Allow His Love To Embrace You

Recently a very special woman of God and dear friend sent me a sweet little card. It was just a note to remind me of how much I am loved by her and by our God. It is not uncommon of her to send me little words of encouragement from time to time. She has faithfully sent them to me for some 15 years now. It never ceases to amaze me that when she sends them they are always right on time with a word that I need to hear for a situation that I am facing at that time.

I know it is our Heavenly Father that put it on her heart to send me this little love note because it came on a day that I would totally miss the mark. I mean I messed up big time. That's right I'm am one of those imperfect Christians. I am fully aware that as long as I'm here in this world living in this flesh of mine that I will fall short. I know that I can become a slave to whatever I choose to obey, sin or God. So when I fall short I try to quickly confess my shortcomings to God, repent, and then I try to receive His forgiveness. However often times first I go through an awful battle with a spirit of condemnation, guilt, and shame that attacks my mind. That's where I was at when I felt led to reread her note. Part of my dear friend's note read:

Ready for ANYTHING and EQUAL To Anything Through Christ

Here's an article I wrote for WeUsed2bu Ministries.

Ready for ANYTHING and EQUAL To Anything Through Christ
On my journey with my Savior Jesus, I have discovered that He has not left me alone in this world full of sin, corruption, evil, and destruction. He is actively present in my life, helping me and bringing me comfort, hope, and security through the promises in His Word. There have been times where I have felt like I am just going to break under life’s pressures, that if one more thing happened, I was just going to lose it! But how quickly and faithful the Holy Spirit is to bring to my remembrance the promise in His Word which says,

“I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME!” (Philippians 4:13)

Harvest Of Right Living For Those Who Are Trained In This Way

“As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.” - Hebrews 12:7, 11-13


The definition for discipline is:

1. Training expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior, especially training that produces moral or mental improvement.
2. Controlled behavior resulting from disciplinary training; self-control.

Over the past weeks the Holy Spirit has brought me to different scriptures in the Word showing me where our heavenly Father uses trials, testing, and hardships as divine discipline or training to produce in us godly living and Christ-like character, and also to prepare us for our callings. Even those terrible attacks that the enemy will try to use to destroy us or those bad things that happen in life that we just don’t understand, God turns for our good. He did it for Joseph, Jacob’s son, the dreamer who was sold into slavery by his own brothers.

I’ll give you the very short version of what happened to Joseph. Joseph’s brothers were jealous of him and they intended to rid themselves of him forever so they sold him into slavery. He suffered loneliness, betrayal, and sadness. While Joseph was in slavery God never left him. He gave him favor, wisdom, and prophetic dreams with the gift of interpretation. He used these giftings to lift Joseph up to a position of authority and prominence in Egypt. Many years later a famine hit the land and the only place to find grain was in Egypt. So that is where his family went to buy food. Joseph forgives his brothers and the family is reunited. In the end Joseph looked back at all that had happened to him and finally understood why God allowed everything to happen the way it did. It was so that He could use Joseph to save the lives of many, including his own family. (Genesis 50:20)

Now I want to take you to some other scriptures that our Lord brought me to and showed me specifically how He uses life’s troubles to do the following:

Humble us and to prove our character, whether we would keep His commandments or not and to teach us to rely on His Word.

Deuteronomy 8:2-3 “2 Remember how the LORD your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would obey his commands. 3 Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.” (NLT)

To test the genuineness of our faith

1 Peter 1:6-7 “6[You should] be exceedingly glad on this account, though now for a little while you may be distressed by trials and suffer temptations, 7So that [the genuineness] of your faith may be tested, [your faith] which is infinitely more precious than the perishable gold which is tested and purified by fire. [This proving of your faith is intended] to redound to [your] praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) is revealed.” (Amplified Bible)

To reveal or demonstrate to us the true quality of what‘s in our hearts.

2 Chronicles 32:31 “31 However, when ambassadors arrived from Babylon to ask about the remarkable events that had taken place in the land, God withdrew from Hezekiah in order to test him and to see what was really in his heart.” (NLT)

To teach us patience endurance, maturity of character, joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation.

Romans 5:3-4 “3Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. 4And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation.” (Amplified Bible)

To develop steadfastness and Christ-like character

James 1:2-4 “2Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. 3Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience. 4But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.”

It can be difficult while we are going through these holy trials and tribulations. But we must remember that our divine God sees the future and He has always had good plans for our lives. (Jeremiah 29:11) These scriptures confirmed to me that trials and testing are meant to test the reality of our faith and produce the likeness of Christ in us. They are meant to bring out the best in us, if we will allow them to. It’s part of our remolding and refining process. So let us not lose hope when we our heavenly Father lovingly trains us up. He has assured us that EVERYTHING that happens in our lives works together and is fitting into a plan for good to and for those who love God and are called according to His design and purpose. (Romans 8:28)

As I write this I am reminded of when our Heavenly father told the prophet Jeremiah to go to the potter’s house. He said, “Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.” So Jeremiah did as He told him and Jeremiah found the potter working at his wheel. But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so the potter crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over. Brothers and sisters, God is our potter and I believe the Lord is saying to us today,

“Can I not do with you as the potter does? (Jeremiah 18:6)

Let’s allow Him to continue the good work He has started in us and trust Him in the middle of the refining fire. He is here with us. We will come out unbound and with stronger faith. So keep joyfully and hopefully pressing on! (Philippians 1:6, Daniel 3:26-27)

Pressed In On Every Side

“We are hedged in (pressed) on every side [troubled and oppressed in every way], but not cramped or crushed; we suffer embarrassments and are perplexed and unable to find a way out, but not driven to despair;

We are pursued (persecuted and hard driven), but not deserted [to stand alone]; we are struck down to the ground, but never struck out and destroyed;” 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 – Amplified

The Lord reminded me of these verses this morning. I read it out of the NLT and then the Amplified. It really hit home for me. You see I am currently going through a season of intense discipline and training through many trials and temptations. (Hebrews 12)The demonic attacks are so evident. I have felt pressed in on every side by spiritual oppression in some of my closest relationships. Even my children are under attack. At times I feel crushed and overwhelmed. The problems and trials I face often times feel like too much to bear. I would be lying if I said that thoughts of giving up don’t run through my mind. But I know who I am in Christ Jesus and I WILL NOT not be driven to utter despair! I know that our Lord has NOT deserted me or my family and left us to stand alone.

I am sharing this with you because I want you to know that if you are suffering through many troubles, trials, and temptations YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Listen to what the Holy Spirit has said through Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:13.

“No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it.” – The Message

Here’s parts of this verse out of the Amplified.

“NO temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance..

But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [CAN BE TRUSTED] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [ALWAYS] also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently.”

