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Inspired Words to Uplift and Edify the Spirit
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Divine Inspirations Magazine February
2011 Vol 2 Issue 2
Barbara Bernard Miller Author
―Mighty Inspiration Love Letters From God.‖
Page 26
Inside this Issue! Culture and Marriage Let’s Clean House Before We Let Anyone In! From Single to Married Surrender Overcoming Triteness! I am Ready for Love Pt 3
2
Love never gives up. Love cares more for others
than for self, Love doesn’t want what it
doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head, Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always ―me first,‖ Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, Doesn’t revel when
others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flower-
ing truth, Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always, Always looks for the best,
Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.
!st Corinthians 13
The Message
3
Greetings!
This issue is filled with Inspirational Words to Uplift and Edify the Spirit. I am so excited after publishing each issue, the testimonies of how the articles are a blessing brings our writers great joy. If you have been blessed by this magazine please be sure to share with others. We are here to be a blessing so spread the word about DIM! In this issue we are spotlighting a poet Barbara Miller. Read her journey and please support her ministry by purchasing her book. As always we welcome your feedback and comments. You can subscribe for free at divineinspirationsmagazine@gmail.com Peace and Blessings! Qualita Pendergrass Editor in Chief
5
Contributing Writers and Poets
Dr. Cynthis Togle Beverly Leonard Judith Mosley Pastors Mike and Trisha
Fox
Eunice Stulhofer Feon Davis Cheryl C. Shumake Apostlr Lee Ann
Marino Ph.D
Stylicia Bowden Mandy Woodhouse Elder Mae Davis
6
Contributing Writers and Poets
Michelle Pumphrey Sharon Reid Robinson
Mn Tony Rowsey
Sophia Avery, MA Yvette Johnson Robert T. Sells
Min. Cheryl Thomas Evg. Zella Burno
Not pictures: Cynthia Boyer
8
President Barack Obama
Born: August 4, 1961 (Hawaii) Lives in: Chicago, Illinois
Zodiac Sign: Leo Height: 6′ 1″ (1.87m)
Family: Married wife Michelle in 1992, 2 daughters Malia and Sasha
Parents: Barack Obama, Sr. (from Kenya) and Ann Dunham (from Kansas)
Religion: United Church of Christ Drives a: Ford Escape hybrid, Chrysler 300C
Education:– Graduated: Columbia University (1983) - Major: Political Science– Law Degree from Harvard (1991) - Major: J.D.
- Magna Cum Laude– Attended: Occidental College Career:–U.S. President - inaugurated January 20, 2009
–U.S. Senator from Illinois, 2005-2008 Government Committees:– Health, Education, Labor and Pen-sions Committee– Foreign Relations Committee– Veterans Af-fairs Committee– 2005 and 2006: served on the Environment
and Public Works Committee
9
My Brother Is Jesus
By Feon Davis
He is my right hand,
My brother is Jesus,
When I need a right hand in front,
And behind he is there,
My brother he is free with eagle,
And not the beast of evil,
But the tanned gentle as a lamb,
My brother is Jesus from your open hand of my hand,
I ask my brother Jesus,
And he smiles with reply,
This is my blessing for you plentiful in gracious doves,
And before me is my brother sparrow at flight,
My brother Jesus persisted in the good flight
And in time of rebirth you shine upon us,
My brother I see clearly from out of the storm,
And you will send our answered prayers,
My brother is Jesus,
And I know I am the calmness of spirit within,
A child of your brotherly love Jesus,
Therefore,
I am your creation shelter us always at your bosom.
10
Overcoming Triteness to Discover Our
All in All
By Apostle Dr. Lee Ann B. Marino, Ph.D., D.D.
We, as Christians, can be incredibly trite.
I don't think we mean to be. It's not our inten-
tion. We want God to seem...accessible, understand-
able...yeah, that's it...Understandable to people today. I
think it's just easy to get caught up in a catchy phrase or
slogan and forget the meaning behind it. Take John
3:16 for example. John 3:16 is not a bumper sticker.
It's not the only verse in the Bible. It, however, has be-
come an entire marketing ploy, gracing T-shirts,
bumper stickers, key chains, and everything else in the
hope placing it everywhere will reach people. A highly
powerful verse of Scripture (which makes a whole lot
more sense to onlookers if they read verse 17 along
with it) is reduced to an eye-catching phrase hoping to
engage an onlooker. Most people don't even give a sec-
ond thought to the passage anymore or its meaning be-
cause it has been overused and, in a certain sense,
downgraded by commercialism. In this same vain,
sometimes we hear phrases, titles, names, and other
terms frequently embraced by Churchanity over and
over again, they lose a sense of meaning to each one of
us.
I recently noticed a post on FB where someone
posted "God is" and then multiple comments thereafter
were people's responses to that post. Many of them
were catchphrases used over and over again in today's
church. It made me stop and wonder if the people who
posted those things really understood what they meant
or they were just saying them because it was the cur-
rently appropriate way to fill in the God-blank. Do we
mean things we say - or do we just say them because
they sound good?
In this vain, I stepped back and sought God.
This is what He revealed to me. Please note: all the cir-
cumstances raised below are based on real incidents
that either have happened or are happening to real peo-
ple that I know...
Go ask the man who was told by doctors three
years ago he would be dead from stomach cancer
within a year - who is still alive today - what it means
when he says, "God is my healer."
Go ask the woman - days away from foreclosure
who had an old friend come through with a loan at the
last minute - what it means when she says, "God is my
provider."
Go ask the woman who ever gave up any hope
of having a baby - who is now pregnant without medi-
cal intervention - what it means when she says, "With
God, all things are possible."
Go ask the woman, diagnosed with stage four
(Continued on page 11)
11
breast cancer - violently ill from chemother-
apy treatments - what it means when she
says, "God is my hope."
Go ask the man who came up out of
the waters of baptism - unrecognizable to his
own family - what it means when he says he
is a "new creature in Christ."
Go ask the woman who was homeless
and disregarded by her own family - but
taken in and loved by friends and strangers -
what it means when she says she has
"brothers and sisters in Christ."
Go ask the woman who, after being
rejected and scorned by her own leader -
went on to overcome and triumph in ministry
- what it means when she says she's received
"beauty for ashes."
Go ask the woman who, after being
emotionally beaten and abused by her hus-
band’s - and yet still praises God - what it
means when she says "the Lord is my praise."
Go ask the woman, who was diag-
nosed with full-blown AIDS - and told she
would only be able to live using an oxygen
tank and unable to walk for the rest of her life
- who now travels all over the US preaching
the Gospel - what it means when she says,
"the Lord's been good to me."
Go ask the woman, who almost lost
her job three times due to false accusations -
but still has her job - what it means when she
says, "the Lord is strong and mighty in bat-
tle."
Go ask the woman, whose ex-husband
tried to kill her - and she lives to tell about it -
what it means when she says, "the Lord is my
refuge."
Go ask the man, who lived in an Afri-
can refugee tent with five other people sick
with Malaria - and never once got sick - what
it means when he says, "the Lord is my pro-
tector."
Go ask the woman, abandoned by her
family and friends - due to the anointing on
her life - what it means when she says, "God
is my friend."
12
Go ask the woman, who was facing
45 years in federal prison - and freed after
only a few years by God's grace - what it
means when she says, "in Christ I have been
set free."
Go ask the woman, who grew up
without her father - and now seeks to help
fathers recognize how important they are in
the lives of their children - what it means
when she cries, "Abba! Father!"
Go ask the man, who lived a life of
drug abuse and sin - and lived with guilt
every day of that life - what it means when he
says, "the Lord is my sanctifier."
Go ask the man, who left the Lord's
presence for sin and destruction - only to hear
the Lord's call to return - what it means when
he says, "the Lord is my shepherd."
Go ask the woman, who was troubled
and disturbed with anxiety and panic disor-
ders for years - now able to confront the fears
and live her life - what it means when she
says, "the Lord is my peace."
Every one of us has a testimony. God
has done something great and amazing for
every one of us. Instead of reciting things
that may be popular or the things everyone
seems to be saying, let us speak of the great
things God has done for us. God is not a slo-
gan, a commercial, or a catchy jingle. His
Word is not a billboard for marketing enter-
prising. No, God is none of those things. For
those of us who have been transformed by
His grace, He is our All in All.
Apostle Dr. Lee Ann B. Marino, Ph.D., D.D.
Apostle In Office
Apostolic Fellowship International Ministries
P.O. Box 935
13
Snow Garden
The red gable etched into the soul of my home seemed to have eyes star-
ing down at the two precious white angels securely nestled deep in the
ground. I placed the angels in my garden last summer during the month of
May to welcome and compliment the birth of my flowers. As the sun pa-
tiently awaited their arrival, to warm and nourish each pedal individually,
the clouds floated away to allow the rays of the sun to spring forth to cast
a beautiful breathtaking view that gave light to my garden.
Shhhh. As the flowers are now peacefully sleeping in this cold weather
deep bone chilling season, a whole new garden has surfaced and the an-
gels sit ever so quietly waiting for the next season to arrive.
Blanketed with snow caps of God's magnificence and glory, the cheru-
bims continue to spread their love through the stillness of their wings in
this love-filled season; they serve as important reminders that God is love.
This garden, now covered with pure white snow, a drink of water, is in-
deed the miracle that God has sent as an expression of his love, faith,
grace and His everlasting mercy.
