IMPACT!!!!

 

 

(I Timothy 4:12b - NLT) "Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity."

(Matt. 25: 42-45 NLT) "For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me. Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?

And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me."

 

 

Influence (To change something or someone)

Motivate (To be a motive or reason forsomething or someone)

Persuade (To urge or to cause someone to move by asking)

Accentuate (To intensify and give emphasis to something or someone)

Coach (To teach, train or instruct)

Transform (To change or alter something or someone)

 

          Take a moment and ask yourself, "Self, who have I impacted in my lifetime?" Who am I impacting now? Would others feel the impact I had on their lives even after I am no longer in the picture? Something to think about isn't it?  Jesus impacted his generation and the world and we should do the same.

          Each day we live we should make it our business to make an impact on someone. If it's nothing but a kind word, a complement, giving of our time, listening, sharing a laugh or a smile or just being there. We can take a step every day to try to impact someone else's life in a positive way. And although intentions of giving to others should be to help them, if done sincerely, this can be very rewarding and give us a great sense of accomplishment.

          Giving to others can be simple and really doesn't have to cost anything as some may believe.

What you accomplish will go way beyond the time spent in the act of helping. People remember back to how you helped them. If you are creative in what you do for them, this actually can be a great way for continuing to help them way beyond the time you actually donated.

          If we continually attempt to impact other people's lives in a positive way, we will be rewarded way beyond what we ever expected. Let us take the time and make time to impact SOMEONE ELSE's life today!  IMPACT!!!!

SELF-APPRAISAL
VS.
HIS-APPRAISAL

 

 

 Appraisal: an assessment or estimation of the worth, value, or quality of a person or thing

 

(Psalm 139:14) "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well."

 

          Have you ever had anything appraised? Jewelry, Real Estate, vehicles, antiques, etc., are among just a few things that are examined or assessed to determined its worth or value. Sometimes in order for a seller or owner to obtain the best price for what they are offering, it is necessary for its appraisal to be outstanding. This also mean that improvements, enhancements and sometimes additions to the original piece is added to increase the value for a better appraisal. When the appraisal is lower than the actual value or worth of the item, it is necessary for the seller or owner to make adjustments. All of this refers to materialistic appraisals.

          Let's deal with Self-Appraisal.  There are so many people living with and among us that feel hopeless, worthless, useless, unwanted, and don't see much value about themselves. So many negative things can cause one to feel like they are not worth the bother or lack the ability to be appraised. One word embedded within the word "APPRAISED" is "PRAISE: to express approval of (someone or something). If one would stop and think about the scripture posted, it will soon be realized that God didn't make anything that was worthless or useless. He took the time to carefully make and create with specific details something so wonderful that man cannot recreate! YOU!. Every aspect of the body, down to the tiniest microscopic cell, reveals that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. People can try to put a price tag or value on a life, but there is no dollar amount that can appraise a life given by God. Let us stop trying to self-appraise ourselves or others because it will never amount to His - Appraisal!

 

 



GOING THROUGH THE THROUGH

(Special Salute to Survivors of Breast Cancer)

 

 

(Rom. 8:18,28) "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.

Suffering: The state or experience of one that suffers; to put up with; to endure death, pain or distress.

Endure: To undergo without giving in: To remain firm under suffering.

           As believers, are we exempted from suffering? When trauma and trials face us, do we feel like we've been dealt an unfair hand? Suffering comes--whether or not we earn it or whether or not we feel we shouldn't have to deal with it. Suffering is sometimes hard to understand. When we are experiencing it, we may ask, "What did I do to merit this suffering or Why am I going through this at this point in my life?" If Jesus had to endure suffering, does that mean we won't have to? Of course not! He was our example to show us that whatever he overcame, we could also.

           I'm reminded of these words from Andre' Crouch's song, "Through It All". He wrote, "If I never had a problem, how would I know that God could solve them. I'd never know what faith in His Word could do". Whatever we have to go through, God has already provided a safety net for us to overcome and win victory over it. Mind you, troubles and sufferings don't last always. When the rain falls from the sky or when the storms appear around us, there is nothing we can do but wait until they pass or cease. We have no control over the weather. It's all in God's hand. This is what we must remember when we are faced with our troubles or sufferings. They too shall pass.

           As long as we keep our focus on the situation, it will be hard for us to see God in them or working in them for us. We have to take our eyes off them and keep our focus on what He has promised He will do for us when we put our faith in Him and His Word. He never promised us we would never have to suffer or have trouble. He told us His yoke would be easy and His burden would be light and He'd never leave us nor forsake us.

