HEART OF THE MATTER

Tag: Jesus

  • FAITH THAT HEALS

    FAITH THAT HEALS

    Last night in the discipleship training class, we talked about the healing power of God. We discussed that it is always God’s will to heal. Jesus took all of our iniquities and sicknesses and nailed them to the cross. Sickness doesn’t come from God. It comes from the enemy who keeps us bound when he is around. The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but the Lord came that we may have life and life more abundantly. (John 10:10). Many times when bad things happen in our lives, we blame God. But it is the work s of the enemy and our participation with him. God said, “My people are destroyed for the lack of knowledge. (Hosea 4:6) God heals not by pills but by faith. Faith is the way to see true healing manifest. Believe God and receive all his benefits. (Psalm 103:2-3) “Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all of his benefits who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases.”

    Faith is the way. The woman with the issue of blood was bleeding for twelve years. She went to doctors who could do nothing for her. She used all of her money to try to get rid of the terrible disease that had come upon her. Until she heard about Jesus, and I am sure she heard of all the miracles and healings that he performed, and thought to herself, “If I can just touch the hem of his garment, then I will be healed.” Great faith. She knew she was healed before she touched it. So, she pressed her way through the crowd with one agenda: to be healed.  And as soon as she touched Jesus, it happened. The healing that was already available came upon her. Jesus asked, who touched me?” As the disciples tried to explain the bulging crowd, Jesus interjected, “I felt power leave me.” As the woman bowed before him, trembling, it was I who touched you.” Jesus said, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” (Luke 8:48). Her faith is how she was healed, not pills. The woman didn’t fake it; she faced it and faith it.

    I am not saying anything is wrong with doctors; they are there to diagnose. And they are there to offer comfort because the Lord is compassionate, and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. (Psalm 103:8). But the Lord heals. Exodus 15:26 says, “For I am the Lord who heals you.” Jehovah Rapha. Healing comes when we put our trust in God and our unshakable faith with it. Having a renewed mind helps us to see properly. God is not the enemy but the one who helps us overcome what the enemy has done. Our belief in God’s word is essential to our health, wealth, and self. We must believe to receive.  Jesus said, “You may ask for anything in my name, and I will do it.” (John 14:14).

    I had a terrible pain in my side, and I said to the Lord, I am not going to the doctor, you are going to heal me and he did. The pain went away. It wasn’t the demand on God; it was the faith in my heart that pulled it. Thank you, Lord.

    God is for us and not against us. We can have what our hearts desire when we seek first the Kingdom of God and all of his righteousness, and all things will be added to us. (Matthew 6:33). Healing is ours because we have been blood bought, healed, and sealed in the mighty and marvelous name of Jesus.

  • GUARDING YOUR HEART

    GUARDING YOUR HEART

                    In the scope of our lives, there are things that has and will take precedence in our heart. As we go through life, we get attached to some of the things we experience and people we encounter. We have begin to develop a natural response to these things because they excite us or provide us with something that we desperately need. These things cause us to have a good emotional arousal, and we gravitate towards the things that makes us happy. These are things that may or may not be good for us, but they feed our flesh and captivate our hearts. Sometimes we seek things to fulfill us in the areas of depravity that keeps us bingeing on what it offers. When we allow things to settle in our heart, we begin to live from that desire or live for that desire. It is important to always examine the heart to see where you are.  David said, “search me God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24). The heart is the place where we store things, if we have evil things stored in our hearts it will be shown in our actions and therefore, we are judged according to our deeds. Jesus said, “out of the mouth the heart speaks.” (Matthew 12:34-40). Whatever has your heart has power over you. Those things that we love with a deep desire cause us to either fail or excel in life. The heart is the place God sees when he seeks. David was chosen because of his heart for God. “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1st Samuel 16:7). David desired to keep a right heart before God. Even when he sinned with Bethsheba, he was quick to acknowledge and repent before God because he knew that a pure heart before God brings you into eternal rest. When we allow people to have our heart, they will possess a power over us that will make us feel defenseless towards them. People may or may not have good intentions when it comes to us and so we are vulnerable to the distractions and the disappointments in our lives.

