Fear

 

I think one of the most devastating strongholds in my opinion is being gripped with fear. It was the first trick of the enemy. He placed fear into Adam and Eve by his deception of lies that God was withholding something good from them. The result of that fear causing them to disobey God came with a terrible price displayed in a sin-filled world. The enemy uses the same tactics today, he tries to grip our hearts with fear foremost to make us think God does not love us because of our sin. The word of God says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but power, love, and self-discipline (2 Tim 1:7 NLT). Fear is not from God, for He is Love. “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love (I John 4:18 NKJV). How do we become made perfect in love? By accepting it as a free gift, given to us through Christ Jesus. No works are needed there is nothing we can do to ever earn it. God is asking us to accept his love believing that it will cast out all fear, sickness, and torment. Believe in the Father’s love for you today, displayed perfectly in Him sacrificing his Son for YOU. He will take it from there. 

 

The light of God’s love shined within us when he sent his matchless Son into the world so that we might live through him. This is love:  He loved us long before we loved him. It was his love, not ours. He proved it by sending his Son to be the pleasing sacrificial offering to take away our sins. 1 John 4:9-10 TPT

 

 

 

Jesus BLooD

            C

               H

              A

   EVERYTHING

             G

             E

             D

 

OH!! How He LOVES YOU

So many of us struggle with being fulfilled and feeling validated. The world dictates to us daily on all the things we must do in order to be happy and satisfied in this life. However, the more we strive after these things the less unfulfilled we feel. God’s word instructs us to do one thing. To “believe” in God’s deep, unconditional, irrevocable love for us in every area of our life. True fulfillment only comes by believing and being rooted and grounded in God’s love for us on an individual level. It is the only perfect love that satisfies in every area. God created us first and foremost to be in relationship with HIM, that only comes from our confidence in His love for us. God devised a specific plan and purpose in order to be in relationship with His children and to lavish his great love on us. How he longs to bless you and love on you intimately. I would suggest this is the love we are all seeking, and this is the one thing the enemy works hard to shield over our eyes. The enemy has deceived many into believing that we must work for God’s love and that he is untouchable and unreachable. The Word of God says we must do one thing “labor to believe,” in the love of God. It is the one truth that sets us free. We must labor daily in the Grace of truth that we are the righteousness of God through Christ and nothing or no one can come against that precious love. Receive God’s love in every situation and he will push back the weapons trying to come against you. His indescribable love is the force that defeated the enemy and demonstrated an unmatched love for mankind. Who is like our God? Absolutely no one. Oh, how he deeply cares for you! 

Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. Eph 1:4 NLT

 

Who Can I Trust?

 

All you Israelites, trust in the Lord—

he is their help and shield.

House of Aaron, trust in the Lord—

he is their help and shield.

You who fear him, trust in the Lord—

he is their help and shield.

The Lord remembers us and will bless us:

He will bless his people Israel,

he will bless the house of Aaron,

he will bless those who fear the Lord—

small and great alike. Psalm 115:9-13 NIV

 

 

What if I told you I knew someone who could take care of all your problems and concerns, and the one thing needed from you is to simply believe. Would you accept the offer? Well, that person is Christ Jesus who died on the cross so that you would have life and have it in abundance. Jesus took your sin, judgment, and suffering so you would not have to. He bore mankind's sins so we could be made righteous in the Father's eyes. He has already given us the greatest gift, why would he withhold anything else. Whatever you are concerned about or struggling with trust in the love of God to make that situation right. The same love that brought the Son of God to this world to be made a living sacrifice is the same love and power that satisfies every need. The enemy’s weak efforts pale in comparison to the power of God. The created is never a match for the Creator. Jesus settled the sin issue 2,000 years ago and is returning soon to destroy the enemy once and for all. We are now experiencing the prophecy of the Lord’s return. We can take the posture of rest and confidence in every situation. Trust God in all things, he is searching for those whose heart is set on Him to show Himself strong. 2 Chron 16:19 NASB

 Be Who God Created You to Be

Many people in the world today are lost because they don’t know their identity. I am not talking about the family you were born into, title, zip code, or marital status. I am speaking of the way you are defined by God, your identity established by your heavenly Father. Many identify themselves by education, material possessions, or their financial status, but those things pale in comparison to who you really are through Christ Jesus. God identifies you this way: “You have made them to be a kingdom and priest to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth” (Rev 5:10 NIV). Wow!!! That is powerful. See God did not shortchange us in any way. He created us to rule in declaring his Kingdom. He equips us with everything we need along with reassurance us of who we are, wonderfully made, more than a conqueror, the head and not the tail, loved, protected, completely forgiven, the apple of his eye, and much more. God did not mince words when it came to describing who we really are in his eyes. But It’s our job to believe with boldness and confidence in the word of God and we will shine for his glory and his glory alone. 

