Monday, December 9, 2019

Pre-Christmas Thoughts

It has been several weeks since I have posted on the blog. It has been one of those months in which one situation after another seemed to take over my schedule and my time. It seemed that "tomorrow" never arrived although I was faithfully waiting day after day for tomorrow. Have you ever endured days like that? I am sure that each of us have encountered those moments in which we kept waiting for tomorrow to arrive. Tomorrow seems to hide in our yesterdays and we become so busy that today vanishes before we know what has happened. I would like to share a portion of a recent letter that I shared with our church family.

The Spirit has been challenging my heart as we move toward the celebration of Christmas. These following thoughts are not meant to dampen our excitement, enthusiasm or joy concerning Christmas. BUT I do believe that each of us face the daily challenge to keep the “main thing” the “main thing.” What is the main statement that the celebration of Christmas makes to us? It is the birth of Christ, the Savior of the world. The crush of the present culture causes us to fight for the moments in which we rest in the hope of the events that took place in and around Bethlehem.

This following scripture is taken from the message of Jesus concerning the parable of the farmer sowing seeds. He uses this parable to remind believers of their various responses. You can find the full story in Luke 8. This passage today is taken from the NLT. Luke 8:14,The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity.”

Each of us understands the fact that we face a battle with the cares, riches and pleasures of life. Most of us remove the challenge of riches from our conversation because we think that we are not rich when compared to some of the “wealthy” people of our nation and world. YET, we are considered rich when compared to the majority of people who live in our world in poverty. We have to be careful that the cares of life do not overwhelm us in such a manner that we lose sight of the message that God is sharing with us through the revelation of Christmas.

I just want to remind us to not let the busyness of life and the weight of this world to move us away from the life changing message of Christmas. The source of our hope, joy, peace, Salvation as well all of the other needs that we will encounter was born in the manger in Bethlehem. It is no wonder that the Heavens were full of angels offering praise to God. Luke 2:13-14,Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
WOW!!! We cannot afford to forget the awesome as well as life-changing message of Christmas. We must remember that the birth of Christ was the beginning of the “open door” of fellowship with our Heavenly Father. The birth of Christ provided the entry point of the Savior who would ultimately offer His life on Calvary as a SACRIFICE FOR OUR SINS! We cannot afford to forget that message or allow that message to grow stale or grow unproductive in our lives. The Truth of Christmas would bring change to the world of that day and it is still bringing change to our present day world. The message of Christmas will still bring change to us today IF WE WILL TAKE THE TIME TO LISTEN!!

Friday, October 25, 2019

The IMPORTANCE of LISTENING

I believe that God is always speaking to us in some form or shape. It may not always be a “special” word but in some way God is seeking to connect with our hearts. We just have to be willing to respond to Him and allow Him entrance into our lives. A lady in our congregation shared some personal thoughts on her FB post and I asked her permission to share it with you today. I am convinced that God is calling EACH OF US to listen for His Voice. He has promised to speak life over us as well as in us! WILL WE TAKE TIME TO LISTEN TODAY?

“I have been thinking about my journey of life. I strive to be all God wants me to be. I fall short so many times and I feel like I let the Lord down. The Holy Spirit guides me on this journey and if I don’t listen closely enough and I let the noise of my life drown out his voice, I miss his direction and guidance in my life.

We allow our busy lives to take us away from time we need to spend with the Lord. We put God second and that is why we struggle so many times in our lives. We try to fill that void in our life with the pleasures of this world and that is why we lose our peace and joy. Nothing can replace what God can do for you in your life.

I have tried to fill voids in my life with other things in my life and it never replaced the emptiness, the loneliness, and the hurt that I was running from. The harder I tried to run away from the feelings, the more I struggled. Nothing could replace the struggle I was facing, but God. When I cried out to the Lord, he heard my cry and he restored my soul. He replaced the emptiness and the hurt and the pain with his overwhelming love and healing for my soul.

When I surrendered all to him, my captive spirit was set free. Free at last, free at last. Thank God almighty I am free at last. No more shackles and no more chains. I encourage you to surrender all to Jesus. Don’t make the mistake of turning a deaf ear to the Holy Spirit. If you let him lead you, you will find that your life will be one of victory and peace.

God is so GOOD!!

Friday, September 20, 2019

Times of Refreshing

Psalm 85:6,Will You not revive us again, That Your people may rejoice in You?” (NKJV) (Emphasis Added) I would like to take a moment and focus on the word “revive.”

