I’ve been planning on writing a blog entry for months, but as we all know, life happens. The original title of this blog was “Life be Lifeing.” I’m sure we all can relate. In August, our family suffered a tragic loss that forever changed us. It still feels surreal, like a dream. I wish it were a nightmare we would all awaken from. My heart aches as I pen these words.

 This generation is void of feelings, empathy, love, care, and concern. There’s no regard for life! Their behavior is a mirror of what is written in 2 Timothy 3. “But understand this, that in the last days, dangerous times [of great stress and trouble] will come [difficult days that will be hard to bear]. For people will be lovers of self [narcisstic, self-focused], lovers of money [impelled by greed], boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane, [and they will be] unloving [devoid of natural human affection, calloused and inhuman], irreconcilable, malicious gossips, devoid of self-control [intemperate, immoral] brutal, haters of good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of [sensual] pleasure rather than lovers of God……(Amplified version). As believers, we must pray consistently, share the Gospel, and live according to our confession (not perfection). Jesus must be shared with this dying world!

As we mature, our mortality becomes more of a focal point (at least in my case). Death is inevitable, an inescapable destiny. While many of us are daunted by the thought of our transition from this life, we should be more concerned with where we’ll spend eternity. It is appointed unto man once to die and after that judgment. (Hebrews 9:27). This is not the end of our existence. We’re spiritual beings in a fleshly body having an earthly experience. In this current culture, the body of Christ has deviated from the message of salvation and replaced it with human secularism, feel-good messages, and carnality. It’s time to get it together. I must admit there were some very recent times when I looked more like the world than God. I’m not proud, and I know it was not pleasing to God. I’ve since repented (which means I changed my mindset and behavior). The Father is a forgiving God and desires to forgive you, too. He wants to have a relationship with you.

 Psssst.Come here, yeah, you, let me let you in on a little secret. Have you ever heard of hell? Did you know that hell wasn’t prepared for you and me? It was a place prepared for the devil and his angels (those who rebelled against God) Matthew 25:41. Since satan (the devil) and his angels no longer desired to be in the presence of God, the Father created a  specific place for them that would be devoid of His presence. In the Old Testament, when Adam and Eve sinned (were beguiled by the enemy), they broke their fellowship with God. Before that, they regularly communed with the Father. However, after the fall of man, everyone born in the world was born into sin.  But God, in His wisdom and mercy, had a plan. His plan seemed unfathomable, but was it?  He sacrificed His only begotten Son so that we could have everlasting life. (John 3:16). How many of us would give up our child? None!  Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice for sin. Animal sacrifices were no longer required as they only provided a temporary covering. When the King of Kings hung on that cross, He bore the entire world’s sins. Through His sacrifice, we were freed from the penalty of sin, which is spiritual death, and eternal separation from God. Why would we reject such great salvation?  When we don’t accept Jesus, we are, in turn, saying that we don’t want Him to take the penalty that we deserve, and we are willing to pay the price ourselves. One would have to be mad to reject Him. We were created with free will, so the Father will never force Himself on us. If we choose not to accept the free gift, He will respect our choice and allow us to live eternally in a place separated from His presence. Let us make the right decision- let us choose life. The reality is we all have an expiration date. Contrary to popular belief, I’m here to tell you there’s no reincarnation, but there is life after death. Where will you spend your eternity? This is the most crucial decision that one will ever make. Choose wisely!

Let’s pray,

Father, it’s in the name of Jesus that we come before you. We ask you to forgive us for our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I pray that the words I have penned will penetrate the hearts of all who read them and cause them to reevaluate their lives and seek your face. I pray that this message produces fruit that will remain and that folks will cry out for salvation.

We thank you for loving us with everlasting love and sacrificing your Son so we can be reconciled to you. We love and praise you, and in Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Do you have all Access to the Father? Does the Father have all Access to you?

