THIRTEEN DAYS OF REDEMPTION

THIRTEEN DAYS OF REDEMPTION

DEDICATED TO MY BROTHER, LOUIS.

OVER FIFTY-FOUR YEARS AGO A YOUNG MAN CAME INTO THE WORLD,
HE HAD HOPES AND DREAMS AND DESIRES BUT THEY WERE LEFT UNFULFILLED.
INSTEAD HE HAD HEARTACHE, PAIN, CONFUSION AND A DEEP VOID IN HIS HEART.
HE HID HIS SHAME AND THE ANGUISH BEHIND A MASK BECAUSE HE FELT IN HIS HEART HE COULD NEVER MEAUSURE UP NO MATTER HOW HE TRIED.
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HE TRIED TO MAKE OTHERS HAPPY BUT HE CRIED THE TEARS OF A CLOWN.
HE HAD SUCH A TENDER HEART THAT HE HID BEHIND THE ROBE OF BRAVADO AND PRETENSE, AND WITH AN ATTITUDE OF NONCHALANCE,
ONLY THOSE WHO KNEW HIM WELL KNEW OF THE STING OF NOT BEING GOOD ENOUGH THAT HE WORE AS A CLOAK THAT CLUNG TO HIM.
HIS FRIENDS TRIED TO ENCOURAGE HIM BUT SADLY THEIR EFFORTS WERE IN VAIN THEY KNEW ALL TO WELL THE TROUBLE IN HIS HEART.
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THERE WERE NEON SIGNS WARNING EVERYWHERE THAT HE WAS NOT HIMSELF BUT THEY WERE IGNORED OR DISMISSED.
HE MUTTERED BELOW HIS BREATH, IF YOU TOOK TIME TO HEAR, THAT HE FELT UNLOVED AND ALONE AND REJECTED BY THOSE DEAR TO HIM.
THE SELF-LOATHING AND FRUSTRATION STOOD TALL IN HIS SOUL AND SHOUTED ITS CALL TO THOSE WHO WOULD LISTENED.
HE YIELDED TO THE OMINOUS CRY IN HIS SOUL BUT ALL HE HEARD WAS THE BLACK BIRD OF DEATH BECKONING HIM-COME, COME NOW!
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HE READ IN THE WORD OF GOD AND RECITED: "AS A DEER PANTS FOR THE WATER BROOKS,
SO, PANTS MY SOUL FOR GOD, MY SOUL THIRSTS FOR GOD, THE LIVING GOD. MY TEARS HAVE BEEN MY FOOD DAY AND NIGHT,
WHILE THEY CONTINUALLY SAY TO ME WHERE IS YOUR GOD?
WHY ARE YOU CAST DOWN, O MY SOUL AND WHY ARE YOU DISQUIETED WITHIN ME?"
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HE SEARCHED FOR HOURS THROUGH THE WORD OF GOD SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS THAT NEVER CAME BECAUSE OF THE DROWNING VOICES THAT NEVER CEASED.
ALL HE HEARD WAS THE SOUND OF THE DESTROYER TELLING HIM NOW: "TAKE A DRINK OF THE POISON AND YOU WILL SLEEP
FOREVER IN PEACE, NO MORE WORRIES OR FEARS WILL PLAGUE YOU, MY SON.
IT IS THE TIME TO REST". THE VOICES IN HIS HEAD BECAME SO OVERWHELMING HE COULD NOT RESTRAINED HIMSELF.
HE WENT TO THE CUPBOARD AND TOOK DOWN THE POISON THAT WILL SILENCED THE ANGRY, LOUD VOICES OF DEATH: "DRINK IT NOW AND SLEEP", THEY SAID, "DRINK, DRINK IT UP NOW AND SLEEP."
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HIS MOTHER FOUND HIM IN THE THROES OF DEATH BUT THE DESTROYER WOULD NOT GIVE UP WITHOUT A FIGHT.
HE FOUGHT WITH ALL HIS MIGHT WHEN HE WAS HELD BOUND
WHEN THEY TRIED TO FORCE THE ANTIDOTE THAT WILL RELEASE HIM FROM THE GATES OF HELL,
THE DESTROYER DID NOT LET UP AND IT TOOK MANY TO HOLD HIM DOWN LIKE THE MAN OF GADARENES.
HE HOWLED AND FOUGHT BUT FINALLY WAS RESTRAINED.
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HE SURVIVED THIRTEEN DAYS AND HE SUCCUMBED TO DEATH BUT THE DESTROYER DID NOT WIN. NOT THIS ONE, NOT THIS TIME.
THE FAMILY GATHERED AROUND HIM AND PRAYED WITH HIM AND SHOWERED HIM TOO LATE WITH MUCH NEEDED LOVE AND AFFECTION.
BUT IS LOVE EVER TOO LATE? I ASKED. LOVE GAVE HIM THE WORDS HE LONGED IN HIS HEART TO HEAR AND HIS SOUL WAS BEGINNING TO RISE FROM THE ASHES.
A SMALL VOICE IN HIS HEART SPOKE WITHIN HIM ENCOURAGING HIM NOT TO DESPAIR, "I AM HERE, MY SON."
THIS VOICE WAS GENTLE, DIFFERENT, TENDER AND SWEET, AND SO, HE CLUNG TO THAT VOICE WITH HOPE.
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IF ONY WE HAD MORE TIME WITH HIM; IF ONLY WE HAD TOLD HIM HOW MUCH HE MEANT TO ALL OF US,
AND THE IFS WENT ON IN EACH OF OUR HEARTS. WE LOST THE LOVE OF LOUIS AND THE BRIGHT STAR THAT MAY NEVER SHINE
ON THIS SIDE OF HEAVEN, AND ALL HE WOULD HAVE BEEN. A LIGHT WAS SNUFFED OFF FROM OUR LIVES TOO SOON.
YOU SEE HE WAS ONLY TWENTY-ONE AND WAS JUST BEGINNING TO KNOW WHO HE WOULD HAVE BECOME IF HE KNEW OUR LOVE FOR HIM WAS REAL AND POSSIBLE. IF HE KNEW THE LOVE OF GOD FOR HIM.
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FAREWELL, MY SWEET BROTHER, LOUIS AND, MAY YOU ALWAYS BE AT PEACE.  I THINK OF YOU THIS DAY BECAUSE THIS WAS THE DAY MARCH 31ST YOU CAME INTO MY LIFE.
I KNOW THE DESTROYER DID NOT WIN BECAUSE I PRAYED TO GOD TO TAKE YOUR SOUL AND TO LET YOU LIVE WITH HIM.
I PRAYED THAT YOUR PAIN WILL END AND THAT YOU WOULD RETURN HOME TO THE FATHER SAFELY TUCKED IN HIS ARMS. 

