The Master's Touch

Keep Your Ground Moist

2010-08-24T12:26:00.000-07:00

Isaiah 55:10-11 For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater. So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
Have you ever looked to the Lord for something; whether finance or healing, or a change in a loved one? You sought the Lord, went to the word and built your faith. You were diligent and did not give up. Then the Rhema Word of God came and you saw things happen. The drought suddenly broke with a rain fall and the ground was watered. You saw God move. Glory halleluiah you received breakthrough! You rejoiced and you praised the Lord for your miracle.
Then not long after things started to get dry again। What now? What is going on? Why? Well now remember it is a continuous cycle. A seed needs more than one little shower to survive, it needs a regular supply of water.

Just like the water that fell, went again to the sea, and again was drawn to form the cloud, so should be your confession of faith, a constant cycle that you do all the time। The word needs to be returned, not just when things go bad, not when you suddenly find your ground dry. Faith must be exercised when the rain has fallen too, to ensure that the next rainfall is on its way. That way your ground is always moist. See it takes time for water to saturate dry ground, but if it is already moist, results occur faster because it the groundwork has already been done.

The just shall live by faith daily। As you apply this principle to every aspect of your life, be it the protection of your children or a financial supply, or healing, you will never know lack. Your ground will never be barren and dry because the Word of the Lord will saturate your life and always producing seed to the sower and bread for the eater.

God Bless Us All,
Angeline
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Join me in the Save My Loved Ones Community Room where everyone is welcome including anyone who wants to find their way to God. As the founder my desire is to see you walk in "Total Victory". We share both the FUN and the SERIOUS side of Christianity!! http://savemylovedones.spruz.com

A Word Concerning Your Unsaved Loved Ones

2010-08-24T12:19:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah 31:3 – Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.

Isaiah 49:16 – See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.

I read a story once of a man who practiced witchcraft and held one of the highest positions in the hierarchy. Most people would have just given up on him and thought he had no hope and was forever doomed. But there were people who loved him in spite of his terrible deeds and lifestyle, and they were praying for him. This man actually came to know the Lord and renounced his evil practices. In fact, after the Lord saved him, he started fighting against the kingdom of darkness and began witnessing to those who were involved in it as well.

If God saved and used this man because of the influence and persistent prayers of his friends and family, then know that there is much hope for your loved ones who are unsaved to come to know the Lord.

And I want to add that my earthly father was also a hard case and the Lord Our God saved and delivered him too and many of my family members and He will do the same for you and yours.

The Lord loves each person so much and He's not going to give up on anyone. That is why He says His love is everlasting. So as you lift up your loved ones and seek the Lord to bring them into His Kingdom, He will move on your behalf and use every means that He has to draw them in. He knows just what it will take to get their attention so that they will make the right move.

Once your loved ones are saved and have come to the Lord, He will never leave them nor forsake them. You and each believer is inscribed, or imprinted, on the palms of His hands. In other words, He can never ever forget you. Every time He sees His hands, He is reminded of you and His love for you, and He's not going to let you go even though Satan may try to divert and pull you away.

Whew! Halleluiah now that calls for a shout break! Glory to God!

The Lord not only loves those who do not know Him and woos them until they come to accept Him through salvation, but there are also many Christians who have strayed away or become disillusioned in their walk with the Lord. They have sometimes turned their backs on Him and become despondent because they have been deceived into thinking He does not love or care for them.

It is so sad when this happens, and there are many possible reasons for them turning aside from their commitment. But, like those loved ones you may be praying for who are unsaved, you can still hold the same influence on loved ones who have strayed away from the Lord. He will honor your faith and help them to come back into the fold. Nothing will ever stop them from being accepted back to Him, no matter what they have done or may have become.

Whatever your need is today, for unsaved family or family who've strayed from the Lord after being saved, I want to encourage you to never give up on the Lord. He is able to save to the utmost, and He will do it as you trust Him continually. Do not get despondent if it seems that the person is getting worse or going further away when you pray for him or her. The Lord knows what He is doing and sometimes He has to bring people to the end of themselves before they will hold out their hands to Him, to pull them out of the quicksand they are in.

As I close I want to remind you of one last thing - salvation is for you and your whole household. Rejoice greatly. The Lord is saving each one of you. Watch Him do His miracle work in your life and that of your loved ones.

For a prayer we pray at Save My Loved Ones Teaching and Prayer Ministries for backslidden and unsaved Loved Ones visit http://www.savemylovedones.com/prayermanual/id23.html.

Feel free to pray the prayer for your unsaved loved ones and friends believing that God will save them….

God Bless Us All,
Angeline

Join me in the Save My Loved Ones Community Room where everyone is welcome including anyone who wants to find their way to God. As the founder my desire is to see you walk in "Total Victory". We share both the FUN and the SERIOUS side of Christianity!! http://savemylovedones.spruz.com

The Single Christian Mingle Network

2010-05-31T16:48:00.000-07:00

The Single Christian Mingle Network Home Page
Single Christian Mingle is the place to find wonderful new friends, romance and even marriage! Join if you are seeking your mate for life, if you desire to live a purposeful life for Christ or if you're looking for a friend, a Bible study partner, or a pen pal from a different country. God bless you, and may He give you the desires of your heart! Christian owned absolutely 100% Free. SIGN UP FOR YOUR FREE MEMBERSHIP!

Imagine....

2009-11-19T09:23:00.000-08:00

Imagine there's no Heaven. It's easy if you try.
No hell below us, above us only sky.
Imagine all the people Living for today

Imagine there's no countries. It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for and no religion too.
Imagine all the people living life in peace

You may say that I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us!
And the world will be as one

Behold, I Am Coming Soon!

My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Revelation 22:12

I looked again. I saw a huge crowd, too huge to count. Everyone was there—all nations and tribes, all races and languages. And they were standing, dressed in white robes and waving palm branches, standing before the Throne and the Lamb and heartily singing: Salvation to our God on his Throne! Salvation to the Lamb!

You may say I'm a dreamer but I'm not the only one.
I hope someday you'll join us and the world will live as one

Receive Jesus!!

http://www.savemylovedones.com/id128.html

TESTIMONY: Obedience Better Than Sacrifice

2009-11-19T09:20:00.000-08:00

Back in the first week of June, 2009 I posted a prayer request: Pray For America and Korea. http://www.savemylovedones.com/id132.html

On that morning when I arose I clearly remembered a dream I had during the night. In the dream I was praying and looked off to my far right and there were Angels of God working and doing things on my behalf, working out the situation I had been praying about. As I watched them a man came out from among them, he was not an angel of God, but he came out from the midst of them. As he walked toward me I could see that his man was President Kim Jong-il of North Korea. He walked past me with his head down and sadly said it is done.

