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! What’s On Your Feet?

Ephesians 6:15 NIV ~ “and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from 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! You are very mindful of what kind of shoes you cover your feet with, if your natural shoes are important than your spiritual shoes are 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 the devil can try to kick, pull, distract, and 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 Fulfilled One!

Psalm 37:4-6 NKJV ~ “Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. [5] Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. [6] He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday.”

Think about the last time you wanted something desperately, and maybe you got, or you didn’t, but the feeling was there. The desire of your heart is not a feeling that you feel but a deep desire for the things of God. God will shape your heart so that it desires the right things, His things, what He put on the inside of you. God will give you what your heart desires, when you surrender your heart to Him!

The only thing that will truly delight you now and forever, is the Lord. His love makes you whole and your desires begin to change. What’s important to God becomes what’s important to you. What makes Him happy is what makes you happy. God promises that as you desire to keep company with Him, He holds nothing back from you and In Him, your joy is complete!

It is safe to say that when you embrace the advice of God and His Word, you will find delight in the Lord, then your heart will always desire the right things and not your selfish desires. God promises to care for His people, and He will meet all of your needs, spiritually, physically, naturally, and emotionally, He will meet every single need.

When you choose Him, your delight in the Lord changes your and the desires of your hearts conforms to His will. So, Jesus promise, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” (John 15:7). If you are righteous, you will get this, as you delight in the Lord, you walk in His ways. And as you walk you commit your (personal, nobody can do this for you, you have to do it yourself) ways to God! And as the righteous walk, commit their ways to God, they put all of their trust in God too! And this is where the promise comes in, And He shall bring it to pass, God will do it, your job is to surrender to it!

As you remain faithful and righteous before God, He will bring you forth as the light, and He will shine His light all around you, His anointing will be as radiant upon as the sun shines daily! When you surrender and come to Christ you one with Him, you will give all that you have to Him, and He will give you all He has. He gives you His name and His righteousness. Everything that was broken is now whole! When your desire is to delight in God, He is able to lead all who love and serve Him into the full life and into a well-being that God has promised since the beginning.

Let’s Pray:
Thank You Father, for being the God of promise and fulfillment. Help me to look to Jesus, who is not only the author but also the finisher of my faith. Father I give you my yes today and every day. Father, I know that when I give You my yes, I will find total fulfillment in You and Your Word. Father, Thank You, for the promise of entering Your rest. I proclaim that the purpose of the promises is that You may be glorified in my life, and I shall be diligent in my pursue of You. In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Good Morning Intentional One!

Proverbs 16:3 NKJV
Commit your works to the LORD, And your thoughts will be established.

To live intentionally means to purposefully pursue the life God has called you to live. God has given you the plan and stated the purpose and told you of the promises!

In this new chapter, give your whole heart to Jesus because your “New” is waiting for you! And you cannot put new wine, new oil in an old vessel, it won’t hold it, it will burst at the seams and waste all of your goods. Walk into your “New” freedom, forgiveness, a clean heart, clear mindset, good attitude, desires, right motives, joy, friendships, peace, power, boldness, abundance, health, healing, laughter, and love, love and more love! You have to be intentional in these moments!

God knows who you need to be connected to in this season, He knows what kind of iron you need to be sharpened by and He knows who needs to be sharpened by you. Move forward into your divine assignments that have been properly aligned by Him, get into your position, your God given ordained lane and see the divine connections that He has planned and watch what happens, it’s your divine purpose and His Glory! Let God take you wherever He wants too, He leads, you follow. Your new chapter, your next level is based on wisdom from God and revelation, things that only He knows, and He wants to share it with you, put it in your heart, for that’s your sacred place.

Intentionality requires deliberate (intentional, on purpose) action on your part. God is intentional and He has called you to be the same. This your part, you must follow the plan! Today is a brand-new day! Welcome into 2024, there are 364 days of miracles, signs and wonders left for you to experience, use your time wisely, remember every moment counts! God did it, He brought you all the way through last year and He has started you on in a new year, one that you have never seen before, make every moment count! Be grateful and be thankful on purpose, be intentional! I love you, but God loves you more!

Let’s Pray:
Thank You” for allowing me to be here and experience every day in 2023 from January 1st to December 31st, now Lord, I look forward to what You are going to do in 2024, I’m entering in with great expectations of Your Glory! I’m so grateful; because if it had not been for You Lord on my side…Lord, I don’t even want to think about where I would be, so I’m going to say Thank You! God, I’m ready for whatever You want me to do, my heart is right, and my mind is on you! Father, Thank You! Thank You for allowing me to see a new year! Father I am walking into this year with Great Expectations of what You are going to do in my life in the Now chapter! Father, please forgive me for every time that I pressured You and tried to rush You. Father, help me to take my time and trust You and Your plans for my day instead of me trying to do and make things happen on my own, Father I commit myself to following Your lead! 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 breaking protocol on my behalf this year and for answering my prayer request. Father, I want to be submerged in Your anointing, wash me with Your Word, wash me through and through for Your Glory and for my good! Make your prayer life this year personal! Have a Blessed New Year’s and be excited for what the Lord is going to do in you and through you in 2024, in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

Today’s Devotional is inspired by my daughter April Stepter, God gave her the word, Intentional!

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! It’s A Great Day To Be KEPT By The Lord! 

Jude 1:1-2 NIV ~ “Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To those who have been called, who are loved in God the Father and KEPT for Jesus Christ: [2] Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.”

Hello there, God is trying to get your attention today, this last Friday of 2023! A day that you have never seen before and one that you will never see again, but to God be the Glory, He has Kept you for 52 Fridays! My God, My God, My God! God used everything that happened this year to get you right here to this last Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 @ 6:24 am, front and center with Him!  I know it may seem like there has been one thing after another going on this year, but at least you can say, God Kept you, you made it! Somebody didn’t make it to this day! I want to encourage you and let you know that nothing that you went through this year was wasted, God used all of it, every affliction, every trial, and every situation to draw you to Him, (“Before I was afflicted, I went astray: but now have I KEPT thy word.” Psalm 119:67 KJV), to His Word.  On this last Friday of this calendar year, I want you to know that you are safe and secure, you are seen and treasured, and you are KEPT by God!  This is your Kept Place! The place of prayer, the place where you meet with Him!

Let’s see what the word Kept means naturally and spiritually!  Man’s definition ~ to have or retain possession of. Spiritual definition ~ The original word used for “kept” is “téréo”, and it means to attend to carefully, take care of, to guard, to keep, to observe, to reserve. God’s Promise. God will KEEP every promise He ever made to you and since His love for you is so constant and endless, He will finish every good thing that He has begun in you! God promised to perfect everything that concerns you forever and this Psalm is a promise from God just for you, Psalm 138:8. You are Kept for Him and by Him, you are reserved for just for Him!

What does it really mean to be kept by God? It means that you are reserved, set apart, taken…spoken for, saved, and held. When you are kept, you are provided for by His everlasting love. In fact, you are the apple of His eye and He’s always watching out for you, Deuteronomy 32:10! The Word of God will Keep You! No matter what you’ve done, where you’ve been, God remains faithful to you. Whether you’ve been hurt by someone, or you were responsible for the pain yourself, you can have hope, and that hope is the gateway out of your heartbreak.  When you’re feeling low, God will lift up. Your Father is talking and tending to you! He says 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 watching over you ever since then, God has never left you, not even for one second!

When you were in the valley, He was there, when you felt hopeless and surrounded by grief, He was there, God is offering you ‘acres of hope’ where you can run free in His love. As a matter of fact, this place was set aside for you, a long time ago, and all you have to do is follow His path out of the valley and into the spacious place He’s provided for you, it’s your place of keeping if you want to be Kept! It’s time for you to run free! Psalm 119:67 KJV! This should make you joyful! 

After all that you done and have been through this year, God still longs for a relationship with you, He is still keeping you! 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! John 3:16! God wants what is best for you and this is why He corrects and disciplines you when you dishonor His name, it’s a part of the sustaining and keeping process. It’s all for your good and His Glory! 

