Who Am I?

Written By: Judy Smith

One of the greatest steps in discovering who we are is discovering who God is. God is a God of justice and righteousness without guilt or sin. He is pure and He is Holy. Hebrews 10:19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

After Moses had been with God, his face glowed. When Isaiah saw the Lord high and lifted up, he was very much aware of his own sinfulness. But in the heart of God a way had been prepared for Jesus from the beginning. God gave His perfect gift, His Son, and through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, blood has spilled on the doorframe of the hearts of every man and woman who trusts in Him. We must draw near to God with a sincere heart of faith. Who we are in ourselves is not enough, but who we are in Christ is everything.

Ephesians 3:20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us. Acts 17:28 For in Him we live and move and have our being.

God’s power is at work within in us everyday, therefore we can learn to live beyond our feelings. Paul learned to live beyond his flesh and feelings. 2 Corinthians 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. I am strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

In 2 Corinthians 12:9 we learn that His grace is sufficient. Grace signifies unmerited favor, undeserved blessing, a free gift. God’s grace is His power exceeding what we could achieve or hope for if we were on our own. His grace gives us the ability to sustain, endure, and maintain all that He is enabling us to and become in Christ.

His grace enables us to manage our feelings. Although feelings can be very strong and demanding, we do not have to allow them to rule our lives. We must manage our emotions rather than allowing them to manage us. We have free will and can make decisions that are not based on feelings. I am so grateful that I don’t have to wait and see how I feel everyday before I know how to act. With Jesus’ help I am going to live beyond my feelings. I’m going to live the joy-filled life that Jesus came to give me.

1 Thessalonians 5:15-19 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit.

What is your heart’s cry? God hears your heart! Our words for the most part cannot express everything that is inside of us. Our words fall hopelessly short of expressing our sorrows, frustrations, hopes, and dreams.

God wants to hear our hearts so the Holy Spirit examines our conscience and subconscious innermost thoughts and feelings. I thank God for His Holy Spirit and my heavenly language that prays my heart. Jesus cares more about our heart’s cry than our words.

Romans 8:27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. When we mess up, the first thing we say is “God knows my heart.” Yes He does! Do you? 

Prisoner of Fear

Written By Remaliah Evans

I was four years old watching Shaka Zulu and then I could not sleep later that night because I was afraid of being kidnapped. My Mom explained that no one would kidnap me, she prayed with me, pled the blood of Jesus over me, and then made me memorize 2 Timothy 1:7. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Since that day whenever I am afraid I say this verse because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. This verse has carried me through many situations.

Still, I struggle with two major fears: fear of failure and fear of success. I have been blessed to work with the same company for ten years. However I should have found another job years ago. But I didn’t. I didn’t leave because I was afraid that I would fail in a new position or get fired because of cutbacks. I didn’t leave because I was afraid of what it would be like to succeed in a new position. Would the responsibility of success eventually crush me? Would I become a workaholic? I was paralyzed by fear. I updated my resume and I looked for jobs but I didn’t look too hard because I was afraid. I was very picky about the positions I would apply for, and although I was “looking” I only applied to a handful of jobs each year.

Fortunately for me God knows how to shake me up and get me moving, but I was quite stubborn. I kept adjusting and adapting to changes that were designed to guide me into a new position. Instead of taking the hint, I decided that I would rather deal with being uncomfortable than face the fear of failure, the fear of success, or the fear of the unknown. Until my admin quit. My admin had been with me for three years and she was overqualified, so she decided to move on.

When she quit I realized that she had the good sense to move on, and I didn’t. I was angry at myself for staying longer than I should have. I was angry because I realized that I had allowed fear to hold me prisoner. I had even received a prophecy that said, “The prison door is open, all you have to do is walk out.” I didn’t get it at the time. Honestly, I just got that right now. To top it off I had another prophecy confirming that there had been not one, but several times where I could have transitioned out my job and I chose not to. That truth was hard to hear.

I now refuse to turn down opportunities simply because I am afraid that I might fail, or because I am afraid that I might succeed.

As angry and as stupid as I felt when my admin quit, I must tell you that it was another six months before I even applied for a new position, and I did not get the job. I’m still here, in the same position. The good news is that I am now facing fear head on and still declaring that God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Every day. The other good news is that I now refuse to turn down opportunities simply because I am afraid that I might fail, or because I am afraid that I might succeed. I had even stopped writing for some time because I was afraid that my writing would not make an impact. Throughout this whole process I have seen the Lord’s faithfulness and I have seen that no one is more committed to me than He is. No matter how strenuous and impossible the situation, God’s grace is sufficient.

