A Powerless Roar!

1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”  Over the many years that I have served the Lord, I can't tell you how many times I've heard and quoted this scripture. Yet until this year have I truly understood the fullness of it's meaning. Have you ever wondered why the devil is "roaring", I started thinking about this and how angry the enemy is with the children of God. We are progressively tearing down the devils kingdom all in the name of Jesus, and yet there is absolutely nothing he can do to stop us! All but is left to do is to wastefully spend his time "roaring"!! Over a year ago a friend from church and I had been praying about starting a home Bible Study group. After a while of prayer the Lord led us into a direction that would give us the opportunity to start such a ministry that would later also become a ladies Bible Study group. I remember one night after Bible Study, we had a really great turn out and I was so encouraged and on fire about what the Lord was doing! Later that night after I went to bed I found myself face to face with Satan in my sleep, literally. I woke up and immediately felt the presence of anger in my midst. Yes, the devil was roaring mad in my bedroom that night walking around me, wishing he could get his grips on me but yet roaring even more that he couldn't. Even though I identified with this spirit, I was not afraid because I knew I was covered! I am covered by the blood of Jesus and while the devil can look at me face to face he still has no power to cause harm to me! I rebuked Satan and told him  he was wasting his time. I had a job to do and I would let nothing stop me, so I told Satan to get thee behind me in Jesus name and immediately he was gone! The next morning I called my friend up that I did the bible study with and said nothing about the dream or prayer meeting I had the night before. She proceeded to tell me she had a dream of her own the night before, and Satan came to her in her dream. He was looking at her through the window of her bedroom. She told me she wasn't sure why she had this dream or exactly what it meant. She told me she woke up and begin rebuking and praying for the spirit to leave and immediately it did! The Lord spoke to me confirming our dreams and what they meant. I told her that I had a similar encounter the night before and the Lord wanted us to know that although the devil was looking at us in our dreams and watching us, he NEVER touched us because we are covered and protected by His blood! Aren't you glad you serve a God that gives us dominion and power over our adversary! We do not have to be afraid of Satan, or his crafty lies and tactics to distract us from the Lord. Through Christ Jesus we are more than conquerors! We must continue doing what the Lord has called us to do, fearing nothing because the Lord is spiritually defending us along the way! After all......What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?  Romans 8:31

POWER IN THE WORD!

Let's Praise the Lord Today!

Psalm 150:1-6 Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD
Just as David fell upon his face many times, humbled and full of adoration for the Lord so should we. We should bow down before the Lord, surrendering our hearts and lives to Him completely. Making our mouths sing out as an instrument of praise to our Savior, Jesus Christ. "I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will show forth all thy marvelous works, I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High." (Psalm 9:1-2) Moses had a song of thankfulness in His heart for the Lord, "The Lord is my strength and song," Moses and the children sang, "and he is become my salvation... he is my God... and I will exalt him." Scripture tells us how David once cried out to God when he was delivered from his enemies and from the hand of Saul,"The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; the God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence. I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised." Psalm 100 explains that there is a God, who is real and who must be praised, we do this by making a joyful noise unto Him and serving Him throughout our days with gladness. "Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations." There are many blessings given to each of us from the Lord. His word tells us all good things come to those who love and serve the Lord. Let's thank Him for His goodness, and mercy. All our blessings come from Him, so let's sing a song of thankful praise to our Lord!

Living Fearless!

2 Timothy 1:7: "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
The Lord never promised that our time spent here on earth would be trouble free. In fact the Bible warnes us of perilous times near the coming of the Lord. I think we would all agree according to scripture that we are living in the last days. 2 Timothy 3:1 says, "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come." In Matthew 3 Jesus describes His return to the disciples. Matthew 24: 3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
Yet though these times are promised to come, the Lord is very direct in His word that we should fear nothing and pray about everything. The Lord promises time and time again to never leave us, that He will be our refuge and strength. He is our shield, our strong tower, our loving Father. These times may test our faith, but we are promised power, and authority over our circumstances and adversaries if we put our trust in Him. We are more than conqueror's through Christ Jesus! The Lord reminds us to let not our hearts be troubled with things of the world, but to keep our eyes and hearts on Him. "He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord'' (Psalm 112:7) So what really do we have to fear with the Lord on our side? "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind'' (2Timothy 1:7). The world may be filled with trouble and uncertainty, however... God is our only certain hope in time of trouble, our ever present help, His love is endless and never fails! We must live each day praising God and giving thanks for His grace and mercy. Keeping His word hidden in our hearts, and our minds focused on Him and His very soon coming!

