Beauty & The Gospel MADE PERFECT THROUGH JESUS CHRIST
ISSUE NO 2 VOL 4 MARCH 2021
| ISSUE 2 VOL 4|
POSITION YOURSELF & WAIT
0UR VISION Romans 15:20(TPT) It is my honor and constant passion to be a pioneer who preaches where no one has ever even heard of the Anointed One, instead of building upon someone else’s foundation.
OUR MISSION 1 Corinthians 1:17 (MSG) God didn’t send me out to collect a following for myself, but to preach the Message of what He has done, collecting a following for Him. And He didn’t send me to do it with a lot of fancy rhetoric of my own, lest the powerful action at the center—Christ on the Cross—be trivialized into mere words.
our CONTRIBUTORS
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Dr André & Jenny Roebert bels,a rent esss ,Ntpaom Gopaodn stor sus Je lovers of d His Christ an unders of Word. Fo Faith Tv
Beauty & The Gospel
CONTENTS LET YOUR SEED FIGHT FOR YOU! How to train up a child it's more than just quoting the Word of God HIS WILL IS FOR YOU TO INHERIT "even in the spiritual realm, an inheritance exists" POWER OF WALKING IN OBEDIENCE HEALTH & FITNESS A renewed mind= a transformed healthy you The Blessed life series unlocking the secrets on how to activate the blessed life SATAN'S MASTER PLAN SENSE n STYLE "modest fashion tips at your finger tips" Monthly Devotions
" we forgive those who hate us because of eternal life" - Prophet T. B Joshua-
Ask in faith , expect an answer! Pastor John Hagee
ISSUE NO 2 VOL 4
that gurl's
EDITOR'S NOTE ttle. Just take 17 You will not have to fight this ba l see the Lord up your positions and wait; you wil 17 give you victory. - 2 Chronicles 20:
Beloved, this is pure manna from heaven. There are battles that we tend to fight that are just simply not ours to fight BUT THE LORD'S . This is what Hashem told the God fearing King Jehoshaphat. Before he could get this answer in his time of terror and fear he turned to the Lord in prayer, seeking guidance. Can we just stop there a second. He didn't seek guidance from his friends, palace officials , army commanders BUT THE LORD. And by the grace, The LORD answers him. "You will not have to fight this battle. Just take your position and wait". You may be asking but how do I then take up my position and wait , is it ever possible? YES, it is child of God. You take up your position by seeking the Lord in prayer, worship, praise, obedience, gratitude, faith, devotion in His Word and simply waiting.
EDITOR
tsakani mhlongo @empress_teekay
VOL. 4| MARCH 2021
B&TG NEWS CHRISTIANS IN THE KNOW!
America , persecution is coming & fast Source: www.endtimeheadlines.org/
“I’ve really had something burning on my heart, especially in the last few weeks,” he shared. The waves of hostility are coming, and he believes God has sent him to give the church in America a message. “There’s a real sea change taking place in our country and this generation… The hostility toward followers of Jesus Christ is going to rise,” he warned. “The pressure is coming, and it’s coming very quickly now.” Thinking back over the horrible images of the last two weeks, Andrew said he feels a sense of urgency. “Pastors, especially, and influencers and parents need to prepare.” “I believe a great sorting is coming to the church, and there will be a lot of division.” There will be a temptation to compromise, Andrew senses. And it’s already happening. “One thing I want to underline from my experience is that those who persecute [are] going to justify it by saying that we’re hate groups, that we have a message of hate.” That’s going to be tough to take. “People are going to say that [Christians] are a threat to safety. ‘You can’t work here. Your views make people unsafe. You can’t use social media. You can’t use your bank account, your credit cards,’ things like that. And churches, ‘You can’t keep your designation as a tax-exempt nonprofit…’” Compromise will be the easy way out.
OVERVIEW: “Unprecedented instability” as Israel faces fourth election in two years Pakistani Christians Face Death Penalty For Blasphemy DISCLAIMER B&TG NEWS is a Christian news segment that shares pre-published articles by writers around the world. Each article is sourced and linked to the origin, and each article is credited with the author’s name. We do not exclusively create our own content. Any views or opinions presented on this segment are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Beauty & The Gospel.
Pakistani Christians Face Death Penalty For Blasphemy Source: www.www.worthynews.com
Two Christians could face execution in Pakistan after being summoned by police for evangelizing among Muslims, Christians confirmed. A complaint of “blasphemy” was filed against Haroon Ayub Masih and Salamat Mansha Masih on February 13 following their talks with Muslims in the Model Town area of Pakistan’s Lahore city. Muslim student Haroon Ahmed reportedly alleged to police that the Pakistani men approached him and his friends in a community park. He said the devoted Christians handed them a Christian booklet titled “Water of Life. ”They “also talked about Christianity,” Ahmed said in published remarks. He claimed the Christians made derogatory remarks about Muhammed, the prophet, and the Koran, deemed a holy book by Muslims. Barnabas Fund fears the detentions are a prelude to execution. “Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code stipulates a mandatory death sentence for anybody found guilty of “defiling the name” of Muhammad”, the prophet, the group added.
Mexican Evangelicals Are Helping Catholics Turn To Christ, Away From Idols Source: www.worthynews.com
Evangelical Christians in Mexico have been preaching the Gospel to their Syncretist Catholic neighbors, turning them toward Christ and away from idols, the Christian Post reports. According to a recent survey, the number of Mexican evangelical Christians has increased by 49% since 2010. While Mexico is often assumed to be a Christian country, many Mexicans are Catholics who practice pagan idolatry, including the worship of saints, the sacrifice of animals, and the incorporation of rituals pertaining to Aztec beliefs, the Christian Post reports. Jaime Castro, President of the evangelical Christian ‘Universidad Cristiana de Mexico,’ explained to the Christian Post: “I was a pastor, and I have the experience to know some American Catholics.
They weren’t like [Mexican Catholics]. The syncretism between Catholics that came to Mexico adopted every idol and every goddess [from the Aztec religion],” he said. Moreover, Mexican evangelicals are often persecuted by the country’s Catholic community, Castro said. Although Mexico permits religious freedom, evangelicals are often threatened, attacked or ostracized by their Catholic neighbors, he continued. Nevertheless, Castro attested: “Evangelical Christians are doing a great job and the Gospel is being spread. The most optimistic people will tell you that we are within 15-to20% evangelical Christian in Mexico.” “When people convert from traditionalist Catholicism to Christianity, their families change for the better,” Castro added. “[When men become Christians], the home becomes strong and they have more opportunities,” said Castro. “The head of the house used to spend a lot of money on alcohol, on parties. But now he becomes more committed to his marriage and becomes a committed father, a committed husband, and it makes a difference in the community.”
“Unprecedented instability” as Israel faces fourth election in Source: www.evangelicalfocus.com two years New elections are due to be held on 23 March. “It is not so much a division over political ideologies but a referendum on Netanyahu's leadership”, Israeli evangelicals say. The budgets have hastened the end of the weak and short government coalition between Israel's two majority parties, the Likud of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Blue and White, of Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Benny Gantz.
The lack of parliamentary consensus on approving the accounts has turned the May agreement that allowed to form the current executive, into a political anecdote. New elections are due to be held on 23 March. The fourth in the past two years. The leaders of both parties have blamed each other. Blue and White stated that “with 800,000 people unemployed, at the height of the pandemic, [Netanyahu] did not approve the 2021 budget because of his judicial problems, and his only objective is to remain in power”.
devotions
Live to Please the Father by Dr André and Jenny Roebert Luke 9:23 (NLT): "Then he said to the crowd, "If any of you wants to be My follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow Me." While He was on the earth, Jesus was our perfect example. Everything He did was a demonstration of His love and devotion to His Father. He never spoke or acted outside of His will. He came to show us Who His Heavenly Father was. Their relationship was inseparable: Jesus followed after His Father in every detail. His way was His Father's way. In John 17 Jesus makes it clear that this relationship of absolute unity is what He desires for us to have with Him and the Father. As much as we would like the approval of everyone, there is only One we seek to please - our Heavenly Father. As believers, our ultimate pursuit is to walk inseparably with and in God. We should desire to follow after Him in every way. As you dedicate your life to pleasing God and follow His instructions through a living, intimate relationship with Him, He will live through you gloriously. You will carry the fragrance of Christ and people will recognise you have been in the Presence of God.
REMINDER
DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME IS IT? SHEPHERD HILL COMMUNITY
GNB Bible. Ecclesiastes 3:1-2
Showing that man should not act
[1]Everything that happens in
without having or knowing the
this world happens at the time
place of timing.
God chooses.[2]He sets the time for birth and the time for death,
When parents send their children
the time for planting and the
to school they know what time
time for pulling up.
the child should be in and out of school. They also knew what
As we read through Ecclesiastes.
time the child should be
3, we see God working with time.
promoted to the next class. We
God adopted this initiative into
accept a job offer knowing the
His time of creation.
starting and closing time.
When women get pregnant they
2 Corinthians 6:2
know when the baby is set to be
[2]Hear what God says: “When the
delivered and even when there's a
time came for me to show you
delay in the process of delivery,
favour I heard you; when the day
they get terribly worried. Workers
arrived for me to save you, I
know when they will be paid etc.
helped you. ”Listen! This is the hour to receive God's favour;
Dear friend, if we apply timing on
today is the day to be saved!
a daily basis to almost everything we do, how then can we justify not
Jesus says, Except a person be
to know the period / times the
Born Again, he /she CANNOT SEE
World is in right now!!!
