September 2009 Issue by Qualita Pendergrass

Divine Inspirations Magazine September 2009 | Volume 2 | Issue 9

John G. Taylor,

Clinical/Christian Therapist

Behind The Veil: A Look inside the Mind of Men that Abuse

DEVOTIONALS: LIVE with Purpose I Eagle Thoughts I God is Still Working Miracles! READER SPOTLIGHT: Gloria Newsome IN EVERY ISSUE: Prosperity Principles I Marriage for Today I D.I.V.A.S. I A Word in Season I Youth

Day

Table of Contents LETTER FROM THE EDITOR COVER STORY Behind the Veil: A Look inside the Mind of Men that Abuse John G. Taylor, MA 6 What is Domestic Violence? Every 12 seconds, a woman is abused by her intimate partner in the US.

FEATURES 11 “Living Inside Out in Christ” Pastor Tonie 12 Proper Diet and Exercise in the Life of a Christian Apostle Dr. Lee Ann B. Marino, Ph.D., D.D. 14 Overcoming Oppression Karmen Booker 15 What Are the Duties of a True Minister/Shepherd of God? Bishop Steven Liberty, Sr. 25 The Hem of His Garment Cynthia Boyer 32 The Consuming Fire of God Michele Mills 34 You want to get well… (Then take your medicine) Michelle Pumphrey 35 Their Children are Your Children Too Poetry Editor Robert T. Sells 37 The Council of the Holy Spirit Minister B. Michelle Horton

IN EVERY ISSUE 44 45 47 48 50

Prosperity Principles Flora Kynard Marriage for Today Pastors Mike and Trish Fox D.I.V.A.S. Elder Mae Davis A Word in Season Sophia Avery, MA Youth42Day Pastors Mike and Trish Fox

DEVOTIONALS 26 LIVE with Purpose Editorial Director Teshia M. Payne 31 Eagle Thoughts Rhonda A. White, CNHP 32 God is Still Working Miracles! Evangelist Debra Savage

READER SPOTLIGHT 41 Gloria Newsome

51 POETRY CAFÉ Robert T. Sells Bridgette Whitney Carole Steamer Karmen A. Booker

But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and [a]show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may [b]pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me! 10So for the sake of Christ, I am well pleased and take pleasure in infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, perplexities and distresses; for when I am weak [[c]in human strength], then am I [truly] strong (able, powerful [d]in divine strength). 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (AMP) September 2009 | Volume 2 | Issue 9

Greetings!

www.divineinspirationsmagazine.org divineinspiratonsmagazine@gmail.com

We are now entering the last quarter of 2009. This year has been a historical one for the United States of America. The first African American President was elected. I look back over the year thus far and it has been one filled with great expectation, and it is not over yet. If you have a dream or goal that is unfulfilled or seems like it is almost impossible I ask you to wait a minute. When President Obama came into office, he had a great task before him, to bring back the economy of the U.S. He did not have a chance to settle into his new office, he had to get to work quickly. I understand from the forecasters that we are in a turnaround and it will take several months before the changes in the economy would be noticeable. But unlike the President and the economists, God does the “Suddenly.” Today you may be tossed by the storms of life and dreams unfulfilled, but I want to share with you that when you trust God he will step in right on time and perform a “Suddenly” for you. Be encouraged you will finish strong this year! I am so excited about this issue. Our cover story is one that is truly relevant today. Domestic Violence is the most prevalent abuse practiced and ignored. We welcome your feedback and comments on this topic. Divine Inspirations Magazine now has a Fan Page on Facebook. Please join us for an interactive experience with other readers from across the world. Please be sure to pass this publication to your family, friends, and acquaintances. To subscribe or advertise with Divine Inspirations Magazine, send an email to divineinspirationsmagazine@gmail.com. Blessings! Qualita Pendergrass Senior Editor/Publisher “Living the Abundant Life”

If you are blessed by this magazine, email us at divineinspirationsmagazine@gmail.com with your comment or response; please indicate the article or writer. This publication is copyrighted and the articles are protected. Divine Inspirations Magazine © 2009 All Rights Reserved

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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, and 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!

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Contributors (In order as they appear)

Senior Editor/Publisher | Qualita Pendergrass John G. Taylor, MA, Clinical/Christian Therapist Pastor Tonie Apostle Dr. Lee Ann B. Marino, Ph.D., D.D. Karmen Booker Bishop Steven Liberty, Sr. Cynthia Boyer Editorial Director | Teshia M. Payne Rhonda A. White, CNHP Evangelist Debra Savage Michele Mills Michelle Pumphrey Poetry Editor | Robert T. Sells Minister B. Michelle Horton Gloria Newsome Flora Kynard Marriage Editors, Pastors Mike and Trisha Fox Elder Mae Davis Sophia Avery, MA, Christian Therapist Bridgette Whitney Carole Steamer Beverly Leonard

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Behind the Veil: A Look inside the Mind of Men that Abuse John G. Taylor, MA Clinical/Christian Therapist

BIO:

John G. Taylor, MA

is a mental health

therapist in Philadelphia, PA working for an agency counseling clients that are “triple” diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, a mental health diagnosis and a substance abuse addiction. Mr. Taylor also works as an Independent Contract Therapist, for another agency in Philadelphia, PA. He works with individuals that are experiencing sexual abuse trauma, paranoid schizophrenia, bi-polar, depression, agoraphobia, domestic violence, and ADHD.

Mr. Taylor received his Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice from Fayetteville State University and has a Masters Degree in Christian Counseling from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, which allows him to integrate Theology with Psychology. While at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, he served as a member of the student council. Mr. Taylor is a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors. Mr. Taylor works extensively with men and women who are involved in abusive relationships. Mr. Taylor facilitates groups counseling over 1,000 men and developing programs for men that are abusers. The focus is on changing their behaviors teaching them about conflict resolution, negotiation, and fairness, respect, better coping skills, better communication skills and the emotional, psychological, and spiritual effects that their behavior has on them and their intimate partners. Mr. Taylor believes that Domestic Violence is not an anger management problem, but about the choice to be violent. Mr. Taylor had an extensive career in the Criminal Justice System in North Carolina, working as Correctional Officer, Probation Officer, and Domestic Violence Counselor in the court system. This experience has allowed him to see the role that societal, economic, and environmental pressures have on the lives of individuals. Mr. Taylor has appeared in a documentary “Domestic Violence the Killer” that was shown in all the jails in North Carolina. He is a certified Domestic Violence Counselor and certified HIV/AIDS Educator for the state of North Carolina. He has also been a radio guest on the Jeff Hodges Show and the KD Bowe Gospel Radio Show. Mr. Taylor began writing a monthly column called “The Reality Corner” in the Divine Inspirations Magazine an online Christian Magazine in June 2009. Mr. Taylor is a recognized speaker, workshop leader, and lecturer on various topics. He is committed to helping individuals live life to their fullest potential. He believes that lives are rebuilt one minute at a time. BEHIND THE VEIL: A LOOK INSIDE THE MIND OF MEN THAT ABUSE Next month October is Domestic Violence Awareness month, so it is for the reason that I decided to write this story and take you inside the mind of men that abuse. I want to share the knowledge and experiences that I have had facilitating groups and

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counseling over 1,000 men that have abused their intimate partners. We have all seen the numerous stories of domestic violence that plagues our evening news reports, we have seen the leading story in our newspapers, we have lost a loved, or friend due to domestic violence or you have been a victim. In all that we have seen or experienced we know that there are too many women and men dying, people being injured, men/women going to jail, far too many children growing up in violent homes to later become victims or abusers themselves and left motherless and fatherless for this problem to not be brought to the forefront in our communities and churches. In this story I will share with you what constitutes Domestic Violence, the national stats, the cycle of violence, the five types of abuse, the profile/characteristics of men that abuse, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM-IV) diagnosis of abusers/batterers, treatment that works for this population, what the bible says about Domestic Violence, what you can do, your church, your community can do to end domestic violence and what I’m doing to reach men that are abusers/batterers. However, I will not be able to cover all aspects of domestic violence in this one story, so for more in depth information refer to my contact information at the end of this story.

What is Domestic Violence Domestic Violence is when a partner physically, verbally, emotionally, and sexually abuses their intimate partner or psychically forces power and control over them. Domestic violence occurs in all cultures, races, religions, classes and same sex relationships. We find that domestic violence is perpetrated by men and women, 95% of reported domestic violence cases are men abusing women and 5% of reported domestic violence cases are women abusing men. We also know that we have pastors, deacons, policemen, laymen, blue collar, and white collar men abusing their partners.

NATIONAL STATS Every 12 seconds, a woman is abused by her intimate partner in the US. 50% of offenders in state prisons for spousal abuse have killed their victims. 37% of pregnant women are battered during pregnancy, including blows to the abdomen. There are more animal shelters than there are shelters for victims of Domestic Violence in the US. Battering is the leading cause of injury to women sending over one million every year to the doctor’s offices or emergency rooms.

50% of all homeless women and children are on the streets because of violence in the home. These numbers are staggering and remember this is only what is reported to the police, imagine how many more women are being abused but never report it to the police. In my career that has spanned over 10 working with years, batterers/abusers, I have seen these numbers grow. When I travel and give presentations, I am always reminded by the humanity of doing this work when I meet volunteers, advocates, and victims that are working to find ways to end domestic violence in our society. I want to now talk about the cycle of violence that we see in Domestic Violence relationships: (1) Tension building (In this phase there is usually tension building from the batterer/abuser and there is usually an argument) (2) Incident (this is where the assault happens) and (3) Honeymoon phase (this is where the batterer/abuser apologizes for his behavior buying the victim gifts or flowers)--this cycle repeats itself until the victim or abuser ends the relationship. Domestic Violence never starts out on the first date; with many of the men that I have worked have stated “If I punched her on the first date, she would never see me again, so I do everything gradually.”

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Profile of an Abuser/Batterer

There are five types of abuse and they usually start with the less noticeable and become more obvious as the abusive relationship continues.

Jealousy (They believe that this shows the victim how much he loves her, questioning her constantly about whereabouts, and jealous of time she spends away from him).

The Five Types of Abuse 1. Emotional (killing pet, playing mind games). 2. Verbal (calling names). 3. Technological (GPS system/Face book sabotage). 4. Sexual (forcing sex while asleep or based on the Bible). 5. Physical (killing, punching, and choking).

I am sure by now you are asking, who are these men, will I know that he is an abuser by looking at him, what makes them tick and what signs can I look for in a mate to determine if my partner is an abuser/batterer. These are all good questions and I will tell you that no you cannot tell if someone is a batterer/abuser by looking at them, but there are some tell-tale signs and behaviors that will help you determine if someone is a batterer/abuser. As we look deeper behind the veil, you will find that the batterers want to exert power and control over another person. Also, you will find that most batterers/abusers make excuses for their behavior. The most common excuse I have heard is “I was angry and I couldn’t control myself,” I always tell them that I do not believe this because if this was true when they get angry other places they would automatically start fighting but they don’t, they wait until they get home and take it out on their intimate partners because it is safe. You will also find that most batterers/abusers have come from homes were they witnessed their father abusing their mother and learn this is how you are to treat women. There is also the influence of society, peer pressure and the violence of television that attributes to some men becoming abusers. So, looking deeper into the mind of the abuser, I want to provide you with a few of the behaviors that are typical for batterers.

Controlling behavior (I have had clients whose victim could not get a job, leave the house or bathe without his permission) Pressures partner for quick relationship commitment (I have had clients that will tell the victim they love her after four dates to make sure she did not get away.) Isolation (Makes the partner move away from family and friends so that she depends on him solely for support.) Forces her to have sex against her will (I have had several clients who forced their partners to have sex with their friends and forces sex when she is asleep.) Holds very rigid gender roles (Believes that her job is just to cater to him--that he is the “king of the castle.”) These are just a few of the profiles of a batterer, men that are abused are very clever, smart, and extremely charming. Most of the men that I worked with have a personality that anyone who meets him will usually like them because their art is to deceive and manipulate everyone. This is why often times if a victim does report a domestic violence incident she is not easily believed because people usually say “not him, he is so nice,” “you are so lucky to have such a caring man.” All of this plays into the design of the batterer because if he gets people outside of the home to buy into his deceit the victim has little if no support. Most batterers are seen as “Dr. Jykle and Mr. Hyde” because of the stark contrast in their public and private selves. When we look into the mind and behaviors of the batterers, the DSM-IV gives us some diagnostic for this population.

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Diagnosis of Abusers/Batterers Antisocial Personality Disorder - (displays deceitfulness, repeatedly lying, use of aliases or conning others for personal profit or pleasure.) Borderline Personality Disorder - (displays a pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships by alternating between extreme idealizations and devaluation.) Narcissistic Personality Disorder - (has a grandiose sense of self-importance.) There are more personality disorders, but these three are the most common that you will find in batterers/abusers because these explain clinically what is going on with the batterer/abuser mentally. When we look at the profile/characteristics of batterers/abusers, we can clearly see how this diagnosis will be found in this population. As we start to look at treatment for this population, I have to say that most of this population does not come into treatment until the partner calls the police and they are court ordered to attend treatment or they seek help when the partner threatens to leave. (Note: Victims are at higher risk to be killed when they decide to leave their abusers; this is why some women stay). So once batterers are at this point, treatment is very important.

