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More Features‌‌
Jocelyn Green
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Shelly Robinson
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Walter Sean
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President &CEO Sherrell Straker-Valdezloqui Advisor/Writer Rachel Moore Editor Damon Moore Contributing Writers Tina Kay Hughes- Writer Tony Jones Ruby Owens Adrienna Turner Shelby Frederick Dr. Inecir Matthis
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Articles…..
Promoting Purpose Magazine challenges you to seek and find your purpose in 2011. If you’re already walking in your purpose, PPM challenges you to maximize your walk in it.
Why Not Religion
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Broken Wings
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Get Your House in Order
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Time Ticking
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March Events
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Stop and Go Faith
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Our Caves
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When God Speaks Purpose
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Healthy Living Choice
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Running Scared Review
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On the Eve…..
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Word Power; Speak….
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Bible Trivia
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May Cover Feature
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PPM is a free monthly magazine viewed by many online, and subscribed to in almost all 50 states. PPM’s mission is to promote what God has already placed in you. (Purpose) PPM from the beginning went out and sought those from different states to share and promote their testimonies and ministries. The world needs to know the spiritual tools that are out there to help with the daily walks, and obstacles life tends to throw our way. PPM shares those tools with others, praying to enhance and plant seeds for the kingdom‘s harvest.
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Inspirational/Spiritual Writer Jocelyn Green is the author, along with contributing writers, of Faith Deployed: Daily Encouragement for Military Wives (Moody 2008) and Faith Deployed . . . Again: More Daily Encouragement for Military Wives (forthcoming, August 2011).She is also the coauthor of Battlefields & Blessings: Stories of Faith and Courage from the War in Iraq & Afghanistan (AMG Publishers 2009). As a Coast Guard wife living in Alaska, I had been haunted by the sense that I was just tagging along with my husband, following his orders for the next move, with no apparent life or purpose of my own. Frankly, I felt like my identity was eclipsed by his military title. But when I discovered all that God had to say to me personally in His word about what I was going through as a military wife, I was amazed at how relevant the Bible was to my situation. That experience led me to recruit 14 other Christian military wives from all branches of service to put together a book of devotions squarely addressing from a biblical perspective all the issues the military wife faces. Faith Deployed: Daily Encouragement for Military Wives was released by Moody Publishers in 2008. I was inspired to write Faith Deployed because I was spiritually starved for something that taught me how relevant the Bible was to me, as a military wife. Rob and I married in Arlington, Va., and moved to Alaska two days later. It was rough. One week after we arrived in the small town of Homer, Alaska, he left for the first of many separations.
That year was isolating geographically, socially, emotionally, and vocationally. But it was during that time of isolation that God really drew me to himself and showed me all kinds of truth and comfort from His Word. I felt like I was reading the Bible through new lenses (those of a military wife), and God clearly showed me how much he cares for me and still has my best interests in mind. I thought, ―Surely, there is a devotional book full of all this stuff I am learning, and even more, written just for military wives‖, but I didn‘t find one, so I decided to write it myself.
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However, I knew that I wanted to get other military wives from all branches of service to contribute to it so it would represent a broad array of experiences. The book would not have been possible without the other 14 contributors. Writing the book impacted my life greatly, because I had to look back at every hard situation I faced and evaluate what God was trying to show me so I could use it as material in my book. Doing that really helped me see how God doesn‘t waste what we consider as trials or wastes of time. Also, connecting with the contributors and reading their submissions as they came in just further underscored God‘s faithfulness, even in times of war, uncertainty, and pain. God is still God, no matter what. That‘s the one thing we can cling to, and that‘s the theme that underlies the entire book. The book has expanded into a thriving online ministry as well. The Web site www.faithdeployed.com has won a national award from the Evangelical Press Association, and our Facebook page (facebook.com/faithdeployed) has the largest following of military wives on Facebook with nearly 20,000 fans. The sequel, Faith Deployed . . . Again, offers an even wider variety of voices with nearly 30 contributors. It includes special sections on marriage, deployments, moving, and spiritual growth. We are releasing this book in August, in time to honor the tenth anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001.