THE KINGDOM OF GOD ".
We are already living in a time
DELAY CAN BE VERY DISASTROUS
when men get married to men and
TO LIFE ... YOU MAY ASK THOSE IN
women to women and showing it
THE MEDICAL FIELD!!!
on the media. Evil has become the good thing to do, etc.. Dear friend, if I may ask you, what time do you think this World is in right now, seeing the numerous things happening at the same time globally? Will you justify not to know that the world is soon coming to an end? Does anyone who identifies himself / herself as a Christian, not know that Christ's return to the world is very near? Does any living Christian not sure if he / she is Born Again or when he / She will be Born Again? Is there any Christian who is still not sure if he is ready for the coming of Christ and a lifetime in heaven? It will be disastrous if anyone delays and assume not to know that today is the day of Salvation.
featured
satan's Master Plan written by : Jentezen Franklin
“since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels…” II Thessalonians 1:6-7 We see the signs of the times. We see the world is in turmoil. But don’t be discouraged. It’s like we are seeing scripture and prophesy come to life right before our eyes.
Do not let your heart be disturbed. God is with us and we need to stay connected to God’s people, to His church, for comfort and encouragement.
Three End Times Truths 1. Don’t be disturbed—have faith. God is in control, even when it seems like everything is out of control. God wants you to have peace in the middle of the turmoil.
Don’t allow your heart to be anxious, worried or fearful. He will defend you and shelter you. a. Stay connected to the church and His people b. Rest in the knowledge that Jesus has us in the palm of His mighty hand. Three categories of Christians today: Those who are afraid Those who don’t know enough to be afraid Those who know their Bible and know our hope is in Jesus, not in the world 2. Do not be deceived. Satan is the master deceiver. He will come as the father of lies. He will use deception, and many will be deceived, even those in the church, which is why we have to spend time in God’s Word. There will be a man of sin called the anti-Christ. He is the lawless one.
a. Everything He has promised in scripture is coming together in astonishing ways b. There is a demon assigned to the nation of China and God’s people are in chains there. We must pray for the persecuted church. More evidence that the end times are at our front door.
Final Thoughts These are difficult times, but do not be disturbed, do not be deceived, and do not be disappointed. Jesus is our Savior and our great Hope. Pray for your loved ones. Lead others to Christ. Comfort one another. Keep faith, hope, and love alive. Have faith and do not be afraid. God is on His throne and in the end—we win!
a. We see lawlessness today all over the world b. Satan is anti-Christ, anti-church, anti-Israel, and he is anti-Bible c. There will be a great falling away d. He will cause many to fall away from the Lord and from church e. The anti-CHRIST may very well be alive on earth today f. We are seeing the spirit and the mystery of iniquity. There is a spirit of wickedness and there is a devilish conspiracy; we are up against tireless spirits g. Good news: There is a Restrainer!!! The Holy Spirit is the Restrainer. The Holy Spirit lives in us. He restrains through us as believers. The Holy Spirit helps the saints and hinders Satan 3. Don’t be disappointed. You will not be disappointed. The deceiver will be destroyed. 666 will be taken over by 777. God will consume the deceiver with one breath. We won’t be disappointed when He splits the eastern sky and returns to take us home
Jentezen Franklin
ROTUBIRTNOC
ANOTHER MAN written by:
ANGUS & JILL BUCHAN Jill and I found Jesus as our personal Lord and Saviour on the 18th of February 1979, just two years after settling in Greytown, Kwa-Zulu Natal Midlands, South Africa. Originally from Zambia, we bought a piece of land on which we planned to farm crops and livestock. We had very little to start with but even as brand new Christians, we were content with our farm, which we later called SHALOM.
”THEN THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD WILL COME UPON YOU, AND YOU WILL PROPHESY WITH THEM AND BE TURNED INTO ANOTHER MAN.” — SAMUEL 10:6 (NKJV) This is what happened when Saul, the first King of Israel, was anointed by God’s servant, the prophet Samuel. He was instantly turned into another man and then, in verse seven, the Bible says: “And let it be when these signs come upon you that you do as the occasion demands, for God is with you.”
”Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV). "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1 (NKJV).
Samuel 10:7 (NKJV).
I remember like it was yesterday when I gave my
When a person is touched by God and they
started attending a little Bible study and the
become a Christian, they become God's representative on earth. There are so many of these accounts right through the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation - it is nothing short of a
life to Christ - that was forty-three years ago. I minister, I felt, was quite otherwise towards me for a few weeks. It got to the stage that, one night after Bible Study, I asked him if I could speak to him. I said to him: “Errol, why are you
miracle.
so short and abrupt with me and why are you
When God is with me, things change
confession came out and he said: “Angus I must
dramatically.
always picking on me?” Then, of course, the be honest with you, I am very sorry, but I really-
didn’t believe that there was such a change in
When you give your life to Christ, there are no
your life and I thought maybe you were just
more worries because He is now totally and
having me on. But you see God had touched me
completely in control of every aspect of your
and changed me into another man - from that
life. Whether you live or whether you die, you
time onwards we became very firm friends.
are with Jesus. I love that scripture in Philippians
Not only did it change me outwardly, most
1:21: "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is
importantly it changed me inwardly. I had a
gain."
completely different outlook on my work situation, my farm. I started straight away,
Let us today continue to thank God for the
praying with my staff on the farm every morning
miracle-working power that He has in our lives,
and reading the Bible. I had tremendous liberty
once we surrender our lives to Him.
because I knew that the farm now belonged completely to the Lord and I was merely His manager - I had complete and utter freedom!
Jesus bless you, Angus and Jill Buchan
SHE WILL BE MADE READY
WORDS BY: DIANA PULLIAM
God’s given this message in response to the many prayers being submitted for strength and courage in this hour. This post will be a little longer than normal as the Lord wants His people to prepare their hearts for what’s now at the door. There’s much fear and trembling in the camp of God. Many, having put their trust in the arm of the flesh; and watching it fail, are awakening to the fact a veil of deception was indeed cast over the church as a whole (see ‘Do Not Leave Your Stations’). Yes, our God’s sovereign over all; and He sets up kings and brings them down (Dan. 2:21). But He shares His glory with NO man!
A hard truth is that God indeed gives us the desire of our heart. Sadly, the desire of the Church has been for God to send a human king to deliver her; to protect and ease discomforts so we can resume our “normal” lives in the midst of this wicked generation.
Much of this fear is because many know they are not ready, and asking, “How am I to handle what’s coming?”
Saints, it’s time to examine our hearts before God. Jesus said His Kingdom is not of this world, and neither are His people. If we truly want the Kingdom of God established on the earth, then our cry will be for THE King of kings and Lord of lords to return and be seated upon His throne!
The Lord’s referring to His Remnant Church, the spiritual temple of God on the earth. He will finish His work in Her.
But as stated above, there’s much fear and trembling in the camp of God as events unfold around the earth.
Brethren, beginning the middle of December, 2020, the Holy Spirit repeatedly told me, “She Will Be Made Ready!”
In December, 2019, I was awakened with these words: “The Bridegroom Shall Suddenly Come to His Temple.” “There Will Be No More Delays!” “My Temple is made without human hands.” “I am going to fill My Temple with My Glory!”
This is a very reassuring and exciting Word. The Lord’s telling us His Temple will be made ready, and He’s going to come suddenly and fill it with His glory! Saints, a final cleansing/ purification must now take place to prepare the Temple to receive His Glory, just as was done in Israel’s day in the preparation of the physical temple. Soon coming events and situations will act as catalysts to ignite the “fire” needed to burn up remaining impurities and dross within His temple. The Lord’s spoken to me for some time, that the day would come when certain leaders within the “church,” which are nothing more than modern day Pharisees, will mislead their congregations and twist the meaning of Romans 13. Friends, that day is upon us!
We know judgment begins with the house of God. A dividing line has been drawn by God, and the division has begun! It appears a major “plumb line” is going to be: are Christians to obey the government(s) of this world – or God? Paul made it clear in Romans 13 that we are to be subject to governing authorities; that in fact there is no authority except from God. In verse 3 it states, rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. But what happens when such governing authorities flip this upside down and begin terrorizing the good – calling it evil, and calling evil good?
As we know, this has been the case many times in history, and is encircling the globe today. The Word of God makes plain what’s to be done at such times. Daniel and his three friends would not obey the mandates of the king to bow down to his image, nor pray to it. They refused to obey the governing authority at the risk of losing their lives. Throughout the New Testament, and to this day, when the followers of Jesus do NOT obey the governing authorities to stop teaching and speaking in the name of Jesus, they oftentimes face dire consequences of imprisonment and/or martyrdom. In Acts 5:2729, Peter sums it up by saying we’re to OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MAN. This division in the church is coming fast and hard, and there will be no middle ground. As it was, so will it be again. The modern pharisees will again be moved with fear of having their empires taken –
because of these “radicals” rocking the boat and turning the world upside down (Acts 17:6). These religious leaders will be used as mouth pieces of the devil, preaching obedience and submission to the kingdom of darkness. But praise be to our God; His sheep hear HIS VOICE, and the voice of another they will NOT follow! As the Remnant rise up and walk in the ways of Jesus, they’ll obey God rather than man; they’ll speak as they hear Him speak, and do as they see Him do; because as he is, so are we in this world (1 John 4:17).