This word in the Hebrew language opens up an insight into the Word of God. I would like to mention a few of them in this message. The word revive reveals this truth to us. The primary root word means “to live.” Jesus said that He came for us to enjoy the “abundant life (fullness of life). Each of us needs to understand that there are times in which God desires to breathe a “breath of fresh air” into our lives on this journey of life. This word also reveals this meaning; “preserve, quicken, repair, restore (to life), be whole.” I truly believe that each of us could find ourselves needing these additional meanings of the word “revive” to come alive to us.

I am truly convinced that God desires to awaken the church in this day and time. We are in need of the “quickening” power of the Holy Spirit to work in our lives. This is a day of spiritual warfare in which the enemy seeks to overwhelm us with the “cares of life.” Many of us are facing unique circumstances in our lives in which we may need some “spiritual, physical, emotional and even financial restoration.” I also believe that God desires for the church be “made whole” as we continue to minister in the 21st century. This is not the time for believers to be “sick or injured.” This is not the time for believers to be “weary or worn down.” This is day of the REVIVING POWER OF GOD to be poured out on the family of God. The time for REFRESHING, RENEWAL, and REVIVING is KNOCKING AT THE DOOR!!

Who will join me in the answering the knock at the door? Revelation 3:20,Behold, I (Jesus) stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” (NKJV) (Emphasis Added)

Let me say it is this way. It will take more than just placing our hand on the knob on the door. We must be willing to turn the knob as well as touch the door knob. Our response to God will require more than just the use of “religious words and phrases.” Our response to God will require the “release of our faith, trust, and surrender.” I truly desire to make the correct decision in this critical time in the history of humanity. I would like to encourage you to make the correct decision regarding your relationship with God. This is not the time to grow cold, indifferent, lackadaisical, and unconcerned when it comes to our relationship with our Heavenly Father!!!


Friday, August 2, 2019

Friday's Inspiration

Good morning! This is another day that the Lord has made and it is another wonderful opportunity to offer our praise to God. I attended a Community Revival on Tuesday evening and the Minister reminded us of the need to be THANKFUL. I was reminded of the importance of celebrating God for who He is rather than just celebrating the blessings that He provides for each of us on a daily basis.

I have sensed the presence of God reminding me of the provisions that He has prepared for each of us. Someone in our church family felt led to share with me the song Nothing But The Blood. I listened to the song several times as well as other songs that talked about the blood of Jesus being shed for my sins as well as the sins of every human being. I was overwhelmed by the presence of God as He reminded me of the PRICE that was paid for my spiritual freedom. We need to remember that our salvation cost Jesus His life and now we are able to be included in the family of God because He was willing to pay the price for EACH OF US!! Isn’t that an AMAZING FACT?

We live in a culture that tries to lure us away from the presence of God. The enemy seeks to draw us away from God and in doing so we begin to look at other options to meet the needs of our life. The words of this song were dropped into my spirit this morning. Some of you may remember this song while others may not. Let these words sink deep into your heart today as you reflect on the mercy and love of God.

“The world will try to satisfy that longing in your soul, You may search the wide world over but you'll be just as before. You'll never find true satisfaction until you've found the Lord, For only Jesus can satisfy your soul. Only Jesus can satisfy your soul And only He can change your heart And make you whole; He'll give you peace you never knew Sweet love and joy and Heaven too, For only Jesus can satisfy your soul.” (Lanny Wolfe) 

JUST REMEMBER that ONLY JESUS CAN SATISFY YOUR SOUL!!

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Thursday Thought's

Good morning! I trust that your journey with God is full of the richness of the presence of God. His Word reveals that He will never leave or forsake us! Isn’t that a powerful promise that goes with us through every moment of our lives? I am learning to depend on that promise even more as I continue my journey of life. I am learning to depend on this promise even more as I see the continuing changes in our culture. I shared this thought last Sunday and I still believe it today!! “God has a Word for this generation.” Each of us needs to take heed to the Word of God and allow it to do its work in our lives!!

I read Psalm 100 this morning. Take time to read it and recognize the commands of God as well as the promises of God. The Spirit through David reminds us to shout, sing, serve and be glad in the first few words. The Spirit reminds us that we are the “sheep of His pasture” and that “He has made us.” Verse 5 spoke to me this morning. This verse reveals the goodness of God, the faithfulness of God, the mercy of God as well as the truth of God. Psalm 100:5, For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.