It was never about the job, success, writing, or moving on. It has been about knowing Him more intimately.  Trusting Him, and trusting Him enough to follow Him even when the future seems uncertain.  I am no longer a prisoner of fear.

It’s Time to DO WORK

Written By Tina Cobian

What would happen if day in and day out you just never tried to do anything? By anything, I mean ANYTHING. You don’t pay attention to clocks and rise when you feel like it. You don’t go to work because you don’t feel like it.  There is no showering, or grooming for you of any kind. You simply “step over” the trash in your home because you don’t want to take the time to throw it out and cleaning is just too much work.  During the day you lay down some more, nap a little and watch TV, while of course sitting down on your trash ridden sofa. You eat whatever makes you happy for the moment and at night, or in the wee hours of the morning you retire to your disheveled, smelly bed to sleep until the next day begins…whenever you decide that is.

 Some of you may be completely disgusted by the picture I just painted.  But can I say that some who may be meticulous cleaners, organizers, and hard workers who never miss a day of employment sick or not, may also be living this kind of lazy-life existence? Sound funny? Well what if I told you that it is possible to suffer from emotional, spiritual, mental and even relational atrophy? It is. Proverbs 29:18 very clearly tells us that without a vision the people perish. So it is possible to neglect ourselves in the areas where most people don’t see.  Have you ever heard the phrase, “Use it or lose it!”? It’s true.  Just like our natural muscles suffer and degenerate with disuse so does our spiritual, emotional, and mental strength and acuity. 

 Atrophy does not only occur after disuse.  It can also occur as the result of an injury.  Have you kept yourself separated from others because you are “too busy” to make time for family or friends?  Or is the real reason you avoid too much time with people because you have experienced hurt in past relationships and you fear opening your heart again to others.  If you are nervous or anxious about building relationships here is a solution Paul gives us in Philippians 4:6 & 7. He says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” So in other words…Seek ye first…  Matthew 6:33

 Atrophy does NOT have to be permanent. Exercising the atrophied areas can build you up and make you strong where you were once weak. That doesn’t mean that there won’t be pain along the way.  It happens, but we can grow through it and emerge stronger. When you work out for the first time in a LONG time you get sore. Even if you are normally a physical person you may have switched up your exercise regimen or done something that you normally don’t do. In the fitness world this is referred to as DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness). This pain can be alarming to a person who is new to exercise but someone who is used to exercising knows it and will be able to skillfully work through it because they know the soreness is part of a process that will lead to greater stamina and strength in that area.

 Daily life makes it easy to neglect our health and growth in areas that we think are “unseen”. We are all busy but prioritizing is the key. For instance, how much time is spent watching television or trolling the social media sites? Could Facebook or Instagram stand a little less attention from you? Think about it. Could you replace ONE hour a week of social media time with actual human interaction? Could you attend a bible study or even sit down to read or pray by yourself in an effort to grow spiritually?  These are the areas you can explore and only you (and God) know where you can give a little more.

 Those who run marathons must train for this even if they are normally very physical.  They must discipline themselves on a daily basis, watching what they eat, how much water they drink, and of course building their stamina for the race ahead of them. They push themselves to the limit and stretch the boundaries of their muscles and mental status keeping their eyes on the prize, the goal, the finish line.  For some winning that race means crossing the finish line, no matter what number they are.

 Others race against their own previous record.  They want to push past what they were able to achieve before.  For you and I…putting on those tennis shoes and making it to the starting line may be worthy of a gold medal. 

 2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight.  I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

 You can do it…Flex that muscle…It’s time to DO WORK!

I CAN

Written By Amber Lawton

Standing at the barre, facing my reflection in the mirror, I gaze at the beads of sweat dripping down my face. “Plie, and revere,” I hear the instructor call out. I quickly look to my neighbor’s feet in an attempt to catch on to the movements. The instructor continues, “Stay there, and pulse.” I quickly scan the room  of 15 women to see if I am the only one struggling. There is nothing more comforting than knowing you are not alone when it feels as if you are failing. On this occasion, however, I am not fortunate to find my ‘fail-mate’. With pensive faces, each woman continues her gaze in the mirror as we change from one position to the next. Our limbs pulse to the upbeat tempo of the music as the cheerful instructor, a petite brunette with a dancer’s body, walks the floor. “What did I get myself into?” I think, as we move to mats on the floor to do planks.

