Pitch It!

Upon reflecting on the “word” of the Lord, spoken in the midst, I heard the Spirit say: “If your religion is standing in the way of your relationship with Christ, Pitch It!!!”

It is written: “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this ...to keep (oneself) unspotted from the world.” [Jas 1:27]

Which reminds me of an old hymn lyric: NOTHING BETWEEN MY SOUL AND MY SAVIOUR, NAUGHT OF THIS WORLD'S DELUSIVE DREAM; I HAVE RENOUNCED ALL SINFUL PLEASURE; JESUS IS MINE, THERE'S NOTHING BETWEEN.

Then we were admonished to “Let go, and let God have His way;” not forgetting what Jesus taught us: “With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.”  [Matt 19:26]

Once the fallow ground of our hardened hearts was broken up, the Spirit of the Lord moved in the sanctuary; and began a new work in every soul that surrendered to the will of the Father, through repentance.                    [Hos 10:12; 2 Pet 3:9] 

 Jesus said: “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy”[Lk 10:19]

ThenSingsMySoul:

PRAISE THE LORD!

FOR THOSE CHAINS THAT SEEM TO BIND YOU

SERVE ONLY TO REMIND YOU

THEY FALL POWERLESS BEHIND YOU

WHEN YOU PRAISE HIM.

Jenelsie's Corner (#182)

My Grace and Truth Family,

The half has not been told about the work of the Holy Ghost in me for the past three weeks.  The experience that He has given has been filled with continual revelation of Jesus Christ, our Lord.  Yes, eternal life has been made manifest to me again and again in the person of the Lord Jesus.

I remember when we were waiting to receive the approval about the house, the Holy Ghost was busy—not the devil—glorifying the Lord Jesus.  My intestines were rolling around in my abdomen, it seems, and my stomach jumped in my throat.  I cried out to our Lord repeatedly, and His response was to capture my mind with thoughts of the recent Word He had given us:  “My righteousness vs His faith.”  So about 3:30 in the afternoon I downloaded the Word and climbed into bed.  My ears were miraculously opened to hear Him while all other noises concerning the house were mere whispers in the background.  I was so edified and comforted that I began to doze.  The telephone rang and awakened me fully; our realtor was calling to tell me to check my e-mail right away.  When I finally was able to get to the computer, I read the e-mail which was the announcement of the loan approval!  Shouts of thanksgiving for His faithfulness spilled from my mouth while at the same time I was recalling how the Holy Ghost quieted “me” so “I” would hear Him.  I, along with Pastor, Ricky, and Dorian continued to give Him glorious praise and worship.  Our Lord, the Great I Am, the Beginning and the End, working all things together after the council of His own will, was now being seen clearly!  Hallelujah!

Let’s give ourselves away to HIM today.

Your sister in Christ Jesus,

Jenelsie Howell

Pastor’s Wife

Who Do You Say He Is?

A question that is easier asked than answered.

Now, this space doesn't allow for a lengthy deliberation. So, suffice it for us to say that, unless the Father reveals Jesus to us as His “only begotten Son,” and draws us to Jesus (as Saviour and Lord); we have no hope of coming to know Him.

[Jn 6:44]

The beloved Apostle John wrote, to the church, to declare Jesus, the Word; which he and the other disciples had heard with their own ears, and seen with their own eyes, and touched (handled) with their hands, to be the embodiment (the only true source) of eternal life.

[1 Jn 1:1-3]

Jesus said:

“No man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal Him” [Lk 10:22]

Once Jesus asked His disciples: “Who do men say that I the Son of man AM?” Peter responded: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God!” [Matt 16:13-16]

ThenSingsMySoul:

JESUS ...FROM THE FATHER'S OWN RIGHT HAND,

JESUS …SON OF GOD, AND SON OF MAN;

JESUS ...(YOU) WHO DIED AND ROSE AGAIN,

JESUS ...(YOU'RE) THE LION AND THE LAMB.

http://tinyurl.com/l9n2lp 

His Faith On Display

 Does “Have you considered my servant Job?” have a familiar ring?

Can you image, or fathom, God's purpose in spotlighting Job's testimony of being a “perfect and upright man that fears God, and avoids evil?”

[Job 1:8]

Well, I think one thing the Lord intended to illustrate is that: “many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord deliverers him out of them all;” while, on the other hand,  showing us that (as it was with Christ, so it will be with each of us) “the word of the Lord is tried.”                                     [Ps 34:19; 2 Sam 22:31]

In another sense you could say the “work” (or the demonstration) of faith is equivalent to the “trial” of our faith.  On Wednesday night I heard the Spirit say: “the heart of our trials is to make manifest those who are His (or who belong to Christ)”

Therefore, “seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses ... let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.” [Heb 12:1-2]

ThenSingsMySoul:

 

MY FAITH HAS FOUND A RESTING PLACE,

NOT IN DEVICE NOR CREED;

I TRUST THE EVER-LIVING ONE,

HIS WOUNDS FOR ME SHALL PLEAD.

I NEED NO OTHER ARGUMENT,

I NEED NO OTHER PLEA;

IT IS ENOUGH THAT JESUS DIED,

AND THAT HE DIED FOR ME.

He Is All Our Righteousness!

“That we might be found IN (Christ), not having our own righteousness ...but that which is through the faith of Christ” (the Tree of Life).

[Philippians 3:9]

Unless the Lord perfects our faith, our labor becomes a vain effort; for without Him we can do nothing.

After all, Christ is “the author and the finisher of our faith” (not us); that we might be called “trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified.

[Hebrews 12:2; Isaiah 61:3]

I was struck by the reminder of how important it is to have eyes to see Abba's hand at work, in our lives, through the right lens (His eyes); because, until we learn how to hearken unto His voice, and yield to His causing, we will never attain to His righteousness (which is what is pleasing in His sight).

Then we shall be like a tree, planted by the rivers of (living) water, that brings for it's fruit in it's season; whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever we do shall prosper. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

[Psalm 1: 3,6]

ThenSingsMySoul:

SHOW ME YOUR WAYS,

THAT I MAY WALK WITH YOU.

SHOW ME YOUR WAYS,

I PUT MY HOPE IN YOU.

THE CRY OF MY HEART IS TO LOVE YOU MORE,

TO LIVE WITH THE TOUCH OF YOUR HAND,

STRONGER EACH DAY; SHOW ME YOUR WAYS.

Jenelsie's Corner (#180)

Dear sisters and brothers,

Here is a sobering and comforting Word from our Lord:  whatever trial or temptation you’re experiencing this day, it is under the m-e-r-c-y of our Father—the Father of mercies.  The Lord has tempered every situation so that, as His children, we are not consumed or swallowed up.  While in the trial and in the temptation, He is compassionate and will not allow us to be tempted above what we are able to bear.  With the temptation our faithful God makes a way to escape that we may be able to bear it.  The escape or passageway out is manifested through praise and adoration of our Lord.  By the Holy Spirit, we are strengthened to worship Him and offer thanksgiving for the escape, which is His mercy.

Be encouraged and bless Him today.

Love in Christ Jesus,

Sister Jenelsie

Pastor’s wife