As I step outside from my kitchen and into my garden, all is quiet; God's
countenance is upon me and He has made His face to shine on me. I im-
mediately begin to breathe God's praises for my life. Seeing and living in
His glory is the compassion He bestows upon me; a true blessing. I then
position myself between my two angels; I bow my head to pray in the tem-
ple of the garden and as I stand, I bask in the firmament of God's power
with thanksgiving in my heart. He graciously shines His light from Heaven
lighting the earth with His Son; for me, those before me and those who
shall be born after I have been blessed to meet the Lord face-to-face.
And so like a spring running down into the valley, so does the snow run
down into the earth of my garden where the spirits of angels live, clean-
sing and nourishing it for growth for the upcoming Spring and Summer
seasons. Like a spring running down into my garden, so does God's love
run deep down into my soul. We must give God glory. Amen.
Written by Cynthia G. Boyer
14
A Mind is a Terrible thing to waste
Romans 12:2
And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may, prove
what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Paraphrased
Romans 12:2
We must not conform – we must not be in agreement with the things of man or of this world to do evil.
We must die to sin daily / strife to live Holy and righteous
Ps 51:10 create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
We must be transformed (we must be changed) by the renewing of our minds.
By the renewing of our hearts
Renewed- our old way of thinking
God‘s will is good for us; His will is acceptable and perfect
Having your mind renewed – the 3 R‘s
Restored, - to recover, repair
Revived- refresh, come back to life
Reconstruct - rebuild
A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste
Mind- is a memory or thought, the part of a person that thinks and reasons.
The intellectual faculty, the understanding, memory, and opinion,
Our thinking capacity.
If you know a mind is a terrible thing to waste
Why are you wasting your mind on thoughts that aren‘t of God?
Why are you wasting your mind on thoughts that aren‘t pleasing to God
Too much time is wasted on things that are not of God.
A mind is a terrible thing to waste
II Corinthians 10:5
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into cap-
tivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.
With these weapon‘s we break down every proud argument that keeps people from knowing God. With these
weapons we conquer their rebellious ideas, and we teach them to obey Christ. In other words those things that
are spoken or said against God we don‘t even listen to. And knowing that we have to be obedient to God and His
word. That is why we have to know God for ourselves and have a relationship with him. And to have a mind up
mind to follow him.
When we have the mind of Christ we can have love, joy, and peace.
Confusion can be all around but we still have peace.
Phil 4:7 and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
God will give us peace of mind in the midst of the storms
Peace in the midst of trials and tribulations
Peace on the job
Peace in your home,
Peace in the schools
Peace in the church- on the usher board, steward board, trustee board, in the choir
Where ever you need peace God will do it but you must look to him.
15
James 1:8 a double minded man is unstable in
all his ways.
They can‘t make up their minds.
They waver back and forth in everything
they do.
A double minded person is all over the place
God regulates the mind
He gives you stability when everything
around you seem disarrayed
When you have the mind of Christ:
*A change has to take place.
*The things I use to do I don‘t do any more
*The things that were not of Christ I don‘t
desire any more
*The things I use to say, I don‘t want to say
anymore
I‘ve been Renewed, Redeemed, and Re-
born
By the Blood of the Lamb
Your mind has been renewed- have the
mind of Christ
You have been redeemed- to be delivered
You‘ve been reborn- old things have passed
away, behold I am new in Christ
A mind is a terrible thing to waste
So, why waste it
You must have a made up mind to follow
Christ
Choose ye this day who you will serve
When you have a made up mind
You got a brand new walk
You got a brand new talk
You got a new way of living
You have a new way of giving
When you have a made up mind
You have a new way of praying
You have a new way of preaching
A new way of teaching
When you have a made up mind
You have a new song in your heart
You have a new praise on your lips
You want to worship Him in spirit and in
truth
You want to take on the attributes of Jesus
When you have a made up mind
You want to treat your neighbor right
You love your enemies
Those that mistreat you,
you can turn the other cheek
When you have a made up mind
You have faith and hope in Jesus/ not in
man or yourself but in Jesus
You have a made up mind to run this race
You have a made up mind to work while it‘s
day/ night comes know man will work
Those that used and abused me, I forgive
them
When I have a made up mind
You can‘t put me down any more- Ps 121 –I
look to the hills
I can have a can do attitude in a can‘t do
atmosphere
A mind is a terrible thing to waste
*Phil 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was
also in Christ Jesus
3 A‘s Attitude, Attribute, Atmosphere
Written by Rev. Cheryl Thomas
16
Many people yearn for love like it is the medicine they need to heal the ach-ing pain of their heart. Love is some-times misinterpreted between men and women because we both sing a different tune when love is involved in the equa-tion. Women justify love as being the emotional side beaming from their heart. Men justify love as loyalty and trust. Since God created love he knew how special and intimate love would be be-tween the man and the woman. If this is the case, then why we as human beings make love so complicated. The answers is simple, we forget to enjoy the experi-ence. I believe women get caught up in when, where, how & why of the relation-ship with the opposite sex. We become so driven to make sure the man will un-derstand we are the one instead of enjoy-ing the experience of dating and com-panionship. I have been a contributor to this eradicate behavior as well. I would jump into planning the wedding before I really got to know a guy because I was so caught up with the idea of marriage. I finally understand that we sometimes miss the opportunity of love because we do not know how to enjoy the experience of just letting things systematically flow into love. If you are a woman like me I wanted to control every aspect of what the man needed to do. I did not give him a chance to just show me a good time. I was ready to cut him short before I could see the full development of the experience. If you have been like this or are suffering from this behavior then it is time to enjoy the experience of love before it walk right past you. Love is simple it is not meant to be complicated at all. We decide to put our own twist and antidotes on love expecting a quicker result. However, when you begin to manipulate love for your timing it will be a catastrophe. Here are simple steps to enjoy the love
experience. Let the man lead and give him room to make a mistake. Do not be controlling, give him time to warm up to you. Love does not happen overnight. Do not be spoiled. It is not all about you, learn to compromise. Understand he needs his personal space; balance is a must in the development of the love experience. Every man has a sensitive side, under-stand he has to gain your trust before you see his vulnerabilities. Most important enjoy the time you spend with him. Make him feel like there is no pressure with you. Marriage is the ultimate goal but let God be the master planner in when, timing is everything. Last but not least, it is ok to make a list of what you want & do not want but no
man is perfect because you are not perfect so find your equilibrium and throw out the un-necessary demands.
After following these quick tips you will be well on your way of embracing love and enjoying all the pleasures of love. Just understand love is work and time, faith, patience are the key things needed to see your experience change into something everlasting. Until Next Time….Relax, Let It Flow & Put Your Love Life In God’s Hands
I Am Ready For Love (Part III): The Experience
“Love is a soliloquy edifying the images of the soul.”
By Stylicia Bowden
17
MAKING THE WRONG
DECISIONSMAKING
THE WRONG DECI-
SIONSMAKING THE
WRONG DECISIONS
Ruth 1:1-5
Now it came about in the days when
the judges governed, that there was
a famine in the land. And a certain
man of Bethlehem in Judah went to
sojourn in the land of Moab with
his wife and his two sons. And the
name of the man was Elimelech,
and the name of his wife, Naomi;
and the names of his two sons were
Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of
Bethlehem in Judah. Now they en-
tered the land of Moab and re-
mained there. Then Elimelech,
Naomi's husband, died; and she
was left with her two sons. And they
took for themselves Moabite women
as wives; the name of the one was
Orpah and the name of the other
Ruth. And they lived there about ten
years. Then both Mahlon and Chil-
ion also died; and the woman was
bereft of her two children and her
husband.
Decisions determine destiny. Your
life tomorrow will be the direct re-
sult of the decisions you make today.
In the first five verses of Ruth we
encounter a man named Elimelech, a
man whose destiny was indeed deter-
mined by his decisions. The Bible
tells us that he was a Hebrew of the
tribe of Judah. As such, he was privi-
leged to have extended to him the
promises of God. Sadly, Elimelech
failed to realize the fulness of those
promises. Being a Hebrew, he had
been taught the absolute truths of
God's revelation of man. Though the
Old Testament had not been com-
pleted at the time of Elimelech's life,
he did have the divine truth of the
Pentateuch (Genesis through Deuter-
onomy). Elimelech, however, chose
to make critical life decisions based
on human rationale instead of God's
divine revelation. We can learn three
principles from Elimelech's decision-
making.
#1 When you make decisions based
on human rationale instead of di-
vine revelation, you distance your-
self from the blessings and prom-
ises of God.
Now it came about in the days when
the judges governed, that there was a
famine in the land And a certain man
of Bethlehem in Judah went to so-
journ in the land of A1oab with his
wife and his two sons. - Ruth 1:1
Names in the Bible are very signifi-
cant. We miss a great deal in our Bi-
ble study if we fail to note the mean-
ings of names. The name Elimelech
means, "My God is king."' It could
also mean "God is my king."' What a
great name for a man to have! Imag-
ine what it must have been like for
Elimelech to go to the marketplace
in Bethlehem. As he made his way
through the crowds people would say
to him in essence, "Hello, Mr. God Is
My King."His name made a personal
theological statement. Regretfully,
Elimelech did not live up to his
name. He chose to rule his own life
by leaving Bethlehem of Judah to go
to the land of Moab. The children of
Israel were to live exclusively in the
promised land. God had made that
clear through Moses (Deut. 6:1).
Therefore, Elimelech's sojourning
was an act of disobedience.
The word Bethlehem means "house
of bread." The word Judah means
"praise." In Psalm 108:9, we read of
the Lord's evaluation of Moab. God
said, "Moab is my washpot" (KJV).
