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Am I a Goat?

Goats, kids, sheep, and lamb on a farm.

So, I was reading the passage in Matthew 24 about the sheep and the goats.   Jesus tells his disciples that all nations will gather before him and then he will separate the sheep from the goats by putting the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left.  To be honest, I’ve read this chapter in Matthew many times, but the Holy Spirit quickened something within me that challenged me.

He asked me, “Are you a goat?”

My original reply was, “No, I’m a sheep.”

He asked me, “What do sheep do?”

Then I reread verses 36 through 40.   I had to ask myself, “When did I give food to the hungry? When did I give thirsty people water to drink? When have I lodged a stranger? Who have I clothed? How often do I visit the sick?  Have you ever been to prison?”

How can I be so confident that I have eternal salvation and that I will inherit the kingdom of God when I’m struggling to find actions in my life that demonstrate that I am one of His flock?   Jesus says to the sheep you did these things to me.  You gave me water, food, clothing, and shelter.   You ministered to me when I was sick and in prison.  His sheep responded when did we do these things for you?   He replied when you did them for the least among you; you did them for me.   The sheep were not aware that Jesus saw their actions as ministering to Him.  They did them with no expectation.  They gave generously to those in need around them because they intrinsically had a spirit that desired to help and serve.

But, I’m a good person my next thought.   We all respond that way when our actions are put under a microscope.   Holy Spirit reminded me that I am to be transformed into His image, not into a better version of myself.   You see, goats believe they are sheep.   They graze in the field with the sheep and live among them.   There is nothing in their surroundings that tells them they are goats and not sheep.    But, their actions demonstrate who they are.   They don’t feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, and certainly don’t care about those in prison.

But, I haven’t been called to a prison ministry.  I believe we use “calling” as an excuse for our not “doing.” There are many types of prisons that people find themselves in from addiction to depression to actual incarceration.   The point is we must show our faith by our works.   I have been personally challenged to kick it up a notch and reach beyond where I am.

Jesus does the separating, and I don’t want to think I’m a sheep because I’m busy doing what I consider to be a good church or ministry work.   I want to be an actual sheep.

This challenge is why my family and I have decided to sponsor a child in need through Compassion International.   We sponsor a six-year-old boy named Marlon who lives in the Dominican Republic.   We will provide financial support and pray for Marlon daily.   This sponsorship is the first step in putting faith into action.   I challenge you to do the same.

Let’s be more!   Give more!  Live more!

God bless

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Tips for a 7 Day Fast with Prayer

Prayer and fasting are merely the intense seekings of God and His presence.   Many times, we enter a fast because we want something in our lives to change and we are desperately seeking a way to jump-start that change.   Unfortunately, when “getting God to move” is the purpose for a fast, we finished our fast hungry and disappointed.   The purpose is not to “get God to move” but to get us to change our perspective.   We cannot force God to refurbish our lives in seven days by eating less food and saying a few prayers, but we can seek Him to acquire from Him the wisdom and knowledge we may desperately need.

God’s desire is for us to be conformed to the image of His son Jesus is greater than His willingness to grant our prayer requests.   I make this statement with the understanding that He will give us anything according to His will when we ask Him in the name of Jesus.   He is a gracious father and will not withhold what we need from us.   He has instructed us to be anxious for nothing because He will take care of us.   Therefore, prayer and fasting are more about changing our perspective and obtaining guidance and direction from God.  It is a catalyst for an increase in knowledge, wisdom, and understanding.   It gives us the courage to tackle difficulties, gives us creative solutions to problems, and specific directions regarding our next steps in life.

So let’s take time to pray and fast with the objective to obtain wisdom and understanding.   Here is a seven-day meditation plan to assist you along the way.   Each day focus on the scripture for the day by meditating on it and praying it over your life.

Chose a fast that you can stick to over seven days.   You may select one of the following:

  1. Specific Food or Activity Fast – Eliminating particular food from your meal (meat, processed or fast food, or sweets). Disconnect from the world (no TV, social media, etc..)
  2. Daniel Fast
  3. Juice Fast
  4. Water Fast
  5. Total Fast – no liquid, solid food, or water (please consult a physician if you have medical concerns.)

Here are the scriptures to meditate on during your fast.

