To Lead Is...

To Lead is to Serve;

To Lead is to guide, direct, and instruct; 

But never neglect, and dare not forget to do so with genuine, and heartfelt Love...

...Therefore, to Lead is to Love!

To Lead is to sacrifice;

To Lead is to place the needs of others ahead, and yours behind;

To Lead is not only an Honor, and a Privilege;

It is more importantly, a gift; an incubation; a mission, with which comes great responsibility!

To Lead is to rid oneself of vanity, 

and clothe oneself in genuine and true humility.

To Lead is to love justice and righteousness;

To Lead is not to compromise when it comes to telling, and sharing the Truth;

To Lead is to be merciful and compassionate...

To Lead is to be human enough to understand the struggles faced by man, 

while retaining the strength, courage, and boldness required to teach right from wrong.

To Lead is to teach by example.

Words are secondary; used only when absolutely necessary;

For just as faith without deeds is dead, words without action are empty.

And empty words are full of hypocrisy.   

A true leader Cannot be a Hypocrite...

...For to be a leader is to be, first and foremost, a servant.

To serve is his/her goal.
To lead in love, mercy, compassion, humility, and righteousness is his/her calling.

To Lead is to have the ability to forgive;

(Granted one cannot forget...)

To Lead is to be an instrument of instruction, guidance, hope, encouragement, and restoration in God's hands! (Amen! Hallelujah! Let it be so LORD!)

To Lead is to stretch out a hand to those can no longer stand,

And bring them back to their feet again; leading them in the Light of Jesus Christ! (Amen! Hallelujah!)

To Lead is to be brave enough to be Humble; 

Especially when it means preventing a crumble.

To Lead is to Learn daily.

To Lead is to be a voice to the voiceless;

To bring Hope to the hopeless, healing to the broken, and encouragement to the discouraged.

But in order to lead effectively, the leader in question MUST willingly surrender to the LORDSHIP of JESUS CHRIST!

So, essentially, to Lead is to Surrender;

To Lead is to Submit;

To Lead is to Serve.

To serve Whom...? Jesus Christ!

...And consequently, in obedience to God's Holy Word, our brothers and sisters in Christ!

So let us Serve in humility, so that we may Lead in honor;

Let us be last, so that we shall be first!

Let us lose our lives, so that we may find it in Jesus Christ! (Amen! Hallelujah!)

Let us sow generously into the Kingdom of God!

Be it in works, deeds, or even financially. For if we truly and genuinely believe, we SHALL reap a harvest according to our individual deeds.

For God is Just and Righteous;

And no work done in His name shall be in vain! (Amen! Hallelujah! Glory be to God Everlastingly! Amen and Amen!)

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

Amen & Amen!

Isaiah 53

No words from me today. Simply words from Isaiah 53:

"Who has believed our message?
To whom has the LORD revealed [H]is powerful arm?"

"My [S]ervant grew up in the LORD's presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about [H]is appearance, nothing to attract us to [H]im."

"He was despised and rejected-a [M]an of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on [H]im and looked the other way. He was despised and we did not care."

"Yet it was our weaknesses [H]e carried; it was our sorrows that weighted [H]im down.

And we thought [H]is troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for [H]is own sins!"

"But [H]e was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so that we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed."   

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

"All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
We have left God's path to follow our own.
Yet the LORD laid on [H]im the sins of us all."

"He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet [H]e never said a word.
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.
And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, [H]e did not open [H]is mouth."

"Unjustly condemned, [H]e was led away.
No one cared that [H]e died without descendants, that [H]is life was cut short in midstream.
But [H]e was struck down for the rebellion of my people."

"He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone.
But [H]e was buried like a criminal; [H]e was put in a rich man's grave."


"But is was the LORD's good plan to crush [H]im and cause [H]im grief.
Yet when [H]is life is made an offering for sin, [H]e will have many descendants.
He will enjoy a long life, and the LORD's good plan will prosper in [H]is hands." 

(Amen! Hallelujah! Glory be to God Everlastingly! For He has made all things new, through, by, and with the Precious and Ultimate Sacrifice of His Son-Jesus Christ! So let us praise, and give thanks to the LORD our God, who has graciously made provision for the atonement of our sins, through the sacrifice of His Holy Lamb-our Precious LORD and Savior-Jesus Christ! Amen! Hallelujah! Glory be to God! From Everlasting to Everlasting! Amen, Amen, and Amen!)

"When [H]e sees all that is accomplished by [H]is anguish, [H]e will be satisfied. 
And because of [H]is experience, my Righteous Servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous,  for [H]e will bear all their sins."

