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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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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)

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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."

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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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

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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)

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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

39

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

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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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