DAY 1:  James 1:5-6 (NIV)   If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

DAY 2:  Philippians 2:5 (KJV)  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

DAY 3:  Proverbs 4:7 (KJV)   Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

DAY 4:  Proverbs 2:1-6 (NLT)  My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands.  Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures.  Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God.  For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

DAY 5:  Colossians 1:9-10 (KJV)   For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;  That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

DAY 6:  Ephesians 1:17-18 (KJV)  That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

DAY 7:  2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

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It’s A Privilege

It’s a privilege to preach the word of life.   It’s an honor to be called to carry living water and pour it out upon God’s people.   It’s a privilege to teach the word of God and explain mysteries such that revelation knowledge is imparted to His people.   It’s an honor to prophesy and speak words of encouragement and wisdom that gives God’s people confidence that He has great thoughts and plans for their lives.  It’s a privilege.  It’s an honor.

I believe we all start off in ministry just as Saul the first anointed king of Israel.   He was humble, and he saw himself as least among the Benjamites.  “… Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? …”  1 Samuel 9:21.   We often refer to Saul from the perspective of his actions toward David.  However, I encourage you to look back at how Saul began his anointed reign of Israel.   He was anointed and appointed by God for God’s purpose.  God told Samuel, “To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me,”  1 Samuel 9:16.   God heard the cry of His people, and even in their rebellion, He sought to deliver them from the Philistines.   Saul was to be the vessel God used to bring about deliverance, but this did not happen.   Saul became arrogant, prideful, and tormented by demons.   He did not fulfill the promise of God on His life because although he was anointed, his heart was full of self and not of God.

Saul had an anointed purpose, and God appointed him for that purpose.   We ignorantly think that we can behave any way we want and God will remain faithful and not remove His hand from us.   We forget that although Saul reigned for forty-two years over Israel (1 Samuel 13:1), God removed the kingdom from his hand long before his reign ended.  Holding the position is not the same as carrying the anointing.

As God was calling me into the ministry, He had me study Saul.   He showed me that just because we are anointed that does not mean we are in a relationship with Him.   God taught me how power can easily corrupt and cause one to believe in oneself more than in Him.   He showed me how our relationship with Him must be paramount to everything else not the number of members in our church, how much the people shout as we preach, or how much money we collected during the offering.   My primary goal in ministry is to please Him.

Today, we have lowered our standards for what is the most sacred experience in the kingdom of God, and that is to be a vessel for the master’s use.    I know we have lowered our standards by the number of ministers whose behavior is nothing like the behavior of Christ.   We have become lords over our congregations, moguls of the ministry, and defenders of the perversions of the world.  We have forgotten the power of the “good news,” and we have mixed it with words that tickle the ears of people and comforts their flesh.   We have forgotten that all power in heaven and earth was given to Jesus Christ and if we point His sheep to Him, HE will save, heal, deliver, and set free His people.

I encourage you to do a heart check.   I know that as I write this, God is purging my heart and breaking the fallow ground of complacency that had become rooted within me so that I can be used as a double-edged sword that strikes the kingdom of darkness into submission. He desires that we are apostles, prophets, teachers, and preachers that consider everything worthless except the value of knowing Christ Jesus.   So, let’s all do a heart check and remember that it is indeed an honor to be called by God.  It’s a privilege.

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Bold Prayer

Simply, prayer is a conversation between God and us.   It is a time to make requests and to ask God to intervene on our behalf and behalf of others but more importantly it is a time to hear Gods’ voice.   Prayer is where we can seek and find answers to our problems and find peace to execute the instructions given to us by God.  Bold prayer starts with confidence in God.  Our confidence is in God’s willingness to hear us and His ability to answer our petition.   We go to our Father God assured of His love for us and confident that He desires nothing but the best for us.  God so wholly loves us that He gave Himself for us.   For that reason, we cannot doubt His willingness to hear our hearts prayer.

