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A Word From Sister Freda
This past week we celebrated the end of one
year and the beginning of a new year. In twelve months,
how we end this new year will be determined how we
started it. Do you want to end 2010 in a new way? If
you're not a Christian, please know that this could be
the best New Year of your life. Your life could be
filled with hope and peace. All that is required is for
you to make a decision to turn your heart over to Christ
and let Him be the Savior of your life. If you are a
Christian, but you feel stagnate in your relationship
with the Lord, now is the perfect time to rekindle your
love for Christ and make a renewed commitment to live
your life for Him. As Christians we should try each day
to fall deeper and deeper in love with Christ. When we
have this type of intimate relationship with Christ, and
we live our daily lives as a witness of His love,
everything we do will take on a much deeper meaning.
Coming to church will no longer be just something we do
because it is expected. It will be a time when we look
forward to being in fellowship with other brothers and
sisters in Christ and we bask in the common love that is
shared as part of His family.
Can you feel Christ tugging at your heart
this New Year? He longs for us to fall in love with Him
and have a deep intimate relationship with Him. At the
end of our lives we all hope to hear our Savior say
"well done my good and faithful servant", but we need to
realize that this statement is only heard by those who
took the time to get to know Him, love Him, and then
obediently followed Him.
My prayer is that each of us evaluate our
relationship with Christ and we all take the time to
rekindle our love for Him this year.
Make 2010 the Best New Year of our lives.
Sister Freda
One of my favorite
passages in the Bible is Psalm 91. I'm reading an
awesome book titled Psalm 91-God's Shield of
Protection, and in this book it breaks down this
entire chapter and elaborates on the promises found in
this scripture. This past week something I read really
stood out to me and I wanted to share it with you. In
the fourth verse the scripture says, "His faithfulness
is a shield and a bulwark". We've often heard it
preached that His faithfulness is our shield, but in
this scripture it also says that it is our bulwark. A
bulwark was a tower built along the the city wall where
defenders would shoot arrows and throw huge rocks at the
enemies. So this tells me that His faithfulness is also
my strong tower. From that tower, God will point out the
enemy so he can't slip up on our blind side.
We see that this
scripture used two symbols of protection and
fortification. One being a shield, which is used for
personal protection, and the other being the strong
tower, which is our wall of protection. In other words,
we are promised double protection in this verse. But
like so many other things in the Bible, we must first
accept these tools of protection and use them. We must
run to that strong tower, and we must pick up that
shield of faith.
One of the things I want
to do for the new year is to make Psalm 91 a part of my
everyday life. I don't want to go a day without reading
this scripture and applying it in my daily walk. Read
Psalm 91 today and see how much God loves you.
Sister Freda
Psalm 91:11-12
For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to
guard you in all your ways. They will bear you up in
their hands, that you do not strike your foot against a
stone.
Psalm 91 tells us so
many different ways that God has designed His plan of
protection. In this verse we find another promise of
protection; "angelic protection". We read this passage
of scripture and really have no idea of the magnitude of
this promise. Only after we get to heaven will we fully
know all the dangers from which we have been spared
because of the intervention of angels on our behalf. In
this verse it says that "He will give His angels
charge concerning you"...When you take charge of
something, you put yourself in a place of leadership.
You take control of the situation of activity. In a work
environment you tell what to do or how to do something.
If angels are taking charge of the things that concern
us, then God has given the angels authority to act in
our behalf. This verse also says that the angels will "guard
you in al your ways"...When I read this
scripture, I think of a soldier standing guard, looking
very alert, watching in all directions for danger. The
soldier is ready to protect what and/or who he is
guarding, at the first sign of attack. When I think of
it in the way, then I realize how much more God's angels
are capable of standing guard over us. The next time you
feel alone, or find yourself in harm's way, remember
that God has given His angels charge of you. His angels
are personal, heavenly bodyguards, sent to watch over
us.
Remember, there are
more fighting for than against you
Sister Freda
The past few weeks I've
been studying about God's protection plan. I've learned
through my life experiences, that I may have to go
through some of the hardest struggles right before I
experience my greatest blessings from God. This past
Sunday we heard a sermon about how there are times when
God's plan takes us through adversity as our key for
advancement. I heard a minister at Prayer Conference put
it this way-"David wasn't a crowned king because he
killed a midget". We may face battles in our personal
life, family, even in the church, but we need to
remember that God is with is in the battles and He will
bring us out victorious. This past week God brought
scripture to me to help remind me just how He will
protect us.
Isaiah 43:2 When you past through the waters I will
be with you, and through the rivers they will not
overflow you. When you walk through the fire you will
not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you
I serve an awesome God!
Sister Freda
In our Sunday School
lesson this past Sunday we learned that God's calling
sometimes takes us into places or situations where we
aren't comfortable. There may be things He has called
you to do that you don't feel qualified or capable of
doing. There are really only two things that God
requires; your obedience and your trust. As God's sons
and daughters, He expects us to attempt things that are
too large for us to handle....things we know we couldn't
do without Him. We have to walk each day with the full
understanding that we will face certain failure if we
aren't 100% dependent on Him. That is called "living by
faith"...We are called to step out by faith, to do and
say things that could only come from God. When we pray
for His hand on our lives He will enable us to meet His
calling for our life.
This in my prayer for
2010....I pray that you would make this your own prayer
for your lives and for our church in 2010.
O God, please expand
my opportunities and my impact in such a way that I
touch more lives for your glory. Let me do more for you
than I have ever done before
Sister Freda
God never sends you into
a situation alone. He always goes before you. Remember
He went before the Israelites as a cloud by day and a
pillar of fire by night. He always precedes you in every
encounter. He is prepared to meet every need because He
has gone before you and knows exactly what you will need
in every situation.
God doesn't only go before you...He also
stands beside you and behind you, to provide comfort and
protection. Read Psalm 139:7-12.
If you are going through a difficult or
confusing time, know that God has gone before you and He
is present now with you. He is fully aware of what you
are facing and He is responding to your need, even when
you can't see His hand working in your situation. As a
son or daughter of Christ, hold fast to the knowledge
that our Savior preceded you, and He will walk you
through each trial and experience in your life
Sister Freda
For the past few weeks,
it seems that I have been on my knees more than I've
been standing upright. I don't really have an
explanation other than my burden for our church and our
families (our personal families and extended church
families), has been extremely heavy. This past week
while I was praying and talking to God about my
feelings, the lyrics to a song that I sing come to mind.
