Tag: jesus

Good Morning  Sunshine! It’s Praying Time!

1 Timothy 2:1, 3-4 KJV~ “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; [3] For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; [4] Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”

Today, I’m offering up prayer on your behalf, and I want you to do the same thing for someone else. God has equipped you to be a prayer warrior, we need to pray for one another as our Father has taught us! And let’s not offer a selfish prayer with you in mind, but pray that all would come to know Jesus Christ, repent, turn from their wicked ways, surrender to Him, and seek His face daily!

Father, today, I come to You right now on behalf of every one that will see, hear and pray this prayer. First, I repent of all my sins, and I ask You to forgive me, so that the prayer that I’m praying right now will not be hindered but will smell like a sweet incense unto You. Father, I lift up my brothers and sisters to You, fill them with Your Holy Spirit, that they may be refresh in there, spirit, soul and body.  Father, You are their Rock, they can take refuge in You! You are their shield and the horn of their salvation. Father, thank You for being their stronghold, and Savior!

Father, guide them along the right paths for Your Name’s sake. I pray that when they walk through the darkest valley, they will fear no evil, for You are with them; Your rod and Your staff will uplift, comfort and bless them, In Jesus Christ Name! Father, You know about every one of their needs and I thank You, that You are meeting them according to Your will and plan for their lives. Bless them with wisdom, peace, good health, finances, direction, strength, love and all the things that they are in need of in this present moment!

Father, give them a heart to forgive, heal all broken relationships, problems in their homes and families, issues on their jobs and in their ministries. Give them revelation that can only come from You! May they hear Your voice, like never before and follow it with all their hearts. Restore the joy of their salvation to those who are laboring, Father, may the joy of the Lord flood over them and help them to serve You with a newness of heart and spirit. Father, I pray that they are not anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let them present their requests to You.

Father, I declare peace and joy in the hearts of Your people! I proclaim that You will bless Your children and will keep them; You will make Your face to shine upon them and be gracious to them! I pray against all the plans of the enemy that would try to steal their joy and peace from You! Father, I’m praying for them in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit! In Jesus Christ Mighty Name. Amen!

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! It’s Time For You To Open Your Mouth And Pray! 

Luke 19:40-44 AMP ~ “Jesus replied, “I tell you, if these [people] keep silent, the stones will cry out [in praise]!” [41] As He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it [and the spiritual ignorance of its people], [42] saying, “If [only] you had known on this day [of salvation], even you, the things which make for peace [and on which peace depends]! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. [43] For a time [of siege] is coming when your enemies will put up a barricade [with pointed stakes] against you and surround you [with armies] and hem you in on every side, [44] and they will level you to the ground, you [Jerusalem] and your children within you. They will not leave in you one stone on another, all because you did not [come progressively to] recognize [from observation and personal experience] the time of your visitation [when God was gracious toward you and offered you salvation].”

Sometimes what God has done for you is so completely praiseworthy, but you fail to notice it, and you miss out on the perfect opportunity to praise and worship the Lord. But today, you will cry out to God in praise so that the rocks don’t cry out on your behalf.

You are so much like the children of old, you have not been truly discerning the seasons that you are in, you have eyes, but you don’t see, you have ears, but you don’t hear, and you have a heart, but you have not recognized that Jesus Christ is coming! Because if you had we would be more mindful of our prayer life! You have failed to discern the day of His visitation! The distraction of this world today is designed to pull you away from God, it uses people, places, and things that are pleasing to your eye gates to draw you into sin, making you desire less of God and more of the world, it has blurred your vision, and this makes it hard for you to see and hear the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

This scripture is also a reminder that you need to have discernment and discipline to pray like you never have before, so that you do not miss the time of your visitation from God! God is moving upon your land in a distinctive way, and it’s time to rebuild your prayer life, for when destruction hits you will know how and what to pray and you will be prepared for when Jesus comes! I know that you hear so much about things being new in ministry, new this and new that, but what have you heard about prayer? When will prayer be the main focus and not the newest person or pastor that has emerged! All of this sounds good, but it doesn’t sound like Prayer! It’s Time To Pray! Now I’m not saying that you are not praying but what I’m saying is I’m not seeing the urgency of prayer, prayer that is breaking chains and strongholds and seeing signs, wonders and miracles! There needs to be a Sense of Urgency in Prayer and for Prayer! 