Did you see it? Our troubles are not new to human experience. Many others before us and many now are going through the same or very similar problems that we are facing today. Others before us have overcome by remembering how faithful God is to His promise to never leave or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5)

In 1 Corinthians 10:13 we see that He has promised to never allow the temptations or trials that we face to be more than we can endure. He will ALWAYS provide a way of escape to overcome any temptation the enemy will put before us. He will also ALWAYS provide a way for us to go through whatever trial it is that we may have to face.

No matter what it is that we are facing we need to remember that He is our Strength and WE CAN do ALL things through Christ Jesus who strengthens us! Here is Philippians 4:13 in the Amplified. Read it. Receive it! Believe it! Confess it!

“I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency].”

The Lord has spoken to me so many words of encouragement, affirmation, and comfort over the past several weeks. His Holy Spirit has ministered to my heart and given me peace at times where I probably would have fallen apart. He has hugged me through the arms of other believers full of his love and compassion. His presence has filled my room as I slept I knew that He was there with me. His love has sustained me through this all.


He will do the same for you as he is doing for me! Do not give up hope! He is by your side. You will see His promises to you fulfilled. Just keep believing! Keep trusting! Keep seeking Him in prayer, fasting, and in His Word. Keep your eyes on Him and you will not be destroyed. Fight the good fight of faith!

I will continue to share with you the scriptures that He has brought me to in this season of my life. God bless you all and remember what our Lord has said to His disciples,

“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]” John 16:33 – Amplified

"Please God Help Me!"

I want to share with you a short story. It was a little over 14 years ago when I was at one of the darkest places in my life. I was strung out on drugs, homeless crashing at my aunt’s house, and in violation of my probation. My first daughter had just turned a year old. I sent her to live with father’s parents. I was so depressed and sick. I didn’t know what else to do. I believed that Jesus was real and that He would help me if I prayed and cried out to Him. So I did.

I will never forget that night and the series of events that happened from then on. I was lying on the top bunk of my cousin’s bed crying, “Please God help me! I am tired of all of this. I need your help! I want my daughter back. I want my family back. Please God help me!” I cried myself to sleep that night. The next morning I went ahead living my dysfunctional life. I went off to work and on my lunch break I got high and ended up committing a crime. I was arrested for not only that charge but for violation of probation. I knew that I was facing a prison sentence. I was scared, but I also had a sense of relief. No more running. No more hiding. Finally!! All of sudden I remembered my prayer from the previous night. “God this is your idea of answering my prayer? Ok??”

Our Lord in His mercy and grace gave me favor once again with the judge. After three months in jail I was sentenced to a drug rehabilitation center as an alternative to prison. If I completed this six month program my probation would be reinstated and I could move on with my life. But I was still so full of rebellion. I ended breaking the rules and violating my stay. Back to jail I went to await sentencing. This would be the third time that I would violate and the judge promised me that if I messed up again that I would be sentenced to prison for sure. That’s exactly what happened. I was sentenced to five years in the Florida State Prison.

Seems like a terrible story huh? Well it isn’t! What I didn’t share with you is that from the day that I got locked up I began drawing close to God and He drew close to me too. I got a bible and I would read and ask God to help me understand His Word. I did not know that what I was asking would result in the process of renewing my mind. I began to pray and seek Him like never before. He put a beautiful woman of God in my life, Sonia, who was not only strong in her faith but strong in personality too. He knew I needed someone like her to mentor me and speak into my life words of faith, truth, hope, and power. We meet at the rehab center where she had volunteered for an outreach event. She promised that she would write me. I did not believe her but she wrote me letters weekly from then on. She became my spiritual mother. It was through her that I first really experienced the love of Christ. She is still by my side today.

By the grace of God my five year sentenced ended up being eighteen months instead. Those eighteen months the Holy Spirit taught me the Word of God and filled me to overflowing with His Spirit. One day I received a card from my Sonia with my name and the meaning of it. Lisa comes from Elizabeth, which means consecrated to God. Consecrated means set aside, or to declare or set apart as sacred. All of a sudden I realized that the Lord allowed me to be sent to prison not only to save me from my destructive path but so that I could be set apart for Him and His purpose. Without the rest of the world and drama in my ear I could finally hear from God. My life has not been the same since. Everything that I lost and that the enemy took from me God has been restored to me in abundance. The years of pain, loneliness, and sadness have been replaced with joy, peace, and hope. Today I am surrounded by people who love me. I have undeservedly been rewarded with the blessing of several children. Our God has been faithful to build me up in Christ Jesus. I am no longer a victim of life’s circumstances. I am an over comer in Christ Jesus!

I wanted to share this with you because I believe that there is someone who has been crying out to God, “Help me God! Please help me!” and it may seem that your situation is getting worse, but it isn’t. God may not answer your prayers the way that you think He should but you cannot rely on your own understanding. His ways are so much higher than ours. His ways are so much better. You may not see it right now, but God is working in the midst of everything. Learn to walk by faith and not by sight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

I don’t know what your situation is but as I’ve shared I had created such a mess of my life that even though He saved me the moment I believed and cried out to Him, He still needed to do some major reconstruction to my entire life from the inside out. In my rebelliousness I planted some bad seeds and I still needed to reap what I had sown and face the consequences of my actions. I could have gotten angry at God but it wasn’t His fault that I ended up in prison. It was mine. It was my own foolishness and rebelliousness that got me there. It was our Lord in His mercy and grace by the power of His Holy Spirit that gave me the strength, courage, and perseverance to endure through it all without becoming angry and bitter.

Proverbs 19:3 says, “People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the LORD.” There are people who get made at God when they are overwhelmed with debt but they mismanage their money and are tightfisted, scared to give their tithes and offerings. Others get mad at Him because they don’t see a breakthrough in their families but instead of speaking words of faith in their home they are speaking words of unbelief, doubt, and defeat. They are tearing apart their own homes by the words of their mouth. There comes a time where we have to accept responsibility for our disobedience, repent, and ask God to help us back onto the narrow road. We have to learn to desire God’s will more than our own.

When God is restructuring our life we cannot get angry with Him. We must remember that God is the Master Potter. He is working at His wheel. We are the jar of clay that He had a very specific plan and divine purpose for from the time that we were in our mother’s womb. However, because of our desire to have our own way and all the resistance we gave Him we messed the jar up some. So he has to start over remolding and shaping us. But this is a good thing because when God is working with a willing vessel they become one of His vessels of honor which He uses to make the riches of His glory shine through. (Jeremiah 18:1-7, Romans 9:21-23)

I want to encourage you to let go of your own plans and your own will. Become a willing vessel and trust the Lord through the remolding process. Allow Him to continue the good work that He has started. He knows what He is doing. We can trust Him with our lives. We can be sure that the end results and reward will be better than the beginning. Hold on to the verses in Isaiah 43:18-19

“But forget all that—it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.”

You cried out, “God Help Me!” now it’s time that you let Him help you HIS WAY, NOT YOUR WAY! Obey and trust Him you will not be sorry.

