A Father's Love Letter

If I could find the words to describe the content of the video you're about to see, I most certainly would. But as it happens, no man-made words can accurately describe the depth, the width, and the length of God's love for humanity. I could try as hard as I might; but the fullness of the love of God cannot be contained, restrained, or expressed with mere words. It stretches beyond everlasting; it is infinitely deeper than the deepest of seas; it is far greater than what our limited human minds can conceive.... In spite of such fact however, God has revealed the greatness of His love for mankind through His marvelous, and everlastingly graceful plan of redemption. In other words, the love of God for His creation is unmistakably revealed through the life, death, and resurrection of His only begotten Son: Jesus Christ. Such was and is the depth of God's love for us, and such was His desire to restore the relationship between The Creator (a.k.a. God Himself) and creation (a.k.a. mankind), that He gave His most precious possession, His One and Only Son in sacrifice to atone for the sins of mankind. Such amazing and glorious truth can be observed in the book of John, chapter 13, verses 16 and 17. It reads as follows:

"For God loved the world so much that He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him."  

(John 3:16-17; New Living Translation)  

You may be reading this blog post right now and think to yourself: "I am not a sinner! "What have I done?" "I am a fairly decent person; I help others. I give back to the community..." "I earn an honest living; I pay my taxes on time," and so on and so forth. Well, you see here's the thing: While all of that may be true, considering yourself a "good person" judging by your own personal standards, does not grant you a "ticket to heaven"-so to speak. For the Word of God says:

"For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard." 

(Romans 3:23; New Living Translation)

You may still be looking at that verse and saying: "What's that got to do with me?" "I haven't done anything." And you continue to reassure yourself, enlisting in your mind-yet again-the many reasons why you consider yourself to be a "good person." But you see, God is a holy God; too holy to behold sin. And when Adam and Eve disobeyed God's command not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, (see Gen. 2:15-3 for further details), they allowed themselves to be tainted by sin; thus, becoming sinners. Consequently, mankind-as their offspring-also inherited such sinful nature. (Perhaps now, the Scriptural verse noted above might make a little more sense.)

But by the grace and love of God, that's not where this remarkable, and everlastingly TRUE story ends. If that were the case, mankind would be eternally doomed and separated from the presence and glory of God. In contrast, the Lord God chose to show us undeserving mercy and grace by devising a plan of redemption for mankind. Such plan involved the selfless sacrifice of His blameless Son Jesus Christ on a wooden cross, a little over 2,000 years ago. The Blameless Lamb became the perfect sacrifice for the atonement of the sins of mankind. And through His perfection, and the shedding of His precious blood, those who hear the Truth, believe it, and gladly and genuinely receive it within their hearts, shall have eternal life, and begin a life-long journey of transformation, wonder, joy, and amazing discoveries through, with, and in Jesus Christ. (Hallelujah! Amen!) For it is written:

"But now God has shown us a way to be made right with [H]im...We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are."  

(Romans 3:21a-22; New Living Translation)

Additionally, the Scriptures say: "Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through [M]e."  

(John 14:6; New Living Translation)

Now, if all that's been discussed thus far hasn't at least gotten your "wheels turning"-per se, perhaps the Father's love letter will. So, without further ado, I present the Father's love letter to you:

Video Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q5T9RYLiG4


Video Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npTQv5eWTsM&feature=related

May your eyes be open to see, your ears be open to hear, and your hearts be open to believe and receive the Truth; which rests upon the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ! (Hallelujah! Amen!)

That is my sincere and heartfelt prayer to the Father in Heaven.

In Christ's name I pray,

Amen & Amen! (Hallelujah!)

All glory, honor, and praise be to God Everlasting!
Amen & Amen! (Hallelujah!)

Just Spreading The Word...

Hey guys!

I could not help but feel like there was something missing in the previous blog post. So I thought to myself: "What could that 'something' be?" Then, it suddenly dawned on me: "The Word of God of course!" So, here I am, (yet again), to share with you-if I may-some Scriptural food for thought in regards to the Second-Coming of Jesus Christ. Hence, without further delay, here's what the Word of God has to say:

"God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and He blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near." 

