Why Some People Remain in Sin, Bondage & Brokenness

The Proper Foundations Haven’t Been Laid

It’s a problem of putting the cart before the horse. We too often launch off into man-made solutions that can never produce the interior transformation that is necessary for lasting freedom. Such “solutions” often teach us (overtly or covertly) to rely on a “system” rather than on God.

Worldly solutions are “maintenance programs” that teach us to keep ourselves from falling by our own wisdom, discipline and power. They can be helpful in a secondary way, but should never be offered as the primary solution.

In contrast, God offers a “transformation program” by which He heals the underlying wounds, transforms the will and keeps us from falling by His power and love (Jude 24; Psalm 37:23-24, 55:22; 1 Peter 1:5).

True freedom comes not from focusing on the bondage, but on the Savior. In 2 Peter 1:3, the Holy Spirit says that through our knowledge of Him, God’sdivine power has already given us everything we need for life and godliness.The solution, therefore, is not found in the wisdom of the world. It is foundthrough intimate knowledge of Him and the appropriation of the power that already resides within us by virtue of His divine presence.

Self-Deception

Some people don’t want to change because they receive too much sympathy, affirmation and attention by staying broken. Others recoil because of the pain that results from revisiting the wounds that have contributed to their dysfunctional behavior.

Our inclination is to deceive ourselves into believing that we want freedom from something when we really don’t. Our hearts are deceitful and duplicitous (Jeremiah 17:9; Matthew 15:19). For example, I used to regularly cry out to God for freedom from a particular bondage. One night the power of God fell on me and I knew that He was finally answering my prayer. But to my utter shock, my first thought was “Oh no!” In that moment, I realized that I had been begging for deliverance from something that I still wanted. Hidden within the recesses of my mind, I didn’t think I could live without it. Deep in the interior of my heart, I still loved it. My pleas for help had not been coming from a desire to walk in holiness, but from self-deluded, performance-based religion.

Primary Reasons for Failure to Find Freedom

1. Failure to Make an Across-the-Board Commitment to Holiness

The Kingdom of God is not a supermarket. We cannot say that we want freedom from one sin without being willing to be freed from them all.

God wants us to commit to holiness at every level. Thankfully, He does not lay them all upon us at once, but brings them up as we are ready to deal with each one. As we forsake the things of the world and fix our heart permanently toward the things of God, He then responds with revelation and empowerment.

2. Failure to Believe In and Act Upon God’s Power to Deliver and Keep Us

Most of us haven’t a clue just how much power God has and how little power Satan has. We need to pursue God in His Word to understand and believe who we are in Christ and the authority He has given us (Luke 10:18-19).

I recommend “truth therapy” – regular meditation on the truths of Scripture,even when they seem to contradict what we feel and experience in our battle with sin (Hebrews 11:1).

Some of us are so enslaved to our feelings that we are incapable of believing anything else. When I fail to become planted in the ground of my identity in Christ, His call on my life, and His empowerment of that call, I’m a sitting duck for the lying thoughts and feelings that invade my soul.

3. Failure to Undergo a Transformation of the Will Through a Belief In and Embracing of God’s Unconditional Love (Jeremiah 31:3b-4a)

We are in a partnership with God. His part is to provide the grace, love and power that changes our heart and makes us willing to obey. Our part is to pursue His presence. As we believe in His unconditional love, we’re empowered and motivated to forsake sin.

One day, I was in the midst of committing a besetting sin when the Lord spoke to my heart, saying, “If you turn to me right now, I will love you, forgive you and embrace you.” Ignoring the voice, I continued with my sin until satisfied, at which time the Lord repeated the same words to me.

It was a moment I’ll never forget as I realized that His focus was not on my sin, but on His desire to communicate to me that all He really wanted was for me to turn to Him and receive His love. In that moment, He had so taken my heart by this otherworldly love that I now wanted to do His will. In essence, He changed my will through the repeated experience of His grace and love. For the first time, I chose to do His will, not because I was supposed to, but because I wanted to (Titus 2:14). “For it is God who is at work in us both to will and to do that which is according to His good purpose” (Philippians 2:13). In essence, we just need to get under the spout where the glory comes out!

4. Failure to See Healing as a Process with a Purpose

As we live in intimacy with Him, God shows us the root causes of our behavior, the needs that we have been trying to meet, and His more perfect provision to meet those needs. Through our pursuit of healing, we develop a relationship of love and dependence on God because we have need to turn to Him often for power over temptation and healing from brokenness.

Bondage is essentially a problem of broken relationships — first with God, and second, with human beings. We must come to know Him as He really is and forsake the fiction that our minds have created that has convinced us to run from Him and not to trust Him.

5. Failure to Develop an Intimate Relationship with God the Father

Many of us fear intimacy. It is where we’ve been hurt. But intimacy with ourperfectly loving Father is another matter. Jesus said that if we have seen Him, we have seen the Father (John 14:9). Do you love Jesus? The Father is just like Him!

Another fear is that we intuitively know that intimacy with someone means commitment and a loss of independence. But we soon learn that intimacy is the deepest level of knowing, of loving and of feeling. It produces the fruit of inner joy. Foundationally, it has to do with our response of love to the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross.

6. Failure to Humble Ourselves in Absolute Dependence on God

The pride of self-sufficiency and independence is the fruit of ignorance. The truth is that we are already, completely dependent on God’s power and wisdom in order to have any kind of meaningful existence.

In our culture, humility is considered a weakness. We think that life’s problems are challenges that God expects us to deal with on our own. However, without continual dependence on God, we’re like infants left outin the middle of a freeway. We are completely dependent on God to reveal to us what is true as distinguished from what the world says is true (1 Corinthians 1:18-31).

