THE TESTIMONY OF A BROTHER FROM THE HOOD (part 1)

I PRAY YOU READ THIS TO THE VERY LAST LETTER IN JESUS NAME.

Carlos was born in killer Cali, was walking down an alley
He caught a bullet in his head that left him bleeding badly
He lost everything at that moment except for his life
He lost his hearing, lost his movement, even lost his sight
He laid there in a coma, but nobody cared
The gospel preached in his neighborhood, nobody dared
But ‘los got up outta that coma and was able to hear
A missionary share the Gospel to his open ears
He got saved, got trained, got discipled
Back to the hood you could find him preaching the Bible
He led a homie to Christ that's from the same hood
Part of a church plant coming out in his name, good


This a blessing I'm stressing but this is not the norm
We need leaders and believers to help carry it on!
But who would minister in this sinister part of town?
I pray if Jesus is calling you, you would be found
Go … go … go …
And run with those beautiful feet
Go … go … go …
You hold the truth that saves so run and shout it to the world
They can't believe in something they ain't never heard
So go … go … go … PLEASE!!

And run with those beautiful feet
you wouldn't know until you try it

Its Simple
Your sure Salvation first, coz NO ONE EVER GIVES WHAT HE DOESNT HAVE…
then
Your decision
Your commitment
Your persistence
And Pray for God’s Grace… To help carry it on
That's all basic requirements….

WHY DONT YOU DECIDE TODAY TO WORK IT OUT FOR JESUS
GET A SOUL SAVED, TRAINED AND DISCIPLED!

shalom!!!! Thank you Lord for your unmatchable Love..

THE TRUTH AND BEAUTY OF PURITY!

Recently, I’ve noticed a trend of celebrities voicing their decision to abstain from sex until marriage. Their decisions to do so range from personal, spiritual, and moral. Now, it might even be the trendy thing to do. The conversation about saving sex for marriage has certainly increased over the past few months, which is why we should take some time to remind ourselves that purity is more than saving sex for marriage. Waiting for sex plays a part in our pursuit of purity, but if we think that is all purity consists of, we sell ourselves short.

So let’s be clear. What does it mean to be pure?

 A plain definition of purity means to be "free from anything of a different, inferior or contaminating kind."For the Christian, purity is keeping anything out of our life that is not of God. When God made us, He made us in His image and gave us purpose. Purity is to live a life within the purpose God designed us for. It is freedom from anything that God did not plan for our life.

When it comes to sex, God designed it to be enjoyed within the covenant of marriage.

However, although saving sex for marriage is what God desires, this act in and of itself does not make us pure.

When we simplify purity to only one action (abstaining from sex until marriage) we truly have not grasped the truth and beauty of purity.

Purity does not only include what we actually do (or don't do) but also what we think, how we behave, our will and desires. Purity includes not only our body but also our mind, heart and soul.

In Matthew Chapter 5 Jesus tells us: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” - Matthew 5:27-28

Jesus is speaking to a crowd that believes not committing adultery is all it takes to please God. But Jesus takes it a step further. Not only is God looking for pure actions. He is also looking for a pure mind and heart. Jesus makes it clear that purity is not a long list of do’s and don’ts but actually goes far beyond what our actions can accomplish.

To be pure we need to not only do good but actually be good. Now, if this seems impossible, that’s because that is. It is impossible to be pure without Jesus.

This is where grace comes in. This is where we realize that the purity God desires cannot be achieved by our efforts alone. Don’t be discouraged. Jesus came not only to forgive us of our sins but to also make us pure. 1 John 1:7 tells us:

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” - 1 John 1:7 NIV

We make purity only about the physical act of abstaining from sex because we struggle with the same temptation Jesus addresses in Matthew 5:27-28. This is the temptation to only think about the physical work and not the faith required when it comes to pleasing God. We want to think of purity as something we can obtain on our own and we can't. Purity is obtained by faith in Christ and a desperate reliance on His strength and grace.

In my personal pursuit of purity while dating my husband we were pushed to truly seek God and rely on His grace like never before. It required us to look beyond ourselves and our ability and to look to God. It positioned us in the practice of placing God's will over our own. Those lessons are still benefiting our marriage now 7 years later. This leads to another important point.

When we make purity only about waiting for sex until marriage we forget that we do not stop pursuing purity once we are married.

The pursuit will look different but still requires the same internal condition; a surrendered and reverent heart to God and a mind made up on living set apart for Him. Hebrews 13:4 reminds us:

“Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.” - Hebrews 13:4 NIV

We don't stop pursuing purity after we are married. Before getting married we honor God's design by abstaining from sex. After marriage we honor God by freely enjoying sex within the covenant of marriage because this is God's design and purpose.