(Revelation 1:3; New Living Translation)

"Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to [M]e again. If you don't wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief."  

(Revelation 3:3; New Living Translation)

"Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are those who are watching for me, who keep their clothing ready so that they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed." (Revelation 16:15; New Living Translation)


"I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have so that no one will take way your crown." (Revelation 3:11; New Living Translation)

May the Holy Spirit convict of the Truth, as you read the Word of God; which is the life-giving Truth!
In Christ's name I pray,

Amen & Amen!

May the Lord bless you!
Both now, and always!
Amen! :)

All glory, honor, and praise be given to the LORD God Almighty!
Forever and Always!
Amen & Amen!

Soon...And Very Soon!

Blessed are those who have ears to hear and eyes to see;
For Jesus Christ died for you and me.

The Truth shines bright as day;
There are no need for many words to say, that only Jesus is The WAY! (Hallelujah!)

He DIED on that wooden cross, so that we would NOT forever be LOST!
He became SIN so that we could have VICTORY!
He overcame DEATH so that we could have LIFE;
And that ABUNDANTLY!

He came to LIGHT the WAY;
He DIED but ROSE AGAIN on the THIRD DAY.

The weight of SIN that we once bore, He placed upon HIMSELF on that wooden CROSS! (Hallelujah! Glory be to God!)
And now that the veil has been torn, our relationship with GOD has been RESTORED! (Hallelujah! Glory be to God!)

But many have TURNED AWAY;
They cannot see the LIGHT of DAY.
They cannot see the truth;
And regard those who BELIEVE in the WORK OF THE CROSS as fools.

This again I say: JESUS DIED FOR ALL!
For the sake of saving humanity HE took THE FALL.
And the deepest desire of HIS loving heart, is for NO ONE, ABSOLUTELY NO ONE to be LOST!

Provision is made for sin to be erased!
But few are those who receive God's gift of everlasting grace...

Why do we turn away?
Are we forever trapped in our stubborn ways?
Why do we refuse to see the light of day...?

...I may not know much;
But in this I believe with all my heart:
Christ died for you and me;
To take away the weight of sin, and give us life abundantly, and life eternally.

By His everlasting love and grace, God has made provision for sin to be erased.
But we must receive God's gift of grace by faith...

...Faith in the One who made all things new;
...Faith in the One who gave me life anew.
...Faith in the One who died for me and for you.

And of course you know by now who I am referring to....
I am referring to the One who LOVES YOU!
I am referring to the One who CARES (deeply) for You;
I am referring to the One who KNOWS YOU!
And I am referring to the One who SEES you wherever you are!

Remember: You are NEVER too far;
You are NEVER too low to be rescued;
You are NEVER too hurt to be healed;
And you are NEVER too weak to be strengthened!

If there's LIFE, there's HOPE!

The first step towards lasting change is to REPENT from sin, TURN from our selfish ways, and RECEIVE God's gift of everlasting grace by faith....
And let JESUS lead the way.

Although I cannot convict you of the truth, I must share it with you.
I may not know much, but this much I know is true:
Jesus Christ is coming Soon...
And VERY Soon!

So, what will you do?
Will you receive these words of life-giving truth I've shared with you?
Please, do. Will you?

For God LOVES YOU beyond words.
Remember: It's not about works (alone.)
It all comes down to JESUS' SACRIFICE;
That's what REDEEMS us from our DEMISE.

There. I've told you the Truth.
Now, the rest is up to you.

All glory, honor, and praise be to God Everlasting!

Amen & Amen!

God Is God.

I've had the title of this particular blog post echoing in my mind for days. "God is God." Of course, my first instinct was to reaffirm such fact, and say: "Yes, God is God indeed!" But I could not help but wonder if there was more to this three-word sentence than what my limited human mind could conceive. I wondered if God was trying to tell me or show me something beyond what seemed obvious to me. Days went by. And every now and then I would hear those three little words again; echoing in my mind, like the sound of rushing waters. Each echo, filled with God's love, reassurance, and hope. Yet, I was still trying to make sense of it; wondering: "What else could it possibly mean?" Little did I know, the answer was right there in front of me. Suddenly, it became clear to me, that the phase "God is God," is more than a remarkably and everlastingly true statement. It is an invitation. (Yes, you read correctly; an invitation.)  