It is time to gird up your loins and make haste to Pray, in this hour you need to be close to God and you must be disciplined and deliberate, so that you are not drawn away from God because of the environment that you live in that does everything to keep you distracted and distant from Him! It’s time for your spiritual discernment to rise, for you need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and walk in the coming Revival that is about to take place! In order to do this, you must be about the Word of God and be sons and daughters of prayer! You must be able to discern the times and seasons when God will come back to visit His children, for He is coming back! 

God is calling you to His holy house, to be in prayer and in fellowship with Him. It’s time to gather together with other prayer warriors and be on one accord and pray.  As you enter, you will be ushered into prayer with God. You do know that prayer is the pulse and heartbeat of every humble servant of God! It’s Praying Time! It’s time for you to open up your mouth and pray and worship God so that the rocks don’t do it on your behalf. So, today, stop, drop and pray! 

Let’s Pray:

Father, Thank You! Father, teach me to pray and that I will pray according to Your Will. Father, I pray for greater discipline and discernment that I recognize the times and seasons that I’m living in and that I will know how to pray and what to pray for! Father, I desire more of You and Your Word, fill me with Your Presence and Your Spirit! Father, please remove the scales from my eyes, touch my heart so that I may understand, and quicken my ears to hear You, so that I won’t miss Your Second Coming, because I’m so wrapped up in what I want! Father, I pray that I will pray with a sense of urgency in my prayer life, to pray that chains and strongholds are being broken off of our lives and that we encounter Your signs, wonders and miracles in Prayer as I pray. In the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen and Thank You Jesus! 

Blessings…

Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! Where Is Your Light?

Psalm 119:105 KJV ~ “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

As I sat in the dark when my natural power was off, I started thinking about my spiritual light and just what do I see. God said that His Word is a lamp unto my feet and this will light my path. You have to stay in the Word in order to be connected to the light! I did this devotional in February 2023, but I believe we all need to see it again!

A lamp and a light! Have you ever used a lamp to see light when you were walking?

What do you see? Do you have Hindsight, Eyesight, Foresight, and Insight? Where is your light?

Let’s look at each one so that you will know what they mean. Hindsight is the ability to see what has come before. Eyesight is your ability to see. Foresight is the ability to see what is coming ahead. Insight is discernment, it is the ability to see beyond what is on the surface and it works best when your spirit is at rest, and when you are quiet.

Nobody knows what will happen in the next minute, but we serve a Faithful Father, who knows everything! I love how Charles Swindoll says it, “How comforting it is to know that God sees the events of our lives ahead of time.” God has hindsight, eyesight, foresight and insight where you are concerned, nothing gets pass Him, before Him, around Him or over Him, He’s on top of it all! Surrender to Him, let Him have control, you won’t be sorry that you followed Him! 

In every place you go today you will need the Word of God to help you see. Hindsight to help you remember what God has shown you before! Eyesight for you to see where you are right now! Foresight, that you may see where God is taking you! Insight to help you discern what is natural and what is spiritual!

Because some places you go you may need a flashlight to help you see, but when you go with the Word of God, He will make every dark step light and you will stay on the path! You see God’s Word is the corrector of right and wrong steps and paths, and when you step in step with His Word, the more clearly you can discern and choose the path that He wants you to take. God’s Word is the light to the flash that you need to take with you everywhere that your feet will go, for it is the lamp for your path! Trust the Light of Jesus Christ to get you where you are supposed to be today!

