Author: Travail and Transform Ministry

Dr. Jean Stepter-Gray, in March 2003, she heard a Word from God, saying it’s time to elevate! She prayed with exuberance to God to be a woman of faith, who would inspire others to be great, she says, “If she had known that this journey would have taken her through so many seasons, she would have packed lighter! But thanks be unto God, for He is answering her prayers, one season at a time. (Smiling) Jean serves as Minister, Mentor, Speaker, Teacher, Chaplain Licensed and Board-Certified /Therapist Christian Counselor and has experienced so much of God’s love, mercy, grace, and favor; and she wants to share it with anyone who truly desires it. Her goal is to ignite in women and men a passion for the Word of God so that they can see the beauty of Jesus Christ, so that they may have a personal relationship with Him. She believes that it is through personal interactions with God and His Word that we will grow. Jean believes that God gave her gifts to share with others for His Glory. She uses her natural gift as a communicator and practical teaching style to serve others. She says that her grandmother use to tell her, “The people around you reap the benefits of you serving God”, which means that you won’t go to God in any old way, you go to Him correctly! Jean’s ultimate desire is to help one somebody know that it does not matter the path that it took you to get here, but it is the journey that God is using to get you to your next destination! Let’s embrace our new journey of being Transformed at the Well and drinking from wells that we did not dig! To God be the Glory!

Good Morning Sunshine!

During the next nine weeks, Monday, June 3 – Friday, August 2, 2024, (63 days), I will Not be sending out the devotionals. I will restart back on Monday, August 5, 2024!

Thank You for being such a blessing to me and allowing me into your day to share the fresh manna that God has given me daily! Thank You, for every prayer that you prayed and for every devotion that you read and shared with someone else!

Please take some time to go back and reflect on some of the previous devotionals, and see what God has to say to you! There are 242 devotions for you to read!

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! Change Your Battlefield In Prayer, So That You Will Win Your Battle In Prayer!

 2 CHRONICLES 20:15-17 ~ “He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. [17] You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.”

I’m not sure when I saw this nugget on Facebook, but I know it’s fitting for today’s devotional! Let’s look at this story. “The Eagle does not fight the snake on the ground. He lifts it up into the sky and changes the battlefield, and then puts the snake in the air. The snake has no stamina, no power, no balance in the air. It is useless, weak and vulnerable unlike the ground where it is powerful, wise and deadly. Take your fight to the spiritual realm by praying and you will see how the Lord takes charge of your battles. Don’t fight the enemy in his comfort zone, change the battlefields like the eagle and let God take over through your fervent prayer. You will be assured of a clean victory!”

As I reflected and thought about what happened, my mind went to me being on the Prayer line yesterday and the WOG was ministering on this, “The Battle Is Not Yours, It’s The Lord’s and He will give you power to destroy your enemy through prayer! Look at how a change of atmosphere, changed the outcome of this battle! You can’t fight your enemy in his comfort zone, you have to rise up higher and move him away from what he knows to who and what you know!

Do you know the difference between the battleground and the battlefield? The Battleground is where the enemy tries to attack you, in every area of your life. That’s his comfort zone! Now, the Battlefield, this is where you get to execute and use your weapons that God had supplied you with to defeat and destroy the enemy! Thanks be unto God; you don’t have to fight him on his territory! You get to go higher!

Today, you might be going through a battle, don’t worry, it’s designed to make you stronger, to make you wiser, to make you better! As a matter of fact, this isn’t for you anyway, it’s for God, He’s showing up in the midst of your battle to fight the fixed fight for you! For every battleground there is a Battlefield ready to take the enemy higher and then drop it down to never return again!

God has given you 4 vital keys to help you to be the best soldier that you can be!

1. You got the Word of God, Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

2. You got Your Amour, Ephesians 6:10-18, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. [11] Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. [12] For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. [13] Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. [14] Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, [15] and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. [16] In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. [17] Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God! “

3. You got the gift of Prayer, Ephesians 6:18, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. You got the Power of God The Father, The Son and The Holy Ghost!

4. You got the Peace of God, Isaiah 26:3, “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”

So, those 4 things help you do these 2 things: they teach you how to stand and stay alert on the battlefield!

First ~ You know that this is not you walking, in your own strength, but it is the strength provided by God. It means that you are using the weapons of spiritual warfare including speaking truth, living righteously, sharing the gospel, being faithful, knowing God’s word, and praying every day!