Only 10 minutes into a 55 minute Xtend Barre class and I was ready to give up. But right in that moment when I wanted to drop my body to the floor and roll over on my back I heard: ‘I DO Hard Things!’

 I wish I could tell you that I elegantly continued as a graceful ballerina; as if out of a scene from the movies I could magically bend and stretch effortlessly with the rest of the class. Not quite. At almost 5’ 1” and approximately 90 lbs. overweight, I tilted, wobbled, and careened my way through the class to the very end. When the burn became unbearable, and my thoughts tried to turn to embarrassment I thought: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13 NKJV)

For most, finishing a morning workout wouldn’t require much thought, or scripture for that matter. I am definitely not like most. Walking out of the studio I felt empowered. My thoughts turned back to ‘I Do hard Things’. Why in that moment had that particular statement come to mind? What does doing “hard things” mean to me?

 For me, a hard thing was being able to try anything unfamiliar, surrounded by people I did not know. The former me would not have been able to make it out of her bedroom. Too wrought with depression, and overcome with anxiety, if she did make it to class she would have burst into tears 5 minutes in. You see lovely, I had the desire to be alive, but was crippled by fear and uncontrollable thoughts. Paranoia, skepticism, nervousness, and emotion hindered me from wanting to actually live. Living requires going, doing, and trying. None of which I had the courage to do. Thankfully God has a bigger plan for me. With the help of His word renewing my mind daily and years of therapy, I was able to take control of my thoughts. As I regain focus on what is important I am able to overcome my past and live in the present, as I become who I am created to be in the future. I am sure many of you know this is hard work, and tiresome at times.

 Quite possibly these are the reasons the theme of the upcoming Life Builder Conference came to mind while I was mid-exercise in a classroom full of strangers. “I Do Hard Things” is a statement, not a question. There is a call to action in the “do”. I have no idea what is on the agenda for the conference, but with a week away I am in great anticipation for some “ah-ha” moments, and inspired revelation.

Maybe you are not like me; eager and hopeful. Maybe you are saying right now: “your hard things are not anything like my hard things.” I would say you are absolutely right!  That is what makes this conference so great. If Pastor Cathy did not  grab hold of her God-given courage, talents, gifts, and wisdom to build safe learning environments to unlock every woman’s potential we would not have Life Builder Seminars or this conference.

From the founder to volunteers and attendees, we each have our own “hard things” to accomplish.

So lovely, what “hard things” have you faced or are facing? Share in the comments below! 🙂

No, I am NOT Thankful

Looking at things from another Perspective can make us more Thankful

I have been an office manager for several years at the same company and I could see that change was coming. So I prayed against it, and I was too scared to pray “Lord, Your will be done”, because I did not know what His will was. Although I suspected that it did not match my will. Instead of seeking His guidance, I prayed for exactly what I wanted, which was that I would be able to continue managing my same location. I told the Lord, “I really can’t handle a transition right now. I have been through this a few times over the years and a transition would simply snuff out my last bit of enthusiasm for this job.”

Lo and behold my boss tells me that they are not transferring me to another center. They are transferring me to two centers! Two centers which I have worked at in the past. Two centers that I do not like. “Ok, Lord we have a problem. Did you not hear my prayers? I specifically asked not to be transferred. Not only am I being transferred to one center that I don’t like, I’m being transferred to TWO centers that I don’t like! TWO! Lord, what is going on?” Within in my spirit I hear “Trust Me.”

Alright ladies, look: I love God, He has been faithful to me, and He has preserved me through some very dark times. Even so, trust is a real problem for me. So when He said trust Me, I was livid. I said, “Trust You? I trusted You when I prayed about this job, and You ignored me. This is transfer is counterproductive, and this does not make me want to trust You. This is the worst thing that could have happened aside from being fired!” I may seem dramatic but believe me this was exactly how I felt.

Then I hear, “What if there is someone there who needs Me? And I immediately shot back, “I don’t care, I don’t want to go!” (If I were, God, I would have struck me dead right then and there) At that moment my pride, selfishness, and immaturity became blatantly clear to me. I repented and decided I would do my best to trust God during the process. However I was still disappointed and distressed about the situation. Ultimately, I decided to suck it up and do my best during and after this transition. I received godly advice from a few friends and I began to pray. A few days later my boss says, “One of the locations is being remodeled soon and I don’t want you to have to go through that again. So for now we’ll just transfer you to one location.” Hallelujah, thank you Jesus, you heard my prayers!

