Promises To Prophesy

Romans 4:13 – 14, 16 – 19

¹³ For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. ¹⁴ For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: ¹⁶ Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, ¹⁷ (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. ¹⁸ Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. ¹⁹ And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb:

     God is the all-powerful and wondrous God that will not speak to our mountains/difficulties for He gives us the authority to speak to the mountain/difficulties and it is through our faith that can activate the removal of the mountain/difficulties(Deuteronomy 8:18). He could remove or bring into existence anything with just the slightest movement from his little finger (Mark 11:23 – 24) or a whisper as He speaks just as He created this world. Our minds cannot seem to comprehend just how that is possible.

     In Genesis the Lord God made Abraham a promise but it was through Abraham’s faith that activated it into prophesy (Psalms 89:34). I believe there are about 7,000 promises mentioned in the Bible; we look at them as promises for us but God tells us that they are to be His prophesies to us, all we need to do is activate them through faith.

       Abraham could have had a pity party (as many of us will do today) and said I must have misunderstood what God said cause Sarah and I are too old to have children (I Corinthians 10:26) so how can I be a father of many nations without any children. He had doubt from time to time for he was still in the flesh but through his love for God he held on and many years later starting with Isaac Abraham is the first one to greet us when we get to heaven; he is a father of many nations as God told him in the very beginning. His promise was activated by faith and the promise became prophesy.

            Now the prophet Elijah had a job that God wanted him to do so that the land could receive rain during a severe famine in Samaria (I Kings 18); so the Lord told him to go to Ahab and God showed Ahab that He is the one true God and had killed 450 prophets of Baal (40) which is a wonderful movement of God and how the people repented.

      That’s not the best part for it comes after the people repented when Elijah told Ahab to get up, eat, and drink for he heard a sound of abundance of rain (41 – 46). The famine was ending, yet there were no clouds in the sky as far as the eye could see. Ahab did as the prophet told him and began to expect the unexpected; how many of us are looking for the unexpected?

     The prophet of God sent his servant out six times to look for a rain cloud and six times the servant came back to him with a negative answer and each time the prophet would go back to God and pray again for rain. How many of us have given up on the sixth time and gone without our promise that could have become our prophesy? Elijah had to persevere and hold on to the promise that was given; the people repented and came back to God so it was time for rain.

     Seven is God’s perfect number and there will be times that god will see if we are going to be persistent, determined, faithful, and not wavering. On the seventh time the servant went out to look for the rain cloud and he saw one. It was about the size of a man’s hand; that’s not very big but it sparked an excitement into him and Elijah that when he told the servant to go tell Ahab he used the words “Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down that the rain stop thee not.”

     Elijah did not stop at the repentance, he did not stop at the no answer, and he did not stop at a small cloud. He went all the way and because of this they had a sky full of dark clouds, wind, and a great rain which brought Samaria out of famine. Is our spiritual life in a famine? Do we need to repent and claim our promises? Let’s not stop there, let’s go all the way and activate them again with our faith so that our promises can become prophesies.

God has given us some spiritual promises and we have become slack by quit praying and saying maybe I misunderstood what God said; I’m shouting to the heavens God does not make empty promises but it is up to us to expect Him to do what he promised by activating them into prophesies. If He did for the prophets of old He will do today, tomorrow, and forever. He does not change for He is….

Written By: Karen ReNee 

As Faith Holds On

Philippians 4:1 – 23 Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction.

             These verses begin with “Rejoice Always (verse 4)”, it doesn’t just mean that we should thank Him for what He has already done for us all, but we should always be rejoicing Him through all things. In the word it tells us that we are to praise the Lord in the daily storms and there are many of us that are slammed before we can even climb out of bed. Jesus says today to “Hold on my children for I am with you always and in all things.” Jesus goes before us to prepare the way and at the same time He walks beside us so that when we stumble He will reach out and catch us to bring back to our feet again; He is just so wonderful and loving just as our parents did for us as a child.  

           In past printings I have mentioned that worry is a sin and every one of us have fallen into these so called pot holes. Pot-holes at times are unavoidable but it doesn’t mean that we cannot get through them. It can be rough and will shake you about as you are traveling through them. Pot holes are in many forms but they are generally in high traffic areas such as unpaid bills, unsaved family members, health issues of all sorts (some are even connected to death), and possibly schedules that keep us from coming to church, but it is through the believing prayer that we are able to climb out of these pot-holes. In I Thessalonians 5: 18 It says In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you we are told to do this with thanksgiving in all things, come from out of the past and step into the future.

            Be not afraid to ask the Lord for what we need; yes, He knows what we need but He also wants us to ask Him. Ask Him for the smallest to largest and do this believing that it will come to pass. Don’t ask him for what you feel you deserve for we would never be at his asking; don’t think small but ask Him what a kings kid would deserve. There are material needs, physical things, and especially spiritual needs. Make these requests known unto God and then rest in peace that He will do it. It is through the spirit of God that we can rest in the mist of these daily storms because we have activated and are using our faith; the more we use it the more we will gain from it. 

