WORDS ARE A SPIRITUAL FORCE

God created us purposely with one mouth and two ears. How simple is that? I believe He did that with the intention for us to speak less and to listen more. God knows the impact of our words. Words we say to ourselves and others but especially to Him and about Him.

Words are not just something that comes forth from our mouths but it comes from our thought processes. How we see the world and interpret it. It also comes from all of our life experiences- whether they were negative or positive in nature; it will impact our frame of reference and the way we look at life. In the Book of Proverbs 18:21, describes  it this way:" death and life are in the power of the tongue." So the words we constantly say out aloud to ourselves and about ourselves and others will determine our outcome. Do you know how powerful words can be? It can literally kill you or harm you or someone you love. Words that break down rather than build up. Our lives are series of words which originate from our hearts. Luke 6:45 says this way:" A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart. Do you see what I mean by the power of words.

I will share a personal experience to illustrate the power of words. I was twelve years old and as a child growing up I was always anxious about school and performance. I did not do well at school and got very poor grades. It was as if everything just went over my head and I had a lot of problems retaining what I learnt because of my underlining anxiety. It got worse especially in areas where I had to perform certain tasks in front of the class. So at twelve I had to take this big exam and I was tensed and anxious, I could not remember one thing I learnt. I sat there looking at that paper with cold clammy hands, my stomach all tied up in knots until I felt lightheaded. Well to make a long story short obviously I did not do well at all. I failed the exam with only one chance. Later when the results came out in the newspaper, no doubt, my name was no where at all. My dear father, he could hardly contain himself. He ripped into me with his words. For a long, long time I could hear those negative words through the annals of time, that "you are retarded". That phrase was so powerful to that little girl that she became to believe that she was not smart but retarded. Later I realized how I allowed the power of his words to determine how I looked at and perceived  myself. I made up mind then to prove him wrong and later got my Masters degree in Clinical Social Work. So never underestimate the power of words especially with children.


Do you think part of the problems we have with communication is how we use our words? Something so elementary but has so much consequences. Proverbs 21:23, declares," he who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from troubles." The way we communicate has so much to do with what is in our hearts. It is so important to learn this basic law of words. What we put out in the universe with words will return to us. If we send out words of love it will return to us in some form and vice versa. When you are going through a crisis or some affliction it will behoove you to be very cautious of how you use your words. Especially words you say daily and constantly to yourself. I know most of you have heard of self-fulfilling prophecies, (predictions)- things we say to ourselves and others that are manifested.


The first word or words you say when you are in car wreck or just received terrible news from your doctor, those words will take a life of its own and will consequently determine life or death. It is like a snow ball effect. God said it this way in Deuteronomy 30:19, that "He has set before us life and death, blessings and curses to choose life so that you and your children my live and that you may love the Lord, your God". He was warning us of how to live our lives and the repercussions of disobedience. Words have life if we aligned our words with God's Word similarly negative words are shadowed by death if we continue using words with little thought of its ramifications.

I heard a story of a preacher and his family who were involved in a deadly vehicular accident with another vehicle, his young son, was flung into the front, breaking his arm and some ribs. His wife's face slammed into the car’s dashboard. His three year old daughter, was-thankfully-fine. When others who were standing by witnessed the accident ran to assist the casualties one of the men who was driving the other car said, when they extricated him from the vehicle, because of possible engine explosion, his first words were, "I am going to die." Well guess what? He did. While the preacher was worse off than him thanked God for saving him, survived and is still alive today. He understood the impact and the force of his first words.

James said it this way, "if we do not stumble in word we are perfect and we can control our whole body". He made a few analogies about the tongue in James chapter 3. He basically said the tongue is a small member of the body but it can boast of great things and it is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue can defile the whole body and set on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire by hell. He went on to expound that no man can tame the tongue that it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue (our words) we use it to bless our God and Father and with it we curse men (mankind) who were created in God's image.

