Category Archives: Testimony

2019, Apostolic, Book of Acts Series 2019, Christianity, Gifts of the Spirit, Salvation, Testimony, Wisdom

Being Used By God

How do you know that someone is truly called by God? In this post, we are going to look at two people in the Book of Acts, who were truly called by God. Additionally, we will look at a few signs to look for in someone that is being used by God. At the end of this teaching, I am also going to dig deep into the term Apostle in hopes to bring some clarity.

The Need for Boldness Today

Starting with Acts 14:1 we see that the Apostles Paul and Barnabas were in Iconium speaking in a Jewish synagogue. If you look in the Amplified Bible, it tells us they both spoke with boldness and power. How did they have this boldness and power? It was because they were Baptized in the Holy Spirit. They spoke with boldness and power because they had the Holy Spirit working through them. Therefore, their ministry was powerful and bold, even though it faced much opposition. This is the way the church today needs to be! Additionally, in Acts 14:1 it tells us that many Jews and Greeks accepted the message of the Gospel. In the Amplified Bible, it tells us that they confidently accepted Jesus as our savior.  I am not sure how we can possibly get true conversion today if the average church in America is weak and dehydrated from the Holy Spirit. In America’s church today I see many people who say they have been born again for so many years, but no evidence of it, you cannot tell them apart from the unbelieving world. Therefore, we need bold and powerful preaching in our churches today! Many people are going to go to hell when they die, and it is truly sad!

Facing Opposition

Acts 14:2 goes on to tell us the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against Paul and Barnabas. This is what will often happen to people who are truly being used by God, they will have people oppose them, they will often face opposition regularly. One way to know for certain that someone is being used by God is that they are facing opposition regularly. God never promised that this walk would be easy, and He never promised that the work of ministry would be easy. In fact, Jesus even warned us that we would face rejection and even persecution.

Signs and True Salvation

In Acts 14:3 we see that God allowed signs to follow Paul and Barnabas as they continued ministering to the people in Iconium. Verse three specifically tells us that God granted signs and wonders to be done. I think it is safe to assume that these signs were healings, miracles, and deliverances. Jesus told us in Mark 16:20 (NKJV), “And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.”. God will allow signs to follow those who are truly seeking Him. God will use a minister who regularly spends time with God in the prayer closet, rather than a minister who only reads the Bible when they are preparing their Sunday sermon. Someone who is truly being used by God will have bold teaching that cuts the heart of the sinner, and even corrects the believer. This type of preaching is what should bring true salvation and conversion. We should not be concerned about the number of people we get to say the sinner’s prayer, we should be concerned about the number of people who are truly saved and converted. This is something that is lacking in the church today, which has resulted in much carnality in the church today.

Division and the Enemy

Continuing Acts 14:4 tells us that the city of Iconium was divide, some sided with the apostles, and some with the unbelieving Jews. The enemy’s work was at hand right here, because there was division. The enemy loves to divide churches and families. I would like to encourage you that when you start seeing division happening in your church or family, make sure your first action is to start praying rather than letting your flesh get the best of you!

Grace and Opposition

In Acts 14:5-7 we see that there was a violent attempt to harm and stone the two Apostles. However, both Paul and Barnabas became aware of this and went to Lystra and Derbe to continue their ministry. As I have said before they did not let the opposition get the best of them. Whether you are in ministry or not, you will face opposition. It might be from people, circumstances, or even your own health. We cannot let circumstances stop us from doing what God has called us to do, along with praising Him and staying in the Word. In fact, this past week, I was dealing with some tooth pain, which in my opinion is one of the worst pains you can get. I do not like dental pain at all, however, I knew that I could not let that dental pain stop me from getting into the Word, and spending time with the Lord. So, whatever it is you are going through, do not let it get the best of you. Each time you deal with opposition and push through it by leaning on the love and grace of God, you will be more prepared next time.

Apostles of Christ

Lastly, I would like to get into something a little deeper. I would like to bring some clarity to the term Apostle. We see the term Apostle used in the New Testament several times. You may have even noticed that some people today might refer to themselves as Apostles. When using the term Apostle today, we need to be careful of our meaning behind it, because there are two types of Apostles. The first type of Apostle were the ones who were an eyewitness of the resurrection of Jesus, these are called Apostles of Christ. These ones are limited because these only refer to the 12 and Paul. 1 Thessalonians 2:6 (NKJV) tells us, “Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ.”.

Apostles of the Church (TODAY)

The second type of Apostle we find in the Bible are the ones who are considered Apostles of the Church. They obviously were not eyewitnesses of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 8:23 (NKJV) tells us, “If anyone inquires about Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker concerning you. Or if our brethren are inquired about, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.”. These types of Apostles are also noted as sent ones of the church. Today we do have people who operate in the office of an Apostle, even though they are not eyewitnesses of the resurrected Jesus Christ. These people bring a big impact on our church today, and I feel that God will be calling more people to fulfill this rule to be Apostles of the Church today!

Final Thoughts

So, I want to challenge you to ask yourself, is God calling you to do something that you have been holding off on? Maybe this is doing more evangelism in your community, or volunteering at your church. Maybe God might be calling you to the five-fold ministry? Lastly, are you prepared to put time aside and truly seek His Face? By doing so are you ready to face some opposition? I encourage you to take some time this week and ask God to show you what He is calling you to do at this point in your life.

2019, Baptism of Holy Spirit, Bible Study, Book of Acts Series 2019, Christianity, Gifts of the Spirit, Inspiration, Testimony

Acts 12:1-17 — The Power of Prayer

person praying with bible opened on table

Another Reminder of the Persecuted Church

In this blog post, we’re going to look at two incidents that take place with Herod and two of the Apostles. It has been a few weeks since I addressed the issue of the persecuted church. This blog post is another reminder to continually pray for those in persecution. I did some research and found that in the last year over 245 million Christians are living in places of high levels of persecution. Also, 4,305 Christians are estimated to have been killed because of their faith. Additionally, 1,847 churches have been attacked. I feel that one Christian persecuted is one too many. These numbers are saddening. I encourage you to take some time regularly to pray for the many Christians around the world who are being persecuted.