All I Want You To Do Is Stand

I woke up this morning with a word on my heart specifically for the faithful remnant who serve our Lord with sincere hearts and who have laid down their own will to see God’s will fulfilled on this earth.

“In this world you WILL have many troubles, but remember that My Spirit lives in you and I have overcome the world. Don’t allow your perception to become distorted by the troubles and trials that come your way. Keep your eyes and your heart focused on the promises that I have given you. You know what those promises are because I have engraved them in your mind and in your heart. I’ve given you visions and dreams that will most certainly come to pass in due season, but you have got to keep standing, even though the vision tarries you must continue to wait on it.

All I want you to do is stand! Stand strong in the truth of My Word! Stand strong in My Spirit and in My might! Do not do anything in your own strength. It is by My Power and by My Spirit that you will be able to keep standing strong until the end.
There will be attacks in your life and on the life of your family because I have destined you for great things. I will use you to tear down strongholds and to speak the Truth in others lives. Once you served the enemy and he used to use you to destroy other’s lives, to influence them, to hinder them, and to keep them in bondage. But today you serve the Most High God! Today you are more than conqueror because of My Spirit that lives in you. Know who you are! You are Mine! You are a child of the Most High God! You are full of My love, compassion, and My Spirit. I will allow you to see things and hear things through My eyes and My ears so that you will learn to love the way that I do. It is not impossible IF you continue to surrender your will for Mine.

Do not allow compromise to creep into to your heart. Compromise is a terrible parasite that will consume you if you give into it. Stand for Truth at all times. Do what is right, what My Word says at all times, especially in your homes. This is where compromise will try to have its way first. It is what will tear your family apart. So beware!

The enemy will not easily give up on you, so stay alert but do not fear because I am greater than any spirit that comes against you. Continue to abide in Me, in My Word. Many of my children are in great turmoil because they do not abide in My Word. They are being destroyed for lack of knowledge and understanding of My will for their lives. They are drawn away by foolish teachings and philosophies because they do not recognize my voice and do not know My Word. They are drawn away by their own selfish and sinful desires because they are lacking in understanding of My Word. My Word is what is needed to overcome the attacks of the enemy. My Word needs to be spoken in faith over every situation, problem, concern, attack, trial, and victory. My Word is what never returns void and stands forever after everything else has gone. It is Everlasting, Faithful, and True. It is in my Word that you must stand firm in.

I understand that you will get tired. I see you when you are drained and overcome by your emotions, but don’t allow yourself to be lead by them. Be lead always by My Spirit. Don’t give up on those that I have given you to watch over and intercede for. Be patient with them and longsuffering. It pleases me when you suffer for good. When you lay down your own will and life for others then you can be called My servant. Remember that a servant is not greater than His master, just as I have done so you must do.

I will come to when you are weak and I will be your strength so you can continue to stand strong. I will be your shield and your fortress as you keep pressing forward. I will be your Source of power and hope. Stand no matter what! Don’t give up! I have already won the war for you, just continue to stand strong in Me and you will see that your labor is not in vain. I love you and am with you always!”

My Testimony for Out of the Miry Clay

I had to write a short testimony for Out of the Miry Clay Ministries and I figured I'd share it with you.

Growing up I always believed that there was a God out there and I believed that He was Jesus but I did not truly believe that He cared about the details of my life. I did not believe that He was there for me. I felt that he did not care about the troubles in my life and in my family. I was deceived by the enemy of our soul for many years. He blinded my eyes so that I could not see the wonderful things that God had planned for me. Out of my own selfishness and desire to have my own way and control my own life I resisted God’s love. I was so lost and misguided by foolishness. I followed all the wrong people down a destructive path. (2 Corinthians 4:4, James 2:14-15, Matthew 7:13-14)

Perhaps it was the death of my mother when I was sixteen or the multiple molestations within the family that caused my heart to harden. I did not know how to love and it was even harder to receive love. From a young teenager I was in and out of jail. I don’t remember ever being scared. I was full of anger, wrath, and bitterness. I loved partying and wild parties. I loved the darkness. I did not care who I hurt or the negative influence that I was having on my younger brother and sister. By the time I was sixteen I caught a drug trafficking charge. I was given five years probation. What a mistake. I violated that probation three times before they finally got tired of my rebellious nature and decided to send me to prison to finish up my sentence. (Galatians 5:19-21)

By this time I had a small child, a gift of God that I did not deserve and I did not truly value. I was just twenty years old on my way to prison, but God had a plan. What the enemy meant to destroy me the Lord turned around for my good and for His glory. He had not forgotten me and left me alone in the mess that I had made out of my life. (Genesis 50:20, Hebrews 13:5-6)

By the time I was sentenced to prison I had surrendered my life to the Lord. I realized that I had made a mess of my life. My will and my way of doing things resulted in chaos and destruction. I decided that I would put my life in the hands of the One who watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of my mother’s womb. He saw me before I was born and every day of my life was recorded in His book. He protected me even when I was in rebellion and did not allow me to be utterly destroyed. (Psalm 139:13-16)

I learned that He has always had precious thoughts about me. His Word showed me that His thoughts about me are so many that they cannot even be numbered. They can’t be counted. They even outnumber the grains of sand! Even when I am sleeping He is thinking about me and He is still with me when I awake! Amazing!! He had always had wonderful plans for me, to prosper me and give me a future and hope in Christ Jesus. If I would only cry out to Him and seek Him with all of my heart. That is exactly what I did and now I am leaving a legacy and inheritance for my descendants. My children are now a heritage of the Lord. Generations are changed because I chose life in Christ Jesus instead of life committed to myself, the world, and sin. (Psalm 139: 17-18, Jeremiah 29:11-13, Psalm 127:3)

Today I am blessed and highly favored of God. He has restored everything that was lost in the years of my disobedience. He has blessed me with seven beautiful children, five of which I had the privilege of birthing. I have a husband who loves me and is committed to God and our family. I serve the Lord full time with all of my heart. God is no respecter of persons. What He has done for me He will do for you. I waited patiently for the LORD to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the LORD. (Joel 2:25, Psalm 40:1-3)

Be Strong In the Lord and In His Mighty Power

“A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” (Ephesians 6:10)

We need to truly realize that on this journey through this world we do not have to do anything in our own strength and power. Instead we are to be strong in the Lord and in HIS mighty power, not in our own power. That should be a great relief to everyone. I know it is to me. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by the responsibilities and the calling that I have on my life. There are also times where I feel I am not strong enough to face certain troubles, tests, and even people. Feelings of inadequacy creep in and I feel incapable of fulfilling the visions that our Lord has given me for my family and ministry. Then the truth hits me dead on. I am NOT able to accomplish any of these things and have godly results in my own strength or power. Over and over again I am humbled by this reality and that is when the sweet Spirit of God reminds me of what His Word says, “For I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength”. So it is not by our strength or our might but by the Spirit of God that we able to do all that the Lord has called us to do. Thank you Jesus!

