Praise Him ANYWAY!

At some point during our walk for God we may waver. Now I am not saying that we stop believing in God but we stop doing the things that we use to do with God from when we were born again.

For example, when you were born again you probably was so ecstatic that you made sure you attended all church events, volunteered when you could, read your Bible consistently, prayed consistently, etc.

Fast forward, it is a year into your walk....what about 5 years, what about 20 years? Has your zeal for the Lord wavered? Do you still do the things you use to do as when you became born again? If not, you need to repent right now and apologize to GOD for not giving Him your personal best.

Personally, my faith begins to waver when LIFE happens to me. For example, if I get sick I may not feel like going to church. If I get into an argument with my husband  I may not want to read my Bible and/or  pray....but friends be not deceived....the events of LIFE are just some of Satan's tactics to keep you distracted. The enemy never sleeps . . .  his job is to get you to renounce your allegiance to GOD! He has been accomplishing this for years by throwing LIFE's problems at God's people. AND sometimes, it's not even SATAN causing LIFE to happen , it's ourselves!

But the wonderful thing about our heavenly father is that he ALWAYS provides a way out when LIFE just happens.

We have to know God's word and know that He will not let anything happen to His children. He loves you! He has plans to prosper you ! NOT DESTROY YOU!!!!!

So, what now? You need to ask God to help you find your way back to him. To fill you with that zeal for HIM again. SO when you think about His goodness you have no other choice but to praise HIM.

God understands that we get distracted. But, you have to be strong and know that HE IS! God can take any obstacle you have and turn it around! What I should of done when I was feeling sick was to go to church and get my HEALING....when I had an argument with my husband I should of been talking to GOD about helping me see the solution!!!!

This is why we should praise Him anyway! It doesn't matter if you don't feel like it... that's your flesh talking nonsense! Do it anyway! God will reward you becuase He sees that you are pushing through your flesh!

The Prayer of Jabez

I just read this awesome book and can we say AWESOME!!! I noticed that the publication of this book was in 2000!!! And the information in it is still relevant today.

I will not give you the inside scope of all the "meats and potatoes" of it! But instead, give you key highlights of the book.

1. The entire concept of book is based on 1 Chronicles 4:9-10.
2. We need to learn to ask God to bless us.
3. To bless in the biblical sense means to ask for God to impart supernatural favor into our lives.
4. When we ask for his blessing we are cryin gout for His wonderful and unlimited goodness that only God can give.
5. When we seek God's blessing as the ultimate value in life we are throwing ourselved entrirelu into his will and purpose for our life.
6. If you don't ask for His blessing you FORFEIT those blessings, and you only get what you ask.
7. Through a simple believing prayer you can change your future. You can change what happens one minute from now.
8. God's bounty is only limited by US, not by his resources, power , or willingness.
9. We must live large for GOD! He will enlarge our territory in order for His will to be accomplished through us.
10. Whatever our gifts, education, or vocation might be our calling is to do God's work on Earth.
11. God's Math : My willingness and weakness + God's will and supernatural power= my expanding territory.
12. Dont just pray for God to give us strength through temptations and Satan's attacks but ask him to simply keep the devil at bay in our lives.
13. If we aren't expereincing any type of attacks we should be worried becuase then the DEVIL doesn't see us as a threat!

Nonetheless, breif highlights that I took away. I encourage you to purchase this book! AWESOME! AWESOME! AWESOME! I will also be blogging about my 30 day transformation from this book. Stay tuned!

Serving the Lord as A Youth

When you were young let's say 5 , what was the question you often heard? Was it "what do you want to be when you grow up?"

I know I often got asked this question. The correct question should of been "how are you going to serve the Lord".

I am still a youth; however, a lot of my youthful days were spent on pointless activities that often led to destruction.

God urges us to "flee . . . youthful lusts; but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace. . ."
2 Timothy 2: 22

God gave us clear direction on what we should be doing in our youth. Many of us have pursued our youthful lusts and God knew we would. He told us "that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God: having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away."
2 Timothy 3: 2-5

But this is ok! God's GRACE abounds much more than where sin dwells. That means that all the bad you ever did is covered by His GRACE !!

What you can do NOW is stop chasing after the lusts of the flesh. Instead start chasing out the fruits of GOD.

This consists of studying his WORD. The only way to know what is righteous is to know God. The only way to know GOD is through his word! Study ! Study ! Study ! God will reward you for your diligence to be a servant of His will and NOT yours! 2 Timothy 2:15

His ways produces LIFE; our ways produces DEATH! Which one will you choose?

How to Become Intimiate With God

Becoming intimate with God does not mean to actually have "sexual relations" with Him. Intimacy with God is not the same level of intimacy that we share with one another. Instead, intimacy with God is simply getting to know Him--building a relationship with Him--having genuine love for Him and for who He is.

