Divine Inspirations Magazine DIVINE INSPIRATIONS MAGAZINE APRIL 2009 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 4
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April 2009 | Volume 2 | Issue 4
Bishop Greg M. Davis, Sr. River of Life Church Greg Davis Ministries International
contents Cover Story 4 Bishop Gregory M. Davis, Sr. 5 Greg Davis Ministries International
Featured Articles 6 Breaking Through Obstacles Kim Potter 7 Just Do Your Part and Leave the Rest with God Bishop Steven Maxwell 10 Forsaken All (For My Sake) Michelle Pumphrey 11 Identity Crisis and Theft in the Church Apostle Chiffon Foster 12 God’s Garden Minister Tiffinnie Alston 13 Women in Ministry: A Philosophical Approach Apostle Lee Ann Marino 19 Dressed for Success Minister B. Michelle Horton 20 Do Not Look Behind; You are Covered Eunice Stolhofer 23 Built to Stand Through it All Paulette Harper 27 The Principle of Agreement in Marriage Robert T. Sells, Poetry Editor 31 “Born Again” Willie White
In Every Issue 16 LIVE with PURPOSE!!! Teshia M. Payne, Editorial Director 35 Beauty Kelly Laws, Beauty Editor 36 D.I.V.A.S. Elder Mae Davis 37 A Word in Season Sophia Avery, Christian Therapist 38 Reality Check Prophetess Teresa Myers 40 Prosperity Principles Flora Kynard 41 Marriage for Today Pastors Mike and Trishia Fox 43 Youth-4-2DAY Pastors Mike and Trishia Fox
Reader Spotlight 26 The Fabulous Black Woman Eddie
Devotionals 20 How’s your Love Walk? Evangelist Debra Savage 32 What is your Reputation? Teshia M. Payne
Poetry Café 17 VANITIES Ayorinde Matthew 24 The Great God Igbinoba Bright 42 Nothing Robert T. Sells 43 Unfulfilled Shawanna Clay 43 A Song Filled Prayer Bobby Jay 44 My Friend Bridgette Whitney
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From the Editors Pen:
Happy Resurrection! This year I have adopted a theme slogan for myself-“Living the Abundant Life.” As we entered into the Resurrection season, there were many documentaries and movies on TV about Jesus and the crucifixion. Most of the stories spotlight the miracles He performed leading to His triumphant entry to Jerusalem. I enjoy watching these movies and documentaries each year. The message of the cross is not only one of redemption, but one that says we are now free from sin, poverty, and death. God redeemed us from sin yes, hallelujah and gave us the right to Live Life More Abundantly. Calvary was for this reason also. Many of us are living “the just getting by life.” There is so much more for us. We must apply determination and hope to our lives every day. Wake up each day expecting the impossible. Jesus came for the Abundant Life. We should not let His sacrifice be in vain. In this Issue, we are launching our Youth column and Marriage column. We welcome Pastors Mike and Trisha Fox. Please check out the ad for their awesome book offer titled “Marriage for Today.” We greatly appreciate your feedback and comments; please send us a note today. Be Blessed! Qualita Pendergrass Senior Editor/Publisher Divine Inspirations Magazine senioreditor@divineinspirationsmagazine.org
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Bishop Gregory M. Davis, Sr. is a multi faceted man. He is a husband, father,
pastor, and businessman. For the past 18 years, he has been married to his hometown sweetheart Pastor Kim A. Davis. Born in Los Angeles, California and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Bishop Davis comes from a legacy of preachers and has been preaching for over 23 years. By 1985, Reverend Davis began to rise as he became the pastor of the Second Unity Full Gospel Church. It was during that time Reverend Davis started to host packed out conferences with internationally known headliners. In 1991, Reverend Davis was consecrated as Bishop in the Full Gospel Baptist Fellowship International. In 2003, Bishop Gregory M. Davis, Sr. established Greg Davis Ministries, International a non-profit organization. Serving as President and CEO, Bishop Davis is dedicated to empowering lives, meeting the needs of the community and assisting with revitalizing communities across the country. Through GDM, Bishop Davis hosts the Seven Days of Glory Conference and Deliverance Now Crusades. He is the producer and host of the anchor television show on the Word Network entitled “Rejoice in the Word with Bishop Greg Davis.” He is host to one of the most historical events on television “Voices of the Black Church,” which featured some of the world’s most influential leaders from churches across the nation. His first CD “Let the Healing Begin” and the latest project released in May 2008 “Let the Healing Begin Part 2,” is a compilation of healing scriptures and meditation. He has also released “Today is your Day for a Miracle Live,” which showcases his love of traditional gospel music. This incredible CD was recorded live and features him leading the congregation on timeless favorites like “Jesus I’ll Never Forget” and “The Oil and the Wine.” A prolific orator and gifted wordsmith, he is the author of 11 books. His latest book “The Dreamers are Coming” is a series of sermonic texts designed to challenge each reader to dream and expect his dream to become his reality. Currently, Bishop Davis serves as Founder and Senior Pastor of The River of Life Church, in Wilmington Delaware along with his lovely wife Pastor Kim A. Davis. Pastor Kim A. Davis is Co-Founder and the Co-Pastor of River of Life Church and the Senior Pastor of Ebenezer Full Gospel Baptist Church in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. Bishop Davis serves as the Bishop of Ebenezer Full Gospel Baptist Church. Through their leadership, they have been able to establish over 30 service ministries, which support the continuous improvement of the local community. He also is a charter member of the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship where Bishop Paul S. Morton is the International Presiding Bishop. There he serves as the Bishop of Events and Planning, serving the needs of Pastors within a 34 state area. As a family man, Bishop Davis has transferred his ministry gifting to his children. Bishop Davis and Pastor Kim are the parents of six children. They also are the proud grandparents of three. Bishop Davis truly loves people. Wherever you find him, you will see him planting a seed of wisdom, direction, deliverance, and love. He is a genuine man with a genuine heart. All who encounter him say that Bishop nurtures you to become the best You possible! Bishop Gregory M. Davis, Sr. Senior Pastor and Founder of The River of Life Church Wilmington, Delaware
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Upcoming Engagements Friday, April 10 @ 7PM Good Friday Service River of Life Church 1201 N Van Buren St. Wilmington, DE 19806 For More Information Contact: 302.421.2920
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River of Life Church, Wilmington DE Founded: November 16, 2008
Sunday, April 12 @ 9:30AM Resurrection Sunday 2009 River of Life Church 1201 N Van Buren St. Wilmington, DE 19806 For More Information Contact: 302.421.2920 April 15 @ 7PM Noah’s Ark Full Gospel Baptist Church Empowerment Crusade 3910 Vance Street Extension Reidsville, North Carolina 27323 Host: Overseer B. Stephon Brown For More Information Contact: 336.634.1979 April 19, 20, 21 @7PM 3 Days of Healing River of Life Church 1201 N Van Buren St. Wilmington, DE 19806 For More Information Contact: 302.421.2920 Sunday, May 31 @ 7PM Healing and Deliverance Crusade & Revival River of Life Church 1201 N Van Buren St. Wilmington, DE 19806 For More Information Contact: 302.421.2920 Sunday, August 30 @ 7PM Healing and Deliverance Crusade River of Life Church 1201 N Van Buren St. Wilmington, DE 19806 For More Information Contact: 302.421.2920 Wednesday September 30, 2009 – Friday October 2, 2009 @ 7pm “Life from the River” 3 –Day Conference 1201 N Van Buren St. Wilmington, DE 19806 For More Information Contact: 302.421.2920 Host: Bishop Gregory M. Davis, Sr.
Mission Statement and History: The River of Life Church is a multicultural, nontraditional charismatic ministry that is designed to lead the people into a spirit-filled holistic relationship with Jesus Christ. This will be accomplished through relevant preaching, teaching, discipleship, leadership, and personal development. We will be globally known as a place of healing for the mind, body, and soul. We strive to be repairers of the breach and restorers of the streets in which we dwell. We shall continue this work from generation to generation.
Greg Davis Ministries International
Bishop Greg Davis gave birth to his evangelistic outreach ministry Greg Davis Ministries International, “The Oil of Joy” of which he is the founder and CEO. Bishop Davis also founded the Seven Days of Glory Crusades in 2003. These crusades are seven powerpacked days of preaching, teaching, prophetic impartation and praise and worship that travels with a team of 12 all across the country pouring the Oil of Joy into the Body of Christ. In 2005, he also founded “Deliverance Now Crusades,” which are two days of prophetic impartation, healing, and deliverance to those bound by spirits, debt, sickness, and disease. To add to his many accomplishments; Bishop Davis is the author of 11 books. His latest being “The Dreamers Are Coming.” The Apostolic impartation coupled with his prophetic voice created great demands for Greg Davis Ministries International all over the country.
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The Seven Days of Glory Conference
The Seven Days of Glory Conference was founded in 2006 to institute an educational component to the Seven Days of Glory Crusade. Workshops were instituted to educate attendees on funding for their ministries and/or nonprofits, alternatives to home financing, and mentoring young pastors. The conference provides a forum for the examination of issues and the dissemination of information pertinent to the diverse needs of those interested in building their ministries through educational workshops, informative presentations, and networking and discussion opportunities, Presenters at the Conference are A-List Bishops, Pastors and Evangelist from across the country who lead medium to mega-size churches. The conference is a non-profit event sponsored by Greg Davis Ministries International. Proceeds of the conference support the Seven Days of Glory Conference as well and future Seven Days of Glory Crusades, and any other Greg Davis Ministries outreach programs.
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We tend to be critical of the children of Israel, yet I see many in the Body of Christ doing the same thing. Although they may not be literally walking around the same mountain, they are certainly confronted with the same problems over-and-over, unable to press over into their promised land. What is it that you come up against over-and-over? Family problems, lack of finances, the same sickness – whatever it is the Word of God has a solution, a permanent solution. Recently, the Lord led me to study a couple of words found in the book of Deuteronomy. I studied wilderness and Promised Land. I wanted to find out what God was talking about in this scripture – what God was telling them. Here is what He was saying, you have been in the wilderness, circling around long enough, now turn and go into your promised land. God spoke these same words to me in my prayer time this week and I believe He is speaking these words to the entire Body of Christ as well. We have been here long enough, let’s turn, and walk toward the promises of God today. The interesting thing in my word study was this; the word wilderness is a Hebrew word rbdm and one of its meanings is mouth. It comes from the Hebrew word rbd, which means to declare, to command, or speak out. What is even more interesting to me is that when I studied the term Promised Land it was the same exact word rbd, again meaning to declare, to command, or speak out.
Breaking Through Obstacles Kim Potter
Have you ever felt as if you were coming up against the same problems or obstacles all the time? Repeatedly you are met with the same challenge? I can imagine that is how the children of Israel felt walking around the same mountain for forty years. It would feel as if the scene never changes.
I found this very enlightening. We choose to dwell in the wilderness or enter into the promises of God based on one thing – what we are declaring, commanding, or speaking out. What keeps us circling the same mountain? Our words. Keep in mind, a mountain represents an obstacle, something put in our path to stop us. Our words keep us circling the same mountain or you might say; our words keep us coming face-to-face with the same obstacle.
