Do you know how valuable you are?

Don’t ever, ever let anyone put you down or make you feel insignificant.

If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you hold within you mighty God-given power to be a witness.

YOU have a story to tell that SOMEONE needs to hear!

God wants you to start telling your story. It’s called a testimony.

Look at these three witnesses in scripture about this:

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Acts 1:8 ESV

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”

Revelation 12:11 KJV

“for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard.”

Acts 22:15 ESV

Wow!

Our Testimony is a vital witnessing tool…

What is a witness?

A witness is a person who gives a firsthand account of something seen, heard, or experienced; representing and speaking to what they have experienced first hand.

Being a witness for Christ is part of our purpose as a Christian. It’s WHY Jesus left here to ascend to Heaven, so the Holy Spirit, the ‘promise of the Father’, would come empower us so we could be a witness!

I have an amazing testimony, several in fact, of God who worked MIRACLES in my life, healing me from incurable diseases, and our family- restoring our daughter from death to life, from total brain damage to perfect wholeness!

What we share as a witness is called a ‘testimony.’

Simply, we ‘testify’ to what we have ‘witnessed’ firsthand, to help others.

Sharing our testimony and own experience with Christ is one of the most powerful tools in sharing the Gospel.

Each of our experiences are unique- no one else has the same one.

It’s personal, and it’s real-which makes it more meaningful to others. In fact, it’s in this action of sharing our testimony of overcoming a challenging time in our life with God’s help we are most authentic to an unbeliever.

We have to get beyond ourselves.

It’s not easy remembering a time in our life that was painful- but struggle is relatable…

I know this first hand…And because we all understand struggle, we all relate to that feeling of hope.

What we have overcome through the power of Christ is SUPPOSED to be shared with others, as real hope…

When real hope comes to one in a hopeless situation, God’s Word can reach them, and THEN faith comes!

Sharing how Jesus did the impossible for us is an opportunity to soften someone’s heart. God does the work but He will use our story to minister to others- WHEN we are obedient.

Allowing God to use our vulnerability and transparency lets a skeptical world know we are real. It’s not about us.

Sharing our testimony-what God has done in our life- and letting that intimate experience as His witness is the connection to telling people about Him!

It’s WHY iamjesusgal ministries exists- we minister in local churches, raising funds to minister in Africa where our call is, to help others find their true identity and value in Christ- we are fearfully and wonderfully made by God for a real and personal relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. We overcome by the blood of the lamb and the words of our testimony!

Do you need encouragement? Does Jesus seem far off and distant to you? Let us pray for you!

Iamjesusgal ministries website

How did YOU dress today?

Many times, over the years of receiving invitations to attend a variety of events, the question has come up ‘what is the dress requirements?’ Or ‘how are we expected to dress?’

I’ve even had friends ask me personally, ‘what are you planning on wearing?’

And this is all well and good.

We certainly dont want to be out of order or draw unnecessary attention to ourselves-especially negative attention.

And let’s face it- most of us just want to fit in.

Right?

If we are going to a child’s soccer game, we ladies wouldn’t wear a fancy dress with heels, nor would men show up in suits and ties.

No- more likely, we’d wear shorts and a t-shirt, flip flops or tennis shoes…

But- changing the scenario, if we are invited to a wedding, we wouldn’t show up wearing shorts and t-shirts, flip flops or tennis shoes!

Instead, we ladies would absolutely wear a nice dress with heels, and men would wear suits and ties!

Knowing what to wear matters.

There are all appropriate ways of how we should dress in the natural… but God has a more profound dress code for us as believers…

He’s showing us the expected SPIRITUAL dress code in scriptures…

And it requires a whole new lifestyle wardrobe change.

God has filled up our spiritual closet with a clothing style that is timeless…

God’s fashion choice of clothing will never go out of style!

Choose from the wardrobe God has given you:

Compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline.

Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense…

And regardless of what else you put on, wear love.

It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.

“So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.”

Colossians 3:12-14 MSG

Humanitarian Godly Hands…

A Word from God.

“I haven’t dropped you. Don’t panic.

I’m here with you.

There’s no need to fear for I’m your God.

I’ll give you strength.

I’ll help you.

I’ll hold you steady., keep a firm grip on you…

Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you.

I’ve called your name. You’re mine.

