Author: Travail and Transform Ministry

Ephesians 5:8-11,13-16 NIV ~ “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light [9] (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) [10] and find out what pleases the Lord. [11] Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. [13] But everything exposed by the light becomes visible-and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. [14] This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” [15] Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but as wise, [16] making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”

Ephesians 5, is your “Wake Up Call!” It’s time to get the sleep out of your eyes. It’s time to realize and recognize the dangerous condition in which the believers and the non-believers have been slipping into. It’s in this place that the people find themselves at a crossroad, there are so many different cultures and religions, and the nonbelievers are bringing their ideas and habits into the church and the believers are falling for it. This is a very dangerous place to be in. As a child of God, you must be alert to false beliefs infiltrating your church and be able to take a stand and pray against it. Remember, yesterday’s message, it’s not personal, it’s spiritual!

When your natural alarm clock sounds in the morning, it alerts you that it is time to awaken from your sleep! Well, your spiritual alarm clock is going off, and it’s time for you to get up! Romans 13:11 ~ “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” Not one of knows the time or hour or how much more time we have to live. We simply do not have the time to live a life that is not established according to God’s plan and expectations!

Do you really know what time it is? And I’m not talking about chronological timing, the hour on the clock or the date on the calendar, I’m talking about Kairos timing, it’s spiritual timing! I’m talking about prophetic time, the perfect timing of God! You do know that you are currently right where God wants you, nothing has been wasted! Do you believe that we are living in the last days before Jesus Christ returns? Are you prepared to meet Him, if He would come right now? Do you ever think about how you are living? Well, it’s time for you to wake up and pay attention, you are in the last days, and you need to be alert, aware and walking into the light and be conscious of what’s going on!

God has commanded you, be committed to doing His Will, so that you will not have any regrets later! For everything that is in the dark will be exposed by the light of Jesus Christ! Use your time wisely, time that is wasted can never be reclaimed! Nobody knows when He’s coming back, it could be 5, 10, 15, or 20 minutes or it can be 5, 10, or 20 years or 10 minutes, you just need to know that He’s coming and His coming is imminent, and this should be shedding some new light on what your next move will be!

You need to listen closely and carefully at what Paul said, 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)! 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 present life in a way that will count for your future and please your Father, and not simply sleeping your life away in this your present time, because there is no time like the present time to come to Jesus! It’s time to wake up and pay attention, because the time that you have won’t be the time you have later!

Let’s Pray:
Father, Thank You for waking me up this morning out of the sweet rest that You gave me last night. 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.  I will praise You all through this day, in Jesus Christ Mighty Name, Amen and Amen!

Blessings…
Minister Jean

2 Corinthians 10:4-6 NKJV ~ “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, [5] casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, [6] and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.”

You cannot beat this in your flesh, it can only be destroyed by the Power of God! You have to use God’s weapons to fight the enemy and his strongholds! Choose your weapons wisely, you need the Word of God, you need the Wisdom of God, and you must Worship God and God along! You cannot defeat this enemy by throwing your money and your title or your opinion at it! You need the Holy Spirit and the Armor of God, Ephesians 6:12-18! There is one thing about Paul and that is, he is going to follow exactly what God says. And I want you to understand and know this for yourself, everything that you do must be God inspired and God-breathed, you must operate from a true place of the Holy Spirit so that when you speak, it’s with Power and Authority because your words are not your own, but they are God’s Words!

You will not be able to reach and rebel against God at the same time, just like you can’t build up and tear down the enemy at the same time, you must have a pure heart full of forgiveness and love and a desire to tear down the walls of deceit that the enemy wants to use to  keep God’s people out of His Kingdom! Remember, it’s not personal, it’s spiritual! It’s not the person, it’s a spirt. And as you study and learn the Word of God it will teach you the difference and how to pray for one another! God’s Word will get to His people, and God will and can use anybody He wants to accomplish His plan.