Let’s Pray:
Thank You Father! Father, I accept Your Light today! Today, I praise and worship You because You are my Light, You are my keeper and sustainer! Father, give me eyesight, hindsight, foresight and insight today, that I may see and discern all that You have planned for me in this moment and time! Father, Thank You for being the Light of my life and showing me where to step and what to avoid! Thank You for giving me light to see where I am going today and for keeping me surrounded in and by Your Light, for everything in me and my life is for Your Glory. In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! You Are Being Kept By The Word Of God!

Psalm 119:67 AMP ~ “Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep and honor Your word [with loving obedience].”

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

I sometimes you may think that there is one thing after another going on in your life, but nothing has been wasted, God used every affliction to draw you to Him, to His Word, to His place of prayer, the place where you meet with Him! God used everything to get you to where you are today, front and center with Him!

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

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

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! The Words Of The LORD Are Flawless!

Psalm 12:6 NIV ~ “And the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times.”

The Word of the Lord is Pure and Flawless! It has been tried and purified! And God has refined you in His Word, seven times, (the number 7 means complete)! So now that the Word is in you, you have the perfect fire (conversation piece) starter! Today, open your mouth and tell somebody about what the Lord has done for you through His Presence, Power and Word and see whose listening!

Do you remember this slogan, “When E. F. Hutton speaks everyone listens!” Everyone loved to hear him speak, they were not only interested in what he had to say, but they did what he said, and they lived by it, it was the truth, and nothing but the truth!  He was about making money and the people trusted every word that came out of his mouth! (You do know that man can lie, don’t you?) So, why can’t we hang on to every Word that God say’s like this?

Just tell the truth! Sincerity and truth are priceless because they are so rare today. So many people are liars, flatterers and deceivers. People think that they are getting what they want by trying to deceive others. King David faced his share of people, who hoped to win his favor and gain advancement through flattery, but they did not win! When you feel as though sincerity and truth have nearly gone out of existence, you have one hope and that is the Word of God! God’s Word is as pure and flawless as refined silver. So, listen carefully when He speaks to you through His Word!

His Word will always be greater than man’s! People can and will lie to you, but God’s Word is always true and perfect! His Word is like purified silver and refined gold, and it is to be sought after and treasured more than anything else! Every day you need to take time to study God’s Word, this pleases Him, and it keeps His Fire burning on the inside of you! There is real value in you knowing God’s Word for yourself!

Don’t limit your getting closer to God by reading a devotional or two, take time to get to know His Nature and His Character, it’s found in the pages of your Bible! Don’t just say this is your favorite book and you never pick it up. So, many of us have a Bible in every room in our home, it’s in the car and at work, but do you read and study the Word like you are supposed to or is it just for decoration and collecting dust?

God’s Word needs to be sought after to keep the fire burning, just like you seek out silver and gold, God wants you to desire Him even the more! It’s in His Word that you are being prepared for eternity, you do want to go to heaven, right? Stop seeking after material things that can only bring you temporary joy and seek after the Word of God, this will bring you eternal joy and life, because you can never get enough of God’s Pure Word in your life!

Let’s Pray:
Thank You Father! Today, I surrender my mouth, mind, heart and body to You, I want to have an encounter with You! Father, I Thank You for Your Pure Refined Word! Father, I pray today that me and all of Your children will have a hunger and thirst to know Your Word like never before. Father, I thank You that Your Word is the revealer of all secrets and truth and that You will give me wisdom and understanding as I seek after You early in the morning, meditating at noon and listening to You in the evening! Father, thank You for the fire of the Holy Ghost that burns within me to keep me on my task as You use me for Your purpose! Let every word that comes out of my mouth be full of Your fire and impact all who hears it, including me! I want to be changed by the Fire and Power of Your Word for such a time as this, let me never be the same, after I have been refined by Your Firing Process and by Your Pure Word. In Jesus Christ Name. Amen!

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! It’s All About The Fire!

Proverbs 17:3 ~ “The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart.”

