Divine Inspirations Magazine August 2011 by Qualita Pendergrass

Divine Inspirations Magazine August 2011

Vol 2 Issue 8

Speak the Word Only!

Psalms 22:The Dark of night the Soul

Eddie Simpson

The Rebellious Flowerbed

“The Fabulous Black Woman” Founder, CEO of

“Sweet Nature by Eddie”

Testimony of Steve Sparks

Greetings! I am so excited about this issue. This month we feature Eddie Simpson founder of “Sweet Nature by Eddie .” Her natural hair care line reflects her compassion and desire to see everyone with a healthy head of hair. After you read her story be sure to support her and make a purchase, you’ll be glad you did. I would like to welcome aboard new writers, Pastor Jennifer Sanders , Lee Williams and poets Gail Moss and Carlet Horne. Their Inspired Words will truly bless your Spirit. Be sure to share this month's issue with your family and friends! Blessings, Qualita Pendergrass Editor in Chief

God‟s Investment in You Often times we find ourselves in difficult situations And unbeknown to us we are sometimes led to these situations by God. In Psalm 37:23 we are taught: The steps of a good man are ordered by God. He delights in each step he takes.

It is difficult for most of us to accept that God would deliberately lead us to a place of trials. Because of this we fail to see that our trial is done with a purpose in mind. God‟s purpose is not for us to suffer needlessly; but for us to get the most out of our difficult situation, to wean us from earthly dependency and draw us closer to Him. For every trial in our life is a message from God with the specific intent for us to seek Him out for deliverance. Know that your difficult situation is not always by chance as it sometimes appointed and designed for you. Its intensity, place, time and effect on you is ordained by God to stimulate your spiritual growth and to teach you obedience from the heart. God has an investment in each of us as He created us with specific purpose. So know with each difficult situation God is simply trying to develop in us patience and endurance. His leading us to a place of trial is about the refinement of our mind, body, spirit and soul. And should we choose to stand still in the midst of our situation and wait on Him to intervene and do His will; we will find that He will never fail us nor leave us as He is shaping us for better things. For it is written in I Peter 1:9: And your further reward for trusting Him will be the salvation of your souls.

God‟s Covenant And He made an everlasting covenant Promising never to leave us Placing a desire in our hearts to worship Him So I will rejoice in my time of troubles For God is my refuge and my strength There is no circumstance, situation or storm that He cannot move. Yvette Johnson The Inspirational Poet known as N‟spire Author of Inspirational Sips from The Tilted Tea Cup

SPEAK THE WORD ONLY By Pastor Jennifer Sanders

Matthew 4:4 – Man shall not live by bread alone but by EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.

This is the season that what the Lord is speaking in this hour must come forth. We cannot go back to a past season of hearing God; we must hear what God is saying NOW!!! Speak forth what God is saying to the Church in this hour. It cannot be watered down or flushed through religion or the traditions of men, it must be given RAW!!! It is time for my people to eat meat and not merely drink milk. Some are even on skim milk not even whole milk. It is time for MY CHURCH TO COME FORTH, AS MEN NOT CHILDREN!!! It is time to deliver the Word that I have put in your Spirit to release. IT‟S TIME TO TEACH THE LEADERS!! IT‟S TIME TO CALL THE LEADERS TO REPENTANCE & EVEN RAISE UP THE CHILDREN. Wait before God for instructions and He will tell you what to do. Fasting & praying is so you tune into HIS channel. THE LORD SAYS TO LEADERS… GET ON MY CHANNEL IN THE SPIRIT. I WILL NEVER GIVE YOU A LEFT OVER WORD, BUT FRESH MANNA FROM HEAVEN. THE PEOPLE NEED NEW REVELATION & NEW GLORY IN THE SPIRIT. A FRESH PRESENCE, NOT JUST ANOTHER MESSAGE BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD!!! I CALL MY LEADERS FORTH TO HEAR THE 5 WORD OF THE LORD. YES, LIKE NEHEMIAH,

IT’S TIME TO REBUILD THE WALLS!!! LEADERS NOW THINK YOU CAN ONLY LEAD WHEN YOU HAVE BUILT IN THE FLESH, BUT WHAT HAVE YOU BUILT IN THE SPIRIT? THERE IS AN ABSENCE OF POWER IN MY LEADERS!! POWER IN THE SPIRIT REAL, DIMENSIONS IN THE SPIRIT. This season will be difficult for those who do not know how to tap the realms & dimensions of the Spirit. There is a need to enter another dimension, to see what & who you are fighting & arm yourself with the weaponry to win “that” fight. There are principalities assigned to every ministry and most leaders have no clue how to identify their “principality.” They are just warring & fighting as one that beats the air, never hitting the target. Like Ezra, leaders must call forth prayer, now!! There is a prayer mandate in the Kingdom for leaders, missions and visions. Strategies must come forth in the spirit. It‟s time for leaders to stop warring and competing with each other and begin to wage war in the spirit realm. How do you this? This is done on your knees in prayer, lifting your hearts in worship. I know those of you who lift your heads as a form of worship, but I see it as a form of pride. You are not worshiping me; you seek to lift up yourself. Many of you do not lift your hands anymore toward me, you don‟t bow before me, and you have lost humility. You are full of pride and arrogance. I must warn you, I am no longer tolerating such behavior or attitudes in this hour. Many will come (Continued on page 6)

from the north, south, east and west, who will know my name and who I am. They will proclaim my glory and their words shall be of me. Some leaders will be embarrassed in this season because they have not heeded these warnings. They think they are above the counsel of others and above My spirit and wisdom as it flows from the mouth of those, who they dub beneath them. I am no longer wrestling with you, like Jacob, you didn‟t want a limp (something others would see to identify and know you had been with me) you chose the latter of success, you chose the platform and that is where I am going to meet you. However, it will not be to give YOU the attention, greed and self-promotion you desire, it will be show the world and the Church who you really are. I will allow them to see your heart, motives and intentions because you are not of me and like Saul; I have dismissed, demoted and turned off your microphone. You have been fired.