The covenant written with the blood of Jesus gives us confidence in our prayers.   This covenant has freed us from the grips of sin and death and has given us full authority to intercede by petitioning God.  The blood of Jesus ratifies or validates our covenant with God.  In this new covenant, God has accepted the ultimate sacrifice, and no other sacrifice is needed.   This new covenant so satisfies God’s holy requirement for sin’s punishment that no other sacrifice is required for us to have an intimate relationship with God.   This new intimate fellowship with God is why Jesus tells us in John 14:13-14, John 15:7, John 15:16, John 16:23-24, and John 16:26 to ask anything in His name.   We are to pray in the name of Jesus, or we are to present all that Jesus is and know confidently that His cleansing blood takes away all our sins and permits us to go boldly before the throne of God in prayer.  We do not go before God hesitantly hoping that maybe he might hear us.  We are free from the fear of condemnation and our transgressions.   The blood of Jesus has ripped the veil that prevented us from entering the holy place.  We now have full, open, unhindered access to God.   That is why we can be confident and persistent when we pray.   There is nothing that would prevent God from hearing us or moving on our behalf.

We also pray because we believe that God has the power and the willingness to address, change, and improve the situation or circumstance for which we are praying.   Our prayers are petitioned for the will of God to occur for us and those for whom we are interceding.  The model prayer is in Matthew 6.  That model instructs us to invite the kingdom of God to come and for God’s will to be done just as His will is in heaven.

Your kingdom comes, You will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Matt 6:10 (AMP)

Invite the will of God into your prayers and be confident that God hears you every time you pray?  How exciting to know that the creator of the universe desires to have a conversation with us and is still listening and responding to us.   We must believe that He is.   We cannot hear God if we don’t think that He would talk to us.   We cannot allow our prayers to become routine and repetitious void of the joy found in conversing with our Redeemer.  We pray confidently knowing that God always hears and is still listening to us.       Just as God always hears Jesus, he hears us.   A hindrance to prayer is the lack of belief that the petition or prayer is heard. Not that God can perform the request but that he listened to our petition.  Be confident that the veil has been pulled away and because you have surrendered your life to Jesus, God hears you.   Pray with your whole heart, pray your heart’s desire and trust in the God that hears you.

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A New Prescription

It’s that moment when you feel like, “Really God!  Do I have to go through this?”  When you so desperately want to ask God “WHY” as you grip the last vestige of your faith holding onto it is as it feels like it’s slipping through your fingers.  You hear Him say to you “I have engraved your name in the palm of my hands.”  But, you allow your emotions to fester, and you say to Him, “I know I’m in the palm of your hands, but I don’t feel it.”

We have all been there.  Our heart is broken, our faith challenged, and we want it all fixed now.   We desperately pray for God’s intervention yet what we hear from Him does not satisfy our desire to have our issue resolved, our heartache mended, or our peace restored.   We want everything fixed now.   We don’t want to go through the storm.   I know I never do.  We know He is guiding us through but quite frankly the storm is fierce, and our visibility is low.   We cannot see the other side.

I have been there.   So, what do we do?   How do you tighten your grip in the storm when the winds are pulling you so hard that your faith feels like it’s slipping away?   We push through and do exactly like Jesus.   We speak peace to our storm, and we turn to His word.

Ok, that’s not a surprise.  I know you expected me to write that.   Quite frankly, we are always given that advice.  We are instructed to turn to the word of God, speak the word of God, and pray the word of God.  It’s the prescribed solution to every Christian problem.  Take this and call me in the morning.   We know it works, but it takes time.    We want an answer today.

I’d like to offer you another prescription.   I have a solution that will help you in your sorrow and jump-start a quick resolution to your situation.   It is a prescription that has never steered me wrong.

The prescription is to return to the basics and allow your mind to meditate on the gift of eternal salvation.   We often overlook the gift of life that Christ gave us through His passion.    Our suffering and pain have the effect of taking our eyes off the cross and placing them on us.   Return to the simple gift of salvation, the cleansing of His blood, and all wonders we will experience in glory.   You are righteous before God and Jesus prepared a place for you in eternity.   The next 20, 30, 40, or 50 years of your life on this earth will happen in a blink of an eye when compared to joys you will experience when we leave these vessels.   This temporary suffering pales in comparison to glorious life Jesus has prepared for us.

I receive comfort when “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us.”  Romans 8:18.   I remind myself that this temporary suffering is but a gift from God that will strengthen me to produce fruit that will last for His kingdom.   “For this light and temporary affliction is producing for us an eternal glory that far outweighs our troubles.”  2 Corinthians 4:17

So, do it.  Pray, read your bible, speak to your storm but do it from a position of eternal security.  Do it knowing that Christ has made provision for you to stand boldly before His glorious throne.   Be diligent in your quest to know Him and the power of His resurrection, and God will strengthen your heart and give you the courage to continue your battle into victory.