An invitation for me, and for all believers in Christ Jesus, to trust God. In other words, you and me are daily invited to trust God's character. That is, God's faithfulness, God's love, God's loyalty, God's righteousness, God's justice, God's goodness, God's promises for each and every one of us. And encompassing all of that, we are invited, encouraged, and/or called to trust God's Living Word with all of our hearts, and all of our minds.

Needless to say, there's more to the character of God; much, much, more! As a matter of fact, I believe it is safe to say, beyond a shadow of doubt, that even if I dedicated the rest of my life, searching for words to describe the fullness, and the totality of who God is, I could not even begin to scratch the surface. That is the case, due to the fact, that the fullness of the character, the greatness, and the majesty and power of God Almighty, transcend all human logic and/or intellect. (Hallelujah! Praise be to God Forever and Always! Amen!) That being said however, I would like to point out, that the various names of God-listed throughout His Holy Word-provide us with remarkable, further insight as to who God really is. As we study the individual meanings of such names, we gain increasing reassurance that God is indeed God! He is more than able to sustain us, to strengthen us, to equip us and prepare us to fulfill our purpose in Christ Jesus! (Amen! Hallelujah!). And He is more than capable of providing for each and every one of our needs! All we have to do, is trust Him! (So simple...yet-admittedly-so complex.)

Now, I've given you quite an extensive "introduction"-for lack of a better word-regarding the grandeur of God's character. Therefore, I believe it's about time we venture into the task of deciphering the meaning(s) of the names of the Lord our God, as an attempt to obtain a better understanding of who He is, and consequently, build our faith in Him, through His Holy Word. Which in turn, will increase our ability to trust Him. So let us begin, shall we? (Please, follow along, as I enlist the 12 character-revealing names of God, found throughout His Holy Word).

  

The 12 Character-Revealing Names of God

1. Elohim-Creator:  In Genesis chapter 1, verse 1, God is referred to in the Hebrew language, (the original language in which the Old Testament was written), as "Elohim"; meaning "Creator". For it is written:

"In the beginning, God [Elohim] created the heavens and the earth."  

(Genesis 1:1; New Living Translation)  

2. Jehovah-Father; Lord God: In the second chapter of the book of Genesis, verse 7, God is called "Jehovah"; meaning "Father", referring to the covenant between God and man. The word "Jehovah" is also translated into the English language as "Lord God" as is seen in Scriptural verse below:

"Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man's nostrils, and the man became a living person." (Genesis 2:7; New Living Translation)

3. El-Shaddai-My Supplier; my Nourishment; God Almighty: In Genesis 17, verse 1, God is referred to as "El-Shaddai;" meaning "my Supplier;" "my Nourishment;" "God Almighty." Therefore, we can rest assured, by faith in the Word of God,  that God is indeed our Supplier, and our Nourishment. He is God Almighty! (Hallelujah! Praise God!). This can be clearly seen in the Scriptural verses below. In verse 1, God reveals Himself to Abram, (who later became Abraham), as "El-Shaddai," while in verse 2 the Lord promises to and/or makes a covenant with Abram.

"When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, "I am El-Shaddai-'God Almighty.' Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants."  

(Genesis 17: 1-2; New Living Translation)     

4. Adonai-Master; Lord: In Genesis chapter 18, verse 3, Abraham refers to God as "Adonai;" meaning "Master" and/or "Lord." For it is written:

"My [L]ord, he [Abraham] said, "If it pleases [Y]ou, stop here for a while."  

(Genesis 18:3; New Living Translation)  

5.  Jehovah-Jireh-Provider; Vision: In Genesis 22, verse 14, Abraham names the sacrificial place, initially intended for the sacrifice of Abraham's only son-Issac, "Yahweh-Yireh"/"Jehovah-Jireh"; meaning "my Provider;" "Vision" and or "the Lord will provide." For the Lord tested Abraham's faith, as well as, his faithfulness to God, by asking Abraham to offer in sacrifice that which he loved the most-his son Issac. However, when God saw Abraham's willingness to carry out God's command in spite of the pain it would cause him, the Lord spared Issac's life, and provided a ram to be sacrificed in Issac's place. Hence, Abraham named the place of sacrifice "Yahweh-Yireh;" meaning among other things, "the Lord will provide." For the Word of the Lord says:

"Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh [Jehovah-Jireh] (which means, "the Lord will provide." To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: "On the mountain of the Lord, it will be provided."

