Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Thy Faith has(will) make you whole!!!!!

Matt9:18-36.... this morning God revealed this passage of scripture to read.  This is what I received.
 While enroute to restore the little girl in me ,the woman that I am right now must continue to press thru the crowd to receive his healing touch to heal my more recent issues. The wonderful  awesome thing is that he can heal them both.

Friday, November 18, 2011

What words do you choose to hold on to ?

What words do you choose to hold on to?

(While trying to hold on to sleep, these were a few promptings early this morning...10/18/2011)
Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night , that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt have good success Matthew4:4 Man shalt not live by bread alone but by Every word that proceedth out of the mouth of God.
When we share the word of God, its purpose is to uplift encourage to edify and glorify God. Often that is not the case.
Many have seen the experiment that consisits of an random sampling of say 10 people and their inability to relay a message channeled through the other nine. The experiment ends with a jumbled poor replica of the original message being relayed. Thus the importance of having a personal relationship with God and being joined to a local house of worship (ouch!) to get the message first hand. My perception or need that the word supplied may be totally different than your need. God's word sharper than a two edged sword..rightly dividing the word of truth..For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than a two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of thoughts and intents of the heart..
This Word's For You....When we make a conscious choice to spend time with God, he spends time with us. Whether it be in prayer, in study and praise, we communicate our concerns our cares even celebrate our triumphs with Him. He in return gives us the word of life that we need in order to live our lives... Matt 4:4, Man shall not live by bread alone, BUT( I love when God puts that But in ) by every word that proceedth out of the mouth of God... He uses the Holy Spirit to prompt us and guide us, if God lays something upon your heart, take responsibility and take action don't wait for the next person to do it(For those hacking in, if God equipped you with the knowledge and equippment, then perhaps, this word is also for you. :).
Also by having that relationship with God, you are getting the message from the source,not the jumbled poor replica of the original. The reception of God's word has been compared to drinking from a spring, water that is pure, cleansing,with healing power. Imagine more of that filling your spirit releasing you from the old manGod's word, which is truth, meant to make you free John 8:32
The purpose of the preacher,be a vessel in which the word of God proceeds out of in order to edify God's people. To be God's mouthpiece(ouch!) and his servant, to do the Lord's bidding.(but I find solace in the ending of the man possessed with the legion of unclean spirits, after his deliverance, was one who Christ verbally commanded to evangelize about the great things which the Lord had done.. and the man in obedience, departed and began to publish in Decapolis of the great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel..Mark 5:1-20)(I Cor 1&2)I Cor 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe... 1:25a Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; Isiah 49: 2 and he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me
Lest we forget, it isn't about the word but more specifically HIS word nor is it about the messager but Christ, the word made flesh.John1:1 In the beginning was the Word(Christ), and the Word was with God and the Word was GodI Cor 1:17. For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect God admonishes us to take hold to those things which are good. In His word is our hope,His word binds our lives in heaven and earth, His word per Psalm 119:89 is settled in heaven. Even when our souls faint, our hope lies in his word, His promises. And we can count on His word, For God is not a man that he should lie, and His word shall not return to us void. Heb 6:18Hold fast to his word..
And don't hold onto what other people think or say about you, get in God's word, discover the you He had in mind when He fashioned and formed youHe tells you that you are fearfully and wonderfully made, that you are an overcomer of all things with Him.He knew you before he formed you in the womb, had already set a plan in life for you, and the paths that you should and would take if you get a little lost remember that He is your shepard and he will put you back on track :-) Psalm 119:49-50

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Learning to do more with less

Courage during the Seaon of Lacking
Learning to do more with Less

It is interesting that when God created the heavens and the earth notice that He filled it
with the fullness as the word says thereof... Be mindful this was before the fall of man
man had an assurance that all his needs were meet and had no need or desire to question the supreme authority and power of God. But then there came the fall. We all know how the story goes how the serpent beguiled Eve into partaking of the apple, and Eve encouraged Adam to partake as well.. At this point God advised man and woman that they were no longer living in the fullness thereof, they would have to work by the sweat of their brows and in other words,there were going to be some hard times ahead.
.Thus beginning the cycle of seasons that many of us have encountered.