Jesus said that without Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5). Consequently, the closer I get to Him, the longer I sit at His feet and allow Him to uncover the depths of my heart, the more I am going to grow in the humility of understanding the grace that I stand in, and I will love Him even more. And so, our first response to bondage, brokenness or temptation must always be one of utter dependence that turns to God for power, wisdom and strength.

7. Failure to Learn & Practice Spiritual Warfare

The Bible teaches that the weapons of our warfare are mighty to pull down strongholds — but only when employed in the ongoing reality of these first six pillars of incarnational relationship and empowerment. In other words, spiritual warfare involves using the power of God, the wisdom of God, the discernment of God, the peace of God, the faith of God and the love of God to proclaim the will of God at any given moment.

Those of us who live in the defeat of habitual sin have not yet fully fallen in love with Jesus. We have not received the depth of the revelation of His love and awesome beauty that transforms the heart and mind. Once that has been accomplished, without even realizing it, we will find that we are already wearing the weapons of our warfare (Ephesians 6:10-18) and have beenmarked by the evil one as dangerous.

First Things First

The primary reason that so many of us do not experience victory over the sin and brokenness that so easily besets us is that we do not put these spiritual principles first when attempting to find freedom. In fact, one second of revelation from the God who loves us is worth a lifetime of therapy. This is not to say that therapeutic approaches are unimportant in some cases. It is simply a matter of placing first things first so that any help that we receivefrom men will bear fruit that will last (John 15:16).

Adapted from the Sexual Healing Reference Edition by David Kyle Foster.Dr. David Kyle Foster (M-Div, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School; D-Min, Trinity School for Ministry) is the author of Transformed Into His Image and Love Hunger and is the founder/director of Pure Passion Media.

May 8, 2019May 10, 2019

You Were Chosen

God chose you, before you chose Him. And He did it before the foundations of the world. Before the world was ever formed, you were on His mind. Created to be above average. He created you to excel! Equipped you for everything you need to thrive in this life. God, has deposited seeds of greatness inside of you, but in order to tap into those seeds of greatness, you have to believe this and act on it.

Many of us go around with low self-esteem, feeling inferior like we don’t have what it takes. But that’s not true. And as long as we have a poor self-image, we’re not going to experience God’s best. In order to be all that God has called us to be, we have to see ourselves as chosen by Him, valuable to Him and victorious through Him.

Today, let’s get rid of low self-esteem and self-image, and meditate on God’s truth that you are“fearfully and wonderfully made” to be great and live above average. Let it sink down deep into your heart. Let it build confidence and security in you. As you understand your value in the eyes of God, you’ll be empowered to live the life of victory He has prepared for you!

“For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world”¦”
(Ephesians 1:4, NIV)

Pray With Me
Yahweh, thank You for choosing me before You created the earth. Thank You for making me valuable and victorious, and for equipping me. Help me to see myself the way You see me. God, lift my self-esteem, and show me Your ways that I may walk with You in confidence and trust, all the days of my life. In Jesus’ Name! Amen.

May 7, 2019May 7, 2019

Oh No! I Forgot To Plug In!

The other day my phone died unexpectedly, because I had forgotten to plug it in to charge, and all the power was drained. Everyone goes through seasons in life that seem overwhelming; times when you’ve felt drained of strength and power. But you haven’t been left without hope. You haven’t been left without an answer. The God of heaven and earth is near you, and He promises to give you strength and might to overcome life’s toughest times. Hallelujah!

You may be asking, where does this strength and power come from? It comes directly from Him. When you connect with Him, you are connecting to your power source. It’s like plugging into a power bank for your phone. You “plug in” through prayer, reading the Word and worshipping Him. You “turn on” the switch by the words of your mouth–by declaring what God says and His power to change.

Today, remember to plug in, especially at the night times in your life. Don’t let the difficult times and difficult people drain you. Rise up, plug in and connect with God’s power, because He is your source of strength! He promises to equip and empower you for victory today and every day of your life!

“He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength.” (Isaiah 40:29, NKJV)

Pray With Me
Yahweh, thank You for Your power, strength and grace at work in my life. Today I choose to plug in to Your power, especially when life seems dark and draining. Father, I will turn my focus and my thoughts on You. I set my heart and love upon You because You are good. God, give me the strength to stay away from people, place and things that drain my spiritual batteries. Thank You for filling me with might and power to overcome the tough times, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.

A special word from the Lord, from Pastor Ray Patrick

May 2, 2019January 15, 2024

Instagram and Facebook Bans Far-Right Voices including Louis Farrakhan, Alex Jones and Milo Yiannopoulos: Is Christianity Next?

On Thursday 02 May 2019 Facebook the social networking giant has permanently banned Infowars founder Alex Jones, Milo Yiannopoulos, Laura Loomer as well as other prominent figures and labelled them far-right provocateurs – a sign that they are more aggressively enforcing their hate speech policies under pressure from civil rights organizations, including the SPLC. Also banned from Facebook going forward is Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam, who has been criticized for his frequent antisemitic remarks.

The bans come as Facebook has pledged to do more to eliminate hate speech on its platform.

Jones has claimed events like the September 11 terror attacks and the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting were hoaxes. But there are many conspiracy theories that attribute the planning and execution of the September 11 attacks against the United States to parties other than, or in addition to, al-Qaeda including that there was advance knowledge of the attacks among high-level government officials.

For this and many more accusations Infowars is subject to the strictest panishment. Not only did Facebook ban Jones and Infowars, it is also going to delete any Infowars content posted to its platform by any of its users, and any groups that spread Infowars content.

Facebook has said that it wasn’t going to allow white nationalism and separatism on its platform anymore in previous announcements.

In a public statement Facebook said to The Atlantic that:

“We’ve always banned individuals or organizations that promote or engage in violence and hate, regardless of ideology,” a Facebook spokesperson told Variety. “The process for evaluating potential violators is extensive and it is what led us to our decision to remove these accounts today.”