You cannot fight in your flesh, and your flesh is your mind, that is where it all starts. One thought leads to one action of sin, and this is the beginning of a war that wages and tries to turn our minds from the Word to the world. You must fight this battle in the Spirit, you cannot use your guns, smarts or wits as weapons, you can only use your Sword, Worship and the Holy Ghost as weapons for this battle! These weapons will bring down the enemy and his stronghold! Learn this scripture and what it means, 2 Corinthians 10:4, “The weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood]. Our weapons are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.”

You see in this war, you cannot think too highly or be trying to impress someone with what you think you know or who you want to be, you have got to make it simple and plain. Listen to what Paul said, “And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. [2] For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. [3] I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. [4] My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, [5] so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.”  (1 Corinthians 2:1-5)! Preach Christ, Teach Christ and pray for the eyes of their understanding to be opened, and that they (you and me) may repent and be delivered from every stronghold that has tried to rob us of our place with God! You have got to rely upon God and His Word!

You can become stronger when you pick up your weapon daily, the Word of God, this is how you become victorious! The enemy strongholds are no match for the power of the Holy Spirit, and you can tap into this power daily by picking up your Sword, Praying and Worshipping God through the understanding of His Word! In this fight you cannot be reactive, you must be proactive. You must see the falsehood and lies and call them what they really are and pray for that stronghold to be defeated, destroyed, and demolished in the Name of Jesus Christ, and then ask for the truth of God’s Word to fill every space that has been cleaned out!

Now here is where your responsibility takes place, you have to take every thought captive to obey Christ! Yes, I know that sometimes we fall into wrong thinking, but as soon as you realize it, you must take action against it and bring it, closed the door and run to the Altar, the feet of Jesus! You cannot accept those things as true; you have to rewire the pathways of your brain into things that God said in His Word. The Word will wash your mind, the Word will safeguard your thoughts, the Word is the way to truth and power! This is why the enemy tries to attack your mind, he knows that if you get a good and clear understanding of the power you have, you can defeat him at every turn. Just call on the Name of Jesus, there is power in that Name! At the Name of Jesus, demons flee, the sick is healed, and the dead is raised back to life! Stand on the Name of Jesus and any thought that is not right will be made right by His Power and Authority, it must obey Him! You must obey!

Let’s Pray:
Father, Thank You for a brand-new day! Thank You for Your Word, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” John 17:17. Father wash me Your Word, “to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,” Ephesians 5:26. Father I pray today that Your Word would help me take every thought captive and to think on whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy” Philippians 4:8! Father I want my mind and thoughts to line up with Your desires for me. Father, help me to be discipline in my thought life with all my heart. Help me study and to believe Your truths. Father, I totally yield and surrender to You and You have full control. Father shows me if there are any strongholds in my life, please forgive me for believing lies of the enemy. I repent of seeing my life contrary to what Your Word says. Thank You Father for being my strength, my rock, my fortress and my deliverer, I have put all of my trust in You. Psalm 18:1-3! I know that I cannot do it without You, but what Your Word says in Philippians 4:13, I know that in You I can do all things through You. In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV ~ “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; [6] in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”

We are living in times where you can see and hear one thing today and tomorrow it’s something totally different. What do you trust or believe in?

I want you to say today’s scripture 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!

I have to be honest and confess, sometimes when I’ve went through a hard time, I tried things my way and things did not work out, I had to 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!

You are a work in progress, we all are, none of us have arrived, we all make mistakes, and when you do, don’t beat yourself up, dust off, stand up and invite God to come in and have His Way! Trust Him, not your emotions! 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, for you are in My capable Hands!

Today, with all of your getting, get an understanding, “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.” Proverbs 4:7!

Let’s Pray:
Father, Thank You! Father, I pray for Your strength and Your guidance. Let me see You in the eyes of everything around me. Father, 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 and 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

Philippians 2:9-11 ~ “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, [10] that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, [11] and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

You can call Him in the morning, you can call Him at noon, you can call Him anytime of the day and He will answer!

