Dominate with Faith

Happy Sunday!

Dr. Bill Winston continued the series, "The Power of Love", with the subtitle, "Changing the World".

In Malachi 3:6, God says, "For I am the Lord, I change not;"(KJV)  God never changes!  Just because he instituted the New Testament, he did not erase the Old Testament.  In Matthew 22:34-40 when the attorney asked Jesus what the greatest commandment was, Jesus built his answer on the strength of the Old Testament.  He answered, "Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence. This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: Love others as well as you love yourself. These two commands are pegs; everything in God’s Law and the Prophets hangs from them.”(Message)  The most important law or principle is Love!  If I love you, I will never steal from you!  If I  love you, I will not lie on you or to you!  If I love you, your life, your prosperity, and your health are my concern.  So by living the law of Love, I can keep the commandments.  If I keep the commandments, John 14:21 says, "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will MANIFEST myself to him."  I don't know about you, but I'm expecting God to manifest himself to me in a big way!

God is placing us in the world not to compete with the world, but to Dominate the world!  The Bible says, Daniel was ten times better than all of his co-workers. (Daniel 1:20)  Being better attracts attention, both positive and negative.  But don't you worry about that!  Jesus said, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matthew 5:16(KJV)  The world needs to see your good works first, then they will glorify your father in heaven.  James later wrote, "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." James 2:26(KJV)  It's time to get to work!

How can we dominate in this society, and this economy?  Great question!  I'm so glad you asked.  We will only dominate in life by Faith!  Hebrews 11:6 says, "And without faith it is impossible to please him. The man who approaches God must have faith in two things, first that God exists and secondly that it is worth a man’s while to try to find God." (Phillips) Did you see that? It's worth your while to have Faith in God!  He will reward you!  He will expand your territory!  He will show himself strong on your behalf!

I know what you are thinking!  I've tried that Faith stuff and it doesn't work.  Yes, Faith works.  But Faith has an enemy called Unbelief.  You've read the scripture that says all you need is a mustard seed worth of Faith and you can move a mountain.  Do you really think that after all these years in church you haven't accumulated a mustard seed worth of Faith?  Sure you have!  But you have probably amassed a transfer truckload full of unbelief.  Think about it like this.  We decide to play tug-a-war.  You and I have the same amount of weight and strength on our teams.  We pull. You pull. Nothing happens.  But if I add a new team member and the weight and strength on my team is stronger than the weight and strength on your team, we will pull you across the line and win the game. Your Faith must be stronger than your Unbelief.  Jesus told the disciples that they were unable to cast the demon out of the boy because of their unbelief!  No, it was not because some demons only come out by fasting and prayer.  Jesus was saying, this type of Faith only comes by fasting and prayer.(Matthew 17:19-21)

How can we strengthen our Faith?  Starve your doubt, and unbelief.  How can we starve doubt, and unbelief?  Feed on the Word.  Consume the Word. Don't vegetate on what the world is serving. Surround yourself with people, activities and things that encourage you and strengthen your Faith.  Don't speak anything you don't want to see happen.  Even when times are hard, speak positive words! The Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippian Christians, "Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies." Philipians 4:8-9 (Message)

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Don't Look Back!

God has a purpose for your life and to the degree that you walk in that purpose in faith, your life will reach its full potential. We all may lose time for one reason or another, but we never lose our purpose.

For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. (Romans 11:29)

God’s call upon your life remains unchanging. He is always ready to continue on with you when you choose to walk with Him. God's purpose for our lives is to bless us and have us bless others within the sphere of our giftings.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. (Jeremiah 29:11)

You are unique and special in the Kingdom of God. You are a valuable member of the Body of Christ. There are giftings in you that are needed by others. God’s heart is to give you an expected end. In other words, God already sees your course as completed, in spite of your mistakes or failures along the way. He isn’t looking at the times you may have failed. He is seeing the end from the beginning. You need to see beyond the past as well if you are going to enjoy God’s purpose for your life.

….but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, (Philippians 3:13)

You cannot live in the past and touch the future! God’s purpose for you hasn’t changed. The grace of God draws you to receive His love and walk in His purpose. 

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

Walking in your purpose guarantees that God will cause the circumstances of your life to align for your good, not your destruction. - Barry Bennett

Unto us...

Happy Sunday!

Our guest speaker today was Dr. Keith Hershey.  He encouraged us to change our perspective on the Christmas Story.  It made me think of a report I saw in the news.  Evidently some group decided to present a "Charlie Brown Christmas" and remove the portion including the recital of the Christmas story from the Book of St. Luke.  The crowd reportedly recited that portion themselves!

