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Divine Inspirations Magazine February 2010 Volume 2 Issue 2
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This publication is copyrighted and the articles are protected. Divine Inspirations Magazine (c) 2010 All Rights
Reserved
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February inside this issue 2010
Cover Story-P.7 Living the E-life-p.34
Thoughts for sale-P.8 A Brief moment-p.36
The Lord of the breakthrough-P.10 Women of Zion: investing
The Bible teacher: fellowship -p.12 in you-p.39
Healthy & Living in reality corner-p.42
Balance-p.15 destiny challenge: the cost
Don’t hide things from your of destiny-p.45
Spouse-p.17 are you ready for a fresh new
The heartbeat of god-p. 20 year?-p.47
We are free-p.23 remembering is for elephants
Word in season: after the break-up- not your spouse-p.52
p.25 mary’s story-p.54
new year, new you “lose weight fast”-p.28 seeking the face of god thru
is it safe to open my eyes yet?-p.30 fasting &prayer-p.56
if its to be, its up to me-p.32
D.I.V.A.S.:the unconditional love
Of God-p.33
Poetry café
As time goes by-p.11 Christian frustration pt 111-p.40
The battle-p.19 god can-p.50
The shining star-p.24
Ornaments of grace: dear god-p.29
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2010 Author Spotlight
Lenore Artis-author
Dr. Virginia Booth-author
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2010 Author Spotlight
Paulette Harper-author
Eliza Earsman-A Collection of Verses
Mylow Young-author
Carole Steamer-author
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2010 Author Spotlight
Andrea Michele Mills-author
Tammy Drake-author
Maya C. Houston
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Greetings!
In the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti, I marveled at the
community of the world that came together quickly to aid the
Haitians. Many nations put down their own agenda and politics
and joined together in a phenomenal rescue effort. It was amazing
but it spoke highly of the human spirit. As we celebrate Valentine’s
Day remember “love knows no boundaries.” Let the love of God be
shed abroad in your heart today. Pray for the nation of Haiti!
In this issue we are spotlighting a female entrepreneur Jeanine
Strickland for African-American history month and the hot off the
presses authors and the phenomenal books that have penned. This
month begins DIM’s contest to reach 2,010 new subscribers the year.
You are able to enter win one of three prizes by submitting the most
valid email addresses as new subscribers. Please get permission
before you submit the email address.
We welcome your feedback and comments. Please share this
publication with your family and friends. To donate or subscribe
please visit our website:
http://www.divineinspirationsmagazine.org or
divineinspirationsmagazine@gmail.com
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Jeanine has always had a passion for
technology. In 1993, she obtained her
Bachelors of Science degree in Computer
Science from North Carolina Agricultural &
Technical State University. Wanting to further
her career, in 2006 she obtained her MBA in
Business Management from Strayer University.
All of her passion and drive would not prepare
her for the Corporate America layoff that hit her
in 2007. Feeling down and depressed about
having more bills than money, she received a
word from God regarding starting her own
business. A mentor, Prophet Glenette Wilcher,
spoke a word into Jeanine’s life about going
forth with what she considered a hobby as a
business. With no money, an outdated
computer and hopes, Jeanine stepped out on
faith and thus Anointed Website Designs was
birthed. Jeanine realized that image is
everything. She designed her own website and
had a logo designed.
Starting with a local church directory, Jeanine
touched basis with many Pastors and Church
Administrators to reach clients. Email
marketing and word of mouth was very
instrumental in getting the word out about her
new business. The word of God says “Faith
without works is dead”, and by faith Jeanine
began to market and God began to manifest.
From Orlando, to Tampa, to Georgia, Jeanine
began to get client and client. Standing on the
word that the Lord had given her, she began to
believe and still believes that God had given her
the power to obtain wealth. She encourages
anyone that has a vision and a dream to not be
afraid, but step out on faith and let God do the
rest.
Anointed Website Designs has been
instrumental in helping growing ministries and
businesses share “their vision with the world”.
Anointed Website Designs offers affordable
prices to growing ministries and business that
have a limited budget, but a great need to
advertise on the World Wide Web. The internet
is growing by leaps and bounds and in order to
stay current, a website is advantageous in
marketing. By having a website, you can reach
those that you have been unable to reach. A
website also gives you a competitive edge.
Anointed Website Designs also offers logo,
business card, postcard, flyer, website
maintenance and word processing services
(programs, obituaries, resumes, cover letters,
PowerPoint Presentations, etc.) as well.
Jeanine has clients all over the United States.
She has been featured on several Blogtalk Radio
shows to promote her business. She does
marketing whenever and wherever she can.
She would like to stress that having a website is
very important. She offers monthly specials on
her website at
http://www.anointedwebsitedesigns. On the
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website you will find several testimonials from
past and present clients. There you can, also,
find her prices, a portfolio of her business and
any other questions that may come to mind
when one is trying to decide on a website. Her
website design prices are very affordable. The
prices start from $175.00 and go up depending
on the number of pages. You can always
contact her via email
info@anointedwebsitedesigns.com or via
telephone at 919.633.8497. She would
definitely love to help you “Share Your Vision
with the World.”
*********************************
In the world of marketing advertisement
campaigns are created to target a certain
audience and a particular group of people.
Marketing firms are paid millions of dollars to
study age groups, ethnicities, regions, and
habits to determine what is most effective. The
marketing firm conducts a lot of research and
eventually a product is produced that attracts
particular consumers to products. Television,
internet, and music are great tools to push
products all in hopes of enticing you to
consume. The reason advertisements are
successful for one reason they are targeted to
appeal to a desire that is already inside of you.
Strategically marketing firms have figured out
what you like and their job is to entice you with
your own desires and get you to react. This is
such a deceitful tactic but millions of people
consume each day with smiles on their face.
Temptation works much like an
advertisement and the CEO of this marketing
firm is none other than satan himself. The bible
teaches us that satan studies his opponents (Job
1) and he lies in wait for them like a roaring lion
waiting for an opportunity to desire his prey (1
Peter 5:8). The devil has had thousands of years
of practice and he is coming full steam ahead
throwing darts of temptation at you.
Temptation is not a sin but it is a result of our
own desires and lust being enticed and once
that enticement is successful then it is no longer
temptation but sin.
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.-James 1:14-15
Thoughts enter are brain much like commercials one minute we are focused on a task and the minute we take a break mentally evil begins its advertisement campaign. There is hope because as believers in Christ we have been given the mind of Christ Jesus as our defense (Philippians 2:5). The believer in Christ Jesus possesses a freedom from his or her own desires and thought process that can quickly put to rest the temptations of wickedness. The mind of a person without Jesus has now power of these temptations but the mind of a believer has been set free (John 8:36). The blessing is when these temptations arrive in your mind simply acknowledge that those thought don’t belong to you and have not come from your heavenly father because he would never tempt you but they come from satan who hates you. God has instructed us to cast down those imaginations
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and bring every thought to Jesus Christ and allow Jesus to deal with them (2 Corinthians 10:4-6). To put it simple when temptation enters your mind pray and find the verse in the Bible that deals with your particular issue because the marketing firm from hell knows every weakness in your body. Have no fear because you possess the power of the word of God and every situation is in the hands of God. When you find yourself thinking thoughts of evil understand that the devil is advertising please don’t make a purchase.-Amen
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true,
whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever
things are just, whatsoever things are pure,
whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever
things are of good report; if there be any virtue,
and if there be any praise, think on these things
-Philippians 4:8
Written by -Aaron Jones
www.weserve.ning.com
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The Lord of the Breakthrough:
Baal Perazim
And Ye Shall Break Forth!
Micah 2:13 (New Living Translation)
Your leader will break out
and lead you out of exile,
out through the gates of the enemy cities,
back to your own land.
Your king will lead you;
the LORD himself will guide you.‖
I know many of you are like me. We have been
waiting on the Lord to bring us a breakthrough
in one area or another of our lives. The time is
now and the word has gone forth. This is the
year of breakthrough! Many have cried out for
emotional, spiritual, and physical breakthroughs
and God has heard the cry.
In the book of Micah, God encourages the
believers to stand and trust that everything
which has hindered, blocked, and kept them in
confinements will be removed. God gives the
children of Israel a word of assurance that they
will come out of bondage and exile. The term
exile from Webster’s Dictionary is to “wander
aimlessly, roam, a prolonged living away from
one’s own country. Usually enforced;
banishment, sometimes self-imposed.”
Those are strong words which we need to
define to get a better understanding of what
the “Lord of the Breakthrough” is doing. Let’s
look at the word wander. “Wander is to move
aimlessly about without a plan or destination;
to lose one’s way; to go astray in mind or
purpose; to turn aside from a path or course.”
In this new season you will no longer go from
place to place, job to job, ministry to ministry,
relationship to relationship without clear
direction and wisdom from the Lord. God will
make every crooked path straight. “I will go
before you and make the crooked places
straight; I will break in pieces the gates of
bronze and cut the bars of iron.” Isaiah 45:2
You will no longer wonder where to go, or how
you will get there. The time of going in circles in
the wilderness has ended. He will burst all
confinement, (imprisonment, captivity). Your
direction in life will be obvious so you will make
sound and accurate decisions. Your course in
life will be divinely directed because the
“Breaker” is leading you! “I will bring the blind
by a way they did not know; I will lead them in
paths they have not known. I will make
darkness light before them, and crooked places
straight. These things I will do for them, and not
forsake them.” Isaiah 42:16.
Who is the Breaker? Jesus Christ the Lord of
Hosts. He is the one who will go before us and
part those difficult areas that have been held up
and delayed. He is the same God that parted
the Red Sea for the children of Israel. This is the
year of total freedom and breakthroughs in
your life.
Let’s examine the word banish. Banish from
Webster’s means “to put out, to put out of
one’s thoughts, removal from a country either
because of a formal decree or through force of
circumstances.” Were you forced out of a
relationship, job, or even a ministry due to
circumstances? Have you been denied the
opportunity to see your grandchildren because
of a broken relationship with your children?
Were you exiled from a church because you
preached against heresy?
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Many times we are forced out of situations and
relationships because we are accused of
wrongdoings. Perceptions can play a vital role in
decisions that force us out of situations, jobs
and relationships. Those perceptions can cause
relationships that were once healthy on a path
to failure. The perceived evidence against one is
just that…. perceived. Perceptions are
misleading and can cause an individual to make
a decision not based on fact or valid
information but on what they perceive to be
truth. The outcome can be devastating, hurtful
and overwhelming.
There is hope… hope of restitution and
restoration. Be secure knowing this is your time
and season. What you have been waiting for
shall not be stalled or delayed any longer. God
works everything out for your good.
Your King will break forth on your behalf and
lead you to a place of restoration and abundant
blessings.
And you shall break forth!
Minister Paulette Harper
Author of That Was Then, This Is Now
www.pauletteharper.com
As time Goes On
As time goes on we began to wonder how
long will this journey take
How long will this wilderness experience
last?
How long will things go on like this?
Lord, I know you hear me when I cry
Lord I know you see what I am going
through
So, I ask how long must this go on
And a still quiet voice speaks and says, my
child
I heard you when you cried
I heard you when you call the first time
Didn't I tell you that I would never leave you
nor forsake you?
I am with you even now as you are going
through some test and trials
I promised to bring you out without a doubt
Just hold on and know that I will make all
the wrongs in your life right
I will make the crooked roads straight
Just continue to have faith and trust in me
You see, I know you love me and I love you
It is all going to be alright
Haven't I bought you out before?
Well, I promised to bring you out again
And when you come out, you will come out
like pure gold
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I am fine tuning you right now
Can't you see the break of dawn?
Look, look again closely there's a ray of
sunshine
Peaking through the grey clouds
Look to the hills whence cometh your help
Your help comes from me
Just wait and see all the great things I have
for you
Trust and never doubt for you are surely
coming out
I know the plans that I have for your life
You just wait and see
As time goes on
Continue to believe and trust completely in
me
Written by Cheryl Thomas
Copyright © 1/26/07
Fellowship
Introductory Scripture (John 17:20-23) ‗‗my
prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for
those who will believe in me through their
message, 21 that all of them may be one,
Father, just as you are in me and I am in
you. May they also be in us so that the world
may believe that you have sent me. 22 I
have given them the glory that you gave me,
that they may be one as we are one: 23 I in
them and you in me. May they be brought to
complete unity to let the world know that
you sent me and have loved them even as
you have loved me.
The prayer of Jesus reveals God‘s plan for
true fellowship:
The Quality of Fellowship
―…just as you are in me and I in you.‖ Our
fellowship together is linked to the quality
of fellowship experienced by the Father and
Son. The depth of this love and unity is
outworked by the Holy Spirit as we meet in
regular fellowship. Christian fellowship then
becomes a reflection of the fellowship of the
triune Godhead.
The Basis of Fellowship
―…I in them and you in me.‖ Christian
fellowship only works because we have the
same Spirit, making us one body
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(1 Corinthians 12:14, 20). This fellowship is
based on:
· Common commitment. 10 Be
devoted to one another in brotherly love.
Honor one another above yourselves.
(Romans 12:10).
Common love. 34 ‗‗A new command I
give you: Love one another. As I have loved
you, so you must love one another. (John
13:34)
Common focus. 3 We proclaim to you
what we have seen and heard, so that you
also may have fellowship with us. And our
fellowship is with the Father and with his
Son, Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:3) See also
Philippians 2:1-2.
12 The body is a unit, though it is made up
of many parts; and though all its parts are
many, they form one body. So it is with
Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one
Spirit into one body—whether Jews or
Greeks, slave or free—and we were all
given the one Spirit to drink. (1 Corinthians
12:12-13)
Meeting Together
25 Let us not give up meeting together, as
some are in the habit of doing, but let us
encourage one another—and all the more as
you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews
10:25)
Regular fellowship between Christians is
very important for it is through our
fellowship that …
The believer grows in Christ. 16 From
him the whole body, joined and held
together by every supporting ligament,
grows and builds itself up in love, as each
part does its work. (Ephesians 4:16) See also
verses 12-15.
