Christians Arguing Over Halloween :(

I recently participated in a conversation on FB about whether or not Christians should celebrate Halloween. After much prayer, research of the origins of Halloween, research of what it means today to witches and pagan, and most of all confirmation from God's Word, my husband and I decided that we would not have our family participate in the celebration of Halloween. This is our choice. (For more on the research I've done on Halloween and what I have to say about the question, 'Should Christians celebrate Halloween?' follow this link http://consecratedtohim.blogspot.com/2009/10/should-christians-celebrate-halloween.html . Here are also some conversations on the subject from WeUsed2bu Ministries - http://www.weusedtobeyou.com/category/common-subjects/halloween/)

The debate on FB got offensive. I saw other Christians verbally attack and insult one another because they had different view points on whether we as believers should celebrate Halloween. At one point one honest sister shared that she questioned if her Christian friends and even the ministry that posted the original comment were truly Christians. This broke my heart. The founder of the ministry that posted the thread is a beautiful woman of God. She loves the young women she ministers to and has a sincere love for our Savior Jesus Christ. Her ministry helps many young women all over the world and is a light in the darkness of cyberspace.

I just felt the need after seeing this series of posts last night to encourage and challenge you to, whether or not you choose to celebrate Halloween, when someone asks you why you do or don't be ready to tell them, BUT do it in a gentle and respectful way.” (1 Peter 3:15) This is the instruction the Spirit of God has given us through the apostle Peter. We are not supposed to get involved in foolish arguments that just provoke fights amongst us. Don't argue with your Christian brothers and sisters who have different views about non-salvation issues. Don't try to be the Holy Spirit in peoples lives. Share your perspective, listen to their perspective and then if you don't agree, it's ok to agree to disagree, move on from the conversation before contention arises and someone gets offended.

I know that in our hearts when we share why we believe the way we do we want others to see the Truth that God has revealed to us, but when we share our revelations aggressively and disrespectfully we do not win the person over. We cause the other person to feel attacked and judged because they don't believe the same way that we do. The Truth of the matter is that God's Word clearly says,

“All things are legitimate [permissible--and we are free to do anything we please], but not all things are helpful (expedient, profitable, and wholesome). All things are legitimate, but not all things are constructive [to character] and edifying [to spiritual life].” - 1 Corinthians 10:23.

Each of has to pray and seek God in His Word about whether or not HE would have us participate in the celebration of Halloween. It is His Spirit that leads us into all Truth. We have His Word that is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

We can not force our views on each other. We can only share what the Spirit of God has shown us in a gentle and respectful way. It is not our job to reveal Truth, that is the Holy Spirit's job. Are job is to love one another no matter what. Are we loving one another when we think less of each because we do or don't celebrate Halloween?

“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” - John 13:34-35

Sand Paper People Test

A while back I wrote a posting called Sand Paper People. It was about those abrasive people that God uses in our lives to smooth out our rough edges. He does this by showing us through our reactions to them some of our own attitudes, thoughts, and issues of the heart that we need to allow the Holy Spirit to work on. I now call this testing ‘The Sand Paper People Test’. Lol..

The ‘Sand Paper People Test’ is meant to build godly character in us. (James 1:2-4) This test of dealing with people who are rude, arrogant, insensitive, negative, religious, self-righteous, or just straight foolish is meant to humble us and help produce the fruits of patience, self-control, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness; which then results in the fruit of joy, peace, and love. (Galatians 5:22-23) Recently the Lord has been showing me in His Word very specifically how to deal with people who say hurtful, inconsiderate, or foolish things. Here is what I have learned:

Make sure your dressed for the occasion.

“Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you MUST clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. ABOVE ALL, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.” Colossians 3:12-14 (NLT)

We should always clothe ourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. However, when you know in advance that you are going to be around Sand Paper People you need to be sure that you do not leave your house without being prayed up with a humble heart ready to be patient and merciful, willing to overlook other’s faults. Above all ask God to give you a special love for these individuals, because it is love that covers a multitude of sins. (Ephesians 4:2, 1 Peter 4:8)

Remember that God is working things out in both theirs and our lives.

God has a plan and purpose for everything in our life. He causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. (Romans 8:28) If He is allowing us to go through this testing of our patience and self-control by dealing with sand paper people, then it’s because He wants to teach us to love people in spite of their foolishness. He is teaching us about humility and meekness. This testing equips us for the new level in Christ that He wants to promote us to.

He is also trying to reach out to the other person. If the person is an unbeliever, we know that it is not God’s will for them to perish, so surely He has us there to show them the love Christ. If we are patient with them and make allowances for their faults they will see this, even if they don’t say it. Then one day they may decide to ask about our Christian hope, which we should be ready to explain in a gentle and respectful way. Even if they don’t receive what we have to say our godly lives will speak to them. They will be won over by observing our pure and reverent lives. (1 Peter 3:2, 3:15-16)

Now if the other person is a believer too then we must remember that we are all at different places in our walk with Christ. Philippians 1:6 is the scripture that the Lord reminds me of when the sand paper person is a Christian, “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” We must remind ourselves that just like He is not done with us, He is not done with them either.

Be led by the Holy Spirit and allow Him to control your tongue

We must allow the Holy Spirit to control our tongue, especially when we are around people who become the tool in the hands of the enemy to provoke foolish talks or arguments. (James 1:26) I like what Proverbs 26:4-5 says,

“Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools, or you will become as foolish as they are. Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools, or they will become wise in their own estimation.”

These verses show us that sometimes it is best not to respond to foolish arguments because then we are just adding to the foolishness. However, there will be times when we will have to respond and correct in order to stop the foolishness. In either case this proverb is showing that we need to stop the spread of foolishness. One must use wisdom to know the difference and be led by the Spirit of God as to when we should respond and when we should be quiet. You will know when you are not being led by the Spirit when you are reacting hostile, quarreling, and having outbursts of anger. These are not of the Spirit, they are of our own sinful nature. (Galatians 5:19)

God knows that there will be times when the foolishness becomes too much and we want to vent our anger, especially when the person insults us or someone we love. The Lord led me to these scriptures which spoke right to my heart.

Proverbs 29:11 “Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back”

Proverbs 19:11 “Sensible people control their temper, they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.”

1 Peter 2:23 Speaking of Jesus, “He did not retaliate when He was insulted, nor threaten revenge when He suffered. He left His case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.” - This one is my favorite!

Suffering for good

"But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you. For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in His steps.” 1 Peter 2:20-21

Our Lord is pleased when we suffer for good. Being long suffering, patient, kind, and forgiving to those that have wronged and continue to wrong us a Christ like character that honors God. The ‘Sand Paper People Test’ is good for us because if we endure this testing we will be learning to love like Christ. He is our example to follow. So let us not get tired of doing what is good. At just right the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. This is just a refining test to help us grow in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 6:9)

Beware Of The Religious Spirit

Matthew 9:9-13 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him.

Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?”