Treatment for this Population Group Therapy is important because it allows the batterer to be confronted by his peers on his behavior. I have facilitated groups with 16 men in the room, at times, it would become very confrontational, but it was important for the men to be held accountable for their behavior by other men and group facilitators. Group Therapy focuses on weekly topics about: Respect, effective communication skills, honesty, and how to handle your emotions. These are just a few of the topics that I address in my groups. The main point is that whatever topic is being discussed the batterers/abusers must be held accountable. Individual Therapy (this is also a good form of treatment because it gives the batterer more time to express himself without the interruption of others,

but even in this therapy the batterer has to be strongly confronted and held accountable for his behavior.) Also, you will find that in individual therapy the batterer/abuser will want to bring his partner to the sessions. I strongly disagree with bringing the partner to any sessions initially not until they have addressed their issues separately and then at approximately session 6 or 7 I will conduct couples therapy very cautiously. I need to say that batters can change they can stop their abusing behavior and treat their intimate partner the way that God has intended for men to treat their partners. I have seen many men change their behavior, so we must hope and never believe that anyone is lost in their behavior. I remind myself that people are not their behavior, it is just what is manifested on the surface and we must get beneath the surface and deal with the root cause. Because God has shown us all mercy, grace, and forgiveness, so we must do the same for these men. What does the Bible say about Domestic Violence? The bible to me speaks clearly against violence and against hurting others, because doing so also hurts God. In 1 Corinthians Ch 3: 16-17 Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? 17If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple. This scripture to me cries out to victims of domestic violence saying to them “don’t you know who you are, don’t you know who made you” emphasizing to them that they were designed by God for greatness not for abuse. This scripture also speaks to the batterer letting them know that you can’t destroy my child and think that there is no consequences for your behavior, so even here God is saying I will hold you accountable for hurting my child. So we as Christians must also hold these men accountable. Also 1 John 4:16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the Day of Judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do

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with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. I believe that this passage speaks totally against the motive of the batterer, because batterers get their love from the victim through fear, and perfect love is not fear. I always asked the women do you love him, the response usually is “Yes, I have to or he will get angry.” I tell them this is not love because love does not hit or hurt. You may ask now how I can help, what I can do to help stop domestic violence, below I have few suggestions for you:

anyone that needs the help. I also encourage women/men if your brother or father is a batterer/abuser gets him some help because often times we keep this secret in our families and it’s killing us. I also conduct individual sessions for men that are abusers. I’m excited to announce that starting October 1, 2009 I will start a Batterers Intervention Group in Philadelphia, PA (see ad in this edition) I believe that God has uniquely designed me to meet the needs of this population and I want to help these men heal, recover, feel empowered and become the mighty men that God has called them to be.

What can you, your church and your community do to help end Domestic Violence? 1. Become educated about Domestic Violence. 2. Start a Domestic Violence Ministry at your church 3. Start a Support group for victims (Trained Facilitators). 4. Start an Accountability group for batterers/abusers (Trained Facilitators). 5. Volunteer at a Battered women’s shelter. 6. Start or participate in a walk/run against Domestic Violence.

Men we must hold our friends accountable, if your buddy is assaulting his intimate partner you must speak against it, offer to get him some help or stop being friends with him. DON’T BE SILENT, BECAUSE YOUR SILENCE GIVES PERMISSION TO THE VIOLENCE.

As I concluded this story, I want to talk about what efforts I’m making to help men that are abusers stop and understand the impact that their violence is having on our community, their partners, their children and themselves. What I’m doing to reach and help men stop or prevent Domestic Violence? I’m telling anyone that will listen that Domestic Violence is a problem; that Domestic Violence isn’t an anger management problem but a choice to be violent. I conduct workshops for communities, churches, seminaries and schools. In a hope to reach

So I pray that you were motivated by this story to do something so that we can help end domestic violence and once again have peace in our homes. I know that I have shared a lot of information in this story but there is so much more. We know that we have pastors, deacons, policeman, laymen, blue collar and white collar men abusing their partners we can’t afford to have women and children living in fear any longer. Let’s end the silence and sound the alarm today saying…”NO MORE EXCUSES FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE”. To contact John for counseling, presentations, workshops or more info go to www.johngtaylor.com. Men if you or someone you know is a batterer and want help, contact me. I promise to connect you with resources in your area. Victims of Domestic Violence for Nationwide help: Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1800-799- (SAFE) 7233.

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Domestic Violence Batterers Intervention Group “Healing From Within”

ARE YOU MANDATED BY THE COURT TO ATTEND A BATTERS INTERVENTION GROUP? ARE YOU OR HAVE YOU PHYSICALLY ABUSED YOUR INTIMATE PARTNER? ARE YOU OR HAVE YOU BEEN EMOTIONALLY ABUSIVE TO YOUR INTIMATE PARTNER? ARE YOU OR HAVE YOU BEEN VERBALLY ABUSIVE TO YOUR INTIMATE PARTNER?

DO YOU FIND IN YOUR LIFE THIS PRINCIPLE: “when I want to do what is good, evil is right there with me." Romans 7:21 IF SO THIS IS THE GROUP FOR YOU, I WILL GIVE YOU THE TOOLS/COPING STRATEGIES TO HELP YOU DEAL WITH YOUR ANGER, POWER AND CONTROL ISSUES AND FEELING OF POWERLESSNESS.

I have a 16 week program designed for you where I talk about: How to communicate with your mate Anger Management Fair Fighting Techniques Negotiation and Fairness Honesty and Accountability Power and Control in your Relationship ….and much more Group held every 1st & 3rd Thursdays 6:30 p.m. Session Cost $40.00 per group Location: 2449 Golf Road, Suite 3 Philadelphia, PA Facilitated by John G. Taylor, MA Clinical /Christian Therapist, with over 15 years of experience facilitating groups/counseling men that are abusive to their intimate partners.

For more info: www.johngtaylor.com

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“Living Inside Out in Christ”

Pastor Tonie

2 CORINTHIAN 5:17

If you have hung around me in recent months, you’ve heard me mention how I’ve been living my life inside out. By that, I mean in my fiery trials the Holy Spirit has increased my understanding and spiritual sight about my identity in Christ. I am not talking about some new age telepathy experience mixed with mystical fictitious lies – absolutely not! I am talking about Jesus, the truth the only mediator between God and humanity, who rebirths a person from the inside out in his forgiveness and love. The last eight months I have been struggling with a fiery trial called “Bell Palsy” – a paralysis of the facial nerve muscles. When I first saw my droopy disfigured face in the mirror, God tenderly reminded me, “That’s not the real you.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “If anyone is in Christ [born again], he is a new creation; old things [your old Adam nature] are passed away; behold all things have become new.” Today I am convinced without a doubt about who God says I am in Christ, regardless of my circumstances and outward appearances. This defining truth has grabbed me, I will spend the rest of my life getting to know the real me in Christ. The Word says we are earthen vessels with a hidden treasure (Jesus) living in us, and our trials help squeeze out the essence of 2 Corinthians 5:17 if we believe. Our fiery trials burn off our fleshly externals that hold us in bondage from really living in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17 is no longer a familiar verse to me – it’s become my reality, joy and hope, along with Romans 8:28-29. If it weren’t for the grace of God, I would have missed the visitation of 2 Corinthians 5:17. I’m so thankful – entering His throne room has become more personal and meditative. When people ask about this Bell Palsy, I testify about the hidden treasure of Jesus Christ healing me from the inside out. God has renewed my purpose in life: to persuade

people, especially believers, of who they are in Christ. These last five months our “Free at Last” class witnessed community transformation as we progressively explored liberating truths about our identity in Christ. Ephesians 1:3 says all our spiritual blessings (freedom) are in the heavenlies in Christ – this is your inheritance too as a child of God. You may say, “But, Tonie, I don’t feel free; my life is the pits. I see more curses than blessings; my body is riddled with pain; no one cares or understands me; I’m afraid; I’ve got financial problems; I like doing things myself; I’m just a loner; that’s just the way I am.” Can you relate? Well then, you have tons of reasons to count it all joy (James1:2). Cry out to God right now and let others help you. Beloved, do not give in or give up. The adversary Satan builds “mental smoke screens” to blind and lead you away from Christ (2 Corinthians 4:4; 11:3). As believers, it is a matter of belief and perspective – you’ll always live out who you believe you are inside. Remember what Jesus said. (See Matt. 23:25-26) to those phony religious leaders: “You wash the outside of the cup, but inwardly the cup is dirty.” He called them blind guides. They saw and lived by external works and appearances, ignoring the internal love of Jesus. That’s like drinking from a cup that’s dirty on the inside while the outside is sparkly clean. I call this “playing church.” Many are performing hard waiting passively to experience God in a performance doublemind external way. Only to become tired, sick, shortsighted and forgetting who you are, as a child of God. (2 Peter 1:9). Paul said, “Put no confidence in the flesh (externals)”. There’s nothing good in the flesh, we owe the flesh nothing, it produces nothing but death, and it’s hostile and displeasing to God. (See Phil.3:3; Ro. 7:5; 8:7-8.) We’re new creations in Christ; together let’s seek those things above in the heavenlies where all our spiritual blessings are – in Christ. “Living Inside Out in Christ”

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Proper Diet and Exercise in the Life of a Christian

Apostle, Lee Ann B. Marino

I have come across quite a few people in many different denominations who believe proper diet and exercise have no place in the Christian life. Their logic is that the physical body, as it stands right now, is a part of the world, and will be transformed and glorified in the next life. Therefore, why does it matter what we eat? If we exercise? How our health is? The Scriptures tell us that we are temples of the Holy Ghost in 1 Corinthians 6:19: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.” (NIV) This means that we have the Spirit of the living God inside of us, radiating through us, and working in us. Therefore, while our bodies may be a temporary part of this life, and being a temporary part of this life, they may be apt to decay and suffer problems. This fact, however, does not change the fact that God’s Spirit dwells within us and can have an awesome opportunity to shine through all that we are able to do in our physical bodies. We are all amazed when we hear stories of people who run marathons well into their eighties and nineties, those who defy the odds of aging and live past one hundred years of age, or of those who maintain physical and mental strength long after society and medicine deem one’s time to be up. Such a defiance of what culture has established as the “norm” is such a great testament to the fact that the human being and the human body can far exceed what anyone may declare “normal.” Now let’s apply this same concept and principle to being temples of the Holy Ghost. We should, by being here and realizing we have the power of God within us, want to far and exceed whatever society deems is “normal” for us as a witness of life everlasting and ever-present. Christians shouldn’t simply have a desire to be lazy and then sneak their way into heaven later in life.

While it is certainly true that how we take care of our bodies is not a reflection of whether or not we are saved, it is truly a reflection of whether or not we are allowing God to do a great work within us, empowering us to become even greater witnesses for Him. Being overweight or immoderate in our diets may not keep us out of heaven, but it will certainly keep us from being effective witnesses and will keep us from enjoying the abundant life Jesus has for us to the full. It’s a mistake to think that we don’t have to eat properly or exercise while we are living this side of heaven. God wants us to succeed and excel at everything we place our hands to - and in order to that, we must be healthy and fit ourselves. Food and laziness must not run our lives. Whenever we are consumed by such, we aren’t focused first on the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. It also shows, if we eat for emotional reasons, that we are not truly healed, allowing Jesus to do His healing work within us. It is so vital that we identify why we are immoderate in our lives and root out the cause, replacing former shame and hurt with moderate behavior which can change not just our lives personally, but the lives of those we witness to as well. Romans 14:7 says: “For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of meat and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (NIV) Clearly, we have to eat to sustain our physical bodies while we are here, but that simply means we have another opportunity to learn balance and moderation by saying no to the excesses of the flesh. When we seek after God, our priorities change; what we long for in life changes; and this means that our personal habits change as well. How we live and what we do with our bodies reflects that change in priorities which must come the longer we live and walk in the Spirit. We all know self-control is a fruit of the Spirit; that makes walking in self-control all the more important as we live in a world of excess, vices, and indulgences. Apostolic Fellowship International Ministries

drleeannbmarino@powerfortoday.org (270) 925-8487

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OVERCOMING OPPRESSION

Karmen Booker

Definition of Oppression Oppression is anything or anybody that holds you back from accepting and committing your life to Jesus Christ. Its goal is for you to fall into the grave where there is a bottomless pit. It works through people who appear to be helping you increase and prosper, but through manipulation, lying, and deception they guide you to the bottomless pit. A bottomless pit of torment and destruction that feeds on wickedness. The devices of wickedness include constant accusation of negative past behavior, and subjection of you to its every request. Solomon in Ecclesiastes 4:1 says “So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power, but they had no comforter.”

How to Overcome Oppression Comfort is Imperative

Jesus Christ heals all who are oppressed because of the power God has given Him. You see, God is the source for Jesus’ ability and authority to perform these actions.

Walking in Victory “That You Have Overcome” Victory means deliverance, help, safety, and triumph. Triumph means to overcome, conquer, joyful, and rejoice. Victory is a sign that you have overcome conditions and circumstances through dependence on Jesus Christ, which is the only way you can experience victory. When one has overcome a negative condition or circumstance, his natural response is to rejoice because he is no longer pinned under or bound by the condition or circumstance. Therefore, he becomes free to experience joy which yields rejoicing = triumph = victory. “. . .in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him (Jesus Christ) that loves us.” (Romans 8:37) “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God.” (I John 5:4-5) And they overcame him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb (Jesus Christ), and by the word of their testimony . . .” (Revelation 12:11)

Comfort is essential in overcoming because it soothes the discomfort associated with oppression. This discomfort may be in the form of pain, stress, low self-esteem, and loneliness.

The only way to BREAKTHROUGH and be delivered from oppression is to:

Crying normally accompanies oppression. When you cry in your secret chambers, the oppression remains, but when you cry to God, he will hear your cry and heal you. Jesus Christ is the Healer (John14:26). The healing process is made up of two parts – comfort and restoration. Jesus Christ soothes the wounds (comforts) and makes you whole (restores). (Acts 10:38)

 Know that you have all power and authority over the oppressor (Satan). (Luke 10:19, Romans 8:37)

 Believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. (Romans 10:9-11)

 Ask the Lord to place a shield of protection around you. (Psalm 61:2-3, Psalm 91:3-4)  Bind the devil in the name of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 16:19)

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 Speak the Word of God for it is a two-edged sword. (Revelation 12:11) Karmen A. Booker has been called by God to exhort and teach others the Word of God. She is the founder of Wings of Love Ministries (WOLM), which is a teaching and evangelist ministry whose vision is to encourage and inspire people to accept and commit their lives to Jesus Christ so their lives will be transformed into righteousness, and they will experience unceasing love, joy, and peace. WOLM offers resource products that are designed to encourage you to grow in your personal relationship with Jesus Christ and take you to higher spiritual heights of knowledge and understanding of the Word of God!!! Please Request Your Catalog by contacting us at: Wingsoflove8@yahoo.com.

What are the Duties of a True Minister/Shepherd of God?

Bishop Steven Maxwell Alexander J. Kpolonyeenkpor Liberty Sr.