I’m driving to work the next day and I said, “thank You Lord for hearing my prayers.” Then I started mulling over my life and said, “My life sucks.” To be perfectly honest with you, I say this to myself from time to time when life gets rough, but for the first time, I heard something back. “Why do you think your life sucks?” And it is hits me. I’m NOT thankful. Why am I not thankful for my life? Being in a pity party mood, I decided to answer the question. “Lord, my life sucks because my job sucks, my Mom died, I can’t seem to get certain relationships right, I’m not good at this, I’m not good at that.” I listed quite a few other things and then I realized all these things are circumstantial yet, I had allowed circumstances to steal my thankfulness.

Imagine giving your friend a sweater for her birthday and she exclaims, “thank you!” But then, “you know this is really not the color I would’ve chosen for myself, it’s a little long for my taste. Oh and is this Anne Klein?… Calvin Klein is really my favorite.” Can you imagine?! You might be tempted to snatch that sweater back. This is exactly how I was with God. “Lord, thank you for my life…. but my life sucks. My life did not turn out the way that it was supposed to. Yes, God, I’m so grateful for my life… but I really wish I was married, and that I didn’t have to work, and that I didn’t have any problems.”

Does that sound thankful to you? I was NOT thankful! But check out how GOOD God is. He did not condemn me for my ungrateful attitude. He changed my mindset. My Mom is dead. I miss her, I am still mourning, and my heart aches knowing that she will not be at my wedding or see my children or be there for any more holidays. When my Mom died, my world stopped. I wanted to stop. I don’t think anything can prepare you for the death of a loved one. Through all that God made sure that I was surrounded by people that prayed for me and my family during that time. It’s hard, but those prayers have been answered, and by His grace I am able to grieve. Yes, I wish my Mom was here. However it would be a mistake to be so consumed with her death that I refuse to appreciate those who are still here. I still have my Dad, my Grandma, my siblings, and many others.

As for the rest of my woes, well, they are circumstantial. Temporary situations. They may be difficult situations yet God is with me in every problem. I can give God my concerns and disappointments, and I can still be thankful. I do not understand how certain things could possibly be working for my good, but I can still be thankful. I choose to trust Him and be thankful.

 

 
 

God’s Tunnel Vision

You can see your Goal, but how do you get there?

Written by Tina Cobian

…but when he saw the wind, he was afraid, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord Save Me!” Matthew 14:23

There are so many negative connotations related to the expression “Tunnel Vision” but when you think about what it actually means in the spirit, it’s an amazing concept. In fact one natural cause of Tunnel Vision is through extreme elation or a surge of adrenaline. How many times have you caught hold of a dream or a vision God has for you and you take off towards your goal with His tunnel vision? All you can see is that finish line God has placed at the end. God’s Tunnel Vision is not dark and gloomy, like one would picture in the natural. In God’s tunnel vision, His light surrounds you and marks your goal. However, when you become distracted by life, storms, fear, people and false visions, that tunnel can quickly turn into a dark and gloomy place.

Are you lost in the dark tunnel vision? Do you feel weak, lonely and scared? Is the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel now so far off that you can barely remember the dream or the vision much less see it clearly? Maybe you have somehow exchanged God’s tunnel vision for the wrong vision. I have to think about Joseph and the dream that God gave him. He saw the sun, the moon and the stars bowing down to him. In the pit he had to remind himself of that vision and recognize that where he was at that moment was not his final destination. Each time, through every trial, he reminded himself of the higher purpose of God in his life. Even the day he looked out over all Pharaoh had given him charge over, at all of his possessions, the treasures and even his family. He must have gazed out at the night sky from his bedroom in the palace and said to himself. “I see the sun, the moon and the stars and THIS is not my final destination. He knew that God had further purpose for him and his dream had not yet been realized.

I would love to say that on every one of my trips through that tunnel, I slid happily through it on a rainbow where puffy clouds of cotton candy (with no calories) met me at every twist and turn until I finally arrived at my destination. The truth is that there are struggles along the way and realizing your dreams will not always come easy. I can compare one of my journeys to a trip our family took to a water park. I decided to take a ride on a giant water slide. I sat down at the top and as I let go, I realized how high I was and how fast I was going. I became fearful and put my hands out to slow myself down. Have you ever tried to pull a water balloon through a tube? (Please don’t camp there in that visual, you may never reach the end of this story.) Well that was me inching my way to the bottom of this long winding water slide. In an attempt to save some portion of my pride I let go of the walls right before my triumphant exit. I pictured my children’s applause, heard it, and envisioned the moment. The problem was that I had just enough time to gain enough momentum, get scared, and make a failed attempt to stop myself as I shot out of the tube flipped over and landed face down in the water. Yes, my children saw me. No they did not applaud.