Summation: The Lord wants to encourage His people in this hour. We’re being told to prepare our hearts for great deception, division, and persecution as judgment falls upon the house of God. The coming events will act as a final fire to complete the purification and cleansing of His spiritual temple – preparing Her to be filled with His Glory!
Believing God's Promises
BY: DIANA HAGEE
At a time when society doubts the veracity of
Biblical scholars believe that there are more
politicians, the news media, corporate giants,
than 30,000 promises recorded in Scripture
national leaders, ad infinitum, it is vital that
and most of them are made by the God of
we, as believers in Jesus Christ, acknowledge
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to mankind.
that the promises of God are true.
Promises are important to God. W. E. Vine says that a promise is “a gift graciously
It is also important that we prove the
bestowed, not a pledge secured by
Scriptures with the Scriptures. I encourage
negotiation.” Our God is not a negotiator
you to take the time to read the biblical
when it comes to His Word. He is loving,
references regarding God’s promises so that
gracious, merciful, and His promises are
you may believe that the declarations made
simple and sure and because of who He is,
by God to His children are unfailing.
they are unfailing.
| BEAUTY & THE GOSPEL
March 2021
Remember this truth—God’s Word is the
Jesus Christ is the underlying theme of the
same as His promise. Friedreich Wilhelm
Law, the prophets, and the Psalms—He is at
Krummacher said, “God’s promises are,
the center of the Word because He is the
virtually, obligations that He imposes upon
Word made flesh! (John 1:14) The promises
Himself.” God’s promises are sustained by
originally belonged to Israel (Romans 9:4) to
His oath as declared by Saint Paul in
include the land (Acts 7:5), the Davidic
Hebrews 6:13-19,
kingship (2 Chronicles 6:10-16), the Messiah (Acts 13:23), and a promise of a new heart
"For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he could swear by none greater, he swore by himself, saying, ‘Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.’ And thus, having patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For men swear by the greater: and in every dispute of theirs the oath is final for confirmation. Wherein God, being minded to show more abundantly unto the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed with an oath; that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us: which we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and entering into that which is within the veil..." The scriptures declare that, “God is not a man, that he should lie, Neither the son of man, that he should repent: Hath he said, and will he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and will he not make it good? (Numbers 23:19) What comes out of God’s mouth, as recorded in His Word, is “Yes” and “Amen”! (1Corinthians 1:20) A promise is a pledge to fulfill a specific act. Some promises found in the Word are by God to us, His children (John 14:13); by God to Jesus (John 13:3); by one person to another (Nehemiah 5:12), and finally, by a believer to God (Ecclesiastes 5:410). It is important to note that God’s promises are centered and confirmed in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20; Romans 15:8).
| BEAUTY & THE GOSPEL
(Jeremiah 31:33). Joshua and Solomon concur that God’s promises are unfailing (Joshua 23:14; I King 8:56) and Paul taught that both Jew and gentile, could share together in the promises in Christ. “this mystery is that through the gospel the gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus” - (Ephesians 3:6 NIV). Some of the promises of the believer include, the promise of forgiveness of sins (Acts 10:43); the promise of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49); the promise of eternal life to believers in Christ (John 3:15,16); an abundant life (John 10:10) and answered prayer (1 John 5: 14). God has also promised His glorious kingdom to those who are rich in faith (James 2:5) and a beautiful home in heaven (John 14:1-3). Jesus personally made this promise to every believer, “If that weren’t so, would I have told you that I’m on my way to get a room ready for you?” (John 14:2). While the promises of God are afforded to all believers, they do carry conditions. God’s promises are obtained through obedience, faith, and patience (Deuteronomy 28:1-2; Hebrews 6:12,15). As God’s children, we must humble ourselves, repent, pray, seek His will and turn from our wicked ways in order to receive His promises. March 2021
God’s promises are not merely a reward for
Family and friends may disappoint, those you
righteous living—they are a gift from a loving
trusted and looked up to may fail to live up
Father. God’s fulfilled promises in our lives
to your expectations, but God is ever faithful.
are not a measure of who we are but a
God cannot be unfaithful to His promises
testimony of who God is.
because He cannot deny Himself—He is steadfast and trustworthy, and He keeps His
God is a faithful Promise Keeper. God’s
promises (2 Timothy 2:13; Hebrews 10:23)
faithfulness is a commitment on His part and
Our Father vows to be with us even when we
is as dependable as the scheduled rising and
are unaware of it (Matthew 28:20).
setting of the sun and the moon (Psalms 89:2,5, 36, 37). God, our Father, is the
God’s presence is felt through His protection
ultimate Being—He is a living, speaking,
(2 Thessalonians 3:3); His mercy (Psalms
loving and seeking God. Yet as perfect as
89:2); His preservation (I Thessalonians 5:23-
God is, one of the prominent themes in
24); His love (Romans 8:35-39) and even in
Scripture is His desire for a personal
His discipline (Psalms 89:32-33). Ultimately
relationship with the man and woman whom
God’s presence is revealed in His promises
He created in His image.
(Joshua 23:14).In these uncertain times in history it is crucial to anchor our hope in the
The most important promise in Scripture is
eternal promises of God that never fail.
that of God’s presence. When we wake in the morning— God is there.
| BEAUTY & THE GOSPEL
March 2021
L E T
Y O U R
F I G H T
F O R
S E E D Y O U
PROPHET JOSEPH YAMKELA God’s anointed Servant, a Prophetic Voice, Charismatic & Transformational Leader, Visionary Leader, Market Leader, Author and Apostle Jesus Reigns Tv
It is only in Christianity where people expect a
In the times where I feel my prayers were not
harvest without sowing and watering the
heard I always knew that my seed will have a
ground; even unbelievers understand the
louder voice and it's always great.
principle of sowing better than Christians. In the logic sense of agriculture a soil can only
There are battles I won without fighting
produce the seed that has been planted in it,
because my seed fought for me, above it all,
hence the scripture says God cannot be
when I reminded God of anything I would
mocked whatsoever a man sows that which he
rather remind Him about my sacrifices and
will reap.
seeds than to remind Him about my prayers and requests.
Christians today blame the Man of God for their problems because they don't want to follow the
I fully believe that God responds to a seed
right procedure, they think everything has to be
differently than He responds to prayer, if a seed
a Miracle.. even a Miracle you cannot get it
didn't matter He would have never asked
without following an instruction.
Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, He would have just told him to pray, but there are places where
The Bible says as long as the Earth remains
only your seed can make you enter not prayer.
seed time and harvest time will remain the
Don't pray for a situation that needs a seed, be
same; God will never cancel the ministry of
awakened.. when it's raining it's not the time to
seed sowing because it is not a law but a
beg a soil for harvest it's time to sow to the
kingdom principle. Without sowing nobody will
ground and cultivate the land.
ever reap, even God himself had to sow Jesus as a seed in order to attain the salvation of
May the Lord give you the wisdom of how to
mankind. Who are we to think we can make it
wage a Spiritual Warfare by applying Kingdom
without sowing?
principles. A Christian who is a sower will never carry the same burden with one who is an
One of my greatest secrets in the most difficult
eater... The Word is clear that bread is for
times of my life has been sowing seeds, I will
eaters but seed is for Sowers; I choose to be a
never stop sowing because it works.
sower in the Kingdom of GOD!!
I Hear His Whisper . . You are free I am the One who has set you free—free to walk in the higher place before my throne, free to live and dance within my Spirit-Winds, free to laugh in the face of adversity. Everything that could hold you back is now broken off from your life. Be free, my child! Be free! I have opened the door of freedom before you. Go forth into the glorious wonder of your future. The freedom I give you is to experience my presence and my power. You are no longer mastered by your past, but a child of the exalted God. Taste the freedom of my Spirit, and you will never turn back again to that which is dead and barren. The lies that have held you down will be seen for what they are—merely the accusations of the enemy. Today, you will begin to understand the freedom I have given you to walk with omnipotence at your side, for I go with you, even until the end of all the ages.
Galatians 5:1 The Passion Translation At last we have freedom, for Christ has set us free! We must always cherish this truth and firmly refuse to go back into the bondage of our past.
LAW & FAITH
Chanelle Fairlene Pillay Chanelle Fairlene Pillay is a South African born, qualified attorney with her Masters in Business Law, and woman of faith! She is connected to the ministry known as The SuperNatural Church of Jesus Christ where she encountered more of the Lord and His dynamic plans for her life! Author of books titled :‘A SHEPHERD KING’ and AWAY FROM YESTERDAY all available on Amazon. @chanelle.fairlene
HIS WILL IS FOR YOU TO INHERIT! It is said that where there is a WILL, there is a WAY. Many people do not recognize the importance of having a will in place in the event of death. It is an unsettling topic, but one that should be explored in order to safeguard your family and loved ones when it comes to your life’s work, property, finances and special wishes. Disputes, conflict, legal action and hostile family relations usually arise when one failed or neglected to make provision for their estate and the inheritance they wished to leave behind. Although you may go Home to be with the LORD, by failing to leave a will behind, you may also leave behind much stress,
anxiety and confusion for your loved ones when it comes to how your earthly estate is administered. Proverbs 13:22 says that “a good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children”. In absence of a will in place, the law of intestate succession will prevail. This means that there could arise a situation where your estate could benefit people whom you would not have wanted it to in the first place, and that the heirs and beneficiaries you would have desired to be taken care of are actually disadvantaged.