Secondly ~ You know that even though the opposition is tough, you have the assurance that you are standing in Christ Jesus, and you know that you know that you will receive a reward for fighting the good fight of faith and this isn’t just for the next lifetime, but it’s in this one, the one that you are living right now! You know that you know that The Lord is going to reward you with His Presence, peace, and purpose for the battlefield!

You will learn more about God in the thick of battle than you will in your times of quietness! Your victory over the sinful nature, the world, and the devil is primarily won on your knees in prayer! (Your knees have the strongest bones in your body.) You will learn that first in your atmosphere change! With that being said, there will be no running away, for you are a warrior created for and by Jesus Christ! And He has equipped you, trained you, and counseled you on how to overcome your enemy!

You were chosen for this battle, because of who God is, He made you strong for the battle, and you will win! Again, running away isn’t an option for you. Jesus, your King of kings is standing with you in the battle. “Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle.” Psalm 144:1! “Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. [14] The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:13-14!

I know that sometimes it gets tough in the battle, and you may even get a little fatigue and you may want to step off the field to escape it all. But remember that you are a soldier of Jesus Christ, and soldiers don’t quit, God is going to give you staying Power for the battlefield! Yes, warriors do get wounded serving in battle, but you must continue to go and serve! Your Commander in Chief will clean you up, He will heal you, repair your wounds and restore you, and sometimes you won’t even be able to tell where the scar was in the beginning!

So, you can’t let what happened stop you from achieving the greater purpose at hand! Another thing is that warriors don’t stay on the sideline, they are made for the battlefield, and the deeper they go into battle, the closer they are to God! Do you feel Him, are you close to Him? As a warrior you should always prepared because you don’t know who, when or where the enemy is, so remain prayerful, alert and disciplined, so that you can be on guard as you stand, watch, wait, work and worship in season and out a season! As a Warrior you must be prepared at all times!

One thing that I do know is that your Commander and Chief knows your location, position and posture at all times, and you must never lose sight of this! Stay connected to the Commander and Chief, by whatever means necessary! Keep your Sword with you at all times, it is your Manual for life, everything you need can be found in this guide, you just have to stop and read it, and follow every Word in it and don’t forget to ask Him for, discernment, wisdom and understanding so that you will know how to apply the Word! Being a Soldier in the Army of the Lord, qualifies you to be a bold Warrior for the Lord!

I’m sure I have shared this experience with you before, but I believe that you need it again. I received this nugget in November 2016, I received this note, when I was living in Texas. I had sent a print job to the copier and when I picked up my papers this word was on a plain piece of paper in the middle of my job, if was as if I had started printing and my job got interrupted and this printed and then my job finished! I’m sharing it with y’all!

“God gives His toughest battles to His strongest soldiers; He knew that you could walk in this tough experience and then be able to walk out of those same experiences and be able to minister to those who are experiencing the same battles right now!”

Are you a Warrior today? Warrior, take a deep breath, get your second wind and keep pushing, and don’t let anything stop you from achieving the goal at hand. Make your election sure and be determined to go, even if you have to go along. Trust God, God plus you are the majority, which secures your victory!

Let’s Pray:
Pray Ephesians 6:11-18 & Psalm 23! Father thank you for the strength and power that You have given me to destroy everything on the battleground that would cause me to lay down and die. Father, I have put my mind on Your Word, and I will not die, I will live and live well for I am on the Battlefield for You and I will serve You until I die! Father, I will run and not get weary, for I am standing on Your Word in Isaiah 40:31 NIV, “but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.” Father, Thank You for restoring me, for healing all of my wounds that I may continue on in my service unto You! Father, teach me how to battle in prayer that the enemy will be defeated. Teach me how to stand, how to respond and what to let go! Father, I trust Your plan for my life, You know every battleground that I’m going to face, and I thank You for the battlefield that You gave me to defeat the enemy. Father, today I’m changing the atmosphere where I can pray and defeat the enemy, for I know that as long as I’m with You, I will be victorious, and they will know that I’m Your child. In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! Are You Woke? Are You Alert? Are You Watching?

Mark 13:32-33,35-37 NIV ~ “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. [33] Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. [35] “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back-whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. [36] If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. [37] What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!'”

As I ponder on yesterday’s devotion, I thought about this. The husband wrote in the letter what time he would be coming back, but the wife never read the contents of the letter, she was so infatuated with getting the letter from her husband that she didn’t read it, and because of this she did not see the instructions and the husband came to get her, and she wasn’t ready, and he had to leave her. He was very upset, but nevertheless he had to go, he left her behind!