These are the words.
Each morning I get
up, pick up my sword and shield. I start out to face
another day. Blow after blow Satan tries to weaken me
til' finally I fall down upon my knees. Then I look
toward the heavens and to the Lord I cry, "It seems to
me I'm losing in the fight"..
But He says, "Right
there on your knees is where you're gonna win the fight.
You're standing taller than you ever have before. Right
there on your knees is where your battles will be won.
So all you have to do is wait upon the Lord
You know the war is
raging and it seems there is no end. You can feel the
forces of the enemy...So when you think his fiery darts
are about to bring you down, don't give up, that's just
where you wanna be...Cause when he thinks the battle
over and he thinks that he has won; it's not over, it's
only just begun. Because right there on your knees is
where you're gonna win the fight. Your standing taller
than you ever have before. Right there on your knees is
where your battles will be won. So all you have to do is
wait upon the Lord
2 Corinthians 10:4
For the weapons of our
warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the
pulling down of strongholds
Prayer is the request by
man of GOD through the Holy Spirit to interfere in
behalf of the who pray. My prayer is that others will
join me on our knees in prayer for a divine
intervention, that we would see God's hand moving in our
church and families.
Sister Freda
This past Sunday we
heard that sometimes right before our biggest victory or
blessings we could meet our toughest struggles. Satan
will ramp up his attacks to try his best to defeat us
because he doesn't want us to gain the victory that God
has in store for us. During these hard times, sometimes
Christians will give up in defeat right before they are
to make their breakthrough.
When my son was a
teenager, he had a shirt that he wore a lot. The first
time I saw the shirt, he was walking through the room
and I did a double-take....because on the front of of
his shirt in very large letters it simply said "Don't
fight Naked"...!!! But on the back it said "Put On The
Whole Armor of God". I thought of this recently, and it
is true that sometimes we get up and face Satan without
being dressed for battle. Read Ephesians chapter 6 and
you will find all the tools you need to defeat the
devil.
You will need: The
Girdle of Truth, Breastplate of Righteousness, Shod you
feet with Preparation of the Gospel, Shield of Faith,
Helmet of Salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit.
You will need ALL of
these to defeat the devil. I have a favorite series
about the Armor of God, and I am reading these books
again for about the fourth time. Each time I read these
books I learn something new that help me in my everyday
life to defeat the devil. You know he won't always use
the same temptation or trick to defeat you....he will
try new tactics and you need to be prepared for him.
This is not just something I'm writing to fill space in
the bulletin. I fell strongly that our church is on the
brink of a breakthrough but it's going to take all of us
working together and uniting in a common cause to defeat
the devil. And I know that he will try to defeat us and
discourage us, but I also know that GREATER IS HE THAT
IS IN US THAN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD.
Our purpose as a church
is to reach out to the hurting, suffering people and
introduce them to our Savior. The devil's purpose is to
trick and deceive them into and eternal life of hell. So
when he sees us reaching out he will try with all his
might to defeat us, and we must be prepared and untied
to stand against him. Let's all remember to dress with
the Whole Armor of God everyday to be able to defeat the
devil and win our victory through Christ.
Sister Freda
Do you have on your
"girdle of truth"???. When I think about the armor of
God and the scripture that says we should have our
"loins girt with truth" I think about the fact that God
is TRUTH. This is very true, but there is more to this
than what we've been taught in the past. . It is
believed that when Paul was writing this passage he was
looking at a Roman soldier's uniform and used the Roman
soldier's uniform and weapons to pattern his letter to
the Ephesians. When a Roman soldier would get ready for
battle, they would take a girdle and pull their tunic
between their legs and tuck the excess fabric under the
girdle so they wouldn't get tripped up or stumble over
their tunic while in battle. So knowing this bit of
information I realize Paul was also telling us that we
would secure anything that would cause us to stumble or
fall down when moving quickly in our daily battle as a
Christian. We should also be spiritually sharp and have
spiritual agility so that we can bee successful in our
battles. This weekend we heard some wonderful messages
while at the Youth Winter Retreat. We heard that we are
as close to God as we choose to be....Remember He hasn't
moved, we are the ones that have pulled away. We can
decide to get as close to Him as possible so that when
we look in the mirror we see God's love shinning out of
us. When we are as close to God as possible, we will be
less likely to stumble or fall in our battles, we will
be wearing the "Girdle of Truth" everyday. We will be
allowing His light to shine through our lives as a
witness of His love to our family, friends, and church
Sister Freda
"With the breastplate
of righteousness in place.." Ephesians 6:14
The breastplate was a
vital part of the soldiers armor. No trained soldier
would go into battle without it. It protected the vital
organs like the heart and lungs. This part of the
scripture in Ephesians is telling us that Jesus is our
righteousness. Our own righteousness is worthless in
battle. If we start to believe that our own
righteousness makes us worthy of God's protection we
will not win in the fight against Satan. We have to get
our eyes off ourselves and back on God. We must never
forget that Jesus purchased our salvation on Calvary and
the righteousness we have is through our relationship
with Him. If we have a close relationship with Him, then
our spiritual heart and lungs are protected. He needs to
be the heartbeat of our life, and the air we breath. We
need to be desperate for Him. He needs to be a priority
in our life. This is a life or death decision. We will
not make it without Him in our life. Over and over again
in scriptures we hear that Satan is out to destroy our
life and our families, everything that we hold precious
is at stake. That is why God felt it was important to
instruct us how to dress for battle against Satan. We
have to be protected when we get up every morning and
face the day because we don't know what attack we might
face....But, the one thing we know for sure is that if
we are properly dressed for battle, and if we are
trained and ready to use the tools that God has given
us, we will be victorious.
Make sure you wear the
Breastplate of Righteousness Today!!!
Sister Freda
Ephesians 6:15 and
with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from
the gospel of peace......
The Roman soldiers wore
shoes that resembled sandals, that came up above the
ankle and were held securely to the feet by leather
straps. In the winter they lined the sandals with fur.
