Tag: christianity

Good Morning Sunshine! Catch That Holy Ghost Fire Today! 

Matthew 3:11 KJV ~ “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.”

This verse in Matthew makes it clear that there is something to be received other than the baptism of the Holy Ghost, it’s the fire of the Spirit that you should want too. The fire is the anointing of the Spirit that sets the temperature and flames, you need this! When you don’t have the anointing, the fire of the Spirit, your spiritual growth will is hindered. After you receive the baptism of the Spirit don’t think that you can just go to your corner and sit and become complacent and wait on the Lord! Surrender to the fire so that it can prepare and direct you in the great work for that you have to do to win souls for Christ in this final hour. The Holy Spirit is your power for service and the fire is the fuel that makes it go! 

Don’t worry, what you need is already here, Jesus said, “I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him.” John 14:16,17! “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost…shall teach you all things.” John 14:26! The disciples listened to Jesus, and they wanted what He was speaking about! You cannot separate Jesus from the Holy Ghost from, they are one and the same! So many times, people cannot make that distinction, between this. Jesus Christ is The Son of God, The Holy Spirit, also called The Holy Ghost, is the third person in the Trinity of the Godhead! 

You need to surrender yourself completely to the fire of the Holy Ghost; don’t be afraid, it won’t hurt you! Simon did not know how to yield to the Spirit, oh but when he went into the Upper Room he stayed there until he was baptized in the Holy Spirit, until he had received that great power on the inside of him. (Can you tarry with for a little while longer in prayer? I promise it will be worth every minute!) When The Holy Ghost fell on Simon, drastic change took place! Are you ready for this kind of change? “And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2:3-4! Simon received the Power that enabled him to do the things that Jesus said he could do! The Anointing of The Fire of The Holy Ghost, made it happen! Prayer is a fire starter, once it’s lit, it will spread, and nothing can stop its power! 

Jeremiah described the Word of the Lord like this, “it’s like fire shut up in his bones, and he couldn’t keep it to himself.” Have you ever experienced what Jeremiah was speaking of, it’s that wonder working Power of the Holy Ghost? Jeremiah 20:9! I love what Isaiah said, and God knows it’s the truth; “For with stammering lips and another tongue will he (The Lord) speak to this people and yet, even with the fiery tongue, there will be many who will just not hear Him. Isaiah 28:11! I want you to know apart from Jesus you cannot do anything! John 14:26, “Without me,” Jesus told the disciples, “Ye can do nothing.” And when Jesus finished His work here on earth, God sent the Comforter, which is The Holy Ghost for you and me to have! You need to acknowledge and accept the truth in your heart that you are going to need what Jesus said you must have. 

The baptism of Fire must burn within you, the Anointing of the Holy Ghost will make Jesus Christ come alive in your innermost being so that you will not be an imitation of Him, but the likeness of Him will be seen in you. You will have Him on the inside of you, and you will no longer have to strive to work for Him through your own strength and abilities! Now Jesus Christ and the Power of the Holy Ghost, will be working through you! There is one thing about fire, it’s hot! And where there is fire there is heat! And there is nothing cold about hot fire! When the Holy Ghost lives in you and you let Him work through you, you will be able to stand up and be a witness for the Lord! The Holy Ghost can witness, preach, and pray through you when you yield yourself to Him and obey the Word!

When God’s Power is activated in your life, you become a reflection of Him. And when you surrender and yield to Him, His Fire meets His Flames and causes this to happen to you, a burning on the inside of you for Him like never before, you will want more and more of His Power, Anointing and Fire! Have you received the tongue of Fire yet? Don’t be afraid! Acts 2:38- 39, “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. [39] For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” In this final hour you must have the Fire of God in your life, because the trials, the pressures and sins that are coming against men now are harsher and more deadly than ever. More than ever before, you need to hold on to God’s promise, because where sin abounded, grace did much more abound (Romans 5:20). God’s Grace will make those who yield to Him more than conquerors, Romans 8:37! 

Never has there been an hour such as this! You needn’t be concerned about the enemy, because nothing can stand against the Power of the Holy Ghost in this hour. When you are under the Power of the Holy Ghost, the Spirit will draw your heart to burn for the things of God! This is the hour of the Fiery tongue! Your tongue is meant to be used to be as a witness for the Lord! The greatness of the Lord’s Power is being poured out in this final hour over the land! Call on Him in perfect faith, and you who is faithful will see miracle after miracle. The impact of your Anointing will do much to win the souls of the lost in this hour!

You need to know every day what manner of spirit you carry at all times, because you cannot afford to be deceived about yourself in any way. The Anointing will not flow or rest upon you if you are humble! Keep your eyes on Jesus and His greatness. He is the God of all flesh, and He walks with you and talks with you daily. Call Him any time, He hears you and He will answer you. God is calling you into His arms to give you His faith, love, strength and the Anointing of Fire so that He can be poured out to others through you! Receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost and yield to the molding and the shaping of His Fire in your life! Joy will come as you delight yourself in your Lord, bowing down to His Will and His Way, the way Jesus did, and His Power will rest on you! 

Let’s Pray: 

Thank You Father! Thank You for Your Holy Ghost Fire. Father let Your Fire envelope every area of my life, that I may receive a fresh Anointing from You! Father, Thank You that Your fresh fire can help me make it through whatever is going on in my life. Father, arise in me with Your Power and Presence and may it manifest in every area of my being. Father, if there is anything hindering Your Power from going forward in my life, please uproot it in the Name of Jesus. Father, may Your Holy Ghost fire, sit on my ears, my eyes and my mouth, that I may operate in according to what You say! Father please remove roadblocks, rubbish and obstacles from hindering the flow of Your Anointing in me, clear my way by fire and make my way smooth, in the Mighty Name of Jesus. Father, arise and help me to walk away from the spirit of lukewarmness and procrastination in my life, every spirit that is not like You must die, in the Name of Jesus! Father, let the Holy Spirit fill me restore me, let every unbroken area in my life be broken and let every type of bondage be broken off and out of my life forever! Father please take full control and catapult my spiritual life to the mountain top, that I may see, experience and witness Your signs and wonders in be my life for Your Glory! In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

Happy Blessed Good Friday. Celebrate Jesus, for He has Risen! 