Have you ever asked God why it isn’t just a straight shot from vision to end goal? Here is what happens in these times of trials or times when you see the goal but don’t know how to get there. You turn to Father and ask. There will be plenty of questions on the way and He has all the
answers. As an example, I started a new job about a year or so ago. The work can be difficult and every day I am met with one or more questions or problems I simply cannot answer or fix on my own. The company placed me right next to a mentor and when I get stuck, I go to her for answers. Throughout this year, I have had the great pleasure of getting to know her beyond the relationship of “co-worker”. She is my friend and the process I have gone through daily with her has allowed me to build that relationship…are you getting it?

So we catch the vision, we are awakened to a dream, we get God’s tunnel vision and take off. Remember that we can take and keep hold of His hand the entire time. He knows each step we need to take and when each step needs to be taken. He delights in the journey with us and will impart wisdom in the process. It can be exciting to try and run ahead but the dream will only be realized in His perfect time. If you get lost, stop and listen for His voice to get you back on track and back into HIS tunnel vision…Be encouraged for hasn’t He declared to you that He KNOWS the plans that He has for you…? (Jeremiah 29:11)There is such power in that scripture. God, Himself is speaking purpose over our lives, we just have to keep focused.

 
 
 

Friendship

The Value of True Friends

Written by Yvonne Galindo

It’s refreshing to know you have friends that you are able to share your most intimate, deepest, or creative ideas this is a gift that many desire without Jealousy. Yup! That’s right it happens. That should be my next blog. Today it’s about friendship. I have been fortunate to have had great relationships during my years of service in Women’s Ministry. Serving in women’s ministry God taught me of how to be that unconditional friend. I learned how not to judge but to except. Giving my friends and those whom I come across the opportunity to speak freely and honestly without judgment; never expecting anything in return. I have friends that I have known for years and maybe don’t see as often as I would like. But I know that if I have a need or maybe just want to chat I could call or email and even visit and I know I am always welcome. That’s what it’s about being welcome into someone’s life and being accepting of that person. With Social Media today there is really no excuse! It’s about taking the time to reach out to one another and finding ones common interest. Paul indicates in 1 Corinthians 9:22 “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel that I may share in its blessings”. I have girls hiking; movie or dinner dates even if it’s just once in while we find the time to enjoy one another’s company. Has it always been easy; absolutely not? Have I been unwelcomed sure; has it hurt me, YES! I try to remember Christ Words in Matthew 10:14; if anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. Our goal as women of God is to live and know you are free and to free those around you. One more note- what about work friends? Well ask yourself the following:

If your friend left the company, would you still be in touch with her in a year?
If you had a personal emergency, would you consider asking your work friend for help?
Do you hang out with your friend outside the office? (Weekday lunch, dinner, and business trips don’t count.)
Do you and your friend have anything in common besides your age and your job?

If you’re lucky, someone you meet at work could turn into a friend for life. It happened to me.

For more from Yvonne Galindo, please visit her blog

 
 
 
 

The Power of the Word of God

God uses His Word to Shape our Lives

Written by Victoria Aguila

So I shared this on my Facebook page because it was one of those “aha” God moments for me. Does that happen to you? Like, you have read the scriptures before BUT this time that you read it, it just came out and slapped some revelation into you? After all, the Word is Alive and Powerful right?

This is the scripture I was reading, Hebrews 4:12 Amplified Bible (AMP) For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.

I often ask myself, why am I feeling this or why am I feeling that. Issues of the heart arise and I sit in frustration and think I don’t understand why I am feeling this way. What is this God, Help me God, Show me God, Expose it God, Heal me God! Pleading for my sanity because sometimes my emotions get the very best of me. I know it’s deeper, surely I know it’s deeper than the small triggers BUT I struggle to get to the root issue to “dig deep” within myself and figure this out.

Today I am finding comfort in knowing that it isn’t about me digging deep or figuring it out but it is about me getting into the Word and letting the Word that is alive and full of power penetrate the deepest parts of my nature.