As we go through this life living as a servants of Christ Jesus we must remember that it is truly by His grace and mighty power that we have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading the Good News and by being living testimonies. We don’t have to worry about how everything will be accomplished or where the provisions will come from because our Lord is faithful to always provide everything we need. He will give us wisdom and favor. He has given us His power and might. He has given us every spiritual gift we need to do His work and His will as we eagerly await His return. He will keep us strong to the end. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. (Ephesians 3:7, 1 Corinthians 1:7-8)

We don’t need to fall apart when we feel weak and incapable. There is no point of beating ourselves up. Instead let us rejoice because when we are weak God’s power works best in us. When we go to Him humbled by our weakness we will see that His grace is truly all we need. When we are weak that is when we see Christ’s power manifests through us. So draw close to the Lord when you feel like you don’t have enough power or strength because there is an incredible greatness of God’s power available for us who believe him and take Him at His Word. This incredible power that helps us is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. It amazes me that this power is available to us! But how many believers actually live by this power? I guess the evidence would be in their fruit. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10, Ephesians 1:19-20)

Brothers and sisters be encouraged by these scriptures provided above because the Lord does not want us to feel like we are without power or strength. Through His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower us with inner strength through His Spirit. We just need to trust Him with everything in our lives. With every problem, trial, tests, persecution, with EVERYTHING we have to rely on Him. He is the Source of our Strength. We can not face this life and its circumstances on our own and that is not what our Lord intended. So remember to be strong in the Lord and His mighty power! Don’t rely on your own strength and power.(Ephesians 3:16)

Blessings to you all in Christ Jesus name..

Prepare for War! Put on Your Armor

"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." Ephesians 6:13-18

As soldiers in the army of God we have to ALWAYS be prepared for war. Our enemy often times comes to us like a flood trying to drown us with discouragement, fear, worry, frustration, confusion, feelings of unrighteousness and unworthiness. He will attack us at our weakest points. Remember that satan and his fallen angels have been around since before the creation of men and they have studied us. They know where to attack us and send familiar spirits to try to manipulate us and get us to drop our shield. They wait for opportune moments to attack full force. That is why we must be sure to put on the FULL armor of God if we intend to stand our ground until the return of our Lord, Christ Jesus.

One or two pieces of armor is NOT enough. Each part of the armor serves a purpose. It is vital that we are not only familiar with our armor, but that we know how to use it properly. Let’s first look at the defensive pieces of armor these help us to stand against the attacks.

Defensives Pieces

• Belt of Truth – Just like a natural belt is wrapped around our waist to help hold up and make our pants stay in place so the belt of truth is what will hold us and help us to stay in place. The truth that we have found in God’s Word is a weapon of warfare. The enemy will try to lie, deceive, contradict, and manipulate us any chance he gets. That is why we must wear the belt of truth buckled around our waist at all times. The truth will always set us free and help to maintain our ground.
• Breast Plate of Righteousness - The breast plate protects our vital organs from being pierced in battle. Our enemy will go straight for our heart trying to take our life from us. Our spiritual breast plate is made up of righteousness. Although we know that when we accepted Jesus as our Savior that we were clothed in righteousness we still need to manifest righteous living. By living with integrity, truth, justice, sincerity, upright, and by the Word of God really do not give the enemy anything to shoot at us. You see he is looking to be able to find fault and compromise in us so that he can accuse us of unrighteousness. Let us follow our Lord’s example and wear the breast plate of righteousness to protect our hearts. (Isaiah 59:17)
• Feet fitted with the readiness of the Gospel – This peace of armor is both defensive and offensive. We have to be ready at all times to go out into enemy territory and share the truth of the Gospel without fear of persecution, but with determination in our hearts to see the captives set free. Then we must also always be prepared to give a response to everyone who asks us to give the reason for the hope that we have, in gentleness and respect. We must be ready at all times to share the Gospel of Christ Jesus. (1 Peter 3:15)
• Shield of Faith – To extinguish all the fiery arrows of the enemy. Our enemy is going to try to get us to lose hope and weaken our faith. He will attack our minds with worry, anxiety, doubt, fear, and confusion. He will try to get us to think that our Lord as forgotten us and that He is not listening to our prayers and cries. He will try to tempt us. We have to put up our shield of faith and trust God no matter what. We have to believe His Word over any thoughts or circumstances that will present themselves in our lives. Without out the shield of faith we are left vulnerable to receive all types of demonic oppression that will severely hinder us and eventually cause us to fall back in battle.
• Helmet of Salvation – Often times the enemy will try to tell our minds that we are not truly saved. So be assured of your salvation. Know without a doubt that you belong to Christ Jesus. The Lord will not allow His children to be plucked out of His hand. Put on the helmet of salvation and protect your mind. No matter what battle we are in we are His.


Offensive Weapons

• Sword of the Spirit – The Word of God is your sword. The spoken truth of God’s Word will always defeat the lies of the enemy. Remember when satan tried to tempt Jesus in the wilderness Jesus responded each time with, “It is written” or the NIV says “The Scriptures say”. We have to know what the scriptures say in order to discern the lies of the enemy. Remember that satan and his devils know the Word too and they will try to distort the Truth and manipulate your mind. So be submitted to reading the Word of God daily. Be prepared to speak the Word of God. (Luke 4)
• Prayer – Prayer is often overlooked when discussing the armor of God. But just like a soldier in battle gets his commands from his commanding officer prayer is our line of communication to our Commander and Chief, Jesus Christ. We need to stay prayed up all the time, especially in the heat of the battle. We should never attempt to enter any battle without prayer and fasting. Also prayer is how we carry our burdens from our battles to the Lord and leave them at His feet. Through prayer and supplication we receive healing and strength. Then we will be renewed in our spirit with the peace from God that surpasses all understanding so that we can continue to fight against the wiles of the enemy. Prayer is vital!


Be prepared my brothers and sisters for war against these unseen forces. Put on your armor daily, pray without ceasing, and STAY ALERT!

Stay Alert!! Don't Give the Enemy A Foothold

“A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in the His mighty power. Put on ALL of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6: 10-12

Take a moment and really read those verses over and over again. Let it sink into to your mind, heart, and spirit. We had better realize that we are ALL in a spiritual battle. Whether you like it or not you will either be a soldier in the army of the Lord, a tool in the hands of the enemy, or ignorantly become a casualty of the war. People are destroyed for lack of knowledge. As Christians we need to remember daily that we are in a real battle with unseen forces of darkness. Our battle is in the spiritual realm against devils, spirits, demons, and authorities. Although these are unseen their work is evident every where you look. Evil is rampant and very real.