 

…you are made whole and holy by His love. Ephe 1:4 MSG

Happy Mother’s Day

Being a Mom requires mental and emotional energy that can sometimes feel like its completely depleted. Being a single Mom, or one without little or no support adds even more complexities. But I have learned that God and only God provides the Grace to endure those challenging times. But he doesn’t stop there he also restores 100 fold. I know that God loves all of his children but I strongly believe that God keeps a special eye on women meaning to protect them and keep them in all their ways. I believe what the angel Gabrielle said to Mary, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” (Luke 1:28 Berean Study Bible) There is nowhere in the Bible where a brother is greeted in this manner. The word of God also says “He who finds a wife finds a good thing AND obtains favor from the Lord. (Prov 18:22 NASB). Ladies you are not only a “good thing” but you provide access for favor on your husband, children, and family. As women, we have been told so much of what we are not its time for us to believe the truth of who God says we are. Lavish in how unique and beautiful God has made you. “You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you.” (Song of Solomon 4:7 ESV) See yourself “flawless” celebrate who God has made you to be. Believe in the word of God as it relates to your true identity and be for you not against you. Your best days are ahead, God has so many great things in store. Believe and rest in HIS individual and intimate love for YOU as you soar. 

Your True Love

I think it's a little ironic the number of romantic movies featured on a yearly basis. Even many TV series is based on the romantic storyline of the characters. I believe the film industry features love stories because it is the one thing that everyone seeks, being loved. We were created in the image of the one who is love and through that love, we find the most significant relationship we can ever cultivate and that is with Christ Jesus. Although God knew our fist parents would sin, just like he knows we will make mistakes he desires to share his love and blessings with his children. Can you think of anyone else in your life that knows you would fail but already had a plan in place to reverse the damage that you caused? Only God, and he did it for us, for me, for you. I believe if it was only Adam on the earth Jesus still would have sacrificed himself just to be in a relationship with Adam. That is the desperate, unimaginable love of God. It boggles the mind, melts the heart, and changes our lives. The enemy has perverted true love in so many ways that many of us don’t even know what love feels like, looks like, or what it's supposed to be modeled after. But praise God we can look to Jesus the perfect example who demonstrated his perfect love through the crucifixion. But you know the part the pulls at my heartstrings is what he endured before he even went to the cross, the rejection, insults, beatings, & scourging. Why wasn’t he just nailed to the cross? He did it for our healing, our deliverance he became the true sacrifice that animals could not satisfy so every sin we would ever commit would be forever forgotten, and forgiven. What a mighty God we serve! He didn’t leave one detail out every injustice and violation placed upon Jesus before he was actually nailed to the cross was significant to our well-being. The love we are all searching for that true love will only be quenched when you realize just how much God loves you. Not our flawed love for him but how much he cares for you that’s when chains will fall off. This truth is what the enemy has been fighting for all your life. He wants you to believe that you are not loved and therefore you have to settle for less. God gave you the best, his Son Jesus, and he will continue to always supply you with all things in its highest quality. You are royalty. And for the record, you are literally the love of God’s life. Let that sink deep in your spirit. You have been made the righteousness of God through Jesus Christ and nothing or no one can take that status from you. “It is finished.” 

Lies, lies and more lies….

…for he is a liar and the father of lies and half-truths. John 8:44

For most of my life I have heard lies about myself, you aren’t good enough, smart enough, the right complexion, your too big, too shy, to this, to that. If I didn’t hear it from family members I heard it from teachers, or saw it in their eyes, you know the look that says you don’t belong here, you don’t measure up, or how did you get this job? My life has been covered with lies, and when you are told a lie over and over again guess what you do, you live the lie because that is all you know. And when you live lies they are displayed in some very dysfunctional and ugly ways. I am not proud of them but acknowledge them now for what they are to me today, lies the enemy used to sabotage my life to the One that has given me truth.  We are all fearfully and WONDERFULLY made, because we were made in God’s image, the truth and the light, Jesus Christ. You are a masterpiece Child of God. Christ died on the cross and took our sin away, stood in the gap as a one time sacrifice for mankind so when God sees us all he sees is a bunch of WONDERFUL. No sin, no lies, no mistakes, he just sees you as his awesome child that He loves more than we can fathom. So when the enemy lurks from the pit of hell to whisper lies in your ear, shout back to him who you really are. The righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, light, God’s Beloved who has authority and power over the enemy, protected by Almighty God, and redeemed with a bright future that no one can take from you. Once you allow the love of God to saturate your heart knowing the Grace of God is your covenant agreement, sealed and irrevocable, you will distinguish between the lies of the enemy and your true identity outlined in the word of God by his love. Darkness cannot overtake you because you belong to the LIGHT.