If you’re anything like me, you want to know the meaning of words. So before we go further, let’s define Access. What is Access? Access is defined as 1 a: permission, liberty, or ability to enter, approach, or pass to and from a place or to approach or communicate with a person or thing. b: freedom or ability to make use of something. c: a way or means of entering or approaching. d: the act or an instance of accessing something.

There are many forms of “religion” and spirituality, but what separates Christianity from the others is relationship! What is a relationship? A relationship is how two people relate to one another, and it’s a mutual exchange between two parties. Our Father is not looking for people that only follow a set of precepts but are void of a real connection. He wants an intimate personal relationship with every one of us!

We, as believers, have “all access” to the Father through His son Jesus. We often don’t take advantage of this great opportunity to our detriment. In the Old Testament, the men and women of old didn’t have all access to the Father as we nor did they have the Holy Spirit living in them. There were times when the Holy Spirit (God’s presence) came upon them, but He didn’t dwell in them. We are truly blessed. We have God and all of the answers right within us. The Holy Spirit lives in the born-again believer, yet, He is often neglected. I can attest to this. I’ve repeatedly tried to figure things out in the flesh, and I know I’m not the only one! The Holy Spirit came to bring more than tongues. Acts 1:8 (Amplified) “But you will receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth. The Holy Spirit is our comforter (John 14:16). In Greek, comforter is parakletos. Parakletos means I). summoned, called to one’s side, esp called to one’s aid. A) One who pleads another’s cause before a judge, a pleader, counsel for defense, legal assistant, and advocate. B) One who pleads another’s cause with one, an intercessor. The Holy Spirit empowers us to witness, but He also is called to walk alongside us, help us, direct us, and intercede for us. He is here to empower us to live this Christian life, live above sin, and not be controlled by the flesh. We are to acknowledge God in all of our ways. That includes all life decisions, employment, housing, marriages, friendships, etc. Let us consciously decide to commune with the Father and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us.

Through Jesus’ death on the cross, Access to the Father was granted to us. Ephesians 2:15-19… having abolished in his flesh the enmity, thereby: and came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through Him, we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Access in verse 18 is the Greek word prosagoge which means I)the act of bringing to, a moving to, II) access, approach A. to God, i.e., that relationship with God whereby we are acceptable to Him and have the assurance that He is favorably disposed towards us. Now, therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God….. When Jesus died, He tore the veil separating man from God. So there’s no excuse for you and me not to have a relationship with God. Ephesians 3:12  says, “ in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him [that is, our faith gives us sufficient courage to freely and openly approach God through Christ]. What we value, we place effort in. 2 Peter 1:1-3 (Amplified version) says, “ To those who have received and possess [by God’s will] a precious faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: Grace and peace [that special sense of spiritual well-being] be multiplied to you in the [true, intimate] knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. For His divine power has bestowed on us [absolutely] everything necessary for [a dynamic spiritual] life and godliness through true and personal knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. Let us take advantage of the Access we have to our Father!

The second part of the initial question was, does the Father have all Access to you? What aspects of our lives are we refusing to allow God access to? The Lord ministered to me one day through a prophetic word from my husband. The Lord told me to take away the stone. You’re probably scratching your head like, what?  In John 11:39 (Amplified), Jesus’ friend Lazarus died. Jesus showed up four days later, telling those present to remove the stone.  “Jesus said, take away the stone; Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to Him, Lord, by this time, there will be an offensive odor, for he has been dead four days. Jesus said to her, Did I not say to you that if you believe [in Me], you will see the glory of God? I was comfortable with the pain and hurt. It was a part of me. But God said to take away the stone (give me total access to that area so that you can see the glory of God in your life! ( I’m shouting right now). I promise you when I let Him into that space; some things broke off of me.  I’m here to encourage you! TAKE AWAY THE STONE. What areas do you keep close to your heart with a big DO NOT ENTER sign above it? The Father wants access to those areas and us as a whole. We must let the Father into those places to move forward in the next season. Let Him heal the hurt, break the addiction, encourage you, and most importantly, love you! Our Father wants us to be a testimony of His goodness. He wants to show His glory in our lives. The question is, will you let Him?