I pray for every leader to move in the realm of Holy Spirit. Understanding and enlightenment in the inner man will come to you and you will understand how to flow with God. I pray for a spirit of consecration, fasting, prostration and prayer will permeate your heart and infiltrate your assignment. FATHER, SEND A WAVE OF GLORY INTO YOUR HOUSE, IN JESUS NAME. AMEN.

Pastor Jennifer Jennifer Sanders Ministries Website: www.jennifersandersministries.org Conference website:

Most of the messages from the pulpit on Sunday morning are irrelevant. Most pastors can- www.realtalkconference.com not locate themselves, so how will they spiritually locate the sheep? Where are you in the Spirit? I am not asking the status of the building program, the next conference, the next event, your itinerary, schedule or number of attendees at your church. I am asking you, as God as Adam, WHERE ARE YOU? Men and women of God, find out where you are – spiritually. Make sure you are aligned with God in your leadership endeavors. You are called to be a “faithful” shepherd of God‟s people and you must take this mandate seriously. Don‟t become an

Eli, sitting on the wall but with lost vision and hearing in the Spirit. I assure you; God will raise and call forth a Samuel who will speak His Word ONLY.

Praise The Almighty Psalm 119:105 His grasp is upon my spirit I am in His arms secured As my trial goes forth He has been the light unto my path No man No demon Shall overpass The Almighty A glory like no other His hand surpasses the pain, and aggression His Holy spirit speaks to my heart Praise the Almighty For He is not done yet My mission is assigned in His book I gladly serve him all days of my life. Through my spirit, he has ministered to my heart. written by Feon Davis

You're Never Too Big To Fail By LEE WILLIAMS

As I look back at the ruin that has now become my life, I can't help but to think about the goodness, grace and mercy of God. Why might you ask? It's because when we are going through challenging times, God is actually teaching us, strengthening us and shaping us for what is to come. So that's why I am excited because God is about to do some awesome things in my life. Psalms 27:5 states, "For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion; in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me." There was a time when I thought that all of my talent, success and accolades came from my own doing, but today I know differently. I now see that beyond a shadow of a doubt that the accolades and worldly possessions come from the infinite source of Jesus Christ Our Lord and Savior. He saw something in me that made Him bless me in ways unimaginable, but when I failed to honor him, trust him, follow him or obey him, He had to show me that I'm not too big to fail. No matter how successful you become, you must always give honor to God. You must always seek thy face. He doesn't want you to call on Him only when you need him. He wants you to develop and maintain a close relationship with him so that you never get too proud or too big to serve him. Some people may not be following me right now. My words may be falling on deaf ears, but let me break it down for you, so that we all can see where I'm coming from. 10 Have you ever had a friend that you really like,

but every time the friend called, they were in a state of crisis? The first couple of times, you listened to them or even offered a couple of dollars to help that friend out. A couple of days go by and the friend calls you again with another crisis and they need another helping hand. You soon began to realize that this friend wasn't a true friend at all. This friend never called you to see how you were doing. They only called when they needed something. The next time that friend called and you saw the number on the caller ID screen, you politely hit the "ignore" button on your phone. Now, I couldn't possibly know what God is thinking when we call on Him, but we could understand if God just hit the "ignore" button when we called on him at times because we don't have a relationship with Him. We just call on Him when we need him, but when everything is back to normal and the crisis is over, we go back to drinking, drugging, fornicating, stealing, not praying, not trying to win souls for Christ, not tithing or giving offering, not offering up our services to those less fortunate. The lesson is that we must get back on track with God. Make a commitment to Him, develop and MAINTAIN a relationship with Christ. Praise Him in the good times and the bad. Behave in a way that is pleasing to the Lord, and I believe that your life will begin to move in a positive direction. Giving praise, honor, and glory to the Lord. Amen.

The Rebellious Flowerbed Last spring I decided to part ways with the flowers and plants that had originally been planted at my home when we purchased it. After digging up, pulling out…preparing the soil and watering the beds; my husband and I, made the trip to our local greenhouse…I picked out beautiful yellow roses, gold inpatients, plants, and my heart‟s desire a beautiful “gold,” bougainvillea. I was so excited. We worked diligently, proper placement, feeding, watering…finally all the flower and plants were in place. I regularly talked to the roses, and gave them food, wiped off the plants, turned them towards the sun…and placed them in beautiful decorative pots. I purchased products for maximums flower growth, and sat outside with my dogs admiring the flowerbeds positive reactions to my consistent time and attention to their well being. I was rewarded for my efforts beyond my dreams….the flower spread out across the beds, the roses bloomed and bloomed; I received numerous compliments from neighbors, family and friends. I was so very proud. Fast forward…spring 2011, someone who shall remain nameless; decided he wanted to horn in on my glory. He picked the flowers….alone and decided to surprise me

and plant them one morning while I was still sleeping. These flowers were for the front of the home, not on the side where the roses and plants have remained since last spring. Now I understand the good intent behind this gesture. However, this simple act has provided clarity for me as to why God wants us to wait on HIM, “And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.” Hebrews 6:15 It has now been two months since these new plants and flowers were planted…the flowers have not spread out and bloomed. They continue to struggle, some attempted to grow, other refusing to grow…and finally some have just given up and died off. I must admit…none of the flowers were any that I would have picked out myself, In my disenchantment with the selection of flowers has also been a contributing factor, i.e. inconsistent watering, sporadic watering, etc … I did not complain to this person when the flowers arrived, I just accepted that, we have to make allowance for others in our lives…and their choices and decision. I returned from a trip a couple a days ago…and noticed all of the beds were in a state of disarray. The flowers and plants had been watered per my 12

