HEART OF THE MATTER

Tag: love

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • WHERE ARE YOU?

    WHERE ARE YOU?

                   When God created the world, everything was good. Adam was given dominion over the land. He was to rule over the animals, birds of the air, and fish of the sea. God created a helper for him, and Eve was born. But they sinned by disobeying God by eating from the tree of good and evil, which they had been forbidden to eat from. Sin entered into the earth by Adam’s and Eve’s disobedience, and separation from God was created. God walked among them before sin entered. God was looking for Adam one day and asked, “Where are you?’ Physically, he could see him, and God knew that he was hiding, but spiritually, he had wandered from God because of the sinful nature that he wore. His eyes opened to his nakedness, and he sewed fig leaves together to cover his bareness, but it wasn’t enough to clothe his sin. God, having love and compassion for them, provided much better clothing for Adam and Eve. But still, he punished them for their disobedience. They were kicked out of the Garden of Eden, and Adam had to toil the ground to produce food, Eve had to bear painful childbirth, and the snake had to crawl on his belly for his part in the deception.

    Jesus Christ paid for our sins to bring us back into a relationship with God. He was sacrificed for our sins. We can now go before God because Christ, who was without sin (disobedience) on the cross, paid for our sins. (Colossians 2 :13-14). There is no more separation when you accept the gift of salvation for your damnation. You can walk in the freedom that Christ provides and approach the throne of God through his mercy and grace. Yayy!!!

    Many of us have wandered from God because of our sins. We have found ourselves covering up with makeup and other beliefs that don’t offer relief, but somehow, we believe it does. Many of us have sat in our hiding places while God is calling us each by name_____, “Where are you? But because we have traveled so far from him, it is harder to hear his calls. And just like Adam, physically, he knows where we are, but spiritually, we are distanced. So, we sit in our pride until we decide to come out of hiding and head home. Sin will always cause separation between us and a holy God. And because he was Holy, we can also be holy. (1st Peter 15-17). The deception is real back then, and it still is because the enemy will always make us think that we are missing something or that God is keeping something from us. And where we lack trust in God, we eat dust just like the snake (Satan) who we choose to follow. Jesus said, “I came that you may have life and life more abundantly, and the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy.” (John 10:10).

     “Adam, where are you is a call that God rings out every day to his creation, that he loves so much that he gave his only son. (John 3:16).  His heart longs for the return of the lost souls wandering in the earth. His love for people is something that I can’t fathom. I asked God, why are you mindful of man and he said because I made them in my image. To be made in someone’s image is to connect to them in a way that the human eyes cannot see. ‘How long will you wait while God is calling out to you before you respond and say, “Lord, here I am.

  • FALLING IN LOVE WITH JESUS

    FALLING IN LOVE WITH JESUS

                When asking the question, who was your first love? Many are quick to recite a name of a man or woman, present or past. And at the remembrance of that name come the smiles or the pain. But we never forget that amazing feeling that comes along with the opportunity to freely love. The beautiful beginnings that set our souls on fire: the early morning texts, the late night conversations and the small love messages throughout the day. We have even given them special ring tones that when we hear it instantly we began to smile. Our hearts grow and glow as we pour ourselves deeper into the emotion. We make Facebook posts about love and in our eyes others can see hearts. And I must admit that it is simply amazing and often breath-taking. Our hearts become overwhelmed with a flood of tender passionate affection that we can’t contain. And all is good, even when things are not going well because our focus isn’t on what isn’t but what is. We’ve embraced a place that we don’t want to erase, and we prepare to stay there. Love never fails and all is well.

                God is a God of order and there is a reason he has designed and defined love specifically and significantly. Love is far greater than any emotion or emoji we seem to tamper with. Love comes with a cost that many of us never counted. We flirt with the feeling and we base life decisions off of it. Jesus going to the cross was a cost for humanity and he did so all in the name of love. (John 3:16) Agape love is the highest form of love, the type of love that God has for his children.  Our first love is actually supposed to be God. God wanted us to feel that tender passionate affection with him and for him. Matthew 22:37 “Love the Lord with all thy heart, soul, and mind.”  In the beginning, Adam loved God. He didn’t long for a mate. God was his mate and they had a relationship. It was God that saw that Adam needed a mate and created Eve to help him. Genesis 2:18, “The Lord said, “it is not suitable for man to be alone, I will make a helper suitable for him.” Adam never asked for a mate because his heart belonged to the Lord. Adam loved God and felt he had all he needed. 1st Corinthians 13: 4-8, The Apostle Paul gives us the specifics of love. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Paul ends this chapter with, “three things will last forever-faith, hope, and love- and the greatest of these is love.

                Love is powerful and it can take you on an emotional ride when God is not properly place. God intended for all to fall in love with him first. Love is not a feeling, it is a focus; a God loving focus that we are to do to the glory of God. Everything that God did was out of love. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28). God is love and the only way to rightly love is through him.