TAMING THE TOUNGE THROUGH PRAYER

Have you ever had someone approach you with a comment that you felt was a deliberate attack? Most everyone has been in this situation at one time or another. Do you remember how you felt when that person walked away? Maybe angry, belittled, or possibly broken hearted. We know this is not of God, the Bible tells us the most controlling and powerful part of our body is the tongue. We are taught through the word to be humble and meek in our speech and in the way we treat others. With the tongue we use to sing praises and lift prayers to the Lord, that instrument can also be used to tear down, and disappoint. Now, let's not get the term "meek" confused with "weak". In fact.....it takes great strength and self control to say nothing rather than to rattle off hurtful words that I promise you will regret afterwards. It also means keeping composure in some of the most grueling and provoking circumstances. This is not always easy, in fact it can be quite difficult! Retaliate with love and understanding, think against what the enemy would have you to believe. I myself have been in situations in which I became angry and used my words to hurt back the person who hurt me. The counter reaction made me feel worse because I reacted in a way that was less than what the Lord had expected of me. Through years of experience with others and through my own mistakes and struggles, the Lord is steadily teaching me to be less and less quick to speak and more and more meek! James 1:19-21 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. 21Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.26If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. The dictionary defines the term bridle as a means to control or hold back; restrain; curb. The Greek terminology defines "meek" as mild mannered, gently and kind in attitude, opposite of anger or wrath. This is how the Lord expects us to bridle our tongues. Through the help of the Lord and strength through Him, He will help us do this successfully, leaving us with a right spirit and a clear conscience. 1 Timothy 1:5 But the aim of our instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. We will be held accountable and judged for the words we speak, and we must work out our own salvation. Back biters, whispers, accusers, liers, evil doers, they too will answer and be judged. Their works will not go unnoticed or unaccounted for either. Matthew 12:36But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 37For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. It is not our place to judge them while here on earth, it is our place to love them with a godly love to the best of our ability. Through scripture I have found it is best to separate yourselves from those who cause affliction and use evil ways to provoke you. It is possible to set yourself apart while still loving their souls enough to earnestly pray for them with a godly love.
Luke 21:36Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. Sometimes if we have been deeply hurt in the past we can become over sensitive to the motives of others. This too is a trick from the enemy, causing us to put up a guard between us and others from fear of being hurt again. The enemy would like nothing more than to make us feel isolated, unloved, worthless, and discouraged. How can we go about the Lord's business, building His kingdom or obtaining a healthy spiritual walk with that mind set? Prayer changes minds that are set to believe on things that aren't reality. Prayer is our weapon against the enemy, prayer protects our families, prayer changes perspective, prayer gives you joy and peace, prayer makes you a friend to many, prayer gives hope to the hopeless! Prayer tames the attitudes of others and the attitude we carry within. Remember David, even though he had commited such terrible sins, he was never to good to fall on his face before God and be accountable for his sins. David desired and knew he needed the Lord's help. Through his prayer to God he asked for change! Psalm 51:1Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. 2Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.3For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. 4Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. 10Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. We must see a need for change within us! THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN'T BE OVERCOME OR CHANGED THROUGH PRAYER, PRAYER CHANGES EVERYTHING!

WALKING WITH GOD!

