Mentors of Valor Empowered Newsletter JUNE 2013
VOLUME3 ISSUE 1
Mentors of Valor Empowered Newsletter
VOLUME 3 ISSUE 1
Happy Father’s Day Today I salute all my brothers that are taking a firm stand and working each day towards becoming a better father. Like everything else in life, we must work harder than ever before towards becoming a great father. What I found to be very sad is that the world focuses more on, as they put, “dead beat dads” rather than focusing on the fathers that are making a difference and an impact not only on our immediate kids lives, but also on other kids that look up to us. So, my beloved brothers, I encourage you today to focus on your good rather than on your bad.
“It may just be a remnant of us fathers on the battle field fighting for our kids, but if God is for us it is more than the world against us.”
I was having a conversation with some of my beloved brothers that are in prison about fatherhood. We were discussing if it is possible for a man to be a great father behind bars. Without hesitation, ALL of them said YES a man can be a great father while serving time; and I totally agree with them a hundred percent. Brothers, you cannot drown yourselves in guilt because of the fact you are behind bars. Do your best fathering your kids…you may write letters or call just to let your kids know that you are always thinking about them. When you do have an opportunity to see them, give them the biggest hug that they will never forget. But more importantly continue to pray for your kids that God will protect them from the evilness in the world and give them peace that surpasses all understanding. Listen brothers, the devil is doing his job with corrupting our kids’ minds to think that nobody truly cares about them. As godly fathers let’s fight harder to ensure our kids that we will never abandon them or give up on them come hell or high water. But let us touch and agree that despite what the world says or believes, we are godly fathers that care and are taking our rightful position as fathers. It may just be a remnant of us fathers on the battle field fighting for our kids, but if God is for us it is more than the world against us. Brothers, I truly love you and I salute you on this Father’s Day with LOVE, HONOR, and RESPECT!! Earlie M. Givens II
MENTORS OF VALOR EMPOWERED PO Box 38024 Charlotte, NC 28278
www.movementors.org
Mentors of Valor Empowered Newsletter
JUNE 2013
VOLUME 3 ISSUE 1
Mentors of Valor Empowered Taking Up the Cross “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23 Our friendship with God in Jesus is the greatest relationship on earth. And yet it is often separated by our refusal to submit to God’s authority in our lives. We’d rather exercise our will instead of doing God’s will. The spirit of self-will says, “I want to do it my way, and I will!!” Jesus provides a remedy for this disease when he calls us to take up our cross daily. The cross is where we give up all that we are clinging to in this world. The cross is where our self-life is immobilized. This may seem restricting and be painful to our selfish ambitions, but as we obey the commands of Jesus in faith and in the power of His Spirit, we discover the greatest freedom and joy imaginable. As we take up our cross daily, we enter into God’s way of doing things and are freed of our self-will. This is not achievement but a process that we enter into daily, with God’s help and in his strength, because we have a way of reverting to our old nature. Are you willing to surrender yourself completely into God’s hands? If you answer “Yes,” you are uniting with the Spirit of our Lord Jesus, whom God the Father sent to be the one Redeemer of the world. Prayer: Father, the safest place to be is in your hands. We humbly come before you and lay our self-will at the cross. Take charge and lead us on we pray. Amen. By: John Kuperus
MENTORS OF VALOR EMPOWERED PO Box 38024 Charlotte, NC 28278
www.movementors.org
“As we take up our cross daily, we enter into God’s way of doing things and are freed of our selfwill. This is not achievement but a process that we enter into daily, with God’s help and in his strength, because we have a way of reverting to our old nature.”
Mentors of Valor Empowered Newsletter VOLUME 3 ISSUE 1
JUNE 2013
Mother Ruby Martin Greetings in Jesus Name! I am so thankful to have this opportunity to share Jesus and His Holy Word with all of you once again. Today as I prayed and re-read some of my notes back as far as 1987, God asked me to share bits and pieces with you. Tozar said “True faith is not the intellectual ability to visualize unseen things to the satisfaction of our imperfect mind; it is rather the moral power to ‘trust’ Christ. To be content and unafraid when going on a journey with his father, the child need not be able to imagine events; he needs but know his father!” God says, “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding; whose mouth must be held with bit and bridle, lest thee come near unto thee (or to make them submissive…)” Psalm 32:8&9. Now we thank our Lord for the restraint of the “Bit and Bridle” when we need it… but the disciplined Son of God does not require it… for the reins of God are in his heart… And his delight is in doing the will of the Father. “Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck when thou go, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakes, it shall talk with thee…” Proverbs 6:21-22. Let the Word of God be close to your heart…and not just a doctrine that delights the intellect. Tie them about thy neck…to keep you from being stiff-neck and rebellious, and from turning in this direction or in that as the winds of doctrine might blow. Then truth is wrought in the inward parts” and your desires are motivated towards God. You will not fall into deception, for He will guard you in your times of “sleep” when you are not aware of the dangers that the enemy is about to unload in your pathway!! Suddenly you are awake, and you realize what has been going on… and the truth talks with you and reveal to you more and more of the hidden treasures of His grace and wisdom and knowledge. “Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart” Psalms 26:2. Our thoughts are “silent” words that only we and the Lord hear, but those words affect our inner man, our health, our joy and our attitude. Come against Satan when he is trying to get a foothold, and he will never get a stronghold!! Praise Jesus. Much Love and Prayers; God’s Blessings.