Herod Kills James

When we look at Acts 12:1-2, we find that Herod had a goal to attack the Apostles of Jerusalem. He starts by killing James the brother of John. In Mark 3:17, James and John are called the Sons of Thunder. It is widely assumed that they were called this because of their temperament. I feel this is a good fact to keep in mind about James and John, it just shows us that God can use anyone.

Peter is Captured

In Acts 12:3-4 we find that Herod then captures Peter to be killed, however, he does not kill him right away because it is the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Herod has soldiers’ guard him during the four watches of the night. The four watches of the night were from sunset to 9 pm, from 9 pm to midnight, midnight to 3 am, and 3 am to 6 am. The soldiers would rotate based on these four watches of the night.

The Power of Prayer Shown

In Acts 12:5 (NKJV), the church leads by example as Peter was in prison, “Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.”. This verse should be an inspiration to us to pray for those being persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ. After these prayers are given by the church, something amazing takes place! In Acts 12:7-11 we find out that an angel came down and pulled Peter out of his chains and takes him out of the prison. At first, when this happens Peter thinks he is having a vision, but afterward he realizes that this angelic encounter is real. This just goes to show you that the power of prayer has no limit when we fully trust God. I feel that the early church in the Book of Acts had much more faith than what the average American church has today. I feel this because they had some spirit-filled leaders who truly sought God, and this, in turn, resulted in strong spirit-filled believers. This is something we desperately lack in the American church today because many churches want to look at the Bible with denominational eyes rather than spiritual eyes. This results in many denominations that don’t believe in the power of Jesus to set the captives free, heal the sick, deliver people from demonic oppression, and much more! How can we fix America in the eyes of God, when many churches don’t want to acknowledge that the same power the church in the Book of Acts had is available to us today?

The Power of Jesus Sets Us Free!

As I was reading this passage, I was reminded of two other scriptures. The first one is in John 8:36 (NKJV), when Jesus said, “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”. Another scripture I was reminded of was Psalm 142:7 (NKJV) which says, “Bring my soul out of prison, That I may praise Your name; The righteous shall surround me, For You shall deal bountifully with me.”. With putting these two scriptures together, we not only need to think of the persecuted church being set free, but also ourselves being set free. The power of the name of Jesus Christ is so powerful, it will set people free from sickness, depression, addiction, and many other types of bondages.

Peter Gives Testimony

In Acts 12:12-17 we find that Peter goes to Mary’s house, and as he knocks on the door a woman by the name of Rhoda answered and was shocked. She was so shocked that she forgot to let him in, she thought that Peter had already been killed, but he was right there at the door. She went and told the others, and they didn’t believe her, they thought it was an angel at the door. When the others came to the door, they were amazed, and Peter told them what happened. He then left and went away to another place so Herod could not find his trail. Peter did what many of us would do if we had that type of encounter, he told others of his testimony. Our testimonies are so powerful and are often a sign to unbelievers. We may not be able to win people over to Christ by only teaching them scripture alone, but when you tell others about what Jesus has done for you, they will want what you have!

Final Thoughts

In my next post, I will wrap up chapter twelve and discuss what happens to the soldiers who were keeping an eye on Peter overnight, along with what happens to Herod. So please be sure to subscribe to this blog! I encourage you to take some time this week and think about what Jesus has done for you in your life and then share it with someone this week. Even if you share it with someone who is a believer, our testimonies also build each other up, along with being a sign to unbelievers. I would also like to remind you to continually pray for the persecuted church and encourage others to do the same.

2019, Bible Study, Christianity, Salvation, Testimony, Wisdom

How Do You Know?

Picture of John 3:16 in the Bible.

How do you know that you are truly saved? This is a very important question I felt led to address in this blog post. I was originally going to post another teaching from the Book of Acts, but God led me to post this. We all know that to be saved that you must call upon the Lord and ask for your sins to be forgiven and ask Jesus Christ to come into your heart. Many people call this is the sinner’s prayer. When someone truly says the sinner’s prayer it is a very important and special moment of their life. The sinner’s prayer results in one being born again, which is the only way that you can get to Heaven. John 3:3 tells us that we must be born again, otherwise you will not see the Kingdom of God.

The Truth About Water Baptism

Many people confuse the subject of being born again for something else when reading the Bible. John 3:5 (NKJV) says “Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”. There is a large denomination of Christianity that believes the water in this scripture means that a person must be baptized in water when they are born, which results in them being born again. The practice of this is nothing but false doctrine straight from hell. If you take the time to study the Bible, you will see that the water it is referring to in this scripture is the amniotic fluids from birth. As we all should know water baptism is only symbolic after one says the sinner’s prayer. However, since water baptism is only symbolic it is not required to enter Heaven, but I strongly encourage it.

‘The Sinners Prayer’

Romans 10:13 (NKJV) tells us, “For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”. Many people will think that saying the sinner’s prayer one time is all you need, and you don’t need to go to church anymore, read your Bible, pray, fast, and worship God. Some people even think that saying the sinner’s prayer gives you a free pass to sin all you want. However, if you know what God’s Word says, when we become born again we should have a strong desire to go to church every week, read the Bible daily, pray daily, worship daily, and even fast (if you can). How can you expect God to work in your life if you only pray to God when there is a problem? We should be praying to God daily regardless if life is going good or bad. If the only time you read your Bible is when you are following along with your pastor in church, then how will you be prepared to proclaim God’s promises over your life when the enemy comes to attack. The sad truth is many people are claiming to be Christian, but the way they live their life is like unbelievers.

The Old Man vs. The New Man

It is time we know truly how Christians ought to be. Ephesians 4:20-24 (NKJV) tells us, “But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:  that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,  and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”. When we become born again, our sinful habits should begin to dwindle. Our sinful habits won’t go away instantly, but as we seek God continually, they will. Therefore, we need to get the Word in us daily, along with prayer and worship. I accepted Jesus at a young age, however, I lacked getting in the Word. I thought reading through a devotional that had scripture in it and reading Books of the Bible inconsistently was good enough. It wasn’t! Until over a year ago I started getting more deeper into the Word of God, and then God started speaking to me and revealing things to me. I wish at a younger age I would have put down those devotions and would have read the Bible more in its entirety and consistently. Don’t get me wrong devotionals can be great, but you will get closer with God when you read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Don’t just read it once, read it as many times as you can.