· God is glorified to the world. 35 By
this all men will know that you are my
disciples, if you love one another.‖ (John
13:35) See also 17:23.
Walking in the Light
6 If we claim to have fellowship with him
yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not
live by the truth. 7 But if we walk in the
light, as he is in the light, we have
fellowship with one another, and the blood
of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. (1
John 1:6-7)
Our fellowship embraces the need to be
open with one another. This is not
something that is a prerequisite for
fellowship. Rather it is a result of the trust
that develops out of fellowship. This
openness includes:
Removing all the pretenses. So much
of the world‘s fellowship is hypocritical –
acting out a role. We can only know people
to the extent to which they are prepared to
reveal themselves. As we take off the social
masks that we put up as barriers between
each other, true fellowship begins to have an
effect on each person. The love of Christ can
then be expressed, not just in word, but from
the heart. 22 Now that you have purified
yourselves by obeying the truth so that you
have sincere love for your brothers, love one
another deeply, from the heart. (1 Peter
1:22) see also (1 John 4:7, 11-12.)
· Confessing our sins to each other.
V.16 Therefore confess your sins to each
other and pray for each other so that you
may be healed. The prayer of a righteous
man is powerful and effective (James 5:16).
Part of our fellowship to one another is a
mutual sense of responsibility. When we
confess our sins to each other, this is the
highest level of trust. We can then become
the instruments of God‘s forgiveness and
cleansing to one another.
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Forgiving each other. For us to
experience the continual flow of God‘s
forgiveness into our lives, we must forgive
one another. 13 Bear with each other and
forgive whatever grievances you may have
against one another. Forgive as the Lord
forgave you. (Colossians 3:13)
Encouraging one another in
obedience. Walking in the light means
walking in obedience to the Lord (John
15:10). Fellowship has been designed by
God so that each believer is continually
encouraged not just to hear the word, but
also to do it. (James 1:21-22). 24 And let us
consider how we may spur one another on
toward love and good deeds. (Hebrews
10:24)
A genuine concern for one another. No hidden motives of self gain should
underlie our fellowship. Our desire should
be to give, not to get. 3 Do nothing out of
selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in
humility consider others better than
yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not
only to your own interests, but also to the
interests of others. (Philippians 2:3-4).
A laying down of one‟s life. 12 My
command is this: Love each other as I have
loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than
this that he lay down his life for his friends.
(John 15:12-13). Life involves more than
physical life. It also includes our material
possessions, our personal interests and
preferences (James 2:15-16). This means a
willingness to share one‘s self. 32 All the
believers were one in heart and mind. No
one claimed that any of his possessions was
his own, but they shared everything they
had. (Acts 4:32 see also 2:44-45).
This was a description of the New
Testament Church. Their unity in fellowship
was expressed on three levels:
- One heart – a bond of love
· One mind – a bond of purpose
· All things in common – a bond of
concern
This is the outworking of true fellowship –
not of outward rules and regulations. This
depth of fellowship is a result of ―walking in
the light,‖ and is the answer to the prayer of
Jesus: 21 that all of them may be one,
Father, just as you are in me and I am in
you. May they also be in us so that the world
may believe that you have sent me. (John
17:21).
My Commitment:
Through this study I now understand the
importance of having fellowship (koinonia)
continually with other Christians. Today I
commit myself to being a part of a group of
believers to whom I will give my loyalty,
my love and my service.
Fellowship!
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Meditation:
“Heal me oh Lord and I shall be healed, save me
and I shall be saved, for You are the only one I
praise.” - Jeremiah 17:14
This Week's Health Tip:
A balanced diet is key. Your approach to your
diet should mirror your general approach to
achieving balance in your life. We all have a
different genetic make-up. Therefore it is
important to understand our bodies. I was so
relieved when I figured out that ‘sugar” is an
enemy to my body. I am not a diabetic, but I
had to basically eliminate it from my diet. I
would notice that my body had the tendency to
get bloated, and my skin had gotten to the
point where it was always looking unhealthy, no
matter how much I took care of it.
Another issue I’ve had throughout my life was
with my weight. I’ve never been obese, but I
always seemed to be overweight. I have tried
every diet under the sun. I even became a
vegetarian for a couple years, until I was told I
was anemic. One thing I have learnt to do is to
observe my body to the point where I now
know my limits. I basically now eat a balanced
diet in moderation. I’ve realized that when you
are healthy, you do not have to make such an
effort to maintain your skin or your weight for
that matter. It is just about finding your balance
and listening to your body.
Spiritual Retreat:
7 But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in him. 8 He will be like a
tree planted by the water that sends out its
roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat
Healthy & Living in Balance
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comes; its leaves are always green. It has no
worries in a year of drought and never fails to
bear fruit. - Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NIV)
To live in balance is to achieve harmony in every
aspect of our lives with Christ at the center. This
encompasses the physical, mental,
occupational, social, spiritual, and
environmental aspects of life. One would think
that this denotes seeking perfection, but it
doesn’t. Instead, a balanced life is a truthful life.
It is living in purpose.
I remember a time in my life when I was
focused on living outside of myself and far
removed from God’s purpose for me. Not only
was I unhappy; but also nothing in my life
represented who I was and what God wanted
me to be, and most importantly – I was not
bearing any fruit.
I had to go through many challenges,
heartaches and failed relationships to realize
that the way I was living was not healthy. As I
grew in my walk with Christ, he revealed how
he was going to heal me of this pattern. It took
me a while to grasp that in order to be healed, I
had to be obedient. Although he is a merciful
God, and he will “never leave nor forsake” us,
we can waste a lifetime by failing to be
obedient, and that’s just The Truth…
The following are some of the steps he has
revealed to me over the years. Some of them
may seem like clichés but the truth is – life
really isn’t as complex as we think it is…the
more we seek simplicity is the more attainable a
healthy balanced life will seem:
1. Figure out who you are in Christ. How does
God’s Word and principles align with who you
are as a person?
2. Observe your family. What are some of the
common issues within your family that are
passed down from generation to generation?
3. Determine the things or people that are
currently preventing you from being in Purpose.
4. Work on fixing these things by speaking the
promises of God into your life with The Word;
or if necessary letting go of certain unhealthy
relationships in your life.
5. Also, do not rule out seeking help from
others.
Be Well and God Bless,
Kaysha Reid
Founder/The Divine Wellness Center
http://www.thedivinewellnesscenter.com
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Don’t Hide Things from
Your Spouse!
Wherefore they are no more twain, but one
flesh. What therefore God hath joined together
let not man put asunder (Matthew 19:6)
It was reported by the Associated Press on
January 6, 2010, 4:39PM, that a Romanian
family in BUCHAREST, Romania, lost $57,768
because a spouse did not communicate to the
other spouse. The newspapers reported
Wednesday that a man from the city of Alba
Iulia hid the savings in the shoes without telling
his wife. The papers say the wife cleaned house
before Christmas and threw the shoes away.
The shoes were old, dirty shoes that had been
there for some time.
Imagine, actually and literally throwing away
$57,768 in the garbage!
The husband was furious! He was outraged! He
could not even fathom what to do! Was he
angry? You bet! Half hysterical, even. But what
was thought to be a loving gesture on the part
of his wife, turned on him simply because he
was “withholding” information from his wife.
Instead of confiding in his wife, communicating
the extreme importance, he thought he would
simply “not tell her” and hides the money from
everyone, including her. This of course,
backfired and the smoke and dirt hit his own
face.
They eventually recovered most of the money,
but almost $10,000 was gone. Because he was
not open and honest to his wife.
My wife once worked in a Christian daycare
where many of the teachers, being women,
often expressed to the others present how they
did things, said things and confessed things that
they never spoke to their husbands about.
Often times, yes in a Christian environment,
they used and took money and did things not
only without their husband’s consent, but in
many cases without their husband’s knowledge!
Now you may not think it a big deal to go do
things and buy things without the knowledge of
your spouse, but it is a dangerous thing for a
couple to not share their lives in every way
possible. And when a couple begins to show
signs of continued separation in lifestyle,
choices and expenditures, you can place your
bet that it’s only a matter of time before the
cracks of carnality and divorce are eminent and
will cause this relationship to crumble.
Matthew 19:6, “Wherefore they are no more
twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath
joined together, let not man put asunder.”
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It is vital to the longevity of your relationship
that you understand the importance of
closeness and “unity” in your marriage.
If you are doing things behind your spouse’s
back, you are divided. And we all know that a
“house divided against itself cannot stand”
(Mark 3:25)
Do not listen to peers or others who are
divisive, or have agendas against the opposite
sex or your spouse. Stay clear and FAR away
from them!
We were shortly dealing with a woman who
after 20 years of marriage divorced. She fully
admitted that she was listening to the wrong
person and did the wrong thing.
It only takes one or two times to begin the
motion of continuance. After you do something
once or twice, that you should not have done,
your conscience begins to override that God-
given tug of conviction. Pretty soon, you seek
others to make you feel better and support
your wrongdoing. Stop now! Turn back to your
spouse and know that to be right with God, you
must FIRST be right with your spouse!
(1st Corinthians 7:5, 1st Peter 3:7, Ephesians
5:22, Colossians 3:18, Ephesians 5:21, Matthew
5:23, 24)
When you hide something from God, you are in
essence attempting to hide it from God. For
God has placed your spouse as YOUR covering
of protection. For both husbands and wives. If
you seek to make yourself vulnerable outside of
that protection, you in essence, “give place to
the devil”, and trust us, he WILL come in like a
roaring lion seeking to devour.
Let us not be “ignorant” of the enemy’s devices
and maintain closeness within the relationship.
When we hear of individuals in a marriage
speak of how they do things, buy things, go
places and be with people, without the
knowledge or acceptance of their spouse, we
immediately see red flags of grave danger in
that relationship. That relationship is no doubt
unhealthy and needs immediate attention
before it gets worse.
If you are in that situation, realize that you have
the power to stop in your tracks and get into
the right direction. We implore you to see
things for what they are, and to take a step in
the right direction.
Go right away to your spouse and repent before
them. They are the ones God placed over you
for the blessings and acceptance of God. If
you’re not right with your spouse, you are NOT
right with God, period.
Many among us have a twisted concept that if I
“feel” God or if I’m “anointed” and can have
goose bumps in the Holy Ghost, and I’m not
right with my spouse, then I’m still right with
God because of feeling and emotion. You are
deceived by your own emotions and our
salvation, promises of God, and marriage is not
built on how we “feel”, it’s built on the Word
and on our “full commitment” to our partner.
You can feel God and dance around the church,
and still be wrong with God. Your anointing
does not dictate your righteousness. It never
has. “For the gifts and calling of God are
without repentance.” (Romans 11:29) Many
leaders today still are used mightily by God, but
are living in sin and disobedience; right now. Yet
they preach under the anointing and shout as if
God is totally smiling down on them. Don’t fall
for it.
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The Word is your ONLY source of safety and
solace. It alone will tell you if you are right or
wrong. So it is with your spouse. They will tell
you if all is good, or you are just fooling
yourself.
Let’s make sure that our relationship is real, and
we don’t hide things from our spouse. Can you
hide things from God? Nope. You will not
prevail, succeed or have God’s blessing on your
life and walk if you hide things from your
spouse.
Let’s allow the Spirit of God to heal us, wash us,
soothe our pain, and help us to go back to our
spouse and do whatever it takes to become
“one” instead of “twain.”
Pastors Mike & Trisha Fox
State Certified Marriage Mentors
Authors of Marriage for Today
www.marriagefortoday.com
The Battle
I close my eyes as the swords are drawn,
feeling the clash if iron upon iron
the grinding of two passing Spirits.
My mind reels while the battle begins,
not knowing whether to charge or retreat;
the future has been revealed to me,
but the wind is often more easily captured than faith.
The roaring attack penetrates my screaming soul.
I feel completely helpless and defeated, but
Light consumes every dark corner around me.
Passion rages within my veins and intensifies.
I am choking; I can neither move nor speak
but the Light…the Light is what keeps my vision clear.
Slowly, as I drop my sword and let another take it,
the grinding vanishes.
It is no longer my soul screaming out…
© Mandy Woodhouse, 2009.
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The HEARTBEAT of God
“But Jonah was greatly displeased
and became angry. He prayed to the
LORD, ’O LORD, is this not what I said
when I was still at home? That is why I
was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew
that you are a gracious and
compassionate God, slow to anger and
abounding in love, a God who relents
from sending calamity. Now, O LORD,
take away my life, for it is better for me
to die than to live.’ But the LORD
replied, ’Have you any right to be
angry? Jonah went out and sat down at
a place east of the city. There he made
himself a shelter, sat in its shade and
waited to see what would happen to
the city. Then the LORD God provided a
vine and made it grow up over Jonah to
give shade for his head to ease his
discomfort, and Jonah was very happy
about the vine. But at dawn the next
day God provided a worm, which
chewed the vine so that it withered.
When the sun rose, God provided a
scorching east wind, and the sun blazed
on Jonah's head so that he grew faint.
He wanted to die, and said, ’It would be
better for me to die than to live.’ But
God said to Jonah, ’Do you have a right
to be angry about the vine? ’I do,’ he
said. ’I am angry enough to die.’ But
the LORD said, ‘You have been
concerned about this vine, though you
did not tend it or make it grow. It
sprang up overnight and died overnight.
But Nineveh has more than a hundred
and twenty thousand people who
cannot tell their right hand from their
left and many cattle as well. Should I
not be concerned about that great
city?’” (Jonah 4:1-11; NIV).