So if I save sex for marriage because it's now the popular thing to do and not out of reverence to the God that sacrificed His only Son for my sins, then I'm not pursuing purity, I'm pursuing my own desire to fit in or look good in front of others.

If I save sex for marriage thinking this is all it takes to be pure I fail to realize God is just as concerned about my heart as He is my body.

If I save sex for marriage because I'm trying to work for God's approval and acceptance I have not truly grasped to beautiful Gospel message that through faith in Jesus I am made pure through His sacrifice and not my actions.

When we clearly understand this truth our pursuit of purity will no longer be out of obligation but sincere gratitude, praise and worship.

Doing good is not how we get to God but it is a reflection of the relationship we already have with Him. In the same way, only saving sex for marriage will not lead to purity but purity is a reflection of the heart’s desire to worship God in every way.

Related Video:

iBelieve.com: What are some healthy approaches to dating? - Nicole Unice from ibelievedotcom onGodTube.

Christina Patterson is a wife and stay-at-home mom with a passion to encourage women in the love of Jesus Christ and the truth of God’s Word. When she is not folding laundry or playing blocks you will find her with her head deep in her Bible or a commentary. She holds her masters in Theology from Liberty University and is the founder of Beloved Women, a non-profit providing resources and community for women to truly know who they are in Christ: His Beloved. She blogs at www.belovedwomen.org

How Do I Wait on the Lord When Life is Tough? (Rebecca Rene Jones)

We know, as believers, that prayer is our lifeline to God. We have been taught prayers around the dinner table and in Sunday school classes, we say them at church and we say them before we go to bed. We pray when loved ones are battling diseases, we pray when children go astray, we pray when the path before us seems unclear, we pray when we are at the end of our rope. We cry out to God for answers, for direction, for healing, for hope...but what do we do when God feel distant?

What do we do when we are in the thick of a season of waiting, when God seems to be silent despite all of our anxious and earnest prayers to Him?

Rebecca Rene Jones gives these five ways we can wait well:

1. Know that what you’re experiencing is normal. Jones shares that “C.S. Lewis actually said our fluctuating feelings about God were perhaps the only constant of our faith,” something he referred to as “undulation.” We can choose to still believe that God is good despite our lives being hard, and we can take comfort in knowing that every Christian struggles with changing feelings and emotions in their faith.
2. Embrace boring things. In a world where most of us have a glowing screen within arm’s length at all times, boredom is rare. We can quickly start scrolling social media or playing a mindless game the second we find ourselves with nothing to do, and in doing so, we are forgetting what it’s like to wait on God. Jones says, “God dares us to do something different: To stay expectant. To stay hungry. To practice hope, as Paul says, by patiently and confidently fixing our attention on the promises we don’t yet possess (Romans 8:24-25). Creating intentional time and space to be silent and still before the Lord gives Him room to move in your heart and speak to you-- things you might miss if you’re always filling your mind and your life with other distractions.
3. Tell God what you think. While it’s often easier and more comfortable to say a rote, memorized prayer to God, He invites us to be honest about the things going on in our hearts. Psalm 139:23-24 says, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Jones shares an example of how “the great prophet Elijah even died to pray. ‘I have had enough, Lord,’ he said (1 Kings 19:4).” We can come to Him with the things we are wrestling with, no matter how messy or confusing they might be. He desires to know our hearts.
4. Don’t demand burning bushes. “God honors and uplifts the quietly faithful, and what’s more: He often comes in the quiet,” Jones says. She continues the story of Elijah, telling of when God came to him not in the storm or the earthquake or the fire, but instead in a gentle whisper. “What if God intends to meet us precisely in the places we’d least imagine?”
5. Keep moving. Don’t let the distance you feel from God keep you from living a life of active faith. We often want to just give up until God gives us a roadmap of what’s next or answers the questions we’ve been asking Him, but we can rest assured that He has always been faithful and always will be faithful to those who follow Him. “His word, but poetically, is already a lamp for our feet (Psalm 119:105),” Jones says. Let the words of Scripture give you the encouragement to carry on, whether you feel like God is near or not.

Crosswalk.com contributing writer Janet Eckles shares another list of action steps when you’re wondering when God will answer your prayers, and she adds this: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him” (1 John 5:14–15). While we pray, we’re certain that in His timing and ways, we have what we ask. We receive what He offers. We expect what He promises. And while we wait, we frame our patience with joy, confidence and peace.”