Let us Pray!

Father, we ask you to forgive us and cleanse us of our sins. We thank you for our access to you through your son Jesus Christ. We will no longer take you, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit for granted. We will seek you with our whole hearts. Father, we will remove the stone and allow you access into those secret areas, the hidden sins, the insecure places, the hurt places, the places of unforgiveness. Heal us, set us free, and deliver us. We love you and trust your direction. We thank you for first loving us while we were yet in our sins. Father, we come against any thoughts of suicide and self-hate. Your word says that we are fearfully and wonderfully made in your image. We believe your word. Thank you in advance for the transformation in our lives. We love you always. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.

BHM

I’m not sure how many people reading this blog are prone to procrastination; I know I am. Recently, while randomly scrolling through Instagram (fully knowing that my blog is overdue), I read a quote by Joanna Beck Ministries that immediately brought conviction to my heart. “Procrastination is the arrogant assumption that God owes you another opportunity to do what you had time to do” Wow, time is a precious commodity, and once it is gone, you can’t get it back! Let us decide today that we will be quick to obey! Let’s commit to removing distractions and being resolute in fulfilling our God-ordained purpose.

Now to this month’s topic.

How many times have we read or heard someone quote the scripture in Romans 10:17 (King James version) “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. We often think faith is produced by reading the Word and quoting random scriptures. But that is not the case. John 1:1-4 reads, “In the beginning was the Word, and Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.” It is clear that the Word was in the beginning, and the Word was God. Word in this passage is logos, which means the sayings of God what is declared, a thought, declaration, weighty expression. Jesus is the declaration of the Father to humanity. He embodies the bible, which is, in fact, the message of salvation. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the Word of God is quick, powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Jesus can pierce our hearts and look into the deep crevices of every area, even the parts we try to conceal. He is fully aware of our thoughts and motives and still loves us. That is powerful.

Another Greek word used for “word” is rhema. Rhema is the “instant, personal speaking of God.” We need both the logos and the rhema word in our Christian walk. Through His logos (written Word), He speaks His Rhema (personal Word) to us.

What are you saying, woman? I’m glad you asked- We should regularly read God’s Word, study, and meditate on it so that it gets deep in our spirit. When we are faced with challenges and difficulties, it is by the Rhema word that faith is produced. For example, you’re facing setbacks, feeling overlooked, and increasingly becoming discouraged at work. First, you begin to communicate with your heavenly Father. While talking to Him, let’s say a scripture comes to mind: Psalms75:6-7 “For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one and setteth up another.” Your faith is activated; you’re no longer discouraged because you are reminded of Who is in control. Will discouragement come back? Yes, and every time you are to fight it with the Word of God. A rhema word can come through a person, from something you’re watching on tv, a song, etc. Never limit God and place restrictions on how and when He should answer. Just trust that He will and be open to hearing from Him.  In every situation you face, pray and read the Word. While reading or going throughout your day, expect a Rhema word from the logos word, which is the answer to your situation. Our Father is big on communication! He speaks to us all the time. The real question is, are we listening?

Let’s Pray,

Father, it’s in the name of Jesus that we come before you. Father, we thank you for the sacrifice of your son, Jesus. Thank you that we are now reconciled back to you through Him. Father, I pray that everyone reading this blog will have a personal encounter with you. I pray that you receive a rhema (specific personal) word for whatever situations you face. We commit today to read the Word, study the Word, and meditate on the Word. We thank you that the Word was made flesh. We thank you for our High Priest, who can understand our weaknesses and temptations and gives us access to the Father so that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in times of need.