Blessings…

Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! The Vinedresser Did It! 

John 15:1,3-5 AMP ~ “I am the true Vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. [3] You are already clean because of the word which I have given you [the teachings which I have discussed with you]. [4] Remain in Me, and I [will remain] in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself without remaining in the vine, neither can you [bear fruit, producing evidence of your faith] unless you remain in Me. [5] I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.”

Does your life feel like God has been doing some repositioning in your life? Does it feel like painful pruning is taking place? Remember you are in the loving hands of your Father. Don’t lose sight of the end because the beginning is painful! It’s all rooted and done out of the love He has for you! It was the Vine and Vinedresser that is doing it to you and for you! 

Do you want to know what a Vinedresser actually does? Let me tell you. Strong’s Concordance defines it as: “a worker of the soil, husbandman, farmer, farm-laborer.” “The Vinedresser takes hold of the vine and entwine it on a trellis or wires, to keep air flowing underneath it so it can bear healthy fruit.” Unlike fruit trees, a grapevine cannot stand up straight on its own. Grapevines grow downward and because of their nature, the weight of the grapes, it makes them lay on the ground and this causes them to get wet and when they get wet, they wither or produce little fruit. 

One of the most important responsibilities of the vinedresser is to take a hold of the vine and entwine it on a trellis to keep air flowing underneath it so it can bear healthy fruit. Have you ever been really comfortable and then out of the blue you started to feel like you were out of place? It’s God! God in His Wisdom has decided that you need a life adjustment, a change to take place, a position change so that you can continue bearing fruit, spiritual fruit that is! And guess what your Father has the right to adjust whatever He wants in you, after all He is your Creator! He knows when it’s time for you to move! 

The problem with a lot of us, is that we are trying to build permanent dwellings in places where you should have had a fold and go tent! Let me get back on track, that’s a devotional for another day! Getting back to the Vinedresser, He knows when you need an adjustment, to help you bear more fruit! So, whether you physically move or change locations, He’s moving you from a place of comfort to a place of uncertainty to help you, to teach you that you need Him! Or He could just change your circumstances to prepare you for greater productivity for His Kingdom?

The Vinedresser prunes you because He wants your life to be a reflection of His character, plain and simple! Don’t think of His pruning as painful, see it as purpose and this is pertinent to your growth and development! Remember our God is Sovereign and He knows exactly what situations to place you in to produce better fruit for His Harvest. All you have to do is remain in Jesus and He will remain in you, that’s what His Word promises!!! 

Outside of being connected with Jesus Christ, The Vine, you cannot be connected to the Vine Dresser, your Father, (John 15:5 NIV, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”) In order to walk the way, you ought to, you need Him, you need His Word to be perfected in you, so that you can Abide with Him, because without the source, you can’t do anything, not even breathe! God is repositioning you for greater productivity, your Father is pruning you on purpose, He wants you to bear more fruit! 

The want to be gardener in me loves this story in John 15, (spend some time studying this chapter) Jesus is the Root and the Stems of the Vine, and me and you are the branches that grow out of His roots.  You see when grapevines are left untended, they will stretch out of place and produce leafy canopies (overhanging leaves). I know sometimes it looks healthy from the outside, (just like us, we know how to make our physical look good, but the inside is hollow). So, while the green leaves look healthy, they are not producing as much fruit as they can. You do know that the purpose is to produce fruit, and in order to get all of your nutrients from Him so that you might live, bloom, branch out, and produce more fruit you need pruning! 

Don’t let your service into God be only lip service, no word, no faith, no works and no fruit! Matthew 7:16,19-20 NKJV, “You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? [19] Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. [20] Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” So, now you should truly understand the purpose of a The Vine (Jesus), The Vinedresser (The Father) and grapevine (you) is to produce grapes, and pruning is necessary, and only the Master Gardener can do this job! He can cut it out of you without cutting you! It’s for His Glory! 

Let’s Pray: 

Father, Master Gardener, I’m praising You, all the honor and glory belongs to You. Father, You knew me before I was ever a seed in my mother’s womb, and You know the plans that You made me for. You are the only One that can cut me without cutting me, thank You God for being relentless and never giving up on me. Father, forgive me for the times that I pushed back and turned away from this pruning process and went my own way, please forgive me. Father Thank You for one more day to walk and talk with You, I will not take this day for granted! Teach me how to love as You do, as we walk and talk, so that I may live and love as I ought to because I am connected to Your Vine and I want to produce fruit that is good for sustenance and that can only come from You! Thank You for pruning me, cutting the branches off my life that were hindering me from living and producing lasting fruit that brings You total Glory. In Jesus Christ Mighty Name, Amen! 

Blessings…

Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! You Need To Prime Your Pump! 

James 2:17-19,24,26 NKJV ~ “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. [18] But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. [19] You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe-and tremble! [24] You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. [26] For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”

I read a story about a man that was lost in the desert, and he was dying of thirst. Suddenly, he looked up and saw a small house with a well. When he got there the well was not working. Discouraged, he went into the house and there was a jar of water. There was also a note beside it that said, “do not drink this water, use it to prime the pump on the well.” Einstein said, “In the middle of every difficulty lies an opportunity.” And Thomas Edison said this, “Most people miss opportunities because it is dressed in work clothes, and it looks like work.” And nobody wants to do the work! 