Today’s devotion is simple and sweet. It’s not hard or complicated. You don’t need to have a lot of formal skills, abilities, experiences or education. It’s just two words and I want you to say over and over and over again until you feel the power that is attached to the Name! There is Power in the Name of Jesus!

Just Jesus! Just Jesus! Just Jesus! Just Jesus! Just Jesus! Just Jesus! Just Jesus! Just Jesus! Just Jesus! Just Jesus! Just Jesus! Just Jesus! Just Jesus! Just Jesus! Just Jesus! Just Jesus! Just Jesus! Just Jesus! Just Jesus! Just Jesus! Just Jesus! Just Jesus! Just Jesus! Just Jesus! Just Jesus!

You don’t need a theological reference or a commentary, all you have to do is open up your mouth and speak the Words! When you contemplate the power that is attached to His Name you should feel His Power working in you! When you were in elementary school, did you ever have to write lines because you were not doing what your teacher said? For example, I use to love to in class, so my teacher would have me to write 100 lines, of “I will not talk in class”, this was to help me remember not to talk. Well today I want you to have that same concept, say it out loud and write it down, Just Jesus! So that way you will always remember to call on that Great Name, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!

I’ve given you a head-start on writing, I wrote it 25 times for you, so you only have 75 more to go. I believe that this time you will have this in your spirit forever and every time something comes up, Just Jesus will be ringing in your ear, head and heart You need to make a decision today, Just Jesus! You need favor, Just Jesus! You need a healing, Just Jesus! You need deliverance, Just Jesus! You need peace, Just Jesus! You need a hug, some love today, Just Jesus! Whatever you need, Jesus got it! Call Him, He’s already waiting on you and has already worked it out for your good! “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. [14] If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” John 14:13-14!

Can you see where it’s always been Jesus Christ, when you looked back over your life? You
know that Jesus will be exalted in this earth, the Word has already spoken it, His Name is above every other name in the world and every knee will bow and every tongue will confess the Name of Jesus! Today, start with your tongue, speak it out loud and let His Name spread like wildfire, you said it and then someone else heard you and then they said it, and before you know it, everyone around you will be calling on the Name of Jesus Christ! Oh, how beautiful it sounds, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! Just Jesus!

Let’s Pray:
Father, Thank You for Jesus, the Lamb of God! I’m so thankful for the love that You have given to me. You sent Your only begotten Son into the world to suffer and die for me and my sins, that I may repent and be forgiven and receive Your eternal mercy and eternal life. Thank You for Jesus! Father I know that the only way that I’m going to see You is through Jesus Christ, “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6 NKJV. Help me to live a life that shows others how much I love Jesus; how much I trust and believe in Your Word! For I know that in my own strength I can do nothing, but through Jesus Christ I can do all things, Philippians 4:13! And this is why I am going to always be grateful and thankful and have a praise and a prayer on my lips!
Just Jesus, because Jesus plus me is the majority and this is where my victory lies, in Jesus! In The Name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Romans 13:11-12 NIV ~ “And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. [12] The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.”

It’s High Time! When God first put that dream or promise in your heart, you were excited; you told people what you were going to do. But now it’s been weeks, months, years, and things haven’t turned out like you planned. God was persevering you for this moment. You had to walk through your silent years to be able to make a sound today. It’s your High Time!

Today, Jesus wants you to know that you are closer now to seeing it come to pass than you’ve ever been. You are walking into your high time! High time is when things suddenly change in your favor, when blessings chase you down, when your deliverance happens, when your healing shows up, you break the addiction, when you meet the right person, when you are in the right place and God makes things happen that you could never make happen! You have waked out of the darkness into His Marvelous light! Today is that day! You can shout Glory Hallelujah; you are here to tell the story of what Jesus has done!

If you are going to see this High Time, you have to wake up out of your sleep. That means to get up praising and praying, get your passion back, start believing again, start expecting things to change, start talking like it’s already happened, and walk like you know it’s done because Jesus said so! You can’t complain and be complacent and step into the fullness of what God has in store for you! The question is, are you still sleeping or awake?