"I will give [H]im the honors of a victorious soldier, because [H]e exposed [H]imself to death.
He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels."

 (Isaiah 53:1-12; New Living Translation of the Bible)

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

Amen, Amen, and Amen!

"Healer"

Hey Guys!

I just came across this incredibly amazing, and inspiring music video montage with the lyrics to the song "Healer." It was originally recorded by PlanetShakers. But this particular version of it, is sung by Hillsong. And it really struck a chord with me; ministering straight into the very depths of my heart! Words cannot express what a blessing this song was for me. So, I couldn't resist; I have to share it with you.

It is my hope and prayer to God, the Father, that this song will be as much of a blessing to you, as it was for me. No, strike that. I hope and pray that this anointed song from God, will increase your faith in such a way, that you will indeed believe in the impossible. Believe that ALL things are possible with God! He does not know limits. He does not know impossibilities. (Amen! Hallelujah! Glory be to God forevermore!) And just as all things are possible with God, all things are possible for those who place their faith and trust in God! (Hallelujah! Amen!)  In other words, all things are possible to those who truly and genuinely BELIEVE in God, first and foremost, and consequently in the promises given to us in His Holy Word! For His promises are true and completely trustworthy! God's Word is the ULTIMATE and ABSOLUTE TRUTH!

And now, without further ado, here's the video I'd like to share with you. As you listen to this anointed worship song, remember that it contains words of EVERLASTING TRUTH. So, in humility, I urge  you, let them minister to you! Let them heal and restore you! Let them remind you of, and keep your mind focused on, God's EVERLASTING TRUTH! (Amen! Hallelujah! Glory be to God Everlastingly!) For these are indeed words of Everlasting Truth! And those who truly are in Christ-who IS the Truth-shall surely recognize it, and believe that these are indeed words of Everlasting Truth! (Amen! Hallelujah LORD! Glory be to God Everlastingly! AMEN! AMEN! and AMEN!)


Video Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaB53_AS7Ug

Scriptural food for thought: "Surely [H]e hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: Yet we did esteem [H]im stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, [H]e was bruised for our iniquities: [T]he chastisement of our peace was upon [H]im; and with His stripes we are healed."  

(Isaiah 53: 4-5; King James Version) 

(Amen! Hallelujah! Glory be to God Everlastingly!)
(Yes! I believe LORD! I believe in the truthfulness of your precious Word, and its precious and powerful promises, with ALL the strength of my heart!) 
(So, again I say, Glory be to God Everlastingly! For His Word is Eternal and True! And His promises are trustworthy! Amen! Hallelujah! Amen!)

"Yet it was our weaknesses [H]e carried; it was our sorrows that weighted [H]im down. And we thought [H]is troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for His own sins! But [H]e was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so that we could be whole. [H]e was whipped so that we could be healed." 

(Isaiah 53: 4-5; New Living Translation)

"He personally carried our sins in [H]is body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By [H]is wounds you are healed." (I Peter 2:24; New Living Translation) 

Amen, Amen, and Amen!

Let all glory, honor, and praise be to God Everlastingly!
For He is our Savior and our Healer!
And He is Truly and Solely worthy of it!

Amen, Amen, and Amen!

Again I say,
Glory be to God Everlastingly!
Amen & Amen!

Back To The Battlefield!

I don't know if anyone out there would agree with me; but today, I can honestly say, that worship is a great remedy for the soul. For as we worship the LORD our God, in spirit and in truth, He draws near to restore us, to strengthen us, to encourage us, to remind us of who we are in Jesus Christ! (Hallelujah! Amen!). The reason I am mentioning such fact, is because on this particular day, God Himself has called me back to the battlefield as I worshiped Him. He has encouraged me, He has restored me, He has given me hope anew. Through various ministries of song and worship God has ministered to my heart and revived my spirit through and in Christ! And I praise the LORD for loving me so much that He would care to restore me and to bring me back to my feet yet again! (Hallelujah! Amen! I praise the LORD for His never-ending mercy and grace upon my life each and every day! Hallelujah! Amen!)

Yet I must confess: I am amazed, as I ponder upon the fact, that no matter how many times I fall, God's still there when I call. As a matter of fact, I am awe-struck by His everlasting mercy and grace; which is poured upon me, (and you), each and every day. It is beyond me, to attempt to figure out why He has not given up on me. After all, just between you and me, He has PLENTY of reasons to do so. But the fact of the matter is, He has NOT given up on me. And He WILL NOT. He WILL NOT RELENT. He WILL NOT LET GO of me. As if that's not enough, not only is God clutching tightly to me, but He's also calling me back to the battlefield!-"And why is that so amazing?"-you may ask. Well, the answer to such question is fairly simple, yet incredibly remarkable to me. In other words, the very fact that God is calling me back to the battlefield regardless of the countless times I've fallen, is precious evidence of His everlasting love, and relentless belief in me. That is to say, in spite of all my short-comings and character flaws, despite my weaknesses, The LORD GOD, my Friend and King, still sees potential in me. Or better yet, He still wants to use me. And that, my dear friend, is truly comforting, unbelievably awesome, and genuinely amazing to me.

