It’s in the pouring out into others of what God pours into our heart & soul that helps we, as the vessel of the Holy Spirit, and the receiver of the message, to heal and grow stronger. It’s why it’s necessary to sit under sound biblical teaching under those who are able to rightly and plainly teach the Word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).
You can’t pour out anything except you first be filled up. Even one scripture a day, received and digested with the Holy Spirit’s help, has the power to water and refresh a multitude. You have a village to nurture and grow and sow into. I’ve heard my pastor call it our “circle of influence.”
Whatever you call it, you must understand that your life in Christ has purpose and it is to shine the light on Christ—his death, burial, and resurrection—as the only way to salvation.
Go and Get your refill for today—one Book, one passage in context, one memorable verse, one sermon—then pour out and water the forest of men, women, and children around you to strengthen them spiritually, mentally, and emotionally.
3 Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. 4 Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. 5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Have you learned everything you need to know about life?
Have you mastered every area of your life?
Have you learned all you can from God’s Word?
Are you so knowledgeable about scripture that you no longer need to be taught from the scriptures?
While a career might end one day or a degree require continuing education, life itself continues until you are no longer alive in the physical realm (never forgetting that there is spirit life after physical death).
How much more expedient that our personal spiritual education continue? I’d love to leave a monetary or material inheritance for my children and grandchildren but I confess that I put more emphasis on their spiritual inheritance (because we can take nothing with us into the spirit realm).
A “change” starts in the mind because it is the “made up mind” that determines it’s time to shift! Until the mind takes this stand — absolutely NOTHING HAPPENS.
But … when the mind grabs hold of the thought to change, and holds it captive, and makes it a part of the foundation of action, then and ONLY THEN, can it be TRANSPLANTED INTO THE HEART.
Transplanted refers to something that is removed and planted or settled in another place. A thought cannot be transplanted until it has been rooted in the mind first.
For too many of us, the changes we desire remain figments of our imagination … fiction, something feigned or imagined … a mere thought!
Far too many of us spend more time complaining about things we can’t change instead of working towards those things we can. And many get stuck because they spend too much time entertaining negative people and environments. NEGATIVITY IS DRAINING and it kills growth!
The mind is a power tool
So, if you are this person or have these types of people around you, help them Let Go – Love – Live by teaching & encouraging them that there’s more to life if they will practice a mind shift!
I have many spiritual and physical needs. However, my greatest NEED is to elevate the biblical knowledge I have to the next LEVEL of spiritual growth. This is only possible by getting a better understanding of the knowledge I have gained and then apply it to every issue I face (spiritual and physical)!
Learning from the comfort of our home is a good place to start. My prayer is that as God shines his light into your heart through the teaching of his Word, may it move you to shine his Word out into the darkness of our world.
See more content from Senior Pastor Ray Stewart, Grace and Truth Baptist Church, on the Facebook link above or the website at https://GTCkc.org
For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed. For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the Lord. For thus saith the Lord, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Jeremiah 29:8-11 KJV
In my Bible reading this morning in the Old Testament Book of Jeremiah, in a popular passage of scripture, I started Thinking Out Loud:
This chapter opens with the Prophet Jeremiah writing a letter to the remaining elders and people of the Nation of Israel, who have been brought into captivity by King Nebuchadnezzar. The Nation of Israel had been warned in numerous passages and books of the Bible that they would go into bondage if they didn’t turn from following after false gods and cease practicing the idolatry of the heathen nations around them.
As a young Christian, this book was my go-to when my behavior was less than Christ-like. It remains a standard mirror for testing the fruits of my spirit! Hope you’ll join us on this scripture journey!🙏♥️
First Missions Trip Abroad – Malawi, Africa – October 2018
In 2018, I was ecstatic to experience the sights, sounds, culture, language, and the mission field of Malawi, Africa. With the exception my pastor, many of the other five members from my church had never been on a mission trip, and some had never been out of the continental USA. It was both a dream come true and an awakening to how rich I was in many areas taken for granted.
The impact of 2018 is a mission memorial and why I seek your support for the Wonderfully Made campaign.
The “Wonderfully Made” campaign is focused on strengthening and extending the special needs ministry of the Passion Center for Children in Malawi, Africa. The Bible tells us that we are all ‘fearfully and wonderfully’ made and that everyone is precious in God’s sight. However, too often, those with special needs don’t feel that way. Instead, they experience neglect, are shunned, and sometimes thought to be cursed because in countries like Malawi, information is lacking, resources are scarce, and intervention is absent. The Passion Center’s Champions Club and Champs Mobile ministries are focused on changing that in a growing number of villages in Malawi and we invite you to join us in making that possible!
In 2016, the Champions Club began as a first-of-its-kind ministry in Malawi operating as a fixed site ministry for special needs children!
Right away we saw parents, grandparents, and siblings walk hours to bring their special needs loved ones to the Champions Club for help. We were amazed to see the impact this ministry was having. Quickly it became apparent that a mobile component was needed. Now the Champs Mobile ministry drives out to dozens of villages to care for the special needs children and their families who would otherwise not be able to make the long journey to the club.