I do not want you to lose focus of our topic: WHO ARE MINISTERS OF JESUS CHRIST EMPOWERED TO CARRY OUT THE MANDATE OF THE GREAT COMMISSION??????? ; The word Minister covers every servant from Pope, Arch Bishop, Bishop, to lay leaders etc. However, our focus is mostly focus on the messenger. We have covered together sub topics like; THE MINISTER IS CALLED & SEPERATED FOR THE TASK BY GOD HIMSELF; CHARACTER AND QUALIFICATIONS OF A TRUE MINISTER OF JESUS CHRIST; AND CHARGED WITH AUTHORITY TO MINISTERED TO TWO KINGDOMS. I praise God for those who partook in the various surveys and others whose work we use as reference. Now that we are moving to the next level, we are indeed going to work together to arrive at a notable conclusion and we will for the Glory of the Kingdom of God. WHAT ARE THE DUTIES OF A TRUE MINISTER/SHEPHERD OF GOD?

This is what one Pastor had to tell a congregation (a few hours before I concluded this work I receive this true report of a sermon preached by a Senior Pastor of a large church) made up of about 99 percent internet fraudsters. “I am seriously praying and fasting for you to get money from the costumers you have on the internet. When you get this money, come and pay your ten percent to God and put in a decent offering for God and then change business. If you do not change your habits after God provide this money for you; God will punish you.” So if I must interpret this message in my own words it means; steal if you have to, kill if you have to, lie if you have to and get the money you need to survive. No matter who gets hurt or die in the process, as long as you get the money, give God His share and confess, and because He is love, He will forgive and save you.. Here is so-called Shepherd/Minister encouraging person to lie and steal. His members write false stories claiming that they are refugees living in camps with one fortune or the other; a banker who has certainly come across a fortune, a pastor, Doctor etc. The greedy or those who want to make it rich by short cuts fall for these lies and ends up losing everything they own. Some commit suicide or go mad after losing all they own. Many churches use these unsaved souls as members of the Elder board of churches, deacons, choirs, and ushers. Is such a Pastor a Shepherd/Minister of God or businessman? Is this a sheep or wolf? This is just the tip of the iceberg of the type of messages been preached around the world today. These are also the type of Ministries that are fast growing in the world today. The reason this is so is because many Shepherds/Ministers have lost focuses of; or do not know their real duties. The congregation grows because the world have reach a state long predicted by the scriptures; “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths. 2 Timothy 4:3-4

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Today many Shepherds have become demi-gods for their congregations and the congregations are worshiping them instead of the Most High God. I do not know if it is out of ignorance or because the narrow road of a Shepherd is difficult for them to follow. The duties of a Shepherd/Minister are unknown to many claiming to be carrying the mandate of Jesus Christ. I did a survey and you will be surprise that a vast majority of those who took part in it could not explain the duties of a Minister in their own words but ran for biblical quotations which from what I see around me today; cannot be certain if they really know the true meaning of the scriptures they are quoting (because in most cases it is missing from their Ministries). The duties of the True Shepherd/minister were spelled out long ago by the Master Himself and it is only by knowing and understanding them can one actually gain access to the keys that unlock the mysteries of the fruits (signs and wonders) that are bound to follow the True Shepherd/Minister. However Satan knowing this has introduce for many the spirit of materialism which has turn many churches to just another family supermarket; with lies and deceit as tools use to carry out their diabolical mission for the devil. Yes, there is temporary gain of money, fast and expensive cars and titles from the sweat and blood of the poor, but they are lost to the real truth. They could

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have gained these same things from God if they had first sought first the Kingdom, righteousness and wisdom. Because of materialism the rules of “Seeking first the Kingdom of God» have been turned to All else shall be added to you before you make a full confession and Seek the Kingdom of God. In that case, the Grace of God will save you. Therefore as I was saying exploitation, lies’, stealing in the Name of the Gospel has become the order of the day. That is why it is very necessary for the true Shepherd to know the laid down principle/duties for being a real servant of God. For the Bible says “The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.” (Prov. 21:6) There is another crucial aspect that needs to be highlighted before moving into the main topic under discussion. It has to do with the Shepherd’s time and has been misconstrued by many as a responsibility or duty. In order to understand this we have to take a look at some of the aspects of leadership in the Churches today under the modern day Shepherd/Minister and critically examine it from the Scriptures. One such matter is physical control over things that could easily be handle by other Spirit filled Persons in the Church; or to put it bluntly should I say, the duties your wives relatives and best friends are handling needs to be reexamine. To be a Shepherd/Minister in many

churches today means total control over money matters; counting and saving the offering(in certain cases it is their wives or siblings in charge); the project planner and fund raiser, the gossip director/encourager, the master of lies/twisting the message to suit their evil designs and marketing strategies for their videos, tapes, CDs, books etc, and selling the Gospel (or socalled best messages) to those who can afford; while those who can’t afford to buy are left out of “the secrets to prosperity and life”, “the secrets of happiness and living a fulfill life” or the power to rule your destiny”. With all these physical responsibilities, one is tempted to forget the Spiritual responsibility and the requirement that it takes to carry them out. These things in themselves are not bad in themselves if the motives for doing them are honest and to the benefit and growth of the congregation; and not endanger the Shepherd spiritual life. However, in majority of the cases in the modern day church it is to enrich the Minister and his family and friends who established it for that purpose in the first place. In order to fully understand the implications of the evil this behavior cause for the Shepherd, we should examine that the other side of the coin as written in the Bible. Yes Sir, there is another side of the coin and it has been proven in the Bible that this task is too

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tempting and heavy to be added to the responsibilities of the Minister/Shepherd; because where the Spirit of the Lord is really flowing and souls are being added to the numbers daily, the responsibility needs to be share. You see if the Shepherd/Minister is really conscious of His/her duties and carrying it out to the best of their abilities, they will notice that time will interfere in their schedule and some things will be left undone. Acts 6:1 is a very good example of what I am talking about. We notice from this text that handling physical responsibilities like money matters, sharing of food, clothes, etc. became very burdensome for the disciples. They could not handle the fast and prayer, preaching and healing, visitation and monitoring of the spiritual growth of the people at the same time and handle the physical aspect without problem arising . There was no way to give their full attention to one side or the other. Some level of unfairness and dispute arose. I want you to note Peter, James, John, and the rest of the twelve could not take of this responsibility and had to share it. What about you Shepherds/Ministers today who wants to be a one man authority? It is impossible and does not work that way. If you are running your Ministry that way, I can say for certain that you are not serving our God but your physical desires. You will definitely neglect your True

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responsibility talking cases, distributing food and clothes because your want to choose the best ones out and send it home for the benefit of your family alone. That is why Peter and the others recognized that they needed physical assistants who were spiritually filled of the Holy Spirit; from among the congregation. I love how the Apostle Peter put it in Acts: 6:2 “….It is not reason that we should leave the Word of God and serve tables.” Yes, Sir, Many Shepherds/Ministers today have been on the very wrong side of the coin; leaving the duty, God assigned to them for the sake of materialism. What you have been neglecting your Spiritual responsibilities for is just work for your servants and helpers in the vine yard. Before reaching you and discussing the duties of a True Shepherd/Minister, we have to deal with some of those things that you are claiming to be your duties that should in fact be for your students. So you better stop right now from walking with open arms as you lord over materialism. Now what type of people should be chosen for your replacement to carry out these physical duties; your sister, your wife, your brothers (because they are your family members so they will look after your interest) are doing in your churches right now .Many Shepherds/Ministers are protecting what they claim to be their interest by putting families

or friends in the seat of the decision makers of the church. In such cases, I am tempted to ask if the souls you are claiming to be harvesting are really born again, because if they were you would trust them. How can you plant a farm and harvest your crops and leave it in your barns and go to your neighbor’s farm to purchase the very same crops. The message you are sending is that your crops are sub standard. If you cannot trust your converts enough to use them in position of trust, you have not done your homework properly. But for many Shepherds/Ministers today it is not a matter of trust but a matter of greed and the quest for materialism. The True Shepherd/Minister has to trust people who fulfill the qualification of God and the congregation they have. The True Shepherd/Minister cannot afford to be a Island and needs to distribute responsibilities. It is one of the true signs of growth. Let’s see how the Apostles of old handle this delicate matter. In all we do or say, it is always necessary to go back to the bible for the measurement rod and examine our ideas with it lest we fall into temptation of speaking vainly. Yes, let’s return to the scriptures and examine how the Apostles handle this issue and why? Acts 6:3 “Wherefore brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, which we may appoint over this business.” Notice here that they first

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instructed the congregation to “look among themselves” and select. This is very import because it is one very important thing that is missing from many Ministries. There is so much dictatorship in the church today that position filled are most times not approved by both God and the congregation; but force upon the people . Notice here that those chosen were not because they were family members or could feed the Minister or his wife with gossips and lies about other members; not by the size of their pockets and their position in society; but because they were of honest report (I am not talking about the Pastor’s choice but the congregation), full of the Holy Ghost (so full that it is seen by everyone in the person life), and wisdom. These are tools needed for working among such a group because the group approval is needed for future cooperation, God approval is needed if they must represent Him and wisdom for discerning and combating the forces of darkness and their tricks. But this is the opposite in majority of the Ministries that I know and in certain cases have interacted with. As I was saying before the illustration there are just certain things the Minister has to do to be fully prepared for the task He has been assigned by God. Now if he/she is a True Minister of God they will need time for a personal and regular prayer life Acts 3:1; Lk 5:15,16). An engine has to be fully oiled and fuel and

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all bolts tighten if it must serve its purpose for the journey. Today many Ministers have no time to pray for more than five minutes on their own, unless there is a difficult situation threatening the existence of their Ministry/Business. I know of Ministers who call for the church to fast and yet not fast themselves claiming ulcers etc. Many do not have a regular prayer life not that they do not wish to but because there is no time and they are usually too tire from running up and down after their self interest or “serving tables” as it was in Acts.6:2. They take more time on their outfit on worship days than prayer; maybe pray for a minute or two before rushing up to preach or teach the message that was copied from the internet using sermon help ;but not really understanding the message themselves. The True Shepherd needs time everyday to pray for himself/herself, in order to know the will of God; to present their congregations to God, and fortified himself/herself for the daily encounters with Satan and his agents. In such cases the True Shepherd, their family, and congregation is surrounded day and night by the power of God through the presence of the Holy Spirit. The True Shepherd/Minister needs to be systematic and faithful in Bible reading and study (Ezra 7:10;Lk 4:16,17). How can you preach what you do not know? Most of the sermons preached these days are on the

market anyway so it has to be tailored to suit the ears of the customers and not necessarily the hard true. The true about Salvation, Repentance, and Forgiveness have been replaced by the so-called get rich Gospel/prosperity sermons. To preach the type of prosperity sermons that are preaching today the Shepherd/Minister of the world do not need to study. Taking the True message entire context will destroyed their goal and they are afraid to chase people out of the church; so they just take a verse and preach it out of context to suit the project on hand. Lies and stealing are now out of the list of sins preached today. How can you tell a Elder (governmental Minister/ Congress man/woman engage in fornication and adultery and bribery or ritualistic killings), choir leader (who the pastor is sleeping with), usher (who is bringing money from defrauding others) or Deacon who is bringing gossip about other members that these things are wrong when you are afraid they will leave the church if you preach against them? The negative impact of this behavior has sold the church to Satan and there is much dirt in the church today than in the outside world that we claim to preach or teach. The church is so dead of Holy Spirit and fruits of true Christianity and miracles from God that most have become just another organization of the world.. Many turn to occultist powers to produce like signs to promote

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themselves in the eyes of the costumers. But real miracles and signs and wonders are possible with only total reliance on the power of God; if only the Shepherd/Minister takes time to study and prepare for his/her assignment with every step they take. These fruits are theirs for it was given to them from the Master as working tools. It is writtenâ&#x20AC;Ś. But in order to gain these tools the True Shepherd/Minister must study and be conscious of your duties. She/he must be systematic and faithful to studying the laid down principles and its format for implementation. It does not change with time because God does not change. The True Shepherd/Minister need time for evangelism and missions for Christ, (Jn 10:16; Mt 9:36-38), I am not talking about that team that you have set up without properly examining of their lives and calling them evangelism team. I am talking about your personal evangelism. When last have you walk around the neighborhood visiting your converts and their families, talking to people about the Gospel? When was the last time you drove to a village or home in your community that you knew needed the Gospel and evangelize on your own? For many it has been years because the responsibilities have been left to the evangelism teams. Bishops, Apostles, Prophets, Prophetess, General Overseers and in many cases Pastors are now too important to go out on

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personal evangelism. For them they are too important to do house to house evangelism. It will dirty their expensive shoes and spoil their expensive cars. They rather the big crusades, speaking engagements, internet mailing, television and satellite relays but personal interaction have gone out of their books altogether. The True Shepherd need time to cooperate with other Ministries for fellowship and encouragement and bringing in the harvest (Lk 5:5-7; Gal 2:7-9), In many countries today including the one I live and work in presently; Ministries are in competition and not companions for Christ. Many criticize the others and do anything in their power to discredit and bring about the downfall of the others. Many are not on speaking teams with one another. They form little groups and organizations and if you are not a part, you are not a Christian for them. Once a Muslim told me that Christianity is a great religion and might have the truth but their division is their greatest weakness and is always their point of penetration. If you want to destroy any section, you can depend on the other to leak their secrets if not carry out your plans. They do not fellowship for fear that their members will be stolen so how can they ask for help in bringing in the harvest. As we can see from Galatians 2:7-9 there is a peaceful way around every situation if we seek for it. But instead of seeking for

ways to work together, the split gets wider daily. The only reason this is so is because many Ministries are false and not about the harvest for the Master but for their personal gain. In many cases if you see a visiting Clergy it is for financial reasons or popularity that in the end will lead to the end of the same road. I am not saying it is wrong to visit a Ministry for help; but here I am speaking about fellowship for fellowship sake. It is the responsibility of the True Shepherd to cooperate with other Shepherds in order to encourage one another or point out each other weakness and strengths for the Word of God demands that we be open to correction (Gal 2:11-14; Eccl 4:13). A special time have to be set for this purpose, among Ministries in the same geographical location first; and the world as a whole; as long as we are preaching the same Gospel. The true Minister need time for practicing self denial (Lk 9:23; Jn 3:30). Self denial is one that is totally out of most churches today. I was telling a friend the other day that it will take a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;camel to go through the eye of a needleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in our world today before a modern day Shepherd/Minister can get down from his/her expensive car for a poor sick old person to be carry to the hospital (he/she would rather give money in certain cases or just drive by), deny his child school fees for a poor member child to enter school