I thought about me and you. God told us that Jesus is coming back, and Jesus Himself has told us He’s coming back and yet many of us will still not be ready! Why is this? You have to read the Word of God and you have got to be ready when He comes because if you are not ready, you will get left behind and I’m sure that your Father will be sad about leaving you, but what else can He do. He told you exactly what to do to be ready and you still did not prepare, so you don’t have any excuses for not being ready!

Do you know that every single day that He gives you breath you are given a brand-new chance, 24 hours, 1,440 minutes and 86,400 seconds. Now what are you going to do with your time? Will you be wise or unwise? Time is valuable and priceless, and nobody knows when their time is going to be up; and so, make a note of this, you don’t have any time to waste on things that don’t edify or build up God’s Kingdom! Do you know what time it is? You set your alarm clock last night and it’s going off, do you hear it? It’s time for you to physically get up and stop your alarm from making that loud noise! It’s time to wake up and come out of your slumber, you have been sleeping long enough, get up and start moving, you have things to do!

Now, I’m going to ask you again, do you know what time it is? Now, I’m not talking about the hour on the clock or the date on the calendar, I’m talking about spiritual time! I’m talking about prophetic time! You do know that you are currently in what the Bible calls last the days! Yes, we are living in the last days before Jesus Christ returns, your new day is about to dawn! (What have you done with all of your time!) Do you ever think about this and how you are living? It’s time for you to wake up, do a self-evaluation and pay attention, you need to be alert and aware of what’s going on around you! The weather, the chaos, the changes, the war and the people, just look around you! What do you really see? “Take ye heed, watch and pray for ye know not when the time is.” Mark 13:33!

So, as you live out your life in the coming days, think about The Light that is coming, rather than being consumed by the present darkness. With this being said, you need to wake up and live your life in a way that will count for your future and please your Father, and not simply wasting your present time on the best that the present has to offer! Wake up and pay attention, time that is won’t be no more! Don’t let what you desire get in the way of what God wants to do through you today. Seek Him first and He will add everything that you need to be successful in this hour. Take heed today and watch and pray.  Don’t just hear the Word, heed the Word!

Romans 13:11, “Do this, knowing that this is a critical time. It is already the hour for you to awaken from your sleep [of spiritual complacency]; for our salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed [in Christ].” Not one of us knows how much more time we have to live. So, you simply do not have the time to live a life that is not established according to God’s plan and expectations for you! You need to use every opportunity that comes your way to live as if it were your last day, and to live it like God has commanded you, be obedient and committed to doing His Will, so that you will not have any regrets later! Use your time wisely, time that is wasted can never be reclaimed! You can’t do yesterday over again!

When Paul wrote this letter, it was to help you wake up, to realize that Jesus Christ is coming back and it’s nearer now than it was when you first accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior! Nobody knows when, it could be 10 years or 10 hours or 10 seconds, just know He’s coming and His coming is imminent (sure, final, permanent), and this my sisters and brothers should shed some new light on your future and how you see it! You need to listen closely and carefully at what Paul said next, the “day” is at hand (13:12), and it is “The the day of the Lord, which will eradicate darkness forever (1 Thess 5:2, 4-5)!

You need to be sure of your election and where God resides! He is supposed to be on the inside of you, and only you know the answer to this question! You need to make every minute count, because no one knows the hour but, The Father; so, you have no choice but to be intentional and on purpose because this time has been ordained by God for you and for His Glory! So, I will repeat Mark 13:35 & 37 to you again, [35] “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back-whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn.” [37] “What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!'” Stay alert and watch, because you do not want Him to come back to get you and you are not ready and He leaves you behind! What a tragedy this will be!

Let’s Pray:
Thank You Father! Thank You for waking me up this morning out of the sweet rest that You gave me. Jesus, Thank You for the gift of time, You have given me one more day to serve You. I realize Jesus that the time of Your return is coming and it’s getting closer day by day. Teach me to use my time properly and to live as You have asked me to do. Thank You for the purposes and plans that You have set in place for me this day. Father, help me to be alert and to be watching, that I will see and be prepared when You come to get me. Father, I’m going to praise You all through this day, for this is a good day and I have all that I need in You! In Jesus Christ Mighty Name, Amen and Amen.

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! Will You Be Ready When Jesus Comes Back? 