Ask God to Search Your Heart

So, my question to you is how do you know you are truly born again? Is it just because you said the sinner’s prayer, or is it because of the transformation that has taken place in your life since you said the sinner’s prayer? This is something we all need to think about because sometimes we can fall into many traps that will hinder us from getting closer to God. I encourage you to take some time this week and ask God to help search your heart and reveal to you what areas in your life that need to be put away for the new creation you are in Jesus Christ.  

2019, Book of Acts Series 2019, Christianity, Salvation, Testimony

Saul is Converted

Light shining on body of water near mountains.

This is now my sixteenth teaching from the Book of Acts. This series has lasted longer than I expected, but that is okay because I am flowing with this as the Lord leads me. I hope that these blog posts have been a blessing to those of you who have been following. In this blog post, I want to cover the first part of Acts chapter nine which shows us a major change in the life of Saul. Now from previous chapters, we know Saul was very involved with the persecution of Early Christians. However, many of us who are truly born-again believers know that God can grab a hold of anyone and change them.

Saul Has an Encounter with Jesus

Let’s start by reading Acts 9:1-2 (NKJV) which says, “Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest  and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.”. At the beginning of chapter nine Saul is still involved with persecution, he is a very strong driving force behind the persecution of the early church. Continuing Acts 9:3-4 (NKJV) tells us, “As he journeyed, he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”.  A light came to Saul from Heaven, when this happened Saul fell to the ground because of the presence of Jesus. Just to digress for a moment let’s look at the aspect of Saul falling because of the presence of Jesus. There are many instances when people fell or were shaken by the presence of God in both the Old and New Testaments. When God’s presence comes on someone very strongly one can fall or be shaken. Some people refer to falling in the Spirit as ‘slain in the Spirit’. I have personally seen the presence of God manifest at different churches where people did get slain in the Spirit, and some miracles took place. Many people will argue with the notion of being slain in the Spirit as not Biblical. If you take the time to study the Bible you will see the presence of God can cause someone to fall or be shaken. This can still happen today simply because of Hebrews 13:8 (AMP) which says, “Jesus Christ is [eternally changeless, always] the same yesterday and today and forever.”. In one of my future blog posts, I will cover this subject in more detail. It is also important to note that some people do abuse certain Gifts of the Holy Spirit, and this can happen with being slain in the Spirit. Again, this is a topic I will cover in more detail in a future blog post!

Saul is Blinded

Continuing with Saul’s encounter with Jesus Acts 9:5-6 (NKJV) tells us, “And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” So, he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”. Saul is confronted by Jesus regarding the persecution and then is instructed to go to the city of Damascus. Notice where he said “Lord, what do you want me to do”, he was surrendering to Jesus at this point which is part of Saul’s conversion. Acts 9:8 (NKJV) goes on to tell us, “Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.”. Saul is now blinded and has other people help him into the city of Damascus. Acts 9:9 (GNT) tells us, “For three days he was not able to see, and during that time he did not eat or drink anything.”. Saul’s struggle with blindness was a few days long, also since he had nothing to eat or drink, we can expect him to naturally lose some strength.

Ananias Instructed to Step Out of His Comfort-Zone

Acts 9:10 (NKJV) continues, “Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”. Ananias is a disciple who will play an important role in the change in Saul’s life. Acts 9:11-12 (NKJV) goes on to tell us “So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. And in a vision, he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him so that he might receive his sight.” God instructs Ananias to go to Saul and lay hands on him and pray for him to receive his eyesight in the name of Jesus. Acts 9:13-14 (NKJV) continues, “Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.  And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”. Ananias knows of Saul’s persecution and does not think well of Saul, but God is still instructing Ananias to go to Saul and pray for him. Acts 9:15-16 (NKJV) tells us why God is doing this with Saul, “But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.  For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”. We all know that God is not a respecter of persons. Acts 10:34 (GNT) tells us, “Peter began to speak: “I now realize that it is true that God treats everyone on the same basis.”. The Message Bible translates it as “Peter fairly exploded with his good news: “It’s God’s own truth, nothing could be plainer: God plays no favorites! It makes no difference who you are or where you’re from—if you want God and are ready to do as he says, the door is open.”. We also know as followers of Jesus Christ we are to pray for all people. In 1 Timothy 2:1 Paul tells us, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people”. Often in life, we will encounter unbelievers that we will have problems getting along with, whether that be at work, the store, or even your friends and family. We often must realize that the reason we have problems with certain individuals who are unbelievers is because of the spirit behind them. 1 Corinthians 2:14 (NKJV) says, “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them because they are spiritually discerned.”. So, I encourage you to pray for all people, and do spiritual warfare! I would also like to remind you that God will sometimes call us to do things that we are uncomfortable with, however, we are to be obedient to what God leads us to do. If God is leading you to do something out of your comfort zone, ask Him for strength and wisdom.

Sauls Healing

As we read on, we do find out that Ananias does lead by example and goes to Saul as the Lord instructed him. Acts 9:17-18 (NKJV) tells us, “And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”  Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once, and he arose and was baptized.”. Saul was healed and received the Holy Spirit and was baptized. Isn’t it amazing to see someone who was heavily involved in persecution convert over to accepting Jesus! This should be an encouragement to us believers as we pray for our unsaved loved ones! Acts 9:19 (NKJV) goes on to say, “So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.”. Saul did spend some time with the disciples after he converted. This shows us the importance of personal ministry with new believers and ensuring they get a strong foundation.

A Challenge for You This Week

I encourage you to take some time this week and ask God to reveal to you one person that you can minister to this week. Whether it be an unbeliever or a believer. Maybe you know someone who never accepted Jesus, or maybe you know someone who did accept Jesus but is struggling. Let’s lead by example from this passage from the Book of Acts I shared with you this week and do some personal ministry with someone as God leads us!

2019, Christianity, Healing, Testimony, Wisdom

A Word on Perseverance

mountains with snow on top

Instead of making a post on the Book of Acts, I felt led to discuss the subject of perseverance. We must admit that life will never be easy, whether you are a believer or unbeliever. At some point, we will deal with a situation that will catch us off guard. Whether that would be an illness, job loss, or loss of a loved one. A life-changing situation can either make or break us personally, the choice is up to us.