The Champions Club and the Champs Mobile ministries give these kids a special place to feel safe, protected, and loved. Our staff shows them they are precious, not forgotten, nor cursed, but that they are “wonderfully made” and precious in the sight of God. They let them know that there is real hope in Jesus Christ and alongside their parents/guardians, we help them become all they can be in Christ. We do that by focusing on 4 key areas: spiritual, intellectual, emotional, and physical (PT & OT). What a joy it is to see special needs children and their families start experiencing hope and support that they lacked before!
Join us in supporting the Wonderfully Made campaign from now to through June 12, 2021.
THE MAIN GOALS ARE:
1 EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES & STAFFING
This includes items such as wheelchairs, specialized stretching and strengthening equipment, crutches, swings, education toys, Bibles, and additional staff members that will help us to better serve the kids in the Champs ministry.
2 NEW CHAMPS CLUB SITE
We are excited about opening our second Champions Club at Jali Community Church. With the large number of special needs kids in this area and a growing Passion Center site at Jali Community Church, this fully equipped and staffed second location would be a huge blessing to the community.
3 NEW SPONSORSHIPS
We currently have 60 Champs awaiting sponsorship. Our hope and prayer is to find sponsors for all of these children. The monthly support of $25 will allow the child to receive the one-on-one attention they need, and provide training and instruction to the champs and their families so they won’t feel neglected, shunned, or cursed. That’s the blessing of the Champions ministries!
I am asking for your help in reaching my personal fundraising goal of $500 (10% of the overall goal) to raise funds for The Passion Center for Children’s campaign for Malawian ‘special needs children.’ Just $5 would get me started in the right direction. In exchange for your donation, I will highlight your business, church, faith-based non-profit or a faith-based event right here on my blog and name you as a donor.
WE THANK YOU in advance for your support and your prayers. The link to give your gift is below. We encourage your to look around the sight for additional ways you, your church, or your organization can support the Passion Center.
The Book of Song of Solomon is said to be the book that describes God’s love for his bride; both the Nation of Israel historically and doctrinally (Old Testament-God the Father) and inspirationally, the Church (New Testament-God the Son).
The intimacy is described in a manner I’m sure both husbands and wives longingly desire to share with each other. It’s an awe-inspiring biblical allegory that gives a picture of the Eros side of physical marriage. It is also a spiritual picture of the intimacy God desires to have with his children.
I believe that as a Christian (Believer in Jesus Christ), I should have this same spiritual love for Him who died, was buried, and rose again to set me free from the bondage of my first birth (Romans 5:12; Genesis 5:3). I believe it takes a lifetime to learn how to love the Lord Jesus Christ to the depth that he loves us, but what else do we have but the TIME God gives us?
In the privacy of your own personal relationship with Christ, will you set your heart, mind, and soul to give God the honor and glory due his name by focusing in 2021 to continually learn to love him as he has loved you?
“And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:” – Genesis 3:4
Look at where that got us. The God-created beings, Adam and Eve, were duped by the craftiness of one whom had fallen from great heights. [word to the wise: be careful around those who lose their lofty crowns… they can be venomous (full of malice & spite)]. Eve was drawn into the lie and Adam was enticed by the fruit the lie brought forth (sin).
Let’s be honest here. As much as many of us would say we hate liars, lying, and lies we, in fact, accept liars, lying, and lies because of the fruit it carries with it. We’ve even lied to ourselves to avoid facing the truth of our own character deficiencies.
So in 2020, amidst myriad lies and liars in a multitude of social, governmental, medical, and spiritual states, can we all face this truth:
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: Romans 5:12
We are ALL GOING TO DIE! And as fearful and harsh as that may seem to many, it is a truth that began over 6,000 years ago in a garden where a man and woman listened to the voice of a creation instead of the voice of their CREATOR.
God’s arms are STILL WIDE OPEN and ready to receive ALL who will accept the gift 🎁 of ETERNAL LIFE through His Son, Jesus Christ. And the beauty of it all is it requires the simplest act on our part:
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. Romans 10:9-11
I have recovered from many of the lies told me and the ones I have told myself. Yet, I have grown wise enough to know there is one lie we can’t afford to leave unchecked…
Do you ever think about your communication style? Or, are you content with just uttering whatever comes to mind?
In Matthew 6:7, Jesus addresses the vain repetitions that many use in their conversations (prayers) with God. The point Jesus is making is that God wants our communication with him to be more intimate versus just our much speaking. Therein lies the communication breakdown.
People have called me an interrogator for asking intimate and personal questions that go beyond the surface interaction. Of course, that is not my intention. I’m not trying to get all up in their business. I like getting to know people and equate it with gaining both knowledge and understanding that allows me to know them. The process requires a two-way street.
Accordingly, when our goal is to minister to others, there has to be an even exchange of information. It’s up to us to demonstrate a genuine interest in the person to avoid the appearance of having an ulterior motive. Otherwise, our communications may come off as intrusive.
In our current climate, while some want to whine, others want to share their lives with others to feel connected and not alone in this world. Find a way to put out a welcoming sign that beckons:
