“IF”… Faith ACTS

How does a VITAL CHURCH grow?

It becomes LIFE to ALL.

“WHEN Christ who IS our life. (Colossians 3:4)… then you shall also appear with Him in all glory.”

“Vital” means LIFE.

“If” we truly are born again, Christ IS our life.

I sincerely and without no disrespect say “If” because God says this.

It’s NOT automatic- this ‘salvation’ or ‘born again’ experience I’m referring to.

Something actually happens in the spiritual realm to our spirits, we become a brand new, never before existed, created spirit. (1 Corinthians 5:17).

Just because we believe in God, and have knowledge that Jesus is God’s Son- doesn’t mean we have been born again, or saved.

Just because we go to church, doesn’t make us a Christian, no more than going to McDonald’s makes you a Bic Mac! God’s gift of salvation is 100% FREE, but cost God EVERYTHING.

But He doesn’t force it on us- it’s been offered, and is waiting for each of us to individually receive it, to receive Christ, who IS the gift of eternal life; as our individual Master, Lord, Savior, Redeemer, Deliverer, Healer, Provider, OUR LIFE!!!

It’s conditional, based on each of our individual choice.

He is The Way, The Truth, and THE LIFE.

First thing first responders do upon the scene of an accident is ‘check your vitals.’ They are determining whether or not there is LIFE in us.

Life is a gift, and as believers, CHRIST is our life, and His GIFT of life is to be shared and multiplied. God is a God of increase.

Friends, we all have goals, and most include financial goals. And this is good. But what good is it to gain the whole world and lose our souls??? (Mark 8:36/Matthew 16:26)

As CHRISTians, our main financial goals in life is not to pack away as much wealth as we can FOR OURSELF; but to be able to give without end to those in need all over the world. To spread the gospel into all the world cost money.

The purpose of wealth is NOT to hoard it to ourselves.

I don’t want money for myself. I want it so that I am give it away, so that I can feed the hungry, clothe the naked, house the homeless, give drink to the thirsty- bless those in need, IN THE NAME OF JESUS.

I’m not talking about those capable of helping themselves but don’t., or those trapped in addiction spending every donated dollar on their habit- they need help., too, but a different type of help. For those- I love them and pray for them to receive revelation of God’s presence, power and indescribable gift!

I speak LIFE over them, and plead the blood of Jesus over them. In their presence I speak ‘Jesus.’ ‘JESUS!’ At the name of Jesus, the demons tremble and every knee must bow. And His power is released! (James 2:19/Philippians 2:11/ Luke 10:17/ Mark 16:17-17)

I’m talking about the majority of our world struggling to find clean water to drink; food to eat, shelter- who need our answer, their answer, JESUS.

We must go TO THEM, and TELL THEM. We must SHOW THEM. We must CARE for them, and LOVE them, like the Jesus we confess.

This is why I desire money.

This is why I give what I have. And to keep on giving what I have. It’s not a one time done. check off list thing. It’s GODS WAY. It’s a lifestyle of a Christian.

This is why I am passionate about being part of “THE CHURCH”, and seek a ‘vital’ church (THE BODY OF CHRIST) who gets this!!!

Faith ACTS. It doesn’t sit still. It doesn’t remain in one place, content, like a ‘fat baby.’ I remember back in my singing days, singing an Amy Grant song called ‘Fat Baby.’ It’s time to resurrect this song, folks!!! It’s TIME FOR A GREAT AWAKENING!!! RISE UP!!! Get busy!!!

Here’s the lyrics- read them. Let them get deposited in your spirit. Are YOU a fat baby???

“I know a man, maybe you know him, too

You never can tell; he might even be you

He knelt at the altar, and that was the end

He’s saved, and that’s all that matters to him

His spiritual tummy, it can’t take too much

One day a week, he gets a spiritual lunch

On Sunday, he puts on his spiritual best

And gives his language a spiritual rest

He’s just a faaa…

He’s just a fat little baby!