Philippians 4:18 – 19 But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God. But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

      These verses are to let us know that Jesus has it all and He will fill us to overflowing in everything. We can possess the gate of our enemies because Jesus is the rock that we stand on every second of every moment in every hour of the day. You see I got that same ole’ feeling that everything is gonna be alright for we are with Jesus and he holds the world in the palm of His hands. God opened up the Red Sea for the children of Israel to walk across on dry land, God used a young shepherd boy to fight the giant (our enemy on every hand) and one small smooth stone brought the giant down, but the greatest part is when that ole’ stone rolled back the tomb and it opened up and Jesus came forth carrying the keys of death, hell, and the grave.

Isaiah 11: 1 – 2  And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: ² And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;

            Understanding the attributes of God’s sevenfold fullness by placing our faith completely and exclusively in Jesus. The spirit works within the parameters of the finished work of Jesus. The cross is the object of our faith and the Holy Ghost will work mightily on our behalf which gives the benefits of the sevenfold fullness (spirit, wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and fear) and this can only be accomplished when our faith is properly placed in Jesus and His resurrection. I hope I have been able to put in this paper what the has shown me and he confirmed it several times throughout last month every time the minister brought the word it confirmed what I had been feeling for this paper.

       Mothers and Fathers are very important in God’s plan; I know I was very blessed to have both of my parents when I was growing up but today so many children only have one parent. I wish to give God thanks for my upbringing, I had to raise four children with very little of their fathers participation but God was always there. My father and brothers helped with my first 2 boys with a father figure then as the Lord would have it my oldest boys have helped in showing a father figure for my twins. God let each one of them know that He will be their father and all they had to do was to believe that He would. I attempted to look for the verse that states it in the word; I couldn’t remember exactly how it is worded but I know it is in there. He will do the same of anyone, if you need a friend, if you need a mother, if you need a father, or if you need a savior all you have to do is just ask him believing. My main thought today is to please hold on, for Jesus will be returning to get us very soon.

Written By: Karen ReNee

When Faith Steps In

John 20:19 – 31

Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

When Jesus steps into the room the first thing he offers is peace, second he breaths on them and fills them with the Holy Ghost. To me this is so amazing, the breath of God gave Adam life in the garden, and now just the breath of God can fill each of us with peace, joy, and that wonderful sweet Holy Ghost. He gives it to us freely; all we need to do is believe.

In these scriptures Thomas wanted God to prove to him that Jesus had risen, for he had seen Jesus beaten, carry that ole’ heavy cross up to the place where he laid down and big old rusty nails were put into his hands and feet. He saw Jesus suffer a long and painful death on that lonely hill and when they pierced his side the blood and water flowed. He, like many of us, we want to see physical proof. Before Thomas could believe he had to touch him, this is what some of us do over certain circumstances, we want to touch the miracle before we can believe it is possible.

Many of us have all heard and know the scripture that gives us the meaning of faith; it clearly states this by saying Now faith is… (Hebrews 11:1). It’s these three small words that when used, it can move mountains; sometimes the mountain is physical but many times it’s emotional. We are saying God can do it for you but we forget that means for ourselves too. In John 20 the verses 29 & 31 the gospel goes on to explain, Jesus is no longer speaking to the disciples but he is speaking to the people of today and as we read or hear these words:

Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. …these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

The word says (Romans 12:3 …according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith), we are given this which is how we can believe in the above scripture that Jesus was speaking to every person born in the world after his death and have not seen him as the disciples did and yet we believe he is. As a child our mother’s teach us that her love for us does not waiver. She encourages us to be the best man or woman we can be, to stand on our own feet, to know that even when we mess up or stumble; her love for us will grow stronger and this cycle continues with each generation. A mother’s love is so precious and powerful and only thing that is stronger is the love of Jesus.

Jesus has a love for each of us that is so strong and we know that he is always there. Our faith begins as we kneel down at the altar of God and ask for his forgiveness of our sins, it will continue on throughout our lives as long as we trust in the Lord. 

Our faith is tested regularly. In I Peter 1:7 it says That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: …even the salvation of your souls. Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:

The more our faith grows, the more it is tested and the more we use our faith the more it will grow. It says in the word that (I Peter 2:4, If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ) we are chosen by God and are precious to him. We should continuously be growing in faith, in the word, and acceptable to God.

I hope I have been able to put into words and paint the picture what I felt the Lord wanted me to give to you today. For Jesus is so precious to me and you. We are on the greatest journey of our lives and there is so much to lose if we chose not to pursue after Jesus. Let us come together in one mind and one spirit and know that through our faith we can change the world.

Written by: Karen ReNee