(Genesis 22:14; New Living Translation) 

6. Jehovah-Rophe: Healer. Now, in the book of Exodus, chapter 15, verse 26, we read:

"He [the Lord] said, "If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, obeying His commands and keeping all His decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you." 

(Exodus 15: 26; New Living Translation)     

7. Jehovah-Nissi/Yahweh-Nissi: My Banner; my Victory. In Exodus 17, verse 15, Moses built an altar to the Lord; for the Lord God had granted the His people Israel, victory-under Joshua's leadership-over Amalek's army.This can be clearly observed in the Scriptural verse below:

"Moses built an altar there and named it Yahweh-Nissi (which means "the Lord is my banner" [my Victory]).  

(Exodus 17:15; New Living Translation)

8. Jehovah-Mikkadesh/Yahweh-Mikkadesh: My sanctification; The One who sanctifies me. In the book of Leviticus, chapter 20, verses 7-8, God calls His people to be holy, and consecrate themselves to Him by keeping His commands and/or decrees, and putting them into practice. In verse 8, the Lord gives mention to the fact, that He is indeed the LORD their GOD who makes them holy. For it is written:

"So set yourselves apart to be holy, for I am the Lord your God. Keep all my decrees by putting them into practice, for I am the LORD who makes you holy."  

(Leviticus 20:7-8; New Living Translation)

9. Jehovah-Tsidkenou/Yahweh-Tsidqenu: "The Lord is Our Righteousness." In the book of the prophet Jeremiah, we find a prophesy in 23rd chapter, regarding the coming of the Messiah (a.k.a. the Anointed One; The Righteous One). And within such chapter, one finds the name by which the Lord Jesus Christ is referred to in this given prophecy. Such name is: "Yahweh-Tsidqenu;" meaning "The Lord Is Our Righteousness." The Scriptural verses below, attest to such fact.

"For the time is coming", says the Lord, when I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David's line. He will be a King who rules with wisdom. He will do what is just and right throughout the land. And this will be [H]is name: "The Lord Is Our Righteousness" [Yahweh-Tsidqenu]."  

(Jeremiah 23:5-6; New Living Translation)

10. Yahweh-Shalom-"The LORD is my peace." In the book of Judges, chapter 6, verse 24, one reads another one of the character-revealing names of God. This one in particular, is "Yahweh-Shalom;"meaning "The LORD is my peace." Hence, by faith in God, we can rest assured that God not only grants His precious peace, but He Is our peace. (Hallelujah! Amen! Glory be to God!) This can be further affirmed, when one reads the Scriptural verse below:

"And Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and named it Yahweh-Shalom (which means "[The LORD] is my peace)."  

(Judges 6:24; New Living Translation) 

11. Yahweh-Rohi: Hebrew equivalent of the phrase:  "The LORD is my Shepherd"- In the book of Psalms, chapter 23, verse 1, King David calls the Lord a "Shepherd;" as is seen written below:

"The LORD is my Shepherd [Jehovah-Rohi]."  

(Psalm 23:1; New Living Translation)

12. Yahweh-Shammah-"The LORD is There": In the book of Ezekiel, chapter 48, verse 35,  one reads  the Hebrew phrase "Yahweh-Shammah;" meaning "The Lord Is There." This was the name to be given to the rebuilt city of Jerusalem; as was revealed to the prophet Ezekiel in a prophetic vision; which included details regarding the reconstruction of the Lord's Temple, as well as, the city of Jerusalem. For the Word of the Lord says:

"The distance around the entire city will be 6 miles. And from that day, the name of the city will be ['Yahweh-Shammah'] "The LORD Is There." (Ezekiel 48:35; New Living Translation)

It is imperative to note, that the phrase "Yahweh-Shammar," denotes the LORD's presence not only within the context of the Old Testament, but also in each and every one of our lives today. In other words, when we call upon the Lord with wholeheartedness and sincerity, He Is There indeed! Jesus promised He would always be with us; even 'til the end of times. As a matter of fact, the Word of the Lord says: "And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28: 20b; New Living Translation.) Therefore, we can rest assured that He is always with us. And personally speaking, such wonderful promise, is incredibly comforting to me; as I hope and pray it may be to you, as well.

