RHEMA Magazine Issue 22

$1.99 JAN / FEB 2016

BONDAGE BREAKERS RECOVERY FROM MAKE ROOM HOLIDAY SPENDING FOR THE GLORY PLEASE THE LORD Spotlight AND DECREE WHAT Rhema REVEREND SHANIQUE YOU SEE TAYLOR www.rhemamagazine.com

INSIDE THIS ISSUE JAN/FEB 2016

FEATURES 17 Make Room For The Glory Story Reverend Kenneth K. Simms 20 Cover Boston, Massachusetts

29 2016: Please the Lord and Decree What You See 31 Bondage Breakers

SECTIONS 04 12 14 16 24 28 27 30 32 33 34

Editor’s Note RHEMA Health RHEMA Family Matters RHEMA Teen Focus RHEMA Senior Center RHEMA Business RHEMA Spotlight RHEMA Puzzle RHEMA Sports RHEMA Showcase RHEMA Word

Disclaimer Rhema is published every other month.

No part of this publication is to be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. The Magazine can not be held liable for any error in any advertisement and any liability is limited to the total cost of the advertisement in error. The publisher however reserves the right to refuse any advertisement deemed offensive or inappropriate. The views and opinions expressed in this magazine are strictly those

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of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Rhema Magazine. Rhema Magazine takes reasonable care to ensure the accuracy of the information. However we will not assume liability for the opinions or statements nor the accuracy of the authors. We also reserve the right to edit information we deem inappropriate for this magazine.

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t’s a new year and as we put the old year behind us, I know we are all anticipating a year filled with countless blessings. A year when we will receive answers to prayers we have been waiting on. We face the New Year with hope and promise, leaving all the hurt and disappointment and spiritual failure behind.

A new year provides us the opportunity to begin again, to start fresh, and to commit ourselves to a new walk with God. A new year enables us to return to the Lord, with an even deeper commitment to our faith.

I know we have had our share of trials last year: hills to climb, battles to fight.

We have experienced moments of doubts and fear; fallen and gotten up; and even fallen again. We have had to repair relationships; to forgive others and to ask for forgiveness from the people whom we have wronged. So, we welcome and embrace this New Year as a way of making a fresh start with God. Let us look beyond our past to the deeper purposes of God, submitting to His way of doing things, even though we don’t always understand it. With God’s help, let us commit ourselves in

this New Year to continue to develop a Godly character and to seek God’s wisdom.

The great thing about starting over with God is that He never holds our past against us. Do not ever believe that it is too late to start over with God. Let this New Year be the year we grow in God, humbling ourselves before Him and submitting to His authority. As we move forward, let us not forget where we have been but instead use those humbling experiences to draw us closer to Him. Thank you all for a great 2015, and we look forward to an even greater 2016. We are humbled by this opportunity to use RHEMA Magazine as a tool to enrich your lives and to glorify God and grow together. We remain grateful for your continued support and prayers.

Let this New Year be the year we grow in God....

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Be Blessed!

Valerie Brown rhemamagazine.com 4

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Rhema: "A Greek word meaning "what is said."

In Christianity it is used in reference to the sayings of Jesus Christ."

Matthew 4:4 states"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every (Rhema) word that proceeds from the mouth of God."

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anuary is the first month of a brand new year. We all use this fresh start to make new decision to better our lives. After all of the giving of the holiday season is over, we enjoy focusing on ourselves.

But what if there was a way that we could make an impact on the health of others while benefitting our own health? While January begins the new year, it also represents National Blood Donation Month. Blood donation is a caring and beneficial act that we should partake of.

Common misconceptions The idea of giving blood seems unnerving. Many believe that the process is time consuming; that they could be harmed due to disease or that their blood type isn’t needed since it might be common. Here is the truth about these misconceptions. In terms of the timing, the process from the application to the actual donation only takes about one hour. The materials used to collect the blood are sterilized and cleaned by professionally trained staff. Most importantly, all blood types are needed, especially the most common ones. 1 Benefits to others Participating in a blood donation can dramatically increase an individual’s prognosis or even save someone’s life. It is said that, “ every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood, with a total of 44,000 blood donations needed every day.” 2 When you donate blood, you are giving the vital material needed for blood transfusions which are given, for example, to women with complicated pregnancies; to RHEMA MAGAZINE: JAN/FEB 2016

children with anemia; to surgical and cancer patients as well as people with hemophilia and sickle cell disease (SCD). 3 Those who have serious medical emergencies, such as survivors of car accidents, also benefit from a donated blood.