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before their own children, use their wife jewel money to buy food or even take food from their own storerooms, or go without food for the day in order for a beggar( in many cases the food would rather spoil and be thrown into the dump site or given to the dogs or cats) to take home and share with their families. Today it now a growing tendency that the Shepherd/Minister should be the most comfortable person in the church, the best dressed, be among those with the best vehicles for sky or road, have the best homes in the community and children goes to the best and most expensive schools. I want you to do this research for yourself. Find out how many of the Shepherds/Ministers you know who children living under these conditions come out as true born again Christians? This is not the world of the True Shepherd (I am not saying it is wrong for the Shepherd/Minister to be rich in the things of this world). The world of the true Shepherd is a very narrow one that has to put others first and become last in most cases. The cross of Christ was not a very sweet one and if you truly desire to honestly work for Him, it is necessary to accept the fact that many times you will have to deny yourself of many of the comforts of the world for the sake of others. It is necessary for others to see your Master through your lifestyle. It is false impression that some have about a rich sweet cross. The Cross was for paying the price of

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crime. It was like the hang man noose, the electric chair of firing squad. There is pain and disgrace associated with it. What makes ours different is that after the storm, pain and disgrace we are certain of coming out victorious both on earth and in Heaven. Taking it up means giving up many earthly rights and only those who are selected, called chosen and charged can carry this heavy burden with dignity. These people knows it true meaning and will not be tempted to twist it to fit their selfish desires of materialism and worldly power. The True Shepherd/Minister needs time for their homes; wives and kids(1 Tim 3:2a; Rom 2:22a);(1 Tim 3:4,5; Dt 6:6,7). Many of the marital problems we experienced today is because of the Shepherd/Minister lack of his/her responsibility as a parent. Many are so caught up in ‘serving tables’ or chasing riches that before they can notice it the home is destroyed, the child is an addict or involve in crime. This is the outcome of a Shepherd/Minister who forsakes their spiritual responsibility for the physical. The True church starts from within your home and you must be there for them day and night. Remember that you are to stand guard for your family for you might be able to defend yourself in the battle but the devil will attack a family that has an opening. Remember that the Bible caution us to “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring

lion, walketh about, and seeking whom he may destroy.” (1Peter 5:8). So why cry when your home is attacked by the devil after you left an opening there fir it to enter. The Bible says “A Bishop then must be blameless, a husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality apt to teach”. How can the Bishop be blameless if he/she is not upholding the truth and knows it, exploiting the poor in the Name of Jesus Christ, selling the free message of the Gospel entrusted in their hands to teach freely? The media is filled of stories everyday now of Shepherds/Ministers who are unfaithful to their wives and who homes are in turmoil; because as I pointed up before was drunk with the powers of this world and materialism, while Satan destroyed their families. There is no time to be hospitable because they are never home and when they are, they dine only with the rich or their so-called class. The question asked in Romans 2:22a is worth your meditation. (However, those of you who follow this work from the beginning know that we dealt with these issues under the topic; CHARACTER AND QUALIFICATIONS OF A TRUE MINISTER OF JESUS CHRIST). So the question I put to you is how many hours do you have in one day to do all these things and yet take up the physical load? If you know your responsibilities you will note that your duty is a very unique and special one that demands your entire time and

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being. That is exactly why it is very essential for all True Shepherds/Ministers to know and understand why they were selected by God. If you know your duties, you will understand that much of the things you have always been fighting for in life had in fact been at your disposal long ago; but because you choose to get it the wrong way, you were blinded by your greed and selfishness. What really are the duties of a True Minister of God? The first and foremost duty of a Minister is that He/she is Selected, Chosen, Called and Charge to be a VOICE. Yes Sir, in this one word we can define our most principal reason for being a Minister of God. But the real meaning lies in the answer to the question that says; A minister is a Voice for who, to who, to say what, and where? The Shepherd/Minister is a Voice but not just any voice. Earlier I told about this Pastor who was encouraging his members to lie and steal from others and confess later. He is a voice also but for whom? It is very essential to know that there are many voices in the world today calling for different reasons but ours is a single voice, representing both the problem and the solution. That is why it is very important to know the answer to these questions or else we miss the entire point. Of course: as I said the earth is full of voices of different types and shapes and sounds; so it is very necessary to define the type of

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voice we are talking about here. To do this we will have to examine several different responsibilities that qualify this unique voice we are referring to. The first and foremost thing you should understand here is that you are not a voice of your own but the voice of He who send you. Indeed you are an Ambassador of the King; bearing a message from the Kingdom to His subjects and at the same time an Ambassador from the subjects to the King; taking back their problems, iniquities. You are also something else but let’s stop a little and examine Ambassadorship. I did a little survey with Ministers of God from different categories; Apostles, Evangelist, Pastors, Teachers, and Prophets asking them about their interpretations of what they think are the duties of a Pastor. Yvonne Wilson answers this way.” Christ Jesus, said that He came to serve not to be served...so therefore a true minister of God...should serve the flock of God, in the place of God in the earth... Speaking and doing what thus saith the LORD...for we are ambassadors of Christ Jesus, servants of the most high God, we should look like Him, talk like Him, walk like Him, and most of all Love like Him...for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son; He gave of Himself… Therefore we should laid down our life for Him, pick up our crosses and follow Him and forsake all for Him... be about His

business, preaching / teaching the good news of Jesus Christ, telling people that they should repent, be baptized, in the name of Jesus… warning the world that He is coming back again, so we should be living our life as though He is coming right now… being holy for He is Holy…Hallelujah and Amen. God Speed and Good Journey 09 James Bartlett said… WHAT ARE THE DUTIES OF A TRUE MINISTER OF GOD??? A Minister or Preacher is an Ambassador or Representative of God and is strictly charged of God to speak His Everlasting Word, to whom we are sent to speak. The responsibility that is upon this Minister is great (it is a matter of Eternal Life or Death, for both the Minister and the listeners). A Minister is to always be able to hear the Voice of the Lord. He must spend a great deal of time in Prayer, Fasting, the Study of The Word of God, and Meditation. The purpose of this is so that he will ready to whatever God want him to when he called upon for the service of the Lord. A Minster must always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in us. We need to lead by example: Paul told the Church "to be followers of him as he was a follower of Christ" 1 Corinthians 11.

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We need to preach and teach the Word, Reprove, Rebuke, Exhort (Encourage). We need to feed God's people with what God has given to us, help them to know what the right to is, and to stay away from doing the wrong things, and why. No matter what our job is as a Minister, we need to be ready to do the other parts as well. For example, a Pastor still needs to visit other Churches as much as possible (doing the work of an Evangelist). Making full proof of you Ministry, I believe we need to know when to feed and when to be fed (we need to eat from the Master's Table to). We need to always be ready to share the Word of God to those who need it, both Christians and the Lost. We need to be ready to help anyone, and everyone that we can, when we can, where ever we can. Matthew 25:31 - 46 Let’s see our yard stick for measuring the true if indeed this is what the Master meant. The Bible says: “Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth and teach thee what thou shalt say. (Ex. 4:12) “And I will set up Shepherds over them which shall feed them; and they shall fear no more….But if they stood in my counsel, and have caused my people to hear my words, and then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings. The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream, and he that hath my word, let him

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speak my word faithfully”.Jer.23:4; 22; 28) “And thou son of man….And thou shall speak my words unto them….” (Ezek.2:6-8) “That ye may teach the children of Israel all the statues which the Lord hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses” (Lev.10:11)“ Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness….O Zion, that bringeth good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain;….He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are young” (Isa.1-3;9;11) “And shall say, cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling block out of the way of my people.”(Isa.57:14) “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.”(Isa. 58:1) “I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day or night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence, and give Him no rest, till He establish, and till He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.”(Isa.62:6) “But the Lord said unto me; Say not, I am a child, for thou shall go to all that I shall send thee,

and whatever I command thee thou shall speak. Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver, saith the Lord. Thou therefore gird up thy lions, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee; be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them. For behold I have made thee this day a defended city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls against the Kings of Judah….” (Isa.1:7, 8, 17, 18) The Minister is indeed a very unique voice and as we have notice as a double Ambassador; for God and man. She/he is a voice bringing an unedited message directly from God to man and a voice taking a message from man back to God. Yes, a very unique voice indeed. Unlike what we see and hear today in many of our churches across the world, it is God who puts words into the mouth of His Minster/Shepherds. The Minister is to use his/her voice to teach the congregation the statues laid down by God for them to follow. But sadly and quite contrary to performing this duty the Shepherd/Minister is now using the pulpit to break and encourage the breaking of the statues of God. Many today use this position to distribute lies and exploit the people; claiming that it is within their powers to prosper the poor. The Shepherd/Minister is call to duty to comfort the people because many are the afflictions of this world; but today it is the duty of the Minister to afflict

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countless frustrations on the people at every meeting where

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they

gather

huge

sums

money/materials from them by cohesion, trickery and the misinterpretations of the Gospel to fit their selfish needs. Instead of being comforted, the people are confused. Imagine the sweetness in the massage giving to the Minister. The True Shepherd /Minister first and foremost duty is to be an Ambassador with a message. The Prophet Isaiah calls it a message of “Good Tidings.” It is a message that speaks about a wonderful God who is capable of feeding His people; being there for them when things seems wrong and sad, healing their sickness and gathering their young ones and loving and caring for them. Yes a very unique message that does not exclude times of trails and temptations that are bound to come at times; but include promises of assistance during those times. God is not the magician many are falsely presenting to be but a God who understands our ups and downs brought upon us by our evil ways of sin. It is the duty of His messenger to represent Him as He is; not as they want Him to be, in order to put across their vain desires. God is a God of love a love radiates from everything that surrounds Him. That is the difference between the True servant of God and the false one. The false Minister do not care what it takes others as long as they can buy him/her new cars, shoes, houses, planes, etc. He does not care if they are sick of hungry or the children are out of school or if it is their last to eat that day as long as they contribute it for that false project he is claiming to have. Are you a True Minister/Shepherd? If so, you are a voice of love from a God of love who cares. The True Shepherd/Minister is also the voice of an Advocate. She/he is responsible to represent the people in times of difficulties and frustrations before the Lord; to represent the depressed, downtrodden, oppress, and disadvantaged on earth before the rulers of this world. But I know for a fact that in many cases this is contrary to the true. Indeed a very unique task. Are you a True Shepherd/Minister of God? Are you a Voice for the King? TO BE CONTINUED…

The Hem of His Garment

Cynthia Boyer

Psalms 104:2; Who coverest [thyself] with light as [with] a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:

The morning was bright. God's beautiful Son complimented His majestic pretty blue-eyed sky that smiled down upon me and all the earth with His glorious light. My two children now safely on the bus, I was ready to enter into an intimacy with God's Word, praising Him with my whole heart for His lovingkindness and worshipping Him in Spirit and Truth. God's Almighty and Everlasting Word planted the roots of the True Vine that sprung forth the branches that grew within my heart; the branches that held the fruits of love, prosperity, deliverance, peace and all the joy I could ever imagine. For me and my life, I wanted and needed to be one of God's greatest servants; serving Him the way I loved Him; with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my might and with all my strength. Preparing myself to spend peaceful, quiet time with my Father, I comfortably position myself in my favorite chair in the warm and cozy living room of my home. I quickly became deeply engaged in God's truth, absorbing and meditating upon every word

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that proceedeth forth from the Book that had now guided and ordered my footsteps. I had gone from a comfortably content sitting position to a kneel-to-pray position, honoring God for His goodness, His faithfulness in my life and the gift He so graciously gave to my family, the gift of Eternal Life and me. In the midst of sending my prayers up to my Sovereign Father, I heard a gentle knock at my door. The knock seemed to be in rhythm with my heartbeat. I felt the knock within the depths of my soul. This soft and gentle knock lifted me to my feet. I felt a calm and warm sensation radiating through my body. I slowly walked towards the door to open it. The door knob was as warm as an almost summerspring day. When I opened the door, I found no one there, save a bright white glistering fine linen cloth that was neatly laid on the doorstep of my home. As I kneeled down to pick up the bright white fine linen cloth, it was lifted up into my hands by the power of God. The light of His countenance was upon me. I turned around and walked by inside my home. I closed the door to my home, but never to my heart. I immediately returned to my kneel-to-pray position magnifying the Lord Whose presence had come to rest on my home. As I praised and prayed in the presence of God, I held tightly to my bright white fine linen cloth as it warmed and comforted my soul. My bright white glistering fine linen cloth, the Hem of His Garment, had made me whole. Matthew 14:36; And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole. http://www.momsinslippers.com/childrensbooks.htm

Live with Purpose

Editorial Director, Teshia M Payne

Do you sometimes sit at work wondering if you are getting paid to do what you love, or thinking you would love to be doing something that really made a difference in someone's life. Or this, maybe, I would love to be just doing what I love to do day and day out. I loving writing/editing/proofreading, and I am doing it, but guess what...not on the level that I know where my purpose and God benefits. Right now, I am just going through the motions, because I believe that where I am now, will lead me to where I am going, and what I will be doing so that God gets the Glory. I am a writer for D.I.M., I am also the Editorial Director for D.I.M. and if I had my way, I would be writing a book, or be acting, or fashion merchandising, or maybe life coaching, may be even providing counseling services to those in need. However, I am not - well at the moment, I'm not doing all those things. At times, and in the Spirit, I am though. I often think about what we consider our gifts and talents (because each of us have many), and what we have as our careers and how many of them coincide with each other. Let us look to The Garden. The Garden of Eden had four rivers, called heads. This is a literal translation of Genesis 2:10-14, KJV. The name of the first is Pishon... The second river name is Gihon... The third river name is Hiddekel (or Tigris)â&#x20AC;Ś The fourth river is the Euphrates (Parat). 10

And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted [divided], and became into four riverheads. 11The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; 12And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone. 13And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that

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compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia. 14And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates. The name Pishon comes from (push 1751, 1752) meaning spring about (1751), be scattered (1752). A reference to the somewhat abstract `to spring about' the meaning to be strong, increase, spread. *the vision that God gave you to push you forward into your destiny/purpose* The name Gihon is derived from the verb (giah 345) meaning to burst forth. *when the steps of a righteous man are ordered by god... and when he is aligned with the vision that god has given him, His vision/destiny/purpose is right in front of him, so much so that he is walking into it, bursting forth, birthing that vision that God has given him* The name is derived from the verb (hdq 611a) means a prickly thorn, a sharp thorn (Mic 7:4; Prov 15:19). Hiddekel was the name of a river created by God in the pre-Flood world; it is also associated with another river of the same name in the post-Flood world. *there will be thorns, people, issues, trials that we go through in order to get to purpose and afterward when purpose has arrived.* The Greek name Euphrates consists of two elements. The first part is the adverbs meaning good, well, noble. The second part is a transliteration of the Hebrew name for this river: Parat. The name Euphrates means The Good Parat. The name Parat comes most likely from the verb (para 1809), bear fruit, be fruitful *destiny/purpose fulfilled, where your purpose and your destiny is going to be fruitful, or you will bear much fruit, and thus will cause it to be multiplied….* How does this tie into your purpose? I have said it before, if you are alive, and then you have purpose. Whatever your purpose is, you have to understand that it is designed by God and only God can lead you in the path that allows you fulfill that purpose/destiny. For the sake of understanding, we are going to say that the four rivers flowing from the Garden to cover what was "creation." These rivers watered the Earth.