God’s HEARTBEAT is gracious; it’s
merciful; it’s slow to anger; and it’s of GREAT
kindness. Jonah knew this of God. However, he
still became angry with God simply because he
didn't get his WAY with the people of Nineveh.
Still, God showed compassion for Jonah in spite
of Jonah’s ways.
This goes to show us that regardless
how we may feel about a certain city, a certain
culture, or a certain individual, God has the last
word. He has a HEART with great compassion
and love for His people, especially when they
TURN from their wicked ways.
Jonah didn’t have the HEARTBEAT of
God within him. He knew of God, but he was
lacking intimacy, he didn’t have the HEARTBEAT
of God for the people.
How many churches know of God, know
of His word, know of his people, but don’t
KNOW Him because of the lack of intimacy?
How do we become intimate? By
spending TIME with Him, by reading His Word,
by walking with Him, by talking with Him, by
crying out to Him, by acknowledging Him in ALL
our ways, and by continuously seeking His face.
In other words, by letting down our hair.
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(Worship). Yes, it’s a process, and the more we
draw nigh to Him the more he draws nigh to us.
He continuously goes deeper and deeper within
us, and His seed starts to grow. Many churches
are lacking this HEARTBEAT.
Gen 4:1 and 25 tells us that Adam
KNEW his wife, Eve, and she conceived.
When churches become intimate with the
Holy Spirit, they become spiritually pregnant
with his seed, His Spirit. This will enable the
church to guard, to protect, and to nourish
what He has placed within. Ultimately, it causes
His love to spring forth like rivers of living
water. It causes the church to have a deep love
for the things of God. In other words, His
HEARTBEAT for His people. By the church
staying intimate with Him, His love flows within
us. It gives us the power to forgive, the power
to dismiss ALL false accusations, the power to
be merciful, the power to be gracious, the
power to be slow to anger, and the power to
give great, loving kindness to the people.
Let’s go to church where Sister
Cantaloupe and Sister Mango have a
disagreement and haven’t taken the time to get
it right. Therefore, Sister Cantaloupe, who’s
very close to leadership and is in fact a part of
the leadership team and sings in the choir,
starts sharing her side of the disagreement with
others, while Sister Mango just sits-back and
silently observes. She notices that everyone
who’s a part of this certain group starts treating
her with ill-will, even some of the members who
don’t know her.
They all begin to slander her name and
undesirably separate her from all social
gatherings, crazy enough that they will not even
sit at the same table with her at any of the
church fellowships or even sit beside her in
church service. She’s a cast-away, and the
people start to display the same action as
Jonah. They justify their actions and truly
believe that their ways are right, just as the
Pharisees (“religious” folks) did with our Lord
Jesus Christ.
“Blessed are ye, when men shall hate
you, and when they shall separate you from
their company, and shall reproach you, and cast
your name out as evil, for the Son of man’s
sake.” (Luke 6:22; KJV).
In spite of the treatment, Sister Mango
keeps praying, serving and attending church.
She cries out to God daily. “Why Lord? Why are
they treating me so bad? Can they SEE how
much I love them, how can they pick and
choose who they should love and accept? Oh
God, forgive them, for they know not what they
do.”
What kind of love is this, that some
churches feel as though they can treat people
any way they chose, with bad intentions, wrong
motives, back biting, and envying one another,
and still have the notion to speak in tongues,
display their gift of prophecy, fathom all
mysteries and all knowledge, show faith that
can move mountains, but have not love for one
another. Nevertheless, they still think that they
are headed for the kingdom of God.
The Bible states: “If I speak in
the tongues of men and of angels, but
have not LOVE, I am only a resounding
gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the
gift of prophecy and can fathom all
mysteries and all knowledge, and if I
have a faith that can move mountains,
but have not LOVE, I am nothing. If I
give all I possess to the poor and
surrender my body to the flames, but
23 | P a g e
have not LOVE, I gain nothing. Love is
patient, LOVE is kind. It does not envy,
it does not boast, it is not proud. It is
not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not
easily angered, and it keeps no record
of wrongs. LOVE does not delight in evil
but rejoices with the truth. It always
protects, always trusts, always hopes,
always perseveres.
LOVE never fails. But where
there are prophecies, they will cease;
where there are tongues, they will be
stilled; where there is knowledge, it will
pass away.
For we know in part and we prophesy in
part, but when perfection comes, the
imperfect disappears. When I was a
child, I talked like a child, I thought like
a child, I reasoned like a child. When I
became a man, I put childish ways
behind me. Now we see but a poor
reflection as in a mirror; then we shall
see face to face. Now I know in part;
then I shall know fully, even as I am fully
known. And now these three remain:
faith, hope and LOVE. But the greatest
of these is LOVE.” (1Corinthians 13; NIV).
(Capitalization of the word LOVE is by
the author for emphasis).
Father God, where is the Love? My
heart cries out to you, oh God: where is
the love for your people in the
household of God? “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” (John 3:16; NKJV)
KEY NUMBER TWO
“A New command I give you: Love one
another. As I have loved you, so you must love
one another. By this all men will know that you
are my disciples, if you love one another.”
(Matthew 13:25; NIV).
This type of love is called “Agape love.”
It is a self-giving and sacrificial love that seeks
the good of another, a love that’s careful of
others people’s feelings and reputation,
denying oneself in order to promote one
another. What greater love is it for a sister or
brother to lay down their lives for one another?
This is the HEARTBEAT of God that needs to be
brought back in ALL churches. For God is LOVE.
Chapter excerpt from ―The Heartbeat
of God‖ Book by author
Andrea
Michele Mills
Release date March 2010
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We are Free!
Minister B. Michelle Horton
―So if the Son sets you free, you are
free through and through.‖ John 8:36
The Message Bible
As I reflect upon this month’s celebration of
Black History, my mind goes back to last
summer’s trip to the continent of Africa and
Ghana’s slave forts.
There was a multitude of thoughts that went
through my mind during the tour. In addition,
there was a myriad of emotions that touched
my spirit in a profound way. There was anger,
unrest, deep sorrow as well as gratefulness for
my people who survived what I call our own
holocaust.
I remember walking in and out of the slave cells
and hearing the torturous cries of my ancestors’
whisperings through the wind. It seemed as if I
heard thunderous roars and screams of refusal
to accept what was totally unacceptable
treatment of any human being. There I stood in
complete silence, in a place where hopes and
dreams were denied, and death (both physical
and spiritual) would become imminent. One of
my most memorable experiences was walking
into the women’s cell.
It was a dark, damp, dank place where young
girls were taken before boarding the slave
ships. You could smell the heat waffling through
your nostrils. There was one window and one
door. It was one way in and one way out. Up
to 300 women stood, slept, ate and lived in that
place at a time. Can you imagine being in a
cement and dirt cell with no ventilation, no
light, and no sound other than the sound of
whimpering and screams due to the horrific
conditions they had to “live” in for weeks at a
time?
Our guide took us to an outside holding place
where certain girls were held because they
refused to be turned over to the governor. The
governor was the head of the slave fort and he
and his men would at any time pull a girl out of
the cell, clean her up, take her up to their
quarters and then rape her. But these women
who had already been kidnapped from their
home, placed in the captivity of a cell and faced
with even more indignities refused (with the
supernatural strength of God), to accept even
more injurious and desecrating acts.
They believed that their body was sacred and
they did not want to live if it was violated or
given away in any manner besides what God
intended. After hearing this story, I found
myself weeping and wailing. These young girls
25 | P a g e
would rather leave this earth and be united
with God in heaven before giving away what
they understood to be their most precious gift.
As I look around society today and see the
rampant display of dehumanization of women
in videos, films, and all sorts of media elements,
it saddens me that our ancestors died, even
gave up their life, fighting for the right to be a
human being.
I pray that we never give in to today’s slavery to
sex, low self esteem, selfishness, self-
debasement, sin and the affliction of the spirit.
We were meant to live life to the fullness; fully
able to stand against the wiles of the devil, no
matter what form of deception the enemy to
our souls produces. We have the right, the
responsibility and the privilege of standing on
the Word of God.
I thank God that He has given us evidence that
the shackles used to enslave a people has never
and will never be strong enough to keep us
bound. We can and should raise our voice in
song with our ancestors, and with Martin and
all who fought and are still fighting the good
fight of faith and perseverance, “Free at last,
free at last. Thank God almighty, we are free at
last.”
Revelation 22:16 “I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify
unto you these things in the churches, I am the root and
offspring of David, and the bright and morning star”.
The Shining Star
Shining star that shines so bright
It was here with us and took flight.
It brought peace, understanding, knowledge
and power.
Could it of just stayed one more hour.
Look at how you light up the night
You are the ultimate star that shines our way
We will not get lost or even stray
You shine each and every day.
You are the star that lives on and on
There is no way we can‘t be strong.
You are there always; spring, summer,
winter and fall
You hear us when we call
You are the light in us that can‘t be hid.
The light that heals reveals your joy for our
life.
Shining star that shines so bright
You were here and we did not know,
26 | P a g e
You were the shining star that shined so on
this earth.
We did not recognize your true worth.
You came, you saw, you went to higher
heights
You went deep within the depths of
darkness
And you still shined bright.
You were in plain sight and we did not
Receive who you were until you were gone.
We need your warmth, your care, your Holy
Spirit for our flight.
Help us to be a star that shines bright.
Help us both day and night.
Lead us to where you could not go, during
your time on earth.
That we may reach you desired goal.
To transform, renew their minds and save
their souls.
To be a shining star that shines bright.
Shining star that shines so bright
It was here with us and took flight.
It brought peace, understanding, knowledge
and power.
We are his chosen ones, His daughter and
sons.
Keep shining in our lives that we may see
The star shining bright eternally.
Bridgette Whitney ALL RIGHTS
RESERVED 011710
Word in Season:
Sophia Avery, MA
After the Breakup
For I know the plans I have for you,‖ says
the LORD. ―They are plans for good and not
for disaster, to give you a future and a
hope.‖ Jeremiah 29:11 NLT
Most of us have experienced the
demise of a significant relationship.
Inevitably, some form of emotional
disturbance follows the breakup. The pain is
well documented in a, seemingly, endless
number of songs, as Beyonce said, ―…to the
left, to the left.‖ We wish someone would
just create a pill, publish a manual, or put a
video on YouTube to tell us how to recover
after the love is gone. Yet, the answer
seems to remain a mystery—until now.
Let‘s discuss the process of recovering from
the heartache of a broken relationship.
First step, accept that the relationship
is over. This may be the most difficult part
of the process, especially if you weren‘t
aware of, or in agreement with the demise of
the relationship. Feelings of abandonment,
rejection, anger, humiliation, and
helplessness may overwhelm you, causing
27 | P a g e
intense emotional pain. It will lessen over
time, but initially, the best way to cope is to
allow yourself to feel the sadness,
loneliness, and pain—cry it out, write your
feelings in a journal, pray, and/or talk to a
counselor. The painful feelings will
decrease, in time.
If circumstances require you to see
or be in touch with your ex, it can be even
more painful, and most people don‘t make
the best decisions when they‘re in pain. So,
speak with a neutral third party (mediator,
counselor, or pastor) to help you work out
the common things such as division of
property, the home, bank accounts, and if
there are children, visitation, holidays,
summer vacation, and child support. At the
very least, try to be civil and professional
with each other.
You may also have to come to terms
with other losses. For example, if you work
at the same job, attend the same church,
enjoy the same clubs, or share the same
friends, one of you may have to walk away
from those, too. This secondary loss can
cause additional pain that makes a bad
situation, worse. Allow yourself to grieve
the fact that you‘re losing these people and
relationships as well, and then start looking
for other organizations and activities that
can fill the void. At this point in your life,
it‘s important not to look for love anywhere
else but within.
Second step, after a breakup, you
will have to accept that you‘re no longer a
part of a couple, and then deal with the
―you‖ that‘s left. You may feel incomplete,
lost, confused, and alone--searching for your
sense of identity. You may wonder, ―Who
am I without him/her?‖ Unable to answer
this question, many of us go into a state of
denial, thinking the break-up was only
temporary or he/she didn‘t mean it, and you
continue engaging in conversation and
acting as if the break-up never occurred.
This only delay the pain of the break-up,
leaving us vulnerable to further pain when
you realize our beloved has moved on!
The work for you, at this step, is to
find out who you are, what you like, and
also what you need to do in order to feel
complete and whole within yourself. This is
the time to really start the healing process
and get yourself together. Start dating
yourself! Seriously think about what you
need to do to make yourself happy. Maybe
you always wanted to go back to school,
change your hair style, vacation with your
boys (or girls), and learn how to cook, start
that business, or join a church. It‘s time to
―Do YOU!‖ Invest in yourself, find yourself,
know yourself, and love yourself. This is
the path to healing.
Third step, forgive. The hardest most
important thing to do after a break-up is to
forgive your ex. Forgiveness is a critical
part of healing, because, despite popular
belief, it frees you up from the hatred and ill
will you hold towards your ex. While
you‘re sitting at home with hate in your
heart, thinking about every horrible lie he
told, angry over all the time you invested in
the relationship, and crying about all the
hopes and dreams you shared that are now
dead, your ex is out with their new love
interest…not even THINKING about you.
That‘s when you must realize that forgiving
28 | P a g e
doesn‘t let your ex off the hook, it sets YOU
free!
Forgiveness can be difficult, so here are the
steps:
1. Accept that it happened to you – It‘s
over.
2. Acknowledge the pain you‘re feeling
- Let yourself grieve for a while.
3. Admit your part in the breakup- It‘s
easy to see what your ex did some
wrong, but what did you do?
4. Understand why the problems
occurred – Breakups don‘t just
happen, they are the result of
problems in your relationship. Figure
out what the problems were and
work through your part in them.