Wa, wa, waaaaa…

He wants his bottle, and he don’t mean maybe

He sampled solid foods once or twice

But he says doctrine leaves him cold as ice

Ba, ba, ba, ba…ba, ba…ba, ba!

He’s been baptized, sanctified, redeemed by the blood

But his daily devotions are stuck in the mud

He knows the books of the Bible and John 3:16

He’s got the biggest King James you’ve ever seen!

I’ve always wondered if he’ll grow up someday

He’s momma’s boy, and he likes it that way

If you happen to see him, tell him I said,

“He’ll never grow, if he never gets fed”

He’s just a fat, fat, fat, fat, fat, fa-at, fat…

Fat, Fat, Fat, Fat, Fat, Fa-at, Fat…

Fat, Fat, Fat, Fat, Fat, Fat, Fatttt…

Baby…”

Don’t wait until you have ‘enough of the wealth’ YOU think is enough to start giving- you’ll never become a giver if you wait. Start now. Learn to sacrifice now. Become a giver now.

You have to give by faith, with your heart, with what you have now. Trust God. Hey, ALL of the earth is the Lords and the fullness therein. ALL belongs to God… we are only stewards of what He has entrusted us with.

Are we being faithful with it? Are we holding onto it with stingy fingers, even more tightly when the Holy Spirit touches our hearts to give, then we don’t?

Or are we trusting God with EVERY area of our life, including our finances? Are we???

God will take your gift, and will supernaturally multiply it; and will increase your ability to gain more; once your heart lines up with His.

The value of something is determined by what one is willing to pay.

God’s determined our value, ALL of mankind’s value, even in our imperfect condition, was the life of His only Son.

God is a giver. He held nothing back.

We are to follow His example, if indeed He is in us… we are made in His image. We are made to multiply, to increase.

Let’s give all we can selflessly, and see our world changed.

All of the worlds poverty, starvation, need- is solvable through the Christ who is in us…

IF we would but learn to see people as HE sees people…

IF we would but learn to love people as HE loves people…

IF we TRULY would obey and do what HE instructed us to do-we will see in God’s Word WHO we are in Christ, WHOSE we are in Christ, and WHO WE ARE CONNECTED TO IN THE BODY OF CHRIST.

Our body is the ‘new’ temple the Holy Spirit dwells in, if we are truly born again. Our body IS the ‘house’ that our spirit, and God’s Spirit IN OUR SPIRIT, contains.

May ALL our eyes open to this truth!!! May HIS Holy Fire consume us, and His passion ignite us!!!

“Now ALL who believed were together, and had ALL things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among ALL, as anyone had need…”

IF we truly desire to be obedient and to become THE church, THE bride of Christ, we need to do what He has instructed us to do, then we will be the vital “church” that grows!

This is how we will know- read what is written, when Peter was with the rest of the other apostles (followers of Christ, who were ALREADY BORN AGAIN):

“Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent. And let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you SHALL RECEIVE the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the PROMISE is to you AND TO YOUR CHILDREN, AND TO ALL WHO ARE AFAR OFF, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

“Then THOSE WHO GLADLY RECEIVED HIS WORD… So continuing daily with ONE ACCORD in the temple, and breaking of bread from house to house, they are their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with ALL the people. AND THE LORD ADDED TO THE CHURCH DAILY THISE WHO WERE BEING SAVED.”

(Acts 2:37-47)

Awaken the Carriers: Arise!

Carriers of Your glory.

Yes, Lord!  We are carriers.  Full of Your glory.

Same power that raised Christ from the dead is in us.  

But it’s not JUST for us.

A seed is created to reproduce. 

God commanded us to be fruitful and to multiply.

We are to be full of His glory. 

Filled to spill!

As the healed, we touch others to be healed, in the Name of Jesus.

As the blessed, we touch others to be blessed, in the presence of Jesus.

As the redeemed, we touch others to be redeemed, through the power of Jesus.

As the rich, we touch others to become rich, through the purpose of Jesus.

We are His ambassadors on this earth.  

We are His hands and feet.