Cast Your Cares to God

Often in life when we are in times of trouble, we can become so invested both mentally and physically in our circumstances and forget to truly seek God full-heartedly in the middle of our situation. Are you going through something in life that you have become so invested in and haven’t truly given the situation to God? Psalms 55:22 (NKJV) tells us, “Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.”. The Amplified Bible translates it as, “Cast your burden on the Lord [release it] and He will sustain and uphold you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken (slip, fall, fail).”. Have you truly cast your burden(s) to God? We should always know our God, can do what is considered impossible in man’s eyes. As we are here on Earth for a short period of time, we spend most of our time in the natural realm. God operates in the supernatural realm. That is why Romans 12:2 (NKJV) instructs us, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”.

My Own Struggle

So, are you spending more time concerned about your circumstances in the natural realm, or are you spending more time in God’s presences and seeking Him to do the supernatural? I myself was in a situation when I could have sought God more seriously on a situation that is going on in my life. Four years ago, right before my nineteenth birthday, I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. My body’s immune system was perversely attacking the insulin-making cells of my pancreas.  The doctors told me I would need several insulin injections daily for the rest of my life, and I would have to check my blood sugar levels four to eight times a day, along with eating my meals at certain times and counting carbs. I grew up in the faith, I accepted Jesus Christ as my savior at a young age at a Spirit-filled church. However, I became more focused on learning how to manage my disease, rather than seeking God to baffle the doctors. At the time I was also a full-time college student and working full time, I had a lot on my plate. Type 1 Diabetes is a very time-consuming disease. I take currently four to five insulin injections daily. Insulin injections are nothing to be taken lightly, it has a very narrow therapeutic range. You could do one thing today and have great blood sugar readings, then do the same exact thing the next day and have totally different results. Not only can it be a very time-consuming disease, but it can also be a very frustrating disease. When you have Type 1 Diabetes you not only think about your blood sugar levels for today but what will your future be like with the disease, because there are many complications that can take place no matter how well you manage your blood sugars. Type 1 Diabetes is also known as a silent killer, people can experience low blood sugars that can be deadly if not dealt with. This is something that is very serious at nighttime when one is asleep, I have read of several people who had died from low blood sugars overnight.

Is Breakthrough Always Instant?

With as horrible as this disease sounds, do I give up on my faith in the Lord? With as much that is involved with the disease, I could easily pull that as my excuse. I have been prayed over many times by many great ministers, and I have yet to be told by the doctors I am in total remission of Type 1 Diabetes. Do I give up on God? No! Some people would do that. Some people think when you get prayed for you should be healed instantly. The Bible never tells us that we will be healed instantly, but that we will be healed. Sometimes healing is a process. In my personal time with the Lord he revealed to me an example of gradual healing that was done by Jesus in Mark 8:22-25 (NKJV) “Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him and begged Him to touch him. So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. And he looked up and said, “I see men like trees, walking.” Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly.”.  The first time Jesus laid hands on this blind man, he could only partially see, then the second time he was totally healed. Sometimes a miracle won’t take place the first time we pray, sometimes it will be a process. Maybe God wants to focus on some emotional healing first before your physical healing. It is often said that emotional problems can lead to physical problems. Therefore, we all need intimate time with the Lord and to soak in His presence. We need to come to Him empty-handed and fully surrendered to Him. 1 Chronicles 16:11 (NKJV) tells us, “Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face evermore!”.

Currently in my Struggle

Since I have pressed on in my faith with the Lord for total healing of Type 1 Diabetes, I have seen a substantial and consistent decrease in my insulin doses. I have also been blessed with great people of likeminded faith in my life, who are continuing to agree with me for full healing.  I am trusting in the Lord for the full healing to be manifested. The testimony will be for Gods glory!

Persevere and Fully Surrender

No matter what it is you are going through in life right now, cast your cares to the Lord, seek Him full-heartedly, and fully surrender to Him. One last scripture I would like to leave you with is Romans 5:3-5 (NKJV) tells us, “And not only that but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.  Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”. We are to persevere during our trials, which means to do something despite difficulty or opposition. I encourage you to take some time this week and fully seek the Lord and fully surrender your situation to Him. Whatever you need a breakthrough for, come to Him full-heartedly, and don’t let your own understanding get in the way, let God do His work in the supernatural. Whether the results are instantly or slowly, the glory is always given to God. Do not become discouraged if nothing happens right away, persevere! Sometimes things might get worse after doing some serious prayer, often that can be opposition from the enemy, and we need to keep pressing on. No matter what keep on pressing on in faith in the name of Jesus Christ, who is the same yesterday, today and forever!

2019, Book of Acts Series 2019, Christianity, Gifts of the Spirit, Healing, Inspiration, Salvation, Testimony, Wisdom

A Healing Followed by a Message

I would like to teach on chapter three from the Book of Acts as I continue my series on this powerful book of the Bible. Let’s look at Acts 3:1 (NKJV) which says, “Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.”. There are a few things to take away here to help us get a good picture of the setting. First John and Peter are going to the temple, anytime a passage takes place at the temple you can expect for there to be crowds of people. Next, we will see this is taking place at the ninth hour of the day which is the hour of prayer. Now the ninth hour of the day according to the Jews would be 3 pm on our clock.

Acts 3:2 (NKJV) goes on to tell us, “And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple, which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple;”.  There was a lame man left at the gate of the temple, and he was asking people for alms which is money, food or donations for the poor. I looked further into the word alms and found it comes from the Greek word eleemosyne which means compassion or pity. Acts 3:3-4 (NKJV) continues on and says, “who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms.  And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.””.  The lame man sees Peter and John coming and he asks them for alms, well we are going to find out he will get something much greater than alms.