I love that it says DEEPEST, like not just the deep rooted stuff but it gets all the way to the DEEPEST rooted stuff and it continues with this…”exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.” While I love this, it is also makes me uncomfortable. I mean think about it, God, the Creator of the universe, my Heavenly Father, the Holy One of Israel, is exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of my heart. EEEEEEKKKKKKKK Matthew 15:18-19 Amplified Bible (AMP) 18 But whatever comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and this is what makes a man unclean and defiles [him]. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts (reasonings and disputings and designs) such as murder, adultery, sexual vice, theft, false witnessing, slander, and irreverent speech. While it makes one uncomfortable, it is necessary to get into the Word and allow it fill us up and flush out all that is unclean. I am one that tries to be careful about what I say and how I say it. I try to tame the tongue and use my words to build up and not tear down and that is all fine and good HOWEVER, we also have to be careful with that because we can walk the walk and talk the talk but when God starts searching our hearts and analyzing and judging our thoughts and the purpose of our hearts, He isn’t going to base it on how well we walked that walk or talked that talk. He will see right through all that and He will expose it. In a moment of anger or disappointment or disputing, the evil thoughts in our hearts will come out. (see Matthew 15:19 above)

It is by the Word of God that we guard our hearts. We can try and try and work on this area BUT that alone will not guard our hearts. We need to be reading and studying and meditating on the Word of God. This will build up boundaries of Truth and Holiness around our hearts so we can recognize the lies and the uncleanliness that try to penetrate our hearts when it should be the Word of God penetrating the deepest parts of our nature. Proverbs 4:23 Amplified Bible (AMP) 23 Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.

While it is good to guard our mouth gates, it is better to guard our heart gates. That is where the deepest stuff is at. Today let us commit to studying the Word of God and be vigilant and above all else guard our hearts. Let the Word of God be our shield against the fiery darts, against the lies of the enemy, against our unclean thoughts, against anything that would defile our hearts.

Who is with me, to spend more time with God and asking Him that through His Word, He cover our hearts with His shield of Truth and Love?

We can do this Treasures!!

For more from Victoria please visit her blog

 
 
 

The Beauty of a Promise

Encouraging and Beautiful Poem

Written By Mashani Allen

As a student of the Bible it’s amazing to me how I can read a chapter in a few minutes and not really consider the years that happen from one chapter to the next. To see a promise given by God take years before its answered. The time frame of manifestation does not disregard the fact that there was still a promise given. Unfortunately the time in between is where the real battle exist. Do you still believe although its been 5, 10, 20 years since the promise was given? It takes so much effort to still believe while the clock ticks and the years come and go. A decision must be made in spite of everything else to still believe. I heard a minister say, “Does it really matter how long it takes if you get it?” Let patience be the order of the day and dust off your promise. When God makes you a promise it’s a done deal. Don’t allow life, people or circumstances to cause you to let go. Hold on to your promise, remind yourself of your promise, remind the enemy of your promise. God is faithful and just, we must be patient and trust. Let the words below bless you as you pick up every promise.

 

The Promise

It runs through your DNA and flows through your veins, My plan for your life to rule and to reign, The Promise.

It comes with much battle, it come with much fight, it is not for the faint at heart, or those quick to take flight, The Promise.

It was a mystery that only I knew and now I’ve revealed, it silences doubt and causes fear to be still, The Promise.

A plan only the ultimate architect could design, transcending cultures, gender and time, The Promise.

A gift I gave you when I released you into the earth, it confirms your potential, your value and your worth, The Promise.

I’ve shown it to you in visions, I’ve shown it to you in dreams, it causes you to smile and your eyes to dance and beam, The Promise.

It is not empty but overflowing to the full, it is not limited by external factors or man made rules, The Promise.

I fulfill it to the righteous those in right standing with Me, and I do it in the open for all the world to see, The Promise.

I place My honor upon them, I show them as My prize, I endow them with wisdom, upon them I rise, The Promise.

It comes with great anticipation, it comes with great delight, it brings open shame to the enemy and puts demons to flight, The Promise.

For the promise fulfilled cannot be denied, its full of my majesty and glory which cannot hide, The Promise.

It beams in their confidence, it shines through their grin, the promise fulfilled causes others to turn from sin, The Promise.

For the carriers of the promise understand the weight of the call, they have humbled themselves completely, they have surrendered all, The Promise.

I am the God of reward and My promise is with me, blessings of abundance in the natural and a crown of glory in eternity.

The Promise.

For more from MaShani Allen please visit: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Beauty-of-Holiness/112862342082193.

Mashani will also be at our next conference! If you’d like to see her live, Register here!