Let’s Pray: (Make it personal)

Father, this morning I come with all my trust and confidence in You. Father Thank You for allowing me to see the 52nd Friday in 2023, and I pray that You will accomplish Your purpose in me today! Father thank You for loving me. Father, You have loved me from the beginning and I know that Your love will always be with me every single day!  Father, Your love will last long after I am gone from this place, because it’s never ending or changing, Your love is forever!!! Father, thank You for intervening with Your Grace and Mercy when I face difficulties and challenges today. Thank You for never giving up on me but being constant. Father please continue work and finish the good things that You have begun in me.  Father, let Your love cascade over us today. May we feel loved by You. Also, may we feel kept. For those who are brokenhearted, bring them out of the valleys of heartbreak and into Your acres of hope. Thank You, Father, for giving us joy overflowing and love everlasting. Turn our weeping into dancing and set our paths towards Your arms of love. Embrace us and keep us forevermore. 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!!! Have a Blessed New Year’s Eve and see you in 2024 if God says the same! 

Blessings…

Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! Freedom Never Looked So Good!

Luke 13:12-13 (NIV) ~ “When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” [13] Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.”

How many years has it been since you have really experienced freedom the way God gives it to you? As I have literally been sitting in the same place for over 24 hours and in these moments, I realized that I had let what I was going through affected how I was living, and I put myself in a place based on that. I realized that where I am is not who I am, and I no longer want to be there!

I’m sure that you have read the story of this woman who had been bent over by a disabling spirit for 18 years. There was nothing that she could do or anyone else! Only Jesus could help her!  I read a post and I thought about this woman as I read it, “Grapes must be crushed to make wine. Diamonds form under pressure. Olives must be pressed to release oil.  Seeds grow in darkness!” And I’m sure that over those 18 years she has felt each one of these experiences, crushed, pressured, pressed and in darkness. But the one thing that I noticed about her, she never stopped going to the synagogue to learn and to worship God, and on that day when the Lord saw her, it all came to an end and she got to begin a new, healed and free at the same time. She was transformed in the process. Men you have been transformed in the process! Trust the process!

Yea, I know that labels and places are awful and yet we still do them! The labels that we put upon ourselves imprison us and put us situations and categories that are harder to escape from than how and when we got there! In my own moment of transparency, I been in these places before, “I want out, I don’t know how I got to this place and I don’t know how to get out of here”, “I’m struggling to keep my head above water”, “nobody is listening to me or sees me.” These may not be yours, but if you are honest with yourself, you have been in a place or two that you didn’t want to be in! Especially the ones of your own making, and the list can go on and on. I labeled my situation a mess and then I resigned myself to never feeling bad about where I had let myself get too!

But one day, I found hope in the Word of God and this scripture came alive to me like never before! I made a conscious decision that I no longer want to be a victim of my past, I am no longer stuck! I choose to forgive, truly forgive others and myself. I know that I had repented to God, and I know that He had forgiven me, but I forgot to forgive me too. Forgiveness is not for others it is for you! Today I chose to be free and to free others is my freedom too!  I am walking away from the battlefield; my release is my reward. Through the power of God, I am going to regain my victory as I walk confidently and upright with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

I know this scripture says it was a woman, but men you can have the same kind of freedom too! When you sit and listen to Jesus, He sees you and He knows exactly where you are! And He knows exactly how to help you! Woman you are free! Man, you are free! “So, if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36! Today, God has placed His hand on you, do you feel His gentle sweet Spirit? He is touching you, right at this moment, stop and feel His touch and feel what was hindering you for these past years being lifted off of you! I want you to keep these two words in the forefront of your mind, suddenly and immediately! It is in this moment, Suddenly, you are able to stand up straight and you are taller and stronger than you know!

I know the years may have been long, but just know that nothing about you or the time was wasted, God knows everything! Suddenly after all this time you are now able to stand straight and see your way clear! You can see what only the Lord could do for you! The woman was bound for 18 years, and no one could do for her what God did, He healed her from the inside out! He gave her, her life and when she Suddenly realized it, she was standing straight, she Immediately glorified God! Today, if you feel bent over by grief and fear, shame or guilt, sin and unbelief, it’s over with, today is the day that you get to stand up straight! No more hiding. You are in the place of God’s choosing, and now you can worship and praise God for your Suddenly! You have been touched by the Master and Immediately you should be Glorifying God!