When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you.

When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end- because I am God, your personal God, the Holy of Israel, your Savior.

I paid a huge price for you: all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in!

THATS how much you mean to me!

THATS how much I love you!

I’d sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you.” (Isaiah 41:9-10; 43:2-4 MSG).

Gods Spirit keeps stirring within me on this subject…

Hands.

God took His hands and placed them into the dirt and formed man with His hand..

Jesus’s nail scarred hands hammered to the cross…

I carry that image in my mind daily…

He still feels the nails, every time I fail.

And every time I fall, those same hands pick me back up.

When I need comforting, His Hands pat me on my shoulder, embrace me in warm hugs.

When I’m sad and my eyes leak the emotions in my heart, His hands wipes every year, and collects them into heavenly bottles for Heavens purpose- never is a tear wasted.

When I’m in need of companionship, He places His hand in mine.

When I achieve a goal or reach a milestone, Gods hands applaud me, cheers me on.

When I’m sick, His hands are laid on me to heal me.

God said ‘See? I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. I have written your name on the palms of My hands… I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands….” (Isaiah 49:16 NIV, NLT, ESV, NAS, MSG)

God loves me.

So much that He permanently inscribed my name on His Hand as a remembrance.

He says “Can a mother forget the infant at her breast, walk away from the baby she bore? But even if mothers forget, I’ll never forget you— NEVER.” (Vs 15-18)

(And for the record- THIS momma can NEVER forget or walk away from her children she bore!)

God can never forget those He has engraved on the palms of His hands.

Every time He sees His own scarred hands, He sees you.

I’ll always remember the feel of my babies hands holding onto mine, and patting me with their hands.

That precious innocent complete act of trust…each one special to me- My mind replays thousands upon thousands of scenes in my memory bank of them… as infants, as toddlers, as preschoolers, as school aged children, as preteens, as teens, and as adults… That reassuring feel of comforting touch that hands bring-so special!

I wrote this three years ago as two different posts- on two different dates-yet today they have deeper meaning, more profound meaning for us today.

Today, we said ‘see you later’ to our daughter and son-in-law, who are missionaries heading to Africa for 2 years., serving in the Peace Corp. Watching MY baby, put her hands in her husband’s… Knowing their hands are firmly planted in God’s hands regardless of where, brings me comfort and peace.

This past weekend, watching all the gathered immediate family and extended family hold hands, shake hands, embrace in tight hugs with hands, patting love taps on backs with hands, reinforced to me how amazing and perfectly formed are our hands.

Seeing our sons shake hands with tears overflowing in church… seeing our daughters hold each other tightly in the tightest embrace while trying to be brave fighting off tears, losing because of a sibling love so strong LOVE wins…

Seeing grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins hands interact with loving touches-

It is its own love language-

The language of Hands.

Today, these hands waved a proverbial farewell… but never a goodbye. Only see ya later.

As we trust in our God, who formed us with His guiding Hand, and protects us with His Hand- we know we send them off AS the hands of Christ.

In the months to come, their hands will become calloused from fielding the bush for food, carrying water buckets to and from the well for mile’s each day, forming a daily fire to cook and boil water, scrubbing their laundry, doing the work they were created and called to do.

These hands will encourage one another., and will work together.

These hands are anointed.

They will be used to praise and worship God high and lifted up. These hands will be used to clap as they sing with the locals. These believers hands will be used to lay on the sick, and the sick shall recover.

These hands will be used in acts of service- consecrated and dedicated to each other and to God.

Someday, these hands will hold our grandchildren, but for now, they hold all of our hope, love, and prayers.

But no fears, and no cares- Those were all cast to the Father God.

Purpose of Wealth

Gods plan has always been with the poor- and and for restoration.

The law of God was never supposed to be erased or replaced; but fulfilled with Christ. He redeemed us from the curse of the law- having been made a curse for us on the cross ( Galatians 3:13).

Gods purpose has always been the same. Yet many of today’s believers have drifted away from it-

Restoration.

Redistribution of HIS wealth so all could live and dwell.

In Deuteronomy, Gods reveals His plan further.

Every seven years, all debts were to be cancelled.

Everybody would start over, unburdened by accumulated indebtedness.