Without his sandals a soldier would not be prepared to
fight. He would become injured and he would not be able
to continue in the battle. The bible tells us to put on
the shoes of the gospel of peace. We need to prepare
ourselves to fight by putting on the gospel of Jesus'
life, death and resurrection. If we attempt to face a
day in this life without His word in our heart, we could
become injured and possibly stumble and fall. If we
don't have His word in our heart we will live a life of
fear and worry about our life and our future. We get
peace to survive the battles of this life by reading
God's word. If we use His word, we can fight with
boldness, confidence, perseverance, and peace.
Be sure and put on your
"gospel shoes" today!!
Sister Freda
"In addition to all
this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can
extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one".
Ephesians 6:16
The Roman soldiers used
small round shields and large rectangular ones. The
large shields was about 4 foot tall and 2 feet wide. It
was made up of layers of laminated wood covered by
layers of linen and leather. A brass or bronze rim
covered the edge as a protection against the sword
attacks. Shields were primarily used as individual
protection but would be overlapped with others to form a
large wall of protection. When the Romans attacked
walled cities, archers would stand on the walls and
shoot fiery arrows down at the soldiers. The Roman
soldiers would overlap their shields and they would be
able to continue advancing toward the gates of the city
despite the attack of fiery arrows.
Our faith in Jesus is
our shield. If we have faith and our hope and trust is
in Him, we can withstand the fiery darts of the wicked
one. Without our shield of faith in Jesus we would be
wounded and we would fail in our Christian walk. We
would not be able to continue in our fight against the
Devil. When the Roman soldiers were fighting, if they
dropped their shield, it became useless and the soldiers
fate rested within himself. We trust in Jesus alone as
our shield. We can not rely on our own abilities in this
battle. The only way we can defeat the Devil is if we
hold on to our shield of faith. There are also times
when we, as a united body need to join our faith with
our brothers and sisters in Christ to build each other
up and help protect each other from Satan's attack.
Let's all make sure we hold on tight to our shield of
faith, and we are alert and aware of the battle that is
raging around us. If we see a brother or sister in need,
let's join our faith with theirs and help protect each
other in our daily battles.
Sister Freda
Take up the helmet of
Salvation. Ephesians 6:17
The Roman army helmet
was usually made of bronze. Cheek-pieces were made on
the side of the helmet and these were secured under the
chin with a leather strap. These "cheek-pieces" were
added to protect the sides of the face. A "shelf" was
added to the back of the helmet to protect the neck and
shoulders from arrows that fell from above or behind the
soldier. A "bill" was added to the from of the helmet to
cover the eyes and ears. The helmet was essential for
survival. It was designed to protect from an assault to
the head that would be fatal if not for the protective
covering of the helmet. In this scripture in Ephesians,
we are being told that we need this covering and
protection of salvation for our total deliverance from
our sinful life. We find deliverance in Jesus in every
situation; either physical, emotional or spiritual.
When we think about the
Roman soldier's helmet, we see it protect his head, eyes
and ears. Most often Satan will launch his strongest
attacks on our minds, to steal our joy and peace. That
is why we should keep our mind protected from his
attacks. We should also protect our eyes and ears. Satan
will launch spiritual attacks of temptation against us
and if our eyes and ears are not protected we could fall
prey to his attacks. Jesus has to be our source, our
guide, our "way out" in any bad situation. We can't
depend on our own abilities to be able to survive.
Without his helmet the soldier was very vulnerable to
attacks in battle. We are the same way. We are not able
to survive without the helmet of Salvation. Without this
we are certain of a life of misery, trouble and
heartache. We are no match for the devil on our own.
BUT...with the Salvation of Jesus purchased on Calvary,
we can be assured of victory.
Sister Freda
"Let us fix our eyes
on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for
the joy set before him, endured the cross, scorning it's
shame, and set down at the right hand of the throne of
God" Hebrews 12:2
Jesus knew the purpose
for his life on earth. He went to Calvary with the full
knowledge of that purpose in mind. 2 Corinthians
5:21 tells us that Jesus became sin for us so that we
could be forgiven and find righteousness in God's sight.
Jesus looked beyond the
suffering, shame and death on the cross, and focused on
the Joy that was to come. The Bible says there is
great Joy in Heaven when a sinner is saved. Jesus
also looked forward to the joy that would come from each
good work and deed done by Christians.
What is our purpose in
life, as followers and believers in Jesus? We
could answer and say our purpose is to love God and
serve Him, and that would be a correct answer . . . But
our main purpose in life would be to give Him JOY!!!!
If you aren't a
Christian, today would be an awesome day to make the
decision to give your life over to Him. The one
who can save you from your sins, is waiting with His
arms open, ready to receive you, with love today.
If you are already a Christian, do something good for
someone today. Look around and speak words of
Christian love and mercy to someone. If you know
someone in need, help to fill their need. Think
about the expectations that Jesus has for your
life...how would he expect you to act to help a brother
in need... to speak words of forgiveness to someone who
has done you wrong...to show kindness to someone who is
depressed or discouraged.
As we celebrate this
special day, while we give honor to Jesus for His life
and resurrection, think about how you can give Him a
special gift today. Give Him the gift of JOY!!!!!
Sister Freda
This past week marked
the one year anniversary of my husband and I joining the
great body of believers at the Alabaster Church of God.
This has been an awesome year. We've enjoyed many "first
time" experiences during this past year. We've stepped
out on a journey that is definitely new to us. During
this year we've learned the true meaning of "Trust in
the Lord"....One of the daily devotions I read a
few days ago really spoke directly to my heart. It said,
"when you are shaken out of your comfort area, grip His
hand tightly and look for growth opportunities. Instead
of complaining about the hard task that you are faced
with, accept the challenge of something new. Remember
that God leads you from glory to glory, making you fit
for the Kingdom of Heaven. Say "yes" to the way God
works in your life. Trust God and don't be afraid".
About a year and half
ago I was praying for some young people in my home
church and I prayed "God shake up their world"...Then
during that same prayer time, I felt the awesome
presence of God and I changed my prayer to "God shake up
my world"...then I started singing "I'll say yes to your
way, I'll say yes to your will"...I had no idea what God
had in mind for us at that time, but I know without a
shadow of a doubt that we are now exactly where He wants
us to be.
We want to THANK the
good people of this church for welcoming us with open
arms and for being there to help in any and every
situation that comes up. This is truly a "great" church
with some of the most warm and friendly people that I
have ever had the pleasure to meet.