Matthew 24:36,42,44 NIV ~ “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. [42] “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. [44] So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

I read this very profound story yesterday on Facebook! As I read this story, I thought about how often we read our Bible. Yes, we know it’s full of everything good that we need, all the instructions and information that we need to live in this life and what we need to do to prepare for our eternal life can be found among the scriptures in here! I mean most of us have a Bible in every room of our house and in every vehicle and on our desk at work. But with all the Bible’s you have, when is the last time that you picked one up and read it, study what God was saying to you! 

Here is the story that I read yesterday:

It starts off with a question! 

HAVE YOU READ YOUR LETTER?

“A man before leaving for work, left a letter on the dining table for his wife. Chores around the house kept the woman from seeing the letter until about 12 noon. When she finally chanced on the letter, she was so excited to see that her husband had taken time to write her a letter. She kissed the paper when she saw “my beautiful wife” at the top, hugged it when she saw “I love you with all my heart” at the bottom, and sniffed it when she realized it smelled of her husband’s perfume.”

Out of excitement, and without even bothering to read the content of the letter, she made up her mind to cook him his favorite meal for dinner that night. She quickly rushed to the kitchen and got to work. After cooking and setting the table, she went to the washroom and took a shower, put on her most attractive night gown and dressed the bed.

“Just as she was about to finish laying the bed her husband walked into the house. When she heard him come in, she went out to welcome him. To her surprise, her husband was very furious when he saw her. She became very confused and asked why he wouldn’t even let her welcome him with a hug but instead have that angry look on his face.”

The husband asked, “Did you read the letter I left you on the table?” 

The woman responded, “Oh yes, I saw it. That’s why I went through all the trouble to prepare your favorite meal for you. Thank you so much honey, it was sweet of you.” She leaned in to give him a kiss, but he pushed her away to her surprise. 

The husband went on, “If you did, then why haven’t you done any of the things I instructed you to do?” The man went inside and came out again quickly with an already packed suitcase. He headed straight for the door and said to his wife, “See you in 7 days.” 

The woman stood there confused but before she could utter a word, the door had slammed behind him. She went back to the dining table to take a second look at the letter. 

It read…… 

“My beautiful wife, My company has asked 4 colleges and myself to go on a seven-day trip to Dubai for a training program. They said that we can bring along our wives and I thought this will be the best opportunity for us to have the honeymoon we never did after we got married. I have already packed a suitcase for myself, so please pack yours. Our flight leaves at exactly 7 pm so I will be home at 6 o’clock for us to go to the airport. No need to cook dinner since there will be food on the plane. Just be prepare to go as soon as I get back. Please be ready before I get back, so we don’t miss the flight. I Love you with all my heart.”

I bet you thought this woman was unwise when you realized her mistake as you read this piece. 

Well unfortunately this is the state of many Christians in the Body of Christ today. We have accepted Jesus as our Lord and are excited about being children of God and the fact that He will come back again for us one day. Revelation 1:8! But we have not taken into account what He expects us to do before His return.  

This is because our Bibles are closed. We have read a few scriptures in the Word and are excited about promises but have completely ignored most of His instructions. You do not know the Man if you do not know His Word! 

How then do we profess to be married to a groom whose Word we have relegated to the background in the pursuit of signs and wonders. Unfortunately, what many don’t know is that the Word is the power for signs and wonders, so if we go for the Word these things we are chasing will chase us. Let us pay attention to His letter, which is the Word of God. It will draw us close to His desire for us and enable us to walk in victory over this world and its challenges.” James 4:8!

I pray that this story blesses you and encourages you to read and study the Word of God more! You can never read it too much, because as you grow in Word you get a greater understanding and revelation of what He is saying in these last days! 2 Timothy 2:15, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

So, when was the last time that you read your Bible? Or do you just look at the cover and reminisced about what you once read before, or do you just think about what you want it to be. And be honest with yourself if you have not read the contents of the letter (your Bible) it’s high time that you do, and today is that day, you have a fresh new start because you are here! 

Today, don’t just look at your Bible, and don’t just pick it up and look at it, you need to open it up; start at Genesis and work your way to Revelation! As you read and study you will see the character, love, power and sovereignty of your Father! You will fall in love with Him like never before! For the Bible is the greatest story ever written! When you pick up your Bible today, study Matthew 24:1-51! 