Let’s Pray:
“Father, thank You for the call to wake up, to get my hopes up, to start expecting things to change. Thank You that I’m closer to going to the next level, to seeing the explosive blessings that You have in store for me like I’ve never seen before. I believe that I’m about to see Your High Time that You have ordained for me from the beginning. In Jesus Christ Name, Amen.”

Blessings…
Minister Jean

What do you see? Or what don’t you see?

John 9:1-3,8-11 NIV ~ “As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. [2] His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” [3] “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. [8] His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” [9] Some claimed that he was. Others said, “No, he only looks like him.” But he himself insisted, “I am the man.” [10] “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked. [11] He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.”

We have all read this Bible Story before about the blind man gaining his sight! And today I want to talk about your sight and what you see!

So, as Jesus was traveling with His disciples, they met a blind man begging by the roadside. Jesus disciples wanted to know whether the man had sinned to become blind or whether his parents had sinned, I mean what other thing could it really be, they wondered. Have you ever judged a case by these two things? But Jesus says, “Neither this man sinned nor his parents.” The man was born blind, so that he could bring Glory to God at the right appointed time. Having compassion on the man, Jesus’ spit in some mud and made a mud cake and rubbed it in the man’s eyes and then He sent him to wash in the pool of Siloam, and because the man obeyed and he had faith and believed in Jesus Christ, he was able to physically see for the first time! When you get your sight, some may be shocked at what you see and now what you do next! You should Thank You Jesus for your sight!

That blind man was transformed from being physically and spiritually blind to gaining his full sight! Jesus used the situation that He knew about before this man was born to show off His Glory and to change someone’s life, so that he could share with someone else, look at what Jesus has done! There will be some that don’t understand this but don’t worry about being rejected by them that claim they can see; they are really blind and can’t see. You see Jesus removed the burden of physical blindness that had caused the man to be rejected all his life. And while he was physically blind the Pharisees were spiritually blind and could not see. They only saw the law and not the love of Jesus Christ. Today, you may not be physically blind, but you have become spiritually blind to the things of God. But today is the day for you to get your sight back so that you can see Jesus Christ! This is the path to mercy, redemption, and restoration through Jesus Christ, this will take away the wrong kind of sight and allow you to see the love of God in full operation. For you are unable to achieve or attain this on your own it can only be received through Jesus Christ!

There is joy in seeing and following Jesus Christ. When you think about where you have come from, and why you are here, and where you going! You should be shouting Glory Hallelujah! There’s a reason for your existence, to show someone Jesus, that someone else would come to know Jesus because they can see Him in you! There’s a reason for your getting up every morning, it’s to tell somebody what you have seen in Jesus Christ! Have you ever tried to explain a sunrise or sunset to a blind person, they may can understand it a little bit, but they cannot grasp the full understanding of it. But when Jesus removes the scales from their eyes and they can see, oh what beauty do they see! This is what your life is like, you were blind until Jesus put a mud cake on your eyes and told you to wash, now you can see! Today, share with someone what you see, now that you can see!

Let’s Pray:
Father Thank You! Thank You for Your Power that gave me sight to see. Thank You Father that I can see physically and spiritually and that the scales have fallen off of my blinded eyes that I may see what you want me to see! Father remove from me any and everything that has caused me to not see clearly the light and path that You have set before me. Father I pray that I always see the truth of Your Word and that I follow it with my whole heart. Father, Thank You for removing distractions and disturbances from out of my way. Father, continue daily to open up the eyes of my understanding to You that I may see and see clearly. In Jesus Christ Name. Amen!

blessings…
Minister Jean

As I was reflecting back on this scripture, (Isaiah 40:21-26,28-31) that I read and study a few years ago, it became really real and relevant again today and I would like you to feast on it just like I’m doing again. So, there are four questions that I want you to ponder as you study this. Do you know Him? Have you really tried Him? Or do you just move on what others have to say about Him? Do you trust Him?