Jesus went about giving people opportunities to be blessed, but it took faith to act upon His Words. For instance, Jesus did many miracles that involved water, and the water was not to be drank but used to prime the pump for more! Remember, don’t drink any of the water first. Prime the pump with it and you’ll get plenty of water.” It was signed, “Desert Pete.” Faith is to prayer like water is to be priming the pump. You have to activate your faith in order to receive from the Lord. It’s like this, the more you obey God the more your faith increases! 

Have you ever been around a well, sometimes they can run dry and have to be dug out again. And then there are other times when the pump is dry, and you have to pour water to prime it and get the water flowing again. Sometimes you are like that pump, and when the Water of Life is not flowing properly in you, you will run dry. You must drink from the reservoir of Living Water daily and allow the Holy Spirit to rain down on you so that you are not spiritually dried out. 

You need to be primed, so that you don’t get in a rut, because sometimes you can get so caught up in past successes that you forget to prepare for the future. You have been running so hard and fast that you forgot to stop and fill up your tank and now you have nothing left in the tank, so it’s time to prime your pump! This is when you need to stop and come apart and rest awhile, get your refueling, spend some much needed time with your Father listening to Him, a good sermon, worship music, allowing God to stretch you. When you leave you to yourself you will dry out and without a disciplined life, you will produce nothing! This is when you need to let the Holy Spirit reign, which is you allowing His Spirit to prime your spirit, it’s an internal fix and there is nothing you can do to the external to fix you! You must allow the Word of God to speak to you, ask God to send people into your life to stretch you! 

Find yourself a place of solitude where you can sit with your Father and be primed and ready to pump! As you spend time at reservoir with God, He will motivate you by His majesty that is all around and you will start to flow in your daily grind as He graces you for what is next. As you sit you will be reminded of what your Father has been revealing to you about Himself! It’s plain for you to see and hear! This is the priming of your pumps to see God in the unexpected and the extraordinary and it leads you to worship God. It’s in this moment that you are not worried about what anyone thinks about you, your thoughts are on God and God alone! 

It’s in this place of priming that your mind is renewed, and your heart is stirred. It is your time of revival and you being are primed by tears on an altar, a kindling wood to bring fire from heaven. One life can fire up another. The problem is not the Sower or the seed, it’s the soil. If God is not birthing in you a vision, a passion, a growth, and a deeper understanding of grace, it’s not HIS fault, it’s yours. Your soil is hard and rocky, and you need to pull out the weeds, to break up the fallow ground, and water the seed so that you can participate with God in the harvest.

It is so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day routine of life and forget to stop and spend time with your Heavenly Father. For there is always something pulling at you, calling for your attention and it comes in the form of a distraction, it wants to distract you from the end goal, eternity! When you allow sin to drive your life, you are drinking from a broken cistern. In fact, the greater issue is your heart. You need to ask yourself this question, “Is my heart primed and ready to respond to God’s prompting? Am I, by my example, encouraging others to prime their pumps?” For when you are prepared for tomorrow, you allow the waters to continually flow in and through you. And when you fail to prepare for tomorrow, you will eventually dry out and have nothing to offer a lost and dying world! 

You must get before God to seek the mind and will of God. You must be primed so that you can be used for His good pleasure. You must be prepared, so that through your life the living waters can flow to others. I believe any failure to prime your pump and leave something for those who are yet to come will lead to a dry church (people), dusty Bibles, and dirty lives. When people come looking for water, let’s make absolutely sure that the well called “the church” is primed and ready to offer them Living Water. This is a corporate and an individual call. We’re all responsible to leave something behind in order to prime the pump of the future and get it going after we’re gone. If you want revival, if you want to reach the next generation, you need to make sure the pump is primed, and you have water to give to a thirsty world.

Faith is to prayer like water is to priming the pump. You have to activate your faith in order to receive from the Lord. Praying takes faith, just as priming an old pump with the only water around takes faith. How do we activate the faith we have? Let’s look at these four ways.

First ~ Activating your faith starts by asking. Ask! Jesus said, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8)!

Second ~ Acknowledge God’s Word! Paul says, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19)!

Third ~ Speak the Word out loud! Activated Faith says aloud, “I’m saved!” I’m rescued!” “I’m delivered!” The truth as God has spoken it to you. Romans 10:8-9: But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. The word “declare” means “to say the same thing!”

Fourth ~ Act consistent with the professed faith. Paul tells us “We walk by faith, not by sight [living our lives in a manner consistent with our confident belief in God’s promises]” (2 Corinthians 5:7 Amplified Bible). What Paul is saying is simple: Walk your Talk! Seeing God’s promises fulfilled is the result of our faith and depends entirely on faith! 

Do you need to Activate your faith to prime the pump of prayer? Do you need your faith to believe for your healing or other answers to prayer? When you pray, just as you would expect water to spring up from a well once you’ve primed the pump, believe that God is going to “supply all your needs” as He promised. And He will!

Let’s Pray:

Thank You, Father, for helping me to walk in love. Because I am born again, I have been born of love. Faith works by love, so I know that if I can’t walk in love with others, there is no way faith is going to work in my life. I will walk in the Word, so that I can be protected at all times and the wicked one will not be able to touch me. Ephesians 6:16 says faith quenches all the fiery darts of the wicked one, not part of them, all of them. The devil, I refuse to give you any power in my life! I allow myself to be moved by love and compassion, so that I can be ready to fulfill anything God has called me to do. Thank You Father, for the unmerited favor of Your love. It is because of the faith You created in me that I have been saved, set apart to do Your work, and received Your grace. Through Christ, I have received grace upon grace. Father, I sometimes miss the mark and fall short of Your will. Thank You for the grace you lavish when I falter in my faith. Praise You for grace upon grace. Father, Your will is my desire. I want Your Word on my heart and mind. It is useful for all things in life. Build in me a knowledge of Your will. Make my heart’s desire Your heart’s desire, then I will rejoice in doing Your work. My trust is in You alone. I know You will use every day of my life to show everyone around me Your love and grace. I may have plans, but the plans of God will prevail. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. Father, forever prime the pump of my heart for You. In the Name of Christ Jesus. Amen!