MY DAUGHTER, HEARD THE SONGS OF ANGELS TAKING YOU HOME DEEP IN HER SPIIRIT, O! WHAT A SWEET SONG IT WAS. 

YOU MAY BE GONE TOO SOON BUT YOU ARE ALIVE ALWAYS IN MY HEART.

FAREWELL MY SWEET, FAREWELL. UNTIL WE MEET ON THE OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN ONE DAY. FAREWELL!

LOVE YOU ALWAYS,

YOUR SWEET SISTER

SHALOM

HTTPS://GOLDENCORDOFHOPE.BLOGSPOT.COM

THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST- A MEMORIAL

THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST

A MEMORIAL

IN THE BEGINNING EVERYTHING WAS STILL AND DARK AND THE DARKNESS WAS WITHOUT FORM AND VOID. THEN THE HOLY SPIRIT HOVERED OVER THE DARKNESS AND GOD COMMANDED LIGHT INTO EXISTENCE. AND LIGHT WAS. (Genesis 1)

IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD, AND WORD WAS WITH GOD, AND THE WORD WAS GOD. ALL THINGS WERE MADE THROUGH HIM AND WITHOUT HIM NOTHING WAS MADE THAT WAS MADE. IN HIM WAS LIFE AND THE LIFE WAS THE LIGHT OF MEN. AND THE LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS, AND THE DARKNESS DID NOT COMPREHEND IT. JESUS IS THE TRUE LIGHT WHICH GIVES LIGHT TO EVERY MAN COMING INTO THE WORLD. HE WAS IN THE WORLD AND WORLD WAS MADE THROUGH HIM AND THE WORLD DID NOT KNOW HIM. BUT AS MANY AS RECEIVED HIM, TO THEM HE GAVE THE RIGHT TO BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD, TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN HIS NAME: JESUS, EMMANUEL, GOD WITH US.... THE WORD BECAME FLESH AND DWELT AMONG US, AND WE BEHELD HIS GLORY..GRACE AND TRUTH CAME THROUGH JESUS CHRIST (John 1). JESUS CAME AS A LIGHT INTO THE WORLD THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHOULD NOT ABIDE IN DARKNESS.