James stated further, out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. He admonishes us this ought not to be so. He asked us to ponder this; does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? No spring yields both salt water and fresh water. The Bible says out from the abundance of the heart the mouths speaks (see above). God warns us what we say will determine our destiny and the quality of life we live on this planet. Guard your words, guard your life, this is a good edict to live by. You are actually turning away from the snares of death when you adhere and practice this principle of God's (Proverb 14:27).( First Peter 3:10 NLT) says it this way, "if you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace and work to maintain it

I am sure everyone has a story to tell on how words have impacted their lives either in a wholesome or agreeable way or in a hurtful or detrimental way. We also see the effects of words in the media and how we treat others without careful thought or attention, that can be very destructive. So I am giving you  a challenge, actually more for myself than anyone, to monitor the words I speak to others and to myself for next 21 days. Of course I need supernatural help and I have already asked God to help me in this challenge. I know it would not be easy because sometimes or rather a lot of times words bypass our conscious mind and still spill out without even realizing what we just said. It is as if it is on autopilot and it can be a little disturbing. Ergo the challenge to change some flawed habits we picked up on the highway of life. I hope you too take up this challenge and make where you are a little better and bring light into you and the receiver.

Shalom

Vicki Yoh'e - Under The Blood

DOES GOD STILL HEALS?

Most people today in the Christian community believe that it is not God's will to heal them and they walk around and live their lives with this premise. I have seen this flawed belief in devout and devoted Christians. Those who sincerely love the Lord but do not believe it is God's desire to heal today


I have been to several churches and different denominations and it makes me sad to know people hold this regard about my Loving Father. It makes me frustrated and yes, sometimes upset that people would believe it is God's will for them to be ill. Some have said it is God's plan for this person to be a testimony to others with the disease they have been afflicted with. That is just 'hogwash' and a flat out lie from the Enemy. The devil is going around to these wonderful, loving Christians who really love the Lord and his lawless bunch of demonic beings and whispering this lie to people. He tells them God does not heal people all of the time. That some people just have to go through their lives with this terrible disease. There are so many flawed beliefs about God and His Word on healing. Some are misinterpreted by ministers and pastors because this is what they been taught.
God has said, "My people perish for a lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6) because they have rejected knowledge."


When Jesus gave His life on the Cross at Calvary everything under the curse was also nailed to that Cross. Remember God so loved us He gave us His only begotten Son that whosoever believed in Him will have eternal life. (John 3:16.) God loves us so much and He wants us well and strong and prosperous. He is not the author of sickness, disease or pain. God will never put sickness or disease or pain on any of His children. That is a lie from hell. The God that I am honored and privileged to know loves me with an everlasting love and He wants the best of everything for me. I know God loves me because He gave me His precious Son, His only Son to die for me. That is not the God who will bring or place sickness or disease on anyone.


As I said earlier, in the book of Deuteronomy 28: 15 (to the end of the chapter), sickness, disease and pain is under the curse. We who love the Lord are not under the curse. We who gave our lives to Jesus Christ are not under the curse but under God's blessings and His favor (grace). We have been redeemed from the curse of the law. When Jesus died for us we became overcomers because of Jesus 'sacrifice on the Cross. We have a right standing with God and we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. We are the children of the Most High God. We have a right to be healed completly. We have a right to all the blessings outlined in Deut. 28: 1-14. All you have to do is to believe in God, your Father and in His Son Jesus. Jesus is our Healer and if you are a born again Christian you have The Healer on the inside of you. Just yield to Him and stake claim for your healing.

Now let me explain some things about healing. If you have faith in God for your healing and believe you receive when you pray, according to your faith it will be done. Mark 11:23-24 says, " Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received[a] it, and it will be yours. This is the kingdom process to receive anything according to the Word of God. The Word of God is His will for us.


When Jesus was on earth His compassion for the sick was astounding. Everywhere He went He healed the sick, the infirmed, He cleansed lepers, those with paralysis he healed, he opened the eyes of the blind, the mute spoke, the dead were raised and the list goes on. 'Jesus was moved with compassion for the sick and every disease among the people' according to the book of Matthew. In the books of Matthew, Mark and Luke (the synoptical gospels) corroborated Jesus' healing ministry. Jesus also gave His disciples "the great commission' to go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature, 'He who believed and is baptized will be saved (under the blessing); but he who did not believed will be condemned (under the curse).