I've discovered in my life that when life is good for everyone around me, usually during that time
life is not so good in mine. I see my family and friends prospering while I can barely rub two pennies together but, being in those seasons of lack has taught me some very important things,
1) God is still God and is still in control. I must as Phil 4:11 says, be content. I must remember that it is God who has the power to bless and it is He who chooses whom He will bless. 2) I must trust in the fact that it is His desire that I not perish, not even when things look bleak, it is not meant for me to perish but to put me, and He back in to the proper perspective least I forget that I entered into this world with nothing and with nothing I shall leave and all that I have was given to me from Him or He directed and instructed me how to obtain it.

I believe the fall was ordained by God,to show man to show us just how good our God is.
How else would they and we know how good we all had it unless, we loose it all at our own hands, or actions. Once that reality sets in, now the choice, the desire to seek Him knowing that nothing else could compare to that goodness, should kick into overdrive generating a sincere thirst and hunger after righteousness.

I am reminded of several instances in the Bible, that show how God helped some folk, learn to trust in His uncanny ability to do more with less

2 Kings 4:1-7There was a certain woman and her sons during a time of famine, had decided to just give up,
tell your neighbor, I was almost ready to give up...
but God God sent his prophet Elisha to this woman who cried out
Be mindful of who you cry out to, during your season of lack only God can give you something that lasts
that can be used to bless and not curse
. When asked what did she have in the house, she replied that she only had a pot of oil
(not two not ten, but one) Elisha instructed her to go an borrow empty vessels from her neighbors, when you come back, shut the door upon you and your sons (mind your own business) and pour out into all those vessels and set the full ones aside.And when it came to pass when the vessels were full the woman asked her sons to bring another vessell but they replied they were all full
and the oil stayed. She came and told the man of God who instructed her to go and sell the oil and pay her debt and live off the rest..
I am reminded of Jesus, who told satan that man could not live off bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God but in another instance showed us how he could use bread to sustain a multitude
Jesus instructed the disciples to feed the multitude, no food was available, but the lunch of a young boy, which consisted of two fishes and five loaves of bread (7)
the multitude was fed and there were leftovers
I'am a witness to what leftovers can do. Growing up in a family of six children, surprisingly enough we had leftovers, and my mother made use of them, using them to supply us with a meal for another day. A practice I implemented in my own household of two active girls when I became an adult.
In both instances God not only provided and met the need, but He made provision for the future with what was left over

Ephesians 3:20 Now unto Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us.

Malachi 3:10 states Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be meat in mine house and prove me now herewith saith the Lord of hosts if I will not open you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it
In this reference, the obedience of tithing places one in the way of God's blessing shown in both references.

Notice in both instances in order to meet the need, the instructions came from a man of God
and yes there are instances in which the instruction to meet a need came from a woman, one such instance is the story of Ruth and Naomi and Boaz
Ruth and Naomi needed food and shelter, they were back in town and had needs that needed to be met, there were no husbands for either of them, but Naomi was a woman of God and she instructed Ruth on how to get food that they needed and instructed Ruth how to get her Boaz...
Titus 2:3,4says that the aged women likewise that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness not false accusers not give to much wine teachers of good things that they may teach the younger women to be sober to love their husbands to love their children

The final illustration is how God used what was dearest to Him, His son Jesus' precious blood
He allowed men to convict Him, crucify Him and Kill Him, in order to save these same people. The blood of one man used to save many. Now that is doing more with less.

Take off the shades

Take off the shades

John 9 " Jesus heals the man born blind"
Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see. John 9:25

It has been said some people see or view the world through rose tinted glasses;meaning that such people have a positive outlook on life
They look for the good and not the bad; they focus on the positive and do not spend time dwelling on the negative. They have the ability to make lemonade when the

world gives them lemons and yes Pastor Dudley, they can take a bitter life and make it sweet (or at least appear sweet)

If one looks at this story, the main character was born blind. He was born with a disability. He was born with shades. He had never seen a sun rise or a sun set
He knew not how brillant the stars appear on a clear night, nor had he ever seen a rainbow stretched across the heavens. He had never seen the bluest hue of the

seas or how beautiful the burnt siennas, and harvest gold's make fall leaves.