Be Blessed

BHM

This week I was reading 2 Kings 1. King David was old, weak, and soon to transition in this chapter. Who would reign as king in his place? His eldest living son Adonijah decided that he would be the next King. He appointed himself to the office unbeknown to King David. The scripture says, “Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and invited all his brothers, the King’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the King’s servants [to this feast]. But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the most formidable warriors, or his brother Solomon”. 1 King 1:5-9 Adonijah purposely excluded them. King David promised Bathsheba that Solomon would reign as King once he passed. But his other son had other plans. Here’s a nugget, Don’t be concerned about self-appointed folk or those who don’t include you or invite you. God has called you and will place you in the position He has for you, and He is not seeking validation from man. As the story continues, Nathan, the prophet, informed Bathsheba of Adonijah’s actions and advised her to put the King in remembrance of His promise, which was a type and shadow of how we are to approach our Heavenly Father and remind Him of His word. He hasn’t forgotten the promises He made to us in His Word, but He longs for us to bring His Word back to Him as an act of our faith. Remind the Father of what He promised to you!

As the chapter progresses, we see that Bathsheba goes before King David. I took account of how she approached the King. When Bathsheba entered his presence, “she bowed and paid respect to the king.” Amplified Version[AMP]. The King James Version ( KJV) says she “bowed and did obeisance unto the king.” What is obeisance? The Blue Letter Bible Concordance defines the word as “to bow down, to prostrate {lay oneself flat on the ground face downward, especially in reverence or submission} before a superior, before God in worship. As there is protocol in the natural, there’s protocol in the Kingdom of God. While God is our Father, we still must honor, respect, and pay homage to Him. Throughout the Bible, and even in the world, we see examples of how to approach earthly kings. How much more are we to show honor, reverence, and respect to the King of Kings. In the book of Esther, the Queen was intentional in approaching the King even though He was also her husband. She was aware that going before the King without being summoned could cost you your life. Thanks be to God that Jesus tore the veil that separated us from the Father. We now have direct access to the Father in Jesus’ name. But that doesn’t allow for us to approach the Father casually. We often show more reverence and respect to our employers and other secular individuals in leadership than God. Shame on us! It behooves us as believers not to become so familiar with the Heavenly Father that we lose respect! We should bow down and worship Him. We are to enter His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him and bless His name.

Challenge: In your prayer time this week, when entering in His presence, if you’re physically able, lay prostrate, bow down in His presence. Let’s give honor to our King, who is soon to return. More importantly, let’s make sure we have a heart submitted to the Father.

Let’s pray,

Father, it’s in the name of Jesus that we come before you. We thank you for life, health, strength, and protection. You’re a good Father. Help us, Lord, to acknowledge you in all our ways so that you can direct our paths. Father, forgive us for not reverencing you as we should. We thank you for the Holy Spirit that lives inside of us, teaching us and leading us in the way we should go. Lord, we honor, love, and respect you from this day forward. We give you all the glory, honor, and praise in Jesus’ name.

BHM

 We all face challenges in this life, and often those trials seem overwhelming. It can be the death of a loved one, divorce, loss of job, severed relationships, etc. As believers, we must be careful not to minimize the situations of others and try to comfort folks with religious jargon. Quite often, it’s best if we shut up (yes, I said it) and be there for someone, whether it’s just your presence, a hug, a shoulder to cry on, or an ear to vent to. Let us not be hypocritical and offer lofty words of encouragement; let us be led by the Holy Spirit and indeed allow the Father to minister as He knows what they need at that specific time. Even in our darkest hour and despite all our suffering and hardships, there’s hope and good news! In John 16:33 ….. “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world, you have tribulation and distress and suffering but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world. [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding].” While we will experience painful situations and loss, we can rest in the fact that Jesus has overcome this world, and one day death will be swallowed up. Oh, what a happy day that will be. Revelation 21:4: “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away, And He who was seated on the throne said, Behold, I am making all things new.”

When you find yourself in a situation, and you feel like you can’t go on, call out to the Father. Remember, after Jesus’ ascension; He promised that the comforter would come. You have the comforter (Holy Spirit) inside you if you are born again. He desires to comfort you and bring joy to your heart. Romans 15:13: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Father also uses people to bring encouragement and comfort. Don’t be reluctant to reach out to trusted individuals for support. The Father uses individuals to meet our needs. 

