Soul Surfer- A True Story of Faith

A couple of weeks ago I finished reading the book Soul Surfer, A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board by Bethany Hamilton. I also recently saw the motion picture Soul Surfer based on Bethany’s story. I personally liked the book better because it had more faith-filled and motivating quotes from Bethany. However both were very inspiring.

For those who have not heard the story of Bethany Hamilton, Bethany is a twenty-one year old pro-surfer. But she is no ordinary surfer. You see Bethany is a survivor of a shark attack. When she was thirteen years old she was out surfing with her best friend and a fourteen foot shark attacked her. The attack left Bethany with a severed arm. Bethany did not allow that shark to take away her dream of becoming a professional surfer. Less than a month after getting out of the hospital Bethany was back in the water determined to surf again.

As I read her book I was so moved by her faith and determination. She was only 13 years old and her confidence and hope in God was so strong. Her outlook on what has happened to her causes me to look at my own life and my problems and say to myself, “Lisa, God has a plan and a purpose for allowing all of this, keep trusting Him.”

I want to share some quotes with you from her book and I pray that they inspire, challenge, and encourage your heart.

May The God of Hope Fill You With All Joy And Peace As You Trust In Him

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

This one little verse is so powerful and full of insight. If you are facing extreme testing and trouble, trials and persecution hear what the Spirit of God is saying to you here in this verse.

Our God is the God of hope. There is no situation that any of us will ever face that is too big for the God of hope. Our problems don’t surprise Him. He is not moved by them. He saw them before they ever manifested themselves. In fact He has been preparing us for this time. We are equipped in Him to face this situation. The testing and the trials may seem too much to bear ALONE, but we ARE NOT ALONE! His Holy Spirit is with us and in us.

Often times when we are in the middle of the fiery furnace we allow our emotions to get the best of us. When we begin to focus on our problems and listen to our fickle emotions instead of the Word of God we will surely get off track. If we allow our emotions to manage us instead of us managing our emotions we will lose our peace and joy. Emotions are just feelings that we have in the moment and THEY WILL CHANGE. So we cannot be lead by them. Instead we have to be led by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God that never changes. It is the same yesterday, today, and forever. It is stable and secure. It is true and infallible. It is our hope and confidence. We have to trust it above our emotions and what we see.

When we are in a relationship with the Lord He gives us very specific details for our life and gives us clear instruction on which way to go. We don’t need to freak out when circumstances look the opposite of what God has promised us. Remember that His Word never returns void. So we must keep believing and pressing forward diligently. Most of all we need to be obedient to His direction and leading. We need to desire His will more than our own will for our lives. Unfortunately many people give up on trusting God and harden their hearts toward the Holy Spirit. They turn back to their own way of doing things. Their disobedience hinders their breakthrough and blessings. Brothers and sisters we cannot lose hope and turn away from God’s will for our lives. When we decide to turn away from God’s path we will affect not only our lives but the lives our friends and families too.

There is a saying that God will never put more on you than you can bear. But I think the saying should be that God will never put more on us than we can bear ALONE. When we try to face life’s problems on our own we will most assuredly not be able to bear up under the stress and burdens. We are not strong enough. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to help us. He is our strength and comfort. Apart from Him we can do nothing and then we become hopeless. (John 15:5)

We WILL get our break through! We just have to believe and have trust in the God of hope no matter what. In Romans 15:13 the God of hope has PROMISED that AS WE TRUST IN HIM, He will fill us with all joy and peace so that we can overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. He doesn’t break His promises. He will give us hope in our situation because we trust Him, His promises, and His Word! We must remember that He always works everything out for our good. Even what the enemy tries to use to destroy or harm us He can turn for our good. We are never without hope because the God of hope is on our side.

So let us meditate on Romans 15:13 and allow it to go down deep in our hearts. Let His Word renew our mind so that when we are facing many troubles His Word will fill our thoughts with hope, joy, and peace.

But Those Who Wait On The Lord

There are times when we are going to feel tired, stressed out, and weak from life’s struggles. Sometimes circumstances will seem too much to bear. If we begin to meditate on our problems and feed our emotions with thoughts of defeat we will become exhausted and worn out. Thinking about all the “what if’s” and constantly asking “how much longer” will eventually cause us to stumble and fall under all the pressure.

When we feel like we just can’t go on any longer in our troubles or battles we need to remember what the Holy Spirit spoke through the prophet Isaiah.

“He gives power to the faint and weary, and to him who has no might He increases strength [causing it to multiply and making it to abound]. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and [selected] young men shall feebly stumble and fall exhausted; But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired.” Isaiah 40:29-31 (Amplified)

I love how the Amplified translates these verses. Our Lord has not left our side. When we are about to faint and give up He is by our side giving us the power to keep going. He is there for us when we are weary and have no might to continue on. It is Him that causes what strength we do have left to multiply so that it will be enough to press forward. He never leaves us or forsakes us!

Let’s look at the first part of verse 31.