In other words, in God's sight, Moab
was like a pot that one would use to
wash his feet-a pot that was common
and filthy. Elimelech left the house
of bread and the land of praise to
journey about thirty miles away to a
filthy washpot. Though there was a
famine in Bethlehem, he would have
been far better off to have stayed
there, for Bethlehem was the place
God had designed for Elimelech and
his family. Instead, he sojourned to
what he thought was a better place.
He disregarded and dismissed t he directives of God and set out based on what he himself thought was
best. The result was not the best it
was the worst. Such is always the
case. His journey to Moab was one
of disobedience. Subsequently, he
put distance between himself and the
place of God's blessings and prom-
ises. Christians do the same thing
when they make decisions based on
human rationale instead of divine
revelation. They leave the house of
bread and the place of praise and
journey to the washpot. They put dis-
tance between themselves and the
blessings and promises of God.
I will never forget the words of an
old preacher. He told me once,
"Christians are bad about walking
past the honey comb to eat out of the
slop bucket." Perhaps he was well
acquainted with the meaning of the
word Moab and had adopted it to his
own southern vocabulary. Marriages,
families, careers, and reputations be-
come washpots (slop buckets if you
will) when God's people make their
own decisions instead of following
God's directions. Have you consid-
ered the fact that the Bible is a re-
cord of God's directions?
As a pastor I am called upon for
counseling on a regular basis. I often
hear people say they need to pray
about decisions which God has al-
ready made clear in His Word. All
they really mean is they have not yet
decided to obey. You do not have to
pray for wisdom about matters stated
in God's Word. Pray all you wish, (Continued on page 18)
18
but God will never give new
revelation in addition to the
Bible. You need only to obey
what He has already said.
When you submit to Scripture,
you take sides with God and
position yourself in the arena
of His blessing. When you do
as Elimelech did and make
decisions which seem right
from the human perspective,
you distance yourself from
God's blessings.
#2 When you make decisions
based on human rationale
instead of divine revelation,
you incur tragic conse-
quences
Then Elimelech, Naomi 's hus-
band, died; - Ruth 1:3
Elimelech made his decision.
Then came the consequence.
In Elimelech's case, the conse-
quence was death. If
Elimelech could have known
the tragic consequence of his
detrimental decision, he would
never have left Bethlehem. I
had the great privilege of be-
ing discipled by a man who
walked with God. I learned
insights from him that I share
whenever I have the opportu-
nity. I will never forget some-
thing he told me. He said,
"Leland, the will of God is al-
ways what you would choose
if you knew all the conse-
quences ahead of time." How
true this is. God knows all the
consequences ahead of time.
To save us from the tragedies,
He has given us His Word to
instruct us. Someone has accu-
rately said, "First you make
your decisions and then your
decisions make you." The
story of Elimelech illustrates
this. You can make your deci-
sions, but you cannot choose
the consequences. For the
child of God who makes deci-
sions based on human ration-
ale, the results always will be
tragic, if not immediately, then
eventually. To fail to abide by
the Word of God is to trans-
gress the Word of God. And,
God tells us in Proverbs 13:15,
"The way of the transgressor is
hard."
One of my favorite foods is
cornbread, especially Mexican
cornbread. Having been born
and reared in the South, I have
eaten a lot of it in my life. I do
not have the heart to tell my
mother or my grandmother,
but I know a lady who makes
the best cornbread on the
planet. I once asked her for the
recipe and she gladly gave it to
me. My wife and I invited
some guests over one Thanks-
giving and I was eager to
make a skillet of cornbread
using the recipe. While mak-
ing up the batter, I observed
something that illustrates the
"consequence aspect" of our
decisions. Here it is: Once you
make the decision to mix the
ingredients together, there is
no return to the way things
were. You cannot put the corn-
meal back in the bag, the eggs
back in the shells, the milk
back in the jug, the corn back
in the can, or the oil back in
the bottle. Once you put them
together, that's it. Those indi-
vidual ingredients become bat-
ter. That is the way it is with
our decisions and our conse-
quences. We mix our decisions
and the result is our batter of
consequences.
A verse that is often used in
evangelism is Romans 6:23,
which says, "For the wages of
sin is death." Certainly this is a
great verse to help lost people
see their need for Christ. But,
we must not neglect to see the
broader aspects of this verse.
God says that every sin has a
payday. To put it more accu-
rately, for every sin there is a
"payment" day. A Christian
who makes sinful decisions
will orchestrate death some-
where in his life. It could be
death to his marriage, death to
his reputation, death to a
scholarship, death to his free-
dom, death to a relationship,
death to a career, etc. I have
seen people experience Ro-
mans 6:23 in all of these areas,
but there is one particular in-
stance that I would like to
share with you. I once worked
with a friendly and energetic
young man. He had a tremen-
dous personality, was well
thought of by all his co-
workers, was highly motivated
hard-worker and all his co-
workers thought well of him.
He also professed to be a
Christian and was actively in-
volved in a respected local
church. As one of his supervi-
sors, I envisioned the young
19
man becoming very successful
with the company where we
were employed. His future was
bright. However, his job re-
sponsibilities involved situa-
tions where he had opportuni-
ties for personal gain through
dishonest practices. One day,
he did just that. He made a dis-
honest decision. With that one,
dishonest decision, his entire
career with the company
ended. His promising future
was extinguished. Worst of all,
his testimony for Christ suf-
fered tremendous reproach.
The result of his decision will
follow him the rest of his life.
He now has to live the remain-
der of his life on this earth
wondering what might have
been had he made the right
decision. Some decisions carry
consequences that are beyond
repair this side of heaven. This
young man made a decision
based on human rationale in-
stead of divine revelation, and
he suffered tragic conse-
quences.
#3 When you make decisions
based on human rationale
instead of divine revelation,
you cause others to endure
consequences also.
Then Elimelech, Naomi 's hus-
band, died; and she was left
with her two sons. And they
took for themselves Moabite
women as wives; the name of
the one was Orpah and the
name of the other was Ruth.
And they lived there about ten
years. Then both Mahlon and
Chilion died; and the woman
was bereft of her two children
and her husband. - Ruth 1:3-5
Notice the consequences that
were incurred by people other
than Elimelech: Mahlon and
Chilion lost their lives; Ruth
and Orpah lost their husbands;
and Naomi lost both her hus-
band and her sons. Elimelech's
bad decision had consequences
that affected not only him, but
also those he loved.
A person does not sin in a vac-
uum. No one sins outwardly
without affecting, to some de-
gree, those around him. Scrip-
ture is filled with examples of
this truth. David's sin affected
Bathsheba, her husband Uriah
and an innocent child.
Abraham's sin affected Sarah.
Jacob's sin affected Isaac,
Esau and Rebecca. The sin of
the ten spies affected the entire
nation of Israel and resulted in
forty years of wilderness wan-
dering. Adam underscores this
truth as no other, since his sin
affected and continues to af-
fect every human being and all
of creation.
Because of the decisions of the
terrorists on September 11,
2001, not only the rest of
America, but the rest of the
world has had to deal with the
consequences. The same with
sin in the life of a Christian.
You make bad decisions, deci-
sions based on human ration-
ale, and others in your family,
workplace, church, and com-
munity will have to deal with
the consequences. Children
have to endure the conse-
quences of parents who make
bad decisions. Co-workers
have to endure consequences
of employees who make bad
decisions (i.e., executive fraud
in the Enron Corporation,
postal employee shootings,
etc.). Church members have to
endure the consequences of
ministers who make bad deci-
sions. The list could go on and
on.
The words of Jesus during His
earthly ministry not only em-
phasize this truth, they also
serve as a sobering reminder to
all of us regarding the respon-
sibility we have for the deci-
sions we make. Notice the se-
riousness of the following
words of Jesus: "Woe to the
world because of stumbling
blocks! For it is inevitable that
stumbling blocks come; but
woe to that man through
whom the stumbling blocks
come" (Matt. 18:7). Jesus says
woe to the one who makes a
sinful decision that proves to
be detrimental to the spiritual
well-being of another. Imagine
the accountability to God that
Elimelech had by leading his
family away from the place of
God's promises.
There is one verse of Scripture
that I refer to again and again
when faced with a decision. It
is Isaiah 50:11, which says,
"Behold, all of you who kindle
a fire, Who encircle yourselves
20
with firebrands, Walk in the light of your fire And among the brands you have set ablaze. This
is what you have from My hand; and you will lie down in torment." Here is the application.
God says that if we, His people, make decisions apart from Him we are kindling our own fire.
We are encircling ourselves with the firebrands of our choosing. Such fire-starting will cause us
torment. God will see to it. "Why?" you might ask. The answer is because He loves us so much
that He will discipline us for our disobedience (see Heb. 12:6). He wants us to walk the path of
obedience. If we stray from it, He will take the necc essary disciplinary measures to make us
return to it.
The Scriptures do not tell us, but I wonder if Elimelech died because he continually refused to
heed the discipline God designed to lead him back to Bethlehem. Decisions determine destiny.
Let us not lean on our own understanding, but let us lean on the divine revelation of God. His
Word will keep us from making wrong decisions.
REV. CYNTHIA C. TOGLE, D.D.