LAW & FAITH
The Bible is filled with stories, laws and principles of inheritances. The Book of Numbers is one fascinating example of the boldness and courage a few daughters had in asking for an inheritance of their own. They were known as the daughters of Zelophehad and had approached Moses with their case – they wanted their rightful inheritance. Their boldness caused a change in the laws of succession that day. The LORD spoke to Moses and said, “The daughters of Zelophehad speak right: thou shalt surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father’s brethren; and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their father to pass unto them.” The LORD even went further to set in place a procedure to follow in dealing with a man’s estate in the event that there is no son, or no daughter, or no brethren to benefit – very similar to the way the law deals with intestate matters today! Make it a priority to consult with an expert in order to ensure there is a will in place that reflects your true intentions and wishes should you pass away. There is also an ocean of advice and articles on the internet that will give you a basic understanding of the benefits of a will, the consequences of not having one, issues relating to minor children, the provisions the document should contain, and the rules and formalities it should follow in order for the will to be valid. Even in the realm of the spirit, there is such a thing as inheritances, benefits and heirs! As believers, we too are automatic heirs and entitled to the best heavenly inheritances from our Father all because of our faith and hope in Jesus Christ! You may not have received an inheritance from your own mother and father, but by accepting Jesus as your LORD and Savior, repenting of your sins, and following His Word - you are already an heir to all that comes with and from His Kingdom of Light – an inheritance that far exceeds all the gold and silver this world or any man could offer you.
Romans 8:16 says, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” In the same way that children may benefit from their parent’s estate after death, we as the children of the Most High God are able to walk in all that God has promised and purposed because of Jesus and His death and resurrection. The Bible says in Hebrews 9, that in order for a will to be of force, one would have to die, or else the will is of no strength whilst the person is alive. Jesus Himself went through the process of death in order for us to legally benefit from His death and acquire an inheritance as God’s children! Ephesians 1:5 says, “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of CHILDREN by JESUS CHRIST to himself, according to the good pleasure of HIS WILL…” and verse 11 which goes on to say, “In whom also we have obtained an INHERITANCE…”. In Him and because of His shed blood and resurrection, we are heirs to every good gift from above – health, wholeness, peace, joy, purpose and prosperity! We are qualified to share in the inheritance of Heaven as children of the light (Colossians 1:12). Our inheritance is one that is imperishable and unfading, kept in Heaven for us (1 Peter 1:4). All those who are rich in faith and love Him have been promised an inheritance as heirs of the Kingdom (James 2:5).
And because of Jesus, and as the offspring of Abraham, we too are heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:29). In the natural, you should take all the necessary steps to ensure your will is in place and in orderfor the sake of your loved ones you may leave behind. But in the spirit, you should remind yourself daily that as a child of the Kingdom of Light and all because of Jesus Christ, you are already an heir and entitled to every good and heavenly inheritance the Father made a way for you for! And His WILL is for YOU to INHERIT!
CHANELLE WISDOM
YOU MAY NOT HAVE RECEIVED AN INHERITANCE FROM YOUR OWN MOTHER AND FATHER, BUT BY ACCEPTING JESUS AS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR, REPENTING OF YOUR SINS, AND FOLLOWING HIS WORD - YOU ARE ALREADY AN HEIR TO ALL THAT COMES WITH AND FROM HIS KINGDOM OF LIGHT ! Chanelle Fairlene Pillay
Drink My Spirit and Eat My Word Seeking the LORD in recent desperate times, I was drawn back into taking daily Communion, using a sip of grape juice and a bite of broken bread each morning. During my communion time, I felt the LORD saying to me: Take time every day, multiple times throughout the day to drink My Spirit and eat My Word. My Spirit is like clear, invisible water. Look for, see, feel and sense My Spirit for I am constantly in and around you. Just as water is in the air that
Eat My Spirit Words to you throughout each
you breathe, so breathe in My Spirit with each
day. Read and meditate upon My written
inspiration that you take. As you look upon your
Word for receiving My Spirit revelation.
body and others’ bodies, become aware that
Receive It, like food, into your body, mind
they are made up of 55-65% water. So too, it is
and soul. Taste It in your senses. Digest My
that spirit dwells within the body, even when not
Spirit Word, for It strengthens and brings
seen with the mortal eye. In fact, the whole earth
you new energy and life. Just as you require
is made up of 71% water, which represents My
fresh food each day, so you need My Spirit-
Spirit throughout all of Creation. Look to see Me,
filled Words throughout each day to
My goodness, and My Life in and around you
strengthen you. Yesterday’s Bread will not
each moment of every day. I am seen through
hold you through today. Look up for My
My Creation and speaking to you. I am moving in
fresh, new Bread to be eaten and digested
the winds, the storms and seasons of your life.
today. This will keep you strong in Spirit,
Look for Me, talk to Me and hear Me revealing
mind and body. THIS is Holy Fellowship:
Myself to you through what you see and
take, eat and drink ALL of Me throughout
experience. Drink My Spirit into your mind, your
the day, and even in the night.
heart, your soul, and your entire being. THIS is Holy Fellowship with Me.
“Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the
“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits
Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He
nothing; the words that I have spoken to you
has poured forth this which you both see
are spirit and are life.” John 6:63
and hear.” Acts 2:33
CYNTHIA
SCHNEIDER
FEATURED
Cynthia's Letters
devotions
Supernatural Acceleration by Dr André and Jenny Roebert 1 Kings 18:46 (NKJV) "Then the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab..." In 1 Kings 18, the prophet Elijah has a contest between the 450 prophets of Baal and himself. The purpose was to show the children of Israel which of the two Gods they flip-flopped between was real. The time had come for them to decide who they would worship and serve. The showdown was nothing less than spectacular - rendering the Israelites on their faces, declaring the Lord to be their God. Elijah told a bewildered King Ahab to get in his chariot and race to Jezreel, a town almost 20 miles away, before the rain that was about to pour from the heavens made the route impossible for travel. At that point, the supernatural power of God came upon Elijah and he set off on foot in the same direction as King Ahab. In the natural, it was obvious that the king had a head start and an unfair advantage over Elijah; but let's not forget Who was with him - the God who specialises in making the impossible possible! Elijah not only outran the chariots, he ran in front of the horses for 17 miles, all the way to Jezreel. When we choose to stand for God, no matter how disadvantaged we seem to be in the natural - remember that the same God Who was with Elijah that day, is with you. He will not only grant you supernatural acceleration to outrun your enemy, He will sustain you with supernatural endurance to run your race victoriously. Proving to everyone that He is the God Who deserves all glory and praise.
ROTUBIRTNOC
Embrace the
SHIFT Shifting into your next season requires a new mindset, a higher level of spiritual warfare, a greater hunger for God’s presence and a demand to be focused on what God is doing in and around you. Perhaps because of this many of us would rather lay our sword of the spirit down, make excuses and succumb to what we know is easy and comfortable. And when we say God, “I’m just tired and it’s too hard right now” we delay ourselves. Throwing temper tantrums when things get hard, running to fleshy desires and even knocking up closed doors is exactly what the enemy wants us to do when God is getting ready to do something different. He knows some of us get tired of swinging at Him, but I am telling you GET UP AND ENDURE! “But he who endures to the end shall be saved” Matthew 24:13 NKJV.
@monicatheophilus founder @amomentwithmonica, minister, prayer warrior , author, writer and contributor at beauty&thegospel magazine .
Shifting also forces us to push past who we used to be so we can embrace who we are becoming in Christ Jesus. When this happens we must look ahead instead of reminiscing on the past including past mistakes, character flaws and relationships.
@beautyandthegospel
ROTUBIRTNOC
We must forgive ourselves and press forward. It’s the same fight Jacob had to come up against in the book of Genesis. Jacob wrestled with the angel so aggressively that the socket of his hip was out of joint during the breaking (Matthew 32:25). He got so fed up with his old reputation, ways, habits and actions that he decided he was going all in this time. He was not only going to say I do to God, but deny himself, pick up his cross and follow after Him wholeheartedly. Finally, in the end Jacob prevailed. Just like we will if we don’t give up.
Be Encouraged, Love Monica
Today I challenge you to focus on God and not what is happening around you. Keep your eyes on the God who never fails because that is how you will conquer the battle. “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2 NKJV.
@beautyandthegospel
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The concept of 'holiness' is derived from this meaning in that what is set apart unto Yahweh, is not contaminated by the corruption of the world and its influence. It is wholly set apart unto Him, in purity. For the believer, sanctification defines an internal state of separation from everything in the world brought about by a divine work of grace in the believer's life. This work of grace at salvation sets the believer apart as separate from and holy unto Yahweh God. This state of sanctification is not inherent in the nature of man,
The term for 'sanctification' as used in the New Covenant is HAGIOSMOS and means basically 'set apart', in the sense of being set apart from all else and dedicated for Yahweh God's use.
THE MEANING OF SANCTIFICATION
nor can it be achieved
In being set apart and
has been made our
through human effort, as a
separated from sin, he is
sanctification. His life is now
cleansing is necessary in the
separated unto God.
our life, and that is the basis of
heart of man to achieve this
Being separated unto
our sanctification.The Father
purity from the inherent
God, he is thereby
set the Son apart for ministry
influence of the world. In
dedicated unto God and
and sent Him into the world
being set apart from the
becomes His.