The story of the birth of Jesus Christ is astonishing!  Never let the miracle be diminished. As you enjoy the holiday, remember that the All Powerful, All Knowing, Ever Present God had you in mind.  He loves you and his love for you motivated a wonderful gift.

Luke 2:1 says, "And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed."(KJV)  God can use anyone, anywhere, and at any time to get your miracle to you!  Don't miss this!  God inspired Isaiah to prophesy hundreds of years before..."For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6 (KJV)  He also  prophesied, "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." Isaiah 7:14 (KJV)  I know what you are thinking!  Why did it take so long for Jesus to come?  That's a great question!  Man has dominion on the earth.  In order for anything to happen in this earth, a man has to speak it!  We are created in the image of God.  He speaks and things happen.  We also have the authority to speak and things happen.  In Mark 11:23 Jesus said, "For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall SAY unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; HE SHALL HAVE WHATSOEVER HE SAITH." (KJV)  OK, I get it...you don't want to move a physical mountain!  But what about a mountain of debt, sickness, or trouble?

Back to our story...Long before GPS, another prophet foretold the location of the savior's birth. Luke 2:4 says, "And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)"(KJV)  So after hundreds of years, all the pieces fell into place.  Luke 2:7 says, "And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn."  Even the birth of Jesus pointed to his death and sacrifice.  He was wrapped in swaddling clothes, and would one day be wrapped in grave clothes.  He was placed in  a manger, and one day would be placed in a borrowed tomb.  There was no room in the inn, and sadly sometimes there is no room in the hearts and lives of the very people he came to save. Just want to stop and interject...they did not stay in the stable because they did not have any money!  They had money!  There was just no room in the local inn!

So Jesus was born and the angels went out to tell the everyday working people, those poor souls working the night shift!  I've worked the night shift before, and it's no joke!  Luke 2:9-10 says, "And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people." (KJV)  The angels gave the shepherds directions to the place where the baby Jesus could be found. Then the heavenly choir of angels began to sing, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." Luke 2:14 (KJV)  Did you get that?  The scripture says peace and good will TOWARD men.  God was declaring that he was no longer angry with man.  He was declaring that through Jesus man could have peace and goodwill.  We can see in the daily news that peace and goodwill are not the norm in our society or the world. God invaded the troubled world with the Prince of Peace.  Anyone willing to accept the Prince of Peace can enjoy perfect peace.  John 14;27 says, "I leave you peace. It is my own peace I give you. I give you peace in a different way than the world does. So don’t be troubled. Don’t be afraid." (Easy-to-Read Version)

I'm praying that this holiday season is the happiest you have ever enjoyed!  I pray that you recognize the wonderful gift that has been given to you!  I pray that you understand how much you are loved, how much you are cared for, and how much God still has in store for you!

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Truth and Love

Happy Sunday!

Dr. Bill Winston continued the series entitled, "The Power of Love".

A Half-Truth will not set you free!  The Bible says in John 8:32, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free".  Did you get that?  When you know or have an intimate relationship with the truth, the truth you know will MAKE you free!  There is a difference in being set free and made free.  People are set free from all sorts of prisons, but if their minds and actions don't change they can be incarcerated again.  Jesus warned a man he'd healed, “Now you are well; don’t sin as you did before, or something even worse may happen to you.” John 5:14 (Living Bible)

Love always seeks truth.  1 Corinthians 13:4-7 says, "Love is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud, never haughty or selfish or rude. Love does not demand its own way. It is not irritable or touchy. It does not hold grudges and will hardly even notice when others do it wrong. It is never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever truth wins out. If you love someone, you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him." (Living Bible)

The truth is God's Word!  The truth is we can win with God's Word!  Our enemy is after the Word.  He knows the we are invincible with the weapons God has given us.  As with any weapon, there is a right way and a wrong way to use that weapon.  You would never try to shot a bullet with a blow gun.  We are responsible for learning about the weapons and using them properly to destroy the works of Satan.  2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, "Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us." (Message)

