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!