When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” (Matthew 9:9-13)

Brother and sisters do you know that you are sinner? As long as we are living in these sin craving bodies and on this sin infested earth we will be sinners. That is why we need Jesus every day. You are probably saying I know this Lisa, this is nothing new to me. But do you really know this? We must realize that although we have changed certain things in our lives and left addictions, habits, attitudes, or whatever vices behind none of us is without sin. None of us have arrived at place of perfection or are sinless. If we think we are standing strong, we must be careful not to fall. This is a dangerous place to be. (1 Corinthians 10:12)

In Matthew 9 the ‘religious’ people stood by and saw Jesus doing a work in disreputable sinners’ lives. He was spending time with them because they knew they were sinners and they needed Him. They didn’t deny who they were. Who they were and what they did made them realize that they needed the Savior more. Jesus called Matthew a known tax collector to be one of the disciples. Tax collectors were known for being greedy and taking more money than they were supposed to. Yet Jesus told Matthew to get up and leave the booth to follow Him.

The religious people were so caught up with their own sacrifices and rituals that they were not showing mercy to those that needed it most. Jesus told them, “I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices”. That same religious spirit exists today and we must beware of it. That spirit will try to creep into our hearts and make us think that we are so righteous and saved. It will bring a spirit of pride with it. Then the knowledge that we have about the Word will just make us feel important and religious, but it will not strengthen the church. Love is what strengthens. (1 Corinthians 8:1-3)

This spirit will cause us to look at other people and say, “I can’t believe they do this or that” or “I would never do that” or “They got what they deserved”.

Brothers and sisters..I pray that we have not become so ‘saved’ that we have allowed a religious and righteous spirit to creep in to our hearts. This will only push people away from receiving the Truth and we are in danger of falling and becoming one those that we criticize.

“Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18

When we see the Lord doing a work in disreputable sinners we should rejoice and ask the Lord how we can serve these individuals. We should not be behind their backs discussing their waywardness. Instead we should ask how can we help them. How can we build them up? How can we show them the love of Christ? This is what we are called to do. We are not to be like the religious Pharisees who thought themselves so great because they knew the Word. Brothers and sisters if we don’t truly love others we will gain nothing. Walk in love..

7 Years Ago Today

Seven years ago today my husband and I made a covenant before God and our closest loves one that we would cleave to one another and become one in holy matrimony. On May 25th, 2002 we decided that we would no longer half step in our relationship and continue to play house. We had been together for almost four years and had our first beautiful daughter together Iliana before we decided to truly commit our relationship to the Lord. When we finally did it was the best decision of both of our lives. Our relationship has been going through a divine transformation ever since.

“This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.” Matthew 19:5

This is both of our second marriages. He had two children from his first marriage and I had one. We have seen the terrible consequences that our previous divorces have had on all of our children, as well as us. It has become quite clear to us why our Lord hates divorce. We determined that by the power of the Holy Spirit we would never allow what God has joined together to be split apart. The generational curse of divorce will stop here, in Jesus name.

Over the past eleven years we have had many struggles and battles but by the grace of God we have proven to be more than conquerors through Christ Jesus who has become the foundation and cornerstone of our marriage. Seven years ago we asked the Lord to become Lord of our relationship. We committed our family to Him. From that day on our lives were changed forever.

Looking back just in these past eleven years I can see where the Lord has truly renewed our minds and helped us to better understand what marriage is about. Trust me when I say that our marriage is far from perfect, but it is perfect for us. We are perfect for each other.

I can share with you what we have learned so far. I pray that it will help someone in their marriage.

1) Learn to cleave to one another – Genesis 2:24 “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” We have learned to be united to one another and have left our parents to make our own family. Our family decisions are our own. Finding the resolution to our problems are done through prayer and communication together, in our own household. Too many times a couple will get married and they are still cleaved to their parents or other family members, instead of cleaving to one another. It’s like they married their spouse’s mom or dad too. The parents are always involved in their family decisions and business. If a marriage is going to be healthy we believe that it has to learn to grow up and stand on it’s own with Jesus has the main support system. Don’t get me wrong our family has helped us tremendously over the years and we still go to our parents for advice. However, we stand strong and independent from them. We have been led by the Holy Spirit to cleave to one another instead of running outside of our marriage for support. When one of us is weak the other is strong. When one is down the other will lift them up. We have truly become one.

2) Pray and read the Word together – We have learned that it is true that a family that prays together stays together. We pray together now more than we ever have. At the beginning of this year the Lord impressed on our hearts that we needed to be praying more as a family. Praying together has knit us even tighter and has helped us keep our perspective that Jesus is our family’s anchor. He is our source for direction, healing, provision, forgiveness, and love. We are also learning to read the Word more as family. During times of family reading we have received much confirmation and encouragement. Our children see that our counsel comes from the Word of God and they seem more determined to become doers of the Word.

3) Be long suffering and patient – We have to remember that the Lord is doing a work in all of us and it is a process. He deals with each of us differently and each of us receives differently. We have to learn to step back and allow the Holy Spirit to do His work in each of us. If we are always trying to jump in and do the Spirit’s job then we are just prolonging the process and we will find that we are spinning our tires and getting no where. Patience is truly a virtue. Sometimes it will be years before you will see a break through in certain areas of your spouse’s life that you have been praying and hoping for a change. Don’t be quick to throw in the towel because your breakthrough may be just another prayer a way. Keep praying and interceding on your spouses behalf. Pray for your own strength and allow this time to build your endurance. The Lord sees your tears and suffering. It helps me to consider how patient and long suffering the Lord has been with me. I think about how long it took me to listen and change and how during that season our Lord did not give up on me. Be determined to fight for your marriage no matter what. Don’t give up be longsuffering.

4) Don’t believe the lies – During the difficult and stormy seasons of marriage the enemy will come in like a flood and tell you all types of lies to try to tear apart your marriage. He will try to divide and conqueror you both. A house divided will not stand. You must draw closer to the Lord during these times. If you do not you will find yourself draw closer to other people, things, or places that will only serve to destroy your marriage. Rely on the truth of God’s Word and apply the Word to your life. This will truly set you free. Keep your eyes on Jesus (The Word) while you go through the storm and you will not drown. I promise!

5) Make time for each other – It’s important that you make time for one another without kids, family, or friends around. You need those intimate moments to keep the sparks going. Take this time to serve each other in ways you normally don’t. Put the other person first and let them know you appreciate everything they do. Hold hands and kiss. Try to make these private moments often. Gone on dates frequently, even if date night is curly up with dim lights, candles, popcorn, and a movie.

These are just the first five that came up in my heart. I would love to hear from you what has worked in your marriage. Also perhaps someone has a word of warning. Please share your do’s and don’ts. Comment below..

Share Each Other's Burdens

“Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2

Last week I wrote the posting ‘Do You Want To Be A Follower?' based on the scripture verse in Matthew 16:24. A comment came in from one of my blogging friends that ministered deep inside of me. He said, “The cross is heavy and I want to lay it down... being selfless is very difficult although I do my best. Thank you Lisa, for helping me carry it.”