Davao City, Philippines
04 Garcia Heights Bajada
http://prayercounseling.ning.com
21
For the next 3 months I will be presenting a series of 3 articles
directed specifically to singles. They are:
The Single Christian Woman: Waiting on God
The Single Christian Man: Becoming a Shepard of God
The Single Christian Couple: Getting Ready for a Lifetime
Together
In this issue I will be addressing the Single Christian
woman and how she can begin to prepare herself for marriage.
Most women that I‘ve had been friends with have told me
that they have always dreamed about their wedding day for
their entire lives. They started with the Ken & Barbie dolls and
the fantasy growing up of meeting that knight in shining armor,
6ft 4in, good looking, and the perfect gentleman, who will
marry them in a high-end, fantasy wedding followed by a whirl-
wind romantic honeymoon in Fiji. But it doesn‘t end there. She
also expects to come home from that honeymoon and live for-
ever in a perfect marriage happily ever after in eternal peace.
Fast forward to the present day and you are in a marriage with
a man who never wants to go to church, read the bible, pray for
you or with you, attend bible study, not to mention walking up
to the pastor after church and saying hi for fear he will be
―exposed‖ to the Man of God as a ―fake‖ and ―phony‖ Chris-
tian.
This is the situation a countless number of young ladies
find themselves in when they ―rush‖ God when it comes to re-
ceiving a Godly mate. The devil knows that you really want to
be married to a Godly man who will make you happy for the
rest of your life. This causes anxiety to build, especially when
you feel your ―time‖ is coming soon. Look at what the scrip-
tures say about being anxious. ―Don't fret or worry. Instead of
worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into
prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a
sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good,
will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when
Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.‖ (Philippians 4:6
-7 MSG)
When you become anxious you can delay or even destroy
the plan that God has for you. God has already predestined a
man who will be the man of God specifically for you to be mar-
ried to. The domino effect of this is that your mind begins wan-
dering. You wonder if God forgot about what you asked Him
for. You try to move God forward faster because you think He
is taking is time for no good reason when in reality it was you
who hindered the plans of God. When anxiety kicks in, a door
is wide open for the devil to begin messing with your flesh. He
starts sending ideas to your head like, ―You are going to be too
old to get married pretty soon‖, or ―If you wait any longer you
will miss your chance to have children‖, or ―No man is going to
want to marry you after you turn 35‖. The devil is always busy
trying to ruin the plans that God has for you. John 10:10
(AMP) says, ―The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and
destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in
abundance (to the full, till it overflows).‖
You see God wants you to be happily married to the
man of your dreams, as long as it‘s the man that He chose for
you from the beginning of the earth. The devil only wants to
steal, kill and destroy the plans God has for you. So it is so im-
portant that the things you do while you‘re still single are ac-
cording to the will of God. It is so vital that you stay on track
with God‘s plan for your life because God is preparing you for
the moment when He introduces you to your husband. And
while He is preparing you rest assured He is preparing the man
who will be your husband as well. God wants to make sure that
you are both ready to meet each other when the time comes.
When my wife was single she spent a lot of time with God, pray-
ing to God that if she was going to be married again it would be
to a mighty man of God. She was not ever willing to compro-
mise those values that the Lord placed on her heart. So while
the Lord was preparing her to be a Proverbs 31 wife, He was
preparing me to be an Ephesians 5 husband! Then when we
came together for God‘s purpose, His plan literally exploded in
our lives beyond anything we could think or imagine!
As single Christian women, your only focus should be
on God so when the devil sends the deceiver you can resist and
keep yourself for your future husband. The devil will send
someone to you who you truly believe is exactly who you prayed
for but he will be an imposter. Don‘t fall for the trick of the
enemy! The major way you can avoid the trap of the enemy is
to remain in prayer and in your Word so you will be equipped
to deal with the spiritual battles you will face because you
WILL face them.
During your time of being single, you must put on the
full armor of God so that you can deflect the enemy‘s flaming
arrows. This is the best time of your life because this is the time
when you can fully devote yourself to God. You can spend any
time during the day or night praying, worshipping and praising
God. You can spend countless seconds, minutes, hours, and
days in the presence of the Lord. When you do this, the Lord
will begin to reveal Himself you in amazing ways. You will see
your life change and you will slowly become the woman God
needs you to be. When you do this God will present you with
the man He destined for you to be with and you will be amazed
at how perfectly the plans God has for your life will fit with the
plans He has for your future husband‘s life. Trust God to be
your matchmaker and you will never go wrong. You will pros-
per in every area of your life and as a Christian wife, you will
grow together spiritually with your husband as the two of you
grow and prosper in the things of God.
When you put God first, you will not have a perfect,
problem-free life. But you will, without a doubt, have your best
life for the rest of your life.
Next month: The Single Christian Man – Becoming a
Shepard of God
© 2011 Robert T. Sells – all rights reserved
The Single Christian Series – Part 1
(The Single Christian Woman: Waiting on God)
22
And the Lord said unto the servant, Go out into the
highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that
my house may be filled.
Luke 14:23
People of God, we have been Commanded to go and
bring the lost into the house of God, some may come
saved and some may not until they sit under the word of
God, but people of God in this day and age, I see the
church being a revolving door. People are in one week
and gone the next. You know I've always said the church
is a hospital and everyone has a sickness. Now some of
us have been taking our medicine for a long time, so
there should be some healing taking place in the body of
Christ. There should be some maturity in the body. We
must get the house clean up if we want to bring people
into the house. We must clean up our stinking‘ attitudes,
our bickering, our jealous behavior, that scheming and
conniving spirit, the deceitful, controlling and manipu-
lative spirit. You know these are the things that are go-
ing on in the world today! Why do people have to come
into the ―Holy Place‖ and experience the same thing?
The only difference is we are doing those things in Jesus
name! Oh yes I said it! We don't any problem hurting
and disrespecting each other I
in Jesus name and God is not pleased with it not one bit!
We need to repent of this behavior and bring God‘s
house back to its original mission. A house of prayer, a
house of refuge, a house of love and peace and compas-
sion. If we stop being concern with climbing the spiritual
ladder, trying to create a platform for ourselves, then
maybe we can take that time to nurture the sick and
hurting people who are crying out for a change in their
lives. Why in the world would someone come into a
house that is more chaotic than where they came from?
Doesn‘t make sense do it? If we are to be the salt of the
earth to the world outside, then we really ought to be it
on the inside too. The word tells us to be good mainly to
those in the household of faith. I know this is a tight
message, but it is a rhema word. We are in our last days
and we have serious witnessing to be done! Time is of
the essence. So let‘s pick up those brooms and begin to
sweep the trash out of our hearts, let‘s disinfect our
minds and scrub down those attitudes, and let us bring a
sweet smelling savor to the house of God, a house that
will be pleasing to his nostrils. Everyone likes to dwell in
a clean house. How about you? Amen!
LET'S CLEAN HOUSE, BEFORE BRINGING ANYONE IN! By Michelle Pumphrey
livforjesus@verizon.net
23
Treasures Your Pearl ―Pearl‖ is mentioned nine
times in scripture. First, in Job 28 where Job is describing
where treasures are found and how men go about acquiring
them. He then concludes that pearls are the most valuable
and precious of all treasures. In three of those biblical men-
tions, pearls are distinguished, set apart. ―Precious stones
and pearls‖ is a phrase used to highlight the priceless attrib-
ute of pearls over that of other gems.
In ancient times pearls were the most precious of
all gems, primarily, because of the traumatic method of
their creation, and the great lengths to which a person had
to go to retrieve the prize. Today, single natural pearls, still
counted among the most precious gems, are sold, at shock-
ingly high prices, to collectors and gemologists. They are
the oldest gem known to man and the only one fashioned
within a living organism.
Natural pearls are created as the result of distress,
displacement, damage and suffering. They are the defense
mechanism against a parasite within the shell itself or an
attack from the outside. An irritating intruder, within or
without, threatens the safety of the mollusk. The mollusk
responds, sealing off the aggravation, forming a pearl sac
of external mantle tissue cells and secretes a compound to
contain the irritant. This secretion is emitted many times,
thus producing a pearl.
Even the environment in which a pearl is formed is
intriguing. Deep in the mud bed of the sea, where it is dark,
dank, cold, unseen and unnoticed, a phenomenon is occur-
ring. Where light scarcely breaks through, a treasure is be-
ing created. Where few dare tread, something of impressive
worth is fashioned. Life is flourishing in the face of poten-
tial death. To me, however, the most interesting and pro-
found characteristic about natural pearls is that they are
perfectly formed without human intervention or aid.
Gold, silver, even diamonds, need a refiner’s fire
before being considered even remotely ready for use but
pearls can go from mollusk to necklace with a rinse of wa-
ter. They emanate a warm glow, unlike the sometimes
harsh brilliance of other gems, without so much as a pol-
isher’s cloth touching them. George Fredrick Kunz, a noted
gemologist, once said, ―The pearl owes nothing to man. It
is absolutely a gift of nature on which man cannot im-
prove.‖ In early Judeo-Christian writings, pearls are sym-
bolic of wisdom, purity, harmony, humility, quality and
Jesus Christ.
It is important for us to know that this most rare
and priciest jewel is produced only after abuse. What inten-
tionally, as in the case of a parasite, or accidentally, as in
the case of a grain of sand, seeks to hurt, maim, or destroy,
is restrained and used to create a treasure. A mollusk, trau-
matized by a physical attack, has been empowered to create
something beautiful, lasting and valuable out of pain. The
disturbance, which was meant to destroy, has been rede-
(Continued on page 24)
24
fined, becoming a transformer instead of a
―killer‖.
