Luke 6:27-28
27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
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testimony
VLOG – “Comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
https://youtu.be/TQkZtlU32Rg
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
Video: Christmas with Heart of Grace Ministries
As we entered the Christmas season this year, the reality of family getting together makes us look to the past and how it is so easy when all the food and presents surround everyone that it sometimes is hard to really grasp the true Christmas Spirit. We made the decision to set aside an evening ( Pre-Christmas) to put an emphasis on what Christmas is really about. I wanted to share a small part of our gathering which includes a song and thoughts from Regina and Jared. Hope it helps everyone focus on the true meaning of Christmas. Merry Christmas from Heart of Grace!
Video: Testimony & Singing “Through it All”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m89OU76hozs
I’ve had many tears and sorrows,
I’ve had questions for tomorrow,
there’s been times I didn’t know right from wrong.
But in every situation,
God gave me blessed consolation,
that my trials come to only make me strong.
Through it all,
through it all,
I’ve learned to trust in Jesus,
I’ve learned to trust in God.
Through it all,
through it all,
I’ve learned to depend upon His Word.
I’ve been to lots of places,
I’ve seen a lot of faces,
there’s been times I felt so all alone.
But in my lonely hours,
yes, those precious lonely hours,
Jesus lets me know that I was His own
Through it all,
through it all,
I’ve learned to trust in Jesus,
I’ve learned to trust in God.
Through it all,
through it all,
I’ve learned to depend upon His Word.
I thank God for the mountains,
and I thank Him for the valleys,
I thank Him for the storms He brought me through.
For if I’d never had a problem,
I wouldn’t know God could solve them,
I’d never know what faith in God could do.
Video: Regina Testifies Live @ Ridgeview Heights Baptist Church
Regina sharing a quick testimony live @ Ridge View Heights Baptist Church
Enjoy the video!
Help Me Be Faithful To Believe In The Things I Cannot See
There was a season in my life recently where I was beginning to desire things to really move to the next chapter of what I was desiring to happen (new home, updated job, an ease in some stresses, etc.). As I began to pray God spoke to me through many sermons about the things in my life that must learn to be guided by faith and not by sight. Not too long after I began a serious pursuit for change in prayer I walked outside of my house at the time and beheld this:
At first glance this appears to be a normal beautiful day. Most days I would have probably looked over this and marched right in the car and went on…but something was different this time. What makes this picture different is that the clouds were covering the mountainside entirely and were taking the shape of the mountain in its entirety. IMMEDIATELY my spirit was quickened within me and I heard the words: “see the mountain by faith and not by sight”. What a mighty blessing this was to me!
I cannot hardly put into words this experience that I had but what it helped me to realize is that faith helps us shape what does not appear to be what we want into what we are desiring. Faith simply reveals what our sight is covering. My prayer has been since this experience: “God help me to see the things that I cannot see with my own understanding. Help me to see things by faith and not simply but what my perception tells me” Since this experience God has blessed me many times over what I ever expected to happen. However my friends I must say that the biggest life changer for me that goes beyond the materials things was the lesson I learned that day about faith. Faith helps me move mountains by seeing beyond the fact that I cannot see it move. Faith helps me believe in the things that would seem impossible. And without faith our purpose is dead. Live to grow your faith to see Christ and the wonder of His love for your life. Be faithful to receive the goal of your faith. I close with this passage:
1 Peter 1:5-9
“who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith–of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire–may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
Victory Begins With Thankfulness
Click To Play
Click To Play
Luke 18:9-14
[9] And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
[10] Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
[11] The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
[12] I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
[13] And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
[14] I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
The Pharisee was unaware of his greatest need. He started with thanks but it was the wrong kind. He was not thanking God for what grace had done for him, but for what he had done. This is the wrong attitude to possess! It was a “prayerless” prayer: he had said a prayer but did not pray any. Prayers centered on our efforts will be about what we have done and not done. You see, he needed something human effort could not get. The Pharisee was unconcerned about the publican. The difference filled him with pride and not compassion. True thanksgiving produces thankful living.