Let’s look at the process and purpose of the fire! And to be specific, the Refining Fire! God uses the “Firing Pot and the Furnace” for the purpose of purifying you. The Pot and The Furnace show what God uses to work out of you the wrong stuff and how He works in your life to make you the best possible you for His Glory! There is a Purpose in the Refining Process, and you need to know that you know that He is Refining you on purpose!

Silver and Gold are two different things, but they are both refined by the Fire, one is tried in the firing pot and the other in a furnace! But your heart is purified by God through the fiery furnace of afflictions and trials! Man can refine silver in the firing pot and gold in the furnace, but he cannot refine the heart! Nobody can do this, only God can change your heart! Can’t Nobody Do You Like The LORD! You do know that your heart is deceitful above all things, and it is wicked: who can know it? Nobody but the Lord, (Jeremiah 17:9-10)! And the Lord is going to reward you according to your heart, (1 Kings 8:39), you cannot escape what’s in your heart, for what’s in you in bound to come out of you!

It takes intense heat to purify gold and silver. Similarly, it often takes the heat of trials for you be purified, to come to God. Through trials, God shows you what is in your heart and clears out anything that gets in the way of you completely trusting in Him. Peter said, “These trials will show you if your faith is genuine or not. Your faith is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold though your faith is far more precious than mere gold” (1 Peter 1:7). So, when tough times come your way, thank God and realize that He wants to use them to refine your faith and purify your heart.

God knows you; He knows what you are afraid of and what you boast about, He knows your strengths and weaknesses, your temptations and your secrets, and He knows what sets you off and what shuts you up! God is refining you of the sins that so easily beset you! Humble yourselves before Him, because He will humble you in the furnace of afflictions to test and try your faith in adversity! He will use the firing pot of infirmities to build up your dependence on His Mercy and Grace!

How can silver and gold be purged, purified, and prepared without the fire? How can your heart be purged, purified and prepared without going through the God’s firing pot and furnace, (Psalm 139:23-24)? You have to go through the firing process to burn away all of your impurities, that they may float to the top so, that God can remove the dross, (the dross is everything that hinders the true you from being pure and ready for use), that you will be ready and fit for service in the Kingdom of God, in the earth realm! The process is painful, but the promise outcome is Glorious, and it will Glorify your Father and increase your Faith! Today, submit your heart to His Firing Process and watch your faith explode for good through the refining process! Embrace the fire that comes your way, it’s from God!

Let’s Pray:
Father, Thank You! Thank You for purging me by the fire of Your Holy Spirit. Thank You Father, for clearing and cleaning my mind that I may think like You! Father, continue to burn through me and push the dross and impurities to the surface of my life, because the more dross that You remove, the better I will be! Father, purify my heart that I may love like You! Father, guide me, that Your purpose and Presence will shine brightly through me! Father, I’m going to praise and worship You through this process, for I know that it is for my good and Your Glory! In the Name of Jesus Christ! Amen!

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! Just Keep Pouring!

Matthew 26:6-13 NKJV ~ “And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, [7] a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. [8] But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? [9] For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.” [10] But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. [11] For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. [12] For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. [13] Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”

Have you ever wanted to be so close to Jesus and people tried to stop you or get in your way, because of how you did things? Have you ever found yourself walking and stumbling because of the tears that were falling, they were limiting your sight! And all you wanted to do was get to Jesus! Sometimes people may have misunderstood or misused you and said that you didn’t belong, but all you wanted to do was bring all that you have to Jesus. I mean you don’t need anyone to remind you of all that you’ve gone through or have done because you live it every day, all you want to do is get closer to God!

The woman with the alabaster jar of oil, didn’t care about what people had to say about her, she just wanted to get to Jesus. She took the valuable thing that she had and poured it upon Jesus. The disciples became angry with her and those who were around talked about her and what she did, they complained about her waste, they felt that she was not strategic with her gift, and said that she was wasting the expensive oil, and that she could have sold that and gave it to the poor. But she willingly poured it on the head of Jesus, because all she wanted was Him. What they considered waste, Jesus considered it worship! How are you worshipping Jesus today? What do you have to offer Him?

