5 minute read
USA
Kingdom Messenger
Resurrecting the Righteous USA
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“JESUS SAID TO HER, ‘I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE. THE ONE WHO BELIEVES IN ME WILL LIVE, EVEN THOUGH THEY DIE; AND WHOEVER LIVES BY BELIEVING IN ME WILL NEVER DIE.” JOHN 11:25
In this season amid a terrible epidemic, I am made more aware of resurrection power. Not physically, for all the ones I see coming to life have blood pumping through their veins, and they are walking and talking to one another. I am speaking of spiritually, for many of the individuals I see awakening and blinking at the bright light of the glorious gospel of Christ are believers who at one time or another confessed and professed His Name, but somewhere along the line, they lagged behind and fell asleep in complacency. They were satisfied with the status quo and allowed that to lull them to sleep, not realizing that there was a storm coming that would shake the very foundations of their faith. With the shifting would come a revelation: some of the Church was not as rooted in the faith as they thought they were. Fear overcame faith and caused reactions that did not testify of the goodness and the power of the One Who created and empowered us. As the news anchors spoke of the numbers being impacted and overcome by the Covid-19, those whose souls were not anchored in the Lord God Jehovah were swept away with the numbers and began to take on the persona or the concepts of the ones who never knew Him at all. I am not being judgmental, because even as I was typing this, I was chastening myself, for I know not the situation anyone is in personally or spiritually. But I did judge, for I am fully aware of how a believer should conduct himself in times of trial, and it is not to react in fear. I would see other believers mock the believer that spoke of being covered by the Blood or claiming the promises of Psalm 91--and I was astounded! As brothers and sisters of the same Father, are we not all to be decreeing and declaring the Word over our lives both in good times and in trying times? How can you claim the Word in a peaceful time but neglect it in the time when it will benefit you the most!? When I say that I was challenged much more by my Kingdom family during this crisis more than any other time in my life...I was floored by the negativity and the foolishness that I had to deal with. I wondered were many tares instead of wheat, but I allowed God to handle the situation, for I would not have done it with holiness, for I was truly angered with numerous people regarding their stance toward me and what God had commanded me to do. He spoke to me and commanded that the doors of the ministry be open, even as others were closing the doors and celebrating in their homes. I felt we should all obey what the Sovereign God was instructing us to do, and let others be if He did not instruct you to comment upon it. That is the issue with the Church. We are too busy commenting on what someone else is doing while following His orders, instead of being busy with finding out our own instructions from Him and carrying them out as He stated. I have found that when doing Kingdom work, everything else is dimming and fading away. I don’t have the time to look at you and criticize what you are doing, for my eyes are focused on Him and I can only see you if your path is crossing mine as we are both doing the
Pastor Stephanie Johnson Rice
SC, USA work of our Father! I am not here to give grades
on what another is performing. Jesus went where He was sent and said what the Father said, and as a co-laborer with God, I shall do the same! Those who are fearful should not be condemned and humiliated, no, that is not to be, but I would encourage them to dive into the Word and allow it to minister and strengthen them. We are to be rooted and grounded in the principles so that when any type of storm comes, we will not waver in our beliefs. We are to be examples to the world, just as in the Bible the characters were our examples of what to do OR what not to do! Many people are judging those here on earth who were in their prior lives murderers or liars or cheaters, while preaching or teaching from the Scripture in which a well-known Bible character has done the very same!! If you are preaching Psalm 23, then how are you condemning a person who once cheated or murdered? You are using the text of an ex-murderer and ex-cheater! That is hypocritical! Every day I look at myself in the
mirror and check out my reflection to see what imperfections can be perfected. Every day I look at myself in the Mirror of the Word to see what imperfections must be perfected. I need to mature and continue to grow and become more and more like Christ. This virus caused many of the dead to rise and see that what they were doing was not working, that how they are living is to be elevated, for He wants to take us higher. There is a resurrection occurring in the Body of Christ as we awaken to some things in us that need to be changed or released. My eyes are open. My ears are listening. My heart is receptive. Speak, Lord! I see spiritual covers pushed back and a stirring in the ones who were slumbering comfortably! Rise up, Church! ✽