BUT THOSE who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] SHALL CHANGE and renew their strength and power;

Those of us who choose to change our perspective from dwelling on the negative and focusing on our problems to expecting, looking for, and hoping for the Lord to act in our situation will truly be changed. We have to realize that looking at our circumstances and meditating on our problems only feeds worry and births fear and anxiety. Our perspective is what is causing us to faint and become weary. We are focused on the wrong thing. We should be focusing on the Word of God not our circumstances.

When we begin to change our perspective from hopelessness and defeat to faith and hope in the Lord we will go from faint and weary to full of strength and power. Our faith pleases the Lord and He rewards us with a hopeful assurance and a peace which surpasses all understanding because we are trusting in Him. It is our faith and hope in the Lord that causes His power to rise up in us. When we put our faith in His Word and promises our minds will be renewed. Our faith will heal us and make us whole. When we truly wait on the Lord and expect Him to move in our lives we know that we are close to God. We know that He is not far away from us. This knowing inside of us is what will cause us to keep pressing forward and not get tired. We will be able to walk and not faint along the way. Then we will reap a harvest of blessing because we did not get tired and give up. (Hebrews 11:6 Galatians 6:9)

Putting our hope in the Lord will never fail us. He is faithful to His Word. He never leaves us or forsakes us. No matter what situation we are facing if we are a child of God and we love Him we must know with all of our heart that He causes EVERYTHING to work together for our good. He has a purpose and plan for our life. We have to trust Him no matter what! We are in good hands with Him.

Do not fret or worry anymore! Put all of your hope and trust in Him today. Wait expectedly for Him to act. Fill yourself with His Word and meditate on His promises DAILY, day and night. Put on some praise and worship music for the spirit of heaviness that will try to attack you. Praising the Lord will lift your spirit because He inhabits the praise of His people. I promise you that your faith will increase if you do these things consistently. Then you will soar high on wings like eagles. You will run and not grow weary. You will walk and not faint. (Romans 8:28, Isaiah 61:3, 1 Thessalonians 5:24, 1 Corinthians 1:9, Philippians 4:6-9, Joshua 1:8-9)

It's Time To Get Out Of The Boat

This is a word for the servant of God who has been given a vision to do something great for the kingdom of heaven. Be encouraged and may your spirit be refreshed and comforted by His Word.

The vision, dream, and desire for ministry that you have has been implanted in your spirit by the Spirit of God. When you decided that you were going to serve Him with all of your heart, mind, and soul you became a trophy of grace that He would use to bring honor to His Son. Your life will be a living witness to all who knew the old you. Many will see what God has done in and through you and they too will believe in Christ Jesus and put their trust in Him.

He has given you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. The old stony and stubborn heart is gone. He has replaced it with a tender and responsive heart. Your heart is for God and the things of God. Your spirit longs to serve Him, to build up the kingdom of heaven, and to reach out to the lost and hurting. You are becoming more and more like Christ daily because His Word is constantly renewing your mind and transforming you. You know what God wants you to do because you have the mind of Christ and the Spirit of God living in you. You have God given desires growing inside of you. Your heart’s desire is like His, that no soul should perish but that they would know the Truth, repent, and be saved. You desire to be used by Him and therefore you have consecrated your life to Him to use as He sees fit. Since you have delighted yourself in the Lord and sought His kingdom first He WILL give you the desires of your heart. You will receive whatever you ask because you obey Him and do the things that please Him. The vision to do the ministry that He has called you to do will come to pass sooner than you think.

If you want to walk on water you have to step out of the boat, even if that means leaving others in the boat. Walking on water is a risk that many others are not willing to take. Don’t focus on what’s going on around you have to keep your eyes on Jesus then you will not sink. Remember His promises. Remember all that He has already done in your life. You know that He is faithful and true to His Word so step quickly when you sense Jesus inviting you to take risks for Him. Your faith and courage will inspire and motivate others to move forward in their calling too.

There will be times where you will feel inadequate and ill-equipped, but you have everything you need in Christ Jesus. He will direct you. His Word will be a light to your feet and will direct your steps. He has given you every spiritual gift you need to keep you strong. He has empowered and equipped you to do His will so do not listen to fear. Fear is determined to paralyze you so that there is little or no progress toward fulfilling the vision. Fear can be deceitful and will try to creep into your life in different forms such as compromise, worry, complacency, and contentment. So beware because fear often times is the influence behind these.

You will not be able to have everything figured out all the time. Remember that faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things that we cannot see. You are called to walk by faith, not by sight, nor by straight intellect. Be lead of the Spirit. Don’t try to put God in a box. He is the God of impossibilities. He is the God who parts seas for His people. He is the God that feeds the multitudes with a couple of fish and loaves of bread. He is the God that provides all of your needs from His riches and glory. He is the God that will ask you to move in faith when the rest of the world would say, “Don’t, not now!” Listen to the Spirit of God, not to the voice of men.

Remember that God is your source of hope and He will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. Now is the time to get out of the boat and walk on the water.

"Lord I Want To See!"

During my study time today I read this:

Matthew 20: 29-34 As Jesus and the disciples left the town of Jericho, a large crowd followed behind. Two blind men were sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was coming that way, they began shouting, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

“Be quiet!” the crowd yelled at them.