We count it a great
privilege and honor to work among you, and to be a part
of this great family of people called the Alabaster
Church of God!!!
Sister Freda
A Heartfelt Thanks
The words "Thank You"
are just not adequate to express how much we appreciate
the Love that was shown to us this past weekend for
Pastor Appreciation Day. We want to say "thank you" for
all the gifts, cards, acts of kindness and love that was
shown to us and our family. This was an awesome
experience for us, and "YES" we feel "LOVED"!!! I can't
think of anything that you could have done to make this
a better day for us!! It was a perfect way to celebrate
our first year here at ACOG.
We know we are exactly
where God wants us, and we are so glad and appreciative
for everyone that is working with us to make ACOG a
church that God can use to reach our community. family
and friends. I want to see the same kind of love that
was shown to us this past weekend, spread out the doors
of this church into our community, to reach those who
are so desperately searching for Love. I know we are on
the right path, and I know that God is smiling at our
church. He is pleased with the direction we are
heading.....But we don't need to get complacent or too
sure of ourselves. I know from experience that when God
is working, the devil is working too. We need to stay
"prayed up, fired up and geared up" for the fight. Next
Sunday I will finish the articles on the Armor of God.
It is so important for us to get up everyday and be
dressed for battle. In His Word, God has given us all we
need to be able to defeat the devil...all we need to do
is pick up the weapons and tools that He has supplied
for us to be victorious!!!
Once again, we want to
say "THANK YOU" to everyone for the Love an generosity
that was shown to us and our family this past weekend.
We Love All of YOU!!!!
Pastor Ken and Freda
....and the sword of
the spirit, which is the Word of God. Ephesians 6:17
The Roman soldier
carried a small dagger and a larger two-edged sword used
for thrusting. When used at close range by a skilled
soldier, this sword was a deadly weapon. In Ephesians
Chapter 6, Paul tells us that the sword represents the
Word of God. God's word is a powerful weapon against our
enemy when it is used under the Spirit's power and
direction. We need to take up the "Sword of the Spirit"
each and every day. We need to use the Word of God to
help us when we face troubles and difficult life
situations in our daily walk. When we think about all
the thousands of verses in the Bible, we realize that
each verse can be very powerful depending on the
situation. A good practice for new Christians is to
memorize key Bible verses so that you can have them
ready for immediate use when your mind and thoughts are
under attack by Satan. Make sure you pick up you
Sword today!!!
Sister Freda
Do you know what love
is?
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not
envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not
rude, is is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in
evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects,
always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love
never fails. 1st Corinthians 13:4-7
We say the words "I love you" all the time.
But there are times when words are not enough. There are
times when we need to "show" people how much we love
them. More often our actions mean more than our words.
The Bible tells us in 1st John, that as God loved us, we
also ought to love one another.
When we truly "love" with the love of God, we
are willing to sacrifice without expecting anything in
return. The love of God will melt away the complacency
that often fills our heart, and our heart will be filled
with love and compassion. We should "love" the world
with this kind of Love and the world will see Jesus
through us. That is our mission while we are here in
this world. God is Love, and he who abides in love
abides in God and God in him. Love has been perfected
among us in this, because as he is, so are we in this
world
Sister Freda
This past
Saturday (May 1st), the ladies enjoyed a
wonderful program and lunch, celebrating
Mother's Day. One of the things we enjoyed
that day, that really stuck with me was a
song that Sis. Jane Knight's daughter wrote
and sang for her mother. The song was about
the "2nd Greatest Love"....this being a
mother's love. Sis Jane's daughter sang
this beautiful song with such feeling and
emotion, as she described her mother's
love. This song really touched my heart.
We know the first greatest love is the
love that God has for us. His love is
never-ending, and unconditional. Our human
minds can't really comprehend the love that
God has for us. And knowing this, we also
understand that it was part of His "master
plan" to create mothers. Only God could
create the heart of a mother. The mother's
love for her children is patterned after
God's own love for us (His children). Every
woman that gives birth is not a Mother. A
true mother, nurtures her children.
A mother will do everything within her means
and control to help her child experience
life and grow to be a productive adult. A
mother will use correction to help mold and
form the child to become the adult that God
intends them to be. A true "godly mother"
will make sure that the child is "covered"
with prayer everyday of their life. Many of
us in this house today have experienced the
Love of true Mother. I hope
today that you don't take this love for
granted. I hope that each of us realize how
blessed we are to have been raised by godly
mother's and experience this wonderful
love. If your mother is alive today, please
make sure that you let her know how much you
appreciate her love. If your mother has
passed on to heaven, please spend some time
today with your special memories of her, and
the times you enjoyed and experienced her
love.
Happy Mother's
Day !!!!!!!
Sister Freda
I've really struggled with this, but I feel so
strongly that I need to share this with the church,
if I didn't I would be disobedient to God. So I ask
that you don't judge me or think this is
"strange"....just remember that God's ways are not
our ways, and he sometimes works in mysterious ways
!!!!!!
I try to pray early in the
morning before I start my day. One morning, I had a
very strange thing happen as I was ending my prayer
time. I was NOT asleep, so I don't know if I should
call this a "dream" or a "vision"...But this is what
happened:
I saw a very strong man with his back turned to me,
and he was holding a large plant that resembled a
small tree. The tree was in a ceramic pot. I was
standing close to him, and I immediately realized
that the plant was dying and he was concerned. I
asked him if the tree was going to live, and he
answered me and said "We have to get it out of this
pot"...I realized then that he had something in his
other hand, and he took that instrument and broke
the ceramic pot. The pot shattered exposing dirt
clinging to the roots of the tree. He then said, "We
need to get the rot off the roots"...he took his
hand and started knocking the dirt and rot off the
roots....Then as suddenly as this all appeared, it
disappeared. I have no doubt that this was a message
from God. I have prayed many prayers about this,
internally searching my own heart and life to see if
I have any "rot" in my heart. One night this past
week, I went to bed very tired after the revival
service, but this same "vision" came to my head
again. I felt God urging me to share this with the
church. Sometimes we have secret, hidden feelings of
hurt or jealousy, or envy that will fester and grow
to the point of destroying our relationship with
others as well as our relationship with Christ.
Remember there are no secrets between you and God.