(John 10:36). The Son sanctified
world, the believer is
By belonging to the
Himself for the Assembly's
separated from the dominion
family of God, he is
sake (John 17:17,19). The
of the ruler of this world,
identified with God and
Father accepted the offering of
Satan. He is virtually taken
made pure.
the Son as a Lamb without spot
out of the kingdom of Satan
Being pure and holy, his
or blemish.
by being joined to Messiah,
life is an acceptable
whereby he becomes part of
offering and consecrated
"By that will we have been
the kingdom of God. "Who
to Him.
sanctified through the offering
has delivered us from the
Being consecrated, he is
of the body of Yeshua the
power of darkness, and has
set apart for God's use in
Messiah once for all. For by
translated us into the
acceptable service.
one offering, he has perfected
kingdom of his dear Son" Colossians 1:13.
forever, those who are being When the believer comes to
sanctified. Whereof the Holy
salvation, the initial work of
Spirit is also a witness to us."
He delivered us from the
sanctification is done in him.
Hebrews 10:10,14-15.
power of all that is darkness,
The ongoing work of
from all their evil forces and
sanctification requires the
The Holy Spirit is able to effect
their control over us and has
believer to choose to set
sanctification in us on the basis
translated us into another
himself apart from
of Yeshua's substitutionary
kingdom. By delivering us
everything in the world that
work on the torture stake.
from one, He translates us
he may be, by choice,
into another whose
dedicated, pure, holy and
characteristics are
consecrated for divine
righteousness, peace and joy
service.
in the Holy Spirit (Romans14:17). In this transaction, the believer is rendered pure, holy and set apart. Sanctification involves separation, dedication, purity, consecration and service.
SANCTIFICATION IN MESSIAH The believer is sanctified in Messiah, for "Yeshua the Messiah .. .. is made unto us .. .. sanctification" 1 Corinthians 1:30 He, who in His life on earth was sanctified by the Father,
Sanctification involves separation, dedication, purity, consecration and service.
Through the redemption
"And such were some of you:
In chapter three of this same
purchased for us at Calvary,
but you are washed, but you
letter, Paul says to them that
and the purifying of our
are sanctified, but you are
they are carnal because they
conscience by the blood of
justified in the name of the
had envy, strife and divisions
Yeshua, the believer is
Lord Yeshua and the Spirit of
among themselves (v.1, 3)
liberated from the world, to
our God.
They were sanctified by the
serve Yahweh God (Hebrews
work of the Spirit, yet they
9:13-14). The indwelling
"There has been a cleansing,
lacked the outworking of it in
presence of the Holy Spirit is
a work of setting the believer
their lives. They were not
the reality of this, for He has
apart from all that
continuing on in maintaining a
imparted to us the Sanctified
constituted his past life,
state of sanctification.
One.
making him righteous or justified with Yahweh God.
Yahweh God calls His people
THE REALITY OF
There are three aspects of
to separate themselves from
SANCTIFICATION
the work of the Spirit here,
all uncleanness and to
they are - the washing of
appropriate in their lifestyle,
regeneration, the work of
what He has effected for them
separation/sanctification and
spiritually. That is, to make
the justification of the
their legal position in Messiah
believer. Paul says to them,
also their actual experience
"You are sanctified". It was
and their possession.
"God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth" (also 1 Peter 1: 2) Our initial salvation is wrought by faith on our part and the sanctifying work of the Spirit in response to our faith, cleansing us from all uncleanness.
accomplished at conversion. "Wherefore, come out from In writing to the assembly at
among them, and be
Corinth, he says, "To them
separate, saith Yahweh, and
that are sanctified in Yeshua
touch not the unclean; and I
the Messiah, called to be
will receive you, and I will be a
saints" 1 Corinthians 1: 2
Father unto you, and you shall
They were sanctified. but
be My sons and daughters,
they are called to be saints,
saith Yahweh the Almighty"
to go on to maturity and be
Having these promises dearly
perfected in holiness.
beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." Sanctification is an initial work of grace which needs to be entered into fully so that holiness is perfected or completed in our lives.--
HEALTH & FITNESS change is possible
TODAY
WRITTEN BY: TSHEGO MOLEKOA
A RENEWED MIND = A TRANSFORMED HEALTHY YOU! The beauty of salvation is in the fact that God didn’t simply give us rules but gave us a physical and practical demonstration of how we are to live. This we find in the Man Jesus. One could wonder why Jesus came onto the earth in order to die but lived for more than the three decades instead of simply going directly to the cross upon His arrival on earth.
I personally believe the reason for this, was so He could set for each and every Christian a standard. A standard so perfect yet attainable for any Christian willing to walk in complete obedience and submission to God. I think no one who has ever walked the face of the earth has walked in such obedience and submission as our Lord Jesus.
As a child He was under the parental guidance of Joseph and Mary and though He knew even from an early age who He was, and what purpose He came to accomplish on the earth, He still submitted. The Word of God says for we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have-
One who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet He did not sin (Hebrews 4:15). It was this complete surrender and submission that earned Jesus the power in which He walked in. Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross! Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:6-11). The above scripture is so powerful and one should definitely have a Selah moment when reading it. To consider that Christ was God but choose to walk on the earth as a servant, which means in no way did He overrule the principles and rules made by God (Himself – for He Himself was there and part of creation) is astounding! The level of self-control [(Galatians 5:22 – 23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, THE HEALTH & FITNESS
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.)] His walk-in obedience could only be accomplished by walking and Living in the Spirit. (Galatians 6:16 This I say then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh). Transformation can only take place through a renewed mind! Jesus walked on this earth with a renewed mind. Though He walked on this earth He was fully aware that He was not of this world but rather of a Kingdom where the King is sovereign, powerful and in control. As a man living on earth He demonstrated so perfectly what it actually means to have a mind that was renewed and thus not be conformed to the standards of this world. One day we read about Jesus being in a boat with His disciples. There is a storm that the disciples are facing but Jesus on the other hand does not seem very much bothered by the storm going on. He is in the boat asleep (Peacefully – personal exaggeration). The disciples come to Him, waking Him up and asking “do You not care that we are about to die?” (Mark 4 :38). I don’t think Jesus was ignorant of the storm or even not aware of the storm, I do think that He was not really threatened by the storm. In the kingdom which He lived in, that storm was not even a threat to His life! Walking in a renewed mind means exactly that. It means we walk on this earth yet we walk as transformed beings. Transformed in our mind (thought patterns, walk, speech and hearts). To achieve overall heath one has to walk in the likeness of Christ. Healthy does not speak to a particular number on the scale as many would want us to believe. Healthy is an overall state of being. @beautyandthegospel
One industry that is booming in these days on YouTube and all kinds of social media platforms is the weight loss industry. It doesn’t take much to search on YouTube for weight loss stories and you will be spoiled for choice. Whilst I do think it’s a great thing, I believe we need to be careful as believers not to walk in obsession of a self-transformed body when our mind is not renewed. What use will a “perfectly structured body” have if it doesn’t have a mind that’s renewed in order to have a complete overall transformation?
Yes, God wants us to walk in abundance of life here on earth but simply transforming one’s physical appearance will not do much for the overall health conditions.
That is why you could have man and woman who you would look at and simply think they are beautiful, but when they consider themselves they see “ugly” and “obese”. The world will have man and woman believe beauty is a particular dress size or look. This has led many to depression and even the extremes of suicide. In a world where everyone is transforming themselves, the true transformation that God is looking for only comes through a renewed mind. Only God can truly transform us, and our willingness to see this transformation manifested is through and by walking and living in the Spirit.
THE HEALTH & FITNESS
@beautyandthegospel
HEALTH TIP #7
''Walking in a renewed mind means exactly that. It means we walk on this earth yet we walk as transformed beings. Transformed in our mind (thought patterns, walk, speech and hearts).''
ROTUBIRTNOC
Walking in
Obedience If you obey the Word of God, He is faithful to fulfill what He promised. Choose to walk in obedience today… Sometimes His promises look/sound impossible, but our place is to obey and trust the process. Abram was old, but God promised him to be the father of the nations. He did not have a child by then, but the man had trust in his God. Ok God blessed Abram with a child, I believe he began to have hope that the promise is about to be fulfilled, but God came back and demanded the very same son to be sacrificed.
Scripture reading: Genesis:12:1-4 "The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventyfive years old when he set out from Haran.
Obedience requires submission and trust, you cannot really obey someone you don't trust.
When submitting, you let go of your will, ways of doing things and follow the orders of the person you submit to. Total obedience is a free will, you obey because you want to not by force or any other reasons. When God spoke to Abram, he made many promises to him. But then it was upon Abram to trust or doubt what God promised him. Abram didn't have the what if questions before God simple because he trusted Him, hence I say that you need trust before you can obey. As children of God, there are so many promises that our Father made to us. But the question is do we trust Him enough to walk in obedience for the promises to be fulfilled.
I wonder what me and you would have done in this situation of Abram, perhaps we would have given some valid biblical reasons not to obey the voice of God. Many of us we rather hold on to that one blessing than to obey and release it. If you want to see the abundance of God's blessings in your life, obey Him. Abram became Abraham(the father of the nations) because he walked in obedience before God. Be attentive to the voice of God, as a reward, He will make you great and be a blessing. His Word is life and it's a lamp in our feet, He is a good shepherd that will never lead us astray, His promises are yes and amen. Walk in obedience, He will never leave nor forsake you, green pastures is your destiny when you trust and obey God. May this year be a year of obeying God, He shall make your name great and you shall be a blessing to this world!