I did not realize that I was helping my brother carry his cross, but I praised God immediately and gave Him glory for allowing me to edify and encourage my brother and anyone else who receives from Consecrated to Him. Then immediately the Spirit of the Lord reminded me that Jesus did not carry His cross alone, He had help too. Remember Simon from Cyrene? As Jesus was being led to be crucified they came across a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. That immediately encouraged me because I realized that our heavenly Father knows our needs and in His mercy and grace he puts people in our path when we are at our weakest point or in desperate need of relief to help us carry our cross. Praise God! He never leaves us alone without help. (Matthew 27:32)

The Spirit of the Lord has directed each of us to share each other’s burdens and in doing this we will be obeying the law of Christ. The law of Christ is that we love the Lord our God with all our heart, all our soul, our entire mind, and all our strength. Also, that we love our neighbor as our self. (Mark 12:29-31)

Sharing each other’s burdens is a selfless act of love and it shows that our faith is real. Carrying each other’s burdens is practically helping your brother and sister in their Christian walk and also caring for their needs. Here are some practical applications to help others carry their cross.

• Pray and intercede for them – We all need prayer and it is an encouragement to us when we know that others are going before the throne of God on our behalf. We can pray with our brothers and sisters, touching an agreeing on one accord. Then we should also go into to our prayer closets and lift them up to the Lord, thanking our Father for His faithfulness and provisions in their life, and asking Him how we can serve them in their time of need.

• Give of your time – I don’t know about you but my schedule is always full between my 5 children, ministry work, and caring for my home. However, we need to be good stewards of our time and ask the Lord to help give us wisdom and balance in this area. We have to willing to make sacrifices and lay down some of our leisure time to minister to the needs of others. Maybe it’s as elderly, sick, or handicapped person who needs help cleaning their house or just needs company. Perhaps it’s a single mother or married couple that need a break, offer to babysit. Maybe it’s volunteering in the children’s nursery at church for a season. Take time to listen to others. Sometimes when they respond “Everything’s good” it really isn’t. Take the time to care. Be sensitive to the Spirit in this area.

• Give of your resources – Resources is just your money, its you’re your stuff too. Take a look around your home. What is there too much of? Clothes, shoes, handbags, blankets, or sheets? Whatever it is share it with others. It’s ok to sell your stuff if you’re in need, but it’s even better when you just give it away. We have 5 children in our home and every time we have gotten pregnant we have always handed down all of our baby stuff between pregnancies to others who needed it more that our storage closest did. When the time came for the next child the Lord faithfully provided everything we needed and more. Whoever tries to hold what they have what little bit they have will be taken away. Whoever gives even more will be given back to them.

• Laugh or cry together – There is a time to laugh and time to cry. Be there for your brother or sister in either season. We all need someone to share these intimate moments with.

• Encourage one another – Lift up your brother and sisters with words of encourage. Be positive and speak words of life and power that will help them press forward in their walk. Let them know that they can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens them. Also let them know you are there to help them too. We need to know that we are not alone in our suffering or troubles.

• Edify one another – Speak the Word to one another. Sings praises together. Share your revelations and visions. Tell them what the Lord is doing in your life personally. Testify to them about God’s faithfulness in your life and see if they are not edified.

• Correct, warn, and exhort – Many people have allowed the world to put it in their minds that what others are going through is none of our business. This is a lie from the pits of hell. If you see your brother or sister going down a destructive path or about to make a bad decision you should speak up in love and warn them. Give constructive criticism and godly counsel. Help your brother or sister to stay on the narrow road that leads to life. We should be our brother’s and sister’s keeper.

Let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. (1 John 3:16-19)

May the Lord help us to think of others as better than ourselves. May we learn to truly love our brothers and sisters in the Lord. Let us be full of a desire and passion to serve them and to help them carry their cross especially when times get tough. We are all part of the same body and we need one another. Father unite us together just as You and Jesus are united with the Holy Spirit. In Jesus name…Amen.

Declaring My Love

I am not boasting when I say that I am truly blessed and highly favored of God. I know that I have found favor with God because our Lord has blessed me with my beautiful family. They motivate and encourage me. Each one of them is a wonderful gift from Him with a specific plan and purpose. I am grateful to our Lord for entrusting them to me and allowing me to be apart of His divine plan for their lives.

As I began to see all the Valentine’s Day promos I decided that I really needed to mediate more on love and the true meaning of it. Of course I began reading and studying 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.

“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”

The Holy Spirit immediately began to ever so lovingly show me the areas that I need to mature in so that I can better show love to those closest to me. I am now more than ever so determined to show my family the love that is spoken of in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.

I want to begin by making a public declaration of my love for them. So this is my Valentine’s Day card to you guys.

To my husband,

I’ve never told you this because I did not remember it. But the Lord reminded just last night one of my prayer request when I was at the school for really bad girls. I prayed for you. I prayed for a true husband that would love me with all of his heart. I prayed that he would put his family first and would be determined to succeed. I see now that you are that man.

I have never experienced such love before. You have showed me over and over again that our family is first. I have seen you make so many sacrifices to give us what we need. But the most prevalent sacrifice I have seen you make was on the day that you got baptized. Your public declaration of faith and service to Christ to me was also your public declaration of your love for us. To me I saw the old husband go down under the water and I see a new and improved priest rise up full of love and determination to make a difference in this world. In serving Him you have learned and are learning daily how to serve us. Thank you for laying down your life and your will to serve Christ Jesus and our family. This is the greatest sign of love. You make me proud to be your wife.

To my children,

I love you all so much. I don’t think that there are really words to describe it. Each one of you has been given to me as a special gift from our Lord to lovingly care for. From the first day that I knew you were being formed in my womb I knew that I had found favor in God’s eye because He entrusted his precious treasure to me. You are His treasure.
Everyday I pray and ask the Holy Spirit to make me the best mom that I can be for you. I go into God’s throne room asking that He would bless you and keep you safe all the days of your life. I ask Him to draw you close to Him and give you a desire to know Him personally. He has been faithful to answer my prayer. I see Him speaking to you and you are hearing His voice. What joy this brings me to see you acknowledge the Word of God. You make me proud to be your mother.

Each of your personalities is different and needed in our home. You bring flavor and laughter to my life. Even when you fight and argue sometimes I smile to myself (I said sometimes) and I say. “Lord these kids are driving me crazy.” But I love the craziness of our home. Thank you for being my kids.

I love you soooooo much.

Then last but not least. To the Lover of my Soul,

Although there will never be enough words to say how truly grateful I am to You let me try. Lord hear my heart. Thank you…thank you for loving me first. You never gave up on me even when I did not love you. You chased me down with love. Then other times you just sat back and waited for me to come home.

You have taught me the true meaning of love. You are Love. Only in knowing You and receiving your Love can anyone truly ever learn to love. Praise God..