Battles threaten to erupt all the time be-
cause our mortal enemy does not rest on his lau-
rels in his aim to steal, kill and destroy. With the
skies darkening and the enemy closing in, it can
look like we have been abandoned to weather
things in our own strength. Do not accept this lie.
Never mistake temporary darkness for permanent
blindness. When the enemy threatens, the Lord
sees and, in His time, He responds. When God
designs, the enemy is sealed off, held at bay and
used to create a treasure. We do not have to be-
come victims of the trials which will arise in our
life. We are surrounded by the stabilizing shelter
of the love of God.
Psalm 46 reminds us that God is our safe
dwelling place and our potency (effective
strength). He is very much in attendance and at-
tentive to help us in our trouble. Mountains can
slip into the sea, nations can rage, our entire
worlds can tip upside down. God’s grace will re-
strain the storm, constrain the potentially devas-
tating effects, retrain our minds and retain for us
that which is needed to bring glory out of our
situations. But parasites and attacks are a neces-
sary tool.
Many spiritual treasures, much like
pearls, are formed in the heat of battle and are the
wounds of war. I learned God was my healer
while battling a chronic illness for 15 years. I
learned God was a provider while experiencing
lack. I learned God was my battle axe while being
attacked by those who thought I was defenseless.
I learned God was my husband while going
through a painful divorce. I learned God was my
deliverer while I was held captive to the decisions
of others. I learned God was a promise keeper
while being restored.
Romans 5:1-5 reminds us we have been
justified by faith in God and have peace in Jesus,
therefore, not only can we boast in the hope of
the glory of God but we can also glory in our suf-
ferings. The suffering produces something very
good. We gain perseverance, character and hope.
We come through. Some day it is over. Somehow
we are not consumed. The battle is contained by
grace. And when all is said and done, the power
of God has worked in us, without human inter-
vention or aid, producing what we are incapable
of producing on our own. When the dust settles,
we find the battle yielded wisdom, purity, humil-
ity and more of Christ in us, the hope of glory.
Treasures!
25
His Sheep Hear His Voice
By Eunice Stuhlhofer
A while ago and not so long, I came to an important decision after prayer and long endurance. I
would tell you that I heard the Lord‘s voice gradually directing me, and I was ready to step into
the water until God said STOP. So I didn‘t plunge in as much as I was raring to go. The Master
had spoken, I heard His voice and as His sheep, I stopped. God hasn‘t even shown me His alterna-
tive plan yet making me humanly confused. He just said STOP!
I can‘t tell you how often I have followed my feelings and made decisions without waiting to hear
God‘s voice. And I have reaped the painful consequences too. But this one time, I had the privilege
to hear His voice and STOP. Why a privilege? Because…Many plans are in a man's mind, but it is
the Lord's purpose for him that will stand (Proverbs 19:21 AMP). So whose purpose do you want?
If you‘re like me, you want your plans to stand and not collapse anymore.
The choices we make always affect others positively or negatively, even for generations. Remember
King David, a man after God‘s own heart; yet his feelings led him to commit murder. After he or-
ganised for Uriah to be killed so that he could take his wife Bathsheba, the Lord sent him a mes-
sage. (2 Samuel 12: 10 AMP) ‗Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house…‘ So,
next time you contemplate any choice, remember you‘re making it for your children and the gen-
erations to come.
And the only way we can make solid choices is when we involve God. But the plans of the LORD
stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations (Psalm 33:11 AMP). If we
want a sure and stable legacy, we need to submit our plans, dreams, vision and desires to the Mas-
ter first. Under His perfect eyes, He sees every obstacle and snare that the enemy has laid before
you. However great our plans, if they don‘t bring Him glory, they will not stand. And remember
(Psalms 84: 11 NLT) says… The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is
right. And what is right? To allow Him to rule over our lives since He has purchased us with His
blood.
Precious Lord, open my ears to hear Your voice as You tell me to turn to the right or to the left
and when to STOP. In Your name. Amen.
www.eunicewanguistuhlhofer.wordpress.com
Author of Something in Your Hand.
26
Barbara Miller, author of MIGHTY INSPIRATION, Love
Letters from God, was born in August, 1963, and her first
memory occurred at the age of three when she entered St.
Joseph's orphanage as a ward of the state. At that time she
was the youngest and considered the "baby" of the orphan-
age. She lived there from age 3 through 8 with some of her
brothers & sisters. Her adoptive grandparents used to get
her and her brothers and sisters out of the orphanage in the
"friends of the orphans" program. When their oldest
daughter, who Barbara idolized, got married, she and her
new husband decided to adopt her. The adoption was final-
ized when Barbara was 12. In her adoptive family she has
two sisters younger sisters.
From her large birth family, only she and one brother were
adopted, but by different families. They were separated for
25 years before her brother located her in their mid-30s.
That story is a miracle story in its own right. When asked
by the publisher to distinguish her name from the many
other Barbara Ann Millers, she chose to take her adoptive
grandparent‘s last name (Bernard) as her middle name for
the book to honor them. She was educated in the Catholic
school system in Cincinnati, Ohio. Directly after high
school, she began her career in corporate America. She ob-
tained her college degree at Xavier University by attending
night and weekend classes. Miller is a Human Resources
manager for a large fortune 500 Company and enjoys her
work because it allows her to touch the lives of the employ-
ees she works with. She resides in Cincinnati with her two
children who are now in their early 20's.
Since the age of 30, Miller has had many spiritual experi-
ences where God has given her messages. With each one, it
became increasingly more important to step out in faith and
act or deliver the message with increased risk of judgment
by others. Those experiences prepared her to hear and act
on the message she received with this book. For those who
do not believe in God or in modern day miracles, Miller has
many experiences that highlight and confirm her strong
faith.
27
While Miller never dreamed of being an author, this experi-
ence and resulting book has given her a new purpose and
direction. She wishes to use her newfound "voice" in subse-
quent books and is currently working on that mission. She
considers her ministry to be one of inspiration and empow-
erment. Whether she is using social media or addressing
radio audiences, small group gatherings or larger venues
she tells her story to inspire others to find their voice and
stir their own lives into action. She believes that everyone
has the ability to not only change their own lives but also to
change the world with the connections and decisions we
make. All gifts are worthy and she hopes her story will be a
catalyst for change. In essence, she is lighting the candles of
others to increase the light in the world.
You can find Barbara Bernard Miller's book online at Ama-
zon and Barnes & Noble. 50% of all profits are donated to
charity, most of which are orphanages like the one she grew
up in. Visit her website: www.mightyinspiration.com to read more
or to reach Miller to speak and encourage your group.
Read Now - http://bit.ly/7ZYl8r
Twitter - @bmillergirl1
Website - www.mightyinspiration.com
28
Hello once again everyone! This month I would like to
introduce you to someone I have gotten to know over the
last year and a half. She was running a truly incredible
ministry helping young children to become who God in-
tended them to be and young people were giving their
lives to Christ! Now she has returned to writing and
what joy and a blessing her work has been to the maga-
zine. Now sit back, grab a cup of java and your favorite
English muffin, and get to know Maya Macon.
DIM: Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Mayla: My name is Mayla Macon or M’yla (since most
incorrectly pronounce my name a friend made it easier to
say my name. lol). I am single mother of 3. I graduated
with an Associate Degree in Culinary Arts at Le Cordon
Bleu MN. I love to cook, write poetry, help others reach
their goals or just be there when in need of a friend or
company, lots of arts and crafts, and picked up photo ed-
iting as a hobby. I currently am a Personal Party Chef/
Booking Consultant as a business venture from home to
be home with my kids and be full time parent as well. I
love reggae, inspirational and positive uplifting music.
DIM: How did your ministry get started?
Mayla: I started writing back in high school for a couple
years. When I got married after high school, the writing
stopped for a few years. I was divorced sometime later
and after 4 years of being single and having a relationship
from wedlock a child was born, After going our own
ways I started writing again and I’ve been writing ever
since.
DIM: What inspires you to write? Do you have any spe-
cific techniques you use for your writing?
Mayla: Whatever the emotions, feelings, trials, tribula-
tions, challenges, experiences either I myself is going
through, or what is happening around my surroundings,
community or environment. Most times I write with
rhythm, sound, rhyme and flow. When my fingers start to
type or pick up the pencil my mind is flowing with one
together what is needed to be said on paper. I don’t think
about how it has to be written, I just write how it should
feel or what I am feeling at that time or put myself in that
circumstances, on the other side of the shoes or view
AND make others understand and feel the emotions of
the writings. Or just try to captivate the reader into my
mind of emotions.
Most of my writings inspired with the heart of many
things in life, thus the name ―heartz♥inspired”.
DIM: Have you got any plans in the near future?
Mayla: Just continue to write and hopefully inspire oth-
ers. Perhaps look into Dub Poetry? Maybe a future publi-
cation but no full thoughts about it yet. I do plan to con-
tinue to perhaps share and recite some of my writings.
Where ever the LORD brings this gift to his people or
just to inspire from a distance is ok with me, as long it
can touch, relate to, or reach out to someone’s soul.
DIM: What has been the best part about being in the
ministry as a singer, performer or musician?
Mayla: I have yet to accomplish and discover the ―best
part‖ as a performer or spoken word artist, if it’s God’s
will to lead me down that path.
DIM: Are there examples of your faith that show in your
writing and if so what are they?