I would like to conclude this particular blog post with a prayer. A heartfelt prayer to God, the Father in Heaven. So please, allow me:

Lord God! Father in Heaven!
Blessed be your Holy Name!
Glory, honor, and praise be given to you everlasting!

Father, please forgive our sin, and cleanse from all unrighteousness.
Let us be made clean and purified by the Holy and Precious blood of the Lamb Lord God!
Let us be sanctified by the power of your Holy Spirit!
Let us be renewed in You!
Let us be strengthened by You!
Let us be submersed in your everlasting love, mercy, and grace!
Let us know everything will be O.K. And help us fight the good fight of faith!
Let our faith in You be renewed! Let us put our trust in You!
Let us proclaim our love for You; in spirit and in truth! (Hallelujah! Glory be to God!)
Let us proclaim that there is none like You LORD!

Please, Lord! 

Help us to change! May we never be the same again!
Fill us with your Holy Spirit each and every day.
Teach us your ways! May we learn in humility everyday! (Hallelujah! Amen! Glory and praise be to God Everlasting!)
May we give you glory and praise always;
And may we trust You (genuinely) for all days.

It is in Jesus' name that I pray,

Amen & Amen!
(Glory be to God! Hallelujah!)


All glory, honor, and praise be to God!
Forever & Always!
Amen!

Fighting Back!

The content of this particular blog post birthed out of an answer to prayer and supplication. Prayer for deliverance; prayer for renewed strength; a cry out to the Lord to come to my rescue and get me back up to my feet again. You see, I found myself on the ground. A much too familiar place. I tried to get back up again. But unconsciously, I was trying to get up by my own strength. Needless to say, that did not work out so well. As a matter of fact, I found myself receiving blow after blow from the enemy of my soul. As time went by, as hard as I tried not to believe his lies, my soul was getting weary, my spirit was getting weak, and my faith was running thin. But then, He came to me; Jesus came unexpectedly. I had no strength to pray. I had no strength to plead. But suddenly, the power of His Holy Spirit filled me. And I began to pray. I began to plead. I began to speak with God-given authority. In my time of need, God came to me. And I believe with all my heart, that He spoke to me; not with an audible voice. But rather, within my heart. 

As He was speaking to me-His voice so soothing to my soul, so tender, and full of lovingkindness-I began to see and understand what was happening to me. I suddenly realized that I had become too passive when it came to fighting; fighting in the spiritual battle which continually rages on between the saints of God and the powers of darkness. Somehow, I allowed myself for a moment to ponder upon the lies of the Deceiver and Accuser of my soul. And with that, I found myself trapped again. Unable to move. Unable to stand. As hard as I tried, I could not back up to my feet again. I was in that all too familiar "black hole"-yet again. But God, in His Everlasting Mercy and Grace, renewed me, and empowered me to plead. 
In fact, by His Everlasting grace, and Mighty strength, God Almighty empowered me not only to plead, but also to declare and believe in the Truth over the lies of the enemy. God dismantled the clever trap the devil had set for me, and renewed my faith to believe that in Christ we have victory! (Hallelujah!)

As a result of such Divine and glorious reassurance, that is, knowing that we have victory in Christ Jesus, I am also firmly convicted of this: WE MUST FIGHT BACK! We must stand firm upon the Rock of our Salvation, and put on the armor of God, as we press on to fight the good fight of faith. Fully confident in God's mighty strength, faithfulness, truthfulness, love, mercy, compassion, and most of all, knowing that God is God. There is no one in the entire universe more powerful than He. Therefore, "If God is for us, who can ever be against us?' (Romans 8:31b; New Living Translation). And as we are firmly convicted of such truth by the power of the Holy Spirit working within us, we must prepare ourselves each and every day. Using the weapons which God Himself has given us, to fight all the way, as we press on to claim our victory in Jesus Christ! (Hallelujah! Praise be to God Forevermore! Amen!)