Let’s Pray:
Father Thank You! Thank You for loving me through the pain of where I was, to where I am now. Father, I love You so much and I’m so grateful. Father, Thank You for helping me learn how to forgive as You have forgiven me. Freely and Completely! Father, forgive me for not letting things go m, but today because of You, I can let it go, I’m releasing that I may be released, that I may walk in Your divine Freedom for real this time! Father, there will be no more excuses, I accept the Freedom that You said I can have, and I’m freeing myself and others through this process. Father m, You are a Great God, Your ways towards me are good. Father, You are the Divine Healer. Thank You for my Suddenly, Thank You for touching me, that I may stand up straight now! Father, my first response is to Immediately praise and worship You for who You are! Father, Thank You for shaping me into who You designed me to be, and I surrender my all to You. In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Good Morning Constant One!

Romans 12:12 ESV ~ “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”

The word constant doesn’t mean that every minute of the day that you are praying, but it does mean that you need to be persist in prayer every day!

Being persistent helps you to persevere in it! It’s in this place that you learn how to not give up or slack off. God is calling you to make prayer a regular part of your life, you are to treat prayer the way you treat breathing, let it happen, it’s a natural part of you and your life! God made you to be constant in prayer.

Being constant in prayer is not a hit or miss thing, you do it on purpose! As you become more constant in your prayer life, God teaches you how to rejoice in hope, how to be patient when you are going through life’s journey, He teaches you how to be constant and steadfast, immovable, always abounding in His Work, and learning that your labor is not in vain, (1Corinthians 15:58), because whatever you do for the Lord will last! God is ready and available to help you at any moment because He loves helping His children out!

But when you don’t make time to spend with Him, you are dishonoring Him! Your prayer time should not be a fly by kind of moment, you need to do it intentionally and to pay attention while you are in prayer! Listen to your Father as you sit still and quiet before Him. He wants to speak to you! I’m sure that you give your key relationships time and attention, sometimes you give them too much attention, (just let that thought simmer in your mind.) Just know that the thing you feed the most is what will grow and what you starve, will die out! Don’t starve your prayer life, because your life depends on it!

God is calling you to a life of discipline and devotion to Him, a life of regular planned time with Him in prayer. Thanking Him and Praising Him for who He is, and Thanking Him for what He has done, and asking Him for help for what He is going to do! You must be constant in prayer in this year that it may carry over to your next new year! Ask God to help you! Resolve in your heart and mind to make this happen. Plan the time and the place that you will sit still and commune with your Father who art in Heaven! Make this place special! This is your place of sustaining and keeping!

God is a Keeper if you want to be kept! And He is the one constant that you can depend on day in and day out and everything in between! His Word says, “The LORD will accomplish that which concerns me; Your [unwavering] lovingkindness, O LORD, endures forever—Do not abandon the works of Your own hands.” Psalm 138:8! This Psalm is a promise from God just for you, make it your prayer today! (Make it personal)!

Let’s Pray:
Thank You Father, Thank You for another day, one that I have never seen before and one that I will never see again. Help me to be constant in my time of prayer with you. Father, this morning I come to You with all my hope, trust and confidence in You. I pray that You will accomplish Your purpose in me today, Father, thank You for loving me, for I know that You have loved me from the beginning, and I know that Your love will always be with me every single day!  Father, Your love will last long after I am gone from this place, because it’s never ending or changing, Your love is forever!!! Father, thank You for intervening with Your Grace and Mercy when I face difficulties and challenges today. Thank You for never giving up on me but being constant source of Power. Father, help me to be constant and consistent in my prayer life! Father, please continue to work and finish the good things that You have begun in me for Your Glory in Jesus Name, I pray. Amen.

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! Is The Word of God Like A Fire To You?

Jeremiah 20:9 AMP ~ If I say, “I will not remember Him Or speak His name anymore,” Then my heart becomes a burning fire Shut up in my bones. And I am weary of enduring and holding it in; I cannot endure it [nor contain it any longer].”

