Yes, God can act powerful through Life Groups too! Healing, deliverance, etc....

Yes, God can act powerful through Life Groups too! Healing, deliverance, etc. The entire room was overcome with emotions....

 

2 Corinthians 13:5 – Examine yourselves

I believe, I can say with confidence that the Holy Spirit showed up in a major way last night. God showed up and proved to each one of us that He is the I AM. Everything that He purposes, He shall do. That purpose is that the Body of Christ that includes each member of this Life Group, fully operate in the gifts of the Spirit that He has placed in us. And last night, He opened that door in ways we had never seen. So much so that by the time He was done, and you all can correct me if I am wrong, I was crying; Andrea was in tears; Felicia was weeping; Jeanne was crying; my daughter was in a state of shock and Sherri was emotionally taken aback. We all were emotionally affected by the presence of the Holy Spirit. No one can deny it that we all saw and felt God's presence in a profound way last night. His presence was strong, active and powerful. THIS WEEK'S REFLECTIONS God is taking all of us on a journey in honestly evaluating what is in our hearts spiritually. And I believe, He revealed in some of us our lukewarm behaviors and attitudes. Too many of us are gifted in one or more the gifts of the Spirit, but we have allowed our fear of others and even our own slumberous to prevent God from elevating us spiritually. Too many of us are living like Elizabeth Jordan in the War Room video clip. We are successful in our professional lives, but defeated in our personal lives. Like Elizabeth, we even think we are okay spiritually. She occasionally attended Riverdale Community Church. She feels she knows the Lord. She believes in God like most people. And she even expressed that He is very important to her. But God revealed to her through Miss Clara, her prayer life; her occasionally visits to God's house; indicated otherwise. God used Miss Clara to challenge Elizabeth to be honest with herself, as to where she really is in her spiritual life. Click here to see video clip. Be Honest So let's be honest. As we saw from the video, even through Elizabeth felt she was ok spiritually, it was obvious she was lukewarm. As we read last night, we came to a clear understanding how God feels about lukewarmness. Revelation 3:16 says, "But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!" Yes, our lukewarmness in our worship is making God nausea. So much so, He is ready to spit us out. Similar to how Elizabeth reacted after she drunk the lukewarm coffee that Miss Clara gave her that represented Elizabeth's actual spiritual life. This week, as you review the content from last night lesson and the previous studies, honestly evaluate yourself and make notes in your journal. Are you cold? Hot? Or lukewarm? Is your spiritual activity or the lack there of  making God feels nauseous? Like Elizabeth, do we think we are ok spiritually when we actually are functioning in a backslidden spiritual condition - where we lack genuine faith and spiritual understanding? As Andrea mentioned, "you have not picked a side." Some of us are straggling the fence concerning our spiritual life. For example, in our Life Group, whether you attend our group weekly, or our virtual group, there are giftings God has placed in you (1 Corinthians 12:1, 4-7), but how many of us can say we are operating daily in the gift that God has placed in us. We have the authority, but where is the power behind what God has granted each one of you (James 5:16). It amazes me how God uses relatable metaphor to make a point to us. My grandbaby, Talia, who was present at the Life Group last night, was the visible metaphor God used to show us that there is power in each one of us. She was our visible aid to remind us the authority that Christ has granted each one us, but it is laying dormant, simply waiting on us to stop sleeping on our gifts that are in us. Many of you are aware of the difficult pregnancy we had with Talia. Her survival was questionable. Yet, we collectively prayed and shamed the devil. As James 5:16 states, "...a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Well here is the wonderful result when we operate freely and confidentially in our gifts of the Spirit - my grandbaby. Here's another result that you are not aware of. As God's Spirit was moving last night over each one of us, He was allowing Felicia, who is gifted in the gift of healing, to indirectly heal my grandbaby of another medical problem she was having. Prior to last night, although, Talia's appetite had picked up tremendously, she was not putting out nearly as much as she was taking in. She was not really wetting her pampers. However, when we got home last night, after her mother changed her diapers, she was shocked. Talia's diaper was soaked. When we changed her this morning, again, her pamper was completely saturated. Don't tell me that our God is not operating supernaturally today. That He is not moving through us to perform miracles, healing, etc. (1 Corinthians 12:28). For the soul purpose of His glory and for us to help one another (1 Corinthians 12:7, 25). As Paul says at 1 Corinthians 12:31b, "...let me show you a way of life that is best of all." Ladies, walk in it. Fearless walk in it - in whatever gift or gifts God has placed in you. One finally thought. One person from the group has already confessed to me that she saw the setting we were in last night in  a vision before it happened. It was like déjà vu and she was shocked. Another confessed that through this series lesson, the Holy Spirit gave her the boldness she needed to overcome her fears and to operate in the gifts God has granted her. What about you?