If you‘re not a military wife but are still interested in how God has made his presence known to those involved in the current wars America is fighting, you might be interested in my other book, Battlefields & Blessings: Stories of Faith and Courage from the War in Iraq & Afghanistan. My two coauthors (Jane Hampton Cook and John Croushorn) and I wrote the book to tell the stories that otherwise would not be told. We interviewed about 70 people connected to the current war, including soldiers, chaplains, military family members, widows, medics, humanitarian workers, government contractors and more. Our goal was to honor today‘s generation of heroes (including the heroes at home) but also to show through their stories that God is big enough even for the pain and heartache war brings. God is faithful even in the most uncertain times. He offers peace when the battles literally rage. That‘s what this book is all about. This is a 365-day devotional book, so each story also has a Scripture and a brief prayer. Naturally, we want readers to come away from the book with a closer relationship with God, and with a broader understanding of who He is. We also hope readers will have a better, more multi-dimensional picture of America‘s soldiers, their families, and the sacrifices they make (largely unnoticed) every day. We also want readers to be inspired by their courage and faith in the midst of trials and grief. There are heartbreaking stories in this book, but there are also wonderful pictures of redemption and hope. God is still God, in the war zone and on the home front. He is sovereign, and He is faithful. That‘s what these books are all about.
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Inspirational /Spiritual Writer Michelle (Shelly) Robinson was born in Jamaica Queens, New York. She is the oldest of four siblings biologically and the oldest of one in her adoptive/foster family. She is now the single mother of one child. Michelle was born into foster care in 1975. Her biological mother and father were teenagers. Michelle's mother was abandoned by her mother choosing the life of an alcoholic, drug addict and prostitute. This led to how Michelle was born into the system. In turn, Michelle's mother having lived a life of abuse and neglect followed suit living the same life. Leaving New York in 1988 Michelle's mother brought her and her younger sister to Charlotte, North Carolina. The plan was to strive for a better life; however being broke, uneducated and still addicted to drugs and alcohol, Michelle's mother could not hold onto a clean lifestyle while on the mission for a better life for her girls. This led to living in hotels, sleeping in abandoned places, cars, stranger‘s houses, shelters and some nights, just the streets. There were many nights Michelle went hungry or had to eat at soup kitchens. She was sexually abused which added to her torn self image. Eventually, through the help of a social worker at school Michelle was returned to the system where she moved from group homes to different foster homes. Through all of the unstable days and painful days, Michelle still graduated from West Charlotte High school and is now currently in college. Her message is that even through all of the painful days of watching her mother do drugs, drinking herself sick and selling her body and never knowing where they were going to sleep, she always desired a better life. She says ―I am not perfect, I have made many mistakes and I have suffered from the mistakes of others. I want some young woman out there to know that she can make it. In this 62 page short book The Strength to Shine, explains with tidbits of wisdom the journey of one woman who's not afraid to tell her story.
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Inspirational Article By: Ruby Owens Why not religion? Because religion is a form of godliness and it should never be reckoned with, nor considered a way of God. Religion binds and keeps a Christian locked in the spirit of condemnation. It builds upon the antiquates of man‘s values and system of beliefs, and not upon the Word of God. In a social context, religion dictates strongly what is right and what is wrong. Religion even causes a person to question their salvation and therefore crippling them in the area to receive and trust God‘s forgiveness and mercy. It is an outward show of salvation, (long robes and folded hands) and not an inner transformation into the body of Christ the Church.
Seemingly right, but inwardly it is as raging wolves. It gives an enticing taste to seek after the person of man. Its way is diverse and it accepts the person of man, what man looks like, man‘s belief, man‘s status and what man has or has not obtained. It causes a person to be stripped of the knowledge of truth and righteousness in the Lord. Many are made up of scholars who are always learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Jesus said in his word, marvel not, yea must be born again, born of water and of the spirit. Jesus hated religion.