But they only shouted louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, “What do you want me to do for you?”

“Lord,” they said, “we want to see!” Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. Instantly they could see! Then they followed him. (Emphasis mine)

This hit me so hard! I felt these blind men’s cries deep inside of me. I immediately cried out too, “Lord, I want to see too! Touch my eyes and remove any logs or hindrances that are blinding me. If you will only touch my eyes I would be able to see your will for my life and then I will follow you to the ends of the earth!”

I don’t know about you but living in this busy world sometimes I find that my vision can get a little blurred or obstructed by my emotions, offenses, hurts, responsibilities, or even ministry work. Maybe its temptation, hidden sin, selfish desires, or compromise that has crept in and is trying to blind us. Whatever it is we need to remember that Jesus is just a holler away. We need to cry out to Him in the middle of our crowded life, “Lord, Son of David have mercy on me!”

Of course there will always be hindering spirits (shame, condemnation, unworthiness, lust,fear, heaviness, depression) that will try to oppress us and keep us from crying out. But shout out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me!!”

I promise that He WILL stop and ask, “What do you want me to do for you?” That’s your chance to tell Him, “Lord, I want to see! I want to see where you want me to go. What you want me to do. Who you want me to see today. I want to see your plan for my life, not my own. I want to see with new eyes. Your eyes Lord..”

He will open our eyes to see things we could have never seen before with all of the obstructions in the way. Fresh revelations and new insight can be ours if we stop and ask the Lord to open our eyes to see what He wants us to see. Once our eyes are truly opened to see we can avoid these obstacles that serve to blind us and we can put our focus on helping others. I think Brandon Heath says best in His song..

‘Give me your eyes’

"All I Can Do Is Pray"

Why is it that when situations get extremely difficult, or seem hopeless, or out of our control do many of us respond by telling ourselves and others, “All I can do is pray.” What do we really mean anyways? What are we really saying? Is it a statement of faith? I don’t think so..It’s almost like when say that it’s as if prayer is our last resort to our tiresome efforts of trying to resolve our own problems. In some cases some of us have made prayer exactly that..our last resort. This statement, “ALL I CAN DO IS PRAY..” usually follows a statement like this:

“I’ve tried everything I can think of to change or fix this situation now..”
“My hands are tied. It’s out of my control now...”
“I just don’t know what else to do...”

Seeking God’s will and direction for our problems, concerns, and decisions should be our very first reaction. We should pray and never give up. Prayer should not be the last resort. Just think of how many times we have only made our circumstances worse by moving ahead with our own ideas of how to resolve our situation without seeking God’s face, without praying first. (1 Thessalonians 5:17, Luke 18:1, Proverbs 16:25)

When we are facing troubles or when we are at a fork in the road that is when we need to tune our ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding even more. We need to cry out for insight and ask the Lord for help. We need to recognize and remember immediately that our hope should always be in the Lord. Our hope is in knowing that He leads us down the right path for our lives. He is our lamp. He lights up our darkness. He does not leave us or forsake us in our troubles. He is the answer to every situation. He gives us wisdom and counsel. We don’t have to fix everything on our own and we definitely should not make important decisions in our lives without praying and even fasting first. (Proverbs 2:2-3, Jeremiah 17:7-8, Psalm 23:3, Psalm 18:28)

“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask Him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.” (James 1:5-6)

I love how Queen Ester handled the horrific news that was brought to her via messenger from her mentor and cousin Mordecai. She was told that there had been a decree of death pronounced by the king and his prime minister, Haman. They planned to kill millions of people-including women and children. Mordecai directed her to go before the king and beg for mercy and to plead for her people. They both knew that if anyone appeared before the king in his inner court without being invited they were doomed to die unless the king held out his gold scepter. Even the queen had to be summoned. This was a terrible dilemma, but she was determined to lay down her life if she needed to, but first she determined to seek God’s will and direction. Queen Ester proclaimed a three day fast for her and her people. They all got on their faces before the Lord asking for God’s help and favor. They prayed for the queen and for their own lives to be spared. (Ester 4)

After those three days and nights of fasting and prayer she got up, cleaned up, and put on her royal robes. She was prepared to go before the king prayed up and trusting the Lord to go before her. Many of you know the story. The Lord gave her great wisdom as to how to tactfully approach the situation. The outcome was that the truth of the plot against her people was revealed to the king and their enemies were defeated. It’s an awesome story! (Ester 5-9)

“The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” James 5:16

With every situation that presents it’s self we need to go boldly into the throne room giving thanks immediately to our Lord for the answer and direction that He will provide, because He WILL direct our steps, we just need to seek his face. We don’t have to be afraid or over burdened with troublesome feelings or emotions, confusion, or fear over our circumstances. We need to rise up with the Spirit of power and love, trusting Him and immediately drawing close to the Lord knowing that He will draw close to us.