                    God says to love him with all our mind, heart, and soul. When we love God with every being of our lives, the enemy has no weapon to use against us. Because even when we do right, it doesn’t mean that the other person or people have good intentions. A moment of weakness on their part could cause us a lifetime of pain when your heart is not with and for God. Power is produced when a person has a position of authority in your life. When Jesus was handed over to Pilate to be killed, Pilate said I have power to determine if you live or die. Jesus said, “you have no power over me, only what my Father has given to you.” (John 19:10-11).If you don’t bow down to God, you will bow to man.

                    Many of us want to be brave but find ourselves in battles that we desire to overcome. It’s a struggle because we have not learned to possess the power over that person or that position. We have developed a need for what they feed, and it causes us to have to bow or belittle ourselves just to have it. Your heart stores the matters of life so whoever or whatever has your heart has power over you. “Guard your heart because out of it flows the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:23).

  • WOMEN OF GOD

    WOMEN OF GOD

    She doesn’t fear in times of trouble and she’s not double-minded in times of struggle because she knows the God she serves will bring her over.

    She will overcome so let his will be done, let his Kingdom come.

    She knows that life and death lies in the power of her tongue and that her battles are already won.

    She gives life and light to those she encounters and her faith as tiny as a mustard seed can move mountains.

    See, she drinks from a different fountain.

    The fountain of everlasting water that only comes from the Father.

    When she walks in the room, she consumes the attention because of the light of the Lord that is within her.

    She’s a teacher. And anything that is unlike the Lord is beneath her, but you can still reach her.

    She is caring, supportive and always loving.

    Sharing God with others is her true devotion.

    You can find her at the feet of Jesus because she understands how much she needs him.

    She’s soft-spoken, gentle and meek. She’s quick to listen and slow to speak. She’s not weak. She’s unique.

    And her Father’s face is who she seeks, on repeat.

    She laughs in the face of the enemy because she knows who’s in control. She’s bold.

    Behold. Her beauty isn’t only in her looks; it’s in her attitude, she represents God in the way she moves.

    Beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.

    A woman who fears the Lord is worthy of praise and she is blessed in all of her ways.

    She is you, and she is me, and we are mighty WOMEN OF GOD.

  • BE THE ONE.

    BE THE ONE.

    I remembered that I wanted to be a part of the world. I made it my business to fit in with what my family and friends were doing so I wouldn’t stand out. It looked like fun, and they said it was fun, so I wanted in. I wanted to be one in the crowds, because even if they were heading down a dead-end road, at least I wasn’t by myself. The wild parties, the clubs, the talk, and the walk fit perfectly in the life of those heading for destruction. The only defense I would’ve had on the Day of Judgment was that at least I ain’t the only one. I made the choices, and I suffered the consequences that followed until I cried out to God for something different. I wanted to change the way I walked and talked, and I prayed to God to give me the insight to live right. And he answered. I don’t hold grudges or harbor unforgiveness because I asked God to set me straight, even if I was the only one. And he has removed and is still removing all those things in my life that are unlike him.

    In the beginning, I walked alone. Many didn’t understand the transformation I was going through, and neither did I. It hurt to lose family and friends that I loved, but I had to bear my cross to follow him. I felt the loneliness of being left out until the Lord spoke to me and said, “They are heading for destruction, and if you follow, so will you.” Those tears dried up quickly. I had to remember what I asked God for, and he answered the prayer that I earnestly and honestly prayed. He made what many of us have stated was hard or impossible, possible. God set a standard, and I chose to live by it. There were, and still are, times when I am ridiculed for doing the right thing, which used to bother me, but no more. I realize that now I make people uncomfortable in their sin, the sin that I used to partake in. We can always justify our wrongs with those who are a part of it. I am a light in the darkness, and I intend for my light to shine. I choose to be that one.