           Sufferings can be hurtful and they can change the course of our lives. Yet, we must understand that we were made to withstand anything we face with God on our side. Be it sickness, cancer, life threatening trauma, financial problems, relationship or family issues, parenting issues, job issues, or whatever, God is there to help us through them all. If you never had to suffer or go through as a believer or non-believer, keep living! Suffering will make you strong and allows your faith in God to increase as well. Suffering doesn't feel good but many times it is working out for our good.

 

          In my closing, I want to give a huge shout-out to the many breast cancer survivors who are my friends and even to those who I don't know personally. The mere fact that you are survivors speak volumes. It says to me and people all over the world that you didn't allow your suffering to win over you but you endured what you had to endure to be who you are and where you are today. We are so proud of your fight and I pray that God's grace and His healing power will sustain you along the way. You have fought a good fight and you are overcomers!

IT’S IN THE END!

(Phil. 3:13b,14 NLT) “No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. I press on to reach the end of the race….”

End: The cessation  of a course of action, pursuit or activity.

Every start has an end. When we start something, our goal is to complete it until the end. The end means that it is finished, done, completed and concluded. In the beginning (start point), there will be hurdles to jump, blockages, detours, interruptions or delays as we near the end. During our journey to our ENDINGS , it is not the time to turn around and go back but keep moving forward until we reach the finish line – the End. When one reads a book, there is an introduction, preface and chapters in between and then The End. The End lets us know the conclusion of the book or story written. Our life is like a story or book. No matter how hard it gets, what gets in our path after we start, the success and accomplishment  is when we END IT! The reward and feelings of accomplishment is when we END what we started! FINISH UNTIL THE END!

 

 

MAKE A "YOU" TURN!

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Psa. 37:23) "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord."

(II Chron. 7:14) "If my people which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." 

Modern technology has afforded us the opportunity to travel with ease anywhere in the world with the gadget called the GPS (Geographical Positioning System). What an awesome tool to have to direct you in unfamiliar territory and places for the first time!  Even when you miss a road or direction programmed, it will kindly tell you how to get back on the road by saying "Whenever possible, make a U turn". Most of us hate when this happens while driving because sometimes its difficult to make that turn at the moment or you may have to drive a bit far until you can make that turn.

God has us programmed with His own system when we get off track spiritually. His Holy Spirit speaks to us and alerts us when we are going the wrong way differently than what He has planned for us to go. It is up to us whether or not we will obey the directions and instructions to turn or we can choose to ignore them. If we ignore them, we will most likely encounter situations and drama we wished we hadn't had to deal with. If we had listened to His voice and directions given, we could have avoided a lot of heartache, loss, problems and drama. The next time we need some directions for our life or if we are headed somewhere without consulting God's wisdom, let us stop where we are...make a "YOU" turn and let Him recalculate our direction in the right way. "WHENEVER POSSIBLE, MAKE A "YOU" TURN!

 

 

RISK-TAKERS TO HISTORY-MAKERS

 

 

 

 

(Esther 4:16) "Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids  and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die." 

Risk-Taker: Someone facing the possibility of loss

History-Maker: Someone who is responsible  for a significant cause or event to occur.

 

When I attended school, we were taught History. This class entailed us learning about our American history, its beginning, its struggles, wars and those who were the History-makers. Before history was made, there had to be risks taken first. Anytime you want to achieve, conquer or get to another level where you've never been before, there are risks involved. It's not an easy-street altogether. There's are times when one has to sacrifice to get what they want. Some even have to consider risking their life if it came to that decision to make. Thomas Jefferson said, “If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.” That's taking a risk!

 

We take risks everyday. Taking risks involve having faith in something or someone. Many times one is not guaranteed the outcome. Security is what we all want in our lives even if there are no guarantees attached. Only when we place our trust and security in God can we see His manifestation take place and history is made and a story is there to tell.

 

Esther, was a Jewish young woman who was selected along with other women to become the next Queen if chosen by King Xerxes of Persia. Eventually, Esther pleased the King and she became the new queen despite the fact she was a Jew. She kept her identity hidden from the king until the appropriate time. The king had been persuaded by one of his leading servants to kill all the Jews in this province. In order that her people would be spared from death, Queen Esther risked going before the king without him requesting her presence. This was an automatic death sentence. Just because she was the queen didn't guarantee her that the king would even see her. (Read the book of Esther). Because of Queen Esther's courageous act, a whole nation was saved. She was a Risk-taker and a History-maker. As in Esther's case, her possessions, reputation, position and life was at risk. She was willing to take the risk and trust the God of her forefathers and yes He did deliver His people. This Risk-taker Esther truly became a History-maker!  Are we willing to be Risk-Takers and History-makers?



TOO HIGH...TIME TO COME DOWN

(Part Two)

(Psa. 75:6-7) "For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another."