Let us be determined to seek God first, His will, and His way of handling this life’s troubles. May prayer be our first reaction instead of our last resort. In Jesus name amen…

He WILL Restore Your Family

I do a bible study in a prison work release center every two weeks. I have a heart for these women because I know what it is like to be where they are. The work release center that I volunteer at just so happens to be the work release that I spent the last part of my prison sentence at. Every time I get down the street from the center I begin to rejoice and praise God because I remember clearly the feelings that I had when I was there. I was concerned about how it would be when I got home. How would my daughter be with me? Would she love me? I had lost everything that meant anything to me my home, car, husband, and daughter. I was going through a divorce while I was in the center. I was scared. Although I knew with all of my heart that our Lord had a mighty plan for my life I wondered if I would have a family of my own again or would it be just me and my precious Angelica?

I had no idea the wonderful things that our Lord had prepared for me. He has blessed me above and beyond what I ever asked for, beyond what I deserve. I am not worthy of the many gifts that He has bestowed on me. I have a beautiful family now. I have a smart, handsome, and determined husband who from the day that we meet had a heart for me like no other man I had ever known before. He loved my daughter from day one and accepted her as his own. Very quickly we were blessed with our first child together. After that the children just kept coming. We had a son a couple years later. Then just two years ago we had our twins. Did I mention that he also already had two children from his first marriage? That’s seven!

I like what Psalm 127: 3-5 says..

“Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him. Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior’s hands. How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them! He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates.”

I tell my sisters in Christ at the work release center that God is in the business of restoring families. He does not want to have our children scattered abroad. He wants us to have them with us so that we can teach them to love and obey Him so that they will have a future and a hope in Christ Jesus. He has commanded us to commit ourselves wholeheartedly to His commands (His Word) and to teach our children also about His Word. He wants us to teach them to reverence Him. We are to teach them not just by talking about right living but being living examples that they can follow, living testimonies. This is our responsibility. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9, 4:9-10)

This past Monday when I went to the center I was teaching on God’s faithfulness and I was telling our sisters how our Lord will restore to them what they lost in their years of disobedience and rebellion. He will help them to get their lives back and it will be better than before because now they have the power of the Holy Spirit helping them. I gave each of the girls a scripture to look up. When I got to the third girl and she read her scripture and she began to cry because it was exactly what she needed to hear. Since before she went to prison she hasn’t had any contact with her young daughter and her family. The 29th is her birthday and she is full of sadness because she sees the other women getting mail and visitation but she doesn't gets either. She feels left out of her family. The scripture I asked her to read was Joel 2:25

“The LORD says, “I will give you back what you lost to the swarming locusts, the hopping locusts, the stripping locusts, and the cutting locusts. It was I who sent this great destroying army against you.”

I know that the Lord will restore her family just like He restored mine. Just like He will restore someone’s family who will read this, who has been asking God for the strength and the wisdom to bring their family back together again. He will!! Just be obedient.

“But if you pray to God and seek the favor of the Almighty, and if you are pure and live with integrity, he will surely rise up and restore your happy home. And though you started with little, you will end with much.” Job 8:5-7

Brothers and sisters be blessed and encouraged by His Words..

TO EVERYTHING There Is A Season

TO EVERYTHING there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven: A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted, A time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build up, A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, A time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, A time to get and a time to lose, a time to keep and a time to cast away, A time to rend and a time to sew, a time to keep silence and a time to speak, A time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)

Yesterday while we were at morning service my husband received a text message that our friend Frankie went on to be with the Lord at 7:40 that morning. We knew that this time would come. Frankie had slipped into a coma after 3 major surgeries within a 72 hour period. My husband showed me the text and immediately Frankie and his wife Jill’s faces flashed in the big screen of my mind. Both my husband and I were moved with emotion and sadness but we had hope all at the same time. Hope that we will see our brother in heaven one day. We are comforted knowing that He is with the cloud of witnesses to the life of faith. (Hebrews 12:1) However, my heart ached for my friend and sister in the Lord Jill. My heart ached at the thought of losing my own husband so suddenly. I remembered how much it hurt to lose my mother to a car accident when I was just sixteen.

Often times we don’t know why things happen the way they do. Why our Lord allows certain tragedies. Why can’t all the suffering end already? When will our Lord come and free us from this sinful world and our sinful bodies? When my mind starts with all the ‘Why Lord?’ questions I just have to stop myself right there and say, “Lord I trust you even though I don’t understand why? Even though this hurts I know that you are in control. Your ways are not my own. Your thoughts and way are so much higher than mine are.”

Our friend Frankie was a living testimony of God’s grace, mercy, and transforming power. He was a captive set free. He loved the Lord. He loved his church family and he adored his wife Jill with all of his heart. He was always willing to help and serve others and he did it with a smile and lots of jokes. There was never a dull moment with him. He will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him.

Please remember his wife Jill in your prayers. She has been remarkably strong throughout all of this. I truly see the hand of God and the prayers of her loving church family holding her up.

Tonight I pray that the Lord would touch each person’s heart who reads this and allow them to realize that there is a season for everything. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance. You never know when your time is up. You never know when someone you love will suddenly be taken from you. Enjoy your life and your family, serve the Lord with a sincere heart, and count your many blessings. Don’t take the ones you love for granted. Let them know you love them every day. Don’t just say it show it.