Thank you for your blessings which are showered down on me. You have changed my heart. In fact I believe that you actually gave me a whole new one. This heart loves You and longs to serve You all the days of my life. That is my purpose. To be Your handmaiden. That is the only way that I can show You how much I love You. I give you my life and my will. Everything I am belongs to you. My gifts and talents are Yours to do with as you please. Accept this willing sacrifice Lord..My life here it is, I lay it down on your alter of love. Consume me with your fire and purify me.

Thank you Lord for your faithfulness in loving me, I love You…

A Perfect Marriage

A perfect marriage? Is there such a thing? No it’s impossible. An imperfect woman and an imperfect man who get married do not equal a perfect marriage. All too often we deceive ourselves into thinking that marriage is supposed to be easy and not so much work. We see these movies about love and living happily ever after, but life is so much more complicated than these fairytale love stories we see in the movies. The truth is that marriage is hard work. We have to choose daily to lovingly submit one to another. We have to learn to discuss life’s issues such as raising the children, financial responsibilities, work issues, ministry issues, and so much more; all while trying not to allow these conversations to turn into unnecessary arguments.

Anyone who has been married for quite some time will know that what I am saying is true and this is nothing new to them. My husband and I have been together for almost eleven years and I know that we will be together for eleven plus more. I trust that the Lord will continue the good work that He has started in our marriage until the day He returns to bring us home.

I just want to encourage you if you are in a difficult season in your marriage that you are not alone. There are many others that are going through the same thing. The enemy will inevitably attack out marriages. He is determined to tear families apart and hinder the work that the Lord is doing in our lives. He wants our children to be left broken and confused by the affects of divorce. The deceiver would have us believe that perhaps we would be happier without our other half. Don’t believe the lies.

We must stay encouraged and keep pressing forward no matter what lies the enemy brings to us. We mustn’t get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. The Lord is faithful to fulfill His promise to care for us and to help us when we are weak, we just have to enter into His presence and ask for help. He will not leave us or forsake us. He has to be the Source of our marriages’ strength. (Galatians 6:9)

My own marriage has been under attack since the day we made that covenant before God and said till death do us part. I am sure the enemy was heated that day. That was the day we became a tripled-braided cord. Ever since that beautiful day we have not been easily broken. The Holy Spirit has been that strong part of the cord that keeps us binded together. At times when we have felt like we just can’t go any further the Spirit of God reminds us that He has ordained this marriage for such a time as this. It was His purpose and plan that we be together and serve Him side by side. What God has joined together let no man separate. (Ecclesiastes 4:12, Mark 10:9)

Trust the Lord with your marriage. Give Him every concern, complaint, or burden that you are carrying. He wants you to cast all of your cares on Him. Pray together. Pray for one another. Pray as family. Don’t allow bitterness to root itself in your heart or it will hinder your love for your spouse. Listen to one another and remember that the two of you have become one so it’s ok that you are different. That was the point. You were made to compliment one another. Where one is weak the other will be strong. When one falls the other is there is to lift them up. When our Lord created our spouse He had us in mind.

So remember that when your marriage has to pass through the waters, God will be with you. When you have to walk through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire (and you will), you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. These are meant to perfect your marriage. (Isaiah 43:2)

A WeUsed2bu Woman's Testimony-Melissa's Story

Continued from "A Soul is Saved! Rejoice!"

A WeUsed2bu Woman's Testimony: Melissa's Story

My New Year's Resolution was for me to do whatever it took to be closer to God this year. The other day I went from searching different websites to being saved last night. For some reason God brought me to your website and gave me the strength to take me out of my comfort zone and contact you. I am so blessed that he did.

I am truly blessed and grateful for you (Lisa) walking up there with me and sharing that moment with me. I admire the both of you and what you guys are doing. I was raised in a Catholic home. Although, I never understood his word I always believed in God. He has truly been my Savior throughout the years.

At 18 my father shot and killed my mother and then pulled the gun on himself. At 19 I was in an abusive relationship with a drug addict. I was beat pretty much every other day. I used to cry to God and ask why was He putting me in this type of a situation when I had lost my parents? I felt hopeless. I went from having everything to losing everything, to losing everything including my dignity.

What I didn't realize is that I had him. God was always there. For some reason I had to go thru what I went thru to become the strong woman I am today. God didn't make my life easier He made me stronger! He gave me the strength to leave that relationship in the middle of the night with 2 bags to my name and never look back. It wasn't easy having no one to turn to but Him.

I went from living house to house and having my closet in the trunk of my car. I saved up enough money and purchased my first home at the age of 21. I worked all day and went to school every night. He gave me the strength to get up every morning and accomplish everything I have. I have everything because of Him. I am truly blessed that I had Him there every step of the way. He never left me. He was next to me the whole entire time. I could have strayed but He kept me moving forward.

With everything He has given me I hadn't thanked Him until yesterday. I know in my heart I was destined to meet you guys. I want to thank you so much Lisa for giving me that courage to walk up there last night and be saved and to finally say thank you from the bottom of my heart to God. For I have everything now. I am grateful that Jesus has brought you to me. If this website was to touch one woman, well then the job has been accomplished. Thank you so much ladies! I hope we stay in contact. Keep up the good work! May God bless the both of and your families.

Love Always,
Your new sister
Melissa

You Have Something To Say

Several weeks ago I was invited to share my story on a site called Power Up Love. Power Up Love is a site where real people are sharing real stories, about how Love has really impacted and changed their lives. I went ahead and shared my story with their readers last week. I am trusting God to bring the right people who need to read my story to their site. I know that it will help someone to know that they are not alone and that God is no respector of persons, what He has done for me He will do for them.

What about you? I know you have something to say. A God story. A praise report. A story of deliverance.

You have something to say that someone needs to hear. Don't be ashamed or afraid to share your story of how our Lord delivered you from whatever it is. I had been in and out of jail since I was a young teenager and eventaully ended up in prison because I was so rebellious and full of rage. I was on drugs, involved in gangs, rude, angry, selfish, a thief, and so many other ugly things. I am not happy about who I was, but I am no longer ashamed.

I am one of God's many trophies of grace. He saved me and cleaned me up. He washed away all of my sins and gave me a solid foundation to build my life on, Jesus Christ. Today I share my story without fear. I don't care what the religious Pharisees of today think or what the self-righteous Christian says. I live for Jesus, not for man.

We can not not allow the enemy to try to hold us back by making me us feel that we are worthless because of our past. We have to be sure and confident of who we are in Christ Jesus. I know that I have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb of God. If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, so have you. Our sins are at the bottom of the ocean to be remembered no more. We are no longer worthless and lost. We are children of the most High God saved to serve and help save the lost. We do this by sharing our stories.