I asked what this dream meant. This is what I heard:

I have given you instruction to pray for America and Korea. (Several days prior I felt an urgent need to pray for Korea and America, but my personal situations took precedence.) The situation you have been praying about concerning your finances is already done and will be released when you walk in obedience. Gather the people together to pray for Korea and America. As they pray the windows will be opened and what has been held up will be released. This is what the Lord told me that morning.

Today He has instructed me to share my testimony and post the request to pray for America and Korea again, along with the prayers of others listed on the Prayer Wallshttp://www.savemylovedones.com

My Testimony
At that time I was in desperate need of a financial breakthrough, my car and shelter was at serious risk.

• On June 10th I got a call from someone who wanted to bless me with a 2007 PT Cruiser which I am driving now free of payments. It was delivered to me on June 18th

• I have received close to $2000 in unexpected funds to help pay my bills.

I cannot stress to you how important it is to be obedient and move when God says to move and to pray for others.

So here I am again coming to you telling you what God said. If you have been praying about a situation or a need I ask you what have you been asking God for? Who has God told you to bless? Who has God told you to pray for? Who has God told you to do?

Don’t second guess God! Just do it!

We are still praying for America and Korea and for the needs of others. If you would like to join me visit the prayer walls here: http://www.savemylovedones.com

Does this line up with God’s word? …. Scripture tells us in James 5:16-20 “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops. My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, 20 you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins. (James 5:16-20 - New Living Translation)

So your prayers as a child of God who walks in the righteousness of Christ are powerful and as you pray for the needs of another, God will touch you too.

Visit the prayer walls here: http://www.savemylovedones.com

God bless us all,
Angeline

God is Speaking... Are You Listening?

2009-11-19T09:19:00.000-08:00

God is constantly telling me to encourage those I come in contact with to bless others. Many don't realize how important it is to "put God first", to move when he says move, do when God says do, give when he says give. Ask God what will he have you to, whom will he have you to bless and then don't hesitate or procrastinate - Just do it!

Jesus already said in Luke 18: 29-30 No one who has sacrificed home, spouse, brothers and sisters, parents, children—whatever—will lose out. It will all come back multiplied many times over in your lifetime. And then the bonus of eternal life!"

You say you trust God - let your actions outspeak your words.

God said in Isaiah 58:6-9 (The Message)
"This is the kind of fast day I'm after: to break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts. What I'm interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, being available to your own families. Do this and the lights will turn on, and your lives will turn around at once.Your righteousness will pave your way. The God of glory will secure your passage. Then when you pray, God will answer. You'll call out for help and I'll say, 'Here I am.'

What have you been asking God for?
Who has God told you to bless?

Who has God told you to pray for?

Who has God told you to do?

Do this and the lights will turn on,

and your lives will turn around at once.

Need a financial blessing?
Do this and the lights will turn on,
and your lives will turn around at once.

Need a job?
Do this and the lights will turn on,
and your lives will turn around at once.

Whatever you have been praying for that has been held up?
Do this and the lights will turn on,
and your lives will turn around at once.

Remember: Don’t second guess God, Just Do It?

If you have not read it yet I invite you to read: UPTATE TESTIMONY:
(Pray For America and Korea) Obedience Better Than Sacrifice.

God bless you,
Angeline

It Is Written….

2009-11-04T12:06:00.000-08:00

Jesus fought the battles with Satan when He walked the earth with scripture. When He was tempted on the mount by Satan, every thing Satan threw at Him, He replied back to him with scripture, "It is written". God’s word is absolute truth, it is Gods promises to us as his children, and it is Gods promises to those who do not accept him as well, what will become of them.

The enemy cannot stand against Gods Word, because it is the Truth. He is absolutely defenseless against it, when it is spoken in in faith, it has to manifest and Satan has to release the situation, he has to flee. The following scripture prayers here pertain to healing (healing in mind, body and soul). Use them as encouragement. Meditate on them for your breakthrough.

Praying scripture is praying with authority, it is powerful and it cannot fail you. As blood bought children of God, we have the authority to speak His words and the angels in Heaven will go forth and perform them, just the same as if the Lord speaks them. The angels harken to the voice of the word of God. It is written in Psalms 103:20 Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.

It is written in 1 Peter 2:24 that By Jesus' stripes I am healed.

It is written in 3 John 2 that it is God's will that I prosper and be in health, just as my soul prospers.

It is written in Exodus 15:26 that the Lord is my healer.

It is written in Exodus 23:25 that as I serve the Lord, sickness is taken from my midst.

It is written in Psalms 103:3 that Healing is one of God's benefits.

It is written in John 3:14 that Jesus is the serpent of the pole lifted up in the New Covenant for my healing and deliverance.

It is written in Psalms 107:20 that God sent His Word and healed me.

It is written in Proverbs 4:20-22 God's Word is life to my body and health to my flesh.

It is written in James 1:17 that God gives me good and perfect gifts. He has no sickness or disease to give me.

It is written in James 4:7 as I submit to God and resist the devil, he must flee from me. Sickness and disease must flee from me.

It is written in Galatians 3:13 that I am justified by faith, not by works of the law.

It is written in Galatians 3:13 that Jesus redeemed me from the curse of the law.

It is written in Deuteronomy 28:1-14 that the blessings of Abraham have come upon me.

It is written in Proverbs 18:21 that the resurrection power of Jesus Christ flows from my tongue as I speak words of life.

It is written in Mark 11:22, 23 that I have been given authority in the name of Jesus to speak to the mountains that I face. As I command the mountains of sickness, despair, hopelessness, and lack to be removed in Jesus' name, they must go and be replaced with the fullness of God's blessings.

It is written in Joshua 1:8 as I meditate on the Word of God day and night, God's prosperity and success are overtaking me in all realms of life.

It is written in Romans 12:3 that the measure of faith God gave me is growing by leaps and bounds.

It is written in Matthew 17:20 that because my faith is growing, nothing is impossible unto me.

It is written in 1 John 3:8, Acts 10:38 that Satan cannot dominate or oppress my life, because Jesus came to set me free.

It is written in Rom. 8:35-39 I rise above anything and everything the devil throws at me. Nothing can keep me down, for I am more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus.

It is written in Isaiah 60:1 today I will rise to new life from the depression and prostration in which circumstances have kept me.

It is written in Psalms 90:10 that the days of my life are seventy years-and if by reason of strength eighty.

It is written in Proverbs 10:27 that my obedience to the Lord prolongs my life.

It is written in Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart is good like a medicine: but a broken spirit dries the bones.

It is written in Exodus 15:26 ... I am the Lord that heals you.

It is written in 2 Corinthians 5:7 We walk by faith, not by sight.

It is written in Jeremiah 33:6 NIV Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal My people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security.