    I recall the story in Genesis 18:16-33 when Abraham pleaded with God not to destroy the city of Sodom for the sake of the righteous. God said, “I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and families to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just.” Abraham started with a request of fifty righteous people, “Suppose you find fifty righteous people living there in the city, will you sweep it away and not spare it for their sakes?”  Abraham made the same request again and again, lowering it all the way down to ten. God agreed not to destroy the city if there were only ten righteous people. But ultimately, only one was saved, Lot, Abraham’s nephew, because of Abraham’s right standing with God. Lot and his two daughters lived. Lot did what was right in the Lord’s sight and was spared.

    God calls us into a closer walk with him to save us. Abraham was called righteous because of his faith in God. God is proud to look around and say I have one who is willing to love me with all their heart, soul, and mind. The children of God are no longer slaves of the enemy. We have the Holy Spirit living inside us that has freed us from the enemy’s captivity. Now, when I walk into a room filled with people entangled in sin, I don’t feel the need to fit in. I have been set apart, even if I am the only one. God only needs one to save many. I am proud to be the one. Glory to God for the turnaround.

  • The Power of Jesus’ Name: Authority in Heaven and Earth

    The Power of Jesus’ Name: Authority in Heaven and Earth

    The name of Jesus is unlike any other; it is the most powerful name both in heaven and on earth. This name carries immense weight and authority, recognized by both humans and demons. Demons tremble at the name of Jesus. It is the name that compels every knee to bow and every tongue to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. God declares, “This is my beloved Son, whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17) Creation and heaven bow before Him, and they exalt the name of Jesus.

    Unfortunately, we have grown too familiar with this name, often treating it as common and forgetting the power it holds. Jesus said, “If you ask for anything in my name, it shall be given unto you.” This name, above all others, carries significance because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross. He paid for the sins of the world, and it is only through Him that we can enter into eternity. Jesus proclaimed, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. The only way to the Father is through me.” In His name, we receive salvation and find rest.

    The name of Jesus is powerful. Lame men were healed, blind eyes were opened, hearts were transformed, and the dead were raised through the power that dwells in His name. Today, many misuse this name and take for granted the authority that Jesus has given to those who believe. There is no other name greater or more glorious. When we acknowledge Jesus, God acknowledges us. Jesus warned, “If you are ashamed of me, then I will also be ashamed of you before my Father.”

    Peter and John encountered a beggar at the Beautiful Gate as they were on their way to the Temple. The man, unable to walk, sat there begging for money. When he saw Peter and John, he asked them for help. Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said, “Silver and gold have I none; but what I do have, I give to you: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” And the man did just that. (Acts 3: 1-10) Many others were also made whole in the name of Jesus. We are more than conquerors; we are victorious when we place our hope and trust in His name.

    The name of Jesus serves as a weapon in the midst of battle. Heaven recognizes and supports those who believe in the power of His name. When His name is called, even demons pay attention and respond. The disciples rejoiced when they returned, saying, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” Jesus replied, “Do not rejoice that spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:17).

    When we abide in Jesus and He in us, we can achieve all things. Apart from Him, we can do nothing. The name of Jesus should be on the lips of every believer, every day, in every circumstance. It empowers us to cast out demons, heal the sick, and raise the dead. It is not by our name, but in the name of Jesus, that God receives glory, and His will is done on earth as it is in heaven. We are participants in bringing about God’s kingdom. The name of Jesus offers hope to the hopeless, healing to the sick, and life to the lifeless. Let us not treat it as common, but instead revere the great name of Jesus.