If you grew up in a Christian home, you may have been taught this childhood prayer: “God is great. God is good. Let us thank him for our food. Amen.” While simplistic, that prayer covers one key characteristic of God: His goodness. It can be hard to believe in God’s goodness for many reasons, including when we’re in pain. We forget it when we’re in conflict. We think it’s for everyone else except us when we’re depressed. And when we’re worried or stressed out, we can’t seem to find—much less think about—God’s goodness, even when it’s right in front of us.

Focusing on God’s goodness is so important to your life because it gives you perspective on your darkest days, when you need it the most. Each of us has encountered and more than likely we will encounter more dark days on our journey of life. But we cannot ever afford to forget God’s goodness. This decision can cause each of us all kinds of difficulties. Our enemy can use these difficulties as a weapon to work against our relationship with God.

Each of us can remember those moments in which the goodness of God was revealed to us when life was providing us with various challenges and difficulties. At those moments we must choose to look to God and His Word for strength, guidance and direction. The goodness of God will not fail us if we will place our complete trust and confidence in Him. I understand the challenge of making the decision to trust God but I have also personally seen the reward of trusting God and placing my confidence in Him.

I truly believe that God wants to give us a life of spiritual confidence, even on our most difficult days. He wants to give us the assurance we need that is found in the Word of God. He will provide the protection we need regardless of the situation that we may be facing. He wants to give each of us a life of spiritual influence and spiritual abundance. He will provide the guidance, direction and strength to meet the challenges of life head on and come out victorious in our walk with Christ!!

These are challenging days to say the least. The headlines on the various information sources reveal strife, stress, anxiety, difficulties, etc. in every continent in the world. We can run from these challenges and we can choose to ignore these challenges.  Or we can face these challenges and walk in the strength and faithfulness of God’s goodness.

Thursday, July 11, 2019

Thursday Thoughts

Good morning on a day that appears it will be full of warmth and heat as the day moves forward. Life brings to us those moments in which we feel the “heat of reality.” But we have the privilege of taking those “moments” into the presence of God and we have been afforded the opportunity of asking Abba Father for His assistance!! I feel like declaring the words of the song that says “I will raise a Hallelujah!!” It is a blessing to know that God is not only interested in our daily journey but He is also interested in directing our steps of life.

Psalm 37:23,The steps of a [good and righteous] man are directed and established by the Lord, And He delights in his way [and blesses his path].” (AMP)

The words “divine alignment” was shared in one of my recent devotionals. Those words have been “burning” in my spirit since the moment that I read them. We can certainly recognize and identify the fact that the powers of darkness are aligning themselves against the Good News of the Bible. We see the Truth of God being discarded and replaced with the opinions of men and women. The Truth of God is being placed on the “back burner” of life and our society is choosing to follow their own plan of life rather than seeking the plan of God for their life. We even see the pressure from society for the “church” to change her opinion of Truth to fit more easily into the world view of what is right and what is wrong.

But I also see another alignment that is taking place in our world. It is revealed in the passage found in Psalm 37. I truly believe that God will align our steps and order our path IF WE will follow His leadership. We can see examples throughout the Bible in which God ordered the path of various individuals as well as ordered the path of His people. The Spirit of God led Moses back to Egypt at just the right time to speak to Pharaoh. The Spirit of God led Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus to Egypt BUT He also brought them back to Nazareth at the right time. The man named Saul who would later be referenced as The Apostle Paul was born into the family of God at the timing of God. Each of us can remember times in our lives in which God placed us at the right place at the right time.

I think that I will raise ANOTHER HALLELUJAH when I reflect on the ability of God to order our steps on our journey of life. I also believe that God is at work among His people around the world. There is a “spirit of awakening” that is taking place in the lives of various individuals. I personally know some of these individuals as well as I read about this “awakening” happening in various locations both near as well as far away.

I feel the need to remind each of us that we are people of free will. God has given us the option of following His guidance or choosing to follow our own set of plans. This choice is a very serious one to make. Our eternal destination depends on us making the correct choice when it comes to the path of life that we choose. I am asking God to give me the courage and strength I need to follow His guidance and apply His Truth to my life. This may not be the most popular route to take BUT I do believe that it will be the most profitable route to choose.

Friday, June 28, 2019

Good morning on this bright and sunny day! The past few weeks have presented us with many cloudy, dreary, rainy and stormy days. But even on those days the Sun was still shining but we were unable to see it due to the clouds that surrounded us. It is the same way with the Son of God. He is with us even when we are surrounded by the clouds of fear, doubt, worry, frustration, hurt, disappointment, struggles, battles, etc. But we need to remember today that Jesus Christ is still present and He will shine on our lives as we continue to look for Him!!