It is written in Psalm 41:3 NIV that the Lord will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness.

It is written in Matthew 8:17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

It is written in Isaiah 41:10 NIV So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

It is written in Joel 3:10 ... let the weak say, I am strong.

It is written in Psalm 30:2 NIV O Lord my God, I called to You for help and You healed me.

How many of you would die for your beliefs?

2009-10-08T09:54:00.000-07:00

If the persecution started and you were taken from you home and put on the chopping block for the whole world to see. Would you denounce your belief for the sake of not being persecuted today? If not, do you go out and spread the words of your beliefs on an everyday basis? If you do not go out and spread the word, are you denouncing your belief to a certain degree?

Feel free to share your thoughts…

This question was posted on a social group of which I am a member. I started writing my comments and the Holy Spirit just kept going. I am sharing what I wrote with you. When I got done I realized it is rather long, but will bless everyone who takes the time to read it.

I believe if we do not share Jesus with those who are among us every day, especially when we sense the Holy Spirit saying to do so we are in a sense denouncing, scared or ashamed of our belief to a certain degree. Such as Peter who was a God-fearing, loyal person, zealous for the kingdom of God, but as we know in a crunch he denied Christ 3 times.

I believe Peter learned a valuable lesson that day and he grew from that experience in leaps and bounds because he later said "I am writing all this for the purpose that you "stand fast in the grace of God." Stand fast in the grace of God. Not by might, nor by power, but by the power of the Holy Spirit. Peter had learned that lesson the hard way.

Let’s say your best friend, your sibling, cousin, parent or coworker is not a Christian and today driving home they get in a car accident today and died. You know they would go to hell because they did not believe that Jesus Christ is there savior. Well what if you had been bold enough to talk to them on a certain occasion when you felt the urge to do so, their heart would have been softened and they would have believed, yet because you were not bold, SCARED and ASHAMED you did not and that person died not knowing Christ and was not saved.

Years ago I felt an urgency to speak with a lady name Kate at work about Christ. So I began to try on breaks and each time I did she would change the subject or just totally ignore me. I felt an urgency to try one last time and did not because she kept rejecting me. Then 2 days later I walked into the bathroom at work and found her passed out on the floor. I tried to talk to her but she was incoherent. I ran and got my supervisor who called 911. She died there on the floor. I felt so bad, sort of like Peter did.

That incident has always stayed with me. I know she did not receive the Lord when I talked to her. I then realized that after she rejected me my attitude toward her was not one of love and I did not go back as the Holy Spirit said. Oh my goodness once I saw that I felt bad, really bad. That changed my life. I repented and forgave myself and I am learning to heed the voice of God whether it is comfortable, convenient or whatever. I am also learning that when I rely on the Spirit much more is accomplished.

A couple of years later one Saturday morning I got an urge for a coca-cola and heard the Holy Spirit say to walk to the store and get one. Well I had a car in the drive-way and it was like 98 degrees outside and it not a short walk. So I kept putting it off. Then I head the Holy Spirit say” get up and go now” and it did not sound gentle. So in reverent fear I got up and started walking not know why I had to leave my car in the drive way and walk in all that heat. Then suddenly I was walking past a patch of bushes and from behind me I heard someone say “hey, hey you wait up”. I turned and saw this woman who looked like an absolute mess. I could tell she was high and was not sure what she wanted so I kept walking. Then she said, “hey, you a preacher ain’t you?” So I stopped and told her no not really, but I am saved. She said, “I just left the crack house, I have been there all night. I am there almost every night. This crack is destroying me but I don’t know how to leave it alone. I need help.”

Oh my goodness I realized now why I had to walk to the store. We kept walking and talking and I asked the Lord what He wanted me to say and do. I told her that God could deliver her from the drugs if she really wanted it. She said yes. By this time we had reached to store. I told her that I could pray for her and that God would deliver her. She said “right here?” I said yes but if you are uncomfortable we can go behind the store if you want and we did. I prayed, she accepted and God delivered. I gave her my number and she called me about a month later. Tears of joys flood me as she began to thank me for being obedient to God and said that she had not used drugs again since that day and was in a church and felt better than she had ever felt in her life. This is another incident that has stayed with me about being obedient to voice of God.

A few years later I was visiting my home in Miami and was in Winn-Dixie when a man I had gone to school with called my name. I turned to see who had called me. I did not recognize him at first, it had been years and he looked like life had drugged him through the mud. Standing there I specifically heard the Holy Spirit say “tell him this is his last time”. Well I knew what the Holy Spirit was talking about. So I told him that I was saved and the difference the Lord had made in my life. I could tell he was trying to brush me off but did not want to just be rude and walk away. Then I asked him if he had ever accepted Christ and he said no. I told him if he wanted to he could do it right now. He said no. Then I told him what I heard the Holy Spirit say to me that this was his last chance to do so. I said I will pray with you right now or we can go outside to a quiet place or to my car if you are ashamed and he still said no. I walked away so hurt because from what I heard I knew he was on his way to hell. I got the Miami Times that Thursday which is a weekly black paper and was looking through the obituaries and there he was. He had died that same evening not long after we spoke.

I mention this because people we know are dying without eternal life everyday. All of are in a sense are called to be martyrs. If we love the Lord like we say we do, then we must love with the same dying love Christ had for us. We must speak and tell others about Christ, offer ourselves to Christ be mouthpieces, hand holders, shoulders and knees even without the gun to our heads but because Love compels us to.

Prayer is a powerful force in the lives of our unsaved relatives and friends. People often get discouraged when praying for the salvation of loved ones and begin to wonder if their prayers ever really help. Yes they do! I could give you stories, but I have kept you long enough. However, God has called me to form Save My Love Ones Prayer Ministries International were we pray for our loved ones. Those saved and unsaved. If you have a family members, friends, coworkers, spouses, parents or whoever whom you know are unsaved I invite you to submit a prayer request to http://savemylovedones.ning.com or http://www.savemylovedones.com with their names and we will pray for their salvation and you can join us as well as we pray.

God bless us all,
Angeline

God Is Not Mad!

2009-09-26T11:47:00.000-07:00

I got word of someone who is very dear to me the other night. The word was that they are doing very bad. Strung out on drugs and living in an abandoned garage. As I heard this heartbreaking news, all I could think of was the prodigal son living in the hog pen. I was reminded that the prodigal son came to himself and went home. I began to pray for my dear loved one, that he would come to himself and come home, back to Jesus who in no wise would cast him out, but welcome him with open arms.

Knowing this person as I do I began to think what he must be thinking at night when everything is quiet in that abandoned garage? Was he thinking that God is mad at him? Was he thinking that God could never forgive him for the mistake he made? Was he thinking that he is hopelessly addicted and that he can never be free? Having made such a mess of his life, how could he possibly return to the family home?