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But Praise God, our words can also bring us out of the wilderness and into the Promised Land. Our words can cause us to overcome every obstacle in our way. You already know, your words are powerful, God created with words. What we need to remember is that we are empowered to do the same thing. We are anointed to create with our words. We are anointed to remove obstacles and mountains that stand in our way with our words. Where you are today is because of the words you have spoken over your life. What are you saying? Are you saying “it’s never going to get better” or “I am always broke and always will be,” if you are - stop it – stop circling the mountain and turn toward the promises and declare “my life gets better every day” and “I will never be broke another day of my life, I am overflowing with God’s blessing” – you will eventually have what you say. Speak words of promise out of your mouth and expect good things – expect your inheritance from God. The children of Israel did not enter into their promises because of their murmuring and complaining. They spoke words against God and His promises. Let’s don’t fail to enter into our promises for the same reason – instead let’s be like Jesus and only say what we hear the Father say. Only speak the Word of God. Do not allow words of cursing to come out of your mouth. I am not talking about profanity; I am talking about speaking words of curse over your own life. Words like ‘I fail at everything I do’ or ‘I will never get this bill paid off.’ These are words of cursing and the Bible plainly tells us that blessing and cursing should not come out of the same mouth. I do not know about you, but I get tired of going around the same mountain all the time. I choose to go God’s way, how about you? Kim Potter is founder of A New Thing Ministries. A New Thing Ministries sends out a daily online newsletter to over 7,500 people. In addition, she ministers the Word of God at meetings and conventions around the world. For more information, email Breanne Roach at Breanne@anewthingministries.com
Just Do Your Part and Leave the Rest with God Bishop Steven Maxwell
As I prayed about ways we can use to touch the lives of others in pain right now, I asked myself the following questions: suppose I have only what I need to survive for a short while until I get gainful employment? I have five empty rooms in my house and I really want to help someone, but I can barely feed myself and can only afford this place for few more months? Oh yes, I understand that others are suffering and I want to help, but the little I have can only sustain my children and I for a short while. Suppose I help someone in distress as you are urging me to do Bishop; and the little food for me and my children runs out, what then? Bishop I want to help, but my spouse is at the point of death and we are heavily indebted. After he dies our creditors will come and then what? Yes Bishop, I want to help someone out there but????????????????????? I want to talk to you who are desirous to help someone who is suffering next door to you, but find yourself in one of the pictures I painted earlier. I want to tell you about a God who can calm those storms of fear in you today and challenge you to take a bold step that will not only help the person in need, but also reward you handsomely. You, who are very dedicated to helping others, but have little or just about the last in your hands now, I say to you fear not, for our God is able.
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I want to share a little secret with you. Any time I have some fear; whenever I face before questions that put fear in my heart about anything, I say anything at all, I open up my Bible and find the following passages. Psalms 4:8; 23:4 Isaiah 35:4; Romans 8:37-39; 2 Timothy 1:7. These passages assure me of a God who not only cares, but is able to protect and provide for my every need. One of my favorite stories in the Bible tells of a time when a great man of God was a refugee. He desperately needed food and shelter. Not only was he a refugee, but also a fugitive fleeing for his life, and caught in the home of any one would have cost the life of the one sheltering him too. Now listen to this carefully. God told this fleeing refugee to go to the home of a widow for shelter. Oh my, my, what is this now? He did not describe the widow or the power of her income. You see my friends. God has a way of doing things that is quite different from us. I would have rather he send him to a comfortable home of people that already had enough food and everything else, but no he sends this refugee to a poor widow. In fact, when the Man of God told this Widow God's request, she was astonished and confused. She said: (like many of you today)"As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but a handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse; and; behold I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it and die" Wow!!!!!!! What a slap in the face for this hungry refugee/fugitive of the law. You see my Dear friend that I am speaking to right now; as you are praying for a solution to your problems, God has different types of answers. Answers that you could not have imagine in your wildest dreams. This faithful widow had been praying to God about her supplies. She had a home, Yes, She had a Child, Yes, but her supplies had hit the bottom. Am I talking to you today? Does it seem that all is lost and there is no way out? Have you already given up hope like this lady? Well I got more news for you; one of the names of the Most High God is JEHOVAH JIREH. JIREH means Provider!
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The Provider does not work the way you expects Him to, as I mention before. He had a solution for the widow's problem, but it was tied up in the solution he had for his servant, the refugee/fugitive. If you read Psalms 42, it urges you to keep up your hope in God. He is capable to deliver in every circumstance you face. That old widow took in the refugee servant of God and not only did she live, but her supplies never ran out. It could happen to you too today. As you touch the life of someone in need, God touches yours too. Not only did God touch her supplies but He protected her home. When jealous Satan attacked her home and killed her son, God used His servant to restore the child's life. Yes, He even protects our little ones because we care for the needy. I am not making this story up to convince you because you can find it in the book of 1 Kings 17. I would have stopped there but there is something unique I remember and want to tell you about today. Do you know that God supports the families of the faithful ones long after they are dead? The amazing thing is he even pays off the debts of those who serve him faithfully while alive. I want to tell you about another couple who assisted a homeless/wandering man of God and the reward they got. When they noticed this old wanderer, they provided a bed and food for him. You see God has different ways of meeting our needs. This couple had been praying for something from God a long time—something precious to them. Have you been praying to God for something you really desire but it seems as if God did not hear your prayer? Listen there are some very simple things that move God. When it seems that prayers have failed you, sometimes God is awaiting action, which is what happened in this case. The woman and her husband just felt (but did not really know) that this was really a man of God, so they prepared a place in their home for him and his servant. Guess what? Yes, God had an answer they sought for
DIVINE INSPIRATIONS MAGAZINE APRIL 2009 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 4 many years and had even given up. One of their most secret wishes was granted. (2 Kings 4:8-17) Lastly, I want to tell you about this woman again whose family was so faithful to the things of God. When her husband died and she became indebted to the extent that her children would have been sold to redeem her debts; God directly intervened by providing oil for her to sell and pay her debt, after she laid the matter at the feet of God through His servant. (2 Kings 4: 1-6) JUST DO YOUR PART AND LEAVE THE REST WITH GOD!!!!!!! I will close with these words from "From His Heart Ministries" by Pastor Jeff Schreve. Are You Rich Toward God? But God said to him, "You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?" So is the man who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.� Luke 12:20-21 In the great book, IT ALL GOES BACK IN THE BOX, Pastor John Ortberg tells of the tale of two men: the famous billionaire industrialist, Armand Hammer (Occidental Petroleum Company) and the unknown Christian pauper, Larry Clarke. Both men died in the same decade. Their stories are so interesting. LARRY'S STORY Larry served at Willow Creek Community Church for no pay. He never married, never owned a home, and never went on any expensive vacations. What he did do was befriend and disciple a lonely, discouraged people. He told them what they could be in Christ. He died suddenly and tragically, because of a traffic accident - he was hit by a bus while jogging. When they had his funeral, eight hundred people stood in line for three hours to honor him and pay their last respects. Untold scores of people shared how Larry had touched their lives with his love and care and giving of himself.
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ARMAND'S STORY Armand was called by USA Today a "giant of capitalism and confidante of world leaders." He achieved SO MUCH money, power, success, and fame. He had EVERYTHING the world says one needs to be happy and fulfilled in this life. However, that is a lie. Armand Hammer was a miserable man. He was a terrible husband, father, boss, and friend. He filed a $667,000 claim against his brother's $700,000 estate rather than disbursing it to his brother's children and nursing homebound wife. When Armand Hammer died, very few people attended his funeral to pay their respects. Hammer's own son Julian did not attend, nor did members of his brothers' families. His pallbearers were his chauffeur, his male nurse, and other personal employees on the payroll. And you know what else? When the billionaire died, he left every dollar of his vast wealth here on earth. He died the same way he was born: totally naked. Which one of these two men do you think died rich toward God? Which of these two men received a "well done" from God? Which of these two men was truly a success in the eyes of the King? ARE YOU RICH TOWARD GOD? I have a sneaking suspicion that great numbers of people who claim to be believers in Jesus are more like Armand Hammer than they are Larry Clarke when it comes to money and possessions. We tend to be people who are bent toward greed, stinginess and the love of money. We tend to lose sight of what really matters in life, of what really lasts. And what is that? God, His Word, and people are the only things that last forever. As those who have been bought with a price, the blood of God's only Son, we are called to love God and use money to glorify Him. Sadly, many people love money and use God. How do you and I break this tendency we all have to worship money and things?
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Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Put your treasure in the Kingdom of God and your heart will follow. Honor God from your wealth and He will honor you. (1 Samuel 2:30) In these days of financial uncertainty, DO NOT give in to fear, and start short-changing God. In days like these, we need to be faithful to God more than ever. God is not looking for creativity or ingenuity. He is looking for folks who will trust Him and be faithful to Him regardless of the circumstances. Founder of The African Voice in The Wilderness SMAJKL_Victory in the Most High God
Forsaken All (For My sake) Michelle Pumphrey
Matthew 19:29, “And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.” Wow! What a scripture, I know for many that is one of the most hardest scriptures to read. You do not even hear this coming from the pulpit. We have always been told that family is the most important thing in our lives. We can tolerate people saying or doing certain things to us, but when it comes to someone doing or saying something to offend our family, we will go to war. I know when I was in the world; I would act like a stark raven fool if someone did or said something to my
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children or other family members. Since entering the Kingdom of God, I had to learn how to die to that behavior. I still love them with the same intensity, but I can no longer allow them to take the throne of my heart anymore, it has been replaced by my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and my God! This has been a very hard rode for me to travel (let me tell you), it can hurt very deeply. People of God in our journey with the Lord, there may be loved ones that cannot travel with us any longer and if we have to let them go for Christ-sake, then we will have to do it. We may not like it, but obedience to the Lord is far better than our sacrifices, but when you think of it; letting go of someone is a sacrifice. Jesus understands the hurt and devastation that we feel letting go because he had to do it himself. He had to separate himself from his Father as he went to Calvary’s Cross for our sins. That was the biggest part and the hardest of his task. And I know letting go of people is beneficial some times for our assignment that is given to us, because the enemy will use those close to us as weapons to kill the plan that God has for us or just to distract us from a call on our lives. God’s timing is so important, and if you are not focused, you can miss the move of God for your life. We know God is a God of restoration, just as Jesus gave up all he had and was for us, he receives all that he gave up because he still has his Father, in fact, He is sitting at His right hand now, and still working on our behalf, how wonderful is that! Matthew 16:24-25, “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save, his life shall loose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” This scripture needs no interpretation, if you want to find God you will have to lose yourself, God cannot use anyone who is still filled with his own ideas and cravings for this world. He needs a clean vessel to pour himself into, and if all of our junk were still in us, there would be no room for what he wants to put in us. We must get rid of our reputation, and our own perception of ourselves. The bottom line is if you want to live for Christ then you are going to have to DIE to the world!
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with virtually no accountability/oversight. Networks and fellowships are popping up everywhere providing license and ordinations without any type of qualification process being in place whatsoever. If you have the right fee, right look, and the charismatic ability then for many organizations you are released!