In Romans 8 Paul illustrates the difference between walking in the spirit opposed to walking in the flesh. The term "walk" had a much more significant meaning than a person just walking. The term was used to describe a lifestyle. Walking in the flesh is merely identifying one living a sinful or worldly lifestyle. When we walk in the Spirit, we are than living a lifestyle that is centered around God and His infinite will. Galatians 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the SpiritRomans 8:6-8 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.What makes us a child of God? Through scripture I have come to believe that we must have a converted mind and spirit to become a child of God. Converting our sinful nature to a life of holiness and a Christ like manner. Now this does in no way apply that Christians are infallible or without fault. If this were the case there would be no need for a Savior. The truth is we do need a Savior, God alone can save us from ourselves. We are born with a fleshly or worldly nature, only through Christ can we resist the temptation on sin and live a righteous life. Romans 8:16-17 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.We are protected heirs of Christ, and we must know how to sustain or keep such an inheritance. The "Once saved, always saved" method of believing is not biblical. However, repenting daily and praying in the Spirit will help eliminate distractions that pollute our minds and spirits. Staying focused on God and our walk with Him will only bring peace and happiness to our lives. Remember, the mind is Satan's playground. 1Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. John 8:32, Jesus said, "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." The way you think widely depends upon your level of happiness, peace, freedom, victory and strength. Now there are times when God will allow certain obstacles to take place in our lives. These obstacles are not allowed to destroy us but to build us up in faith, confidence and wisdom. Proverbs 3:26 For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken. Even Paul prayed for the removal of a hindrance from his life, but God did not take away that burden away immediately. God wanted Paul to learn a valuable lesson first. Our walk with God should be a progressive process. There will be ups and downs, days when you feel you have taken a faithful leap of progression and other days when you feel you may have taken a few steps or even a mile backwards. The most important lesson to be obtained.....be determined to never give up, never quit the path you've been allowed to walk! Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

POWER & STRENGTH IN THE LORD!

"I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me." Philippians 4:13  What is the true meaning of this verse and what benefits can it bring to us if we remind ourselves of Gods' strength daily? The word of God is filled with encouragement that gives strength and power to all who believe and receive it! Satan fights against us by attacking our mind, but if one fills their mind with scriptures of God given hope, strength and power the devil is powerless in his efforts to make us feel inadequate and defeated. These thoughts and feelings are directly from the enemy to keep us bound and unable to be a productive vessel for the Lord. Paul was explaining in this passage that he knew God could change his circumstances. Often though, it is us that God desires to change rather than the circumstance. God wants to remove all doubt and fear from us, he does this by changing the way we think and react to situations in our lives. Molding us into His likeness, giving us confidence and teaching us to depend on Him for answers. Once we acknowledge Him all we do and through every circumstance we can have assured peace that the Lord will give us strength to see us through! We are totally inadequate by ourselves, but through the Lord we are made adequate enough to conquer and accomplish what we set out to do. John 15:4-5 “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me." 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing." The Lord empowers us to do His will and what ever purpose and plan He has for us to fulfill! I am so thankful for a life filled with victory, He is limitless and we are more than conquerors through Him! "No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us." Romans 8:37 NLT

HE IS RISEN AND ALIVE!

A man was walking down a street when he noticed in a store window a beautiful
painting of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. He stood there gazing at the picture for the longest than
realized that a little boy was standing beside him. He patted the little boy on the head and said, "Son, what
does that mean?" The little boy said, "Doncha know? That there man is Jesus, an' the woman that's crying
is His mother, an' them others is Roman soldiers. They killed Him." The man smiled and then started walking
away. In a few moments he heard someone running, turned and saw that it was the little boy. He came
running up to the man, out of breath, and said, "Mister, mister, I forgot to tell you that he didn't
stay dead."
2 Timothy 2:8, "Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according
to my gospel."

Isn't it awesome to know that our God is ALIVE! Death couldn't even conquer our Savior!

The Resurrection:

Mark 16
1When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. 2Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” 4But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. 6“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” 8Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid. 9When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. 10She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. 11When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it. 12Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. 13These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either. 14Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. 15He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” 19After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 20Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.
God's word makes it very clear the certainty of Jesus' resurrection. The angel was given a mission to roll the stone from the tomb not to let Christ out but this act was done to allow His followers in to see He was risen and alive. Jesus had told His desciples that He would die on the cross but would surely rise again. Even though the Lord had prepared them for this, they still didn't totally understand it until they witnessed this awesome confirmation. Remember they fled the tomb quickly, trembling and amazed!  1Timothy 4:10 "and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe." Jeremiah 10:10 But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation. Praise the Lord, aren't you too thankful to know the Lord, and know He is real and alive today! What a blessing it is to feel His prescence within us, leading and guiding us through our lives. His loving kindness never fails us and without Him we surely would be lost forever. But we shall inherit the most outstanding reward in the end, we will spend an eternity with Him in Heaven. Such greatness our future's hold in Him!

REMEMBERED AS A LIFE DEVOTED TO CHRIST!