Luke 5:3-7,Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.” (NKJV)
For the past 13 plus years I have carried what I believe to be a word from God. And I do not use those words lightly. I truly believe that God deposited in me a call to look for, pray for and participate in a spiritual awakening in my life as well as the lives of others that I would encounter. I was captured by this during a prayer encounter with God and I am still captured by this encounter with God. I was so convinced of this call that I felt led to resign the Pastorate in Louisville and begin a journey of an Iterant Evangelist. Our obedience produced many wonderful encounters with the Holy Spirit in various congregations and Conventions around the nation. Our obedience to God played a major role in the church plant in Radcliff, KY.

I am sharing this with you today because I am still convinced that God desires to awaken His people. The AWAKENING of the PEOPLE OF GOD will propel us and lead us into the deeper things of God. I believe that the deeper things of God will propel us as well as lead us into the harvest field that is ripe. I was praying about the need for a deeper move of God this morning. I have prayed about the need for a deeper move of God for many mornings over the past 13 plus years.

We have participated in some “spiritual rain showers” but I have not seen the “flood” of the Spirit that is being released in various parts of the world. I can either chose to give up on what I believe is the inspiration of the Spirit or I can choose to press on and press in. There are moments in which I think about backing off and backing away from the “call” from God. But I can’t stop believing and stop encouraging people to draw closer to God when I look at the condition of the world and see the struggles in the church world that people are facing. The words of this old song ring in my ears today as I am typing these words; “Where could I go but to the Lord?” 

I do not have time to do an exegesis of the scripture passage that I have shared today. But I would like to ask us to ponder these questions. “Why are we hesitant to launch out into the deep? What are we afraid of when it comes to drawing closer to God? Why do we resist drawing closer to God? Why do we think that we do not need to have more of God in our lives? What will it take for me to receive the call and challenge from God and put it into full action in my life?” Feel free to ask your own questions to these that I shared.

Each of us needs to realize that our world is being flooded with evil, sin and wickedness. We are going to need the flood of the Holy Spirit in our lives to counteract these attempts of satan to destroy our walk with God!!

Thursday, May 23, 2019

Memorial Day

I trust that each of us realizes that the presence of God’s love, care, concern and interest is “fresh and new” each and every day of our lives. This knowledge reminds me of the song, “Oh, What a Savior.” We are blessed to know that God loves us unconditionally and He does not abandon us regardless of the situations of life!!

I offer God praise, appreciation and thanksgiving for this past weekend’s services. The presence of God was very identifiable and His ministering presence was received by many of those who participated in those services. I truly believe that God desires to reveal His presence among us as we gather as His family in our times of worship whether private or public. We must be willing to identify His presence and then obediently respond to His presence. We have to expand our thinking from just knowing “that we need God”. We must BOLDLY DECLARE THAT WE WANT HIM TO PERFORM HIS WORK IN OUR LIVES!! I continue to seek for guidance as I follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. This is a critical time for Christians in America. I have been praying and will continue to pray for a SPIRITUAL AWAKENING in our personal lives, our families, our churches, our communities as well as our nation!!

I am sure that each of us knows that this coming weekend is Memorial Day Weekend. I would like to ask you to take a moment and realize that Memorial Day is more than cookouts, mini vacations, the opening of swimming pools, etc. I do not believe that any of these events are evil or sinful if they are conducted in the right manner. I am not writing this to condemn anyone as much as I feel challenged to remind us of what this weekend should represent. I was awakened with a “spirit of heaviness” which I believe came from the Holy Spirit as I began to reflect on the memories of those who sacrificed their lives on a battlefield in America or around the world.

It seems to me that the people of America have a tendency to take “moments of remembrance” and turn them into opportunities to celebrate ourselves rather than focusing on the true purpose of the Holiday. I am quite sure that there are families across our nation who still lives with the daily loss of a loved one on a battlefield in some far away land. And let us also not forget those families whose loved one has the letters MIA or POW attached to their name!! There are still men and women being deployed to BATTLE FIELDS today or to areas of unrest and trouble. We must continue to pray for these brave men and women who are serving our nation. They are protecting our FREEDOM and we need to cover them in prayer!!

I found this information concerning Memorial Day and I would like to share it with you. Memorial Day is much more than just a three-day weekend and a chance to get the year's first sunburn. It's a time to remember the men and women who sacrificed their lives for their country. MEMORIAL DAY BEGAN AS A RESPONSE TO THE CIVIL WAR. Memorial Day was a response to the unprecedented carnage of the Civil War, in which a total of some 620,000 soldiers died between both sides. The loss of life and its effect on communities throughout the country led to several spontaneous commemorations of the dead.