He continued to say:"And these signs will follow those who believe: in My Name (Jesus) they will cast out demons (yes there are demons among us); they will speak with new tongues (the Holy Spirit language), they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.' This commission was not only for Jesus' disciples of long ago but all those who believe in Him. We are disciples of God and we have this same commission. God cannot use people who are sick to heal the sick. Sickness is under the curse.

My own personal testimony: I had a heel spur and every time I walked on it it was painful. I prayed and asked God to healed me. I looked in the Word of God and got out my healing scriptures and stood on those scriptures every day. I looked at them and repeated them as if I was taking medicine. Every day I lay claim to my healing. It took about nine months for complete healing. According to my faith I was healed. Some are healed immediately and some it is process but healing always comes.
I have read of Joel Osteen's mother, Dodie Osteen, in 1981, she was diagnosed with metastatic cancer of the liver. She was told that with or without chemotherapy, she had weeks to live. In fact, she recalled that when someone would ask how she was, she would say "I am disgustingly healthy." She has since then changed her confession. Not because she is not healthy, but she now understands how powerful her words can be, that words have a creative force behind it. Remember, death and life is in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21). Watch your words and let it be aligned on the Word of God. Speak nothing else, especially when you are under attack by the Enemy (with sickness or a disease). She stated after the diagnosed that,' You must seek God and do what brings peace to you. Peace is the barometer for what you need to do in any situation.'


The story went on to say, the Christian community were all praying and believing with her for her healing but you know we have to seek God for our own healing and not rely on others to do the heavy lifting, in this case have others doing our praying for us. She went to say: she heard God speak to her heart, "Dodie, others’ faith will not heal you. It is YOUR faith that you must go on now." She knew at that point, it was between she and Jesus. She prayed fervidly never letting up. She stated she did not acted sick or needed others to feel sorry for her, that was the last thing she needed. So she did her chores as usual never stayed in bed except for normal sleeping hours, no naps in between. She acted as if she was already healed. We have to act as if we are already healed even though the symptoms may still be evident. Faith without action is dead. We cannot allow the devil to see us in doubt or fear or anxiety because it will cost us our lives.


Dodie resumed life as if she was already healed. Remember when you pray the Matthew 11:23-24 Scripture, and the promised in the Bible for healing? Well, you are in essence already healed. Dodie never went back to her doctors to confirm if she was healthy or not. Because she knew her faith in God and His love for her that she was healed. She reported she did not want the doctors telling her anything negative to put doubt on her faith. She took God at His Word. This is what we all have to do.

Now there are some who have little faith and that person should follow their doctors' orders. But those who have great faith in The Healer and have a relationship with Him all they have to do is to surender it all to Him and be steadfast on their faith. James said it this way, ask in faith without doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind; for let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double minded man unstable in all his ways (James 1:6-8). One way to increase faith is believe that Jesus loves you with an everlasting love and He is passionate about you. If you ask and believe you will receive, with one caveat, forgiving others (meaning walking in love.)


These are some of my healing scriptures: Isaiah 53:4-5 "Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows:yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted, but He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him and by His stripes we are healed.

1 Peter 2:24 " who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness-by whose strips you were healed."

Psalm 107:20 declares,"God sent His word and healed them and delivered them from destruction."

There are many healing scriptures in the Bible just make them personal. Put your name in the scripture and believe and see yourself sound, whole, healed and delivered. Then give God all the glory and praise for what He has already done for you. Do not let anyone talk you out of your faith or your healing. The devil will whisper in your ear that you are not healed, tell him he is a liar that Jesus is the Healer and greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. Hang around positive people who also will agree with you on your healing. When someone ask how you are feeling tell them all is well and that you are standing for your healing. Do not complain about obvious symptoms they will eventually go.

God bless you and remember your faith in Jesus is what releases your healing. Shalom.