Prayer is still our lifeline to God, even when God feels far away or silent. We can take comfort that we are not alone and that God hears us when we come before Him. We can rest assured that all He has promised will come true, even if we first must wait. Let’s wait well as we trust fully in the Lord!

Publication date on itestimonies blog :April 12, 2016

Rachel Dawson is the editor of BibleStudyTools.com

CAREER BREAKTHROUGH BANQUET SERVICE (SUNDAY APRIL 10th 2016)

What aspect of your Life or  career are u looking unto God for a Change? Remember that faith is not just believing God can do it, it's knowing it's already done - because He is God!
And because faith comes by hearing the word of God, be at the
 Sunday service tomorrow with BISHOP DAVID OYEDEPO  in the CAREER BREAKTHROUGH BANQUET SERVICE..
@ the FAITH TABERNACLE cannanland, Ota Ogun state
Service Schedule 6:00am/ 7:35am  / 9:10am  /10:45am / 12:20pm.

All u need do is #MEDITATE. Peace!😇💚

Remember to meditate you constantly ponder on what you read, or hear..

Open any of the following links to join a service online.. 

http://media.davidoyedepoministries.org/domi-radio/

http://tunein.com/radio/Domi-Media-Radio-s191854/

👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇

CLICK TO WATCH ONLINE VIDEO STREAMING

 👉👉👉👉👉👉Listen online here

Remember JESUS LOVES YOU...
JESUS WANTS THE BEST FOR YOU!
YOUR LIFESTYLE, CAREER, VISION, DREAMS, ASPIRATIONS MATTERS MOST TO HIM!
He wants you to decide and establish a fatherly relationship with him YES! But note that he can't force his decision on us.
 check👉👉 DEUTERONOMY 30:15-20
SHALOM!!

YOUR MULTI DIMENSIONAL NATURE!

Dear Reader,

I count it a great privilege to bring God’s Word your way in this wonderful column. This month, I will focus on the women, as they will be exposed to their multi-dimensional nature.

It is important for women to recognize that life is a privilege and it is nothing other than being an influence on your environment because you live only once.  Therefore, while you are on earth, every opportunity to add something positive to everyone must never be allowed to slip by, because you are the light of the world.

God’s Word says: Ye are the light of the world.  A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid (Matthew 5:14).  One of the major assignments of light is to influence its environment.  See each day as another opportunity to add something extra to your world.

To start with, what does the word “multi-dimensional” mean?  It means to have many different features.  Isn’t that wonderful?  As a woman, you are opportune to have diverse features, to make your life a plus to your generation and the world at large.

The multi-dimensional nature of a woman can be seen from four different perspectives as a woman, a wife, a mother, and a home maker.

As a woman, it begins with the understanding of acknowledging God as your Creator.  At salvation, Jesus becomes your Saviour, and as you grow in Him, He becomes your Lord indeed.

As a wife, the full acknowledgement is to your husband, while as a mother, to your biological and spiritual children.  As a home maker, your assignment goes beyond an ordinary title, but to make your home a delightful and conducive place; you’re your family.

Each of these four multi-dimensional nature of a woman will be discussed one after the other in the following weeks respectively.

The multi-dimensional nature of a woman majors on being a light.  The primary purpose of light is to shine, to stand out, and to be bright.  God’s Word says: Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee (Isaiah 60:1).

Therefore, no matter the reason for not shining, you are simply disobeying God, and when you disobey His commandments you attract a penalty.  Your multi-dimensional nature is to affect the destinies of others.

Imagine life as a bead necklace, and imagine yourself as one of the beads linked up with others.  Every time you shift position, you are affecting the destinies of others!  Life is a link; your destiny is tied to that of other people.  So, when you refuse to shine, you are affecting the destinies of other people negatively.

According to Mike Murdock, he said, “You will be remembered either for the problems you solve or the one you create.”  That is, the choice is yours; either to solve problems or create them.  I pray that you will not be a problem creator, but a problem solver!

Ask yourself, “Am I shifting position and causing problems in the body of Christ or am I standing in my place, ensuring that I reflect the glory of God Almighty?” You will not disappoint destiny!

If you are not born again, you are still in absolute darkness; therefore, you cannot shine as the light you ought to be.  You need to surrender your life to Christ because it is your salvation that makes for shining. You get saved by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. If you are ready for this new birth experience, please say this prayer: “Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today.  I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the living God.  I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.”

            If you prayed this simple prayer, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

Congratulations! You are now born again! All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org; OR 07026385437 and 08141320204.

For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).

CLICK FOR MORE!!