The Key to Kingdom Wealth

I am more than just a face, a body to fill the seat in your worship space.
I am more than a puppet you talk at.
I have feelings emotions; you never know where my head,
Nevermind where my heart is at.

I am more than just a face,
Occupying a bench in your worship place.
Invest in me instead of Wall Street and Walmart,
Daily look beyond yourself
And you will find, within a short time,
That I am the key to kingdom wealth.

We've lost some things along the way with Christ.
We've wallowed in deception and flaming fame,
But we run from poltergiests.
What happened to speaking to a demon in a low calm voice?
Not counseling him and giving an option or a choice.
But to take authority, give him the eviction
And bring the person back into submission
To the rulership of Jesus Christ.
Church, we've lost our way.
Could we for just one year
Be as nice as we are to each other on Christmas day?
I don't know where you dwell,
But here in the northeast, people are as cold as hell.
They can blame it on the snow, blame it on the ice,
But most Christians are invisible because they just ain't nice.
The simplest things as a hi or a smile would do the heart good.
Then you wonder why no one wants to get saved in your neighborhood.

People are more than just faces
More than just a body to fill your worship spaces.
You never know the traces of damage the world has left on their heart.
You never know the pain of their shoes til you have to walk that far.
You never know the sorrow that lies down with them at night.
You never know the bleakness of their future's light,
But 20/20 vision to see the horrors of their hindsight.
Until you open your heart, stop talking at them from behind your bible.
Always talking about your needs,
Not knowing the lows a soul has to endure for the sake of survival.

Solomon said, "Do not eat the bread of a miser."
How is it that the church can’t out-give Budweiser?
How is it that the church is holding out on the poor?
When loving, feeding, clothing, and teaching His sheep
Is all Christ is asking you for?
How can your savings account still be full
When you see sheep in need?
How can you drive away from church to go to KFC
When you know the sister sitting on the pew next to you
May not have anything to eat?
Church, it's time to trade in the stocks and bonds and the 401k's
And go back to the first century church,
The having "all things in common" days.
They pooled their resources and they elevated together
And there was nothing anyone lacked.
Which means, if Peter was full when he raised Dorcas,
Then you know her belly was fat.
And if Barnabas could sell land,
Then no apostle rented, they all owned.
Come on Saints, you do the math.
So today if Paul was traveling from Corinth to Ephesus and was to be in a jet flown,
There is no reason that Aquilla and Priscilla should've drove.

Why are you entertaining sensual, worldly wisdom,
When the world did not begat you?
Why are you holding onto what does not even belong to you?
Could it be the modern day church's issues with giving
Is hindering the abundant life we should be living?
How you treat your brother will determine your power
In this final hour.
The world needs healing and needs to be turned around
But until the church is delivered from selfishness,
Our prayers for greatness fall to the ground.

I am more than just a face,
Occupying a bench in your worship place.
Invest in me instead of Wall Street and Walmart,
Daily look beyond yourself
And you will find, within a short time,
That me, a mere sheep, is the key to all kingdom wealth.

Diggin' Through the Daily "Stuff" Just to Say Thank You Jesus

One of my favorite scriptures is, "and they overcame by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony that they did not love their lives unto death." Rev 12:11 Sometimes we hear a song and we love it and we don't know why. We are too busy to sit in the presence of God and ponder on the reasons why or the sweet lyrics that tickle our ears. We just soak it in sound byte by sound byte as we rush in and out the car, as we take the Mp3 or the ipod in and out of our ears to have a conversation. I remember as a teenager, I used to sit and study the lyrics of my favorite CD, go over who sang what part in the trio or quartet. Who was giving thanks to whom and who produced what and sang back up. But now as an adult, I don't take too much time to stop and smell the roses. Especially when it comes to the things of God, honestly. It's like we start skimming our bibles, scanning through songs and singing the same old praises from last Sunday without a conscious inkling of why we do what we do and say what we say. Robotic people of God saying in God we trust when we are really not here, our minds are caught up the cares of this life and fretting about tomorrow.

Today, I took a minute during the rushing and preparing of food for Christmas and I started to play the song that was rolling in my head. Sweet Jesus by J Moss and put it on repeat over and over again. Though the yams might burn and the dishes needed to be washed, I began to go back in the corners of mind. I wrestled with my fast-paced, multitasking mind until I could hone in on why I loved this song and especially Jesus so much. I say I love Him but why? Somewhere along the way I lost my first love and I need Him back. I began to think about all the times He's been there and it went a little something like this...

"Jesus, I thank you for being there when no one else was there. I thank you for looking out for me when I thought I was alone. Yes, there may not be a tree full of presents this year but you have given me life in You and I know what my tomorrow is going to look like." ....and the memories began to flow and so did the tears....

"Thank You Lord for ordaining me to live right now. There was a child aborted before me and one after me, I don't have to be here right now but you chose for me to live at such a time as this.

I have a scar from second and third degree burns on my hand from chemical burns when I spilled a bottle of liquid that ate through clothing and my very own flesh. At the tender age of 1 1/2 years old, the enemy wanted me to swallow it and die but You were there and I have the scar as a testimony of You're keeping power.

Lord, you placed me in the Sunday Schools so that when I wanted to commit suicide at the age of 8, the fear of hell kept me from completing every attempt on my own life.

Jesus you were there at the tender age of 9 to lead me through the prayer of salvation and to receive the Holy Spirit as I was on my knees alone in the living room. You knew it would seal me and keep me for the next 13 years of lawlessness and rebellion. You knew no one else would protect me and keep me, so you sealed me early. If You didn't, I wouldn't have lived to be 23 to accept you as Lord and Savior. The enemy had AIDS, addiction, insanity, incarceration and death waiting for me by the age of 12, but I'm here.

You were there when I was high, walking alone on the streets at night in Bridgeport.

You were there keeping me from alcohol poisoning getting drunk and high before the age of 14.

You were there when I was only 13 but people were following me late at night seeking to take my life. But though I was living in sin, you made a way of escape and I'm still here. You put the fear in their hearts not to pull the trigger.

Oh, Lord how you kept me =) When I thought I would lose my mind because I was 17 taking care of the parent who should be able to care for me.

You gave me the wit and the intelligence to maneuver through the traps and the snares of the enemy, every time, even in my sin. You kept my sanity through the emotional and mental abuse.

When the enemy told me to abort my child for the promising future of being a doctor, God by Your divine hand, You miraculously changed my mind. I will forever be eternally grateful for that!!

Lord, You were there when I was left alone at the hospital 4 months pregnant afraid and scared that something was wrong with my baby.

Lord, You were there when the doctors said there was something wrong with my son's heart and I had no one to lean on but the faith You'd given me deep down on the inside though I denied that You were God. I simply called you a "higher power" but would not acknowledge You as Lord, but by Your mercy and your grace, You pulled my son through happy and healthy even when DCF wanted to take my son my from the hospital. Thank You for my Aunt Tina having a "play n carry" play pen/bed to prove to DCF that my son had a bed to sleep in in the hotel, so that we could go home from the hospital together that Good Friday night, the Friday before Easter. =) I remember she had to drive 20 minutes from New Haven to Stratford and back to get it and show it to the worker. You didn't get the honor and the glory at the time but You knew one day that I'd come back to You and tell the world of Your goodness in spite of my mess.

Lord, You kept us when we lived alone in dark and desolate places in the middle of nowhere.

Lord, You were the one who stopped the car from exploding when my Nissan Maxima was crashed from the rear and pushed into a light post which broke and fell into the middle of the street. Exposing me and my passenger to electrical wires and fluids leaking from the car. But you kept me those late nights coming from the clubs and cars were on fire from crashing with oil tankers in the early AM hours.

Lord, You kept me even after I found my way back to You. And there've been so many things from then to now that I could've lost my mind.

You even gave me the peace and the grace to bury my own mother and do it with a grace and joy that is not earthly possible.