directions…however in a short amount of time, I could tell that I would need to get out there and provide some most needed attention. This morning I went out to work in the flowerbeds. As, I mentioned the flowers in the front of the home…are basically a “lost cause,” they are not going to spread out and grow. At this point I will just keep the bed weed free, and water the remaining flowers. The roses on the side of the house…must to my chagrin…had grown weeds…trash, bugs…spores, all in two and a half weeks in my absence. As, I was working… on my knees, sweating in the sun; it dawned on me. My flowers have become rebellious. Without my constant and continual feeding, watering, and pulling of weeds…loving time and attention. My flowers have taken up with the wrong types of ….dare….I say it, “wrong crowd.” Living amongst my beautiful yellow roses and plants…were weeds with deep roots, strange ground cover, counterfeit looking flowers attempting to pass themselves off as rosebuds…it goes on, and on. I thought to myself… this is why God tell us to renew our minds with the word daily. Like my flowers…in a very short time…our lives can, and will be infiltrated by the negative influences that spread, and live in our hearts, mind so quickly and easily. “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert, your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” I Peter 5:8. This spirits, behaviors, people, thoughts and ideas….slide in quickly and quietly before we even notice. A missed prayer here…a skipped church service there…and before you know it there are more “weed, and thorn,” in our lives and relationships before we can blink. We incorrectly believe we are still on the right track…our flowers are still bloom-

ing. But, look closely; there are weeds at the base of the stem…diseased on the leaves and trash on the sides. The irony was not lost on me that while doing this work…cleaning, pulling; digging…I was on my “knees.”; Just like being in a prayer position. God is so awesome…I love how He use anything and everything He choose to speak to us, and remind us of His presence. “Keep your heart with all vigilance…for out of it flow the springs of life,” Proverbs 4:23 Like my flowerbed…it takes more than an occasional prayer, inconsistent gathering amongst believers, fasting and obedience to maintain optimal growth and health in our walk with God. It takes consistent and continual time on our knees, to weed out, water and feed our faith. “No Cross, No Crown…” Be Blessed. KWC, BCPC, M.S. Kennita Coleman

Eddie Simpson Founder & CEO “Sweet Nature by Eddie”

After suffering the devastating effects of severe hair loss and damage related to the mishandling of her hair and using products that contained less than favorable ingredients, Eddie began to research ways to grow her hair healthier, stronger and longer. She purchased every product in the beauty supply store that claimed to be a miracle cure for damaged hair, but found that these products did not live up to their claims and some actually did the exact opposite of what they promised they would do. Along her journey to healthy hair she discovered priceless information regarding the harmful ingredients contained in hair care products geared towards African Americans; the most effective ways of washing, conditioning and handling African American hair; the most beneficial ingredients for African American hair; and much more. She compiled her research and authored the Comprehensive Guide to Growing African American Hair to Its Fullest Potential. The guide includes everything one would need in order to grow and maintain healthy hair. The book is extremely informational, entertaining as well as easy to follow and understand. There is a chart included in the book which reveals the hairfriendly foods, vitamins and minerals, a glossary of ingredients to avoid, as well as a section of homemade deep conditioner recipes. The back cover documents 18 months of Eddieâ&#x20AC;&#x;s hair growth, which is quite impressive. The information Eddie discovered during her research was extremely valuable, but it did not solve the problem of finding healthy hair care products at reasonable prices. This led her to formulate a comprehensive hair care system, Sweet Nature by Eddie. For years she used homemade concoctions that contained ingredients essential for strong hair and a healthy scalp. While using these products in conjunction with her research findings, Eddie consistently saw tremendous improvements and extraordinary growth with her hair, including growing

her relaxed hair past her shoulders and later managing her very thick natural hair. She then began to make the concoction for family and friends along with providing them with a copy of instructions, which she later turned into â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Guideâ&#x20AC;?, and they too began to have unprecedented hair growth. How It All Started In mid 2006, Eddie was married, living a very comfortable life. She had a nice home, good job, new car and a beautiful family. In early 2007, Eddie worked full -time, was a full time Human Services student and was beginning her divorce proceedings. Concerned for her ability to balance her extremely full life and work, her employer gave her the ultimatum of dropping out of school or losing her job. Despite bills mounting, a mortgage to pay and two children to support, Eddie decided her education was more important and opted to continue school and leave her job in September 2007. As she walked out on her job, she had no back-up plan, no options or any alternative means to support her family other than unemployment benefits, which she knew would not be enough. Quickly, she realized that her only option was to file bankruptcy and give up her home. During these times, Eddie realized a darkness she had never felt before, her entire life as she had known it was ripped away from her within months! While going through a mountain of trials, Eddie searched for peace and clarity through constant prayer, learning to meditate and reading. The new stillness of her life quickly allowed her to become focused, peaceful, and calm, yet it motivated and energized her and her creativity began to flow. She soon began to see the blessings in losing her job, her pending divorce, and being released from her upside down home loan. She was no (Continued on page 16)

longer stressed and her feelings and thoughts became increasingly positive and her mission was clearly revealed to her. In November of 2007, she envisioned a website; one to help women get through trials as she had faced; a website that provided resources, and support for single mothers or women facing tribulations; a site where women like herself were encouraged, inspired and featured for their strength, courage, and success. When she awakened; she began research on how to build a website and within one week, www.fabulousblackwoman.com was born.