@beautyandthegospel
SENSE N' STYLE bringing modesty to your finger tips
THE DENIM sis! this has to be one of the greatest inventions, DENIM! In this issue we'll be looking at the denim shirt that shook the fashion industry upon it's arrival. Well, it's still relevant and a must have. We have seen it evolve and we love it. From big sleeves to different material combination.
FOR THE BRAVE sis here went an extra mile . This is what we call modest street style. We love this look because it's different , bold and totally modest. Love the way the shirt is worn , which is rare and the colour combination makes the shirt stand out.
WAISTED I'm sure as the issue's go by, you'll notice how much we love high waisted skirts. But let's focus on the shirt. This outfit is absolutely stunning, these two ensembles complement each other. I love how sis has rolled up her denim sleeves giving it structure and the stunning nude bag. @beautyandthegospel
SHOW STOPPER Stop , stare and nod, modernista. This outfit gets our 5 stars. What I love about the denim shirt is that it matches every colour, pattern and material. It's that go to shirt that just adds chic'ness to any outfit. I haven't seen an outfit gone wrong when it comes to the denim shirt, it needs no talent.
PATCH WORK This designer has taken this shirt to anooother level. Talk about couture patch work. This is one of those staple pieces that need no introduction. I would so pair this with a mid length light blue denim skirt.
TWSTED DENIM okay so denim with chiffon. Shocking right, but it's doing the job. Picture this shirt , with a high waisted black tulle skirt and white shoes , whether, mule's , sneakers. Advice: DON'T SLEEP ON THE DENIM SHIRT SIS! @beautyandthegospel
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HOW TO 'TRAIN UP A CHILD'?
It means to help your child discover the path God has for them.
by: Heather Riggleman
“Train up a child in the way he should go; Even when he is old he will not depart from it”— Proverbs 22:6 The day I learned I would be a mother, I seriously thought God had no clue what He was doing.
I was a 17-year-old still in high school. Being a mom wasn’t exactly on my agenda. But here I am nearly 22 years later and now I understand what it means to “Train up a child in the way that he should go…” Despite being a child myself,
God saw it fit to give me three amazing, freethinking, strong-willed children. The moment I met each of my kids, I knew each had their own personalities, natural bents, sin propensity, and dreams.
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Each was a mix of God’s creation mixed with humanity. When I first became a Christian, I assumed that if I just taught my kids about Jesus that when they got older, they would love Jesus. Proverbs 22:6 almost felt like a “Whew, God will take care of it,” type of verse. But as I grew in my faith and my kids began making mistakes as all children will do, I realized that this isn’t what God meant at all. It wasn’t about raising obedient kids, it actually means to help your child discover her talents and gifts. It means to help your child discover the path God has for them.
Train Up A Child Verse Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way that he should go; when he is old he will not depart from it.” At first glance, this passage does sound like a promise that every Godfearing parent wants. But that is not what God intended for this passage.
Train Up a Child Verse Meaning
What does it mean to train up? Proverbs 22:6 solidly affirms that parental guidance plays an essential role in the spiritual maturation of children. The words for ‘Train up’ are commonly thought to mean Bible reading, going to church, and memorizing the Bible. In reality what God actually meant train up to mean, “Watch me in His love, model His ways, pray for me as you see my natural gifting's. Show me the path that God has for me. Help guide me as I seek His Will. Pray for me when I stray.” Keep in mind, all Scripture is God-breathed and used for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training. Teaching our children His truths isn’t a guarantee that they will adhere to God’s Word. The original text for ‘train up’ is chanak, which means to dedicate or inaugurate. The Bible talks a lot about this. We are reminded in Deuteronomy 6:5-9 says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children.
Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” 2 Timothy 3:13 further reminds us, “all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” We have a responsibility to teach them about what matters to God as much as we have a responsibility to draw out the talents and gifting's God gave them. Nylse Esahc says it best, “Godly training is the parent’s responsibility, a child’s response is not.”
What Does ‘the Way of the Child’ Mean? The word used for way is derek which means course for life, journey, or road. First and foremost, of course, this means godly direction. Secondly, it means cultivating what God has already instilled in each of our children.
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For example, my mom used to tell me that I was an amazing writer. She even got me a journal for my seventh birthday. But I didn’t think I could ever make a career out of my love for words unless I wanted to be an English Teacher. So, I went off to college and majored in Criminal Justice. It wasn’t until I was neck-deep in diapers that I began journaling online when “blogging” became a thing. As God would have it, I co-founded several amazing websites and had a career in the news industry as an award-winning journalist, became an author and now I am a full-time writer at home. My mother saw my giftings and did her best to draw them out. Over the years of college and careers, she would remind me of my gift for writing as she would unhusk all the labels the world put on me. Now that I am a mother of three, I see each of my children’s natural talents. As much as I want my son to a pastor and my youngest daughter to be a doctor—I am in the process of encouraging Elijah to tinker with things because he is so good at fixing anything. And my youngest?
She has this amazing, natural raw talent of sketching and drawing. All of her teachers are finding ways to continue to cultivate this talent too. We honor God by pointing out He created them with purpose. He created each with giftings and talents and these gifts play a bigger role in God’s kingdom. Our job to watch and listen carefully. What excites your child? What does he do really well naturally? What bores her? What do you do when you see a low grade? What happens if your child decides college isn’t for them? My older two children do not do well in school. When they bring home C’s and D’s—I don’t bat an eye. Because I help them with their homework, I know that school is a challenge. Both are handson learners. When my oldest began looking at colleges, we knew a traditional university wouldn’t be for her. Instead, she chose and thrived at a technical college where she learned hands-on skills for her career. This is what it means to help your child find their path! Note what they talk about frequently, what they avoid, and ask what they like/dislike about the activity.
How Should Parents Train Up a Child? If their inner voice is ours, let’s ensure we speak into their lives with unconditional godly love with His Words on our lips. Part of parenting is doing our best to raise up faith-filled kids. You may not think your children are watching or listening to you. Several studies point out the opposite, especially for fathers. CBN reported, “Swiss researchers discovered that if Dad faithfully attends church, even though Mom doesn’t, kids are still 44 percent more likely to keep going to church as adults. But if Mom goes regularly and Dad never shows up, only 2 percent of the kids continue to attend. That’s a very big gap and a telling sign of why the father’s influence is so significant.” Curtis Burnam a youth pastor illustrates this point, stating, “Kids who are taken to church by Mom but not Dad are harder to keep in church. They tend to drop out at higher rates when they reach adolescence. They are also harder to engage when they do come to youth group. This is true for girls as well as boys.”
rotubirtnoc
GOD CARE IS SELF-CARE
BY; KENDRA DUBLIN
Have you ever wondered what the best version of yourself would look like? If you could walk in the vision God has placed in your heart and path? If you have been hesitant in your walk with God, keep reading this article. After you are done write out the next adaptation of yourself and your vision. This year has been one of renewal, refreshing and reviving. But why would you need to revive what’s already fresh? Maybe 2018, 2019, and 2020 brought many trials and tribulations and you didn’t live up to the goals you set out for yourself. I don’t know if you lost your job, had a bad breakup or a divorce like me, or if your past traumas started to catch up with you, but maybe, just maybe your vision has become stale. Damaged. Ruined. Destroyed. Possibly, you let what was in front of you take away what was beyond you and now your vision must be stimulated.
@iamkendradublin
As you continued to live you realized
that was not the intent. You were running
you’re lack of self-care showed up in every
on autopilot: going from work to online
part of your life. It’s important to know
church, to looking after the needs of your
that self-care has to include mental
family and friends, and before you knew it
health care. Mental health is crucial to
you were operating on your own time and
your well-being. But when we neglect
not God’s time. Consequently, poor daily
mental health care, we also neglect self-
habits turned into poor time
examination: your own thoughts, habits
management, which frustrates everybody.
and biases about yourself. Introspection is
But time management isn’t your issue;
not something we aspire to do. Most
self-sabotage, fear, and pride are just a
people don't want to do it, but to gain
few internal struggles you may be having.
self-awareness and spiritual awareness, it’s
People that have faith and know who
necessary. Examination also allows you to
they are, take action. Even if your time
have spiritual awareness because you
management skills haven’t been
cannot start thinking about yourself and
sharpened you are excited about getting
not think about the Creator. The one who
the work done.
made you, crafted you and brought your soul to your body and earth for a purpose.