But of course, it is imperative that I reiterate the fact, that God's amazing grace applies not only to me, but also to all of those who believe. So, please allow me to minister to your life right now. If you have fallen down, if you feel weary and weak, if you believe you've gone too far and there's no turning back, don't lose heart just yet; because God is calling you back to the battlefield. Yes! He is calling you back to the battlefield indeed! All you have to do, is to answer the call, and present yourself before the LORD. Just as you are; flaws and all. All that God requires of you, is sincerity, and honesty before Him. Do not try to cover up your flaws. As a matter of fact, I would humbly encourage you to do just the opposite. That is, bare them before the LORD. Do not try to justify your sins, or to deny your weaknesses. It is pointless to do so. For God knows the deepest and darkest secrets of your heart. He is well acquainted with the intermost part of your soul. So, I urge you to please pour your heart and soul to God without reservations or restrictions. Show yourself to Him just as you are. Confess your sins before the LORD and plead for His mercy and forgiveness from the very bottom of your heart. For God does not reject those of contrite hearts and spirits. And He swiftly and promptly restores and strengthens them. So that they may be living witnesses of God's everlasting love, mercy, and grace! (Amen! Hallelujah!) And so that the world may know, that no one is eternally doomed for disgrace and defeat if they truly and earnestly seek God's face, and embrace the gift of God's grace and everlasting redemption by faith! (Amen! Hallelujah! Glory be to God!) 

Therefore, once again I say, pour your heart, your soul, and your spirit out to the LORD, and let Him take care of you. Let Him strengthen and restore you. Let Him heal your wounds. Believe in God against all hope. Believe that God can indeed make all things new! (Amen! Hallelujah!) And above all, once you've poured  your heart out to God, made known to Him all your afflictions in prayer and thanksgiving, trust in the LORD with all your heart! Have faith in Christ Jesus! And I assure you, that you will NOT be disappointed or dismayed! (Amen! Hallelujah! Yes, Lord! I believe!)

In sum, always remember and be grateful for the gift of God's grace. DO NOT forsake it. Do NOT forget it. And DO NOT, under any circumstance, take it for granted. For a very high price was paid on that wooden cross for your life and mine. A price so high that we could never repay. But what we can do however, is to truly embrace the gift of God's EVERLASTING GRACE! (Amen! Hallelujah!) For we know, that in and through the Holy and Ultimate sacrifice of Christ we have eternal redemption from sin. We are forgiven and redeemed. We are washed clean and set free by Christ's precious blood. We are no longer enslaved to our sinful nature. We are no longer bound by chains. We are free, and free indeed! So, let us go back to the battlefield at once; under the leadership of Christ who strengthens the meek, and rescues those who are oppressed. And let us rejoice in Christ Jesus who grants us victory! Oh, Yes! Christ Jesus is our victory indeed! (Amen! Hallelujah! I believe & I believe!)

Scriptural food for thought: 
"For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to the wonderful day when the glory of our [G]reat God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. He gave [H]is life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us [H]is very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds." 

(Titus 2:11-14; New Living Translation)

"Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins you will be forgiven."  

(James 5: 14-15; New Living Translation)

"Dear brothers and sisters, when trouble comes your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing."  

 (James 1:2-4; New Living Translation)

"God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love [H]im."  

(James 1:12; New Living Translation) 

All glory, honor, and praise be given to God the Father, and to the Holy One: Christ Jesus; who is our victory! (Amen! Hallelujah! Glory be to God forevermore!)

Lighthouse

As I pondered upon what would ultimately be the content of this particular blog post, an intriguing question emerged: "How may I accurately and coherently express that which I am compelled to share with others today?" How do I organize the thoughts racing through my mind, in such a way, as to make myself clearly understood?" Then, I realized that it is not up to me to tackle such a challenging task. I am not required  to organize my thoughts into coherent streams of words and phrases.