These rivers created an income [1: a coming in : entrance, influx <fluctuations in the nutrient income of a body of water>] for creation. I am going somewhere with this message, just sit tight and keep reading. If God, saw fit to cover creation with four streams, remember that is a flowing income of bodies of water, than should we not have four streams of income coming in? God made us with gifts, and talents that all lead us to our purpose/destiny. Do not get me wrong, I am not saying that all these streams of income should all be paid to make us rich. We are rich in Jesus. I am simply saying that if you have ambition, and you should to do other things than just what you to your 9 to 5 day-in and day-out. If it is God’s will to make profit from it then so be it…but never stop to think that you are or should be tied in to doing the one thing that you are being paid to do. What is your vision? What is it that makes you happy when you are doing it? Think about this and continue doing it, it just may lead to you to your wealthy place… remembering that it is in God’s timing and God’s will that all things move. “Just because God declared that David would be King, it did not happen automatically. David had to get up and go fight for it against all odds. Many people today do not understand this and are sitting back waiting for God to do it for them. It is time to encourage ourselves in the Lord and not pull back. It is time to no longer believe the lies of the enemy, but to grab hold of our only reality, which is God's Word and will for our lives. It is time to pursue! This is truly an exciting time to be alive! We saw an immediate turn around in our ministry by praying the following daily for a few weeks: (1) God reveal what promises are "for now" and what are "for later" (timing). (2) Show us what the enemy does not want us to see (discernment). (3) God, allow us to be seen as You see us, not as the enemy wants us to be seen (favor). (4) Repay and release what was stolen and held back by the enemy (justice). (5) Show us how to practically respond (wisdom).” (Taken from an email “Decrees Are Falling From Heaven" by Doug Addison from the Elijah List Ministries) Divine Inspirations Magazine Editorial Director www.divineinspirationsmagazine.org

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Eagle Thoughts “Mistakes are disguised MIRACLES!” “For we KNOW that ALL things work together for the Good…”

In this life, we all can relate to the word Mistakes. Many of us would love to forget them, but others have mentally matured enough to appreciate and learn from them. If you have blood flowing through your veins and you are breathing, you have made some mistakes at one time or another in your life. No matter how careful you try to be, it is almost inevitable that they will happen, but guess what – they are disguised Miracles! Sometimes when we do things that we did not plan to do, that is exactly what we should have done, or what was in Divine Order. You must begin to view every single moment of life as a part of your destiny. Remember, nothing just happens, but be sure Divine Order will always happen. God has His Perfect Will and Permissive Will. He always knows what is going to happen before it happens, so nothing catches Him by surprise although we may be surprised. This confirms that Mistakes really are disguised Miracles, for He works in mysterious ways that we don’t quite understand all the time! Don’t look down on yourself when you make so-called Mistakes, just discover the Miracle in every experience that takes place. We usually look at Mistakes as being bad or negative, but in order to have a good battery connection, you must have a positive and negative energy charge. It’s a part of the process and making of you, so GET OVER IT! If you feel you could have performed a task better at work, could have been wiser in a confrontational setting, made better choices in your relationships or treated your family and friends better; it’s now time to dust yourself off and do better. I wrote a quote that says, “Good, Better, Best; never let it rest, until God makes you BETTER THAN BEST!” You can become wiser, and smarter from your “Miracle

Mistakes.” Don’t continue to do things in the same way, but expect different results – Albert Einstein calls that INSANITY. (smile) You are a Miracle, so your Mistakes are little Miracles from a miraculous source – YOU! Your Mistakes are Miracles because they are a part of your development, growth, and improvement. Without change and growth, you would literally be dead! Mistakes may hurt you and others, but admit your mistakes, learn from them, ask for forgiveness and do better. When condemnation bombards you from others, just say what our Master Teacher said, “You who are without sin (mistakes), cast the first stone…where are your accusers?” Today begin thinking better, seeing better, talking better and doing better – then you will be better. Try to CATAPULT others, not insult others by your deeds. Be cautious and conscious of your actions. My friend the renowned Les Brown has said, “A pessimist sees calamity in every opportunity, but an Optimist sees Opportunity in every calamity!” Become an Optimist and start seeing the Miracles in your Mistakes – now Go Grow and Glow! Repeat this Daily EAGLE AFFIRMATION: “I now see the best in me and others. I will learn from my Mistakes and move towards BECOMING the best Miracle I can be. As Og Mandino stated, ‘I am not a Human be-ing, but a Human Be-coming!” Remember You can and will make it - so enjoy this gift called Life. Begin to Create and Celebrate while you Wait! Rhonda A. White, CNHP “The INNERgizer” www.RHONDAWHITE.com

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GOD IS STILL WORKING MIRACLES!

Evangelist Debra Savage

"And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people” Acts 5:12

We live in a day when God is moving mightily to restore signs & wonders to the church. For too long we have relied on intellect, human wisdom, and enticing words, the very things that Paul said put no confidence in. Beloved hearts, God is still working miracles in this present day & age. If you hunger & thirst after righteousness "you will be filled!" Our spiritual appetites must feast upon the Word of God, prayer & fasting, and a yearning to become a vessel of honour, fit for the Master's use. We must allow God to burn up everything in us that does not come into conformity with his word. For our God is a "consuming fire,” and by the power of the Holy Ghost, God is showing himself strong with demonstrations of the Spirit's power being evident. Some would like to think that miracles died with the apostles, God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul, but he can perform miracles in you and through you today! After the resurrection of Jesus, he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of his disciples forty days speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom--things that would make them ""KINGDOM AMBASSADORS FOR CHANGE." THIS MEANT THAT THEY WERE GIVEN THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM AND THE AUTHORITY TO "BIND

& LOOSE." HENCE AS A RESULT OF THEM

WALKING IN THAT APOSTOLIC AUTHORITY THEY WERE ABLE TO

. JESUS PROMISED THEM THAT "GREATER WORKS THAN THESE SHALL YOU DO,” SO IT IS TODAY IF WE ALLOW THE FIRE OF GOD TO PERMEATE & SATURATE OUR SPIRIT WITH THE FIRE OF THE SPIRIT, WE TOO WILL SEE UNUSUAL MIRACLES TAKING PLACE AS DID THE APOSTLES. THE DAY OF MIRACLES ARE FAR FROM BEING BURIED WITH THE APOSTLES. REMEMBER: GOD NEVER LEAVES HIMSELF WITHOUT A WITNESS. THINK ABOUT WHAT A MIRACLE YOU ARE, AND YOU CAN ATTEST PERSONALLY THAT GOD IS STILL WORKING MIRACLES!

MINISTER IN THE SAME VEIN AS JESUS

(OFFICIAL BOOK BLOG SITE) www.caregiversandthebabyboomergener ation.wordpress.com

"Don't let what you can't do keep you from doing what you can. Let God use you or be set aside."

Tune in every Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. for the "Saturday Morning Brunch" on AM 1480 WBBP or www.bbless.org, hosted by "Yours Truly." Purchase my NEW BOOK RELEASE TODAY entitled: CAREGIVERS & THE "BABY BOOMER" GENERATION from either of my websites listed above, or www.BlackCBC.com. Coming soon, CGATBBG will be available online through www.BarnesandNoble.com and www.Amazon.com. Details coming!

THE CONSUMING FIRE OF GOD

Michele Mills

“Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, I will go over and see this strange sight why the bush does not burn up.” When the Lord SAW that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, Moses! Moses! And Moses said, “Here I am.” “Do not come any closer” God said. Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then He said, I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.” Exodus 3:1-6 (NIV)

The Lord God revealed the holy side of his nature to Moses while he was tending the flock; he was busy serving/working. The Lord appeared to him in flames

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of fire from within a bush. This tells us two things, the fire burns from within the believer and that God has some strange/peculiar ways, if Moses had not pay attention/took notice to the strange fire, he would have missed the doorway to God’s holy presence. This fire causes the presence of God to consume the believer.

kingdom, and his purpose. For that reason, we can perform/display his righteousness, we just have to make up in our mind to grab hold and let him ride us throughout, no matter how grisly it hurts. His refining is another quality of suffering, it is his way of disciplining us, which produces a harvest of righteousness and thus, we can share in his holiness.

The closer we get to God, the more the fire burns, it is a consuming fire within, and this fire takes us to a higher place within the Lord. This place is where he calls us within to more responsibility.

“Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our father disciplined us for a while as they thought best: but God disciplines us for our good that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:7-11 (NIV)

The Lord God revealed his holy side to Moses while he was standing, he had to take off his sandals, meaning if we want to experience the holiness/fire of God, we must come to God, barefoot/naked and not ashamed, we must lay aside every weight that easy beset us and run with perseverance the race marked out for us. The fear that Moses exhibit was his reverence for God, this type of admiration is highly recommended for every believer. 2 Corinthians 7:1(NIV) The Lord will give us the strength to stand in the mist of the fire, if we faint not. We must press/move toward the mark (his presence) of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. This consuming fire within creates holiness... The Lord God is a holy God, and He said "Be ye holy for I am holy.” For some, the pressures of the smoke is too much and they give up and yield to sin, just in the time when the Holy Spirit is about to take them to a higher place in him. Lord Jesus, thank you for your consuming fire. “Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the Lord your God. Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the Lord who makes you holy” Leviticus 20:7-8 (NIV) “But who may abide the day of His coming? and you shall stand when he appearth? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers soap” And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Malachi 3:2-3 (KJV)

The Lord God’s nature is like a refiner’s fire, he consumes us like smoke, but at the same time, he sits in us to cleanse and purify. In other words, he is refining in order to make us more effective for his

No matter what the believer may encounter in life, especially if it is suffering for righteousness sake, it all leads to his holiness. The Lord wants us to sustain in order to share in his holiness, to examine ourselves and live sanctified lives as He consumes us with his fire. This consuming fire produces something good for the Master's use. Meaning, we have to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, we have to come against everything that is going to hinder or cause us to compromise his holiness; only then will we be ready/effective servants, flames of fire….Hallelujah! “Lift up your hands in holiness and to the sanctuary and bless the Lord [affectionately and gratefully praise him]!” Psalm 134:2 (AMP)

In Conclusion, God’s consuming fire keeps us humble, for when Moses followed God’s instructions and took off his sandals; this was an act of humility and submission. This causes a believer to lay down (surrender) everything that is not like the Lord Jesus Christ. His holiness will allow a believer to see what he is doing in the spiritual realm. Like Moses, he was able to see that the Lord was consuming the bush within. In addition, the Lord’s holiness is like fuller’s soap, meaning that He may allow severe hammering, false accusation, scandal, betrayal, rejection, misunderstandings, persecution. He allows a believer to experience rash treatment all for the sake of going

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through the process of sanctification, all for the sake of knowing or Lord and Savior Jesus Christ nature and holiness. “For He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5 (KJV)

Lastly, The Lord’s consuming fire will also exhibit His anger, in Numbers 11:1-3, when the children of Israel started complaining, it displeased the Lord: and when He heard it, his anger was kindled; and the fire of the Lord burnt among them, and consumed them. This lets us see his presence burns within his anger; in order to produce holiness in the believers watchful eye and hearing ears; in other words, in every circumstance the Lord is listening & watching, in order to see if we will remain holy with our words and conduct; in spite of the situation. Thank you Lord Jesus! “Because it is written, Ye shall be holy; for I am holy. And if ye call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to each man's work, pass the time of your sojourning in fear:” 1Peter 1:16-17( KJV)

Michele Mills P.O. Box 5447 Oakland, CA 94605 510-878-8478 Michele_amills@yahoo.com

You want to get well…( then take your medicine) Michelle Pumphrey

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16 You know I have always associated the Church with being a hospital, and everyone who comes in is sick. Now we may have all types of sickness. Some may have issues that are of a lying nature, Sexual, violent nature etc., but whatever your sickness is, It can be healed through the power of God’s medicine; which is the word of God, Now God places an Pastor at each local Church (hospital) to administer the word of God to you (medicine). God uses the man of God mightily each Sunday and Wednesday to help you get understanding for what God has for your life, and to teach you how to apply the antidote that is given to you, Now some may have a prescription for cutting someone loose from their lives, because ’they are not good for them. Some may need an attitude adjustment, but whatever your antidote is, it has to be taken in order for it to work, am I right about it? What would be the sense in going to a hospital, seeing the doctor, getting the prescription for the medication and never taking it to the pharmacy, well my sisters and brothers, it is the same thing when we come to the house of God, You acknowledge that you have ailments in your life that need a solution, and the Man of God stands before you and give you the word coming straight from the Master physician. And you jump, scream, and shout and give your Amens! Then you walk right out of the church and never attempt to apply that word to your life. Come On! Stop wasting your own time and Gods if you are not going to take heed. How are we ever going to reach

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the lost, if they cannot see any victory in our lives, I hate to tell you, but the time of talking is over! People want to see that God’s word works, and the only way they will see it, is through the life of the ones who say they are believers of God. So I suggest if you are not going to let the word of God heal you, deliver you and set you free, then don’t tell anyone that you are the sons and daughters of the most high God! Because people will be watching you from the time you speak it out of your mouth, they want to see how much different you are than people who are not Christians. Saints we know what our sickness is, we know what needs to change in our lives, take the medicine of the Word of God! Put the word in practice, pray and ask the Lord to strengthen you, ask him to get inside that medicine, let him know you can’t do it by yourself, surrender you sickness, whether it’s anger, envy, jealousy, gossiping, backbiting, all forms of lust Incest, violence, deceitfulness, whatever that illness is the word of God can heal it if you yield it. So for those who are sitting around with their prescription, I suggest you get up and bust that script and apply it Amen!