          When you are placed in a position of power and authority, it’s best to remain humble. One must avoid being prideful, arrogant and not misuse their authority, position and elevation to abuse or look down on others (especially those who helped them to get where they are). If one does, they will come down eventually.

          King Nebuchadnezzar was brought down by the Lord. God was actually being merciful to Nebuchadnezzar by taking away his kingdom (Daniel 5:17-23). Nebuchadnezzar’s pride had caused his heart to be far from God. Nebuchadnezzar thought he did not need God. So God wanted to show the King that it was God who was in control of all things. King Nebuchadnezzar would be FAR better off losing his kingdom and finding God, than keeping his kingdom and staying separated from his loving Creator. Without God, Nebuchadnezzar could do NOTHING! In time, the former King lost his mind; he went crazy. Nebuchadnezzar lived like a wild animal for seven years. He was without God and without a clear mind.

          Satan (Lucifer) became so prideful and lifted up in who he was that he thought he was greater than God. His boastfulness and egotistical attitude caused him to lose what he had in heaven. I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High. But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit." (Isa. 14:12-15) Well, if you don't know, now you know that Satan was kicked out of his "high " position down to earth. He continues to try to rule and influence others to go against God and the things of God even though his position and place he held will never be anymore.
          Saul before he became Paul were breathing murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples and was responsible for persecuting and arresting them. (Acts 9:1-4)  He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. Little did he know as he prepared for this journey that he was going to have an encounter with Jesus. It was time for Saul to come down because he had gotten lifted up in his position and cared little about what he was doing to the people of God. If we get too high, God has a way of bringing us down to humble us. The light was so bright that it caused him to fall to the ground off his horse. Sometimes we have to be brought low on our knees in order to look up! After this divine encounter, Paul became one of the most notable apostle for Jesus Christ!

          Let us never allow where we are or who we are to cause our hearts to be lifted up in pride and feel we do not need God or others help. Remember the cliché’ “Don’t forget the bridge that brought you over.” Stay true and humble to yourself, to God and to those who is around and under you. 

 

 

      TOO HIGH!!!....TIME TO COME DOWN

 (PART ONE)

 

 

 

(Proverbs 16:18)  Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.

(James 4:10) Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

 

         Do you remember the bible encounters about King Nebuchadnezzar, Lucifer, Zacchaeus and Saul (to later become Apostle Paul)? These biblical figures had several things in common. First, they were seen as ones with power and positions. One a king, one who served as the chief archangel/main worshipper once in heaven, one a tax collector and one vying to persecute and arrest any followers of Jesus. Secondly, they had gotten to a place in their position where it didn't matter about others anymore but themselves. They became too high and so indulged in who they were and what they were doing that they forgot about the people and God. Sounds familiar in what is going on right now with our governmental system?

         We can get so engrossed with our own reputation, being prideful and our selfish gain and will allow our positions to take precedence that we can forget all about how it will affect others. Sometimes we can "Get too high, that we have to be brought down." We can get into a state where we think we don't need God. In order for God to get our attention , it is necessary for things to occur to bring us down so we can get back on track.  (Part two of post continues tomorrow).

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

WORRIED?

 

 

 

 

Matthew 6:25-27

New Living Translation (NLT)

²⁵ “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? ²⁷ Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

          Chill Out! God's Got This! It is the devil's job to get us all worked up, fearful, distraught, stressed and upset over the situation with the government shutdown. People, let us not forget who created, shaped and still controls this world.....GOD! I continue to remind myself as well as others......GOD IS OUR SOURCE & NOT MAN!
          When the Israelites left Egypt, they left with more than they had when they were living there. Once in the wilderness, they had no retail stores, grocers, pharmacies, banks, finance companies, utility companies, airports, telephone companies are other resources we are so accustomed to having. Guess who and what they relied upon? God. He provided light, water, food (fresh from heaven) and even provided armed protection while being attacked by their enemies. As long as they obeyed God, they prospered and didn't have to be worried about anything.
          AMERICA, as long as we obey God and keep Him as our SOURCE and not our RESOURCE, we will survive and thrive through the worst of times.  If you are going to worry, then don't pray. If you pray, then don't worry! Prayer changes things...Worrying doesn't"

 

 

 

 A NIGHT OF WORSHIP

(Paste or click link)  http://youtu.be/sSmcY8rGcxM

 

 

This event was sponsored by My Praise Project Outreach & Life Center Church benefiting their Missions to Nigeria this month.

God was in the place and this is a snippet of it captured on this Night of Worship to Him. Thanks to my husband, Le for his time support and help during the preparation time,  Pastor Christine Evans, Elisa Sanders Harney, Life Center Church family, Min. James & LaChrissa Andrews of Expected Ends Media, Life Center's Praise Team, Band & Dancers and everyone who supported financially to benefit funds for our missions outreach.