He KNOWS everything there is to know about you. As
long as you keep the problems hidden, your
relationship with Him will slowly begin to die, just
like the tree. You need to expose those problems,
just like when I saw Him break the pot to expose the
dirt and rot clinging to the roots of the tree. When
you expose those problems and honestly take a long
look at what is happening to your heart, THEN you
can shake off the dirt and rot from "Your Roots",
and you can begin to grow in the Lord and in His
plan for your life.
Please take this
serious today....Take a long look and see if you
have any "hidden rot" clinging to your heart. If you
feel you do, then expose that problem. Start to work
on mending relationships, offering forgiveness even
if it hasn't been requested, showing God's love to
your family and friends. You will see a difference
in your life !!!!!!!
Sister Freda
Many times during our Christian walk we are faced with
difficult and trying circumstances and situations.
Sometimes these situations come on suddenly and catch us
by surprise. We don’t understand the reason why we must
go through these trials. Most often we focus on the
problem, and we fail to see God’s hand at work. We need
to remember that God uses these times to prepare us to
be used by Him. He
uses these times to teach us to trust Him and build up
our faith in Him. I’m reminded of the song “Through it
All” by Andrea Crouch. The words of that song remind me
“if I never had a problem, I wouldn’t know that God
could solve them, I wouldn’t know what faith in His word
could do”…..
I am reading a book titled “Victory In
the Wilderness” …this book explains the journey of the
children of Israel through their wilderness. God’s
purpose for leading them in the wilderness was to test,
train and prepare them to be sanctified warriors. But
they perceived it as a punishment…they complained and
acted in wicked ways. When the time came for them to
leave the wilderness and take the promised land, they
believed the rumors of weak men, rather than God. They
looked at their own ability and not God’s promise. When
we go through the wilderness we need to remember that
God didn’t bring us to that place to abandon us. Don’t
ever think that while you are going through your hard
trial that God has stopped working in your life. It is
during these trials that we see some of the greatest
miracles in our lives. We need to remember when we walk
through the times of wilderness in our lives, that the
“promised land” waits for us. God is creating us to be
vessels for His use.
Sister Freda
Job 23: 8-10 (NKJV) Look, I go forward, but He is
not there, and backward, but I cannot perceive Him; when
He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him; when He
turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him. But He knows
the way that I take; when He has tested me. I shall
come forth as gold.
Job is going through his "wilderness" in this verse.
The more he looks for God's hand moving in his
circumstances, the more "hidden" God seems to be.
However, God was working, and He knew exactly what was
happening in Job's life. So just because God's works
are not always obvious, it doesn't mean that God's not
working in your behalf. Sometimes God chooses to allow
tests
in our lives to help mold our character and make us more
mature Christians. Think about how it is with our
children. When they were newborn babies, we did
everything to supply their needs. They needed us to
feed them, bath and dress them. But as they grew we
gave them a chance to learn to do things on their own.
Sometimes they would get frustrated when they missed
their mouth with their food, but if we had continued to
do everything for them they would never learn to take
care of their basic needs, and grow and mature as they
should. When we were "newborn Christians" it seemed
that God manifested Himself in our lives at our first
cry for help...but as we grow as Christians, God allows
us to go through times in which He doesn't respond
instantly to
our every call. There may be a time during your
personal "wilderness", that you feel alone and unloved,
and even ignored, but this is not true. It seems that
God is miles away, but he is walking right by our side.
He has promised to never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews
13:5). This "wilderness" time is when our "Christian
character" is developed. The "Wilderness" is also where
the fruit of the Spirit is cultivated. During the
"wilderness time" you will search His word, you will
have an earnest desire to know Him. You will urgently
need to hear from Him, so you will spend time in His
word. You will spend time in prayer. Our pursuit
during this
"wilderness time" should be for His Heart not His
Provisions. If you are going through a
"Wilderness", let Him be your "Daily Bread"...just like
the manna from heaven was sent to the children of
Israel. Allow Him to be your "All in All"....if you
seek Him and put Him in the proper place in your life,
you will come out of your "wilderness" in His due time.
Remember ALL of His Promises are YES and AMEN !!!!!!!!!
Sister Freda
Deuteronomy 8:2 The Lord your God led
you in the wilderness to humble you and to
test you, to know what was in your heart. (NKJV)
There is a key
phrase in this verse I want to point out to
you.....It is "The Lord your God led you in
the wilderness"......The Devil didn't lead
the children of Israel into the wilderness,
God did....and it's the same today when a
"child of God" is going through a time in
the wilderness. God leads us there, and
there is a purpose for that time. He does
this to know the true nature of our heart
Deuteronomy 8:3 So He humbled you,
allowed you to eat manna that He
might make you know that man
shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that proceeds
from the mouth of the Lord.
God gave them manna to supply
their fundamental physical need
of food, but it didn't always
satisfy their desires and the
wants of their flesh. This was
a test to see if they would
desire Him instead of what they
left behind in Egypt. Would
they seek Him or would they seek
what their flesh craved? Would
they hunger and thirst for
righteousness or for comfort and
pleasure?
Today God sometimes leads us to a testing
time....will we seek His face or
His hand? His face represents
His character and nature, His
hand represents His power and
provision. If you seek for His
hand you might not recognize His
face...but if you know His face
then you will know His hand. It
is one thing to look to the Lord
for what He can give you or do
for you, it's another thing to
seek to know Him for Who He Is.
God is looking to build an army
just like He did with Joshua's
generation. But again, just
like in that day, the dry and
desert place will separate the
complainers and rebellious, from
those people who are seeking
God's face. Those people
looking for just the promises
and not the "Promiser" may die
in the dry and desert place. Our
hearts desire should be to serve
Him out of our love for Who He
Is, not for what He can do for
us. Seek His Face, Not His
Hand.
Sister Freda
On this day I also
want to thank my “heavenly
Father” for giving me one of
the most valuable gifts of
all, and that is to be
raised under the love and
admonition of a wonderful
Christian father.
When I was a young,
and still living in my
father’s house, I can
remember often thinking that
my father’s rules and
requirements were
unrealistic and
unreasonable. But now that
I am grown, and have raised
my two children to their
adult years, I am most
thankful for the example of
parenting I learned from my
father.
My
father raised his four
children with a strong
hand. Now I know that
“spare the rod and spoil the
child” is NOT in the Bible.