As for me, God has placed the weapons He, Himself had given to me back in my hands, and ever so lovingly-yet with remarkable authority-encouraged me to put them to use again. So, now I am able to stand again, by the mighty hand of God who strengthens me! (Hallelujah! Glory be to God Everlasting! Amen!). Now, as I conclude this blog post, I would like to encourage those who for one reason or another find themselves in a similar situation today, by saying this: There IS hope. You are not alone. God is with you. He sees your struggles, He sees your pain. He is just itching to get you back up to your feet again. Even if don't have the strength to pray. Even if you don't have the strength to plead. God is still there indeed! (Hallelujah! Glory be to God Everlasting!) Seek him in silence, seek Him in thought, seek Him with all your heart. Even if you don't know what to say, or how to pray, rest assured that God knows you more intimately than you know yourself. He does not need words to understand you. He sees way beyond what you can see. His knowledge about you and your ways is limitless. So, be not afraid. Just lay your life before Him, and trust that He will lead the way. 

Now, I know I said I would conclude this blog post in the previous paragraph. In contrast, as we all know, things don't always turn out as planned :) (...sorry, bad joke.) On a more serious note however, I would like to finally conclude this blog post, by leaving you with some Scriptural food for thought found in chapter 6 of the book of Ephesians, verses 10-18, regarding the spiritual battle which we-as children and saints of God, redeemed and sanctified by the blood of Jesus Christ-face each and every day. So, here it is:

"A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all the strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in the dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places."  

(Ephesians 6:10-12; New Living Translation)

"Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so that you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then, after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of Truth, and the body armor of God's righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared."  

(Ephesians 6:13-15; New Living Translation)

"In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere."  

(Ephesians 6:16-18; New Living Translation)

Let all glory, honor, and praise be given to the Lord of Heavens Armies!

Forever & Always!

Amen & Amen! 

(Hallelujah! Glory be to God Everlasting! Amen!)      

       

A Little Music for The Soul...

Hey Guys!

First and foremost, I would like to apologize for my nearly 30-day silence. As for the reason behind it, I can't quite put my finger on it. Perhaps it was the lack of something worthwhile to say; perhaps it was my incredible ability to procrastinate. Perhaps both. But either way, I'd like to say that by the grace and mighty strength of God, I'm back again! 

Therefore, I would like to re-start this "virtual blog adventure"-so to speak-by providing you, as well as myself, with a little music for the soul. Simply because, I believe true and genuine worship has the power to heal one's soul by bringing each and everyone of us closer to the Lord as we surrender to His presence in worship. That is, true and genuine worship; worship which is offered in spirit and in truth. Consequently, as our heartfelt praises rise to God's Everlasting Throne, God Himself revives our spirit(s) and renews our hope, faith, and strength in Him alone! (Hallelujah! Glory be to God Everlasting! Amen!)

So, without further ado, as I am firmly convicted of this truth, I humbly bring to you a worship song entitled: "I will Exalt You;" a song sung by Brooke Fraser Ligertwood. Here it is:

Video Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPSx1Svuo9E

May our hearts be open to exalt the Lord our God in spirit and in truth; always seeking His face and relying upon His grace. May we always have faith as we dwell in His woe embrace. May we always have peace and rest assured of our God-given victory in Jesus Christ. May we press on as we fight the good fight of faith; knowing that we are not-and we will never be-alone. The One who Is, Was, and Is to Come is always with us. He will never leave us, nor forsake us. For He who conquered death and won the victory, Is indeed our victory! (Hallelujah! Praise God Forevermore!) 

May we always be true and genuine in all that we do for the Lord our God. May we our hearts be filled with a  burning desire to please the Lord in all that we do. May our hearts rejoice in bringing Him praise and exalting His Most Holy Name! (Hallelujah! Glory be to God!)

This is my heartfelt prayer from me to you Lord. May it be of a pleasing aroma to You.

In Christ's name I pray,

Amen & Amen!

Scriptural food for thought: "Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life. I will sing praise to my God [for] as long as I live." (Psalm 146:1-2; NIV Study Bible)

All glory be to God!