Benefits to yourself There are many perks to your own health when you perform this life-saving act. When you go to a blood donation center, you are required undergo a mini check-up of sorts in order to make sure that your blood is healthy. Your blood pressure, temperature, pulse and hemoglobin levels are checked. Once these tests are done and you are deemed healthy to participate and you donate blood, your blood is then sent to a lab to be tested for 13 different infectious diseases. You are notified immediately if you test positive for any. 4 Donating blood also prevents iron build up, which is a health concern that can lead to cancer. 5 The regulation of iron levels that occurs from donating blood, which decreases your iron levels and later replenishes that supply of iron is good and necessary for our bodies. Visit your local blood donation center for more information on the donating blood. Be sure to think of the good that will come from your donation.

1 The Blood Center. “Blood Myths” http://www.thebloodcenter.org/donor/BloodMyths.aspx 2 Medical Daily. “Why donating blood is good for your health” http://www.medicaldaily.com/why-donating-blood-good-your-health-246379 3 World Health Organization. “ Why should I donate blood?” http://www.who.int/features/qa/61/en/ 4 Health, News and Views. http://news.health.com/2014/06/13/4-unexpected-benefits-of-donating-blood/ 5 Medical Daily

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"Marriages Weathering the Storms Today, Part 2"

By Dr. Daniel Vassell

“The secret to finding lasting love is to live your life and be yourself.

The right person will adore you for exactly who they see…”

Charles Orlando. www.livelifehappy.com he federal father of all human beings, Adam did just that and when God presented Eve to him, she said “yes” to his offer and become his wife, as revealed in the book of Genesis 3.

Before the fall of man, Adam had a wonderful communion with God which led to a healthy, loving relationship with God. Out of this love relationship Adam learned who he was and loved himself. We can only truly love and know our true selves in God. Adam was pleased with who he was created to be.

He was comfortable in himself and embraced his role as the gardener of Eden. Adam appreciated his purpose and function in life as the custodian of paradise and all that God had put him charge over.

He was so comfortable with himself and appreciated that fact, so much, that when God presented Eve to him as his wife, he quickly acknowledged her as his co-equal, companion and help-mate. He was so comfortable with who God made him to be that he was not afriad to share his life and service with this other human being that God had presented to him.

He took her as his wife, shared his love with her and they two became one.

Sin marred the perfect love relationship between God, self and others. Through the second Adam, Jesus Christ, death and resurrection provided a way to restore that broken love relationship. Today, those of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and have allowed the Holy Spirit to RHEMA RHEMAMAGAZINE: MAGAZINE: JAN/FEB NOV/DEC 2016 2015

continually fill our lives daily, will live in a wonderful relationship of love with God, self and others.

When Christian marriages express their fruit of love, it will be expressed through five kinds of love: 1. agape, unconditional love; 2. eros, romantic love; 3. phileo, friendship; 4. storge, belonging and 5. epithumia, lovemaking.

All five types of love are part and parcel of the love command of being fruitful. God cares about your love life and He wants you to be a successful lover in all of the five areas. Take time to check and see what areas of your love life that might need inprovement and commit to share this with your partner and together pray to the God of love for His help and do whatever is necessary to grow in that love, for true love begins with truly knowing your self.

Dr. Daniel and Jenny Vassell are authors of "The Love Factor in Marriage for Couples and Pre-marriage" Except from The love Factor in Marriage Email: lovefactorinmarriage@gmail.com rhemamagazine.com 14

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Praise and Worship Psalmist

Arriel Hall salmist Arriel, at the tender age of sixteen, is a powerhouse Praise and Worship leader whom God is raising up for such a time as this. Arriel Opal Hall was born in 1999, the same year her parents, Bishop Raymond G. and Pastor Arlene O. Hall, responded to the call of God and gave birth to Deliverance Temple Worship Center (DTWC), a dynamic ministry in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston. Arriel is the only girl and is the fourth of the Halls’ five children. As the daughter of a female pastor, she travels with her mother to local, district and regional church events.