Some of you have people in your life that
Then the “aha” moment comes. Self-care
say you aren’t good enough. Maybe
is mental health care, mental health care
mama told you, you can't do anything
is self-examination, and self-examination
right. She didn't go to school, so why do
is God care. You see how we just came full
you need to get higher education? You
circle? Talk about a refreshment.
might have friends that don’t support your level of growth and want to keep you
In college I majored in Psychology. The
“grounded”. As a result of those thoughts
mind and human behavior interest me, so
coming into your mind, you started
I went for it. I didn’t graduate from college
repeating what others think about you.
and I rarely went to my classes. I slacked off on my God care as well and found
Some of you have been ruined by your
myself with the “I got this” mentality.
past traumas. You may have been abused, physically or sexually, neglected, or had a
As I stated in my article Alcoholic to
broken heart. Then you have the lingering
Christaholic a year ago, I had sex with a
effects of those traumas and your vision
guy I was dating after 20 years of being a
falls by the wayside because of low self-
virgin. I made a vow to God in my youth
esteem, lack of self-forgiveness and self-
that I broke in my adult years. I won’t go
sabotage. When you are mentally
through the whole ordeal again, but I had
destroyed the vision is never going to
a lot of shame and guilt about my
work because you can’t stand firm in who
decision and soon found myself going to
you are and what’s to come. You'll be
the bottle for my problems. When I came
inconsistent and before you know it, the
back to my senses,
vision is a lifetime away.
rotubirtnoc
Some of yall’s vision has become stale, but
Beyond the books and speaking
studying God’s Word, practicing my gift of
engagements, I began doing time
writing and being of service in my church
management coaching. I was driven by
and Habitat for Humanity.
urgency and wanted to help the people around me get to their goals quicker. I soon
About two years later I started writing my
realized, with a revelation from God, that I
first book, “God’s Perspective for Me®”
couldn’t address their time management
Volume 1. My tagline was to share
without first addressing their God care and
inspirational poems and reflective
self-examination. God wouldn’t allow me to
questions to help you through life’s
stop there because He wanted me to help
struggles, while sharing the gift of
them begin their ministry. My coaching is
motivation to walk in your God given
basically discipleship in 2021: Get Ya’ Mind
purpose. Now remember I told you that
Right, Get Ya’ Business Right and Get Ya’
my major was psychology.
Branding Right.
Just over a year later, I had Volume 2
God refreshed my vision of being a
published. I found myself wanting to do
psychologist to being a Christian Life Coach.
more than writing books. As a store and
And it all started with getting back to Him
co-manager in retail, I always did the
and studying His word while it studied me.
training and development part of the
Now I don’t ever need to refresh my vision
business with my employees. My dad is
because I know who I am, who God is, and I
also a pastor and I’ve seen him help
act everyday with my goals that will allow
people in various ways throughout his
me to see the vision in reality.
ministry, so I knew there was more to my work. I ended up taking a leadership quiz
#TomorrowIsTooLateToBeGreat So,
and of course my leading style was
remember if you need self-care to refresh
coaching, go figure?
your vision, that God care is in fact, self-care.
rotubirtnoc
I began my #stayinpractice method of
monthly devotions Karabo Lekwape, is the daughter of the Most High. Who believes that without God you are nothing. She completed her Degree in BCom Accounting and is currently studying Post Grad in Financial Accounting. Throughout her journey of life, she saw Gods amazing works and would advise that people ensure that they are running their race with God.. Pure Grace..
Introducing to you, monthly devotions by : KARABO karabo.lekwape
NEW GARDEN IN OUR HEARTS “Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.”( Galatians 6:7-8)
God is not withholding blessings from us but we are! We are the ones planting the seeds. When we realize this and do it God’s way we will see a bountiful harvest. Let’s find our seeds and start planting
Prayer: Father Lord, Today I am going to do it! I will pull out the weeds I planted in my life with your help and start planting good seeds of love, faith, generosity and kindness. I am going to plant seeds of God’s word and
This is the principle of God from creation to
see a great harvest! Amen.
today. What you reap, you sow. It sounds very simple but as we know – actions speak louder than words! As death and life are at the tip of your tongue, what are you sowing with your tongue today because what you say with your mouth comes from the heart. Are you a builder or a destroyer? Are you an encourager or you are always negative with everything? We need to start a new garden in our heart of praise, generosity, loving words and kindness - I mean you wouldn’t plant tomato seeds and expect to reap some watermelon?
saved by grace,
Karab0
FEATURED
SIMPLE
ACT Of
KINDNESS BY: MATT HAGEE
There has never been a better time to share random acts of kindness, to reach out to those around you and let them know how much you love them than today! You may never know how your simple act of kindness, or word of encouragement and appreciation might impact someone’s life. Today you can be that positive light. As a child of the Most High God, you radiate God’s love. We should all strive be “that person” that has what everyone wants. After all, we do!!! We have the Spirit of God living inside of us, and He is the Light of the World, and our hope for eternity. I know that we still live in a time filled with a constant barrage of chaos and negativity, of hatred and-
division. That is not how we are called live. Today you can choose to reflect and share God’s love through your words and actions. 1 Corinthians 13:13 says it best... “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." Our lives are shaped by those we love, and in many ways, by those refuse to love us. We all want to be loved... to be loved completely for who we are. We all want to know and be fully known, we all want to be loved comple-tely and unconditionally. God gave us the greatest example of this kind of love when He sent His only Son to the Cross to die in your place.
He sent His son to this earth, knowing that He would take our sins upon Himself...and die a horrible death on the Cross. God did not put unlimited stipulations on His love. There was that God put on us. He tells us in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son. THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVES IN ME, will not perish, but have everlasting life."
"YOU MAY NEVER KNOW HOW YOUR SIMPLE ACT OF KINDNESS, OR WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT AND APPRECIATION MIGHT IMPACT SOMEONE’S LIFE."
The only requirement God put on us to receive the gift of eternal life is TO BELIEVE! God the Father sent His Son to the Cross when we were most undeserving so that we might have the opportunity to live in heaven with Him for all of eternity. This is the kind of extravagant love that sets the bar high for each of us. It is this kind of limitless love that saturates the life of every believer. This month I want to share with you a couple special gifts that I know will encourage and bless you and those you love. For your donation of any amount, I will send you my newest music project entitled; “Workin’ on a Builidng,” plus my companion devotional. These are my gifts to you in appreciation of your support of Hagee Ministries. Your generosity is making a difference in the lives of so many. From COVID assistance, disaster relief and medical missions - when you support Hagee Ministries, you are laying up treasures in heaven that are paying eternal dividends. GOD LOVES YOU WITH AN ALL-CONSUMING LOVE THAT NO MAN CAN TAKE FROM YOU. Don’t allow the enemy to tell you that you are unworthy. I want you to stop for a moment and ask yourself these important questions. What do your relationships look like? Do you have lifegiving relationships in your life? Do you declare words of encouragement to those you encounter on a daily basis. The Bible tells us “that life and death are in the power of the tongue... choose life.
The words you speak have power. I am encouraging you today to use that power to positively impact your marriage, your children, your co-workers and even the cashier at the grocery store. Never underestimate the power you have to change the course of someone’s life. How is your marriage? Have you tried encouraging your spouse? Have you tried loving them and blessing them even when you don’t agree. Have you tried loving them like Christ loves you... completely and unconditionally? You can be the catalyst for positive change in your relationships. Search for little ways to show your spouse and family how much they mean to you. God will bless your efforts and make your days feel like heaven on earth. The enemy loves to come and take the good things God places in your life. He loves to disrupt your peace, trying to distract you from the blessings God is sending your way. Being a Christian doesn’t mean we do not have hard times. It means that God is there with us as we walk through difficult circumstances. God has promised that when we walk through the fire we will not be burned. He is the friend who sticks closer than a brother. Make the decision today to allow God to come in and heal the relationships in your life that are broken. He has promised to restore you and make you whole. Don’t waste time looking at the past. Move forward in Jesus’ name towards the bright future that God has promised you.
Remember, as a Child of God, you are more than a conqueror. Allow God to come into your life and heal your past, heal the pain... so that you can move on to a brighter tomorrow. Don’t be afraid to embrace the people God sends your way. He is going to use them to bless you. The most important relationship you will ever have is with your Savior. As you put your hope and trust fully in Him, He promises to make all things new again. Our God promises to make for you a roadway in the wilderness and rivers in the desert (Isaiah 43:18-19). 2020 was certainly filled with its fair share of challenges and obstacles that we did not see coming. BUT THIS IS A NEW YEAR.. THIS IS A NEW DAY. This year I want to challenge you to spend more time in God’s Word. Use this new season to invest in and grow close to this most important relationship. God’s promises are true to a thousand generations (1 Chronicles 16:15), and His Word does not return void (Isaiah 55:11). The Lord so desperately wants to use you to fulfill a destiny that only you can fulfill. In 2021 I am going to love others more. I am going to learn to be a little more patient, to shine a little more of God’s light and His love on others. I am going to work on building a stronger and deeper relationship with the King of Kings that will make a difference in every other facet of my lives.
THE BLESSED LIFE TEACHINGS BY: PASTOR ROBERT MORRIS THE UNEXPECTED ADVENTURE Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God. Deuteronomy 28:1-2 The odometer on our “highly experienced” station wagon showed upward of 130,000 miles as I rolled up to the pump at a little gas station in Oklahoma. It was 1984, and I was a young evangelist. In those days, my wife, Debbie, and I would gladly drive to just about any place that would offer me an opportunity to preach. We were on a journey that day in two senses of the word. Yes, we were on our way to minister the gospel.
But this little filling station was also a stop on a voyage of discovery – one we had embarked upon about a month earlier. It was a journey into the power and joy of Spirit-led giving. As I walked into the station to pay for my gasoline, the lady behind the counter said, “It’s taken care of.” “Excuse me?” I asked, a little confused. “It’s taken care of,” she repeated. “You don’t owe anything for the gas.” Now I was genuinely confused. “Why is that?” Very matter-of-factly, she said, “When you pulled up, God told me that you were an evangelist and that I was to pay for your gas. So, it’s taken care of.” Grateful and still a little startled, I thanked her warmly and went on my way. That stop was a small but significant milestone on this journey I mentioned. The idea that the Spirit of God would speak to someone and instruct them to give wasn’t a new concept for me. In fact, this incident was a perfect example of the very thing God had begun to make a centrepiece of my ministry and my walk as a Christian.