I want you to really study these scriptures today and feast on the Word and not the world. Pull away from your natural food and digest some spiritual food! Everything that you need and need to know, it has been told to you from the beginning. If you have forgotten, ask God to bring it back to your remembrance and He will. There is no one else like your God, there is no one that is on His level, so remember that He is a jealous God, and He will not share His Glory with another!

“Isaiah 40:21-26,28-31 NIV ~ “Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded? [22] He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in. [23] He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing. [24] No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than he blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff. [25] “To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One. [26] Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. [28] Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. [29] He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. [30] Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; [31] 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.”

There is nothing that God does not know! God can do any and everything when He wants to. Just as soon as it has been planted, He can blow on it and it’s gone! God never grows tired or weary and He loves to give strength and power to weak, (you and me). While He is strengthening you, wait on Him and be of good cheer, Psalm 27:14! Everything is tied to how you wait on God! Waiting on God connects you to Him in more ways than you can ever imagine possible, Psalm 40:1! Did you ever read the book by Dr. Seuss, called, “Oh the places you’ll go”? It’s a reminder of how much waiting you have to go through to get to your next place, you wait at the stop sign to turn, you wait at doctors to be seen, you wait at the grocery store to check out, you wait in line to get gas, and for every place you went you had to wait. You waited at the red light before you could go forward, think about this, while you are waiting, talk with God, it might be 2 minutes or it could be 30 minutes, but no matter how long if you talk with God, He will make your waiting worth it! Don’t you see how important waiting is, Psalm 130:6, “My soul waits for the Lord More than those who watch for the morning-Yes, more than those who watch for the morning.”

Be honest, how often do you really wait on the God? How many times a day, do you stand or kneel before God to pray, to listen, and to wait for Him to respond? Let me tell you this, the best time to talk with God is while you are waiting, Psalm 62″5! While you are at a light, for an appointment, anywhere that you are, use your time wisely and talk with God! It is in the waiting period that your faith in God is constructed, it’s where you learn to trust God and to know that He knows everything! Haven’t you heard? Do you not know that God is at the top, the bottom, on both sides and in the circle of everything? It is God and God alone that is in control! With God on your side, you can move mountains. Today your wings have been clipped, so what are you waiting for, it’s time to be on your way, it’s time to soar, its time, your weary days are over, you can walk and run and not faint, for your Faith has been renewed and restored in your waiting process!

Let’s Pray:
Thank You Father for speaking to me and reminding me of what You told me from the beginning. Father, I Thank You for opening up the eyes of my understanding that I may know just how wonderful You are. Father I know that You know everything, just like You know each star by name, so how much more do You know me and all of my dealings. Father I Thank You for filling me up with Your Word, Father thank You for keeping Your hedge of protection all around me and my family. Father, Thank You for ministering to me in my waiting season, for showing me You and Your Majesty! Father Thank, for renewing my mind, my body and my spirit that I may run and not get weary and that as I walk along this journey today, I will not faint, for You have filled me up. In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

Blessings…
Minister Jean

John 15:13-15 NIV ~ “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. [14] You are my friends if you do what I command. [15] I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”

I have two questions for you today, “Have you accepted Jesus as your friend?” And how do you treat your friends?

Did you hear what Jesus said, “You are no longer being called a servant, You are now called friend!”

Friends of Jesus love one another, obey His commandments, understand His truths, and are chosen to bear fruit that last.  Friends share with one another, encourage, speak the truth, are patient, loving and they are a reflection of Him. One of the most important parts of Christian’s life, is not the work you do, but the relationship that you maintain with God, and because you nurture this relationship all your other relationships line up according to the Father. That is all God wants, for you to give Him your attention.

For this reason alone, Jesus endured all the things that He went through for your sake, and of those that are chosen, so that you may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it brings you eternal glory. You are no longer a slave, but a friend.