Let’s Pray:

Father, thank You, thank You, thank You for the great Love that You have shown me by giving me Jesus Christ, Your Son to be my savior! Father, You are known for Your Grace and Mercy, Your Love and Kindness, Your Truth and Your Holy Presence. Father, it is my heart’s desire, to keep You in the center of my life. Father, I pray that the eyes of my understanding would be enlightened and that I would come to know You in deeper ways. I ask that You fill me with Your Holy Spirit and that I may be a bolder and stronger servant and disciple for You. I pray that my love for You will surpass everything else in my life, and that my love will be a fire that never goes out. Father, help me in these last days to stay woke and vigilant, to always be ready, and to be counted worthy, for always watching for the glorious return of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Today, I cry out to my Abba-Father, Thank You for hearing my prayer, for I’m not just hearing Your Word, I’m taking heed to Your Word. In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen! 

Blessings…

Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! Does Your Hallelujah Belong To God?

Psalm 145:1-6 ERV ~ “I will tell of your greatness, my God and King. I will praise your name forever and ever. [2] I will praise you every day. I will praise your name forever and ever. [3] The LORD is great and deserves all our praise! No one can fully understand his greatness! [4] Each generation will praise you and tell the next generation about the great things you do. [5] Your majesty and glory are wonderful. I will tell about your miracles. [6] People will tell about the amazing things you do, and I will tell everyone how great you are.”

Last night as I was on the prayer line, the woman of God said her Hallelujah belongs to God! Does your Hallelujah belong to God? Who are you sharing your story with of what the Lord has done for you? “Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite.” Psalm 147:5. God knows, sees and hears everything and everywhere at all times! God’s greatness is unsearchable! Obedience is a command to make known God’s mighty deeds to all, and it is also a great privilege! 

David pledged to bless God every single day and to praise His Holy Name because of His unsearchable greatness! Do you really believe that God’s greatness will endure forever and that every generation will see and praise God for who He is! The greatness of God is all about His sovereignty and His compassion, kindness, forgiveness, provision, protection, grace, and mercy towards those who look to Him! Can’t nobody do this for you but God! 

I will praise God because He deserves it! God deserves your love, your adoration, your devotion, your praise, your worship, your obedience, and your everything! And just to help you out, the praise that you are offering to God needs to be share with generation that is coming behind you! Tell someone about God and Jesus, (His Story) then you need to tell someone about Jesus and what He has done for you, (your story). You need to pay your praise forward!

God not only deserves your praises to Him; but He deserves your praises of Him to all that is around you, from one generation to the next, as you tell the stories about your family that you continue to pass down, you need to make sure that you are telling greatest story ever of God’s goodness and greatness for you and your family! 

Today, make a commitment to God, that you will praise the Lord and proclaim His greatness towards you forever! For, The Lord is Great and Greatly to be Praised! God deserves all of your praise! There is a song by JJ Hairston and Youthful Praise, “You Deserve It” it simply says, “My hallelujah belongs to You. All of the glory belongs to You. And, You deserve it!” Please listen to it and let your praise for God rise to the top! 

Let’s Pray:

Thank You Father! My Hallelujah belongs to You! Father, You all of my praise and worship, You deserve it!  You deserve my adoration and obedience! Father, help me to worship You with all our heart, and to declare Your praises from one generation to the next! Father, help me to grow closer to You and to have a more intimate relationship with You. Father, I take You at Your Word, if I will draw closer to You, You will draw closer to me (James 4:8). Father, bless me daily to cast off and forsake my thoughts and ways for my life, and exchange them for Your thoughts and ways for my life. Father, I know that it is not by my might, nor by my power, but by Your Spirt Christ Jesus (Zechariah 4:6) and this shall happen. For it is happening now in Your timing, Power, Strength, Might, and Spirit, Christ Jesus. Father, I pray that everything that You are doing for me, that You will do the same for all those I love, care about. Father, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You Lord for coming to my rescue as I praise You. In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen! 

Blessings…

Minister Jean

Attachments area

Preview YouTube video You Deserve It feat. Cecily Hennigan (Official Video) | JJ Hairston

You Deserve It feat. Cecily Hennigan (Official Video) | JJ Hairston

Good Morning Sunshine! Walk In Peace Today!

Ephesians 6:15 KJV ~ “And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.”

It’s nothing like a great pair of shoes! Ones that you can wear all day, and they don’t make your feet hurt or tired! That’s what you get when you shod your feet with the Gospel of Peace!

The shoes of peace are the peaceful part of your spiritual armor, they will give you the stability that you need to stand upright and firm! When peace is in place in your life, it gives you the full assurance of how you should step out in faith and make the moves that God is leading you to make. But first, before you take any steps, you need to make sure His peace is operating in your life!