THE NEXT LEVEL As a traveling evangelist, all of my income came from the love offerings I received from the churches in which I preached. In those years, my income from offerings might be $800 one week and $200 the next. Debbie and I just never knew. But early in our marriage, we had learned to trust God where our finances were concerned. We were diligent tithers. God had spoken clearly to us about the principle of the tithe several years earlier. And ever since we began honoring the Lord by giving the first tenth of everything that came in, our needs have always been met – sometimes miraculously. What we didn’t know was that God was about to take us to the next level. As I mentioned, about a month before the surprise blessing at the gas station, God did something remarkable to get my attention where the matter of giving was concerned. I was scheduled to preach at a church for only one night, and as it turned out, it was the only meeting I was scheduled to preach at all month. From a financial standpoint, that meant having only one opportunity to receive an offering instead of the usual four, five, or six. Although Debbie and I had grown in our ability to trust and rest in God, This represented a major budgeting challenge in the making. At the close of the service, the church received a love offering on my behalf. Shortly thereafter, the pastor approached me with an envelope. He said, “Robert, I’m pleased and amazed to tell you that this is the largest love offering this little church has ever given. God used you to bless us tonight, and I’m so happy to be able to give this to you.” Opened the envelope, I found a check for roughly the same amount as our entire monthly budget. In one meeting, God had mira les culously provided what it normally took several meetings to produce.
It was quite a lesson for us. But the When son wasn’t over yet. As I stood there holding that check, basking in the warm glow of gratitude and wonder, something happened to me that forever changed the course and quality of my life. Earlier in that evening’s service, a missionary had given a brief testimony and update for the congregation. Now, as I looked across the nearly empty sanctuary, I caught sight of him. As I did, the unmistakable voice of the Lord spoke in my heart: “I want you to give him your offering – all of it.” In an instant, I went from euphoria to something approximating panic. “Lord, that can’t be Your voice! I mean … after all … I … You … You just did a miracle here to meet our needs!” Once again, the instruction came through, gently but clearly: “I want you to give him your offering.” Like a kid who doesn’t want to hear what his brother is saying, I wanted to stick my fingers in my ears and sing loudly, “La, La, La, La, La …! What? I can’t hear you!” “Give him the whole offering. Trust Me.” I couldn’t shake it off. I tried to rationalize. I tried bargaining. I tried begging. The impression only grew stronger. Ultimately, I waved the white flag and said, “Okay, Father, I trust You.” I endorsed the back of the check, folded it in half, and took a quick glance around the room to make sure no one was watching. Walking up to the missionary, I said something like, “I really appreciated your testimony tonight. Please, don’t tell anyone about this, but I would like you to have this offering. The check is made out to me, but I have signed it over to you.” I handed him the check and walked away. An hour later, I found myself seated with about twenty members of the church at a pizza place. Across from me sat a welldressed man I barely knew. (We had met briefly on one other occasion.)
After a while, he leaned across the table toward me, looked me straight in the eye, and asked me a shockingly personal question. “How much was your offering tonight?” Naturally, his question flustered me. I had never had anyone ask me that before, especially a near stranger! His boldness so caught me off guard that I didn’t know what else to do but answer him. So I told him the amount of the offering. I remember hoping that was the end of it. It wasn’t.
As tiny beads of perspiration began to pop out on my face, the gentleman leaned across the table and got uncomfortably close. “The check’s not in the car, Robert,” he stated in a low voice.
In the same authoritative manner, he asked me another question. “Where is the check?” What never! I remember thinking, What is he up to? Of course, I no longer had the check, but I wasn’t about to tell him that. So, I am proud to tell you, this preacher lied through his teeth. “Uh … my wife has it,” I said nervously. She was sitting at the other end of the long table – a nice, safe distance away. Now can we change the subject?
“God is about to teach you about giving so that you can teach the Body of Christ.” With that, he slid a folded piece of paper across the table. It was a check. The amount – to the penny was ten times the amount of the one I had given away only an hour or so earlier. Ten times – to the penny. That was the night this journey started.
“Go get it. I want to see it.” The man was relentless! Not knowing what else to do, I made a pretense of getting up to go ask her for the check. Bending down close to her ear, I asked, “How’s your pizza?” “Good,” she replied, giving me a perplexed look. “Great. Glad to hear it. Just checking,” I muttered and headed back down the table to my seat.
Read Deuteronomy 28:8-13
My ears heard another lie floating past my lips. “She left it out in the car,” I said, trying to make the car sound as if it was very, very far away. (At this point, not only was I trying to hide the fact that I had given my whole love offering away, but I was also covering the fact that this evangelist, who had just spent the evening proclaiming that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, had just lied!)
As tiny beads of perspiration began to pop out on my face, the gentleman leaned across the table and got uncomfortably close. “The check’s not in the car, Robert,” he stated in a low voice.
“How do you know that?” I responded, trying to sound a little offended. “Because God told me – and He told me something else.” At that point, the man spoke words that have rolled like thunder through my life ever since.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Being "blessed” means having supernatural power working for you. But for that power to be accessed, you must be obedient to God’s instruction. Are you willing to carry out a specific task when He leads you? If the answer is sometimes or it depends, take time to reflect on why it’s not a resounding yes! Go to the “next level” and believe Him when He says, “The LORD will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand” (Deuteronomy 28:12).
ASK IN FAITH, EXPECT AN ANSWER
BY: JOHN HAGEE
H ABAKKU K 2:3 “The vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” HABAKKUK 2:3 Habakkuk stood face to face with perhaps the more difficult spiritual problem confronting believers.
Everything that constituted life as Habakkuk knew it was about to be destroyed; nothing seemed secure. For Habakkuk, the future not only looked bleak, it was terrifying, and all the more so because God did not seem to be doing anything about it. “Why is it,” we can hear Habakkuk cry, “that when I ask God for help, things only go from bad to worse?
Doesn’t God care about me? Or isn’t He strong enough to help?” God’s response was that yes, He did care about Habakkuk and that yes, He was sufficiently strong enough to do whatever needed to be done to ensure that Habakkuk and His people would not only survive, but thrive (Hab. 3:19). The prophetic message of Habakkuk is that while God may at times appear to be inactive in the face of rampant violence (Hab. 1:2-4), He controls events far larger than even His prophets knew in order to ensure that His purposes for individual people are accomplished (Hab. 1:5). Habakkuk had to keep on living, however, in the meantime – that agonizingly long period between God’s promise and its fulfilment. The real difficulty facing God’s prophets – and no less so for those of us who are called to believe God's prophetic word – is the question, “How long?” Like, Job, Habakkuk was not a disinterested party. Habakkuk not only spoke about trouble, he lived through it. Because Habakkuk experienced the things about which he wrote, we can be absolutely confident that he is right when he says that God’s action on behalf of believers “will surely come; it will not tarry” (Hab. 2:3) and that “the just shall live by His faith” (Hab. 2:4). If you pray for something and it doesn’t happen right away, keep praying. For some of you, 30 minutes after the prayer has left your lips you are wondering why God hasn’t heard you. Guess what? He heard you. Right this second might not be the timing He has in mind for your big finish. Hang on!
The God of the mountaintop is the God of the valley. Anyone can sing when the sun is shining, but you also need a song in your heart at night. It’s not what you’re going through; it’s what you’re going to that matters. Keep your eye on the prize! Write down your proclamation of faith and begin watching for every sign that God is on the horizon, diligently working on your behalf. Anyone can look at the bitter facts of life and abandon their faith. Anyone can rush to disbelief. It takes a person of faith, courage, and purpose to focus on the finish line. Focus on the joy of victory! Focus on the impact of living life without limit! Focus on the fact that the God we serve cannot fail!
MY BLESSING TO YOU: And now may the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you, giving you His peace. May you walk every day of this new year in the divine assurance that God is taking you to your promised land that is flowing with milk and honey; that your enemies will be defeated and your foot will be on the neck of your adversary. May the grapes of your harvest be abundant and the vats of new wine overflow. The wheat will be as golden grain because the Lord is the Lord of abundance and He is the God who is looking after you. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad! Our hope is in the Lord!
John Hagee
devotions
The Battle is the Lord's by Dr André and Jenny Roebert
1 Samuel 17:47 (NIV):"All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give all of you into our hands." David was certainly not the obvious choice to take on the Philistines' champion, Goliath. While his brothers and the king underestimated him because of his age, size and lack of military training; they could not deny his unwavering faith and determination. He was adamant to be the one to kill the blaspheming giant and bring an end to the blatant disdain the enemy had towards the Living God. Although King Saul and the Israelite army heard Goliath mocking God, they chose to not respond, fearing for their lives. David believed that remaining silent was simply condoning the abusive insults of the enemy, and he was having none of it. Armed with only a sling and five stones, he took on the giant fully believing the battle was the Lord's. In life, we will face many giants. How we respond to them matters most. The only appropriate response is FAITH! Don't let the enemy's threat of illness, lack or calamity keep you silent and in fear. Stand in faith, on the authority of God's Word and know that Word will fight for you! The battle is the Lord's - and He will give you victory!
Advertiser's are most welcome for very affordable prices email : beautyandthegospel@ gmail.com