I am however, invited to yield to the guidance and leadership of the Holy Spirit of God, Who dwells within me. I am called to surrender my mind, my heart, my spirit, and my soul completely to the Holy One, so that He may use me as an instrument in His hands. Both now, and prayerfully, by God's Everlasting grace, each and every day of my life. And I humbly encourage you-the reader-to do the same today. So, that the LORD our God, may use your life for His glory, honor, and praise, in a mighty way! (Amen! Hallelujah! Let it be so Lord!) But of course, I digress. For that is not the subject I would like to present for discussion to you today. (But it may very well be the topic of discussion for another day.) So, without further ado, let us get to the heart of the matter; shall we?

I am writing to you today, to share something which I personally found fairly remarkable in my walk with Christ. It may seem quite obvious, and even logical once the "dots" are all connected-so to speak. But it was not immediately the case for me. And it just may be, that you, my dear friend, will also benefit from such a remarkable, yet seemly obvious discovery.

It is no secret to anyone, that every now and then, we find ourselves in very bewildering seasons and/or temporary circumstances in our individual journeys with Christ. Well, it just so happens, that I currently find myself in one of those seasons. A season in which nothing makes much sense. And it seems to me, that the harder I try to make sense of its bewildering factor, the "foggier" things become. The street signs become harder to read-that is, figuratively speaking-and the road map is gone. For a brief moment, I find myself lost and confused in the middle of nowhere, without the slightest idea of where to turn to next, or which path to follow in order to find my way home.

Then, it was suddenly revealed to me; an amazing, yet seemly obvious discovery: Streets signs and road maps are not necessary when God the Father is my Lighthouse. When God is my reference point, I am not lost; but rather found. And while I may not be able to make sense of it all today, I know that the Lighthouse will light my way. But in the meantime, I will walk by faith. I will strive to serve the LORD faithfully as I wait; I will continue to do what God has called me to do. And I will choose to follow Him the whole way through. For God is and has always been God. Even before the Earth came to be. Even before He decided in Everlasting Sovereignty, to give the breath of life to you and me. Therefore, to Him be all glory, honor, and praise forevermore! For He is truly and solely worthy of it! (Amen! Hallelujah! Glory be to God!)

So, once again, please allow me to reiterate: When things don't make much sense, continue to walk by faith. Hang on to your commitment to and faith in God! (Amen! Hallelujah!) Even in the midst of bewildering and/or adverse circumstances. Stop trying to read confusing street signs, and rely not on bewildering road maps. Choose to walk by faith instead. After all, that just might have been the point all along. (As I finally discovered....)

"Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us reassurance about things we cannot see."

(Hebrews 11:1; New Living Translation)

And Remember: Always search for the Lighthouse

Let the angels of Heaven sing to Him!
Let the Cherubim render Him True and Genuine praise!
For the LORD our God is worthy of it!
He is Gracious and Glorious;
He is Mighty and Strong!
He is the EVERLASTING God!
The One and Only One!

So, let the people of the Earth join in, as the angels of Heaven sing!
For God Almighty is our victory! (Amen! Hallelujah!)
He is our refuge and our strength.

The One Who renders us His renewed mercies and everlastingly abundant grace, at the dawn of each day! (Amen! Hallelujah! Glory be to God forevermore! For He is worthy!)

May our souls rejoice in Him!
And may our hearts, minds, and mouths never cease to be full of words of praise to Him!
Let us praise Him continuously;
To Him, the Master and Owner all things;
By and through which all things were created and came to be,
To the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY be all glory, honor, and praise! (Amen! Hallelujah!)
Glory be to ELOHIM Everlastingly!
Amen & Amen!

And as for me, I will place my trust solely in Thee;
I will strive to serve Thee faithfully, for as long as I may live.
And I will patiently wait upon Thee, as I strive to live each and every day by faith.

I surrender to You once again.
I submit myself to You and to your good and perfect will.

That is the deepest desire of my heart, and my sincere and heartfelt prayer to God, the Father.

It is in the Precious and Powerful name of Jesus that I pray,

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

Scriptural food for thought: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show which path to take."  

(Proverbs 3: 5-6; New Living Translation)

"But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God"  

(Habakkuk 2:4b; New Living Translation)

All glory be to God!
Forever & Always!
Amen & Amen!

Everyday Life Meets A Frightening But Everlasting Truth...

Hey Guys!

I realize that I've blogged on this subject before, and I don't mean to sound like a broken record. But I feel compelled to share the Truth with you. And I hope you don't mind if I do... So, without further ado, I would like to share a video with you, pertaining to the rapture of the Church of Jesus Christ. While it may be somewhat frightening, it will never cease to be an Everlasting Truth! (Amen! Hallelujah!)