The company told reporters that it would also ban any supporter accounts set up in their likeness and remove any events that these individuals will be participating in.

As part of the sweeping crackdown, Facebook said:

Any account that shares Infowars content will see the content removed; if an account violates terms on multiple occasions it will be banned. Facebook and Instagram will remove any content containing Infowars videos, radio segments, or articles, and Facebook will remove any Groups set up to share Infowars content and Events promoting any of the banned extremist figures, according to a company spokesperson. (Twitter, YouTube, and Apple have also banned Alex Jones and Infowars.)

This week, Facebook also announced an entire redesign of the platform focusing on Groups, in an effort to give users more private spaces. Facebook is “using people’s understandable anger over the company playing fast and loose with their personal data to push a ‘privacy’ focus which is just a fancy way to hide the other big problem on the platform and evade journalists and watchdogs,” the NBC journalist Brandy Zadrozny tweeted upon Facebook’s Groups announcement. “There are very nice groups”¦ but some are also very very dangerous and make the world worse.” One recent investigation found dozens of Facebook groups dedicated to the Pizzagate conspiracy theory. Joining just one of those groups resulted in recommendations for more conspiracy-theory groups.

But Will ‘Christian Speech’ Be Allowed in the New Facebook World?

Well, let’s face it, the values of Silicon Valley are not conservative values; they’re not Christian values, for example, in one one recent instance, a Catholic university put up a picture of a cross to commemorate Easter. Facebook rejected the ad because it did not meet its standards. After a secondary review, the social media giant reversed their initial censorship of the ad.

We believe that Silicon Valley does not want conservative talk and Christian talk; they want to push progressive and Leftist values. It’s just the fact as Zuckerberg even admitted that’s its a real issue in 2018 during his testimony Tuesday when Sen. Ted Cruz, R-TX, asked him if Facebook had a political bias.

“I understand where that concern is coming from; as Facebook and the tech industry are located in the Silicon Valley, which is an extremely Left-leaning place. And this is actually a concern that I have, that I try to root out in the company, is making sure that we don’t have any bias in the work that we do,” Zuckerberg answered to Cruz.

The NRB has previously said that it wants Congress to hold Zuckerberg’s feet to the fire over these allegations of censorship.

They said that there are five major questions he should answer, including how the social media juggernaut defines “hate speech” and how they respond to comments by Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai, who acknowledged that some social media platforms “routinely block or discriminate against content they don’t like.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: With concerns over Facebook and other Social Media sites cracking down on Conservative/Christian content, Please ensure you subscribe to Godinterest to receive the Christian Perspective on today’s news directly in your Inbox.

Facebook has disclosed its rules and guidelines for deciding what its 2.2 billion users can post on the social network.

The full guidelines can be read here. Below is a summary of what they say:

1. Credible violence

Facebook says it considers the language, context and details in order to distinguish casual statements from content that constitutes a credible threat to public or personal safety.

2. Dangerous individuals and organisations

Facebook does not allow any organizations or individuals that are engaged in terrorist, organized hate, mass or serial murder, human trafficking, organized violence or criminal activity.

3. Promoting or publicising crime

Facebook says it prohibit people from promoting or publicizing violent crime, theft, and/or fraud. It does not allow people to depict criminal activity or admit to crimes they or their associates have committed.

4. Coordinating harm

The social network says people can draw attention to harmful activity that they may witness or experience as long as they do not advocate for or coordinate harm.

5. Regulated goods

The site prohibits attempts topurchase, sell, or trade non-medical drugs, pharmaceutical drugs, and marijuana as well as firearms.

6. Suicide and self-injury

The rules for ‘credible violence’ apply for suicide and self-injury.

7. Child nudity and sexual exploitation of children

Facebook does not allow content that sexually exploits or endangers children. When it becomes aware of apparent child exploitation, we report it to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).

8. Sexual exploitation of adults

The site removes images that depict incidents of sexual violence and intimate images shared without permission from the people pictured.

9. Bullying

Facebook removes content that purposefully targets private individuals with the intention of degrading or shaming them.

10. Harassment

Facebook’s harassment policy applies to both public and private individuals.

It says that context and intent matter, and that the site will allow people to share and re-share posts if it is clear that something was shared in order to condemn or draw attention to harassment.

11. Privacy breaches and image privacy rights

Users should not post personal or confidential information about others without first getting their consent, says Facebook.

12. Hate speech

Facebook does not allow hate speech on Facebook because it says it creates an environment of intimidation and exclusion and in some cases may promote real-world violence.

13. Graphic violence

Facebook will remove content that glorifies violence or celebrates the suffering or humiliation of others.

It will, however, allow graphic content (with some limitations) to help people raise awareness about issues.

14. Adult nudity and sexual activity

The site restricts the display of nudity or sexual activity.

It will also default to removing sexual imagery to prevent the sharing of non-consensual or underage content.

15. Cruel and insensitive

Facebook says it has higher expectations for content that defined as cruel and insensitive.

It defines this as content that targets victims of serious physical or emotional harm.

16. Spam

Facebook is trying to prevent false advertising, fraud and security breaches.

It does not allow people to use misleading or inaccurate information to artificially collect likes, followers or shares.

17. Misrepresentation

Facebook will require people to connect on Facebook using the name that they go by in everyday life.

18. False news

Facebook says that there is also a fine line between false news and satire or opinion.

For these reasons, it won’t remove false news from Facebook, but, instead, significantly reduce its distribution by showing it lower in News Feed.

19. Memorialisation

Facebook will memorialise accounts of people who have died by adding “Remembering” above the name on the person’s profile.

The site will not remove, update or change anything about the profile or the account.