Mayla: Some have writings of hope, faith, love, truth,
reminders of HIS WORD, believing, I have yet more to
write down and a couple are testimonies, one is a letter
from me to GOD, telling him and others how I strive to
keep pushing to stay that course of living for HIM. We
are all sinners, we will all struggle, we will fall, we will
get disappointments from time to time.. but the letter also
explains if we keep pushing and keep striving with our
eyes on that prize while keeping our hearts towards him,
He will keep us on that path back to Him no matter how
far or how close we are from that path of plan he has for
us. He will always be faithful to His promises no matter
how blind our eyes can be to our own hearts’ and our
deceptive minds.
DIM: Where can people find your music and/or products
if they wanted to support your ministry?
Mayla: My work can be found at www.facebook.com/
pages/Heartz-Inspired or look up heartz_inspired on face
book. This is where I post updated writings along with
other pages but this site I use most frequently. Thank
you so much. I appreciate the opportunity and chance to
share the love and gift the LORD has brought forth and
to glorify His works so others may be blessed and in-
spired by His words and messages. Bless you!
~Depth of me is Love, the surface is who I am, ~simply
me~ " Heartz♥Inspired ©2010 All rights reserved®
A Brief Moment With Mayla Macon By Robert T. Sells
29
How culture & nationality
Affect marriage “There is clearly a need for the courageous
and innovative use of cultural elements that do not stand in
contradiction to biblical truth, while avoiding the temptation
of compromising authentic Christian
faith and life.” ~Gideon Strauss
(Dept. of Philosophy, University of the Orange Free State)
What does a hot dog and hamburger, carna asada con pollo y
frijoles, corn bread and greens, rice and sushi, and File gumbo
all have in common? (Hint: It’s not a joke) Answer: They are
all characteristic foods of different nationalities, races and
cultures.
No matter if you’re Asian, Latino, African American, Cauca-
sian, Native American, or whatever; you personally know how
that culture can shape your perspective about marriage, family
and even how you treat your spouse.
As a Christian, however, you have been adopted into a new
―race‖; a race of GRACE. It is also imperative for a proper
perspective that you claim citizenship of the Kingdom of God
before anything else.
As in any culture or nationality, becoming a Christian brings
with it, its own culture; its own set of guidelines, beliefs, rules
and cultural elements.
In light of this understanding, that becoming a Christian is like
becoming a new ―citizen‖ and a new member of a community
and culture, it eradicates and should eliminate any and all
other elements which oppose its teaching. For we are in-
structed, ―Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new crea-
ture: old things are passed away; behold all things are become
new.‖
This includes all cultural philosophies, beliefs and practices
which are contrary to God’s way, and what works in a mar-
riage partnership. After all, a marriage that is based entirely on
the essence of ―love‖, and ―true love‖ will give necessary self
sacrifices to harmonize with the one being ―loved‖.
Our culture must conform to the Kingdom.
While our skin may all be different colors, blood is still red.
And when we’re married, we are to become ―one‖ in every
sense of the word.
The potential problem therein lies when the elements and be-
liefs within each culture try to override what the partner needs.
In some circles, it seems normal for the man to be dominating,
overbearing and overall abusive. This is not condoned in any
way, but it needs to be addressed that we cannot allow our
upbringing to override properly loving our spouse.
It is said that your culture makes you who you are. Not neces-
sarily. As with any institution, there are good elements and
then there are bad elements. There are pros and cons. The
question is really whether or not your culture is supporting
your marriage and Christian belief, or opposing it.
We absolutely MUST be careful not to compromise our Chris-
tian convictions and moral standards, simply because our
―heritage‖ or ―culture‖ has less or different parameters. We
can become so involved with our heritage and culture, that we
can unknowingly twist certain principals and scriptures to fit
our ideals and cultural practices.
As Christians, not as a certain nationality or race, we are to
become conformed and transformed in the image of Christ.
As a married couple, we are to be in agreement and walk to-
gether, hand in hand to continue to work on our closeness in
our marriage.
Marriage is ―oneness‖ with each other, as we strive to be
―one‖ with Christ. We walk and talk and rely on our partner in
every part of our life.
We must take our partner into consideration over our own
personal cultural perspectives. In other words, our spouse is
more important than your obligation to your heritage and cul-
ture.
We’re concerned that many who are so active in their culture
and heritage, easily forget to rightly divide Christianity and
Culture, and therefore interchange the two whenever personal
benefit is needed.
A husband in a particular culture who would normally be
overbearing and dominating, must submit and conform to his
partner, showing the love that she needs, over the selfish im-
pulse to identify with his culture.
A wife coming from a background where it is normal to hit
and yell, will need to learn to overcome those past patterns,
and become a woman that shows temperance and kindness in
order to keep and maintain that marriage.
A couple whose husband works much overtime will need to
reconstruct their priorities, to make their marriage more
prominent on the list of importance.
A couple who continually jokes negatively about each other,
or says things in a demeaning and derogatory way, will need
to change their vocabulary and how to talk to their partner to
keep that marriage intact.
A wife, who continually puts down her husband in
front of the other family, will quickly need to learn to stop
sabotaging her marriage and husband’s trust, in order for there
to be marital peace and harmony.
We have personally seen each of these marital behavioral pat-
terns, and have seen the negative effects of these types of be-
haviors on the marriage relationship, regardless of culture or
race, nationality or heritage.
Our pride and heritage can be a strength and encouragement to
us. It can, and has the potential to be a huge pat on our back
and helpful hand. But it can also be the single source of our
own demise and downfall from the grace of God, and a main
source of a growing and fatal splinter in our marriage and rela-
tionship.
Nothing, and we declare ―nothing!‖ is to separate us from the
love of God in Christ. This includes culture, pride, heritage
and our personal belief system. And as well, we are to ―leave
father and mother‖ and ―CLING‖ to our spouse. Leave and
cleave!
Pastor Mike and Trisha Fox
30
―I Surrender All…‖
Even as I type this I have the old hymn running
through my head, ―All to Jesus I surrender…all to
Him I freely give…” (Words by Judson W. Van De-
Venter, 1896). I surrender all. How many times have
I used these exact words in prayer and my daily time
with God—and yet not whole-heartedly kept this
promise because I had no idea what these words
really meant.
If you are a born-again believer reading this, then you
have surrendered something to Jesus at least once in
your time on earth. Chances are you have surren-
dered many things over the years. Honestly, chances
are also high that you have come to places along the
journey where you felt the need to surrender yet one
more thing—and fear has been the chain that has held
you back from finding freedom in your surrender.
―God incarnate is the end of fear, and the heart that
realizes the He is in the midst will be quiet in the
middle of alarm‖ -- Frederick Brotherton Meyer
Fear is what holds us back from fully surrendering
everything in our lives to Christ. Fear that we will
lack the restraint to stay away from our ―thing.‖ Fear
that we will somehow disappoint God will not keep
His end of the bargain, so to speak. Fear that we will
fail, and fear of what that failure means to our iden-
tity.
―The true follower of Christ will not ask, ‗If I em-
brace this truth, what will it cost me?‘ Rather he will
say, ‗This is truth. God help me to walk in it, let
come what may!‘" --A. W. Tozer
True surrender carries with it a freedom that most of
us only dream of. We tend to forget that once we
have said ―yes‖ to Jesus, then all of what is His be-
comes ours—most especially His Holy Spirit and
Grace to carry us through. Regardless of how fear
tries to tell us that God will not be there to catch us
once we jump, surrender always allows Jesus to show
us our wings as we fly the way down.
I realized recently that I had not surrendered my hus-
band’s physical state to God. He has been unwell for
a number of months now, and we have not yet see
God’s promise for full healing come to pass. I found
myself clutching for control without jumping into
God’s arms, fearing God had some silly reason for
not hearing or answering our prayers. The day that I
stepped off the cliff into total surrender, I whispered,
―come what may, I will trust you,” and sensed fear
flee as I remembered that I could trust God. No
longer was I consumed by God’s promises, but I be-
gan to focus on God Himself as He carried me and
my husband. And six weeks after my surrender, my
husband has improved two-fold. All glory goes to
God!
―God is ready to assume full responsibility for the
life wholly yielded to Him‖ – Andrew Murray
Surrender takes courage, but it also takes an under-
standing of God’s character and love for His children.
We cannot trust someone who we do not know or un-
derstand. I will not jump off a cliff in the fog if I do
not know that there is a secure net at the bottom wait-
ing to catch me. There is always an element of faith
involved, of course; but how can we have faith if we
A Glimpse of Surrender‖ – by Mandy Woodhouse
31
have not heard (Romans 10:17, NIV). Often
the best way to hear the word and stir up the
faith inside of us is to speak His promises
aloud. Living a life that is ―wholly yielded‖ to
God means getting to know God. It is in His
presence that fear must flee, and peace and
trust come. It is also the place that we learn to
trust that despite what we see, He will always
take responsibility for those who love Him.
―If you seek to save your life--you will lose it-
-but if you will just surrender and just lose
your life--for my sake you will find it!‖ – Rev-
erend T.D. Jakes
True freedom comes from a place of absolute
weakness, when the only thing that we can do
is give all to Jesus. In that place God makes us
strong, because it is in our weaknesses that
God’s power is made perfect (2 Corinthians
12:9, NIV). Jesus Himself says in Luke 14:33
that anyone who ―does not give up everything
he has cannot be my disciple.‖ But Jesus also
promises that a life in His presence also bears
much fruit (John 15:5). Apart from Jesus we
truly cannot surrender, but Jesus says that a
life of connecting with Him means that we find
our true selves—true life. All desires are ful-
filled, identities are secure in Him, and no
harm can fall upon those who fully surrender
to their God.