Their Children are Your Children Too

Poetry Editor, Robert T. Sells

When I think of parenting from a Christian perspective, one scripture always comes to mind. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way they should go and when they are old they will not depart from it.”

1 John 5:1 says, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.” Some of us when we are young, especially girls, have ideas in our mind of what our future is going to be.

From the time, a girl is young; she plays with dolls and creates family situations with her dolls. That family always consists of a mother, father, children, and sometimes an animal or pet of some kind. But how many times have you seen your daughters playing with dolls and heard them say, “Okay now this is Julie and she’s going to be your new sister. She is your new step-mother’s child. Say hi to your little sister. You guys play nice now.” Honestly now, how many of you have heard your child have that conversation with their dolls? Suffice it to say; probably not many of you have heard this. And many probably never will. But the reality is that blended families are more prevalent nowadays than ever before. With the wake of spiraling divorce rates in some places nearly 50% of marriages are ending in divorce. And the rates are even higher in the Christian community. Yes, the devil is very busy! And what are we doing to stop him is the question we should be asking ourselves. One place the devil has truly been busy is in blended families, or families who have children or stepchildren from a previous marriage. You see the devil wants you to believe that because you are marrying someone with children that you cannot love them like they were your own. He will tell you that they are not actually your children because they were born from another parent, especially in the case of step-mothers. And some step-mothers and stepfathers deal with the fact that they may not be able to give life to children of their own. This is why I have a very special love for my mother and my father. They adopted my twin brother and I from the age of 8 months and I have never for one moment felt like I was an outcast or did not belong to the family. Now this is not necessarily a blended family but I used it for showing an example of loving a child who is not your own. In the account of Abraham, we see how his wife Sarah made him lay down with her maidservant named Hagar (yeah right, like she really had to try) to produce a child since she was barren. But after she conceived Sarah quickly developed a hatred for her because her maidservant hated her almost immediately after she realized she was pregnant by Abraham. So Sarah mistreated her and caused her to

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flee from their household. But watch what the Lord said for Hagar to do. In Genesis 16:11, the angel of the Lord told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her. I will so increase your descendants that they will be too numerous to count.” This is what God told a woman

who was bringing a child into a household that did not belong to the wife of the household! Even though Ishmael would not live with his brothers God still promised Abraham that he would make him wise, fruitful and would greatly increase his numbers. God said he would be the father of twelve rulers, but His covenant would come to pass through Isaac, the son Abraham and Sarah would have together (Genesis 17: 20-21). You see God even blessed a child that was born out of desperation or a human act. So when we have children in our household who are not born of one spouse they should be shown the same consideration as our own children. God loves us all the same and we need to be operating with the same type of love that He has shown and continues to show to us. When a child comes into your life through a spouse, and even more significantly, when your marriage to that spouse is called by God, they are your assignment! Let me repeat that. THEY ARE YOUR ASSIGNMENT!! What do I mean by that you ask? When your marriage is called by God, as with the “step-parent” your responsibility is to give that child or children everything God wants you to pour into them. You see not everyone who is a non-custodial parent has a child by someone who is a Spirit-filled, bible-believing Christian. And your responsibility as their step parent is to be a vessel through which God can pour His will into that child. If you are truly sensitive to the Holy Spirit then He will give you specific directions and instructions regarding the child. It may be to take the child shopping or out to dinner and a movie. You see God is always trying to get His word to His people, even his young children who happen to be your step children. Step children (and I truly do not like that word but I’ll use it for understanding sake) are often overlooked by the “new parent or spouse.” Often times because the bond of natural love that exists between a mother and a child she birthed is not there, then the step mother may be hesitant to form a relationship

with the child but this is very damaging in the long run. And it is not just to the children but the marriage as well, especially if the parent is discerning and aware that this is a spiritual hookup. Please do not miss an opportunity to pour God’s word and His love into a child. God’s words when spoken through you will certainly cause an undeniable love to form between step-parent and step-child. This is so no man or woman can brag that they formed that relationship on their own or by their own power. Please listen very closely to what I’m going to say next! When the custodial parent is acting horrible and causing trouble and talking about you and your spouse in a negative way to the child whenever they can, this is not the time to shrink back!! You are there with your spouse to be a blessing to children who desperately need to be taught the Word of God. This is so important that we get this point. You see the devil is very crafty. He has to be because he knows he cannot just come at one of God’s children head-on so he comes through a back door. Often times, this back door is something like the image of an innocent child, cursing you out, berating your abilities as a parent because maybe you aren’t one yet. Please understand this is a ploy of the devil to stop you from showing the children God’s love. And in the end, it is meant to eventually break up the marriage! Jesus told his disciples in John 10:10, “The devil comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I have come that you might have life, and have it to the full.” The devil is out to destroy your marriage. You see when we allow the devil to get in we begin to look at those children who are not ours with contempt and we act out of malice toward them. We indirectly mistreat them. Not by yelling at them but ignoring them. We do not listen to them when they say hi or goodbye. We are frustrated when they arrive and are celebrating in our mind when they leave. This leads to animosity in the marriage as well as a change of behavior in a once-promising child who may have been considering God as a way to help them with their other parent, but now they are further away from God than when they met you. This is not the will of God (Ephesians 6:4). This very aggressive and dangerous spirit has been put on assignment to destroy your marriage.

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Now this is a very difficult spirit to break but it can be broken through much prayer and persistence. We must be in prayer constantly to break this spirit’s hold that it has on the family. Allow God to work in your heart to soften it towards children that are not yours but your spouse’s. God will cause amazing things to happen with you. You will find yourself wanting to learn more about the child and wanting to share more with them as God gives you the words. This will cause a love to grow as you have never known before. And most importantly, it will cause the child to eventually come to God as well as your marriage to flourish. We must love our children as God loved the world (John 3:16). Would you be willing to love children who are not “yours?” Would you be willing to sacrifice all to know that child has the best chance of getting to know God? This is the heart of God. He sacrificed his only son so that all people could have eternal life. How much are you willing to sacrifice for the children in and outside of your household? One thing I can say is that when you learn to love unconditionally like God, you will find yourself growing spiritually in ways you could never have imagined. And over time, if you allow Him, God will teach you how to love them as your children. Just this one act can cause them to grow up believing in God’s destiny for their lives. And one day, because of your faithfulness in difficult times, that child will end up leading millions to Christ! This is the will of God! Praise God for the increase to His kingdom because of faithful, obedient believers. So love all of your children; the ones who are yours and the ones who are not yours because they are all yours (Ephesians 3:6). Love your spouse’s children with your whole heart, your whole mind, and your whole soul. Love them even after you have your own children together. Love them because God called you to do so. Love them because they are wonderful creations of our father and they are eagerly waiting for the sons of God to be revealed (Romans 8:19). Love them because they are your children too. (Please meditate on Ephesians 6:10-18)

The Council of the Holy Spirit

Minister B. Michelle Horton

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (NIV)

I recently returned from what I would call “a trip of a lifetime.” My friend and sister in Christ, Minister Carmena Pyfrom and myself made a pilgrimage to the continent of Africa. We were invited to visit some friends of hers, The Rev. Dr.’s Frank and Joseline Fugar who live, work and minister in Ghana, West Africa. We were greeted with open arms and hearts and were made to feel right at home. The trip has made a profound impact on my life. We were escorted throughout the country side, given a firsthand view of the intimacies of the culture, invited to share in the worship services and even had an opportunity to preach, sing and teach. Our eyes saw glimpses of glory from a different vantage point that could only be seen from this part of the world. One of the best things about our days in Ghana was the intimate talks we shared around the kitchen table or what I call the gathering place--a place where food was eaten, letters were written, and tea was served. Our “tea time” became a time of laughter, personal stories, and reflections and even moments of theological discussion. Most of all it became a time to be real and raw as well as listening and learning. One story from our beautiful and gracious host struck a chord deep in my heart. It was the telling of a day of sorrow. Our hosts’ cousin had recently passed away. She shared with us about his life, his successes, his work, and how much she missed her

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dear cousin. We were moved by the fond memories and the missing of him that she expressed. The turning point of her story was when she shared the heartache she experienced at the funeral mass. She told us how very disappointed and discouraged she became because the priest did not touch the deep place of sorrow or comfort in her spirit. I realize that I cannot do justice in explaining her thoughts. So with her permission I asked if I could share with you the words from her heart. Listen to her weeping. Listen to her wisdom. Listen to her and let us all learn. Words, words, nice sounds. Butterflies? Caterpillars? Sounds, sounds, nice sounds. But meaningless to my pain. Far away words that do not touch my heart. Speak to me preacher! Speak to me priest! I don’t care about seeds or butterflies. I care about my brother. Tell me how I can make meaning out of this lost? ID cards? What does that have to do with the pain I feel? Speak to me preacher! Speak to me priest! Speak to my pain. Can you really feel some of MY pain? Or is this just an academic exercise or a religious ritual? Speak to ME preacher. Speak to ME priest.

Rev. Dr. Joseline Fugar, Pastor, Global Evangelical Church, Ghana, West Africa

Used by Permission of Author ©Copyright 2009 by Rev. Dr. Joseline Fugar Bishop. Priest. Pastor. Minister. Evangelist. Lay Leader. Clergy. People of God, have we forgotten to the council of the Holy Spirit in our services. Have we laid the Spirit of God aside? Are we “doing” church

instead of being the church? Are we yielding to the council of the Holy Spirit or trying to press our way through the items listed on the program or bulletin. Have we allowed the clock to become our friend or foe? Have we forgotten that the council of the Holy Spirit was given to for wise counsel as well as comfort? God should have the ultimate authority in our service to the people of God? The council of the Holy Spirit will bring hope to the hopeless, healing to the hurts we experience, compassion to the brokenhearted and strength to those in sorrow. Maybe today is the day to ask God to examine our hearts, show us ourselves, and cleanse us. Maybe today is the day for us to ask some hard questions. Have I allowed the council of the Holy Spirit to speak or have I snuffed out His voice? Have I allowed duty to drain me, ritual to rule, tiredness to try me, and/or callousness to consume me? Have I chosen intellect over insight? The Lord gives us a proclamation of good news. “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.” Isaiah 40:1 (NIV) “… the Lord has appointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to announce that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord’s favor has come…” Isaiah 61: 1-2

We are here to serve God and God’s people in spirit and in truth. Let us never forget the council of the Holy Spirit and the power of His presence in our life. Let us yield ourselves to be compassionate one to another and let us always be mindful to extend comfort out of the treasure of our hearts the comfort that is given to every child of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. My thanks to my host for her heartfelt words of wisdom and my host family, friends, sisters and brothers in Christ for the impact they have made on my life. Minister B. Michelle Horton can be contacted at bebe0520@aol.com.

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Reader Spotlight:

~TAP INTO THE STRENGTH WITHIN YOU~

Gloria Newsome

Empower yourself by tapping into your inner strength. Everybody has different views of what their strengths and weaknesses are, inner strengths are an invisible force within everyone that helps to propel you further in life, to support you and to allow you to carry on with life. One has to obtain "strength" and "resilience" in order to face various challenges and adversities that life has to offer. We all have to accept that fact that nothing or no one in this life is perfect...we all just have a different way of handling the things in our lives. Strength is defined as the: "power to resist stress; durability," which means the ability to overcome adversity or bounce back from a crisis. Strength can only be obtained from life experiences and ones belief system. Resilience is defined as the ability to bounce back and to recover strength from various adversities that seem to take our strength. Regardless of what your background is, what your human failings are, what your sins have been, and what mistakes you've made, The Father can take those things, and use them for His glory if you are willing to repent and turn to Him and let Him transform your life....let Him take control He will work out a perfect plan in your life and it will be for your best. Strength requires a deep-seated sense of self-esteem and self-confidence. It requires core inner strength. The strength of the all individuals lies in each individuals belief system. The physical body is a reflection or shadow of the soul and spirit. The soul or mind is composed of principles, such as intelligence, wisdom, knowledge, love, strength, etc. To me, inner strength is an invisible force within an individual that motivates and encourages a person in life when facing daily life's obstacles and failures. It is a motivational force within all of us that has a silent 'message' that says 'don't give up, you can do it....' or 'don't give up, you have to...', it is your natural silent motivational force within you. For it is through every failure and mistakes in life have its own lessons to be learned. It is all through cultivation, determination, and knowing yourself better. The soul has the innate ability to bounce back from adversity provided certain principles are embraced such as faith, hope, love, etc.

It is only when you are faced with life's problems, do you learn to appreciate things around you and to learn to cope with life's difficulties.

Strength takes: Belief in Self Faith A Strong Support System The Ability to Cope

Empowered by your own inner strength and self-esteem, you will have the confidence to interact with others with assurance and authenticity. Strive to learn to identify and develop your inner strength, raise your self-esteem, enhance your self-confidence, and experience comfort and safety. Self-esteem is the value you place on what you believe to be true about yourself. How you see yourself and feel about yourself determines how much value you place on yourself as a person.