Just because your wing is broken does not mean you will never fly. Often times we are broken by the many issues of life. We allow our hurts, pains, impaired, crushed, or harmed….God is able to make you soar over the storms of life, but today let Him heal you, everywhere that you are broken so when it is His time (not yours) you will fly above all the drama, haters, heartaches, & heartbreaks...Today, let God wrap you in His arms. By: Tina Kay Hughes
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Inspirational Article By: Rachel Moore
If you have been living for the Lord for any length of time you have probably heard the statement ―Saints get ready because the Lord is soon to come‖. Many others have heard these very statements yet it has fallen on deaf ears, having very little effect on the conscience. However, we as believers in the Most High must know and believe that the Lord is soon to come but the question is; will you be ready? There are a few things that you can do in order to make sure you are ready when the Bridegroom comes for his bride.
Make sure that you have obtained the proper method of salvation according to the scripture. Things such as confessing with your mouth, giving the preacher your hand, and even saying the sinner‘s prayer (although these are great starting points) does not bring complete salvation. Just as Jesus told Nicodemus, ―you MUST be born again‖ of the water and of the spirit. Without these vital components, you won‘t enter or see the kingdom of God. For further study please read the following: Matthew3:6-11, John3:1-7, Acts2:1-4;15-17;37-41, Acts10:34-48 Perilous times are all around us and many are losing hope but God has set us to be lights in this dark and dreary world. We must let our light shine so that those who are lost can have an opportunity to experience Christ just as we have. However, if our light is hidden who then can see Christ in our lives? Never forget what the Lord has done but more importantly never forget to share this good news with others.
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If there is sin in the camp (in your life), repent! Any sin that is hidden, not dealt with, or anything in your life that God frowns upon because it is controlling you, will eventually separate you from God. Remember the pleasures of sin only last for a moment and when sin is finished it brings forth death! Because we are not robots, we have a free will to choose but what payment are you prepared to receive? Ask yourself, ―Will my actions, thoughts, and behaviors cause me to lose my soul‖? Be aware of the tactics of the enemy. His plans are to kill, steal and destroy by any means and he will not stop until he takes you out and ultimately take you to hell with him! The enemy that we are fighting isn‘t made of flesh neither should be our weapons of warfare. We MUST put and keep on the full armor of God that we may be able to fight against the attacks of the devil. Please brothers and sisters continue to press toward the mark that we may obtain our final reward. Many are losing faith and are throwing in the towel. Think about what you have prayed for, believed for, and even fasted for, if you give up now then all will be lost.
In getting the house in order, you have to do some soul searching and even more than that, we have to have the prayer of King David ―search my heart oh God,… if there be any wicked way in me, take it out of me that I may be like you‖.