Blessings to you all in Christ Jesus name.

In Memory of Frankie Colon

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!!

Because You Believed It Has Happened!

“And because of their unbelief, He couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place His hands on a few sick people and heal them. And He was amazed at their unbelief.” Mark 6:5-6

Our Lord wants to work mighty miracles in our lives. He wants us to receive healing and restoration in every area of our lives. However sometimes he can’t do the mighty miracles He desires to because of our unbelief. This greatly sadness and grieves our Lord. After all that He has done for us and revealed to us. Still there is so much unbelief in the body of Christ. There are many believers that do not believe that Christ will heal or restore them and therefore they remain broken and hindered by their unbelief.

The people of Nazareth heard Jesus preach the Word of God with authority and boldness. They were amazed at His wisdom and power to do miracles. Still they refused to accept Him for who He truly is, their Messiah and Savior. They saw Him as just a carpenter, the son of Mary. They saw Him as just an average man. Their perspective of Jesus hindered their ability to receive from Him. He couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place His hands on a few sick people and heal them. (Mark 6:1-6)

All throughout the Gospel there are stories of people receiving healing and restoration from Jesus. These people received their miracle because they believe and had faith in Christ Jesus.

• To the Gentile woman Jesus said, “Dear woman, your faith is great. Your request is granted.” Matthew 15: 21-28
• To the Roman officer who asked for healing for his daughter Jesus said to His followers, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!” He then turned to officer and said, “Go back home, Because you believed, it has happened.” Matthew 8:5-13
• To the woman with the issue of blood who believed that if she could just touch the hem of His robe she would be healed He turned and said, “Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well.” Matthew 9:18-22

What is your perspective on Jesus? Is He everything to you that the Word of God says He is? Or is He Jesus who healed people and did miracles back in the bible days. Do you believe that the Word of God is the same yesterday, today, and forever? Do you believe that He can and will heal, deliver, and restore you? Your perspective on Jesus affects your ability to receive healing and deliverance, as well as the ability to manifest His power.

Remember Peter when he walked out on the water to Jesus. He began to sink when we started looking around at the wind and the storm and took His focus off of Jesus. He allowed His faith to decrease to the point that He started sinking. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him and said, “You have so little faith. Why did you doubt in Me?” (Matthew 14:22-36)

Then there is also the time when the disciples tried to heal a demon possessed boy and couldn’t. When they asked Jesus why they couldn’t cast the demon out Jesus replied, “You don’t have enough faith. I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’, and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”

It is time for us to meditate on all the miracles that we have seen the Lord do in our lives. It is time to sit with the Holy Spirit and allow Him to show us the Jesus of the bible. Get in the Word of God and do not get up until you receive a revelation of how Powerful and Awesome God is. Then look at your own life and remember how He has delivered you in the past. There were times where you thought that everything was going to come tumbling down on you and just before you couldn’t handle it any more our Lord reached out and grabbed you. He did not let you fall even though you may have stumbled. He is faithful! That is what we have to remember. That is how you stir up your faith.

Stir up the Holy Spirit in you. Stir up your faith and believe once more that you serve God Almighty. He is not limited by your problems or circumstances. They do not bewilder Him. He has already made a way of escape. Put all of your faith in Him and receive your miracle. Do not walk by sight. Instead walk and be lead by the power of the Holy Spirit. Walk in faith and rebuke doubt and fear. Remember that He has not given you a spirit of fear. You have the Spirit of Christ in you which is full of power and ability. It is that same power that raised Christ from the dead.

Get up now and keep pressing forward. Your faith has made you whole!

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.

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!

From the Archives: Free From All Your Fears

Here is a posting I wrote back in July that I needed to revisit. I hope it helps someone the way it did me.

Free From All Your Fears

The Lord is close to those whose hearts are broken. He rescues those who are humbly sorry for their sins. He hears our cries. The eyes of the Lord are intently watching over all who live good lives, and he gives attention when they cry. He will deliver you from all your fears, but you have to put all your trust in Him.

Over the years I have seen the Lord doing a mighty work in my family’s lives. Our Heavenly Father has shown us He is in total control. The past sixteen months have been a pivotal time in my spiritual journey. I was full of fear, anxiety, and inner turmoil. I always wanted to be in control and have all the answers to our dilemmas but my circumstances could not be fixed by me. I was brought to a point where I had to truly humble myself and get on my face before God. I had to leave me fears and problems at His feet and start focusing on serving Him and others. I knew in my heart that while I tended to God’s business He would tend to mine and He has.