IF YOU LOOK AROUND TODAY OUR WORLD IS DEVOID OF LOVE AND IT IS

 EVIDENT WHERE EVER WE GO AND IN EVERY AREA OF OUR LIVES. OUR

 CHILDREN ARE VICTIMS OF LOVELESS HOMES, MARRIAGES AND

RELATIONSHIPS. JESUS IS NO LONGER A PART OF OUR CULTURE AND THERE IS

AN IMMENSE HATRED PERVADING OUR WORLD WITH THE ATTEMPT OF

SATANIC INFLUENCES TO SILENT THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN HIM AND TO

PROPOGATE  THEIR ANTIPATHY.

 BUT HISTORY HAS SHOWN US OVER AND OVER THAT IS

 JUST AN ILLUSION OF REPUGNANT DEMONIC FORCES THAT WILL NOT

 SUCCEED.

IF WE ALL TAKE A STAND AGAINST EVIL AND AGAINST HATRED WE

WILL BE ABLE TO OVERCOME AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO SAVE OUR WORLD,

OUR HOMES, OUR LOVED ONES, OUR CHILDREN AND OUR LIVES BY

 PASSING THE LOVE OF GOD AND HIS SON, JESUS CHRIST, OUR SAVIOR,

  TO EVERY ONE WE ENCOUNTER ALONG OUR JOURNEY ON THIS EARTH.

THIS IS CALLED THE LOVE CHAPTER OF THE BIBLE:

1 CORINTHIANS 13

"IF I SPEAK WITH THE TONGUES OF MEN AND OF ANGELS,


BUT HAVE NOT (A) LOVE (FOR OTHERS GROWING OUT OF GOD'S


LOVE FOR ME), THEN I HAVE BECOME ONLY A NOISY GONG OR


A CLANGING CYMBAL (JUST AN ANNOYING DISTRACTION).........




LOVE ENDURES WITH PATIENCE AND SERENITY


LOVE IS KIND AND THOUGHTFUL, AND IS NOT JEALOUS


OR ENVIOUS;


LOVE DOES NOT BRAG AND IS NOT PROUD OR ARROGANT.


IT IS NOT RUDE; IT IS NOT SELF-SEEKING, IT IS NOT PROVOKED


(NOR OVERLY SENSITIVE AND EASILY ANGERED); IT DOES NOT


TAKE INTO ACCOUNT A WRONG ENDURED.


IT DOES NOT REJOICE AT INJUSTICE, BUT REJOICES WITH THE TRUTH


(WHEN RIGHT AND TRUTH PREVAIL).



LOVE BEARS ALL THINGS (REGARDLESS OF WHAT COMES),


BELIEVES ALL THINGS (LOOKING FOR THE BEST IN EACH ONE),


HOPES ALL THINGS (REMAINING STEADFAST DURING DIFFICULT


TIMES,


ENDURES ALL THINGS (WITHOUT WEAKENING).


LOVE NEVER FAILS (IT NEVER FADES NOR ENDS)."


(Adapted from the Amplified Version)


http://goldencordofhope.blogspot.com

SILENT SCREAMS

DEDICATED TO THE FAMILIES OF THE VALENTINE'S DAY MASSACRE

SILENT SCREAMS REVERBERATED AROUND THE WORLD


IN THE SOULS OF MOTHERS AND FATHERS AND LOVED ONES: 


"A VOICE HEARD IN RAMAH, LAMENTATION AND BITTER WEEPING,


RACHEL WEEPING FOR HER CHILDREN AND REFUSING TO


BE COMFORTED, BECAUSE THEY ARE


NO MORE."


NO PEACE, NO JOY AND NO LAUGHTER CAN WE HEAR


FROM OUR LOVED ONES, WHO ARE GONE TOO SOON.


I AWAKE IN SWEAT FROM A HORRIFIC NIGHTMARE


AND I ASK IS IT REAL OR IS MY MIND GONE INSANE.


I CLUTCH MY CHEST FROM PAINS OF ANXIETY AND


I HAVE NO ONE TO TURN TO BECAUSE ALL I HAVE


I BEEN STRIPPED OF.


NO MORE, NO MORE.






I HEAR THE CHILDREN'S CRIES LIKE ECHOES IN THE WIND


AND THE CRIES OF MOURNING DOVES FROM SUNSET


TO SUNRISE: WHERE ARE MY CHILDREN? WHERE HAVE THEY


GONE? COME HOME, COME HOME MY CHILDREN!