At an early age, Arriel would walk around the house with her pretend microphone singing.

Born in a home of musicians, Arriel has watched her brothers play the instruments in church and envisioned the day she would be standing before the congregation leading praise and worship, or even preaching like her parents. Her parents recognized that she was always sensitive to the move of Holy Spirit.

Arriel’s dad recognized the call of God on her life to sing and on occasions, would pull her to sing with him on the praise and worship team.

At the age of eight, Arriel began to sing with the praise and worship team as well as the church choir at DTWC. With encouragement from the praise and worship leader, Minister Nicole Barnes, her parents signed her up for voice lessons with the renowned worship leader, Ayanna McDonald. At age thirteen, a RHEMA MAGAZINE: JAN/FEB 2016

critical point in the ministry of Deliverance Temple Worship Center, Arriel stepped up and embraced the role of Praise and Worship Leader.

Arriel participated in and was the winner of the 2012 talent competition at her middle school.

Additionally, she represented her high school in singing the national anthem at the 2014 Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service in Randolph, Massachusetts and has also sung at the Southern New England Church of God camp meeting.

Presently, Arriel serves alongside her parents at DTWC as the Director of Music as well as an active member of Engage Youth Leadership Team. Arriel has a deep love for the Lord, a tender heart for worship and her heart’s cry is for Jesus to “fill her up until she overflows.”

For further information on Psalmist Arriel or for singing engagements you can contact her at bookarrielhall@gmail.com, Instagram: @aoh_vocals

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BY WILLIAM E. DICKERSON II, PASTOR AND OVERSEER Haggai 2:9: “’The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the LORD Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the LORD Almighty.”

– New International Version efore the end comes to all human existence, I strongly believe that the Lord will send a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Upon instituting the New Testament church, the Lord knew that He had to develop strong apostolic leaders who were empowered to train believers in the works of service. These service areas are represented by the five-fold ministry gifts: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. However, regardless of ministry gift and indicative of the times that we are in, we need to allow the Lord to turn our hearts towards Him if we are to experience great moves of the Holy Spirit such those being witnessed in Africa and in other parts of the world.

4.Haggai prophesied that Zerubbabel represented the continuation of the Messianic lineage and promise (Chapter 2, verse 23).

Haggai was a true prophet of God who boldly proclaimed that God's people would be blessed if they simply obeyed. Haggai 1:1-15 states that the people lost focus on their main priority, which was their relationship with Jehovah God. Over time, they had become tainted by carnality, selfishness and irreverence towards the things of God. The prophet in the book of Haggai rebuked and instructed the exiles for:

3. To prepare the way for Jesus Christ's return as the Lord of lords and the King of kings;

1.Their preoccupation with their own nice houses while the temple remained in ruins (Chapter 1, verse 40); 2.And not giving careful thought to their ways (Chapter 1, verses 5 and 7).

3.The people were being called to live holy and obedient lives (Chapter 2, verses 10-19).

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Jehovah God will one day bring down this present world order and shake to pieces the whole material universe. This present form of the world is not eternal, as it will be destroyed by fire and will be replaced by a new heaven and new earth (Revelation 20:11 – 21:1-4).

Before the glory comes, I believe that God will send a divine shaking for the following reasons: 1. To purify the hearts of His people; 2. To purge us so that we can position ourselves for a worldwide revival;

4. To allow judgment to come from God so that humanity might fear the Lord.

Two years ago, we experienced a corporate financial shaking that was prophesied by Bishop Tony Gardener of New Jersey. God shook those from us who were not really with us. His goal: to build up stronger and more committed individuals who would help us make a global impact.