Many Christians don’t even like to talk about devils or demons. They believe in God, heaven, the Holy Spirit, and angels but many do not want acknowledge that there are real spirits and demons that are fighting to win ground in our lives. They want to destroy us and our families. They want to get us entangled in sin and living to please ourselves instead of God. Their ultimate plan is to get us distracted from being living testimonies of Christ Jesus and prevent the spread of the Gospel. Of course they also want us to be damned to hell with them. They know that when Jesus’ blood was shed at Calvary that they lost the war, but that does not stop them from attacking God’s people. This is serious and it can not be taken lightly. Believers wake up and fight against the forces of evil in this world, in your community, in your families.

Don’t allow the enemy to deceive you into thinking that he and his demons are not real. Or perhaps you think that they can’t touch you. When we minimize the existence of the power of darkness that is when they win ground in our lives. Instead we have to realize that there are some powerful forces of satan plotting and planning the demise of God’s people. I’m not telling you to be scary and paranoid. Like Paul and Peter I am saying we have to stay alert!! Watch out for our enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. We have to stand firm against him and be strong in our faith. We have to learn to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power, always remembering that He who lives in us is stronger than any demon, spirit, or principality in this evil world. Not by our own might but by the power of God we can defeat the enemy in all areas of our lives. (Ephesians 6:18, 1 Peter 5:8-9)

If we are to stay alert then that means that we have to be on guard at all times. We have the Holy Spirit of God living in us, the mind of Christ, and the Word of God which helps us discern when we are under attack and they also help us to avoid traps that the enemy has set for us. The truth is that no matter what we do there will always be attacks. For those faithful servants of the Most High God that are truly doing God’s work, the attacks will be more severe. That is why we have to put on the whole armor of God spoken of in Ephesians 6: 13-17.

Staying alert also means not giving the enemy a foothold in our lives or legal ground to oppress or harass us. How do we allow the enemy to have a foothold in our lives? By the way we live and act. Paul said, “Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.” (Ephesians 5:15-19, Ephesians 4:27)

If we act thoughtlessly living like fools instead of like wise men and women of God who fear the Lord and if we allow ourselves to be conformed to the world and its customs then we truly do not understand what it is that the Lord wants us to do. What God wants and His will for our lives is for us to be holy just as He is holy. If we do not live our lives holy then we will most certainly give the devil and his minions ground over us. You see we can open the doorways for spirits such as the spirits of infirmity, sickness, and addiction when we do not honor our temple by smoking, drinking, drugging, and having adulteress relationships. We open the door to lustful and perverted spirits when we watch dirty movies or shows, magazines, and books. Watching scary movies open the doors to harassing spirits and other unclean spirits. Meditating on our problems and worrying opens the doors for the spirit of heaviness, depression, and suicide. Unforgiveness in our hearts opens the doorway for angry and vengeful spirits. Are you getting this??? (1 Thessalonians, Hebrews 10:10, 1 Peter 1:16)

We have to stay alert!! We can’t give the enemy any ground in our lives. Fear the Lord Saints of God. Don’t forget that we are in a spiritual battle. You will be attacked! Be prepared. Stay prayed up and be on guard. Be about our Father’s business and live your life pleasing unto Him. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Fight in the name of Jesus!

Fear Not When..

"But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine, When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.” Isaiah 43:1-2

We should not be surprised when trouble comes upon us. Jesus told us that in this world that we would have many sorrows and troubles, but that we should have peace in Him. James tells us to count all joy when we have troubles because that is when our faith is tested, and our endurance has a chance to grow. When our endurance is fully developed, we will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. (John 16:33, James 1:2-4)

But I love what our Lord has told us in Isaiah 43:1-3 the best. He said “Fear Not!”

“Fear not when..”

• You lose your job.
• You fall behind on your mortgage.
• You get a negative report from the doctor.
• You are persecuted.
• Troubles press in on every side and you feel completely overwhelmed.

Our Lord knew that we would have to go through all of this. That’s why he said WHEN you pass through the waters, through the rivers, and walk through the fire. He says, “I will be with you. I will not allow the rivers of trouble to overflow you. You will not be burned by the fire and the flames will not scorch you.” Thank you Jesus!

He is encouraging us to take heart and remember that we are His. We belong to Him and because we are His He will take care of us. Whether He has already made a way of escape or determines that He will walk us through the trials we have been redeemed. We are not alone in our troubles. So when fear comes knocking on the door of your heart allow faith to answer it and fear will flee.

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord, For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8

If you have allowed your roots to grow down deep in the Word of God then during the times when the heat comes and there is drought in the land you will not be crippled by fear. Instead you will still be full of hope and trust in the Lord. You will keep pressing forward leaving all of your troubles in His hands and knowing in your heart that everything will work out for your good no matter what. You will not lose focus or become distracted by your problems; instead you will continue to produce good fruit in your life. You will be an example to others and when they see your strength they will know that it is by the power of God that you are able to overcome. Your faithfulness and determination will bring glory to our Lord.

So when troubles come fear not! For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Do not be dismayed, for our Lord will help us and strengthen us. He will uphold us with his righteous right hand. (2 Timothy 1:7, Isaiah 41:10)

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)

What's Holding You Back?

Last night I attended our Out of the Miry Clay monthly support group meeting. Out of the Miry Clay is a ministry formed by ex-offenders for ex-offenders. The ministry’s vision is to provide a place of refuge and accountability for ex-offenders. We are meeting, mentoring, and encouraging one another that we can overcome our battles by faith and hope in Christ Jesus.

Last night’s topic was ‘What’s holding you back?’ As I listened to some of the others share I truly asked God to help me see what has been holding me back or hindering my walk. Then I realized that lately I have been attacked with fear. Fear has tried to creep in and hinder my progress. I shared that the fear has been affecting me the way the wind affects me when I am running in the morning. When we are jogging and we turn onto a new block often times the wind is pushing against us. It slows me down me for a second but then I find that I just have to press forward harder. It’s like that when fear attacks me. The fear slows me down for a second mentally and emotionally, but I know that I have the power of Christ that is more powerful so I learn to do it afraid.

I sat back and listened as our wise mentors of the group lovingly gave their godly counsel. I humbly received their wods of encouragement and edification. I will treasure them and remember them, but most of all I will apply the counsel received to my walk with Christ. I do not want anything to hinder me from fulfilling the visions that our Lord has given me.

Through attending this support group, which of course I thought I did not need, I realized that if we are going to accomplish what our Lord has planned for us we have to constantly evaluate ourselves. That is the only way that we can truly progress in our Christian walk. If we try to pretend that nothing is wrong with us and that we have arrived then we are only lying to ourselves. If we ignore our shortcomings, temptations, or fears these will most certainly become the hindrances that cause us to stumble and more than likely cause us to become entangled in sin again. So we must keep it real with ourselves.

“Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles”– Hebrew 12:1

Today I want to encourage you to honestly ask yourself ‘What’s holding you back?’ Better yet, ask the Holy Spirit. Heed the Holy Spirit and throw off that hindrance. Is it your attitude, fear, hidden or unconfessed sin, lust, sexual immorality, denial, feelings of unworthiness, pride, anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, or doubt? What ever it is don’t allow yourself to try to carry these burdens on your own. Go to a strong believer and follower of Christ that you can trust and confess this hindrance. Ask them to pray with you and help keep you accountable to overcoming this issue. Be prepared to receive their words of encouragement, concern, and instruction.

Most importantly confess your need for help to the Lord. I believe that when we confess our hindrances or sins to the Lord that He not only forgives us but He gives us an increase of power and determination, through the Holy Spirit to overcome our battles with these shortcomings. He promised that He would continue the good work that He started in us; therefore He will not abandon us to deal with these things on our own. But first we must start by taking a look at ourselves and making an honest evaluation of whether we are in complete surrender and obedience to the will of God. Keep it real..

Lord please show us anything in us that is hindering our walk with Christ and affecting our testimony. We long to be hindrance free. We do not want to be entangled in any sin. Help us Lord. If there is anything hidden in our hearts shine the light of Your Word on it and let us not deny the Truth. Help us to confess our sins to not only to You but to someone we know that loves You and loves us too. We want to godly counsel and true constructive criticism. We receive correction and instruction with a wiliness to change. Thank You for loving us so much and changing us daily. In Jesus name I pray..amen.

Overwhelming Victory is Ours!

We did it! We ran 3.1 miles this morning. YAY!! For the past 2 weeks my husband and I have been training to run the 6th annual 5k race for faith scheduled for February 7th, 2009. All proceeds go to First Priority of South Florida. First Priority’s vision is to mobilize the Body of Christ in South Florida for the common purpose of evangelizing, equipping, and empowering middle and high school students on every public school campus. Student led clubs meet every week and the Gospel is shared each month. First Priority builds a bridge from the campus to the church, where students can be discipled and nurtured in a local body of believers. This ministry is doing a great work and we are excited to participate in this run.

It is has not been easy but we have determined that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. We know that it is Christ Jesus that has put all of this determination and ability in us to accomplish the dreams and visions that He has given us. Therefore when we set out to fulfill our missions and goals we know that we are not alone in our endeavor. Are confidence is in knowing that Christ Jesus our faithful Lord is right there with us pushing, empowering, and reassuring us that we can do it because He has equipped us for success. Glory be to God! We are more than conquerors!

What about you? Do you realize that you too are more than a conqueror? Realize it, receive it and believe it! No weapon formed against you will prosper. No matter what problems, trials, enemies, and obstacles present themselves we have to realize that we truly are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus who loves us. If God is for us, who can ever be against us?

I love what Romans 8:31-39 says but in an effort to keep this relatively short I want to show you verses 35-37.

“Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean He no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep. No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is our through Christ, who loved us” (NLT)

You see, despite all the troubles that we encounter in this world overwhelming victory is ours through Christ Jesus. There will be times that we will have to go through troubles and we will have to put our faith to action. Through the trials is when we truly learn to develop godly character and faith. That is why James 1:2 says, “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it as an opportunity for great joy.

Great joy? Yes. I understand better now that I have been subjecting my body to this training. It hurts and I get really tired. I do want to give up at certain points during my run but I keep pressing forward knowing that I am building my endurance and perserverance. This will result in my body being healthier, stronger, fit, and better prepared not only for the race but for life. Joy was what I felt this morning when we completed our run.

James goes on to say in verses 3-4,”For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

Therefore we should determine in our minds that we are going to go through every trial, trouble, and persecution as more than a conqueror because we have Christ Jesus on our side. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us and we should always remember that He works everything out for our good. Overwhelming victory is ours!!

From the Archives:I AM

It’s Monday again..hopefully your Sunday service was a special as mine was. Thinking about it gives me goose bumps all over again. However, we do not live on goose bumps and feelings. We live by faith. Our faith is in All Mighty God. So as we start off this week let us remember that we serve the great I AM. He is everything that we need. No problem, no trial, no test, there is nothing too big for the Great I AM.

As we think about all the things we want to accomplish this week we have to remember that we no longer have to carry heavy burdens. May the Lord give us wisdom to properly organize our week and manage our time properly. Let us be determined to do our work without grumbling and complaining, always remembering that we actually work for the Creator of Heaven and Earth. So let us bring glory to God in all that we do.

I want to encourage you to leave all of your burdens and cares with our Lord. Leave it all in His hands today. Do your part..whatever He has called you to do, but leave the burden with Him. He is able to carry all of your burdens and relieve you of doubt, fear, anxiety, and worry. Decide to trust in Him and rest in His peace knowing that our God is always in control.

When you feel tempted to worry or meditate on certain problems and situations remember the Words of the Great I Am.

“I AM..Always with you” (Matthew 28:20)
“I AM..Never going to leave you nor forsake you” (Genesis 28:15, Hebrews 13:5)
“I AM..Your strength and comfort” (Psalm 46:1)
“I AM..Your deliver” (Psalm 34:18-19, 2 Timothy 4:18, Psalms 18:1-2)
“I AM..Your provider”(Philippians 4:19, Matthew 6:28-33)
“I AM Your defender and vindicator” (Psalm 61:2-4)
“I AM Your healer” (Isaiah 53:4-5, Exodus 15:26)

“I AM all that you need!”

When you mediate on the Word of God instead of your situations you will find freedom and courage to face every day and every situation knowing that He is on your side working everything out for your good. (Romans 8:28-30)

Lord, thank you for your Word that comforts us and gives us hope and faith. We can face each day confidently knowing that the Great I AM is for us. We trust You and meditate on the truth of your Word. We will not be lead by our fickle feelings but we will trust in your Word and leave our cares and burdens in your hands. Let us bring glory to you in all that we do. In Jesus name..Amen.

From the Archives: Abundant Life

“The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and destroy; I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10

An abundant life is what Jesus came to give us. As believers we can live free from fear, bondage, guilt, shame, debt, strongholds, worry, and anxiety. Through the power of the Holy Spirit we have the ability to be more than conquerors. The One who lives in us is more powerful than he who lives in this world. We have been given the mind of Christ. When we are surrendered to the Word of God and allow ourselves to be lead by His Spirit we can live the abundant life that Jesus came to give us.

We don’t have to be overcome and defeated by temptation and troubles. We can live free from all strongholds and bondages. However so many Christians live defeated lives. They are struggling with alcoholism, drug addiction, smoking, pornography, consumed by debt, lying, unforgiveness, resentment, robbing God of tithe and offerings, and so much more. The enemy is just having a field day with their lives while they just stand by and wonder why this is happening to them. Telling themselves that they’re good Christians because they go to church all the time and volunteer for different ministries.