 

 

 



 

 

UNPREPARED!! 

 

WE REMEMBER 9-11! 

 

 

 

         (Matt. 24:36, 42-44) "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.   Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.  But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh."

 

          Twelve years ago on this same date, America was terrorized by Islamic terriorist group al-Qaeda. Planes flew into the Twin Towers in New York City in broad daylight causing and destroying the structure of the buildings as well as lives lost. The Pentagon suffered structural damage as well as the other plane that was hijacked headed towards Washington but sidetracked to Shanksville, Pennsylvania due to heroic efforts of passengers on board. Our hearts go out to all the families of those today who suffered losses and we remember!  

          America was UNPREPARED for this attack. Despite the modern technology, radar detection devices and professional security tools to detect attacks, it didn't prepare us for this unforgettable, horrific day. I was standing in my family room on that day preparing to go to work and the news flash came. As I watched, I thought a King Kong's movie was being made. When I saw the first plane hit, I knew this was not a movie and I began to cry. "This couldn't be happening" was my first thought, but it was. This was no movie scene..this was for real!

          Some things we can prepare for in advance and there are some things which sneaks upon us so secretly that we don't have time to get ready or protect ourselves. Jesus advised his followers about being prepared for the day when he will return. No day, hour, month, year or time was given but he did state to all to be ready, stay ready and look for his return. The ten virgins can well testify that it is important to be prepared and stay prepared. In a time we think not, it could happen. Death, accidents, incidents, births and other events often comes when we least expect them or without warning. It is good to be in a position that whenever that time comes, we won't be UNPREPARED.

          One event that we can begin preparing for now is the return of Christ. Before he left, he promised to send us the Holy Spirit which would keep us and prepare us until he returned. Many people don't believe that Christ will return so they don't prepare. They walk around as if there will not be an End of Time. I am one who believe in God's Word and it does not lie. Jesus said that he will return and that settles it for me. It is up to each individual to decide if they believe this as well and  prepare. When the time comes, if you have prepared, it won't come upon you unaware.

         What if America had known about this planned attack? What if some clues would have been given? We were UNPREPARED! It happened and we were all devastated. Nothing we do will bring those lives back or restore the loss which occurred on that day. The only things we can do now is remember, prevent and prepare should something else like this occurs again. Many safety measures since has been enforced in preparation for the unknown. Let us not wait until it's too late to get ourselves ready to meet our saviour. I pray we all be ready when he returns. I pray we all get our business straight and not be unprepared when he appears in the sky.   



THE PROCESS: MAGNIFY TO SANCTIFY TO QUALIFY

 

(Psa. 139:23-24-NLT) "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life."
(Matt. 7:3-5-NLT) "And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye, when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye."

(John 15:16) "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you that ye should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the father in my name, he may give it you."

Magnify: To enlarge in fact or in appearance
Sanctify: To purify, set apart or consecrate
Qualify:  To declare competent or adequate or certify

          So many today are looking for promotions, elevations, recognitions and to climb up the ladder of success at some point or another. Employers or leaders of organizations find it necessary to do random assessments and evaluations to determine how well an employee is doing and has done on their job. It is necessary after an evaluation is given to carefully look at the things marked so one can examine what their weakness or strengths are. So often, we may rely upon our employers to tell us what we need to do or cease from doing to better our performances or duties. However, we should take it upon us to check us out!

           A magnifying glass is used to enlarge and bring into closer focus or view an object which cannot be seen noticeable with the natural It will reveal things that normally are not seen far away. It brings things hard to find closer to you for better viewing. No one likes to see what is really wrong with them because it is better looking at things on the other person. Let us welcome the Word to Magnify us. As I was preparing this blog, I noticed that all of the words I defined and mentioned ended with the suffix -fy (make : form into ). I'd like to use the -fy as  "First You". In make any changes, corrections, improvements, or adjustments in our lives, it has to begin with Y.O.U.

          Once we have carefully magnified self or "fy", then we can proceed on to the next step---Sanctify. Most people associate this word in a religious manner, ye understanding that all it entails is to be clean, pure and set apart. John 15:3 says, "Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you." Once we have examined ourselves and allowed God's Word to show us what He has found, then we can ask Him as David did in Psalms 51:7 "Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow."  This is sanctification. Next, we are now ready for the final process. Only God can Qualify us for His  service and works of the kingdom. Man can appoint but it is God who anoints and qualifies. Don't despise being shown up under God's magnifying glass (The Word). He is trying to move us from through one process to the next process to the final process.