TIME TICKING There‘s a clock that is ticking The Lord is coming for his picking. He‘s given you time after time But some let Satan enter their minds Don‘t be deceived and think you have time. The clock is ticking don‘t get left behind. From the poetry book Poems of Prayers. By: Sherrell Straker-Valdezloqui
Peace and blessings, Rachel Moore PPM writer
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On March 11, 2011 a massive earthquake/tsunami struck Japan, taking the lives of thousands and placing worry, doubt, confusion and emptiness on the hearts of many. PPM wants to keep the nation of Japan in prayer, and wants to let everyone know that it is time to get your house in order. We hear plenty of times the rapture is soon to come. Events like these show us how quickly lives can be taken away. Get ready and be ready so that if you are called home before the coming of our Lord, you will still receive everlasting life. Photos were taken from the web:
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Contact Ann Renfroe today for a printed copy of The Last Seal of Mystery! arsheemavision@aol.com
This is a true-to-life story of a 'Colored Girl' raised in the South and the effects of historic events as well as a reflection of the 'being raised up' experience for a typical 'Negro Girl' of the '50's and '60's period. The mental effects of the history of the 'Jim Crow' period are conveyed to the reader as they affected the growing child. Read about the invisible attacks and shackles of unknown forces the little girl encountered alone at night by something very unusual and how she was manipulated and deceived to think that she must tell a lie in order to save the world and herself from a burning hell which the preacher talked about in church. As the child grew into womanhood, her religious upbringing and life experiences as well as the events of life as interpreted by her are also explored. Through different conditions and life experiences the 'Colored Girl' grows into a 'Black Woman', then a ― Devout African American Woman'' of faith by ways of very interesting life journeys. Author Contact: arsheemavision@aol.com Also Available In Print – Contact Author
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VaShawn Mitchell was born and raised in Chicago, IL. The city known as the birthplace of Gospel Music quickly made its imprint on him. When he was barely a teenager, VaShawn became the assistant music director of St. Mark Baptist Church, working closely with nationally renowned choir leader Lonnie Hunter. For nearly a decade he served as Minister of Music at Bishop Larry D. Trotter‘s Sweet Holy Spirit Church, setting the musical tone both within the church walls and on the ministry‘s topselling recording projects. The youngest Minister of Music in that church‘s history, he successfully merged the contemporary themes he composed with the traditional choir vibe that marked the church‘s worship services. Throughout the years, VaShawn‘s artistic vision has grown, shaping him into a mature worship leader and a recognized Gospel songwriter. His songs have been recorded by some of Gospel‘s most celebrated artists, including Smokie Norful (―Just Can‘t Stop‖), Vanessa Bell Armstrong (―Help‖), and Bishop Paul Morton (―Cry Your Last Tear‖). It is now his role as a music minister that brings him the greatest fulfillment. ―I am most passionate about my church ministry,‖ he shares. ―As ministers of music we birth new worshippers and new praisers on a weekly basis. A lot of that is not necessarily singing, but ministering the music that is being sung‖. His fervor for worship and praise can be felt throughout Triumphant; from the enthusiastic high praise opener and the powerful title track, to the deeply personal choir ballad ―Nobody Greater‖ and the prophetic hymn ―Be Fruitful‖. More than a collection of hits, the project stands as a fully developed theme. ―Most of the time when I record, I conceptualize the project as a total piece,‖ VaShawn reveals. ―With this album God gave me the concept and I started thinking about why we are triumphant people‖. Every song on the project is a reflection of that revelation, including the show-stopping, instant classic ―His Blood Still Works,‖ which features the distinctive sound of former Witness lead vocalist Lisa Page Brooks. ―Over the last season, as people have been struggling financially, it seems we‘ve been losing our faith. Our faith was misplaced in resources and not in the Source,‖ says VaShawn. ―I wanted to remind people that the blood never stopped working. It enables us to live above what we see‖. With a passion for worship, the heart of an encourager and the story of an over comer, VaShawn Mitchell is truly an artist for this age.
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Interview with VaShawn Mitchell PPM: Greetings VaShawn thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to tell us about yourself! VaShawn: My Pleasure and appreciation. PPM:VaShawn, you started your ministry at an early age.What motivated you to stay focused and stick with singing and songwriting throughout the years? VaShawn: My love for music most importantly but also ………
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PPM: We know that the devil is constantly trying his hardest to kill and destroy those who are walking in their purpose and bringing forth ministry to others. Were there any obstacles that tried to change your mind from singing for the glory of God? VaShawn: Yes there have been and will be more obstacles but it is important to keep and maintain a consistent prayer life and relationship with the God we ‌..
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PPM: What has been one of your most memorable performances?
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Continuation‌..