I wanted so desperately to reach out to him, to tell him that there is nothing he has done that changed God’s love for him. I wanted to tell him that he is not without hope. I wanted to tell him to rise up out this hog pen and go home.

Maybe you are in a similar situation. Maybe you are addicted to drugs, alcohol, involved in homosexuality, working as a prostitute. Maybe your life is in ruins because of bad decisions or a disastrous marriage. Maybe you are a prodigal son, a prodigal daughter.

Let me ask you a question. How long will you continue in the hog pen? What is it going to take for you to come home? No doctor, No counselor, no drug rehabilitation center, or any other human being can change you. You need to make decision! The choices are simple. Stay where you are and die or go home and live.

The prodigal son although deeply ashamed, decided to go home, to beg his father’s forgiveness. As he approached his home he was surprised to find his father running to greet him. There were no harsh criticisms. He did not ask for an explanation or demand an apology. He never said I told you so. He just put his arms around his son and with tears of joy said “my son has come home, let us celebrate his return. What a miracle this was.

Beloved Jesus told the story of the prodigal son so you will know this same miracle is waiting for you too. Jesus Christ is that miracle!

Before I became a Christian I used to see car tags that said, “Jesus is the Answer” and would wonder how could Jesus be the answer to all problems. I found out that Jesus is answer because He is the way to God.

Jesus Christ loves you as much as He loves me and every other person that has stepped out of the hog pen and come home . He doesn't play favorites, and He never turns anybody down who calls on Him for help. Jesus said: "Him who comes to me, I will not cast out" (John 6:37).

Jesus knows you. He sees you in that hog pen. He knows exactly where you are, what you are going through, and He cares about you. He wants you to come home.

Maybe in a time of desperation you called out to Jesus and got the impression He didn't hear you or maybe you thought that you were not good enough for Him to help you. I want to tell you that are good enough, He does want to help you. The trouble is, you didn't really want to change, you just wanted temporary relief. Think about it how many times have you found yourself in a situation and said “God if you get me out this I will never do so and so again”. When deep down inside you knew, you did not mean it. You just wanted to feel better, a temporary fix, a patch up.

Truth is God is not a temporary fix or patch-up God. He wants to make you over into a brand new person who is not a slave to sin. The Bible says, "If anyone gets into Jesus he becomes a brand new person inside. He is not the same anymore. A new life has begun!" (2 Corinthians 5:17 Living Bible).

Again, I ask how long will you continue in the hog pen? What is it going to take for you to come home? Do you want this miracle power in your life? Are you even curious enough to find out if it's really true and possible for you? Is your heart being stirred right now? Are you even considering what I am saying? That is the Holy Spirit tugging at your heart. Don’t resist. Don’t keep ignoring Christ. You do not have to continue living in misery and pain. Rise up, lay the shame, the stubbornness and the pride down, step out the hog pen and come home.

I don't care if you are the biggest crack addict or drug dealer the US, prostitute, child molester, homosexual, drunk, satan worshipper or whatever, you are loved by Jesus Christ. He doesn't call you unfit or unworthy, He calls you His friend.

You may think that you are powerless to resist, that you are never going to get out of the mess you are. No. That is not true it is a lie of Satan! No one is hooked by sin. No one is hopelessly addicted. The devil cannot hold you captive anymore because Jesus Christ died on the cross and destroyed the power of the devil. Jesus Christ made him weak and powerless. Either you recognize you are lost and want to come home or you want to stay lost. It is your choice.

If you make the decision to rise up and step out of the hog pen and come home the devil has no right to keep you there. If you make the decision to come home, you can experience the miracle of the prodigal son too.

How do you come home? Remember that Jesus died on the cross to set you free from Satan's power -- and then call out to Him to take over your life. He will do it! Come out from among those who keep you in hog pen, find good church, Christian friends, and start reading your Bible regularly.

Make the call:
Dear Jesus -- I need a miracle. I believe You can remake me into a new person.Forgive me of all my sins and set me free. I believe You are God's Son,that You have all power in heaven and earth, and You hear me praying. I give You my life right now, and I will take You at Your word -- and accept Your love and forgiveness. Amen!

How Can Christians Show The Love Of God?

2009-09-24T17:18:00.000-07:00

Not too long ago I received a prayer request from a young mother of five who was facing foreclosure. Since I am one who is quick to pray I prayed, but along with prayer I believe that when it is within my power to help in other ways it also my Christian responsibility to do so. So on July 29, 2009 at 8:15 pm I posted a request to my Christian brothers and sisters to join me in raising funds for this mother to help her save her home I posted the request to several Christian groups I am a part of. I received one reply from a sister saying that she would pray and weeks later received a reply from an Apostle who wanted to know how things turned out with no mention of intent to help.

My heart was broken, my spirit grieved and honestly, I became very disappointed and discouraged. Not in my faith because I know that I serve the same God who parted the red sea and fed 5,000 with two fish and five loaves of bread and He is definitely capable of doing whatever is necessary for my sister to keep her home. I also know that God does not need us per say to bless anyone; however, He does give us golden opportunities to be a blessing to others for own sakes, and will bring people across our path with a need because He wants to bless us.

As a single mother who struggled for a period to raise my 3 children I understood this mother’s concern and also was too familiar with the response। I knew people would begin to judge her, ignore the plea and try to rationalize their behavior by saying things like” I need help myself” “I don’t know her” “God will make a way” and so on.

I was truly disappointed that there was not one reply from the several hundred people who say they love God saying yes I will give $1 to help this mother and her 5 children keep a roof over their head that they have been in for 16 years. To me 16 years says something, it says that she is not a person who is lazy or who does not take care of her responsibilities, but someone who fell on hard times and needed a helping hand. I sowed what I could sacrifice, reposted the plea and waited, again nothing. Again, I tried to rationalize on behalf of my Christian brothers and sisters by saying to myself “well so many are hurting right now in this economy” yet the Word of God kept ringing in my ear.

What troubled, discouraged and grieved me the most was all the posts, emails and messages I receive from my Christian brothers and sisters geared at teaching others about the goodness of Christ, who we are in Christ, the power of the Gospel and so forth. Suddenly all those words just became talk with no heart substance behind it. I know that is a hard statement to make but that is what 1st Corinthians 13 tells us. I am sure you have heard the saying “talk is cheap”. Well that is a true statement for love is action, doing sharing, sacrificing, helping.

Jesus did all of these when He stood in our stead and showed love in His actions on the cross and while here on earth. There is no greater love than to lay down your life for your brother.

Jesus said in John 13:34-35 (Amplified Bible): I give you a new commandment: that you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another. By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves].