Acts 3:5-7 (NKJV) tells us, “So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.”. Peter and John did not have anything to give this man, except a miracle through the healing power of Jesus Christ. This man expected to receive something from Peter and John, even though he was expecting a donation he was in the right attitude to receive a healing. When we come to Jesus in prayer, we need to come expecting for Him to do the supernatural through the promises found in the Word of God. Also, notice how Peter did not pray a long prayer, he simply commanded healing in the name of Jesus Christ. John 14:13 (NKJV) tells us, “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”. This type of miracle was one of the ones prophesized to be done through the power of Jesus Christ by Isaiah in Isaiah 35:6 (NKJV), “Then the lame shall leap like a deer, And the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, And streams in the desert.”. Acts 3:8-9 (NKJV) continues, “So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God.  And all the people saw him walking and praising God.”. The man gave praise to God for his healing, this is a reminder for us to praise God when He does the supernatural for us. Psalm 107:1-2 (NKJV) tells us, “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy,”.  This miracle caught the attention of the crowd of people who were at the temple, Acts 3:10 (NKJV) tells us, “Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.”.

We will now look at Peters second sermon that we will find in the Book of Acts. If you have been following my series on the Book of Acts, you will see Peter’s first great sermon that is recorded in the Book of Acts. Peter sets the example of what sermons should be like today. Too often we have a watered-down gospel infiltrating our churches, especially the ones on mainstream media. I like to look at Peter’s sermons as ones that bring people to the conviction seat, which many churches today are lacking. The ministers of today’s churches need to get back to the basics of salvation and true conviction, we have too many unconverted people in the church today. Salvation is more than just saying the sinner’s prayer,
there should be evidence in someone who is truly saved that they are a new creation through salvation. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) reminds us, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”.

Acts 3:12-13 (NKJV) continues and says, “So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?  The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate when he was determined to let Him go.”. Peter is taking the opportunity to talk about the Power of God to the crowd. Peter also goes onto say in Acts 3:14-15 (NKJV), “But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,  and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.”. Peter takes the time to also remind the Jews that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, that they crucified. Peter also tells them about the power in the name of Jesus in Acts 3:16 (NKJV), “And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.”. We need to always be reminded that we have power and authority in the name of Jesus. As we read on in this passage, we will find out why the Jews rejected Jesus. Acts 3:17 (NKJV) tells us, “Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers.”. The Jews rejected Jesus because of their tradition and love of sin, this caused spiritual blindness. People will often have difficulty understanding the Bible because of spiritual blindness, we need to look at the Bible with spiritual eyes rather than intellectual eyes.

Let’s look at how Peter reminds the Jews that Jesus is mentioned throughout the Old Testament. Acts 3:18 (NKJV) tells us, “But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled.”.  The prophets in the Old Testament foretold of Jesus precisely. Isaiah 53:10 (NKJV) tells us, “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.”. Continuing Acts 3:19 (NKJV) tells us, “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,”. Peter is calling for the Jews to come to Jesus for the forgiveness of sins, he also mentions for them to be converted. This reminds us to get back to the basics of salvation when we lead people to Christ. We need to stop focusing on not only on how many people we can get to repeat the sinner’s prayer but, also how many people are truly converted from their old ways for Jesus Christ.

Peter continues speaking about how the Old Testament points to Jesus Christ. Acts 3:22-23 (NKJV) tells us, “For Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’”. Moses foretold of a rising prophet, we will find this written out in Deuteronomy 18:15-19 (NKJV) which tells us, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear, according to all you desired of the Lord your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, nor let me see this great fire anymore, lest I die.’ “And the Lord said to me: ‘What they have spoken is good.  I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him.  And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him.”.

Let’s now look at the seed through Abraham. Acts 3:24-26 (NKJV) says, “Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days.  You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed, all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’  To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.”. If you know the Old Testament well enough you will find out that God’s covenant with Abraham points us to Jesus.  It is critical to understand the seed that is mentioned in this Blood Covenant between God and Abraham. Genesis 26:4 tells us, “And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed;”. Now if we go to the New Testament and look at Galatians 3:26-29 it says, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”. So, the seed that will bless many nations is pointing to Jesus, isn’t that amazing to know this is one of the many ways the Old Testament points us to Jesus!

I covered a lot in this teaching from the first healing in the Book of Acts to how the Old Testament points us to Jesus. I would encourage you when you pray to expect God to do the supernatural for your situation according to His word. Just remember your prayers don’t need to be very long, you just need to pray with authority in the name of Jesus Christ. Also, many people view the Old Testament as unnecessary to read, this is incorrect thinking. We need to read the Bible in its entirety multiple times through our walk with the Lord. I encourage you to fully read the Old Testament and then go back through and study it slowly and you will begin to see how it points to Jesus. In my next teaching, I will continue onto Acts chapter four which will talk about the imprisonment of Peter and John.

2019, Christianity, Healing, Holy Week 2019- Jesus is King, Inspiration, love, Salvation, Sin, Testimony, Wisdom

Jesus is King: Are You Bound Spiritually?

chains

As we are in the month of April it comes time to remember Jesus going to the cross and dying for our sins and conquering the grave. I will be giving a few teachings over the next few days about Jesus’ earthly ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection.  During His earthly ministry, He did many great things. One of the things Jesus did was preach because this was one of His purposes in His earthly ministry. Jesus said in Mark 1:38 (NKJV) “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.”. Jesus also performed many signs; He had several healings that we will find an account for in the Gospels. Many of His signs were related to healings, for example, when He healed the blind beggar, John 9:7 (NKJV) says, “And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.”. Another great sign Jesus performed was raising Lazarus from the dead.  As I was studying the story of Lazarus God put the word bondage on my heart, which is what I will be discussing in this teaching. In this teaching, we will not only look at the story of Lazarus but also why we need to be loosed from our bondage. Also, I am going to discuss eight common bondages many people, including Christians, deal with. And most importantly I will address how to be loosed from these bondages.

When Jesus went to the tomb that Lazarus was buried in there was a stone in the way. With this stone in the way there would be no way that Jesus could speak life to Lazarus, this is why He said: “Take away the stone” in John 11:39. Jesus could have called angels down to remove the stone, but He had the Jews remove the stone. Sometimes God will want us to remove the stone in our life before the breakthrough comes our way. If you look at the many miracles Jesus did in His earthly ministry you will see He wanted to get people involved in some way in their miracle. Maybe you might have to ask yourself what is He wanting me to do in my situation? If we read further into the scripture, we will find that when Lazarus was raised from the dead, He was still bound to the graveclothes. John 11:44 (NKJV) says, “And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.””. There are many born again Christians who are still bound to something and need to come loose of it, or maybe you became bound to something after you got born again. Regardless of the situation there is one person who can make you be loosed of your bondage, and His name is Jesus and He is alive and working today!