But there is a scripture in
the bible that I think my
Dad had highlighted and
underlined when we were
growing up…(and this is also
underlined in my Bible too)
Withhold not correction from
the child; for if you beat
him with the rod he shall
not die. Thou shall beat
him with the rod and shall
deliver his soul from hell
I can
remember many times when my
father punished me, but I
grew up with a great respect
for both my father and
mother. To this day I could
never imagine speaking to my
father or mother with
disrespect.
My Dad
always believed in working
hard. And if my father was
at home working on a
project, all four of us kids
were working with him. He
was NOT going to raise lazy
children.
My Dad
instilled in us the
understanding of being
responsible for a job until
it was done, and to make
sure when we finished the
job that it was a “job well
done”.
Some of my
most
treasured
memories are
of my Dad
leading the
choir from
the “red
back hymnal”
singing “Oh
Happy Day”,
“Amazing
Grace”, and
“When the
Battle’s
Over we
Shall Wear a
Crown”.
There were
many times
when we
would leave
the church
on our way
home and Dad
would break
out singing
one of these
songs and it
didn’t take
much for all
of the rest
of us to
join right
in.
I am
thankful
that my
father is
still with
us, and I
will talk to
him today
and let him
know how
much he
means to
me. If your
father is
still alive,
be sure and
talk to him
today and
tell him you
love him.
If your
father has
gone on to
his reward,
relive some
precious
memories of
time you
spent with
him.
Happy Father’s
Day to all
!!!!!!
Sister Freda
In
1st Corinthians 10:1-4 Paul reminds us
that ALL the people in the wilderness
were under the cloud, and they ALL
passed through the waters, and they ALL
ate the manna, and drank from the Rock that
was Christ....
But then in
verses 5-6 of that same chapter he tells us
that God was not pleased with some of them
for their bodies were scattered in the
wilderness....and to let this be an example
to us.....
The reason God was not pleased with these people was
that even though they were in his presence, they did not
follow His instructions and were disobedient. The
children of Israel did not pursue God, so they were not
able to know His ways. They got excited about His
mighty works and miracles, because they benefited them.
The focus was on themselves. They were satisfied with
the benefits of salvation, but there was no longing for
more of God. On time God told Moses to tell the
children of Israel to consecrate themselves, for He was
coming to Mount Sania to speak to them. But when the
day came and the Lord manifested His presence with
rumblings and thunder, the people ran away. They asked
Moses to go and talk to God for them and come back and
tell them what He had to say to them. They did not want
a
PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP
with God.
Now let's look
at our world today....How many people have
good intentions and make promises to God,
but yet fail to do what is required to keep
those promises? How many people get so
burdened down with the struggles of their
life that they can barely lift their voices
in prayer? How many people look to their
mates, their friends, or their minister to
seek God on their behalf and tell them what
He is saying? Like the children of Israel,
we try to keep His commandments without
maintaining a life-giving relationship with
the Lord.
Philippians
3:13-14
tells
us to "press toward the mark for the prize
of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
In
order to achieve the high call of God on our
lives, we must first realize that we aren't
perfected and we must continue to pursue,
change, and grow. We need to spend time
developing a relationship with Christ.
He Gave His
Life For Us, What Can We Do For Him....?
Sister Freda
Isaiah 40:3 The voice of him that crieth in the
wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make
straight in the desert a highway for our God.
God uses the “wilderness” to purify your motives and
intentions. God does this to help prepare us for His
returning. He is not returning for an unholy or unpure
bride. We are living in the time of His second coming.
We need to make sure that our hearts are prepared for
this great event. Most people who attend church feel
they are ready for Jesus to return, but the sad truth is
that most ARE NOT ready. America has poured billions of
dollars into Christian literature, outreach and
television programs. We have more Bible schools,
training centers and churches than any other nation. But
yet, we have millions of people living around us who are
not truly saved. So many people have not “truly
repented”. True repentance is real change of mind and
attitude toward sin and its cause. So many people just
have an attitude about the consequences of sin, but not
the sin or the cause of sin. When we truly repent and
turn our whole life over to God, we will live a
different life. We will desire a personal relationship
with Him. We will want to bring others into His kingdom.
Our churches would be overflowing if we truly saw the
urgency of the hour. We need to reach out to the lost
and dying in our community, and our families. As true
Christians, we should live our lives as examples of
God’s grace and blessings.
In the Old Testament, there were prophets who were the
“voice of God”. Just like then, even now in these last
days, God will raise a prophetic anointing. This time
the mantle will rest on His Church, to cry out to the
lost. We should “cry out” to the “wilderness” (the
world) the “way of the Lord”…….
Acts 2:17-20 (NKJV) “our sons and your daughters shall
prophesy …and on My menservants and on My maidservants I
will pour out My spirit in those days; and they shall
prophesy…before the coming of the great and awesome day
of the Lord…”
BUT before God judges the nations, He will judge His
Church. Before the Church can be the “voice crying out
in the wilderness” ….We MUST repent…..
1 Peter 4:17-18 (NKJV) “For the time has come for
judgement to begin at the house of the God; and if it
begins with us first, what will be the end of those who
do not obey the gospel of God? Now if the righteous one
is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner
appear?”
A Word From Sister Freda
Come and let us
return to the Lord; for He has torn, but He will heal
us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up.
Hosea 6:1 (NKJV)
God is calling His Church
to return to Him. The Church in America has been
following signs. The word of God tells us the signs are
supposed to follow the believer....It seems we have it
backward. People pursue gifts and anointing of the
Spirit rather than the character and heart of God. God
tell us to "Pursue
love, and
desire
spiritual gifts.....(1 Corinthians 14:1) But we have
turned this around and we
pursue
spiritual gifts, and
desire
love...People will drive hundreds of miles to be in a
miracle service, but they still will not allow God to
deal with their anger, bitterness, unforgiveness,
strife, etc...in their hearts.
The anointing of God is a gift which can not be earned
or learned. A gift is given freely, or it is not a
gift. We can not bribe God by our gifts or our
performance. When you are operating under the anointing
of God you will see that the anointing is for the sake
of others, not for yourself.
The Lord is in a process of bringing His Church to a
crisis of judgment, to turn Her heart back in true
repentance.