Blessings…

Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! You Serve A God Who Turns The Impossible Into The Possible! 

Matthew 19:26 AMP ~ “But Jesus looked at them and said, “With people [as far as it depends on them] it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Get this in your Spirit today, “With God ALL Things Are POSSIBLE!” This is not about good anything that you can do, it’s about acknowledging God and His Omnipotence and how His Absolute Power is at work your life!

How strong is your Faith? You do know that Faith is not about your inclinations or feelings! Faith is what you believe about God! You can never have too much faith, if you are searching for something better than what you have, then you are in the right position to exercise your faith. Hebrews 11:6, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” You must have a strong conviction of what you do not see and you have to be aware and believe with every fiber of your being that there is something greater for you! Now that is your Faith! This means you are aware that you are surrounded by an invisible kingdom, something greater, and that which is seen is not the whole picture, there’s more to your life, there are realities and blessings which you cannot see or touch right now, but they are as real as what you see right now in the natural and they are vital to your life!

I know it may feel like you have had a lot going on, but God has brought you through it, up until this very present moment! You should be saying, “Thank You, Jesus!” He has seen you through all of your troubles to a life of testimonies! God is the Master; He can turn every impossibility into a possibility with His Power! Can’t Nobody Do Your Like Jesus! Today, you are more than a conqueror and there is nothing that God cannot do for you when you move out the way and let Him have total control! There is no challenge or circumstance, no mountain or valley, and no trouble, tribulation, or temptation that God cannot work out in your favor today! Trust the Power and Process of God! Trust God for the Impossible! 

I am not sure where I got this encouraging message from, that I shared with my daughter on, July 15, 2017 @ 3:27 pm, but today it is the perfect fit for you. “A young man working in the army was constantly humiliated because he believed in God. One day the captain wanted to humiliate him before the troops. He called the young man and said, “young man come here, take the key and go and park the Jeep in front.” The young man replied, I cannot drive! The captain said, “well then ask for assistance of your God! Show us that He exist!” The young man takes the key and walked to the vehicle and begins to pray. He parks the jeep at the place perfectly well as the captain wanted. The young man came out of the jeep and saw them all crying. They all said together, we want to serve your God! The young soldier was astonished, and asked what was going on? The captain crying opened the hood of the jeep by showing the young man that the car had no engine. Then the boy said: See? This is the God I serve, THE GOD OF IMPOSSIBLE, the God who gives life to what does not exist. You may think there are things still impossible But with GOD Everything is Possible! To the person reading this, I pray the Lord work A SUPER MIRACLE in your life today In Jesus Name I Pray! 

So now after reading this, where is your confidence? Is it in the God that can do the possible in the impossible? Who wouldn’t want to serve a God like this? For every impossibility that you had to face this in your life, right Now it’s Possible with God on your side and in your corner! “You Are More Than A More Conqueror Today!” Romans 8:37! God has His Eyes on you and there is nothing that you can do about it, except Praise Him! God loves you and He proved it by His selfless act when He sent His only begotten son, Jesus Christ to die for you so that on Friday, so that today you can experience the Power of the Possible in your impossible and live your best life Now for His Glory! 

Let’s Pray: 

Father, thank You for Your gift of faith, I need You and my faith to make it! Lord increase my faith, I desire to love on You and to trust You for the things that I don’t see but I know that they are there.  Lord, give me faith like a child to believe and follow and trust You every day. Father, Thank You! Thank You for seeing me through every trial, trouble, temptation, turmoil and tribulations that I went through this week. Thank You Father for doing Your “Possible” in my impossible situations, doing what only You can do! Thank you keeping me in the center of Your eyes, Father, I trust You with my whole heart! Father, today I chose You, I’m surrendered, seeking and serving You because of who you are to me. Father, I love you, use me for Your Glory! In Jesus Christ Name! Amen!!!

Blessings…

Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! The Truth Is Made Plain Right Before Your Eyes! Can You See It? 

Romans 1:18-19,25 NIV ~ “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, [19] since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. [25] They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator-who is forever praised. Amen.”

Today, I want you to pull out your Bibles and study the Word of God! Find and write out scriptures on the truth of God’s Word and make sure that you are writing it on your heart, that you may believe the Word of God! Stop worshipping what has been created and not the Creator. 

God has revealed himself plainly in creation to you. Yet you still reject even the basic knowledge of your Creator and follow the creation instead. God has given you all the evidence to believe in Him and how to live a godly life, but since you continue to want your own way, he will not make you choose Him. So, now you have no excuse, you know the truth, and now you will have to endure the consequences of ignoring the truth! 

God has revealed Himself time and time again in you, He has told you about Jesus and how, your sins can be forgiven and forgotten through Him, you can have a personal relationship with the Father. Paul’s states that no one can claim their own work as good in God’s sight, no one, not even you! All people everywhere deserve God’s condemnation for their sin. Just knowing of God is not enough, you must believe that God loves you and that he sent His Son to demonstrate that love on the Cross Romans 5:8 and you must be shown how to accept God’s forgiveness of your sins because He loves you, Romans 10:14-15!

Today, choose to believe the truth, stop substituting a lie for the truth, in order to support your own self-centered way of living. This is sin, and God cannot tolerate sin because He is holy, and has a perfect nature. He has designed the best way for you to live in harmony with Him and with each other. He cannot and will not ignore or condone willful rebellion! God wants to remove the sin and restore the sinners, Romans 3:23! You cannot reject the truth and then turn to Him for salvation, you must repent first! If you persist in going your own way, then you are pursuing the lie that sin is not serious, and you don’t need God? Sinners must trust Christ alone to deliver them from destruction and put them on the path of salvation! Stop deceiving yourself about Him to merely protect your current way of life. Devote yourself to searching for the truth, and you will find Him. Jeremiah 29:13! 