Every day, when you get dressed, you are to put on two outfits, your clothes and your armor, you should never leave home without either one. You would never leave home without your shoes on, how much more important is your spiritual shoes, they are the covering for your natural shoes, you can’t have one without the other!

I know that you are very mindful of what kind of shoes you buy and wear, because the wrong shoe can make you very uncomfortable and you will pull them off and kick them to the side! You feel better barefoot than with those shoes on!  So, if your natural shoes are that important then your spiritual shoes should be 10 times more important!

Covering your feet with the peace of God is your strength and power, it is one of the most powerful pieces of your spiritual weaponry and it is essential because, without it your shoes (covering) you become unstable and unable to walk, which can cause the enemy try and distract, so that you won’t be able to move! If the enemy can get you still, he will try to kill you!

But, say “But”, with that conquering peace firmly tied to your heart, mind, emotions, and will, you will be empowered to keep marching ahead, impervious to the devil’s attempts to take you down! When the peace of God is in place in your life, you are positioned and protected from the assaults and you are able to stand fixed and firm on your foundation no matter the person or occasion, the Peace of God is in control!

Let’s Pray:
Today, Lord, I thank You for Your peace, I’m grateful for You covering me with Your peace, Lord I need Your peace 24/7, for Your peace shields me, protects me, fortifies me and makes me strong! Lord it’s Your Peace, Perfect Peace that covers me, keeps me, sustains me and protects me from everything! Lord Thank You for releasing Your divine peace over me! Today, Your Peace is operating in me, and I will not be easily moved, shaken, or scared because You are all around me and everything that concerns me. I declare this Peace over my life and those that You put in my heart to pray for, I claim this peace by my faith in Jesus Christ Mighty Name! Amen!!!

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! You Have Been Freed! Now Live Like You Are Free!

John 8:36 NIV ~ “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Romans 8:1 KJV “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

The day that you gave your life to Jesus is the day that Jesus Christ set you free, the law of the spirit has freed you from the law of sin and of death! Now you ‘No Longer’ have to live your life with a sense of condemnation, because Jesus Christ has Freed you, Himself!

Because of what Jesus Christ did for you, God is not reminding you of all the things that you did wrong, instead, He forgave you and cast it into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19), to remember it no more, case closed!

So, today you can walk in the Spirit with Jesus Christ, let this be your heart’s desire! There will be times when you are going to fall down and fall short, but you don’t have to beat yourself up and live on Wallow Lane anymore, repent and give Jesus the guilt and shame! You now live on Worship Blvd, cleansed and restored! God has forgiven you and it’s time for you to forgive yourself! Do not let the condemnation of your past rule over your present life and your future. Let it go, you have been freed in the Name of Jesus Christ! No Looking Back!

Let’s Pray:
Father Thank You for blessing me with Your Holy Spirit! Thank You for Your Power that has brought me over the struggles of my sinful nature and has given me power over death, and Power through Prayer! Thank You Father, that there is no condemnation for those who belong to You and I belong to You, Jesus! Father, Thank You for Your Presence that covers and empowers me daily and transforms me to be just like You! In Jesus Christ Name, Amen!!!

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! Pick The Right Gate!

Matthew 7:13-14 NIV ~ “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. [14] But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

On this final saying from Jesus on the Sermon on the Mount, He is giving you a warning. Jesus is telling you that you need to be cautious, and if you are lost, He is telling you where they are headed and that you should be aware of your eternal life for this destination should be clearly understood!

No one likes rules, limits or restrictions, and you will criticize anyone who tries to convince otherwise. But this is where you go wrong. When you are left to your own way, the way of your own choosing, you always end up at war or you create a mess out of things! A lot of people are walking down big and wide roads without ever even thinking about it. Stop and think about where you are really going. Do you want to go to hell or heaven, it’s your choice?

You see when you have no sense of right and wrong, and you don’t understand your need for redemption, it’s this kind of mindset that will lead you to a disaster. Jesus challenged His disciples, and He is challenging you today. He wants you to choose to walk down the less-traveled route, I know it may seem hard, but with Him leading on the path, you will make it. path. Yes, it’s a harder path to travel, but it will bring you the ultimate victory and you know this because Jesus has already walked that path before you!