The Word is always confirmed in my life.  All week I have heard things that are confirmed in the message on Sunday.  This Week, Dr. Leroy Thompson Sr. said..."If you have an Identity Crisis, you will also have an Inheritance Crisis! Because your inheritance is based on your identity!"  Read that again.  Think about it this way.  After a rich man dies, there is a reading of the last will and testament.  The man's children can be identified.  There identity guarantees their inheritance.  I could not walk into the law office with his family and expect to have a portion of the inheritance because of my identity...I am not his child.  It's the same way with the blessings of God.  Jesus died for us to be whole: nothing missing and nothing broken.  Because of my identity in Christ, all things have been provided for me.  Do I have all things? Yes, in the spirit I do!  How can I get those things manifested in the flesh? Great question! Jesus said, "The person who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him [I will make Myself real to him].” John 14:21 (Amplified)  I know what you are thinking.  There are over 600 commands in the Bible, how am I going to keep all of them so God can make himself real to me?  Don't worry!  Don't fret!  God thought of everything! 1 John 5:3 says, "For the [true] love of God is this: that we habitually keep His commandments and remain focused on His precepts. And His commandments and His precepts are not difficult [to obey]. (Amplified)  The King James Version says, his commandment are not grievous.  It's easy to obey.  Start right were you are.  

Love and prayers...in obedience, Cynthia

What To Do When Your Prayers Seem Unanswered

Happy Sunday!

Dr. Winston was ministering in the country of Nicaragua today.  He prepared a video continuation of "The Power of Prayer", with the subtitle, "Possessing Your Mountain".  It was another timely message. I saw another message that was also timely, and I would like to share it with you. The message is entitled, "What To Do When Your Prayers Seem Unanswered" by Brother Andrew Wommack.

All of us have had experiences when it didn’t look like our prayers were answered. But is that really what happened? The Bible says in Matthew 7:7, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” Is that true? Well, many people say it couldn’t mean what it appears to say, because they can cite experiences where they asked for something and didn’t receive. But you’ve got to make the decision stated in Romans 3:4, to “Let God be true, but every man [or in this case, every circumstance] a liar.” God’s Word is true, not our experiences.

This is one of the reasons so much doctrinal division has come about. The Word is clear in its doctrine, but when someone tries the Word and doesn’t see the promised results, rather than admit that they could have failed, they say something like, “That must have passed away with the apostles” or “It must not have been God’s will,” etc. God is not the one who failed to answer, but rather we are the ones who have failed to receive.

What actually happens when we ask in prayer is that God moves immediately and gives us the answer in our spirits. We are responsible for believing that, and acting accordingly to bring the answer into the physical world. God is a spirit (John 4:24), and He always supplies our answer to our spirit man. Through faith, we then give physical substance (Heb. 11:1) to what God has done.

We are like a spiritual transformer. Spiritual power has to be converted to physical power just as radio signals have to be converted into frequencies audible to our physical ear. You don’t hear the actual signal broadcast by the radio station, but rather a signal that has been picked up by a receiver and translated into an audible sound. For a person to say that there aren’t any radio signals where they are, just because they cannot hear them, is not true. They are there, but they are on a higher frequency than the human ear can hear. They have to be “demodulated” into a lower frequency which we can hear.

This is the way our answers to prayer come. God moves in the spirit world and gives us our answer by faith, and we convert it into a physical reality through our actions. That is not to say that we are the one who produced the answer by our own power. It is God who works the miracles, but they do come through us. Without Him, we can do nothing, but He has made us joint heirs together with Christ so that He does nothing without us. Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, ACCORDING TO THE POWER THAT WORKETH IN US” (emphasis mine). We have a part to play in receiving from God. Ignorance of this has been our greatest problem.

Now you can understand much more clearly what Mark 11:24 means, “What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” You receive in your spirit by faith immediately, and it shall come to pass in the physical later. It may be one minute, one day, or one year, but you cannot waiver in your belief that God has already answered your prayer. The time that it takes for God’s answer to be manifest in the physical is dependent upon many things, but it is not God who determines that. God answers immediately. Remember, it says you must believe that you receive WHEN YOU PRAY. God isn’t asking you to believe something that isn’t true. You do receive instantly in your spirit, then it is manifest in the physical later.

An example of this is in Daniel 9 and 10. In chapter 9, Daniel prayed a prayer, and while he was still praying, his answer to prayer came in the form of Gabriel giving him “skill and understanding” in the thing he desired. That’s a quick answer to prayer, but in verse 23, Gabriel says that God had sent him forth at the beginning of his prayer. God moved instantly, but it took about 3 minutes for the answer to appear in the physical realm. In Daniel chapter 10, he prayed another prayer, and his answer took three full weeks to manifest. What a difference!

Most people would say, “I wonder why God answered that first prayer in three minutes, and the second prayer took three weeks. But in Daniel 10:12, we find that God answered the second prayer instantly too. Praise God! The Lord was not the variable. In this case, it was a demonic force, “the prince of the kingdom of Persia,” that had hindered the answer to Daniel’s prayer.