Through the hurt and the pain and the disappointments, You've always been there to comfort and to guide me and keep me from the destruction of the enemy. Many have been my affliction but You've always delivered me from them all.

To add, in the midst of it all, you always sent an angel, a person, a good Samaritan to come my way, just in the nick of time to make that crucial moment better. You placed me, the solitary one in families, time and time again.
Like the time when I was getting jumped by 5 or more girls on the corner of Park Ave, you sent a lady in a white Lexus to come and break it up and take me all the way across town to my home. I never saw her again.
Or the time you sent an anonymous person to pay for a week hotel stay because I didn't have anywhere to go when I left the hospital after giving birth to my son.
You sent a Parent/Teen counselor and so many others during my pregnancy to encourage me when I was battling depression and couldn't think straight on what to do with my life.
You led me to Tee Tee's house for a month when people were seeking my life. I barely knew the girl but she let me stay until I was safe and was moving to Florida.
Thank You for touching my aunt and uncle's heart to take me in in Florida, even though they didn't have much themselves. Lord, You've always made a way of escape and that door of escape revolutionized my life. I was only supposed to stay for the summer of '93, but You touched their hearts to suggest I tried school in Orlando, FL and my life has never been the same. I went from 8th grade drop out to English and Science honors classes (and was only because I came in the middle of the year). The only ghetto black girl in the Kiwanis Club. President of the Spanish Club, leader on the drill team and so much more. Lord You gave me hope where there was no hope.

Lord, thank You for the time when I spun out of control on I-91 across 3 lanes of traffic and you sent that man(angel) out of nowhere to help me back up out of the snow embankment. The stranger guided me back onto the road to continue my trip to the Hartford airport while, 3 lanes of tractor trailers, buses and cars stood still to let me pass safely. I never saw that man again, but I thank You.
I thank You for my Uncle Tony blessing us last Thanksgiving when I thought I was going to lose my mind, he stood as a comfort in the midst of chaos and mourning.

I thank You for all the people who You strategically placed in my life at the right place at the right time. The right church or the right worship song or the right movie or the right commercial or the right bible verse, just at the right time.

And if it weren't for the birth of your only begotten Son, the a young willing virgin who was willing to go through persecution for your name, I would not be here today to give You the honor and the praise. So this Christmas, my eyes are back on You and what I HAVE in You and not what I don't have of this earth right now. With You, nothing else really matters. Without You life would be over and there would be no hope for my tomorrow.

So Happy Birthday to You Jesus. You deserve all the glory and the praise. I have nothing else to offer You but the dedication of my life to Your will once again. I offer myself once again as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable in Your sight for it is my REASONABLE service for all You've done for me. Especially, dying for my salvation to be a reality. And please allow me the grace from now on the to prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will for my life.

In Jesus' name,

Amen

HYPOCRITES!!!

7Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
9But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Mat 15:8-9

The above verses were produced as a result of the discourse between the Lord Jesus, the Scribes and Pharisees when they confronted Jesus about his disciples breaking the law by not washing their hands before the eat. In a wise but in a hypocritical way, they meant to accuse Christ of breaking the law since he was their master or teacher; and classify him as a deceptive leader. Christ also in response asked, “why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?” By this question Christ effectively dealt with the duplicitous ways of the Pharisees and Scribes: perverting the ways of God, and misconstruing the commandment of God. The Lord hence labels them hypocrites (pretenders, two faced, actors – one who assumes a character that he or she is not; a stage player).

Let’s not forget that Christ was addressing the Scribes and Pharisees those who wrote out the law, classified and arranged its precepts; the teachers of the law of God. Assume how spiritual, religious, "holier than thou" they portrayed to be! The Pharisees and Scribes were experienced in the piety and expressions of intimacy but their love was not from within. They knew the law, forms of worship; they were very strict in observing of the traditions and kept the law outwardly but refused to submit their heart to God which symbolizes the wholeness and totality of their being. Therefore their worship was an offensive odor before God.

Likewise, the Church of Christ has become very excellent in the dynamics of intimate expression of worship but has deviated from the course of intimacy. We are well experienced hypocrites in the house of God. We fast, pray, read the bible, etc yet living unashamedly and deliberately in sin. We lust after peoples wives in our heart, entertain filthy pornographic thought, masturbate every now and then, drink alcohol, smoke, etc and have the audacity to lead His Church or call ourselves by His name. We are hypocrites not Christians! We have drawn close with our tithing, offering, our punctuality, servitude in the church and spiritual “gymnastics” but our heart is dark towards Him. We know all the church songs, the sermons, and even how the order of the service would be yet we have not been able to move heavens. Our hearts are twisted (not in line with the Lords word) before God. Hence any worship offered has no meaning as that of the Pharisees and Scribes.

The Lord is displeased! How can we say we love God yet live in fornication, and adultery, walk in bitterness and offenses? How can we tell lies here a little and there a little, categorize it as joking and offer praise to God thinking He will accept it? How can we say we love God dearly yet hate our brethren in the same youth ministry: if a man says he loves God but hates his brother he is a liar (1 Jn 4:20). Religiousness has caused us to be very experienced in expressions, pieties, eloquence towards God but not experience Him or His power. We must understand that a good expression does not mean that we are accepted. The truth of the matter is that God desires our heart more that the word we speak or the expression we display.

God by his word wants us to understand that any worship that is not from a righteous and a holy heart is worthless. He will not accept it the sacrifice of the hypocrite, or entertain the wicked in his presence.

8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.
Proverbs 15:8

16 But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? 17 Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee.
Ps 50:16-17

What's in a Name?

What's in a name?
A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.
But a rose is what was on the mind of God when He made me.
Fair and purposed deliberately in the mind of our Creator.
Whose love spans wider than oceans.
And in comparison to power and might there is non greater.
He is delicate enough to form my tender breast,
Yet strong enough to mold the ribs to protect my chest.
What a great, great God, infinite in majesty and grace.
I could make idols of wood, of money, or gold,
But none can ever replace,
Nothing can fill the space,
I have in my heart for only you.
The One who is called Faithful and True.
The Alpha and Omega, Lord of everything.
The Ruler of Light who subdues darkness,
The King who is mightier than all kings.
You are chief among ten-thousand,
You stand out far above the rest.
The I AM THAT I AM the One who loves at all costs,
And gives the best of the best and nothing less.
The One who suffices my lonliness.
The One who delivers me from my own mess.
And lifts me from the mire when I feel worthless.
Who dusts me off and shines me like tarnished silver.
The One who spent His blood to be my Deliverer.
My Redeemer, my Lover, my Friend.
The One who cleans me off and tells me to start over again.
Anew with no baggage or excess issues,
The One who left glory to walk a mile to Golgotha in my shoes.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, I love to call Your name.
If God had sent another son, it would never be the same.

Jesus be my only obssession.
Let Your Word in my heart be my only possession.
If I have You I have life abundantly.
If I have You, You're all I need.
And if You have me,
Then I have eternity with Thee...


What's in a name?


Jesus...

Are You Ready to Soar?????

You are invited to join us SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24th from 1-5pm for the beginning of a NEW thing God is doing in New England. Are you tired of the same old thing day in and day out? Well, the Lord has something in store for you on the right day and the right time and the right place. Come experience the power of God during the conference. Come and let lose and rejoice in the Lord at our Praise Party and then ladies, come enjoy a relaxing evening of self-discovery and healing at our Ladies Night. Sunday, October 25th we will enjoy more time in His presence at 11am worship service at the luxurious Hilton Garden Inn, Milford, CT.

Join us October 24th, 2009 at 1pm
GLOW Inaugural Women's Conference
The luncheon is ONLY $25. Registration is FREE!
Amarante's Sea Cliff
62 Cove St.
New Haven, CT

http://www.amarantes.com/directions.html

Men are Welcome, too!!!

For ticket and hotel information contact Pamela Mantey pamelamantey@hotmail.com or Tamika Wells divine.utterance@yahoo.com or call us at (203) 468-8063.