Why God Does

Extra Aamile

Sometimes, I don't completely understand why God asks or instructs me to approach the people I do, to post the things that I post, to extend certain invitations that He has me to extend. I don't know.

Maybe He wants to see how some will react or show them what's really in their heart by the way they respond or a lack of response. Either way, I have learned that there are blessings in submitting, being obedient and sitting back and watching Him create situations, moving mountains, molding and changing hearts and minds, and bringing about real and fruitful results. It's not about me, but Him and peoples' souls. Individuals who need more of Him, but can't see it. Or, just simply lost. I know this for a fact, from first-hand experience. Concerning the miracle, He did in me, considering how conceited I once was.

#egochanger #surrender #truefreedom #obedience

Some Christians and family members are hijacking my freedom to live free from....

I can’t tell you right off the top of my head how long I’ve been freed from homosexuality. It’s been a long time. However, the duration of my freedom is of no value to me. What is of importance, is my repentance and that I have completely surrendered my life to Christ. Living faithful and committed to him. 

I really don’t think about that life I once lived until a Christian, family member, a friend or a stranger’s reaction does something that triggers my past in some way. That trigger I call ASSUMPTIONS. The dictionary defines assumption as a belief, expectation, premise, or inference that something is accepted as true or as certain to happen, WITHOUT PROOF. Let me explain.

Some Christians and family members are hijacking my freedom to live free from my sin. Because their actions or suspicion assumes that I can never truly live free from homosexuality. 

Case in a point: a Christian sister and I are friends on social media. We communicate often through email, but have never had a face-to-face encounter. Initially, it just never came up. After developing a friendship through email and social media over several months, this sister says to me one day, “We got to get together soon.” Shortly after that, that sister schedules a meet and greet. The day of our meeting she cancels for personal reasons. Okay, no biggie right. Some time after, she rescheduled. Again, right before we are supposed to meet, she cancels. This became a pattern with this sister. Eventually, when she made a request to meet again, I didn’t bother to reply. 

Another scenario. A Christian sister and I met at church. Our personality gravitated toward each other. At each meeting, she would always initiate conversations between us two. This went on for weeks and we slowly became good friends. That led to us evidentially exchanging personal information. We continue our communication outside of church by means of email and eventually we became friends on social media. It was through my Facebook page that she learned of my past through the promotion of my book, Surrendering: A Blueprint of My Life. Shortly afterward, although we remain friends on Facebook, all communication between this fast-growing friendship, has practically almost ceased. 

To help the reader to understand the role that ASSUMPTIONS play and the damage it can cause, I need to reflect for a moment on the misconception that have infiltrated the LGBT population and has quietly made its way into some segments of the Christian community. 

One PFLAG leader recently made claims in her “red flag” warning list to the LGBT community was this. It is impossible for anyone to live completely free from homosexuality. For those who claimed to be freed, they are not. They are only suppressing their desire. 

Okay, let’s ASSUME that is true. Is that a bad thing? That a person who wants to be freed from sexual impulses has mastered a way to free himself or herself from living a way that he or she has concluded for themselves that it is not a right way to live. Do that dehumanize that person or makes them a “fake” because they have chosen for themselves that being gay or lesbian is no longer an idea life for themselves?

The ASSUMPTIONS by some within the LGBT community is the acceptance of the ideology that one is born this way. Yet, as defined by almost every dictionary, homosexuality is defined as an act, not what a person is. 

Merriam Webster – a tendency to direct sexual desire toward another of the same sex.

Wikipedia – a romantic attraction, sexual attraction between members of the same sex.

Oxford – a person who is sexually attracted to people of the own sex.

Cambridge – a person who is sexually attracted to people of the same sex.

Apple – characterized by sexual attraction between people of the same sex.