IT IS FINISHED
WHEN JESUS WENT TO THE CROSS FOR OUR SINS HE WAS MADE SIN FOR US SO THAT WE MIGHT BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD. WHEN JESUS UTTERERED HIS LAST WORDS, "IT IS FINISHED," HE YIELDED HIS SPIRIT TO GOD. THOSE WORDS," IT IS FINISHED" WAS VERY SIGNIFICANT TO THE SALVATION AND REDEMPTION OF THE HUMAN RACE. IT MEANT WE AS BELIEVERS WILL NO LONGER HAVE TO LIVE UNDER THE CURSE BUT UNDER GOD'S BLESSINGS (DEUTERONOMY 28). IT MEANT WE NOW HAVE AUTHORITY OVER THE DEVIL AND HIS BUNCH. IT MEANT WE WERE CONQUERORS AND VICTORS AND OVERCOMERS. IT MEANT WE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE AND WE ARE CALLED SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE MOST HIGH GOD. THAT IS WHO I AM AND WHOSE I AM- A CHILD OF THE KING OF ALL KINGS AND LORD OF ALL LORDS. JESUS IS THE MOST PRECIOUS GIFT FOR MANKIND.

THE RESURRECTION IS ABOUT THE INCARNATION OF JESUS CHRIST, RISING FROM THE DEAD AND BRINGING A RESURGENCE OF HOPE, LIGHT, LOVE, PEACE AND JOY TO ALL THOSE WHO BELIEVE HE IS THE SON OF GOD. THE RESURRECTION AS THE WORLD KNOWS IT, IS ABOUT GOING TO CHURCH ON EASTER SUNDAY, AND ABOUT EASTER EGGS AND CANDY, AND THE EASTER BUNNY LOGO. I WONDER IF THE IMPACT OF WHAT JESUS DID ON THE CROSS OVER TWO THOUSAND YEARS AGO HAVE THE DESIRED RESPONSE OF THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE FOR ALL MANKIND.
 I WONDER IF THE THOUGHT OF THIS IMMOLATION AND THE IMPACT HAS EVER REALLY CROSS OUR MINDS. GOD GAVE UP HIS ONLY BELOVED SON AND HIS SON RELINQUISHED HIS SONSHIP IN HEAVEN TO COME TO EARTH TO BE THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD. HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT GOD DID FOR US? HE WAS A FATHER AND IT PAINED HIM TO SACRIFICE HIS SON WITH THE HOPE THAT MANKIND WILL RECIPROCATE THAT KIND OF LOVE AND DEDICATION AND LOYALITY TO HIM.

THE RESURRECTION IS ABOUT LOVE. IT IS ABOUT THE LOVE OF OUR CREATOR FOR HIS CHILDREN. IT IS ABOUT BRINGING LIGHT INTO OUR WORLD IN THE FACE OF PERVADING DARKNESS. IT IS ABOUT SACRIFICE FOR OTHERS AND LAYING DOWN ONE'S LIFE FOR MANKIND'S SURVIVAL. IT IS ABOUT RESTORATION AND MAKING ALL THINGS NEW. IT IS ABOUT LIFE-ETERNAL LIFE WITH THE FATHER; IT IS ABOUT THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AS OUR COMFORTER AND GUIDE THROUGH OUR LIFE HERE ON EARTH; IT IS ABOUT GOD'S GRACE TOWARD US AND ALL THAT GRACE HAS MADE AVAILABLE TO US; IT IS ABOUT RECOMPENSE; IT IS ABOUT HAVING AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND HIS SON; IT IS ABOUT FELLOWSHIP AND WORSHIP TO THE FATHER AND THE SON. IT IS ABOUT GOD'S MERCY TOWARD MANKIND; IT IS ABOUT HIS SON-JESUS, SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GLORY INTERCEDING ON OUR BEHALF. IT IS ABOUT OUR LIBERTY- AND WHO THE SON SETS FREE IS FREE INDEED. IT IS ABOUT UNITY AMONG ALL MEN AND PREACHING THE MINISTRY OF JESUS CHRIST TO ALL THE WORLD. THIS IS GOD'S DESIRE THAT ALL MEN BE SAVED AND THIS IS A GIFT FREELY OFFERED WITH NO PRESSURE AND NO COERCE. IT IS ABOUT CHOICES. YOU GET TO CHOOSE EITHER DEATH OR LIFE, GOOD OR EVIL.