In 2009, Eddie received Female Entrepreneur of the 1990â&#x20AC;&#x;s during a citywide high school reunion; she was promoted to Platinum author for the quality of her hair care articles, and was accepted in the Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x;s Who in America Directory for her work in the hair care industry. She has been awarded for her superior customer service through Merchant Circle in April of 2010 and opened a Sweet Nature store in her local community in June of 2010. Eddie has over 190 testimonials on her website as well as very compelling before and after pictures of several customers. She also has several During this same period, Eddie had contin- YouTube reviews from satisfied customers. Sweet ued to get rave compliments on her hair and was Nature by Eddie has had steady, organic growth encouraged by her family and friends to market her and can now be purchased in several different cities products. With no prior experience in business or throughout the US. marketing and only having the background of stirring up a couple ingredients in a bowl, decided to For more information, please visit do it! She sat in her kitchen adding a tablespoon of www.fabulousblackwoman.com or this and a cup of that; she felt as if she had been www.sweetnaturebyeddie.info. making her products her entire life. She knew exactly which ingredients should go first and which should go last, she was able to distinguish how high to heat and how low to cool the mixtures, and easily determined appropriate measurements, as if she was given a divine recipe from God. Because her products were birthed during a very difficult time in her life, she wanted to share her journey with all that purchased them, so she tells her stories of triumph, encouragement, and struggle on the labels of her products and called them Sweet Nature by Eddie. Because Eddie considered herself more of a teacher than an entrepreneur, she wanted to educate her customers and not just sell them products so she decided to write hair care articles for several online magazines and blogs and she gives FREE hair consultations, workshops and seminars. 16

Sometimes…. Sometimes in this life, We wonder why things happen as they do. At times, it seems as if Everything around has come unglued. Sometimes we sit and wonder why Things come that make us cry. Some of the hardest times come when loved ones we lose And to them we must say….Goodbye. Sometimes we wonder why God does things as He does. Why He allows certain things to be? This for You; That for Me. In these things, I rest assured. His mercies are tender and His love is pure. His wisdom is infinite. His promises are definite. He stands with His arms….graciously extended Waiting to receive us in His embrace. In there, we will find Strength, Peace, Comfort, and Grace. Carlet Horne

THERE SEEMS TO BE A PLACE IN ME There seems to be a place in me that is real, divine and good. There seems to be a place in me that knows what humanity lacks is genuinely misunderstood. Do I leave it at that or do I do more? Why have gifts if not to soar. So I take the gifts of which I adore and spread them about. For not to have God -given gifts to share is not what I am about. A smile, a kind word, rising above, are simply some of the gifts received, all given to me with undying love. Words of wisdom given on this day may not mean much right now but will be useful in their own time and in their own way. These are true gifts expressed in their own special meaningful way, but why keep them all to oneself when someone can benefit in some way. The smell of a baby so fresh and so new is a gift that abounds in the eyes of both me and you. The chirp of a bird adds such pure delight, that one can feel as though they are soaring in pure delight. So what is your purpose this day? Is it in spreading some joy and some cheer, maybe a kind deed from the heart, or is it sitting idle without living what the true meaning of goodness and understanding are all about. It is not about you, it is not about me…….isn‟t it about abounding love to share in joyous harmony? There seems to be a place in me that is real, divine and good…….and yes, there seems to be a place in me that through grace is totally understood. Heidi-Maria Schilling Written July 2011

The Testimony of Stephen Sparks

My name is Steve Sparks. I was raised in Hampton, Virginia. My childhood was just like most kids growing up in a small town in a small neighborhood. I spent my free time with friends and fishing. My life seemed a normal life in a typical family. When I started school that seemed to be where my struggles first began. I was born hearing impaired, with loss of hearing in my left ear, and I never got used to wearing a hearing aid. I also had a learning disability; so between being hearing impaired and having learning problems, I never seemed to fit in school. Every day it was a task for me to get through school. I looked forward to the weekends and always dreaded Mondays. School became worse for me in Junior High, and I began using alcohol and drugs. Seeking love and acceptance, I started hanging out with a crowd that I thought gave me the reassurance I needed. I was smoking pot, drinking, and taking pills. Everything was great; I had friends who looked up to me, women who liked me, and I was trying to live my life like the „Rock Stars‟ I idolized. During this time, I became very rebellious, involved in fights, and causing problems in and out of school. Eventually, I was kicked out of school. As the years passed, I used harder drugs and even sold drugs to support my habit. I became a slave to the drugs I was addicted to. I lied and stole to get high. I had become the very person I would dislike in someone else. Depression and thoughts of suicide plagued my mind at all times. I had opened myself up for demons to enter my soul through the drugs I was addicted to. These spirits controlled my life. My life was one of 19 bondage to drugs, alcohol, depression, and suicidal

thoughts. I tried many times to quit my drug and alcohol dependency through rehabs and 12 step programs; only to fail after a few months of being clean. One night after a drug and alcohol binge, I realized I was so tired of the addiction, tired of hurting people, tired of being a failure,, tired of the constant depression , and tired of the hopelessness. Trying to think of a reason to live and then not being able to think of even one reason to continue my life, I grabbed a razor and was going to end it all by killing myself. Then, in desperation, I cried out to Jesus. I said “Jesus, if you are real, please save me for what I am about to do.” There came a presence of peace I had never felt before. That same night, I had an encounter with God that changed my life. I knew Jesus Christ was real. This set me on a quest for truth and salvations. Through much prayer and a long spiritual journey, I came into this marvelous truth. Jesus set me free from drugs, alcohol, depression, suicidal thoughts, and the demons that controlled my life. Jesus set me free! The Bible says, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36) Today I live a productive life. I am active in the ministry. I have joy and peace today through Jesus Christ. Maybe, you are going through the same thing I was going through; maybe you are depressed or have a habit you are powerless to overcome; or maybe you feel you have a void in your life. I gave my life to Jesus. You may ask, „Steve, what must I do to have salvation; to (Continued on page 20)

have the peace you now have?”

free….really FREE!

They asked the same question on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:37.

If you believe you are a sinner and your present life is displeasing to God; if you believe Jesus Christ is the only begotten son of God and can take your old life and give you a new one; then obey the words of the Apostle Peter,

“Then Peter said unto them. Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call.” (Act 2:38, 39)

“Repent and be baptized everyone one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Act 2:38), Repentance marks the death of your old self-will.