For more information about GLOW Global Network visit us at www.glownetwork.org

What happened to your vision in the midst of your marriage, children, job or business? What happened to your childhood dreams of reaching into higher heights? Are you that woman struggling in life and uncertain about the future? Do you feel stuck with your daily endeavors which have not gotten any better but have turned from normalcy to boredom? Do you feel helpless with your everyday circumstances and lack of power and control? Then join us...We believe that this conference will not only empower you but will also mark the beginning of greater things to come for you. It is our belief that you will be doing even more for yourself once you take the first step into soaring to greater heights and becoming all that God has ordained you to be.
What are you waiting for? Dare to cross paths that have not been taken before and you will be surprised by what is about to happen to your life!!!

Pur
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Crusaders-Ministries-International/118878745782?ref=mf#/event.php?eid=133407889359&ref=mf

Don't Worry...Be Happy!

"Do not Fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God's peace[shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, adn so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace]which transcends all understanding shall arrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philipians 4:6 Amplified).

One Wednesday night, I stood up in my living room with a notebook filled with envelops of bills and debt. Overwhelmed with all of my unmet needs, I began marching slowly in the living room singing a song, one that most of you might have heard or have become familiar with it:

"Life is not fair! Well that is life...Oh nothing will change just keep doing the same old thing and old thing....lalalala

And the song goes. Then my spiritual father watching my movement interupted and asked me what I was holding and I told him they were my bills. "Good!" He exclaimed, "It is good to hold them. Is it your business to worry about how they are going to be paid or God's?" It was there that the eyes of my understanding was enlightened to the truth : it is not my place to wonder and figure out what and how I was going to survive but rather, as a chid and daughter of the Most High God, the Creator and Great Provider of my life, He is responsible for my existence and upkeep. How careless and foolish of me to think that I was capable of taking care of all my needs when my very existence alone is out of my control, " (For from HIm[GOD] and through Him and to Him are all things. (All things originate and come from Him. All things live through Him and all things center and tend to consummateand end in Him] To Him be glory forever Amen" (Romans 11:36).

How many people are so frustrated in life that they have familiarize themselves with the same defeative tune day in and night out, hopeless and stuck.
Well I have news for you, you are not alone, as a matter of fact, the majority of people are stuck deep in a mud of anxiety: unpaid bills, student loan debts, credit card collect phone calls, unstable economy with no hope for the future. How many times have you become accustomed to the normalcy of events in your life and concluded that nothing will change or will it, you have left your decision in the hands of luck. Nevertheless, thing ought not to be so. God, your Heavenly Father cares and HE wants to intervene, "behold I have not left you as orphans" (). You need to surrender to Him your cares, anxieties and worries. As you are doing that, He promises to give you His peace which the world cannot attain.

To be anxious means to be disturbed, stressed, having no sleep, wondering, unstable, uncertain. And anything means from Tom Dick to Harry to your nail to your hair; even your very hair on your head are numbered and He knows & He cares.

Imagine the relationship of a parent and a little child. It is the responsiblity of the parent to cater for the needs of the child's upkeep: food, shelter & clothing. The child is stress free, living life one day at a time because they know that Mom & Dad will take care of their needs. Thus Jesus admonishes us to "stop being perpetually uneasy (anxious and worried) about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink; or about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life greater [in quality]than food, and the body [far above and more excellent than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heaven ly Father keeps feeding them. Are you not worth much more than they?"
In other words, focus on now and allow the day to determine the outcome of things. Life is too short to be wasted on problems but rather embrace life though fragile as a gift to be enjoyed and cherished. The greek word for life is " zwn or zoi" meaning fun thus God wants you to love your life and enjoy it to the fullest. Have Fun!

Many times we are caught up with the needs and problems we faced that we lose the essence of our existence and the blessings of God for our lives?
The next time, your mind begins to wonder and stretch you to your issues and problems, say to yourself,"My God shall supply all my needs according to His riches and glory in Christ Jesus" (Philipians 4:19).

Don't Worry....Be Happy!

Walking with God

A prism of glass mitters lights and casts a colored braid
Marching in aligned cue,
In variations yet still,
announcing the procession of the Omnipresent Being
A garden sings sweet incantations the human heart strains to hear
As the DO-RE-TI-LA-SO swings from the revivifying air of Heaven
Painting an eternal rainbow of melodies.....

Hiding in every flower,
in every leaf
in every twig and bough
~ the reflections of the God who once walked
Walking with us in Eden;

All the way to heaven
Is heaven began to the Christian who walks,
never enough to God to hear the secrets He has to impart
Oh how sweet the aroma of His presence as He walks
Bursting with succulent and lavish beauty
Scooping us up under His wings,
A ROYAL ENTOURAGE
OR
Simply siting in a silent strength in our presence
Auscultating the hardened but fragile hearts
As they beat,
Beating every breath away yet adoring Him
We acknowledge His awesome presence that
YES EMMANUEL!
Even now He is Here with US

Emmanuel

“Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
‘The LORD is my portion,’ says my soul,
‘Therefore I hope in Him!’” Lamentations 3:22-24 NKJV

Have you ever considered that while it is day, the sun is always shining? The sun is always there. Just like God is always there. No matter the storms of life, He is with us. He is so much closer than the sun. We tend to compare God to what we see around us. In school we learned that the sun is thousands of millions of miles away. It would take light years to get there. So we take this mind set and attribute it to God, especially when we are going through hard times. So, we think God is in heaven, heaven is in the sky, and therefore, God must be that far away as well, right? No, He is not a far away, aloof and absentee kind of God. He is that friend that sticks closer than a brother. The old hymn says, “For Jesus is my portion. A constant friend is He.” God desired to be so close to us that He allowed His son to come down from heaven to be sacrificed to make a way to bring humanity-you, me, us-closer to Him. He gave Him the name Emmanuel, meaning, “God with us.” Then, He gave the gift of Himself again, the gift of the Holy Spirit to live inside of us constantly. Not occasionally when God is in the mood to chat but He’s constantly there. We may not see Him and we feel there is no physical evidence like goose bumps, our stomachs churning or the sound of angels singing, so we doubt He is really with us.
Ironically, we don’t doubt the rising of the sun. Even if it rains non-stop or is cloudy for weeks, do we deny the fact that the sun is present? No. We just wait in expectance for the storms to pass knowing that the sun will shine. All the more so that by faith, when we recognize and receive the fact that God is ever near, we automatically tap into the warmth of the Son. “Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen.” Therefore, even if the sun is shining on the other side of the world, and all we may have is a little moonlight at midnight, we are left with the assurance that the morning will still come. We hope for revival. We hope for restoration. We hope for Him to open the windows of heaven to pour out blessings that we don’t have room to receive. And we hope for His manifested glory. Though, we may not see that which we hope for, we can be assured that it is there. When we desire to see His face, that hope, that desire, that longing, in itself, is proof that we will see Him. Therefore, if we desire God’s presence, it is proof that He desires our presence too and He is already near. He is just waiting for us to invite Him in by faith.
Paul said that “the things that are seen are temporary, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” Therefore, I am grateful that my Lord is not subject to a cycle or routine like the sun. He can take a cloud and ride right into the middle of my midnight hour. He is everywhere, all the time. So I don’t have to wait for Him to finish shining in my brother’s life before He comes to shine in mine.
Brothers and sisters, we need to stop relying on the temporal to confirm the eternal. Romans 8:24 says, “For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?” The Word says “These signs shall follow them that believe,” not them that believe shall follow signs. When you embrace the truth that He is Emmanuel, “God with us,” you will take authority and command the sun to shine, the rain to pour, windows to open and doors to close. As children we grew up knowing the sun comes up every morning. Before we even knew one scripture, we were confident that His mercies are new every morning and His compassions fail not. We trusted in His great faithfulness before we ever heard the promise. Therefore, as children of God, we have also grown up spiritually and we’ve seen the consistency of God. And it is that same simple, child-like faith that we need to use to stand on His word that He will never leave us nor forsake us in our times of testing and trouble.