Let’s Pray:
This is A Prayer for Friendship ~ Lord Jesus, Thank You for giving me such a vibrant community of friends to do life with. I praise You for the people You have blessed me with, the ones who love, encourage, support, and uplift me through all the twists and turns of life. I’m so grateful that I do not have to go through life alone. God, You show me examples of Your love through my friends. I pray that You will be present in my friendships and that You would draw us into a deeper relationship with You and that we will be in unity. I pray that You would help heal any places of brokenness or discord in my friendships, and that You would restore them to what You designed them to be. Thank You for my friends, Jesus. In your name I pray, Amen.

I thank God for my Friendship’s with all of you!

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Matthew 11:12 KJV ~
“And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.”

Often when we hear the word kingdom, we think of it as a physical geographical location like it’s a state or nation. But it is so much more than that, the Kingdom of Heaven is a place where the rules of the Ruler are obeyed! As true son’s and daughter’s, your mind should be on daily living that you might live again, that you can obtain the right to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven!

Jesus commended John the Baptist and He also talked about his opposition that he faced because he preached the Gospel! His messages were full of truth and power of God’s Word. John the Baptist proclaimed that the Kingdom of Heaven was near, this led to so much conflict and his death! (What are you willing to die for?) Jesus told his disciples that they would face this same kind of challenges in order for Kingdom to advance. He told them that His Power was stronger than any force that would try to oppose His Kingdom, they just needed to remain faithful!

So, if the people gave John and the disciples a hard time because of what they said about the Power of the coming Kingdom, what do you think they will do to you, for you are living in the power of the Kingdom right now? I need you realize that you are in the middle a war, but I need you to be like John, proceed forward, and remain faithful toward God’s purpose for you and not your own, realize that you are a part of God’s Kingdom, and you will be victorious!

So, after all of this, what direction are you going in? You know it’s not a physical geographical location, but a spiritual location and you need to have your mind and your heart focused on! You do know that every one that says they belong to Jesus Christ and think they are going to enter in, isn’t going to make it, (Matthew 7:21)! Stop being a follower, stop sitting on the sidelines, (break up the huddle) and get up and do what God requires of you, you are responsible for how you respond to Jesus Christ, nobody can do that for you, except you! All who say Lord, Lord is not really who they say they are, be mindful! Ask for discernment!

John caused conflict wherever he went, because he preached the Gospel, he was use to upsetting the status quo with his call for true repentance, he would keep them stirred up, everywhere he went, he got a reaction out of them, sometimes he was forceful and sometimes it came to violence, but he was determined to get the Word out, no matter the cost! What cost are you willing to pay to get the Gospel out? How far are you willing to go! Will you do it His Way? When you do God’s Will, the way He wants and you follow His Way yourself, it breaks you free from your life of sin and death and it purifies and prepares you for the Kingdom of Heaven! For the God you serve is Holy and Righteous and, in His Word, the plan of salvation is made crystal clear!

Today, our homes, children, church, communities, cities, states and nations need men and women like you, to have conviction and drive just as John the Baptist did, to step up and lead like your life depended on it, (it really does)! The Kingdom of Heaven has been and will continue to forcefully advance and until Jesus Christ comes back and puts a final stop to the enemy, there is going to be someone that is opposing and trying to attack it! But be determined to get out of your way that God may have His Way, it’s the only Way!

When it comes to the Kingdom of Heaven you must be determined and deliberate in your decision to serve Him. There should be no contradiction between what Matthew said in 11:12 and Luke 16:16, it’s plain, as plain as your nose is on your face.  “The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.” When you look at both of these verses, you can clearly see that Kingdom of Heaven will advance in this world and there will be conflict because there are so many forces of evil that oppose God’s Word and His Work, and I know that you can see how violent men are working against God and His church. But God will Prevail! Say it with me, But God! So, be of good courage because God’s Kingdom is coming with all Power and people are being freed from the power of Satan as they take hold of the Good News of Jesus Christ!

And the only way that you will make it into the Kingdom of Heaven is by accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior and by practicing and doing exactly what His Word says, there are no shortcuts to Heaven!