PPM: Thank you VaShawn for joining us. We pray much success and many more songs reaching #1 on the gospel charts. God Bless! Interviewed by: Sherrell Straker-Valdezloqui
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Faith is the foundation of the Christian walk. Without faith, there is no passing point to the promises of God. Hebrews 11:1-2 says, "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation‖. Now means at the present time; at once or immediately. Faith is a firm belief in something for which there is no proof. We all have situations that demand NOW Faith......financial troubles, marital troubles, wayward children, emotional hurts.....and the list goes on and on. But the Word of God requires us to have NOW FAITH {an at once belief in those things we have no proof of} in all of those situations. So what are the promises of God? Hebrews 10:35-39 says, "So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God‘s Will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. ―For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.‖ But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved‖. We are called to persevere in this walk. So many of us delay our inheritance, because we have STOP and GO faith. We stop at every wall or obstacle that comes our way.
We analyze that thing that we physically see in front of us instead of keeping our faith in alignment with the promises of God. We ask questions like, "Where did that come from‖? "Why did it come now‖? "Why me‖? But 1 Peter 1:7 says, "These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world."
The only way we can show forth genuine faith is to GO......GO around those obstacles! We must learn the power in GOING THROUGH our trials. Isn't it just like God to create something that can destroy and make new again? That's what our trials do for us. The fire {heat of the trial}, burns off those things like doubt and unbelief. The fire also refines us and makes us stronger! So what is the outcome of living by faith? A testimony that gives glory, honor and praise to God! We want to obtain a good report from God and show the world that the God we serve is the true and living God! If you find yourself wavering in your faith today, take to heart the scriptures mentioned today. Don't have a STOP and GO faith. Look up and live by faith! Love, Blessings and Peace, Shelby Frederick God‘s Precious Jewels Founder
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Have you ever found yourself in hiding or what some may call some ―Alone Time‖? We often allow the hustle and bustle of this world to send you to a place where you withdraw yourself from the world‘s foolishness. We all have moments, days, or even weeks like this; because we honestly believe no one can help nor understand you. So you go into your cave removing yourself so all the drama will stay at bay. There is this man named Elijah, he actually found a cave and he made it his dwelling place because no one seemed to pay him any attention, gave him nothing but grief, talked about him, and thought he was crazy. Haven‘t we all felt this way some time in our life where we wanted to go someplace to hide and shut the world out to be alone, have some me time, or just to get your mind right? However, you can‘t stay locked up in your own little world; blocking everything and everybody out forever. God may allow you to do this, have your temper tantrum, for just a little while. Elijah had to be told or treated like a child by God to come out of the cave. God told Elijah to look around at the other people out and about doing His business and Elijah was so into his own world he failed to see that he was not alone. God showed him that there were others in the world that had problems but they were still doing God‘s work regardless of their station in life, circumstances, and issues. God showed Elijah, ―you are not alone‖. Elijah could not understand and God told him I would never send you out to do my work alone.There are hundreds & thousands of people out there doing my work also, so don‘t ever think you are alone.
We have these cave moments in our own lives when we think God has sent us on some mission and we are alone, not so! God has others working just like you and me, so don‘t ever get discouraged because you don‘t see with your own eyes others at work. Should we not walk by faith and not by sight?
I wonder if Elijah felt foolish as we do, when we discover we are not the only one doing something in life. We all have our bags to carry plus some, but when God has you doing a task in life we need to heed to His command and do it the easy way without complaining or the hard way acting like a child hiding because you can‘t have your own way. By Tina Kay Hughes, author of ―TKay‘s Inspirational: Walking In Your Season‖ www.tinakay.net
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Whenever God places in us a word, thought or desire it is actually an impregnation of His vision which incubates in the womb of purpose and is eventually brought forth as destiny – which then moves in its course of direction by the Spirit of God for Kingdom Purpose. However, there is a process of growth and maturity that must take place in the womb of purpose before destiny can be brought forth… This process can sometimes be full of worries and concerns that bring on fears and anxieties of what this destiny will look like or if it will ever take its rightful place in the Kingdom of God. It is a process that we sometimes selfabort or cast off due to self-doubt, lack of faith or lack of a committed relationship with God; or we become so entangled with life that we miss the actual season when destiny was supposed to arrive! During this process we can make the mistake of spending countless days, months or years looking at someone else‘s destiny moving in its chartered direction and wondering what that individual has done in order for this to happen for them and not for you.