Paul by leading of the Holy Spirit said in John 3:14-21 (The Message): The way we know we've been transferred from death to life is that we love our brothers and sisters। Anyone who doesn't love is as good as dead. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know very well that eternal life and murder don't go together. This is how we've come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves. If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God's love? It disappears. And you made it disappear. My dear children, let's not just talk about love; let's practice real love. This is the only way we'll know we're living truly, living in God's reality. It's also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves.Jesus also said in Matthew 7:12 (Amplified Bible) So then, whatever you desire that others would do to and for you, even so do also to and for them, for this is (sums up) the Law and the Prophets.

Beloved Christ lived this way and gave His all for us. When confronted with a need from anyone He did His best to meet it. No one came to Him and did not receive something. I know we are not Christ, BUT WE ARE his representatives here on earth. WE ARE THE CHRIST THAT THE WORLD SEES. Jesus said in John 13:35 “By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves]. I also know that we cannot help everyone, but I do believe when God boldly brings another’s need before us we should recognize Him and do what we can, no matter how small.

I pose this question to my Christian brothers and sisters - putting yourself in this mother’s shoes, what impression would you walk away with?

A Pharisaic lawyer once asked our Lord, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 22:36-40)In Luke 6:31-36 He said, “Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them! If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that. If you only help those who help you, do you expect a medal? Garden-variety sinners do that. If you only give for what you hope to get out of it, do you think that's charity? The stingiest of pawnbrokers does that. I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You'll never—I promise—regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we're at our worst. Our Father is kind; you be kind. Luke 6:31-36 (The Message)

In these scriptures Jesus is admonishing us (His followers) to be above, love above the world’s standards, above the religious standards. Christian love is giving to others those things that you would want them to give you if you were in their situation -- and it's doing so even if they can't pay you back.We as Christian must acknowledge and remember that everything we have - EVERYTHING is because God loves us and has entrusted it to us. We may feel like we don’t have much and religious and fearful thoughts may tell us that we are to be good stewards over what God has given. But in the parable in Matthew 25:24-30 the steward who was given one talent said “I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is your own”. Then in verse 28 we see that this did not please the Master at all and the servant’s talent was taken away. The Master, the seed-giver gave the seed and expected that the servant do something with the seed entrusted to him for the kingdom, yet the servant was afraid of the very source of his wealth and showed a definite lack of trust.

2 Corinthians 8:10-15 tell us that God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you're ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done. As one psalmist puts it, He throws caution to the winds, giving to the needy in reckless abandon. His right-living, right-giving ways never run out, never wear out. This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God. Carrying out this social relief work involves far more than helping meet the bare needs of poor Christians. It also produces abundant and bountiful thanksgivings to God. This relief offering is a prod to live at your very best, showing your gratitude to God by being openly obedient to the plain meaning of the Message of Christ. You show your gratitude through your generous offerings to your needy brothers and sisters, and really toward everyone. Meanwhile, moved by the extravagance of God in your lives, they'll respond by praying for you in passionate intercession for whatever you need. Thank God for this gift, his gift. No language can praise it enough! 2 Corinthians 9:10-15 (The Message)

Beloved when confronted with someone else’s need we should see it as a golden moment of opportunity. Whatever need you have find someone who has that need, pray for God to bring someone across your path with that need and when He does don’t get fearful and hide the seed, sow it and let God multiply it back to you.

Whatever you God He will multiply, if you give God your time, He multiplies it. If you give Him your money, He multiplies it, give Him your energy He multiplies that too. It is like planting seeds. Whatever you want to reap you MUST SOW or there can be no crop. If you keep a seed in a sack, it does no good, but if you plant it, it multiplies.

Jesus makes us this promise in Luke 18:29-30: "Yes," said Jesus, "and you won't regret it. No one who has sacrificed home, spouse, brothers and sisters, parents, children—whatever—will lose out. It will all come back multiplied many times over in your lifetime. And then the bonus of eternal life!" Luke 18:29-30 (The Message)

Giving and showing love is not about being a Christian for this is really how every human being should live, however we as Christians should definitely set the standard in showing love in giving, since the basis of our whole belief system is rooted in showing love in giving.

Join me in the Save My Loved Ones Community Room where everyone is welcome including anyone who wants to find their way to God. As the founder my desire is to see you walk in "Total Victory". We share both the FUN and the SERIOUS side of Christianity!! http://savemylovedones.spruz.com

God Bless us all Angeline

Is Anything Too Hard for the Lord?

2009-07-31T12:05:00.000-07:00

Have you ever found yourself after praying and asking God for something trying to figure out how He is going to answer you? You know like - asking Him for money to pay a bill or make a purchase। Then right after praying you start to think of ways God can bring the answer: get an increase in pay – a long lost relative could die and leave you an inheritance – you might find a bad of money - buy a lottery ticket and win millions, your imagination just really starts to go wild.

You might even go so far as to come up with ways to help God out and you might go even further and tell God your ideas and ways He can answer your prayer. That’s funny isn’t it – humans trying to tell God what to do! But as humans who are limited in what we can do it easy to think that God too is limited to what we are capable of and think that He can only do things that seem possible to us.

God asked the prophet Jeremiah in Jeremiah 32:27, “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?”

God is saying I AM IT - the God of all flesh, the first and the last; besides me there is no god.” – I AM THE ALMIGHTY GOD!!

In Genesis 18 when the Lord visited Abraham and Sarah He told them that they would have a baby. But because they were both very old, and Sarah was long past the age of having children Sarah in here limited human thinking laughed silently to herself and said, “How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my husband is also so old?” Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Can an old woman like me have a baby?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord?

Jesus said in Matthew 19:26 “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.” Thinking of God in human terms is a sign of a lack of faith and limits what God is willing and able to do in our lives. The disbelief of the Israelites caused God to withhold his blessing from them. Even AFTER GOD did what was humanly impossible and sent the plaques upon Egypt to deliver Israel and parted the red sea Psalms 78:41 says they turned back on God and tempted Him, and limited the Holy One of Israel and still did not see that with God all things are possible.

I think it is important to actually read what the scripture says because many times believers today talk about Israel but really don’t see many times we are much like them when we bring God down to our human level, we too limit God. Let’s read:

Psalm 78:38-55 (Amplified Bible)
But He (GOD), full of [merciful] compassion, forgave their iniquity and destroyed them not; yes, many a time He turned His anger away and did not stir up all His wrath and indignation.

For He earnestly remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that goes and does not return. How often they defied and rebelled against Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert! And time and again they turned back and tempted God, provoking and incensing the Holy One of Israel. They remembered not seriously the miracles of the working of His hand, nor the day when He delivered them from the enemy, how He wrought His miracles in Egypt and His wonders in the field of Zoan where Pharaoh resided and turned their rivers into blood, and their streams, so that they could not drink from them.