Repentance marks the death of your old self-will. Baptism is the burial of your old sin nature and resurrection with Jesus. Then God promises to give you the Holy Ghost that will give you the power to become a new creature in Christ Jesus and to have a whole new set of desires, goals, and joy in your new life.

Baptism is the burial of your old sin nature and resurrection with Jesus. Then God promises to give you the Holy Ghost, that will give you the power to become a new creature in Christ Jesus and to have a whole new set of desires, goals, and joy in your new life. From Darkness to Light

There really is joy in serving Jesus that the world cannot match. Do not get involved with alcoholic drinks, drugs, or tobacco. You may think you are having a good time, but there is a price to pay to the devil when living in sin !

Steve Sparks To contact Steve for prayer, sharing his testimony, Bible studies or other help, email: obxsparks@gmails.com. Or call 252-573-8396 252-573-8396

Young and Old person, give your life to Jesus at an early age and live for Him. “Delight thyself also in the LORD and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” (Psalm 37.4) Despite all the efforts of drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers, only the Lord Jesus Christ can bring real lasting deliverance to an alcohol or drug addict, give him a whole new nature, and set him 20

Drugs Kill The Enemies Drugs, They Steal And Kill. It Steers The Vehicle, And Takes The Will. In The Beginning, How Good It Feels. But It's Only, A Temporary Thrill. It's Does No Good, Only Harm. And Over Time, It Loses It's Charm. It Decays The Morals, Destroys The Soul. Leaving You Out, In A World So Cold. Death Is It's Aim, Leading To Hell And The Grave. For Then There's No Chance For The Lord To Save. Give Your Burdens To Jesus Thru Repentance, Watch And Pray. For It's The Only Way To Resist The Enemy, And Keep Him At Bay. The Devil Is Deceitful, And His Drugs Are Meant To Kill. But Don't Lose Your Eternal Soul, Over A Temporary Thrill. A Drug Addicted Existence, Is So Dark And Grim. But There's Deliverance In Christ, If You'll Only Seek Him. Seek Christ Jesus While He Is Near, And Can Be Found. Watch Him Destroy The Habit, And Turn Your Life Around. Though The Enemies Drugs, Come To Steal And Kill. Jesus Is Yet On The Throne, Making The Storms Be Still. To God Goes The Glory. Minister Tony Rowsey

Communication blockers Verbal and non-verbal messages Pastors Mike and Trisha Fox Communication blockers - Verbal and non-verbal messages.

Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "The most important thing in any relationship is not what you get but what you give." Whether its verbal or non-verbal, we're always communicating "something". But there are some very prominent, common things that many couples do when in conflict situations that can actually make things worse! Basically, anything done or said which breaks the connection between the couple is what we simply call Communication Blockers. A few examples are:

1. Rolling your eyes. When you roll your eyes, you send a message to your partner that you simply do not care about what they have to say. It is in fact an immature non-verbal communication method that we encourage all adults to outgrow. Teens are notorious for this, but it really is uncalled for in adult marriages.

2. Folding your arms. A visual display of disapproval. It's a sign of self-promotion "over" the other. It's also been noted that folding the arms is a cautionary measure; sign of defensiveness. 22 We would like to point out that it also shows a

countenance of guilt; a sort of "prove it to me."

3. Sighing deeply and loudly when your partner is talking to you. A verbal message telling the partner that they had better hurry up with their nonsense. In other words, again, what they have to say is not worth the partner's time. They have better things to do and it's not important enough to work things through.

4. Looking at your watch or a clock, especially multiple times. Yet another of the same; "You're wasting my time." What the partner has to say is not that important.

5. Not stopping your activity or what you're doing when discussing. A very clear body language stating that "I'm mad and I'm clearly going to ignore you to show my anger." When you don't stop what you're doing to give attention to either the situation or your spouse, in essence you are hurting back without discussion.

6. Not making eye contact. Another visual display of disapproval, hurt and an overall method of vengeance and hurting back for some hurt done.

7. Not giving your partner full and undivided attention. This is sort of a "half-hearted" effort. You show that you have an interest, but without making yourself fully vulnerable.

sages are clear that what they have to say is clearly more important than the one who's being interrupted. It's considered rude and abrasive in methodology.

8. Shifting focus to unrelated items. One way to avoid confrontation and a general avoidance of dealing with the issues at hand.

All in all, these methods are only a small list of things that we can do to inflame a fire of steps beyond simple avoidance. At this point, when a partner "tunes out" their part- contention or snuff out a fire of hope. ner, they have already been hurt and have As said, we're always communicating someallowed bitterness, anger and growing hurt thing whether we're aware of it or not. to seep into their behavior. If left unchecked at this point, it's usually a matter of time If you can learn to avoid many of these before someone "else" fits the bill to fill in items, you will almost guarantee to lower the gaps made. your quantity and intensity of arguments and heated conflicts. 10. Name calling, cursing. The old adage that says, "Sticks and stones may break my If you can actually get into a pattern of bones but names will never hurt me" as a avoiding these types of behaviors, you can flat out falsehood. Quite the opposite, actu- actually quickly start the rebuilding process ally. Broken bones heal much faster than of new cycles of love, respect and a closeemotional wounds. By all means necessary, ness and bonding that will solidify and proavoid this type of abuse. When a couple has tection your relationship in ways you never resorted to this type of negative behavior, even thought possible. they need immediate help or it's fatal. Not only is it immature and degrading, but it We encourage you to learn how you commushows a general apathy of respect and care nicate to your partner and re-ignite the posifor the other partner as both a partner and tive things that bring you closer. human being. It's only steps away from violence.

9. Tuning out your partner. This is a few

11. Getting in his/ her face, screaming

Pastors Mike and Trisha Fox

or hollering. These are ways to display anger and exact a sort of revenge or hurt towards the other person. They are ways to beef up one's self and put down and dominate the other.