5. Look for the lesson – What did you
learn about yourself? What lessons
have you learned from having been
in this relationship that may help you
grow and love better next time?
6. Realize that people are only human
and we all need to be forgiven.
Sometimes unresolved issues from
our past can wreck our current and
future relationships. Your ex isn‘t a
bad person; they‘re just hurt…and
we know ―Hurt people, hurt people.‖
7. Forgive – Now that you‘ve accepted
the breakup, understand what
happened, and know what the
lessons are, it‘s time to get on with
your life. Set yourself free through
forgiveness.
You may realize you still have love for your
ex, and that‘s okay. Love doesn‘t have to
end when the relationship breaks up—
sometimes it just changes. You may no
longer have romantic feelings for your ex,
but you still want to see them prosper and
succeed. Then, continue to discover what
God has for you.
―We must develop and maintain the capacity
to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to
forgive is devoid of the power to love. There
is some good in the worst of us and some
evil in the best of us. When we discover this,
we are less prone to hate our enemies.‖
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Sophia Avery, MA-Christian Therapist and
Donavan Sterling West-Relationship
Consultant are a dynamic Relationship
Counseling team! If you‘d like further
information, discussion or a Couples
counseling session, please call us at 215-
931-3070. Become our FAN on FaceBook!
Visit www.facebook.com and search for
―Avery-West Counseling Team‖ or visit our
website at www.ChristianTalkTherapy.com
29 | P a g e
―New Year, New You!‖
―Lose Weight Fast!‖
These messages seem to bombard us all
every January like clockwork. But as
prevalent as those messages are, most of us
never really stick to these types of diets for
longer than a few months, let alone a full
year.
I was a prime example. An avid "yo-yo
dieter," since the time I was old enough to
know how to do it, I would almost
instinctively place myself on intense
workout ―boot camps.‖ For sometimes 4
hours a day, I would work out to every
program I could find from ESPN to library
rentals. As if that weren‘t enough, I would
buy a calorie-counting book, in hopes of
removing as many unnecessary calories
from my meals as possible. Back then, I
didn‘t think much about it, and
congratulated myself for my commitment to
weight loss. But as disciplined as I may
have been for that moment, looking back, I
think I would call it serious obsessive-
compulsion. My pure motivation was on
wowing my friends and having the ―perfect‖
figure. As it turned out that drive and
determination paid off in a big way; and
more often than not, every summer I was
hugely successful in my efforts.
But despite my dedication each and every
summer, I could never make the weight loss
"stick." I had the discipline to pull it off,
but there was something in my subconscious
that would override it. Thankfully, over the
past few months, I have received some
divine inspiration into the real issue at hand.
My focus on what other people thought of
me, though starting off innocently enough,
actually became a driving force for some
really unhealthy habits, which then caused
me to eat just to make myself feel better.
The whole process reminds me of the
Scripture in Proverbs: ―There is a way that
seemeth right unto a man but in the end, it
leadeth to death and destruction.‖
Knowing what ―death and destruction‖
translates into for you will help you set a
watch for it, when it tries to show up in the
guise of something particularly attractive.
What I was dealing with what a strong case
of vanity that would tip me left or right,
depending on which way the winds blew. If
you didn‘t like me enough, I would go left.
If you liked me, I would go right and on and
on the story went. Had I known then what I
know now, I would have come into the
realization that vanity will never take you
where you want to go. In fact, it‘s just the
opposite. It will have you so focused on
your skin that one day you will pick up the
wrong product and end up with a skin
imbalance that will cause unexpected
breakouts for years down the road. Vanity
30 | P a g e
will have you over processing your hair, in
attempt to look more doll-like, and you will
end up with less hair than you started with.
Trust me, I know. I ended up with all of the
above. So, in this time and season, make a
new year‘s resolution to seek balance and
harmony with God and yourself.
What is He saying to you? Where is He
telling you your focus should be on your
body? If you‘ve had a hard time discerning
His voice, I can give you a hint: what has
your body been saying to you? God is not
your flesh, but your flesh was made to
follow a certain order; so if it‘s telling you
that something is out of order then that‘s
God‘s signal for you to use wisdom and do
something about it. And as you focus on
God, you will be able to love yourself just as
He has loved you.
As you take a new commitment to health
this year, I encourage you to read the next
few articles in this series. You will learn
amazing information about food and what
you need to do in order to live a more
healthful life. Trust me; these will be tidbits
you DO NOT want to miss! I have
discovered some things that I think will
shock you too and will ignite a more fruitful
life.
Until Then!
Ain-Kamilah Wilson
Your Divine Inspirations Nutrition & Health
Columnist
Ain-Kamilah Wilson is a global distributor
of high-potency health supplements. If you
would like to know more information about
her vitamins and herbal supplements, please
contact her directly at
ainkamilah@gmail.com.
Dear God,
I‘m writing this epistle, I‘m sealing it with
my love,
I‘m sending it with blessings to You, on the
wings of a precious turtle dove.
I‘ve enclosed glory and honor, a song to
praise your name, to thank
You for Your faithfulness and Your Promise
You‘ll never change.
I thank You for compassion, Your mercy
endureth forever,
I thank You dear God for Your Eternal
Presence,
For being my Holy Father.
I thank You Father for pearls of wisdom,
You‘ve graciously bestowed upon me,
thank You for supplying all my needs
according to Your riches in glory.
I thank You for my treasures, I found them
in Your Word,
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thank You for the wisdom you've stored in
Psalms, parables and Proverbs.
I thank You dear God for Your
commandments,
I promise to keep them true, thank You dear
Father for loving me,
my heart belongs to You.
Thank You Heavenly Father for my blessed
life,
and for Your Holy Spirit too,
thank You Father for Jesus Christ, all Glory
belongs to You.
Cynthia Boyer
www.cyndislightworkdesigns.blogspot.com
www.momsinslippers.com
http://www.zazzle.com/cyndislightworks12
Is It Safe To Open My Eyes Yet?
I don‘t know about any of you but I was so
happy for 2009 to over! It was spiritually the
roughest year I‘ve had since I‘ve been an
adult. I felt as if I was literally crawling
across the calendar page to get to 2010, but I
made it! And now that I‘ve reached the
halfway mark of January, I feel it‘s safe to
do a bit of reflection.
As I awoke this
morning, the image
of driving away
from an explosion
burned into my head.
Why I am I telling
you this? Well, for a couple of reasons:
1. God allowed me to drive
away from the explosion
because where He was taking
me to was far greater than my
present circumstances.
2. The Word of God says to
forget those things which are
behind and press on to those
things which are before‖,
that‘s why your rearview
mirror is so small in
comparison to your
windshield!
3. This last one was deep, and it
came from… wait for
it….”The Lion King” (I‘m a
G and PG kind of Girl; you‘ll
learn that soon enough!) The
Holy Spirit brought this scene
to my memory. Simba has
grown and is heading back to
Pride Rock and he‘s
searching and hurting. Rafiki
hits him on the head with a
stick. When Simba asks why,
his answer was, ―it‘s in the
past‖. Rafiki had to hit him a
second time, Simba again
saying, ―That hurts, why did
you hit me?‖ Rafiki‘s reply
is, it doesn‘t matter, it‘s in the
past. Now I don‘t know how
many of you saw this movie,
either by yourself - like me –
or with children, and totally
missed this nugget of
wisdom, but the Holy Spirit,
sure knows how to get your
attention when He needs to!
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Yes, 2009 for most of us was very
painful. You may have lost some friends and
loved ones, either by death or by desertion.
You may have gone through challenges in
your health be it mental or physical. You
may have suffered financially and thought
you were going to drown. You may have
had to let some things go – career, house,
car, etc. You may have waivered in your
faith wondering if in all of this, God was
really listening or if He had turned a deaf ear
to your cries. Whatever the case may be,
I‘ve come to remind you today that you
made it! When I tell you that I crawled over
into this year, I meant it. In 2009, I was
touched or threatened with nearly everything
I just mentioned to you. Lot‘s Wife turned
into a pillar of salt because she looked back.
I believe it was not only because of
disobedience, but also out of fear. The Spirit
of Fear causes indecisiveness, you are afraid
to make a decision because you are afraid
that whatever decision you make is going to
be the wrong decision; that indecisiveness
than becomes paralysis which then restricts
your movement and keeps you bondage,
rendering you ineffective for use in God‘s
kingdom.
Restoration and Increase
I hear you saying, ―Well now you sound like
a preacher. What am I supposed to do now?‖
I am one by the way, but teaching is more
my style. I think we should go back to that
scripture I gave you in number 2. Phil 3:13-
14 Paul uses the word picture of running a
race, forgetting about the starting blocking
and everything else that may have been
behind so that he could run the race and
reach that ultimate prize. That‘s what we‘re
running for! We crawled over into 2010, and
started running. And God says, it‘s okay,
you can open your eyes now. Your future is
brighter and it‘s ahead of you. The past has
passed you cannot go back and change the
events of time, no matter how badly it hurts.
That‘s why it had to be consumed. Anything
other than that and we would have been
trying to piece things back together with the
disaster crew. Not in this season dear, let it
go and move on. God has much better in
store for you. That is what Restoration and
Increase is about. Restoration means the act
of putting back into existence or use; to
again put in possession of something.
Increase means to become progressively
greater. That sounds like a great year to me!
I‘m not saying that 2010 is going to be
without its challenges, because there were
some things that tried to creep on over from
2009 that I‘ve had to deal with too. The
difference is my attitude. I‘m a princess, not
a pauper. I don‘t have to beg or be pimped. I
think as required reading (other than the
bible of course), every girl and (woman)
should read The Little Princess by Frances
Hodgson Burnett or at least see the movie
(1995).
I will close with these lines from the 1995
movie:
Miss Minchin: Don't tell me you still fancy
yourself a princess? Child, look around you!
Or better yet, look in the mirror.
Sara Crewe: I am a princess. All girls are.
Even if they live in tiny old attics. Even if
they dress in rags, even if they aren't pretty,
or smart, or young. They're still princesses.
All of us. Didn't your father ever tell you
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that? Didn't he?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113670/quotes
Well if you‘ve never heard it before, Your
Heavenly Father is telling you, you are
Royalty. My son, my daughter, get ready for
restoration and increase. Get ready to know
Me like you‘ve never known Me before.
You are a King‘s Kid and 2010 is your year.
Yours Because of Christ,
Tikoya Monet
tmlanier@gmail.com | 313-772-5139 |
If It‘s To Be, It‘s Up to Me
Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a
trumpet, and shew my people their
transgression, and the house of Jacob their
sins. Isaiah 58:1
In the wake of recent world events every
believer should reconsider his or her stance
to the Great Commission given by Jesus to
the disciples. So many things are going on in
our world today. Earthquakes in divers
places, wars and rumors of war, sickness
and disease, and death in our streets. It
stands to reason that the pages of holy writ
are being fulfilled right before our very eyes.
What an awesome time for believers and the
greatest hour in Christendom! This
prophetic book of Isaiah and chapter in
particular outlines details of the nation's
hypocrisy and need for repentance. If we
think hard enough we all can find areas of
our lives where repentance is needed.
One of the greatest challenges of our day for
believers is to confront and speak out
against issues that violate the Word of God.
We cannot conquer what we refuse to
confess. It is time out for sitting back and
allowing the world and secular media to
make an outright mockery of The Most High
God! We have to cry loud and spare not,
even if it means denouncing carnal remarks,
profanity, and outright blasphemy against
the Word of God. We can no longer allow
the world to make so-called "off colored
jokes" about the bible.
When we as Christian's fell to uphold the
blood stained banner then we are blatantly
showing that we are ashamed of the Christ
of the cross. Everybody is seemingly out of
the closets except us. The world has their
laws being passed, marches. parades, and
pageants to announce and celebrate their
ungodly lifestyles. As Christians we should
boldly proclaim the name of the Lord. We
have to warn, rebuke, reprove, and
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pronounce the gospel of Jesus. Gone is the
day where we should feel like we may
offend the world. Impeding danger stands at
the door and the judgement of God is being
manifested.
I refuse to let it be said that I stood by and
allowed the enemy to inflict his venom on
those in my sphere of influence, only
because of fear of rejection from
unbelievers. People of God open up your
mouths and declare the Word of God. It is
our responsibility to bind & loose, and
decree & declare Gods Word. Otherwise
people will continue to die without a saving
knowledge of Jesus. Hence their blood will
be on our hands.
Peace & Favor~
Evangelist Debra D. Savage
Author & Speaker
www.DebraSavage.org
(901) 502-2853
D.I.V.A.S.
(Divinely Inspired Visionaries Anointed Servants)
THE UNCONDITONAL LOVE OF
GOD
For God so loved the world, that he gave his
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in
him should not perish, but have everlasting
life. (KJV John 3:16)
Did you know that there are three kinds of
love? There is the Eros love, phileo love
and the greatest of them all is agape love.
Eros love was originated from Greek
Mythology and they worshiped the Greek
Goddess Aphrodite. This kind of love is the
sexual exotic love, only satisfying the
physical need, which only last for the
moment. Once the thrill is gone, it leaves
you with the memory of how good it felt
physically and emotionally. This love can be
self-seeking fulfilling only his or her desires.
It can also be that starry eyed, I want to
share my ice cream cone with you romantic
kind of love, but if it does not have a
foundation to build on it won‘t last.
Then there is the Phileo love, which my
city, Philadelphia is recognized for, ―The
City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly
Affection‖. This love demonstrates
friendship; your best girl friend or your best
buddy, someone you share good times and
your bad times with. Someone who says, I
got your back. It also exhibits fellowship.
Although Phileo love can last for years,
when it is challenged by a test or trial, it‘s
foundation if not rooted on the right
foundation, it too will not last.