MY ARMS ARE EMPTY AND LAY LIMP ACROSS MY CHEST


NO LONGER WILL I HOLD MY DEAREST CHILD TO MY


BREAST.


NO MORE, NO MORE.





AN ODE TO ALL THE CHILDREN LOST IN THE VALENTINE'S


DAY MASSACRE I MAKE THIS DECLARATION THAT


NO MORE OF OUR CHILDREN WILL BE LOST.


IN THE WIND I HEAR A CHOIR OF DEATH ALL AROUND US


TRYING TO DEVOUR OUR CHILDREN.


MY HEART IS BROKEN AND MAY NEVER BE MENDED AGAIN.


NO MORE, NO MORE.







I PRAY THAT GOD SAVE ALL OF OUR CHILDREN FROM HARM AND


FROM EVIL.


 ONLY GOD CAN SAVE MY CHILD'S LIFE.


ONLY GOD CAN PROTECT MY CHILD FROM THE PERVADING


CULTURE OF OUR TIME.


MY PRAYER IS TO BE STRONG IN THE FACE OF EVIL.


HELP ME GOD TO COVER MY CHILDREN


WITH PRAYER AND GUARD THEM WITH YOUR LOVE. IN JESUS' NAME. AMEN.


NO MORE WILL I STAND BY AND SEE OUR CHILDREN GUNNED DOWN


BY SENSELESS EVIL.


 NO MORE, NO MORE.






THE END.




HTTP://GOLDENCORDOFHOPE.BLOGSPOT.COM

MY GREAT LOVE STORY

MY GREAT LOVE OF ALL TIME

He saw me when no one else did;

He met me on the road to Damascus,

I was laying down on the ash heap,

People pass me by but none stopped,

No one saw me at my worst or cared.

***********************************************************

He saw me when no one else cared,

He saw me struggling and at the point of hopelessness;

I laid in my own vomit of circumstance

And no one was there to help me except Him.


He reached down and took my hand.
***********************************************


He  lovingly looked at me with purpose in His eyes;

He had compassion and mercy;

He cleaned me off of the blood stains of fear

He knew me and knew of me and still He cared;


He laid His hand on me ever so tenderly.
**********************************************


You may ask who is He who stopped me on

the road to Damascus or was it the road to hell?

He is the Lover of my soul. He is my Savior.

His Name is Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God

Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace.*****************************************


He knew me when no one else understood me;

He saw all my messess and flaws and unrighteousness

And still He loved me.

He loved me so passionately and He gave His life for mines;

He demonstrated profound devotion and grace,

So I can live life eternally and more abundantly.
************************************************


Who is this Man who loves and desires me above all?

He was a simple man, a carpenter while He lived on earth.

He taught me how to live and love and laugh;

He transformed me and redeemed me from it all;

He gave me everything He had and more than this earth

Has seen or will ever see. And He lives in my heart.************************************************

Oh! how I love Him and how I desire to spend my

Life with Him in all eternity;

Because He took me from the darkness of death,

He nourished my soul with the Bread of Life,

I drank from the Living Water I received from Him;

He says He loves me with an everlasting and

Enduring love that no man can ever love me.***********************************************


I offered Him my life and I became His beloved and

He showed me how to live my life for Him.

No more anxiety, no more fears, no more sickness,

No more death, no more lack and no more torment.

His love has no bounds and no limits, it is unfailing.************************************************
I am precious in His sight and He watches over me

as a Shepherd does His sheep and He restores my soul.

He said to me, neither death nor life, neither angels or demons,

Neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither

height or depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be

able to separate me from His love that abides in Jesus,

My Lord and Savior. This love no one can buy or bargain with.*******************************************************So my friends this is my love story and it is precious to me,

but I just thought I should share it with you,

I want you to know Him as I do and to experience this Great Love

because it is not only for me but for everyone who desires

to be loved, truly and profoundly loved.

His arms are open wide to receive you my friend and

He will never judge you, or hurt you or reject you;

He will restore you and you will never, ever be alone.