―All to Him I freely give…‖
Surrendering the details of life is not the easi-
est thing that God calls us to do, but it is the
most rewarding, life giving, and fruit-bearing
exercise there is. Once we can get to a place
where we know God’s promises and aggres-
sively say no to fear, we are truly losing life in
order to find it. Surrender does not mean
jumping off a dangerous cliff in the fog and
trusting ―Fate‖ to land you in a safe spot. Sur-
render knows God, understands that a part of
your flesh must die so that you can truly live,
and it then means jumping off into the abyss
and finding that Jesus has given you wings to
fly. Surrender means peace, joy, and trust in
your Heavenly Father. Come what may, God’s
responsibility is always to turn ―everything for
the good of those who love Him…‖ (Romans
8:28, NIV).
―…All to thee my precious Savior, I surren-
der all.‖
32
Dream Realized
by Judith M. Mosley
I live consumed with what is just beyond my reach.
The eyes being the window of my soul keep looking toward tomorrow.
My heart becomes filled with desires unfulfilled.
It cries tears only the Lord can see.
What hope!
Take courage my heart!
The One Who Sees never turns from His occupation that is you.
His heart yearns to give you what you pine for so earnestly.
Your contemplation of what could be comes from Him.
He deposited inside you long ago.
The stirring within is His will.
The time is near for the dream to come forth.
His skillful hands are shaping that dream and preparing you,
so you will give, being a reflection of Himself.
What hope!
Take courage my heart!
Your dream will be realized.
Waiting will come to the end.
The fountain that was stopped will flow freely,
and all who come to drink will be refreshed.
33
THERE I WAS
THERE I WAS, a sinner slated for perpetual fire and damnation.
My entire life, a succession of bad decisions and tragic situations,
No matter what the endeavor of the day, I continuously bombed.
Inundated with diversion; to my fleshly will I at last succumbed.
THERE I WAS, running untamed; I lived life spiritually in the red.
My flesh invigorated by the world; my spirit comatose; all but dead.
Can you feel where I‘m coming from; has your soul ever been there?
I felt lonely in a large crowd; I felt as if no other human being cared.
THERE I WAS, in the darkness; my spirit longing for, craving light.
My weak flesh possessed a strong mind; it triumphed in every fight.
Thread-bare and drained, I dabbled in the world‘s choice of devices.
For sharing wittingly in such wrongdoing, I suffered great sacrifices.
THERE I WAS, at the crossroads of salvation and spiritual perdition.
I was locked in the dark one‘s clutches; a most fear-provoking position.
I looked all around and about me; I could only see my impending demise.
At full voice, my spirit called on Jesus, with earsplitting, anguished cries.
Jesus had been waiting for my surrender; waiting since I was a little child.
He knew I would at first taste of the world; and even become a little wild.
He stood by my side and waited long-sufferingly with shelter from heaven.
I had sensed His touch; I knew He watched over me ever since I was seven.
As my spirit‘s cries rang out; in a timely manner Jesus‘ Holy Spirit arrived.
After repenting of all my transgressions, my Savior held me close as I cried.
While lukewarm teardrops flowed, heaven‘s forgiveness enveloped all of me.
As the darkness started to fall down; the Hallowed Light of Jesus I could see.
THERE I WAS, in the arms of the Savior after all that I had been and done.
Although I was not faultless, I was accepted by God‘s magnificent only Son.
He covered my bare soul with His blood; now we two belong to one another.
With the Holy Spirit living in me, I am able to love and forgive my brother.
BY: Sharon Reid-Robinson
February, 2009
34
Whenever I sit alone
My mind drifts off the gently thoughts of you
And calm reminders return to my mind
Again and again
Such in the way the tide washes the sandy shore
The tide comes in and envelopes more and more
Of the sand until it overtakes it
Just in that way thoughts of you
Invade my mind as they begin to allow the door
To my heart to open more
I begin to see the things of the spirit become reality
I begin to see you and me walking toward prosperity
I begin to see us through our agreement
Rescuing souls from the anti-divinity
And taking them from misery and despondency
To total, complete, and final liberty
I know you are a mighty woman of God
For it shows in everything you do and say
Each word spoken and written by you every day
Every single motion and movement
Shows me the way
A powerful woman of God should exist
On this earth
I think of you when you‘re not around and I begin to
miss
Your piercing brown eyes that envelope my soul
Your piercing brown eyes that envelope my soul
Your incredible smile how it would be to kiss
The very mouth that encourages me daily
That always says ‗I know and not maybe‘
As I think of all these things I can‘t help but want
To put you on my list of one
The one most beautiful woman on the planet earth
That whatever I must go through it is worth
Ending up with you in my life
As my help meet and my wife
And I would be honored and proud
To know that I am your husband forever
And when that day comes I will shout to the heavens
out
Hallelujah! My time has come
For I have finally obtained the favor of the Lord
And now I will begin to accomplish
The things He has called me to do
But at another level of anointing
And it will be because of you
And the inspiration you have provided
For my life everyday
I know God will make a way
In everything I do for Him and I will hear Him say
―Thank you for the listening to me my son,
Now go and be blessed with the wife you were sent‖
―And begin to walk in the marriage anointing
I have placed on your life‖
―Go and do my incredible works
The two of you will do as husband and
wife‖
―And you will prosper together as you
grow together
And you will be as one in everything you
do…
…Forever‖
© Robert T. Sells
From Single To Married
35
This year we have to make sure to live under the covering of the
BLOOD
The Blood gives us access to the father with boldness. Hebrews
10:19-20
Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by
the blood of Jesus.
By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us,
through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
The blood allows us to come into the presence of God with joy
and peace. Thank God for the blood. God only communicates
through the blood.
He does not look on sin for any reason. Every thing has to be
through the blood.
God is holy and pure.
We should praise the Lord for his divine protection. The blood
washes and cleanses us from sin.
In the book of Revelation, Chap. 1:5 we read this verse.
―And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first
begotten from the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.
Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own
blood.‖
Praise Him; the lord is worthy to be praise. How many people we
know that will die for us? And want to wash us in their blood.
Let the record show, no body. God only uses what is divine and
holy.
Not only did he wash us in his own blood, he made us kings and
priests unto God and his Father: to him be glory and dominion for
ever and ever, Amen
We can go to the Father any time because of the blood of Jesus.
No human hands touch what is divine and holy. Because of the
blood we have access to the Father. This gives us the right to go
and leave our burdens at his feet.
Because of the blood God’s mercy is shown to sinners, yet God
still remain holy and just.
What a mighty God we serve.
Jesus blood is so precious, it washes away all of our sins. The
blood purges our conscience from dead works. [Heb. 9:14]
Our conscience must be purge from all the past sins and thoughts,
cursing, darkness of mind and heart. Even our imagination has to
be cleansed and changed.
The precious blood of Jesus takes care all of that and more.
No one can duplicate this blood. The blood of Jesus fights all of
our battles; we learn how to apply it with the authority of Jesus
Christ. The blood paid for our sins
At the Cross.
Ephesians 1:7
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness
of sins,
According to the riches of his grace.
Thank God for the precious blood of Jesus. There is power in his
blood, wonder working power. Power that does deliver, any
where, and any time.
Demons tremble when they hear us speak on the blood of Jesus.
Jesus shed blood has heaven backing it up. His blood represents
heaven and its entire host...
Jesus blood makes peace with God. On the Cross Jesus was rec-
onciling all things unto himself. This way he be came our Savior,
our life, and our High Priest.
Col.1:20
And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to
reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be
things in earth, or things in heaven.
Living inside out we must trust the blood of Jesus...
Jesus made us a new creature according to the scriptures.
2nd Corinthians 5; 17-18
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: behold,
old things are become new.
18 V. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to him-
self by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of recon-
ciliation.
God worked every thing through his Son Jesus Christ. [For he
hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might
be made the righteousness of God in him. 2nd. Cor. 5:21]
The shedding of Jesus blood saves us from God’s wrath...
―Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be
saved from wrath through him. Romans 5:9
I thank God for the blood of Jesus. Let us keep the blood on our
minds as we go through this year of 2011.
Be blessed always.
Evg. Zella Burno
36
He said, "Don't worry about it—there are more on our side than
on their side."
(2 Kings 6:16, Message Bible)
In the time of trouble, there is no need to fear. We can
rest in the assurance that God has our backs; he is a God
that will not forsake those whom belong to him. In the
face of adversity, no matter what the enemy sends to de-
stroy us, we know that God is with us and not against us.
In Psalms 27, when David was about to fight his enemy
he framed his world for victory by the words ―The Lord is
my light and my salvation‖ (Psalms 27:1). David was con-
fident that God was the source that would guide him and
enable him to see his enemy both figuratively and spiritu-
ally and that he would be delivered from his enemies.
You may feel as though your world is surrounded by
mayhem and your back is against the wall, but there is a
word from God – Be not afraid ―…of ten thousands of
people, that have set themselves against me round
about‖ (Psalms 3:6). No matter how great your enemy
there is no need to be afraid of what man thinks he can do
to you. Yes, he may take our things, our houses, our jobs
and money, but we must remember that if God be for us
who can be against us (Romans 8:31).
Elisha was a man of great faith who witnessed the mani-
festation of God; he was quick to acknowledge that there
was no need to fear. Even when the king of Syria sent an
army to apprehend Elisha for disclosing his plans to over
take the king of Israel, he knew that he had the anointing
to win and he would be victorious (2 Kings 6:8-13).