It would seem as if they have it all together…..but, if you look closely or take the time to investigate their history regarding the process of their womb of purpose you will find out that they were not without their fair share of difficulties and struggles, with some being much more profound than what you would ever experience or be able to handle! We fail to realize that we slow down or destroy our process of growth and maturity when we feed it with procrastination, bitterness, hatred and jealousy. There are times that we may question God to the actuality of His word spoken into our womb of purpose, wondering if we have a destiny at all. We shed tears and experience spiritual breakdowns instead of breakthroughs.
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We take sabbaticals from church and God because we feel that we need spiritual rest! We petition God, cry out to Him, fast, pray, and even take a break from gossip because we believe that this will speed the process in the womb of purpose! But in doing so, we fail to realize that God has a time and season for ALL things in our lives and He understands that MANY of us not only have difficulties with the process in the womb of purpose but He also knows that we are not READY for the birthing forth of destiny because we will destroy it right along with our lives! Some of us would become shipwreck before destiny even has time to take its rightful place in the Kingdom of God. The womb of purpose has its own built in mechanism of time of growth and process that is tailored specifically to the individual to which it has been assigned. Oftentimes it may feel to the individual that this growth and process is too lengthy and they abort or hurry destiny along prematurely ending up with a retarded or still born destiny! Our beliefs, thoughts processes, way of life, habits, commitments, teachings and relationship with God are all important factors for the growth of destiny in the womb of purpose.
Many of you realize that your womb of purpose is filled with a destiny that is long overdue or has passedits due time and in need of emergency deliverance. But somehow, you have not been able to bring forth due to unforeseen circumstances, oppositions, and long standing trials, obstacles of illusion, mental setbacks or physical abnormalities. It is the job of the enemy of your soul to either destroy your womb of purpose or cause your destiny to become still born – you have brought it forth but it is still or motionless in the Kingdom of God. You‘ve brought it forth some months or years ago but didn‘t know what to do with it so you just placed it in the closet of petitions of doubt in hopes that God will do something with it before you leave this earth! Although you know that your womb of purpose is filled with destiny, you have stated in the past or presently stated that YOU ARE WAITING ON GOD!!!!! This is where you make your error and miss your season of the Word that God has placed in your womb of purpose for your appointed destiny! God has spoken PURPOSE to you in your spirit and in your heart, what are you really waiting for? By: Dr. Inecir Matthis
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Walter Sean, the President/CEO of the popular music video show Gospel Central, truly lives the scripture 'let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deedsand glorify your Father in heaven'. The show, which now airs in 12 states, has ministered to thousands of souls and has been a blessing to countless of lives. After discovering that he had been blessed with the gift to play the bass guitar at the age of 9, Walter Sean immediately used his talent to serve God in the local churches in his hometown, Newark NJ. By his early twenties, he was playing for gospel greats Yolanda Adams, Richard Smallwood, Edward Hawkins and Helen Baylor and eventually expanded his musical repertoire to include songwriting.
Although Walter Sean was content to continue offering his musical skill in service to the Lord, God had another plan for his life. In the summer of 2001, inspired by the Holy Spirit, he set out to create Gospel Central Music Video Show. Although his knowledge of television production was limited, Walter Sean was charged with the mission of offering the Christian community an alternative to secular music video shows by creating a program that showcased the best gospel music videos. By the aid of the Holy Spirit, on Tuesday November 13, 2001 Gospel Central debuted in Jersey City, NJ. The response was overwhelming. Callers were excited to have gospel music videos shown in their area. They flooded the phone lines with requests, well wishes and expressions of gratitude. Since then the show has grown in popularity and now includes three additional shows and additional regions in New Jersey, California, Colorado, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New York, Maryland, Virginia, Georgia, Michigan, Indiana and the District of Columbia. In addition to expanding its fan base, Gospel Central has garnered the support of all the major gospel labels and artists, and actively promotes independent and talented artists who use their talents to serve God.