 

           ^{GIANT OR GRASSHOPPER?}

 

                           

^{(Numbers 13:23,27-28,30-31,33-NLT)}

²³ When they came to the valley of Eshcol, they cut down a branch with a single cluster of grapes so large that it took two of them to carry it on a pole between them!  ²⁷ This was their report to Moses: “We entered the land you sent us to explore, and it is indeed a bountiful country—a land flowing with milk and honey. Here is the kind of fruit it produces. ²⁸ But the people living there are powerful, and their towns are large and fortified. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak! ³⁰ But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. “Let’s go at once to take the land,” he said. “We can certainly conquer it!” ³¹ But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. “We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!” ³³ We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought, too!

          When I think of the biblical encounter with Moses, Caleb and the others, my mind recalls the story of Jack & the Beanstalk. We remember the end of the story where Jack comes down the stalk with the giant following behind, chops down the beanstalk and overcomes the giant. Jack refused to let the giant scare or hinder him from getting the things he needed to survive due to his size and his threats.  
          Sometimes we can allow size, obstacles, fear, lack of trust and all sorts of circumstances to prevent us from getting the things we have been promised or is rightfully ours. We can choose to be "grasshoppers" or be "giants."  Grasshoppers are small insects known to be found among the grass, leaves and lowlands. They are not big enough or strong enough to conquer or possess much due to their size. However, giants, on the other hand, are known to be endowed with great strength, height and size. Giants are mostly feared because of their physical attributes. Many fear them due to their size thereby they are able to obtain and conquer whatever territory or possession in their reach.
          God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and a sound mind, empowering us with the authority and the ability to conquer ALL. 1 John 4:4 (NLT) "But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world." We don't have to possess the mentality of a grasshopper but can stand tall as a giant to obtain whatever we desire when we pray and speak.
          It is the devil's  jobs to make us fear, lack and miss out on what God has promised us and given to us as His people. The land of Canaan belonged to the Israelites but because of what the spies had observed in the land, they feared to overtake it because of the giants they saw. They were as grasshoppers settling for the least and not the greatest God had for them.
         When we change our mindset and believe that we are more than giants and more than conquerors through Christ Jesus, we will take the land...take the city, take what is rightfully ours and become the GIANTS in our promised territory in our promised season! Grasshopper or Giant! Which one are you?

 

         WATCH YOUR MOUTH!

 

 

(Mark 14:69-70) "And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them. And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilean, and thy speech agreeth thereto. "

Speech: An individual manner or style of speaking. Something that is spoken.

It doesn't matter who you are or where you come from, we all have been given distinct and recognizable voices or speech patterns. Our speech, no matter what dialect or language we speak, is owned by us. Yes, we may have voice imitators who can mimic us but our speech is ours personally. A parent can recognize her children's voice or cry among a room filled with other children. The sound or voice pattern of that child distinguishes them from the rest.

When we became Christians and old things in our lives became new, we inherited through the blood of Jesus, a new speech. We no longer should use the old pattern of our speech but must put on Christ's speech and a new way of talking. How we once talked, things we allowed to come out of our mouth should be different now. People who we once ran with or were buddies with should notice a change in us by our speech. Even if a person who once knew Christ and decide to not walk with him any longer still have Christ's mark upon him. They can try to fit in with the world, act like the world and do what the world do, but their speech will betray them.

I have been among individuals not knowing their backgrounds, church affiliations or lifestyle, but as soon as conversation (speech) was engaged, I could recognize somehow if they had once walked with the Lord or is walking with the Lord. It's a "knowing" by the spirit and by their conversation. Everyday, we must be careful how we talk, express ourselves and behave among others. Peter, one of Jesus' disciples who followed him closely, thought he could hide his identity after Jesus was arrested. He didn't realize that people had seen him with Jesus and what unmasked his identity more was his speech.

When you know Christ and have allowed his character to become a part of your being, you cannot hide it. Peter denied who he was and he also denied the Christ. When we are among our family, friends, coworkers, strangers or whomever, we should let our light shine and allow God to use our speech to speak life, deliverance and salvation to them. God needs our voice to be His mouthpiece. Our speech should not consist of profanity, defaming or unkind comments, lies, deceit, bitter or abusive words. Speech from our lips should be godly, words filled with kindness, exhortation, encouragement, enlightenment, inspiration and full of faith. When we allow God to change our hearts and our lives, He changes everything about us including our speech. Someone is steadily watching us and "listening" to us. Let us WATCH OUR SPEECH and not be guilty of denying the Christ in us, the hope of Glory!