20. Intellectual property

Facebook users own all of the content and information that they post on Facebook, and have control over how it is shared through your privacy and application settings.

21. User requests

Facebook say they will comply with:

User requests for removal of their own account
Requests for removal of a deceased user’s account from a verified immediate family member or executor
Requests for removal of an incapacitated user’s account from an authorised representative

22. Additional protection of minors

Facebook complies with:

User requests for removal of an underage account
Government requests for removal of child abuse imagery depicting, for example:
Beating by an adult
Strangling or suffocating by an adult
Legal guardian requests for removal of attacks on unintentionally famous minors

This story is developing. Please check back for updates.

May 1, 2019May 4, 2019

The Greatest Gift

The greatest gift God has given us is to believe. If you believe and obey God’s Word, you will be successful. If you believe and obey God’s Word, you can overcome your past. If you believe and obey God’s Word, you will reach your God-given destiny. There is incredible power in what you believe, which leads to obedience.

What you believe is greater than your circumstances, greater than your trials, greater than your medical report, and greater than your bank account! When you believe what He says about you, then what you believe will supersede any natural law. I have a friend that came to Oakwood University with nothing but the clothes on his back. He graduated with his BA on time, MA a year later, then went on to get his PhD. Today, he is one of the world’s best motivational speakers, speaking to millions and motivating the players and staff at the NFL and NBA. Against all odds, he believed he could do what God placed in his heart.

Today, nurture your belief by dwelling on His Word. As you get the Word of God in your heart, greater faith will come to you. Your, belief will grow, strengthen and will rise up in you, empowering you to take hold of all the blessings God has in store for you!

”God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.”
(Romans 12:3, NKJV)

Pray With Me
Yahweh, thank You for Your Word of truth which sets me free and gives me a greater believe in my heart for You. Father, I lift up my eyes to You and ask You to strengthen my belief. God, I turn my focus toward Your Word, and invite You to have Your way in may mind, body and soul, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.

April 25, 2019April 25, 2019

CHRISTIANS across the world are “living in utter fear of discrimination and persecution says MP

CHRISTIANS across the world are â€œliving in utter fear of discrimination and persecution says MP

DUP MP Sammy Wilson has said that CHRISTIANS across the world are “living in fear of discrimination and persecution as he demanded the British Government use its influence around the world to stop Christian persecution.

What the British Government is doing to help those across the world from being “persecuted daily” due to their religious beliefs, The DUP MP demanded to know.

Minister David Lidington during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, gave a passionate speech to Cabinet Office and said

“While the McKee family in Northern Ireland are burying their daughter today murdered by IRA terrorists, hundreds of people in Sri Lanka are burying their loved ones — brutally murdered because of their faith.
The DUP MP

Christians across the world are now the most persecuted religious group
Sammy Wilson
The DUP MP

Its a fact, “Christians across the world are now the most persecuted religious group with almost 300 million living in fear of discrimination and persecution,“and 4,000 being killed every year because of their faith.

“The Government has said that Britain is on their side, but Britain has become a pagan country over the past half century, creating a vacuum in which people will believe in anything and everything, according to Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, who leads the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales.

How much does the Government really care?

The DUP MP asked how is the Government using the UK’s soft power, our economic power, our contact with other Governments and our aid budget to help those who are persecuted daily simply because they believe in Jesus Christ?”

Last week Lyra McKee, only 29, was fatally shot by dissident republicans in Londonderry after being caught in the cross-fire after clashes erupted between a group calling itself the New IRA and police on the Creggan estate on April 18.

More than 350 people died and around 500 injured on Easter Sunday, following the bombings which targeted churches and hotels across Sri Lanka.

There was also a coordinated series of attacks on churches holding Easter services.

Britain’s War on Christianity

But perhaps we Brits need to take a look in our own backyard. For example “Christian street preachers should be free to share the gospel, even where it means challenging the beliefs of others.” – Christian Concern, in a petition to UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid.

In recent years, dozens of Christians – clergy and non-clergy – in Britain have been arrested or fired from their jobs due to their faith. Much of the harassment is based on three sections of two British laws that are vague and open to subjective interpretations.

At an appeal hearing at Bristol Crown Court, attorney Michael Phillips emphasized the importance of freedom of speech, even in cases where the speaker does not necessarily hold the views being expressed. Another attorney, Paul Diamond, argued that there is no right not to be exposed to contrary ideas. He added that should passers-by not wish to hear the preaching, they are able to walk away.

Godinterest’s Manifesto of Ethics

To promote freedom of religion — Violations of religious freedom are increasing globally in scale, depth and blatancy. Carried out by both government and non-state actors, they range from the mundane to the extreme (e.g. genocide).

To promote freedom of expression and internet freedom — Freedom of expression is an essential part of a properly functioning democracy and a free society. People should be free to express themselves both online and offline. But in many parts of the world freedom of expression is under threat.

To be a inclusive social network — We aim to share multiple voices and perspectives. We prohibit and will remove Offensive material that has been reported to contain (e.g., Pornographic material, hate speech, encouraging violence against others, etc)

To respect one’s right to remain anonymous — Our users place their trust in us to keep them safe, and, in some cases, anonymous. We view safeguarding that trust and protecting our users’ private information as vital to what we do.

April 23, 2019April 23, 2019

Those Pesky Thorns

One Easter morning, several Seasons ago, I was removing the Crown of thorns from the cross outside my house, and the black drape that had displayed the reminder of His death for two days. I then placed the white flower wreath around the head of the cross and draped the arms in white. As I laid the pieces on the ground, I began to wonder whatever happened to Jesus’ actual crown of thorns. I recently saw on the news, during the tragic fire at Notre Dame Cathedral, that there was a relic housed there that is said to be that crown of thorns.