Identity Crisis and Theft in the Church Apostle Chiffon Foster
"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:" (Ephesians 4: 11, 12). "And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?" (I Corinthians 12: 28-30) There is a surge among apostolic and prophetic generals to return to the place of equipping, training, and properly releasing God's people for the work of ministry. One of the major reasons that the Church is not effective is because so many believers are out of position concerning their God given purpose. In other words, a crisis of identity and identity theft is taking place. People are changing titles, offices and mantles quicker than a chameleon is able to change according to its environment! Leaders are prematurely sending people forth without proper training, equipping and
God is a God of order and operates through Kingdom principles. He has not changed the way that He processes those called into ministry. Not every prophet is a prophet to the nations. When asked what type of prophet are you or what are at least 12 functions of prophets or even to discern between the gift and office there is still much confusion surrounding this topic. Apostles and pastors are confusing their roles. Bishops are now calling themselves apostles, but when you study the function of apostles and bishops, you will clearly see that they are two different office gifts although there are some functions that overlap between the two. True evangelists are almost unheard of because people are so "drunk and intoxicated" upon the apostolic and prophetic ministries. The office gift of teacher is becoming extinct because everyone is looking to "wow" the crowd through emotions and hype and have forgotten about sound biblical teachers that are needed to prevent false doctrine and heresy from taking over. People are starting new ministries and churches and calling themselves apostles and do not realize that God can use anyone to begin a work as He sees fit, but the office and function of a true apostle is very clear. There is a great concern behind the scenes that we are headed for a train wreck if something is not done quickly. Renegades and the untrained are refusing to become accountable to anyone. Networks that have no proper apostolic oversight are "pimping and prostituting" vulnerable and immature ministers. There is reformation and correction that is manifesting from the pulpit to the pew.
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Those who have been truly assigned to this hour understand that the "circle of accountability never ends.” True spiritual fathers and mothers are taking those who are willing to be submitted through the proper training and equipping for effective Kingdom ministry. Elijah’s are finding their Elisha’s. Moses’ are connecting with their Joshua’s. Elizabeth’s are taking the Mary's under their wings for mentoring. You will know those who have been assigned to this hour because we know who we are, are submitted to Godly coverings, and the anointing testifies of the character of true servanthood. We are in correct alignment and are allowing the generals to impart and release. We have waited for our turn patiently and now the batons have been passed. Our identity is not based upon our titles or credentials, but on our understanding and embracing Kingdom truths! Apostle Chiffon R. Foster Kingdom Glory Ministries
GOD’S GARDEN Minister Tiffinnie Alston
One day I met a woman who told me a story about another woman who had just gotten a new house. It was not much and it needed some work, but never the less, it was hers. The one thing she felt it was missing was a flower garden. She looked and looked and finally she found the perfect spot, but the ground was not the best. However, she was determined to have her garden. She planted her seeds, she watered them, and she did what you should do to get her flowers to grow. She noticed that with all of the work, nothing was growing. Month after month, nothing, not even a bud sprouted.
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People around her started saying nothing is going to grow there, your ground is hard, there is too much sun and it dries out fast, nothing will ever grow there. She eventually gave up on the garden. However, one day while she was looking out of her window at the rain pouring down the side of the house, she noticed a flower. It was the most beautiful flower she had ever seen. Another bloomed and then another, but all around it was the same hard soil. After a few months, she had a lovely garden, no bigger than the size of three shoeboxes lying side-by-side. One day as she went to admire her flowers, as she did just about every day, she noticed one had begun to droop and they had started to lose the bright lively color they had. She was very upset asking, “Why?” “Why did this happen,” “What could have gone wrong.” She could not find the answer. All she could ask was “Why.” So much so, that she began to blame herself. Maybe I did not water them enough; maybe I did not give it the right food, maybe I, maybe I, maybe I. So much guilt came over her that she did not even realize that it was not her fault at all. She continued to try and nurse her garden back to health. She dug all around the garden to keep the ground soft, she measured the food just right, and she even put a fence around it to make sure no one could harm it, but still it was the same. More guilt set in. One day she sat sad about her garden, she asked God, “Why would you give me a beautiful garden and then take the beauty away,” She got no answer at all. The next morning, just as the sun began to rise, she went out into her garden, which had lost so much of its luster and began to cry. As her tears fell, so much so that the pedals that were left got wet. Again, she asked God, “Why would you take your beauty away? “You have always taken care of me and the ones I love.” You have always shown me that I could trust you to be there. How could I ever trust that you would be there for me again?” She went on with her day.
DIVINE INSPIRATIONS MAGAZINE APRIL 2009 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 4 The next morning, a day just like the day before, she cried but did not speak. She heard a voice say, go look at my beautiful day. She ignored it at first, but could not deny the pulling of her heart to go to the window. As the sun began to rise, she heard: “THIS IS THE DAY THE LORD HAS MADE, LET US REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT.” At that very moment, her eyes glanced down to see that the garden had been rejuvenated. They had bloomed like never before. Brighter and better than she could have ever imagined--she was so full of joy, she could not say a word. She heard the Lord say “I heard your cry and I saw your tears as you poured yourself out to me. It was only a delayed to increase your faith and trust in only me. Though hurt will come, the pain will go, because of my love for you.”
Women in Ministry: A Philosophical Approach Apostle Dr. Lee Ann B. Marino, Ph.D., D.D.
Philosophy is distinguished from other aspects of thought because it is formulated upon a critical and systematic approach of reasoned argument. Having been schooled in philosophy, many have often recognized that I often use a philosophical approach when debating many modern Christian issues.
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I rather enjoy this identification; it makes me feel smarter than many of the opponents I have faced. The truth is that, to me, when I look at major Christian issues, I believe the Scriptures present to us critical and systematic approaches for important matters, especially when it comes to the area of reasoned argument. While many regard the Scriptures as downplay of intelligence, a source against systematic reason, I do not see that in God's Word. Surely, the Creator of the Universe does not argue against reason, logic, or critical analysis; on the contrary, if we do not believe God's Word to have the ability to stand against critical analysis, we do not have much faith in God's ability to triumph the often ridiculous theories and concepts of men. In this, we can see the Word of God as a foundational understanding to the heart of God's will for humanity beyond the concept of faith; it is also a presentation of the relationship we are to have with God, with one another, how we are to interact in society, and a foundation for what is reasonable and what is not. The Bible goes beyond what to believe and what not to believe; it gives us the very foundation for executing reason within our lives. In viewing the Bible in this light, we begin to recognize how important truly understanding God's Word becomes. We must understand the depth of the Word; we must seek to have an accurate understanding so that the Word becomes more than just a book to us, but becomes a part of us. It must be more than just reading words on a page; we must hear it speaking fully to us and apply it to our lives. It must apply to us personally as individuals; it must apply to the way we think and interact with others; and, most importantly, we must seek to know the Bible in its context. This means we seek the meaning of God's Word beyond a translation. Many reach a point of faith in the Scriptures, but never move beyond their translations to understand context and thus, it never changes their lives. By not putting the Word into action, the Word becomes void, and is nothing more than a dry, dense book that is used as a defense rather than an edifier. Continues on page 15
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DIVINE INSPIRATIONS MAGAZINE APRIL 2009 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 4 When it comes to matters of women's issues, the Bible is commonly invoked as a source of foundational belief that women are not to preach or pastor or talk or something like that. People insist that God's way of womanhood is complete and total subjugation to men. We hear the "separate but equal" argument (it sounds no better than it did when it was applied to blacks), the "equal but different roles" argument, and others which seem to end the argument about women in a negative vain. Over time, I have examined the Scriptural passages often used to argue against women and thus we will not be examining those today. Anyone can go and check out other chapters in this book for more examination on those issues. The truth is that the Scriptures often used against women are not saying anything remotely close to what those who use them claim they are saying. What we are going to do here is look at the basic argument used by individuals who claim women cannot do anything constructive because it is against God philosophically and see whether their arguments hold up when faced with critical analysis and systematic approach of a reasoned argument! The basic argument of our opponents is summarized in one of two ways. The first we will look at is conditional: while they believe women may receive an anointing and that she may indeed be a better candidate to preach, smarter, more confident, or more able than a man to do that job - but she is not to preach with it because that would be a contradiction of God's law. This argument proves philosophically nonsensical in two ways because it is saying that ability would be given with no constructive way for outlet. In other words, the anointing would prove to be without purpose. This in itself is a total contradiction of God's purpose and anointing; if we are graced by God to do something that means He expects us to do it. To give an anointing and
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then expect someone not to use it would be cruel and inhumane, subjecting an individual to a lifetime of humiliation and frustration. If God is love, to do so such would be out of step with a loving God. The argument becomes ridiculous because the issue becomes not one of ability, but of being able to execute the ability which is nonsensical. The second argument is unconditional: they believe that women have no anointing whatsoever to do anything constructive. They do not believe a woman is anointed to preach or teach that she is never smarter, more confident, or more able to do a job better than a man, and that God does not ever call women to do anything. This argument too does not stand up under critical analysis because of the simple fact that God has called and anointed women throughout history to do things and that even now, women ARE in fact anointed to do such things. This argument becomes semantical because all our opponents can argue is whether we have the ability to do such things when we clearly have the anointing to do them. If all they can do is, argue whether or not we can have the anointing when we clearly have it and are walking in it, their argument is also nonsensical. I have proven over many years of study that neither the Scriptures nor philosophical reasoning can prove the sexism so frequently propagated in Christian circles. Realizing it is false on every conceivable level, how do we handle ourselves when confronted with such? The reality is that arguing with such goes nowhere. Years ago, I spoke with a friend about a debate I had with someone and the end-result of the debate was that the other person was left speechless. I will never forget what he said to me: "Of course, he should have known you don't bring a knife to a gunfight!" His words hallow my mind very intensely now in a way they had not before because what I did for years with these semantical morons were to try to bring a knife to a
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gunfight. I would present my case and use the Word and reason and present this argument from a perspective that they could not handle. All they wanted to do was argue and exchange words over nonsense and try to put me in the perceived place they thought I should be in. They do not really want to learn what the Word says; they want to voice what they think it says and make everyone line up under it. The most powerful way we can dispel their arguments is to walk in our anointing and follow with full confidence the ministry God has for us. The reality is that we are anointed. We are called. We are chosen by Him to do as we do. We are only one of a great lineage of women who God has called to do His work. To deny that is not only stupid, it is to deny the power of God manifest through His female servants throughout the ages. To deny women the right to preach and teach in our modern day as a claim that they can't or that they aren't anointed for it is to deny God's spiritual continuity throughout the ages, making the work and experiences of women such as Deborah, Hannah, Jael, Mary, Mary Magdalene, Junia, Lydia, Miriam, and so many others a counterfeit when God's Word affirms it as a truth. The best way we can silence our critics is to do exactly what God has for us to do. If we are walking in that anointing, it is irrelevant whether someone thinks we can have it! The argument is philosophically nil and impossible to contradict because the argument against women has already been disproven! Remember that next time someone tells you what you can or cannot do in the Body of Christ because you are a woman. In this age, we are called not to bring a knife, but a gun, to the gunfight. Apostolic Fellowship International Ministries
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LIVE with PURPOSE!!! March 7, 2009
Did you know that your purpose in life has already been written and planned out for you? That your purpose was born when you were? Whatever it is that is your heart’s desire, was placed by God and any unfulfillment that you have is God’s way of revealing to you that you are not in His Will for your life. And to obtain His Will, you will have to seek Him. 1 John 5: 14, 15 say, “14And this is the confidence that we have toward him that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.” (ESV) Every obstacle you face is one that is allowed by God, from the enemy, because his purpose is to steer you off track, they enemy knows the plans for you—and yes, even satan has a purpose. God has allowed him to peak or see a glimpse of your future, not to take you out, but to show you that you’re not where you should be in terms of God’s Will for you.