You do not have any excuse for not believing in God? The Bible gives it to you plainly and God has revealed what He is like in and throughout His creation. So, either you are going to accept or reject God. It’s your choice. You do know that what is temporary will disappear right, none of that stuff will last. It’s like the grass that is here today and withers away tomorrow, Isaiah 40:8. Only what’s for and from God is eternal! When the day comes for God to judge your response to Him, there will be no excuses that you can give; for God has given you everything to help you fully believe in Him. Again, you are without excuse! Stop, rejecting the truth! Thank God as the Creator, Keeper and Sustainer! He made everything including you, your parents didn’t create you, they were just the vehicle God used to bring you here! You belong to God!

What have you made into a god? What have you been idolizing? Are you worshipping what God has made rather than God himself? Can you think of anything that you feel you can’t live without? Are any of your priorities greater than following God wholeheartedly? Do you have a dream that you would sacrifice everything to realize? Let me help you right here, to avoid idolatry from taking you over, check your heart! Your heart needs to see God’s Will and God’s Way as the measuring tool in which you evaluate everything that you do! If what you are doing does not measure up to God’s Word and standards you need to rethink it. (You can only learn this through God and His Word!) I am not saying that the other things are not important, it’s just that they are not more important than God. It just means that all of your life is viewed through God’s perspective and not your opinion! 

God has filled this beautiful world with so many wonderful things for you to have and enjoy. But when you don’t have a relationship with Him; you can fall prey to it all and believe in the lies of that you hear that reinforces your own selfish beliefs! Today, more than ever, you need to be careful about the input that you allow to form your beliefs. With the things you hear and see, on the internet, conversations, commercials, music and movies, so much of it is about glorifying sinful lifestyles and values, and sometimes you can find yourself constantly being bombarded by attitudes and beliefs that are totally opposed to the Bible! Be mindful about what you hear and look at and what influences you allow to form your opinions. God gave you the Bible as the standard of truth on how to live. Evaluate all other opinions in light of it. If you haven’t already, begin today to give your devotion, attention and worship to Him and believe in His Word, it’s the Living Truth and it will teach you how to truly live in the truth!

Let’s Pray:

Thank You Father for the truth of Your Word. Father, open my ears to your Word, so when I hear it spoken aloud, I will receive it with joy. Use it to guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me, Psalm 25:5! Help me to obey your Word so I will fully understand it and be able to move on to maturity in my faith. Thank You Father for the Holy Spirit that helps me to discern and understand Your Word more clearly. Father, put Your Word in me every day so that I will know that I cannot live on bread alone, but by every Word that comes out of your mouth I need, now I can chew on the bread of God’s Word again and again, to get every bit of sustenance out of it. Matthew 4:4! Father, Thank You for ordering all of my steps according to Your Word, Psalm 119:133! Father, thank You for my firm foundation that is found in Your Word, Psalm 119:89! Father, Thank You for Your light on my path that I may walk securely, Psalm 119:105! Father, Thank You for helping me to understand Your Way and Your precepts, for I will meditate on your wondrous works, Psalm 119:27!  Father, incline my heart to Your Word and not to my selfish gain. Keep me on the path for Your Word and not the world. Father, transform me, wash me and cover me in You, Psalm 119:36! Father, turn my eyes away from everything that is not You. Turn me away from looking at worthless things and give me life the way You want me to have. Father, I will set my sight on the treasure and truth of Your Word. Father I know that in Your Word all distractions can be moved, and worthless thoughts can be removed, and my mind will be fixed on what I see in Your Word, Psalm 119:37! Father, cause Your Word to permeate every moment of my day and every corner of my mind. Father, use Your Word to teach me, rebuke me, correct me, and to train me in Your righteousness so that I can be completely equipped to do every good work that You have prepared me to do, 2 Timothy 3:16-17! Father, I will embrace the truth of Your Word and I know that Your Word will cover me in all my ways! Father, I believe in You and Your Word! In The Mighty Name of Jesus Christ. Amen! 

Blessings…

Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! Know Your Place! Part 2!

1 Peter 4:10-11 NIV ~ “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. [11] If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”

As I reflected on yesterday’s devotional this thought fell into my spirit. Are you trying to elevate yourself or allowing God to magnify and elevate you? 

Have you been tempted to elevate yourself? You see others that have great influence and power, and you desire it for yourself. So, you try to join in with them hoping that you will have that same influence and you can glean from their authority or get the favor that they have? You have disregarded everything that your Father has told you to do because you want to that belong to that group or person and have their level of authority or position! This authority and position came from God and God alone! Hebrews 12:1 NIV ~ “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

Being honored and magnified in the is not a sin, but it’s sinful when you try to covet someone else’s honor. You must be careful to guard your own hearts from elevating yourself above your calling. If you are called to be a disciple, please don’t try to be an Apostle, know your place and stay in your own lane! Be the best disciple that you can be, for it would behoove you to not get in God’s way! When you try to walk in someone else’s path that you don’t belong to, you are inviting unwanted and unnecessary warfare into your life.  You must recognize the authority God has given to you is for and what belongs to someone else belongs to them, stop trying to attain what does not belong to you! 

If you are to be elevated at all, if you receive any spiritual gifts or anointing, it will directly be deposited into you from God, at His command and at His timing according to His perfect Will! Do not come to God seeking honor and glory! It is God who chooses to bless you with honor and glory! It’s His gifts to give or to withhold! Learn to be content with the knowledge that you have been adopted into the family of God and made joint heir to Jesus Christ! Let your focus be on glorifying God, and you will find great peace and contentment with whatever place that you are in and in whatever God has called you to do in your life!