A Woman Anoints Jesus with Perfume

MATTHEW 26:6-13 (NLT)
Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had leprosy. During supper, a woman came in with a beautiful jar of expensive perfume, and poured it over his head. The disciples were indignant when they saw this. "What a waste of money," they said. "She could have sold it for a fortune and given the money to the poor."
But Jesus replied, "Why berate her for doing such a good thing to me? You will always have the poor among you, but I will not be here with you much longer. She has poured this perfume on me to prepare my body for burial. I assure you, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman's deed will be talked about in her memory."
 Mary of Bethany demonstrated her understanding of what was about to take place with Jesus. She probably understood this better than the disciples themselves at that moment, after all they were offended by this wasteful act. In reality she was giving to him her most precious earthy valuable as her gift fit only for a King! In those days expensive perfume would cost approximately one years earnings. Jesus excepted her gift, her gift was set apart from others, distinguished, and done out of honor and love. Our good works towards others do not go unnoticed by Christ. In fact the good works we do through the love of Christ should set us apart in a way that exemplifies Christ like character and glorifies Him. Just as Jesus assuredly wanted this woman remembered for her good deed, so will we also be remembered for our deeds or works and the love and compassion we've shown to those around us! Titus 3:8-11 "This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profetable to men. But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned. 
Titus 2:11-14

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

THE HOUSE I'VE BUILT THROUGH HIM!

The home should provide more than a safe haven for the ones who reside with in it. It should provide living examples of true Christianity. The dwellers within our home are not perfect but we are blessed and striving daily to be more and more like Christ! It is a parents responsibility and honor to raise their children up in the will of the Lord! "Train a child up in the way he should go; and even when he is old he shall not depart from it."(Proverbs 22:6) Teaching them from an early age to talk to God about everything. One example of this I have incorporated into our daily routine, my older daughters are now driving and before either of them leave home we hold hands and pray God keeps them safe by placing a hedge of protection over them and gives them the strength to do His will in all they do. One of the difficulties of parenting is the reality that you can't protect your children from every harmful circumstance they may encounter. We have to put our trust in the one who controls all and know that He is our Provider and Protector, and He desires for us to put our trust in Him. He has never failed us nor forgotten us, scripture reminds us of this in Joshua 1:5 "There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." It's important that we teach children to rely on Christ and to put their trust in Him.  The most effective way for them to grasp the true importance and meaning of this is to lead by example. Praying and reading the word together as a family is very beneficial because it strengthens the family and creates a supernatural bond given by the Lord! 
Psalm 127:1 "Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain." 
 For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.”(Genesis 18:19)
"Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”(Matthew 18:19-20)
As a wife and mother, over the years I have worked fervently, taking on the holy task to build a house that would honor the Lord.  Laying a foundation that I have built within my children based on the solid truth of God's word. So my children will also become builders of their own homes, sowing seeds for generations to come!  God bless!

THE DIFFERENCE IN ME!

Just what privelages have we inherited as children of the most high, the king of kings, our Christ in majesty and ruler over our universe?  The Bible teaches that the wisdom of the Lord is far better than fine rubies or all the riches of this earth.  We have a uniqueness in Him, for we are called to be a peculiar people.  I want others to see and know the difference the Lord has made in me!
  "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;" (1 Peter 2:9). 
We must embrace the difference Jesus has made in each of our lives, because of this difference we are changed and made new.  Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."  I want to tell the world all that the Lord has done for me, His mercy and goodness is greater than anything I could ever hope for or imagine for myself.  I am not worthy but am eternally grateful for the Lord, He has given me attributes that represent Him, and I desire more than anything to spend my life pleasing and representing Him well.  "And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;" (Leviticus 10:10).  This difference was in no way intended to give us a haughty attitude but a difference in spirit that shows characteristics and likeness of God.  Sharing God's love to everyone in hope that they too will find the same truth and mercy in Him that we have found.  "And of some have compassion, making a difference: (Jude 1:22).  "But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth." Psalm 86:15  Forever be blessed and remember the One who is the provider of such blessings!  To Him we give all our praise and we worship Him with our whole heart all the days of our lives!  Psalm 30:12 "To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever."

KEEPING THE FAITH TO FINISH THE RACE!