Challenge for the week. Reach out to someone for assistance if needed. 

Let’s pray. Father, we come before you, thanking you for life, health, and strength. We thank you for the grace and mercy that you extend to us. Help us draw closer to you in every way and maintain this closeness in good times and not-so-good times. We desire to live lives that are pleasing to you. Let us set ourselves aside and be the answer to someone’s prayer. We love you and praise you in Jesus’ name. Amen

BHM

Happy Sunday! How did last week’s challenge go? Did you commit to praying for someone for a week? If so, great. If not, there’s still time. Honestly, it should be a part of our daily practice to intercede on behalf of another. Let that be our goal from now on.

My daughter and I have similar personalities. I often laugh as The Father is giving me a daily dose of my own medicine, and our exchanges are pretty entertaining to my husband. She keeps me on my toes and has me constantly reflecting on my behavior and the example that I’m setting. Out of the blue this weekend, she comes up to her father and me and shows us the b clause of the scripture in Ephesians 6, which I’ll share later.  The first part of Ephesians reads as “Children, obey your parents in the Lord        [that is, accept their guidance and discipline as His representatives], for this is right [for obedience teaches wisdom and self-discipline]. HONOR [esteem, value as precious] YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER [and be respectful to them]- this is the first commandment with a promise- SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY HAVE A LONG LIFE ON THE EARTH.” The current generation has a lack of respect for themselves, their parents, and others, and as a consequence, many have died and are dying prematurely. It is up to us to train a child in the way they should go so that they won’t depart from it when they get old. Let us pray for the youth, and let us be better examples. Growing up, it was the norm for the elders to echo the following phrase, “you know what the bible says, you better honor your mother and father, or your days will be short!” This constant reminder caused me to reflect on my behavior as I didn’t want to die prematurely. That doesn’t mean I did everything right-it’s so far from the truth, but it kept me aware of the word. We should all want the promise of a long life!

The latter part of the verse that my daughter shared with us commands us as parents not to be provocateurs. “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger [do not exasperate them to the point of resentment with the demands that are trivial or unreasonable or humiliating or abusive; nor by showing favoritism or indifference to any of them], but bring them up [tenderly, with lovingkindness] in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”  We can’t read or quote the first half of the scripture without including the second portion. We are called to love and correct our children, referencing our heavenly Father’s example. As parents, we must take accountability for our actions and be willing to apologize when we are wrong and when we miss it.  We must repent for being abusive, humiliating, or unreasonable. Gone are the days when we think that we are constantly right because we are adults. I hate to burst your proverbial bubble; I’m sure we mess up as parents more often than we’d care to admit. Psalms 127:3 says, “Behold, children are a heritage and gift from the Lord. Even though it may not always feel that way, children are a blessing even when we are at our wit’s end.  Let us be reminded and reflect on this verse in our times of frustration.  None of us are perfect. We must be willing to remove the false narrative that we know it all as parents and be open to apologizing and learning from our mishaps- we owe it to our children. I’m tasked with reminding myself not to provoke my child, and she is charged with respecting, obeying, and honoring us. We both have parts to play in the relationship.

Challenge-This week reflect on your life and allow the Holy Spirit to minister to you. Be open if He prompts you to apologize to your child or your parent.  Use this as an opportunity for reconciliation and growth. I’m rooting for you! I’m rooting for us!

Let’s pray,

Father, we thank you for bringing us through another week. We thank you for keeping us in our right minds. We thank you, Father, for consistently providing for us and protecting us. We ask Father to help us walk out Ephesians 6 in our lives. Let us be quick to forgive, apologize, and reconcile. We thank you, Father, for giving us your only begotten Son, and through His death, we are reconciled to you, and you’ve given us the ministry of reconciliation. We thank you for restoring families in Jesus’ name we pray.

Until next week,

Bleeding Heart Ministries (BHM)

I hope you all were able to complete the challenge from last week. If not, you can still give it a shot!