When you let jealous thoughts grow, when you run after the thing’s others have that you want, when you let discontentment tell you that you need more than you have, then you are pursuing the opposite of what Jesus lived and taught you. Then you are trading a life close with Christ for a life close to man’s success and recognition and now you have become just like the Pharisees! God has blessed and entrusted you with the talent, power and spiritual gifts that He wanted you to have to use to glorify Him and build His Kingdom. I know it can be hard sometimes when you look around at others and see what big things that they are doing, and you can feel like what you have to do is small; I want to encourage you that you and your gifts are needed! 

The day, I realized that God didn’t give me my gifts for me, but they were gifts for Him! I repented and asked Him to forgive me, and at that moment my thinking totally shifted. I began to truly see how God had blessed me, and then I began to trust Him with my gifting and value them, no matter how they compare to the gifts or talents of others I began to do the work that He assigned me to do! Your gifts are given to you by God in order to serve those around you. As our scripture today says, you have received a gift from God, and you are required to be a good steward over what He commended you to do! God has called you to use all your gifts and talents to serve others. Fight the lie that someone else’s talents are better than yours! Fight the lie that God can’t use you for His Kingdom! That gift that you love, is meant to bless others. That gift that you are not sure is good enough, it’s meant to bless and serve others! Everything is for God and His Glory!

Take inventory of your life and pray and consider all the things that God has given to you to steward: your gifts, talents, influence, resources, and your abilities, anointing and power are all designed and meant to be used to serve others! Know that when you speak, you do so as the Word of God says! And when you serve, you do so with the strength that God provides, so that in all things God may be praised and glorified through you for Jesus Christ. It’s for His Glory and your good! 

Let’s Pray:

Father, thank You for loving me pass me! Father, today I lay my heart and my desires out before You. Search my heart, know my thoughts and see if there is any grievous way in me and uproot it out of me. Show me where envy has caused me to pursue more over pursuing You. Father, realign my heart with Your will for my life! Father, I want to be content in You and You alone! Father help me to be a help to others without envying what someone else has. Father I want to serve others because that is what You want me to do. Father, today show me how to give of myself to those around me as I am in ministry, at work, at home and everywhere in between. Father,  I recommit my life to You. Father, everything thing that I am and that I have belongs to You. The most important thing to me is what’s the most important things to You. Father, help  me to live like this day in and day out. In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen! 

Blessings…

Minister Jean

Sunshine! Know Your Place! 

Luke 18:13 NIV ~ “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

Have you ever been around a bossy person that thought because of their title or position that they were more important than you or the next person? Have you ever heard anyone say, “do you know who I am!?” And if you don’t do what I say I’m going to get you fired or something else worse? It’s at this point that you have to really know who you are! And whose you are in Christ! Look at this parable that Jesus talked about a Pharisee and a tax collector that went to the temple to pray. Which one are you? 

One day, Jesus was talking with some folks who were confident of their own eyes and righteousness, and they looked down on everyone else. Do you know anyone like that? Have you ever done that before? First, He told how the Pharisee had approached the temple with his superior attitude and he was thankful that he wasn’t like those other people. His virtues were of the highest standards, he had no faults. He paid his tithes faithfully; he helped others and knew that he was a good and religious man. began to pray and listing all of the things that he does in his own strength, he believed that since he had done all of these things, it made him righteous and better than but the tax collector.  

Next, Jesus described the tax collector prayed, he stood at a distance, and could not even look up to heaven. He understood who he was and his need for something greater than he, he knew that his own strength could not save him. He knew that he could never measure up to God’s perfection.  So, the tax collector cried from a distance, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” He had no sense of entitlement, and he made no excuses to justify himself. (Luke 18:14, I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”) Can you sense the quietness and silence in air as Jesus Himself exalted a tax collector over a Pharisee? What do you think the key word was? Repentant! The tax collector had a repentant heart, he knew that he was not worthy, he asked Jesus to have mercy on a sinner like him, Isaiah 66:2! Jesus exalted him because he knew that his place came from the Grace of God! 

How about you? Do you have a repentant heart? That’s what God loved about David, he knew how to call on the Name of the Lord and repent, Psalm 32 and 51! Knowing who you are causes you to stay grounded because you understand that there’s nothing you can do in your own strength to save yourself. It causes you to come into complete dependence on the Lord. Every day we fall short, (Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God) in our own strength, but your prayer should be, “Lord open my eyes to see who I am?” Open my eyes to see that I am a sinner in need of a Savior and to know that there is nothing I can do on my own! You literally need Jesus Christ to come on the inside of you and you need Him to lead you!

I know that there have been times when you tried to do things in your own strength, only to become frustrated because you were not able to do it like someone else could. You need Jesus and His Holy Spirit. You need to get this in your spirit and in your understanding, you are a sinner saved by grace, (Romans 3:24 “and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”) and you need a Savior to always be before you! Because for as long as God allows you to live you will need a Savior to lean on forever instead of trying to be your savior. Repent and turn to Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of your faith. Hebrews 12:2! 

Let’s Pray:

Thank You Father, thank You for showing me the dangers of seeking spiritual entitlement, I repent right now in the Name of Jesus Christ. Father, humble me to know my place in the Your Kingdom. Father, thank You for Your putting Your Word on the inside of me and showing me, me and that I must look at myself and not judge others or think too highly of myself. Father, thank You for saving me when I fall short, thank You for not casting me away, but giving me the opportunity to repent and to turn back to You. Father, when I fall short, please open my eyes to see who I am. Open my eyes to see that I am a sinner in need of a Savior. And that there is no one else like You. Father, I know that I can nothing on our own, but with You I can do all things, Philippians 4:13! Father, I literally need You to come and live on the coming inside of me, I need Your leading and guiding each and every day. Father, it’s Your Spirit that I aim to have in me and all around me to help me to know my place. Father, my prayer is as I go forward, I go with You and an understanding of who I am in You and to know that I am nothing in my own strength or eyes, but that I am justified by You through my faith, and I live a righteous life because of Your Grace and Mercy. In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen! 