So who is God? Is He some mystical being? A figment of our imagination? Of course NOT! God is real. Many people have wondered and pondered about is God real or is He some type of coping mechanism we all utilize to deal with the realities of life.

Let's examine this from a "natural" historical perspective. If God is not real, then why has the whole entire world adopted the time frame "B.C." and "A.D." ? Which stands for before Christ and after death.

What about archeological findings through scientific research that validates various stories in the Bible such as the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah? The various prophesies in the Bible that have been fulfilled? I can go on and on about this, but this is not to be a debate. This is simply to show you that God is real and He has sacrificed a lot to get to know us. He desires to have a personal relationship with each and everyone of us. God doesn't just want us calling upon Him when times are had but to talk with Him when times are good as well. 


Steps to becoming Intimate with God

1. Read His word daily. The quickest way to get to know someone is by reading about them. Have you ever looked up an employer before you went to interview with him? Have you ever googled Beyonce ? Jay Z? Lil Wayne? John Mayer? President Barack Obama? You get the point. If we are so interested in others , how come we can't read about God. His word is beneficial for teaching and reproving.  But, if we are googling celebrities all the time, how does that benefit our lives?   2 Timothy 2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
2. Prayer. Do you talk to your family, friends, spouse, boss everyday? How come you don't talk to God ? Prayer doesn't have to be this mystical thing we do on Sunday. Instead we should stop and speak with him about what is going on in our daily lives. He wants to be our confidant and comforter. We just have to let him!! Philippians 4:6  "Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."
3. Worship. The presence of God is with us when we worship Him. Again, worship does not have to be done only on Sunday. You should be able to scream, dance, shout, scream, and clap your hands wherever you are to give God the glory, honor, and praise he deserves. Psalm 150 "Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with with stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord."

You may be wondering why do I want to be intimate with God? At some point in your life you must choose whether or not you want to be a child of darkness or a child of light.  A child of darkness inherits the gift of death and destruction but a child of light receives the gift of everlasting life.

Overcoming the Bondage of Our Past

Have you ever felt that you have accepted Christ into your life but you still feel the same? Or is people still comparing you to the old person you use to be because of the things you done in the past? 

No worries if you have felt this way before. As Christians, we all question at times whether or not we are really a "new creation". The problem often times, is our thinking in the natural has not caught up with our spiritual minds. We have to learn to operate spiritually in a natural world. This is hard but the Word will transform you if you work diligently by studying and committing to heart the inspiring Word of God. 

John 3:16 (KJV) 

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoeveth believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Romans 10:9-10

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confessions is made unto salvation. 

Romans 12:2 (KJV)

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. 

The bottom line is that when we were re-born we were made a new creation into Christ. This does not mean that we will be perfect in all phases of our lives. This means that we adopted into God's family. We are no longer lost but found. Also, God knows our hearts. He knows that if when we confessed and accepted Jesus was Lord and Savior and died for our sins, that we would not continue to seek him because we would no longer need to depend on him. 

God desires to have a relationship with each one of us. He knew us before the world even knew us.

Jeremiah 1:5 (KJV)

"Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and ordained thee a prophet unto the nations."

When we accept Jesus into our lives. He wipes out all of our past transgressions. Unfortunately, the world is not so loving as our heavenly father; therefore, people will still judge, misuse, and you based on the past. But be encouraged. You are apart of God's family now. He will not allow things to happen to you, that you cannot bear. He will always give you strength--you just have to ask for it.

Philipians 4:13 (KJV)

"I can do all things through Christ which strengthen me." 

Whenever, my past begins to knock on my front door I immediately state "I rebuke you Satan in the name of Jesus." Satan knows our weaknesses. He will try to distract you even more so, because you are saved. Satan will use you friends, family, colleagues, and even your own mind to distract you from accomplishing God's will. Therefore, you have to meditate and pray to the Lord daily to give you guidance on dealing with these things. In fact, its common for new Christians to lose relationships with family and friends if they aren't believers themselves. The things we use to do in the past we can no longer do. We must try to maintain holy and acceptable to God at all times. But if you fall short, repent and ask the Lord for forgiveness because he is so merciful and loving. 

Matthew 5:11 (KJV)

"Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake."

With this in mind, pray for those who try to condemn you because vengeance is the Lord's and not ours. Love those who tries to discourage you. Love those who speak negatively over your life. And eventually the Devil will leave you alone for a season until he discovers another weakness of yours to distract you from the Will of God.

Romans 12:19 (KJV)

"Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written. Vengeance is mine [God]: I will repay, saith the Lord."

Mark 12:21 (KJV)

". . . Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself. . ."