The Lord is trying to raise strong believers who can be disciples and profound servant leaders. If we are going to serve the Lord and impact nations, we must be willing to go through some trials with our hearts centered on a relationship with Jehovah God. With a commitment to obedience, humility and fervent prayer, the greater glory of God is imminent. rhemamagazine.com 17

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everend Kenneth K. Simms was born in Boston, Massachusetts to the proud parents David and Rose Simms. He grew up in Mattapan and his childhood education came from home, Boston Public Schools, and Saint Peter’s Catholic School in Cambridge, MA. After relocating to Moorestown, New Jersey and graduating from Moorestown High School in 1984, Rev. Simms returned to Boston to live.

In 1986, Rev. Simms completed an Electronics Program at Roxbury Community College and worked several years in this field. It was in Boston where he met Shareen M. Simms, the love of his life, and married her on January 20, 1990. To this union were born four beautiful children: Kenya, Kenneth Kavon, Sharaya, and Deadra.

Shareen graduated from Salem State University with a degree in Business Education, and now works in Boston as a property manager. Reverend and RHEMA MAGAZINE: JAN/FEB 2016

Deaconess Simms were also recently blessed with their first grandchild, Savannah.

In February 1990, Rev. Simms received Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of his life and was filled with the Holy Spirit under the ministry and leadership of the late Bishop Joe L. Smith, Sr. of Holy Tabernacle Church, Boston. He served there faithfully until he later moved his membership to New Hope Baptist Church. At New Hope, Rev. Simms served as a musician, deacon, and in 2003 was licensed to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ under the Pastorate of The Reverend Willie Dubose, Jr. rhemamagazine.com 20

To prepare for this ministry, Rev. Simms studied in the Diploma in Urban Ministry Program at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary’s Center for Urban Ministerial Education. On April 23, 2006, Rev. Simms was ordained to the gospel ministry with the blessing of the United Baptist Convention of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire and served as the Assistant Pastor of New Hope Baptist Church for seven years.

After the untimely death of their beloved Pastor Willie Dubose Jr. on February 20, 2013, Rev. Simms was unanimously voted in as the new Pastor of New Hope Baptist Church. He immediately retired from Procter & Gamble (Gillette) after 24 years of service and was officially installed as Pastor on April 28, 2013.

and His people, and desires to preach the gospel to the world so that more people would come to faith in Jesus Christ to experience God’s abundance and victory in every area of their lives! He enjoys reading, traveling, playing tennis, spending time with family, and relaxing in his favorite chair.

His life verse is Ephesians 3:20-21: “Now unto Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.”

The New Hope Baptist Church family is a wonderful people, doing great things for the Lord in this city and beyond! Our 2016 Church theme is: “The Practice’-Fully Embracing and Applying God’s Word to Our Everyday Lives.” We are also so excited about moving into our new church building in Hyde Park, MA this year! Praise the Lord!

Reverend Simms loves the Lord, His Word, RHEMA MAGAZINE: JAN/FEB 2016

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Thrive in the Winter

By Harriet Holder hen you think about the winter season, last year’s winter might be the vision that you might recall.

Memories of cars, trees and streets buried under immense layers of snow - snow that kept falling consistently over a long period of time. These mental snap shots have not gone away, even as this year’s winter is slowing approaching. Can we survive and thrive in another season like last year?

This is the question that keeps coming into our daily conversations with our loves ones. Yes, we can if adequately prepared with the right provisions, and armed with the appropriate home readiness and emergency and storm preparedness supplies. Please take the time to ensure that our seniors are adequately prepared for the pending snow season.

We also know that God can turn our weeping into joy and our mourning into dancing.

The Book of Ruth speaks about a time that a woman named Naomi went through a winter season of her life similar to last year’s layers of coldness and snow that left her hopeless. She left Bethlehem to go to Moab for a better life with her husband and two sons. As time went by, she lost her husband and her two sons, leaving her with two daughters-in-law and a dream for a better life that was buried in the cold ground of her heart.

Precious Seniors, even life’s winter season has a divine purpose. Ecclesiastes 3:1 states, "To Everything there is a season a time for every RHEMA MAGAZINE: JAN/FEB 2016

purpose under the heaven." Even though we like the flowers and the smell of spring, the summer warmth and sunshine and the beautiful foliage of autumn, there is a hidden beauty of the winter that we can miss while we are looking backward to those seasons that are long gone.