As I was studying bondage, I then obviously came across the word ‘loose’, so I got my Strong’s Concordance and dug deeper into the word ‘loose’. Jesus told us in Matthew 16:19 (NKJV), “And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”. So, do you have something that needs to be loosed here on earth, before you make your way to heaven? God wants us to be loosened of our bondage because He desires us fully. Matthews 21:2-3 says, “saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me.  And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”.  When we are fully loosened of our bondage God will do even greater works in our lives, therefore we need to really step back from our circumstances and look at the Spiritual roots of our circumstances and deal with the Spirit in the mighty name of Jesus!

I am going to go over eight common bondages that we could all be facing or could face. I must remind you that we live in a dark world and there are many demonic doors the enemy can use to enter our lives. Many of these problems will have a demonic spirit behind them. Therefore, we must deal with the spirit, and once we deal with the spirit the restoration can begin if we fully trust in God and His Word. I am going to warn you I am going to be to the point on these items, it is not to be offensive but to stress the importance of taking each of these to God. If we continue tolerating these things in our lives and churches, they will dominate us if they already haven’t.  I would also like to make the disclaimer that some of the problems we face can be self-inflicted also and may not have a spiritual root behind it. Therefore, it is important to seek God to properly deal with our problems in life and be open to hear His voice.  So here is my list of eight common bondages that have Spiritual roots behind them:

1.    Addiction

You might be addicted to drugs, alcohol, gaming, pornography, sexual immorality, or unhealthy food. Regardless of the addiction, it can be broken by putting your faith in Jesus and getting the Word in you daily. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV) says, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

2.    Depression

Let’s face it the Spirit of Depression is so common anymore, so many people turn to psychology and medications rather than focusing on God’s word. Don’t get me wrong it is important to follow your doctor’s recommendation, but God is above all things. If you fully put your trust in God on your depression you can be delivered, and even get off your anti-depressant (please consult with your doctor first before getting off any medications). Psalms 34:17-18 (NKJV) says, “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears And delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.” If you are dealing with depression, I would encourage you to not only read but study the whole Book of Psalms.

3.    Anxiety

With as hectic as life can get, we can worry from time to time, but then some people have issues with chronic anxiety, they might even have panic attacks. When I was younger, I had issues with anxiety. I was on medication for it until one night at church I got delivered of it and never had the problem again and never needed any medication for anxiety. 1 Peter 5:7 (NKJV) says, “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”. Another word for care is anxiety, so cast your anxiety to the Lord.

4.    Rejection

Some people might be dealing with rejection. Whether it stems from an abusive relationship, abusive parent, rejection from another person, or even self-rejection. Rejection may also lead to poor emotional health and may even lead to poor physical health. Your medical condition may not be caused by the Spirit of Infirmity but might be a result of rejection. Remember 1 Peter 2:4 (NKJV) says, “Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious,”.

5.    Infirmity

If you have sickness in your body, turn to Jesus. Healing might not be instant; it might be a process. More importantly, we should not let our sickness hinder our walk with God. The enemy can use infirmities to hinder or even destroy our faith. Luke 13:12-13 (NKJV) says, “But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.”  And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight and glorified God.”. When you feel fatigued, get The Word into you. We need to get to a place when we are at our weakest, we turn to God and His Word first rather than the pill bottle. While God can use medicine and doctors to heal us, it important to always put God first in every situation even sickness.

6.    Trauma

Whether this is an emotional or physical trauma it must go in Jesus name. The bondage of trauma can come together with any of the previous five bondages I just listed. Maybe a trauma resulted in your self-rejection, or maybe a trauma resulted in anxiety or depression. Maybe a trauma resulted in arthritis, and you might have become addicted to pain medicine or alcohol. Or maybe you are suffering from arthritis because of a past injury. Regardless Jesus can heal us of both our physical and emotional traumas. Have you truly given your pain that you have buried away to Jesus? Or do you cope with it from something of this world?  Remember Mark 10:27 (CSB) says, “Looking at them, Jesus said, “With man, it is impossible, but not with God, because all things are possible with God.””.

7.    Generational Curse

You might have one of the six problems I just listed, and it might stem from a generational curse. You might have had a grandparent or great grandparent who suffered from addiction, depression, or anxiety. Or maybe someone in your bloodline had cancer or another disease that you are dealing with right now. Generational curses can run up to the third or fourth generation. Exodus 20:5 (NKJV) says, “you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,”. When one becomes born again, they should not only ask for forgiveness of their own sins but also the sins of their ancestors that run in their bloodlines. John 8:36 (NKJV) says, “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”.

8.    Religious Spirits

Oh man, I can really go into this one! Christianity is not a religion; it is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Many people get stuck on tradition and man-made doctrine and fail to truly accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. If you look back to Jesus’ earthly ministry you will see that the Jews did not accept Him because they were stuck in tradition and because they were looking at human standards.  A question I would like to challenge you on is why do the Catholics have mass at every service? Mass is the continued sacrifice of the cross, why are Catholics continuing to redo this sacrifice today? There is no need to because Jesus said, “It is finished”. I am calling on the Catholic Church in general because the Catholic Church is the largest seed planter of Religious Spirits that are straight from the pit of hell. Let me be clear I love all people of all denominations, but people need to wake up and read their Bible and realize the truth and be set free. Romans 10:3 (NKJV) says, “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.”.

I am hoping by me listing some common bondages you might be able to realize that you have some in your life, or maybe a loved one has them in their life. Regardless, these bondages can be broken in the name of Jesus.  Galatians 5:1 (NKJV) tells us, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.”. God loves you so much that is why He sent His only Son to save us, to heal us, to deliver us, and to set us free. He sent His Son to die on the cross for us, and His Son conquered the grave. John 3:16 (NKJV) tells us, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”. I encourage you to take some time in prayer and seek God to be delivered of any of these eight bondages I just discussed with you. Also ask God to reveal areas of your life that you need to correct so there can be fewer doors for the enemy to enter in through. Finally, be sure to be in The Word everyday of your life as much as you possibly can along with prayer and worship.