God says “There need be no poor people among you.” (Deuteronomy 15:4)

His intention is to build an economy that is so prosperous, poverty can be eliminated.

In fact- read Deuteronomy 15:1-11. Wow! Why has the church veered away from this???

We think wealth we earn is for us ourself and no one else.

This is where the deepest part of sin and selfishness is rooted-

It’s not ours, folks.

It’s God’s.

‘The earth is the Lords and the fullness therein.’

(1 Corinthians 10:26)

Everything belongs to God, entrusted to us. He gave us stewardship.

If we see our neighbors in need and have the ability to help with what we have, we are commanded to give to them.

“But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?” (1John 3:17)

The Bible has plenty to say about this. Don’t take my word for it- read it yourself!

“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (Galatians 6:10)

Deuteronomy 15:11 For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’

Matthew 5:42 “Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.”

Matthew 25:35-40 “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”

Luke 12:33-34 “Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

1 John 3:17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?”

We can’t continue to ignore the need all around us. God has called us to act.

James 2:14-17 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.“

And when we give, we are to give cheerfully.

2 Corinthians 9:7 “Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, prompt to do it) giver [whose heart is in his giving].”

See- the Lord gave this word to me:

“The purpose of wealth is not to hoard it to ourself.”

The blessing of Abraham was given for ALL in covenant with God.

This was an eternal everlasting blessing for those who entered an eternal everlasting covenant with God.

“And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring (seed) ALL peoples on the earth will be blessed’.” (Acts 3:25)

Blessing people is the heart of God.

Today- majority of people have drifted away from God’s principle of wealth distribution. They turn a blind eye to the poor, whether in their own city, or even within their own church. Most definitely have permitted their hearts to harden towards the impoverished living in other countries.

It’s sad.

It breaks my heart, and must grieve the heart of God.

There should not be any lack in our world.

There should not be people dying of starvation, hydration.

There should not be people dying in the heat, or freezing to death in the cold.

If God has given you two shirts-why can’t you give to one without?

This too is scriptural.

Luke 3:10-11 “And the crowds asked him, ‘What then shall we do?’ And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”

It is GOD who gave the ability to have wealth- but NOT to hoard to yourself.

The day of reckoning will come.

Remember the scripture earlier Matthews 25:35-40 I shared about helping those in need is helping the Lord?

Many people read and know of this scripture, but seldom talk about the 6 verses that follow-the consequences of NOT obeying God.

Here-read this in the Amplified:

Matthew 25:41-46 “Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Leave Me, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels (demons); for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me [with help and ministering care].’ Then they also [in their turn] will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or as a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will reply to them, ‘I assure you and most solemnly say to you, to the extent that you did not do it for one of the least of these [my followers], you did not do it for Me.’ Then these [unbelieving people] will go away into eternal (unending) punishment, but those who are righteous and in right standing with God [will go, by His remarkable grace] into eternal (unending) life.”

Either we believe God’s Word is true, or we don’t.

I KNOW it’s true. I know HIM. He is my Shepherd. I hear His voice, and I follow Him.

So if we know and believe it’s true- should we not be doing what God has said to do?

There is a solution to homelessness and poverty., for all the world. The name is Jesus. The Word of God.

Let’s start a revolution of God’s restoration!

It’s time for a spiritual jubilee!

Here’s a snapshot of what true believers did about this, as recorded in the Bible:

Acts 4:32-35 “All the believers were in one heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles feet, AND IT WAS DISTRIBUTED TO ANYONE AS HE HAD NEED.”

Do you ever wonder why this principle of sharing and wealth distribution has faded away?

I do.

I believe this spirit of giving and sharing is God’s desire. I believe it’s God’s heart.

I surely have read and reread this in multiple translations over multiple times- and haven’t seen once where God said it was only for a one time deal. I haven’t read yet where God said to stop giving and sharing.

I’m sharing an excerpt of a devotion I read this morning from The Bible App that reinforces the message the Holy Spirit gave me to share.

Yes, this is a long read above, and remainder- but it’s key for all believers and followers of Jesus to ‘see’ this!!!

To ‘get‘ this revelation that the seed reproduces after its own kind- and if we are the seed of Christ, God’s Son, and God GAVE, with a spirit of giving and sharing His best, all He has, He freely gave, and continually gives, to us- then we should be doing the same.