An Invitation to Intimacy

For God so loved the world
That He gave His Only Begotten Son
That Whosoever believeth in Him
should not perish but have everlasting Life
John 3:16

But God commendeth His love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us

Romans 8:8

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, ³⁹Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord

Romans 8:38-39

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
1 John 3:1

He is calling, will you answer?
Waiting, will you respond?
The door is Open
Prize is paid
Will you......
Say yes to HIM?
Enter!
For eternity sake
Listen for your salvation sake
Enter!
Into the Door of Intimacy

With the Greatest DAD,

The Father of all fathers

An invitation to Intimacy~

I MISS YOU!~ A Whisper from the Father

As I sat on my bed gazing at the window,
I felt the absence of my late dad
"Oh How I Miss You Dad!"
As I pondered over the short time
I spent with him
A voice.....
Heavenly yet still & small
Whispered to my tiny yet curious ears
"Oh How I Miss You Daughter!"
"Wait a minute! Did I just heard my dad?"
Whispered the Voice again
"I Miss You"

Then knew I t'was Him
The Father of all fathers
Longing for my presence
Yearning for my time
Oh how comforting and refreshing...
The Creator of the Universe calling me His own
"How can this be?"
Going to and fro
The Ups and the Downs
In the Hustle and Bustle of this Life
"How can I spend time with Him?"

Then heard I the Voice.....
Heavenly yet still & small
Whispering to my tiny yet curious ears...
"So busy!
So Consumed!
So Heavy Laden!
But I AM! Busy Daughter
I longed for your presence
I yearn for your time
Behold I stand at your door
Calling Day in
Knocking night out
Will you.....
Hear me enough to allow me a place in your chaotic life?
Come to Me!
Take my easy yoke upon you
Allow my light burden to simplify you
I Miss you"

IT IS NOT OVER UNTIL IT IS OVER!

In the game of football, when the final whistle hasn’t been blown, the losing team no matter the number of goal difference plays its best, striving to have a draw score. The aggressiveness and incredible display of strength by the scored-down team is out of sheer hope; the team believes, even, at the last minute, it can score equalizing goals and perhaps, defeat the winning team with additional goal. They are saying “It is not over until it is over!” I make a reference at this juncture to a football team in Africa that goes by the motto: ‘Never say die until the bones are rotten’. They believe even the bones can still have life once they are not rotten. However, this is not always the case for losing teams in a football match. Matter-of-factly, some losing teams, become hypnotized by the goal difference so much that, it affects how they play; their game certainly go into pieces, they become retarded out of sheer reluctance and hopelessness!

Most Christians are like the losing team that are hypnotized by the goal difference; once the opponent score them down, they become overwhelmed and throw in the towel. Some are even affected negatively with only the first goal that comes within few minutes into the game. The enemy has entangled us with so many challenges that have become thorns in our lives, and most of us have already given up at the first fight to shake those thorns off. One thing worthy of note though is that, once we give up, the thorns will pierce us deeper and deeper and cause more pain; at the end, what we will have is a big scar. If we fight on with our hope in God, strength in His word, and power of our prayers, by the grace, favour and faithfulness of God, the wounds will.
I become burdened when I see some Christians, giving up too easily and quickly on their race of the Christian life when God has something beautiful and wonderful for those who hold on fast and never give up till the end; it is written in the Word, ‘He makes all things beautiful in His time’ (Eccl 3:11). In our fight of faith, many of us lose the battle. The cares of the world becomes thorns in our lives and our seed bears no fruit(Matt 13:22). We give up on the good fight, fallen on the way, and we lose the crown(Rev 2:10), and this burdens my heart.

God has a purpose for each and every one of us, which we must all strive to get into. There are some who settle for the second rate when God has the original for us. We are too apprehensive and irritated by the length of time our blessings is taking to come, so much that we settle for the less or even give up completely. Our Lord Jesus could have given in, called down His heavenly army and fought back against the chief officers and Pharisees who wanted to take His life. He could have gained the earthly honour of conquering His foes, made Himself the King He was on earth here and had all the dignity and honour this world could give. But He knew His purpose, and that God had better things for Him, that even at the last point when He was overwhelmed with the suffering He had to go through, He fought on; He endured and prayed for more strength to get to the end of His battle. In the end, He had a heavenly crown of a King, was glorified at the right hand side of God and given all power both in Heaven and earth. It was only at the end of His work on the cross that He said, ‘It is finished!’ When God hasn’t said ‘I’m done’, don’t say, ‘It is finished’. Don’t call it done what God hasn’t completed.

God had promised Abraham to make of him a great nation and bless him(Gen 12:2). He had also promised he would give the land of Canaan to his seed. All these the Lord promised when Abraham had no child of his own. It took a while for these promises to come true, and Abraham went through twists and turns before the promise came to pass. God took him through a long process, molding him to fit what He wanted to give to him. The promise of a seed of his own to inherit the land of Canaan and make him a great nation was tarrying, and Abraham could have settled for the riches God gave him along the way(Gen 13:2), refused to obey God anymore and renounced the other promise, but he knew God wasn’t finished with him yet. It is only when he waited upon the Lord and sought His face in remembrance of His promise to him that his vision came to pass. Most of us, we are saying it is the end when God hasn’t finished with us yet. We think the situation is taking too long to effect a change and we have swayed from God and His promise to us to a place where we think it is ok for us. We are like clay, telling the potter in the middle of the molding, ‘that is enough; I like myself this way, I want to look this way, don’t mold me anymore’. Note worthily, a pot that is halfway molded will surely come to ruins; it is not over until it is over.

Hannah was a childless woman who earnestly wanted to see a change in her situation. She went to pray in the temple everyday, beseeching God for a child(ISam 1:10-11). She might have been doing this for weeks, months or probably years, but had such energy of hope. Descriptively, she had been praying everyday for this cause until she conceived. Another instance is Zechariah and Elizabeth’s quest for a child. The contemporary church lacks the spirit of perseverance and hope; we get baffled in our unpleasant situations and allow the situation to entangle us. We get coiled in a corner of despair and gloom that we miss out what God has for us. Sometimes, all we have to do is to say a word of prayer and the situation would be changed; Jesus said, ‘Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full’(Jn 16:24). In the gospel, Jesus makes known to us persistence and perseverance in our quest for God’s hand is what will open great doors for us(Luke 18:1-8). We must continue to seek the face of God and shake the heavens with our earnest and fervent prayers until God intervenes in our situation. We must be like Jacob who wrestled with and said to the angel of the Lord, ‘…I will not let thee go, except thou bless me’ (Gen 32:26).

Though the promises of God might take long to come, with hope, perseverance and faith, we need to hold on steadfastly unto God’s Word until we receive from Him; for whatever He had said, He would do, though it lingers(Hab 2:3). We must shake the gates of heavens with persistent earnest prayers until the problem is done with. Many of us need the spirit of Paul, who was pressing on toward the goal for a victorious crown(Ph 3:14;1Corin 9:25). When the final whistle hasn’t been blown, don’t throw in the towel; keep the fire of hope and perseverance burning brightly until you see light at the end of the tunnel. A good adage says, ‘It is those who strive on once the effort seem wasted who will win’. Fight the good fight with all thy might; Christ as your strength. Lay hold on life and it shall be your joy and crown eternally!

Psalm 42 (As the Deer)

As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So pants my soul for You, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?[b]
My tears have been my food day and night,
While they continually say to me,
“Where is your God?”
Psalm 42

As the deer panteth for the water so my soul longeth after Thee....
I feel like the Shulamite waking from a bad dream.
I know that things are not as they seem.
More of the world and less of You.
If this continues,
I don't know what I'd do.
Though I say I want to be where you are,
I can't help but notice where my heart,
Is not near but far
Away from your love, faintly searching for the patter of Your heart.