*************************************************

One thing He has commanded me to do is to love

others as He has loved me. And in so doing I share

this love to anyone who reads this love letter.

Another piece of advice, you have to leave the love of

the world behind and trust Him to always do what is

best for you and when it is the right time to do so.

He never disappoints and He will always answer your requests

as long as you devote your time and love to Him.

***********************************************

He is a jealous God and expect His children to love Him

with all their hearts and their minds. He expects us all

to love Him with an abiding and sustaining love. When things

go awry which will happen, He says, He will protect you

and look after you and provide for you. Take courage my

friend and see what a Faithful and Loving God He is.

*****************************************************************

The End



THE COVENANT OF PEACE

THE COVENANT OF PEACE

"PEACE, I leave with you, MY Peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you; let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27 NKJV).

"I leave the gift of peace with you—my peace. Not the kind of fragile peace given by the world, but my perfect peace. Don’t yield to fear or be troubled in your hearts—instead, be courageous!" (TPT)


There was a time in my life when the word "peace" was a foreign concept. I never knew what peace really meant until I found it in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Now this peace is not readily attainable or easy to access. It takes going through the fire of life to really appreciate this peace that is so available to anyone who needs it. Naturally there are some parameters to obtaining this peace that the world is devoid of. This peace comes from above it is not here in this earth realm. This is heavenward kind of peace I am speaking about. This peace lives in the new born Creation of God and all of God's children. This peace is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit and a vital component to the survival of mankind, without it you will succumb to strife, war, conflict, battle, dissension, bloodshed and antagonism and other unpeaceful behaviors we witness every day in our world.

If you have a choice which actually we all do, would you choose peace of God or man's idea of peace? Man's idea of peace involves self. Man look for peace that his five senses can experience. Man look for peace in others and possessions. Some look for peace in money and their popularity.( This list can be expanded so feel free to add your own). Peace, real peace, comes from within and cannot be attained or achieved in anything of this world. Matthew 6 says, "do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but (we are) to lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven...for where our treasure is, there your heart will be also." So this peace is not tangible neither is it something we ourselves can achieve on our own.

"Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the sons of God" (Matt. 5:9). Understand this peace I speak abides in every human being. Actually, it is part of your spiritual DNA and it lies dormant until it is activated by the condition of your heart. A pure heart can experience the eternal peace I speak of. A heart contaminated and sinful will not obtain or harness this peace. A pure heart, a heart filled with love and free from any extraneous elements of any kind; for example, living your life for Jesus and believing in Him and making Him your First Love- can only experience this pure peace; not the contrived peace that is tainted by this carnal world.


I have been at odds with myself for a very long time. I believed ever since in my childhood I knew instinctively that there was more to life than my then present circumstances. I was a very unhappy little girl who had no idea of what peace was or rather anything ethereal. I would search in my heart for the answers I seek and I experienced glimpses of this peace when I was still and calm and when I separated myself from the chaos around me or the toxicity of my life. I knew there was a God out there in the vast universe, my Creator. I knew He knew me and I wanted Him so badly I didn't know it then but I know now in retrospect- my heart was calling for my Lost Love like a mouning dove, reaching beyond the stars to heaven.

It took me many years to finally find this eternal peace and I hold on to this peace tenaciously because if I relinquish it I just know I will drown in the sea of death. Death is separation from the Creator, our God. The world today is decaying and mother nature is dying. If we look around our world today you'll see the destructive forces of mankind on nature then you will understand this concept. Our ecosystem is imbalanced meaning there is no harmony or a state of homeostasis in our world. Even in nature there is no more peace. Earthquakes, tsunamis, storms, hurricanes, tornados, and the list goes on. It as if nature has been crying out against the onslaught of man on its system and is now retaliating in full force. No peace.