12. Shaking or pointing a finger. This is sort of a downing of the other's intelligence. A self promotion of either intelligence, power or authority.

13. Walking out of the conversation, room or home. Another of a very destructive measures attempting to exact a vengeance or hurt against the other. Interrupting constantly. This may or may not be intentional. Many people simply fall into habit of interrupting without any sort of malice or intent to hurt. Either way, when a partner interrupt the other constantly, mes23

God‟s Career Guide for Successful Leadership

Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14:26-NKJV). He will help us to do the work the Lord has called each leader to do: “and greater works than these he will do” (John 14:12b-NKJV). Jehoshaphat reign as the fourth King of Judah. His ability to lead Judah allowed Jehoshaphat to obtain great power, wealth and honor. He was a successful leader because the Lord was with him and he put God first in all things,” And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat…And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord”, (2Chronicles 13:3, 6KJV). There are some key principles that Jehoshaphat embraced to help him lead the people of God. He recognized that the Lord was with him and there was no way he could fail. The only way the Lord will know you is because of the time you‟ve spent with him and how you have honored Him through your praise and worship. You‟ve prayed and studied his Word and have consulted with him when decisions had to be made. The scripture says that “his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord”. When we seek God first and are in right relationship with him, whatever we need from the Lord we will receive: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all of his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you”… (Matthews 6:33). Jehoshaphat spent time in the Lord‟s presence, he consulted the Lord and listen to his instruction. When you are one of God‟s chosen leaders, obtaining clear instructions from God is pivotal when faced with various challenges. Mentorship is also a valuable asset to great leadership. Scripture refers to how Jehoshaphat walked in the former ways of his father David. Great leaders follow great leadership. Joshua followed Moses, Elisha followed Elijah and the twelve disciples had Jesus. Who are you connected to that has exemplified success in their ministry, business, marriage, the rearing of their child or children that you can „walk in their way‟? It‟s a good thing when we can walk in the success of another who have paved the way of successful leadership and use it as a guide to our success as a great leader. Remember the Holy Spirit is the instructor and the instruction guide is the Word of God. My question to you today is…are you a follower or are you “Born to Lead”? .

Part I If you are a leader or if you aspire to become a leader, God‟s Career Guide will help navigate you so that you can successfully work in the Kingdom of God. Whether you are called to the local church as a door keeper or to a world wide ministry, God‟s Career Guide is his Word which has been established since the beginning and will equip you with everything you need to be s successful leader. Adam‟s career was being the first man. This career established a life long residency in the eastward Garden of Eden with his wife Eve forever, as long as they followed God‟s Career Guide. The plan for their success is indicated in Genesis 2:17- “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it”. However, their inability to follow the guide caused them to be separated from their original estate (The Garden of Eden) and diverted the benefit of having everything at the finger tips with no toiling or rigid work involved – Wow! You may ask, “What does this have to do with being a „successful leader‟?” I‟m glad you asked. There are many examples in the Word of God, that demonstrate the success of men and women who were anointed and ordained by God to fulfill their calling as leaders in his Kingdom. The Word of God also provide examples of those who chose not to follow the Career Guide of God and failed to accomplish what was established in the plan of God for their lives. Following God‟s Career Guide is a source of wisdom and knowledge that has the ability to teach us to lead in any capacity and to gain tangible blessings from God when we follow the principles‟ and precepts‟ of his Word. When using God‟s Career Guide, you will find many great examples of awesome leaders in the Bible. I believe Jehoshaphat to be one of the Bible‟s prominent examples of how to become a successful leader. In the body of Christ, successful leadership is a great asset to the Kingdom of God. As a leader, the decisions that will be made ultimately determine the success or failure of that individual‟s ability to successfully lead. As a leader in the Kingdom of God, may I suggest to you that the Holy Spirit will train, teach and instruct us and bring all things to our remembrance as we strive to fulfill the call to become one of God‟s chosen leaders: “But the

Thankful As you looked around and see the beauty that God has blessed you with Be Thankful When we rise in the morning, even before our feet touch the floor Be thankful When we realized God has blessed us, not only with what we need But, with somethings we want too Be Thankful God has blessed us with family and friends Be Thankful You were able to go to your kitchen and get something to eat Be Thankful If you are able to walk today Be Thankful God provided for you to pay your bills today Be Thankful If you could put gas in your car today Be Thankful God has blessed us with so much Our life, health, and strength I don't know about you but, I am taking the time to let God know, I Thank Him Lord, I am Thankful and Grateful . For all that you have done for me I am Thankful Copyright ÂŠ 2011 by Cheryl A. Thomas

Psalm 22: The Dark Night Of The Soul By Apostle Dr. Lee Ann B. Marino, Ph.D., D.D . My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me? Why art Thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the day time, but Thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. (Verses 1-2)

The Christian experience is full of many different experiences. Christian believers experience blessing, praise, favor, victory, and grace as a part of their walk. They also experience rejection, silence, persecution, frustration, misunderstanding, loneliness, and anger. While we hear much about how to handle the good Christians experience and never walk away from God in the good times, we hear little about how to handle the times of the Christian walk that are less than ideal. It‟s a great thing to celebrate the victories of Christianity. We need to remember and recall all the things God has done for us from eternity past to eternity future. At the same time, we also need to learn how to deal with the feelings, circumstances, and periods of time that are less than ideal. We need to know how to deal with the “dark nights of the soul” that will plague every Christian at one point in time or another in their walk with the Lord. The “dark night of the soul” is a phrase that has been used by many writers and spiritual contemplatives throughout history. It describes a period of time in one‟s life when an individual does not understand what is going on, where things are at, what is happening, where they are going...and they don‟t seem to hear from God about what to do about it. It‟s a period of crying out, seeking, questioning, and longing, with little satisfaction. 26