 

 

 

 

 

VALIDATION TO ACTIVATION

 

 

(Acts. 1:8) But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

     VALIDATE: to make legally valid;  to confirm the validity of; to recognize, establish, or illustrate the worthiness or legitimacy of.
   ACTIVATE: To make active, set up for use

Many of us are familiar with the above terms in making financial transactions. The card owners issue the cardholders  credit/debit/prepaid, gift,etc., cards after their applications have been submitted and approved or monies paid. After valid submissions are granted and all terms accepted, the cardholder is advised to activate their card by calling the specified numbers or going online to activate the card issued. Once the card has been activated, the cardholder can begin making transactions or purchases. If the card has not been activated, even though validation has been granted, the transaction cannot be processed.
I had an issued and validated discount member's card to a store and had forgotten to activate the card. Because I had forgotten to go online and activate the card, I lost discounts/points off my purchase when I recently visited the store. If I had only activated my card, I could have saved money on my purchase. (We learn by our mistakes).
Activation is a process whereby we challenge ourselves with some truth from scripture to be able to receive the grace to then do what the Bible says we can do. Before Jesus left to return to heaven, he promised his disciples that he would send them a comforter that would be activated to teach, guide and lead them into all truths. He instructed them that in order to validate and activate this promise, it was important that they wait in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost. Just as Jesus had spoken, the comforter came and those who were in the upper room received the activation of the Holy Ghost. Those who were outside of the Upper Room witnessed the activation of the Holy Ghost upon the followers of Jesus. They not only received the Holy Ghost, but power and authority over Satan along with it. He has made available to all believers the same opportunity to activate this power in their lives.
Just as our credit/debit cards gives us certain "buying" power and certain limitations and restrictions, the spirit of God in us gives us access through the name of Jesus and power to conquer the enemy, heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out devils and live a righteous life. Yes, it is also available to anyone who desires it. There are certain requirements to unbelievers to validate this power which by the way has no expiration date and can be used everywhere and anywhere.
Validation Requirements: 
(1) Accept him as your Lord.
(2)  Believe in him (that he came, he died, he rose and will return again for his people).
(3) Confess with your mouth that salvation has come into your life and share him with others.
Activation Code Requirements:
PIN #: Username: JESUS
            Password: FAITH

Greetings Family & Friends,

Please accept this email as an invitation as My Praise Project Outreach & Life Center Church presents a Benefit Missions to Nigeria "Night of Worship" (N.O.W.) Sept. 29, 2013 - 5PM. Our ministry is raising funds to support our Evangelistic Outreach missions in Nigeria in October in which our pastor, Christine Evans will be going to minister there along with a ministry team. Your financial support of whatever amount you are able to donate will be appreciated even if you are able to attend or unable to attend.

We may not can physically go to the nations but we can help support and send others to go.This is our purpose for this Night of Worship. I would love for you to join us at this NOW Benefit Musical where we are aiming at a particular goal to help finance this mission's trip. Will you help me? Thanks so much in advance for your consideration.

Donations can be mailed and checks made payable to (My Praise Project Outreach - PO Box 851- Americus, GA 31709) or you can make donations on my website: www.mypraiseprojectoutreach.com through Paypal.

All donations received will be donated to this effort and they are tax deductible. May God bless you in your consideration to help send the gospel to the nations. Please view our promo video snippet below.

(Click link or copy and paste in your search engine to view)

http://youtu.be/ES0gFJJCvOo

 

 

THE "SIFTING" BEFORE THE "SHIFTING"

 

 (Amos 9:9) "For, lo, I will command, and I will SIFT the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth."
(Luke 22:31,32-NLT) "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. (Matt. 16:18) "And I say unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
 SIFTING:  To put (flour, corn for example) through a sieve or other straining device in order to separate the fine from the coarse particles.To distinguish, examine and sort carefully, To pass through or make a careful examination

SHIFTING: To exchange, alter, move or transfer from one place or position to another.

 

          As a child growing up, I used to observe my mom and grandmother cooking and watched as they prepared to make biscuits for our breakfast or meals. They'd take out the flour and other ingredients, cooking utensils and among them, the sifter. I thought it was a neat utensil and often asked to sift the flour because it seemed like a toy to me. I wondered why it was necessary to sift the flour  and after doing it a few times, I discovered the reason. I noticed that when I placed the flour in the sifter, it was clumpy and the sifter made it smoother and lighter. I also noticed that once all the flour had sifted through, there were particles and sometimes insects left in the sifter that didn't pass through. Most likely they had hid in the flour during packing and storing. The sifter caused these foreign objects to separate from the actual flour before shifting the flour to be used for baking.  