Video Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sLUIfCSTMU

May the LORD have mercy upon us all!
May we be ready when He calls;
May our eyes be open to see, and our ears be open to hear;

May we turn back from our stubborn ways, genuinely repent from our sins, and in doing so, tap into His Everlasting Grace! (Amen! Hallelujah!)


LORD! Let us be washed clean, and purified by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, each and every day of our lives! 

It is not that we are without sin, but we who have been redeemed, must come before Thee, and confess our sins daily, so that we may be washed clean! (Amen! Hallelujah!).

We must repent genuinely;
We must turn back from our old crooked ways; (May the LORD help us!)
We must forgive to be forgiven;
And we must seek to find.


We must not compromise;
We must not close our eyes, and pretend not to see, what's right in front of you and me!
We must not close our ears, and pretend not not hear, simply out of fear.


May God the Father, have mercy upon us all!
And may we be ready when He calls! (Amen! Hallelujah!)


It is in the Precious and Holy name of Jesus that I pray,


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

May all glory, honor, and praise be given to God Everlastingly!
Amen & Amen!

This One Is For the Church Of Jesus Christ!

Jesus, let this become a reality in our lives, so that we-The Church of Jesus Christ-may go into all the earth, and preach the Gospel; share the Truth, light the way, and change the world through, with, and in You!

So that your Holy Name, may be glorified and lifted up high forevermore! (Hallelujah! Amen!)

It is in Your Holy Name that I pray,
Amen & Amen! (Hallelujah! Amen!)

 

Video Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KboW0TzKjgY

I thank You LORD, for everything that You are!
For everything that You have done, is doing, and will do in my life! (Hallelujah!)
I thank You for your everlasting mercy and grace.
Thank You for your woe embrace!

Lord, once again I thank You for who You are. 
For you do not deal with me according to my many sins; but rather, according to your everlasting mercy and grace! (Hallelujah! Amen!) 

O LORD! You delight in showing your faithful children mercy. You shower them with endless grace;
You provide for their every need. And you graciously grant them victory! (Amen! Hallelujah!)

You will not abandon, nor forsaken them! 
You will not turn a deaf ear to their pleas, or ignore their cries for help in times of distress. (Amen! Hallelujah!)

You shelter and care for your little children in times of trouble;
You will not hide your glorious presence, comfort, and love from those who seek you with all of their hearts!
Those who search for You night and day shall not be dismayed;
Those who put their trust in You shall not be afraid;
And those who wait patiently upon You shall have a great harvest to gain! (Amen! Hallelujah!)

O LORD! Please let my heart be faithful to You throughout all of my days!
Let me not be led astray! Please, lead and light the way!
Let me love mercy and compassion. And let me walk with You in humility through all of my days! (Amen! Hallelujah!) For that is Your will for all of those who love You.

Let your wisdom guard my heart, and the words that I say;
Let true and genuine humility keep me from the poison of pride; the beginning of the end!
Let your love-the love of Christ Jesus-be a jewel around my neck; 
Let it be a pleasant fragrance coming from Your Majestic, Righteous, Pure, and Noble heart, for this humble and unworthy servant to spread through.

O Jesus! Let your light shine through!
Let me always be true and genuine to you!
Let not the words that I say, or the choices that I make lead others astray!

O LORD! Please forgive me for the times I disobeyed.
And for the times my actions or words have led others astray!
You know I did not mean to hurt You or they...
But nonetheless, I have...

But now, all I have to count on is in the power of Your Holy Blood to purify me, and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. (Amen! Hallelujah!)
So, I call upon Your EVERLASTING Mercy and Grace again today;
For I trust in the comfort of your woe embrace! (Amen! Hallelujah!)

And it is because I freely receive from Your everlasting mercy and grace each day, that I must also freely show mercy and grace to others. 

I must forgive to be forgiven;
I must pray for those who persecute me;
And I must love those who hate me; because then, I will be conducting myself as a true child of God.
And therefore, God's Holy name will be forever glorified and lifted up high! (Amen! Hallelujah!)

I am dust. And to dust I shall return. But the Name of the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY SHALL be known throughout the Earth.
His Power, Majesty, and Greatness are EVERLASTING!
NO one is greater than He;
NO is more powerful than He;
NO one can defeat Him!
For He is, was, and will forever be, the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY!
THE ONE AND ONLY GOD OF THE UNIVERSE! (Amen! Hallelujah!)
THE LORD of heaven's armies.
THE CREATOR of the universe;
THE ALPHA and OMEGA!
THE BEGINNING and THE END! (AMEN! HALLELUJAH!)

So, let all glory be to GOD!
Forever & Always!

In Christ's name I pray,

Amen & Amen!