It is a painful period in the life of the Christian, where the graces of God seem far off, and suffering seems very near. The period of the dark night of the soul is one of growth and contemplation. If we were to compare it to a season, it would be winter. Even though things appear dead, they are but dormant, waiting to come to full life again. They are resting and seeking within. It is quiet, without much stirring and activity. The cold of the world drives one within, into a hidden place. The dark night of the soul is this season of quiet wisdom, where the coldness of circumstances drives one inward to seek God in a way they would not if things were going well. The dark night of the soul is a season of waiting and coming to know God in a powerful and profoundly personal way. When things are good, we are so busy celebrating victories, enjoying blessings, and sharing in the revelry with others that sometimes knowing God doesn‟t seem as important. In good times, we know God through the gain. In the dark night of the soul, we know God for being God. We seek His face, His answers, His experiences, and His truth to bring us to where we need to be. But Thou art holy, O Thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. Our fathers trusted in Thee: they trusted, and Thou didst deliver them. They cried unto Thee, and were delivered: they trusted in Thee, and were not confounded. (Verses 3-5) A unique feature about the dark night of the soul is its extension beyond one‟s own experience. (Continued on page 27)

Many Christians today are disconnected from their history. What a tragedy this is! Our history is a source of our power as we overcome both by the blood of the Lamb and our testimony! In the concept of believing God is doing a “new thing,” they forget the experiences of God‟s people all throughout history. God‟s people have gone through hard times and hard experiences from the very beginning. In their difficulties, they turned to God and God brought them through. If we are able to step back and see the way God has worked for others, recognizing they had trials as well, we too will be able to see God‟s ability to work for us and deliver us. Sometimes we are delivered from, sometimes we are delivered through. Seeing how God has kept His promises in the past helps us to recognize how He will keep them unto us today.

course of their own lives, they pretend the dark night is an uncommon and alien experience. While the taunting is mean-spirited, there is truth in what they say: because we delight in the Lord, He will deliver us. We aren‟t delivered from the dark night of the soul, but we are delivered through it. Just as Jesus‟ redemption for mankind came through His death, so too God doesn‟t simply redeem us from the difficult times we go through. In going through, we bring forth something from within: it unites us to Christ, and gives us the ability to learn about life coming forth through death. For a seed to grow, the seed casing itself must die so it can turn into a plant. For us to grow and become more than we are, we must die to the flesh and adopt the nature of Christ in our lives, putting on His grace. In the dark night of the soul, there is a death: a death to the self. A dying daily, with each step. What is it we are dying to? We are dying to the materialism we seek; the money we pursue; the passions and lusts after everything that is unspiritual and ungodly in our lives. The dark night of the soul takes us away from the pulls and pursuits of this world and draws us deeper to God, in silence, without distraction, and brings us to a new place in Him. The people who taunt and point simply do not understand, not on any level. Prior to Jesus‟ death, Thomas expressed the desire to die without understanding. Jesus told him, “Where I am going, you cannot come.” As we walk through the dark night of the soul, it is a preparation go to somewhere that often those around us are just not able to come.

But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the LORD that He would deliver him: let Him deliver him, seeing He delighted in him. (Verses 6-8) During the dark night of the soul, the individual is frequently isolated in the midst of others. Just as in the experience of both Job and Jesus, the abandonment is made public. Instead of offering support, they offer mockery. People who once worshipped and prayed alongside now point and taunt, making fun of the faith one has. The dark night of the soul is a lonely time. Others know what we go through, but they don‟t understand. They see, but do not delve beyond the surface. In their own discomfort, especially for the 27

We are being primed, prepared, and purposed for something greater than that which can be seen with the eye. Out of our sorrow will come a great joy that cannot be inherited by those who are unprepared to pay the price for it. The dark night of the soul reminds us that the things of God come with a price. As inheritors are left conditions to receive an inheritance, so too must we meet God‟s conditions, preparedness, and timing to receive. If we don‟t go through God‟s timing, we cannot receive all He has for us. Wherever we go in the Kingdom, no matter how great the calling, we must go through something to receive it. People who taunt and fail to support don‟t understand about receiving the things of God and, most likely, will experience one of two things: an intensely difficult dark night of the soul that will last for a long period of time, or who will simply never reach the necessary maturity to go through, and therefore, will never receive. But Thou art He that took me out of the womb: Thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts. I was cast upon Thee from the womb: Thou art my God from my mother's belly. (Verses 9-10) Even in the dark night of the soul, we still remember God is our hope. We remember our rearing in His love and truth, and we can recall all He has done for us from a young age. God has always been our God, always will be our God, and will always carry us through whatever it is we need to go through. It is a confidence of trusting God in all things, and thanking Him in all things, not necessarily for all things. As we learn from

God in the darkness, learning from Him from within, we learn to see Him work all things together for our good. We understand good is bigger than we are, and deeper and more profound than pleasantries of the flesh. Good is about more than us; it is about God. Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help. (Verse 11) Within the dark night of the soul comes a deep awareness of sin and sinfulness. During this time, sin is obvious. A person deep in the dark night of the soul expresses regret for what they have done, aware of the wrongs they have committed to others because of the sins committed toward them. The world may seem a dark and daunting place because the true evidence of sin is everywhere, encompassing, seemingly impossible to overcome. As negative as this may sound, it‟s not really a negative place: it is an awareness, an awakening, that points the individual toward God. The individual within the dark night of the soul recognizes the true saving power of God to save. We can‟t save ourselves and we cannot overcome without Him. Sometimes in this world we get very dependent in thinking we need other people. It is true that no man is an island, and that God has created us for relationship with one another. It is also true that sin has created discord, dissonance, and disunity among people. Whether we like to deal with it or not, we have to make choices about people who are in our lives. The awareness of sinfulness that surrounds us sometimes stands as a powerful and intense reminder that it‟s a good idea to take inventory of who is around us, who is in 28