Oh Romeo, Oh Romeo.
Where for art thou Romeo?
The knight in shining armor who brings me fame.
Come rescue me once again
Before I naively profane Your name.
What is in a name?
A rose by any other name would smell as sweet
But by Your name, only, can I make demons fall to my feet.
Dear Jesus, let my heart skip up past adversity like hinds feet.
As I cry out to You like a sinking Pete,
Oh, I know You are near; close within arm's reach.
Without You my Love, I have no peace.
Without You my Love, I have no sleep.
My spirit is willing but my flesh is weak.
Diligently I will search, Your face I will seek.
Not resting, til I find myself at Your feet.
Like Ruth, snuggling her Kinsman Redeemer,
Father, grant the desires of this restless dreamer....

SET IT OFF-Unleashing the miraculous through the Spoken Word

Exodus 4:10-12 And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. 11 And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.

Moses was sent on overwhelming task of liberating the whole nation of Israel from their cruel oppression in Egypt. It was inevitable that he will have to stand before the Pharaoh to argue his case. Therefore, he needed to be a good speaker to present his argument. However, Moses was not a good speaker. He was slow of speech and slow tongue. He was a stammerer and also not fluent in his expression. He needed to be a good orator and a excellent communicator to be effective in fulfilling the assignment that God had called him. What he needed the most for such task was his obvious deficiency. Therefore, Moses complained of his inadequacy for the assignment. He will be considered a joke for speaking for God whiles yet stammering and fluttering in his communication.

It is surprising to note that even after the divine encounter and calling he was still left a stammerer and slow of speech.
Ex 4:10 And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
The encounter did not empower his obvious weakness. He was still stammering after he had been called. Though the assignment needed an effective orator, God left him a stammerer. How can such a visitation leave him such gullible? How can he say he is a messenger of the Lord yet cannot speak well? How can God send him yet not empower him with what he needed the most for the assignment?
When he complained of his inadequacy God rebuked him for questioning His judgment. God reminded Moses that He is the one that created the mouth of everyman. If God created the mouth then He can definitely empower him with eloquence or oratory if He deemed it necessary for the task. His failure to be empowered with oratory was not an oversight or inability on the side of God but a deliberate and determinate divine decision. God did not consider excellent speech as a necessity for the assignment though Moses assumed that such credible talent was a must for one who was going to speak for God. Instead of giving Moses a new mouth, or empowering him with the needed gifts of oratory, God decided to be with his mouth.

Ex 4:12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.

Though Moses was deficient in speech, God supplement that with His presence. His presence was the necessary factor to accomplish the task ahead. If he would liberate the Israelites from bondage and set them in the path to their promise, he needs the presence of God to be with his mouth. His credibility as a messenger of God was not his communication skills or his oratory but the presence of God. He was not sent to Egypt to mesmerize the people with wisdom or oratory skills but to liberate them from bondage. He therefore needed a divine influence on his utterance to fulfill this goal. Therefore as long as God was with his mouth, he was well equipped for the task.

What we need in this season are those ministers of God who have God with their “mouth”. A mouth that is excellent in eloquence yet lack the presence of God cannot liberate the people of God into their divine inheritance. We have increased in spiritual information with excellent rhetoric yet many believers are still bound in their “Egypt”. We organize revival meetings and parade good speakers who tickle our ears with biblical information but lack the demonstration of God’s because God is not with their mouth. We are pumped up with rhetoric, hyped with clichés, mesmerized with insightful words yet many believers still remain in their bondage. The divorce rate among believers is increasing, many believers are bound with lust and addictions, our morality stinks and yet we brag about our revelations and our oratory. Eloquence tickles our ears, oratory mesmerizes us yet it is only the anointing that destroys the yoke and removes the burden. If we will be liberated from the bondage of the enemy and ushered into our promised land we need speakers who might be deficient in their oratory skills yet strong in the demonstration of the power of God. We don’t need just good speakers but those who can break the yoke, lift the heavy burden by the power of the anointing and usher us into the promises of God. Our legitimacy as messengers of God is not our oratory skill but demonstration of the Spirit.

1Co 4:19 - 20 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

Mere words do not liberate people from bondage. You cannot convince the devil through a good debate to release his captives. He does not respect oratory but he fears the anointing. The church of God is not a theater for us to parade mere good speakers. Many believers are hurting, discouraged and disillusioned. They need the end-time Moses to come along with genuine divine manifestation. Let us not be impressed with oratory without power. Otherwise, we will be excited with religious information yet lack divine transformation. It is high time we lock ourselves in the presence of God until our mouths are touched with the coal of His presence then can we be His legitimate messengers. We will then speak and the people will bear witness not to our oratory but the manifested presence of the Lord.

Not Eliphaz but Boaz (Ladies in Waiting)

I don't need someone to kick me while I'm down like Eliphaz.
But when I'm goin through, can get a prayer through like Jabez.
I'm not playin peek a boo, hide n go seek or
Can you guess what's on his mind?

We need to stop chasing these boys
Make ourselves the best catch a man can find.
As always, we gather information and pray to our Father.
While the man hunts us, looks for us;
Using the Holy Spirit as the compass
To discover us.

Crouched down, busy, working with our hands,
Nurturing, praying, and warring with our hands.
Teaching the little children the Lord's commands.
Being the example of strength
That when we've done all we can do, we stand.
Stand therefore in holy adoration,
To the only One who can heal our nation.
If we would simply seek His face.
And stop being like the world, caught up in the rat race.
And recognize that our affections are misplaced.

So turn off reality TV and get into God’s reality,
That to have somebody anointed, we must remain busy,
About our Father’s business
Providing and serving.
Depending on our walk with God
Is the level of a mate we are deserving.
So God is not mocked
What you sow is what you reap.
Little time changed in God’s presence,
Yields a husband who is spiritually weak.
A lot of fellowship with God,
Means a giant-slaying husband that no devil can defeat.
As we delight ourselves in God,
He promises to grant us the desires of our heart.
But many of us forget to do our part.
It was while Ruth was on assignment,
That she captured a blessed man’s heart.
She was fighting off the grips of poverty
Pursuing the well being of her family.

So what is it that the Lord has told you to do?
Are you following exactly what He is telling you?
Me personally, no and I must repent.
Turn from my own agenda and relent.
Cast of the sins that so easily beset me.
Get busy with the ministry He has already given me.
And allow the Lord to use me and prepare me.
So that when my Boaz comes, I’ll be ready,
And fully grown into maturity,
To reign in heavenly places unspotted, unwrinkled royalty.

My BFF

Satan Tempts Jesus
“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. 3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” 5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘ He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘ In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’” 7 Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’” 8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”
10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’” 11 Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.” Luke 4:1-11 NKJV

The Lord reminded me of how passionate I am about situations that people go through, especially when I’ve been through the same circumstance before. And how Jesus has been tempted in every way, been through everything I could possibly go through and was without sin. He reiterated to me how passionate He is about my trials and tests, and how eager He is to help and save and protect me. Oh how He cares for me! It’s just too amazing to grasp how concerned and interested He is in my daily affairs! How He desires to know every detail of my life, even a splinter in my finger! David expresses his amazement in Psalm 139 which intricately lays out the depth of God’s love and concern for the tiniest details in our lives.

He waits on the other end of prayer like a compassionate best friend on the phone, anticipating every detail of my story, of my grief, of my sorrow, and all my bubbly joys. Oh how He rejoices with me on the other end as if it were Him. He is never jealous or trying to stifle my joy, but egging me on in anticipation of the outcome of my success in Him. So confident He is in Himself that He makes me think that I’m doing all this on my own. Then He patiently waits for me to stop and think and give Him the glory. He is the wind beneath my wings, the invisible energy radiating from the sun that gives me and everything around me life and vibrancy.