He is the potter, we are the clay. He has His plans for our future from BEFORE the beginning of time.

His glory… inside us, the very vessel, the very temple, the very carrier, He created us to be- for HIS glory…

Wait a minute!!! How is it that WE, the carrier He created US to be, argue with Him?

Isaiah 45:9-12 puts this into an excellent perspective:

“Does a clay pot dare argue with its maker, a pot that is like all the others? Does the clay ask the potter what he is doing? Does the pot complain that its maker has no skill? 10 Do we dare say to our parents, “Why did you make me like this?” 11 The Lord, the holy God of Israel, the one who shapes the future, says: “You have no right to question me about my children or to tell me what I ought to do! 12 I am the one who made the earth and created human beings to live there. By my power I stretched out the heavens; I control the sun, the moon, and the stars.”

No. We are the clay. He shapes us and molds us. Then, He fills us with His glory… and it’s not about us. As a vessel- we carry a supply full of the same power that raised Christ from the grave IN US and ALL times, to be the help on this earth to those in our shadows…

Others in our shadows should be covered with Gods glory, because of the glory within us…

Christ IN us, the hope of glory.

What’s IN us comes THROUGH us.

Another thought came to me in prayer-and only God knew all that was on my heart- I’m so thankful that I can take it all to Him in prayer… and then to listen to Him speak.

God is a Holy God, in a perfect, Holy Heaven.

It’s impossible for Him to permit tarnished, sinful spirits in His Holy, perfect heaven.

Yet almost everyone believes, when they die, that they will continue their partying self-centered lifestyle in Heaven., with no understanding of the holiness and pureness of God.

Why would someone who never gave a moments thought about God, who never did anything with or for God’s Son, who often mocked and ridiculed people who lived a life of holiness, WANT to spend eternity in the very environment, with the very people they spent their lifetime avoiding or despitefully using? Don’t they get it? Don’t they realize that the wages, the cost, of sin is death? NOT Heaven’s reward?

Even though He loves us all- only the redemptive covering of the blood of Jesus over us when we cry out to Him, surrender all to Him, repenting and permitting Him to be Lord and Master of our life- through His grace- are we saved, and able to enter His Heaven.

In a hospital if someone’s immune system has been compromised, the medical staff screens the visitors to protect the ones in their care.

How much more does God protect the sanctity of Heaven for His saints to maintain a Holy and pure Heaven?

No, absolutely none- no impurities can enter such a Holy place or be in the presence of a Holy God.

Nothing but the blood of Jesus can wash us clean.

Many people ask ‘how can a good God allow people who’ve never heard of Him (or the plan of salvation) die and go to hell forever?  That’s not fair!’

I’ve personally heard this many times.

But they don’t have revelation of our Holy God or of a Holy Heaven.

They don’t have revelation of Gods plan of our being created to be fruitful and to multiply.

They don’t have understanding how God calls us to GO YE but many disobey and ‘STAY HERE’.

God can’t go against His Holy Word or retract what He has commanded.  

He is waiting on US, His CHURCH, to do what He created and commanded us to do, and the blood of those perishing in Hell is on us. 

We WILL be held a accountable and judged for what we did not do.

It’s time to stop THINKING about it and to start DOING it.

Too many people in need all across this world.  

Biggest need is Jesus. If we can get them Jesus- Jesus will get them everything else they need.

And remember- Jesus gets people what they need THROUGH PEOPLE who are part of The Church.

So let us be carriers of Your glory, God!

Let us share Your love, unconditional love!

Let us testify of Your goodness!!! Of Your Miracles!  Of Your salvation!

Use us, Lord!!!  Use us to carry Your glory!

Fill us, spread us, forgive us, bless us.

There are people suffering, and we can make a difference!

There are people hurting, alone- and we can love them.

There are people dying without You Jesus, and we should be telling them about You.

Help us, Lord! Wake us up, Lord!!! Awaken us!!! Shake us!!! Let YOUR GLORY in us ARISE!

What voice are you hearing?