Forever & Always!

Amen!

Remaining in the Vine

Let's face it: Often times we feel discouraged and dismayed. And sometimes we do lose our way. We go astray...and the enemy tries to take away all the joy, the security, the refuge, and the love that we have in Jesus Christ. The enemy tries to allure us with the things of this world, and take our focus away from the Bread of Life. And once he succeeds, he tramples on us, mocks us, and accuses us endlessly; until we feel like there's no turning back; no roundabout. He fills our minds with a bunch of lies, and will do just about anything to prevent us from turning back to Christ, and living in His light. But when we seek the Lord with all our hearts, and persevere in prayer and supplication, the enemy and His plans of destruction for us are defeated; because prayer moves the hand of God. And in Him we always have victory! No matter what Satan tries to do against us, when we come to the Lord for help, He's always there to rescue and restore us! I know this to be true because I have been through it.  

 As a result of personal spiritual persecution and warfare I can say this with all the conviction of my heart: I can do nothing by my own strength. I may try as I might but it will be in vain! In contrast, all things are possible in Jesus Christ! Therefore, although I am the scum of the earth, I will make myself available for His service. I am not able; but the Lord is! I am not strong; But the Lord is! I do not know what the future holds, but the Lord does! I may not see how His plans for me will unfold, but I'll trust in Him!

From now on, I will not be anxious. I will not be dismayed. I will simply let the Lord lead the way. I will strive to follow Him in humility and obedience; obedience to His Word and commands. And with me, will be the Counselor!; the Holy Spirit of God who strengthens me, and empowers me to live a Christ-like life; who reminds of who I am in Christ. It is the Spirit of God who grants me faith to believe. It was He who convicted me of the Truth. It is He who enables me to believe in the Word of God with all of my heart. And it is He who daily guides my actions, my thoughts, and the words that I say. That is not to say that I'm perfect. As a matter of fact, I'm far from it. I sin every day. That is why I so desperately need God's grace and mercy in my life. That is why, I need the guidance, consul and encouragement of His Holy Spirit; to teach to walk effectively in God's light, and to keep me from making a habit out of sin. (In other words, the act of sinning should be accidental, as opposed to deliberate when we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us.)

I have personally come to find, that all that I can do, is strive to live a life that resembles that of Jesus Christ, with the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit of God. All that I can really do is seek His face, and pray. In addition to reading His Word every day, meditating upon it and putting it into practice. I realize now, that things are much simpler than I originally thought them to be. I had been carrying a burden that was not mine to carry. I had placed upon my shoulders a weight that was never meant for me. I have come to understand, that there's a time and place for everything. I cannot hasten harvest season. Harvest will only come in due time. And in the meantime, all I can do is remain in Christ. For the Jesus says in the book of John, chapter 15, verse 4: 

"Remain in Me and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the Vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me."  

(John 15:4; NIV Study Bible)

  

I would like to conclude by saying this: If you can relate to the situation described above, I would humbly and yet strongly encourage you to cry out to God, pour your heart out to Him, lay your burdens down, place your trust in Him, and let Him lead the way. I can assure you that if you do so, you will not be discouraged or dismayed. That is the case, because you will no longer be relying on your strength; but rather on the Mighty strength of the Lord our God, to carry you, to guide you, to teach you, to transform you, and to use you for the glory of His Holy Name! (Hallelujah!)

This is my sincere and heartfelt prayer to the Father in Heaven:

May the Lord our God enable us to rest assured in His promises for each and everyone of us, as we seek His face, put our trust in Him alone, and strive to live lives which resemble that of Christ. 

May the enemy flee as we place our hope in Thee Lord!

May his arrows be broken, and his weapons against us be destroyed!

May we be set free from the traps of he who does nothing but deceive!

Let us stand firm in Christ forever and always!

Let us not be dismayed or afraid; for there will come a day when all your glorious promises to the saints will be fulfilled! (Hallelujah!) 

Each and everyone of them shall come to pass! (Hallelujah!); none will ever be forgotten!

Let us fight the good fight of faith until the very end!

 

It is in Jesus' name that I pray,

Amen & Amen!

All glory be to God!

Forever & Always!

Amen & Amen!