There is a love that will last forever; it
surpasses all our understanding that is
Agape love. No matter what kind of love
affair you find yourself in, it will never take
the place of „The Unconditional Love of
God‟. This love made us friends of God,
which Jesus gave his life for, “Greater love
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hath no man than this, that a man lay
down his life for his friends”, (St. John
15:13, KJV). Jesus ‗love endured the death
of the cross, just for those that believed on
him, would not perish, but have everlasting
life. Unlike eros love and phileo love God‘s
love has no limits, His love just keeps on
giving and it is the greatest love story ever
told. We may receive many gifts in our life
time, but there is no greater gift than the gift
of love. I‘ll end with this – Love is patient
and kind, Love envies no one, is never
boastful, never conceited, never rude; love
is never selfish, never quick to take offence.
Love keeps no score of wrongs, takes no
pleasure in the sins of others, but delights
in the truth. There is nothing love cannot
face; there is no limit to its faith, its hope,
its endurance. Love will never come to an
end,
(1st Corinthians 13:4-8, REB).
Elder Mae F. Davis
New Life Worship Centre
120 E. Baltimore Pike
Lansdowne, PA 19050
Email- davismae@ymail.com
Elder Mae F. Davis, Copyrights © 2010
Living The E-Life
Cheryl Shumake
I am very excited to be writing this new
column for Divine Inspirations Online
Magazine. What an honor and awesome
responsibility to be able to share with God‘s
people in this way. The obvious question to
pose at this point is what is ‗E‘ life living?
God created us with a passion to display His
glory in every aspect of our lives. To live
‗on purpose‘, if you will, with integrity,
endeavoring to be in this world in a way that
brings pleasure to the King. We are called to
think, pray, plan, work, dream, imagine,
enjoy and love with an awareness of our
Kingdom citizenship. We are called to live
with definitive authenticity that we have
been Emancipated, released, untied,
unfettered from the restrictions of sin and
death by the blood of Jesus; that we have
been Equipped, prepared to accomplish,
provided with the necessities, furnished,
outfitted and armed by the Word of God; we
have been Empowered, authorized,
sanctioned, given legal and lawful right, by
the Holy Spirit to live victoriously in this
life and do the work ordained for us by God
since the beginning. E Life living is living in
a way as to make as little noise as possible
about ourselves and a whole lot of noise
about the greatness of our God.
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Is this credible living? Rooted in reality?
Not according to the world‘s standards. The
world‘s view of ‗real life‘ is markedly
different from that of Kingdom of God‘s. In
fact, the two realities are polar opposites.
The world summons us to a life in pursuit of
personal pleasure and satisfaction. Get that
big paying job then you can have everything
you want. But how many people do you
know are unhappy in their chosen career yet
unable to quit because they need the money
to feed their appetite for things? Get the
man or woman you want then you will be
happy. But how many people do you know,
so desperate for validation they settled and
ended up in a less than ideal or even abusive
relationship? The world encourages us to be
single-mindedly focused on making self
happy and successful, spinning the lie that
the universe is somehow ‗obligated‘ to
fulfill our every desire. We are applauded by
the world when we make sure no one ‗gets
over‘ on us, rewarded when we reach the top
of the corporate ladder and congratulated for
each new material possession added to our
coffers.
The beckoning of the Kingdom is
diametrically opposed to this self-focused
existence. We are invited to discover the
beauty of Christ, the wonder of being seen
fully in all of our gory details yet loved
unconditionally, then to respond to that love
with every fiber of our being. We are
enticed to boast in Jesus instead of our own
feeble strength. We are encouraged to find
comfort in offense, pain and even death, by
magnifying the Lord no matter what, rather
than seek our own way. The goal of life
becomes knowing God and pointing others
to Him as an alternative to the empty
procurement of things. We are called to a
life of self-denial but remain confident and
expectant that the light afflictions we endure
cannot be compared to the exceeding weight
of glory that awaits us. The inheritance of
the former is frustration, disquiet, strife,
greed, jealousy, envy, dissatisfaction and
desperate hunger. Nothing satiates because
you were not made to live this way. Since
you are always in pursuit of the next best
thing, you are always empty. Ultimately, the
portion of the former is literal, physical,
spiritual and eternal death. The heritage of
the latter, however, is contentment, inner
wholeness, joy, peace, righteousness, the
assurance of Kingdom privileges now and
eternal life to come.
This upside-down way of living is entirely
achievable. Primarily, we are not left to our
own devices. God Himself is working in us
both the desire and the ability to accomplish
His good pleasure. Secondly, it is not as
hard to attain as these lofty words may
imply. Emancipation was consummated for
us on the Cross. No assembly required.
Equipping happens much like weight loss
happens. When we eat right and exercise,
we do not even have to concentrate on the
result, weight loss happens as a matter of
course. Study the Bible, spend time in
personal prayer, find a good teaching
church, equipping will happen naturally.
Empowering is the work of the Spirit as we
yield ourselves to Him in obedience to His
leading. Empowered for what? To do all to
the glory of God in the moment in which we
are solicited. Last week I was empowered
to go out to lunch with a neighbor who has
questions about what it means to follow
Christ. I made myself available to the Lord,
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He opened the door, I listened and walked
through it. Two days ago I was empowered
to teach at a conference. In this moment I
have been empowered to write this article.
As soon as I am finished with this article I
will be empowered to minister to my family
by cleaning the kitchen. We will explore
these themes in more depth in future
columns but it remains that the execution is
simple. The choice is ours. I do not know
about you but I am intent on living the E
Life!
A Brief Moment with Rey Perez
Interview By Robert Sells
Introduction: In this issue, I have the
pleasure of introducing you to an incredible
warrior for God. When I first heard this
man‘s story I had to feature him in the
magazine. He is such a powerful force for
God with the Biker ministry that the Lord
has given him. But he operates in humility.
Sit back, relax, and be blessed by this
mighty man of God‘s testimony, Mr. Rey
Perez.
DIM: Tell us a little bit about yourself?
Rey: My name is Rey Perez, but before I
answer any question, I would like to give
my love and respect to my long time friend
Rev. John McQueen
(The Biker Pastor), and Ken Rich, for their
love and hard work.
They took in my project with love and
patience as their own project.
Thank you guys, love and respect. I praise
God for you brother Sells for giving me the
opportunity to share my ministry through
your ministry.
Thanks, To God Be the Glory. It‘s all for
Jesus.
I was born in Manhattan, New York, and
grew up in Puerto Rico. For the past fifteen
years I have ridden 350 thousand miles all
across the USA. Some of the places I have
visited - Sturgis for the past 10 years,
Dayton Bike Week, Myrtle Beach, Laconia,
and many other rallies in-between.
It has been an awesome journey!! You know
the best part of the journey is the people we
meet along the way. Before I go out on the
road and by-ways, I pray and study the road
maps and I ask the Lord to help me to
choose the route that He wants for me. I
pray to be in the right place at the right time.
for divine appointments, favor and grace. A
big part of my ministry is giving the gospel
in the form of DVD, CD and Tracks. I also
play with various bands in different rallies.
My first target is the 1% Biker Clubs, other
regular bikers, and anyone that the Lord puts
in my path.
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As I travel, sometimes I try to get off the big
highways and go into the back desert roads,
where you meet various people that also
need the message of the gospel of Jesus
Christ. It‘s interesting to see the expression
on regular people‘s faces, when they see a
Biker giving out the Word of God.
The Gospel is not just for the rich and
famous, but also the junkies in the street. It's
for the good the bad and the ugly - we all are
the same in Gods eyes. I have been very
successful (by the grace of God) in
spreading His Word.
I have been a musician since I was 16 years
old, and I play several types of instruments.
Percussion and piano is my strong suit. I
have been fortunate to play in places like
Madison Square Garden and Shea Stadium
in New York, for crowds of 10 and 20
thousand people. I have traveled all over the
US and overseas doing concerts.
I played for the Nicky Cruz Singers in the
early 80‘s. That is Nicky Cruz the
bestselling books; The Cross and the
Switch Blade and Run Baby Run. The Lord
also opened a door in Puerto Rico, with my
brother Nano, to record The Road Warrior
the title of my CD.
Nano is a high ranking musician who travels
all over the world, and I have been blessed
to have his support. Likewise, my sister
Nilsa is the beautiful female voice you hear
in two of the tracks.
I have been married 36 years with my
sweetheart from my youth. We have two
children, two beautiful granddaughters, and
another one on the way. For the past 25
years we have lived in Virginia, to God be
the Glory - Isaiah 58:14
DIM: How did your ministry band get
started?
At this present time I have no band, but that
is not a problem. The musicians that I know,
they all read music. They are long time
friends. We can put a band together in one
or two weeks, that is if the Lord provides the
resources. I believe that whatever He leads
He also provides.
DIM: What inspired you to write songs?
First of all I LOVE JESUS and secondly I
love music. You put these two together and
the result is Jesus my Savior and best friend,
He is my inspiration. Again it‘s all about
Him.
DIM: Do you have any specific techniques
you use for your song writings?
My technique is as Isaiah 42:10 Sing to the
Lord a New Song. I get a desire, I sit at the
piano, and before I know it - I‘m having a
private jam session with the Lord, and He
has brought forth an inspiration of a new
song.
DIM: Have you or your group got any plans
in the future?
Rey: At this present moment I do not have
any plans. I‘m watching the outcome of The
Road Warrior CD, in order to best plan my
next move.
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DIM: What has been the best part about
being in the music ministry as a singer,
performer, or musician?
Rey: The best part about being in the music
Ministry for me is to feel the anointing of the
Holy Spirit while I‘m playing, and the most
important part is to see the crowd receiving
that anointing. I have a deal with the Lord,
―Lord don’t let me do anything for you, if your
anointing does not go before me‖
The anointing of the Holy Spirit is the force
that breaks any yoke, and is the stamp of
approval of His presence. In my opinion, if the
anointing of the Holy Spirit is not there, then
it‘s a big waste of time and resources. I try my
best not to be on that kind of road. When I‘m
performing my music, I do my best to put in
my mind that I‘m playing for God first, and
then the crowd. Isaiah 40:22 It is He who sits
above the circle of the earth.
When the praises are going up, His glory and
His anointing comes down. It‘s at that
moment when anything can happen, and will
happen! Healing, Deliverance and Salvations.
As we are praising and worshiping, we are
also in a spiritual warfare:
Ephesians 6:12 says, ―For we do not wrestle
against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the
rulers of the darkness of this age, against
spiritual host of wickedness in the heavenly
places”.
DIM: Are there examples of your faith that
show in your song writing? If so what are
they?
Rey: Yes, in all of my songs there is a
reflection of my faith. For example The
Road Warrior it‘s the true story of my
ministry. I am a Warrior for God and His
kingdom, a road warrior for His coming
kingdom. I am a warrior, a warrior for the
light - with my sword on hand, wasting
demons left and right.
Brother Sells, if you allow me, let me make
an invitation to everyone out there.
The World‟s Worst Gamble
What you think is the right Road may
lead to death.
The Good News Bible Proverbs 14:12
Gambling is a billion dollar business. A
man might lose his savings and home on
the turn of a card. But there‘s one
gamble even a Las Vegas professional
shouldn‘t take - his own soul. Observe
the odds:
―For what shall it profit a man, if he
shall gain the whole world, and lose his
own soul?‖
You see, there‘s no way a man can
SAVE his own soul from hell.
All the money in the world won‘t buy it.
It can only be saved by receiving God‘s
gift of eternal life… which is JESUS
CHRIST.
He said: ―I am the way, and the truth,
and the life; no one comes to the Father,
but through Me.‖
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Call Him liar – if you like. But what if
you‘re WRONG?
That‘s the gamble. You lose your soul -
and everything!
Why risk the torment of HELL when
Jesus offers you
ETERNAL LIFE in heaven?
Here is His offer:
If you believe… pray like this:
―Father God, I repent and ask you to
forgive my sins,
Jesus come into my heart and make me
the kind of person You want me to be.
DIM: Where can people find your music
and/or products?
Rey: My music can be found at the
following locations:
http://www.reyperezmusic.com/
http://indigospel.org/profile/ReyPerez
CD Baby
Napster
Amazon
Search: Rey Perez - The Road Warrior
Your Servant,
Rey Perez
Jesus Mailman
Women Of Zion
By Stylicia A. Bowden
Investing In You
As the year 2010 has crept upon us many
have made specific goals to accomplish for
the year. However, before the months start
to pass you by make a decision to spend
important time into investing in the most
important person to God, which is you.
Sometimes as women we give, nurture and
pour out so much we begin to neglect our
needs, wants and desires. It is a woman‘s
nature to give but we also must learn how to
receive and give back to ourselves. Some
people may consider focusing on “you” is
selfish; but I disagree with this concept
because if you do not take care of yourself
then no one else will either. It is important
that you take a month to reevaluate all the
areas of your life you have neglected from
health, wealth, mental, emotional and
spiritual components of your life. These
particular components make you the person
you are as a whole and if you neglect these
key things then you will be empty. In 2009 I
realized how unhappy I was not because
God was not blessings me because he was
greatly but I was constantly pouring out to
others and not planting a firm foundation
within myself. It is so easy to neglect your
needs especially if you are a person that has
a giving spirit. I had to learn to not only be a
cheerful giver but be a cheerful receiver. So
in your time of writing your goals for 2010
include yourself as number one on the list.
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Here are some helpful ways to invest in
“you” for 2010:
1) Write a list called your deserve
affirmation list. This will consist of
all the things you deserve in all areas
of your life. No more neglecting
yourself and denying yourself what
you deserve the most.
2) Take 2-4 weeks to reestablish the
areas you neglected the most
whether it is your spiritual,
emotional or healthy part of you.
3) Learn to say “NO” to others when
you have not helped yourself first,
you cannot minister to someone else
if you are empty.