The Lord has been trying for years to get my husband and I on one accord and truly submit to Him. We are learning to reverence Him and trust Him no matter what attacks come, no matter what people say. He wants us to put His Word first. He has been drawing us close to Him so that we could find shelter and refuge in Him. So we have! Our lives have forever been changed. As a deer pants for water so we long for the Lord, we thirst for God, the living God. (Psalm 42:1-2)

Trusting God does not mean that you will not have trouble. The good man does not escape troubles he has them too. But the Lord helps him in each and everyone. My favorite Psalm is Psalm 34. It speaks of God saving those who reverence Him from all of their fears and troubles. It has given me comfort and helped build my faith since the first day I read it in 1997. I do not walk in fear and anxiety because I meditate on these verses and I know that:

Ø When I cry he answers me. (Ps. 34:4,6)
Ø He frees me from all my fears. (Ps. 34:4)
Ø Our Lord guards and rescues all who reverence Him (Ps:7)
Ø If I reverence Him I will have everything I need and never lack any good thing. (Ps: 9)
Ø His mercies shower down on me because I trust in Him. (Ps:8)
Ø The Lord hears me when I call to him for help, and saves me out of all my troubles.” (Ps. 34:17)

The more you put your trust in Him and learn not to lean on your own understanding the more you will see that He is in control. There is no problem to big for Him! He makes a way when there seems to be none. You don’t have to fret any more! Just truly surrender and you will not lack any good thing. Cast all your cares on Him. Seek His righteousness, goodness, and kingdom then everything else He’s take care of. Put Him first in everything. You can be free from all your fears by simply trusting Him! (Proverbs 3:5-6, Matthew 6:33, 1 Peter 5:7)

A Story of A Champion

Let me introduce you to my brother in law and brother in the Lord. He is living proof that our God is still in the business of doing miracles. After a 15 year drug addiction he has been delivered by God and is now completely sold out to Jesus. He is a JESUS FREAK!! I asked him to share his story and his experience from this weekend. I give you Mike Colon.. A story of a champion.

My name is Mike Colon and I am 30 years of age. This weekend I was blessed to have an opportunity to go into the prisons with the Bill Glass Prison Ministry WOC. Before I explain the awesome experience I had I figured I should give my testimony so you can understand just how big our God is.

My early childhood was pretty normal, grew up in a family with parents, an older brother, and a younger brother. We had a typical American Puerto Rican family. We lived in a nice home, had family vacations and grew up very close to our extended family. I was always a model student, played lots of sports and was actively involved in music in school. When I was going into the 8th grade we moved from New Jersey to Hollywood, FL and the transition really started my downward spiral. Within just a couple months of moving to Florida I was hanging with the wrong crowd, skipping school and started smoking marijuana. It was in my freshman year of high school when I just started living for the flesh.

My days started and ended with drugs, I was always late to class, grades fell and the things that were once important in my life didn’t matter anymore. It’s to no surprise that soon enough marijuana was not enough. My school was in a very “upper-class” neighborhood but that just meant drugs were easier to find. I started doing a lot of LSD and cocaine. By the time I was a junior I had gotten arrested several times and had gotten one of my girlfriends pregnant. I dropped out of high school in my senior year with 2 children and started selling drugs. I was seeking every possible fleshy way of filling the void that was empty this whole time.

From this point on in my life I was a “functioning” drug addict… I always had good jobs and even got my GED and was in college for pre-med/nursing. It wasn’t until recently that I realized even though I denied God as a young adult (I even went as far as considering myself agnostic) God always protected me. I continued on this path of destruction, always justifying my actions because I had a job and a family. In the years to follow I dropped out of college and continued living crazy. In that time I met my wife… about 8 years ago.

Our lifestyles were identical. We partied and did drugs routinely; I was a terrible boyfriend and a bad father. We had 2 beautiful daughters that I never appreciated until recently. And before I realized it I found myself deeply addicted to oxycontin and other pain killers.

In early December 2007, my older brother and his wife basically did an intervention on me and I went to a detox facility. Before entering the detox center, I was given a book called “Lose That Man and Let Him Go” by Bishop TD Jakes. This was the beginning of the end of my previous life. On my detox bed I prayed to God and asked him to help me change my life and I promised that if He did this I would dedicate my life to the Gospel.

Well, here I am! I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior on December 19, 2007 at Calvary Chapel Ft.Lauderdale and have never looked back. The addictions, the strongholds and the person I had been were instantly and miraculously gone. Our God, the Ultimate Redeemer, changed what many thought was the unchangeable… ME.

Since being born again, I’ve married my loving wife. God’s miracles didn’t just stop at me; they also impacted my wife… The change God has done in her life is just a whole other story. I’ve redeemed my relationship with my kids and I have dedicated my life to the Gospel. I am now actively involved in my Church and various ministries including the prison ministry event this past weekend.

I have to start by saying this weekend was AWESOME. I kinda expected to have a blessed weekend doing Kingdom work but never expected to be this fulfilled. This was my very first prison ministry event and I was really concerned that I wasn’t going to be ready. After praying over and over, God comforted me and explained that I didn’t need to be “prepared” I just needed to trust God and He would do the rest. Talk about a “conduit”. I truly felt God’s presence in the prison and I knew the words I spoke were the words of our heavenly Father. This experience was confirmation to me that God has a bigger plan for me and I could almost relate to the joy the Apostles must have felt leading people to know Jesus.