Walter Sean has used his life to be a conduit for God and has never lost sight of the impact his 24 availability has made on the lives of believers and non-believers alike. ―The viewers have as much of an impact on me as the show has on them. One viewer recently called in and shared with me that the show saved her life. I am truly humbled by that. My hope is to reach even more souls for Christ‖.
Minister Gene Viale has been known in the Gospel Music Community for over forty years. A native San Franciscan, raised, in its Mission District, his voice was first heard as a child singing in the sunshine choir of his maternal grandparents Pentecostal Church.
Gene received his ministrylicense in 1967 from the Church Of God In Christ and has since been ordained by The Fellowship under the leadership of Bishop Yvette A. Flunder DD. For the past forty five years he has continued to minister, crossing all racial and denominational barriers. Gene has been featured on eight recording projects and has
Gene is the author of the book entitled ―I
appeared on numerous radio and television
Remember Gospel‖ and ―I Keep on
programs. His latest Television show
Singing‖, available internationally on all
appearance was on Bobby Jones Show
internet book selling sites, published by
(Nashville) for the Word Network. Some of
AuthorHouse.It is also available in
his (Chicago based) Jubilee Showcase TV
bookstores, by order and at geneviale.com.
appearances received Emmy‘s and are now a part of the musical video archives kept at the
Find out more about Gene in a future issue
Harold Washington Library in the city of Chicago.
of PPM!
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Carrot Soup 2 tsp. vegetable oil 1 lb. carrots, thinly sliced 1 large onion, chopped 2/3 cup celery, chopped 1 ½ cups potatoes, peeled and diced 1 garlic clove, minced ½ Tbsp. sugar 4 whole cloves 4 cups chicken broth ½ tsp. pepper Heat the oil, carrots, onions, celery, potatoes, garlic and sugar together in a large saucepan with lid. Cover and cook vegetables over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cloves, pepper and broth; bring soup to boil. Reduce heat and cook soup for 20 minutes with lid partially open. When vegetables are soft, remove cloves and discard them. Blend soup in a blender, then serve. Serving amount: 4-6
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Running Scared was a good read. Based on a true story, Robert Leon Davis allows the readers to re visit his childhood in which he was raised. As a child Robert along with his siblings were raised in what most would call poverty. From the beginning you will find that Robert always was a strong minded person and always had a leadership type mentality. After growing up, Robert deeply wanted to do something positive in his life with hopes of being positive in his very own life along with the lives of others. Shortly after, Robert became acquainted with a partner that introduced him to the crooked side of being a cop. Robert felt if he wasn‘t like the rest they would surely leave him to defend for himself as a cop on the dangerous streets.
Robert Leon Bio Robert Leon Davis was a respected police officer in New Orleans, who became involved in crime and fled arrest, living rough in the backwoods of America and Canada for over two decades before turning himself in. He now has an extensive speaking and teaching ministry.