I have been meditating a lot on this topic-
We are a triune being- we are a spirit, we possess a soul, and we live in a physical body.

…and a few days ago during my morning devotion it came up again…

So I decided to give birth to my thoughts and see what’s born…

Many have ‘awareness’ of this concept, based on bible truth-but few have revelation that we are a three part being and each part has a voice:

‘Conscience’ is the voice of our human spirit.
‘Reason’ is the voice of the soul, or mind.
‘Feeling’ is the voice of our body, or flesh.

Our Heavenly Father connects with us through our spirits, our inward witness… He doesn’t speak to our soul or our bodies… 

Nowhere in the Bible are we told God speaks to our body., or has a relationship with our mind.  

On the contrary, it’s our spirit man that is born again, but our mind has to be renewed daily.

Yet, the enemy ALWAYS gains access to us through our bodies (flesh) and our souls (mind)… in the ‘sense arena’- Satan appeals to what we ‘see’, ‘feel’, ‘hear’, ‘imagine’ or ‘think.’

And this is where it’s dangerous.

Satan is a liar, the father of all lies, in him there is no truth.   (John 8:44) He is a master of deception, and though there is nothing good about Satan, he is good at what he does:

Kill.  Steal.  Destroy.

That’s it.  That is his job description according to John 10:10.

He uses our senses to deceive us, so he can steal from us, destroy us, kill us.
Satan can not succeed however, unless we permit him to.  And God will permit what we permit.

Most of us get caught in the ‘feeling’ part… and get stuck there.

Many believe if they feel sick that they are sick.  Then they begin confessing the sickness, and their confession soon leads to possession… 

Before you are even aware- the thought that came by a wrong feeling was entertained, and settled into the heart, then confessed out of the mouth- bingo.  

Life is born from the wrong thought, that failed to get caught or run through the filter of Truth, God’s Word.

Follow the fruit to its root. Did it come to kill, steal or destroy, or, did it come to bring life, more abundantly? 
Folks- consider the root and inspect the fruit.

Many times you will actually hear people refer to a sickness as theirs…  In talking about it, without thinking, often they will say something like “my cancer has returned” thus, they are calling it theirs.  
Or, will say something like “I have the flu.” Taking ownership of it… agreeing with, permitting it rights to remain., assuming  there is no other way- if they have medical facts it exists, if they are feeling the symptoms, it must be so. 

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” (Proverbs 18:21).

Many believe that if they see, hear or feel it, ‘it’ must be true.

I’m not suggesting we live with our head in the clouds and ignore reality, symptoms, feelings or facts.  I’m stating that though something might exist and be a fact doesn’t mean it has the rights to remain and become a truth.

Friends, there’s a profound difference between ‘truth’ and ‘fact.’

If we give in to what we feel, or hear, or see- we are not living by faith. We are living by the worlds standards, not God’s.  We become a ploy for the enemy.

If we ‘feel’ something, we believe we ‘are’ what we feel. If we go by feelings alone, we become deceived and give in to these feelings.

God doesn’t call us to walk by our ‘feelings’. 

He created us with feelings, our emotions serve a purpose and it’s good to understand them, but as believers, we are not called to live by our feelings or get caught in the sense realm.

Rather, we are called to live by faith., by the Spirit. Not by sight.

Feelings are subject to change.

Thoughts and reasoning are subject to change.

Feelings and thoughts are based on facts- and facts are subject to change.

Truth (Jesus is Truth- and Jesus is The Word- therefore God’s Word is Truth.). So Truth, however, will never change, but has the power to change facts when acted upon by faith.

We are spirit, soul and body. Each has a voice.  

So… I’ll close with this thought provoking question:
Which voice is dominating you?   
1 Thess 5:23. Romans 8:1.  

12 Cor 5:7-10. Gal 5:18-20.

John 17:17. 
Minister Wendy J Roundy, international motivational speaker & missionary

Founder of ‘iamjesusgal ministries’ Iamjesusgal website

Founder of ‘Helping The Homeless Ministry’ Helping The Homeless Website