Blessings…

Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! Be Content In Whatever State You Are In!

Philippians 4:11-13 NIV ~ “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. [12] I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. [13] I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

Stop! Breathe! Don’t Panic! God is moving! God has shifted you into the position that you are in now and you are moving from the transition to the transformation! God had to shift you from you so that your shift wouldn’t be hindered! God had to shift you so that He could close the wrong doors that you went through, so that your way would be easy as you entered in the right doors! No more going back! He doesn’t want you to go back through those same trials again, and I know you may think this detour has derailed you from His plans for you, but let me tell you, the experience was not wasted, for God uses everything for your good, Romans 8:28!

I know that this shifting may feel like the whole world is falling apart, and looks like whatever could go wrong is happening, it’s one thing after another, these tests and trials will make you feel like you’re being punished for something that you have no idea about! But remember that you are to Embrace the Shift! God sees that you are praying and spending time in your Word, He knows that you have been fasting, paying your tithes, and helping others, He sees your worship, and He knows that you have been waiting, and He knows that you have never stopped serving or sharing the Gospel with others. He knows and sees everything that you are doing, He knows that you are trusting Him!

So don’t panic God is in control, and you are right in the middle of the Shift Change, you are exiting the night place and entering into your day place! God is shifting you into the position that He designed you for and your heart’s desire to align with Him. This season of shifting is not a setback, it’s a setup for the Promise that you prayed for to your Father! You do remember when the children of Israel needed a victory against Jericho, they had to walk around a wall for seven days in silence, (you have got to learn how to be quiet in this season of shifting. Don’t question it, go with the flow of it)! The children could not say a word, and when they day came, they had to shout for the victory, in order for the walls to fall down! It’s during your quiet time that God is refining your shout through your silence Joshua 6:1-5! In this season of your shout needs to be loud and clear, so the depth of your silence is going to determine the depth of your victory!

It’s like this when you have come to the end of yourself, the beginning of the new you can begin, and you can do it! Stop saying that you are waiting on God, He’s already made the provision and He is waiting on you to move. Stop looking for the perfect condition because that’s not going to happen, remember, it’s going to happen in the transfer. It’s going to happen while you are moving. Then you will see clearly when all the dust settles down, you will say to yourself, “If God be for me, who can be against me” (Romans 8:31)! It’s in this moment that you will understand why you had to go through what you went through the trauma, the transfer, the travailing, the transformation and the transition! There is one thing that I have learned, and I want to share it with you, when you are going through the process, when God is Shifting you, keep people who are not going in the same direction as you are on a “Need to Know Basis”! Keep your Shifting and Transition Process Private, keep it to yourself. This is the perfect place and time to practice your silence skills!

Today, God is saying to you in this Shift Change, you must follow all the instructions exactly like He says, as a matter of fact, He is putting a period where you had comma and an exclamation mark where you had a question mark, there will be no bargaining in this transition! All transactions are final! Keep your mouth closed, your hands raised, your heart pure and your knees bent in prayer for the victory has already been established in your favor, you will win this time, you got this! So, learn to be confident and content in whatever state that you are in, because you can do all things through Jesus Christ who loves and strengthens you! Colossians 1:11!

Let’s Pray:
Father, Thank You! Father, please forgive me for trying to go through things without you, please create in me a clean hear. Father, today I make a conscious decision to Let go and Let God! Thank You for equipping me for this Shift Change, make me ready in every area of my life! Father, I’m ready for this change, I’m tired of going round in circles, I’m ready for the chaos to stop and never return, and I know that I can only do it through You! Father, I Thank You that You are teaching me how to be silent, to change my attitude and that my perception and perspective will align with Your Will for my life that I may live a victorious life! Father, thank You for transforming my mind and cleaning up my vision and hearing concerning my current transition! Father, I trust You, and Your perfect timing to change me during this Shift Change! I will not be moved, nor will I panic, for I can do all things through You Christ Jesus which gives me strength. In the Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen!

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! Embrace The Shift! 

If you can see it, you can believe it! The Shift has caused you to Change, and the Change has caused you to be Transformed in the process! This is a you and God and moment!

Matthew 6:6 MSG ~ “Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will Shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.”

There are three words that I want to focus on today:

  1. The definition of the word Shift means: to change a place, position, or direction for another place, to Change. 
  2. The definition of the word Change means: to give a different position, course, or direction, to make a shift from one position to another, to Transform. 
  3. The word Transform means: to make a shift from one place, to a make radically different Change. 

These three words are connected, they are interchangeable, you cannot do one without the other being present. However, what will manifested from them is different, for each one of you. The Shift is designed to move you and the Change is designed to Transform you, which gives you your Transformation! For there is no way that you can have a true encounter with God and remain your same old self and still be doing the same old thing, (2 Corinthians 5:17)!

It’s time for the Shift! It’s time for the Change! It’s time for the Transformation! You know it yourself; something has got to change! Something has got to give! It can’t keep on going like this! You can’t keep going like this! These two words, Shift and Change were put on my mind 2 years ago and today God brought them back again! Shift Change! Today my sisters and brothers, I heard this clearly last night your Transformation is taking place during the “Shift Change!”