When a servant of Elisha - the man of God, saw the great
encampment of horses and chariots surrounding the city,
he cried out to the man of God ―what shall they do?‖ ,
but Elisha spoke in confidence ―Don‘t worry about it–
there are more on our side than on their side‖ (2 Kings
6:15-16, Message Bible).
Sometimes those who are close to you may not be able to
see that God has prepared an army to fight for you.
―Then Elisha prayed, O God, open his eyes and let him
see‖ (2 Kings 6:17). The servant first saw the danger of
the enemy surrounding them but when God opened his
eyes and he saw angels as soldiers with horses and chari-
ots of fire surrounding Elisha and the whole mountain-
side. God had opened the gates of heaven to protect the
man of God from the gates of hell.
No matter how bad the situation, remember our Father
can send a legion of angels to help us ―Thinkest thou that
I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently
give me more that twelve legions of angels?‖(Matthew
26:53). Know that God will send help when we need it
most. When we know that there are those in the faith who
are weak and fearful, it is the responsible of the stronger
to pray that their eyes will be opened to see the light of
God in their lives.
If you are feeling like there is no way out and that your
back is against the wall, remember that God has your
back and he has a legion of angels in heaven prepared to
fight on your behalf.
Elder Mae F. Davis
New Life Worship Centre
120 E. Baltimore Pike
Lansdowne, PA 19050
davismae@ymail.com
Copy Writes ã 20011
God Has Your Back
37
Where‘s your Fruit?
In Matthew 13: 5-9, Jesus told the parable of a barren fig
tree. The English Standard Version of the Holy Bible says,
―A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came
seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vine-
dresser, ‗Look, for three years now I have come seeking
fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why
should it use up the ground?‘ And he answered him, ‗Sir,
let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on
manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and
good; but if not, you can cut it down.‘‖
Initially, this parable perplexed me. The compassionate,
loving Jesus I serve, it seemed, would have pity on the bar-
ren tree. Was it the tree‘s fault that it couldn‘t make figs?
Was it only valuable if it bore fruit? Couldn‘t it be appre-
ciated for the shade it provided and appreciated as a sanc-
tuary for birds? Why would Jesus allow the poor barren
fig tree to be cut down?
After considering the fate of the tree in this parable, the
meaning became clearer. We are all fig trees, and the figs
are our individual gifts. God also wants us to know he ex-
pects us to grow and use our gifts for the edification of the
Body of Christ. If we don‘t, He‘ll allow us additional time
to get help and correction, let someone dig around our
roots, and then fertilize us with the Word. And once that‘s
done, we have a limited amount of time to either bear fruit
or get cut down. It‘s time to get serious about bearing
fruit, Saints!
As a Christian Therapist, I see my charge as that of the
vinedresser, to help Christians dig around their roots and
expose the pain that‘s blocking spiritual growth and ma-
turity. We get to the root cause of your pain—the neglect,
abuse, or lack of proper boundaries during your child-
hood, the lies your were told as a child and still believe,
fear of abandonment, fear of being judged, criticized or
ridiculed, the guilt and shame of your past, and all the
other unresolved issues that you keep hidden in the re-
cesses of your heart and mind. Many of us are more com-
fortable using the ―get over it‖ approach to resolving our
pain, which robs us of the lessons that God was trying to
teach us by allowing us to endure the suffering. No wonder
we aren‘t bearing fruit!
Once we find the root of your pain, the power of the Holy
Spirit and the Word of God will bring about healing and
reconcile you to the unconditional love of God through his
beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Then, and only then, can we
bear the fruit Jesus spoke of in the parable. Don‘t allow
the pain from your past to block your fruit and cause your
fig tree to be cut down! If you have questions or comments,
I will gladly obey the Word of God which instructs us to,
―…bear one another‘s burdens.‖
Sophia Avery, MA- Christian Therapist can be contacted
via www.ChristianTalkTherapy.com for individual coun-
seling, Couples Counseling, and Marriage Counseling.
For counseling or information, please call 215-931-3070.
We are now offering on-line counseling via SKYPE
On-line video conferencing (free to download and talk).
We also offer a dynamic Pre-Marital Counseling series
for newly engaged couples!
38
Sitting in the kitchen Having a talk with God
Thankful for the blessings of a brand new start Grateful for the victories that I’ve already received
Gifts from God because I believed Thanking Him for the healing of my body, mind and soul
And for longevity of life What some people call “getting old”
Prayerful that whatever difficulties that I might face on today That when they come He will make a way
Yes, I’m sitting in the kitchen And I’m having a talk with God
Sharing those concerns that lay heavy on my heart He told me not to worry
And that there’ll be no more sleepless nights If I just keep on believing Everything will be alright.
Yvette Johnson The Tilted Tea Cup – All Things Inspired
2011
40
Let‘s make the devil Mad
By Beverly Leonard, ―The Poet with a Message‖ Author of “Come Inside”
Let’s make the devil mad . . . all day long
Let’s wake up with our minds staid on Jesus
Let’s keep our minds staid on Him throughout the day
And only words that are good and true let us speak and say
Let’s be nice and kind to everyone who comes our way
Let’s give thanks to the Lord and all the time pray
Let’s be humble and mild and not haughty and wild
Let’s be peaceful and calm and not rambunctious and rude
Let’s be mild mannered and polite and keep a positive attitude
Let’s show mercy and compassion to our fellow man
Let’s be a blessing to others and lend a helping hand
Let’s lift the down-hearted so that they, too, can stand
Let not our feet run to gossip, drama, trouble, and mess
Let’s not give in to satan’s temptations, taunts, and tests
Let’s stand firm in our faith in good times and when hard times come
Let’s know that we know where our real strength comes from
Let’s not give in to our weaknesses that laden and straddle us down
Let’s spread the Good News of God’s Kingdom to come all around
Let love, peace, and joy in our hearts, homes, and families abound
Let friendships bloom and blossom and relationships work out
Let’s release the stresses, the worries, the fears, and the doubts
Let’s forgive those who trespassed against us in the past
Let’s let go of the hurt and the pain so they will no longer last
Let the nations of the world come together in harmony and unity
Let there be peace and calm in our neighborhoods and communities
Let’s not give in to the demonic spirits found in alcohol and drugs
Let’s not act like dangerous criminals, hooligans, and thugs
Let’s sing, dance, shout, and praise God’s holy name
And all that hath breath let them do the same
And at the end of the day let us all kneel down and pray
And thank God for helping us not to let satan have his way
And tomorrow when we rise, if the Lord says the same
Let’s make the devil mad again in Jesus’ name
Let‘s Make the devil Mad
Please share this poem with others and make him really mad!!!
41
Beverly Leonard was born, reared, and raised in Dallas, Texas. She attended the local schools in the Dallas area
and received her teaching degree from Prairie View A&M University. Known as “The Poet with a Message,”
Beverly is a natural teacher who has taught in the Dallas Public Schools for the past 33 years, and counting. She is
currently a Language Arts Writing teacher at Frederick Douglass Elementary School in the Pleasant Grove area of
Dallas. She was elected by her peers as “Teacher of the Year” in 1984, 1994, and in 2004. Every decade! She is
looking forward to retiring at the end of this school year. She gives God the glory.
About twelve years ago Beverly asked the Lord to send her something, not specifying just what. And because God
knows His children well, the Lord sent her the sweet, sweet gift of poetry. It’s what you get when you combine
wisdom and rhyme – powerful messages that are found within the lines. She sees this as another tool in which to
teach.
Her work has been published in several newspapers, including a long run in The Birmingham Times in Alabama.
She has also written for the Dallas Morning News. She shares her gifts at school and church events. Her poems
have won many oratorical awards recited by students. Many compare her work with the awesome work of Dr.
Maya Angelou. Now, that really blows her mind. Praise God!
Her work is already touching many hearts, minds, and souls, but they are now ready to touch many more. She
knows that it is a gift from God because sometimes the messages found within the words bowl her over. She gives
all the praise, honor, and glory to God! Take a chance and ―Come Inside.‖ You won’t regret that you did! Her
book can be purchased at wingspanpress.com, barnesandnobles.com, or from her. She is currently working on her
second book entitled ―Enter at Your Own Risk.‖ Many await its arrival.
e-mail b13768@aol.com Cell (214) 287-8310
42
The Blood Of The Lamb hasn't lost it's Power.
Still raining from Heaven, it's Cleansing Shower.
In times of need, our Refuge and Strong Tower.
His Return is Imminent, we're in the Final Hour.
He came to seek and save, that which was lost.
His Precious Blood the ransom, shed to pay the
cost.
It wasn't the nails, but Love that held Him to the
Cross.
The Blood hasn't lost it's Power, still washing
clean.
For the disease of sin, still the antidote and vaccine.
We were bought with a price, the Blood paid the
lien.
It's still eradicating the filth stench, of the obscene.
The only reason the Saviour, came on the scene.
Give God the Glory, all the Praise He is due.
Thank Him for the Blood, that saved me and you.
An Awesome Gift from Heaven, the Sacrificial
Lamb.
Our Father manifested in sinful flesh, The Great I
Am.
The Blood Of The Lamb, hasn't lost it's Power.
Still raining from Heaven, it's Cleansing Shower.
In times of need, our Refuge and Strong Tower.
His return is Imminent, we're in the Final Hour.
Going home with the Father, the only Superpower.
Glory to God.
Copyrighted 10/19/2010
Minister Tony Rowsey
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