Let’s Pray:
Thank You Father! Father please give me, your servant boldness to declare Your Word with courage and conviction as I seek to share it with those who are still walking in darkness, that Your Word would draw them out with Your grace and Mercy into Your Marvelous light. Father, thank You that You have removed the spirit of fear from me and that I am walking by faith and not sight. Thank You Father for Your Power and Presence that covers me as I go into the highways and byways preaching and teaching to Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In the Name of Jesus Christ! Amen.

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Deuteronomy 1:7a, 8a NIV ~ “Break camp and advance…Go in and take possession…”

It’s time to break up the Huddle! Have you ever played sports or been to a game and before you went on the field, your team huddle together to discuss the next play?  Now I have another question, could you just stay in huddle and win the game? No, you couldn’t, you had to break up the huddle so that you could execute your play!

I know that your predecessors may have been afraid to break up the huddle because of what they were facing. But I want you to move and operate in faith! It’s time to break up camp and advance, even if you have to go along, just go! Remember that you are never alone, you plus God any day is the majority! The children during this time had to take a stand and believe in God.

Well, today it’s the same God, He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, He never ever changes, and He is looking for people like you that has bona fide faith in who He is! It’s time to swallow up your fears and step out on your faith and sing praises to His Glorious Name, trusting and believing in who He is and what He said, “He will never leave you or forsake you! “Deuteronomy 31:8! 

Now, I know some may think that it’s a waste of time to be in the huddle, but I want to assure you that it’s not! the huddle is preparing you on how to execute your next play, it is a means to the end. As a matter of fact, the huddle is designed with you in mind, it is to make you ready to play the game!

I mean can you imagine your favorite football/basketball team, going into the huddle on the sidelines and never advancing to the field, you would be so furious, why, because you want to see them in action! Well, guess what? God wants to see you in action! It’s time out for lip service, it’s time to actually serve! Get in there, show others what God has taught you in the huddle, in your prayer closet. What have you learned?

Think about this, it’s Sunday Morning, you get up, you go to the locker room and get dressed up, you move to the sidelines all dressed up, clapping and stuff and then you position yourself for the huddle, to plan and plot your move, that you don’t play! All you have done is fulfilled a religious duty, nothing less, nothing more. It looked good, but it has no substance! It’s not what you do in the huddle that matters, it’s what comes out of the huddle that matters. You get prepared in the sanctuary for what you are going to do outside of the sanctuary!

You are to gather together with like believers, these are your locker room meetings. They are designed to strengthen you, both physically and spiritually, they make sure that you are healthy and ready for the field (life) where the game is actually played. It’s where you minister to the hungry, thirsty, and sick people that have been abandoned, and mistreated; you minister to people who need love and redemption, this is the field of play for people of faith (you)!

God has commissioned every one of His disciples to move out of the huddle and to go advance the work of His kingdom across this globe, Matthew 28:19; to every nation, and to every tribe, that all people will hear about Jesus Christ, because Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb! (Revelation 7:9-10)!

You are being called out of the huddle to move into action. And when you break the huddle, know that you have been empowered by God to actually deliver on the field. So while there is still time on the clock, let’s make a difference in someone’s life by telling them about Jesus Christ, and how He came into this world to die for us, and how He died on an old rugged cross, and how He was buried in a borrowed tomb and how on the third day, He rose with all Power for you and them, all because of love, He broke up the huddle!

Let’s Pray:
Father Thank You, Thank You, Thank You! Thank You for dying for me and my sins, Thank You for rising up on that early Sunday Morning, that I may get up today. Father, today, I will break the huddle and move into what You destined for me to do today. Father, I will move forward and possess what You said I could have, and I know the only way I can have it is, I’ve got to Go! Father, lead me today along the path that You planned for me from the beginning. Father, help me to stay focused and to not be distracted by the cares and concerns that come along the way. Father, thank You for surrounding me around strong Christians, that we may sharpen each other and become better together as we move on the field to spread Your Gospel, to every nation, tribe and people, that they might accept You as their Lord and Savior so that they can experience Your love and redemption. In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

Blessings…
Minister Jean