I encourage you to not be afraid to share your testimony. Don't allow what you went through to be in vain. Allow our Lord to use these experiences to help others. We defeat the enemy by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony. We lay down our own lives when we share it with others. (Revelation 12:11)

You have something to say... Don't quench the Holy Spirit of God when He is directing you to speak to someone in love. This is not of yourself. It is not about you. It is about the person that needs to hear what God wants to say through you. Open your mouth, do not be afraid. The Lord will give you the Words to speak and when He does it will be annointed with His power to heal, deliver, and confirm. He will give you courage if you will only allow Him to have His way. Be his conduit.

Let It Roll Off Your Back

" An angry person starts fights; a hot-tempered person commits all types of sins.” Proverbs 29:22

I used to be full of anger, easily offended, and constantly fighting. Through the power of the Holy Spirit and the renewing of my mind with the Word of God over the years, I have conquered anger issues that used to control my moods and emotions. However, I find myself still getting bent out of shape over situations that I just can’t change or people who don’t change. Although I do not react the way I used to, I hate that I still get so angry.

Let me clarify, I don’t want you to get the wrong impression. I am not a time bomb waiting to go off. For the most part I am a pretty chill and easy going person. I’m the first to make excuses for others offenses, trying to see the best in them, and trying to see their point of view. I am also very long suffering and patient. I really don’t care if I am talked about or persecuted because I know that my Lord was too, so I don’t take it personal.

However, recently the enemy has attacked me where it hurts the most, with my family. I see my children facing situations that they don’t deserve. I see my loved ones being tempted and persecuted. My first reaction is anger. Then there is an internal battle between my old nature and my new nature. They war within me each wanting to resolve the situation in their own way. I wish I could say that all the time the new nature wins, but that would be a lie. Sometimes I quickly retort with words of anger, without even thinking.

“Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.” James 1:19-20

I have learned by experience that if I am lead by the emotion of anger I will only make matters worse. Instead of acting out foolishly I have learned and am still learning to give the situation to the Lord and I trust Him to have His way.

Through tears I pray for God’s mercy and grace. Then I sit back and I pray for those that hurt me or those I love. My prayer is always for God to have mercy on them, to help them, and draw them to Jesus. He gives me the power and the willingness to want to forgive them. Then I am full of peace as I trust Him to work it out for our good and for His glory. It is always so amazing to me that He turns my anger into sorrow and compassion for our offender. I KNOW that is a God thing for sure.

Anger is a natural emotion. We will get angry sometimes, but what matters is that when we are angry that we do not sin and that we do not go to bed with that anger still lurking inside of us.

“Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.” Ephesians 4:26-27

Recently my pastor taught on anger. The two things that still stand out in my mind that he said are, “Don’t be angry about the things you can’t change. You’re angry for no reason. And don’t get angry about the things you CAN change.”

When I heard him say this I chuckled to myself because is just makes so much sense to me. It’s so simple and yet so profound. It was an on time Word that I needed to hear. I am determined to apply these words of wisdom to my own life and would encourage you to do the same. We will avoid so much unnecessary drama if we do not react in anger but instead we learn to let things roll right off our backs.

Harboring anger will only lead to malice, wrath, bitterness, clamor, slander, resentment, and unforgivness. It will have a huge snowball affect in our lives and will hinder our relationship with God and others. If we sit and really think about it, it’s silly and pointless to get angry about things that we can’t change because what’s done is done. You can’t change it and getting angry isn’t going to help the situation. Getting angry will usually make the situation worse. We may say things that we don’t mean or we may do something that can’t be undone. Dealing with our problems in anger most certainly will have regrettable repercussions.


However, in some situations we have the power to change the problem. Rather than getting angry and adding to the problem we can make a difference and seek change. Instead of anger being our guiding emotion let us be inspired by the Holy Spirit and full of determination to transform our problems.

Anger is pointless. Let it roll of your back and don’t allow anything to steal your joy and peace.

From The Archives: Pray Much For Others

Our prayer life should not consist solely of seeking God on behalf our own needs. It is our responsibility to compassionately pray and intercede on behalf of the needs of others as well. Look at Paul’s instructions to Timothy regarding interceding for others.

“Here are my directions: Pray much for others; plead for God’s mercy upon them; give thanks for all He is going to do for them. Pray in this way for kings and all others who are in authority over us, or are in places of high responsibility, so that we can live in peace and quietness, spending our time in godly living and thinking much about the Lord. This is good and pleases God our Savior, for he longs for all to be saved and to understand this truth; That God is on one side and all the people on the other side, and Christ Jesus, himself man, is between them to bring them together, by giving his life for all mankind. ” (1 Timothy 2:1-6)

We are called to be intercessors praying for the salvation of the lost, for those in authority over us and in positions of great responsibility, and also for other Christians. (Ephesians 6:18) Our prayers guided by the Holy Spirit and full of faith will make a difference in the lives of others and in the world.

James 5:16-18 says, “The prayers of a righteous man has great power and wonderful results. Elijah was as completely human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for the next three and one half years! Then he prayed again, this time that it would rain, and down it poured and the grass turned green and the gardens began to grow again.” (1 Kings 17:1-7, 18:36-39)

The Lord wants to use us to intercede on behalf of others who have not yet come to know Him. Our prayer should be for God to have mercy on them and for those satanic blinders to be removed from their eyes so that they can see how much God truly loves them and wants to save them. We should pray for them to realize that they are sinners in need of a Savior and that God’s kindness to them has been meant to lead them to repentance.

It is in our best interest to pray for our president and our government. We want to be governed wisely and for God’s will to be done in our country. Praying for those directly in authority over us such as our managers, bosses, and owners is vital to the condition of our daily work environment. Your prayers for the company and its employees will help prosper everyone there spiritually and financially.

Someone right now needs us to stand in the gap for them. Maybe it’s our friend who lost faith, our boss who is going through a divorce and is losing their children, or our widowed landlady who is full of bitterness. Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to use us to intercede of behalf of whoever God puts on our heart.

Lord thank you for the privilege we have to come before you not only for our own needs but on behalf of the needs of others. Fill our hearts with compassion and confidence to pray for those around us and in authority over us. We know that our faith filled prayers will help change people’s lives now and forever. Thank you for the power of prayer. In Jesus name..Amen.

Day 2 WOC Treasures In Prison

Continued from Day 1 WOC Story of Champion


Day two was just as amazing as day 1. In the group of volunteers there were two other women who I had done time with in one of the jails, rehabs, or prisons. I can never really remember where but immediately there this excitement and bond. We were there together serving on one accord to give these girls hope that what God had done for us He would also do for them.

We were at Broward Correction Institution. This prison is very special to me because this where I started my prison sentence more than eleven years ago. To be able to go and share my testimony with these women is a dream come true to me. Every time I go back to BCI prison I am reminded of a prophecy that I read once while I was incarcerated. That prophecy changed my life and confirmed my purpose. Instead of sharing the details of the day I would like to share the prophecy because I see it coming to pass.