          The wired-type screen on the sifter allows, with a good shake or turn of the handle, small particles to pass through. Any large objects would not pass through. Oftentimes, we may wonder why we have to go through seasons of suffering, trials, demotions before promotions, persecutions, scars before the stars on our way to our "Greater".  This is called our "sifting" process. Once we've gone through this process, then we are ready for the "Shifting" process. Undoubtedly, many of us would love to skip the "sifting" process and jump directly into the "shifting" process. As Jesus walked with his disciples, he was gradually sifting them in a sense by teaching them, correcting them and preparing them for their shifting that they would experience after he had gone back to his Father.

          Sifting has to take place in order to be transferred or be moved to the next level. Before my mom and grandmother could successfully produce those buttery, tasty and light biscuits, the flour (the main ingredient) had to go through the sifting process. After they sifted the flour, the dough that was made was ready to be shifted to the oven for baking. Let us not avoid from going through the "Sifting" because this is where anything that shouldn't be in your life will be left out so the things necessary to shift us will pass through for the making process. Let us allow the hand of God to be placed on the handle of the sifter. As this sifting process is  being done, let us be willing to allow whatever is not right in us to be shaken up so anything unfit won't pass through and keep us from our shifting. Are you ready for the SIFTING and the SHIFTING?

 

 

 THE ONE AND ONLY!

 

 

 

 

 

 

(I Kings 18:20-24) So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel. And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word. Then Elijah said to the people, “I alone am left a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men. Therefore let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it. Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the God who answers by fire, He is God! (Read the rest of the story at your leisure).  

 

It is amazing how people trust in a "god"  that does nothing for them, created or provides nothing for them or is not there for them when they call on them in time of trouble or emergencies. We live in a time where so many believe in there own types of gods. The real God is not a figmentation of one's imagination....HE is Real! . God is a spirit! Ahab and the prophets of Baal (an idol god) believed that this statue or physical representation of their god would answer the challenge imposed on them by Elijah. When you know that you know that you know that your God is real, you have no doubts in your mind that He will show up and show out. As the Hebrew men in one of my last posts declared to the king that even if their God chose not to deliver them or show up, they'd still not bow to the idol and would still believe and serve Him.

 

To believe in a God whom one has never seen, or never had a relationship or contact with., yet know He exists takes faith.  To look around us everyday and visualize the handiwork of the ONE AND ONLY, TRUE AND LIVING GOD baffles me why people don't believe that there is a God. The God who causes the seasons to change (without man's doing), causes your body to go to sleep without anesthesia and wakes you up each day, causes a life to be formed through an egg and a sperm, causes this same life to develop into a full grown person through process of time, causes the body to operate like a machine (pumping blood through the body like an automatic machine internally, filtering intakes of food, liquids to keep the body strong and health and expelling unnecessary wastes and foreign body from it as needed... THAT'S MY GOD! Tell me who else on this earth can do this...BUT GOD?

The prophets of Baal, King Ahab and those witnessing this event at Mount Carmel couldn't help but acknowledge that Elijah's God was and remains God. He is not dead, blind, deaf, dumb or so far away He can't reach us, hear us, talk to us, or help us. God is there no matter what picture or dialogue others who don't believe He exists try to paint...HE IS REAL!

Strangely how when we get in trouble or lately with the texting jargon,  the first word from our mouth is "Jesus or Oh My God (OMG)! Really? Is He really the God of your life? Do we really believe in Him? If so, are we serving him? Worshipping and living for Him? Are we sharing His love and our testimonies about how great He is? I choose to serve the God of Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Abraham, and Elijah and other biblical patriarchs of old who He  did so many miracles for and is still doing exploits even in our day. All we need to believe in God is faith! Faith requires you believing what you don't see but relying on what God has said. When this happen, God will become more real to you than what one has heard, read or tried to explain. God shows up not as a means to be tempted but to prove at times that there is nobody greater than Him! Will you choose  God or gods?

WHO IS YOUR MIDDLE MAN?

Psa. 23:4 -Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Isa. 43:2 - When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

Middle Man - one who is a "go-between" to handle things for you - An intermediary. 

          In the business or trade world there is such a person who acts as an intermediary between the buyer and the seller/the customer and the consumer. Their job is to negotiate and make business propositions which are acceptable to both parties so they won't have to. It eliminates a lot of stress from both parties. It frees you from dealing with transactions or confrontations. This is in the natural aspect. 
          However, spiritually speaking, we all can testify according to the scriptures, the many times God provided deliverance by becoming and providing a "middle man" for His people during times of despair, danger and trouble. We all need someone to stand in the middle for us when we are faced with danger on the left side and on the right side and there is no one or nothing to turn to but God. This is the time when that "middle man" is needed. He was there for the Israelites with Pharaoh's army behind them and the Red sea in front of them. God provided the "middle man" to create a way for them to escape this horrific peril by opening up the sea as they walked on dry land. 
          The video snippet above depicts the story of how God again stepped in and allowed the "middle man" to stand in the midst of this furnace, protecting the men from the fire so they couldn't burn up. Remember the position of Jesus' cross on Calvary? It was between the two thieves. He was the "middle man" for all of us by dying on the cross to save us from our sins and resurrected to give us eternal life. 
          I can't speak for you but I depend and rely on my "middle man." His name is Jesus. When trouble surrounds me or there seems to be no way out, I can call on him and he becomes my "go-between" person - my "middle man". He promised us in his word (as posted) that he would walk with us through the valley, through waters and through fire. Isn't it good to know that you have someone who will stand in the gap - in the middle for you so you don't have to? I'm grateful for my "Middle Man" (Jesus)! Who is your Middle Man?  