Whether it be Satan or people’s wills or unbelief or any of a number of other possible hindrances, it’s important that you know that it’s not God who seems so unpredictable (Ps. 102:27, Mal. 3:6). In fact, this is a fundamental truth that you must be established in before you can even begin to do anything about speeding up the answer to your prayer. If you have prayed a prayer in line with God’s Word, God answers it immediately (1 John 5:14-15; Dan. 9, 10). If you understand that, then you are ready to begin releasing your faith over bringing that answer into complete manifestation.

Hang in there! It's Working! Love and prayers, Cynthia

Acknowledge

Happy Sunday!

Proverbs 3:1-4 says, "My son, never forget the things I’ve taught you. If you want a long and satisfying life, closely follow my instructions. Never tire of loyalty and kindness. Hold these virtues tightly. Write them deep within your heart."(Living Bible) This proverb is overflowing with valuable instructions necessary for a good life. You probably already know this passage by heart. It's like the precious words of a loved one. I constantly hear things in my head, and heart that my mother, and grandmother used to say. Remembering is not enough! The only way these proverbs and words of wisdom will benefit us is to apply them or as the next verse in this chapter says, "acknowledge" them.

Dr. Bill Winston talked about the duties of an air traffic controller.  The air traffic controller has tools that allow him to see the big picture.  The pilot receives clearance and instructions from the air traffic controller. The pilot must trust the air traffic controller. The pilot may hear the instructions and fully intend to obey. But he must acknowledge that he has heard and will comply. If the pilot fails to respond and obey, the consequences could be deadly. Proverbs 3:5-7 says, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil." (KJV)

Acknowledge means, to accept or admit the existence or truth of.  When was the last time you acknowledged the Lord?  When was the last time you accepted His Word as truth?  When was the last time you considered that the way you are doing things may not be right? When was the last time you reverenced the Lord? Hopefully, you are admitting the existence and truth of God daily. If you do, there are tremendous blessings available! Verse 1 promises a long satisfying life, verse 4 promises favor with God and with men,  and verse 6 promises clear direction for your life.

Verse 8 of this chapter says, "It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones."(KJV)  Another translation says, "Then your body will be healthy and your bones strengthened."(Common English Version)  Did you get that? Do you truly trust God? Do you realize that when you acknowledge Him health and strength are guaranteed? Verse 10 says, "So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine."(KJV)  In Hebrew the word "acam" is translated "barns" and it means storehouses. The Hebrew word "mala" is translated filled and it means a steady flow.  In Hebrew the word "saba" is translated "plenty" and it means abundance, luxury, and inexhaustible supply.  Isn't that wonderful? Acknowledge God, admit that he is right and your storehouses will have a steady flow of abundance, luxury, and an inexhaustible supply!  As my little sister, Zorina Ann Brown always says, "That's what I'm talking about!"  That's the kind of blessing I want, and I plan to have.

Last but not least, verse 10 ends with, "thy presses shall burst out with new wine."  Wine represents joy! I was reading in Psalms this week.  I may have started in Psalm 103, but happened to run up on Psalm 104:15.  It says, "You give us the wine that makes us happy, the oil that makes our skin soft, and the food that makes us strong."(Easy-to-Read Version)  I had to smile!  God thinks of everything!  He wants you to be joyful!  He cares about your well-being!

Acknowledging Him, love and prayers, Cynthia

Protection from Bullies

Happy Sunday!

Praying that you enjoyed the week and are ready to embark on the Holidays!  I love you and I am praying for you like the Apostle Paul prayed for the church at Ephesus, "God of our Lord Jesus the Anointed, Father of Glory: I call out to You on behalf of Your people. Give them minds ready to receive wisdom and revelation so they will truly know You. Open the eyes of their hearts, and let the light of Your truth flood in. Shine Your light on the hope You are calling them to embrace. Reveal to them the glorious riches You are preparing as their inheritance. Let them see the full extent of Your power that is at work in those of us who believe, and may it be done according to Your might and power." Ephesians 1:17-19 (Voice)

Dr. Bill Winston continued the series entitled, "The Power of Love" with the subtitle, "Possessing Your Mountain".  As the old folks used to say, "It gets gooder and gooder!"  It may not be grammatically correct and the words may not be in the dictionary but it describes how relevant these messages are in my life.  I hope that they are meaningful to you, and bless you.

John 14:21 says, "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." (KJV)  Don't miss that!  Keeping God's commandments proves how much you love him.  Don't tell me you love Jesus and your life shows no proof!  No, not just the length of your skirt, or the number of Thanksgiving Baskets you gave to the poor, it's obedience that reveals our true love.  When we love Jesus and keep his commandments, God get's involved and manifests himself to us.  