DIVINE INSPIRATIONS MAGAZINE APRIL 2009 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 4 Every experience you go through is any opportunity for you to grow and learn and when it happens without discord. Well, it is because it is in line with God’s Will for you—to obtain His Purpose for your life. Every blessing that God sends your way puts you closer to reaching your true destiny.
VANITIES Ayorinde Matthew
Do not be discouraged—what God has planned for you WILL come to pass. How can I be sure? Well, God is not a liar, and surely does not back out on His Word. Remember it is written—purpose was planned and born with you, and if you are here it is because you still have purpose; just waiting for you.
But when we die
I heard a song, by gospel artist, Sherri Addison, the chorus is: “…there’s no blessing without a battle, but KNOW that this battle is not yours.”
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Here on earth
We suffer and grieve in pains We labor with no rest Nothing we have follows us to the grave Both low and high The rich and the poor Why on earth do we Labor so much on vanities Trusting in our wealth?
Do not be weary in your well doing, for you shall surely reap your reward (Galatians 6:9).
Yet these cannot redeem a person or pay his ransom to God
God woke me up this morning and HE put this in my spirit, to share especially with you. I hope and pray that someone is encouraged today!
Since the price for redeeming a person is too costly
Please feel free to blog with me on the website. I enjoy hearing from everyone on how God is using them to be an encouragement in someone’s life. Email me at editorialdirector@divineinspirationsmagazine.org.
One can see the wise men die
God Bless! Teshia
One should forever stop trying The foolish and the senseless also pass away They leave their wealth to others Their graves are their eternal homes Though they have named estates after themselves Despite his asset man will not last A man with valuable possession But without understanding We are like animals that perish
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Our Bible states that we too, should be dressed to ensure success and to win the race we are running. Just listen to what God’s word says to us in Ephesians 6:1-17 (NLT) “A final word: Be strong with the Lord’s mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the devil. For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world and against wicked spirits in the Heavenly realms.”
Dressed for Success Minister B. Michelle Horton
There used to be a popular TV commercial that ran during football season showing a group of men shopping in a women’s department store for clothing. Instead of purchasing the clothing for their wives, girlfriends, or sisters, they were actually buying items that they would wear to the next football game. The whole idea was to dress up with female attire to gain the attention of onlookers with hopes of being seen on national TV. I would say these men really took the time out to be “Dressed for Success.” In our society, many people think that unless they have on the latest fashions, shoes, accessories or a particular high fashion brand named outfit, they are not dressed. People wear special fragrances and particular colors that in their eyes should turn heads and get plenty of attention (albeit some of the attention is not in a good sense.) Some women (in spite of the pain) will continue to wear five- and six-inch heels just to get their legs noticed. How about athletes? They dress for success for each game by wearing specific attire. There are athletic shoes for speed, head bands to catch the sweat, padding to prevent injury, eyewear to stop damage and special fabric and garments specifically for the sport and other gear that is worn to help the athlete’s performance.
Use every piece of God’s armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the sturdy belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News, so that you will be fully prepared. In every battle, you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by satan. Put on salvation as your helmet and take the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.” God clearly tells us to dress in the whole armor for complete protection. We cannot afford to be halfdressed. Dressing properly helps us withstand the attacks that come upon a child of God. Dressing properly prevents our minds from becoming saturated in doubt, keeps our hearts beating strong, and keeps our feet on the right path. Yes, it is essential that we be dressed from head to toe, sharp as a tack, dressed to the nines and clean as the board of health all in the armor of God. We do not have to worry about clipping coupons or shopping at the thrift store for these items. They are precious, rich and already paid for with the blood of the Lamb. When you dress up in the armor of God, you are a force to be reckoned with. You are
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covered head to toe with supernatural power that cannot be penetrated. You may get bruised but you will not be busted. You may slip but God will bring sanctification. You may be harmed but YOU WILL BE HEALED. There may be some damage but God will deliver you. So the next time you go in your prayer closet do not come out unless you are fully dressed for success in the Lord. Amen!
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We have to forgive and forget, and love people where they are. When our love walk is right, love will cover a multitude of faults. If you have answered YES to one or more of the aforementioned questions, ask God to reveal to you today, if you are walking in DIVINE LOVE with your brothers and sisters. If He shows you that you are not, ask Him for forgiveness, and get back in your rightful position of allowing the love of God to be shed abroad in your heart. Again, how is your LOVE walk? Give it some serious thought, and then get it right with the Love of God as your guide! Debra Savage Ministries
"How's Your Love Walk?" Evangelist Debra Savage
Let me pose a question to you today. How is your love walk? Do you find that you are not accomplishing that which God has outlined for your life? Are your prayers being hindered? Are you critical to the faults of others, but fell to identify your own? Maybe you need to check your LOVE walk. John the Beloved said speaking to the other disciples; "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." When we are out of sync with God because we intentionally or inadvertently refuse to allow the Holy Spirit to perfect us in God's love, we cause our prayers to be hindered, we find fault in everything someone else is trying to accomplish, and we step out of our position as Ambassadors of Love. Jesus wants our love to be perfected by the washing on His word. We cannot keep a record of every wrong done to us, misunderstood gestures, and even intentional offenses.
Do Not Look Behind; You Are Covered Eunice Stolhofer
A while ago, I had a very significant dream. I was down in a very deep and dark valley. I seemed to have fallen in a deep hole with endless darkness from the top to the bottom. The wall around the valley was wet and covered with short delicate dark green creeping plants; the type that breaks off when you touch or hold with a little pressure. It is naturally impossible to hold on to such a plant because it will definitely tear away. I was off the ground and not far from the bottom trying to climb my way out of the huge dark hole. Someone whose face I could not see was slightly behind me urging me to climb on as he climbed alongside me. I was gripped by great fear and kept looking down and
DIVINE INSPIRATIONS MAGAZINE APRIL 2009 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 4 behind as I met tremendous darkness. There was an invisible force that was pulling me down, wanting me to let go and fall back. However, this person kept encouraging me to climb up and not look behind or down. Just imagine climbing out of a deep hole in pitch darkness surrounded by wet, slippery rock with very little grip. That was my situation. Once in a while, I would slip from the wetness and would scream for help desperately and the person would steady me up until I got my grip back. I was very exhausted yet I could not rest nor go backward. He repeatedly told me not to look behind and he did not seem to have difficulty climbing out of the valley. Amazingly with his guidance, I was climbing my way out holding on to the plant with its delicate leaves and slippery rock. He kept urging me not to get weary. When we finally reached the top after what seemed to be a lifetime, the person disappeared. I tried to look for him everywhere and called out for him, but he was nowhere to be found. However, I was now on normal ground; somewhere away from the hole and I could find my way back home. The ground was solid, cemented and steady. At a distance, I could see beautiful trees and hear some cool breeze. I was finally free. I suddenly woke up sweating and tired. Then I realised that it was just a dream; but it was not. That dream unsettled me. God speaks to me often in dreams. At times, I am able to interpret my own dreams. I knew that God was speaking to me about something significant and I prayed for revelation. Though I could interpret some of the general details of the dream, I received the full revelation when I actually “fell in the valley” not long after. I was able to see how God was trying to show me things ahead of time. I realised that the Person who lead, guided and encouraged me not to look behind was the Lord Himself. He had my back covered with His power and presence and was leading me to freedom and deliverance.
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There will be valleys as well as mountain tops in our Christian walk. I found myself in the valley in real life and the dream became a vital source of encouragement knowing that the Lord was with through it all. To be very honest I am still in the deep valley of persecution from a loved one due to my faith in God; but I believe I am on my way out. With each new day, I receive strength to go on and my love and faith in God is greater with each victory. I have learned to allow the Lord to lead the way while I take short steps and when I cannot climb, He carries me. I have identified some of the dangerous rocks and learned to listen to the navigation of the Master. I have learned to see with the spiritual eyes because the natural are deceptive in the valley. But most of all, I have learned to trust God to get me out no matter the depth and length of time. At times, I grow weary but I when I seek His face, I become refreshed again to continue the journey. I am not alone in the valley and that makes the whole difference. Jesus is with me in there. Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me. (Psalms 23:4) There are many things that the Lord revealed to me through the dream. One of them is that, looking behind is not the will of God for His children. God wants us to look ahead, forward, upward, but not behind. Behind is the place where you and I can find our regrets, failures, pain, slavery, unforgiveness, ignorance, sin, abuse and a host of other things. Behind is the sister of the past. We need to remember the past when we praise God, Ebenezer […stone of thy help, 1 Samuel 7:12] for bringing us this far, but we should not go backward. When the Lord is taking us out of the valley or a storm, the last thing we should do is to keep glancing behind. We need to release the former things whatever they were and however interesting. When we glance behind or down, we meet with the fear and dread of the things we are being delivered from. It is a
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place of darkness too. In scripture, we read about Lot’s wife who became a pillar of salt when she looked behind after being warned against it. When we look behind, we are likely to be entangled with the past and not move in to the purposes of God in our lives that are definitely ahead. Although we are born again, our continued salvation lies in the present looking into the future and that also excludes what is behind. Like the warning given to Lot and his family, God is warning us against looking behind because back there, there is regression, stagnation and death from the snares of the past.
Have you ever wondered why the Armour of God has no weapon for the back? I suggest that God does not expect us to go back or retreat because it signals surrendering to the enemy even in the natural war situation. Because of Jesus, our back was covered when He wiped away our sins. He has us covered. If anyone attempts to take us backward, he or she has to reckon with the saving Blood of Jesus. If we, having been redeemed decide to go backward, we dishonour the Blood. There is no protection or weapon for those who retreat to the back. Read Ephesians 6: 10-18. The Armour of God consists of the following weapons:
And when they had brought them forth, they said, escape for your life! Do not look behind you or stop anywhere in the whole valley; escape to the mountains [of Moab], lest you be consumed. But [Lot's] wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. (Genesis 19:17, 26)
The belt of truth.
When we are in the valley, the enemy tirelessly urges us to look back; in any case, that is the most trying time. For as long as you glance behind, you cannot move ahead. Looking behind, drains your spiritual adrenalin, which you badly need to continue climbing out of the valley. The enemy knows that too and he seeks to wear you out. Remember his job is to wear the saints by telling us how far we are from victory if there is any at all. We need to be focused and deny him an opportunity to drag us back. God does not show us the whole picture of our deliverance during our trials. It is His privilege to take us one step at a time as we look to Him and hear His instructions. When Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem, he met some men. He invited them to join Him, but they wanted to go back and finish other things first. Jesus told them these words, “No one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for service in the Kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62) Looking back is not for kingdom citizens. Jesus is advocating a forward, ahead and upward decision even in ministry and other areas of our lives. Behind is ensnaring.