I titled this entry “The R-Word” because I thought it was pretty catchy 😊. When we begin to think of words that start with the letter R, a few that might come to mind could be repentance, regret, renew, restore, revelation, reevaluation, rich (lol), and the list goes on.  The R-word that I’m referring to for this writing is revenge. What is revenge? Revenge is defined as 1: a desire for vengeance or retribution 2: an act or instance of retaliating to get even. 3: an opportunity for getting satisfaction. The third definition resonates with me. I’m often tempted to get satisfaction for a wrong done to me. It feels good when you tell someone off -be honest; you know it does.  It can seem justifiable to pay someone back for what they’ve done or said to you that was deemed hurtful. But is it right? Folks often quote the Old Testament, “an eye for an eye,”  but is it a legitimate scripture to stand on? Leviticus 24:19.

What do you do when someone has offended you or caused you harm? Do you retaliate? Do you curse them out? Do you hatch a plan to get even? Maybe you don’t do any of those things; perhaps you hold them in your heart and don’t forgive. Nope, I’ve got it; you keep a tally of everything they’ve ever done and wait for them to screw up just one last time- I mean, you’ve given them enough chances they deserve it, right? They’ve gossiped about you covertly and then, like Judas smiled and kissed you on the cheek. They’ve talked about how unqualified you are, how you don’t deserve X, Y Z. Revenge seems like an adequate response. It’s not difficult to point out faults in others, but we must be ever so grateful that the Father doesn’t keep an account of all of our offenses, mishaps, and sin. Who are we to do the same to others? We must extend mercy.

In Matthew 5:38-48, Jesus says that we are to love our enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. It seems easy in theory but can be challenging in practice. We were born in sin and shaped in iniquity, so it’s to be expected that our first reaction will be according to the flesh. We are commanded not to repay anyone for evil and live peaceably with others as much as possible. “Vengeance is the Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. If we decide to take matters into our own hands, that doesn’t allow for  God to act on our behalf. As tempting as revenge is, we have to choose obedience to the Word of God and allow the Father to repay accordingly.

Challenge: I challenge you to choose one person who has wronged you and pray for them for one week.  Speak well of them, pronounce blessings over them, and if you haven’t forgiven them, Forgive and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you in your prayer.

Let’s Pray,

Father, it’s in the name of Jesus that we come before you. By an act of our will, Father, we choose to forgive those that have harmed us in any way. We know that if we don’t forgive others, You won’t forgive our trespasses and sins. Help us, Lord, not repay evil for evil and allow us to respond according to the Holy Spirit. We want to please you in all that we do, In Jesus’ name.

Bleeding Heart Ministries (BHM)

It is better to give than to receive; we’ve all heard this before. This verse is found in Acts 20:35. I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” How many of us believe this? How many of us are putting others before ourselves? Giving is not relegated to only material things. There are so many ways that can assist others. We can lend an ear to someone who needs to vent. We can lend our time to aiding the elderly, serving the less fortunate, babysitting, helping to clean the home of someone who is ill, preparing a meal, simply showing love. Small gestures mean a lot.

By sacrificing, we can give to others which is the best act of service.  God the Father is the ultimate giver. “For God so loved the world that He GAVE His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him Should not perish but have everlasting life…. John 3:16 Jesus gave us the ultimate sacrifice of all, His life. How much more should we give of ourselves. I’m being challenged in many areas of my life. One of the biggest struggles for me is giving of my time. I’m selfish with my time. I know. I know selfishness and being a child of God are oxymoronic as believers are supposed to be givers as we have the nature of Christ in us. We are called to give. “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your bosom. For, with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you”. Luke 6:38. Also, in Hebrews 13:16, it says, “Don’t forget to do good and to share what you have because God is pleased with these kinds of sacrifices.” We are not to get caught up in what others are doing and giving. Nor are we to let others tell us what we should or should not provide; the Spirit of God must lead us in all that we do.

Challenge: I challenge you this week to be intentional about giving. Be open to giving of your time, resources, home, heart, etc. Let us demonstrate love in action!