Scary things are happening in the world! Always remember God did not give you a spirit of fear. Matthew 10:16 says, "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves."(KJV)  And Luke 10:3 says, "Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves."(KJV)  These scriptures are the words of Jesus! Would Jesus put us in danger? Good question!  The answer can be found in Luke 10:17.  When the disciples returned after this mission, this is what they said, "And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name."(KJV)  Don't miss this! They returned with JOY!  They were not ripped to pieces by the wolves, but with the power and authority of the Name of Jesus they overcame every obstacle!  John 16:33 in the Amplified Version goes right along with this.

"I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]"

The Devil is a bully! Don't let him bully you! Dr. Winston tells the story of a bully at a certain school. He carried a list of all the children he could beat up. One young man heard that his name was on the list. He approached the bully and told him to take his name off the list. He proclaimed to the bully, "You can't beat me up!" The bully quickly agreed and took the young man's name off the list. You need to command the Devil to take your name off his list! Remind him that, "For the Angel of the Lord guards and rescues all who reverence him." Psalm 34:7 (Living Bible) Make sure he knows, "Hard times may well be the plight of the righteous—they may often seem overwhelmed—but the Eternal rescues the righteous from what oppresses them." Psalm 34:19 (Voice) Don't forget to remind him of your assurance plan outlined in Psalm 91 as well!

Love and prayers, have a Happy Thanksgiving...Cynthia

Work it out!

Happy Sunday!

God is amazing!  He knows exactly what we need and gives it to us at just the right time!  I woke up this morning after a night full of crazy dreams.  My daughter Crystal, reminded me that I took Advil before bed for knee pain.  I generally don't take them and thank God I don't even have any daily medications.  Laying still trying to remember the details of the dreams, I thought about all the things that have been happening in our world.  Our enemy wants us to be afraid!  He replays the videos over, and over again in an attempt to make us feel fearful, helpless, and hopeless.  We think these tragedies are so terrible, what can I do about it? That's a great question!

What can you do about all the evil in this world?  Jesus gave us the answer.  Matthew 18:18 says, "I assure you and most solemnly say to you, whatever you bind [forbid, declare to be improper and unlawful] on earth shall have [already]been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose [permit, declare lawful]on earth shall have [already] been loosed in heaven." (Amplified)  Did you get that?  We have a part to play in all this.  God gave Adam dominion on earth.  Adam committed high treason and gave his dominion and authority to Satan.  Satan became the god of this world. 2 Corinthians 4:4 says, "Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God."(New Living Translation)  BUT Jesus came in human flesh as a man, and LEGALLY took back everything Adam lost.  "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." Matthew 28:18 (KJV)  Wait!  Hold the presses! It didn't end there! Jesus gave us permission to use his Name, his blood, and his authority in the earth!  We have dominion, we just have to learn to use it.

We are NOT powerless, and we are NOT helpless, BUT we are IGNORANT!  I know it hurts, but we have to face it!  It is not funny! It is not cute! We are perishing because we don't know who we really are.  2 Timothy 2:15 says, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (KJV)  Did you get that? When we study the Word we won't be ashamed!  Dr. Bill Winston talked about his time in the military.  As a fighter pilot, there were standards that had to be met! Every year, their ability to fly the jets properly and accurately was measured.  Everyone did not automatically pass.  There was no trophy for everyone just for participating!  Your hard work and effort speak for you.  Just in case you don't think God is concerned about your performance, 1 Corinthians 3:13-15 says, "And the quality of each person's work will be seen when the Day of Christ exposes it. For on that Day fire will reveal everyone's work; the fire will test it and show its real quality. If what was built on the foundation survives the fire, the builder will receive a reward. But if your work is burnt up, then you will lose it; but you yourself will be saved, as if you had escaped through the fire." (Good News Translation)

Even though we are saved by Grace, and our salvation is not based on our works...we are still expected to run this race and work out our soul salvation.  The Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians, "Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." Philippians 2:12 (KJV)  And the Apostle James said, "So you see, it isn’t enough just to have faith. You must also do good to prove that you have it. Faith that doesn’t show itself by good works is no faith at all—it is dead and useless. But someone may well argue, “You say the way to God is by faith alone, plus nothing; well, I say that good works are important too, for without good works you can’t prove whether you have faith or not; but anyone can see that I have faith by the way I act.” James 2:17-18 (Living Bible)