Treasures in Prison Cells

It was late and I was tired, wanting to go to sleep, but God wanted to talk; it was about midnight, but it dawned on me that God does not sleep. His question made me restless. "Bill, where on earth does man keep his most priceless treasures and valuables?" I said, "Lord, usually these treasures like gold, silver, diamonds, and precious jewels are kept locked up somewhere out of sight, usually with guards and security to keep them under lock and key. God spoke, "Like man my most valuable treasures on earth are also locked up." Then I saw Jesus standing in front of seemingly thousands of prisons and jails and He said, "These have been destroyed by the enemy, but these souls have the greatest potential to be used and to bring forth glory to my name. Tell my people I am going this hour to the prisons to activate the gifts and callings that lie dormant in these lives that were given before the foundation of the earth. From out of these walls will come forth a spiritual army that will have power to literally kick down the gates of hell and overcome satanic powers that are holding My people bound in My own house. Tell My People that great treasure is behind these walls in these forgotten vessels. My people must come forth and touch these lives, for a mighty anointing will be unleashed upon them for future victory in My kingdom. They must be restored." Then I saw Jesus step up to the prison doors with a key. One key fit every lock and the gates began to open. I heard and saw great explosions that sounded like dynamite going off behind the walls. It sounded like all-out spiritual warfare. Jesus turned and said, "Tell My people to go in and pick up the spoil and rescue them." Jesus began walking in and touching the inmates who were thronging Him. Many being touched instantly began to have a golden glow come over them. God spoke to me and said, "There's the gold!" Others had a sliver glow around them and He said, "There's the silver!" Like slow motion they began to grow into what appeared to be giant knights, armored warriors. They had on the entire armor of God and every piece was solid and pure gold! Even golden shields! When I saw the golden shields I heard God say to these warriors, "Now go and take what Satan has taught you and use it against him. Go and pull down strongholds coming against My church." These spiritual giants then started stepping over prisons walls with no one to resist them, they went immediately to the very front line of the battle with the enemy. I saw them walk right past the Church. The big-name ministers, known for their power with God, were surpassed by the giant warriors, like David going after Goliath! They crossed the enemy's lines and started delivering many of God's people from the clutches of Satan while demons trembled and fled out of the sight at their presence. No one, not even the church, seemed to know who these spiritual giants were or where they came from. All you could see was the armor, the golden armor of God, from head to foot, and the shields of gold were there, the shields were restored to God's house and there was great victory and rejoicing. I also saw silver, precious treasures and vessels being brought in. Beneath the gold and silver were people, the outcasts, the poor and the despised. These were the treasures that were missing from God's house. Then the Lord said, "If my people want to know where they are needed tell them they are needed in the streets, the hospitals, the missions, the prisons and jails." When they come they will find Me and the next move of My Spirit and they will be judged according to My Word in Matthew 25:42. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I need clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not come to visit me."

By Bill Yount

Day 1 WOC Pt2 First Public Confession

Continued from Day 1 WOC "By The Word of Their Testimony

After lunch it’s back to the same pods we go so that we can fellowship with the girls. During our lunch break I was asked to be a platform speaker for the second half of the day. I was to go from pod to pod sharing my story. I have done these events quite a few times and I have been asked before to be a platform speaker, but this time was different I did not know why at the time. The Holy Spirit had been telling me to prepare my heart to speak since that morning so I was not surprised when I was asked to share. I asked our Lord to give me the Words that He would have me speak.

I went into the first pod and began to share my story in front of close to 100 women. I told them how I had been raised by both my father and mother until I was eleven years old when they separated. It was all down hill for me then. I became even more rebellious and started running away from home. I went to live with my dad because I was closer to him at the time. My mother was very strict with me and we just always seemed to bump heads. I explained that I realize today that she was just trying to protect me.

Full of stubbornness and rebellion I thought I knew everything and I wanted to be so grown. I had run away twice to New York before the age of 14. My family had formed a gang and pretty much joined forces with another big gang in our county. They were one of these largest gangs in Broward County in the early 90’s. Most of my family only helped feed the terrible demons that possessed my life.

I began doing drugs, fighting, having sex, stealing, clubbing, hanging out all night and disappearing for days at a time. I had been arrested a couple of times and did a little time in juvenile detention. Then I was sixteen when my mother died in a tragic car accident. This pushed me over the edge. Now I was full of rage and hurt. The one emotion that I had the most that ate at my heart was regret. I regretted not being able to be the daughter that my mother deserved. I just wanted to know that she loved me. What I shared next surprised me…

I continued on to tell them that perhaps I had been angry with my mother because when I was small child I told her of how I had been molested by a family member that was staying in our home. When I told her what occurred she addressed the individual along with their parent, but they did not believe me. I remember being slapped in the face and being called a liar. I was wounded forever. This was not the first or the last time that this would occur, not by the same family member. Others too had their way with me.

I stood for a moment before the women in disbelief but in freedom. I told them that this was the first time that I shared publicly that I had been molested. I gave glory to God who has healed me and explained that it is by His Spirit that I am able to forgive and share that story with them. Although I do not forget what has happened I remember with forgiveness. When I looked around and saw the tears and the shock in their faces I immediately knew that many of these women had also been molested or raped. My friend read me a statistic from the Us Department of Justice’s site that said more than 50% of the women in jail said they had been physically or sexually abused in the past. How awful. L

I finished sharing and went on to the next dorm to tell my story of deliverance. That day approximately 200 women heard how our Lord delivered me from darkness and brought me into the light. When I was done sharing I felt like the little girl that hides inside me was no longer full of shame and guilt. She was full of love and freedom in Christ Jesus. She has learned to allow our Lord to take what the enemy meant to destroy her and use it for His glory.

After leaving the prisons we went to a banquet that was hosted by a local church for all of the volunteers. We had dinner, fellowship, and shared our experiences in the jails and prisons. There was singing, laughing, and prayer. It was an awesome end to a glorious day.

Enclosing I would like to say that if you have been molested or raped you do not have to be ashamed or feel guilty. You were the victim but you do not have to remain the victim. You can become the victor through Christ Jesus. He can heal you if you will choose to forgive your offender. It took me many years to even face this situation, to even talk about it. It was just a couple of months ago that I told my husband, whom I have been with for ten years, that I was molested as a child.

Our God was patient with me and knew when I would be ready to face this. One of my mother’s in the Lord shared her story with me of how her father had for years sexually abused her. She spoke with such freedom and without shame. To hear and see how our Lord had delivered and healed her made me want to face my past too. It is because of her story and His Word that fills my very being that I can address this subject today.

His Word has brought healing to my soul. His Word is freedom to those that have been held captive by strongholds, addictions, anger, and unforgiveness. Allow the Holy Spirit to heal you and to help you forgive so that you can be free too.

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the suffering and afflicted. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted, to announce liberty to captives and to open the eyes to the blind.” Isaiah 61:1

Day 1 WOC "By The Word of Their Testimony"

Continued from Weekend of Champions

“They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” Revelation 12:11

Day one of our Weekend of Champions began on Friday morning. My husband, a brother in the Lord/partner in ministry, and I were assigned to TGK Jail in Miami. They went off to minister to the men and I went with the women.