John 6:56
" He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood
abides in Me, and I in Him. "
Abide in Christ, feed
on Him....He is our Life Source.....Our
true source of joy and life must be Jesus, and Him
only....
What do you pursue? What do you desire? Do you pursue
success, wealth, healing...?
PURSUE GOD
!!!!
When you pursue
HIM, not for
what He has or can do, but for who He is, you will find
ALL
the treasures hidden with Him. It is in this secret
place that gifts are given freely, never to be taken
from you. Sister Freda
A Word From Sister Freda
Some people
will save "we're in revival now"....But we
are not in revival...we are in a mess...!!
We are like the valley of dry bones Ezekiel
saw. BUT here is our hope ....God
asked Ezekiel " Son of man, can these bones
live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou
knowest"....And God's answer to Ezekiel was
"YES"....Ezekiel 37:3 "prophesy upon these
dry bones, and say unto them, O ye dry
bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus saith
the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I
will cause breath to enter into you, and
ye shall live....."
When we enter
into this revival we won't have to be told.
No one will need to point it out to us...It
will be so evident that people will say,
"But this is that which was spoken by the
prophet Joel".....(Acts 2:16)
We are on the
verge of the latter rain.. God's church is
going through a period of refinement and
purging. At the end of this period will
come the revival of the outpouring of His
Spirit. This outpouring will dwarf the
outpouring in the book of Acts. I say this
because in Joel 2:23 the word of God tells
us..."Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and
rejoice in the Lord your God; for He hath
given you the former rain
moderately,
and he will cause to come down for you the
rain, the former and the latter rain....."
There is a
preacher I know, who is a good friend, and
when he gets excited he says "GET READY, GET
READY, GET READY !!!!
That's how I
feel about what I am writing to you
about...you better GET READY, GET READY, GET
READY.....because we are standing on this
time line and we (His Church) are just about
ready to step over that line......it's going
to happen whether you are ready or
not....but you don't want to miss this
blessed outpouring of God's spirit...so GET
READY !!!!!!
Sister Freda
A Word From Sister Freda
God is
preparing His church for the latter rain,
that I talked about last week in the
bulletin. He is raising up a generation of
people in the church who will manifest His
glory, not their own...a people made in His
image, and walking and talking in His
character.
"but in a
great house there are not only vessels of
gold and of silver, but also of wood and
earth; and some to honor, and some to
dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself
from these iniquities, he shall be a vessel
unto honor, sanctified , and meet for the
master's use, and prepared for every good
work..." II Timothy 2:20-21
There are two types of vessels, both
honorable and dishonorable. We are all
familiar with how precious metals like gold
and silver are refined....When gold is mixed
with other metals it becomes harder, less
pliable and more corrosive. The lower the
percentage of these other alloy's the softer
and more pliable the gold becomes. When we
have a pure heart it is like pure gold. A
pure heart is soft, tender, and pliable.
"Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says:
TODAY, if you will hear His voice, do not
harden your hearts as in the
rebellion,....but exhort one another daily,
while it is called "TODAY", lest any of you
be hardened through the deceitfulness of
sin..." Hebrews 3:7-13
Sin is the added substance that turns
your heart hard. The lack of tenderness is
what creates a loss of sensitivity, which
hinders our ability to hear His voice. When
this happens your heart no longer burns for
Jesus. That "white hot" love for God that
you had when you were first saved, has been
replaced with a frigid self love, which
seeks only it's own pleasure and comfort.
Jesus is
coming back for a church that is pure,
without spot or blemish. We need to take a
look at our hearts and see if we are still
soft and tender, and sensitive to the needs
and circumstances around us. God needs to
be able to use us to reach a lost and dying
world.....
Sister Freda
A Word From Sister Freda
This is continuation from last week's article:
In Malachi 3:3 we see how Jesus will refine His Church
from the influence of the world, just as a refiner
purifies gold. In the refining process, gold is ground
into powder and then mixed with a substance called
flux. The gold and the flux is then put into a furnace
and melted at a very high temperature. The alloys or
impurities are drawn to the flux and rise to the
surface. The gold is heavier so it remains at the
bottom. The impurities, or dross, are then removed.
Isaiah 1:25-26 (NKJV)
I will turn my hand against you, and thoroughly purge
away your dross, and take away all your alloy. I will
restore your judges (leaders) as at the first, and your
counselors (Christians) as at the beginning. Afterward
you shall be called the city of righteousness, the
faithful city.
Sometimes the "fire" that he uses to refine us are the
trails that we must deal with while we go through our
daily walk as a Christian.
1 Peter 1:6-7 (NKJV)
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little
while, if need be, you have been grieved by various
trails, that the genuineness of your faith, being much
more precious than gold that perishes, though it is
tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
One characteristic of gold is that it is resistant to
rust or corrosion. Other metals tarnish as a result of
atmospheric changes, but gold does not change. Brass
may look like gold in color, but it does not behave as
gold. Brass tarnishes easily. It has the look or
appearance of gold, but lacks the characteristics of
gold. Satan will try his best to deceive us and make us
feel that something is good when it is not. We must
stay pure in God's sight....Do not be deceived by things
or people that are not true and pure.
Look at each decision and / or relationship you venture
into with the mindset of what is right in God's sight.
Is this a relationship that God would approve? Is this
a decision that God would approve? Everything that
looks good is not always good!!! My Dad always says
"just because it shines, doesn't mean it's gold"....and
that's true in our life and in the church. Be alert and
on guard to what is true, pure and holy in God's sight.
Sister Freda
"For we are God's fellow workers; you
are God's field,
you are God's
building.
According to the
grace of God
which was given
me, as a wise
master builder I
have laid the
foundation, and
another builds
on it. But let
each one take
heed how he
builds on it."
1 Corinthians
3:9-10 (NKJV)
"Whoever
comes
to
Me,
and
hears
my
sayings
and
does
them,
I
will
show
you
whom
he
is
like:
he
is
like
a
man
building
a
house,
who
dug
deep
and
laid
the
foundation
on
the
rock...."
Luke
6:47-48
(NKJV)
When builders prepare to build a sky scraper,
the
first
thing
they
must
do
is
to
prepare
the
foundation.
They
spend
a
long
time
digging
through
rocks
and
earth.
The
bigger
the
building,
the
deeper
and
more
extensive
the
foundation.