our lives, and what influence those people may be having on us. If we step back and can honestly say there is none to help us, why are we surrounding ourselves with such people? Sometimes what we go through is so deeply personal we can‟t be helped, but what does it mean to truly step back and say there are none to support what we are going through? It means it‟s time to unite with God and allow Him to draw people into our lives who will be supportive, even if they don‟t understand. Even during the dark night, they may not get what we go through, but they will still lift us up in prayer, recognizing God is the One Who can truly be of help. Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and Thou hast brought me into the dust of death. (Verses 12-15) The use of simile literary comparison gives us a powerful image of the experience of the dark night of the soul. This is especially important for people who have yet to experience this intense period of time. If something can go wrong, it goes wrong. If someone can turn their back, they turn their back. Attacks come from people you would never suspect. It seems as if the whole world is against you. The dark night of the soul can have physical complications as well as emotional and spiritual complications. The dark night of the soul is, overall, a difficult time for the person who goes through it. This clarifies for us the connection between spiritual and natural

events: what goes on in the spiritual realm manifests in the natural realm. All the things happening during the dark night of the soul represent spiritual forces and things going on in the spiritual realm. This is most effectively portrayed in Christ‟s death on the cross. It was a time of overwhelming awareness of sin, death, and the consequences for sin. The enemies of Christ and their casual way of rallying for His death represents the forces of death and hell as the enemies of God, working against God and His people. Yet even in Christ, we see the dark night of the soul is not the end. While our enemies may laugh on Friday, we know Sunday is coming, as is a time of overcoming. The dark night of the soul is not permanent, or is it the end. There is victory in going through and reaching the other side. The catch is that we must persevere through the battle to get there. For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture. But be not Thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste Thee to help me. Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog. Save me from the lion's mouth: for Thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns. (Verses 16-21) I have often described the dark night of the soul - especially as one begins to enter that period in their lives - as feeling like everyone in a person's life takes little pieces of them and walks off with those pieces, until nothing is left. It feels like friends become enemies and begin to overstep boundaries, encircling the individual, taking away at every point rather than giving. Within the individual who is already seeking the deeper things of life, such picking leads to a piercing, whereby friends passing into enemies attempt to pierce 29

a human being at their points of productivity. It is by the hands and feet that an individual is able to work, move, and craft. Being pierced in the hands and feet indicates a puncture in the work and movement of a person's life. It is an attempt on the part of enemies to halt the work of God and the movement of God in a person's life. It can come under the guise of innocence, such as a comment or a criticism. This "innocent guise" often appears to be a message or word for someone - sometimes from God, sometimes spoken under the appearance of "concern." The contents of such a message are designed to denounce what a person is doing, to somehow divert them from their direction and head in another one. The words are often in clear contrast to the revelation or purpose a person has already received, making the piercing so wounding in many ways. It is a hurt that, although overcome, changes the relationship as a false prophet comes guised as a friend. It's hard to be displayed before all, especially in a time of questioning, confusion, seeking, and betrayal. We all know people talk, especially when you don't take their advice or receive their word as divine. They point you out, numbering humanities and faults, especially those they keep hidden just under their veil of judgment and public perfections. The dark night of the soul teaches us to read people: it teaches us who we can trust, who we cannot, who will be there for us on the other side, and who will not. We come out wiser, smarter, faster, ready to fight, ready to move forward, to move from our Good Friday to our triumphant Resurrection Sunday. God alone has the ability to deliver, and God Himself does so, in the midst of our enemies.

not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath He hid His face from him; but when he cried unto Him, He heard. (Verses 22-24) Now in Psalm 22, there is a notable shift. As the dark night of the soul comes, it also ends. As God moves the individual through the process, they come out on the other side. The person who has been through the dark night of the soul has something nobody can take away from them: an assurance of God in all things, a sense of empowered trust. While in it, it feels like it will never end. The searching, seeking, longing for something deeper and more seems to fill the heart, mind, and learning of God in darkness makes the light of God's day that much more enlightening and awakening. Such a person knows God has brought him or her through, has heard the cry, and has responded. God has brought yet another soul through darkness to the light. My praise shall be of Thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear Him. The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek Him: your heart shall live for ever. All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before Thee. For the Kingdom is the LORD's: and He is the Governor among the nations. All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul. A seed shall serve Him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. They shall come, and shall declare His righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that He hath done this.

I will declare Thy Name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise Thee. Ye that fear the LORD, praise Him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify Him; and fear Him, all ye the seed of Israel. For He hath

(Verses 25-31) Generation after generation, God's people 'go 30

through.' God's people have lived through turmoil, suffering, persecution, difficulty, emotional pain, loss, grief, and heartache. In the midst of suffering and turmoil, God's people have a testament generation after generation: He brings them through. He carries them in pain. He holds them in betrayal, and comforts them in loss. Some question where God is when things go wrong; but I have to wonder why people always assume God is absent in those times. He is as close, as caring, as patient, and as deeply there, a part of their lives, no matter what is going on. In the dark night, we learn of Him differently; we draw to Him more powerfully, more intimately. We learn about ourselves, we learn of Him. What we write, what we speak, what we record from these times testifies He is the Lord, He is God, He is great, He is to be praised. He vindicates His people. Those who rely on themselves for gain will one day have nothing, because they do not know the Lord. Yet those who go through the dark night of the soul account to their generation and beyond, praising the bounty of God, and recount to future generations that He is the ultimate promise wherewith we find the resurrection and the life.

Apostle Dr. Lee Ann B. Marino, Ph.D., D.D. Apostle In Office Apostolic Fellowship International Ministries Post Office Box 935 Cary, North Carolina 27512 www.powerfortoday.org (919) 397-9122 31

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