Christianity, decision making series 2019, Gifts of the Spirit, Inspiration, Salvation, Testimony, Wisdom, Word from God

The Realness of God

light on path road.

If you haven’t read my previous blog post, I encourage you to do so (click here to read it).I gave a prophetic word that I received from God, I am trusting in God to continue to give me more to share in the future. I would like to teach you about the importance of realizing how real God is to you as an individual person. 

As many of you know from some of my previous posts, I have begun to answer the call that the Lord has placed on my life. I have had multiple confirmations from people about this calling on my life. Four years ago, I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Since then, I have sought after God more than ever before in my life. You might ask why did you begin seeking the Lord more after this diagnosis? Many people would assume it would be for healing. While that is part of the reason, there is another reason that is more important to me than that. When I first saw my primary care doctor at that time, she misdiagnosed it as a virus. I took a day and rested. The next morning, I felt a little bit better and decided to go to work. About halfway through my shift, things took a turn for the worst. My mother ended up calling the doctor and the doctor told my mother that she would call an inhaler in for me to the pharmacy. As my parents were still at their work, I had one of my friends pick me up from work and take me to the pharmacy so I could pick up the inhaler. Something was telling me “no, you need to get to the hospital now”. I first ignored that feeling and proceeded to the counter. They told me that nothing was called in for me from my doctor. My friend then took me to urgent care that was right down the road. They did a urine test, which showed high amounts of ketones. This led them to check my blood sugar, which was too high for their meter to read. I ended up being taken to the hospital, they admitted me, got my blood sugar back in range, and showed me the basics of managing type 1 diabetes. Upon being discharged from the hospital, my mother went to the pharmacy to pick up all my insulin and diabetic supplies. She asked the pharmacist if they ever got that inhaler, and they told my mother they never saw that prescription come through. One of my doctors told me that if I would have gotten that inhaler, I would not have made it that night. From the beginning of this trial with Type 1 Diabetes, God has proved himself real to me. He was already at work from the beginning. He could have not intervened and could have let that prescription make it to the pharmacy, but He didn’t let that happen. God has bigger plans for me.

For God to start working in you, you need to realize how real God has been to you in your life. The story I have told you is what really showed me how God proved himself real in my life. Often in life, we become too busy to really realize what God has done for us individually. As Christian’s together we know God sent His only Son to save us and give us eternal life. Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV) tells us, “But without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”. We must have faith to be able to draw near to God. Building our faith can come from reading the Word to praising God, to hearing other people’s testimonies, and going through trials in life. Each trial you go through and seek God will build your faith. As God continues to provide for us and work in our lives in different ways, we have more testimonies to back up how real God is to us. In order to seek God, we must believe he is real. How real is God to you? It’s a question we all should really ask ourselves because unbelievers will question us also. We can quote scriptures to unbelievers, but more importantly, we should be able to tell unbelievers what God has done for us in our lives. We are reminded in Mark 5:19 (NKJV), “However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.””. Also 1 John 5:11 reminds us, “And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.”. You are only for real with God, as He is real to you.

If you read my previous post, which was a prophetic word, you will notice the importance of intimacy with God. When getting real with God, we must realize how real he has been to us. When we get to the place when we realize how real God has been to us in our own unique life, we will begin to truly seek God from our heart. Jeremiah 29:13 tells us, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”. 

I would like to encourage you to take some time, and really look at how much God has done for you in your life. Once you realize that, give Him thanks and praise from the bottom of your heart. You can only seek God when you seek Him with all your heart. You can’t only just seek God when trouble comes, you need to be seeking God every day. As you do this you will build intimacy with Him, and you will become more equipped in your faith for when trouble comes knocking at your door.

Christianity, Inspiration, Testimony, Wisdom

Crossroads in Life

street direction sign

As I continue in my series on decision making, I would like to discuss crossroads. I was unsure of what to teach upon next in my series, and then God revealed to me to teach on crossroad decisions. This required me to take some time for me to seek God on what to discuss regarding this subject. No matter your age, you will go through a crossroad at least once in your life, if not many. A crossroad is when one must decide between something of the world and something of God. This can be anything from a job, relationship, health, or finances. It is important to recognize when you are at a crossroad and seek God to make the best choice for your life.

Sometimes in life, we get to caught up in the excitement of what is trending, and we often forget to turn to God before making decisions, both big and small. We often want everything right away, at the push of a button, or the swipe of a credit card. We see something that is on sale and we think that we must buy it, or we see someone we are attracted to and think, I must get their number. If we turn to God’s word, we can find guidance for many of the decisions we make. Sometimes a decision will take some time, it might even take getting advice from someone else. You might have been faced with a diagnosis and might need a second opinion. Regardless of the situation or circumstances one thing never changes and that is God and His word.

When it comes to making any decision in life, we can often become distracted by fear of the unknown. Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV) tells us, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”.  Regardless of whatever the circumstance is do not become worried, worrying does not accomplish anything. The time you spend worrying is more time lost to prayer and reading the Word of God. When praying for a need in your life or for wisdom in a decision, you must pray for your specific need with thanks to God for what you currently have, and His continued provisions for your life.  Regardless of the situation we know we have peace in God, we must allow that peace to guard our hearts and our minds.

Often when we are at a crossroad in life, it will be a difficult decision. We may not know what to do at first, or we might want to turn to what looks like the easiest route. James 1:5(ESV) tells us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”.  No matter what type of crossroad decision you have to make in life, turn to God for wisdom and it will be given. God’s wisdom might not be given to you right away, it might take consistent time in His Word and in prayer in the Holy Spirit.