Thorns have been with us since the fall of Creation. The Scriptures tell us this in Genesis:

The ground is cursed because of you. You will eat from it by means of painful labor all the days of your life. 18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.
(Genesis 3:17-18 HCSB)

Thorns are a result of the fall of man. My Pastor recently said that they represent sin, and as you study them in the Bible, that sure makes sense. They show up in many ways. In three instances in Scripture, they are used as a metaphor for the people the Israelites did not drive out from the land. God says that these people would be thorns in their eyes and in their sides, and that their false gods would be a trap and snare to them. (Num. 33:55, Joshua 23:13, Judges 2:3) In this instance they are the result of disobedience in following God’s command. In the book of Judges, they are used as an instrument of punishment (Judges 8:4-17). People are said to be entangled in them; they are what overgrows everything when not tended to. They are mentioned often as what is gathered and burned.

Most famously we have the New Testament references of the Crown of thorns Jesus wore, and the thorn in the flesh spoken of by the Apostle Paul.

As I stood there pondering the question of Christ’s Crown of Thorns, God began to weave together for me the picture of each of us carrying a thorn in our flesh from Jesus’ crown.

As Paul spoke of these thorns in the flesh, he said this:

Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so I would not exalt myself. 8 Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me. 9 But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.
(2 Corinthians 12:7-9 HCSB)

This picture of a thorn from Jesus’ Crown being given to each of us to carry, as a thorn in our flesh, has blessed me many times in my own personal struggles. Paul said the thorn was given to him to keep him from exalting himself. Even so, I believe our thorns keep us from this same snare. The thorn I asked to have removed early in life was social anxiety disorder. Instead of removing it, God is always placing me in situations, where I am used to speak, teach, share, or sing publicly. Each time, I do it afraid, leaning on Him for the ability and stability to bring Him glory. Writing is so much easier because I can hide behind this computer alone, typing away. I pray that the Lord will bless you with that picture as you struggle with your own thorns in the flesh. Picturing it as one of the precious thorns that pierced our Savior’s brow, and is tipped with His blood, may just make it feel more like a privilege than a burden.

April 23, 2019April 23, 2019

Spiritual Growth Equals Daily Watering

How’s your faith? Do you want to have more faith? Did you know faith can grow and increase? Notice the Bible doesn’t say, “faith comes by having heard the Word of God one time.” It says that faith comes by hearing – present tense. We have to hear the Word of God over and over again in order for it to take root in our hearts and transform our minds. God’s Word can transform us in an instant, but most of the time, our faith grows as we hear the Word of God again and again.

Like a seed needs water daily to grow, your spiritual seed needs the water of God’s Word daily. The more you hear God’s Word, the more you know Him. The more you know Him, the more you will be able to believe Him–and that’s what faith is!

Today, let your daily focus be God’s Word. Choose a few Scriptures to listen to and meditate on? Write them down and carry them with you. Let that truth sink down into your mind and heart. Let the truth of the Word transform your faith, and belief in a God that can move you forward into the abundant life God has prepared for you!

“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”
(Romans 10:17, NKJV)?

Pray With Me
Yahweh, thank You for Your Word that is living and active. I pray that it will take root and grow in my life. Father, I submit myself to You and ask You to teach me Your ways. Give me the appetite to daily bask in Your promises in order to build my faith in You. God, give me a deeper insight into Your Word, so I will become more faithful to You and know You personally, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.

A special word from the Lord, from Pastor Ray Patrick

April 20, 2019April 20, 2019

The Day I Wanted To Sell My Soul To The Devil

Life is challenging. It is always full of ups and downs that can make or break you. At times, our situations seem to back us into a corner, and that is when we are most likely to make the wrong decisions. However, bringing the devil into the situation is never the answer. I knew that, but I did it anyway.

Recently, the LORD reminded me of a time in my life when I had been ready to turn my back on Him. He did it to show me how far I had come in my walk with Him, how I had spiritually matured in the past ten plus years. To tell the truth, I had actually forgotten all about it, or perhaps I had purposefully moved it to the back of my mind because of the foolishness of it. I was a young Christian then, having only become Born Again a few months prior to the incident. I liken becoming Christian to marriage; you first meet the person and fall in love with them. You then make the covenant or promise to spend the rest of your life with that person, to bond yourselves together in holy matrimony. The honeymoon is a wonderful time, and all is blissful, but once reality hits and problems begin to surface, it becomes harder to remember the vows you made to each other. Well, when I heard the Truth, I desperately wanted Jesus in my life. I made Him the LORD of my life and was mostly happy in the few months that followed. However, I soon found myself in situations that left me flabbergasted. I couldn’t understand why so many horrible things were happening to me. I didn’t know it then, but the devil was coming after me fully loaded with all my weaknesses, hurts, insecurities, and painful memories to bring me down.

I would say that the attack started about two months after I was Saved. I have always been a sensitive person, feeling things that others cannot. As a child, I experienced and saw things that I couldn’t explain and my parents shrugged off as an overactive imagination. Sometimes, I would be too frightened to sleep because of the vivid dreams I would have or the ‘things’ I would see during the night time. This continued on into my adult years, but I largely ignored it as best as I could. When I became Born-Again, these dreams and ‘feelings’ stopped, or, at least I thought that they did. So when the first attack came, it left me scared and confused. It was a dream about being chased, where I was running for my life. I remember waking up in a cold sweat, not understanding why I was having such a dream. I received the interpretation of the dream some hours later, and it just made me feel worse. The dream was warning me that the devil wanted to take my salvation away, that he was after me. I took the matter to the LORD in prayer, but the devil certainly didn’t stop there.