Dr. Bill Winston continued his series, "The Power of Love" with the subtitle, "Possessing Your Mountain".  He talked about how we have three and four churches in a city block, but murders and destruction are happening every day.  This has happened because so many our churches are carnal; waiting for a feeling.  If you never get that fuzzy feeling again, but you believe, rely on, and trust the Word of God you can change your family, your community, and your world!  It's not about a feeling or an emotion. The enemy has used our emotions against us for years!  Don't let him fool you!  "We walk by faith, not by sight!" 2 Corinthians 5:7 (KJV)  

Get in the Word!  Learn more about your authority and the weapons God has given you to fight the enemy!  Don't wait for a terrorist to get to your front door!  Learn to use your weapons now!  Prayer is a mighty weapon!  Here's a link to a prayer that I pray for my city.  Change the name of the city and use it to pray for your own city!     http://www.livingwd.org/uploadedFiles/City%20of%20Chicago.pdf

​Love and prayers, Cynthia

Destroy the works of the Devil

Happy Sunday!

Dr. Bill Winston continued the series, "The Power of Love".  He mentioned winding up the series soon, but I'm enjoying it and every week the message has been applicable and relevant.  Again this week, the messages I have heard and the experiences have had went right along with the message.

We have a real enemy!  Ephesians 6:12 says, "We’re not waging war against enemies of flesh and blood alone. No, this fight is against tyrants, against authorities, against supernatural powers and demon princes that slither in the darkness of this world, and against wicked spiritual armies that lurk about in heavenly places."(Voice)  Our enemy tries to keep people ignorant.  Every area that you lack knowledge in, is an area that the enemy can overtake you.  Knowledge protects us. Now, don't confuse knowledge with intellect. Education is great. MD, PhD, DDS and all the other alphabets behind your name are wonderful. I applaud your diligence, and hard work but intellect is not light. There are millions of educated fools in the world. Psalm 14:1 says, "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good."(KJV)  Do you know any educated people that deny there is a god? Sure you do! Do you know any educated people living in poverty? Sure you do!  Do you know any educated people dealing with depression or mental illness? Sure you do! Do you know any educated people suffering with sickness and disease? Yes, you do and so do I!  What is missing? Knowledge, understanding, and enlightenment are missing.Psalm 119:130 says, "As people understand your word, it brings light to their lives. Your word makes even simple people wise." (Easy-to-Read Version)  The Word of God provides the answers to all of our human issues. Proverbs 4:7 says, "Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do! And with your wisdom, develop common sense and good judgment."(Living Bible)

Jesus came to equip us and empower us. His purpose through us is to overcome the world. 1 John 3:8 says,"He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil."(KJV)  The works of the devil are the works of darkness.  Darkness and light cannot coexist. Jesus said, "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."(KJV)  The enemy is called the Prince of Darkness. The enemy seduces men and women to do evil. Have you ever watched the news and wondered how a person could commit murder? The enemy uses the power of suggestion. The comedian Flip Wilson used to say, "The Devil made me do it!" No, the devil didn't make you do it, but he gave you the idea and you fell for it!  Don't cooperate with the enemy!  Don't be deceived and don't be afraid!  

How can we identify the works of darkness? How can we destroy the works of the devil?  Great questions.  So glad you asked! The best way to identify the works of darkness is to study the Word.  As you study the Word, you can compare what the Word says to what you see in your life and in your world. If it contradicts the Word of God, you should not be doing it! Ephesians 5:11 says, "have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them."(KJV)  The best way to destroy the works of the devil is to be a doer of the Word that you have studied. "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." James 1:22 (KJV)

Love and prayers, Cynthia

King Sized

Happy Sunday!

What a week!  I was almost ready to start singing, "Nobody knows...the trouble I've seen".  But I remembered that we walk by Faith and not by sight! 2 Corinthians 5:7 in the Living Bible translation says it this way, "We know these things are true by believing, not by seeing."  Then I got to church this morning, and Dr. Winston encouraged us with a powerful Word!

Faith is our currency!  Even if the only thing in your wallet today is a piece of lint, God's Word is still true!  He has already done all he is going to do.  When Jesus died, he said it was finished.  He did not say, "I'll be back next week to bless you."  He as already given us everything that we need to live a godly life. Where is it then? Good question!