As time went by, Naomi had to learn to thrive in her winter season with a new relationship with her daughter-in-law Ruth. She became Ruth’s mentor, giving her words of encouragement and wisdom that brought her out of her winter period and into a renewed spring and summer of her life. Naomi prospered in the time of barley and wheat harvest, which left the memory of the lack and famine as a glimpse of the past.

Thriving means blossoming, flourishing, and growing. Like a beautiful butterfly, Naomi was in a cocoon, in a place that was hidden in the winter season of her life. However, Naomi was able to fly like a new creature in the spring and summer when she saw her new protégé Ruth married and giving birth to a new born baby.

The winter season’s purpose is to hide things to grow in the dark places, like a butterfly does in a cocoon. During this winter, try to get some inspiration from the colors of the season to take on a new hobby, like knit that sweater or scarf that you said you were going to do. Colors like the brilliant blues of the sky on a winter day, and the white icing on the trees after a snow fall, and the brown color of trees stripped of their vegetation. Thrive this winter season because Spring is coming! rhemamagazine.com 24

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The Reverend

Shanique Taylor he Reverend Shanique Taylor was born in the parish of St. Ann, Jamaica in the community of Muirhouse Buxton to parents Olga Grey and Joel Taylor. She is the middle child of five siblings.

Rev. Taylor is a remarkable young woman after God’s own heart. She started a relationship with Jesus at the age of 13. She saw the hand of God in a vision calling her and she answered that call and gave her heart to the Lord in her classroom. Rev. Taylor is called out and set apart as a budding evangelist for such a time as this and has accepted the task.

Reverend Taylor serves on the ministerial team at Deliverance Temple Worship Center in Boston, MA, where she is one of the lead armor bearers under the superb leadership of Bishop Raymond Hall and Pastor Arlene Hall. Along with her ministerial duties, she is the Recharge singles and young adults’ ministry leader; youth board member; evangelism board member; youth Sunday school teacher; District secretary for the Dorchester District of Churches and the youngest female board member to serve on Boston’s Black Ministerial Alliance’s Advisory Board.

Reverend Taylor attended Abuthnott Gallimore High school where she received her high school diploma.

She then yielded to the voice of God and attended Bethel Bible College in Jamaica, where she received a diploma in Theology. She also graduated from the RHEMA MAGAZINE: JAN/FEB 2016

MIP program where she received her Exhorters license with the Church of God of Cleveland, Tennessee, which gave her all rights to preach, teach and defend the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Reverend Taylor is looking forward in continuing her education at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, where she hopes to earn her Master in Theology with a minor in Marriage and Family Counsel.

Reverend Taylor is an aspiring entrepreneur, who promotes a lifestyle of health and wellness and being the best you that you can be with her IT WORKS business.

Reverend Taylor is a powerful intercessor at heart and believes that prayer is the key to unlocking and breaking every chain of darkness. She recently organized the prayer network, WAR CRY, that she believes the Lord has given her. She through WAR CRY is praying for our younger generations and for the restoration of the broken.

Reverend Taylor is a wonderful, gifted, called and anointed young woman who shows that it is possible to stay saved in today's society. She aspires to be a world changer for Christ and she is an ambassador for Him wherever she goes. Her favorite quote is, "God can turn any mess into a message.”

Her passion is to see lives been changed and transformed through the power of the Holy Spirit, while she remains a humble vessel giving God all the glory, honor and praise. rhemamagazine.com 27

opefully you have successfully survived another happy holiday season. Now is the time to assess how your spending last month will impact you and your immediate family throughout the upcoming year. Many of us understand the meaning of sharing gifts throughout the giving season. Each year, many of my clients understand that they have an obligation to themselves to remain focused and disciplined as it relates to their working towards achieving their financial goals through systematic savings and investing. My clients also know that I have strongly encouraged them to adhere to their allotted gifting budget.

Remember the joy and sense of accomplishment you felt when your loved one opened their one-of-a-kind gift? Now one month later you are fearful to view your credit-card statement which includes all of last month’s purchases. If only you were able to pay everything off when you received the bill, you wouldn’t now suffer from buyer’s remorse (when you purchase something but have regrets regarding your purchase afterwards).