4) Prophesy in your own life. Speak life
in your life and do not just believe
for others believe for yourself.
5) Be diligent with keeping a routine on
making quality time with yourself.
6) Once a month take time to fulfill all
areas of your life from mental,
emotional, spiritual and natural
7) Last but not least tell yourself “I
deserve all the things I neglected
about myself because I Am An
Important Investment.‖
Until next time meditate on this, you
are the salt of the earth you cannot
lose your flavor.
(New International Version,
Matthew 5:13)You are the salt of the
earth. But if the salt loses its
saltiness, how can it be made salty
again? It is no longer good for
anything, except to be thrown out
and trampled by men.
Christian Frustration Part III
How did I get here Lord? I feel like I’m all alone
I feel like dying Please take me home
Lord can you hear me? I’m ready to talk to you now
You said you’re a God of grace Help me please come to me now I don’t know what I’m doing here
I’m trying to cry but I can’t shed a tear
I’m trying to find my night light That held back all my fears
I’m trying to get some water To cool this fire that is starting to sear
My flesh
Lord please help me find My way back to you
Why’d you let me get away? Why did you let me choose the wrong way?
Why did you let me go day by day? Doing things my way
Taking my drugs Through a straw from a tray
Cursing and lying And saying what I wanted to say
Skipping church service To stay at hotels and play
Getting drunk and high day after day Sleeping with women As a means of escape
Not just refusing to read my bible But throwing it away
Lord I’d rather be where you are
Why can’t I be with you?
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I’m so angry that pastor pushed me away I’m so mad that church usher chased me away
I’m so hurt that choir member Shooed me away
I’m so sad that ministry leader Cursed me out and led me astray And I left your house… and you
Lord I didn’t want to leave you
Just the church I was in With every abuse
Enacted on me I hurt within With every person who said
They were saved but teased me I was wounded within
With every believer who mistreated me I created another reason to sin
I thought by leaving that church I would win
I thought by running from people I was running from sin
I thought when I read the bible once I stored all your knowledge within
I thought I was nicer than them You’d be proud of me
I thought that if I gave to enough charities I didn’t need you to talk to me
I thought if I just helped enough people Get to where they need to be
Thought maybe you’d leave those church folks here
And come and get me
Now I don’t know what to do I’m stuck here in these flames Demonic figures all around me
Shredding my skin from its frame Men, woman and children I’ve hurt
I’m feeling all of their pain Everyone I’ve done wrong in my life
My mind is returning all of their names All around
Darkness is so thick It crushes my body and won’t let go
A demonic vise grip Little by little it’s cracking my bones
Lord how do I get back to you
I’m trying with all of my might But with nothing
But intense searing pain I feel myself losing this fight
I’m ready to give up Ready for my soul to take flight
But I can’t move For the massiveness of night
Just pulls me back again The demon imps that dance around me
Just claw at my feet again The flames comes in like waves
And burn off my skin again
Lord I don’t want to be here anymore Please help me get away
I’m praying for death To take my soul
But it won’t oblige me My pain is forever in this awful place
Oh my Jesus why have you ignored me
Oh please God if I’m never going to leave here Please get this message to my family
This place is real For all who deny you
Tell them I said to come to you Forget those believers who are nothing but
Killers of their future with you Forget about the church people
Who do them wrong Who mistreat them and ignore them
Who create their groups That others can’t be a part of
For them there is judgment for sure But please don’t allow them To cause you to end up here
Accept Jesus now and change your life Before it’s too late
Read your bible pray everyday You see I now know this place is real
But it’s too late to save myself Accept Jesus today not tomorrow
Because one day, when you close your eyes You just may wake up in hell.
© 2009 Robert T Sells – all rights reserved
43 | P a g e
THE REALITY CORNER
John G. Taylor, MA
Clinical/Christian Therapist
The Emotional Cost of Caring for Others; the World of Compassion Fatigue
How many times as Christians have we
heard, it‘s important to care for others as we
care for ourselves. We have been constantly
told that God has called us to care and
minister to others. While this is true I want
to talk about the emotional cost that caring
for others has on the lives of people that
believe that this is their calling. You may be
called to be a pastor, ministry leader,
deaconess, deacon, lay counselor, therapist,
school teacher, caring for a loved one, choir
director or any other helping professional.
We find many scriptures that encourage us
to give and be there for others. The scripture
that I think of is Philippians Ch. 2 verse 4
states: Let each of you look not only to his
own interests, but also to the interest of
others. This scripture makes people place a
responsibility on themselves to be all things
to all people in order to be seen as upholding
the Christian way. This has proven to be
very emotionally taxing on the psyche.
There is a level that some people reach
where they can‘t do it anymore or they feel
if I have to pray for one more person, attend
another funeral, hear another awful story,
smile again, and be all these great things I‘m
going to lose my mind. This friend is called
Compassion Fatigue.
44 | P a g e
So you are probably asking what is
Compassion Fatigue, compassion fatigue
has been described as the ―cost of caring‖
for others in emotional pain. The focus
behind compassion fatigue is that helpers are
profoundly affected by the work they do.
There are two different types of exposure to
trauma (1) Direct exposure, this is
experienced by helpers that are directly
exposed such as: medics, hospital workers
and police officers these people usually are
the first responders to any crisis or trauma
event. Most of us follow in the second
category of (2) Secondary exposure, this
occurs when we hear a client talk about a
traumatic event that they have experienced.
This secondary exposure can be seen as we
deal with clients that are in chronic despair,
people that seem to have the inability or will
power to move ahead despite our best
efforts, or people that are facing
helplessness in the face of poverty,
starvation, homeliness and emotional
anguish. This has been a problem for a while
but as helpers we at times feel ―guilty‖
complaining about the very people that we
have been called to help and complaining
about our emotional overload when we see
that the people were helping are an
emotional mess. This feeling of guilt has
lead many helpers to suicide, depression,
burn out and the destruction of their lives
such as: divorces, failed personal
relationships, and isolation and career
changes.
The signs and symptoms of
compassion fatigue are:
(1) Preoccupation with your work, you are
always thinking or talking about it
(2) Sleep difficulties
(3) Overwork or avoidance of work
(4) A sense of futility about your work, ―it
doesn‘t matter what I do people will still
have problems‖.
(5) Anxiety and depression
(6) A feeling of weariness about what you
do.
(7) Irritability
(8) Discouraged about the world
(9) Difficulty concentrating
(10) Intrusive imagery
You don‘t have to experience all of these but
experiencing a few could be your signal that
you are suffering from compassion fatigue.
The first step like any things else and the
same things that we tell our clients is
admitting that this is your issue and being
able to talk about it with others.
As I‘m writing this I can‘t help but
think about the first responders, aid workers,
doctors, rescuers, police, news reporters,
nurses, military personnel and family
members that are on the ground and are
dealing with the earthquake in Haiti and the
great responsibly they feel to get order and
help to over 2 million people. The
interesting thing about compassion fatigue is
that it can happen at any time during the
trauma sharing stage meaning for some
people they can work in this area for years
and experience it later or some can be new
to field and have a sense that they want to
help everyone and immediately feel
45 | P a g e
compassion fatigue. The most important
thing is to know yourself and listen to your
body because your body will always give
you signals and the challenge is recognizing
them and doing something about it.
If you are experiencing compassion
fatigue you may ask what I can do; here are
some helpful tips for you:
(1) Consult with a Therapist
(2) Remind yourself about and talk about
some success stories that you have.
(3) Re-evaluate your expectations and signs
of success
(4) Remind yourself why you are doing this
work
(5) Set proper limits to separate home and
work issues
(6) Exercise regularly
(7) Spend time with supportive people
(8) Schedule a vacation
(9) Most important remember that while you
are taking care of others‘ it‘s crucial to
remember to take care of yourself.
In conclusion I hope that this has
been helpful for you or helpful for you to
share with others that you know who are
constantly working with others. Also
understand that it‘s ok to say that ―I‘ve had
enough for today‖ and I‘ll pick this up again
tom morrow. As helping professionals we
have to know that the ―guilt‖ we feel about
not making ourselves available to everyone
all the time isn‘t healthy. It‘s important that
we take care of ourselves emotionally,
spiritually, physically and mentally in order
to be best help to the people that God has
called us to serve.
For more information on Compassion
Fatigue:
www.workshopsforthehelpingprofessions.ca
―Treating Compassion Fatigue‖ by Charles
R. Figley
To contact John Taylor, MA
www.Johngtaylor.com
here are three different types of people in
the world – those who think, those who
talk and those who do. In the pursuit of a
life of destiny, all three must be properly
assembled in our lives if we want to be “fully”
utilized for God's glory. The question is – “Are
we truly ready, willing and able to think, talk
and do what He requires of us?”
Consider a three-dimensional (3D) object like a
box. It has length, depth and height. It is best
utilized when all sides are properly and firmly
connected and it is in good working condition.
Once it is fully assembled, only then can it be
used as it was intended.
Take a sheet of notebook paper, which is a two-
dimensional (2D) object. A single sheet of paper
could never be used to replace a box. As a
matter of fact, paper can only handle
lightweight markings and few attachments
before it buckles under pressure. So, 2D means
it has length and height but is void of depth.
Now, imagine a straight line, which is
considered one-dimensional (1D). It has length
but it is without height or depth and thus could
never be used in the same way as a box or a
sheet of paper.
Each of these dimensions has its purpose and its
limitations. So consider this: the higher one’s
dimension, the greater their capacity to achieve
a life of destiny.
At the very least, destiny is 3D, which is why
God wants each of us to think, speak and live a
life beyond our capacities. It is written in His
Word that He is able to do excessively,
abundantly and above all that we may ask or
think. But many times, we have not because we
either fail to ask in the first place, do not believe
that we will receive it, or we ask with the wrong
motives, such as asking for things that are
completely outside of His Will for us (see James
4:2-3).
Destiny requires that you think the right
thoughts, speak at the right time to the right
people and act on those thoughts in proper
alignment with God's Will. It sounds
complicated but really, it is not. We must listen
to and obey the Holy Spirit, crucify the flesh and
change negative attitudes and beliefs and in the
midst of the process, a life of destiny will slowly
emerge.
Unfortunately, many Christians fall in a single
category. Some live 1D lives; while others live
2D lives and few if any target the third
dimension. Think of it this way: a life without
destiny is a limited-capacity life. In other words,
excessive thinking without follow-through
T
TThhee CCoosstt ooff DDeessttiinnyy
By Minister Jaketha Farmer
47 | P a g e
results in an unfinished life; while talking to any
and everyone about what we are thinking and
doing is unfulfilling especially if our words
return void. Just as acting without properly
planning and strategizing is pointless too.
The Price of Destiny
In economics, price is defined as the cost at
which something is obtained. Spiritually
speaking, Jesus is the price tag for our salvation.
Through His birth, death, burial and
resurrection, the price for the remission of our
sins was paid. So, are we devaluing destiny
because we do not understand the price He
paid?
The Value of Destiny
As commonly quoted by William Buffett, “Price
is what you pay. Value is what you get.” In
economics, value is considered the extent to
which something is deemed valuable or
desirable. Many Christians value a seat in
heaven in the “next life”, but few if any actually
desire much of anything in this life. So, are we
missing the mark of destiny because we do not
understand its value in our lives right now?
The Total Cost of Destiny
The Bible says that we should “count the cost”
to ensure that we have what it takes to start
and finish (see Luke 14:28-30). So, how much
does a 3D life cost us?
First of all, there is nothing we can do to earn
destiny. As the Bible indicates, those that God
foreknew, He also predestined (see Romans
8:29). So, our life of destiny is already
assembled and waiting on us to unwrap it. But,
it is up to us to take that step.
Therefore, the total cost of destiny includes but
is not limited to complete obedience, wisdom in
planning, periods of trying and testing of our
faith (see James 1:2-4) and sacrifice. Each of
these is not optional but required.
The hardest part is being tried and tested. Many
would prefer a "zap" from God for the lives they
desire with little if any work on their part, which
is considered 1D thinking. Those with 3D
mindsets understand that God has given us
everything we need (see 2 Peter 1:3-9) but all of
us were willing to pay the cost for a 3D life.
Last Month’s Challenge
In “Making Your Seasons a Reality in 2010” (Jan.
2010), readers were challenged to pick at least
three days to continuously pray and seek God
about His direction for their lives.
This Month’s Challenge
Ask yourself these hard questions:
1. Honestly, which kind of life am I living? 1D | 2D | 3D (circle one)
2. In what specific ways have I devalued the price that Jesus paid on the cross for my sins?
3. In what ways am I getting in the way of God’s Will for my life?
Finally, prayerfully ask God what you need to do
today to align with His Will and begin living a
destiny-focused life.
MIN. JAKETHA FARMER is a
licensed minister and the
Founding Pastor of the online
“40-Day Challenge”
(http://40daychallenge.ning.com
); Producer & Host of GOT ISH-OOS™? Talk
Radio. Visit her online at
http://www.jaketha.com. For questions or
comments, email her at divine@jaketha.com.
48 | P a g e
Are you ready for a Fresh New Year?
By Filoiann Wiedenhoff
This past year has brought a
lot of growth, joy, blessings
and also painful trials and
hardship. My family and I
have grown so much and at
the same time we have been
spiritually, mentally and
physically pruned back for
future growth. I guess you
could call it growing pains.
Did I forget to mention along
with pruning there was also
spiritual warfare? Although
the pruning process and
spiritual battles can seem
lonely and indeed painful at
the time we understand God
is with us and that He allows
it in our lives to grow us,
strengthen us and refine
us to bear more fruit. I’m
not one to welcome pain or
suffering but I know by faith
God is faithful and sovereign
and uses it to make us more
like Christ ….but ouch does it
hurt at the time. “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. - Romans
8:18 KJV
The encouragement we
receive from God to
persevere through is the fruit
God bears through our
personal relationships with
Him and our ministries.