Dr. Winston reminded us of the widow in 2 Kings 4.  Her husband died and left her with massive debt.  The debts were so great her sons were going to be forced into slavery to pay off the debt. This scripture is so full of interesting points.  Her husband was a believer, but he hadn't applied the Word to his life. There was no excuse for him to be ignorant! He was training under the Prophet Elisha!  You remember Elisha don't you? The one that got a double portion of the anointing, and power that had been on his mentor Elijah!  He was in the right place but missed some important points. He was in debt. Proverbs 22:7 says, "The rich lord it over the poor, and the borrower is the slave to the lender."(Voice)   Now, there is no reason to feel condemned! We can start today to change the situation for the future. With the supernatural help of God your debts can be canceled by the end of the week! The man was religious, but not good! Proverbs 13:22 describes a good man,"When a good man dies, he leaves an inheritance to his grandchildren; but when a sinner dies, his wealth is stored up for the godly." (Living Bible)  The Word of God is clear and concise.  

OK, so the prophet asked the widow what she had in the house.  She had a pot of oil!  No money, but a pot full of potential! That little bit of oil mixed with the invisible supply of God, paid her debts in full and allowed her to keep her sons safe at home.

We are still in the series entitled, "The Power of Love".  Believing that God loves you, and receiving that love is imperative!  God is the King, and he loves and gives like a king!  In Matthew 2, the wise men from the East arrived with gifts fit for a king.  Don't be fooled by the Christmas cards, and carols that say it was just three individuals.  These kings came with a caravan of gifts for the King of the Jews.  If you don't believe me, read it for yourself.  If they brought three little gifts, how did they capture the attention of King Herod?  Why did King Herod kill all the baby boys from 2 years old and under, if there was no visible threat to his kingdom? Dr. Winston mentioned, Peter J. Daniels, a Christian billionaire. He commissioned a team of historians to research the magi and the gifts which they brought to Jesus. They determined it was that more than 300 kings with a calculated wealth of over $4 million.  Persian documents showed that the gift was escorted by an army. That would explain why King Herod and the people were worried, they thought it was an invading army.

You are a child of the KING! Let that sink into your thick scull!  In this kingdom, you don't have to achieve to receive. You must believe!  Believe what? Glad you asked!  You must believe that no matter what happens, no matter what you see with your physical eyes or feel in your physical body, God's Word is true!  You can't take a little of God, and a little of what the world says and make it in this kingdom.  Faith demands that God be your only source! Faith is acting on the Word of God. God says to you everyday, "I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with loving kindness I have drawn you and continued My faithfulness to you." Jeremiah 31:3 (Amplified)

Enjoying King sized love and blessings, love and prayers, Cynthia

Ask God...

You've probably seen it in your own city or town, two, three, maybe even four churches in a block. Yesterday, I even saw two separate store front churches next door to each other. I wondered, "Did God really tell them to start this church? Did God really call this person into ministry?" Well, it is very possible that he did! Think about Moses, God called him and used him but he disobeyed and failed to speak to the rock and in anger hit the rock. (Numbers 20:8-12) You know the story, he was not allowed to enter the Promised Land because of this error. Hearing God, obeying God, and discerning if what your heard was really God can be the difference between life and death: the death of your dream, the death of your ministry, and the death of your physical being. Think about it!

Inquire of God...

Above Average

Happy Sunday!

Dr. Norman Thomas, Jr. was our guest speaker today.  He is the pastor of New Life Church International in Lake Charles, Louisiana.  He reminded us that we didn't get Born Again just to go to Heaven, but we are to experience and spread heaven here on earth.  He gave us easy steps to fulfill our true purpose.

Romans 12:2 says, "And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you]." (Amplified)  God wants us to be practitioners, actively engaged in the Word. Until we leave this earth, or until Jesus returns we are responsible to complete the assignment he has given us.  You may think that you have been disqualified by past mistakes, procrastination, or sin, but Romans 11:29 says, "God never changes his mind about the people he calls. He never decides to take back the blessings he has given them."(Easy-to-Read Version)

Matthew 13:12 may seem a little mysterious and confusing.  Thank God for the Holy Spirit to teach us and various translations to make it easier to understand.  The scripture says, "For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath."(KJV)  At first glance, this scripture sounds a little unfair, but read the same scripture in the Amplified Version.  "For whoever has [spiritual wisdom because he is receptive to God’s word], to him more will be given, and he will be richly and abundantly supplied; but whoever does not have [spiritual wisdom because he has devalued God’s word], even what he has will be taken away from him."  Did you get that?  If you value and are receptive to the Word of God you will be given more. More what? Glad you asked! More of everything! Isaiah 1:19 says, "If you’ll willingly obey, you’ll feast like kings. But if you’re willful and stubborn, you’ll die like dogs.”(Message)  