God has said, 'He is for Peace'. Peace in our homes, our marriages, our work places, ourselves, our neighbors, our government, our schools and in every area of man's life. Jesus is our Everlasting Prince of Peace. We can only obtain God's peace when we keep our hearts and minds fixed on Him. Isaiah declares 'whoever make themselves crooked paths (paths that lead you astray) shall not know peace and justice is far from them. Jesus stated emphatically that He came to bring us peace and He reminded us that this peace He brings will not be found in our world. He stated the truth that we will have tribulation (and all types of trouble) while we journey through our lives on Earth. This peace of God is only attained through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. God has called us all (who believe in His Son-Jesus) to peace. This peace is a gift and a covenant to God's children and He has assured us His peace surpasses all understanding and it will guard our hearts and our minds through Christ Jesus. Be thankful of this precious gift and allow it to rule in your heart.

Grace to you all and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

JOY IS OUR STRENGTH

UNPACKING JANUARY 2018

Well January has passed and the journey through the first month of 2018 was full of God's blessings.


If you ask me what I have unpacked for January that was important to me I will say immediately, it was "JOY" in the Lord. In the past I was hyper focused on the future I simply forgot all the blessings of just being in the present, the here and now and in His Presence. I am learning every day how important it is to remain with Him today. If you really stop to think about it every day is today. For 2018 I have decided not to be future oriented but to be present  oriented, today oriented because that is where I really experience the wonderful blessings of My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So I bow in honor to Him and thank Him for this auspicious realization.


When you are in the valley and you feel all alone and the deck seemed to be stacked against you and you have reached an impasse the JOY of the Lord is the only thing to get you over; and a renewed  surge of strength to make the next step forward toward your destination. There is a Scripture that refers to Joy that comes in the morning after the weeping. We have all been in that place of weeping and struggling. This is when we have to acknowledge that the only one we can truly rely and depend on is our Savior Jesus. Relying on Him is the best thing we can do for ourselves because when we do I can attest to this you will never, ever regret it.


The world has lost it's joy. There are so many people who have been devoid of joy and if you ask them about that they will deny it. They will tell you:" I am happy, can't you see the beautiful house I live in and the expensive car I drive. I have an awesome job and career with all the perks. I travel all over the world meeting important people. I am happy in my relationship" and on and on they go. But if you look closely at them you will know it is all pretend and most of it is inflated. Movie stars are killing themselves on drugs, women and self destructive pursuits that bring them no deep abiding joy or satisfaction. You see the thing is, everyone is expecting to find joy outside themselves rather in the Creator of this Universe, Jesus Christ who live on the inside of each person who identify with Him and have accepted Him as their Savior. It does not matter how much money or things you have accumulated. The only thing that matters is the condition of your soul.


What do you think about when you are alone and no one is looking? The makeup is off and all the fancy clothes are off and you are faced with "you", how do you honestly feel? Do you give yourself permission to feel anything besides the superficial? Herein lies the problem. Nobody these days take time to be with themselves because they are not happy or joyful and instead they fill their days with meaningless pursuits and hobbies and social media and television soap operas, sports et cetera to fill the void in their meaningless lives. I am not saying this to be harsh but it is a reality. Look around at the people you meet everyday and really look them in the eye and ask them, are you happy? Do you have joy in your life? Before I met Jesus, my life was like yours empty and pretentious and definitely void of joy.


So I leave you with this lesson I learned unpacking January 2018," in the presence of the Lord there is fullness of Joy". He reminds me to rejoice in Him always because that is where I draw strength to journey through each day. There was a time in my life I dreaded having to get up and go to work and put on a mask to hide behind. But you know eventually the mask that people where today will crack. Jesus desires to fill us with His precious Joy. It is not only available to me or other Christians it is available to anyone who needs it. All they have to is to ask Him to come into their lives and make Him their Lord and Savior. The reward is eternal Joy. Joy unspeakable. Joy to fill.

The Secret Place

There have been times in my life when the "The Secret Place" of God has been a place of refuge and fortress against the forces of the Enemy. There are times in your life when you need a secret place to hide, to shelter from the storms of life. Some do not have such a place and seek outside themselves for a makeshift secret place and when the winds of strife and the storms of trials hit, it is like building a house on sand it immediately demolishes because of the inferior and weak foundation.


When I was going through all the crap in my life there were times when I felt alone, abandoned and forsaken by those who I thought I could depend on- even by own family. It seemed that the world had turned its back on me and it made me sad and desperate. It wasn't a good place to be. One thing I had going for me was that Secret Place of the Most High.