“The law sets up a process to ensure that no family will ever permanently lose its land.

They may become poor—perhaps through tragedy, perhaps through their own failings—and sell their land.

But the rest of the family is commanded to buy it back for them.

Furthermore, if no one has the money to buy it back, the next generation will be given it back.

Every 50 years is the Jubilee, when all land is returned to its original owners.

Everybody starts over.

There can be no permanent separation between the rich and the poor, no rich landowners and poor peasants.

Every fifty years they will go back to having the same resources.

With our current economic mindset, we might think this was a very unfair way to treat the well-off.

Why should they just give back what they got fair and square?

But the Bible introduces a very different point of view.

“The land is mine!” God says. (Leviticus 25:23)

“It never belonged to any of you in the first place.

It’s mine to use as I see fit, and my choice is to ensure that no family ever permanently loses its share in the economy.”

It’s hard to say how exactly this might be applied in a modern situation.

Our economic setting is very different, starting out with the observation that farming is not the whole economy.

What is not different is God’s concern for the poor, and His ownership of everything…

He has made a world where no one need be poor, and He gives laws to His people that are meant to stop poverty in its tracks.

Is His remedy fair to those who loaned the money?

Again, as with the land laws in Leviticus, it’s God’s money!

Not ours! According to Him, it’s not right that any one of His creatures should be permanently poor.”

Prayer:

“Lord, keep me from gripping money so tightly. It’s your money, not mine—you have merely loaned it to me. Show me how to put it to work for your good purposes of justice. In Jesus Name, Amen.”

Little Children’s Imaginary ‘Friends’ Have Spiritual Purpose

Often times, little children have imaginary ‘friends’.

To them, they ‘see’ their ‘friends’ as real people. They confide in them. They are content for hours spending time with them.

They talk with them, eat with them, play with them- as if they are REAL people.

Little children are given great imaginations by God! They love to sit on the floor and pretend real life situations and act them out.

They make up stories, acting out with dolls, or toy cars, or they ‘play’ house or doctor, policeman, cowboy etc.

Many times when my children were little, they’d say “Mommy, come play with me!”

And quickly they’d assign me a position-a role to act out “You be the mommy, I’ll be the baby.”

Without effort on their part, they’d come up with the most natural conversations as they play-acted. But for me, it was not as easy to ‘pretend’ anymore as a grown up.

I loved watching my children play alone content with their ‘imaginary friends.’

They’d be oblivious to me standing in the doorway,observing their conversations, lost in play as if I was the invisible one and their ‘friend’ was more real than me.

I believe God gave little children the gift of imagination, and especially imagination friends for a reason.

It teaches them at a young age to be comfortable with themselves talking out loud to an ‘invisible’ yet very important figure in their life they believe to be real.

Colossians 1:15 (NLT) “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation”

The gift of a childlike imagination is from God. Children have innate unquestionable faith. They ‘see’ with the pure, undefiled eyes of faith.

Playtime for a little child with an unseen ‘real’ friend, is prayer preparation time with an unseen REAL God!

I believe God gave little children the gift of imaginary friends to allow them to grow comfortable talking out loud to their unseen friend/s, so that without question they will be able to ‘see’ Jesus, and talk with God whom they can’t see, but know is there.

When we ‘see’ Jesus as our real, personal living friend- when we become comfortable as as child talking with Him openly and anything and everything- we will ‘become as a child.’

“And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3)

Perspective

Fears and uncertainties can dominate your thinking.

When we only view things from our limited scope, from our own limited understanding- our viewpoint is inaccurate.

God’s ways are not man’s ways.

God’s thoughts are not man’s thoughts.

God uses the foolish to confound the wise.

That’s why we need to see things through the lens of God’s Word.

That’s why we need the Holy Spirit to lead us, reveal and teach us, to direct us through His truth.

God’s #perspective is far more valuable.

Mans perspective is limited and skewed, but God is #omniscient –

He sees from an eternal perspective of past, present and future.

He knew us before we were even formed.

He knows the plans He has for us-every mistake, every misstep, every ‘bend’ and ‘detour’ in the roadtrip of our lives-

God doesn’t get alarmed and is never caught by surprise when we venture in the ‘wrong’ direction-

Because He saw the beginning from the end.

You see- each of us was born a mess.