Sometimes you just have to repeat a word, (this is a repeated word, that we all need to hear)! I just can’t keep the Word of God to myself, I have to share it with everyone that I meet. His Word is like a Fire that you just can’t keep to yourself, you have to let it out! In the words of my grandmother, “there is more room out than it is inside.” Share your testimony with someone else, don’t just keep it to yourself, somebody needs to hear your story! In this hour, you cannot afford to keep silent, you have to speak the word that God has put on the inside of you, even if you have to suffer for a little while. God’s Word has to get out, it has to reach others that they might be saved. If you have been holding the word in and you feel heat, it’s the fire of God’s Word wanting to come out!

Do you have a yearning in for the Word of God? Does your heart burn when you think about the Word of God? Do you have a heart for the Word of God? Is the Word of God burning in your heart? All these questions are different but the one thing that is the same about them is, “Do you have a heart for God?” It’s called Passion for God’s Word and He put it on the inside of you before you were even formed! When you experienced this kind of fire in your heart you just can’t keep it to yourself, you have to share it! Free yourself by speaking what Thus says the Lord!

Because of the fire that is on the inside of you, you will run into challenges and sometimes it may feel like you are being rejected and attacked on every side because of your obedience and faithfulness to God’s Word. But hang in there, God knows, Job 23:10, “But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.” I know that things may be hard during times, and you may even want to abort the mission that God has sent you on, but hold on, God will give you exactly what you need, He got you. Galatians 6:9, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Hang in there, God knows, God sees, and God is going to take care of you. When you are concerned about His Word, He will be concerned about what you are concerned about. When you speak the Word of God, God watches over it to perform exactly what it is supposed to do!

God has a purpose for you, and you can’t run from it or ignore it any longer, that is why it feels like a burning fire shut up in your bones; so that you won’t keep it to yourself, you have to let it out! The Lord’s Presence is real in your life and the burden of His message is strong, and you cannot resist telling someone about Him, somebody needs to hear God’s Word from you! You must continue striving, speaking and serving God, regardless of how you feel or the consequences you will face! God is not moved by our emotions, but He is moved by the posture of your heart in prayer!

The fire in your bones is to fulfill your divine mandate from God! When the fire of the Holy Ghost is burning violently on the altar of your heart, you will rise up with holy power and boldness that will cause commotion in the camp of the enemy that has tried you. As a matter of fact, the Power that God has given you will cause the enemy to run in the opposite direction when you pass by. And your mouth is so full of fire that if the wrong kind of spirit tries to follow you, and they will be silenced by the Fire of God immediately in Jesus Name!

When this kind of the fire is burning on the inside of you; you just can’t keep it to yourself no matter what they say or do, you’ve got to let it out or it will consume you! Ask God for your next thought, that you may speak exactly what He wants you to speak! You have someone’s word on your lips, release it, that you may be released! His Word will bring good to you and Glory to His Name!

Let’s Pray:

Thank You God for the fire of the Holy Ghost. I surrender my mouth, mind and body to You. Fill me with Your Word and Power today.  Lord, please keep me on task and use me for Your assignment. Let the Fire of Holy Ghost Power lead me to do even greater things for Your Kingdom. Let every word that comes out of my mouth be full of Your fire and impact all who hears it, including me, as I read Your Word out loud. Lord let me never be the same, let me be changed by the Fire and Power of Your Word in Jesus Christ Name. Amen!!!

Today, read and pray out loud that you may hear yourself, then ask God for the Fire of His Holy Power to take control and then you just watch what God does!

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! Do You Really Believe?

John 11:40-42 NIV ~ “Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” [41] So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. [42] I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”

We have all read and re-read the story of when Lazarus died and what and how Mary and Martha felt about it. They knew Jesus loved him and they sent for Him, and they believed that their brother would not have died if Jesus would have been there. And when Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick, He didn’t move right of way, as a matter of fact He stayed two additional days where He was. Jesus did not get there on time, according to what man thinks, but know this, God’s timing is not your time and Lazarus died. Jesus told His disciples that He was glad about it for their sake, so that they may believe. (It’s like us, somebody can tell you what happened, and you may or may not believe it, but you will believe it when you see it with your own eyes, it’s something when you see something for yourself) John 11:15!

And when Martha heard that Jesus was near, she went out to meet Him. She said if you would have been here, he would not have died. Jesus told her that he would rise again and then He asked her a question, Do You Believe? She said yes, she knew He was the One and that Lazarus would be rise again in heaven, she believed but she really didn’t believe! (Oh, but when you see it with your own eyes, you will believe!)   