In 1864, women from Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, put flowers on the graves of their fallen soldiers from the just-fought Battle of Gettysburg. The next year, a group of women decorated the graves of soldiers buried in a Vicksburg, Mississippi Cemetery. In April 1866, women from Columbus, Mississippi, laid flowers on the graves of both Union and Confederate soldiers. In the same month, in Carbondale, Illinois, 219 Civil War veterans marched through town in memory of the fallen to Woodlawn Cemetery, where Union hero Major General John A. Logan delivered the principal address. The ceremony gave Carbondale its claim to the first organized, community-wide Memorial Day observance. 

Each of us needs to remember our personal opportunity to take some time and reflect on those "who gave it all" as we are enjoying OUR FREEDOM TODAY!!

Friday, April 26, 2019

Friday's Reflections

I would like to take a moment and look back at a recent Wednesday night Bible Study. The video teacher made a statement that challenged me that evening and still challenges me today. He said, “Our goal as Christians should be to get into the presence of God.” I believe that this should be a personal desire as well as a corporate desire. Listen to David’s words in Psalm 84:1-2, “How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.”  WOW!! Isn’t that an awesome challenge but also a wonderful opportunity for each believer?

Have you heard the term “name dropper?” Human beings enjoy letting their family and friends know “who they know.” We enjoy dropping their names at just the right time in the conversation so that it will garner the most attention. Even preachers have been known to do this in their preaching. LOL We enjoy people knowing that we know someone of importance, fame, fortune, or a “star” in either sports or entertainment. There is certainly no sin being committed when we put that practice into action. BUT DO YOU REALIZE that believers know the One whom EVERYONE will bow before one day? (Philippians 2:10) Are we sure that we want to limit famous and powerful to this world only? REALLY?

In 1 Samuel 17:34-37 we see a glimpse into the impact of David meeting with God early in his life. Scripture says, But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David“Go, and the Lord be with you!” It was during David’s time in the fields that He learned of God’s power and desire for deliverance. He learned what it was to meet with God in the daily walk and work of life. And he carried that knowledge with him into every battle, trial, and failure. Yes, there is much more to learn from being in the presence of God as an individual BUT ALSO AS A CORPORATE BODY OF BELIEVERS!!!

I want to make being in the presence of God a priority in my life. I understand that we are all busy people with responsibilities. We are unable to spend each waking hour of our lives in some secluded place in our home. But doesn’t the Bible teach us to “pray without ceasing?” We know that there are physical limitations to that action BUT WE CAN LIVE WITH AN ATTITUDE OF PRAYER!! I believe that we can also live with an attitude of being in the presence of God throughout the day. That simply means that we can live with an “open heart” always looking for an encounter with God as well as always listening for Him to speak to us in some shape, form or manner!!

Thursday, April 18, 2019

Thursday's Reflections

Good morning! This week’s weather reminds us that we are in a stage of transition when it comes to our weather forecast. HOLY WEEK reveals a time of transition in the earthly life of Jesus Christ. He went from being celebrated (Palm Sunday) to being crucified (Good Friday) in the period of one short week. BUT aren’t you glad that the story does not end at the grave? We can fast forward to the FIRST DAY of a new week. The new week brought the RESURRECTION OF OUR SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST!! Let me add these words, I am thankful for the NEW DAYS in my life in which I see Christ in a fresh revelation!!

It is during my times of prayer and meditation that I continue to hear the words "fresh and new." We declare that the story of the cross is an "old, old story" YET it is still powerful, relevant, life-changing as well as VERY IMPORTANT to share in this present time and era of life. The Gospel message may be considered "old news" YET it is still fresh and new!! How can that statement be true? It is true because the disciples found the grave empty and they found JESUS CHRIST ALIVE!! We look back and remember that He died! We look up and remember that HE IS ALIVE!!

Let me share some words from Anne Graham Lotz. “He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit (John 19:30, NKJV). After nine hours of standing on His feet, after being scourged, slapped, and manhandled, after six hours of hanging on the Cross, the average person would have barely had enough life and breath left to even whisper. But Jesus, the Lamb of God, with life still fully flowing through His body, shouted out in a clear, ringing, triumphant voice, “It is finished.” The price for our redemption had been paid! The sacrifice for our sin had been made! Sin was forgiven! Guilt was atoned for! Eternal life was now offered! Heaven has been opened! It is finished!