Let’s Pray,

Father, it’s in the name of Jesus that we come before you. Father, we thank you for waking us up this morning and giving us another chance at life. Help us to live a life that’s pleasing to you. Give us wisdom, Father, to be sensitive to meet a need in another’s person’s life this week. Cause us to be selfless instead of selfish and to put our focus on others. We love you, and we praise you. In Jesus’ name, we pray.

What are emotions, and are they bad? Emotions are defined as 1) a conscious mental reaction (such as anger or fear) subjectively experienced as strong feeling usually directed toward a specific object and typically accompanied by physiological and behavioral changes in the body, 1)b: a state of feeling.  We are all emotional beings and are wired to feel. However, we can’t be tossed to and fro and allow for them to control us. We’ve already defined emotions; we can now answer the second question, are emotions bad? Feelings aren’t destructive in themselves; they are necessary for self-expression. The issue comes in when we allow our feelings to dictate our actions. I am an emotional person by nature, so it’s easy to let my feelings take the lead. I’ve noticed that when this occurs, I’m all over the place and not able to hear clearly from the Father.  How many of us know from experience that when our emotions lead us, we become filled with anxiety, we move prematurely, we say and do things that we later regret. This is not how the Father expects his children to respond. Yet this is how the enemy plays on our feelings and influences our minds. According to the word, we know that we are not to be anxious (experiencing worry, unease, or nervousness, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome) for anything. Philippians 4:6-7.

I know it can be challenging to put into practice when you’re faced with some life trials- a bad medical report, the loss of a loved one, frustration with employment, loss of income, and the list goes on. However, the Father instructs us to cast our cares on Him, for He cares for us. 1 Peter 5:7. You and I are not built to carry the burdens of this life on our own-it’s futile. We were created with the very intention of being in a relationship with the Father. That’s exciting! The creator of the world wants to talk to Nakeia. Oh yeah, and you 😊. Often we take this privilege for granted and neglect communing with our Father. Let me let you in on a little secret in this union is where we gain wisdom, direction, insight, strategies, warnings, rejuvenation, restoration, and growth! Frustration, worry, anxiety, stress comes into play when we are disconnected from the vine. Yes, we will experience trials and tribulations, but Jesus told us to be of good cheer because He has overcome the world! John 16:33

If you forgot, we are in a spiritual war, and there’s an enemy of our soul who seeks to destroy us. We’ll never give the enemy too much credit, but we have to expose his plans. The enemy cannot force us to do anything; however, he will harass and inundate our minds with worry, concern, doubt, and what-ifs if we allow him to. We’re instructed in Matthew 6:27-33 not to worry. What can fear do for us? Can it pay a bill? Can worry cause us to grow in height? Can anxiety produce anything beneficial? No, it cannot. Just as it says in Matthew and referenced in the song Jireh by Elevation Worship & Maverick City Music, the Father clothes the grass of the field; why would He not ensure that his children are clothed and are not lacking? Our Father loves us and will provide-so don’t you worry! We are called to renew our minds daily by reading the word of God. What other way will we be able to unlearn all of the responses and stinking thinking we’ve come accustomed to?

I am confident that you and I can live the abundant life that God the Father has for us! Instead of being ruled by our emotions, let’s get into his presence. For in His presence, there is fullness of joy; and at His right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalms 16:10-11)

I challenge you, my brother, my sister to get into His presence to calm your fears and anxiety and exchange it for the peace of God that surpasses all understanding.

Let’s pray,

Father, we thank you for having access to you through your son Jesus. Thank you for loving us when we didn’t even love ourselves. Please help us, Father, to be consistent in our walk with you. Help me, Father, to be consistent in all that I put my hands to. Father, forgive us for any sins that we may have committed and empower us to turn away from those things for good. We choose to bring our cares and concerns to you in exchange for your peace. We love you, and we give you praise in Jesus’ name, Amen!