Jesus says that “there is a narrow gate, small gate and narrow way is harder to find than the wide gate” and that you must intentionally seek it, and be deliberate in your looking for it, for when you are not, and you will follow any and every one that is going through the wide gate and you will not escape destruction, just like them. For there is only one way to the Father, it’s through accepting the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and you need your faith to believe it; for this is the narrow way and it leads to life, a life of abundance!

You see the broad road that you see many people following, saying that they want a relationship with God, is pretenders, it sounds good to say that you are following Him with your mouth, but your heart is far from Him, this is called religion; Ezekiel 33:30-33, and religion is your attempt to make yourself acceptable to a holy God. Religion is not the way! Choose wisely which gate you need to go through, for it is the narrow way that will lead you to life in Jesus; this is what makes you acceptable!

Only a few will find this road because they are not willing to go against the grain and be different and accept God’s way to obtain eternal life, John 15:19 NIV, “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” Jesus is the only legitimate way to a relationship with God, it’s His way, and only His Way will get you through! There are only two ways to respond to Jesus Christ, you will either accept Him or to reject Him. There is no middle road!

Today, I want you to strive to enter through the narrow gate, the narrow way, for this is the best and only way. For so many, Jesus will say to you, you sought the wrong gate and now you will not be able to enter through the narrow way, Luke 13:24. I want to encourage you to go against what is so easily available to you and take a stand to take the road less traveled by the majority of the people who are around you. Yes, do what Jesus says, “take the narrow gate that leads to eternal life!” You will be better because of the choice you made today, it will save your soul and life!

Let’s Pray:
Father, have Your way with my heart, my thoughts, my words, my time, my job, my family, and my life. I want to live in a way that pleases You in all things. Father, You are a Righteous and Holy God, and I Thank You for the strength that You give me each day that I may walk on Your straight path and not be led astray by the people that refuse to hear Your voice and live according to Your will. Father, help me to stay on the narrow path of trusting in You alone for my salvation, for there is no way that I can work my way to heaven. Father, help me not to be like the world, using religion as a crutch and not building a true relationship with You, and I am not to be like the world, You have chosen me to stand apart and be different. Father, I repent for every time I went down the wrong road, thank You for keeping and sustaining me! I’m grateful! Father, give me the faith, power, discipline, discernment and love to follow You down the road of life and to reject sin and trust in Your grace alone. Father, help me to do the right things for the right reasons at all times and help me to know it’s okay to go against the grain and not be like everyone else, but to desire to live a holy and righteous life for You, in You and because of You. In the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! God Knew You First!

Psalm 119:67 KJV~ “Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.”

Jeremiah 1:5 NKJV ~ “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”

Hello there, yes I speaking to you! Yes you, you are the one reading this devotion and God is trying to get your attention today!

God knew you before you knew you, He even knew when you were going to go astray because of your afflictions! But God! But God, because He knew you first, He knew that you would come back to Him and His Word! God knows what you don’t know, it’s just that simple! God knows that you are destined to be the difference maker, you just had to go through it to the other side where your breakthrough is! It may take you an extra minute or two, but don’t panic, God got you!

 You are a difference-maker created for God’s divine purpose! Here’s a transparent moment for you, after many failed attempts at suicide, I came to know God and He revealed to me that mt story was going to bring Him Glory! God used everything I hated to accomplish what He loves. Romans 8:28-29! God orchestrated every step of your life for His divine assignment, and He interrupted the enemy at every given point to make you better! God hand crafted you, He is the Creator, and the Manufacturer and He designed you with purpose and for purpose! He made you to do His good work and His Glory and He did it all in advance of you! It is to Glorify Him!

Your Father is talking to you today! He is saying, He is the Great I Am, and He has proven Himself time and time again in your life, He’s the One that had that great thought about you before He put you in your mother’s womb, and He’s been the One watching over you ever since then, God has never left you, not even for one second! This should make you joyful!

I know that sometimes you may think that there is one thing after another going on in your life, but nothing has been wasted, God used every affliction to draw you to Him, to His Word, to His place of prayer, the place where you meet with Him! God used everything to get you to where you are today, front and center with Him! God created you and established your path before you were born, and He gave you the experiences so that you would know that you can’t live without Him!

God loves you and He doesn’t want you to go through one more crisis wavering back and forward. God wants you to be sure of your secure foundation which is founded on the truth of His Holy Word, if God didn’t love you, He would not have chosen to die on the cross for you, now that’s an attention getter, just think about it, no one else would have made this type of sacrifice, unless it was truly love, a divine love! God wants what is best for you and this is why He corrects and disciplines you when you dishonor His name, it’s all for your good and His Glory!