“12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. 14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:12-16 NKJV

This passage reveals that there is nothing hidden from the Lord, who is the Word. He knows my thoughts and my needs but He still enjoys communing with me in prayer. And when I’m going through, overwhelmed and in despair, He patiently listens with understanding; non-accusingly advises when I am in need. He knows when I am just venting but not looking for Him to fix anything with inaccurate assumptions. He knows all things and esp. all things about me. He is that friend that sticks closer than a brother. How baffling my human nature is because it is so easy for me to forget all this. Many times when things get rough, I run to another for consolation, attention, and direction when He is the first one that I should be running to since He knows me so well! Then after searching from person to person, I find myself bewildered, frustrated, and confused and mad that they don’t know me. Finally, I come to my senses and I am ashamed because I overlooked the One who is right there with me and knows me the best. He tenderly takes me in His arms and wraps me in His security blanket. I tell Him all my problems in addition to all the unnecessarily added frustration of going to man and not God. He quietly listens without interruption and guides me and leads me into the green pastures and beside still waters as He restores my soul because He is my Best Friend Forever.


*Photo care of SusanStockman.com

THE COST OF COMPROMISE: PART 2 FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN

The fear of the unknown and the inability to surrender all to God can cause us to compromise. An average young Christian woman hungry and desperate to be embraced found a guy friend who gave her a little attention. The guy asked her out and she accepted the proposal be in a relationship with him. Unknown to the girl, the guy’s only intention was to sexually relate to her not love. He vowed in his heart that he would do anything in his power to cause this girl to fall. But being a virgin and scared by what fornication could do to her, the girl refused. Enjoying the attention from the guy who sounded so promising, she decided to show some affection to the guy by kissing so the guy will not leave her. However being hypnotized by that little attention and fear of losing him caused the enemy to bombard to sleep with him to secure her attention. The guy was satisfied but she was in tears. That marked the beginning of a period of misery and bondage for her with no way out without the grace of God.

As a straight “A” student who pursued her education with a full scholarship lost it all; doing poorly in school due to problems that began to arise in her life: spiritually and psychologically. Her health was also threatened and she was bound by the enemy in such that she was now addicted to sexual immorality. And she began to imagine things she had no business imagining which got her into more trouble. Although, she loved God with all heart but not looking up to Jesus, the author and finisher of her faith for strength and attention but man released fear into her heart and she compromised.

Many are in the same position as this girl, ready to make the same mistake based on the deception of the enemy. Do not give in! Take these steps to avoid the painful cost of compromise. Flee from that situation that is constantly serving you with that plate of compromise as Joseph. It is better to lose your dignity than to lose your destiny (Genesis 39:10-12), the price is too costly! Jesus puts it this way, “if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life injured or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire (Mathew 18:8).

Wait upon the Lord by praying, worshipping, reading the word, and fasting. The more you walk in the spirit the more you become like Christ; in the presence of the Lord there is no sin. Our strength is renewed in His presence (Isaiah 40:31). We need also to embrace the logos (written word) and the rhema (spoken word )of God, believe in it and walk in obedience; disobedience can cause you to miss the path of righteousness (Josh 1:8; Mat 4:4). Also, consistently declaring positive things in our lives releases faith that challenges us to walk upright with God (Proverbs 18:20-21; Job 22:28).

If on the other hand you have already compromised, repent of you sin, confess your sins to God, submit yourself to leadership for restoration, and then follow these steps to keep you away from compromising in the future. “And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me…” (Judges 16:28)

The Cost of Compromise PART 1: Did Delilah steal my destiny or I sold it to her?

21But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house. Judges 16:21

Samson at the peak of his life was a judge of Israel and respected by all men. He was a leader glorified among his people. Samson, a man whose voice echoed through the land with all the dignity and victorious leadership skills was very careless about the way he conducted himself. He succumbed to the lust of his flesh and allowed himself to lay with a harlot (Judges 16:1) that is to say a prostitute. Samson now compromises his ethics and stands in righteousness because of the pressure of the lustful desires. Now Samson has lost his hair which was the source of his strength due to the pressures of his Delilah. The mighty warrior and a judge is now grinding in the prison house of the very enemy who was terrified by his presence. Brethren, what a price to pay for compromise! The mighty is fallen and has become the laughing stock in the eyes of his enemies
Unfortunately, there are a lot of Samsons in our churches and cities today who have also become the laughing stock of the world because they gratified their flesh and also gave in to the pressures of life around them These fallen heroes include our very own prayer warriors, worship leaders, pastors and apostles among others. As a result, they are bound by the enemy and he uses them to his pleasure. Once the vibrant soldier for the Lord and full of power, now a prisoner to the enemy. Compromise has cost many people their lives, marriage, ministry, business, family, etc. there is a cost for compromising and it is very expensive.

Do not be deceived by the enemy that God understands, and he knows what you are going through and he will forgive and that all is well. Yes God understands, and will forgive you but He expects faithfulness and commitment from us to Him. You will pay for that compromise – an amicable agreement between parties in controversy, to settle their differences by mutual concession.

One compromise leads to another and eventually causes the presence of God to depart from you. Samson started with the prostitute and then Delilah which led to his to loosing the glory of the Lord that was upon him. His compromise eventually rendered him powerless to defend his destiny and he broke his nazarite vow unto God. You might think a little lie is harmless, after all others do worst things, or a light kiss on the lips to show your affection to your boyfriend is “that bad”, moreover, watching a five minute pornographic movie will not hurt, at least you are not fornicating.

However, the truth is every borne fire starts off just little and escalates. Do not give way for the enemy to come in and cause you to sin. Do not fornicate to pay your bills because the enemy told you will be evicted and you credit will be messed up. Do not steal grocery due to fear of dying as a result of starvation, trust God as your Jehovah Jireh (your Provider) and allow Him to make provisions in every situation surrounding you.
Stand even as Joseph, Daniel and the three Hebrew men stood against compromise when confronted with the delightful “pottage” prepared by the enemy.

Mind Your Mind

Mind you Mind:
Dictating your experiences through the power of your thoughts

Mind your mind' is a phrase that I've started using a lot lately. I've come to realize the importance of a right thinking in influencing my daily attitude. Therefore, if I can mind my mind then I can control my attitude. Do you know your thoughts dictates your reaction towards any circumstance, which influences your attitude and your attitude affects your character? Therefore you are the product of your thoughts.

Proverbs 23:7 “ For as he thinks in his heart, so is he” (MKJV).

The bible indicates you are what you think. Your thought pattern or mindset determines what you will be. You will become what you habitually think. Therefore to change your future for the better you first have to change your thinking.

You actually determine what you want to experience in your life by your imagination. Your imagination draws the blue-print for your future experiences. Your actions always start as a thought. Therefore your experiences does not originate from your actions but from your thoughts. Therefore the Lord does not separate your imagination from your experience. He declares:

Matthew 5:28
But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

This means that when you look at a woman and have an imaginative desire about her, that desire has already taken place in your heart. The word lust in the above scriptural text is epithuméo in the Greek. It is made up of two Greek words "epi" meaning in and "thumeo" which means mind. Therefore epithuméo means in mind. Jesus therefore states what one has in mind towards a woman has already taken place. Jesus does not separate your thoughts from your experiences. Your tangible experiences are a product of your invisible thoughts. Good thoughts produce good experiences. The bible therefore admonishes us to think on good stuff.

Phil 4:8 (KJV)
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

You have the power to influence your future experiences for the better through your right thinking. It is high time you focus on minding your mind.

Therefore it is very important that we watch our thoughts.