My Father never ceases to amaze me! He is so intentional, loving, kind, and merciful. I want to acknowledge and thank everyone who follows my blog, those who have read any one of the posts, those who’ve shared the page, and those who have encouraged and prayed for me! Thank you!! I am humbled by you taking time out of your life to read the words that I pen through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Our current world is full of chaos and confusion, and our attention is being pulled in so many different directions. The media is consistently spewing fear and lies. Believers are at odds about vaccinations, among other things. Everyone has an opinion on one thing or another, including the decisions you make and how you live your life. It’s easy to listen to all the voices around you and fall victim to their opinions, and make decisions that God has never instructed you to make. It is the hour (and has been) for us to ensure that we hear clearly from the Father for ourselves. God the Father is the only one who knows the fullness of the purpose of our lives. “For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you, ‘says the Lord, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11(Amplified version, AMP). While many have good intentions and mean well-, they don’t know the fullness of what you are called to do. Godly counsel is wise, but final authority comes from the Father.

Every person born on this earth was born with a unique purpose to be fulfilled in this life and in the ages to come. Each of us is wired differently. The way the Father communicates with us is based on our personality and makeup. We were not made to be carbon copies of our favorite minister, mentor, or parent. Cultivate your relationship with the Father, and in the process, you’ll begin to recognize and identify how He deals and speaks to you. Not only will you be able to perceive the voice of the Father, but you’ll also start to see who the Father created you to be. Through the eyes of God, we’ll see ourselves the way God sees us before we’ve experienced the trauma, before we listened to and believed the word curses spoken over us, and before we placed limitations on ourselves. You and I have the Spirit of the Living God living within us (if we’ve accepted the Lord Jesus Christ), and we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. (Philippians 4:13). In Genesis 1:26, it says, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, and after our likeness and let them have dominion…..”. Let that sink in; we are made in the image of God!!! I’m encouraged by those words and pray you are too. In 2 Peter 1-3 (AMP), the Holy Spirit, through Peter says, “To those who have received and possess [by God’s will] a precious faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: Grace and peace [that special sense of spiritual well-being] be multiplied to you in the [true, intimate] knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. For His divine power has bestowed on us [absolutely] everything necessary for [a dynamic spiritual] life and godliness, through true and personal knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. We have everything we need to live a dynamic (marked by usually continuous and productive activity or change) spiritual life. We should be consistently moving and changing and producing. Let’s get going!!

Often in our desire to please God, we find our worth in how busy we are instead of just living life from the inside out. We believe that we have to show up to every event, participate in every study and work, work, work. Let me clarify, all of these things are good in themselves, but we must be balanced in all that we do. It is unwise to try to be a part of everything, and there’s no joy or life in what you’re doing. I’ve learned during this walk that you can’t pour from an empty vessel. You must take time daily to spend with the Father and be filled so that you can be a blessing to others.  You also must not neglect your family trying to be a part of everything that, if we’re honest, sometimes the Father didn’t tell us to be a part of. Listen to the voice of God and be led by the Spirit. Let’s be intentional and not lean to our own understanding, and acknowledge God in all our ways. Proverbs3:5-6. Also, be careful not to allow the opinions of others and what they think you should or should not do affect you and your obedience. Seek the Father and his direction! Let us change our focus from “doing” to “being” who God called us to be. Through our union with and obedience to the Father is how we will fulfill all He has called us to do.

Be Blessed

Let’s Pray,

Father, we thank you for another day. We are grateful for all that you have done for us and will do for us. We thank you for sacrificing your son Jesus so that we can have a relationship with you. Father, forgive us for any sins that we’ve committed and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Help us, Father, to live from the inside out. Help us to put things in proper perspective. We ask that you empower us through the Holy Spirit to be everything you said we would be and do all that you said we would do. We thank you that it is in you that we live, move, and have our being. Help us to be walking examples of your love and to share your agape love with others. Father deliver us from people-pleasing and let our focus be on pleasing you. We love you! In Jesus’ name, we pray.

Bleeding Heart Ministries

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