I spent many years living a scarce Christian life. I allowed myself to be defeated by addictions and destructive emotions. I was in bondage. I allowed myself to get beat up all the time by the devil and his demons. My marriage was in trouble. My family was under severe attack. I knew the Word of God. I had spent several hours, days, months, and years reading it. But I was just a hearer, not a doer of the Word. I was not surrendered to the Word of God or His will for my life. In a lot of ways I had harden my heart to His Word because I still wanted my own way. I did not fully trust Him even after all He has done for me.

I began to seek God’s face about why I was struggling so much. I was tired of playing church. I was tired of allowing the enemy to steal my joy, peace, and mental stability. I decided that instead of just sitting down to read the Word for knowledge of scripture, that I needed to sit down to read the Word expecting God to show me how to improve my life. I would pray before I began to read for God to change my heart and renew my mind through the reading of his Word. I desired more than ever for Him to search every corner of my heart, even the hidden places, and purify me. I began to long for Him to create in me a clean heart. I abandoned my own will and craved His heart and His will for my life.

If we are to walk with God and live a more abundant life now, then we need to surrender ourselves completely to Him. There’s no room for half stepping or compromise. Our emotions, problems, enemies, unforgiveness, addiction, any hindrances, and our complete will must be laid down on the altar and presented as a sacrifice to God. He will honor the sacrifice, cleanse us, and give us new heart that longs to please Him. The joy of our salvation will be renewed. Then we will be able to live this abundant life that Jesus came to give us.

Father, thank you for your sacrifice of Love. We know that this sacrifice was made so that we can live in freedom as conquerors free from any bondage or stronghold. We lay our will down at your feet and ask that Your will be done in our lives. Teach us how to live this life more abundantly. In Jesus name. Amen.

From the Archives: Is Anything too Hard for God?

“I am the Lord, the God of all mankind; is there anything too hard for me?” Jeremiah 33:27

Our troubles, temptations, strongholds, and enemies are not too big for our God. Often times I have been at the point where I wonder if I am going to be overcome by my troubles. I fear people saying, “Where is your God now.” Then the Holy Spirit reminds me that I serve Elohim, God the Sovereign, Powerful, Creator of Heaven and Earth. He is always there willing to supply all of our needs. He is El Shaddai, God Almighty.

In the movie screen of my mind I see stories of deliverance from the bible playing. I am suddenly filled with excitement and faith knowing that our God is powerful and faithful. One of my all time favorite stories is Daniel in the lions den. You may know the story.

Daniel was one of three presidents of Babylon helping king Darius rule over the Medo-Persian Empire. He was a godly man who proved more capable than the other presidents and governors. The king was contemplating putting Daniel to rule over the entire empire as his administrative officer. This made all of the other presidents and governors very jealous. They began plotting on him, trying to find fault in the way he handled his affairs. But they couldn’t, they knew their only chance was his religion.

They devised a plan to have a law made and approved by the king that no one would worship or pray to any other god. King Darius approved their decree that permitted no petitions to any God or man except to him for a thirty day period. This law was irrevocable under the law of the Medes and Persians. Anyone who disobeyed would be thrown into the lions’ den.

Daniel’s haters knew that he loved God and that he prayed three times daily. Once the law was approved they immediately went to see if Daniel would continue seeking God’s face anyways. They saw him praying in his window and they went running to tell the king. The king was upset with himself and wanted to save Daniel, but he couldn’t undo what had been done. By decree he was forced to order Daniel to be thrown to the lions. The king said to Daniel before throwing him in, “May your God, whom you worship continually, deliver you.” He was so upset that he couldn’t eat, refused entertainment, and couldn’t sleep all night.

(Daniel 6:19-23) Very early the next morning he hurried out to the lion’s den, and called out in anguish, “O Daniel, servant of the Living God, was your God, whom you worship continually, able to deliver you from the lions?” Then he heard a voice! “Your Majesty, live forever!” It was Daniel! “My God has sent his angel,” he said, “to shut the lions’ mouth so that they can’t touch me; for I am innocent before God, nor, sir, have I wronged you.” The king was beside himself with joy and ordered Daniel lifted from the den. And not a scratch was found on him, because he believed in his God.

Daniel’s God is the God we serve, the Deliverer. He is unchanging. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He preserves his people and delivers them. Always remember that nothing is too hard for our God so keep believing in Him.

PERSEVERANCE

“Do not let this happy trust in the Lord die away, no matter what happens. Remember you reward! You need to keep on patiently doing God’s will if you want him to do for you all that he has promised. His coming will not be delayed much longer. And those whose faith has made them good in God’s sight must live by faith, trusting Him in everything. Otherwise, if they shrink back, God will have no pleasure in them.” Hebrews 10:35-38

When I sat down to read the Word I opened up my bible and found a book mark that was given to me years ago. On the back is written ‘To: Lisa From: Jesus’. The front says PERSERVERANCE and it has this scripture “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.” Hebrews 10:36

I laughed and cried because I know that the Holy Spirit is reminding me that the promise that the Lord made years ago to me about my family would be fulfilled. It is coming to pass, but not as fast as I would like. I find myself often times impatient and frustrated with the problems and trials. There are times where I just want to give up. Have you ever felt like you just want to throw in the towel? Like things will never change?

Giving up should never be an option for us as believers. We have to persevere no matter what! Persevere means to persist in anything undertaken; maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement; continue steadfastly. The scripture that I keep hearing in my spirit is Habakkuk 2:3 “For the vision is yet for an appointed time and it hastens to the end [fulfillment]; it will not deceive or disappoint. Though it tarry, wait [earnestly] for it, because it will surely come; it will not be behindhand on its appointed day.”

We have to trust our Lord is going to do all that He said He would do. Faith is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead. Some of us become impatient giving up hope and faith right before we get our break through. (Hebrews 11:1-2)

It is only through problems and trials that we can learn this perseverance. It is for our own good. Imagine if we always got what we wanted right away or if life was easy with no problems. Smooth sailing the whole way. We would be weak, impatient, and our faith would be little. However, if we must keep trusting God for something that hasn’t happened yet, it teaches us to wait patiently and confidently. (Romans 8:25)

It is apparent that we can not learn perseverance without learning and applying patience. I feel the need to clarify that patience is not just waiting. It is waiting with a good attitude. Patience is bearing provocation, annoyance, misfortune, delay, hardship, pain, etc., with fortitude and calm and without complaint, anger, or the like. WOW and OUCH!!! That’s why they say “Patience is a virtue.”