God’s job is to #transform our mess into our messages, to enhance our testimonies, to be His Witnesses on the earth.

He is The #Creator, we are His created.

He is the #Master, we are His masterpiece.

A beautiful ceramic vase started out as a lump of dirty, filthy clay.

Yet the #Potter sees the hidden beauty within in it- because He knows it’s potential-

The Potter patiently sits besides His wheel, guiding the process of transformation from clay to vase-satisfied with each step because He sees the beauty all along the way.

ALL of us have sinned, and fall short of God’s glory. That’s why we need a Savior-to save us.

Each of our dirty, lumpy mess of clay looks different. Our ‘sins’ have different names and depths- but that doesn’t phase God one bit.

He loves us all. ALL of us- no exceptions.

Can you ‘see’ His perspective a bit clearer?

Pray this with me:

“Father God, help me to see others through YOUR perspective and not my own. Help me not to judge others ability to be transformed by you while they are still in the transformation process. Help us to trust in You, and to pray for others in our path, and to love them as we love ourselves. In Jesus Name, amen.”

“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)

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

Such a Time As This

I received some bad news today regarding Charles in Uganda.
Charles is a 15 year old boy whom I met in February this year, 2017, while there on a mission trip.   

Though there were thousands of people present who we prayed with, helped, and ministered to- when Charles approached me asking for me to pray for him, something happened.  
The Holy Spirit deposited this message into my spirit, “He is why you are here.”
Instantly, God-bumps arose all up and down my arms, an an instant Word of knowledge came to me by the Spirit.
Charles needed our help- and I was the vessel to get him connected to the help he needed.
Charles was diagnosed with a rare cancer at the early age of 9. 

His loving parents spent all they had to get him the care he needed, which included radiation, chemotherapy, and when that didn’t stop the aggressive cancer, surgery to remove the tumor on his right eye.

Sadly, the family ran out of funds… and the returned surgery planned for 6 weeks later never occurred in 2012…so this young boy had an open wound in the area where his eye used to be… getting infected…
When I met him this February, the eye was covered by gauze, and tape, but it was unclean.  When he asked me to pray for him, he apologized for the odor and pointed to his eye.  

He explained what I just shared, and asked if I would pray for him to be healed.  The odor was quite foul.
Yes.  
I laid hands on him, and prayed for his healing.  I prayed for his provision.  

I found out he had to drop out of school, since all the funds were being used for medical.  I found out he had a large family of brothers, and two young sisters.  I found out he had a dream.
But, like most 15 year olds, he had given up on his dream of becoming a doctor, because he had given up all hope of living through the cancer.
Without funds, there would be no treatment.
Without treatment, the cancer would continue spreading, and would eventually take his life.
So we said no to Satan, the spirit behind the sickness that bound him, and called him healed by the blood of Jesus.
I led him to the director, and first got him to wound care to treat the infected area, and then obtained permission to personally assist him. (Necessary when on a mission trip with an organization other than your own.)

We were able to go with him to meet his family at his homestead village in the bush.  

I was able to hold his hand, and watch hope come back to his countenance, with a smile from ear to ear.

I told him how God loved him so much and saw his struggles, and sent me from America to Uganda for such a time as this.  
I told him we would do all we could to help him get the eye surgery necessary so he could return to school.  I said ” hmmmm. Dr Charles…. that sounds good!”  
So a plan was arranged with the local doctor and pastor, funds were given to have Charles and his parents sent to hospital and to provide for food, transportation and lodging, and medical testing.
This all began on 2/24/17.  His initial biopsy showed him to be cancer free!  We were so happy! 
But then other symptoms began to appear… and his short term hospital stay has now grown into 5 months… and more bad news…
The cancer has returned and he will need to begin aggressive chemotherapy again on this coming Tuesday.
My husband and I had been covering the ongoing expenses each month out of pocket, and reached out to others through speaking engagements Churches 4 Africa: Planting Seeds 4 Love, through our newly formed non profit, iamjesusgal ministries.
The initial funds received specifically for Charles has long since been sent. Much more is needed.  
How can you help?
First and foremost, pray.  Prayers of faith for his complete healing are vitally important while we wait for these symptoms he’s experiencing to line up with God’s Word.  Prayers for finances to come are also needed.
****In order for Charles to receive treatment and ongoing medical care, we are asking if able, please make a contribution on our website, Iamjesusgal ministries, and in the comments state ‘Charles medical care-Uganda’.*****
The Christian Doctor, whom I personally know there in Uganda, is working hand in hand with his cancer doctors providing his care as long as funds continue.  She is reporting back to me his specific needs, and giving an account of each dollar given.
Currently they are in need of $500 US dollars very quickly., to ensure he receives necessary medical care.
I’m saddened by this news., but hopeful for his prognosis based on GOD’S report! 
Thank you to all who have helped thus far.  Thank you for reading this, and I hope, thank you for sharing this… and more, I hope, thank you for prayerfully making a contribution to help Charles live and not die.
“I will live and not die, and shall proclaim the deeds of the Lord.”