When we see how far we
have come and what God has
delivered us from, brought
us through and how He took
us out of the miry pit and set
us upon a rock and also
when we look around our
congregation or when I
receive encouraging notes
through my writing ministry,
we see how God has
changed lives, renewed
marriages, restored
relationships and brought
healing. We rejoice because
we know and understand
that it isn’t us but God
working in us and we are so
blessed and thankful to Him
for allowing us to see
glimpses of His faithfulness.
It encourages us that though
times have been hard and
difficult it has also been
fruitful and that makes all
the trials we have gone
through well worth it.
I believe God reveals a taste
to us to keep us moving
forward by faith reminding
us that He is working behind
the scenes and at the same
time in us and through us
and that it’s not us anymore.
In Galatians it says, “I have
been crucified with Christ; it
is no longer I who live, but
Christ lives in me; and the
life which I now live in the
flesh I live by faith in the Son
of God, who loved me and
49 | P a g e
gave Himself for me. –
Galatians 2:20 NKJV
The word that keeps coming
to my mind for 2010 is,
“Fresh”. It’s not necessarily a
biblical term but I took a look
at the Webster’s Online
Dictionary and it gave these
definitions:
1. Full of or renewed in vigor : Vigor = active bodily or mental strength or force
2. Refreshed = restore, refresh, revive, renovate
3. Free from taint: Pure.
4. Received newly or anew.
After looking at these
definitions I was amazed to
see that fresh means; full of
or renewed in vigor, pure,
refresh, restore, revive,
renovate and received anew.
At first when I looked at
these definitions it didn’t
sound right to me. When I
think of a ripe fresh banana I
don’t see it as refreshed or
renewed. I then recollected
the idea that when an old
house is being restored;
what is one of the first things
we want to do? We want to
give it a fresh coat of paint.
We are transforming
something that may be old
to be like new by just adding
some fresh touches. A few
fresh additions can go a long
way to a house that needs
repairs and restoration and
in most cases adding a new
roof, new flooring and other
new necessities to an old
house can transform it to be
anew.
Are you ready for a fresh
and anew touch from God
this year? Filled with vigor
that is active bodily, mental
and I will add spiritual
strength? I don’t know about
you but I certainly am!
Perhaps you are in need of
renewal, revival, restoration
or refreshment. Turn to God
in faith and allow Him to
heal, refresh and restore you
and He is faithful. Matthew
chapter six tells us not to
worry but to seek Him first
because He knows
everything we need. I
encourage you to read the
entire chapter it will bless
you and remember seek Him
(Christ) first and all these
things shall be added or
given to you.
“Therefore we do not lose
heart. Even though our
outward man is perishing,
yet the inward man is being
renewed day by day. For our
light affliction, which is but
for a moment, is working for
us a far more exceeding and
eternal weight of glory,
while we do not look at the
things which are seen, but at
the things which are not
seen. For the things which
are seen are temporary, but
the things which are not
seen are eternal. For we
know that if our earthly
house, this tent, is
destroyed, we have a
building from God, a house
not made with hands,
eternal in the heavens. For
in this we groan, earnestly
desiring to be clothed with
our habitation which is from
heaven, -2 Corinthians 4:16-
5:2 NKJV
Whether this past year was
considered a good year or
bad year; we can look back
and see God’s faithfulness
and also that He was with us
through it all. We can now
look forward in anticipation
that this New Year will be a
fresh year of God’s handy
work, His Glory and yes I will
say it again His faithfulness -
filled with mercies that are
new every morning and the
plans that He has for us. He
50 | P a g e
gives us daily manna from
heaven through His Word
and Holy Spirit and as our
Heavenly Father He knows
everything we need and will
provide for us.
I believe the word, “Fresh” is
a sovereign proclamation for
this New Year. My prayer is
that God will give us a fresh
heart, a fresh spirit, a fresh
purpose and also a fresh
vision that can only come
from Him, from heaven
above to glorify His name.
My question again is, “Are
you ready for a fresh new
year? Are you ready to let
go of you, your desires, your
wants and grab a hold of
Him and live for Him? To
say in your heart to God,
“Not my will but thy will be
done?”
If you aren’t ready yet I
encourage you to pray that
God would make you ready
and prepare your heart for
whatever He has for you.
According to Jeremiah 29:11-
13, God knows the plans He
has for us, plans for good
and not for evil; to give us a
future and a hope. Let us
stand on His promises and
walk forward by faith
heeding His call and He is
faithful.
Time is short and I believe He
desires for us to be about
our Father’s business in a
fresh and powerful new way,
filled with His Spirit;
Confident in His Victory -
knowing the battle has
already been won in Christ. I
challenge you once again to
pray and ask God to make
you ready and give you a
fresh heart to serve Him by
faith and see what God does.
“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.” Ephesians 4:20-24
NKJV
Dear Heavenly Father,
Refresh me and make me
new and show me your
Glory through your son
Jesus. Please give me a
fresh heart and renewed
spirit that says, “Not my will
but your will be done.” I
want to live for you Jesus by
surrendering and allowing
you to live through me that
you and your name sake
would be glorified through
me. In Jesus name I pray.
Amen!
Filoiann Wiedenhoff is a
pastor’s wife, woman’s
biblical counselor, writer
and columnist. You can visit
her website at
www.filoiannwiedenhoff.co
m and sign up for her free
membership newsletter.
51 | P a g e
GOD CAN Mylow Young
WHO CAN MAKE A
LIVING SOUL FROM A
PIECE OF CLAY?
OR MAKE IT RAIN
UPON THE EARTH, FOR
FORTY DAYS?
WHO CAN PART THE
DEEP BLUE SEA WITH
JUST ONE SINGLE
BREATH?
OR USE A LITTLE
SHEPHERD BOY TO
SLAY THE GREAT
GOLIATH?
WHO CAN FEED THE
MULTITUDES WITH
SOME FISH AND A
LITTLE BREAD?
OR TAKE A MAN,
WHO‘S HEART LAY
STILL, AND RAISE HIM
FROM THE DEAD?
WHO CAN GROW A
TREE FROM A LITTLE
SEED, AND HAVE IT
GROW SO TALL?
THEN CHANGE GREEN
LEAVES TO RED AND
GOLD, CHANGE
SUMMER INTO FALL?
GOD CAN
WHO CAN BURST THE
CLOUDS AND MAKE IT
RAIN, WHEN THE
EARTH IS DRY?
PAINT A BOW OF
MANY COLORS, HANG
IT HIGH UP IN THE
SKY?
WHO CAN MAKE THE
SUN RISE AT THE
START OF EACH NEW
MORN?
OR BRING THAT
SPECIAL JOY TO
MOTHER, WHEN HER
CHILD IS BORN?
WHO CAN LIGHT THE
NIGHT SKY WITH THE
TWINKLING OF THE
STARS?
OR MAKE THE FULL
MOON SEEM SO CLOSE
52 | P a g e
WHEN IT‘S YET SO
FAR?
WHO CAN BECOME A
MAN AND DIE TO
SAVE A WORLD FROM
SIN?
SPEND DAYS INSIDE
THE DARKEST GRAVE
AND THEN RISE
AGAIN?
GOD CAN
AND GOD CAN TAKE A
WOUNDED HEART
AND MAKE IT SO
BRAND NEW
THE THINGS YOU
THOUGHT COULD
NEVER BE, HE CAN DO
FOR YOU
HE CAN HEAL THE
PAIN IN THE SOUL OF
A BROKEN MAN
RENEW HIS
SHATTERED DREAMS,
OH YES, GOD CAN.
ONLY GOD CAN
HE LOVES YOU,
COULDN‘T LOVE YOU
MORE, EVEN IF, THERE
WERE NO ONE ELSE
HE LOVES YOU SO
AND HE CREATED
YOU, ALL FOR
HIMSELF
IT DOESN‘T MATTER
WHO YOU ARE OR
WHAT YOU‘VE EVER
DONE
IT DOESN‘T MATTER
HOW FAR YOU‘VE
GONE, HE‘S THE ONLY
ONE ... WHO CAN…
HEAL THE ONE WHO
LAYS DEATHLY SICK
... WITH THE WORST
INFECTION.
OR FIND A SOUL THAT
ONCE WAS LOST
WITHOUT AID OR
DIRECTION
HE CAN TAKE A
HEART SO FULL OF
HATE, AND CAUSE IT
TO LOVE AGAIN
HE CAN HEAL THE
PAIN, MEND YOUR
BROKEN HEART, WITH
ONE TOUCH OF HIS
HAND
HE CAN BRING HOME
THAT SON OR
DAUGHTER, THAT
HUSBAND OR THAT
WIFE
THAT MARRIAGE
THAT WAS
PRONOUNCED DEAD,
GOD PRONOUNCES
LIFE
HE CAN BRING YOU
BACK FROM YEARS OF
DRUG ADDICTION
GOD CAN! BELIEVE
ME, HE‘LL BRING YOU
BACK FROM ANY
AFFLICTION
HE CAN CLEAN THE
DIRTIEST HEART AND
SAVE THAT SOUL
FROM HELL
WHATEVER YOU
NEED, MY GOD CAN
DO, AND HE DOES ALL
THINGS SO WELL
SO IF YOU FEEL THAT
THERE‘S NO HOPE
YOU NEED TO
UNDERSTAND
GOD‘S WILLING AND
HE‘S ABLE, AND HE
CAN! YES, GOD CAN!
53 | P a g e
Remembering Is For
Elephants, Not Your
Spouse
How many times have you
did something to your
spouse that you knew was
going to go into the ―How
could you do me wrong‖
archives? There have been
times that I can remember
when I was dating if I
treated a woman wrong
whether it was intentional
or not, she would not let
me live it down. If I
stayed with her for any
amount of time, whenever
we would argue it would
come up again. ―Do you
remember when you did
(you fill in the blank)?‖
That‘s what she‘d say,
―Don‘t let that happen
again. I feel like you‘re
going back to that point
and I don‘t feel like going
through that again. You‘re
never going to change are
you?‖
Does the previous
conversation sound
familiar to you? I‘m sure
that any one of you reading
this that is or has been
married or in a relationship
for any period of time has
experienced this at one
point or another. The
problem is that this
conversation is a building
block to destroying your
marriage. I know this is a
strong statement but the
scriptures are full of
knowledge that supports
this statement. In Proverbs
21:19 the bible says, ―It is
better for a man to live on
the corner of the roof than
live with a quarrelsome
woman‖. (Also see
Proverbs 25:24) This is
just saying that it is very
difficult to live in the
house with a spouse who
argues all the time.
This reason this is a
building block for the
destruction of your
marriage is because it goes
against scripture. The
scriptures say that God
never remembers our
transgressions once we
repent and ask for His
forgiveness. (Psalms
103:12). Why does God
forget? Because once we
have asked for forgiveness
there is no reason to
continue to be upset.
When we carry
unforgiveness in our heart
it causes us to be out of
relationship with God.
This is what Jesus talked
about in Matthew 6:14-15
when He was teaching the
disciples how to pray.
God instructs us in His
word to forgive our
transgressions as we
forgive those who
transgress against us. So if
God is willing to forgive
us for the things we‘ve
done to Him when we
grieve His Holy Spirit by
continuing to sin, shouldn‘t
we be willing to forgive
our mates when they say or
do things that upset us?
There will be times during
our marriage that we get so
angry at our spouses that
we come to a position of
choosing whether or not
we will allow that thing to
fester and grow and
eventually cause a division
in our marriage. Here‘s
how it works:
1. A man forgets to
add an amount to
the checkbook and
it causes some
transactions to be
overdrawn. His
wife forgives him
but she doesn‘t
forget.
2. A wife uses the
debit card to
purchase something
that will benefit the
house but forgets to
tell her husband
about it and once
again, the checking
account is
overdrawn. He
54 | P a g e
forgives her but he
doesn‘t forget.
3. A husband is
caught drinking
again once he told
his wife he will
never drink again
because of how it
caused so much
tension in their
marriage. The wife
forgives him but
she doesn‘t forget.
4. A wife is caught
doing drugs by her
husband when she
said she would
never do it again
because of all the
times there was no
money left to pay
bills. The husband
forgives but never
forgets.
5. A husband has a
baby by another
woman while he‘s
still married and his
wife finds out. It
causes a serious
strain on the
marriage but his
wife forgives him.
But she never
forgets.
6. A wife is caught
cheating on her
husband with a
good friend of his
and this causes a
separation. They
work it out, get
back together. He
forgives her but he
never forgets.
Now watch this: Some 10
years later after all of these
problems occur in the
marriage, the husband
forgets to pick up some
milk at the store and his
wife goes absolutely
ballistic! She calls him
everything but a child of
God. She reminds him
how he always forgets to
enter things in the
checkbook. He reminds
her of the times she forgot
to put entries in the
checkbook and how angry
he got when she did that.
She fires back with how he
always tries to drink
alcohol behind her back
and he returns with a
heavy barrage of all the
times he came home and
smelled marijuana in the
bedroom. She then calls
his baby by another
woman a very bad name
and he then yells at her and
reminds her of all the times
she was in an extra-marital
relationship with his best
friend. How could she do
that to him? How could he
do that to her? That‘s it!!!
It‘s over!!
How did they get there?
They got there one
destructive building block
at a time. You see we
must remember that the
devil causes discord in our
marriage one incident at a
time. It doesn‘t seem like
you‘re headed for divorce
when you argue about not
putting the toilet lid down
or about why the bacon is
cooked too crispy. But
you are headed for divorce.
Why do I say this?
