Faith To Endure

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Endurance, Endure, faith, Father, God, Jesus, joy, rejoice, Temptations, Trials

“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations: knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1:2-4

In order for us to continue in whatever we have purposed to do this year we’re going to need endurance.   We won’t be able to continue unless we’re able to endure.   

First, we must realize and come to grips with the fact that at some point we are going to come into divers temptations.  It’s a biblical fact, the above scripture tells us so.  But somewhere along the way we believed the lie of the enemy that as Christians we’re not supposed to have any problems or that if we do, they won’t be of long duration.  My Friend, this is the lie the devil wants us to believe so that when trouble and problems come, we’re so focused on the problems and trouble that we’re not using our faith.  And if we’re not using our faith, how can we endure or stand up or hold up under the pressure?  You see endurance is an outflow of our faith.  Jesus is our faith.  We don’t use our own efforts to endure, it’s not our own strength, it’s Christ in us.  We have His endurance to continue pursing the promises of God.   Hebrews 12:2 says, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”  Christ endured the cross, despised the shame so that you and I could have victory in the midst of it all.

However, if you continue to believe the lies of the devil and cry and complain when trouble comes as if some strange thing is happening to you, how can you see victory?  You’re too busy looking at the trouble.  Listen to what Peter says,

“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you; But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” I Peter 4:12-13

In other words, get up from that place of pity and petting and start rejoicing.  Because while the devil is meaning it for evil God is working it for your good.

So, listen when you find yourself in the midst of divers temptations know that your faith is being tried. And if you would focus on your faith who is Christ.  You will find that from your faith there will be an outflow of strength and power so that you are able to endure through it all and not only endure but continue pursing your dreams.  Rejoice my friend and again I say rejoice.

New Book – Faith To See, Speak And Live

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Belief, believe, Deborah Chandler, faith, Faith to See, power, seeing, Speak And Live, Vision

Click here to order your copy on Amazon

Upcoming Meeting

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Upcoming meetings

Hey there!

I’m so excited to invite you to our upcoming meeting in College Park, Maryland on March 23rd. It’s going to be an awesome time in the presence of God. Psalmist Vonette Mewborn will be leading us in praise and worship and our topic will be “A Life Surrendered.” A delicious free breakfast will be served and so much more. If you live in the Washington, DC, Maryland or Virginia area, I hope to see you there.

Lean On Me

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Follow, Lean, Lean On Me, Release, Rely, rest, Trust

The word that God gave me for this year is Trust.  Throughout this year God wants us to trust Him.  I know we say that we trust God but when the rubber meets the road do we really trust God to see us through?  Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct thy paths.” God wants us to lean on Him. Think about that.  The Almighty God has invited us to lay back and rest in Him; to lay back and rest in His wisdom, His provision, and His protection.  He wants us to trust that He knows how to get us through the hard times and sustain us in the good times.

When you lean on something you’re releasing all your strength and efforts to what or who you are leaning on.  Think about that.  Why struggle using your own earthly wisdom when we have Christ who is the Wisdom of God (I Cor. 1:24)?  Trusting God means you allow Him to be who He is in your life.  You allow Him to be your wisdom, provision, protection and whatever else you need Him to be.  So to help you I’ve listed three good reasons why you can trust God:

1)      He’s God.  Numbers 22:23 says, “God is not a man that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent; hath He said, and shall he not do it? Or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?”  Enough said.

2)      He’s trustworthy.  Joshua 23:14 says “And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth; and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord our God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.”

3)      He will never leave you.  Hebrews 13:5-6 says, “…for He hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.  So that we may boldly say, “the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”

Even through the toughest times God will always remain faithful to His word.  He’s God, you can trust Him.  This year determine in your heart and mind that you’re going to lean on God with everything that concerns you life.

Laugh A Lot!

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fun, laughing, Laughter, laughter relieves stress, medicine, stress

If laughter is good medicine then we all should be taking a hefty dose.  When was the last time you really laughed?  If you have to search for the answer it’s a good sign that you haven’t been taking your medicine.  Here are a few benefits of laughter that I’ve discovered happens to me when I laugh. They might help you to laugh more often as well.

Laughter relieves stress

When you’re feeling stressed laughing helps you to release stress.  Even if you can’t think of anything funny try laughing as an exercise and pretty soon you’re be laughing for real even if it’s at yourself for laughing at nothing.

Laughter is a energy booster

Because laughing is an exercise it releases endorphins that not only make you feel better but gives you an energy boost as well.

Laughter keeps you healthy

Since laughter relieves stress it keeps you healthy because stress is the root of almost all sicknesses and diseases.  Healthy people are not stressful people.