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Self-esteem means appreciating your own worth and importance and having the character to be accountable for yourself and to act responsibly toward others. Positive self-esteem does not require that you be perfect. High self-esteem is the realization that you sometimes make mistakes, but you value yourself in spite of those mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes. What you do is different from who you are. The core of beauty, strength, and wisdom within each of us is the positive self. Extending yourself to others before you have a clear understanding of who you are is a difficult task...you have to take care of self first.....your beliefs about yourself will influence your effectiveness in nurturing self-esteem in others. The potential for inner strength and peace is within all of us. We have a place within our minds that we can go and find peace and strength with the help of God, Jehovah or whomever you worship. It is a strength that we all can tap into to overcome and adversities that may arise within our lives, through "HIM" we can find peace. Stop obsessing over negative thoughts. We were taught in this society to look outside to define ourselves and give us a feeling of worth. We have worth if we are better than others. We are validated in comparison to others, for being: smarter than, richer than, prettier than, more talented than, having better grades than, etc., etc. This empowers the

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illusion of separation and feeds the fear of not being good enough. Everyone in a codependent society has to have someone to look down upon in order to feel good about themselves." STOP IT, STOP IT, STOP IT.....you are "The Fathers" unique creation and you are beautiful/handsome just as you are...don't let the thoughts and opinions of others validate who you are...who are they to judge? Think about it...they are not better than you. Love and accept you as you are and strive to be the BEST YOU that you can be at all times. For all the answers that you are in search of are within you....Believe It! Going through life crises are wake-up calls; reminders that force us to re-evaluate what and who are most important to us. It helps us to stop long enough to ask if we are living our life as authentically and purposefully as we hope to. Taking good care of yourself, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, is an indicator of how much you value yourself. Do things that you enjoy and that make you feel good about yourself. Spend time with people who make you laugh, and who are willing to listen and encourage the best in you every day. Strengthen your self-esteem by first being aware of your own self-beliefs, and then confronting those beliefs that are irrational and destructive. Make a fresh starts. When negative thoughts and energy make reaching goals seem

impossible, take a step back. Let go of the past and start again. Hanging on to past failures is defeating. Use those failures as lessons learned, and decide to do better today and in the future. Today really is the first day of the rest of your life. It is never too late to start over. Seek solitude. Schedule regular periods of quiet time for yourself. In moments of quiet solitude, the positive self will speak loudly to you. A hectic, fast-paced world does not allow time for developing the inner self. Listen carefully. When you deeply respect someone, you listen to what that person says. Do you listen to yourself as well? Begin to respect yourself more deeply. Listen to your body, your feelings, your thoughts, and the prompting of your inner guidance. The solutions to many of your problems lie within you. Learn to trust your own common sense. Keep dreaming. Choose an objective or goal that forces you to strive to be a better you. Dream of something you strongly value that also will benefit others. Dream about something special you want to create or be a part of. Dreams are what make life most worthwhile. But even your smallest hopes and dreams can have an impact on your little corner of the world. You will make your life and the lives of others better because of your dreams.

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Welcome challenges. Difficulties are gifts in disguise. Welcome them as challenges and opportunities designed to test and strengthen your self-esteem. Remember this....."That which does not kill us, makes us stronger." Some of your best growth is likely to come as the result of experiencing difficult, challenging situations. Rather than letting the trials of life defeat you, use them as building blocks to greater fulfillment of self. Care for your body. How does your body feel? Do you need more rest? Less tension? Less weight? Better posture? A healthier diet? Are you abusing your body with excessive drinking, smoking, or other destructive behavior? Your body reflects your self-esteem. Take good care of it. Expect the best. Expecting the best possible outcome is a common trait shared by peak performers in every field. What you expect often has a funny way of actually happening. Your thought patterns about expectations guide your subconscious to work toward meeting those expectations, whether they are positive or negative. Be a possibility and positive thinker. Reach for the top. Strive for excellence with a positive attitude. Do not limit yourself...because you can do far more than you think you can. Personal excellence means reaching for the greatest degree

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of self-fulfillment of which you are capable. Success in achieving excellence cannot always be measured by other people's assessment of you. Trust, believe, have faith. Trust yourself to know what is right. Follow through to the best of your ability. Relax and have faith that things will work out for the best. Trusting yourself helps you to trust others. Trust and faith are the avenues by which your hopes and dreams are fulfilled. Keep a light heart. The ability to enjoy life is a sign of a healthy self-esteem. Good humor and a willingness to laugh at yourself are refreshing and relaxing. In fact, the ability to laugh at yourself is a sign of good mental health. A good sense of humor helps to heal the emotional wounds that you may have experienced in your life. Be here now. Stay in the present moment. Avoid spreading your energies in too many things at once. Concentrate fully on one thing at a time. Concentration breeds success. Success breeds self-confidence. Many people spend much of their day regretting the past or worrying about the future. Reality is that yesterday cannot be changed, and tomorrow cannot be predicted. All you have at your disposal is the here and now. Learn to live each moment fully and well. Behold beauty everywhere. Wherever you are, focus on what is uplifting and positive so that you may absorb these qualities.

Share the everyday beauty of the world with those around you. Do not get so busy that you forget to "stop and smell the roses." Looking for the good in all people is a superb self-esteem builder. Accepting people as they are frees you to enjoy them in their uniqueness. Accepting others makes it easier for them to accept you. Changing attitudes and behavior regarding how you see yourself and your world requires action. A belief system is best reinforced when your actions are consistent with your beliefs. To strengthen your beliefs about your own value as a person, try developing and following a plan of action. Find a model. Think of someone you know who has an abundance of the self-esteem trait you want to increase in yourself. Closely observe this person as the trait is expressed. You still have the ability to learn through observation and imitation. Use positive self-talk. Inside your head you constantly are talking to yourself. Pay attention to what you say to yourself. Keep your self-talk positive. Say things like: "I'm learning,â&#x20AC;? "This is working out well" ,"I can do it or I can do anything" ,"I am doing it" and "It feels great!" Visualize a new you. See yourself being exactly the way you would like to be. Let your worries go. Throughout the day, take a few seconds to calmly concentrate on your mental picture of success. You can more achieve your ideals through positive

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visualization. Many challenges of your life can be overcome once you are able to remove the mental blocks to success.

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the blessings that bind our hearts together as ONE for a lifetime! I am honored to call you Friend...Sister....Brother....Family! Just because we were born of different mothers, maybe of different colors, does not mean we are not family!

Always remember and never forget you are never alone.....for there are so many in the same place and position as you.

In the search for me, I discovered truth.

Be so forever blessed Dear Ones and remember all Time and Life is so very precious...take nothing or no one for granted...tell EVERYONE who means something to you...THAT YOU CARE! Please don't let your fears, anger, stubbornness, selfishness or pride get in the way. Pick up the phone, type an email or write a note...(send out some smoke signals if you have to...wait that's a little extreme..laugh)....but seriously Kindness makes a difference! So once again please always remember and never forget....I Love You All & I am blessed for having you in my life and please know that every word I speak and write comes from within my heart! !

And in God, I have found EVERYTHING!

In the search for truth, I discovered love. In the search for love, I discovered God.

Again, Pass the Love and Kindness on!

Debt FREE Living Principles Flora Kynard

Develop A GOD Size Life “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” Ephesians 3:20 (NKJV)

Our text is a reminder that we cannot ask too much when we pray. The reason we could never ask too much is because of the vast ability of God. In Ephesians 3:20 the Apostle Paul uses every word possible to convey to us the vastness of God’s ability. This verse has often been described as a pyramid progression of God’s ability: God is God is able God is able to do God is able to do exceedingly God is able to do exceedingly abundantly God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think, according to the power  God is able to exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.        

Please remember to pass kindness onto all who may cross your path, be it family, friends, loved ones or strangers.....for you may not know just how much of a difference you can make in someone’s life...please do that for me! A SMILE costs you nothing, but creates much with its lasting effects. It enriches those who receive it, without impoverishing those who give it.

In a nutshell, you make your plan GOD size by asking for the impossible and then implementing what seemed impossible. You can only do this by staying connected to the one that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all you can ask or think.

In my life EVERYONE is Important! Your friendships are

God wants us to succeed in every phase of our life including financially. We can live Debt FREE by developing a GOD size life. This is best

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accomplished by setting goals otherwise, we will just wander from one fad to another. Based on a Morning Tea devotional, the following is what we should do when setting goals. 1) Write down your plan and establish deadlines. Most people do not plan to fail, they just fail to plan. Make a detailed list of activities and set checkpoints. Above all, guard and prioritize your time. "Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get” (Ephesians 5:16 TM). 2) Visualize yourself attaining your goal. Talk and think in success pictures. (Hebrews 11:26 TM). 3) Stay informed. "A wise man will hear and increase in learning" (Proverbs 1:5 NAS). If you'll pay for a good meal but not a good book, you value your stomach more than your mind. Observe, read, and grow! 4) Create a climate of confidence around you. You will not experience victory while you are talking defeat. Do not rehearse your mistakes that only reinforce your doubt. Remind yourself that your “sufficiency is of God” (2 Corinthians 3:5). With Him as your partner, your success is guaranteed. Help others become successful. “Knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord” (Ephesians 6:8). That means conquering self-centeredness!

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Develop a GOD size life and you will find yourself on a lifelong road of Debt FREE living. TO YOUR SUCCESSFUL JOURNEY!!! Flora M. Kynard, Senior Personal Financial Trainer Prosperity Renewal Ministries

P. S. You can go to http://www.prosperityrenewal.org/monthlytip.html if you would like 10 days of FREE coaching on Debt FREE living principles.

Signs of Emotional Divorce Pastors Mike & Trisha Fox

Thousands of us Christian couples, whether ministers or plain' ol' saints of God, are boldly and confidently proclaiming their blessed state of being, shouting the old cliché’s such as, "I'm too blessed to be stressed!" and "I'm blessed and highly favored of the Lord." And while shouting this so boldly, their marriages are crumbling and they simply blame it all on the devil, saying, "The devil's busy!" Listen! You cannot be healed until you first confess that you are sick and in need of healing! Only then, can you know Him as Jehovah Rafa, The Lord our Healer. Until you see the areas of your marriage that need re-direction and guidance, you cannot be helped and encouraged in the right way. You can actually go through your marriage and day by day life, living in a state of being in EMOTIONAL DIVORCE. The problem is that other things in your life and ministry will continue to thrive and flourish, giving you a distorted reality as if your marriage is fine. Realize that Moses, the man of God, was mightily used of God for so long! One point, he was used in an anointed, miraculous situation as a tool of God’s power, glory and provision, and through him water came out of a rock to quench the thirst of a million parched thoughts. However, many do not even realize that at the very same moment that Moses was being used by the Lord, he was in absolute DISOBEDIENCE, and was not right with God! His relationship with the Lord broke at that moment. He was instructed to smite the rock once, and in haste, anger and impatience, he smote it with anger twice. He totally disobeyed God, and because of his disobedience, he was NOT allowed to enter into the promised land! He could see it, smell it, breath it in, but not put one foot on the ground of it!

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Many of our Christian couples today have absolutely no idea that just because they can still preach, teach and be used in the anointing of God, and just because they have flourishing ministries, lots of followers, and a large crowd of verbal supporters, that their marriage is in right standing either with each other, or with God for that matter. “In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.” (1st Peter 3:7 –NLT) “Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of your lack of selfcontrol.” (1st Corinthians 7:5 – NLT)

Are there ways to know if you are divorced in your heart and emotionally separated or divorced? You betcha. The following are only a few of signs that you are living in such a relationship…  If you seek to help the needs of others quicker or more than the needs of your own spouse  You have ANY unresolved issues or conflicts  You constant put down your spouse

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 You open up to others the same or more than you do of your own spouse You need to understand...  BEING A MINISTER OR LEADER DOES NOT GUARANTEE RIGHTNESS IN A RELATIONSHIP  BOTH PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL UNFAITHFULNESS CAN BE REPAIRED  MARRIAGE IS NOT A 50/50 PROPOSITION, BUT A 100%/100% Are you truly “one,” or two separate individuals living in the same house? Especially for Christians and ministers, the topic of divorce and separation is a strong negative. However, Christians and leaders alike may teach and preach against divorce, but we cannot continue to live in emotional divorce in our own home and marriage! A few other points for us to realize is…  If a spouse has died emotionally to their partner, they have already broken their marriage vows.  If a spouse has withheld physical intimacy from the other partner, they have broken their marriage vows.  If a spouse opens up and confides in anyone other than their partner and NOT their spouse, they have broken their marriage vows. Remember, “Forsaking all others, clinging to their spouse?” Many are beginning to realize just how important the dynamics in marriage are. Our Live on-air Marriage For Today Q&A syndication is now becoming a monthly live on-air syndication! To find out more, visit: www.marraigefortoday.com/blogtalk. Michael Ventura once said, “Marriage is a journey toward an unknown destination -- the discovery that people must share not only what they don't know about each other, but what they don't know about themselves.” We open up this opportunity for every couple reading this to do as they did when they first came to the Lord; be open and honest, contrite. Open up the windows of your soul and ask yourself if you are right or divorced. Take this opportunity to make sure your marriage is all it is supposed to be.

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awesome it is to be a servant in the house of God and to serve the people of God forever: “And

D.I.V.A.S

(Divinely Inspired Visionaries Anointed Servants)

Blessed by Their Punishment

Elder Mae Davis

(“A Covenant by Deception” continued) Joshua 9:23-27

When people are desperate and gripped by fear they are most likely to do whatever it takes to get them through their difficult situation. Fear and desperation will cloud your judgment, strip you of your dignity, cause you to misappropriate your position, and hinder your gifts and your calling. “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love and a sound mind” (2Timothy 1:7 KJV).

If only the men of Gibeon had realized that the God of Israel wanted them to acknowledge that He was the only true and living God. This acknowledgement would have granted them citizenship as well as the ability to occupy the land that was promised the children of Israel (there were at least 600,000 Hebrews plus women, children, and non-Hebrews that left Egypt for Canaan Land) “And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children. And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle” (Exodus 12:37-38 KJV).

I am so thankful to God that in spite of our messes He still blesses us. So many times we want God to over look our sins and still except His favor to be over our lives: “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”(Romans 6:1-2 KJV)

The Gibeonites desired peace but they lacked the wisdom and the faith to recognize that the way to avoid judgment was to repent. Their lies brought them into judgment when the truth would have made them free: “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32 KJV).

Their deceitfulness, their lies and their illegal entry was not necessary. They could have maintained their status and lived out their days with all the congregation of Israel, with the women and the children, and the strangers that received the law commanded by Moses the servant of God and received the wealth of the land flowing with milk and honey: “ Every word of every command that Moses had ever given was read to the entire assembly of Israel, including the women and children and the foreigners who lived among them” (Joshua 8:35 NIV)

Joshua’s curse on the Gibeonites was punishment for their deception, but thanks- be-unto -God, it was also their blessing. “Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God” (Joshua 9:23 KJV). How

Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the Lord, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose” (Joshua 9:27 KJV).