The breastplate of righteousness. The gospel of peace. The shield of faith. The helmet of salvation. The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Through the dream and the valley experience, God has been teaching me how to look up to Him and trust Him. When you are in the valley, you learn gradually that you have no choice but to fully trust the One who is able to get you out. And valleys being what they are, one cannot easily rush out of them because of their rough nature. When we keep your eyes on to Jesus alone, the landing is safe and secure. He is the reason we can look ahead for He has a reward for us when we endure and conquer. If you are in any kind of valley or storm remember that the Lord is right there with you; holding you and protecting you from falling back. He will see you to the end where there is freedom and deliverance. Keep looking upward. By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to
DIVINE INSPIRATIONS MAGAZINE APRIL 2009 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 4 enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. (Hebrews 11:24-26) "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2)
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Once you get the approval, the next step would be to secure the engineers, general contractors, electricians, plumbers, surveyors, and all those who will be part of this development. Knowing that each person is unique in his or her field of expertise, you would never hire someone unskilled to do a job for which they are not qualified. Next, the foundation must be laid. Building the foundation of the house is one of the most important tasks. If the foundation is not properly laid, then the entire edifice will be unstable. A well-laid foundation is absolutely-essential for a house. Once the proper foundation has been laid, we can now start building our house. Now let’s examine what the Bible has to say about our foundation. First, it must be settled that our foundation is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and the Word of God. Matthew 7:24-25 (Amplified Bible) “So everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts upon them [obeying them] will be like a sensible (prudent, practical, wise) man who built his house upon the rock. And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. “
Built To Stand Through It All Paulette Harper © 2009
Have you ever wondered how a building that was being erected would be able to withstand the elements of weather—earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes, and the like? A building must also be able to withstand the weight of the occupants. If you and I are not contractors, we may not have the complete knowledge of what goes into the development and restructuring of a building. But what I do know is this: First, there are the building plans, which must get proper approval from the building planner and city before any work can be started.
Matthew 7:26-27 (Amplified Bible) “And everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not do them will be like a stupid (foolish) man who built his house upon the sand. And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell--and great and complete was the fall of it.” The Bible is perfectly clear that we are going to face difficulties in life, we will face hard times, no matter who we are, no matter how much money we have, no matter what our status in life, what occupations we hold, how many degrees we have, and so forth; we are going to have bad times. The difference between these two builders is their ability to hear the Word and obey.
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The same elements of life will hit everyone, trial, testing, and tribulations. And the storms in life do try to challenge our faith, they come to cause us to doubt the Word of God and to discredit the promises God has given to us.
You are a strong house under construction, whose builder and maker is God. When everything else ceases to exist and vanishes away, the Word of God remains. God will never design something with the intent of that building crumbling, falling, or being demolished.
Jesus said the rain, floods, and wind will come to beat on the house, but if you hear and obey His saying, your house will be able to withstand it all. However, if you hear and do not obey His sayings, your house will not stand, and Jesus said great would be your fall. Your spiritual ears should only listen to what God is saying; not all other opinions, ideas, or suggestions matter. Real sheep hear and obey His voice; no other voice, that of a stranger, will we listen to.
Under construction and built to stand‌
The New Living Translation says the rain comes in torrents and the floodwater rises. Torrent, in the dictionary, is described as roaring, rushing, impetuous, violent stream, and heavy. Because your house is built on the solid rock of Jesus Christ, your house will not collapse no matter how fierce or strong the elements.
THE GREAT GOD IGBINOBA BRIGHT
God is great, His ways are unsearchable His place unreachable
Talk no more so proudly Stay far from the rowdy For God is of knowledge Not the one from college By Him actions are weighed To get all men repaid He kills and makes alive
We must be aware that it is extremely important that what you hear agree with the Word of God, especially during hard times. Your flesh and the devil will tell you otherwise.
Humble yourself if you desire to thrive
I encourage you this day, no matter what this day has brought you, listen, and obey to what God has said about your situation and circumstances. Do not let the present condition dictate how you are going to respond and behave. If your foundation is built on Jesus Christ and the Word of God, you can stay calm in the midst of the storm. Even when it does not look like God has heard you and it might appear like God is not listening, but He is. He works in the rain, the storms, and the test.
Desist from false mongers!
By His power You get far No matter the hour For the God of glory thunders! Almighty, who can fight Him? His glory is lightning Many doubt the Truth But His works are proofs Who has disease, His power heals Not with the pills Bless His Name, show His fame! Great things you gain gods bow, kings bow A sign of His greatness Take words, become His witness For many are unbelieving
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Reader’ Spotlight
Fabulous Black Woman After suffering the devastating effects of severe hair loss and damage related to the mishandling of her hair, Eddie began to research ways to grow her hair healthy and strong. 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. 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. Compiled, by her 12 years of research, she has produced the Comprehensive Guide to Growing Healthy, Long, Black 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 that reveals the hair-friendly foods,
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vitamins and minerals, a glossary of ingredients that you should stay away from, as well as a section of homemade deep conditioning recipes. The back cover documents 18 months of hair growth, which is quite impressive. The information Eddie discovered during her research was found to be invaluable, 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 created homemade concoctions that contained ingredients essential for the health of African American hair. Her products are made with the finest African butters, herbs, and oils and are formulated to leave the hair and scalp nourished, moisturized, and healthy. While using these products in conjunction with the information in her book, Eddie consistently saw tremendous improvements with her hair, including 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 her book. They too began to reach hair goals never before achieved. In January of 2008, Eddie decided to market her hair care products along with her guide. She has found much success. Her website www.fabulousblackwoman.com has over 130 testimonials about her products. Eddie currently provides freeonline and phone consultations, and workshops to teach African American women how to effectively grow and maintain healthy hair free. While searching for beautiful hair, Eddie found beauty within her that she had neglectfully overlooked for many years. She also noticed that she was not the only woman that failed to realize the strength and beauty of herself and the African American woman as a whole, but as she looked around her, she noticed women being neglected, abused, mistreated, and run down by life. This led her to create her website www.fabulousblackwoman.com.
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The purpose of the site is to uplift and encourage women, especially African American women. Her mission is make sure that every Black woman knows how fabulous she is and that she shines so bright that everyone who looks at or even thinks of a black woman recognizes her FABULOUSNESS. After seeing her response to this site, she decided to create a social network at www.fabulousblackwoman.ning.com as well as a Fabulous Black Woman group on both Black Planet and Facebook; combined she has over 1,300 members. Eddie is currently working on building two non-profit organizations - NAPS and Husslerettes. NAPS’ mission is to help young women to embrace their natural hair and be confident in their God given beauty. This organization is so important to Eddie because she found the journey from relaxed hair back to “her roots” a journey of true self-discovery, self-acceptance, and selfconfidence; the journey was far more spiritual than physical. Husslerettes’s mission is to help young women hone a craft that she can turn into a “hussle,” like braiding, jewelry making, sewing, furniture refurbishing, etc. Our goal is to teach young women independence and responsibility, as all aspects of life.
The Principle of Agreement in Marriage Robert T Sells © 3/19/09
Anyone who has been married for any length of time, or even dated someone for that matter, can tell you that they have argued about something or another. I do not think there is anyone who can say that they disagreed with their mate or spouse at some time during their relationship. We argue because we feel we are right. We argue because we feel the other person is wrong. Most importantly, though, when we argue, we are not in line with what God wants for us. The Word of God is very clear about the principle of agreement. We can see in Genesis 1: 26, after God created the earth by speaking it into existence that God agreed when He created man. How do we know this? Let’s look at verse 26: “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness….” Who was God talking about when He said “us” and “our”? He was talking about God, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus. Yes, God knew that He needed to be in agreement when He spoke things into existence. And when He created man, God made sure that the principle of agreement was there. How many of us make agreement a priority in our marriages? The Bible says in Matthew 18: 19-20, “Where two or more agree on anything I’m in the midst.” If we are going to have God as the anchor of our marriage, should not we desire Him to be in the midst of us at all times?
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This will be possible if we learn to agree on everything that comes up in our relationship and our home. Before I go any further, I want to give you the textbook definition of agreement. Agreement is coming together of minds; a coming together in opinion or determination; the coming together in accord of two minds on a given proposition. In law, it is a concord of understanding and intention between two or more parties with respect to the effect upon their relative rights and duties, of certain past or future facts or performances. The consent of two or more persons concerning respecting the transmission of some property, right, or benefits, with the view of contracting an obligation, a mutual obligation. It is the union of two or more minds in a thing done or to be done; a mutual assent to do a thing. The principle of agreement is a powerful thing. When Joshua was about to go up against the whole Midianite Army the Lord had him take his fighting men through a few tests before they went to war. This managed to narrow those men from 32,000 strong to only 300! Why did God do this? For two reasons: one, He wanted Joshua and the men to understand that the only way they were going to win the battle against the odds was with God delivering them the victory. And two, because He wanted them to understand that it was their agreement in which He would be able to dwell amidst them and from this one action of 300 men, in agreement they would know that God was there. And when you allow God to enter your marriage through agreement, you will be able to defeat any armies of the devil that try to come up against it. Then you will truly be able to say that God and only God delivered you from the devil’s grasp. It is the agreement that allows God to work and cause things to happen in your marriage. Amos said in the Word: “Can two people walk together, without agreeing on the direction?” (Amos 3:3)
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The Apostle John wrote in 1 John 5:7-8, “For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and the three are in agreement.” Here we see in the New Testament where John is showing us how important once again the principle of agreement is to God. Even late in the New Testament God talks again, about how we need to be in agreement in our lives and especially in our marriages. Once we begin to operate in agreement we will be able accomplish anything in our marriages for the Kingdom of God. I can remember times in our marriage when we argued or disagreed. Whenever that happened, it caused a ripple effect in the demonic realm that caused disruption and chaos in our marriage. But when we agreed on our direction in decision-making, we have been able to do what seemed to be impossible only because we decided to agree and when we did, we allowed the Holy Spirit to work in our lives. For God said that “wherever two or more agree on anything according to my Word, there I will be in the midst of it.” (Matthew 18:19) There was one time when we needed to go on a trip for our ministry to Seattle and we did not have the money to go. We said early on that we were just going to come into agreement that God was going to do what He said. And sure enough, just when it looked like it was not going to happen, I got a paycheck that was much larger than my regular paycheck because of an error that was made on some overtime that I should have received a long time ago. And the amount was just what we needed to get the plane tickets to go to Seattle! We made the trip and God’s will went forth because of our agreement. If you ever are in doubt about what God can do (and we all have at one time or another), just come into agreement on anything you are believing God for and you WILL see it manifest in your lives. Remember, God is a god of order, but the devil is the author of confusion. Which would you rather have running your marriage; order or confusion?
DIVINE INSPIRATIONS MAGAZINE APRIL 2009 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 4 The principle of agreement can cause God to do some incredible things in your relationship. God can bring you a new home, fix your car, send you a bonus on your job, give you a pay increase when you didn’t get one, get you a new lawnmower so you can cut your grass, pay your credit cards when you don’t have the money, find you a close parking space at the mall, cause your entire family to come to God, get your church the money it needs to complete their building program, get you airline tickets for that trip He told you to take, send you a computer to use in your ministry, feed your family when you don’t have the money, operate your car for you when there’s no gas in it, and the list goes on and on. What I am saying is that “nothing is impossible with God.” Nothing! Whatever you believe God to do in your marriage just continue to come together and agree and anything you ask according to God’s word will be given to you by our Father in Heaven who loves us. Every time we disagree, we cause the devil to put his demons on assignment to cause something to happen to put a halt to what God is trying to do in your marriage. Whenever we disagree what happens is the devil agrees with our disagreement. You see even in our arguing the principle of agreement is at work because even Satan understands about agreement. It is just not benefiting us because when we disagree we are agreeing with the devil’s plan for our lives. What is that plan? His plan is “to steal, and kill, and destroy us.” (John 10:10) So if we know this, then what should we be doing? We should be agreeing on the things of God for our marriages even when we don’t always see our spouse’s side. One way to stop this from happening is to be sure we are hearing from God equally on a particular matter. How do we do this? We do it by going to God in prayer together. It is in the silent times with God as a couple where God can speak to both of us together. Believe me He will. We have experienced
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this in our own marriage. Don’t get me wrong now. I am not saying that God will not or cannot speak to us at the same time when we are apart because God is omnipresent. He can speak to us anytime, anywhere. But it is the act of husband and wife getting together physically in the presence of God that moves God to action on our behalf. We are making a statement to God that we are willing to spend this special time with Him. We are willing to give up what we are doing for now and commit that time personally to God as a couple. This is a very powerful act of agreement and when we do, this God can bring anything to pass in our lives when we ask Him together. So remember to apply the principle of agreement in your marriage and you will see the impossible become possible. God wants to bless our marriages. Why wouldn’t he? He called marriage. He created marriage. It was God’s original plan for man on this earth. Because He knew that, the agreement of a couple who is dedicated to God’s plan for their lives can cause major victories to happen in the Kingdom. And it will cause some truly incredible things to happen in our lives, which will have a major impact on the world. As a couple, you will begin to see God changing other people through your marriage. Your marriage will become an example to the masses. You will find people telling you that they want to be married like you. Married people will tell you they wish they had a marriage like yours. People will tell you that they just feel a light around the two of you. People will say that it just seems like you are so happy. Folks these are all opportunities to minister! Praise God! So get into agreement with your spouse and watch God use your marriage to do some incredible things. You will be blessed as you are a blessing to others.