Ask ourselves, are we thankful for?
- Love
- Mercy
- Compassion
- Peace
- Faithfulness
- Patience
- Kindness
- Benevolence
- Blessings
- Longsuffering
- Joy
- Perseverance
- Persistence
- Boldness
- Gladness
- Willingness
- Eagerness
- Leadership
- Salvation
- Blood of Jesus
- Baptism
- Forgiveness
- New Home In Heaven and Gone From hell
- Life Eternal
- Our soul will never die!
True thanksgiving changes us. Even though the Pharisee was at a good place (temple) and went with good intentions (to pray) he went out unchanged and not justified by faith. Millions of people go out unchanged from church. Strive to not make the same mistake!
Let us learn to walk as this publican. He went home forgiven and could then be truly thankful!
Somebody Pinch Me, This Has To Be A Dream…
One thing after another, right after another. Somebody says this, or you overhear somebody saying that. You stubbed your toe immediately followed by hitting your head on the way up. You just overdrew your checking account only to realize 3 other checks haven’t even cleared yet. You just bought a car and two days later see it totaled. Your pet totally destroyed a family heirloom that you told all of your family about that you were going to display for Christmas. You are 45 minutes late to something you were supposed to not only be there for but lead. In all reality I am thinking on some of these scenarios and yet the truth is that sometimes life can get so bad that we surely think that it has to be a dream.
Can you relate to some of these? Is it bringing thoughts to your own mind where the worst case scenarios decided to show up uninvited? Does this connect with you at work, at home or at church? For all of us it is safe to say in a very down to earth way that we have all been through some things! I am sure you could add some stories here that are some real ‘doozies’!
When I think about some ‘doozies’ in the bible it brings me to mind the life of Jonah and the humor that you find in Gods wisdom.
The bigger part of Jonahs testimony seems almost like a dream (to think that one minute he is riding on a boat trying to get away from something he felt was too hard to do, followed by being tossed out to sea and being in the depths of that sea in a whale!). I am sure somewhere through that whimsical journey in the inner parts of this mammal that he must have thought to himself “this can’t be happening!”…well at least I think that is what I would have said!
Looking back now I can see at least 8-10 different moments in my life where I can remember saying to myself “this cannot be happening” or “when is there an end to this?!?” If I knew back then some of the things I have learned now I would not be able to write this today. Through the experience of a testimony I can say to everybody I know that though at times life seems grim that there still is hope for all through Jesus Christ!
You Will Not Be Received Everywhere But Will Be Where God Wants You
One of the biggest lessons that I ever had to learn in my life was through a very hard personal experience. I share this testimony to you to speak for and to show how amazing the healing power of God’s spirit works. Or in other words, please read as a person of Godly character.
Since I have been born I have always been in church somewhere. Out of all the places that I have ever attended, there was one that I spent most of my time in. It was the church I grew up in, my heritage, my starting place. It was the venue that I started life in my mothers womb as she played piano at and grew up through the age of accountability. For a space of time once I began to enter into my teen years I had a falling away from church and God all together. In the few times that I made it to church though people loved me and helped me (even when I looked like I didn’t deserve it). However during this time and season I was going back and forth driving by that same place I had grew up all my life in and remembered all of the words and love that I had heard and felt all of my life…but yet a thought began to provoke me: where was the love I needed outside of the building?
As it turns out the same place that I had been educated and led by God to salvation would not be the venue of my prodigal son moment; for as it turned out it was in a place of completely different denomination and people I had never known. In the first few weeks of my deliverance I began to have a great boldness and zeal for God (as we mostly do starting out). I had actually announced my calling to preach and had began working in a few churches. It finally hit me one day, “Why don’t I go by and visit that church?” In doing so I came to discover something that left me greatly confused: not only was the reception different than it used to be but it declined with every visit.