Perhaps now would be a good time to assess your spending habits, as it relates to your overall long- term financial well-being. It is interesting how many consumers spend their hard earned green money, on Black Friday only to find themselves in the red financially two months later?

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So what are you doing to protect your financial bottom line? Did you decide to scale back your purchases in in order to better enjoy the spirit of giving? Remember when less meant so much more? What did you do to keep your stress levels down to a minimum? Did you discover that small item that your family member, partner, or spouse couldn’t do without? Perhaps you decided that quality and thoughtfulness would far exceed a large quantity of items, which we as humans typically lose interest in in a matter of a few days, weeks or months?

Consider what matters most to you and to those closest to you. Whenever you spend your money, you may want to ask how this purchase would impact your ability to address your future financial needs or concerns. Would the purchase affect your ability to pay for your housing, a utility or some other required expense next month?

No one will ever know your individual financial situation better than you. Let’s hope that you strive to consistently save and invest more to improve your individual financial bottom line and remain in the black financially.

Nicholas T. Josey

Financial Education Consultant info@vincita.org www.vincita.org Engage Educate and Empower

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2016: Please the Lord and Decree What You See

BY MICHELE SAUNDERS “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, … it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, … we had everything before us, we had nothing before us …” – Charles Dickens in “A Tale of Two Cities” Job 22:28: “Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.” – King James Version Ephesians 5: 1-11: “Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God …10 Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.” – New Living Translation

Happy 2016!

We begin this year anew with hopes for many of us to start again. This starting over might be in terms of relationships with ourselves, including new diet and fitness regimens, and with others, including reconciling with those whom we need to patch things up. We might want to start a new budget in order to meet new financial goals. Some might even want to experience God and take their walks with Him to a greater level than what they have experienced before. All of these hopes and goals can only be accomplished by what you believe to be before you.

So ponder this: what do you see?

Much like Charles Dickens’ world in “A Tale of Two Cities” is our modern-day world today. However, our faith and hope in Christ Jesus gives us an expected end. That end is one that is to prosper us and not to harm us.

Do you only see what is in this natural realm? Or do you believe that what you spiritually see and speak can be manifested to you according to God’s word?

If you believe that you can have what you see, then decree it! Speak it out loud. God spoke and it was. We as His children have that same right. Speak so your “it” can become.

There are two caveats, however, to you speaking what you see into existence. The first is that what you speak MUST line up with the whole counsel of the Word of God. These are not fleshly desires that we are talking about. These are faith-filled decrees, such as healing; deliverance; restoration; abundance; peace; joy; hope, forgiveness; love, etc. decrees, that once manifested, will help you in some way give glory to the Kingdom of God. Secondly, you must be pleasing unto the Lord.

To be pleasing to the Lord is not about following a list of rules and regulations or being bound by a bunch of checklists. It is about walking out your salvation in freedom according to the Word of God. Ephesians 5 and Galatians 5 are good examples of guidelines.

2016 is a year for the miraculous. God’s glory will be manifested. As you are pleasing to the Lord and begin to decree what you see, you will see miracles in your own back yard.

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Written by David Carruthers, Author of Kill Your Giants & REACTORS “The most important of life’s battles is the one we fight daily in the silent chambers of the soul.” - David McKay

Confession is great for the soul. roverbs 28:13 (New International Version) states, “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” Yet our culture promotes the opposite. You will never be free until you apply this great principle. Many attempt to hide behind accomplishments, degrees, money and then when that doesn’t work, drown out the pain through sex, alcohol or drugs. There are no shortcuts to success.

Confession purifies that which is toxic. King David stated in Psalms 32:3 “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away …” There is a freedom that produces unspeakable joy when one speaks the truth. Jesus said in John 8:32, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” The second purifier is humility. This crushes pride.

In every sin known to man, pride is evident. God hates pride and He opposes pride, but he gives power to those who are humble. Humility welcomes rebuke and critique. When you possess this great virtue, you seek help. So many don’t get the help they desperately need because they place their feelings over their purpose. This is not wise.

Humility overlooks feelings because it recognizes that feelings are fleeting and destiny is lasting. Humility is a beautiful trait that will yield great power if applied continually.

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Pray!