 

 

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See You Later, Brother Josh

It’s unexpected.

I could hear the footsteps of my husband on the stairs as I was cleaning the kitchen. I turned to see him peek over the banister when he softly called my name.

“Jenn,” he said, “Brother Josh is gone.” The look on his face instantly communicated what he meant, but I was temporarily confused.

“Brother Josh?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“What happened?” I asked.

“I don’t know.” He said as he turned and quietly walked up the stairs.

Quiet.

It’s a quiet moment. The unexpected.

My heart ached, and I could hear the voice of Brother Josh. I could hear his chuckle and see his smile. I remembered that every time I saw him at church, and he would lean over and say, “Good morning, Minister Jenn,” then kiss me softly on the cheek.

Brother Josh was a tall man with a slender build. He offered an easy smile and a quick laugh, yet he liked what he liked and was very direct and honest about it. In the most flattering way possible, I can best describe him as a kind man. His kindness was without pretense and exemplified the goodness of Christ. I remembered talking to him while speaking to teenagers at the youth facility where he worked. That is when I discovered that at his core he was a caring man working in the most frustrating conditions, yet he maintained an aura of hope. That was when I put him in “that” category. You know, the unsung black man category. Unassuming, king, strong, and faithful, that was Brother Josh.

So, a few days after learning of Brother’s Josh’s transition to glory, it’s Easter Sunday. I’m still trying to process what happened. We have learned more about his passing, but I still have questions. But then again, I don’t.

Easter or Resurrection Sunday is when we as Christians celebrate the resurrection of Christ and His victory over the grave. During this season we are reminded that when Jesus rose from the grave, he conquered death. But, what does that mean exactly? I sit here stunned by the news that a beloved friend has died yet my faith encourages me to believe that death has no victory in this situation. Paul asks in 1 Corinthians 15:55, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is they victory?” My heart answers that death is stinging my heart and it suffers from its latest victory.

The fear of death can grip us. It shakes us with its indiscriminate conquests. Some are slow while others come as complete surprises. Death seems inevitable.

Some of us will fall asleep. Others of us will be caught up in the twinkling of an eye yet we shall all be changed. You see, we find comfort in knowing that although we are mortal, we will experience glorious immortality. Our faith in Christ does take away the sting of death because we know this existence is fleeting. It teaches us that our time here is temporary and only a stepping stone to the place that Jesus has prepared for us. Jesus told us that he is going to prepare a place and when he comes back he will welcome us into his presence so that we can be where he is. (John 14:2-3)

So, as I read John 14 and 1 Corinthians 15 I find comfort from the Holy Spirit. He reminds me that Brother Josh is in the place that Jesus prepared for him. He reminds me that Brother Josh is walking on streets of gold and enjoying the heavenly choirs surrounded by all-encompassing peace. He is in the very presence of the Almighty God. I can see his smile and hear him chuckle. He has peace. He has joy. One day, I too will be where he is, and I will experience what he is experiencing, but until then I simply say, “See you later, Brother Josh.”

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Spirit, Soul, & Body by Andrew Wommack

I learned about the book Spirit, Soul, & Body by Andrew Wommack from the Mt Lebanon Baptist Church, Brownsville, PA Thirsty Thursday bible study led by Reverend Douglas Wright.   In Spirit, Soul, & Body, Mr. Wommack clarifies the difference between the spirit, soul, and body and it gives a clear explanation of how they function and interact with each other.

This is a teaching book that is not written like a textbook and is a quick and easy read.    I love that he tackled the foundational subject if salvation in such a bold and uncompromising way.  Mr. Wommack reviews the free gift of salvation, how we think, and the nature of faith.   For example, he tackles the topic of big and little sins and how we would like to believe that God categorizes sin.   But, to God, all sin, big or little, is a sin.  “We all habitually fail to study God’s Word as much as we should. We all habitually fail to love others the way we should.  We all habitually fail to be as consecrate as we should.  We all habitually get into self-centeredness, and God has to habitually deal with us about it.[1]”  The focus is the grace of God which takes away all sin and not our works.  Having a clear understanding of where sin originates and what Jesus did to take the reproach of sin from us, can help us receive revelation regarding how to live holy, give us the power to walk boldly with God, and help us better identify the voice of God.