With transparency, Robert shares the crooked things he did as a cop which led him to being a fugitive for 22 years. Robert ran and hid from the legal system for 22 years, but was still fully exposed in the sight of God. After running and hiding, and hiding and running, Robert realized he couldn‘t survive any longer on his own. He realized that only God could deliver him out of his current situation. This book teaches that no matter what one has done or been through, God is always there with open arms to receive and nurture. It also shows that you can run and hide from the system, but you can‘t run and hide from God! 5 PPM Stars *****
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On The Eve of a Breakthrough Breaking through requires strength uncommon to man. So I had to get on my knees and put it in God‘s hand. Circumstances sought to overtake me like a flood. But thanks to grace and mercy I was covered by the blood. The storms were raging out of the blue. Then I heard ―Peace be still, victory is coming through!‖ I said ―Lord what‘s happening I don‘t know what to do!‖ He said ―Relax my son this is the Eve of your Breakthrough!‖ By: Devin Coleman
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A man and a woman share words love and a language‘s endearment to strengthen and to clarify their feelings for each other. When a brother, sister or someone we know is facing a challenging time we speak words of encouragement to them so they may feel the strength of the words spoken. What we have heard, is that the words we speak have the ability to bring life or to cause death, to tear down or to build up, to strengthen or to weaken, to impart and express love or spew out hate. The words we speak have the ability to make one rich or make one live in the dung hills of poverty. Far too often, born again, blood washed, sanctified, filled with the Holy Ghost, baptized in the name of Jesus believers, underestimate and disregard the words that come from our mouths. More often than not, we speak without accountability, we utter words without fear of recourse, but more importantly what the seed (the word) that was spoken will produce into the ear and into the heart of the hearer. In our hardened world, we say things like ‗sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me‘, but we quickly learn it‘s just the opposite! Words do hurt. We would all agree that words hurt more than sticks or stones. Whether good words or bad words, they (the words) have a God ordained, God formulated mandate to perform what we send them out to do. The words we speak are not just insignificant speech. Words are things in God‘s
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Kingdom system! In God‘s system words are tangible things that carry much weight in the spiritual world. God’s authority and Power through his word In Genesis 1:1 it states, ―In the beginning God created heaven and earth‖. One would have to ask the question, ―What existed before the beginning‖? Was the ‗beginning‘, the beginning of God or did the God precede the beginning? There was God and there is nothing before him. God is bigger than the beginning. He existed before the world began. In the beginning God spoke to a situation that was lifeless and it became full of life. God has complete creative speaking ability. Notice how nothing happened until he spoke, everything stood still ‗God said‘, and the same it will be with us. We have to speak into the dark areas of our lives. Nothing will happen until we start speaking what God has already spoken in his word. (See Gen. 1:1, 6, 11, 20, and 21). When God said let there be light, there was light. Through God‘s word we see and understand his word. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. (See Heb 11:3) ―For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Heb 4:12). Who being the brightness of [his] glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;‖ (see Heb 1:3). We have the creative abilities through our mouths just as God planned it. There is power in our spoken word. Genesis 1:26 states that, we were made in the image and likeness of God. With that in mind, let us consider that God created us in His image. In Genesis 1:26-27 and 2:7 says, ―Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. So God created man in his own image. And the Lord formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being (soul)‖. One translation says ‗man became another speaking spirit‘ (Jewish Study Bible). We are speaking spirits with the same creative abilities as God! Every word we speak has eternal consequences. In Matthew 12:36, states ―But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the Day
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of Judgment‖. The idle word referenced means free from labor, at leisure, lazy, shunning the labor which one ought to perform, barren, yielding no return, because of inactivity, a word that is thoughtless or profitless. Our words are not to be lazy, (spoken without thought of the fruit it will produce) without labor. Our words are actually a working element in the kingdom of God. Our word goes from our lips and goes to work whether it‘s positive or negative. It is not just talking about words spoken in anger but those thoughtless words that are profitless. Our words are not insignificant audible sounds, they have power and strength. God told Jeremiah, ―Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it‖(Jer. 1:12). The word of God goes forth as a force and performs what it was tasked to do. So it is with us. God is not the only being that has that creative ability, because we were made in his image! It is important for the Christian to understand the importance of words in the Kingdom of God system.The scriptures tell us aman‘s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; [and] with the increase of his lips shall he be filled (Proverbs 18:20). ―Death and life are in the power of the tongue‖ (Proverbs 18:21). When there is fruit there must be a seed. To get an apple what kind of seed do we need to plant? Orange? Watermelon? We plant seeds all day weather we realize it or not, with the words of our lips. We plant word seeds of love or hate, word seeds that build or word seeds that destroy, for whatever we plant will manifest itself in the visible, and tangible in ways we can touch it. Let‘s pray and ask God to set a watch before our mouths and keep the doors of our lips. As we are careful and spiritually strategic with our words, we will begin to see our true authority through what we speak.
Article by: Minister Tony Jones Sr.
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