 

 

 

GREED VS. NEED!

 

 

Luke 12:15 - "And he said unto them, "Take heed; and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth".

Luke 12: 16b-21 - "The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou has much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee; then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.          

Greed - A strong desire of acquiring or possessing. Need - A lack of something

In the above text, we are told a parable by Jesus of a man who had plenty. We could label him as having a spirit of Greed. He was not satisfied with just a little, but more. He had so much that he told himself he to make room for his overage. So, he built bigger barns to stockpile what he possessed. He could have divided and distributed his abundance to those in need. With all what his greed had brought to him, what would become of it after he died? It seems today that if you are not on the Top 10 list of having the best job, car, house, materialistic things, money, etc., you are looked down at. Just because someone has a lot of these things doesn't mean they are happy and fulfilled. If they have all these worldly goods and don't God and His peace within them, they are most miserable and needy.

With God, we can have Everything! Without God, we have Nothing! I choose to be in need of God and have Him than being greedy of things that doesn't bring me happiness or contentment. There is an old cliche' that says, "Don't let you eyes be bigger than your stomach". This simply means, just because you see it, doesn't mean you really need it. This is not just for food intake but other things in life as well. It is so important that we do not allow greed to overtake us when God blesses us abundantly. There are those who are among us whose eyes are full of greed, wanting more yet not satisfied unless they have the biggest and the best that life has to offer. Even after obtaining them, some are still unsatisfied until they receive more. As God provides and supplies our needs, let us always remember from whom our blessings flow and not allow the enemy to make our eyes began to have greed and lose it all. We have been blessed in America far beyond any other country in the world, yet some are still unthankful. Don't allow Greed to cause us to suffer Need!

WATCH YOUR SPEECH!

 

 

 

 

 

(Mark 14:69-70) "And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them. And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilean, and thy speech agreeth thereto. "

Speech: An individual manner or style of speaking. Something that is spoken.

      It doesn't matter who you are or where you come from, we all have been given distinct and recognizable voices or speech patterns. Our speech, no matter what dialect or language we speak, is owned by us. Yes, we may have voice imitators who can mimic us but our speech is ours personally. A parent can recognize her children's voice or cry among a room filled with other children. The sound or voice pattern of that child distinguishes them from the rest.

      When we became Christians and old things in our lives became new, we inherited through the blood of Jesus, a new speech. We no longer should use the old pattern of our speech but must put on Christ's speech and a new way of talking. How we once talked, things we allowed to come out of our mouth should be different now. People who we once ran with or were buddies with should notice a change in us by our speech. Even if a person who once knew Christ and decide to not walk with him any longer still have Christ's mark upon him. They can try to fit in with the world, act like the world and do what the world do, but their speech will betray them.

      I have been among individuals and didn't know there backgrounds, church affiliations or lifestyle, but as soon as conversation (speech) was engaged, I could recognize somehow if they had once walked with the Lord or is walking with the Lord. It's a "knowing" by the spirit and by their conversation. Everyday, we must be careful how we talk, express ourselves and behave among others. Peter, one of Jesus' disciples who followed him closely, thought he could hide his identity after Jesus was arrested. He didn't realize that people had seen him with Jesus and what unmasked his identity more was his speech.

      When you know Christ and have allowed his character to become a part of your being, you cannot hide it. Peter denied who he was and he also denied the Christ. When we are among our family, friends, coworkers, strangers or whomever, we should let our light shine and allow God to use our speech to speak life, deliverance and salvation to them. God needs our voice to be His mouthpiece. Our speech should not consist of profanity, defaming or unkind comments, lies, deceit, bitter or abusive words. Speech from our lips should be godly, words filled with kindness, exhortation, encouragement, enlightenment, inspiration and full of faith. When we allow God to change our hearts and our lives, He changes everything about us including our speech. Someone is steadily watching us and "listening" to us. Let us WATCH OUR SPEECH and not be guilty of denying the Christ in us, the hope of Glory!