Now let me share the words from the Apostle John recorded in John 20:1-8, “Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed.(NKJV)

Friday, April 12, 2019

Testimony on Friday

This is the day that the Lord has made. The word "today" has been rising up in my spirit on a constant basis over the past few weeks. The Spirit continues to remind me that God is present NOW and that He desires to reveal Himself NOW!! I refuse to just live in my memories of yesterday. I refuse to just live in my dreams of the future. I DESIRE to live in the HERE & NOW regarding my relationship with Jesus Christ.

Early this morning a lady that attends church at New River sent me a copy of the post that she had placed on Facebook. I wanted to share her testimony with you. This miracle from God took place on Thursday as she encountered a visitation of the Holy Spirit. Would you take a moment and read the thoughts she shared concerning her "SPIRITUAL BREAKTHROUGH!!!" You and I can receive our BREAKTHROUGH TODAY!!!

Do you need God to give you a breakthrough today? Are you struggling today with the weight of the world which so easily besets you? I am here to testify that God is the God of your breakthrough. I received my breakthrough last night. I had been struggling in my life to overcome some powerful words that were spoken over me as a child. The power of these words held me back in my life and kept me feeling like I was a nobody and would never do or be anything in my life. Feelings of insecurity and self worth were present in my life and they were my constant companion. 

But you know God showed up at my door unexpectedly and through a very special person to me, gave me the words of life and through these powerful and beautiful words that were spoken by the Holy Ghost through thIs person, I was set free from this bondage in my life. How did I know I was set free? God came on me and I went to my room and I got on my knees before God and began to weep uncontrollably and I felt God lift this bondage off of me through the power of these life changing words that were spoken to me by the Holy Ghost. God used my special friend to breathe life back into my soul. 

Do you know what it feels like to walk in freedom and victory? I do!! I felt the peace of God come over me and I could not stop crying because of the overwhelming presence of God that unexpectedly knocked on my door and gave me my breakthrough. I am free from the bondages of the enemy. My chains are gone. I have been set free, my God, my savior, has ransomed me. and like a flood his mercy reigns unending love, AMAZING GRACE! 

I am going forth today with new strength, vision, purpose and determination I am walking into the plan God has for me and the shackles and chains are back in the prison cell that I was in. Did you know you could be a prisoner of your own soul? You can hold yourself prisoner by believing the lies of the enemy. The enemy wants to put doubt, fear, discouragement and hopelessness on you to hold you captive. He wants to hold you captive so you will never know the peace and freedom of God. That is his job and we need to break loose of these bondages and tell the enemy to loose us and let us go in Jesus name. 

I don’t know about you but I am taking back what the devil stole from me. It started last night. Today is a new day for me. It is a beautiful day that the Lord has made. God makes all things new.God may show up at your door unexpectedly today. When he knocks, open the door, because he brought you a gift. It is your BREAKTHROUGH.. SURPRISE!!!! God amazes me when he special delivers your gift, in ways we do not expect. God is so good and his mercies are new everyday. We serve a God who never fails. Thank you Lord for my breakthrough. Knock, knock, who is there? It’s God with your breakthrough. Did you answer the door?

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Christ is MY Rock

John 8:56-59, Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” 57 Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” 59 Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by. (NKJV)

I read a story concerning a dream a twelve year-old named Christopher had been having--a nightmare that recurred several times during a month long period.   Whenever the boy focused on an object in his dream, it would suddenly shrink and then start spinning counterclockwise at ever-increasing speeds.   The experience was so unnerving that when he woke up, he saw objects in his bedroom growing smaller and smaller and then beginning to spin uncontrollably, just like in his nightmare. Finally one night the dream changed.

"I was having the dream," Christopher explained, "when suddenly a slab of stone appeared right in front of my face so I couldn't see anything else. It looked like it was some kind of marble and had handles on either side and writing on it. As soon as I saw it, I grabbed on to the handles. When I looked closer, I realized the inscription read: ‘Jesus Is the Rock.' It blocked out all the stuff that had been scaring me, and I never had the dream again." Christopher's dream offers a wonderful image of how Jesus can deal with our fear. When Christopher was looking at the stone, he couldn't see anything else, not even the things that frightened him. Grabbing hold of the rock, he was at peace and the nightmare vanished.

What are you facing today that frightens you or shakes your confidence? Illness? Job loss? Trouble at home? Difficulties at work? No matter how out of control life may seem, decide to keep your eyes glued to Jesus--to his character and his faithfulness and not to the circumstances that disturb you. Recommit yourself not only to hearing his Word but to building your life on it, confident that when the rains come down, the streams rise up, and the winds blow and beat against your house, it will not fall because its foundation is securely built on the rock. 