Laughter helps you to stay focused

Again, the endorphins that laughing releases helps keep the mind sharp which helps you to stay focused on your visions and goals.

Laughter is a sign of victory to the enemy

When I laugh at the devices  the enemy uses to distract me, it lets him know I know who I am in Christ and I know what Christ has done for me. It says I know he is defeated and I am victorious.  Job 5:22 says “At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh; neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.”

Laughter is contagious

Whenever I’m discouraged and around people that are laughing I find that it flows off on me.  It might start with a smile and then a question, “What are you laughing about? But before I know it, I’m laughing and they didn’t even tell me why.

These are just a few benefits that I’ve discovered when I laugh and I’m sure there are so many more. I’d love to hear from you tell me what benefits have you discovered from laughter?

I Can Only Imagine – Part II

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Accomplish, dream, I Can Only Imagine Part II, Imagination, imagine, Thiink, Vision

I read somewhere once that the universe is expanding. If that is true what does that say about us.  We too should be expanding.  First, we should be expanding in our knowledge of Christ until what we know becomes who we are. Second, we should be expanding on our visions and dreams. Isaiah 54:2 says, “Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations; spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes.”  In other words, prepare for increase. In order to prepare for increase you must desire increase. Not just desire it but desire it to the point that you are willing to prepare for it.  You see some people want increase but the’re not willing to prepare for it.  God told Israel to prepare for increase by enlarging their tents, stretching forth their curtains and lengthening their cords.  They had to take what they had and expand upon it.

At some point each of us must take inventory of where we are to see if we are expanding. It doesn’t matter if you do it daily, weekly or monthly you want to make sure you’re looking at your life, your visions and dreams so that you don’t become stagnant. This is why Paul prayed for the church at Ephesus he wanted them to continue to grow and increase in their knowledge of the love of Christ (Ephesians 3:14-21).

Look at the story of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30, each servant was given talents; to every man according to his several ability.  To one He gave five, to another two, and to another one.  Along with the talent was the responsibility to increase what was given.  The one with five increased to ten, the one with two increased to four.  But the one with one talent didn’t brother to try and increase what he had, he buried it instead.  Maybe he thought his one talent was insignificant or that it was too little to increase.  If you notice he didn’t even use his one talent.  He could have brought something with it but instead he chose to bury it.

The bottom line is this; it’s up to you to increase on the desires, visions and dreams that God has given you.  There are times when God will give you an idea to increase you but you don’t move on it.  Maybe you’re thinking the idea God is giving you is too insignificant or too small.  What if Ruth had thought gleaning in someone’s field was insignificant.  She would have missed being in the right place at the right time and missed Boaz.  Or maybe you’re thinking that too many other people are doing that.  Listen my friend; God is unlimited, never think because someone else is doing something that God can’t add to what’s already done, He’s God.  There’s always more!

Today, I encourage you to take inventory and ask yourself these two questions; One, I’m I expanding in the area of my visions and dreams? Two, am I limiting God in what I’ve already accomplished?  If you can answer yes to either of these questions then it’s time for you to grid up the loins of your mind, ask God for a new vision and begin to expand.

I Can Only Imagine

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dream, Dreams, Goals, Imagination, imagine, see, seeing, Visions

The imagination is not an evil thing God gave us imagination.  Yes, it is true that due to man’s fallen nature his imagination through the enemy became evil.  But when you have the Spirit of Christ living in you the imagination is no longer evil because we have the Spirit and mind of Christ.  In fact, I believe God wants us to use our imagination to see or picture the things that He’s given to us.  It’s through our imagination that we are able to see ourselves possessing the promises of God before they are manifested in the physical realm.   1 Corinthians 2:9-10 says, “But as it is written, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.”   The Holy Spirit reveals to us through our spirits things that God hath prepared for us.  Now, these things that the Holy Spirit reveals come up from our spirits to our minds where we are able to understand and imagine or see them.  If you never imagine yourself possessing the things God says is yours, you will never possess them.  For example, before I ever preached a sermon or lead a worship service I saw myself doing so.  If I never imagined myself doing it, it could never have become a reality.  Therefore, our imagination is necessary to fulfilling our destinies.