FINALLY, OUR DEEPEST DESIRES AS BELIEVERS ARE TO KNOW JESUS AND THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SUFFERINGS AND BECOMING LIKE HIM IN HIS DEATH (PHIL 3:10). JESUS REMINDS US ALL THAT HE IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD AND THOSE WHO FOLLOW HIM SHALL NOT WALK IN DARKNESS BUT HAVE THE LIGHT OF LIFE. HE WARNS US ALSO THAT: everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God" (JOHN 3).


ARE YOU LIGHT KEEPERS OR ARE YOU SHADOW KEEPERS? YOUR LIFE MAY DEPENDS ON WHERE YOUR AFFILIATION LIES . I HOPE THIS RESURRECTION SUNDAY YOU PONDER THESE THINGS IN YOUR HEART AND ASK YOURSELF ON WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON, IS IT THE SIDE OF LIFE OR THE SIDE OF DEATH? YOU CHOOSE.

A WOMAN IN THE MIRROR

THE WOMAN IN THE MIRROR,SCARRED AND MARRED WAS SHE.


WHO AM I? WHY CAN'T I GET MY HEALING?


WHY IS MY SOUL SO DISTRESSED WITHIN ME?


WHY HAS PEACE AND JOY DELUDED ME?


WHY DO I FEEL SO BENUMBED? SO ALONE?


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THEN I HEARD A SOFT WHISPER LIKE THE WIND


SAYING TO ME, "DO YOU LOVE ME?" I LOOKED AROUND


AND NO ONE WAS THERE. I TREMBLED WHEN I


HEARD AGAIN, "WHEN HAVE YOU LOVED ME?"


I SENSED HE WAITED FOR ME TO ANSWER. I FROZED.


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I LOOKED AROUND AGAIN AND SAW NO ONE EXCEPT


THE WOMAN IN THE MIRROR I COULD NO LONGER RECOGNIZED;


BUT I PONDERED THE WHISPERED WORDS SPOKEN SO


SOFTLY DEEP WITHIN MY HEART AND AN EPHINANY


CAME UP ON THE INSIDE OF ME.


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I ANSWERED THE VOICE IN MY HEART AS I GAZED PIERCINGLY


AT THE WOMAN IN THE MIRROR. SHE GAZED BACK AT ME


IN CONSTERNATION AND I SAID, I UNDERSTAND THAT I


HAVE NOT BEEN LOVING OR KIND TO THE SPIRIT IN ME,


I HAVE NEGLECTED AND SHUNNED AND CLOSED OFF THAT


PART OF ME. OR HOW SAD I FEEL AND HOW I LONG FOR HER.


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I WEPT FOR THE WOMAN I WAS ORDAINED TO BE AND NEVER


REACHED MY POTENTIAL BECAUSE OF SELF-LOATHING AND NEGLECT,


I THOUGHT I HAD ALL THE ANSWERS AND I PUFFED MYSELF UP


TO HIDE MY PAIN. I WAS IN A DARK ABYSS OF SHAME AND GUILT,


WONDERING WHO WOULD ANSWER THE WOMAN IN THE MIRROR.


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AS I SHED THE TEARS OF MY BROKEN LIFE, I HEARD THE SOFT WHISPER


AGAIN, BECKONING ME SOOTHINGLY TO HIM AND I LOOKED AT


THE WOMAN IN THE MIRROR WEEPING, HE SAID," HERE AM I, MY LOVE,


LET ME SHOW YOU HOW TO LOVE. I AM LOVE AND THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER


OF LOVE. YIELD TO ME. LOVE ME. I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED YOU. COME TO ME."