Friday, April 5, 2019

#SPIRITUALALERT

I remember an old saying from my childhood, “Do not wish your life away.” I need to embrace TODAY as a day that the Lord has made. I need to rejoice in what God is doing right at this moment even if I do not see the results at this present time. I believe that God is at work even when I cannot identify His presence because of everything that I may be facing. Those become the moments in which we offer what the Bible calls “the sacrifice of Praise.”

I believe that each of us needs to recognize that Christians are engaged in spiritual warfare even if we do not accept that fact to be true. Some of us are dealing with an all out attack of satan and the powers of darkness. Others of us are facing the subtle, sly attempts of satan to defeat our walk of faith. Let me remind both of these groups about the truth of the matter. The powers of darkness are seeking to undermine, overwhelm and ultimately OVERTHROW AND DEFEAT OUR FAITH IN GOD!!

Ephesians 6:10, A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.Notice this Word from God comes prior to the direction from God about putting on the armor of God. The Spirit and the Word reminds us that EACH OF US will need to be strong in the Lord and we will need to walk in His mighty power.

This brings me to my inspiration for today. Does anyone else notice that the enemy of our soul seeks to “weaken” our faith through all of the “stuff” that we are encountering? Satan desires for the present day church to be weak in the Lord rather than strong in the Lord. I truly believe that the Holy Spirit has called me to bring these words to our attention today.

The spirit of this culture wants us to be weakened through these attempts of satan. Each of us knows the importance of a strong immunity system from a physical point of view. A strong immunity system provides the strength and stamina we need to fight off various illnesses, diseases, infections, etc. I FIRMLY BELIEVE that a HEALTHY SPIRITUAL IMMUNITY SYSTEM will provide the strength and stamina that we need to fight off the enemy as He seeks to move us away from our relationship with God.

God is calling us to draw a line in the sand and resist these attempts of satan. I am witnessing these attacks of satan in my life as well as in the lives of people that I know on a personal basis. We cannot afford to ignore these attacks of satan. We cannot afford to surrender SO EASILY to these attacks of satan. We cannot afford to accept SPIRITUAL WEAKNESS in our lives WHEN THE WORD OF GOD AND THE SPIRIT OF GOD PROMISES US STRENGTH!!  

God is calling us to be alert and awake to the strategies, attacks, and tactics of satan (The Word in the KJV Bible is “wiles.”). We also cannot afford to RESIST the effort of the Holy Spirit and the Word to draw our attention to a need for each of us to have a closer walk with God. We must stop RESISTING the Spirit and the Word of God that is speaking to us. Rather, we must EMBRACE what the Spirit and the Word of God desires to accomplish in our lives.

Friday, March 22, 2019

Friday's Break from the Normal

Preachers face the challenge of sharing the Gospel message to a variety of people. This variety is filled with different ages, different spiritual backgrounds, different likes and/or dislikes, different levels of understanding, different thought processes, different doctrinal beliefs, different views of the importance of "preaching", different views of the quality/ability of the messenger, etc. This is an endless list that could be filled with many differences BUT I think you may be getting the picture that I am trying to paint.

But there is one commonality when it comes to preaching although preaching is being replaced with "inspirational talks" in many ministries. But we must remember that this is not a sporting event where the coach is called on to "motivate" the team into playing their best game. Preaching is not about playing a game; preaching is about dealing with the eternal destiny of humanity. Preaching is not about getting you prepared to win the NCAA tournament. Preaching is about sharing the Word of God which will lead us into the right type of fellowship as well as relationship with our Heavenly Father. 

I want to share a passage of scripture that has been speaking to me since the beginning of 2019. Would you take a moment and let this passage "preach" to you today? Allow the Word of God speak to the "spiritual man/woman" that you desire to be. It is taken from the Spirit inspired and Spirit anointed writings of the Apostle Paul.

Philippians 4:4-9, Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, take pleasure in Him]; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit [your graciousness, unselfishness, mercy, tolerance, and patience] be known to all people. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God. And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours]. Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].  The things which you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things [in daily life], and the God [who is the source] of peace and well-being will be with you.” (Amplified)

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

Tuesday's Thoughts

Anyone who has heard me preach in the past months know that I believe that we are certainly living in a time of "spiritual warfare." I have already received two (2) requests this morning concerning the attacks of satan on the lives of individuals. These requests do not include the requests that I am already praying about. How will we handle these attempts to overthrow and defeat our faith? Our hope will be revealed as well as be released as we stand on the promises of God that are declared in the Word of God. But let me also interject one more step of response that we can take. We can and we must chose to follow the directions/guidance that we discover in the Word of God.