"I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all." Ecclesiastes 9:11
  Ok....I have to admit when I seen this picture all I could think was "racers start you engines"!  It reminded me of how energized and driven with excitement we all are when we first become saved.  Don't you remember the excitement you felt when you first were baptised in His name, or the first time you received the holy ghost?  It's an overwhelming feeling of joy and peace that only comes from the Lord, and once you've received His spirit you want nothing more than to share it with the world.  Where once doubt and confusion layed you are filled with new hope, certainty and enlightened with a new planned path! You feel as though the only way to exclaim such fulfillment would be to shout it from a mountain top! It is imparative to our spiritual walk that we keep that momentum and drive along with a steady pace as the Lord directs us along our path!
  Well as I layed in bed tonight my mind kept pondering how and when the Lord inspired me to create "Women of Praise", and the many topics and devotions that we've endeavored over the past year.  At first I had created a blog where I could journal life with my kids and share photos with all my family and friends, great idea right!  Well the Lord spoke to me after creating this family photo blog, and told me I was to use my blog for Him!  My first response was there had to be a mistake, "me Lord"??? Surely I misinterpreted what the Lord had asked of me, who would want to read anything I wrote? Quickly the Lord reminded me this was not my blog but His, and my place in this was to be a willing and obedient vessel! "Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." Proverbs 16:3  The success has been completely dependant on the Lord, I have prayed much through this year for His guidance and annointing. He has faithfully revealed to me in scripture and in spirit what was to be written in this blog, and I am thankful to be used by Him. I had planned to blog again on the 27th of this month which will mark the one year anniversary of "Women of Praise", but the Lord lovingly impressed me to get out of bed and write tonight!  Over the course of a year we have induldged in a list of topics such as: grace, faith, hope, unfailing love, unmeasurable mercy, godly character and spiritual warfare to name a few.  This spiritual race is not ending but continuing on until we reach that finish line that lies ahead! I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 2 Timothy 4:7  It is so important that we finish the race the Lord has set before us, this race against time. This is not a time to give up, this is a time to encourage and be encouraged!  "So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you." Revelations 3:3  God never promised us our time here on earth would be easy, but He did promise an escape from our troubles through Him. "Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present your faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy" (Jude v 24). "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" (I Corinthians 15:3,4).  He will always deliver, and His promises are never broken. He has promised a life of eternity and blessings for His people, so hold on, be strong and keep the faith until we finish this race!  "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand"(Revelation 1:3).





 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

GREAT HOPE!

"My God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all I can ask or think."
Ephesians 3:20
When I was pregnant with my son I spent nearly three months of my pregnancy on complete bed rest. In fact I had already went into premature labor once and the hope was to delay the delivery of my baby until I was at least 36 weeks. Even though my time spent in bed seemed as though it would never end, I knew deep down that eventually this time would pass. Soon I would endeavor into the new welcoming of my beautiful and much prayed for son! The Bible tells us "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1
Many times we are faced with struggles in life that teaches us how to be more patient and understanding. God helps us to work through these situations with hope that there is an end to our circumstance or trial. For He is the only one who can change circumstances and deliver us from trials anyway! These times teach us to depend less on ourselves and more on Him. We learn the meaning of faith and what it means to be faithful. He is always faithful and on time, He is the way the truth and the light. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6
There is great hope in Him!

Just a little LOVE testimony!

Well it's Valentines Day, so I thought I would take time to testify about what the Lord's done for me! The Lord has been so faithful, and I can honestly say He has given me everything I prayed for in a husband! He is the man I plan to spend the rest of my life with, he is my best friend. He is a God fearing man, a man that respects, and prays with me. My husband loves me whole heartily, and I am very thankful for him. We have spent a little over ten years together, and I can honestly say I love him more and more with each passing day! God has truly given me my hearts desire, and the love we share together is greater than anything I could have ever imagined or hoped for. There is no doubt in my mind how much he loves me, my happiness is so important to him, he is considerate and sincere. He works incredibly hard for his family, he is such an awesome father to his children and would do anything to protect his family. Our four beautiful children complete our God given family! I do not deserve the goodness of the Lord or His blessings, but I am eternally grateful. I know that all my blessings come from Him, I pray we never stray from His will. With the Lord guiding our love and lives, we will conquer all! Although our marriage is not perfect, every relationship has it's issues that must be worked through. But if I were to lead my marriage by my own standards and expectations, our marriage and family would be destined for failure. The word clearly reveals great promise and rewards to those who diligently seek and serve Him. If we hold on to His promises and continue to acknowledge Him in all we do, the Lord will continue to bless the life we have built together! I am so thankful for the commitment, love and unity in our marriage!

I WILL SING OF YOUR MERCY FOREVER!