Suddenly, I was the focus of rumours, ridicule, and false accusations. Strangers began to laugh at me out of the blue, literally pointing at me and laughing. I thought that I was going mad at one stage, that I was reading into things that were not there until a woman stopped me on the street and called me a monster. I remember going numb and walking away, hardly aware of where I was going. This had never happened to me before, and before long, it became an everyday occurrence. Whether I was walking with friends or walking alone, people would begin to point at me and laugh, calling me all kinds of horrible names. Many times I would rush to the bathroom to see what they were talking about, but all I saw staring back at me was, well, me. I couldn’t understand where all of this was coming from, and I didn’t know how to handle it. I didn’t tell anyone about it because I believed that they would also laugh at me or would not believe that such an odd thing was happening. The only days that I escaped such ridicule were when I refused to leave the house.

Rumours started to surface about me and being a reserved and respectful person, I was shocked. I was confronted by my parents regarding these rumours, and I had to defend myself, but they didn’t seem convinced at first. Apparently, I attended a church that had frogs and snakes coming out of people (they exist, people), and I was carrying on with the type of men that my parents would not approve of. This may seem small to others, but with my parents, it was a major thing. I was basically bringing dishonour upon the family name by my supposed antics in college, and they were embarrassed to hear about it from other family members. During this time, I was still having nightmares nearly every day, hardly sleeping for fear of what I would see. My marks started dropping, and with always having been an academically strong student, it affected me terribly. Thoughts of failing soon consumed me, but no matter how much harder I would try to do well, I just couldn’t do it. My health also began to worsen with my endocrine disorder affecting my entire life. Hair loss, acne, unexplained weight gain despite my small portions of food, hirsutism, persistent swelling of my face and limbs, fatigue, hormones that were all over the place… I was a mess. As my self-esteem and confidence dropped, so did my will to live.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, my family was also being targeted by some witches. I cannot believe that there are still Christians who do not believe that there are witches or the damage that they do. I don’t know about witches in other countries much, but in Africa they are hardcore. In my case, they have all been women who were jealous about what my family has, so they sought our destruction. Crazy, right? I cannot tell you the number of times they have attempted to kill my mother, bewitch my father, or bring about the ruin of my sister’s and I. Imagine having to rush your mother to the hospital at one in the morning because she’s gushing blood from her nose and mouth and can hardly breathe? To make matters worse, the doctors couldn’t find anything wrong with her despite having done numerous examinations. Or perhaps sitting on your bed at night playing games on your phone when you suddenly hear a loud voice speak into your ear and ask you what you’re doing? Or your cousin waking up in the morning only to find that the palm of his hand had been stitched and having no recollection of it? For those who do not understand what this means, it’s basically the first stages of a witch turning a person into a ‘zombie’, not the flesh-eating ones you see on TV, but the walking dead. They put something into the hand and stitch it closed, ready for the next stage. It sounds crazy, but it happens. Put it this way: when it comes to the forces of evil, expect anything to happen.

I was pretty much feeling rejected by GOD at this stage, and although He had ‘interfered’ (thank you, LORD) in my suicide attempt, I still believed that He had rejected me just like everyone else had. My depression was so great that I literally just wanted to curl up into a ball and just die. Every single area of my life had been affected, and I was not coping. So, I decided to make a deal with the devil. I told him that he could have me if he would but destroy the people who had hurt me and were hurting me. I wanted those peoples’ lives ruined, I wanted them dead. I actually cringe as I remember the darkness that had taken over me at that stage. I even had thoughts of taking those people out, putting an end to their lives myself. I wanted the satisfaction of them knowing that they died because of what they had done to me. Revenge sounded sweet to me, sweeter than anything I believed that GOD would give me. But do you know what happened? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

I cannot even begin to understand the hedge that GOD put around me that day. I knew that the demons were about, listening to what I was saying, but they couldn’t do a thing. I was sinning, but they couldn’t take advantage of that open door and fully take over my life. But I didn’t think in that way at the time, I just assumed that the devil was also rejecting me. Jesus must have told those demons not to touch me, and obviously, they listened. They must have been mad, though!

Jesus showed me mercy, He showed His love for me and saved me. Again. I didn’t deserve it, but He saw past my evil intentions and words to the person who was hurting inside and was lashing out the only way she thought would bring her relief. When I had calmed down, I knew that I could never have hurt anyone, and I was deeply remorseful of everything that I had thought or said. I eventually repented of it and then began the long walk to my healing. Fast forward ten years, and I am certainly not that person that I used to be! GOD has done an amazing work in me, having transformed me into someone that I cannot even recognise, but He knew that I would become. However, learning and the change that comes with it is never complete. As long as we are still in the flesh, we continue to have temptations, but we know that we can overcome them because sin does not have a hold on us in Jesus’ name. We have the victory, it’s as simple as that. I am walking proof of GOD’S mercy and grace upon my life, of His love for His people. He meant it when He said that He would never leave us or forsake us, and we can all take comfort in that truth.

April 10, 2019May 10, 2019

Faith-based Methods For Overcoming Stress

Maintaining a spiritual connection is an integral component to developing good mental health habits and negotiating conflicts between ourselves and others. Current research suggests that the health advantages of spirituality are long term: one recent study found that women who went to any kind of religious service regularly had a 33% lower chance of dying within 16 years than their secular peers. However, spirituality also plays a role in overcoming short-term and ongoing health issues, including mental health concerns, as they emerge in our everyday lives.

Confronting Our Stressors

Though they may seem obvious at first, it’s important to address the root causes of your daily stressors, so that you can better understand why you experience stress. For instance, many individuals become angry during cycles, or phases, of high stress, such as when facing a big deadline or travelling constantly for work. During these moments, playing and talking to God plays a fundamental role in helping persons of faith heal from stress and panic. According to many psychiatrists, spirituality is actually a form of preventative medicine, because it helps foster good mental health habits to cope with the onset of negative emotions.