Without sight,he had never seen himself(physically); Thank God, Jesus passed by for He was about to open both his physical and spiritual eyes.
He had no idea if he was handsome or ugly (according to the "world's standards") or of the shape of his nose.
No he was not concerned if it was too big too small or too wide(according the "world's standard) or if his cheek bones were too high or too low or whether his ears were

too big, or his hips were too wide; and if he were a woman, I doubt if he'd be concerned with the size and shape of his breasts... truly he had none of these concerns,

because I'm sure if he had the choice, he'd much rather just have the gift of sight.

This man, was thought by the world (those who knew him and of his infirmity) to have been the product of his parents sin... We understand that these individuals could

not fathom how a new born babe could have sinned against anyone. For they associated the illness with sin. Thus increasing the tint in his already shaded view.

Sometimes in life we allow what people think of our situations and circumstances cloud our view. We put more weight upon what they think than in what God knows

and says about our situation. In order to know what the Lord says we must have an active relationship with Him, through prayer and studying and believing His word.

We do know that yes the word of God does state that the wages of sin is death and sometimes sickness does come before death;but not always.This is evident in the

account of Job's life. Job, not a babe, but a grown man, a husband, a father,a man whom God himself described as his servant, one in whom he was well pleased, but

God allowed the enemy to afflict a depletion of all that he held dear,includling his health to prove a point, to allow the world to see we must like Job trust in God,though

he slays us. while at the same time believe that even though we are prone to encounter many affllictions, that He shall deliver us out of them all.

Even after Jesus annointed the blind man's eyes with the muddy spittle and his sight was restored, the "world, the neighbors" kept trying to cloud the miracle with doubt.
side note: "Sometimes the neighbors are not with you when God blesses you)
They called Jesus, a sinner for healing the man on the sabbath; they tried to get the man's family involved,( in the word's of my eldest daughter"REALLY??!!??
the same ones' they accounted the sin which caused his disability...again REALLLY???!!!?? BUT I love his response which they could not dispute
Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: ONE thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see.. Thus removing his shades
He could see himself as a new creature, both physically and spiritually; spiritually because he had been touched by Jesus

What shades have you allowed to cloud your vision? Whether they be placed by the world or by your self, know that God has the ability to remove the them

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

After the fast

Matt 4:1-11 Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered
Not sure why I was directed here....wait... oh now I see. Yes another test. I am currently in verses 3-10...
I pray that God empowers me, so that I can (Help me Jesus) provide the word of God... Matt 6.:13)
and I will have to study this a little bit deeper, see.. How is it that the son of God, our Christ, who having just fasted, bringing on a physical hunger was able to provide, the enemy, not just anybody, with the word of God, spiritual food.....

I am reminded that Jesus mentions several times in the New Testament about the importance of fasting and prayer. When we fast, we purge the fleshly desires will strenghtening the spiritual.
and through this, Our Saviour(who already had the victory anyway) demonstrated to us, how to overcome temptations... Thank you God for the prompting and directing to your word. I open my heart to receive it and to clasp it and hold fast to it... For I need it to overcome.
Mat 17:21
Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
Mar 9:29
And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

Peace and Blessings...

Friday, June 25, 2010

Stir UP The Gift....

I reach deep into my soul.. seeking answers and yes God I have gotten a bit patient.. yet while I wait, God please don't leave me stagnant.. Stir me up and ignite a spiritual fire within me.

Raq

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Ecc9:10

Work hard at whatever you do. You will soon go to the world of the dead, where no one works of thinks or reasons or knows anything. ( Ecc 9:10 The Poverty and Justice Bible)

To my cuz SWW hard at work tonite.. The ability to work is a gift from God and to actually have a job in these economic times is a blessing. Yet even without work, there is work that should take precedence over our careers or occupations and also our interests. That work is the work of Christ. He did say that we would do greater works than he, and that like him we should be about the Father's business...

Peace and Blessings,

Raq