God handpicked you and gave you to Jesus and He saved you and gave you a new heart, new identity, new Spirit, and a new zeal for life. Step into That is the good works He prepared in advance for you to do in order to glorify Him. In other words, you are here to make a difference because you are the difference-maker!

Let’s Pray:
Thank You Father! Father today I will be intentional and persistent in my prayer walk with You. Father, I will seek Your direction in every area! Father, I love talking and being with You and I know that You love when I’m loving on You. Thank You Father for being ready and willing to answer my honest and unselfish prayer request, for Your Glory! In Jesus Christ Name! Amen!!!

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! Trust The Process, Path, Plan And The Promises Of God!

Proverbs 3:5 ~ “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.”

Psalm 16:11 a ~ “You make known to me the path of life.”

Psalm 37:23 ~ “The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him;”

Psalm 119:105 ~ “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

2 Corinthians 1:20 ~ “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.”

Over and over and over again, in God’s Word is your the life map, the one that He mapped out for you in the beginning. Each and every day that He gives you breath, He provides for you, He will show you the path, He will direct your steps, if you let Him and He will provide light for the journey through His Word. You can trust and believe this! You are living in times where you can see and hear one thing today and tomorrow it’s something totally different. So who and what do you trust or believe in? 

Where would you be if you had not listened and followed God? The key is in the Word of God, and you have to rely on the map they He has provided for you, there is no other way! Because of God’s love for you it doesn’t matter if you have been that you had a time of wandering off the mapped-out plan, you are following Him now, and He has a way of redeeming lost time! You have to trust Him when you understand His will and when you don’t, you have to believe that He can light your path as you move forward.

Yesterday, when I came back from lunch all the cars were facing forward, like they had back in and there was one spot left. Now I thought about backing in so that I could be like everyone else and then I heard, “don’t be afraid to go against the grain. Just because everyone one had done it a certain way doesn’t mean make it right!” So, I pulled in, facing forward! So, if you ever felt like you were going against the grain? Don’t be afraid to go against the grain, you just have to trust God and His Word! He knows best, He wants you to walk in the right way, face forward! This is good news!

If I could just be honest and transparent this morning, some of the hard times I’ve had was because I wanted to do things my way and not follow God! But thank God, He protected and kept me in His Grace and Mercy! You have to confess and repent and turn to God and trust His plan! And if you would be honest, I’m sure you have done the same thing too, but thanks be unto God, that we serve a God of more than enough chances!

I know that we are all works in progress, but please stop using that as an excuse to keep going wrong! You are in the sanctification process, and none of us have arrived, we all make mistakes, Romans 3:23, and when you do, don’t beat yourself up, let the conviction cause you to confess and repent, then dust off, stand up and invite God to come in and have His Way! Trust Him, not your emotions!

I want you to say today’s scriptures out loud! Don’t trust yourself or nobody else, trust in God and don’t lean to your own understanding! You can only trust in the Lord! Trust Him with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding, but acknowledge God in all your ways and you will be successful! When you are getting ready for a race, there is the caller that says this to you, “Ready, Set, Go! Today, God is saying, Be “Ready” and Trust Me, Get “Set” in your Position, and Don’t go your way, but “Go” My Way, Trust the Process, Path, Plan and Promises from Me, and just know that for you are in My Capable Hands!

Let’s Pray:
Father, Thank You! Father, I want to get life right and be on the right path! Help me to trust Your process, path, plan and promises that You have laid out for me in Your Word! The Map, The Bible, “Biblical Instructions Before Leaving Earth!” For in Your Word everything that I need is provided to instruct me in living a Holy and Righteous life! Father, thank You redeeming the time that I lost when I was wandering around and not following Your plan for me. Father today, all of my hope is in You, for I know that You are lighting my path for all the days of my life.  Father, I am praying for Your strength and Your guidance as I move forward in the purpose that You have set in place for this day. May I hear Your Voice ever so clearly! Father, let me see You in the eyes of everything around me and help me to Trust Your way and not mines or other’s. Father, help me to have patience as I walk and wait on You to help me. Father, also help me to have compassion on others as they grow. Father, let my life serve as a witness to others that You are my everything and that I have put all of my trust in You and that I’m following Your lead and not my own! Help me to continue to grow from level-to-level faith to faith.  In the Name of Jesus Christ Amen!

Blessings…
Minister Jean