Stressing A Community Focus

Researchers hypothesize that a central reason spirituality positively impacts mental health is because of the community-building emphasis held within churches and other religious services. Going to church provides parishioners with support from their community and affirms a sense of belonging. In fact, one study found that a third of people who go to church every week were ‘extremely satisfied’ with their lives. Of course, not all churchgoers are ‘extremely satisfied’ with their lives and many do, in fact, experience ongoing mental health issues like stress. However, the Church is a form of communal and emotional support for those looking to heal from their distress.

Mindful-Faith Healing

At its most basic level, mindfulness is the practice of staying in touch with your spiritual wellness during everyday life. Though mindfulness has Eastern origins, many Christians and other religious denominations use mindfulness as a tool to talk to God and practice humility. Clinical approaches to treating anxiety with mindfulness are called mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) therapy. MSBR therapy is highly effective: in fact, many studies indicate that MSBR is on par with anti-anxiety medication in lowering levels of stress. To begin, use your five senses to focus on the present moment instead of the future stressors. Staying focused on your breathing is also a good way to be mindful and steady yourself during times of high stress.

Overcoming mental health issues takes time and contemplation, but spirituality plays a critical role in helping patients understand the root origins of their symptomatic distress. Increasingly, individuals with mental health disorders are turning to their parishes, and in fact their larger communities, for guidance towards a path of healing and reconciliation.

By Lucy Samuels

April 10, 2019April 10, 2019

God Teach Me When To Fight

While on the aeroplane yesterday I was thinking about how important time is. If you want to live a life of victory in Christ, you have to be very selective about what you give your time and attention to. You have to recognise which thoughts to ignore, which comments to ignore, and sometimes, which people to ignore. Every “battle” that comes across your path is not a battle that you’re supposed to fight. Some are simply distractions to try to lure you off course. If that battle is not between you and your God-given destiny, it’s a battle you should ignore.

Some people get distracted because they are always trying to straighten everyone else out, or win their approval. But if that’s your focus, you are wasting valuable time and energy that you should be using to pursue your dreams. Turn away from that distraction! You don’t need the approval of everyone around you; you only need God’s approval!

Today, realise you don’t have to fight every battle. You don’t have to straighten people out. You don’t have to pay somebody back. Instead, focus on what matters; focus on God and His Word, so that you can live in freedom, peace and happiness every day of your life!

“Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to Your Word.”
(Psalm 119:37, NIV)?

Pray With Me
Yahweh, thank You for ordering my steps. Father, thank You for planning good things for me. God, teach me what battles to fight. Help me to discern the things I should ignore. Help me to avoid distractions as I focus my heart and mind on You today, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.

A special word from the Lord, from Pastor Ray Patrick.

March 28, 2019March 28, 2019

My Present Help

Today’s verse is taken from a time in my life when I got arrested and felt all alone, but the thought that God was always with me was comforting. It means He is present at all times – continually, perpetually, throughout all time. In your day of trouble, He promises to be a help to you.

You may ask How is He your help? “Help” means something different to each person. That’s because “help” is specific to your need. If you need money to pay your bills, a chocolate cake isn’t going to be much help! But, we serve a God who is very specific. And because He is always with you, He always knows exactly what you need and is always ready to provide it!

Today, as trouble and adversity come your way, know that God is with you. Trust that He has the answer, and that He is working things out. As you continue to believe Him and follow His direction, He will lead you in the way that you should go. He will comfort you, revive you, restore you and bless you! He will be your ever-present help, because He is forever faithful to His promise!

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
(Psalm 46:1, NIV)

Pray With Me
Yahweh, thank You for being my ever-present help during some tough times. Father, I trust today that You will comfort me and restore my soul. God, I lift my eyes to You this day. Help me to follow Your commands and honour You, as You direct my steps and lead me out of trouble, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.

A special word from the Lord, from Pastor Ray Patrick

March 27, 2019March 27, 2019

Aim For Righteous And Loyalty

In Uncertain Times Christ's Death and Resurrection Offer Comfort and Hope

It has been said that righteousness and loyalty go hand in hand. In other words, if we’re not being loyal to God then we aren’t going to experience God’s best. Loyal people are honourable people. When you’re loyal, you stick with someone through thick and thin. When you’re loyal, you keep your word to people even if you get a “better” offer.

Loyal people honour their parents and defend their family. Loyal people are respectful. When you’re loyal, you are a person of integrity. You build trust with others. Is this an area where you can rise higher? Are you faithful in the things you’re committed to? Can you be more loyal?

Today, don’t let the distractions of everyday life keep you from being dedicated to God, family and friends. Look for ways to show honour to those around you. Is there something you need to set aside for the sake of a loved one? Show love by staying loyal. As Scripture promises, when you pursue loyalty and righteousness, you will find the abundant life God has for you!

“He who pursues righteousness and loyalty finds life”¦”
(Proverbs 21:21, NASB)

Pray With Me
Yahweh, thank You for the promise of life in Your Word. Father, please show me any area where I can rise up higher by pursuing loyalty. Help me, by Your Spirit, to be more committed and supportive to those around me. God, let Your light shine through me, as I pursue righteousness and loyalty today, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.

A special word from the Lord, from Pastor Ray Patrick

March 26, 2019March 26, 2019

Between A Rock And A Hard Place!

David was between a rock and a hard place. He was in a very difficult situation when he wrote today’s verse. He was actually running for his life from his very own son, who wanted to kill him and take over the throne. Can you imagine? David was probably feeling overwhelmed, distraught, heartbroken, betrayed and abandoned. Have you ever felt that way, when you can’t believe what’s happening to you?