"I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever; With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations." PSALM 89:1
His love is everlasting, unchanging, and endures all things! In adversity He is our strength, our rock, He is our unshakable strong tower to cling to. His goodness does not waver, He does not favor one above another. He is just in all his glory and majesty! He is the giver of our hearts desires! Just as the blood was applied to the lintel of the doorposts, His protection still today leaves us completely covered! There is solid truth in His word that we can claim and surrender to. He will openly reward us with guaranteed promise and blessings! Renew yourself in Him today, for He is the light in the midst of darkness.
Lord, we pray you open our eyes so we may see more clearly your ways, open our ears so we can hear you speak more clearly. Give us the strength to endure, the faith to trust you, and peace that passes all understanding. Help us to work diligently, keeping busy with work that edifies and builds your kingdom, help us to worry for nothing, and praise you for everything! In Jesus name, Amen!

LORD, HELP ME TO ENCOURAGE RATHER THAN ENABLE!

Whatever God asks you to be, He enables you to be! ~Ann Ortlund
The dictionary defines the term enable as :to make able; give power, means, competence, or ability to; authorize. Through the will and power of God, He makes the impossible.......possible! Mark 10:27 But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible." If we are not careful we can become enablers to those around us. Too often we approach a person and their problem as a "problem solver", some thrive on this seemingly need of codependency for a feeling of self worth. The "I can save them if I fix their problem" approach will never work, this mentality will only make things worse. We are not saviors, Jesus Christ is the one and only Savior, He alone saves! It's hard sometimes drawing a line between being there for someone who is going through a difficult time or being the type of person who is enabling someone from taking responsibility for their own actions and behavior. The way we handle our relationships with others shows much about our walk with God. So how does God expect His people to help others with their problems? Romans 14:12-13 "So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause of fall in our brothers way." So back to the question, God expects His people to give truth to our brother and allow him to make his own decision. Whether or not one chooses to act on the truth he has been given is up to the individual! Sometimes we fear our loved one is incapable to work our their problems in the right way, so it is especially hard to let go. We must know our place with God, understanding that our value does not depend on what we attempt to do for others, but we are valued because of who He is and we are in Him! Ephesians 1:17-19 "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know that is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of His glory His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power." WE SHOULD NEVER GIVE ANYONE A FALSE SENSE OF HOPE OR SECURITY THROUGH OUR OWN WORDS OR VAIN SOLUTIONS TO THEIR PROBLEMS. WE SHOULD GUIDE THEM THROUGH SCRIPTURES SO THEY MAY FIND THE ANSWERS THEY ARE SEEKING THROUGH THE TRUTH IN HIS HOLY WORD! We should pray for spiritual wisdom so we can lend help through Scripture, we must spend time in intercessory prayer for our friend or loved one, fasting during a time of need gives added strength and encouragement as well! Being a loving friend who listens and encourages is far more beneficial than one who enables one to change on their own. We can be such a great witness for the Lord by exemplifying our dependence on Him. God comes to those and works miracles for all who seek Him!

HONESTY AND AN ATTITUDE OF PEACE WILL BE OF GREAT REWARD IN THE END!