When I realized what God was teaching me, my heart broke. I now knew something I did not know before. As I began phasing out it became evident that the lack of love and support was never to do with where I came from but where I was now. And whether anyone will ever read this or not I am stating it anyway: working together as churches, ministries and people should never be separated by a name on the door or the doctrine it represents. To this day the door has never been opened for me to come and minister to where my heritage began. I’m not grieved, though. In fact to this day I thank God that he appoints my open doors and sends me to places where I can be of help. And to this day I hold nothing against anyone and love each and every person dearly that helped be a part of the earlier years of my life. In fact, I have had an abundant outpouring of those who were rallying for me to continue to grow knowing the circumstance!
In conclusion, here’s what I leave you with today: if you have to leave all that you have known behind to step into your calling and walk in the favor of God, do it! If people will not receive you then let go of the affliction that this would bring (shake the dust from your feet) and move on. Please do not ever let anything be as a hindrance to the true will of God for your life!
Shake The Dust Off Of Your Feet And Don’t Be A Dust Thrower!
Feeling rejected? Wondering what the deal is with your ministry? Been discouraged by others recently? At some point I believe we have all been in that moment before. We have all had things that have presented themselves as very humbling experiences, right? Trust me, I have seen it all. While singing and speaking in times past I have had people in full blown conversations, texting on their cell phones, sleeping, leaving, shaking their heads, eating, posing an intentional distraction. I’ve had people turn down my microphone on purpose, get up and leave and return when I was finished, tell me to my face that I preach too long, and inform me that I would never preach at their church because I was too radical. I have had people inspired (all of a sudden) to have their personal bible study and not pay attention for the entirety. I have even been cut off right in the middle of exhortation simply because some were afraid of things getting a little too exciting. I wish I could say that one of these were my personal favorite experiences that helped me grow, but the truth is that at the time it really hurt to feel! I am happy to know that as I have grown that God has given me the wisdom in this area and I am going to share some concepts with you that have helped me stay effective.
When it comes to being effective in your ministry, one thing will always be clear in relevance to growth: in order to be a successful worker for God you must be able to continue in spite of facing rejection or a lack of support. The bible gives reference to the perfect scenario: “And whosoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them.” This passage in Luke 9 opens up a very interesting thought and question I have today. Consider when you attend your own church and do your absolute best that you can and feel rejected. Does it mean that if you were not received that you are a failure and that its time to hang it up? No, in fact this should begin to allow you to understand the difference in the rejection of the word that you bring versus a rejection of just you.
A rejection of the word of God is often times perceived to be the dislike of a person. Think about the passage that refers to the bible principle that “light has no fellowship with darkness”. I send a word of encouragement to tell you that everyone does not despise YOU, but the word that is WITHIN you. If you are continually waiting for the perfect fellowship with people that you know need to hear a strong word then you are going to be waiting forever. I’ll be as bold to say that you will never have the FULL support of any church no matter where you may roam. Why? Because if there are those that are not walking in the will of God or have a relationship then a natural fear of change from their sin or unwillingness that simply cannot accept the word when they choose not to. So when we say to shake the dust off your feet as a testimony “against them”, it is simply saying to show others that you will not be moved from the call or the obedience that the call brings. Remember that Jesus was not even received in His own country and how you may not be either. You may just have a situation with a very simple solution: people that know you and grow numb to the value of your call need to see a strength within you that shakes off the bad when they ignore you!
Are we going to begin to dust ourselves off to show the strength of God? Do we realize that it is God’s word that conflicts with people and not a personal issue against us? If we can begin to grasp these concepts there will be so many church services everywhere that we all go that will be saved, salvaged and actually promote the strength of the God’s people to draw others!
The other contrast of this thought that I leave you with is to not be the person that throws the dust upon another. You may have a church where you just have a few that attend and know each other on a personal level. If you do and you find yourself almost getting “bored” with others, I speak with a spiritual urgency to start drawing closer to God for a greater love than what is on the surface. Being bored or complacent in church shows a lack in breaking down self. Remember that we need each other and that one day you will miss the worth of those around you when God moves them to another chapter in life.