MENTORS OF VALOR EMPOWERED PO Box 38024 Charlotte, NC 28278
www.movementors.org
“God gave us His Son, so we could live forever when we come to know Him as our Lord and Savior.”
Mentors of Valor Empowered Newsletter VOLUME 3 ISSUE 1
JUNE 2013
Every Storm Every storm brings the rain; Lightning flashes and reveals my pain. Days go by, yet they’re not the same; I look back on life and take the blame. I feel the wind blowing all around. My heart ices up and melts before it hits the ground; The thunder roaring is the only sound. It reminds me of those I lost and let down; As I go through life, I am left with memories of ones who loved me and paid the price. I look for freedom, but it’s nowhere to be found. I’m still locked up and shackled to the ground. A mist of rain falls on my face; The chains around my wrist cut deep, leaving scars in their place. My arms and body goes numb from all the pain; I refuse to let my life go down in flames because now I know only God can stop the rain. By: Christopher L. Scott
MENTORS OF VALOR EMPOWERED PO Box 38024 Charlotte, NC 28278
www.movementors.org
“My arms and body goes numb from all the pain; I refuse to let my life go down in flames because now I know only God can stop the rain.”
Mentors of Valor Empowered Newsletter VOLUME 3 ISSUE 1
JUNE 2013
Our Father, Which Art in Heaven Jesus taught his disciples to pray in a unique way in which they were not accustomed. Jesus instructs His disciples when they pray to begin by addressing God, the Creator of heaven and earth, as “Our Father, which art in heaven…” Matthew 6:9. This is very important to grasp for the simple fact, God is referred to as Father 271 times in the scriptures, 13 times in the Old Testament and 258 times in the New Testament. Jesus wanted to leave an expression that although God is Holy, Faithful, Alpha and Omega, Beginning and the End, First and Last, Mighty and Awesome…He really prefers us to address Him as “OUR FATHER!” Meaning God is seeking for us to have a relationship with Him like Jesus had a relationship with Him. David Evans states “When God the Father births a child by His Spirit, something radical and transformational happens. A relationship becomes integral to the whole process. That relationship includes the heart, anointing, and character of the Father, so that we relate spirit to Spirit, heart to heart, person to person, not simply in roles but in intimacy. Any man can be part of birthing an offspring, but only a father can impart his character, image, and anointing to a child through relationship.” As fathers, we must understand those that are fatherless are looking to be fathered. No child on the face of the earth can survive without a father regardless place or location of the father and the child. Just the sound of your voice over the phone can penetrate love and happiness in the heart of a child. Again, Evans implies that “Fathers have to be like shepherds. They have to guide, feed, protect, and train up a child in the way he should go. A father has the ability to impact the development of his children through his voice, through his presence, and through his example. He is vital to their development.” In a nutshell brothers, never allow the Devil to deceive you that God does not love you and your kids do not care because God is OUR FATHER!!! By: Earlie Givens
MENTORS OF VALOR EMPOWERED PO Box 38024 Charlotte, NC 28278
www.movementors.org
“As fathers we must understand those that are fatherless are looking to be fathered. No child on the face of the earth can survive without a father regardless place or location of the father and the child.”
VOLUME 3 ISSUE 1
JUNE 2013
The Prayer He asked to be made like his Savior; He took him right then at his Word, and sent him a hear-crushing burden till the depths of his soul were stirred. He asked for a faith strong yet simple; He permitted the dark clouds to come, and he staggered by faith thru the darkness. For the storm had quite obscured the sun. He prayed to be filled with compassion and love for lost souls for God, and again in response for his longings He sank beneath the chastening rod. He saw he must give up ambitions which had been his ‘air castles for years; but as he knelt in consecration, He whispered “Amen” thru his tears. He wanted a meek, lovely spirit; the work he gave answered that cry, until some who had once been companions with a pitying smile passed him by. He was asked to lean hard on his Savior, He took human props quite away, and till no earthly friend could give comfort and he could do nothing but pray. I saw him go out in the vineyard, to harvest the ripening grain; his eyes were still moistened with weeping, his heart was yet throbbing with pain. But many a heart that was broken. And many a wrecked, blighted life was made to thank God for his coming and rejoiced in the midst of the strife. He had prayed to be made like the Savior, and the burdens he gave him to bear had been but the Great Sculptor’s teaching; to answer his humble earnest prayer.
MENTORS OF VALOR EMPOWERED PO Box 38024 Charlotte, NC 28278
www.movementors.org
“He had prayed to be made like the Savior, and the burdens he gave him to bear had been but the Great Sculptor’s teaching; to answer his humble earnest prayer.”
PRAYER OF SALVATION Father God, I thank You for who You are and all that You are. I humbly submit my life to You. I confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is the Lord, and I believe in my heart that You have raised Jesus from the dead (Rom. 10:9). I believe that Jesus is now seated with You in Heavenly places and will intercede on my behalf (Eph. 1:20 & Rom. 8:34). Please forgive me of all of my sins and cleanse me of all unrighteousness. I thank You Lord that I am now a new creature in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 5:17). Thank You for creating in me a clean heart and renewing a right spirit within me (Psalms 51:10). I thank You that I am now Your child and as such am entitled to all of the blessings and benefits that accompany salvation (Psalm 103). Thank You my Father God, for healing, wholeness, and restoration in every area of my life. In Jesus’ Mighty Name AMEN