We have all heard the saying, “You are a spirit, who has a soul, and lives in a body,” but Mr. Wommack gives scriptural evidence to support his explanation of what each part of our being is and how it functions.   In chapter 2 he provides three illustrations of how the spirit, soul, and body function including an explanation that the soul acts like a valve through which your spirit can flow.  “Remember, in your spirit you’ve got the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead (Ephesians 1:18-20).  Yet it’s possible to have this power and never manifest it.   If your soul, like a valve, stays closed to this truth, you won’t experience it.  Without opening the valve by renewing your mind to God’s Word, the eternal reality in your spirit won’t be able to impact the temporal “reality” of your physical realm.[2]”

Spirit, Soul, & Body really helped refortify foundational truths that I had not visited in years.   It gave me confidence in who I am in Christ, it gave me a clearer spiritual picture of why I fail in areas of my life, and it reignited a fire for an uncomplicated relationship with God based on everything He has done and nothing I can do.

I highly recommend this book for those who are renewing their relationship with God because it tackles subjects such as can we lose our salvation and once we are saved are we always saved.  I encourage you to purchase your copy from the Bold Women Ministries bookstore today for yourself and a loved one.

 

 

 

[1] Chicago: Spirit, Soul & Body – Andrew Wommack: | Law2graceindia, https://www.amazon.com/Spirit-Soul-Body-Andrew-Wommack/dp/1606830058/ref=as_sl_pc_qf_sp_asin_til?tag=boldwomenmini-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=a1fa76a9337d0952929a9fa3c6dd7d9b&creativeASIN=1606830058 (accessed December 05, 2017).

[2] Chicago: Spirit, Soul & Body – Andrew Wommack: | Law2graceindia, https://www.amazon.com/Spirit-Soul-Body-Andrew-Wommack/dp/1606830058/ref=as_sl_pc_qf_sp_asin_til?tag=boldwomenmini-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=a1fa76a9337d0952929a9fa3c6dd7d9b&creativeASIN=1606830058 (accessed December 05, 2017).

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You Are Possible!

Scripture Reference:  Luke Chapter 1

For with God nothing shall be impossible.  Luke 1:37

The statement “Nothing shall be impossible” is a fact. It’s a statement of fact spoken by the angel Gabriel to Mary that is just as true then as it is today. There is nothing impossible for God to change, move, remove, improve, or perfect in us and through us.

How can we say we believe in a powerful God that created the heavens and the earth, spoke and out of nothing formed the universe yet in our hearts we believe it’s too hard for Him to take away our addictions, mend our broken heart, and provide for our daily living. How can we say we believe He formed man out of the dust of the earth and that we are not descendants of monkeys, yet we struggle with believing it’s His will to heal our bodies. How can we believe He was born of the Virgin Mary, but we don’t believe he can teach us how to manage our money, help us quit smoking, help us live a healthy lifestyle or give us peace of mind.

You see, sometimes our God becomes much smaller and less powerful than our difficulties and our circumstances. In our minds, we have decided that God cannot or will not do the impossible on our behalf. The mountains of life are staring us in the face. The mountain of infidelity, the mountain of sickness, the mountain of mourning, the mountain of suffering, the mountain of debt, the mountain of loneliness, the mountain of confusion, depression, anger, hurt and pain.. but do we believe that God has the power to move our mountains.

If you believe something is not possible, it will not happen, and sometimes we believe it so surely that something will not happen that we cannot even imagine it.

 

You must receive the possibility of the impossible in order for the impossible to be possible.

Mary received the possibility of and immediately became the mother of Jesus. We read in Luke 1:45 that Elizabeth says to Mary “And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” ESV

We are blessed when we believe what God speaks to us and that there will be a fulfillment of what He speaks into our life.

Too often we look at ourselves as we are today and not through the eyes of God and not through the victory of the cross. We see our addictions, heartache, insecurities, our hurt, anger and we don’t see the possibility that these negatives will ever leave us.

One definition of the word possible is the potential to become or do something. You have the ability to do and become EXACTLY what God purposed you to be. It is possible for you to be free, live in peace, find joy, finish school, quit smoking, live healthy, get out of debt or purchase a home. With God, ALL things are indeed possible.

You are possible!

You see, you have the potential to become the vessel through which the light of Jesus shines into your situation. You can be transformed into His very image. IF you submit yourself to being transformed, that impossibility is possible.