Ephesians 6:12,For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (NIV) I truly believe that we are seeing the reality of this scripture happening in our nation at this very moment. It seems very evident that Christianity is under attack. We see the freedom to believe sound Biblical Truths being challenged in the business world. The Government continues to press its way into the education system as well as the “church” world. Even our Vice President and his wife have been under attack because of their beliefs over the past few days. Is it possible that these attacks upon Christianity could end up knocking on the door of our lives? This question leads me to the next passage of scripture.

1 Timothy 6:12, Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses.” (NLT) The Apostle Paul also confirms the reality that we will have to “fight” for the true faith. Those individuals who choose the “wide way” to live will not face this fight. They will choose to meander their way through life with the crowd of people who have also chosen to travel the wide way. But those who have chosen the true faith will see the need to “hold tightly to the eternal life” that they have received through their trust in Christ as their Savior. We “hold tightly” to those possessions that we cherish. How “tightly” are we holding our relationship with Christ? Do we truly love and cherish our Savior in such a manner that we will listen for the Voice for our Chief Shepherd?

John 10:27, My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (NKJV) I believe that it is VERY NECESSARY for all believers to follow The Way, The Truth and The Life. Each of us needs to examine our lives and make sure that we are heading in the direction that the Chief Shepherd is leading. Proverbs 18:10, The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.” (NKJV) It is time for the people of God to make sure that we are running to our Savior and not away from our Savior. It is a wonderful blessing to realize that the Heavenly Father loves us enough that He has a plan for our redemption. Praise God for His Graciousness and His Goodness!!

Friday, February 15, 2019

Focusing on the Word of God

Psalm 1:1-3, “Blessed is the one . . . whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.” (NIV)

I am afraid that many believers shun the term meditation because modern culture has taken that word and applied it to various religions which practice “meditation.” But true Biblical Meditation is simply seriously thinking about the Word of God. You meditate on God’s Word when you read a verse; think about what it means, and ask yourself “How can I apply this Word to my life?” The times in which we are living is requiring more than just listening to the Word or reading the Word of God. Each of us must be prepared to take the proper actions and make application of the Word God to our individual lives.

David declares that taking time to meditate on the Word of God and then following up with the “action of application” will produce some wonderful results in our lives. Psalm 1:1-3 compares these actions as planting a tree by streams of water which grows deep roots. These deep roots give the trees the ability to resist the storms that will come against them. Deep roots in the Word of God will allow the individual believer the strength and courage to overcome EACH AND EVERY ATTEMPT of satan to destroy their faith walk with Christ..

Satan will fill our minds with many reasons to keep us away from the reading and studying of the Word of God. But these “lies” of satan are just another form of deception and deceit, But I believe that it is time that we resisted these lies and took hold of the Truth. It is time that we start digging in and studying the Bible as a means of hope, strength, boldness, confidence, compassion, concern, etc.

Thursday, February 14, 2019

Thoughts on Thursday

Good morning on a cool, cloudy day in Kentucky! It is a pleasure to be able to make contact with you using this means of correspondence. I am thankful for all that God is doing in the lives of people who are willing to surrender their journey of life to Him. I am also thankful that God loves us enough to keep calling us closer to Him EVEN WHEN WE resist that call!! I truly believe that many of us are seeing the need to seek God for more of His presence in our lives. I am joining with you in daily times of prayer. God hears as well as sees His people who are seeking His face.

The past few weeks has found me looking at the passage of scripture found in Philippians 4. The Spirit continues to draw me to the importance of the Word of God becoming more than just a book that we read. The Word of God contains the Truth of God which will reveal to each of us the promises of God. Our faith is based in the revelation of Jesus Christ as our Savior BUT our faith is stabilized as well as strengthened through the promises of God.

Psalm 1:1-3, “Blessed is the one . . . whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.” (NIV) The Bible is more than just a book that we pick up and look through when we face a challenge. It’s the revelation of Truth from God that will lead us into a deeper relationship with Him which will produce a journey with God that is beneficial to our lives spiritually, physically, emotionally as well as financially. But I believe each of these “blessings” begin with our desire to know God and to know His Word. Over and over in God’s Word, we’re told that studying and applying the Bible leads to blessing.