TRANSPARENT YET NOT ASHAMED

When was the last time you admitted a sinful act either to yourself, God or your fellow man? Are you one of those who find it difficult to expose hidden sins for fear of being cast down? Many of us have exulted ourselves higher than we are in the sight of others, feigning extreme holiness, and we are anxious of the possible loss of our reputation should our sins be exposed. Fear of shame and pride has caused many of us to conceal our sins and most of us have become liars to ourselves, God and our fellow man. Well, do you realize what you are losing by concealing your sins for fear of shame? Let’s reason together….
In the book of Jonah, we realize a great deal of transparency on his part during the tempestuous wrought of the sea against the ship he was traveling with (Jonah 1:4-10). Jonah had fled from the presence of God, against inaction on his part concerning God’s commandment to him (chapt 1:1-3). Unconsciously, he had disregarded the omnipresence of God and went on board the ship, as if that would hide him from God’s presence. Apparently, God proved His omniscience to him and figured him out with a great storm against the ship he was using for his hiding escapades. The storm was fearsome, and the other crew members cried out for an escape. Lots were cast as to whose cause the storm raged against them and it fell on Jonah. It is embarrassing for a lot to fall on you, come to think of it, for a bad cause. It is more disgraceful to admit to have run away from your task, especially as one old as Jonah who could have been thought to be responsible enough. It is worse of an embarrassment to admit you fear God and simultaneously, expose your disobedience to Him.
Jonah could have denounced any connection with the raging sea, lied to the people and against God and saved himself any embarrassment the whole situation might have put him into. He could have thought of the possible dreadful things the crew members could have done to him for causing them such havoc and conceal the obvious, yet he had no fear of man concerning his transparency, save the benefit of such transparency in the sight of God. So not only did he admit being the cause of the perishing that was about to befall them, he also told them what he did. He confessed his faith and task, not because he feared the crew members, but he knew God had found him out and it was only his transparency that would cause Him to still the waters and save them from perishing. If he hadn’t been transparent enough, it is obvious they all would have perished. Nevertheless, not only did Jonah not perish even in the belly of the fish, his transparency gained him a second chance from God to make right what he did wrong (Chapt 3:1-4). Most Christians are concerned about our reputation in the eyes of the public and not God. We are refusing to reveal the skeletons of sins we are hiding in our cupboards, because it feels right and good that no one sees those ugly skeletons. In the sight of men, we are receiving all the praise and exultation, but at the corners of our room, where no one can see us, we are dying slowly with the strong odour of the skeletons of irresponsibility, lust, bitterness, anger, jealousy and inaction which are in the cupboard. We are thinking of what people will do and say when we expose our ugly sinful lives, but we are not thinking of the grace and mercies that will flow from the throne of God unto us at the exposure of such sins. We are therefore losing the second chance to grasp the opportunities God has for us and the blessings that comes with it. We should be like Jonah, whose transparency about his sins not only gained him the forgiveness of God, but another chance to source His grace and blessings through obedience.
Jonah, admitting his sins, cried out to God and praised Him for answering his prayers and saving him, even at the moment he was under punishment(in the belly of the fish) (2:2, 5-9). It was after this that God actually saved him from the belly of the fish. Jonah’s words of faith here can only mean he knew his transparency automatically qualifies him for God’s mercies and to move His hand in his situation to grant him salvation. Jonah reinforces this by saying ‘they that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy’ (2:8). Lying vanities here can be referred to those non-admitted sins we are deceitfully exulting and dignifying. Observing lying vanities here therefore means not calling sin by its name; In other words, he is saying those who call sin by its name (admit their sins) draw God’s mercies towards them. Many of us in the church are not calling sin by its name not only because of the anticipated shame, but because of sheer stubbornness. Sometimes, we feel embarrassed having to come before God again and again with the same confessions of the same sins; the odour stinks too much now and we know our transparency will shame us before God. Other times, we take the compassion and forgiving heart of God for granted. This anticipated shame and mockery of God causes ingrown pride which eventually makes us place a mark of normalcy on our sins, until we no more regard sin anymore. Yet, the Psalmist says ‘If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me’(Ps 66:18); he buttresses this with Psalm 32:5 where we notice God expects admittance and confession of sin. Notably, calling sin by its name makes it easy for us to overcome them. When we conceal sin, we give the enemy the power to accuse us before God(which accusation holds) and exert authority over us, but exposing them diffuses his power. We must really fear in times of evil if we are concealing sin within us(Ps 49:5) If we are observing lying vanities in this wise, then we are losing our own mercies. The bible says, ‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness’ (1Jn 1:9). If we call sin by its name, it means we are admitting our sins, and if we are admitting our sins, we are confessing them, and if we are confessing them, we can say to an appreciable level that we are repenting of them.
Extensively, Jonah’s confession of sin and faith, and the subsequent awesome work of God (calming the sea), caused the crew members to have the fear of and faith in God (Jon 1:15-16). Impliedly, our transparency concerning our sinful nature and faith can do more as to win souls for the Lord. Sometimes, we realize the best way to recommend God unto others is by our own testimony of past sinful nature and the grace and cleansing of God that accompanied our confession and repentance. In this instance, yes we are exposing our ugly past nature, yet we are not ashamed for we know God’s mercies can extend to others and snatch their souls from perishing. We realize the same thing about Apostle Paul who admitted and confessed boldly his past sinful nature of persecuting the church, and then his faith in Jesus and the gospel just to win souls for Christ (Acts 22:1-21; 26:9-23). Paul suffered many persecutions for exposing himself in this wise, yet he wasn’t ashamed or discouraged for he knew what the Lord had in store for him at the end; a victorious crown and glory (Php 3:14; 1Corin 9). Admitting our wrongs to each other also generates peace; here, instead of being peace-keepers we become peace-makers which grants us the benefit of being called the children of God(Matt 5:9). James pinpoints our healing is assured if we confess our sins to each other (5:16). He emphasizes this need once more in verses 8 and 9. It is only when we become transparent that the rays of God's light can penetrate within us and make us shine.
Knowing the prize we will obtain at the end of the day when we expose our sins, we will never trade our transparency for the lying vanities of reputation as in self-exultation and self-righteousness! Loosen yourself, repent, admit and confess those hidden sins to yourself, God and those you ought to, and experience a wonderful touch of God!

Threshing wheat by the winepress- Displaced from the place of greatness

I’ve always wondered what kept me for years from embracing my divine purpose and walking in my ordained calling. In retrospect, I recollect that I fell victim to various cultural handicaps, ethnic stereotypes, financial constraints, mental limitations and a whole bunch of factors that become the foundation of my legitimate excuses. These factors made the mandate of God overwhelming, and improbable crippling me with fear to even engage the assignment of my life. I felt safe to strive for something comfortable that was not in line with the call of God. It was not as challenging, and demanding. The fear of the divine mandate pressured me to engage in an assignment that was not my call. It is unfortunate the many are still falling victim to the same scenarios. We will rather succumb to our comfort than engage our fear to access the divine best reserved for us in our call. How many God ordained entrepreneurs short change their blessings by working nine to five somewhere? We have people with great mandates locked in humiliating assignments. We are not functioning in our optimum because we engage our potentials in the wrong assignment. Our fears have frozen us from even engaging our God ordained call. We are displaced into the wrong assignment by our fears. This was the scenario of Gideon called to be a deliverer of Israel. In the time when he was needed he was threshing wheat at the winepress. Israel was under the bondage of the Midianites and their tyranny terrorized Gideon that he was threshing wheat at the wine press.

And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. (Jdg 6:11)

The terror of the Midianite has displaced Gideon to thresh wheat at the winepress. The wheat was supposed to be threshed at the threshing floor but to hide from the Midianites he had to thresh at the winepress. Gideon was abusing the purpose of the winepress. The Deliverer of God was succumbed to fear living below his ordained privileges, confused about why he was not accessing the divine favor. He survived by threshing wheat but was no where near the status, blessing and authority God had ordained for him. He had not responded to his mandate hence was locked out of the divine provision of his life.
How many believers are facing the same scenario as Gideon threshing wheat at their winepress? We have great Apostles doing security somewhere. God ordained Entrepreneurs crippled with fear, living a beggarly lifestyle instead of pioneering great businesses. Until we have awakened to our divine destiny, we will not realize our privileged status in God. Our potential only functions in its optimum in the parameter of our call. We will access our divine blessings when we embrace our divine callings. Therefore there must be a paradigm shift from where we are to where God has ordained for us. Our greatness resides in the zone of our divine mandate. Therefore we must be awakened to this to respond to our call.