The platform speaker in our dorm shared how she was a former prostitute who had been in and out of jail and prison. She shared how her heart had been full of hurt and pain for many years. The love of her life was crack cocaine. Many of the girls in the dorm could relate to her story and intently listened. She told of how the Lord delivered her from her addiction and of the wonderful works that He is presently doing in her life. She had an amazing story. Once she was done sharing it she asked the ladies if they were tired of being a mess and who wanted to have the same freedom that God had given her. They raised their hands and each volunteer found a group of girls. We began reaping a harvest for the Kingdom of Heaven.

In my group there were six women. We started going over the booklet together and asking the questions on the front. Their answers varied. We went over the scriptures and discussed them. Some of them had been reading the Word and this was just the confirmation and reassurance they needed. Then there were a couple whose faces seemed unsure. They seemed to almost be sizing me up. Not in a bad way, with a look that kind let me know that they needed more proof that this was true. I knew it was time to share my testimony.

I explained to them that God has a wonderful plan for their life and that jail does not have to be the end of them, but the beginning of a new life in Christ Jesus. I shared that I knew from personal experience that our Lord often times allows us to be in situation where all we have left to do is cry out to Him. We have wanted our own way and have followed our own evil hearts for so long. Ending up addicted to drugs, committing a crime, and landing a jail or prison sentence is proof of how following our selfish and evil desires leads to destruction. I assured them that I knew the pain and loneliness they feel. I know that they feel like failures, scared, and unsure of their future. I know because I too wore those same uniforms and slept on those hard bunks. They were surprised when I confessed that I too had been in jail and sentenced to prison.

I encouraged them and told them that our God is no respecter of persons and that what He has done for me, He will also do for them. Our God heard my cry and picked me up out of a mess. He has set my feet on the Rock. Now many will hear of the glorious things he did for me, and stand in awe before the Lord, and put their trust in Him. That’s exactly what these ladies did. They put their trust in Jesus Christ. I had the privilege of leading them to our Savior. To God be the glory! Praise Jesus! (Psalm 40:1-3)

All of us have our own story. Maybe you have not been to jail or prison but you ARE also an EX-OFFENDER, because all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Someone needs to hear your story of deliverance. Don’t allow the enemy or the religious church people to make you feel ashamed of your past. Allow our Lord to heal you and use your past to glorify Him. It is by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony that we defeat the enemy and win souls for the Kingdom of Heaven. (Romans 3:23, Revelations 12:11)

Part 2 of Day 1 to be continued…

Weekend Of Champions

Thank you for your prayers last Thursday. I woke up at three am with a terrible stomach virus. In fact two of my children were also attacked by the same virus. It did not surprise me though because almost every time we plan to go and volunteer to do a WOC (Weekend of Champions) in the prison ‘something’ tries to stop us. Thank God by that evening I was feeling much better and was able to attend the training class and participate in the weekend events along with my husband, brother-in-law, and partner in ministry. After this weekend it became so clear to me why the enemy tried to keep me from going. I will tell you more later, but for now you may be wondering what is Weekend of Champions?

WOC is a prison evangelistic event coordinated by Bill Glass Prison Ministry where several believers come together to share the Good News in the jails and prisons for the weekend. These events are different from the much needed bibles studies and Sunday services held normally in these facilities. WOC is unique because the ministry brings in professional athletes, ex-offenders, military men, singers, comedians, a professional tight rope walker, and others who entertain theses men and women while sharing their story of deliverance through Jesus Christ. By the time the platform speakers are done sharing their stories most of the men and women’s hearts are softened and they are eager to hear more of what they can do to have that same freedom that the speakers found.

Now the baton is passed to the volunteers to lead these men and women through the Word of God straight to the cross to receive salvation. Each volunteer is given several small booklets that help smoothly lead someone to the Lord. We give the booklets out to those seeking salvation and we walk through the booklet with them. It is a simple and effective tool to help bring someone to the Lord.

The front of the booklet asks “What do you think?” real big. Then it has 5 questions underneath.

1) Do you have a spiritual belief?
2) Is there a heaven or hell?
3) Where will you go when you die?
4) Will God let you into His heaven? Why?
5) Would you like to know if what you believe is true or not?

Well of course by now they have had a chance to listen to each others responses and want to know if they are right, because at this point we have not answered whether what they believe is true or false. Now we show them what God’s Word says.

The booklet asks that they read these verses out loud and to then ask themselves “What do they mean to me?”

1) “For God (The Father) loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son (Jesus), so that everyone who believes in Him (Jesus) will not perish but have ETERNAL LIFE.” John 3:16
2) “For all have SINNED and fall short of the Glory of God.” Romans 3:23
3) “…the wages (consequences) of Sin is Death, but the Gift of God is ETERNAL LIFE in Christ Jesus.” Romans 6:23
4) If we CONFESS our sins, He (God) is faithful and just to Forgive us our sins and CLEANSE us from ALL unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
5) (Jesus said) “I am the WAY, and the Truth, and the LIFE; no one comes to the Father EXCEPT THROUGH ME.” John 14:6
6) (Jesus said) “I stand at the door and knock. If ANYONE hears my voice and opens the door, I WILL COME IN TO HIM.” Revelation 3:20
7) “….if you CONFESS with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God has raised Him (Jesus) from the dead. YOU WILL BE SAVED.” Romans 10:9

Now the Word of God has shown them they are sinners in need of forgiveness that can only be found through faith in Jesus Christ. This is the time where we get to pray with them to receive the gift of salvation. Once we pray we explain to them what that the Word of God says about what they have just done; that they have eternal life and are saved from hell, their sins have been forgiven, the Lord has begun and will complete a wonderful work in their lives, and they are now a part of the ‘Family of God’.

We also encourage them to build a strong relationship with Christ by praying every day, reading the Word and trusting God to speak to them through His Word, to fellowship with other believers, and be a witness to others.

I can not truly describe the joy I feel when I know that God has used me to help bring a soul into His kingdom. I am humbled and honored all at the same time. My heart rejoices and I can imagine the angels rejoicing in heaven too.

We are ALL called to share this Good News with others. If you have never personally led someone to the Lord I encourage you to ask our Lord to show an opportunity to do so. This is our purpose and our destiny, to win souls for the kingdom. Decide to day to be a champion for God!

More to come on this past weekend events..

Do You Walk the Talk?

“We try to live in such a way that no one will ever be offended or kept back from finding the Lord by the way we act, so that no one can find fault with us and blame it on the Lord. In fact, in everything we do we try to show that we are true ministers of God.” 2 Corinthians 6:1-4

Our lives are living testimonies of our faith. The way we act, our speech, our attitude, our level of patience and understanding, our reaction to persecution, trials and problems are a witness to others of what we truly believe. We can claim to be Christians to those around us, but do our lives reflect true faith and submission to the Word of God? What influence are we really having on those around us?