What does this mean, to keep getting closer to God? It means, you keep pouring even when it doesn’t make sense to those around you. You keep pouring out even when nobody is calling to fill you! You keep pouring even when you are being hurt! You keep pouring even when it seems like it’s a waste! You keep pouring, because what you are pouring today is being recorded in history for tomorrow! For what you pour today will be remembered by Jesus! Jesus said, Matthew 26:13, “I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.” Just keep pouring.

I know that sometimes you can get tired and grow weary in service because of what others have to say about you and how you serve God. And maybe sometimes you have wondered if, after you have poured yourself out in worship and service someone might say to you no thank you because of who you are or because of how you look, pay them no attention! Just know that Jesus sees your offering unto Him! Your efforts are not without notice, you can be sure that He has received your offering as worship to Him!

For when you feel burnt out and weighed down by the impossibility of bringing Jesus a worthy offering, be reminded of Mary’s story that not only is God a good Giver, He is a gracious Receiver. Continue pouring yourself out in service to God, He sees your heart and knows when you’ve done all you can. He receives your obedience and worship as beautiful, even when you feel like you are lacking!

Does the promise of Jesus return fuel your desire to give devotion to Him today?  May the knowledge of His wisdom enable you to walk in faith, and the promise of His delight quicken your steps to His feet. Mary’s alabaster jar was not wasted on Him and yours won’t be either, keep pouring your worship on Him and He will continue receiving you and your worship!

Let’s Pray:
Father Thank You! Father today I break open my alabaster box and pour every on You. Father I yield up to the You the most precious, costly things that I have so that I may have sweet communion with You. Father may my life be richer because of what You do for me time and time again. Father, I will be an obedient servant unto You as You fill me up God. Father, thank You for canceling my debt on the Cross, because of what You did, I’m grateful and I will worship You with my whole heart! Father, I am in awe of Jesus! Thank You, Jesus, for forgiving me. Thank You, Father, for Your love and Your plan to include me in Your family. Thank You, for Your Holy Spirit, for giving me Your Word! In Jesus Christ Name. Amen!

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! Can You Say To God, No Matter How Long, I’m Going To Praise You Because You Have Been So Good To Me!

Psalm 13:1-6 NIV ~ “How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? [2] How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? [3] Look on me and answer, LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, [4] and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall. [5] But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. [6] I will sing the LORD’s praise, for he has been good to me.”

Have you ever said to yourself, where is God while I’m going through all of this stuff? Have you ever asked God how long will I have to be in this place before you come and rescue me? Maybe it’s just me, because I’ve asked God how long I must wrestle with these thoughts of mine, asking Him to please take them away! I know it’s hard being transparent in these times, so we suffer silently, hoping and praying for a better day!

But God! God is always there even when you don’t feel Him, He’s right there with you! It’s okay to share with God how you feel, because He already knows, He’s just been waiting on you to release it. Because all you need to do is have a talk with your Jesus and He will help you put everything into perspective. One of my friends shared this Psalm with me and it was everything that I had been saying and thinking!

David said this phrase how long four times in the first two verses, this tells me that he was in deep distress, and he needed answers and help. He felt like he had been forgotten and was invisible! (Have you ever felt like this? You don’t have to answer me, but at least be honest with yourself! When you are going through stuff doesn’t mean that you don’t love God or that you did anything wrong, you are just going through it at the moment. But God)! David expressed his anxiety and sorrow to God, (He sought the Lord, He heard Him and He answered Him) and he found strength in the Lord!

Offer up a sacrificial praise to God! Praise Him! Worship Him and watch what happens! By the end of David’s prayer, he was able to profess hope and trust in God. Psalm 7:17 NIV, “I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the LORD Most High. Through prayer we can express our feelings and talk our struggles out with God. He will help you regain the right perspective, and this gives you peace!  (Habakkuk 3:17-19). This is who you can call on! Jesus! Jesus Christ is His Name!