Your divine identity is not defined by the reality of your circumstances
God sparked a revolution in the life of Gideon when He sent an Angel to call Gideon a mighty man of valor at the place of his mediocrity. He was a terrified farmer who had not won any battle but God called him mighty a man of valor. His divine identity was not a label of his circumstance. It was a divine concept that was established before his present circumstance. For God’s concept to become his reality he must respond to his call. Therefore he was made aware of where he ought to be not where he was. He was not called a farmer but a mighty man of valor. There was nothing about him that remotely suggested that label. Therefore, Gideon felt he had to refuse a label that was not his reality. His circumstance was very different to what he was called. As he complained about his limitation and lack, he was told to respond to the calling with what he had. He could not procrastinate waiting for the right time, amassing the needed resources, depending on the right people but he was to respond to the call immediately. He complained about his deficiencies but he was urged to respond anyway.

And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? (Jdg 6:14)

Whatever he needed will be supplied as he responded to his call. The “ might” will be unleashed as he responded to the mandate. Gideon responded and was blessed to become a mighty deliverer.
I hope the Gideons of today will respond to their divine mandates. As we engage our divine destinies, our resources and potentials will be unlocked into greatness.

JUST DO IT!

All things originate with God, so even though sneakers aren’t made to give God glory, yet, Nike owes God billions of dollars for the slogan they stole from Him.

“And David said to his son Solomon, “Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God—my God—will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.” 1 Chronicles 28:20

I heard a Word this morning that really made me think about my attitude towards life. I’m always trying to hold onto things, save things, and keep things in perfect condition. It is hard for me to plan because I’ve moved around so much, my life and circumstances have changed so much that it is uncomfortable to let go. It is uncomfortable for me to get settled in anywhere because “What if I don’t use it? What if I give it or throw it away and I’ll need it later? What if I get settled in and comfortable and something happens where I have to pack everything up again?” Not knowing that thinking and worrying about tomorrow is robbing me of enjoying the blessings of my today. God says,

“'Enlarge the place of your tent,
And let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings
Do not spare;
Lengthen your cords,
And strengthen your stakes.
For you shall expand to the right and to the left.'” Isaiah 54:2,3

Then my mind says, “Okay, Lord but what if I make a mistake or what if I have to give it back? Is it really mine? Are you really referring to me??” Then, I realize that I have to enlarge the tent of my thinking first to fit the visions and the blessings that He has for me. And He gently says,

“He who observes the wind will not sow,
And he who regards the clouds will not reap.
As you do not know what is the way of the wind…
And in the evening do not withhold your hand;
For you do not know which will prosper.” Ecclesiastes 11:4,8

In other words, God says, “JUST DO IT!” Is there something God mentioned to you and you’ve been “praying about it” with endless excuses as to why your wisdom is more superior than His? Once Christ came into your life, your eternal life started at that very moment. How diligently we follow His lead determines the Abundance of the Life that we Live on Earth!!

“‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’
But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:9, 10

So I forget those things that are behind me and grab hold of those things that are ahead and I press, I press to launch out into the deep things of God. How about you?

Pray with me. Father, forgive me for being strange bedfellows with doubt and fear. Forgive me for looking down and not up at You, the Author and Finisher of my faith. I let go of past victories and failures, waiting for the new things You’ve promised me to spring forth. Thank You for reminding me to look to the hills to You and trust that You have me in the palm of Your hands. Therefore I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me. In Jesus’ name I ask these things. Amen.

Divine Utterance

I AM CALLED BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO

I am sitting on my bed right on course wondering what to do.
Watching the clock tick;
Pondering on what is next
How long Lord?
In the Valley, on my way to Canaan the Land of Milk and Honey;
My promised Land!
Oh how long Lord?
Frustration! Frustration! Frustration!
The Song of the day
Wondering what is God thinking at this time,
calling me yet disappeared into thin air or so I think.
Wait a minute, what is happening here?
"God is going to make you great!" exclaimed the preacher; I see you this and I see you that!
Spring is here, the sun is out; tis time to get out
Spring is here, the Son is here? still in the Valley, on my way to Canaan the Land of milk and honey or Am I?

How many of you are humming to the tune of this song?
You sense the call of God on your life yet frustrated not knowing what to do?
The passion and zeal so strong yet overwhelmed with the whole experience.
Out of Egypt yet not in Canaan
Now you feel burnt in the desert by the Scorching Sun, already out
Yet on your way, way to the Canaan your Promised Land;
Your Land of Milk and Honey?
Oh what is next?

Can you be honest enough to attest to this?
Answer me and I will get back to you

You are not condemned!

What do we do when someone falls into sin in our Churches? Do we relegate him to seat at the back pew as a punishment? Is the front pew holier than back pew? What do we do when our leaders are caught in immorality? DO we condemn them or help as a church restore? The president of a very big evangelical ministry fell into sin and the church executives allowed his exposure on television, impeached him, and forced him to resign. Not stopping there, they slammed the doors of the church in his face and left him on the streets just because they wanted to protect their reputation. Also another incident of such but different happened to three zealous college students in three different local ministries. Of a fact their girlfriends were impregnated as a result of fornication. The fruit of their hypocritical lifestyle expose them before the church and leaders. They were summoned by the Church board and were presented before the church, relieved of their duties and were kicked to seat at the back of the pew without a shot at restoration. One of the guys out of guilt and condemnation murdered his family and committed suicide. The other two guys are still struggling with their morality in the church. Also one of the girls left her parents house to live with her boyfriend, left her church to join her boyfriends’ denomination. This is the standard of how our churches deal with such situations but I wonder, how would our Lord Jesus Christ deal with this situation? Does he deal with it or does he deal with it at all? Should we use the standard that we use now in our churches against Paul who was once a persecutor of the church and very injurious to the saints, he would have never been an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. Also considering Peter; he denied the Lord not just once but thrice, Abraham who committed adultery with his wife’s maid and David took another man’s wife and murdered him to hide his sin. All these people would have been found guilty and thus warrant their expulsion from their assignment according to the standard of our church in our time.The pharisaic spirit has invaded the church with its traits of intolerance and condemnation. We will put out people by reason of defending denominational doctrine and integrity but will not go the extra mile to restore and reconcile the fallen back to the faith as they repent. The same leadership that passes judgment of condemnation is the same leadership that in close doors “anoints” the young ladies in the church with “oil from Jerusalem.” Due to carnality and hypocritical traits in our leadership, drunkenness, fornication, adultery, homosexuality, profanity, etc have been legalized and being practice among the leaders in the church. Not considering what they do, impudently they thump others when they are caught. To simplify further, I remember in a board executive meeting in my previous ministry, some of the leaders would come to the meeting under the influence of alcoholic beverage which caused them to act impatiently and use profanity most of the times. They were punctual to church every God given Sunday usually smelling like alcohol mixed with mint. But one interesting fact about them was their ability to quickly judge people, and with a “holier than thou” attitude, preach against sin in the church. How appalling! It is said to say that our leadership has descended down from the Mount of God and are certainly growing worse than the Pharisees who like to wash the outside of the barrel and leave the inside unclean. In the biblical narrative according John chapter eight, the woman was indeed caught in the very act of adultery, condemned by the Pharisees (religious leaders) ,was brought before Jesus for the final verdict and he releases her by saying “neither do I condemn you.” He did not allow them to condemn her. Why? Does he not hate sin? Is He not the one who preached about repentance? The Lord Jesus did not condemn the woman because in Him there is always another chance, “there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:1). Since the word condemnation literally means to impose justice so that there is no opportunity for another chance, bringing judgment to a particular situation whereby the person or people involved would not have the chance to redeem his or herself to have another chance in life. It did not reflect His nature as the “Redeemer” and “Savior” of humanity. Just as the potter made the marred pot into another vessel that seemed good to him (.Jeremiah 18:4 ), so does our God (The Greatest Potter) with those people who are marred. He is still in the business of restoration. Thus Let us rise to the divine standard and let the love of God which is shared abroad in our hearts lead us in all we do.