There were several incredible experiences I had this weekend doing Gods work but my best experience was at Dade Correctional Facility. After the guest speaker concluded his testimony he asked the inmates to take a look around to see the volunteers who were there to help talk to them about God. I noticed an inmate acting very “hardcore” just a couple feet in front of me (I mean what can we expect of these guys, they are in prison). But when he began looking around we caught eyes and to my surprise, standing in front of me was one of my best friends from middle and high school. When we caught eyes, immediately the “hardcore” image disappeared and in front of me was a very lost, broken individual, screaming for help. At this point I knew why God sent me to that particular prison, we talked for a little while and he proceeded to tell me he needed to change and he knew by my very presence that Jesus was the way. He pretty much said, “If God can change you, I know he can change me.” My heart screamed “THANK YOU JESUS!” and I was privileged to lead my once very carnal best friend to the love of our Almighty Savior, Jesus! Seeing my old friend and leading him to the Lord was incredible and took the cake!

This weekend helped me realize that we are all ministers in the Body of Christ and we are called to spread the Good News. I was able to lead a total of 16-18 once lost men to Christ this weekend and I am confident God will help them change. One of the guest speakers said this weekend we “increased the enrollment in Heaven and decreased the enrollment in hell.” The Bible says angels in heaven rejoice when just one sinner repents. Could you imagine the party in heaven this weekend… Hallelujah and thank you Jesus for this ministry. It has changed me!

Repost: Your Source of Hope

What is the source of your hope? God is the Source of Your Hope! His Word is the source of our Hope. The just should live by faith. (Habakkuk 2:4) Faith in His Word! Faith in God and His provisions, because He is Faithful! (1Corinthians 1:9)

No matter what we go thru..No matter what happens in our life we MUST know that His Word is Truth! It has to be our hope. We can not put our trust and hope in men, our jobs, or in what we see with our eyes. We have to put ALL of our hope in God’s Word because he is faithful to never let his Word return void. Isaiah 55:11 says,

“So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return to Me void [without producing any effect, useless], but it shall accomplish that which I please and purpose, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

Hope is a belief in a positive outcome related to events and circumstances in one’s life. If our hope is in the Word of God then we have faith that in all circumstances our God is in control. We know that He is working everything out for our God, even the things we do not understand and especially the things that hurt. Listen to what Habakkuk professes while looking around at the destruction and devastation:

Even though the fig trees have no blossoms,

and there are no grapes on the vines;

even though the olive crop fails,

and the fields lie empty and barren;

even though the flocks die in the fields,

and the cattle barns are empty,

yet I will rejoice in the Lord!

I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!

The Sovereign Lord is my strength!

He makes me as surefooted as a deer,

able to tread upon the heights. (Habakkuk 3:17-19)

We must walk in faith, trusting Him to help us. Now Faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]. (Hebrews 11:1) So we must walk by faith, not by sight.

If you do not know His Word where does your hope come from? What have you put your hope in? Begin filling your self daily with full portions of His Word and see how your faith and hope are increased.

If you know His Word than put your hope in the Truth found in the Word of God. Begin speaking and confessing the Word in your situation and for your life.

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

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.

Don't Forget The Miracles

“But O my soul, don’t be discouraged. Don’t be upset. Expect God to act! For I know that I shall again have plenty of reason to praise Him for all that he will do. He is my help! He is my God!” (Psalm 42:11)

Do you want to know how to make it through the storms of life with out being utterly consumed and overtaken by the winds? Don’t forget the miracles!! Remember the miracles that our Faithful Lord has done in your life and in those around you. Remind yourself of them especially while you are in the middle a terrible storm. Then meditate on the truth that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is still a miracle working God who is capable and willing to save you and bring you through life’s troubles. Expect Him to act!

Don’t doubt Him and think that He has forgotten you! The God we serve is an Awesome and On Time God. We have His power, the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives to help us all the time. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to comfort us and to remind us of the miracles that He has done. By meditating on the past miracles we will be encouraged and our faith will increase as we wait on the Lord. Our focus will not be on everything else going on around us.

When Peter got out of the boat to walk on water he forgot the miracles that he had just seen not even twenty four hours before. He was there when the Lord feed more than five thousand people with only five loaves of bread and two fish. He helped pass out the food. He saw there was even food left over. What an awesome miracle!! Immediately after this Jesus sent them out on the boat to cross over to the other side of the sea while he stayed behind to have His personal prayer time. While they are crossing over a storm comes. In the middle of the storm Jesus walks out on the sea to meet them. They see him and freak out thinking that He’s a ghost. Peter said, “Lord, if it is You command me to come to You on the water.” Jesus said, “Come”.

So Peter gets out of the boat determined to walk to Jesus. However, he took his eyes of our Lord and looked around at the circumstances, the wind blowing, the raging water, and probably even looked down and immediately he forgot about the miracles. He forgot about the power of God to feed the multitudes, heal the sick, and cast out demons. He allowed fear to consume him. He doubted God and began to sink. Of course our Lord stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him “O you of little faith, why did you doubt? (Matthew 14:22-33)

Why do we doubt when we know that our God is consistently faithful and merciful? There will be storms in this life, but blessed is the man who’s trust is the Lord. The righteous cry out, and the Lord delivers them out of all their troubles. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. (Psalm 34:8,17,19)

DON’T FORGET THE MIRACLES!!