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HIS WORDS GAVE ME HOPE AND I COULD BREATHE AGAIN AND JOY


ROSE UP LIKE A DAM FLOWING THROUGH THESE TIRED THREAD OF MY LIFE.


THE YOKE OF PAIN, SICKNESS AND AFFLICTION LIFTED UP FROM ME


I NO LONGER NEEDED TO HIDE IN THE DARKNESS WHEN I SAW THE LIGHT


OF HIM WHO FIRST SAW ME AND LOVED ME, THE BEAUTIFUL WOMAN IN


THE MIRROR.






AN ODE TO JESUS CHRIST, MY KING. I AM LOVED PASSIONATELY BY HIM.


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THE END


　

A HALO OF LOVE

LOVE is a subject I can never cease to talk about since we were all created by love- the love of God. Then something tragic happened when Adam gave away his birthright to Satan then hate was born to mankind. Everyone knows love cannot coexist in an atmosphere of hate: strife, envy, jealousy, unrighteousness, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, disobedient to parents, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, murder, sexual immorality, inventors of evil things, unforgiving, unmerciful, untrustworthy, unloving and this list is copious. I am pretty sure you can add to this list from your life's experiences. This is not God's way.

Love is not passive but is persistent and constant. This is how Jesus loved when He was here on Earth. He stated in John 15, "As the Father loved Me, I also loved you"....and lower  down in the chapter He says, "This is My commandment that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friend." We can see here, Jesus made Love a commandment and throughout the Word of God there is a golden thread of love interweaved into every book of the Bible. So we don't get to choose who to love and who not to love by some preconceived notion about the person or some flawed concept of human love. Which by the way is not lasting.

Love is a choice- it is simple. Whether the situation warrants it or not you will never err on the side of love. Love never fails. First Corinthians chapter 13:1-8 is know as the love chapter and it is prayed at many weddings by the Christian circles. Paul says, " Love is large and incredibly patient.^[f] Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. It refuses to be jealous^[g] when blessing comes to someone else. Love does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflate its own importance. ⁵ Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honor. Love is not easily irritated^[h] or quick to take offense.^{[i] 6} Love joyfully celebrates honesty^[j] and finds no delight in what is wrong.^{[k] 7} Love is a safe place of shelter,^[l] for it never stops believing the best for others.^[m] Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up." (TPT)

 Another version says: "It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]". (AMPC).

These qualities of love abide in each child of God and is the main fruit of the Holy Spirit's living Presence in us. (See Galatians chapter 5:22 for the rest). Love is in the Christian's DNA; all we have to do is to yield to it by drawing close to God. It will be remiss of me if I don't speak about Love in lieu of healing and prosperity. Logically, if there is no expression of love in someone healing will not be sustained in that person neither would prosperity. Love plays a major part in our healing process. I have heard of this, that "Love contaminated is fear tolerated". If love is contaminated you will know by the condition of your soul. Your body will not thrive in an atmosphere of hate of any kind. Actually it makes the spirit of a man sick. It is a sign of a broken spirit. Healing always comes to the believer that is our right as children of God. Just get into an atmosphere of Love. Healing and prosperity will thrive and be accelerated.

Newton's third law says every force and action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Likewise hate will attract hateful things and will embody the host of hate. Hate will become dominant and it will produce sickness and disease and strife etc. Whereas Love is, in the scientific sense, is a motion. Love makes the world go around just as motion make the moon go around the earth's atmosphere. Love will bring joy, peace, harmony, homeostasis to the body and ultimately healing will occur in the host of love. Christ laid down His life for us on the Cross of Calvary to demonstrate to the world that the only way to salvation is through Him and through the Love of God. In First John chapter 4 He says, "Beloved, let us love one another for love is of God and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God for God is love.

Let us remember, who we are in Christ Jesus and whose we are and not fall prey to the lies of the Enemy, because his modus operandi is to kill, steal and destroy. He is a liar and the father of lies. We are loved by God and He is very passionate about us and He wants us to reciprocate that love to Him and to others. He wants the best for us and all we have to do is to believe in Him and His Son, Jesus Christ and have faith in His Word. Proverbs 4 says it this way,: "My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes, keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh." Now that says it all. Let us endeavor to keep God's Word always before us and love others and have faith in Him.

I Love you

God Loves you

Shalom!