In July of 2008 the Lord gave me this prophecy concerning 2009 and beyond, “Dream big, there is nothing I can’t and won’t do for you.  Dream big for your future, 2009 will be a year of fulfillment of big dreams.  I will give you the desire you must take that desire and expand upon it.  Dare to dream big.  I need your dreams to fulfill.  Dream big, be extravagant and I will do it.” Wow! Want a word from God.  This word is as relevant now as it was then.  Notice God said, “I will give you the desire you must take that desire and expand upon it.”  How do we expand upon the desires He gives us?  We do it through the power of our imagination.   When Abraham settled in the land of Canaan, God said to him, “…Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward; For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever” (Gen. 13:14-15).  God was not only telling Abraham to imagine the land but to imagine his descendants living on the land.  Abraham didn’t have an heir at that time.  He further told him to “Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee” (Gen. 13:17).   Abraham was to walk through the entire land of Canaan the length of it and the breadth of it.  Now that may not have been physically possible but it was certainly mentally possible.  Abraham could imagine himself being in the entire length and breadth of Canaan with all his descendants and what he saw was what God gave to him.

Now, just as God told Abraham to look out from where he was God is telling us to look out from where we are and imagine where we want to be, where He has destined for us to be and He will give us what we see.  God needs our dreams and visions to fulfill if you’re not seeing anything than you’re not giving Him anything to fulfill.  I believe that many people are not using the power of imagination because they are still seeing it as something evil.  Even when the Holy Spirit is prompting you and giving you visions in your mind you shut it down because you think that it’s something evil.   Remember we have the Spirit and mind of Christ.  We don’t have to fear being overtaken by an evil imagination.  We have the Spirit of Christ to know the things that are given to us of God.  1 Corinthians 2:12, “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.”  If Joseph had been concern about whether or not his dream was evil he would not have held on to it.  Although his brothers tried to talk him out of it Joseph held on to his dreams.  Don’t allow the enemy to stop you from envisioning yourself in something great due to feelings of guilt and condemnation, dream big.  Don’t allow him to tell you your dream is a fancy and that what you see is impossible.  There is nothing impossible with God.  There is nothing that God can’t and won’t do for you.  Allow yourself to imagine don’t be lazy in your mind.  Arise; walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it, frequently, daily.  See yourself doing the desires that God has place in your heart.  What is your desire?  Is it ministry, business, marriage, or is it a singing career?  Get a picture in your mind imagine every detail spare no expense for the Spirit of Christ is in you to accomplish all that you see.

Meet Me There

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DCM Event, living waters church, Living Waters Church Of Prayer and Healing

Hey there,

To all my friends in the DC area I will be ministering at Living Waters Church of Prayer and Healing on this Sunday at 11:00am.  If you’re in the area I’d love to see you there.  It’s sure to be an awesome time in worship and the word.  Pastor Ernest Parker and First Lady Trudy Parker are two of the most wonderful people I know; and the saints at Living Waters are the most loving people on earth.    We will be celebrating Women’s Day and ladies let me tell you God has place a word in my mouth for us on Sunday, so meet me there.  The church is located at 137 Cree Drive, Oxon Hill, MD.  I’ll see you there, God bless.

There’s No Place Like Home!

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Appreciate, appreciation, Be thankful

Hey Everybody!

I love living in Washington, D.C. and I appreciate all it has to offer.  Everything is so convenient and there is so much to see and do.  Being in Laurinburg, N.C. made me realize just how much I appreciate my hometown.   Now don’t get me wrong, I enjoy traveling to other places it’s just easy to take where you are for granted and until you go some place different.

I wonder how many other things that are available to us everyday that we’ve taken for granted.   I’m sure if we began to list them it would be a very long list. What we must realize is that being thankful helps us to enjoy our journey.

So today I woke up with a new appreciation and thankfulness to God for where I live and all the conveniences it offers.  No it’s not a perfect place but it’s my hometown.

What about you? Are there things in your life that you are taking for granted?  I encourage you to stop and give thanks for all the things that God has given us through His Son Jesus Christ.

Don’t Apologize For Peace

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Follow Peace, peace

Sometimes following peace may not feel so peaceful.

Last week I made an appoint to meet with someone about doing business.  In our meeting I felt a little uncomfortable and thought that maybe this was not the avenue that I should take.  I didn’t convey this to them and we scheduled another meeting for today.

However,  for this entire weekend I had this nagging feeling about the meeting on today.  The closer it got the more uncomfortable I felt.  Then on Sunday evening as I was thinking about the situation the Holy Spirit said to me follow peace.  So I laid the situation out before me to determined where I felt peace whether in doing  business with them or not.  I quickly realized peace was not in doing business with them.

In making the decision to follow peace I knew that I would have to disappoint this person.  I tried to think of ways to tell them that wouldn’t be so disappointing but at the end of the day the only thing I could do was to follow peace regardless of how I felt or how it would make them feel. You see, every time I’ve fail to follow peace I’ve suffered the consequences.

Therefore, I want to remind you today follow peace.  Even if it means momentary discomfort don’t apologize for peace.  It’s your compass to destiny.

Colossians 3:16 “Let the peace of God rule in your hearts to the which also ye are called in one body and be ye thankful.”