Can you say this with me. “What A Friend I Have In Jesus!” There is No One else with Power from on High, that I can take all of my problems to in prayer, and He answers them. There is Power in being a friend of Jesus! Sing with me: “What a friend we have in Jesus. All our sins and griefs to bear. What a privilege to carry Everything to God in Prayer. Oh, what peace we often forfeit. Oh, what needless pain we bear. All because we do not carry Everything to God in Prayer. Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged. Take it to the Lord in Prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful, Who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness. Take it to the Lord in prayer, Carry everything to God in Prayer.”

You need a best friend like this, one you can tell everything to, all of your secrets and not feel judged? Try Him, God is the best friend that you can ever have! Just one call and He will answer you! His line is never busy! Call on the Name of Jesus Christ and watch what happens! This song talks about God as your friend, but it’s more than that, it’s about your Prayer.

Life, you can take all your prayer request and secrets to Him, you know the one’s that you would never say out loud, as a matter of fact,  it’s the one that you are thinking about right now, give that request to God, your best friend, right now in prayer and watch how the Power of God shows up and move in your life!  God is only a prayer call away! Ephesians 6:18 KJV ~ “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.”

My sisters and brothers, it’s time to make that call, call on Jesus, He answers prayer! You can take everything to God in prayer! Tell Him all about it, He’s the only One that can answer all your request!

Let’s Pray:
Father, Father, I just want to say Thank You! It’s a privilege to have You as my Best Friend! Father, teach me how to pray Your Word according to Your Will and Your Way! Father, today I’m going to pray about everything, I pray that Your Holy Spirit will lead and guide me, it’s by Your Spirit that I move and have my being! Father, Thank You for being my Friend and answering my prayer request today! I’m walking, waiting and watching in great expectations of what I’m going to experience because I’m Abiding in my Great, Great Master, Jesus Christ. I pray this in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! God’s Grace Is Sufficient!

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 AMP ~ “Concerning this I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might leave me; [9] but He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you [My lovingkindness and My mercy are more than enough—always available—regardless of the situation]; for [My] power is being perfected [and is completed and shows itself most effectively] in [your] weakness.” Therefore, I will all the more gladly boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ [may completely enfold me and] may dwell in me. [10] So I am well pleased with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, and with difficulties, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak [in human strength], then I am strong [truly able, truly powerful, truly drawing from God’s strength].”

Have you ever heard or said this phrase, “Don’t worry, God won’t give you more than you can handle.” I know it seems well, but it’s not true! So many times, we get this saying mixed up with what God actually said, in 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out that you can endure it.” He will help you with what you are being tempted with, but troubles will come! There will be things that come up in your life that you cannot handle, they are designed to draw you to God. You see weakness and strength are opposites, that don’t attract! But by definition, when you are weak, you are strong and at any given time, you can feel weak in a hundred of different ways. But over and over again you think that you can see God’s children being given way more than they can physically, emotionally and spiritually handle on their own. But God, say it out loud, But God! God designed all of this to show your weakness and His Sovereignty and Strength!

And in the midst of all this muck, the all-surpassing power of God is made perfect, in your weakness! It’s in the places that you are most feeble, that is the best platform for the Lord to show His perfect strength! God can be seen clearly when you stop your boasting, when you stop trying to prove to the world you can muscle up and push your way through! You need God! When there is no way, God shows up and blows your mind! When you get tired of hiding, God shows up and shows you how perfect He is and how much He can do! I know it’s easy to hide behind stuff, but it’s even easier to hid in God! It’s in the bumps and lumps that we want to hide, but it’s those parts that show your beauty and His perfection! This is when God comes and shows how perfect He is and how much He can do, simply because He loves you!

God’s Grace is Sufficient for you, no matter what! Thank God for your weakness, that is when His strength in you is made perfect! The weaker you are the more His power shows evident in your life. If you need to boast, boast gladly in your weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and calamities, so that the power of Jesus Christ may rest upon you! You must learn to appreciate God’s Grace because it’s His Grace that is there for you, to give you strength to endure without falling short, as you move towards Him and your high calling! For you are called by God to live a Holy life according to Word of God, and God said that you can do this! Trust and believe what He says!