When
they
actually
start
building
the
structure,
the
progress
on
the
building
seems
to
go
much
quicker
than
did
the
time
spent
on
the
foundation.
The
upward
progression
is
nothing
compared
to
the
downward
preparation.
There
are
many
of
us
in
the
body
of
Christ
who
are
in
the
process
of
the
"downward
preparation".
The
foundation
is
being
laid,
the
character
of
Christ
is
being
formed
in
you.
You
may
have
a
dream
for
our
life,
but
doors
are
not
opening
as
quickly
as
you
would
wish....You
find
yourself
in a
dry
place
or
time.
You
watch
others
around
you
being
promoted
and
becoming
successful,
and
you
sometimes
allow
disappointment
to
creep
into
your
heart.
Remember
God's
word
says,
"When
I
choose
the
time,
I
will
judge
uprightly....for
exaltation
comes
neither
from
the
east
nor
from
the
west
nor
from
the
south.
But
God
is
the
Judge:
He
puts
down
one,
and
exalts
another"
Psalm
75:2-7
(NKJV)
Make sure your dreams are from God,
following His plan for your life. Something
birthed from our own minds and flesh will
not bring forth God's promises. If one
portion of your life has been built by your
own ability and the other by the Spirit,
only the portion built by the Spirit of the
Lord will prosper. If someone builds his
life totally by self-promotion, he will not
prosper. The only things that will prosper
and thrive in your life are those things
that are received by the promise and
conceived and birthed through the Holy
Spirit.
Sister Freda
"Remember ye not the former
things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new
thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even
make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
" (Isaiah
43:18 NKJV)
The wilderness is where God brings
forth a fresh move of His Spirit. In order to know Him, we must
change. Changes that brings us closer to Him are not always easy,
but they are always good. Sometimes we resist change because it
affects our comfort level. In order to change and make the
transition from one level of glory to the next, we must be willing
to leave our comfort zone and pursue the way that the Spirit of the
Lord leads us. This path will sometimes lead us through a
wilderness where God causes new life to spring forth
In Jeremiah 29:12-13 we hear
"Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I
will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye
shall search for me with all your heart."
Praying by itself is not always
enough....you need to "seek" or "search" for God. This takes
effort. But in Hebrews 11:6 we see that "he
that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a
rewarder of them that diligently seek Him"
In Luke chapter 5 we read about the old
and the new wine...."No
man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he
saith, The old is better"....We
are humans, and we have patterns and habits. God must break those
comfort zones by emptying out the
old wine, and allowing us
to go through a dry time of preparation with
no wine, in order that we
might become thirsty for the
new wine......
"Blessed
are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they
shall be filled" (Matthew 5:6 NKJV)
I'm Thirsty !!!!!!
Sister Freda
Psalm
46:1 "God is our refuge and
strength, a very present
help in trouble"....
I love this verse in the
Bible. It is one of my
favorite verses, because it
reminds me that He is were
my HELP comes.
There are times when all of
us feel neglected, alone,
and afraid...But in those
times we should remember the
words of God in this verse.
It's easy to let the Devil
steal your joy....Sometimes
we feel down because of the
circumstances we are going
through. We suffer from
depression or
discouragement. In times
like these repeat this verse
and put the emphasis this
way:
"God is our refuge and strength, a
very PRESENT
help in trouble"....He is with you right now, while you are walking through this
valley, He walks right beside you....He knows what you are going through. Allow
Him to be your very PRESENT HELP in your time of trouble. Also remember that
David prayed in Psalm 55 "Return unto me the Joy of your Salvation".....
Nehemiah 8:10 says "For the joy
of the LORD is our strength"....
HE IS MY STRENGTH WHEN I AM
WEAK. HE IS THE LIFTER OF MY HEAD.
Psalm
18:1-3 "I love you, O Lord, my strength. The LORD is my
rock, my fortress and my deliverer, my God is my rock,
in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of
my salvation, my stronghold. I call to the LORD, who is
worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies".....
Whenever you need healing, go to the Lord.
When your
heart is aching, go to the Lord.
When you feel weak, go to the Lord. In any situation,
and with everything, go to the Lord.
Because....."God is our refuge and strength, a very
present help in trouble"
Sister Freda
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The "Bridge" group that meets once a
month is studying a book titled "Be Mature" by Warren
Wiersbe. This last lesson was really good, so I
thought I would share some of the highlights with you.
The Scripture reference is from James
1:19-27. The emphasis for the chapter we studied
last was taken from two verses in this reference....
verse 22 "deceiving your own selves" and
verse 26 "deceiveth his own heart". We talked
about when a Christian is fooling themselves about their
Christian walk.
In this scripture reference we find that
Christians have three responsibilities toward God's
Word. If we fulfill these three responsibilities
we will have an honest walk with God.
1. We should "Receive the Word"
(James 1:19-21) We need to take the Word into our hearts
as a seed and nurture it and let it grow. The test
of salvation is bearing "fruit". Real fruit has in
it the seed for more fruit, so that the harvest
continues to grow fruit, more fruit, much fruit...(John
15:1-5). We should be swift to hear, slow to
speak, and slow to wrath. We should have a
prepared heart. We may need to plow up the
hardness in our hearts so that we can plant that seed in
our heart. We may need to pull out the weeds to
prepare our hearts for the Word of God.
2. We need to "Practice the
Word". (James 1:22-25) It's not enough to hear
the Word, but we should DO the Word. Some people
think that just hearing a good sermon will make them
grow spiritually. But it's not hearing, but Doing
that brings the blessings of God. There are three
things we should do to be able to "practice the
Word"...1. examine ourselves with the
Word......are we a reflection of Him? 2. Let
the Word of God "restore" us. The Word of God has
"cleansing power". 3. Let the Word of God
"transform" us. The Lord wants to change us so
that we will grow in grace.
3. We should "Share the Word".
God wants us as Christians to share the Gospel of
Christ. We should live our lives in such a way
that we are a Witness of His grace and love to a lost
world. We should share the Word in our speech.
If our heart is right, our speech will be right.
We should also share the Word through service.
Words are no substitute for deeds. We should also
share the Word by being separate from the world.
We are in the world physically, but we should not be of
the world spiritually. The best way to minister to
the world is to be pure from the defilement of the
world.
Sister Freda
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