (not yet...I keep the faith!) Deliverance could be right around the corner so never give up! He is just saying, "not yet". I like to share with people who are discouraged that the Lord's delays are not necessarily His denials. So how can we stay in a place of peace while we wait?  Meditate on God's Word, seek Him, desire His will for our lives and trust Him enough to know that His plans will far exceed anything we could ever imagine for ourselves.  He wants us to grow in spirit, pray and spend time with Him and trust Him. Our faith strengthens during times of trials and during times of waiting.  My husband and I have come to such a place of calm, a blessed assurance, in our lives so that when we are in a season of waiting, we just know He has us inscribed on the palms of His hand and He knows us and He hears us. And our faith in Him allows us to wait with peace, joy, contentment and with gratitude. And it is my prayer for you that this word today brings you the peace you need while you wait. God hears you, God loves you and God will answer you when it is time. 

Romans 8:25

²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

Give Your Heart to Jesus Today. CLICK HERE!

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well". Matthew 6:33

Many believers turn to God in need yet they don't take the time necessary to commune with Him.  It should be the most important relationship you have.  He comes before your spouse, child and/or parents.  We are to love Him more than anyone or anything and allow all other relationships to follow.  I am saddened when people don't make any time for their Lord yet they are the first ones on their knees every time a crisis arrives.  Let me ask you a question?  Can you continue to withdraw cash from an ATM machine without ever depositing any cash in?  We should view our relationship with God the same way.  We cannot expect Him to always be there for withdrawal if we never deposit (aka through spending time with Him). Our prayer time is our alone time with Him. Reading the Word, praising in song, worshiping in church, studying Him with other brothers and sisters in a bible study, serving are all ways we worship, praise and glorify Him.  He is pleased by our faith and rewards obedience.  He leaves us with His peace to overcome all circumstances and grants us grace and mercy to overcome all sins in our life.  He is our Counselor, Abba Father, Jehovah Jireh, He is our Everything and He wants to be a part of every area of your life.  We need to re prioritize our time and schedules if we are not leaving enough time for Him.  Be mindful of what is coming "before" Him in your life for the very thing you covet, will be the very thing He takes away. If your job causes you to miss church, your bible study, leaves no time to serve or give back...don't be surprised if you lose that job or lose your veil of favor. It happened to me. I was so caught up in work and paying for all my possessions, I lost sight of who blessed me with all I had.  My church attendance suffered therefore I never served in any area. Forget about a bible study. I prayed and continued my relationship with God but He was not first in my daily life. The day He spoke to me and laid it all out and showed me idol after idol, all that was coming before Him, I was horrified, embarrassed and saddened. My Lord was not pleased with me but loved me enough to come down to my level and reach out His hand to me. I am blessed and beyond grateful I took His hand that day and I obeyed His word and re prioritized my life. He asked me to lay down my job and give up all the security I relied on to completely walk in faith leaning only on Him to provide. I learned to deposit my time with Him first and foremost before  starting my day doing anything else. I made Him the Lord of my life, not just my Savior. I surrendered my life to Him, my possessions, my marriage, my finances, my everything to Him. I gave Him ownership to my life through full submission.  And it has been a very long and hard journey but He told me before the journey started it was going to be the hardest thing I would ever do but to trust in Him. I share just a  small piece of my story to show you how easy we get off track without even realizing it. We think by being responsible and by being a "good person" it is enough to earn our salvation but that is according to the world's standards, not the Lord's. It starts with a personal relationship with God. And once we establish that relationship, we need to constantly nourish it so we can grow more mature in spirit.  There is nothing more important we could ever do for ourselves so I encourage you to self exam your life. Are you attending church as you should? Do you have an insatiable thirst for His knowledge? Do you spend quiet time with Him learning?  If you cannot say yes to these questions, than maybe God is trying to get your attention today. Listen to His voice and obey Him today.  Allow Him to dwell within you and allow Him to transcend through all of your life, not just what you are willing to give. And may today be the day you re prioritize your life for Him. Amen?!

CLICK on this video if you have never given your heart to Jesus. You can do it today!

Monday, February 4, 2013 Joy

Isaiah 12:3 says, "With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation."

In times of trouble it is hard to stay joyful and maintain an attitude of gratitude when your finances are in despair, your relationship is crumbling or you are suffering from illness. But those are the times when we have to dig deeper and rejoice in the Lord in spite of how we feel or what our circumstances are.  When I was studying on joy this morning, I learned about the "wells of salvation" and how vital joy is. We are to rejoice always, because "joy" is the easiest fruit to lose. You can't live off of the joy you had yesterday. Joy can give you strength only when you possess it.  I told my husband this morning when he left for work, "Have a peaceful day and let no man steal your joy". I say it because joy is essential.  I learned through scripture that with joy you will draw from the wells of salvation. You need strength to draw water from wells. Without strength you can't draw from the wells. This is why Isaiah says, "With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation." It takes joy to draw from the wonderful wells of healing, prosperity, soundness of mind and family restoration.  If you are facing  sickness, God has provided the well of "healing." But only through joy can you draw from this well. So rejoice despite your sickness. You may be experiencing poverty. But through joy you can draw from the well named "prosperity."  You may be tormented with fear, worry and depression. However, you can draw the water called "sound mind", all through joy.  Do not give up! Do not feel discouraged! The enemy may be able to attack us but he has no power to steal your joy. Joy is a spiritual force inside your human spirit. Satan can touch your body, finances and family as the book of Job teaches, but he can't touch your spirit. Your spirit is off limits to the devil. And since he can't touch your spirit, he can't rob you of your joy.  I love that and never knew that, did you? He cannot steal our joy since it is spiritual.  If we lose our joy it is because we gave it away therefore KEEP YOUR JOY THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST FOR NO WEAPON AGAINST US SHALL PROSPER.  And when we keep our joy, the enemy has to release our blessings so I encourage you today to count it all joy. Walk in victory today and never give up on the power of Jesus Christ. Have a wonderful and blessed Monday!

Give Your Heart to Jesus. CLICK HERE!

Habakkuk 3:17-19

¹⁷ Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:

¹⁸ Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

¹⁹ The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.