Psalm 119:17

Found on Josie’s Pinterest

Many people have opinions that social media is a tool of the enemy, so they avoid it like a plague. 

I have  come to believe that Satan has no creative abilities, only those that may corrupt, pollute or distort something beautiful that God created, because I believe God is the almighty Creator- and that all things were created BY God and FOR God (Colossians 1:16).

No one person can ‘create’ something totally by scratch.  They can use the creative abilities bestowed upon them and inspired by God.  

However, in order to do so, they are using ingredients or supplies or materials…already created by the Creator.
It is humanly impossible to create something that never before existed, using a substance that they alone created, out of nothing.  
Only a Creator can do this, and only God is the true, one and only, Creator.
For something to be made, reproduced, invented, etc, something had to already previously existed or be created- then, using the creativity one possesses, an individual could potentially assemble something unique… using materials already created by the Creator.
Everything has potential to be used for the good, or to be used for bad.

Jesus said this:  ‘The thief comes only to kill, to steal and destroy, but I have come so that you might have life more abundant.’  (John 10:10)

We choose to use social media for either good, or bad.  
  
We can promote good (God) in all we do and say, or we can promote bad (Satan) in what we do and say.
I think you understand my point.
This morning, I read a post on Facebook from a friend.  

This friend suffered a tragic, sudden, unexpected loss of her beautiful, young, carefree, talented, full of life, full of God, daughter, 7 months ago. 
We lost our youngest daughter in a tragic, sudden, unexpected bizarre hurricane related accident 6 years ago next month from severe brain injuries when a tree fell on our van, but only for 6 minutes…somehow, supernaturally, God restored life and healing to our daughter…, whereas for my friend- her daughter’s death was sudden, complete- yet her daughter is complete, healed, restored, and alive as well, only living in Heaven.
So I can relate, to a degree, of the emotions a parent feels seeing their own child lifeless…& my heart still aches for my friend… Sonya… and for all of her family who each one is still affected by the shock, still grieving from the unexpected, so I am still covering them in prayers for God’s supernatural comfort.
But back to the post I read this morning on Facebook…

It simple said ‘found on Josie’s Pinterest’ and included a picture of a beautiful poem that brought my friend, this grieving parent, an unexpected positive memory… 
I’ve since googled this poem.   I wanted to read the whole poem, and to learn who penned it.
It’s called ‘After a While’ by Veronica A Shoffstall.

Simple.  Yet profound.  Healing balm to a wounded soul.

Intrigued by these beautiful words, I was prompted to research more about the poet, and this particular poem that captured Josie’s attention on Pinterest that my friend shared this morning on Facebook…

And in doing so, discovered the rest of the poem.

It’s called “After a While You Learn” and actually is part of the authors wordpress blog, copied below in the link.  
I encourage all to read, as it’s beautifully written and contains more gems of wisdom.  Here’s a link to do just that, if you’d like.

https://purenourishment.wordpress.com/2012/10/21/after-a-while-you-learn-by-veronica-a-shoffstall-1971/amp/

Social media was used in a positive way this morning.  It gave my friend a glimpse into the past of her precious daughter’s life- and shared a precious moment of a mutually appreciated poem…

Through Facebook, a Pinterest ‘like’ temporarily connected a departed daughter, now living in Heavens eternity,  with a grieving mother, still passing through life’s journey here on earth, in a beautiful God moment. 

All because of social media.  
Something God created to be used for good, not evil.  It’s up to us to choose how.   

Today, I choose for good.