“Integrity is telling myself the truth. And honesty is telling the truth to other people.”~Spenser Johnson
The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines the term honesty as; a : fairness and straightforwardness of conduct b : adherence to the facts : sincerity
So what keeps a person from revealing their conduct or character honestly? Many times it's the humiliation of sin that causes a person to disclose certain aspects of their character, perhaps it is from fear of condemnation or rejection from others. The Bible speaks of humility as an humbling experience; "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves "(Philippians 2:3). God knows our faults and there is nothing we can do to hide ourselves from Him, He also reminds us in scripture whatsoever we do in secret He will bring out into the open. When there is contention caused by someone wronging us through their words or actions, one can be more accepting of that person and maintain an amount of respect for a person that was willing to admit their faults and level with you honestly. Being a christian is not a road occupied by people who walk in perfection without mistakes, this is a skewed mentality. Hopefully as Christians we can honestly and boldly go before the Lord with an open heart and mind and privately confess our sins before God asking for His forgiveness. The Bible tells us repentance is necessary for forgiveness, but it is imperative that we also seek the Lord's help in the area's we fail. We must be honest with ourselves and those around us. If we have done wrong toward our brother or sister in the Lord, we have a responsibility to go to that person and honestly level with them your feelings. Sometimes we sweep our issues under the rug per say to avoid confrontation, this only causes the issues to build and inevitable there will be an explosion. That was why the Lord instructed us to go to whom ever we have offended and confess our wrong and ask them to forgive us. One of the hardest things to except from a person is dishonesty. Dishonesty destroys credibility, respect, trust, which destroys relationships and places a wall between us and God! Making deceitful vein excuses out of selfish or conceited ambition when wrong only causes war instead of peace! "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you"(Ephesians 4:31-32). HONESTY AND AN ATTITUDE OF PEACE WILL BE OF GREAT REWARD IN THE END! "Although I am less than the least of all of God’s people, this grace was given to me: to preach to the gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ "(Ephesians 3:8). "I am not in the least inferior to the "super-apostles," even though I am nothing "(2 Corinthians 12:11). My Pastor tells us when we mess up we should fess up, we must take responsibility for our own actions and discontinue the blame game on circumstances or other people. When we are wrong we should admit it. The mistakes we make do not necessarily define us, what defines us is how we handle ourselves when we make our mistakes. This show of character is what we will be remembered for. Showing godly attributes of our character that involves, humility, honesty, and a repented heart will only strengthen our relationship with God and the relationships we have with others. This creates mutual peace and understanding between God's people! I am a christian- one who professes belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ! Although, I am not perfect nor will I ever be, I will always strife to do my best and to be like Christ!
Always keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked. – 1 Timothy 1:19 NLT
Good people are guided by their honesty; treacherous people are destroyed by their dishonesty. – Proverbs 11:3 NLT

LET'S MAKE THE DEVIL MAD!

"Be sober, be watchful: your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (I Pet. 5:8)
We should never compromise our time with the devil. Our time is valuable and should be used wisely. James 4:14 "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." We make the devil angry when we spend our time fulfilling the Lord's purpose for us, we do this by building the Lord's heavenly kingdom! When we build God's kingdom we are in return tearing down the enemy's. We read in 2 Tim. 4:18 "At the end of our earthly sojourn, we will have cause for great joy if Satan loses in his quest for our soul and heaven becomes our eternal abode." We defeat the devil every time we take authority over our lives through the power of the Holy Ghost! "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life . . . And they overcame him because of the blood of the lamb . . . Blessed are they that wash their robes, that they may have the right to come to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city" (Rev. 2:10; 12:11; 22:14) This is a promise from the Lord giving to His children!
Our lives and households should be built upon the commandments and principles of God! Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it" (Psa. 127:1) We will be blessed with the fruit of our labor! My children are the fruit of my labor, and the Lord has been faithful! One of my greatest blessings from the Lord, has been my ability to raise my children in His will. Putting God first and all else behind me has produced holy God fearing children who love the Lord with all their hearts, not to mention protection from anything wicked that seeked out to devour them! Praise the Lord, there are great benefits that come from serving the Lord! I know as long as they never stray from the Lord, the devil can't seize and opportunity to destroy them. Although I am not perfect, I will never quit striving for perfection in my walk with God! It is imperative we take authority over our house holds and refuse the devil an inch of room to dwell within it. Worldly views and standards will never measure up to the Lord's. A life with out God will only produce confusion, troubled hearts and minds, spirits of wickedness, and contention. No one finds comfort nor a resting place from trouble while not serving the Lord."O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together" (Psa. 34:3).
The more we do for the Lord, the more the devil will rage against us, doing what ever he can to hinder, discourage or tear us down, and yes he will use anyone who will allow him to carry out his empty, and powerless plans against a child of God. Again comes promise from the Lord; Job 5:12 "He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise." The devil is powerless to a saint of God, His word sheds light in darkness, and gives us divine direction and descernment. If satan is really coming at you from every end, you should rejoice, because you are filling your days with ways that acknowledge and please the Lord!"Walking Worthily of the Lord to Please Him in all Respects"(Col. 1:10a) There is no greater accomplishment than witnessing a soul being saved! What a blessing to know you encouraged that soul and contributed to them knowing the Lord so they may reap an abundance of grace and an eternity with the Lord!

BE AN ENCOURAGEMENT!