When I began to yield to Him I realized even though things had not changed I didn't feel alone anymore. I started to seek God in the midnight hour of my life and you know what I realized, He was there all along waiting on me to seek Him and ask for the help and comfort I needed. He never once judged me or berated me in anyway. When I closed my eyes I could see Him with His outstretched arms open wide to receive me.

We all tend to seek outside ourselves for the comforts we need especially when we are going through a trial, or circumstance or facing some affliction brought on by attacks of the Enemy. People do not believe we have an enemy who surreptitiously does his evil works and God gets all the blame. God is such a loving Father and He loved us so much He gave us His only Beloved Son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life in glory with Him.

Now, it can't get any better than that. The other guy is all hell and mayhem on earth and he is always on the prowl to see who he may devour. But when I tell people this they think all they can see, hear and feel is real and all there is. They do not realize the time spent here on earth is only temporary compare to eternity. And heaven is more real than the temporary things of this earth. So for some this is a dilemma or an enigma or just plain foolishness.


I know My Father loves me with an unfailing love and He has never once disappointed me in any way. When I am troubled or confused or anxious I have a Secret Place where He hides me and sets me upon a rock then I would be safe and I can gather my strength to face whatever I need to face. Psalm 31:20 says, "In the secret place of Your presence You hide me from the plots of men; You keep me secretly in Your pavilion from the strife of tongues." (AMPC) When I am attacked by the enemy through another human (spiritual hosts of wickedness), God delivers me. It is as if He is placing a shield around me to buffer me from the onslaught of attack and all I experience is His peace.

Another use for my "Secret Place" is to go to My Father and pray to Him in secret. It says, when My Father hears me pray in secret there is a reward waiting for me. God prefers us to honor Him by being genuinely devoted to Him and not looking to attract attention of others. The hidden things belongs to God and His children but the revealed things belongs to the children of wrath. Hence the reason the sons of wrath cannot understand the things of God. They are not hidden from those who walk unrightly in His sight.


"And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel" (KJV). When I am in the Secret Place of the Most High there are so many hidden treasures and hidden riches there for me. The Father and His Son, Jesus in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. There is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness. There is prosperity, abundance and grace and everything that Jesus has made available to us who love Him. God is a generous Father to His children and His supply is unlimited and we lack nothing because of His love for us and our love for Him.

"We are like common clay jars that carry this glorious treasure within, so that the extraordinary overflow of power will be seen as God’s, not ours." (TPT). " We may be hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed, we maybe perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted, but not forsaken, struck down but not destroyed" (NKJV). The fact is this world is decaying rapidly and it has been for awhile. Everything is transient even our own existence on this planet so we are to lay up our treasure in heaven rather than earth where neither moth and rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

In the Secret Place lies the Treasure- Jesus. He is the Most Precious Treasure of all besides the Father. There is light and strength and unspeakable joy and peace that surpass and transcend human understanding. In the midst of the darkness in our lives that Light pushes the darkness away and it has to flee. In that beautiful hiding place, all my needs are met. I do not have to worry about tomorrow if I can pay this bill or any calamity that may crop up in my daily life. No! Jesus is in all of my tomorrows but He warns me not to worry or be anxious about tomorrow because today has its own problems. Besides I do not yet know what a day holds only He does. Since I remain in the Secret Place of the Most High, He orchestrates everything in my life and I can relax and enjoy the adventures ahead of me.


When I am in the Secret Place God takes care of all my cares and He carries all my burdens. No pressure unless I allow it to invade my secret place. Then it will no longer be a secret place. A secret place is where you can go to be refreshed and replenished and be filled with Living Water and the Bread of Life. It is such a delightful place where my soul is fully restored. He makes me and He insists that I lie down on the green lush grass and He encourages me to the stillness of the waters surrounding me until my heart and soul are in total harmony with the rythmic flow of the waters matching the beat of my soul. I pray that you seek to find your own secret place in Him. And above all guard it with your heart.



"Beloved, I pray that you prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. (3 John 1:2)."