Think about all of the different seasons that you have been through; didn’t you learn more when you were down than when you were up! Seek God and ask Him what you are to learn in the season that you are in? What areas of your life do you still need to change, to shift and to develop in before God can transform you and release you into the next dimension in your life?  God is needing your perspective to change, not your will but Thy Will be done, needs to be your mindset. It’s during this time and transfer that God wants you to count it all joy! (James 1:2) I know you may feel a little uncomfortable with what you are experiencing, it may even be painful, but it is all working together for your good (Romans 8:28)! Growing pains are never pleasant, but you will emerge from this season victorious! Trust the process and keep the faith! 

These shifts and changes are equipping you for the destiny that God has laid out for you, and you cannot circumvent the process; stop trying to go around your wilderness (Psalm 119:71) in fact you should be embracing the shift!  “God is Transforming you in the Shift” and It’s time for you to let go and follow where God wants you to go, it’s Shift Change Time! Think about those that work in plants/hospitals, they have different shifts and the end of their shift, they clock out and someone else clocks in! It’s time for you to clock out of some places and people and clock into your new shift! Don’t worry, if you have missed it before, God is bringing it back to you. So, it doesn’t matter how long it has taken you, you can be assured that God has ordained your next move, you just need faith to push through, your shift is connected to the change that your faith makes today! 

Don’t fear the Shift Change! Surrender to the Change! Trust the Process of God! Have Faith! Go deeper into the place of worship, where the human in you collides with the Holy Spirit in you to bring about God’s desired transformation in you! God never changes, He has never changed His mind or plan (Jeremiah 1:5) for you, He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, (Hebrews 13:8)! It’s you that needs the Shift Change for the transformation to take place! This is your year of release! You are getting ready to go to the next level, embrace the Change, go with the flow of the Shift and the Transformation is inevitable! Trust and Believe God! Your focus has Shifted from you to God! Embrace It! 

Let’s Pray:

Father, Thank You! Thank You for shifting me, changing me and transforming me into the person that You desire. Father help me to embrace change with an open heart and give me the flexibility to adapt and the resilience to thrive in my new circumstances. Thank you for the opportunities that change has brought into my life. “God, make me strong and courageous in this new undertaking. Let me not be afraid or discouraged, knowing that as You were with Joshua so you will be with me wherever I go.” Joshua 1:9! Father, give me the desire to embrace the change and to walk in the transformation that You ordained before I was formed, Jeremiah 1:5! Father, thank You for everything, I’m totally sold out to You and Your Way and Will.  “Father God, please grant that whatever I do, whether in word or deed, I may do it wholeheartedly, in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to You through Him.” Colossians 3:23! In the Name of Jesus Christ! Amen! 

Blessings…

Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! You Are Stronger Than You Know! So, Don’t Stop Just Keep It Moving!

Job 17:9 NIV ~ “The righteous keep moving forward, and those with clean hands become stronger and stronger.”

Keep it moving! Remain clean, remain faithful and remain strong, for the suffering that you are enduring right now is temporary, for it is producing in you strength and character! I want you to know that you are not just suffering to be suffering as one would do without hope, you have hope in your risen Savior! 1 Peter 1:3-6! I love this quote by Billy Graham, “For the believer there is hope beyond the grave, because Jesus Christ has opened the door to heaven for us by His death and resurrection.”

As a believer and child of God, you have chosen to follow God’s will, even if it means that you might suffer for a little while! As the righteous one, you will hold to His way, for this is to show you that your suffering is producing your strength. You do remember the Apostle Paul, he suffered with a thorn in his flesh, because it was part of God’s journey for his life. He asked God three times to remove that thorn, but God made it clear to him that it was part of His purpose and plan! 2 Cor. 12:7–9! He didn’t move it, but God Graced him to live through it! He’s doing the same thing for you too!

You have to Embrace the Process and see what you are going through, through God’s eyes and perspective. You have to trust the process of God, and you do that by keeping your hands and heart clean before Him. “Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23-25! You have to cling to what you know! And you know the Word of God! When it seems like you are going through the hardest test, it’s exactly when your faith in God is needed the most.  It’s during this time that you will be reminded of your hope that you are clinging to in Jesus Christ! In this tough season all you can do is hold fast to what you know, and you know Jesus Christ!

If you have missed anything, just repent and ask God for help you and remember that you serve a faithful and loving God, whose Grace is always sufficient for what you are needing! I want you to be like Paul and accept it and continue serving, even when it’s hard, still serve! God will give you the strength to keep it moving when you trust Him! And be mindful that you are only responsible for your actions, you are not responsible for what anyone else does. Because when you go and stand before Him, it will just be you and Him and you won’t be able to blame anyone else for what you did or didn’t do, you just need to do what God called you to do!

The sooner you realize that God is in control and not you, the better off you will be in life, and just know that what you are going through is temporary, it’s almost over, hang on for a little while longer, He got you! You just stay clean and keep your heart right, (this means keeping your eyes, mouth and mind off it) for your strength lives in focusing on Him! Embrace the good that God has brought through your adversity, for you are strong and getting stronger! So, keep doing the right thing so that you won’t have any regrets, keep moving forward and remember God’s Word above all else, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong! (2 Cor. 12:10)!

Let’s Pray:
Father, Thank You! Father create in me a clean heart and give me Your Strength and Power to continue moving forward. Father, help me to keep my hands and heart clean and to walk in love in all my ways. Father, I’m standing on Your Word, and I will not waver, I will hold fast to my confession that You are Lord and Savior over my life. Father, I Thank You for Your unchanging Hands, and for always holding me by my hand as I stay the course to the end, for You are faithful and my hope is in You. Father, help me to lean and depend on You and not my own way or understanding but to trust all Your Words and Ways for my life. Father help me to embrace each season that I walk through and know that Your Grace is sufficient! Therefore Father, I will do as Your Word says, I will take pleasure in my infirmities, in my needs, in my persecutions, in my distresses, for Your sake, for when I am weak, then I am strong because You said so, and I believe it and that settles it! In Jesus Christ Marvelous Name. Amen!

Blessings…
Minister Jean