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“Born Again” Willie White
John 3:3 -When discussing being born again, what comes to mind? To be born again is being born in the Spirit of Christ, as believers we have accepted Him as our personal Saviour and His atoning work on Calvary’s cross. Our rebirth or regeneration is the foundational teachings of the Christian faith as we are taught that without a rebirth/regeneration we will not receive eternal life or see the Kingdom of God. If the question was raised, where does this rebirth begin? It begins in the hearts of all believers (Romans 12:2) given by God the Holy Spirit and through this process believers become children of God. What are the results of being born again? The results are that believers become new creatures in Christ no longer living a life of sin because of transformation the believer now lives a holy and righteous life for Christ. Other results of being born again are that believers are freed from the bondage of sin, we love others as commanded, we no longer love the world and its corrupt practices, and we live in obedience to the Holy Spirit. Let’s look at the believer’s rebirth from a disciple’s perspective, by first stating that a disciple is a student of something and in this case, we are speaking of Christ and His Gospel message. Being a disciple of Christ, believers then become His spokesperson who is willing to tell a dying
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world about a risen Saviour. Being a disciple of Christ, believers are witnesses as well as being the salt of the earth. Believers as witnesses are a living testimony of how God has changed his/her life, and as far as being the salt of the earth believers are seasoning Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and elsewhere with God’s Word. Believers are effective in teaching the Word of God because (a) believers have the help of the Holy Spirit, and (b) God’s Word becomes the believer’s daily dietary staple as nourishment for believers’ spiritual bodies. His Word becomes like our favorite food that we cannot get enough of. With each feasting on His Word, the believer gains a greater insight of God’s Will and becomes more like Christ and establishing a closer walk with God. Another school of thought on becoming a disciple of Christ because of being born again believers become fishers of men telling everyone they meet about the goodness of the Lord. This brings several questions to mind, are believers willing to suffer for Christ? Yes. Will believers experience suffering for Christ’s sake? Probably; given the suffering Christ experienced for humanity’s sins then the question becomes, what can I give in return? The answer is “the best of my service,” what a small price to pay considering the price Jesus paid. In closing, allow me the writer to say thank You God for sending Your Son into the world to die for my sins and then Jesus, thank You for being willing to suffer the cruel punishment of the cross’ crucifixion so that I may spend eternity in the presence of the Lord. All I have to give in return is my life to You. Most of all I am thankful that early Sunday morning You rose with all power-Your victory is my victory. Thank You! @All rights Subsists 03/09 WILLIE B. WHITE, author
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What is Your Reputation? Teshia Payne
As Christians, are we responsible for souls? If not, then should we be responsible for souls? We are responsible for our actions against another soul, correct? We cannot be in the pulpit sending dirty looks to someone that has pissed you off. You cannot be that preacher that shows no love outside of church. Isn’t God LOVE; so with that, should we be displaying that at all times? We cannot go around with our pride and boastfulness thinking that because we have a relationship with Jesus that we’re better, it is that very attitude that causes souls to run away—the one soul that you were probably responsible for. How many people have walked away from you because you turned them off by your actions? If we are to live Mathew 28:19; commissioned to make all believers’ disciples; then do we turn them off by confusing them by acting out our flesh instead of the Spirit of God that lives in us. Why do we offend our brother and sister with hurtful words, and grim stares as if God does not see all? Do we still believe that He is omnipresent? Are we not supposed to pray for others instead of talking about them or making fun of their slight imperfections (that is backbiting)? We need to be mindful of our actions, because you are either being set up by the enemy or set up to learn a lesson by God.
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The song, “Sinking” by Tye Tribbett & G.A When I think of the goodness of Jesus And all He has done for me My soul cries out Hallelujah Thank God for saving me I was (sinking so deep in sin) And so (very deeply stained within) But God, Oh but God He’s been good Every day with Jesus Is sweeter than the day before Every day with Jesus I love Him more and more I was (sinking so deep in sin) And so (very deeply stained within) But God, Oh but God He’s been good God’s been so good to me Yes He’s been good to me Haven’t we all been at a place where we were sinking so deep in sin, and needed Jesus, why do we get to a point where we feel that we have “arrived” and we no longer need him or that we treat each other like enemies. We are the Body of Christ, a called-out nation. We should be examples of Jesus on earth. If you go through to give God the glory for victory, so that you can minister to the very soul that is in the same situation that you have become victorious in; you don’t’ judge – you assist and encourage and live out your testimony of God’s saving grace to be that example.
DIVINE INSPIRATIONS MAGAZINE APRIL 2009 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 4 People tend to treat you based on your fleshly behavior instead of your new wine skin. I was pretty mean and rude all throughout school. I am sure people did not like me. I notice now, that people that have not seen me since high school still react to me as if I were that same unhappy, grumpy person that is going to curse them out. It bothers me because I am a CHANGED PERSON… Some of us confuse judgment with being fruit inspectors. And, if you are someone that has esteem yourself as a high-level church-goer, and you have only relationships with people that are just like you, or you surround yourself with people that only cater to you; then you have missed the mark. God wants to ask what your heart is telling you about you. "Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me... and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139:23, NIV) People that need you will not hear or see you because of your own selfish pride. As the Body of Christ, we cannot allow those that have been called to ministry, or pastoral roles in the Kingdom of God to just be prideful and be of ignorance. The pulpit is sacred to those of us that believe and we should not be sitting under people preaching and teaching out of their flesh. Just as I expect my sister or brother in Christ to call me out, I should be obligated to do the same for them. Discernment is the key. We should care more about what we do that affects the people that we meet. We are responsible (whether like it or not, admit it or not) for how we are received as believer’s of Jesus The Christ. We should always concern ourselves with how we are perceived by others because people are watching and you may be the reason someone runs to Christ or runs away from Him. Be mindful, and aware of your actions, and if you happen to let your flesh get the best of you, then you should repent, ask God to forgive you, and move forward knowing that you have already been forgiven. What reputation have you established before other people? What are people saying about you when they aren’t around you? Are you displaying the LOVE of God, regardless of what you feel like displaying?
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DIVINE INSPIRATONS MAGAZINE 233 Hirst Ave Lansdowne, PA 19050 Phone: 484-429-5080 Website: www.divineinspirationsmagazine.org http://www.bluetoad.com/publication?i=13691
Email: divineinspirationsmagazine@gmail.com
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STOP! Living in a distant marriage and relationship, all the while trying to "fake it till' you make it!" God intended for your marriage to be REAL and full of life and closeness. EXCERPT 1: Christian or no Christian, your marriage is what you make of it. It can, in fact, be an unhealthy marriage all the while both partners are anointed and appointed and used mightily of God. It is false teaching to say that God does not bless your ministry and honor His own calling and anointing because the marriage is not going right." EXCERPT 2: “Once you have fasted, once you have prayed, once you have sought God with tears, get up and do what God has already empowered you to do even before you prayed: take responsibility for your actions, and don't put it on God.� Read more here: http://www.marriagefortoday.com/bookexcerpts.html or buy the book now!! http://www.marriagefortoday.com/orderbook.html Or learn more about this new practical guide for Christian marriage here: http://www.marriagefortoday.com/book.html
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Inside Every Issue
The first step that you need to know is what you would like to do with your lashes. Do you want lengthening, thickening, volume, or curling? Once you decide what you are trying to achieve, then you can decide on the brand that works best for you. My personal picks for lengthening are Definicils by Lancôme, Diorshow by Christian Dior, and Great Lash by Maybelline. I chose these brands because I have tried good mascara and great mascara and bad mascara and these brands measure up.
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Who Has the Best Mascara of them All? Beauty Editor, Kelly Laws
Have you ever walked into a department or drug store and needed a tube of mascara and the choices overwhelmed you? Don’t know the difference between lengthening and thickening or for that matter curling mascara? Well don’t despair because help has arrived. Most women approach the mascara issue with guarded secrecy or downright shame because they are not sure what they are seeking or let alone what mascara bran to choose. Being a makeup artist and past beauty advisor for several major cosmetic companies I have had the opportunity to sample and experiment with some of the best and worst mascara brands that exist. So if you are a mascara novice then this article is for you.
Expert Wear® Eye Shadow
Diorshow Christian Dior
Great Lash Maybelline
Definicils Lancôme
Definicils by Lancôme is excellent when it comes to separating and lengthening your lashes. This brand is somewhat expensive, but worth the buck because it defines and gives depth without causing clumps and lumps to the lashes. Diorshow by Christian Dior is the brand that most makeup artists swear by. When I first heard about this brand, I was somewhat skeptical because I loved Definicils and mostly any brand by Lancôme. So while visiting a Cosmetic Trend Show given by Nordstrom’s Department Store, I received a sample in my goody bag to try. Because I had heard about it from several prominent make-up artist friends, I decided to try it for myself. Wow!!!!! I could not believe how this brand achieved several things in one wand. It not only lengthens, but it thickens and adds volume in one swoop! Talk about impressed and satisfied. I immediately called my makeup artist friends and thanked them for the recommendation. Since then
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I have highly recommended this brand to other women whose lashes need a boost of power, but know that you may pay $23.00 for the tube but it is well worth the extra cash. Another brand that I highly recommend is Great Lash by Maybelline. This timeless brand has also been the saving-grace of many a makeup artists because of its ability to lengthen any lash. Not only does it work on barely-there lashes, but it is inexpensive and can be found at any Walgreens, CVS, or Wal-Mart for around $7.00 or less. It is not Diorshow or Definicils, but it will give you great lashes without breaking your budget. Also, Lancôme has great curling mascara that is worth trying if you want the extra dip in your lashes. Courbe Virtuose is great if you want your lashes to have the curl without using an eyelash curler. I highly recommend this brand because it works and makes sure that the lash stays in place with the curl for at least the whole day. And all of the brands that I named come in several colors such as dark brown, light brown, black, and jet black. Some even have special colors around the holiday season to add some spice to your lashes.