The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, "Here’s what you say to those wealthy in regard to this age: “Don’t become high and mighty or place all your hope on a gamble for riches; instead, fix your hope on God, the One who richly provides everything for our enjoyment.” 1 Timothy 6:17 (Voice)  Did you see that?  God provides everything for your enjoyment!  He's not angry or bitter.  He's not waiting to knock you in the head!  He's waiting for an opportunity to bless you and show you off to the world! He wants your capacity to receive to be enlarged.  Dr. Thomas called it the Standard of Redemption. Jesus paid the price for us to be whole!  Even the word, "Salvation" or "saved" means complete, nothing missing and nothing broken.  We have to get in the Word and raise our lives up to the Standard.  I thought about my mother when Dr. Thomas said God did not create us to be average.  We were created to be above average.  My mother would not accept a "C" on our report cards!  "C" was an average grade and she instilled in us that we are not average.  God says, "But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted." 1 Peter 2:9 (Message)

We must speak, think, and act like God.  The only way we can do this is to meditate on the Word.  The Word of God is not just a book.  The Word of God is supernatural and it's alive.  Hebrews 4:12 says, "God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God’s Word. We can’t get away from it—no matter what."(Message)  Not only is the Word alive, the Word is Jesus!  John 1:1 says, "In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself." (Amplified)  Don't tell me you know Jesus and you don't know the Word, because the Word is Jesus!

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Believe it, Receive it!

Happy Sunday!

Praying that you had a happy and productive week!  If not, you can do it this week.  Life is so very precious and you should enjoy every minute.

The Bible says, "Every charge must be confirmed by two or three witnesses.” 2 Corinthians 13:1 (Voice)  Meaning that we should get confirmations from more than one source.  It has been so refreshing to get responses to my Happy Sunday emails.  Many times, what I share is similar to what friends and family heard in their own churches.  This week and many weeks, the messages I listened to during the week are right on track with what Dr. Winston ministers.

Dr. Bill Winston continued his series entitled, "The Power of Love", with the subtitle, "Possessing Your Mountain". God has placed you in the world with a special mission and purpose.  Nobody can do exactly what you were designed to do. You've probably heard the expression, "Easily imitated, never duplicated".  You are unique.  You are special. God loves you so much.  Part of possessing your mountain is understanding how much you are loved. The Apostle Paul wrote, "And I pray that you and all God’s holy people will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ’s love—how wide, how long, how high, and how deep that love is. Christ’s love is greater than anyone can ever know, but I pray that you will be able to know that love. Then you can be filled with everything God has for you. With God’s power working in us, he can do much, much more than anything we can ask or think of." Ephesians 3:18-20 (Easy-to-Read Version)

After we understand the Love of God, we have to be willing to receive that love. That's where we run into trouble. We've been taught and listened to songs that say we are nothing but lowly worms.  We've been trained to see ourselves as old sinners saved by grace.  Yes, we were retched, ruthless, and reckless sinners before we were saved by the finished work of Christ.  But now we are new creations, we are the righteousness of God, and we are holy!  Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."(KJV) 

Part of knowing and receiving the Love of God is trusting God. Exodus 16 tells the story of the Children of Israel in the wilderness.  They blamed Moses for bringing them out into the desert to die.  They remembered the food in Egypt as if it was fine dining.  God told Moses he would rain down bread from heaven each morning.  They were commanded to only collect what they needed for that day.  Some of the people did not trust God and collected more than a days supply and it rotted and stank. Verse 20 says, "But some people ignored Moses and tried to keep some of it until the next morning. Overnight it became wormy and started to have a dreadful smell. Moses became furious with them because they had disobeyed God’s instructions." (Voice)  What can we learn from this?  Good question. God's Word is true.  He can be trusted.  Give him the opportunity to bless you.  The model prayer in Matthew 6:11 says, "Give us this day our daily bread." (KJV)  Later in that same chapter, Jesus said, "So I tell you, don’t worry about the things you need to live—what you will eat, drink, or wear. Life is more important than food, and the body is more important than what you put on it. Look at the birds. They don’t plant, harvest, or save food in barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them. Don’t you know you are worth much more than they are?  You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it. And why do you worry about clothes? Look at the wildflowers in the field. See how they grow. They don’t work or make clothes for themselves.  But I tell you that even Solomon, the great and rich king, was not dressed as beautifully as one of these flowers.  If God makes what grows in the field so beautiful, what do you think he will do for you? It’s just grass—one day it’s alive, and the next day someone throws it into a fire. But God cares enough to make it beautiful. Surely he will do much more for you. Your faith is so small!" Matthew 6:25-30 (Easy-to-Read Version)

Believing the Love, Receiving the Love, Sharing the Love...love and prayers, Cynthia