He sent swarms of venomous flies among them which devoured them, and frogs which destroyed them. He gave also their crops to the caterpillar and the fruit of their labor to the locust. He destroyed their vines with hail and their sycamore trees with frost and great chunks of ice. He caused them to shut up their cattle or gave them up also to the hail and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.

He let loose upon them the fierceness of His anger, His wrath and indignation and distress, by sending a mission of angels of calamity and woe among them. He leveled and made a straight path for His anger to give it free course; He did not spare the Egyptian families from death but gave their beasts over to the pestilence and the life of their eldest] over to the plague. He smote all the firstborn in Egypt, the chief of their strength in the tents [of the land of the sons] of Ham. But God led His own people forth like sheep and guided them with a shepherd's care like a flock in the wilderness. And He led them on safely and in confident trust, so that they feared not; but the sea overwhelmed their enemies. And He brought them to His holy border, the border of Canaan, His sanctuary, even to this mountain Zion which His right hand had acquired.

He drove out the nations also before Israel and allotted their land as a heritage, measured out and partitioned; and He made the tribes of Israel to dwell in the tents of those dispossessed. (Psalm 78:38-55 - Amplified Bible).

Even after all this Israel still did not believe, still did not recognize God as sovereign, the God who can do the impossible. And Israel went even further in limiting God and tried to help Him protect them from their surrounding enemies by demanding a king. Look at God’s response to this request in 1 Samuel 8:6-9)

1 Samuel 8:7-8 (New Living Translation)
7 “Do everything they say to you,” the Lord replied, “FOR IT IS ME THEY ARE REJECTING, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer. 8 Ever since I brought them from Egypt they have continually abandoned me and followed other gods. And now they are giving you the same treatment.

How did Israel reject God? Israel limited God when they rejected him or did not believe He was capable of protecting them from the surrounding enemies even after being delivered from slavery in Egypt. God had a promised land for them in Canaan, BUT THEY CHOSE NOT to go there. God had good things for them, but THEY LIMITED THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL. God has good things for His children today, but we can make the same mistake. Don't limit God in your life ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD.Israel went around in circles, with no clear direction for their lives. Worse than that, they lived in fear, rather than walking by faith.

Psalm 78:32-37 (The Message)
And—can you believe it?—they kept right on sinning; all those wonders and they still wouldn't believe! So their lives dribbled off to nothing— nothing to show for their lives but a ghost town. When he cut them down, they came running for help; they turned and pled for mercy. They gave witness that God was their rock, that High God was their redeemer, but they didn't mean a word of it; they lied through their teeth the whole time. They could not have cared less about him, wanted nothing to do with his Covenant.

When we limit God in our lives, it's because our hearts are not right with God. The people of Israel said the right words, but they lied to God. WE MAY HAVE THE RIGHT "GOD-TALK" AND NOT TRULY BELIEVE GOD IN OUR HEARTS.

Saying the right words in prayer, and singing the right songs, does not fool God, if we have doubt and unbelief in our hearts. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that it’s impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him. Most have the believing God exist part down, but faith goes beyond believing God exists we must also believe God rewards us and intervenes in our lives.

When Jesus declared in Mark 11:22-23: "Have faith in God…I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him". And when He said in Luke 17:6, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you" He was not implying that moving real mountains or trees would be a regular occurrence. The point Jesus was making is that God who said I AM - the God of all flesh, the first and the last; besides me there is no god.” – I AM THE ALMIGHTY GOD would literally transport a mountain or a tree if there were ever a valid need to do so just as He parted the red sea. Jesus was pointing out the power and the possibilities of faith.

From time to time we all come up against obstacles that can seem just as tall and wide as a mountain. In the Old Testament Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, supervised the rebuilding of the ruined temple in Jerusalem and faced many great obstacles while COMPLETING the project. But look what the angel of the Lord said to Zerubbabel:

Zechariah 4:6-7 (New Living Translation)
6 Then he said to me, “This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 7 Nothing, not even a mighty mountain, will stand in Zerubbabel’s way; it will become a level plain before him!

The Bible clearly demonstrates what God can do for those who do believe. Time after time we see that physical circumstances don’t limit God, for "nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few" (1 Samuel 14:6).

What is important to keep in mind is that He does not have to work things out in the way that seems most logical us. The Israelites, leaving Egypt were trapped at the edge of the Red Sea. They were about to be captured by Pharaoh’s army. There was no way they could see to get out of this predicament, and they were scared. Though he did not know how God was going to do it, in faith Moses reassured the people: "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.... The Lord will fight for you" (Exodus 14:13-14).

Then the Almighty God, who is not limited by human imagination, directed Moses to do what no one expected: Tell the people to start walking toward the water! Moses, following God’s instructions, stretched his hand out over the sea and watched the sea parted give the Israel a dry pathway to freedom. Beloved, this is the same God we serve today!

This is what the Lord is saying to you today! Have faith - believe in Me for just as no obstacle was too great and no barrier too imposing to be leveled before Zerubbabel and neither was the Red Sea too great an obstacle for Israel so it is with you who believe. I am God; nothing is too hard or is impossible for Me. I am God I have not and will not change. There is no limit to what I can do for you if you trust Me!

Beloved what is your need today? What do you desire of the Lord? It is important that you realize that nothing is too hard for Him. Even if like the desperate man who with tears cried out to Jesus: "I do believe," and then quickly added, "help me overcome my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24). You too can cry out to Father to help your unbelief.

Let us pray
Heavenly Father, I come to You through the Precious Blood of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I ask You to destroy and remove any deception in my mind.

In Jesus Name I pray, Amen

Using Offense and Unforgiveness as a Weapon

2009-07-21T06:33:00.000-07:00

Most people have at least one person in their life that they harbor anger against for some reason or another। It may be anger due to harsh words, assault or abuse, whatever the case when our feelings are hurt, resentment begins to build on the inside and if left unchecked leads to bitterness and unforgiveness which has a terrible impact on your life if they are not uprooted and dealt with. Offense and unforgiveness is very unhealthy. It stunts our spiritual growth and keeps us from moving forward. It endangers our salvation, creates hindrances and destroys relationships. It is one of Satan’s most powerful weapon he uses to steal, kill, and destroy.