  • DON’T PANIC, PRAY

    DON’T PANIC, PRAY

    God told me to control my emotions. I heard it several times in prayer and through the prayers of other believers. Our emotions are what feed our attitude towards others daily. If we are happy, then others around us engage in that happiness. When we are sad, others also engage in our sadness.  This is an area in my life that I struggle to conquer. I have prayed many times about how to overcome this stronghold. I told myself that I can overcome this area. Then I can move to the next level in God. I am slowly progressing. I have learned that I should not be moved by the circumstances around me. My full focus should be on God. I know this, and yet, I struggle. I don’t shoot off the way I used to. Although the blast still ignites inside of me. It disturbs my spirit. Every day, I am reminded that this is an ongoing battle, and I am determined to defeat it.  I have learned from the best teacher ever, the Holy Spirit. My choices in life are not based on how I feel. They are based on doing what is right in the eyes of God. Many times, we entangle ourselves. We try to justify what is right and what is wrong based on how we feel in that moment. The Word of God has given me the knowledge I needed to overcome. Still, somewhere I lacked understanding. I am gifted to grow. God reminded me on several encounters that I need to have a quiet and gentle spirit. I longed to do so because I wanted to be pleasing in His sight. People are no longer my audience; God is. At the end of the day, when I lie down, it feels good. I know that I am a child of God. My help comes from the Lord!

    The Holy Spirit reminded me of an event in the Bible. It was when Jesus and the disciples were in the boat. Then the storm came. The disciples panicked from the whistling winds and the turbulence of their current situation while Jesus lay calmly asleep. Mark 4: 35-41. I can imagine that their emotions were all out of place. They felt overwhelmed as the boat filled with water. They asked, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are going to drown?” And I can imagine Jesus’ state when he was awakened while calmly lying on the cushion. His disciples stood in front of him, breathing heavily and flooded with emotions, waiting for his reaction. “Jesus rebuked the winds and said to the waves, ‘Silence! Be still!’’ and then questioned the disciples, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” I smiled as I wrote this part because Revelation just cured me. Lord, increase my faith because “without it, it is impossible to please God.” When your faith is in God, then there is no reason to be flooded with emotions. God is in control. He got this! Oftentimes, our emotions are triggered by our expectations of others, and the expectations of ourselves. Neither one is beneficial to our health or wealth. We only need to have expectations of God to do his will. God gives and God heals. God did. God can. God will.

                God informed me that the joy of the Lord is my strength! God has been and will always be good to us. It is not because he blesses us. It is because he loves us. He loves us even while he’s teaching us how to be transformed into the likeness of his Son. Don’t panic, PRAY.

  • BE TRANSFORMED BY KNOWING GOD

    BE TRANSFORMED BY KNOWING GOD

    I remember when I was busy in this world, trying to fit in. I was trying to find myself, but I was losing pieces of my being along the way. I spent time with people. I interacted in their daily activities to feel included. I hung out with people who I believed knew the direction I should go. Today, I don’t know where half of them are. It is needed that I say they were just as lost as I was. I effortlessly tried to find myself in a lost world where even the wisest worldly person had no clue. I grew weary of the same routines day after day. I stopped looking for positions in people and started looking for purpose. I began to look in a new direction, one that would lead me to God, the one true, living God. It was my choice. No one made me search for someone that the human eye had not seen. It’s safe to say I knew there was a God, but where was he? I had to believe enough to know if he does exist, then I want to know him for myself. I set out to find Jesus. I discovered him quickly because there was a hunger, a need to know him. He had already been knocking on the door of my heart. I had finally decided to answer. It was the perfect Lionel Richie moment, “Hello, is it me you’re looking for?” I finally answered his call. Many seem to think that God wants to hurt us, but in all honesty, he wants to help. He helped me. He helped me change the way I thought about things, people, and responsibility. He helped me with the small and great decisions of life that God has entrusted to me. He helped me discover who I was in Him and for him. He helped me to love and be loved. Right now, he is helping me with my emotions. Something happened to me, and I accused God of the pain I was experiencing. God said to me, “The Holy Spirit doesn’t come to hurt you. Instead, he comes to help you where the enemy tries to deceive you.” Yes, it hurt, but God chose to expose on that day. God will perfect everything that concerns you,(Psalm 138:8) even if it means exposing those around you. And although it will hurt, it works to know the dirt that they will try to bury you with. With God, you will not live a lie. (Luke 8:17) ‘We do not wrestle with flesh and blood, but against rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm. ‘(Ephesians 6:12). I had many encounters with God. I couldn’t go back to unbelief if I wanted to. To deny would be a lie. God has helped me with so many aspects of my life. Today, I am thankful and grateful.