To ‘hew’ means to have the ability to cut down. Can you imagine the strength they needed to cut down a tree? ‘Hewers of wood’ meant that they were “tree cutters.” Also, the stamina they had to have in order to carry buckets of water from the well to the temple. Jesus has given us the ability to hew down the obstacle in our lives, to hew down strongholds. Whatever is blocking our path, whatever that thing is that keeps us from walking into our destiny; our calling, our vision; our dreams we can CUT IT DOWN. As we clear our path by cutting things down with our prayer life, we must speak the word. Jesus told the woman at the well “I will give you living waters, that will never run dry”. We are cleansed by the watering of the word and kept by the word. Yes, the Gibeonites were chasten, but we are blessed when we are chastised “Blessed is the man you discipline, O LORD, the man you teach from your law; you grant him relief from days of trouble, till a pit is dug for the wicked” (Psalm 94:12-13 NIV)

So don’t lie – God already knows your thoughts and your heart; instead, clear the path, repent, and get cleansed by the word of God. Then you will have the

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ability to walk into your destiny and receive the abundance of blessings God has for you. Elder Mae Davis New Life Worship Centre 120 E. Baltimore Pike Lansdowne, PA 19050 davismae@ymail.com

More Than We Can Bear?

Sophia Avery, MA

Over the past few weeks, several people have commented on the statement, “God will never put more on us than we can bear,” saying there is no direct scriptural reference for this statement. As I researched it myself, it appears that the statement may be gleaned from the following passage in Corinthians, which states:

A Word in Season

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)

However, when I interpret this passage it does not support the statement. So, I began to ponder the question—Would God put more on us than we can bear? As I consider the question, without a doubt, the correct response is, “No, God won’t put more on us than we can bear.” But, do we put more on ourselves than we can bear? Definitely, yes! Many times, we take on more than we can bear by over-committing our time, by assuming responsibility for other people and their issues, and by not exercising our “No” muscle. From a therapeutic standpoint, these things result from failing to outline and enforce our expectations of people, from not respecting our boundaries or other people’s boundaries, and from attempting to get our needs met in unhealthy ways. Often, instead of feeling the peace and joy that usually come from ministering to the needs of others, we find ourselves feeling burned out, unappreciated, and used because we have accepted more of a burden than God ever meant for us to bear. Then, we wonder why we are not happy, or why our needs are not being met, but we fail to realize that our suffering has come from our own actions, not God’s.

As I was mulling over this topic, one of my clients came in feeling sad, overwhelmed by her life and ready to give up on her relationship. After discussing her pressing issues, we found that almost everyone and everything in her life was a source of aggravation. She had very little patience for her partner, her children, her parents, her siblings, or her co-workers. Her life had become a never-ending cycle of work, irritation, and stress. During our session, I realized we were discussing issues we had dealt with in a previous session, and soon she admitted that she had not been enforcing the expectations she had created for her partner. In helping her to examine and address this issue, we were able to pinpoint and address the sources of her distress, most of which, were by her own hand. With her permission, I share the results of our sessions for the edification of the Body. Identify and express Expectations: It is our responsibility to know what we expect of the people in our lives, to communicate our expectations, and, if they agree, to hold them accountable for meeting our expectations. If we do not or will not communicate our expectations from fear of losing relationship or admiration, dealing with the resulting disappointment is our issue. For example, my client bemoaned the fact that she constantly found herself picking up after her family members, and they

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kept leaving things around the house. I advised that it was her responsibility to let family members know what she expected them to do, get everyone to agree on a way of sharing duties, and hold all family members accountable, thereby, enforcing her expectations. Of course, the teens will complain, and the spouse will, too, but the expectation should still be met. We can never assume people know what we expect— they do not, or will do what we expect--they will not, until you tell them. The Bible outlines God’s expectations of us and we must follow His example in making our expectations clear to our loved ones. Respect our own Boundaries: Knowing and accepting responsibility for our needs and ourselves should be natural for adults. While we may not be able to identify each boundary we are responsible for by name, we can usually tell when one is being violated because it creates a discomfort in our spirit—we feel compelled to say, “Yes” or not to resist, while our spirits is screaming, “no.” (For more information on boundaries, please read, Changes That Heal by Dr. Henry Cloud.) The first and most basic God-given boundary we are responsible for is our physical body. We know when we are hungry, tired, thirsty, sick, or cold, and responding to our own needs is our responsibility, nobody else’s. Not respecting this very basic boundary can create extreme internal distress. For example, my client complained that after working all day, picking up the kids, and driving home in traffic, she would quickly change clothes and rush to start dinner, ignoring her need to, briefly, rest. As a result, she found herself feeling exhausted, resentful, and annoyed for the rest of the evening. In this situation, it is my client’s responsibility to respect her physical boundary and take time to rest before cooking. She knows her body is tired, but only she can respond to her own need for rest. After discussing this issue, she agreed that her family would not suffer undue harm from eating dinner fifteen minutes later, but getting a few minutes of rest upon arriving home was necessary for her physical well-being. Respect others Boundaries: It is very common for Christians to overstep other people’s boundaries, trying to meet the needs of people who are not their responsibility. Helping others may seem like God’s will, but there must be limits. When we help too much, we can actually hurt the very people we are trying to assist by preventing them from knowing God as Provider, and learning how to depend on Him for their needs, instead of us. Boundaries are important because they create a sense of responsibility, power, and self-esteem in adults as we learn how to provide for our families and ourselves. When we do not respect other’s boundaries, we can, unknowingly, put ourselves in a parent/provider position, and them in a child/receiver position creating in them a sense of expectation and entitlement. Frustration and hurt feelings usually follow as the giver is left feeling used and unappreciated. For example, my client spoke of being frustrated by a particular relatives’ frequent need for financial assistance, but she also complained of the same relatives’ lack of motivation to seek employment. My client had, unwittingly, contributed

to her own distress by allowing her relative to become dependent on her for money, to the point where the person saw no need to seek employment as a source of income. These are just some of the ways we can protect ourselves from taking on more than we can bear. God put many checks and balances in place so we would never feel overwhelmed by life, nor feel the need to worry or be anxious. However, it is up to us to utilize the systems He has established to protect us. Learning to totally rely on God to meet our needs and those of others, prevents us from adding more stress and issues to our lives that we can bear. Change Your Life in 5-Weeks by attending the Changes That Heal Workshop, starting on September 2, 2009 from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. This workshop will help you address the events from your past and move toward a healthier, happier future! For more information call 215-9313070 or visit www.ChristianTalkTherapy.com. Sophia Avery is a Christian Therapist and Founder of Christian Talk Therapy located in the Wynnefield section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. You can reach Sophia via e-mail at

therapist@ChristianTalkTherapy.com

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“You missed it by that much!” Pastors Mike & Trisha fox

If anyone ever saw “Get Smart”, you’ll know that secret agent Maxwell Smart has a few very famous sayings, all that stems from 20 years ago from the original TV show. One in particular comes from his blundering aim on things, mostly to his own demise. Usually when swinging treacherously over perilous drops from one building to another, or when throwing objects in a moment’s notice at his enemies, and of course, he misses the window and bonks his nose and face, or misses his enemies and then sarcastically proclaims, “Missed it by that much”. (You have to squeeze your fingers together to show that it is really small.) Scripture says in 1st Corinthians 9:26, “Therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that breateth the air:” We were in Target just the other day and if your Target is like our Target, they have mostly young people working there. Which is cool, yes, but to be honest, it’s NOT cool when you know they don’t want to “be there” and you’re their customer. Their whole attitude totally needs adjustment. Sometimes they make you want to put a “Target” on their head and bop them…er, uh, “pray” for them. Of course, you know, being a Christian and all. :-) And so, this day was not unlike any other, and the cashier we had was this tall, football looking dude, who obviously did not want to be there and would rather be playing something. Maybe boxing Mike Tyson or something, who knows! But when we got to his register, he mopingly run us up and we said that we’d pay by using our card. “Debit or credit?” he lazingly asked. “Credit”, (Because I hate punching in the 4 digit code when credit does the same thing but faster!) And of course, they have those nice, up-to-date electronic signature machines so you don’t have to hold down the curling microscopic paper and sign it. You just use the electronic pen (which mostly does not even work) and magically sign your name in the machine. So when the button for me as the customer popped up to hit “debit or credit,” he impatiently reached his pen to hit the “credit” button. He kept pushing the button, so it seemed, and it didn’t do anything. Well, as a youth who appeared he’d rather be punkin’ thugs Downtown, hit grew very impatient very fast with his lack of results. As he kept hitting that “credit” button harder, I noticed where he was pushing it. And it wasn’t on the button! It was like ¼” above the button. And he was totally hitting this machine hard. Most likely feeling a need to show off his muscles and not let this little, puny machine show up and show him out. No, sir-ee. He’s bigger, badder and dum…, uh, much more intelligent than this gadget. I turned to my wife who looked at me like, “If he keeps this up, we may want to run for the door because the machine’s going to explode and the fire department will come bursting in, and the Police will take this terrorist into custody!” So, finally, after almost cracking the thing with sheer rage, he ended up actually “pressing” the button. He seemed satisfied that his brute strength did the trick. I did not dare tell him that he was off the mark, wasting his energy, not to mention intelligence and integrity, by not aiming properly! We actually got our sale items purchased, and split the scene! How many of you would be honest with yourself, and say how frustrated you have become in your walk with God! If you are honest, you can easily agree that there are a zillion times when you feel like you have given so much and still nothing! You have prayed, been faithful, gone to church, worshipped, obeyed your parents, lived right and still you seem to get nowhere! Here is a help for you: It is possible, that it seems that you are punching the button, and perhaps the harder you punch it, maybe it will work for you. The problem is, that you expend your energy and only get more frustrated, which in turn brings bigger disappointment and more resentment. You dig?

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What we can suggest for you is that you look over or around the machine to see where you are pushing the button. Is it just a ¼” off of where you are aiming for? If so, then all the effort you put into making it happen will seem like it is all in vein. Really, anything you do for God will never be in vein and He bottles up all your tears and see all of your efforts. But for now, perhaps it is time you not get frustrated and become a bomb to explode. You are soooo close, yet only being a ¼” off will not do the trick. Take a few moments extra before doing what you are doing and ask yourself is it right? Do I have the right motive? Am I doing this for the right reason? Is this REALLY something that will please God? Then you can aim for your target and you will not be left saying, “Missed it by that much!” www.housefellowship.org www.marriagefortoday.com

You Are Everything

Proverbs 17:17 – A friend loveth at all times and, a brother is born for adversity.

This is the day You have made God And I will praise you forever You are the one and only There are none before or after Connecting Christians from land to land like NAFTA

You oh God are the alpha, the omega The beginning and the end There is no time for you no when And I am thankful to be praising you Forever astonished at the amazing you I sit everyday grazing with you In your Word As it flows through I raise you up Thanking you for changing me all my days As you phase me up To the next level I continue to lift you up Offering my life to you As your Holy Spirit sifts things out That are not like you I praise you Because what you do for me And I will praise you until you return to me For you are Lord of Lords and King of Kings Lord you are my healer Lord you are everything to me. © 2007 Robert T Sells

A RARE JEWEL

What is life without a friend? One in whom you can depend. Movies, plays and church They will even be there To help you work. Friends near or far You can always count on them No matter where they are. Whether you are sick or just down A friend will be there to care for you And remove your frown. When you are going through The storms of life, A friend will stand with you Through the strife. A true friend is a friend That loveth at all times. Like a RARE JEWEL, They are truly hard to find. So, if you are blessed to have one This you need to know Hold on to them tightly They are a treasure and priceless So never let them go. Bridgette Whitney – All Rights Reserved 080309

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Have You Ever?

ARCHIVES OF PRAISE

Have you ever just felt like you really needed to cry Because there was so much locked up deep down inside?

To praise is to give thanks to God for things little and small.

Things to forget and even to forgive That you had to let go of in order to live. Have you ever just felt like no one understood When you tried to do right and all that was good? Have you ever just wished that God Himself Would appear in the Flesh and grade your test? Have you ever just felt like giving it all up Like the weight was too heavy and far too much. Have you ever just wanted to lay down for good To not be seen by anyone because they always misunderstood. Well, I have and I know exactly how it feels All these things and when no one believes Anything that you do or anything that you say About the things you do from day to day. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been there before and sometimes feel locked In a world of distrust and things that are not. Lucky for me that I have a Father above Who has shown me how to forgive and just how to Unconditionally Love. "EyceCreme" (Carole Steamer) www.poetryvote.com/EyceCreme

He is the Creator of them all. He gave us life that we may become a great light, Shining greater than bright. When our light shines, Jesus Christ gets the glory. In the midst of a world of darkness and gore, Faithfulness to Jesus Christ and proclaiming the Word of God will restore. All glory and praise is due God. As we move up the stairway of praise, we open the gateway to experiencing greater spiritual heights in His presence, which opens our hearts to receive knowledge, wisdom, and revelation. Enter into the archives of praise through the gateway. ďŁŠ 1996 Karmen A. Booker

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How Can I Not How can I not love God when it was God who first loved me When He sent His only begotten Son to die for my sins on Calvary Tell me, how can I not love God when it was God who first loved me How can I not honor, praise, worship, and adore Him When, in His holy presence, I humbly kneel down before Him Tell me, how can I not honor, praise, worship, and adore Him How can I not be in awe of God’s majesty, magnificence, and glory When He still sits high and looks low and is so powerful, omnipotent, and holy Tell me, how can I not be in awe of God’s majesty, magnificence, and glory How can I not lean, trust, depend, and have faith in the Lord When He’s always there for me in both good times and hard Tell me, how can I not lean, depend, trust and have faith in the Lord How can I not believe in God’s holy Word that He so lovingly left behind When, in it, truth, wisdom, hope, and salvation I can freely find Tell me, how can I not believe in God’s holy Word that He so lovingly left behind How can I not have joy in my heart when Jesus is the source of true joy A joy that that this old world can’t give nor can it take away or destroy Tell me, how can I not have joy in my heart when Jesus is the source of true joy How can I not show mercy, grace, and compassion to my fellow man When the Lord shows mercy, grace, and compassion to me over and over again Tell me, how can I not show mercy, grace, and compassion to my fellow man How can I not be a blessing to my sisters and my brothers When God blesses me, not for myself, but so that I can be a blessing to others Tell me, how can I not be a blessing to my sisters and my brothers How can I not share the Good News with others For this soul saving message must be shared with my sisters and my brothers Tell me, how can I not share the Good News with others How can I not testify about how good God is to me When He guides and provides and makes ways that I cannot see Tell me, how can I not testify about how good God is to me Beverly Leonard