Lord, we thank you that you are still a miracle working God. We put all of our trust in you because we can not make it through life’s storms without you. As we meditate on all that you have done in our lives remind us that you are still doing miracles in and for us. We love you and thank you Lord. In Jesus name. Amen

Do You Think I'm Beautiful?

A friend gave me a book to read called, Do You Think I'm Beautiful? written by Angela Thomas. She said that she thought it would be good since I am doing the WeUsed2bu ministry and so many girls and women ask, “Do you think I’m beautiful”. Since this is a question that I have asked on several occasions I was determined to see what this book had to offer on this frequently asked question. I could never imagine the blessing that was in store for me. I know now that it was most definitely our loving and sweet Lord who put it on her heart to give me this book to read.

Thank you Jen for listening to the Holy Spirit. It is an amazing book! I am renewed and revived in my spirit. I have found freedom in areas that I did not know I was even bound. I feel like I am back on track and heading down the right path to fulfilling my calling.

In this book Angela helps the reader to see that our God thinks that we are beautiful and desires to dance with us. I love how real and vulnerable she was about her insecurities and life experiences. She is clear and to the point, honest, and determined to help the reader find freedom in knowing that our God loves us intimately.

Here is an excerpt from the book:

If there is a question attached to the soul of a woman, maybe it’s “Do you think I’m beautiful?” When God answers from the depth of His great love, it makes some of us feel like the wallflower who is asked to dance. But we can become distracted from His invitation because of the other lovers, whispers of unbelief, noise and clutter, and because we are sometimes the prodigal, sometimes the elder brother. To return to the music and strong embrace of God requires a desperate and pursing heart. And when a woman chooses to remain in His arms of devotion, God gives the only hope we have: His perfect love, and a beautiful crown. God is enthralled by the beauty of a woman and calls her His beloved. He wildly pursues her heart with romance and intimacy to make her His beautiful bride.

This book has encouraged and empowered me. I will not let fear and doubt fill me with insecurities any more. I am determined now more than ever to step out in faith and do what God has called for me to do, knowing that I am dancing with the Lover of My Soul.

I encourage you to buy this book and share it with your friends. If you’re a guy this would be a great gift for that special someone, your sister, friend, mom, any woman that you want to truly bless.

Do not hesitate, buy now!

Click here to buy "Do You Think I'm Beautiful?"

Feel Like Giving Up?

Do you ever feel like enough is enough? You’ve been trusting and believing God’s words and promises to you, but you just feel like you want to give up. So do I! So do a lot of people who are going through trials and tribulations. However, giving up on God can NEVER be an option! “Now the just shall live by faith; but if any man draw back, My soul shall have no pleasure in Him” (Hebrews 10:38)

We must remember that His mercy and kindness endure forever and He will never allow us to go through these trials without helping us all the way. He is always faithful to comfort us when we need it. God is our refuge and strength. He is a very present help in trouble. Through patience and comfort of the scriptures we have hope. (Psalm 118, Psalm 46:1, Romans 15:4)

The test and trials that we go thru will cause different emotions to manifest at different times. When you are at the point where you just want to give up and throw in the towel anger may be the main emotion that you experience. You might begin to be tempted to give in to the thoughts of doubt that the enemy will put in your mind. He will try to play on this emotion of anger, so you have got to snap out of it quickly!

The best thing to do is to talk to our Lord about how you are feeling. Pray and cry out to Him. Psalm 57:2 says, “I will cry out to God Most High, to God who accomplishes all things for me.” So let it all out. It’s ok to tell Him that you are tired and ready to give up. It’s ok to say “Help me Lord. I am weak.” Be real with him because that is what He works with, your realness. When we humble ourselves before Him He will lift us up. Our Heavenly Father says, “MY grace is sufficient for you. MY strength is made perfect in weakness. If you will humble yourselves under my mighty hand I will lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on ME because I care for you.”( 2 Corinthians 12:9, 1 Peter 5:6-7)

We must learn to not to be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, to present our requests to God. Then the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Once we have prayed we are to begin to meditate on the truth of God’s word. (Philippians 4:8-9) It helps me when I remember that:

Ø God’s Word is Truth. He is not a man, that he should lie. His Word does not return void it will accomplish what He desires and it has purpose. (Psalm 119:160, Numbers 23:19, Isaiah 55:11)
Ø God will liberally supply (fill to the full) our every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)
Ø He protects us and never leaves us! (Psalm 91, 18:2, 121:3-8, Joshua 1:5)
Ø It is because of the Lord’s mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great and abundant is His stability and faithfulness! (Lamentations 3:22-23)

So let us not give up on doing good, trusting, and serving God because if we don’t quit we will reap our harvest. Stay focused and determined. Most of all stay prayed up and full of the Word. (Galatians 6:9)

Lord, Help us to keep pushing and praying. Let’s not give up because we know that our breakthrough is coming soon. You are our joy and hope. In Jesus name..Amen.