Expert Wear® Brow & Eye Liner This is just a rundown of some of the best mascaras according to me, but of course, the brand you choose is up to you. My advice is to experiment and sample different brands until you find one that fits your style, desire, and budget. I chose these brands because they have worked on the most stubborn eyelashes and have an excellent track record with many makeup artists. Until we chat again next month, be blessed and don’t forget that a little mascara and lip-gloss goes a long way. KellyGirl
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D.I.V.A.S.
Jesus: The Eternal and Willing Blood Donor Elder , Mae Davis
Blood is our life force; without it, we would die. There is life in the Blood of Jesus. God provided man’s need for an acceptable substitute for the atonement of sin on Calvary’s Cross- if there is no shed blood there is no remission for our sins and no forgiveness 22 [In fact] under the law almost everything is purified by means of blood, and without the shedding of blood there is neither release from sin and its guilt nor the remission of the due and merited punishment for sins. (Hebrews 9:22, Amplified Bible) The Old Testament typology demonstrated the importance of blood when death passed over the houses of the children of Israel when the blood from the sacrificial lamb covered their doorpost. (Exodus 12:23) In an emergency or trauma situation when blood is needed and there is no time to find out the person blood type, the hospital will use Type O blood because of its universal use. However, as I researched this topic further, I found that researchers are now saying that Type O blood may not be universally accepted in everyone. What a “let down,” there is no guarantee that in a time of medical crisis, you will get the blood needed to save your life.
DIVINE INSPIRATIONS MAGAZINE APRIL 2009 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 4 Jesus is the Eternal Blood donor. His blood can save everyone’s life. When blood is collected from a human donor it has to be tested for infections and viruses. The Blood of Jesus is divine and pure. If it is applied to an unbeliever, it has a cleansing reagent in it that has the power to eradicate sin in their life 7But if we [really] are living and walking in the Light, as He [Himself] is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another, and the Blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses (removes) us from all sin and guilt [keeps us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations. (1 John 1:7, Amplified Bible). Blood donation is typically voluntary; you only donate if you want to and most of us don’t-want-to (this is probably why the blood supply is always critically low). God gave us his only begotten Son who shed his blood on Calvary’s Cross-for the sins of the world. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16, NKJV) The Eternal Blood Donor, Jesus the Christ, has conquered sin and death and has provided us free access to the Father by his blood 20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant. (Hebrews 13:20, KJV) What the blood of the cross has accomplished? Forgiveness of sins Hebrews 9:22, 1 John 1:7, Revelation 1:5 Protection from judgment Exodus 12:13 Victory over Satan Revelation 12:11 Assurance and Reconciliation Colossians 1:20, Hebrews 9:14, 10:19, 22 Peace with God Colossians 1:20 Sanctification Exodus 29:37, Hebrews 10:10, 13:12 Cleansing 1 John 1:7
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Jesus has donated his blood to the world so that all who accepted him can live a brand new life. Once you are transfused with the Blood of Jesus and the Holy Spirit lives inside of you, you can apply the blood to every area of your daily life. What is your blood type?
A Word in Season The Lies We Believe Sophia Avery M.A., CBT-Christian Therapist
In my practice, I often encounter people who are sad, depressed, and disappointed because life has not dealt them the hand they thought they deserved. As children, many of us lived in households where we were rewarded with gifts, sweets, and accolades for obeying our parents, getting good grades, and for being “good.” Our parents, teachers, and church leaders taught us that we would be rewarded if we were “good,” and punished if we were “bad,” and this became one of our most strongly held core beliefs. Now, it seems that our belief in “good vs. bad” has become the source of the emotional pain and suffering that Christians, and most other folks, encounter as adults. The sadness, depression, and disappointment come when we realize that not only are we not always rewarded for doing well, but we often receive what feels like punishment, instead. And to add insult to injury, the “bad” people seem to be prospering, enjoying life, and receiving all the blessings! We say “It’s just not fair!” But, who said life was fair?
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The Bible says it will rain on the just and the unjust and the Bible is full of examples. Jesus, the best example of total and complete goodness, was constantly mistreated, maligned, abused, and talked about. Job, a just and honorable man, lost everything he had in one day. David, after conquering Goliath and saving his family and village from mortal danger, was sold into slavery by his brothers. Elijah, who stood up as the only prophet for God against 450 prophets of Baal and Jezebel, had to run for his life and hide in a cave. John the Baptist, a good man devoted to teaching and preaching the Word of God, was beheaded. Was any of this fair? No. Then why do we, as Christians, stumble when we encounter obstacles in life? Because of the contradiction—whenever something in our life contradicts a strongly held belief, there is always going to be a problem. The source of most of our problems are the lies we believe.
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Where do we go from here? Identify and let go of the lies that are causing you so much pain. Life isn’t fair. Good Christians get sick, good Christians get divorced, good Christians get robbed, and good Christians get cheated. Challenging situations will continue to occur, as long as you are living. But remember, for those who believe, the answer is very simple. Regardless of how difficult the circumstances, God is still on the throne, and nothing, nothing is too hard for God.
Whenever our core beliefs are based on lies, it can cause us to falter, and depending on how strong or deeply held the lie, Christians can be shaken to the very foundation of their spirits, to the point where we question our faith, turn our backs on God and the church, and even doubt whether we truly believe in Jesus. The lies we believe are the source of our suffering. The truth about the whole “good vs. bad” thing is the exact opposite of what we are taught as children, and many still believe. As stated in Bible, Matthew 5:43-45, “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in Heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Jesus was very clear and purposeful in saying we, as Christians, should expect hard and difficult times, and should be prepared for the opposite of what seems right and fair.
Prophetess Teresa Myers
Visionary of H.O.P.E. Center Ministries, and Author of, the life changing, and healing book, “Persecuted Saints” The story below is precious, inspiring, and a wonderful example of the power of unconditional love. I pray that it touches your heart as it has touched mine. Blessings Always, Prophetess Teresa Myers
DIVINE INSPIRATIONS MAGAZINE APRIL 2009 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 4 A BABY'S HUG (Author Unknown) We were the only family with children in the restaurant. I sat Erik in a high chair and noticed everyone was quietly seated and talking. Suddenly, Erik squealed with glee and said, "Hi there.” He pounded his fat baby hands on the high chair tray. His eyes were crinkled in laughter and his mouth was bared in a toothless grin, as he wriggled and giggled with merriment. I looked around and saw the source of his merriment. It was a man whose pants were baggy with a zipper at half-mast and his toes poked out of would-be shoes. His shirt was dirty and his hair was uncombed and unwashed. His whiskers were too short to be called a beard and his nose was so varicose it looked like a road map. We were too far from him to smell, but I was sure he smelled. His hands waved and flapped on loose wrists. "Hi there, baby; Hi there, big boy. I see ya, buster," the man said to Erik. My husband and I exchanged looks, "What do we do?" Erik continued to laugh and answer, "Hi, hi there." Everyone in the restaurant noticed and looked at us and then at the man. The old geezer was creating a nuisance with my beautiful baby. Our meal came and the man began shouting from across the room, "Do ya patty cake? Do you know peeka-boo? Hey, look, he knows peek-a-boo." Nobody thought the old man was cute. He was obviously drunk. My husband and I were embarrassed. We ate in silence; all except for Erik, who was running through his repertoire for the admiring skid-row bum, who in turn, reciprocated with his cute comments. We finally got through the meal and headed for the door. My husband went to pay the check and told me to meet him in the parking lot.
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The old man sat poised between the door and me. "Lord, just let me out of here before he speaks to me or Erik," I prayed. As I drew closer to the man, I turned my back trying to sidestep him and avoid any air he might be breathing. As I did, Erik leaned over my arm, reaching with both arms in a baby's "pick-me-up" position. Before I could stop him, Erik had propelled himself from my arms to the man's. Suddenly a very old smelly man and a very young baby consummated their love and kinship. Erik in an act of total trust, love, and submission laid his tiny head upon the man's ragged shoulder. The man's eyes closed, and I saw tears hover beneath his lashes. His aged hands full of grime, pain, and hard labor, cradled my baby's bottom and stroked his back. No two beings have ever loved so deeply for so short a time. I stood awestruck. The old man rocked and cradled Erik in his arms and his eyes opened and set squarely on mine. He said in a firm commanding voice, "You take care of this baby!” Somehow I managed, "I will," from a throat that contained a stone. He pried Erik from his chest lovingly, longingly, as though he were in pain. I received my baby, and the man said, "God bless you, ma'am, you've given me my Christmas gift.” I said nothing more than a muttered thanks. With Erik in my arms, I ran for the car. My husband was wondering why I was crying and holding Erik so tightly, and why I was saying, "My God, my God, forgive me.” I had just witnessed Christ's love shown through the innocence of a tiny child who saw no sin, who made no judgment; a child who saw a soul, and a mother who saw a suit of clothes. I was a Christian who was blind, holding a child who was not. I felt it was God asking, "Are you willing to share your son for a moment?" when He shared His for all eternity. The ragged old man, unwittingly, had reminded me, "To enter the Kingdom of God, we must become as little children."
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behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. 6 When all the jars were full, she said to her son, "Bring me another one." But he replied, "There is not a jar left." Then the oil stopped flowing. 7 She went and told the man of God, and he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left." You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine. John Maxwell, the writer of many motivational and leadership books, says that to be successful, you don't need to be lucky or rich. But you do need to know this:
Debt FREE Living Principles If you missed previous issues, please view Archives at http://www.prosperityrenewal.org to get the introduction to this series of articles. We will begin this year as we ended last year. We will continue listing Debt FREE Living principles out of God’s Word. The beginning of a New Year is the perfect time to begin debt FREE living. Principle #10 God Will Not Do By Miracle What You Can Do By Muscle (Part 2) 2 Kings 4:1-7; 1The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the LORD. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves." 2 Elisha replied to her, "How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?" "Your servant has nothing there at all," she said, "except a little oil." 3 Elisha said, "Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don't ask for just a few. 4 Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side." 5 She left him and afterward shut the door
You are what you do daily. You first form your habits; then your habits form you. It is just as easy to form habits of success as it is to form habits of failure. To fully implement the 70-20 portion of the 70-20-10 Rule we must unlearn some habits and develop some new ones. We must unlearn our consumer mentality. We must change our spending patterns. The 70-20-10 Rule works if we work it. 70-20-10 Rule 70% - operational 20% - savings, investments, or debt payoff 10% - tithes Our spending habits either place us in debt or it keeps us from saving and investing in the amounts that are recommended. Our spending habits keep us in lack. We must change our habit from a consumer to a wealth builder. Living by the 70-20-10 Rule will create wealth. A consumer buys items on credit. A wealth builder buys everything with cash. This does not mean that a wealth builder does not have a credit card. It means there is no balance that revolves from month-to-month.
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A consumer buys on impulse. A wealth builder plans purchases and considers impact on wealth building goals. A consumer spends every penny or almost every penny that they earn each month. A wealth builder lives on significantly less than they make. A wealth builder saves a large portion of their income every month. A consumer is influenced by adult peer-pressure (keeping up with the Joneses). A consumer believes that displaying social status is important to financial independence. A consumer buys bigger home, new cars, expensive clothing - all to appear affluent and successful. A wealth builder believes true worth is more important than social status. A wealth builder pays no attention to the Joneses. All purchases are based on value rather than appearance. A wealth builder believes living a fulfilling, stress-free life is more important than Madison Avenue's version of success. A consumer spends little or no time establishing a wealth building/retirement plan. A wealth builder spends a significant amount of time planning financial future. They have specific wealth building goals and sound investment plan to reach those goals. We must develop the habits of a wealth builder, not a consumer. The secret to your success is what you do on a daily basis. Develop the habits of a wealth builder. The 70-20-10 Rule is a wealth building tool. Similar to all other tools, it must be used, to do any good. TO YOUR SUCCESSFUL JOURNEY!!! Flora M. Kynard, Senior Personal Financial Trainer Prosperity Renewal Ministries P.S. Please forward any questions or comments you may have to info@prosperityrenewal.org. We respond within 24 hours.