Again, an act, but not who you are. So, for a moment, let’s look at how we become who we are. Simple put – DNA (Deoxyribo Nucleic Acid). DNA is the blueprint of who we are. DNA creates RNA (Ribonucleic Acid). In turn, they form you and me. By default, all foetus or fetus is female. Until the SRY (sex-determining gene), also called TDF (testis-determining factor) turns itself on. If it turns itself on, then you have a boy. 

Our DNA decides our height, weight, gender and hair, eyes, and skin color, etc., but what about our personality? How does our DNA influences who we choose to become as we grow and mature? Does our DNA pre-programs us to be a certain way, like gay or lesbian, despite what our gender indicates?

Well, let’s consider this. If you take every person who currently lives a homosexual life back in time, to the point, before this life choice became a part of who they are. Place them on an island by themselves, with no human influence. Would this kind of desire still exist or be an option they would consider? 

I have never shared this fact with anyone, but as for me, homosexuality was introduced to me at a very young age. When a female family member introduced this life to me. So the seed was planted. Yet, it was not until I was in college that I was introduced to the word lesbian for the first time. Months later, I would learn what gay is. And a few years later, in my late twenties, I learned what lesbian is. It was not who I was. But it was something that was introduced to my environment at a young age. Throughout the course of my life, other incidents further fed into my curiosity through my senses. What I saw, heard and read concerning this lifestyle choice. And at some point, years of environmental influences became a reality for me. 

If you want to be technical about it, what I am is a woman. That is who God created me to be. That is my DNA makeup. However, the society in which I was born into has dictated to me over the years, how a woman should conduct herself. What she should look like, smell like, and be like. As a woman, I can choose whether I want to buy into what society says is normal for a woman. Or, I can choose to be something else. Either way, it is a choice; a free will to choose my path despite how God created me in my mother’s womb. 

One finally thought. We all need to be reminded of our Creator and His ways. To those Christians who have allowed the spirit of fear and suspension to creep into their Spirit, please stop it! You are robbing your Christian brothers and sisters of their right to operate freely in God’s house to worship as God has created them to be and you are opening a gateway for Satan to run rampant in the Church. I have left that life and closed that door. I certainly don't need reminders of a past that I no longer visit. 

To my brothers and sisters that have found themselves still trap in the lifestyle of homosexuality. Those who know in their heart, you are looking for a way out. You want to be freed. There is room for you in God’s house. Jesus is standing at your doorway. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting for you to invite him in. Just remember.

Psalm 139:13 Remember God knitted you together in your mother’s womb. And this life is not what He designed for you.

Jeremiah 1:5 Like Jeremiah, He knew you before you were in your mother’s womb. Before you were even born, He has set you apart.

Despite where you are; the ideology that is rampant in the LGBT community; the inappropriate behaviors and reactions by some Christians; GOD LOVES YOU. Let me say that again. GOD LOVES YOU. And in your heart, you know he does. Focus on that and find your way home. Not to man. Nor even to the Church, but to the Father. Just come home.

It Benefits All - Book Summary

It benefits all! 

• Those who want to be freed
• Those who are questioning
• Those who want to fulfill their God-given commission (Matthew 28:19, 20)

The Boldness of One PFLAG Member... Speechless

Wow! I had to separate myself from that one. Unliked! Unsubscribed! The danger and boldness of some, to warn LGBT individuals, "...let it be a red flag when...." I'm sitting here with my mouth wide opened.

I am not interested in scared tactics. However, I am interested in supporting and helping those who really wants it. You can have it. Step away Deaidre. Just walk away girl and let this PFLAG member, leader, or whoever she is, have her battle with God concerning her claims (2 Chronicles 20:15). Lord, have mercy, but it is up to you to reply to that one. In Jesus of name, you know the thought that you placed in my Spirit. So be it. AMEN and AMEN!

So the battle lines have officially been drawn in the sand. Satan has purposely cast me deeper into this spiritual warfare and made me very visible. Ok, Father, I am completely looking to you for protection, guidance and discernment.

Plots & Attacks....

Oh, the many different ways and channels Satan uses to knock one off your God given path. I rebuke you in the name of Jesus. For I clearly understand and know my destiny.

Helping an Ex-lesbian

Randy Alcorn and Jonathan Edwards

God, thank you for the wonderful privilege today. To be blessed to help another sister who has left her lesbian lifestyle, at her request, to help her select and buy female style clothing for herself. Not because she was pressured or made to feel a certain kind of way, but because she was ready to take this step. My heart was moved with joy and tears for being asked to be a part of this process and for her.