When it comes to cross road decisions in our Christian life, there is one scripture I want to look at and that is Isaiah 30:21 (AMP), which says “Your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left.”. There are two paths we can walk in life, one is the path of the world which is full of darkness and leads to death. The second path is the path of godliness which leads us to life. God will bless those who walk in His path. Psalms 1:1-2 (NKJV) says, “Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law, he meditates day and night.”. There are two types of people in this world, the Godly and ungodly people, there is no in-between, and you cannot be both at the same time. If we read Psalms 1:1-2 from the Easy to Read Version it says, “Great blessings belong to those who don’t listen to evil advice, who don’t live like sinners, and who don’t join those who make fun of God. Instead, they love the Lord’s teachings and think about them day and night.”. If we want to be truly blessed by God we must love and follow His word, we must also meditate on it as much as we possibly can. We must also turn away from turning to advice from ungodly people. So many people follow the advice of mainstream media as to how they should live their lives. Yet much of the mainstream media is ungodly, but we still follow it to get the news on what is brewing in our government, or what the traffic or weather conditions will be like before you head into work or send your children off to school. While mainstream media can give us much useful information, we must discern with our spirit how much of the mainstream media we should let run our lives.

Many people might want to turn to talk show hosts on what they should do in their life. I could give a long list of ungodly talk show hosts that people follow but, that is not what is important. What is important is my question to any of you who follow these talk show hosts, is will any of these talk show host on TV get you into heaven? The answer is no, only knowing Jesus Christ as your savior and following the Word of God will get you into heaven. You must also ask yourself a similar question when you are at a crossroad in your life. Here is a list of crossroad questions that might match certain decisions you have to make now and in the future:

•    Is this job going to take away too much time from my relationship with Jesus Christ?

•    Is investing money in this worth it in the long run? Will it eat up the money I could be giving in tithes or to help those in need?

•    Will staying in this relationship hinder my relationship with Jesus Christ?

•    Will saying or doing this be of good fruit according to God’s Word?

I have been at a crossroad in my life before that was related to one of those questions. I was in a relationship with someone who was not on the same page with me biblically. I stayed in the relationship hoping I could guide them to Christ in time. It wasn’t until I was baptized in the Holy Spirit when I heard an audible voice tell me, ‘I am going to remove someone from your life’. I also knew from when I was baptized in the Holy Spirit that God had a calling on my life, but something was hindering me from moving into it and was keeping me from truly realizing there was a calling on my life. It just happened to be the day I was baptized in the Holy Spirit was the anniversary date of that relationship. Two weeks later the relationship ended mutually. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hold anything negative against that young woman I was with, it was simply not who God wanted me to be with, and He was at work in the situation even before I was baptized in the Holy Spirit to put the relationship to an end before it progressed. And I thank God for doing that in my life.

A few final points I would like to make. When we are at crossroad decisions in our life it is often to test our faithfulness to God. I strongly believe that God honors us when we make the right choice. I would also like to point out that it is important to start seeking God first for as many decisions in your life. I believe when you start seeking God for anything in life, He will do a great work according to His will if you stay in His word with steadfast faith.

Christianity, Fruit of Spirit, Gifts of the Spirit, Inspiration, Testimony, Wisdom

God is the Source of Our Peace

mountains picture with sun reflecting on clouds.

As I continue with my discussion on walking in the Spirit, I would like to talk about another fruit of the Spirit which is peace. The listing of the fruits of the Spirit can be found in Galatians 5:22-23 which says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law.”. So how do you apply peace to your life when walking within the Holy Spirit?

Peace is defined as having “harmony and accord brought about by cordial relationships. It has its source in God through Christ and the Holy Spirit” (Barbour’s Bible Dictionary & Concordance.). In John 14:27 (ESV), Jesus said “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”. When you face a troubled time in your life do you turn to something to give you peace or do you turn to the Lord? If Jesus is offering us peace through Him, I would want that than something of this world. We all know this world is full of darkness. Often times we consume ourselves with things of this world that influence a negative culture on us that can hinder our peace that comes from the Lord. In John 16:33 (ESV) Jesus said, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”. This world will give us trouble, it is unavoidable, but with what Jesus did on the cross and through rising from the dead he overcame the world for us. How does one benefit from this peace within Christ? You must believe in Him and have accepted Him as your savior.  Titus 2:11-12 (NIV) says, “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,”.

By having salvation through the grace of God through His son, Jesus Christ, we can have and walk in peace. This does not guarantee that we will live a trouble-free life. Romans 8:28 (NKJV) tells us, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”. As true Christians, we are to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ our Lord. When we love our God and serve Him with all our heart, all things will work for good when we are in troubled times. During prayer in troubled times speak the scripture Romans 8:28 and say that it is written. When the Lord works through in a situation give thanks to Him and remember what he did for you in that situation. In the book of Deuteronomy chapter 8, it talks about remember what God has done for you, in the context of chapter 8 it refers to when God lead the people out of Egypt. Deuteronomy 8:15-16 (NKJV) says, “who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock;  who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end”. I would like to challenge you to keep a small journal and jot down all the provisions God has provided for you through troubled times. As you continue listing more items, refer back to them periodically and give thanks for those items. Also refer back to the blessings the Lord has given you when you are going through troubled times.

During troubled times when we might be lacking peace, it might be due to fear, worry or anxiety. This world can definitely tear us down from the stresses of work, finances, and our health. When you are dealing with fear and worry take your circumstances to the Lord in prayer both as a request and thanking Him in advance for what He will do in the situation. Philippians 4:6 (AMP) says, “Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God.”. When talking about having peace through the Lord by walking in the Holy Spirit, we know we have reassurance in our hearts through our savior Jesus who has overcome the world. Philippians 4:7 (ESV) says, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”.  We have the reassurance of peace because God is the source of our peace. Philippians 4:9 (ESV) says, “What you have learned[a] and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”.

In troubled times we also must apply our faith, which is through God’s promises within His word. Hebrews 11:1 (CSB) reminds us, “Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.”. In troubled times worry often finds us and hinders our peace because we cannot see what is ahead of us, but God sees what is ahead and He has the final say. I am sure there is one spot in your life where you could be lacking peace in whether it is with your job, health, or finances, seek the Lord for peace because he is the source of peace. As you apply the nine fruits of the Spirit to your life, I challenge you to find one area in your life where you are lacking peace. Once you identify that area in your life, seek God to give you peace for it and to provide provisions according to His will. As the Lord provides peace for you along with His other provisions keep a journal of how He has been moving in your life, revisit it often and reflect upon it. Also, use this as encouragement for yourself and others.