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV): “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

What a great promise. How many souls can be saved if we do this? How many marriages would thrive if we do this? How many homicides, rapes, suicides, and crimes would stop if we do this?

Take a moment to meditate on what a healed land would look and feel like. It is possible if we believe and apply. Our prayers are powerful and effective tools to break the bondages of the devil but, we have to use them.

Finally, go deep. In the parable of the sower, Jesus described different kinds of people referring to them as seeds. The unsuccessful seeds had no roots, so they either got choked, trampled upon or the birds ate them.

Shallow people are not successful because they associate pain with failure, so they are like chaff which the wind blows away. Deep people embrace the pain and as a result, their fruit or endeavors last. We admire these people because they have stood the test of time and when they speak, their words come from a place of sound doctrine.

When you go deep, you break the bondages and get to live the abundant life that Jesus has already promised us. Break the bondages so that you can live your dreams. rhemamagazine.com 31

Boston Elite Swim Team (BEST) was formed to promote and to provide inner-city youth from multicultural backgrounds a safe environment where children are taught how to swim and encouraged to become more involved in competitive swimming at the state and national levels via its partnership with Crimson Aquatics.

The program has been building student athletes one swimmer at a time.

BEST is a 501© 3 non-profit organization, currently providing services to boys and girls from the diverse neighborhoods throughout the City of Boston, and is poised for continued growth and success as one of the model organizations nationally.

The organization's mission is to reduce the rate of drowning among youth by teaching fundamental lifesaving, water- safety skills and providing access to all levels of the sport of swimming.

“Access + Education = Opportunity”.

Did You Know?

1. Nearly 70 percent of African American children and 58 percent of Hispanic children have low or no swimming ability, compared to 40 percent of Caucasians, according to a national research study by the USA Swimming Foundation and the University of Memphis.

Each year, more than 3,400 people drown in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control Prevention.

2. Less than two percent of USA swimmer’s nearly 252,000 members who swim competitively year-round come from the African American and Latino population.

3. According to the Talmud (the fourth-century rabbinic legal code), parents are required to teach their children Torah (the five books of Moses), a trade and how to swim.

RHEMA MAGAZINE: JAN/FEB 2016

*Health Benefits:* • Children learn the importance of nutrition, a balanced diet and its impact. on sports and classroom performance. *A Healthier Lifestyle* • A healthy lifestyle and regular exercise can help asthmatics keep their asthma under control and lessen the chances of vigorous activity triggering an asthma attack. It can also help them control their weight and stay active and fit. The warm, moist pool environment can help asthmatics breathe better.

• Swimming is a life skill and more than just a summer activity/sport. Life Skills, like learning to swim build character, confidence and self esteem.

Swimming also increases and builds organizational skills and helps young people learn to strategize. Swimming also helps to produce industrious work ethics. *The benefits of Winter swimming for children:* • Amazingly, parents are convinced that their child will catch a cold or the flu from being in the pool and getting wet during the winter. When these same swimmers return early in the spring, we are often told that they still caught colds or the flu during the winter months. These children miss out on the benefits of winter swimming during the “time off” period; in most cases, their skills noticeably regress. *For more information or to register:* Please contact : www.bestorcas.org or email: Best.orcas@gmail.com Phone: 857-203-0133 for additional information.

rhemamagazine.com 32

YEAR IN REVIEW LOOKING BACK AT 2015 Vigil Held For Victims Of Charleston Church Shooting Getty Images

Sandra Bland Getty Images

Bobbi Kristina Brown 22, March 4, 1993 - July 26, 2015

Death of Freddie Gray protesters Online Image

Meadowlark Lemon of the Harlem Globetrotters 83, April 25, 1932 - December 27, 2015

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Natalie Cole 65, February 6, 1950 - December 31, 2015 rhemamagazine.com 33

1JOHN 1: 1-27

New King James Version

The Eternal Word 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

John’s Witness: The True Light 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received

Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. The Word Becomes Flesh 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’” 16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. A Voice in the Wilderness 19 Now this is the testimony

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of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.”

“Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”

23 He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the Lord,” as the prophet Isaiah said.”

24 Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

26 John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. 27 It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.” rhemamagazine.com 34

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