But, notice that David didn’t just tell the Lord all about his problems. He told the Lord about his faith when he said, “but You, God, are a shield around me”¦” David made the choice to focus on God’s goodness no matter what. The circumstances may be tough, but God is working behind the scenes for you. You may have a difficult relationship, but God is your Restorer. You may have an overwhelming need, but God is your Provider. The doctors may have told you that you have an incurable disease, but God is your Healer.

Today, things may look impossible, BUT WITH GOD, all things are possible! If you’ll keep that constant attitude of faith and victory, you’ll see the hand of God move in your life, and you will experience the life of victory God has in store for you!

”O LORD, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! …But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.”
(Psalm 3:1-3, NIV)

Pray With Me
Yahweh, thank You for always being faithful and working in my life. Father, today I open my heart to You and choose to focus on You instead of my circumstances. God, teach me that when things are difficult that I turn to you for my breakthrough. I know that with You, all things are possible and will work for my good, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.

A special word from the Lord, from Pastor Ray Patrick

March 25, 2019March 25, 2019

Right Friends – The Right Destiny

Don't put fullstop where God has placed a comma in your life

Ponder this, in Christ your destiny is too big to accomplish on your own. That’s why it’s so important to be connected to the right people. You have to understand that God has already placed certain people around you to speak faith into you. He has already placed people in your path that will inspire you, challenge you, and help you accomplish your dreams.

The reason some people never reach their highest potential is because they never get away from the wrong people. Recognise that not everyone is going where God is taking you. You’ve got to connect with people who understand a God given destiny, and can see your spiritual potential and your seeds of greatness.

Today, remember, you don’t have time to spend on people who are always pushing you down, telling you what you can’t do, or never giving you their approval no matter how hard you try. Those are not the friends you need, life is too short to drag people along. If you can get the wrong people out of your life, maybe then God will bring in the right people so you can fulfil the destiny He has mapped out for you.

“One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Proverbs 18:24, NIV

Pray With Me
Yahweh, thank You for preparing the right people to place in my life. Father, please help me to discern the right people You have for me. God, give me the strength to release the wrong relationships, so I have room in my life for the people You have chosen to connect me with my destiny, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.

March 24, 2019March 24, 2019

Am I A True Christian?

None of us can run away from doubt, it is always hot on our heels. There is good doubt, the type that keeps you out of trouble, and there is bad doubt, the one that puts you in trouble. The problem is, we tend to get our wires crossed when it comes to our faith.

The question ‘am I a true Christian?’ is one that is often asked by many of us at some point in our lives, but it is the wrong question to ask. This question tends to have a mindset of doing, and not believing. Often, people will start to list the things that make them a good Christian (been there, done that!) such as giving to the poor, observing certain holidays, going to church, being a kind person, showing love, and the list goes on. While those activities and qualities are present in the Christian life, they are not the things that you should measure yourself by because you will always find someone better than you. Comparing yourself to this person will make you doubt ‘how Christian’ you really are.

I had a habit of doing this, measuring myself against other Christians and seeing how I stacked up. It drove me crazy, I tell you. I would find myself listening to different sermons on how to grow spiritually, how to hear the Holy Spirit’s voice, how to be more discerning, how to pray, etc. while trying to listen out for any false messages by the Christians speaking on this teaching. I wanted to be the best Christian that I could be, and so I believed that if I read my Bible religiously every day, or prayed for a certain amount of time a day, then I would be okay. Or if I jotted down in my journal everything that I could possibly think of that may mean something whether it was a dream that I had or something that I noticed around me… It all just became overwhelming because I was doing it for the wrong reasons. I started to doubt that I was even Christian because I was not as good as the others that I was comparing myself to. There was always someone who was more giving, or kinder, or who was more discerning or was more sensitive to the Holy Spirit. In short, I tortured myself with these thoughts, thinking that if I did not get that aspect of my Christian walk ‘right’, then I was not good enough.

Although I did not admit it to myself at the time, I knew that I was doing it to be accepted by GOD. Crazy, isn’t it? Even though I knew that I had asked Jesus to become the LORD of my life, and was washed clean by the blood of the Lamb, I was still trying to earn His approval because I did not think that I was good enough. The bottom line is that I did not understand just what it meant to be redeemed by Him, to be purchased, to be His. In our own futile thinking, we look at our relationship with GOD as though it is conditional: as long as I do this, I am good with GOD. What nonsense. The truth is that GOD does not need a bunch of ‘good’ Christians, He needs obedient and humble Christians who are prepared to do His work.

There is also that mindset that if we do something, then we will get something from GOD. Therefore, our relationship with GOD becomes more about getting something out of Him, and not genuinely appreciating Him. Our GOD is a rewarder, He gives abundantly, but when we look at His hand and not seek His face, we are heading for troublesville .

I believe that the question we should ask ourselves is how committed are we to Christ. When we know our level of commitment, then doubt becomes void because you know where you stand. If you’re a once-a-week type of Christian, then you know that you’re not right with GOD. If you only call on Him when you’re in need, then you’re the ‘user’ type of Christian. If you talk-the-talk but do not walk-the-walk, then you’re a hypocrite. If you have one foot in the Body of Christ and one foot in the world, then you’re a lukewarm Christian who is in danger of being locked out of heaven.

We doubt because we do not understand what GOD requires of us. We base our relationship with Him on the human model which is flawed. Humans love, but we struggle to love unconditionally especially when people have done us wrong. GOD loved the world so much that He gave us His Son while we were still sinners. He made way for us to come to Him, He did not put stumbling blocks in front of us or give us a bunch of rules before we could be saved. He said that whoever believes His Son and confesses Him will be saved- that was it. After that comes our level of commitment to Him.

The Bible says the he who stands firm to the end will be saved, not the one who believed, confessed, and then went back to living in the world. He told us to come out of the world, to separate ourselves. So I leave you with this: if you have doubt about how Christian you are, check your level of commitment.