Because every time your
mate does something to
you and you forgive them
but don‘t forget it, you are
building up a wall that will
eventually come in
between you and your
spouse. Every time you
bring up a past mistake,
you thrust another knife
through your spouse‘s
heart. Every time you
remind them of how stupid
they were when they did
something 10 years ago,
you give them another
reason to hate you. And
believe me it can happen
before you know it.
Love your spouse with all
your heart, mind, and soul.
This requires sacrifice.
That means letting go of
the things they did
knowingly or unknowingly
to you. That means
accepting them for who
they are because they are
still the same person you
married in the sight of
God. Love your spouse
because the bible tells us
to. (Ephesians 5:22-28)
When we truly love our
spouse we will let those
things go that can disrupt a
happy marriage. Don‘t
allow the devil to enter in
and build destruction.
Instead allow God in so He
55 | P a g e
can build love on a solid,
firm foundation. Your
marriage will be much
better for it when you do.
God gives us all the
opportunity to choose Him.
When we don‘t choose
God, we invite the devil to
come in and destroy our
marriage by reminding us
of all of our mate‘s
imperfections. This can
cause major discord and
even lead to divorce in the
worse case scenario. But
when we choose God, He
places a hedge of
protection around us so our
marriage is protected from
the flaming darts of the
enemy.
*Additional scriptures -
Isaiah 59:1-2, Hebrews
9:22, 1 Peter 3:18,
Ephesians 1:7, Isaiah
43:25, Psalms 32:1-2,
Philippians 3:13-14,
Jeremiah 15:19, John 1:9,
2 Timothy 2:13
© 2010 Robert T. Sells –
All rights reserved
Mary‘s Story
By Mandy Woodhouse
I saw her from at distance
and tried not to stare.
Having been in Gulu for
nearly a week now I had
seen some tragic things,
but her appearance was by
far the most sobering.
Heavily mutated scar
tissue where an ear once
sat, missing lips and only a
small bump for a nose is
what I noticed before
becoming aware of her
incredibly tiny frame. The
next thing I noticed about
her almost immediately
was the small female
toddler with sad, round
eyes clinging to her skirt.
The child is a very familiar
sight in all of Uganda.
I had been in Kampala and
also Gulu, Uganda (East
Africa) pampering HIV
positive women and
former child soldier
abductees. I had heard few
years back about the
devastation in Gulu, and it
was finally the right time
for me to be there doing
something to help. God
had opened a door for me
to go, and I had no idea
what to expect.
Unsure of how to approach
her, I could not resist the
magnetic pull toward this
woman, Mary, and her
daughter. I didn‘t feel pity
for her as much as I did a
righteous anger and an
overwhelming awareness
of life. Real life, not my
Western life with its petty
worries. This may sound
selfish, but I knew that I
needed to meet her; my
soul needed to meet her.
Mary did not speak
English and never made
eye contact with me–but
up close, she was
beautiful. Her two-year
old daughter was
obviously the pride of her
life, and words could never
express how radiant Mary
became as I poured over
her little one. I spent about
three quarters of an hour
with Mary and her
daughter, and our smiles
and affection toward one
another was quick and
probably longer lasting
than words could ever have
been. I could not wait to
be the one to pamper her.
Sadly as our program
began, Mary and her
daughter had to leave most
suddenly. Our moment
together was over, and I
cannot describe the intense
grief my heartfelt when I
56 | P a g e
heard Mary‘s story after
her abrupt departure.
Mary had been the wife of
one of the Lord‘s
Resistance Army (LRA) in
the wars of Northern
Uganda. Like many
others, she had been
abducted as a small child
and forced into a sexual
relationship where
mutilation was the
punishment for the sin of
not being submissive to her
husband. Mary had
escaped and was found
hiding in the bush (with
her several children) by an
organization that needed
her as their main source of
promotional material for
funding their work in
Africa. Unfortunately, this
organization thought of
Mary as belonging to them
alone, and she was
therefore not allowed to
take part in any programs
sponsored by other
organizations in Gulu
including the one I was
connected to. Mary was
very aware of this, and yet
the morning I met her she
was volunteering with my
organization because she
had met Jesus there and
had a heart to help women
she deemed ―less
fortunate‖ than herself.
Mary is just one of a large
number women in the war
affected areas of Africa
who need to have their
stories told. I hope that in
briefly telling Mary‘s
story, maybe her history
and the history of her
friends can be rewritten.
To quote Mary, ―Jesus
saved me, now I may save
my nation…‖ I just pray
that I will live my
redemption the way Mary
lives hers!
_____________________________________________________________________________
57 | P a g e
SEEKING THE
FACE OF THE
LORD
THROUGH
FASTING AND
PRAYERS 2010
SEEK THE LORD AND LIVE
(AMOS: 5:4)
At the end and beginning of
each year, millions of people
around the world go into
fasting and prayers; seeking
the face of the Lord for a
much better future.
Especially for Christianity; it
has become a type of ritual
that many churches follow;
but not because they want to
seek the Lord face. They just
follow along because they
want to be among those who
are seen in the public as
holy. Seeking the face of the
Lord a much more than just
fasting for the public
approval; it is a period of
complete change for the
better. You cannot remain in
the old ways of exploitations,
lies, stealing, and proclaiming
messages to promote
yourself interest and say you
are seeking the face of the
Lord. The Prophet Isaiah
wrote: “Seek ye the LORD
while he may be found, call
ye upon him while he is near:
Let the wicked forsake his
way, and the unrighteous
man his thoughts: and let
him return unto the LORD,
and he will have mercy upon
him; and to our God, for he
will abundantly pardon”.
(Isa.556-7) as you can see
from that passage it is a time
to turn from our wickedness
of last year and return to the
Lord. If we really decide to
seek the Lord face for a
change; the change must
start within us. We must be
willing to give away
something in our lives in
order to be wash anew and
sanctify for a new walk in
life.
Seeking the Lord with your
whole heart is like someone
who has walk days without
water and is very thirsty for
water. The body cries for
even a drop of water to
quench its thirst and the
enthusiasm to find water is
with passion. If you seek the
LORD with that same
enthusiasm; you will
definitely find Him for you
will be ready to give up
anything to quench that
thirst. The Psalmist describes
it in these words; “I stretch
forth my hands unto thee:
my soul thirsteth after thee,
as a thirsty land Selah”.
(Psa.143:6) I live in a desert
country and I know what it
means for the ground to cry
for water. The crops dies ,
the cattle’s dies, people sink
wells deep in the ground the
dries up in weeks and
everyone begin to pray for
rain. The body is so
uncomfortable that one
would do anything just to get
a little water to cool off; and
minutes later you are
uncomfortable again. In the
old days; in Africa, it is said
that sometimes even human
sacrifices were offer to
appease their gods (who
were in fact powerless to
bring rain).Are you that
desperate as you go to seek
the Lord this year? What are
you willing to give up for that
change in life that you are
crying for? If you are not that
desperate enough to change
your old skin; your efforts
will be fruitless. Your efforts
will be fruitless because you
wish to continue in sin.
Fasting is usually observed
on occasion of public
calamities; when men has
58 | P a g e
been reminded that they
have no control over life and
regardless of who they are,
they can fall; afflictions;
approaching danger or
purification. As you may have
notice from the description I
listed, it has always been
selfishly about us and not
about the will of the Most
Highest God in Heaven. That
is why we must know the will
of God for our lives to
change over to those things
He wants us to do and not
what we want to do. There
are fast that God condemns
and fast that He accepts.
Sometimes after 40 days,
100 days, 7days, the
situation gets worse and God
does not hear our prayers.
Why is it that way? God does
not listen to our cries
because fast includes our
behavior and connection
with two Kingdoms; the
Kingdom on earth that cause
us to defiles our soul and the
Kingdom of God that is ready
to accept and cleanse us if
we are ready to change our
ways in this earthly Kingdom
and let ourselves be lead by
the rules of the Heavenly
Kingdom. The rules might
not be to your liking but it is
the key to your answer. Oh
God says I should share with
the poor, stop exploiting the
people in the churches for
false gain, stop oppressing
the people because they
cannot live up to your
standard; and love and
forgive the children of God
as you wish for God to do
you. You see if you do unto
those in your care as you
wish God to do for you; you
are bound to get approval
from Heaven. Because most
of the time we do the
opposite; our fast and
prayers are rejected by God.
It is written; “Wherefore
have we fasted, say they, and
thou seest not? Wherefore
have we afflicted our soul,
and thou takest no
knowledge? Behold, in the
day of your fast ye find
pleasure, and exact all your
labours. Behold, ye fast for
strife and debate, and to
smite with the fist of
wickedness: ye shall not fast
as ye do this day, to make
your voice to be heard on
high. Is it such a fast that I
have chosen? A day for a
man to afflict his soul? Is it to
bow down his head as a
bulrush, and to spread
sackcloth and ashes under
him? Wilt thou call this a
fast, and an acceptable day
to the LORD? Is not this the
fast that I have chosen? To
loose the bands of
wickedness, to undo the
heavy burdens, and to let the
oppressed go free, and that
ye break every yoke? Is it not
to deal thy bread to the
hungry, and that thou bring
the poor that are cast out to
thy house? When thou seest
the naked, that thou cover
him; and that thou hide not
thyself from thine own
flesh”? (Isa.58:3-7) So is it a
hopeless cause we have
embarked upon during this
period of fasting or is there a
way to fast and seek the face
of the LORD and He will
consider our weakness and
turn his face to our cries.
Like I stated above if we
must get the attention of the
LORD ; we must sanctify
ourselves and gather in a
repented/ solemn mood ;
honestly sorry for our sins
and ready to turn a new
page( I am not talking about
pretending during the period
of fast and prayer); for it is
written : “Therefore also
now, saith the LORD, turn ye
even to me with all your
heart, and with fasting, and
with weeping, and with
mourning: And rend your
heart, and not your
garments, and turn unto the
LORD your God: for he is
gracious and merciful, slow
to anger, and of great
kindness, and repenteth him
of the evil”.(Joel 2:12-13)
However one important fact
to note is that even as you go
through this period of fast
59 | P a g e
and prayer; let it be between
you and God and not an
open affair. It is written;
“Moreover when ye fast, be
not, as the hypocrites, of a
sad countenance: for they
disfigure their faces that they
may appear unto men to
fast. Verily I say unto you,
they have their reward. But
thou, when thou fastest,
anoint thine head, and wash
thy face; that thou appear
not unto men to fast, but
unto thy Father which is in
secret: and thy Father, which
seeth in secret, shall reward
thee openly”.
Seeking the face of the Lord
can benefiting and joyful if
you know the will of God and
follow the rules written in
the guide Book of life; The
Holy Bible and allow the Holy
Spirit to lead you in your
thought and desires; erasing
those evil things this body of
dirt lust for. The guide Book
advices us to seek the LORD
like this:
1. Seek Him with all your
heart and all your soul.
(Deut. 4:29, 2Chr.31:21)
2. Seek the LORD to
commit your cause (Job 5:8)
3. Strive to be pure and
upright when seeking the
face of the LORD (Job 8:6)
4. Seek the lord with
understanding (Psa. 14:12)
5. Seek the LORD to lead
you in the TRUTH and to
TEACH you His ways; be your
salvation and defender.
(Psa.25:5, 15)
6. Seek the LORD to
always dwell in His presence
and to have the right to
inquire in His temple as His
child. (Psalms 27:4)
7. Seek the LORD to
deliver you from all your
fears; and to be your
provider. (Psa.34:4, 10)
8. Seek the LORD when
your soul is thirsty. (Psa.63:1-
8)
9. Seek the LORD IN
humbleness (69:32)
10. Seek the LORD with tears
and hold on to Him for
deliverance with your voice
in the day of trouble. (77:1-9)
11. Seek the LORD for
knowledge and
understanding with a passion
as strong as you seek the
treasures of the earth. (Prov.
2:3-5)
12. Seek the LORD as a
watchman and when you
find Him; hold on to Him.
(Song 3:1-5)
I do not know what your
quest is as you bow your
head down to the LORD this
year; but if it is honestly to
get a result from God; let me
advice you to stop fooling
yourself and get real with
God, or you are fasting in
vain. It is my prayer that you
seek the face of the LORD
and live and be prosperous in
this land which He has given
you.
OUR PRAYERS 2010
1. We need perfect
interpreters because online
interpretations in other
languages of the world are
bad.
2. We need the means to
visit other Ministry to impart
the Word of God and help
rewind those gone astray.
3. We want to open an
online magazine for the
purpose of highlighting real
Shepherds works and needs
etc. & need volunteers to
write, edit, and publish.
4. And we need funds to
meet our monthly bills;
because our only business is
the Lord’s and congregation
is you out there.
5. Most of all we need you
prayers and criticism,
questions etc.
60 | P a g e
If you desire help please
write to: Bishop Steven
Liberty
kpolonyeenkpor2005@gmail.
com
bishopstevenlib@aol.com
ACCOUNT NO.
01001523306014
SWIFT CORE: ECOCSNDA
ECOBANK DAKAR SENEGAL
___________________________________________________________________________________
61 | P a g e
Please support the 2010 spotlighted Authors!
Order Your Book Today!
Paulette Harper-That was then, this is now. Paulet_harper@yahoo.com
Mylow Young- Against the Gates of Hell. mylowyoung@yahoo.com
Eliza Earsman- A Collection of Verses. rosewhitel@yahoo.co.uk
Tammy Drake-Ramblings of a Beating Heart. t_drake70@yahoo.com
Carole Steamer-EyceCreme in Many Flavors. eycecremeimf@yahoo.com
Andrea Michele Mills-There‟s Too Much Hell in the Church.
michele_amills@yahoo.com
Dr. Virginia Booth-When Your Promises Have Died.
vbministries2008@yahoo.com
Maya C. Houston-Journey the Soul of a Poet. msmaya_7@yahoo.com
Lenore Artis-Dark Blessing. laartmin@aol.com
62 | P a g e
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