Then Martha went and got Mary, Jesus was asking for her, and she went and fell at His feet and said, if You would have been there, my brother would not have died. I’m sure that if you were in Martha and Mary’s place you would have felt the same way, only if Jesus would have only come earlier, he would still be alive. (What do you need to come back alive) They knew that Jesus had the power to heal, and they just didn’t understand why He didn’t show up when they needed Him. (Have you ever felt that way?) Jesus always has a greater plan, He knew that there would be grief by His not going to heal Lazarus right away, but His plan would cause more to truly see Him and all of the Glory of God! You must trust God’s Word and timing even when you don’t see it! Jesus wants you to see His Glory in its fullest!

You have to wait on God, and I know waiting might not be your thing, but it is the best thing! (Psalm 25:5!) I know that you have been praying for a long and you may be tired, but I want to encourage you to not give up! The Bible tells us that when we don’t know what to pray, the Holy Spirit will step in and pray for us (Romans 8:26-27). So, if you have reached the place of not knowing what to pray, ask the Holy Spirit to intercede for you and to pray on your behalf!

When Jesus heard Mary weep, it moved Him in His Spirit, and He was troubled to the place that He did something about it that nobody else could do! Lazarus was dead!  I said all of this, and took you back to the story of Jesus raising Lazarus back to life to tell you about verse 40, Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” The Words that Jesus speaks can turn your deepest, darkest grief and despair into a bright and shining hope, all you have to do is Believe!

So, I’ll ask you this question again and only you can answer this for yourself, do you believe?  Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” Then with a loud voice, Jesus says three words: “Lazarus, come forth!” (Whatever you believe died because Jesus didn’t come when you thought He should, but this morning if you can believe you can hear Jesus saying to whatever your Lazarus is to “Come Forth!”) Just know what you saw today had nothing to do with you, or your own efforts, it was all Jesus, He has brought it Forward, and it was for you to see His Glory in action! It’s all because of Jesus and your faith in Him, and to believe in Him is what moved Him for you to see His Glory!

Don’t fear what you don’t know, it’s the perfect stage for God’s Glory to be revealed in your life. We talk about seeing the Glory of God, but have you stopped long enough to really see the Glory! Where is your Faith, don’t you say that you live by it and not by your sight? 2 Corinthians 5:7! I’m going to say it again, The Road Has Opened Up, But Through No Efforts Of Your Own! Your Faith to Believe in Jesus is what set the stage for what you are seeing today! Your sight has enabled you to see the Glory of God! Now what do you Believe, who do you Believe?

Let’s Pray:
Thank You Father. Today I cry out Abba Father and in the Name of Jesus, may Your Holy Spirit live on the inside of me. Father, please create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me, that my walk and my ways align with You! Father, help me to accept Your timing in all things and that I will always have hope. Father, help me to remember that You always have something better in mind for me. Father, help me to see You, even when I can’t see the big picture, I know that You can, and I can trust Him. Father, I yield to You, and I know that You will bring good out of it. May Your plan be fulfilled through me in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! It’s Time To Move Out!

Deuteronomy 1:6,8 NIV ~ “The LORD our God said to us at Horeb, “You have stayed long enough at this mountain. [8] See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land the LORD swore he would give to your fathers-to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob-and to their descendants after them.”

It’s Time to Move Out! You’ve Been Here Long Enough!

The Israelites were almost finished their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and the new generation was getting prepared to enter into the promised land. While the Israelites were at Horeb, God spoke to them and said it was time to move! He commanded them to go to the place that was promised to them, it’s where their future is. Moses told them about what had happened earlier, as a warning so that they would not to repeat the same mistakes. He reminded them that God has spoken and what He expects from them after He had spoken!

Have you ever heard the saying, “you can lead the horse to the water, but you can’t make him drink it.” Well God had prepared the land and set it before them (you) for their taking, but they still had to take possession of the promise (you too, you have to take possession of what He put in front of you, He has put it there, but you have to get it)!  It’s just like us, we get comfortable in a place, and we just settle thinking that’s all there is, we start to enjoy our own place of Horeb.  Mount Horeb is a place of instruction, the place where you are being prepared to do what God has called you to do. It’s not the place where you are to settle in as your permanent place, Mount Horeb is a temporary place, remember that!