Live by faith in God’s grace, knowing that He is for you. Don’t run away from things that reveal and magnify all that God is in you. And remember, when you are weak, He is strong! God’s design for suffering is that it should magnify Christ’s Worth and Power. This is grace, because the greatest joy of Christians is to experience Christ magnified in your lives. Today, let’s choose to embrace what God can do when you are at your worst. Thank You Father for your love and kindness, when I am going through it, for I know that Your Grace is sufficient! Your Grace gives me the strength to get through it, and I am victorious because of You! Father I trust You, that You are strong when I am weak, and may others see You high and lifted up in me!

Let’s Pray:
Father, Thank You! Father, my heart is growing with gratitude, and I extol Your Majesty for, as my Father, You have manifested abundant love and mercy towards me. You have blessed me Your Holy Spirit so that I may live with Your Power on the inside of me as travel life’s journey. Father You are a Patient and Loving Shepherd, who guards my heart from discouragement in tough times and guards it from boasting and in good times. Father l, I know that without you I am nothing and I have nothing that is permanent. Father, Thank You for giving me a permanent, steadfast hope of Heaven with You, because of Your Grace and Mercy, that You give to me. Father, I will humbly boast in my infirmities for Your Glory, that the Power of Jesus Christ may rest upon me. In the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

Blessings…
Minister Jean

Good Morning Sunshine! Do You Know Jesus or Do You Just Know Of Him?

Mark 8:27-29 NKJV ~ “Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, “Who do men say that I am?” [28] So they answered, “John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” [29] He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said to Him, “You are the Christ.”

Jesus asked, “Who do people say I am?” not because He didn’t know what everyone was thinking or saying, but because He really wanted to ask the disciples, the ones that were with Him every day this question. Who do you say I am? For most of the people did not believe He was really the Messiah!

But the question was still on the table, who do you say I am? Peter spoke up and answered, “You are the Christ.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 16:17 NKJV! Somethings that you know about Jesus, you could not have gotten it from anyone but Him! It had to come way of the Spirit!

When it comes to your faith, God is the only One who can give you spiritual sight. Your spiritual eyes must be touched by the Holy Spirit in order to see and understand who Jesus really is. Here is where the rubber meets the road, if you want to see Jesus for who He really is, then you must first be born again and to be born again, you must hear the gospel!

Do you know what the Gospel is? This is the Gospel according to the Bible, “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, [2] by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you-unless you believed in vain. [3] For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, [4] and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, [5] and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. [6] After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.” 1 Corinthians 15:1-6 NKJV!

This is the Gospel, Jesus died for your sins, He was buried, and He was raised from the dead on the third day, and then He appeared to the Twelve disciples, and then, to five hundred! This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And this is what you must believe if you want to be saved and go to heaven when you die. It is just that simple!

Once you really believe you do Romans 10:8-10, “But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. [10] For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

This is personal, who do you say Jesus is? As for me, I say He truly the Son of God! He is the great I AM! He is the Promised Messiah! He is the Wheel in the Middle of the Wheel! He is the Bright Morning Star! He is the Bread of Life! He is the Good Shepherd! He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world! He is my Redeemer! And He is my Lord and my God! Now who is He to you?

Let’s Pray:
Thank You God! Thank You for Your darling Son Jesus Christ. Thank You God for Your Son, the perfect sacrifice whose death secured my salvation. Jesus my identity is in You, and from You I receive the gift of holiness. Thank You God, for sending Jesus as my Lord and my Savior. I’m so grateful for Your sacrifice! Help me to live a life that honor the true identity of who You are Jesus and for all that You have done and is doing for me. Father thank You for transforming my heart and mind by the truth of Your Word, that I may know you and not just of You or what others say, but that I will know that I know You intimately and personally and I can declare that “You are the Christ.” In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

Blessings…
Minister Jean