How we live will either draw people to the Lord or keep them from finding Him. If unbelievers find fault with our lives then they will blame it on the Lord and reject the message of the Gospel. I know from personal experience that there are those people who will always try to find fault in us. However, we are still to prove ourselves to be true Christians by living blameless lives, knowing the Word of God, and staying true to the Lord even through persecution. Read what Paul says below.

“We have proved ourselves to be what we claim by our wholesome lives and by our understanding of the Gospel and by our patience. We have been kind and truly loving and filled with the Holy Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 6:6

“We stand true to the Lord whether others honor us or despise us, whether they criticize us or commend us. We are honest, but they call us liars. The world ignores us, but we are known to God” 2 Corinthians 6:8-9

Witnessing to others is more than just passing out tracks and going out in groups to share the Gospel. We are witnessing all the time to those around us with the way we live our lives and conduct our business. That is why it is imperative that we “Walk the Talk” being doers of the Word, not just hearers. If we are living daily to please God by obeying His Word and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us, others around us will notice. They will see the love of God in us and the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control). We become living testimonies to everyone around us of the power of God.

Paul’s life was proof to those that he ministered to that his message was truly from God. When Paul brought the Good News to the Thessalonians, it was not just meaningless chatter to them, no, they listened with great interest. What he told them produced a powerful effect upon them because the Holy Spirit gave them full assurance that what he said was true. Paul’s life was further proof to them of the truth of the message. So they also became followers of the Lord, becoming living examples to all the other Christians and unbelievers in Greece. (1 Thessalonians 1:4-10)

When our friends, family, and co-workers see our wholesome lives they will be more willing to receive our message from the Holy Spirit. We may even be the one who gets to reap the harvest of leading them to the Lord. Let us all walk the talk and prove ourselves to be what we claim to be, followers of Christ Jesus

The Old Me

I know I said I wasn't going to write this week, but I just have to share this..

Saturday night was movie date night. We went on a triple date with my brother in law and his wife, and one of our best friends and his date. We arrived at the mall where the movie was playing more than an hour early. The plaza was full of teenagers. I thought to myself this is the perfect place to hand out WeUsed2bu cards. I quickly pulled out about twenty cards that I had in my bag and immediately headed toward the first group of girls that I spotted.

I walked up all happy and said, “Hey girls check out our site! Visit out MySpace.” The first girl I handed the card to read it and said, “O this Christian ****! **** this!” She crumbled the card. I seriously thought she was going to throw it at my face. There was a young boy near by taunting and also making rude comments. I became so bothered. I immediately felt my old nature rise up inside of me. The old me tried to resurrect herself. I wanted to retaliate so badly! I managed to maintain my composure while I passed out the rest of the cards.

I walked back to our group so shocked, not only by the way the girls reacted but by how I internally reacted. The love that I felt when I walked up to them was overcome now by emotions of anger, rejection, hurt, confusion, disappointment, and nervousness. What happened to me? Here I am giving them cards that say WeUsed2bu; however what used to be me wanted to present its self all over again. Although I did not retaliate I wanted to. I hated that feeling. I felt guilty and ashamed within myself. This was a reality check for me that the old me will try to come back any time if I allow it to. I have to be careful of it.

We must never let our guard down because our enemies are real, the devil and our old sin nature. The enemy will try to set traps along the way to trip us up. He provokes the war within us between our old sinful nature and our new nature Christ gave us. If given the opportunity he knows that our old sinful nature will rise up and attempt to enslave us all over again. When we give in to our old nature we can make a mess of everything that God is trying to do in our lives. I do not need any unnecessary set backs because of lack of self control and submission to the Spirit of Love.

Thank God for the Holy Spirit who reminds us that we are new creations in Christ Jesus, the old has gone, and the new has come. We are no longer slaves to sin or our old sin nature. Therefore we don’t have to surrender to those sinful desires. We are living a brand new kind of life that is continually learning more and more what is right, and trying constantly to be more and more like Christ who created this new life within us. Through the power of Christ we can live and act in a way worthy of those called to such blessings. (Romans 6, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 4:1, Colossians 3:10)

I thank God for giving me strength in my moment of weakness. It was truly by His power that I did not act out in foolishness. To God be the glory.

Lord, thank you for power to help us overcome our old sinful nature and desires. Without You we are weak and small. You make us strong and powerful. We are glad to be slaves of righteousness. May our lives always bring your glory. In Jesus name..Amen.

Instructions On How To Minister To Others

Quietly trust yourself to Christ your Lord and if anyone asks why you believe as you do, be ready to tell him, and do it in a gentle and respectful way. (1 Peter 3:15)

We all have friends and family that we long to be delivered from the hands of the enemy. The Lord has put it on our hearts to want to see them receive the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ and start living life more abundantly. With the power of the Holy Spirit we can lovingly and gently lead our confused or blinded loved ones to the Lord. However, it is important to remember that we are to minister to them with a meek, gentle, and patient attitude. They will be more willing to receive what we have to say if we are truly courteous and respectful. (1 Peter 3:15)

The Holy Spirit will give us direction, wisdom, and discernment as to how we are to handle each individual situation. Asking the Lord to give us the words to speak when we are trying to share the gospel is a must. This person needs more of Christ and less of us. If we are lead by the Spirit of Love then when the opportunity presents it’s self we will make the most of it by being wise and allowing our conversation to be gracious as well as sensible. Then we will have the right answers for them. (Colossians 4:5-6)

Remember that we are not in a battle against flesh and blood, but against unseen spirits that influence and manipulate anyone who is not careful. The enemy does not want to allow these precious souls to be freed from the bondage that he has them in. He will try to create an atmosphere of division and confusion. Therefore we must be careful, wise as serpents but gentle as doves avoiding getting into quarrels or arguments with those we are trying to help. For when we are angry we give a foothold to the devil. (Matthew 10:16, Titus 3:2, James 5:8, Ephesians 4:27)

Through Paul, the Holy Spirit gave Timothy very specific instructions as to how to minister to those who were confused about the truth.

2 Timothy 3:23-26 says, Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish arguments which only upset people and make them angry. God’s people should not be quarrelsome; they must be gentle, patient teachers of those who are wrong. Be humble when you are trying to teach those who are mixed up concerning the truth. For if you talk meekly and courteously to them they are more likely, with God’s help, to turn away from their wrong ideas and believe what is true. Then they will come to their senses and escape from Satan’s trap of slavery to sin which he uses to catch them whenever he likes, and then they can begin doing the will of God.

Let us also follow these instructions and share the Word of God humbly, patiently, and courteously so that we may bring glory to God.

Lord, please help us to be patient and gentle when ministering to others. Give us the wisdom, self control, and words to speak that will help these individual receive the Truth. Please don’t allow their hearts to be hardened. Let them see Christ in us and let them desire to know Him also. In Jesus name. Amen.