     Where you are looking will decide where you go. I found purpose for my life when I looked for Jesus. I found out that I am a writer, and I am a writer for God. I found out that I am loved, cherished, and valued. I found out that I am a child of God. I discovered that it is possible to have a relationship with the Creator of heaven and earth. I discovered that no one will love me more than He who created me. So my question to you is: Who are you? Maybe you don’t know, but you can. God says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart.(Jeremiah 29:13)

  • THE BETTER ONE

    THE BETTER ONE

    I prayed to God one morning, something I had committed myself to doing since I resigned from my job. ] My only vehicle was totaled, and I was crying out God about some financial hardships that I was facing. I emptied the contents of my heart to the only one who would help me. As I lay in bed, my face was wet from tears. I asked God to hear my cry for a job. In that moment, He spoke to me. He reminded me of the story of Martha and Mary in Luke 10:38-42.His presence is never bizarre and always pleasurable.

     The story is about one sister named Martha. She was distracted and worried about preparing dinner for her guest. She was also worried about many other things. The other sister, Mary, quietly sat at Jesus’s feet, taking in the peace of his presence.  Martha asked Jesus to tell Mary to help her with everything she had to do. Jesus replied, “There is only one thing to be concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

    God said to me, “You have chosen the better one, and it will not be taken away.” Spending time with God should be a priority in the life of a believer. He reminds us so often to pray without ceasing. Our Father in heaven knows all things and will supply our needs. We become distracted by the many things that go on in this world. God is often placed on the back-burner or omitted altogether. We can find many things to do, but time with God is rarely on the list. We become weighed down with the cares and worries of this world. This often leads us away from the Father. It leaves us farther from Him.

    God desires for us to spend time with Him. He wants us to get to know Him. He also wants us to come into an understanding of who we are in Him. God is a good Father who deeply cares for his children. After the revelation, God gave me an image of a child that had been missing for a long time. The parents’ yearning and longing for that child’s return are unbearable. But when that child finally returns home, the parent is ecstatic. They don’t want the child out of their sight. They want to be with with the child always. They want to spend as much time with the child as they can, maybe every waking moment.

    This is how God sees us. We have been apart from him for so long. He just wants to be with us. He wants to spend time with us when we return. We, as His children, have a special place in God’s heart, we are in the center of it. God has been growing me and showing me what it means to be a follower of Christ. I have learned that believers of Jesus Christ must condition themselves to the submission of the Word. They do not give in to the flesh of the world.

    Spending time with God helps us make the right decisions, helps us be peaceful, and remove stress. God is in charge and loves us. He works everything for the good of those that loves him who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28) When we know him, it helps you rest better. We can rest in the peace that God provides( John 14:27) God got this! Many things cause us to become distracted, and wander off from God. Let’s be mindful to choose the better one.

     

  • IN THE NAME OF LOVE

    IN THE NAME OF LOVE

    Love is a powerful emotion that causes people to do crazy things. We indulge in a feeling that brings us acceptance, value, and the warmth that we feel inside. We become addicted to the feeling rather than the person. We say we love so and so, but we are actually attracted to the feelings that come from being loved. When those feelings no longer give us what we want, the relationship is over. We’re off to our next quick fix. I know because I’ve been there. Love and loyalty lie in the same bed together. Many of us play silly games all in the name of love. We commit crimes for love. Some have even killed because of it. True love lets you live. I used to think that love was my boyfriend acting out in rage because of his jealousy. I often heard friends say, “Girl, he loves you.” Why not just say something is wrong with him, and it’s not love? Many of us stay in abusive relationships, facing physical and verbal harm. We say it’s because I love them. But search a little deeper and discover the void you’re trying to avoid. We must understand what love is. If we don’t, we will imitate the behaviors of those who have settled for mistreatment. I watched and walked that same path because it was all I knew. I have grown to understand that love without Christ is sadistic and twisted. Love hurts. And many people no longer want any part of it. God will not take away the very being of your existence. God is love. “The greatest commandment, love the Lord with all thy heart, soul, and mind. And the second equally important, love thy neighbor as thyself.” (Matthew 22:37-38). Since I found Christ, I learned something new, and I want to share it with you.