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials for we know they are good for us- they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady. Then, when that happens, we are able to hold our heads high no matter what happens and know that all is well, for we know how dearly God loves us, and we feel this warm love everywhere within us because God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” Romans 5:3-5

When you find yourself feeling impatient and losing hope don’t hesitate to draw close to the Lord, because He is ready to draw near to you. As quick as you can read or listen to the Word of God so that your spirit is encouraged and renewed. His Word helps us sift through the drama of life. It brings clarity and inspires us to keep pressing forward knowing that though the vision tarries we can be sure that it will come to pass. We know that God’s Word never returns to Him void. So let us keep patiently and confidently trusting our Lord learning perseverance and becoming strong in faith and character.

Slavery To The Deadly Lower Nature

“I know that I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned.” (Romans 7:25)

“I love to do God’s will so far as my new nature is concerned; but there is something else deep within me, in my lower nature, that is at war with my mind and wins the fight and makes me slave to the sin that is still within me. In my mind I want to be God’s willing servant but instead I find myself still enslaved to sin.” (Romans 7:22-25)

“Now if I am doing what I don’t want to, it is plain where the trouble is; sin still has me in its evil grasp.” (Romans 7:20)

“My new life tells me to do right, but the old nature that is still inside me loves to sin. Oh, what a terrible predicament I’m in! Who will free me from my slavery to the deadly lower nature? Thank God! It has been done by Jesus Christ our Lord. He has set me free.” (Romans 7:25)

I am quite sure that I am not the only one that can relate to Paul’s words regarding the struggle within. I have to battle daily with the old Lisa that was enslaved to sin who loved to gratify the lust of the flesh. She still lives in me and wants to lead me away from everything that is good, away from God. That sinful nature makes me want to react to certain situtions or people the wrong way. I am not that old person any more who was full of anger, nasty, bitter, spiteful, selfish, and vengeful. That person was being lead around by a hook in her mouth, enslaved to sin. I don’t ever want to be her again.

Although we are new creations in Christ Jesus we still live in these sinful bodies with our old nature that is still inside of us who loves to sin. It battles with the new nature that lives inside of us that desires to please God. Paul says it is a terrible predicament and I agree. However he goes on to say the best part, that we have been freed from our slavery to the lower nature by Jesus Christ our Lord. He has set us free. It has been done! We don’t have to be slaves any more to the old us and its desires. We have the power through the Holy Spirit to put our lower nature in its place.

“So, dear brothers and sister, we have no obligations whatever to our old sinful nature to do what it begs us to do. For if you keep on following it you are lost and will perish, but if through the power of the Holy Spirit you crush it and its evil deeds, you shall live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” (Romans 8:12-14)

I want to walk in love all the time, control my tongue, be kind, patient, and not gratify my lusts. My desire is to please and obey God. There are times when I fall short that I get so discouraged, full of shame, and guilt. If I begin to meditate on my failures, mess ups, and sins I want to give up. I forget that the battle has been won. However we can not give up when we fall down.

“But if we confess our sins to Him, He can be depended on to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. And it is perfectly proper for God to do this for us because Christ died to wash away our sins.” 1 John 1:9

As I am writing this the song “We Fall Down” starts playing and I am hearing the chorus in the background saying “A saint is just a sinner that falls down and then gets up.” That is so true! As children of the Most High God when we fall we must we get up. We can not allow condemnation, shame, and feelings of unworthiness to rule over us. They will keep us from entering God’s prescience to seek His forgiveness, mercy, and grace when we need it most. No..we have to be quick to confess our sin and repent so that we may be forgiven. God will not reject a broken spirit that is full of remorse and penitence. A broken and contrite heart God will not ignore. When we accept God’s forgiveness He can heal us. Then we can grow becoming stronger in our faith. (Psalm 51:17)

Let us remember that there is now no condemnation awaiting those who belong to Christ Jesus. For the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed us from the vicious circle of sin and death. We can obey God if we follow the Holy Spirit and no longer obey the old nature within us. We are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus and it is in Him that we are made strong. (Romans 8:1-2 & 4)

Your Break Thru Is Coming!

Don’t give up. Your break thru is coming. Keep praying, fasting, and praising Him because every promise from God shall surely come true. Trust Him no matter what opposition comes against you. Remember that He is always for you and never against you. Let us not get tired of doing what we know is right, for after a while we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t get discouraged and give up. (Galatians 6:9)

Consider Mary the mother of Jesus Christ our Lord. She was a mighty woman of faith, who believed that God would do what he said; that is why he gave her such a wonderful blessing. She was carrying the Messiah, the Savior of the world, in her womb. She accepted the honor and was determined to serve her God. She trusted God’s will for her life. She knew that she would face opposition and be talked about and persecuted by those in her community because she became pregnant while she was engaged to her fiancé, Joseph. They were not allowed to have sex until they were married. Joseph could have had her stoned for this apparent unfaithfulness.

Instead of fear she was filled with faith and determination to do God’s will. Mary said to Gabriel, the angel that brought her the good news of her immaculate conception, “I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to do whatever he wants. May everything you said come true.” (Luke 1:38)

Like Mary we have to trust our Lord’s Word no matter what. We have to know that He has not forgotten his promise to be merciful to us. We will have trouble and trials but we can not give up and turn from God in anger or disappointment. We must not allow ourselves to be consumed by fear, anxiety, worry, doubt, and unforgiveness to those that have hurt us or even towards God. Our Lord never said that we would have it easy because we are His children. In fact Jesus said, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Our peace is in Jesus. Knowing that Jesus is the Word of God, that His Word is truth, and never returns void is powerful! It should give us hope, faith, and determination to keep pressing forward. If we continue to trust His Word and never stop believing it then we will see His Word come to pass and we will fulfill God’s will, just like Mary did. She knew the Word of God and she spoke it out of her mouth and we must do the same. (Luke 1:46-55)

Don’t give up! Start speaking the Word of God with authority and confidence. When you feel that you can’t keep going ask the Holy Spirit to bring to remembrance His promises and then confess them out loud.

Say..”Lord…”

 "I know that you have good plans for me, not for disaster, but to give me a future and a hope. When I pray you will listen. When I look wholeheartedly for you, I will find you." (Jeremiah 29:11-13)
 "I know that You cause everything to work together for my good because I love You and I am called according to your purpose." (Romans 8:28)
 "In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me." (Psalm 86:7)
 "I am strong, courageous, and firm; I fear not and am not in terror, for it is the Lord my God Who goes with me; You will not fail me or forsake me." (Deuteronomy 31:6)
 "I will not let the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful." (Mark 4:19)
"You are the source of my hope. Fill me with all joy and peace by means of my faith in Jesus, so that my hope will continue to grow by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13)
 "I live by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7)
 "My faith does not rest in the wisdom of men (human philosophy), but in the power of God." (1 Corinthians 2:5)
 "I’m sticking with You. You have proven to be good to me and to all who passionately wait and diligently seek You. It’s a good thing to quietly hope for help from You." (Lamentations 3:24-26)

Don’t give up your break thru is coming. Keep pressing forward believing and confessing His Word over your circumstances. You are about to reap your harvest!