Hot-Sync Your Marriage! Mike and Trisha Fox
"Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." Proverbs 18:21 We used to have just PDA's. Now, like most, we have updated to PDA Phones, mainly for business. But when we had our PDA's, we had a feature called "Hot-Sync.” The purpose of this is to synchronize what has been input on the computer with what has been input on the PDA. At first, we saw this as simply a "nice feature,” a benefit perhaps, or even an extra blessing, but not a necessity. After a while, it became apparent to us that many times the data on the computer was "old" compared to what is on the PDA, and vice versa. Soon, the communication became jumbled, as we did not know which information was the most current and relevant to us. Hence, the well needed feature to "HotSync.” This feature eliminates the confusion and syncs both information to be the same, and updates old to new, automatically. It would seem appropriate that between husband and wife, there is a need for "Hot-Sync-ing.” Although many still think that talking and communicating with each other on a deep level is only an "extra added feature,"
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they don't realize that it is in fact, absolutely necessary to maintain a level of marriage beyond surface life. Some even think it magically and emotionally happens "automatically,” and as long as we love God, and live for Him, it automatically falls into place: just like love. Well, the comment arises: "if you can fall in love, than you can fall out of love."It does not happen automatically! To Hot-Sync, we have to manually hook up the USB cable to the PDA, make sure the Hot-Sync Manager is active, and then with our fingers, "push" the Hot-Sync button. Only after we do our part, will the synchronization take place. The good news is that many couples have avoided divorce, demise and disaster by simply manually, taking the time to synchronize with our spouses. So many wives are doing their "thang" and the husband is doing his own "thang" that for the most part, they are unable to handle staying "connected" in their marriage. Yes, there are always "exceptions to the rule,” but don't risk counting on the rarity that you are the special "ones" that can handle maintaining your closeness when you were first married. Unfortunately, some have just "accepted" the distance in their relationship as their "lot" in life, and have become personal "martyrs" for the Kingdom. This is not God's rule of thumb for marriage, and it is only a matter of time before that couple's distance outweighs their "obligatory" marriage vows. Living for God is not obligatory, and you do not just "commune or communicate" when you come to church, yet that is how many of our couples, leadership or humble saints alike, treat their own marriage. In front of others, it is all smiles, but when they are alone with each other, they are truly "alone" and with each other. We remember hearing the "Bing! Bing!" The PDA alarm went off. Is that a current calendar event alarm, or an upcoming event? Or did that already happen last week? Hmm... How did we know? We Hot-Sync'd and found out! MARRIAGE FOR TODAY www.marriagefortoday.com Delaware State Certified Marriage Mentors, and Relationship Coaches
Nothing ©2007 Robert T. Sells You’ve traveled the world Speaking to millions Acted in major films Accumulated millions But what have you done for God?
You built apartment complexes and homes Some you rented, some you sold You’ve increased the wealth of men From very young to very old But what have you done for God? You've purchased designer clothes Bought many fancy and expensive cars Built up poor neighborhoods With liquor stores and bars But what have you done for God? You built a huge sanctuary where folks can worship With all the latest amenities Carrere Marble floors and fine silk curtains And fine oak moldings from extremity to extremity But what have you done for God? You see riches and fame are nice Your bank account full of money And your hands all covered with ice Nothing wrong with being able To pay the bills every month To buy other than no frills items when you shop There’s unlimited thrills and Very little chills when There’s always something there When you reach in the till. But when you don’t do it for God Your till in Heaven is always going to be empty There’ll be no gold in your mansion No pearly gates because You served something other than God With passion When you get to Heaven You’ll ask the Lord, “Didn’t I cast out demons for you? Touched and healed the sick for you?” And Jesus will look at you and say, “Go away from me evildoer for it is only evil that you do. I’m going to do for you What you did for me…. ….nothing All Rights Reserved
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Unfulfilled Shawanna Clay
Feel like something is missing in life You think you have all you need Job, kids, husband, wife Yet something is missing indeed Unfulfilled with your daily routine You start on projects you never completed Writing books or building self esteem Still feeling out of life you've been cheated Wondering, "Where do I go?" Hoping some day to understand Saying, "There is something more I know." Yes my child...God has a plan Pray for understanding Do so with an open mind Life isn't so demanding All good things come in time Jesus may be asking you to change life's direction Don't ignore the voice you hear Continue to grow towards perfection By trusting, learning, and obeying--draw closer to him
'A Song Filled Prayer' Bobby Jay Angels Sing unto our Lord, With Voices of Golden Light; They Worship Him in Spirit, With All Their Loving Might ---
Prophets join the Singing Choir, To Praise God's Precious Christ: They Sing the Song of Jesus, With Eternal Joy and Life --Sons of God Embrace the Waves, Of every Vibrating Sound; They, truly, welcome Its Golden Light, As Their Love for Jesus Abounds --Then, All of Heaven Sing Their Part, In Worshiping the Glorious King. Hallelujah's Fill the Spheres, As Every Dignity Sings ---Oh Great Jesus, Son of God, Our Shepherd, Lord, and King; Thank You for Your Selfless Act, And for the Treasures You Bring.
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Thank You Jesus, Son of God, For Saving The Created Race; Thank You Lord For All Your Love, And For The Father's Grace. 'THANK YOU
YOUTH-4-2DAY Hey, troublemaker… God needs you!! Pastors Mike and Trisha Fox
Acts 17:6, 8, “…These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also… And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city…” Taco Bell had a slogan for a long time: “Think Outside the Bun!” Why? Because everyone has burgers! Everyone gets a Whopper, or Big Mac. We are sure you can almost taste the juicy burger, smothered with mayonnaise and a soft bun, piled high with stuff. But we always get that. So, Taco Bell, in their ingenious marketing strategy, came up with the successful tactic of forcing you to get out of your routine, and out of the same ol’ rut, and do something different. It is “different,” but a good kind of different, if you know what we mean. Well, what can we say? Shootings, bombings, homosexuality, sex, anti-Christian hate, everything you can think of that would try to cut you down to the ground in living for God, shoot your desire for pleasing God clean away, is right there in plain sight everyday; right in front of your eyes--on TV, movies, in school, friends, billboards, family members, etc.! News 1: During a celebration of National Ally Week, Tara Miller, a teacher at the Faith Ringgold School of Arts and Science in Hayward, Calif., passed out cards produced by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network to her class of kindergartners. (Fox News reports Saturday, November 01, 2008) News 2: PASADENA, Texas - A Pasadena high school was locked down Thursday after a teacher was attacked in a classroom, KPRC Local 2 reported. (Click2Houston.com 11:18 a.m. ET, Fri., Oct. 24, 2008)
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These kinds of stories go on for eternity. But what this article is all about is a flat out challenge-not to the adults, but to the YOUTH! It is too late for some adults to do what needs to be done in THIS generation: but it is the right time for all youth! It is the right time; right now! Youth… there is no more time to be on the defense. NOW is time to be on the offense. We cannot stand around twiddling our thumbs, forever chatting on MySpace, Twitter, and Facebook, and totally let the world blur by without doing something about what is going on! The rest of the world that does not believe in God, that does not believe in purity, that does not believe in Heaven; they are gaining strength, gaining ground and gaining power. One day, the way they are going, they will gain authority over you, unless… you cause some “trouble.” If you could see a Preview Trailer for Heaven, it would blow your mind, and change your life. But, that is a big problem, isn’t it? Today, we do not really have a real glimpse of what Heaven is like. We see what we see right here and right now. But we pray that a little, tiny seed grow in your heart and spirit that would cause you to be uncomfortable on today. Not in a new Blackberry Storm; not in a Bluetooth stuck to your ear; not in whatever that is totally taking your focus off of the world that it completely drowning in pain and darkness. These Christians, only two: Paul and Silas; these both were accused of actually, literally, turning the world upside down! They were labeled troublemakers! TROUBLEMAKERS for Christ! They would not let the sin and evil around them to just simply party all night. They caused a stir and commotion. They took the living, breathing, life-changing Word of God right there where the action was. They took it to the hood, to the street and to the places where wicked trouble was, and they make MORE TROUBLE for God! They cast out devils, they saved souls, they preached and taught, they tore down false doctrine and they did it right there in the midst of trouble.
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But because they preached, taught, and did the works of truth, they were labeled “troublemakers.” It does not matter if you’re black, white, Hispanic or Asian, if you’re saved by God, you’re called to “trouble the city”; with Christ. Do the works of God and watch God work! Preach the good news of Christ and watch God save! Be the witness of the Lord and watch people wonder at you! Let your light “so shine before men” so they can see the glory of God in you and glorify Him! Trouble the city for Christ! Then, just like with Paul and Silas, because they troubled the city with truth, “Many of them therefore believed.”
This poem is dedicated to Minister Rosalind Johnson, a true friend
MY FRIEND ©2006 Bridgette Whitney
Phenomenal woman Maya Angelou wrote But she does not know ROSALIND JOHNSON, I tell you she’s no joke. She walks in the place With a smile on her face Who knew she had so much talent and grace. A heart of pure gold and a spirit so sweet She is a soldier for the LORD Fighting for the devil’s defeat. A sanctified soul that’s down to earth Let me assure you She knows her true worth. She is worth more than diamonds Please way more than gold She worries about nothing Because in GOD’S hand her future holds. And since I have known her She has been a FRIEND to me. Through thick and thin I believe our friendship will last til’ eternity. All that there is left for me to say… ROZ, I LOVE YOU and HAPPY BIRTHDAY
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We Welcome All Freelance Writers! If you have a passion to express yourself through writing or poetry or want to publish that sermon God gave you, then we are looking for you. Please contact Divine Inspirations Magazine at divineinspirationsmagazine@gmail.com. Submit your article today! Advertise your next event in Divine Inspirations Magazine. Our readership reaches from the North, South, and East to the West Coast, as well as Overseas. To submit your advertisement, email Divine Inspirations today! Divine Inspirations Magazine is a division of Priscilla House Network, visit www.priscillahousenetwork.org. To subscribe to this e-Zine contact us today!
Contributors (in order as they appear Bishop Gregory M. Davis, Sr. Kim Potter Bishop Steven Maxwell Michelle Pumphrey Apostle Chiffon Foster Minister Tiffinnie Alston Apostle Dr. Lee Ann B. Marino Teshia M. Payne Ayorinde Matthew Minister B. Michelle Horton Evangelist Debra Savage Eunice Stolhofer Paulette Harper Igbinoba Bright Eddie Robert T. Sells Willie White Kelly Laws Elder, Mae Davis Sophia Avery Prophetess Teresa Myers Flora M. Kynard Pastors Mike and Trisha Fox Shawanna Clay Bobby Jay Bridgette Whitney
Senior Editor, Publisher – Qualita Pendergrass Editorial Director – Teshia Payne Beauty Editor – Kelly Laws Poetry Editor – Robert T. Sells
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