Hebrews 12:14-15 tells us to “work at getting along with each other and with God। Otherwise, you'll never get so much as a glimpse of God. Make sure no one gets left out of God's generosity. Keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitter discontent. A thistle or two gone to seed can ruin a whole garden in no time. Watch out for the Esau syndrome: trading away God's lifelong gift in order to satisfy a short-term appetite. You well know how Esau later regretted that impulsive act and wanted God's blessing—but by then it was too late, tears or no tears. (Hebrews 12:14-15 -The Message)

When Jesus explained forgiveness in Matthew 18:23-28 He used an illustration of monetary obligation and eliminating debt। Forgiving a monetary debt can be easy for most but what about when some one - say a spouse betrays us in an affair, what about the person who rapes you or your child? That is a little tougher isn’t it? As my best friend Pat would say, “That’s a hard pill to swallow”. And to make matter worse what if the offender does not regret what they did? What if they blame you the offended saying “well if you would have done this then I would not have done that” justifying their actions. They might even ask to be forgiven but there is no remorse attached to it. In order to forgive in this type of situation we need to look at the person as if the offense never took place, just like God does with us. As humans that is extremely difficult to do but not impossible.

Years ago, Father brought to my attention that I was using offense and unforgiveness as a shield of protection। I did not know that I had developed this defense mechanism. When our feelings are hurt, when we have been violated or betrayed we as humans tend to immediately throw up guards to protect ourselves. We make mental notes and say in the back of our minds, "that will never happen to me again”, no one will ever be able to do that to me again.

This was a motto that I lived by. Did I set out to be so unforgiving? No. My mind was set on being a good Christian. I constantly prayed and thanked God for loving me unconditionally and forgiving all my sins and would even say “Lord I forgive all who ever hurt me” because I knew my prayers would be hindered if I didn’t. However, I was picking and choosing whom I would forgive. In the back of my mind I had a list of mental notes of unpleasant situations and circumstances and attached to those notes were the faces and names of the people involved that I said would never hurt me again.

I read a story once of a man who was walking with his best friend, someone he had known for a very long time. As they walked, they began to argue about some trivial issue. As they argued, they began to be very angry at one another. The more they argued, the angrier they became. They got so angry at each other that the man lost his temper and shoved his friend away from him. His friend stumbled and fell upon a board, which had a loose, rusty nail sticking up from it. The nail pierced the man's friend in the back.

The man, immediately sorry for what he had done, picked his friend up and took him home to wash his wound and remove the rusty nail. "I'm so sorry," he kept saying. "I don't know what came over me. Please forgive me!"

"That's your problem," his friend said। "You've always had a bad temper. I'm going to teach you a lesson. I'm going to leave this rusty nail in my back so that every time you see it you will remember what your bad temper did you me." Even when the rust nail eventually began to infect the wound in the friend's back, the friend refused to remove it and continued to remind the man of what he had done and how wrong he was, right up until the day that the infection from the nail finally killed him.

Was the man foolish to keep that rusty nail inside of him until it killed him? Of course! But many people, even Christians are doing just that. For years even after I became a Christian, I was carrying that rusty nail inside of me and subconsciously using it as a shield of protection and did not even realize it. The rusty nail I am talking about is unforgiveness.

Some might think it's natural to walk in a little unforgiveness because it helps us protect ourselves from being used and hurt। This is so untrue! The Bible warns us in Song of Solomon 2:15 that the little foxes spoil the vines; for our vines have tender grapes" The "little foxes" of unforgiveness will always spoil the tender fruit of our relationships! Remember how devious our enemy is who walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. He deceives us into hurting ourselves and others in a hundred little ways! Many relationships, friendships and marriages have crumbled and fallen because of unforgiveness?

Many have carried grudges and hard feelings as I did from their childhood and some may have even suppressed them as I did and wonder why there is no peace in their lives। Wives are bitter against absent or abusive husbands; sons and daughters are bitter against absent fathers or negligent mothers; fathers are bitter against their own abusive fathers; women are bitter against men, and children are bitter against their parents. Society is filled with people holding unforgiveness against those who have hurt them and the bitterness of heart is eating them up inside causing diseases and killing people before their time.

It is sad to see but Satan is having a field day even in the lives of Christians because whenever unforgiveness and bitterness enter our hearts, Satan has a legal right to build a stronghold there!
Growing up I endured a lot of physical and mental abuse। In the midst of it all of that seeds of anger and rejection were planted in me from a very young age and blossomed throughout my adult life until I allowed God to heal me.

When I was 28, my kids and I moved to Atlanta joined a church and God began the long process of healing all the traumas of the past. I had been there a few years and felt the call of God strong on my life. Because I consciously tried to walk in forgiveness and unconditional love I realized I had not achieved that with my parents and grandmother and couldn’t go forward with God without forgiving them. I prayed and asked God to help me finally forgive them and He did.

God is so amazing to me who can know his ways. My grandmother passed in 1975 and I had no idea how to forgive her since she was dead. She came to me in a dream one night, apologized for all the abuse, and asked me to forgive her. When I woke up, I felt such a peace that I was freely able to actually release all the hurt, pray and forgive her.

My dad took ill and I went home to Miami to see him। He was saved by this time which was a miracle because as far back as I can remember He blamed God for his problems and wanted nothing to do with Him. I spent much time in prayer for God to save my parents and He did. He saved them both.

My dad and I talked and he asked me to forgive Him for not being there for me. I was so happy to see that he was saved that all the bitterness and anger just melted away. I forgave him that day.

Then God worked it out so that I could go home to Miami for Thanksgiving and my mom and I got a chance to talk about all the things I had been holding in my heart। My mother was saved at this time and in talking, I realized half the things I was angry about she did not even remember and did not know took place. I realized that my anger was not hurting her at all, it was only destroying me. I chose that day, that moment to forgive her and God delivered me the moment I did. Our relationship got much closer and I thought I was okay.

Everyone and anyone, every trauma and circumstance when it came up I would instantly forgive। And genuinely thought I had dealt with all the unforgiveness in me until a few days ago when the Lord told me I was harboring anger and unforgiveness towards my brother. When He told me this, I was shocked. Now you know that if God tells you something it is pointless to argue with Him right? Yeah me too so I just listened. He continued to point out and remind me of the times my mother had talked to me about my brother who is in prison and will probably be there throughout the rest of our lifetime. I talked to my brother for the first time in years on the phone back in February at my mom’s funeral. Because he is a high risk the authorities would not allow him to come to the funeral.

My mom used to talk to me about my feelings concerning my brother often but I never budged। I had this attitude of - he is there because he wants to be. We all grew up in the same house and I did not go out killing, robbing, selling drugs, etc. He is a horrible person he does not need to be out on the streets to hurt anyone else.

God reminded me of those words I had spoken and I had to agree with him I had not forgiven my brother. I said to myself “wow in all the people I have forgiven I cannot ever remember a time when I even tried to forgive my brother”. I thought about it and realized I felt safe since he was in prison and as the old saying goes “out of sight out mind”. I was still using unforgiveness as a weapon. In my mind and heart, I was still disillusioned into thinking I was protecting myself from being hurt again. I truly thank God for His mercy.