    Jesus Christ showed me what real love is, and love lets you live. God gave his only son to die on the cross because he loved us. God created us out of love (John 3:16) and is in love with us (Genesis 1:27). That’s why his patience is so long with our wrongs. “It is not his desire that his little ones shall perish but that they will all come to repentance.”(2nd Peter 3:9) God loves us.  Jesus Christ came to give us life, a real love life. I meditated on what love is. I drew on God’s Word and my interest in 1st Corinthians 13:4-8. This convinced and convicted me to change my understanding and actions. Love is not receiving; it is serving.

    “Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”(1st Corinthians 13:4-8). And I love God’s way better. With his way, I don’t have to be afraid of love.

    Love is powerful. Falling first in love with others rather than God will cause you a life of resentment. Love was intended to be the glue that holds us together to be better. It is not a feeling, it’s a focus. When we began to love the way the Lord intended us to, we began to see the value in ourselves. We also began to see the value in others. We are capable of loving without limits because there are no restrictions on love. And God’s love isn’t limited when it comes to loving us. LOVE. Give to others what you need more of.

  • THE SEED, NOT THE DEED

    THE SEED, NOT THE DEED

    Many of us have thought: Why do bad things happen to good people? We view people by the way they live their lives and by the things that they do, which is not wrong from our point of view. We are basing their goodness on their deeds. And not the bare thought of their existence. Many of us strive to do the right things in life because we know in our hearts right from wrong. We have been taught by parents and others what to do and not to do. But our good deeds aren’t enough for us to enter into eternity with God. Our striving isn’t enough to satisfy God, the Father. In fact, it’s when we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior that God becomes satisfied. The gift of salvation is given to anyone who will believe Jesus Christ died for our sins. (Romans 5:15-18)

    The other morning, I was preparing for work, and the Lord said to me,” Many ask why good things happen to bad people. There are no good people because it’s not based on deeds, but on the seed. When Adam and Eve sinned and disobeyed God, the bloodline of our lineage was sinful. When they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, their eyes opened. We then make a conscious decision to obey God or not. We gained the ability to see and know. With that came the responsibility of right and wrong choices, because God said, “Let us make human beings in our own image.” Genesis 1:27 NLT)

    Our good deeds are not the key to our eternity; Jesus Christ is. “For everyone has sinned and we all have fallen short of God’s glorious standard. (Romans 3:23) NLT.

    When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, the human race’s bloodline became sinful. Jesus Christ came and paid for the sins of humanity because he wasn’t imparted by man but implanted by God. God implanted Jesus in the Virgin Mary, and not through Joseph. He became the innocent Lamb to pay for the sins of the world.

    In Mark 10:18, Jesus asked his disciple, “Why do you call me good?” Only God is good. Jesus didn’t consider himself to be good because he knew he would soon have to bear the sins of the world and die to recover what had been given away.

    It’s not about the good and the bad but the righteous and the unrighteous, the people who follow Christ and those who don’t. And the righteous are the ones who get the reward, because they believe in God. And without faith we know that it is impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6) God didn’t consider Abraham as righteous because of his deeds, but by his belief. His strong faith in God is what brought forth the blessing in Abraham’s life. Abraham believed in God, and God counted him as righteous, along with many others who trusted God.

    Many of us strive to be right in God’s eyes by the things that we do upon the earth, that our good deeds will get us the rewards of heaven, but it is not only our good deeds that help us to achieve. Our obedience to God helps us to encounter his favor. He is pleased by our belief in his son, Jesus Christ, in whom he is well pleased. It was never about the good deed; it was always about the seed. If you believe, you will receive what you achieve in Jesus’ name. When you believe in God, you walk in obedience to his way and in his will.