Mount Horeb, is not the only place that God has for you! This was your place of transition, to move from where you use to be, to where you are going! It’s your transformation place, I know that you are enjoying where you are, but the time has come for you to move out and up! And in this new place you must do what God tells you to do, period! (Deuteronomy 12:1)!

Don’t you feel the pulling and tugging of the shift? This is your time; God has been preparing you all along the way so that you would be ready when the time came! It’s the Word of God, that you are hearing, telling you, it’s time, time for you to move out? And as it is with any journey, there will be risks. Yes, you will have to move outside of your comfort zone, you will have to say goodbye to some relationships in order to form new ones, you will have to do some new things, differently from what you have been used to doing. It’s time to stop watching what others are doing and watch what God is doing! And know this that with every risk, there will be great rewards!  It’s when you leave Mount Horeb that you come move into the Promise Land, the place of peace and promises! I believe that the God is speaking to you and me and saying that Now Is The Time! It is time that to go up and possess your Promise Land.

Let’s Pray:
Father Thank You! Father, I ask that Your steadfast love would be upon me this today according to Your promise. Father, please don’t take Your Word of truth from my lips, for I know that all of my hope is found and fulfilled in You. Father, forgive me for not listening to what You revealed to me the first time. Father I cherish Your revelation and the Words that You have spoken to me. Father, help me to keep Your commands as I continue walking in Your Will and Way in all the areas of my life. Father, grant this now as I turn to Your Word and follow them all the days of my life.  Father, cause me to never to be comfortable in a temporary place but to always be alert and to listen to Your voice as You speak. Father, thank You for keeping me and helping me not to make another round in this same place, and I receive my new place of now! In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! It’s Not Too Late!

Isaiah 61:1-3 ~”The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; [2] To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, [3] To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.”

Today, if you are here and reading this devotion, that means God has awaken you to a new day and has given you breath; so, that means it’s not too late for Him to give you beauty for ashes, joy instead of mourning, and praise instead of despair!  It is not too late to change your story. It is not too late for Him to turn your mourning into dancing, pull off your sackcloth, and put on your clothe of gladness (Psalm 30:11)! God has given you a promise, He has given you the garment of praise for your spirit of heaviness! It works like this, Praise Him! Praising Him is like looking into a magnifying glass, the longer you focus on what you are looking at the bigger it gets! Through praise and worship, you are reminded that your God is bigger than any situation that you face! Praise is the key to problem-solving because it gets your focus on God, the problem solver. When you worship God, you can forget all about your cares and you can get a glimpse of what Heaven will be like, Oh, Magnify the Lord and Exalt His Name!

Remember, what He did for you before, now know what He can do for you today, it’s not too late to have hope, it’s not lost, it’s not too late for God to intervene in your situation! It is not too late for you to enjoy divine favor like Mephibosheth, David told him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually” (2 Samuel 9:7)! Nobody knew how long Mephibosheth had lived in Lo-Debar before David brought him back to Jerusalem and showered on him favor. Some people thought that he was going to die there, (some people thought that you were going to die in Lo-Debar, (the place of nothingness) you may have even thought this will never end, but don’t give up on God. Hang in there, He will see you through!) You will eat from the King’s Table! It’s never too late for God to change your story. Whatever the situation you are in right now, don’t worry, it is not too late for you to experience the change, praise for heaviness and dancing instead of mourning is your portion!

Today, instead of taking a coffee or tea break, take a Praise Break! Praise God for His grace, guidance and goodness and then recall how good He’s been to you! So go ahead and change your garments, take off the spirit of heaviness and put on your Garments of Praise and Worship Him and see just what He does!

Let’s Pray:
Thank You Father! Father, I believe in Your promises and put all of my trust in You. I am blessed because I believe and there will be a fulfillment of the things which You have promised me Jesus Christ Name. Father, today, I claim victory over every doubt and distraction that tries to come my way today, and I will praise You! I’m pulling off my sackcloth and I’m putting on Your gladness, as my strength and my place of peace. In Jesus Christ Name. Amen!!!

Blessings…
Minister Jean