I went ahead and tried to pray for forgiveness towards him। Suddenly anger came over me. I began to recount all the things over the years that was done at his hands and said out of his mouth and I could not get the words out. I did not understand this. I cried out to the Lord, gave it all to Him, and was finally able to forgive my brother. I wrote him a letter and told him that I had been angry all these years. I told him I forgive him, asked him to forgive me and promised to keep in touch more. I cannot begin to explain the weight that lifted off me. I did not even know it was there.Now is it all gone this time, I don’t know but I have made up in my mind that I not allow offense to set up camp in my heart anymore. And if God brings anyone else to mind I will do what I have always done – give it to Him and forgive.

Why did God wait all this time to point this out to me about my brother? I do not know, but I know He had his reasons and I know that I am grateful He did। I know His goal is that I be whole. My mom was saved when she passed and knowing my mother, I would not be surprised if she went straight to God and asked Him to do something about my brother and me. She was never one to hold her peace especially when she knew she was right.

Emotional wounds are similar to physical wounds; they require time to heal। If someone stabs you with a knife, and later apologizes, forgiving them does not mean that the knife wound will immediately close up and go away, healing still has to take its course. With the Word, prayer and giving it to God we can speed up the process. When going to the Lord to request deliverance from unforgiveness, we should humble ourselves, do not go with excuses for why you feel the way you do, for there are none really.

In forgiving there is the act of forgiving and the act of forgetting, which brings us to another misconception। I know you have probably heard and may have even said you can forgive but you will never forget. Well that is another lie from Satan. Micah 7:19 says that God puts our sins into the sea of forgetfulness and through Him we can also do that for others.

We need to (1) Forgive others who trespass against us; (2) Receive forgiveness from others who have trespassed against us and (3) Forgive ourselves। Forgiving ourselves is the most important aspect of all three. Many fall short convince themselves they are only failures and cannot succeed in God and continue in this attitude for the rest of their life.

Forgiving may not always seem easy। The Word however gives us the key point to forgiveness in Ephesians 6:12 where it says, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places”. Once we begin to see who is really behind the offense we can look at the offender differently. We can look at them with compassion.

Paul gives us a great reference to forgiveness in 2 Corinthians 2:5-11 it opened my eyes and softened my heart maybe it will help you.

2 Corinthians 2:5-11 New Living Translation:
“I am not overstating it when I say that the man who caused all the trouble hurt all of you more than he hurt me। Most of you opposed him, and that was punishment enough. Now, however, it is time to forgive and comfort him. Otherwise, he may be overcome by discouragement. So I urge you now to reaffirm your love for him. I wrote to you as I did to test you and see if you would fully comply with my instructions. When you forgive this man, I forgive him, too. And when I forgive whatever needs to be forgiven, I do so with Christ’s authority for your benefit, so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes.”

In closing, I want to point out that we never know how God is using us in any situation He puts us in such as with Joseph, who was sold into slavery by his brothers, falsely accused by Potipher's wife, and forgotten by Pharaoh's butler, yet when he became second ruler in Egypt, he got even with none of these। He told his brothers that God did all this to preserve life. Joseph not only forgave with his mouth, he forgave from the heart.

If in reading you recognize that you have been using offense and unforgiveness as a weapon let God heal you today. If you know there is someone you need to forgive I implore you to do it. A good test of whether or not you have genuinely forgiven a person from the heart is when you think of them, there are no negative thoughts or reactions. If we still have negative thoughts against a person, then our heart has not changed toward that person and we still suffer from unforgiveness. Until we forgive and truly forget our whole nature becomes one of getting even with our mouth or with our actions, even as far as wishing for that person's death.

If you are ready to swallow the pride, deal with the hurts, and be set free to live the abundant life God has promised I have included a sample prayer you can pray। BE SET FREE IN THE NAME OF JESUS.

Let us pray:
Father God, I come to you in the name of the Lord Jesus. I believe He is your son. I believe he has risen from the grave and sits at your right hand ever interceding for me. Heavenly Father I repent of not forgiving, of holding bitterness in my heart and being upset with people, You, situations and even myself. Father as you so willingly forgive I too choose to forgive.
Lord God I know you love me and I love You and I desire to be free। I ask you to shine a light on my heart and show me any hurtful or traumatic experience that is holding me in bondage and any unforgiveness in my heart because of it. Show me everyone I need to forgive Father. Let the Spirit of Truth rise up and speak in the Name of Jesus.

(now wait and let God reveal the persons and/or situations, and say them out loud)

Heavenly Father I repent of not forgiving, of holding bitterness in my heart and being upset with them, You, the situation and even myself। Father as you so willingly forgive, I too choose to forgive (name the people involved) completely. I ask you to forgive me for releasing any hurt or anger toward them. Forgive me for judgmental and condemning thoughts and words I have spoken to them, into them and over them. In the name of Jesus I speak death to those destructive seeds that I have planted and death to the harvest released. I ask you to forgive them and release them and let them not be guilty any longer of doing me any harm. I place them in your hands Lord Jesus that you may heal them, deliver them and set them free and use them for your glory.

Father God I know that you do not make mistakes and that You are perfect in all your ways। I ask you to forgive me for holding bitterness and anger in my heart towards You because of this situation. I forgive myself for letting this hurt control me and for hurting others out of my hurt. I repent of this behavior and my attitude.

Now Father God Your word says in Hebrews 9:14 that the Blood of Jesus Christ would purge my conscious, which is my heart। I cover this area with the Blood of Jesus Christ that it may purge me from all unforgiveness.

In the name of Jesus Christ I renounce the spirits of anger, bitterness, resentment, murder, hatred, violence, rejection, retaliation and memory recall. You no longer have power over me. I command these unclean spirits to leave me and my life now in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
In the name of Jesus I command to get out of me now। Father God I ask that you fill those voided spaces with more of Your Love. Whatever I owe to anyone in your strength and provision help me to restore. Whatever is owed to me by any human I forgive and I release it in the name of Jesus Christ.

Father in the name of Jesus Christ I receive healing in my physical body। I command every spirit of infirmity and every disease to leave me now. You unclean spirits have no ground to stay here. Get out now in the name of Jesus Christ. Now Lord Jesus I ask you to pour the balm of healing into my wounded spirit. I receive now in the name of Jesus Christ healing for a broken heart that has come because of hurt, disappointment and abuse.

Thank you for giving me beauty for ashes of failure, replacing mourning and grief with the oil of joy and giving me a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair in Jesus name. Thank You for forgiving me and setting me free. I bind Forgiveness in my heart so that when offence comes I can forgive quickly.

In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

If you prayed this prayer I would love to know about it, post a comment and let me know. Share this page with someone you know.