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Romans 15:4

As Christians we have a duty to encourage the saints of God,in many ways we are responsible one for another. While being and encouragement and lifting one another up we are giving glory and honor to God. We are more likely to leave an impact on someones life by showing them compassion, acceptance and love rather than belitteling them or making them feel unworthy of His prescence. This is a dangerous place to be in. The Bible tells us to "let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen".(Ephesians 4:29) As quickly as you can encourage, you can discourage someone in their walk with God. It is important that we not take this lightly. I believe God wants us to use wisdom when we speak, meaning your opinion is not always necessary to state. "Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification" (Romans 14:19). If an opinion is offensive or causes a spirit of strife of conflict them we should hold our tongue. Some times if we have an out spoken personality and we are known for voicing our opinions, we can use this as an excuse to disregard sensitivity of others feelings. Remember the Bible tells us if we offend a child of His, He would rather we have a mill stone tied around our necks and be cast into the sea! Well I think we are all aware of the size of a mill stone. This scripture reaffirms to me how strongly the Lord feels when a child of His is offended by another. One of the greatest attributes of a Christian is knowing when to speak and when not to speak! This takes constant prayer and binding of the tongue. "The tongue has the power of life and death" (Proverbs 18:21). I want to go before the Lord knowing that I have not knowingly set out to offend my brother with my words, but to lift and encourage my brother in their time of need. Our words are a testimony of the change God has made within us! Showing all the difference the Lord has made within us and being thankful for that great change; "be conformed to the likeness of his Son" (Romans 8:29). We should surround ourselves with godly company, because this could only benefit us and our walk with God! Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:25). We should be encouraged by those that serve the Lord, and live by His ways. We should avoid those who stir up strife and who live a life of rebellion seeking after their own ways instead of the ways of God. I have learned this can be very dangerous for a Christan, we must separate ourselves from the world. We should love the lost with the love of Christ, we should not conform to their ways but encourage them to conform to His ways! There is a saying that I live by and have found to be very true, "you are as good as the company you keep". Most people tend to develop relationships based on their common interest. If you spend the majority of your time with a person who likes to gossip and is known for their gossiping nature, more than likely people will assume you must have the same gossiping spirit as the friend you spend so much time associating with. We must be careful that we surround ourselves with loving friends who bring out the best in us and in return we should seek to bring out the best in them! We must preserve a reputation of godliness, because we will be judged according to how we represent the Lord. The Lord has called us out amoung the world to give light through His word to all who are lost and in darkness! Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if any-thing is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things (Philippians 4:8).

Let us pray throughout our days for an attitude that is pleasing to God and a blessing to those around us!

THANK YOU LORD FOR BEING A FAITHFUL HEALER!

Hebrews 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."
I am so thankful for the Lord and all his goodness and mercy. My son has been sick for the past few days with fever and a severe cough. He has been using an inhaler or ventilator to help him breath because the smallest cold seems to cause him severe wheezing and bronchial trouble. So like most Christian mom's I have spent the last few days in constant prayer over my little one. Well, tonight has been extremely difficult and as I was giving him the breathing treatment, Tylenol, saline for the nose, Baby Vapor Rub on the chest, I found myself in desperate need for reinforcement! I know who to call on when I'm in trouble or in need! As I started praying over my baby I was reminded of Mark 10:16 when Jesus took the little children in His arms and laid His hands on them and blessed them. So I did like Jesus did and laid my hand upon my baby and asked Jesus to wrap my baby in His arms and touch Him with His hand and heal my baby tonight! After just a few minutes into prayer I felt sickness lift from him, as I was praying I could actually envision it as if my eyes were open and I was seeing if lift off his little body and leave him. The presence of God filled the room and His spirit fell upon me and my child. “Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you” (Acts 1:8). “...Like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). When I opened my eyes and looked down at my beautiful baby and there he is just sleeping peacefully! God gave my inconsolable baby who was in a great deal of pain and discomfort rest and healed him instantly while his mother prayed for him. Not because of who his mother is, but because of what HE is! Jesus is my healer, comforter, peace in a storm, my refuge and strength, He is my love, my everything!
Lord,
I am so thankful to know you, and of your goodness and mercy! I love you because you first loved me! I am so thankful for the gift you've given me in my little William, and I am thankful you took him tonight in your loving arms and laid your hand upon him. Thank you in advance for the continued healing you are doing throughout his little body! I love you and please Lord help me to never forget tonight and what can be accomplished through you, hallelujah! In Jesus name, Amen!